Google Announces New Android Features
- Paul Thurrott
- Dec 01, 2021
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As it does every so often, Google today announced a variety of new Android features that aren’t part of a version upgrade of Pixel feature drop. But with rare exception, it’s not clear when these features will go live, or on which Android versions.
“As we head into the busiest time of year, Android is becoming even more helpful with new features that make it a joy to create, capture, relive, and share holiday memories — all while strengthening security and personalization,” Google’s Tiffany Yang writes.
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Here’s what’s new.
Family Bell. This new feature works on Android phones, home speakers, and smart displays, and uses bells to alert you and your family when scheduled items are due. Family members can also set bells on their own devices so they can stay on top of their individual goals too.
New widgets. Thanks to Apple, Google is paying attention to widgets again, and it has announced three new widgets: Google Play Books, YouTube Music, and Google Photos People & Pets.
New Memories in Google Photos. These new Memories will appear in your photo grid and feature “a curated selection of photos and videos from holidays like New Year’s Eve or Halloween, to important milestones like birthdays and graduations,” Google says.
Android Auto improvements. Android Auto can now launch automatically when you connect your Android phone to a compatible car and stay connected during every drive. Android Auto will also soon support smart reply options so you can respond to a text message more easily with the Google Assistant. You’ll also be able to use your voice to search for music more quickly in your media apps.
App permissions improvements. A permissions auto-reset feature will automatically turn off runtime permissions for apps you downloaded but haven’t used in a while. Starting next month, this feature will expand support to billions more devices with Google Play services that run Android 6.0 or higher.
Emoji Kitchen combinations. Emoji Kitchen lets you combine emoji into stickers to share others. The latest stickers, for the holidays, are rolling out to Gboard Beta users starting today and will be available to all Gboard users in the coming weeks.