Google adds new features to Android: Share digital car key and more

Google is celebrating the holiday season by rolling out new features for Android mobile devices and smartwatches. These features will be rolled out to Google Photos, Messages, Google TV, and other Google Android apps to improve the user interface, accessibility, digital well-being, and productivity. Some new Android features include digital car key sharing, reading mode, new kitchen emoji, and more.

In the latest blog post, Google announced new accessibility-focused features for Android phones and Wear OS smartwatches. Let's take a detailed look at the upcoming new Android features for this holiday season.

Reading mode

Similar to Apple's reading mode for Safari, the new reading mode for Android will provide an accessible reading experience. Users can personalize their reading experience to suit their needs and adjust font type and size, contrast, and a text-to-speech option to adjust general reading settings on their smartphones.

Reading mode on Android will provide "an accessible reading experience that may be useful for people who are blind, have low vision, or are dyslexic," Google said. The feature is also fully compatible with TalkBack, which is an accessibility service for Google's Android operating system. The app is currently available to download on the Play Store. Reader mode for Android is also found in YouTube videos and provides various options for watching videos, including converting text content to speech.

Share digital car key

Google's Digital Car Key will now allow people to share the Digital Car Key with others via Pixels and select iPhone models. The digital car key feature lets users control their car's lock from their smartphone. The new update allows people to share the vehicle's digital key remotely through the app. People can also control who can access their cars and manage multiple car keys through the digital wallet app. The feature is available for Pixel 6 and select iPhones. It will be available for more phones running Android 12 or higher software versions.

New Emoji by Kitchen emojis

The latest update also adds some new emojis by Emoji Kitchen. Users can create their hybrid emoji on Gboard. Users can mix snow emojis, blue hearts and other emojis with regular emojis to feel the Christmas fun.

Styles in Google Photos

Google Photos bought Styles for the collage editor. Now users can create and edit so they can create shareable collages of their photos and send them to their friends and family. Additionally, Google has added some new designs by two new artists: Australian husband and wife visual duo DABSMYLA and renowned watercolourist Yao Cheng Design.

YouTube Home Screen Search Widget

Google has added a new Widget to the home screen tray. A new search widget on the YouTube home screen will allow users to browse YouTube directly from the smartphone's home screen.

Connect and stream mobile to TV

Users can now cast directly from the Google TV app to a compatible TV via the new floating action button available at the bottom right of the smartphone app.

More features for Wear OS devices

Google has added more tiles, note options, and training mode options to improve the experience for users with the Google Pixel smartwatch.