If Android 13 seemed like a minor update when it finally dropped last month, it's only because Google pushes out new updates, features, and improvements to smartphones all year long. Today, the company is back with another grab bag of new tools for its entire ecosystem. From smartphones to TVs, messaging to accessibility, Android has plenty to check out as we head into the fall.
It took Apple's addition of widgets on iOS for Google to focus on launching new ones for its services, but thankfully, it's keeping up the momentum. Two new widgets are coming to big-screen Android devices providing a major boost to productivity. Google Drive's widget is getting three new buttons on tablets, offering quick shortcuts to Docs, Slides, and Sheets. It's an expansion on what the company first unveiled last year ahead of Android 12. Meanwhile, Google Keep's big screen makeover provides a larger list with increased font size, so you can complete your to-do list without breaking a sweat.
If you're a Gboard fan, Google has something special in store for you. In addition to some timely Emoji Kitchen additions for fall — think leaves, pumpkins, and some spooky monsters — the company is officially announcing Emojify. This tool lets you translate a sentence from boring old English to an emoji-filled masterpiece with the touch of a single button. We first spotted this rolling out to some users way back in March, and now it's almost ready for everyone. It's in Gboard's beta now, before it arrives for everyone over the next few weeks.
Anyone who picked up a Galaxy Watch 5 recently — or is waiting patiently for next month's Pixel Watch — is in luck. Google is rolling out a Bitmoji watch face for Wear OS 3, now available on the Play Store for supported watches. The company is also highlighting a new Keep tile which first arrived on smartwatches last week. If that tablet-sized widget isn't your thing, maybe a tiny display for notes is more your speed.
Accessibility tools are as necessary as ever, and with today's update, Google is adding features to your phone and your TV. Sound Notifications is one of the company's coolest functions in its Live Translate app for anyone hard of hearing. It automatically detects sounds like fire alarms, door knocks, and more to send you a notification. Now, you can add custom sounds to your library for your Android phone to monitor. With this update, you're no longer locked into default tones. Google TV also added a curated library of movies with audio descriptions, found by searching with Assistant.
Finally, the company took some time to highlight features that have rolled out over the last few months. Nearby Share's new self-share feature is officially coming to everyone, long after Google listed it in the company's monthly Google System Update changelog. It'll allow you to automatically transfer files between any Android device you've logged into, without having to accept an on-screen prompt. Google Meet's multi-pinned video feeds remain as useful as ever, and now you can use it with live sharing. Watch YouTube videos, play games like UNO, or listen to Spotify with your friends from around the world. It's a feature first spotted in an APK teardown last month, and it's rolling out now on Android phones and tablets.