Google is announcing new Android features just in time for the holidays

The holiday season is the time for giving and Google seems to be in the mood to give its users some gifts. These gifts come in the form of a bundle of new features for Android.

Google has announced today it celebrates the holidays by releasing a host of new features that will come to Google Photos, Messages, Google TV and more. There’s even something to put users in the holiday mood.

Add style to photos and messages

First up is the collage editing tool found in Google Photos. Looks like the collage editor is getting some new unique style designs from two new artists. If you still need to use it, styles is something the company introduced in September. It’s a feature aimed at scrapbook lovers that automatically adds graphic art to your Memories.

Another way Google helps Android users express themselves is by adding new sticker combinations. Emoji Kitchen has new emoji that can be used to create new stickers via Gboard.

Make content more accessible

Moving on to content-related features, Google says it will improve content accessibility by introducing a new reading mode on Android. This new mode is designed to make it easier for people who are blind, visually impaired or dyslexic to understand what’s on the screen. The feature adds adjustable display options – contrast, font and size – and a text-to-speech feature with speed control.

Google also makes it easier to access and cast content to your TV. The Mountain View-based organization says it has created a new YouTube search widget on the home screen that gives users one-tap access to their videos, shorts or subscriptions. Additionally, Google says it will launch a feature next week that will allow users to cast directly from Google TV to a compatible TV.

Productivity on the go

The latter set of features focuses on getting things done on the go. The first feature Google mentioned was a digital car key that allowed users to lock, unlock, or turn on a compatible car with their phone. The feature also appears to allow the user to share the digital key with friends and family on the Pixel and iPhone. As for those with other phones, the tech giant states that the feature is expected to come to select Android phones running Android 12 and above in the near future.

The last few features relate to Wear OS and include new tiles, an update to Google Keep, and Google Assistant integration with the Adidas Running app. The new tiles aim to make it easier for users to get in touch with their favorite contacts and view sunrise and sunset times from their Wear OS watches. While the update for Google Keep adds visual improvements such as photos, co-authors and background colors to improve the look of notes and tasks. And thanks to the Google Assistant integration with the Adidas Running app, users can quickly jump into more than 30 types of workouts by using prompts like “Hey Google, start a run with Adidas Running.”