Category Archives: Android Blog

News and notes from the Android team

How we’re making it easier to share files with nearby devices

We built Nearby Share to make it easier to send your content across your devices that are nearby, whether it’s a photo, link, document or even a Wi-Fi password. There are so many ways Nearby Share can help you throughout your day — and some you might not even know about.

To learn more about the technology and how it works, I sat down with Alice Zheng, the product lead for Nearby Share, to have her walk me through some of my most common scenarios.

Phone on left showing contacts to send a photo to with Nearby Share next to a tablet on the right with the image being received

Can I share files between my own devices?

Yes! In fact, this is one of the most common ways people use Nearby Share. Not only can you share files between your own devices, the process is getting even easier.

In the coming weeks, we’re introducing a new update that makes it faster to share files on your own Android devices with Nearby Share. This means that devices logged into your Google account will automatically accept your transfers. This feature will be rolling out over the next few weeks and will be available on devices running Android 6 and above.

A phone animation showing option to send an image to contacts, cursor selects sharing with your own tablet. Screen changes to the tablet automatically accepting the image.

Does Nearby Share only work on my phone?

Nope! You can use Nearby Share across Android phones and tablets, as well as Chrome OS devices. We are also hard at work bringing Nearby Share to the devices that you most frequently use and would want to share files with, and that includes support for more platforms, like Windows PCs, over time.

If my phone doesn’t have Internet service, can I still get the funny photo my friend took of me on our hike?

Absolutely! Nearby Share works even when you don’t have Internet service. We use a variety of connection technologies, including Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, UWB and WebRTC, to automatically find an efficient way for your friend to send you the photo, even if you’re not online.

Can anyone send me files?

There are various ways to share and receive files and it is all up to what you want. With Nearby Share, we offer a set of device visibility settings so you have control over your privacy and how you appear to others. Your device can be visible to Everyone, a subset of your Contacts or just your own devices.

For Everyone, you can choose to have this mode on temporarily or all the time. This means if you just met someone and they aren’t saved to your contacts, but you want to get a photo from them, you can turn this on to have them send you a file. Then, your setting will automatically switch back to your last used setting. If you have your setting set to Everyone all the time, we will also send you a reminder in case you want to change it.

Under Contacts, you have the option to have your device visible to all your saved contacts, or you can select only a subset of contacts to be visible to. And the last option, Your devices, allows you to only be visible to other devices that are logged into your Google account.

Can I send files to anyone?

Just like how we protect your privacy by giving you control on who can discover you, you will also be able to share files with devices that are made visible to you.

To protect your privacy, your Google account profile image will only be visible to people in your contact list. Others will see a generic device icon next to the device name you choose for yourself. This way, you won’t need to worry about disclosing your account information like when sharing directions with a stranger.

But wait - I'm afraid strangers are going to send me inappropriate stuff if I leave my device visible to everyone. How can I stay protected?

As I mentioned, you can control your visibility settings with the options available in Nearby Share; we also offer other features to protect your privacy. With Nearby Share, we will first show you who is trying to send you a file and what the file name is, and only after you accept the transfer will we show you the actual photo or video. This way if you’re somewhere public and you receive a share request, you’ll never have to see a preview of something you don’t want to unless you first accept. And if you’ve made yourself visible to Everyone, with one quick tap you can turn this off and stop receiving sharing requests from people you don’t trust.

Source: Android


Get more done and have fun with new Android features

The team behind Android is always working on new features to help you stay productive, communicate with loved ones and enjoy entertainment across devices. From easier sharing, redesigned experiences for apps and watches to new ways to host game nights, here’s what’s new.

Get more done across your devices

Nearby Share lets you easily and securely share files between nearby Android phones, tablets and Chromebooks, whether they’re photos or videos or even entire folders. In the next few weeks, you’ll be able to use Nearby Share to effortlessly transfer files across your own devices. Just select Android devices logged into your Google account from the sharing menu to quickly share files between them. And once you’ve opted in, transfers between devices you own are automatically accepted — even if your screen is off.

Animated demonstration of using Nearby Share to quickly share a photo from a user's smartphone to their tablet device nearby.

Transfer files easier across your own devices with Nearby Share.

We recently introduced a new look and updated Google Workspace apps for bigger screens. We’re continuing to optimize your favorite Google apps on tablets to make multi-tasking a breeze, starting with redesigned widgets for Google Drive and Keep.

With an updated Google Drive widget, three home screen buttons now offer one-touch access to your Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Sheets files. And in Google Keep, a bigger widget and font size makes note-taking, to-do lists, and reminders easy to access.

Animated demonstration of mobile phone user sending emoji-filled messages and using live sharing and multi-pinning on Google Meet
10:25

Connect ?and express ? yourself ? fully

Animated demonstration of mobile phone user sending emoji-filled messages and using live sharing and multi-pinning on Google Meet
10:25

It’s sometimes easier to express yourself with emoji than with text, so we're adding features to help you say exactly what you mean.

Say you want to add the right emphasis to what you’re saying without the added effort of selecting emoji one at a time. Gboard now lets you “emojify” your messages. Just type your sentence, hit the ✨Emojify✨ button to select your preferred layout and press send to add the right ? emoji ? magic ? to share with your friends. This feature is now available in the Gboard Beta app in English, and is coming to all Gboard English typers over the next weeks.

Animation of how Gboard's Emojify feature instantly adds emoji to your text messages in a variety of styles.

Use Gboard to instantly express yourself with emoji in one tap.

By popular demand, we’ve added tons of new Emoji Kitchen mashups, available as stickers via Gboard. This seasonal update combines your favorite emoji with the best parts of fall to share with your Northern Hemisphere friends. Pumpkin spiced emoji, anyone? ?☕️

Animation of an Emoji Kitchen mashup in action, combining the 100 emoji and maple leaf emoji into one, panning out to a collage of new mashups.

New Emoji Kitchen mashups add new stickers to Gboard.

Along with text messaging, video calling is my go-to way to keep in touch with friends and family. To bring people closer together, we’re adding new shared experiences in Google Meet. With live sharing features, you can instantly co-watch YouTube videos and play classic games (like UNO!™ Mobile, Kahoot! or Heads Up!) with up to 100 friends and family members at a time. So even if you’re far apart, you can maintain traditions like movie and game nights. This feature is rolling out to Android phones and tablets.

Phone device video demonstration of several Google Meet callers watching the same YouTube video together.

Watch and play together, instantly on Google Meet.

Sometimes you want to keep your attention on certain people in a large group call — like your boss, a sign language interpreter or your best friend. Now in Google Meet, you can use multi-pinning to adjust your screen and stay focused on the folks you choose.

Phone device video demonstration of a user pinning two members to the top of their Google Meet call.

Stay focused on select people with multi-pinning in Google Meet.

Accessibility tools for sound alerts and audio descriptions

Video demonstration of a user with a cochlear implant training their device to identify household sounds with custom sound notifications on Android.
10:25

Designed in partnership with the Deaf and hard of hearing community, Sound Notifications within Live Transcribe & Notifications can detect critical household sounds like fire alarms, running water and door knocks and alert you on your phone or watch when they occur. This feature gives you a heads up on these sounds through notifications on your phone and watch, vibrations on your devices or flashing a light on your phone, which can be useful for you when you have hearing loss or are using headphones. Now, with custom sounds, you can add your own sounds, like appliances, to your alert library. Just record it and your phone or watch will alert you the next time it sounds.

Animated demonstration of how Sound Notifications records beeping sounds to help keep you detect critical sounds.

Receive alerts for custom household sounds on your phone and watch.

To make TV shows and movies more accessible to people who are blind or low-vision, Audio Descriptions on Google TV narrate live visual information as it happens so you never miss that crucial cliffhanger. Now you can find a curated library of movies with audio descriptions on Google TV — just press the Google Assistant button and say, “Search audio description movies” to start exploring.

Video demonstration of using Google Assistant to quickly browse Audio Described movies available on Google TV.

Discover and find audio described movies on Google TV.

Make your Wear OS watch more personal for you

Tiles on Wear OS let you pick and choose what essential information you need throughout your day, in just a swipe. With the new Keep tile, quickly dictate a note or checklist right from your wrist, and manage the ones made across devices, without ever having to pull out your phone or tablet.

Demonstration of a user dictating a new Note into their watch with their voice, before tapping to set it as a reminder for later.

Create new notes and check off lists with the new Keep tile for Wear OS.

Bitmoji is coming soon to your Wear OS watch face to give your mood a boost throughout the day. After you’ve designed your own personal avatar on Snapchat, Bitmoji.com or the Bitmoji mobile app and installed the Bitmoji watch face, you can send your personal Bitmoji to your watch, where it will change expressions depending on the time of day, the weather and your physical activity.

Animated demonstration of how Bitmoji on your watch face changes throughout the day, including when you're waking up, listening to music and going to bed.

See your Bitmoji sidekick on your Wear OS watch face.

We hope these features help you better connect, share and support the people in your life. Visit android.com/updates to learn about these features and many more.

Source: Android


New features for businesses in Android 13

Android 13 gives businesses using Android Enterprise new ways to get more out of their devices — including an upgraded Android Management API, an easier-to-use work profile, and more ways for IT admins to manage and protect company and employee devices. Let’s take a closer look at these new business features.

More tailored experiences

Android phone screen showing apps in work profile and text that says "Separate work apps from personal to stay organized."

Starting with Android 13, the Android Management API goes beyond just managing device policies. It can now customize employee experiences on corporate devices, like device provisioning and user settings. This also means the Android Enterprise team can roll out helpful new features and management capabilities more frequently, starting with devices running Android 13.

Easier navigation on work profile

Android phone screen showing the “default payment app” with options for Amex and Google Pay.

Work profile already helps keep company data accessible and secure, and personal profile data private and separate — all on a single device. In Android 13, work profile gives employees an even smoother experience, offering a simpler design, improved productivity and new cross-device capabilities.

Navigating between work and personal profiles is now more intuitive, all while respecting cross-profile admin policies. Employees can choose to open an app in either their work or personal profile, depending on where it’s installed. If they’d prefer to keep work-related content out of their personal apps — so a work-related training video on YouTube doesn’t affect their personal watchlist, for example — they can choose to access that content in their browser instead. Employees can also switch between work and personal photo galleries when sharing pictures with an app, granting access only to selected files rather than their entire media library.

You’ll find more productivity tools in work profile, too. Smart dictation is now available in work profile apps on Pixel devices, so Android's dictation recommendations stay separate — keeping corporate jargon dictated for work emails out of personal chats. All Android 13 devices can also now use Near-field communication (NFC) from work apps to enable use cases like digital access badges and tap-to-pay from work profile.

More productivity features are coming soon to Android 13, thanks to new integrations between Phone Hub and Android and ChromeOS. Employees will be able to securely respond to and access work information that’s on their phones — including messages, notifications and pictures — from their corporate Chromebooks. And those interactions will be protected by end-to-end encryption and company management policies.

Built-in security and privacy

Android phone screen showing a lock icon and text saying “Blocked by your IT admin.”

With each new release, Android Enterprise’s security protections get even stronger with new management capabilities, user controls and platform improvements.

For example, on a new central hub, employees can manage device security and privacy settings, and view company policies applied on the device as well as device data shared with IT admins.

Android 13 also gives IT admins more control over device Wi-Fi connectivity for features like Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi tethering. It adds security logs for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and password activities in line with National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) requirements. And for faster security patches, Android 13 has added Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) to the list of more than 30 modules that can be updated remotely through Google System Updates.

New features like Lost Mode and Stay Private on Work Wi-Fi are coming soon to Android 13. When Lost Mode is activated, IT admins can lock down and locate company-owned devices, prevent unauthorized access and display company contact information on the device screen. Meanwhile, Stay Private on Work Wi-Fi will further improve employee privacy by automatically encrypting and routing network traffic for personal profiles when employees are on company Wi-Fi. Both features will be available through the Android Management API.

Ready to put Android 13 to work for your business? Sign up for our webinar on September 29 to learn more about how Android 13 is supporting today’s working world.

Source: Android


10 favorite moments from a decade of Google Play

Think back to 2012: “Call Me Maybe” was on top of the music charts and “Venmoing” wasn’t a mainstream verb yet. Android — with its mission to make mobile computing accessible to everyone, everywhere — was just a few years old.

That year, we opened the (digital) doors of Google Play. A decade later, more than 2.5 billion people in over 190 countries use Google Play every month to discover apps, games and digital content. And more than 2 million developers work with us to build their businesses and reach people around the globe. As we celebrate 10 years of Google Play, here are 10 of our favorite milestones and features from the last decade:

  1. New ways to enjoy apps and games: Products and features like Google Play Pass and Google Play Instant introduced new ways to discover and experience apps and games. We also launched Google Play Points so you can earn points and rewards for the ways you already use Google Play. As of today, more than 100 million people have joined the program.
  2. Gameplay on more devices: We set a goal to make our products and services work better together. Last year, we announced the beta of Google Play Games on PC in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan — allowing for easy gameplay across your Android phone, tablet, Chromebook and Windows PC.
  3. A celebration of your favorite apps and games: Our annual Best Of Awards celebrate the top apps, games and other content on Google Play. Over the years, we’ve expanded it to 19 countries and added new categories like "Best Hidden Gems" and “Best Apps for Good.” We also introduced the Users’ Choice Award so you can vote for your favorite titles and recognize the developers that make the apps and games you love.
  4. A safe and trusted space: Google Play Protect, our built-in malware protection for Android, now scans and verifies over 100 billion apps every day to help keep your device, data and apps safe. And earlier this year, we launched a new Data safety section where developers are required to give people more information about how their apps collect, share and secure data.
  5. Help for developers of all sizes: Every step of the way, we’ve invested in helping our developer community grow their businesses — including providing business and technical consulting and supporting small studios through efforts like our Indie Games programs. Visit the Android Developer Blog to read more about our journey with our developer community over the past decade.
  6. Support for nonprofits: You can make charitable donations through Google Play and even use your Play Points to support great causes, with 100% of your contributions going directly to nonprofits.
  7. Stronger representation in gaming: Through research, youth engagement and partnerships, Google Play’s Change The Game initiative celebrates and empowers women as players and creators. We’ve been particularly inspired by the creativity and talent of Design Challenge participants over the years.
  8. Resources for parents: The Kids tab in Google Play helps parents easily find and pick teacher-approved apps, while Google Kids Space — a kids mode on select Android tablets — features apps, books and videos for your kids to explore. Family Link also gives parents the tools they need to stay involved and help manage their children's online experiences.
  9. Investment in local economies: Partnering with our developer community has helped bring better apps and games to people around the world, created new jobs and supported local economies. In fact, Google Play and Android have helped create over 2 million jobs in the U.S. alone.
  10. A fresh look
The new Google Play logo, prism and color palette

To round out this decade, we’re introducing a new logo that better reflects the magic of Google and matches the branding shared by many of our helpful products — Search, Assistant, Photos, Gmail and more.

Thank you to our Google Play community and developers for 10 years together. Play Points members can get 10x points on everything they buy by activating a points booster. The official start date varies by country — visit the “Earn” tab of Play Points Home to learn more.

Source: Android


10 favorite moments from a decade of Google Play

Think back to 2012: “Call Me Maybe” was on top of the music charts and “Venmoing” wasn’t a mainstream verb yet. Android — with its mission to make mobile computing accessible to everyone, everywhere — was just a few years old.

That year, we opened the (digital) doors of Google Play. A decade later, more than 2.5 billion people in over 190 countries use Google Play every month to discover apps, games and digital content. And more than 2 million developers work with us to build their businesses and reach people around the globe. As we celebrate 10 years of Google Play, here are 10 of our favorite milestones and features from the last decade:

  1. New ways to enjoy apps and games: Products and features like Google Play Pass and Google Play Instant introduced new ways to discover and experience apps and games. We also launched Google Play Points so you can earn points and rewards for the ways you already use Google Play. As of today, more than 100 million people have joined the program.
  2. Gameplay on more devices: We set a goal to make our products and services work better together. Last year, we announced the beta of Google Play Games on PC in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan — allowing for easy gameplay across your Android phone, tablet, Chromebook and Windows PC.
  3. A celebration of your favorite apps and games: Our annual Best Of Awards celebrate the top apps, games and other content on Google Play. Over the years, we’ve expanded it to 19 countries and added new categories like "Best Hidden Gems" and “Best Apps for Good.” We also introduced the Users’ Choice Award so you can vote for your favorite titles and recognize the developers that make the apps and games you love.
  4. A safe and trusted space: Google Play Protect, our built-in malware protection for Android, now scans and verifies over 100 billion apps every day to help keep your device, data and apps safe. And earlier this year, we launched a new Data safety section where developers are required to give people more information about how their apps collect, share and secure data.
  5. Help for developers of all sizes: Every step of the way, we’ve invested in helping our developer community grow their businesses — including providing business and technical consulting and supporting small studios through efforts like our Indie Games programs. Visit the Android Developer Blog to read more about our journey with our developer community over the past decade.
  6. Support for nonprofits: You can make charitable donations through Google Play and even use your Play Points to support great causes, with 100% of your contributions going directly to nonprofits.
  7. Stronger representation in gaming: Through research, youth engagement and partnerships, Google Play’s Change The Game initiative celebrates and empowers women as players and creators. We’ve been particularly inspired by the creativity and talent of Design Challenge participants over the years.
  8. Resources for parents: The Kids tab in Google Play helps parents easily find and pick teacher-approved apps, while Google Kids Space — a kids mode on select Android tablets — features apps, books and videos for your kids to explore. Family Link also gives parents the tools they need to stay involved and help manage their children's online experiences.
  9. Investment in local economies: Partnering with our developer community has helped bring better apps and games to people around the world, created new jobs and supported local economies. In fact, Google Play and Android have helped create over 2 million jobs in the U.S. alone.
  10. A fresh look
The new Google Play logo, prism and color palette

To round out this decade, we’re introducing a new logo that better reflects the magic of Google and matches the branding shared by many of our helpful products — Search, Assistant, Photos, Gmail and more.

Thank you to our Google Play community and developers for 10 years together. Play Points members can get 10x points on everything they buy by activating a points booster. The official start date varies by country — visit the “Earn” tab of Play Points Home to learn more.

Source: Android


New Google Workspace features for Android’s larger screens

After a long day, I love to lounge on the couch, tablet in hand, checking my emails and adding to my to-do lists while watching TV. It’s a great way to stay productive and get things done — and it’s about to get even easier to use your tablet to stay up to date.

Earlier this year Android introduced 12L, a software update to make devices with bigger screens, like tablets, easier to use. At I/O, we shared plans to update more than 20 Google apps on tablets to take full advantage of the extra space on those bigger screens.

To get started, today we are making Google Workspace apps even better on Android’s larger screens with updates to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep.

Drag and drop files for better productivity

One of the best features to get things done on tablets is multitasking across two windows at once. So we’ve built out new ways to use Google Workspace apps when you have two screens open on your large-screen device.

You can now easily drag text or images from apps, such as Chrome or Sheets, and drop that content right into an existing document or spreadsheet cell.

Dragging and dropping a table from Google Sheets to Google Docs on a tablet; dragging and dropping a picture from Google Docs into a Google Sheets cell on a tablet

In Google Drive, quickly upload files by dragging and dropping them into the app. You can also add links to Drive files by dragging the file into an open app like Keep.

Dragging and dropping a photo from Keep into Drive on a tablet

And in Keep, you can effortlessly insert images saved in your Keep notes into other apps by dragging them out from the image carousel.

Dragging and dropping an image from Keep into an email on a tablet Image

Open Drive side by side to see more information

In Drive, sometimes you need to drill down into folders to see the file you need. To get better insights into your Drive files, you can now open two Drive windows side-by-side. Simply select the three-dot menu on any Drive file and tap on the "Open in new window" option. This helps you get the information you need without losing your current view or needing to hit the back button multiple times.

Opening two Google Drive windows side-by-side on a tablet

Save time by using keyboard shortcuts

Tablets are often connected to keyboards and used as an alternative to laptops. If you are using an attached keyboard to help type, you can now use simple and familiar keyboard shortcuts, such as select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo, to quickly navigate around Drive, Docs and Slides, without needing to slow down and take your hands off the keys.

These updates will roll out to Android’s large screens with Google Workspace and personal Google Accounts over the next few weeks. And stay tuned for more updates as we continue to add new features for Google apps on Android’s larger screens.

Source: Android


New Google Workspace features for Android’s larger screens

After a long day, I love to lounge on the couch, tablet in hand, checking my emails and adding to my to-do lists while watching TV. It’s a great way to stay productive and get things done — and it’s about to get even easier to use your tablet to stay up to date.

Earlier this year Android introduced 12L, a software update to make devices with bigger screens, like tablets, easier to use. At I/O, we shared plans to update more than 20 Google apps on tablets to take full advantage of the extra space on those bigger screens.

To get started, today we are making Google Workspace apps even better on Android’s larger screens with updates to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep.

Drag and drop files for better productivity

One of the best features to get things done on tablets is multitasking across two windows at once. So we’ve built out new ways to use Google Workspace apps when you have two screens open on your large-screen device.

You can now easily drag text or images from apps, such as Chrome or Sheets, and drop that content right into an existing document or spreadsheet cell.

Dragging and dropping a table from Google Sheets to Google Docs on a tablet; dragging and dropping a picture from Google Docs into a Google Sheets cell on a tablet

In Google Drive, quickly upload files by dragging and dropping them into the app. You can also add links to Drive files by dragging the file into an open app like Keep.

Dragging and dropping a photo from Keep into Drive on a tablet

And in Keep, you can effortlessly insert images saved in your Keep notes into other apps by dragging them out from the image carousel.

Dragging and dropping an image from Keep into an email on a tablet Image

Open Drive side by side to see more information

In Drive, sometimes you need to drill down into folders to see the file you need. To get better insights into your Drive files, you can now open two Drive windows side-by-side. Simply select the three-dot menu on any Drive file and tap on the "Open in new window" option. This helps you get the information you need without losing your current view or needing to hit the back button multiple times.

Opening two Google Drive windows side-by-side on a tablet

Save time by using keyboard shortcuts

Tablets are often connected to keyboards and used as an alternative to laptops. If you are using an attached keyboard to help type, you can now use simple and familiar keyboard shortcuts, such as select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo, to quickly navigate around Drive, Docs and Slides, without needing to slow down and take your hands off the keys.

These updates will roll out to Android’s large screens with Google Workspace and personal Google Accounts over the next few weeks. And stay tuned for more updates as we continue to add new features for Google apps on Android’s larger screens.

Source: Android


Get more done across devices with Android

Adding technology to your life should make every day a little easier. But that only happens if the devices are able to anticipate your needs and move smoothly from one activity to the next throughout the day. We’ve been hard at work building on our efforts to bring you even more simple and helpful ways for your devices to all work better together.

Instant setup for even more devices

We launched Fast Pair to remove the frustration out of pairing your Android phone with new Bluetooth accessories like headphones and speakers, and have already helped connect these devices over 175 million times. Earlier this year, we shared plans to expand Fast Pair support to more devices, so you can automatically detect and pair compatible headphones with your Android phone, Chromebook and Google TV with a single click.

Starting this fall, we’ll introduce built-in support for Matter on Android, so you can use Fast Pair to quickly connect Matter-enabled smart home devices to your network, Google Home and other accompanying apps in just a few taps. Whether you’re updating your current setup or building a new smart home network, consider light bulbs, thermostats and plugs from supported Matter brands like Eve, Yale and Philips Hue.

A phone showing the process of connecting a smart plug into the Google Home app with Fast Pair for Matter-enabled devices

Media throughout your day

Chromecast built-in is designed to help you easily share audio, photo and video content from your phone to supported smart speakers, displays and TVs. And the Google TV app will soon have the ability for you to cast shows and movies directly from your Android phone or tablet to your TV. In the future, we’re also working to bring casting to Chromebooks and cars with Google built-in so you can enjoy media on whatever screen is in front of you. This means you’ll be able to start watching your favorite team's game on your laptop at work, switch to your phone while you walk to the parking lot, and catch the final minutes on your car's display (while parked or charging) before driving home.

A tablet casting a movie from the Google TV mobile app directly to a TV.

At CES this year, we showcased how our technology can improve your experience on headphones and painlessly switch the audio between the devices you’re listening on whether it’s your Android phone or tablet. In the next few months, we’ll roll out the ability to automatically switch the audio on select headphones from Sony, JBL and Pixel. We’re also working with Qualcomm and other partners to bring this capability to more headphones with their technology chips.

Earbuds switching the audio from a recipe video on a tablet, to a phone next to it receiving a phone call

Your overall audio experience is also getting better with Android. With spatial audio on your headsets, you’ll be immersed into another world with sound adapted to your head movements and audio filling the space around you. Based on our collaboration with Qualcomm, we’re also adopting LE Audio, a new Bluetooth audio standard that results in lower latency than classic audio, provides higher audio quality and allows you to broadcast media to more than one person at the same time. We’re working with partners like Samsung, OnePlus and Sony to bring these technologies to the Android ecosystem.

Getting things done across devices

With Phone Hub, your Chromebook can already help you receive and send messages from your Android phone. We also have plans to expand Phone Hub’s capabilities to let you stay on top of all your chats by streaming messaging apps from your Android phone directly to your Chromebook — without having to install the app on your laptop.

A phone sending a chat message, with the replies appearing on a laptop for responding and continuing the conversation

And, we’re making it easier to help you get things done on the device that’s most convenient for you. You’ll soon be able to copy and paste a URL or photo from your Android phone to your tablet and vice versa. These features will roll out to Android phones and tablets with Android 13 this fall.

Odds are, you'll keep adding more connected devices into your home - and so will your family and friends. Whether these devices are for entertainment or productivity, we’re committed to work with our partners to bring you multi-device experiences that will make your life easier.

Source: Android


Highlights from the Google for Games Developer Summit

This week, we hosted the Google for Games Developer Summit, a free digital event for game developers, publishers and advertisers to come together globally. Though we couldn’t meet in person, we’re grateful for the chance to share our latest solutions for developers to create immersive and memorable gaming experiences for players everywhere.

All keynotes and sessions from the summit are available on demand. Here are a few things we discussed during our keynote sessions:

Easier game development on Android

The new Android Game Development Kit can help make game development easier while Play as you download and the new Reach and devices data and insights tool can help get your games running on more screens and drive your launch success on Google Play.

Graphic illustration with Android logo, games controller, and user interface.

Get the most out of your games on Stadia 

Bringing games to Stadia is now even easier. We revealed new initiatives coming soon that will maximize the return on launching Stadia titles, including an affiliate marketing program, sharing monthly Stadia Pro subscription revenue with partners and an updated revenue share split for new transactional games launching under the new Stadia terms.

Drive lasting business revenue and growth with Ads

This past year, we have seen more people than ever play online games, which means there’s a growth opportunity to build a more sustainable games business. Get players back to your game while focusing on profitability with target return on ad spend (tROAS) bidding for App campaigns for engagement, or maximize revenue within your game by using AdMob bidding.
Interface screenshot of target return on ad spend (tROAS) bidding for App campaigns for engagement.

tROAS bidding for App campaigns for engagement in Google Ads

Bring your game to global audiences with Google Cloud

With flexible, scalable gaming solutions like Open Saves, Google Cloud helps you serve great gaming experiences all over the world so you and your players can focus on the fun.

As more people turn to games both for entertainment and for connecting with friends and family, we’re inspired by how the gaming community thrived this past year. That’s why we’re more committed than ever to help take your games to the next level.

Source: Android


A new Android smartphone and 5G partnership with Jio

Editor’s note: Today, we announced the next steps in our partnership with Jio Platforms, including a new, affordable Jio smartphone built with an optimized version of Android OS and a new 5G collaboration powered by Google Cloud. The following is adapted from remarks delivered by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, at Reliance Industries’ Annual General Meeting today.


Thank you to everyone at Reliance Industries for all you do for India — from investing in infrastructure and technology to creating jobs and expanding opportunity to supporting communities in need, especially in this difficult moment for the country.


It’s been devastating to see the country hit so hard by COVID-19. Yet it’s heartening to see how Reliance has stepped up to contribute to the national response and get support to the communities that need it most. On behalf of all of us at Google: We hope you are taking care and we are wishing for better days ahead.


For Google, the past year has brought renewed purpose and greater urgency to our mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. At a time when so many aspects of our lives and work are moving online, it’s even more important to make technology accessible and helpful for everyone. 


This goal is at the heart of our partnership with Reliance Jio. I was proud to help launch this partnership last year. It was the first and biggest equity investment from the ₹75,000 crore ($10 billion) Google for India Digitization Fund.


Our vision was to bring affordable access to information for Indians in their own language, to build new products and services for India’s unique needs, and to empower businesses with technology.


I’m excited that today, we can announce the next steps in this vision, starting with a new, affordable Jio smartphone, created with Google. Our teams have optimized a version of our Android OS especially for this device. It will offer language and translation features, a great camera, and support for the latest Android updates.


It is built for India and it will open up new possibilities for millions of new users who will experience the internet for the very first time. And we can’t wait to show you the device later this year.


I’m also proud to announce that we are taking our collaboration further with a new 5G partnership between Google Cloud and Jio.


It will help more than a billion Indians connect to a faster and better internet, support businesses in their digital transformation, and help Jio build new services in sectors like health, education and more — laying a foundation for the next phase of India’s digitization.  

As part of this collaboration, Reliance will also shift its core retail businesses to Google Cloud’s infrastructure. They will be able take advantage of Google’s AI and machine learning, e-commerce, and demand forecasting offerings. Harnessing the reliability and performance of Google Cloud will enable these businesses to scale up as needed to respond to customer demand. 

Empowering businesses as they embark on their digital transformation is a key part of our mission in India, and I’m excited for the innovations this partnership will help unleash. We are proud to play a part in India’s next wave of technological innovation. 


Helping to connect 1.3 billion Indians to the opportunities the internet creates is meaningful to all of us at Google — and certainly to me personally. I know that with greater access to smartphones and improved connectivity, there’s no limit to what India’s people can do. 


We look forward to getting technology into the hands of more people and to exploring what more we can achieve together in the years ahead. 

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Source: Android