Google Details New Android Updates For the Holiday Season
Google has started rolling out new features on Android to help users go through the holiday season. There are updates for Google Photos, Gboard, YouTube, and the Google TV app, as well as new features for Pixel phones and WearOS devices.
The official Android website has a detailed list of Android updates for December 2022, but here are the highlights:
Google Photos collage editor: The new Styles feature that lets users create collages of their favorite photos has received new artist-created designs to enhance your compositions during the holidays.
Emoji Kitchen updates for Gboard: Gboard’s Emoji Kitchen lets Android users create new emojis by pairing existing emojis together. This update lets Gboard users create new emoji combos using the 💙,⛄️, or ❄️ emojis.
Reading Mode: The new Reading Mode on Android adds customizable display options and a text-to-speech feature to improve the screen reading experience. It’s available as an app on the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.accessibility.reader)
Casting Support for Google TV: In an update coming next week, the Google TV app will let users cast content to compatible TVs connected to the same Wi-Fi network
New YouTube Search widget: The new Search widget for YouTube now lets users search for videos, access YouTube SHorts, or browse their own library of videos
Digital car keys: Pixel users can now share their digital car keys with friends and family so they can use their cars. The feature currently works across Pixel and iPhones, and it’s coming to more Android phones soon.
WearOS updates: Google’s smartwatch OS is getting a redesigned Google Keep app and new tiles for reaching your favorite contacts or accessing essential information. A new Google Assistant integration with the adidas Running app is also rolling out next week.
That’s it for Google’s Android updates for December. If you missed it yesterday, Apple also released iOS 16.1.2 with carrier compatibility and crash detection Updates.