Google announced Tuesday that it is rolling out five new updates aimed at making Android phones more accessible, convenient, and personalized. Announced in a blog post, the features include features aimed at reducing motion sickness, helping visually impaired users navigate their surroundings, remembering where users have placed important items, and adding new ways to personalize Google Messages.
In some features, Google aims to catch up with Apple, which already offers similar features for iPhone users, while in others it specifically leverages Gemini to offer a variety of improvements.
The most interesting update is “Motion Assist.” This is a feature designed to assist people who experience motion sickness while using their mobile phone in a moving vehicle. Add a bubble overlay to the screen that moves with the movement of the vehicle, reducing the disconnect between what the user sees on the screen and what their body feels.
However, this concept is not entirely new. Apple introduced “Vehicle Motion Cues” in 2024. This uses animated dots around the edges of the display that move as the vehicle moves.
Users can set Motion Assist to turn on automatically, add it to quick settings, and customize bubble shape, color, and transparency. Google says the feature is available to Android 17 users.
Google is also introducing Guided Vision, a feature designed with visually impaired users in mind. Gemini combines your phone’s camera to help you with tasks like reading small print on food labels, checking menus in dark restaurants, and identifying objects around your home.
This feature provides voice guidance if the camera is not positioned correctly and can also instruct the user to move the phone, pan around an object, or center it. Guided Vision will be available on phones running Android 9 or later in countries where Gemini is available.
With another update, Gemini offers a new way to help users remember where they put important items. Find Hub’s Remembered Items section allows users to tell Gemini where they have saved something. For example, if a user says they put their passport in their bedroom drawer, Gemini can save that information in Find Hub. Users can also attach a photo to help identify the item later.
Additionally, Google is adding Google Keep integration to Google Messages, allowing you to share and edit shopping lists, vacation notes, and other information directly within your conversations.
Additionally, Google Messages has added even more personalization options. Google says users will be able to customize individual chats with backgrounds, photos, and colors. Text bubbles are automatically matched.
Apple added a similar custom background feature to Messages last year.
If you buy through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This does not affect editorial independence.
