Google Adds New Features to Android and Wear OS
Enhanced Accessibility, Safety, and More
Google has announced a suite of new features for Android devices that extend beyond its own Pixel smartphones. These updates include enhancements to accessibility, content consumption, and safety, as well as a new feature for Wear OS.
Accessibility Enhancements
Android’s TalkBack screen reader will now use Gemini models on supported devices to offer detailed audio descriptions of images. This allows users to receive comprehensive descriptions of photos in their camera roll, text messages, or social media.
Content Consumption
The Circle to Search feature enables users to identify songs playing nearby or on their devices. Additionally, a new function in Chrome allows users to listen to web pages with customizable options for speed, voice type, and language.
Safety Updates
The Android Earthquake Alerts System will expand its coverage to all US states and six territories. This system uses crowd-sourced data to detect earthquakes and provides life-saving alerts seconds before an earthquake hits.
Wear OS Features
Wear OS users can now access offline maps through Google Maps. New shortcuts allow users to search for destinations via voice commands when reconnected online or to view their current location with a simple tap on the watch face.
Doubts Revealed
Google -: Google is a big company that makes software and devices like Android phones and Wear OS smartwatches.
Android -: Android is a type of software that runs on many smartphones and tablets, helping them work and run apps.
Wear OS -: Wear OS is a special software made by Google for smartwatches, helping them do things like show notifications and track fitness.
Accessibility -: Accessibility means making things easier to use for everyone, including people with disabilities.
TalkBack -: TalkBack is a feature on Android phones that reads out loud what’s on the screen for people who can’t see well.
Circle to Search -: Circle to Search is a new feature that helps you find out the name of a song by just drawing a circle on your screen.
Chrome -: Chrome is a web browser made by Google that lets you visit websites on the internet.
Android Earthquake Alerts System -: The Android Earthquake Alerts System is a feature that warns people about earthquakes using their Android phones.
US states and six territories -: The US states are the 50 regions that make up the United States, and the six territories are places like Puerto Rico that are also part of the US but not states.
Offline maps -: Offline maps are maps you can use on your device even when you don’t have an internet connection.
Voice commands -: Voice commands are instructions you give to your device by speaking, like asking it to show you directions.