Google has introduced several new features to Android phones, aimed at enhancing user safety during natural disasters, improving accessibility using AI technology, and simplifying music discovery. At the same time, the company has achieved a significant milestone with Android 15, getting closer to its upcoming public release.
Ensuring user safety during earthquakes
Google has made its impressive earthquake alert system available to users in all American states and territories, with plans to reach the entire target base in the coming weeks. The system, which utilizes vibration readings from a phone’s accelerometer, has been in testing since 2020.
When the sensors detect earthquake-like disturbances, the system checks crowdsourced data from the Android Earthquake Alerts System to determine if an earthquake is occurring and sends out an alert.
The “Android Earthquake Alert System” can provide early warnings seconds before shaking occurs. It sends two types of alerts based on earthquake intensity: “Be Aware” for light shaking that could escalate and “Take Action” for stronger shaking requiring immediate cover.
In addition to alerts, users can access a dashboard for further safety instructions, with earthquake alerts enabled by default on Android phones.
Enhanced music discovery with AI
A new AI-enhanced feature allows users to hum or whistle a tune to prompt the Assistant to identify and find the track online. This feature also includes an audio recognition element within “Circle to Search,” enabling music identification by tapping on the music icon within the interface.
Once the track is identified, the system displays the song with a YouTube link, streamlining the music discovery process within a single screen.
Accessibility updates, Chrome’s reader mode, and more
Google is leveraging its Gemini AI chatbot to enhance Android’s TalkBack system, offering more detailed and natural-language descriptions of content on the display, including webpages, images, and social media.
Chrome for Android now features a reader mode, offering the ability to listen to page content, select voice narrators, adjust reading speed, and change languages for improved accessibility.
Offline map access is now available on Wear OS smartwatches, syncing with downloaded maps on smartphones for offline use on the connected watch. This feature provides navigation support even when users are without their phones, such as during outdoor activities like hiking or cycling.
Additional shortcuts have been added to Wear OS navigation software, allowing users to access location information with a single tap on the watch face or through voice commands.
