Google releases 9 new features for Android smartphones and smartwatches via Feature Drop

In a blog entry, Google has announced a series of new features for Android smartphones and smartwatches that will be rolled out for compatible devices in the coming days and weeks. The first of these is an AI feature in Android Auto that can automatically summarize or read out long messages or group chats so that the driver/rider is not unnecessarily distracted. In addition, AI will be able to suggest appropriate answers that can be selected and sent with a single touch.

Android smartphones can now use AI to recognize and describe the content of images, which is intended to make smartphone use more comfortable for users with impaired vision. The AR view of Google Maps can now read out loud what the smartphone camera is currently displaying. Google Docs now supports handwritten annotations, both with your finger and with a stylus. The output switcher on the Android home screen now supports Spotify Connect so that the device on which music is playing can be changed seamlessly and without interruption.

The Fitbit app can now synchronize additional parameters via Health Connect, providing a more complete picture of the available data. Google Wallet finally supports boarding passes, concert tickets and membership cards on Wear OS, while Google Maps can now display information on public transportation on smartwatches. Lastly, Google's ChatGPT alternative Gemini will be integrated directly into Google Messages so that users can write directly to the chatbot, although this only works in English for the time being.