One thing that I absolutely adore about Android, especially when compared to certain other major mobile operating systems (cough-iOS-cough) is that the feature set constantly grows throughout the year, even without major OS updates. The Android team at Google is always adding more functionality or making existing things more convenient.
Yesterday, Google announced four new features coming to Android (and one new feature coming to Wear OS), and even if you might not use some of these, it’s impossible for you not to acknowledge how incredibly useful they are. Let’s get into them.
Android’s TalkBack Feature Can Now Describe Images, Thanks To Gemini
The average Android user might not know anything about TalkBack because the average Android user doesn’t need to use it. TalkBack is an accessibility feature, and simply put, it is a screen reader to help the visually-impaired use their Android devices.
One limitation however, is that images without alt text can’t be read by a screen reader. However, TalkBack will now support “reading” images with the power of Google Gemini. Gemini will be able to look at the image, figure out what it is, and generate a detailed description for TalkBack to read out.
Circle To Search Brings Music Identification Functionality, Even Better Than Google Assistant’s
Google has really been pushing Circle to Search forward, along with Samsung as its right hand. To be honest, I have Circle to Search and it truly does have the potential to be a game changer with how easy it is to use.
Now, Circle to Search has just gotten an additional feature to make it even more awesome than it already is. It can now identify music playing around you, just like Google Assistant is able to. However, this comes with an ace up its sleeve, as it will also be able to identify music playing from your phone — that’s something I’ve always been frustrated that Google Assistant couldn’t do.
Google Chrome Can Now Read Any Kind Of Webpage Aloud For You
If there are instances where it’d be more convenient to listen to a webpage rather than read it yourself, then Chrome has the feature for you. The new “Listen to this page” button in the Chrome menu will now give you the power to have any webpage, whether it is a research paper, a recipe, or a short story, read back to you. You can even choose the voice, and reading speed, and get it to highlight the part of the article being read.
US Android Users Can Take Advantage Of The Android Earthquake Alerts System
If you live anywhere in the United States or in a specific six of its territories, you will be able to get an advanced warning on when an earthquake is about to hit, which could potentially save your life. This works using seismometers from major agencies, as well as crowd-sourcing data from the accelerometers in everyone’s Android devices. When the alert is activated, you’ll get tips on how to stay safe, during and after an earthquake.
Wear OS Watches Now Have Offline Support For Google Maps
There are many times when you’ll find yourself equipped with your smartwatch but without internet connectivity. A smartwatch is a device of convenience, and one convenient thing you won’t be able to do without it being connected to the internet is navigating with Google Maps.
Fortunately, that’s about to change, as Google Maps on Wear OS now supports offline maps, so even if your phone isn’t with you, you’ll be able to navigate as easily as ever.
