Google is preparing some huge Android updates that are slated to start rolling out shortly. Many of the more significant features in this update are limited to eligible Pixel phones, but there are also new features coming to other Android phones.
Google called this release "a new chapter for how Android updates work, moving from a single, yearly update to more frequent releases."
That means we won't see these huge, sweeping updates going forward, with the company opting to release smaller updates instead. While it won't be quite as exciting as receiving a slew of new features at once, it's also fun to keep things moving with new features consistently.
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Google is adding AI notification summaries (something Apple has been seeing mixed results with since introducing them as part of iOS 18). Android will now condense longer messages and group chats to provide a quick understanding at a glance. If you set your phone down for a bit and get inundated with messages from friends, these summaries could come in handy.
As part of the update, Android will also get a notification organizer that groups and silences notifications based on importance.
Visually, Google is adding Custom icon shapes, Themed icons and more options in dark theme.
For kids with Pixel devices, Google is beefing up parental controls. Adults now can set the daily limit for device screen time, schedule downtime, control app usage, and adjust timing as needed.
These sound like some pretty fundamental-shifting updates that will make using Pixel devices more enjoyable. For other device owners, Google didn't say if and when these features would roll out. However, the company also revealed some general updates for other phones.
General Android updates
Not content to let Pixel owners have all the fun, Google is also rolling out new features to other Android phones, and some sound quite cool. For example, captions for videos are getting a feature called Expressive Captions, which essentially adds emotion tags and other cues to captions to say how the person speaking is likely feeling based on what they're portraying.
Google is also expanding Emoji Kitchen stickers, adding an in-dialer Call Reason feature, giving you the ability to leave group messages (and report them if there's something shady happening) and check for scams with Circle to Search.
Finally, Google is rolling out tons of accessibility updates. Here's a quick list of what Android users can expect:
- Expressive Captions coming to YouTube
- Easier clicking with a connected mouse
- Use voice dictation more easily with TalkBack
- Guided Frame with Gemini
- Voice Access updates
- Fast Pair for hearing aids
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