Google has announced new features for its phones, smartwatches, and TV platforms. According to the official blog, nearly a dozen features are headed to Android, Wear OS, and Google TV devices. The blog also reiterates that these new features are designed to help users personalise devices and make them unique to the ones using them. Moreover, these features are meant to make devices more expressive, intuitive, secure, and accessible. From new Emoji Kitchen combinations and new ways to use Google Messages, and from new free Google TV channels to Smart Home Controls on Wear OS, here’s a comprehensive list of all the new features announced by Google.
List of Features Coming to Android, Wear OS, and Google TV
As mentioned above, all these features and updates are meant to improve the overall experience on Android, Wear OS, and Google TV devices. Let’s take a look at all the features announced by Google today.
New Emoji Kitchen Combinations and Voice Moods
Google is bringing new Emoji Kitchen sticker combinations for users to remix and share their favourite emojis as stickers through Gboard. Whether it’s a dinner or a perfect picture idea, now simply remix emojis and share them as a sticker.
Google Messages Features
Google is bringing voice moods to Google Messages, which adds a unique background and animated emoji themes to your voice messages. These emojis will depict the emotions conveyed through the voice message. Moreover, the company is also adding Reaction Effects in Google Messages, which shows full-screen animated emojis when users react to a message.
Improved Security and Accessibility Features
Google is bringing enhancements for security and accessibility features on Android. It’s now possible to set custom PINs for FIDO2 security keys to add an extra layer of protection for online accounts.
Google is also improving the TalkBack experience on Android. The TalkBack feature is gaining some AI muscles in the form of AI-powered image descriptions. This will help blind or low-vision individuals to get the image content through AI-powered image descriptions.
Live Captions for Media and Calls
Google is also making Live Caption on Android accessible to all with expanded language support. Additionally, users will be able to reply during phone calls with a text response that is read aloud. It makes it possible for users to take calls without having to hear them or respond with voice.
Free Google TV Channels
Google is adding 10 new free TV channels on Google TV. These channels will provide a wide range of shows to Google TV users. With the addition of new free channels, Google TV will now offer 115 free channels to its users with a broad range of game shows, sports, movies, and more.
Smart Home Controls, Home Status, and Assistant Routines on Wear OS
Wear OS users will now be able to control smart home devices including lights, cameras, and other appliances conveniently. Additionally, Wear OS will allow users to set their Google Home Status to home or away. This will help ensure that their Google Home devices are configured accordingly. Google is also bringing the voice command support for Assistant Routines to Wear OS. Users will be able to start any assistant routine with a simple voice command soon.
