Google announces five Android updates for accessibility and personalization
Google has announced the launch of five new Android features designed to improve accessibility, personalization, and everyday smartphone use. The updates include a tool to reduce motion sickness while traveling, a navigation assistance feature for blind and low-vision users, as well as additions to Find Hub and Google Messages, TechCrunch reports.
Assistance during trips
The Motion Assist feature is intended for people who experience motion sickness while using their phone in a vehicle. It adds a bubble-like overlay to the screen that moves in accordance with the vehicle's movement. According to Google, this is meant to reduce the mismatch between the image on the display and bodily sensations.
Users will be able to configure Motion Assist to turn on automatically, add it to Quick Settings, and change the bubble's shape, color, and transparency. According to Google, the feature is available to Android 17 users.
Gemini accessibility features
The company is also introducing Guided Vision, a tool for blind people and users with low vision. It combines the smartphone camera with Gemini and can help read small text on labels, view menus in a dark restaurant, or identify objects at home.
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If the camera is positioned incorrectly, Guided Vision can provide voice prompts, for example asking the user to move the phone, change the camera's direction, or center the object. The feature will appear on smartphones running Android 9 and newer OS versions in countries where Gemini is available.
Finding items and chat personalization
Find Hub will receive a remembered items section, where users will be able to tell Gemini where they left an important item. For example, users can save information about a passport placed in a bedroom drawer and add a photo to make the item easier to identify.
Google will also integrate Keep into Google Messages. This will make it possible to share and edit shopping lists, travel notes, and other information directly in chats. Separately, Google Messages will add personalization for individual chats using backgrounds, photos, and colors, with the appearance of message bubbles automatically matched to them.
