New Android features do not necessarily require a classic Android update, as Google can incorporate a lot into the operating system via Google Play. For the summer, Google is introducing six new features relating to earthquakes, messaging, emoji, voice control, passwords and Android Auto.
Early warning system for Earthquake
Most smartphones have an accelerometer that Google can use to convert the device into a small seismograph and thus set up a worldwide early warning system for earthquakes. First available in California and later in Oregon and Washington, the feature was expanded to New Zealand and Greece in April. Today the “Android Earthquake Alerts System” is being launched in Turkey, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. When rollout of the feature, Google is prioritizing countries with a high earthquake risk, but intends to offer the service in more and more regions over the coming years. Image: Google)
Mark messages as favorites
A new feature for Google's own messaging app is a favorites function, so that particularly important messages within a conversation can be highlighted without having to scroll through a long list of messages to find them. All messages marked with an asterisk can be called up in a new category. Google wants to roll out the feature gradually over the coming weeks.
Context-related suggestions from the Emoji Kitchen
The Emoji Kitchen of the Gboard keyboard, which was introduced last December and can be used to create your own creations with over 14,000 combinations from several emoji, receives context-related suggestions with the current beta of the keyboard as soon as a message has been typed. The feature will initially be offered for English, Spanish and Portuguese on smartphones with Android 6.0 and newer.
Control more apps by voice
Google's voice control now supports more apps or specific tasks within these new apps. For example, you can now use the Google Assistant to tell that an invoice should be paid within the Capital One app. Another new feature is a query of the kilometers traveled within Strava. Which commands are available for which apps can be queried with “Hey Google, shortcuts”.
Voice Access receives gauze function
The voice control of the entire smartphone, which was developed for people with motor disabilities, has also been expanded. The feature called “Voice Access” can now be set so that it is only active when the smartphone is viewed directly (gauze). In addition, the acoustic input of passwords has been revised so that commands such as “uppercase letter, password” or “dollar sign” are correctly recognized and then a “$” is entered instead of just the word “dollar sign”.
Manual Dark Mode for Android Auto
Android Auto is also being refreshed and now allows the launcher to be configured directly on the smartphone. In addition, dark mode can now be activated manually regardless of the time of day. New tabs for the media apps, a “Back to the beginning” and an “A to Z” button in the scroll bar are intended to simplify operation in the car. Charging, parking and navigation apps specially designed for e-cars are now also available within Android Auto. And in the area of messaging, apps like WhatsApp can now be started directly from the launcher. The new Android Auto features are available for smartphones from Android 6.0.