Google kicked off its annual I/O developer convention Wednesday. As normal, the firm took the event to announce a bunch of latest {hardware} merchandise and software program updates.
While the shiny new devices might need stolen the present—you may find out about the Pixel Watch, new Pixel telephones, and different objects that had been introduced in our separate story—I/O continues to be primarily a software program affair. To that finish, Google used its keynote occasion to element a dizzying array of latest options for Android, Search, Maps, and Google’s voice assistant providers.
Here are the largest updates Google introduced.
Android 13
We bought a number of extra particulars about the subsequent model of Android, Google’s OS for cellular gadgets. When Android 13 arrives this fall, it is going to introduce some updates that make the OS safer and extra interoperable with different gadgets round you. Google Messaging will develop help for the RCS texting normal, bringing end-to-end encryption to group texts. Multilingual customers will be capable to set particular apps to make use of particular languages, so you may search in English and tweet in German. Support for quick-pairing with gadgets utilizing the Matter good dwelling normal shall be inbuilt, and will probably be simpler to solid movies or pictures to extra televisions, shows, and different screens in your house with further help for extra producers’ merchandise.
We’ll have a deeper look at Android 13 when it will get nearer to arriving later this 12 months.
Google Found Its Wallet
The firm has revived its beforehand deserted Google Wallet identify and branding, and the refreshed app goes to turn into Android’s default digital foreign money container. Wallet will hang around in your system and maintain all of your bank cards, transit playing cards, vaccine verification, and even your park go to Disney World. If you’re considering, “Wait, that sounds exactly like Google Pay, a thing that already exists,” you’re right. Wallet is mainly the identical as Google Pay, besides that Google says its Wallet app may even quickly help digital IDs, together with drivers’ licenses. Google has a behavior of steadily killing off its own services, so we’ll see how lengthy each of those choices stick round.
New Safety Features
Google additionally laid out quite a lot of new additions to its software program platforms aimed at defending towards cyberattacks. It is bettering its two-factor authentication system and enabling it by default on Google accounts. Phishing protections are being carried over from Gmail to Google’s workplace suite (Docs, Sheets, and Slides). It may even flag when account settings might be modified to higher defend privateness.
A brand new function known as Virtual Cards goals to maintain your bank card data non-public whilst you’re procuring. When you autofill bank card info, Virtual Cards will generate a randomized card quantity and hold you from having to manually enter delicate data on some probably suspect storefront.
Read Lily Newman’s WIRED story about all of Google’s new safety features.
Welcome to the Multisearch
Last month, Google rolled out a function known as Multisearch. It allows you to mix parts in a single search question, like utilizing a photograph and textual content at the identical time. Soon, Multisearch will get a brand new tweak. Called Near Me, the function allows you to consider your location whereas Multisearching, serving to to smell out native eating places or outlets based mostly on pictures and textual content. Multisearch Near Me shall be obtainable globally later this 12 months, although it solely works with English enter for now.
Mapped Immersion
An upcoming function in Google Maps is one thing Google calls Immersive View. It’s a type of tricked out Street View that permits you to swipe to maneuver round in a CGI-rendered 3D house. It can simulate complete cities, and even the insides of workplaces and eating places. You received’t see a 100% correct rendering, as a result of a lot of it’s based mostly on person pictures after which stuffed in with an algorithm. Google says the function will work on any smartphone and is rolling out in “select cities” this 12 months.
Act Natural
Google has made strikes to make its voice assistant perceive extra nuances of dialog and react accordingly. A brand new function known as Look and Talk, which is out there completely on the Nest Hub Max, goals to make speaking with a voice assistant much less like shouting at a slab of concrete. You received’t must say “OK Google” anymore, as a result of the system is designed to acknowledge whenever you’re directing a query at it. To try this, the Nest Hub Max makes use of its built-in digicam to observe how shut you’re to the system, which approach your head is turned, and which approach your gaze is directed. So it will possibly detect whether or not you’re wanting at the system and ready for a solution.
The Assistant additionally permits for pauses in a question, in case you want a second to get your ideas collectively. Just like speaking with an individual! The firm didn’t say whether or not Google Assistant will ever be able to love.
