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As Android 15 draws near to its official launch, Google has just showcased a slew of new features designed to boost user interaction with Android devices and Wear OS smartwatches.
Among the list of features that launched on September 4, 2024, were far-enhanced accessibility, navigation, and safety.
The new update will render the default Android version more descriptive with its TalkBack, powered by Google's Gemini AI. This upgrade uses a cloud-based version of Gemini and provides rich audio descriptions of images, boosting accessibility for visually impaired users.
A new shortcut, Circle to Search, will make identifying music a whole lot easier. Just long-press the Home button or the navigation bar and tap the music icon to seamlessly identify a song and see related content on YouTube for a richer music discovery experience.
Starting with Chrome, there's going to be a new web page read-aloud feature, including voice, language, and speed controls. With this closer to the desktop's capabilities will be easy for people on their mobile to read content more easily.
While the company is now expanding the coverage of its Android Earthquake Alerts System to all 50 states and six US territories in the country, the feature using phone accelerometers to detect seismic activity will thus give notifications for significant earthquakes as a means to assure timely notification even in less seismic-prone places.
It will enable users to access Google Maps offline to view maps and get directions without an internet connection. The feature could be very useful for outdoor workers who sometimes pass through places with minimal or no cellular connectivity.
Google is preparing to launch Android 15 for supported Pixel devices within the next several weeks, including new features such as a "Private Space" for sensitive apps and satellite connectivity improvements. For other Android phones, especially those of different manufacturers like Samsung, it will be released in phases within the coming months.
