It seems like Google IO was only yesterday, but Google has already announced new features coming to Android later this year. Although the June 15 announcement isn’t as groundbreaking as the Android 12 preview at its IO event, even little improvements can go a long way.
Android Earthquake alert system now available in more regions
The Android Earthquake Alerts System, previously released in New Zealand and Greece, is now available in Turkey, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
In addition to providing a warning about an imminent earthquake, the feature will also provide safety tips and help first responders locate the user faster.
Google said that it’s targeting countries with higher earthquake risks first and will launch the service in more countries over the coming year.
Star important messages in the Messages app
Android’s default messaging app will be getting the star feature. There isn’t much to explain here: once it rolls out in the coming weeks, users will be able to star messages and jump back to them without having to scroll through the entire conversation.
Emoji Kitchen stickers will be contextually aware
Google’s Gboard keyboard received the Emoji Kitchen feature back in December 2020, allowing its users to mash together different emojis to express their mood better. Now, Gboard will show custom emojis according to context. No more wasting time scrolling through the creations and missing a golden moment to drop a god-tier emoji.
Context-aware Emoji Kitchen is currently in beta. It will arrive this summer in English, Spanish and Portuguese on devices running Android 6.0 and later.
Better password input and gaze detection on voice access
The Android Voice Access feature helps people with disabilities control their phones with just their voice. When Voice Access detects a password field, it will let users dictate their password letter by letter. It also recognizes special characters like dollar signs and capital letters.
Gaze input will enable the Google Assistant only if the user is looking at the screen. This feature is still currently in beta.
More customization options in Android Auto
Android Auto sets the phone into a special mode to improve navigation and remove distractions while driving. Android Auto now lets users tweak elements like the launch screen and dark mode in the new update. It also improves content browsing with new tabs in media apps and navigation options. Additionally, it boasts EV charging, parking and navigation apps, and access to popular messaging apps from the main screen.
The new Android Auto features are available now on phones running Android 6.0 and later.
Deeper app control with voice
Users can already launch apps using their voice through Google Assistant. Now, Google will be bringing the feature to a wider number of apps, although it did not say how many aside from mentioning Capital One and Strava.