Category Archives: Android Blog

News and notes from the Android team

Everything announced at the Google for Games Developer Summit

Every year, GDC is a moment to celebrate our successes and learn from one another. Although we won’t be gathering in person this year, we’re bringing you the latest updates at our Google for Games Developer Summit, where developers can watch the announcements and virtually attend sessions for free  at g.co/gamedevsummit.

We also realize this may have been a big sacrifice for your teams. For some, GDC is a major opportunity for annual business development and marketing strategies. That’s why we’ve partnered with WINGS andthe GDC Relief Fund to support teams in continuing to do what they do best: build world-class games.

Now more than ever, games are helping players around the globe feel more connected. To ensure you have access to the tools you need to deliver the best possible game experiences, our teams have been building solutions to help you tackle your biggest challenges and set you up for long-term success. You can check out the highlights below:

Build games and reach a wider audience with Android and Google Play

We’re making it easier for you to build and optimize games on Android. Learn about new tools to help your development process, provide greater insights into your game’s performance, and access a wider player base. Once you’re ready to publish, review our updated guidance to ensure your game is high-quality and leverages various features and services for a successful go-to-market with Google Play.

Grow your business with Google Ads and AdMob

The best game developers think about their players first—both when creating experiences people love and building sustainable businesses. Google Ads and AdMob are introducing new ways to analyze and utilize player insights to help you grow your games and earn the revenue you need to improve them over time.

Simply scale your global game with Google Cloud Game Servers 

Hosting and scaling a global game can be challenging and requires that you either build costly solutions, or turn to pre-packaged ones that limit choice and control. To offer you more choices and time to dedicate to core elements of producing games, the Google Cloud team is introducing a simplified, convenient way for managing game server clusters.

Build and publish the next generation of games with Stadia

New game platforms present new challenges and opportunities for game creators and Google is here to help. For developers of all sizes looking to bring their games to Stadia, the team is unveiling Stadia Makers, a new program to support the independent development community.

We’re excited to see this community continue to delight players around the world, and we look forward to building what’s next, together. From all of us, thank you for keeping this community thriving.

Source: Android


Everything announced at the Google for Games Developer Summit

Every year, GDC is a moment to celebrate our successes and learn from one another. Although we won’t be gathering in person this year, we’re bringing you the latest updates at our Google for Games Developer Summit, where developers can watch the announcements and virtually attend sessions for free  at g.co/gamedevsummit.

We also realize this may have been a big sacrifice for your teams. For some, GDC is a major opportunity for annual business development and marketing strategies. That’s why we’ve partnered with WINGS andthe GDC Relief Fund to support teams in continuing to do what they do best: build world-class games.

Now more than ever, games are helping players around the globe feel more connected. To ensure you have access to the tools you need to deliver the best possible game experiences, our teams have been building solutions to help you tackle your biggest challenges and set you up for long-term success. You can check out the highlights below:

Build games and reach a wider audience with Android and Google Play

We’re making it easier for you to build and optimize games on Android. Learn about new tools to help your development process, provide greater insights into your game’s performance, and access a wider player base. Once you’re ready to publish, review our updated guidance to ensure your game is high-quality and leverages various features and services for a successful go-to-market with Google Play.

Grow your business with Google Ads and AdMob

The best game developers think about their players first—both when creating experiences people love and building sustainable businesses. Google Ads and AdMob are introducing new ways to analyze and utilize player insights to help you grow your games and earn the revenue you need to improve them over time.

Simply scale your global game with Google Cloud Game Servers 

Hosting and scaling a global game can be challenging and requires that you either build costly solutions, or turn to pre-packaged ones that limit choice and control. To offer you more choices and time to dedicate to core elements of producing games, the Google Cloud team is introducing a simplified, convenient way for managing game server clusters.

Build and publish the next generation of games with Stadia

New game platforms present new challenges and opportunities for game creators and Google is here to help. For developers of all sizes looking to bring their games to Stadia, the team is unveiling Stadia Makers, a new program to support the independent development community.

We’re excited to see this community continue to delight players around the world, and we look forward to building what’s next, together. From all of us, thank you for keeping this community thriving.

Source: Android


Bringing more people online and introducing Camera Go

There are more than 3.5 billion people who use smartphones, but that’s only 45 percent of the world’s population. We created Android (Go edition) to bring more affordable, high-quality smartphones to people around the world. Thanks to our partners who have made more than 1,600 device models available in 180+ countries, there are now more than 100 million active Android (Go edition) devices around the world. Here are some updates on Go edition’s progress and where we’re going next.

Powering universal access to information

In partnership with Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecom provider, we brought more than 900,000 Android (Go edition) smartphones to people in Kenya—53 percent of whom were women—through their “Life is Digital” campaign. This is especially important because there is a significant gender gap in mobile internet usage in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Maisha Ni Digital_Mkulima 8.45x15.95.png

With the help of the suite of Google apps designed for Go edition, people are connecting with new   opportunities and making gains in their daily lives. For example, Google Go has helped connect millions of people to information by providing a lightweight search engine that works on unstable connections. And with Lens in Google Go, people can quickly translate, hear and search text they see in the real world using their phone camera—helping them understand words on street signs, medicine labels, documents, and more. 

Across the Google apps designed for Android (Go edition), we’ve introduced a number of user privacy features to protect the next billion people coming online for the first time. For example, a new mode within Google Go lets people search without their searches being saved to their account, and Gallery Go leverages on-device machine learning to help people organize photos without ever sending data to the cloud.

Bringing a beautiful, fast camera experience to affordable devices

Your phone’s camera gives you the power to capture memories that you’ll want to share with those around you. But on many smartphones, camera apps are often slow or complex to use, and your phone can quickly run out of storage.

Camera_Go_inline_V2.jpg

The new Camera Go app from Google helps you take beautiful photos without worrying about speed or storage. It has features like Portrait Mode to give your photos a professional look by focusing on your subject. It’s built for people using smartphones for the first time, so it has a clean and simple interface. And, most importantly, Camera Go tracks how much photo and video storage space you have left, and then it helps you clear up space so you never miss a shot.


Camera Go will be available on Nokia 1.3 and more Android (Go edition) devices soon.


Source: Android


Bringing more people online and introducing Camera Go

There are more than 3.5 billion people who use smartphones, but that’s only 45 percent of the world’s population. We created Android (Go edition) to bring more affordable, high-quality smartphones to people around the world. Thanks to our partners who have made more than 1,600 device models available in 180+ countries, there are now more than 100 million active Android (Go edition) devices around the world. Here are some updates on Go edition’s progress and where we’re going next.

Powering universal access to information

In partnership with Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecom provider, we brought more than 900,000 Android (Go edition) smartphones to people in Kenya—53 percent of whom were women—through their “Life is Digital” campaign. This is especially important because there is a significant gender gap in mobile internet usage in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Maisha Ni Digital_Mkulima 8.45x15.95.png

With the help of the suite of Google apps designed for Go edition, people are connecting with new   opportunities and making gains in their daily lives. For example, Google Go has helped connect millions of people to information by providing a lightweight search engine that works on unstable connections. And with Lens in Google Go, people can quickly translate, hear and search text they see in the real world using their phone camera—helping them understand words on street signs, medicine labels, documents, and more. 

Across the Google apps designed for Android (Go edition), we’ve introduced a number of user privacy features to protect the next billion people coming online for the first time. For example, a new mode within Google Go lets people search without their searches being saved to their account, and Gallery Go leverages on-device machine learning to help people organize photos without ever sending data to the cloud.

Bringing a beautiful, fast camera experience to affordable devices

Your phone’s camera gives you the power to capture memories that you’ll want to share with those around you. But on many smartphones, camera apps are often slow or complex to use, and your phone can quickly run out of storage.

Camera_Go_inline_V2.jpg

The new Camera Go app from Google helps you take beautiful photos without worrying about speed or storage. It has features like Portrait Mode to give your photos a professional look by focusing on your subject. It’s built for people using smartphones for the first time, so it has a clean and simple interface. And, most importantly, Camera Go tracks how much photo and video storage space you have left, and then it helps you clear up space so you never miss a shot.


Camera Go will be available on Nokia 1.3 and more Android (Go edition) devices soon.


Source: Android


8 things to learn from the Apps, Games, & Insights podcast

Our new Apps, Games & Insights podcast is for app and game enthusiasts—whether you play them or build them. We’ll talk to experts from across the industry about topics ranging from privacy and accessibility, to responsible growth and player engagement. Here are eight things you’ll learn from the series:

1. Diversity creates better games

In episode 1, we hear from Sarah Fuchs, VP, Covet Fashion and Judy Chen, Director of PM at Crowdstar on why it’s important for the diversity of their company to reflect their players. The team who designs one of their games, Covet Fashion, is 60 percent women. In their words, “If you want to create an environment that will attract women or attract probably more diversity, you need to create an environment and model the behavior that it's OK to have a life. And if you have a life and you enjoy your life, you will be better at your job.”

2. Mergers and acquisitions are like a marriage

Zynga has deployed more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions over the last 10 years, including the acquisitions of Gram Games and Small Giant Games. In episode 2, we’ll hear from Chris Petrovic, SVP at Zynga, who says that it’s about building a partnership that brings together the best of both businesses. 

3. Streaming sports wasn’t easy until now

When planning the launch of their service and mobile app, DAZN gave themselves just a year to get all the technology in place. This was challenging because it was unthinkable to miss the start of the football season. In episode 3, hear how DAZN brought together some of the best players in subscription management and payment solutions, and how they’ve grown the business.

4. Investors take sustainable businesses and products seriously

When venture capitalists look at a business, it’s not just about whether the business has a hot product or service, it’s as much about the founders, their team, and their business processes. Venture capitalists are always looking for a solid foundation on which to build—learn more in episode 4 of the podcast.

5. Privacy matters more than ever 

As more countries and territories introduce strict laws on consumer privacy, episode 5 explores why it’s increasingly important to ensure that apps and games are privacy-friendly for businesses and consumers. It’s not just about staying on the right side of the law—one security breach can easily destroy trust in your app, and winning back that trust isn’t easy. 

6. The best games put players first 

According to Jagex Games Studio, over 270 million people have played one of their RuneScape games. In episode 6, Ben Clarke, Senior Global Marketing Director at Jagex, talks about their approach to launching and testing, and keeping players engaged every day. For example, when adding a new feature, they open a polling booth within the game where players vote on the feature.

7. Accessibility debt is a real thing, and it matters

According to the World Bank, there are over 1 billion people worldwide with a disability. As a public broadcaster, a central part of the mission at the BBC is to be accessible and inclusive. This mission is as much a priority for their apps, such as iPlayer and Sounds, as it is within their traditional broadcast channels. In episode 7, find out how the BBC tracks this by what they call “accessibility debt,” and why it should be important to everyone.

8. Mobile games aren’t always on mobile

Many of your favorite Android games are now available on more devices than just your smartphone. Mobile game developers want you to have every opportunity to play your favorite game, regardless of the gaming platform. Gameloft has embraced a multi-platform approach. In episode 8, listen to Maximiliano Rodriguez, Platforms Operations Director at Gameloft, talk about how Gameloft considers games for ChromeOS and Android TV platforms as soon as they start developing a game for mobile.


Join us for all eight episodes to find out more about these topics and the apps and games industry. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite podcast channel including Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts. 


Also, keep an eye out on @GooglePlayDev and @AndroidDev on Twitter where we will be announcing the launch of a new episode each week.

Source: Android


8 things to learn from the Apps, Games, & Insights podcast

Due to COVID-19, the timing of some of these episodes has changed. Please check our website for the latest updates.

Our new Apps, Games & Insights podcast is for app and game enthusiasts—whether you play them or build them. We’ll talk to experts from across the industry about topics ranging from privacy and accessibility, to responsible growth and player engagement. Here are eight things you’ll learn from the series:

1. Diversity creates better games

In episode 1, we hear from Sarah Fuchs, VP, Covet Fashion and Judy Chen, Director of PM at Crowdstar on why it’s important for the diversity of their company to reflect their players. The team who designs one of their games, Covet Fashion, is 60 percent women. In their words, “If you want to create an environment that will attract women or attract probably more diversity, you need to create an environment and model the behavior that it's OK to have a life. And if you have a life and you enjoy your life, you will be better at your job.”

2. Mergers and acquisitions are like a marriage

Zynga has deployed more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions over the last 10 years, including the acquisitions of Gram Games and Small Giant Games. In episode 2, we’ll hear from Chris Petrovic, SVP at Zynga, who says that it’s about building a partnership that brings together the best of both businesses. 

3. Streaming sports wasn’t easy until now

When planning the launch of their service and mobile app, DAZN gave themselves just a year to get all the technology in place. This was challenging because it was unthinkable to miss the start of the football season. In episode 3, hear how DAZN brought together some of the best players in subscription management and payment solutions, and how they’ve grown the business.

4. Investors take sustainable businesses and products seriously

When venture capitalists look at a business, it’s not just about whether the business has a hot product or service, it’s as much about the founders, their team, and their business processes. Venture capitalists are always looking for a solid foundation on which to build—learn more in episode 4 of the podcast.

5. Privacy matters more than ever 

As more countries and territories introduce strict laws on consumer privacy, episode 5 explores why it’s increasingly important to ensure that apps and games are privacy-friendly for businesses and consumers. It’s not just about staying on the right side of the law—one security breach can easily destroy trust in your app, and winning back that trust isn’t easy. 

6. The best games put players first 

According to Jagex Games Studio, over 270 million people have played one of their RuneScape games. In episode 6, Ben Clarke, Senior Global Marketing Director at Jagex, talks about their approach to launching and testing, and keeping players engaged every day. For example, when adding a new feature, they open a polling booth within the game where players vote on the feature.

7. Accessibility debt is a real thing, and it matters

According to the World Bank, there are over 1 billion people worldwide with a disability. As a public broadcaster, a central part of the mission at the BBC is to be accessible and inclusive. This mission is as much a priority for their apps, such as iPlayer and Sounds, as it is within their traditional broadcast channels. In episode 7, find out how the BBC tracks this by what they call “accessibility debt,” and why it should be important to everyone.

8. Mobile games aren’t always on mobile

Many of your favorite Android games are now available on more devices than just your smartphone. Mobile game developers want you to have every opportunity to play your favorite game, regardless of the gaming platform. Gameloft has embraced a multi-platform approach. In episode 8, listen to Maximiliano Rodriguez, Platforms Operations Director at Gameloft, talk about how Gameloft considers games for ChromeOS and Android TV platforms as soon as they start developing a game for mobile.

Join us for all eight episodes to find out more about these topics and the apps and games industry. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite podcast channel including Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts. 

Also, keep an eye out on @GooglePlayDev and @AndroidDev on Twitter where we will be announcing the launch of a new episode each week.

Source: Android


New music controls, emoji and more features dropping for Pixel

A few months ago, Pixel owners got a few new, helpful features in our first feature drop. Beginning today, even more updates and new experiences will begin rolling out to Pixel users. 

Help when you need it

You can already use Motion Sense to skip forward or go back to a previous song. Now, if you have a Pixel 4, you can also pause and resume music with a tapping gesture above the phone. So you can easily pause music when you're having a conversation, without even picking up your phone.

12_Control_Your_Music_EN_1.gif

When you need help the most, your Pixel will be there too. Last October we launched the Personal Safety app on Pixel 4 for US users, which uses the phones’ sensors to quickly detect if you’ve been in a severe car crash1, and checks with you to see if you need emergency services. For those who need 911, you can request help via a voice command or with a single tap. Now, the feature is rolling out to Pixel users in Australia (000) and the UK (999). If you’re unresponsive, your Pixel will share relevant details, like location info, with emergency responders.


14_Get_Help_Calling_913_After_Car_Crash_EN.gif

We’re also rolling out some helpful features to more Pixel devices. Now Live Caption, the technology that automatically captions media playing on your phone, will begin rolling out to Pixel 2 owners. 

More fun with photos and video 

New AR effects you can use live on your Duo video call with friends make chatting more visually stimulating. These effects change based on your facial expressions, and move with you around the screen. Duo calls now come with a whole new layer of fun. 

Duomoji-marketing-P4XL.gif

Selfies on Pixel 4 are getting better, too. Your front-facing camera can now create images with depth, which improves Portrait Blur and color pop, and lets you create 3D photos for Facebook.

Emoji on Pixel will now be a more customizable and inclusive thanks to the emoji 12.1 update, with 169 new emoji to represent a wider variation of gender and skin tones, as well as more couple combinations to better reflect the world around us. 

New Inclusive Emoji 12.1 Update

A more powerful power button

Pixel is making it faster to pick the right card when using Google Pay. Just press and hold the power button to swipe through your debit and credit cards, event tickets, boarding passes or access anything else in Google Pay. This feature will be available to users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Taiwan and Singapore. If you have Pixel 4, you can also quickly access emergency contacts and medical information. 

10_Quickly_Access_Payments_Emergency_Info_EN (1).gif

Getting on a flight is also getting easier. Simply take a screenshot of a boarding pass barcode and tap on the notification to add it to Google Pay. You will receive real-time flight updates, and on the day of your flight, you can just press the power button to pull up your boarding pass.  This feature will be rolling out gradually in all countries with Google Pay during March on Pixel 3, 3a and 4.

Customize your Pixel’s look and feel

A number of system-level advancements will give Pixel users more control over the look and feel of their devices.

You may know that Dark theme looks great and helps save battery power. Starting today, Dark theme gets even more helpful and flexible in switching from light to dark background, with the ability to schedule Dark theme based on local sunrise and sunset times. 

13_DarkMode_EN.gif

Have you forgotten to silence your phone when you get to work? Pixel gives you the ability to automatically enable certain rules based on WiFi network or physical location. You can now set up a rule to automatically silence your ringtone when you connect to your office WiFi, or go on Do Not Disturb when you walk in the front door of your house to focus on the people and things that matter most. 

Pixel 4 users are also getting some unique updates to the way they engage with the content on their phone. Improved long press options in Pixel’s launcher will get more and faster help from your apps. There’s also an update to Adaptive brightness, which now temporarily increases screen brightness to make reading content easier when in extremely bright ambient lighting, like direct sunlight. Check out more options for customizing your screen options.

Here’s to better selfies, more emoji and a quick pause when you need it! Check out our support page for more information on the new features, and look out for more helpful features dropping for Pixel users soon. 

 1 Not available in all languages or countries. Car crash detection may not detect all accidents. High-impact activities may trigger calls to emergency services. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. For country and language availability and more information see g.co/pixel/carcrashdetection

Source: Android


New music controls, emoji and more features dropping for Pixel

A few months ago, Pixel owners got a few new, helpful features in our first feature drop. Beginning today, even more updates and new experiences will begin rolling out to Pixel users. 

Help when you need it

You can already use Motion Sense to skip forward or go back to a previous song. Now, if you have a Pixel 4, you can also pause and resume music with a tapping gesture above the phone. So you can easily pause music when you're having a conversation, without even picking up your phone.

12_Control_Your_Music_EN_1.gif

When you need help the most, your Pixel will be there too. Last October we launched the Personal Safety app on Pixel 4 for US users, which uses the phones’ sensors to quickly detect if you’ve been in a severe car crash1, and checks with you to see if you need emergency services. For those who need 911, you can request help via a voice command or with a single tap. Now, the feature is rolling out to Pixel users in Australia (000) and the UK (999). If you’re unresponsive, your Pixel will share relevant details, like location info, with emergency responders.


14_Get_Help_Calling_913_After_Car_Crash_EN.gif

We’re also rolling out some helpful features to more Pixel devices. Now Live Caption, the technology that automatically captions media playing on your phone, will begin rolling out to Pixel 2 owners. 

More fun with photos and video 

New AR effects you can use live on your Duo video call with friends make chatting more visually stimulating. These effects change based on your facial expressions, and move with you around the screen. Duo calls now come with a whole new layer of fun. 

Duomoji-marketing-P4XL.gif

Selfies on Pixel 4 are getting better, too. Your front-facing camera can now create images with depth, which improves Portrait Blur and color pop, and lets you create 3D photos for Facebook.

Emoji on Pixel will now be a more customizable and inclusive thanks to the emoji 12.1 update, with 169 new emoji to represent a wider variation of gender and skin tones, as well as more couple combinations to better reflect the world around us. 

New Inclusive Emoji 12.1 Update

A more powerful power button

Pixel is making it faster to pick the right card when using Google Pay. Just press and hold the power button to swipe through your debit and credit cards, event tickets, boarding passes or access anything else in Google Pay. This feature will be available to users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Taiwan and Singapore. If you have Pixel 4, you can also quickly access emergency contacts and medical information. 

10_Quickly_Access_Payments_Emergency_Info_EN (1).gif

Getting on a flight is also getting easier. Simply take a screenshot of a boarding pass barcode and tap on the notification to add it to Google Pay. You will receive real-time flight updates, and on the day of your flight, you can just press the power button to pull up your boarding pass.  This feature will be rolling out gradually in all countries with Google Pay during March on Pixel 3, 3a and 4.

Customize your Pixel’s look and feel

A number of system-level advancements will give Pixel users more control over the look and feel of their devices.

You may know that Dark theme looks great and helps save battery power. Starting today, Dark theme gets even more helpful and flexible in switching from light to dark background, with the ability to schedule Dark theme based on local sunrise and sunset times. 

13_DarkMode_EN.gif

Have you forgotten to silence your phone when you get to work? Pixel gives you the ability to automatically enable certain rules based on WiFi network or physical location. You can now set up a rule to automatically silence your ringtone when you connect to your office WiFi, or go on Do Not Disturb when you walk in the front door of your house to focus on the people and things that matter most. 

Pixel 4 users are also getting some unique updates to the way they engage with the content on their phone. Improved long press options in Pixel’s launcher will get more and faster help from your apps. There’s also an update to Adaptive brightness, which now temporarily increases screen brightness to make reading content easier when in extremely bright ambient lighting, like direct sunlight. Check out more options for customizing your screen options.

Here’s to better selfies, more emoji and a quick pause when you need it! Check out our support page for more information on the new features, and look out for more helpful features dropping for Pixel users soon. 

 1 Not available in all languages or countries. Car crash detection may not detect all accidents. High-impact activities may trigger calls to emergency services. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. For country and language availability and more information see g.co/pixel/carcrashdetection

Source: Android


Feeling all the feels? There’s an emoji sticker for that.

Have you ever been so overwhelmingly filled with love that it moved you to tears? Or, perhaps you’ve laughed so hard you felt sick—and wished your phone had an emoji to convey that feeling? Whether you’re sending a note to your galentines or your one true love, Gboard on Android now takes your favorite emoji and mixes them into customized stickers, helping you express those nuanced thoughts and feelings.


We affectionately refer to this feature as Emoji Kitchen, because you can explore new “recipes” of expressions using your favorite emoji as ingredients. Using Gboard on your Android phone, tap on any smiley emoji and Emoji Kitchen will reveal a number of stickers specially handcrafted by the designers at Google.


EmojiKitchen.gif

So when you tap the face with a cowboy hat emoji ?—YEEHAW now you have monkey cowboy, ghost cowboy, laughing cowboy, kissy cowboy, in love cowboy, pleading cowboy and of course … pensive cowboy.


  • Original vs New Cowboy Emojis.png

    Original emoji and new emoji stickers

  • ASL_emoji_9.jpg
  • ASL_emoji_8.jpg
  • ASL_emoji_7.jpg
  • ASL_emoji_6.jpg
  • ASL_emoji_5.jpg
  • ASL_emoji_4 (1).jpg
  • ASL_emoji_3.jpg
  • ASL_Emoji_2.jpg

Emoji have been around long enough that people want to play with them like we do with words—mashing them together, turning nouns into verbs, breaking them apart to create entirely new concepts. Language is infinitely creative just like art and music, and with Emoji Kitchen, your phone’s keyboard becomes an even richer canvas for expression. 


Emoji Kitchen is rolling out to all Gboard users on Android, starting today. If you want to start cooking now, join the Gboard Beta program and try it out on your favorite communication apps, including Gmail, Messages by Google, Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram, WhatsApp, and more. 


Source: Android


Five (of many) new emoji coming to Android this year

Each year, the Unicode Consortium reviews a seemingly infinite number of proposals that result in a list of emoji to be added to smartphones. Then companies like Google design the emoji for their operating systems like Android. 


This week, Unicode announced their 62 new emoji, along with skin tone and gender variants, for 2020. The list has us feeling ?, because five of the approved designs were proposed by the Android team. They’re also part of our ongoing effort to create an emoji keyboard that’s more inclusive. Here’s a look at all five:


More representation for a variety of families

Until this year, the only emoji that depicts childcare is the “breastfeeding” emoji. Since an inability to breastfeed doesn't preclude you from nurturing your child, we proposed First, “person feeding baby with a bottle”—an emoji that everyone can use. (Though in my opinion, as a mother of twins, parenthood is already representable with?️?.)


Bottle Feeding emoji

Emoji design for "person feeding baby with bottle" 

We also proposed support for all gender variants for “person in veil” and “person in tuxedo,” because our technology should be inclusive of people’s experiences around the world ❤️?????

YWtzamRmbGthc2RmLmdpZg==.gif

"Person in veil" and "person in tuxedo"

More ways to show empathy

With a new appreciation of how people use emoji, we’ve also been looking into emoji that can communicate empathy, which is often lost when not speaking face to face. That’s part of the thinking behind “two people hugging” and a “slightly smiling face with tear.” 


BINK_GoogleSocial_Emoji_V1_emoji3.png

New emoji to show empathy

“Slightly smiling face with tear” is a visual metaphor for feeling simultaneous appreciation and relief—goodness with a dash of sadness. It might come in handy when thinking fondly of the past (#tbt), experiencing the present and not taking moments for granted, or looking hopefully into the future.  


Visibility for the transgender flag 

In addition to the five emoji above, we also lent support to the Transgender flag proposal alongside Googler Tea Uglow and many dedicated individuals. We hope this addition gives the trans community a way to be out and proud, and others a way to provide visible support. 


transflag.png

These five emoji, along with the other new emoji approved by Unicode, will become available for Android users later this year ?

Source: Android