Google Announces a New Android Feature Bundle

Google is adding 11 new features to Android phones and tablets, Wear OS smartwatches, and Google TV devices via a series of app updates it’s called a feature bundle.

“Android is helping you personalize your devices to be more expressive, helpful, secure and accessible,” Google’s Arpit Midha writes in the announcement post. “You can now check out 11 new features and updates across your Android phones and tablets, Wear OS smartwatches and Google TV devices — including brand-new ways to use Google Messages, too.”

Here’s what’s new.

Android

New Emoji Kitchen sticker combinations. Emoji Kitchen is an Android feature that lets you combine emojis into stickers that you can share with others, typically with the Messages app. With this update, there are now many new seasonal sticker combinations.

Voice Moods in Messages (beta). This new feature adds a unique background and moving emoji to voice messages created in Messages.

Reaction Effects in Google Messages (beta). This new feature turns reactions in Messages into full-screen animated emoji so you can “show your friends how excited, surprised or confused you really are.”

Improved security with a security key. Android already supports hardware security keys, but with this update, you can set custom PINs for websites and apps so you can sign in more quickly. And the PIN will protect your credentials if the key is lost or stolen.

Hear AI image descriptions. The Talkback feature in the Android Accessibility Suite now uses AI to create a description of images without accurate text description and read it aloud, no matter the source.

Live Captions improvements. Live Captions will soon support more languages for phone calls and on-device media. And it will soon offer the ability to reply with a text response that’s read aloud during phone calls so you can take calls without needing to hear them or respond with your voice.

Wear OS

More smart home device controls. The Home app on Wear OS now supports more controls for compatible smart home devices. “You can now turn on and dock compatible smart appliances like vacuums and mops from your Wear OS smartwatch,” Midha says. “You can also set the mood in an instant by controlling light groups for dinner, focus time, and everything in between.”

Home and Away status from your watch. You can now use the Home app on Wear OS to set your status to Home or Away as well, so you can automatically engage your cameras, door locks, lights, and other smart devices accordingly.

Assistant Routines. Wear OS users will soon be able to start Assistant Routines from their smartwatch with a voice command. For example, if you have a “commuting to work” routine set-up that helps you navigate to work, check the weather, and hear your day’s agenda, then you can start that routine by saying “Hey Google, commuting to work.”

Assistant At a Glance. A new Assistant At a Glance shortcut can be added to your watch face so you can quickly see weather alerts, travel updates, and event reminders.

Google TV

10 new free TV channels. Google TV already provides over 100 free channels, and Google just added 10 more movies, sports, and game show channels.

You can learn more about all these features from the Explore What’s New page on Android.com.