Google’s Android update brings offline live transcription, messaging features

The search giant is also bringing some photo editing features to the Photos app on Android that were earlier limited to Google One members or Pixel users.

by

Google has announced a suite of updates for Android users, including new messaging, offline live transcription, photo editing features, among others.

(Sign up to our Technology newsletter, Today’s Cache, for insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy. Click here to subscribe for free.)

Android device owners using the Messages app will get new features like automatic sorting that will arrange their messages into Personal and Business tabs automatically. The app will also be able to delete one-time password messages after one day. In addition, Google has added some reminder features in the app that will prompt users to respond to messages they may have missed, and remind them to wish a friend on their birthday.

Furthermore, Google has updated its Gboard app to work completely on a user’s device to detect grammatical errors and offer suggestions when they are typing. And for the Android users who use Live Transcribe, the company has updated it to offer an offline mode that will enable users to access the app even when Wi-Fi and data connectivity is not available.

The search giant is also bringing some photo editing features to the Photos app on Android that were earlier limited to Google One members or Pixel users. Portrait Blur, which can intelligently blur the background on photos of people, post-snap, will be available to a greater number of Android users. Besides, they will be able to use this effect on photos of more subjects, like pets, food and plants, too, according to Google.

For Android users, it’s adding a new screen time widget that will provide a glimpse of the three apps they use the most each day to help them understand their digital habits.

People who use Google TV will be able to see a new Highlights tab, offering a personalised feed of entertainment news and reviews based on movies and shows they are interested in, Google said in a blog post.

The California-based company also announced a feature to help users in the U.S. pay for parking using just their voice through Google Assistant and Google Pay apps.