Google shows off features coming to Android
On Tuesday, during its annual Android presentation, Google announced a range of new features for Android 17, Android Auto and Gemini. The company is also working on a new type of laptop intended to succeed the Chromebook.
The main focus is, unsurprisingly, on AI. Under the banner of Gemini Intelligence, the smart assistant Gemini is gaining more capabilities to carry out tasks on users’ behalf. Think of filling in forms, gathering information from apps and automatically generating widgets.
Gboard Rambler improves voice input using Gemini models that have a better grasp of what you actually want to type. Stop words, silences, repetitions and self-corrections are automatically filtered out in the process.
Android 17 is mostly getting more user-friendly features. A new option called Pause Point is designed to help users engage more consciously with social media and endless scrolling. There are also improvements for content creators, such as more advanced camera features for Instagram and better support for video editing. In addition, emojis are being visually refreshed, and switching from iPhone to Android is becoming easier, as even the layout of the home screen can be transferred.
Chrome for Android is getting deeper integration with Gemini, allowing users to ask questions and perform tasks with Web pages as context. The automatic browsing feature, already available in the desktop version of Chrome, is also coming to mobile. This capability will roll out at the end of June.
Autofill with Google is also gaining optional support from Gemini Personal Intelligence. This allows the feature to automatically fill in more types of forms, both in Chrome and in other apps.
Android Auto is also receiving a major update. The interface is being adapted to Google’s latest design language and navigation is getting more 3D elements. Notably, video playback is being added: users will be able to watch, for example, YouTube videos when the car is stationary. While driving, the system automatically switches back to audio-only to reduce distraction. Gemini will also help with smart replies to messages while on the road.
Google is furthermore working with manufacturers such as Asus and Lenovo on so-called Googlebooks. These are laptops running a customised version of Android in which Gemini and integration with Android smartphones take centre stage.
Next week, Google will unveil more AI features during its developers’ conference.
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The return of hyperlinks
Google is also going to incorporate blue clickable hyperlinks into the answers provided by its AI search engines Overviews and AI Mode.
This may perhaps put a stop, for certain groups of site owners, to their withering site traffic. After all, countless websites have been reporting collapsing visitor numbers from the Google search engine for months.
Google explained: “To make it easier for you to dive deeper into the Web after your initial search, you’ll see suggestions for further exploration at the end of many AI results. This section includes links to unique articles or in-depth analyses on different aspects of your topic.”
Posts on social media with a high level of expertise will also receive extra attention. Think, for instance, of expert advice on platforms such as X or Reddit.
In essence, Google is sticking to the strategy it has been using for years with the ‘normal’ search engine. The sites that appear high in those results are also those with a lot of authority and unique, up-to-date content.
Last week, figures from agency Follo made it clear that the world of Web search engines has undergone a major transition over the past 12 months. Put simply, AI search has captured a very substantial market share among consumers who are searching. People are no longer looking for blue links, but want an answer as quickly as possible.
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