Android 16 is formally right here, and it consists of Google’s tackle the iPhone’s Live Activities. On Tuesday, Google introduced that Live Updates are rolling out first with ride-share and meals supply apps, permitting you to trace the progress of your trip or supply with persistent, real-time notifications.
Android 16 may also clear up your common notification drawer by mechanically grouping alerts from the identical app.
Another replace goals to enhance name high quality for individuals sporting listening to aids with their gadget. Right now, Google says most LE listening to gadgets use their front-facing microphones for audio enter, although these mics are supposed to decide up the sound of individuals chatting with you moderately than your personal voice. If you’re sporting listening to aids whereas on a name, now you can change to utilizing your telephone’s microphone as an alternative. Android 16 consists of native management for listening to gadgets, which helps you to modify quantity, set a default microphone for calls, and extra.
Additionally, now you can allow Advanced Protection — a function that protects at-risk customers from dangerous apps, unsafe web sites, on-line assaults, and extra — in your telephone. Google is readying the launch of its DeX-like desktop expertise for Android with customized keyboard shortcuts, too, which builders can start testing beginning as we speak earlier than a wider rollout later this 12 months.
Google additionally introduced a number of different smaller however notable updates coming to its apps. That consists of the power to set a customized icon for RCS group chats in Google Messages, and mute notifications on group chats for particular durations. Google is bringing a redesigned editor to Photos to extra gadgets as effectively, together with a method so as to add extra time to your Safety Check.
Meanwhile, Google Home is getting an replace that ought to make it simpler to handle sensible house merchandise from totally different locations, as it’s going to now allow you to create shortcuts for particular gadgets for Favorites in Google Home. That means you possibly can pin your safety cameras to your Google TV, or pin your thermostat controls to your Wear OS smartwatch. If you could have a Wear OS watch, you’ll now have the ability to faucet metropolis transit playing cards with out opening your Google Wallet app, too.
