Google brings new features to Android phones, Wear OS watches

Some of the key new features coming to phones and watches include option to share Digital Car Key with friends and family

Like the previous year, Google has kicked off the festive holiday season with new feature drops to Android phones and Watches.

Google recently added new styles to the collage editor in the Photos app for Android phones. With this, users were able to get visually great templates to mix and match multiple photos into and share them with loved ones. Now, the Photos app will be getting two more styles created by Australian husband-and-wife visual duo DABSMYLA and renowned watercolor artist Yao Cheng Design.

New Collage template coming to the Photos app for Android phones. Credit: Google

Users have to just pick the photos, select the design and rearrange the layout with simple drag-and-drop controls.

The company is also adding more Emoji animations including-- blue heart, snowman, and blue snow crystal.

Google brings new festive emojis. Credit: Google

Also, Google is bringing a new Reading mode to Android phones. It is said to enhance the reading experience which can be helpful for people who are blind, have low vision, or are dyslexic.

Once installed in the settings, it adds customizable display options — including contrast, font type, and size — and a text-to-speech function with speed control.

New Reading mode coming to Android phones. Credit: Google

The YouTube app gets a new Home screen Search widget. With a quick tap on the Home screen, users can dive right into the library of videos, Shorts, or subscriptions. And, in the coming week, users will be able to cast directly from the Google TV app on their phone to your compatible TV with a single tap. Users can keep browsing other options while they're watching and use the device as a remote control, too.

Users will be able to cast directly from the Google TV app on the phone to a compatible TV with a single tap Credit: Google

Another noteworthy feature coming to the Android phone compatible with select Android Auto-enabled cars is that the users will be able to share their digital car key with friends and family across Pixel and iPhones (coming soon to select phones with Android versions 12 and up).

Google to bring Digital Car Key sharing feature to Pixels and iPhones. Credit: Google

Users will be able to view and change who has access to their car in the phone’s digital wallet app.

Google had done a good job with the tile-like glanceable interface to use Google Maps on the compact screens of Wear OS-based smartwatches. Now, it is bringing a similar interface for viewing contacts and reading weather reports with the sunrise and sunset times.

Glanceable feature expanding to more Google WearOS watch apps. Credit: Google

And, it is updating the Google Keep app on Wear OS so the notes and to-dos written on the phone will look just as good on the watch. It will have View labels and collaborators to stay organised. It will come with custom backgrounds, photos, and drawings to make it easy to see what's important to the user, whether they're checking the notes on the phone or the watch.

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