These Are 7 New Android Features, Google Brings The Ability For Users To Control Cellphones With Their Faces

Google announced expanded accessibility settings as well as new features. (photo: doc. google)

JAKARTA - Google announced the expansion of accessibility settings as well as a new feature that allows Android users to navigate their phones with facial gestures.

The new feature helps users with speech and motor impairments. This is among about a dozen updates to the mobile operating system announced. Here are a number of new features and updates that Google is rolling out, as quoted from its official page, Friday, August 24.

Control Phone with Face Gestures

Google says this feature was inspired by motor and speech disabilities, Camera Switches and Project Activate are two new accessibility features equipped with machine learning that allow users to use their phones by making facial movements.

The Camera Switches feature is a feature in the Android Accessibility Suite that changes the front camera to detect facial and eye movements. They effectively turn the front camera into a switch, an adaptive device that replaces the function of a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen.

Meanwhile, Project Activate is a new app that makes it easy to communicate and express yourself. Users can create gestures to play certain phrases, send specific text messages, make phone calls, play audio, or control smart speakers.

There's also handwriting recognition to Lookout, an app that uses a phone's camera to help people with visual impairments or blindness get things done faster and easier.

In Document mode, Lookout will now read out handwritten and printed text for Latin-based languages. Additionally, Google has also added Euro and Indian Rupee recognition in Currency mode, with more coming soon.

Control TV with Mobile

This feature is meant for remote control directly to the Android phone, so users can turn on the TV, navigate through recommendations, or even start their favorite shows right from the phone.

Users can use the phone's keyboard to quickly type passwords, movie names or complex search terms. This feature will be coming to 14 more countries over the next few weeks.

Manage Tasks Using Reminders from Google Assistant

Keeping track of everyday tasks just got easier with Reminders. Now users can manage all reminders in one place by saying, "Ok Google, open my reminders" where users will also see useful suggestions for recurring reminders which can be activated with a single tap.

Of course, users can also continue to use voice to create and automate tasks. Just say, "Ok Google, remind me to water the plants every morning". Once set, Google will notify you at the right time across all your devices, whether you're at home or on the go.

The presence of Android Auto Makes Travel Easy

With Android Auto, users can stay entertained by launching and listening to their favorite music, news and podcasts with personalized recommendations from the Google Assistant.

Android Auto users can also play games while they're parked, helping them know when there are important meetings and messages, plus updates to Waze to create a more efficient navigation experience. The new design includes touchpad support, night mode, lane guidance support, and places maps and directions at the forefront so other elements don't get in the way.

Add Photos and Videos to a Passcode Protected Space

Previously this feature was only available on Pixel and will now be rolling out to Android soon. The Locked Folder in Google Photos gives users a passcode-protected space to store photos and videos separately, so they don't appear when scrolling through Google Photos or other apps on the user's device.

Express Yourself with Gboard

To add even more of your favorite emoji combinations, Google is bringing the Kitchen emoji to Gboard, with over 1,500 stickers coming this fall.

In addition, Gboard also allows when a user copies text that includes some information such as a phone number, email address, and URL, Gboard will automatically extract and separate it into several paste options, so that the user can select the most important information.

Control Who Shares with You

With the improved visibility setting in Nearby Share, users can have complete control over who can find their device and send files. Google provides a choice between everyone, contacts, or anyone, and users can easily change preferences through the Quick Settings space on the phone at any time.