Google upgrades its Apple AirDrop competitor ‘Nearby Share’ and five other Android updates

Google finally releases the much anticipated major update on its Android Mobile Operating System. The new update not only brings upgrades but rolls out tons of new features.

It brings a major upgrade to Apple’s Airdrop competitor, that is, Google’s Nearby Share feature. The Company also brings a new accessibility feature to Android TV and bitmoji to Wear OS. It is Available for download via the Play Store, Bitmoji for Wear OS is developed by Facer, known for its huge library of watch faces available across Wear OS and Tizen smartwatches.

The new Bitmoji for Wear OS watch face is a dynamic watch face that uses your personalized avatar, the same one you use across Snapchat, the Bitmoji app, and Gboard.

Nearby Share gets an update

Firstly, Google updated its Nearby Share feature. The company said that soon Android users will be able to use its Nearby Share feature to transfer files across their own devices. “Just select Android devices logged into your Google account from the sharing menu to quickly share files between them.

And once you’ve opted in, transfers between devices you own are automatically accepted — even if your screen is off,” Google wrote in a blog post. Google will be rolling out this feature to all supported Android devices in a few weeks.

Google Drive and Google Keep get a new look

The company said that it has updated Google Drive widget to include three home screen buttons that offer one-touch access to Google Docs, Google Slides, and Google Sheets files. It has also added a bigger widget and font size in Google Keep to make it easier to perform tasks such as taking notes, making to-do lists, and setting reminders.

Gboard gets smarter emoji integration

Google has updated Gboard such that it now lets users add emojis based on the text that they have typed in their messages. “Just type your sentence, hit the Emojify button to select your preferred layout and press send to add the right emoji magic to share with your friends,” Google added. Google is going to roll out this feature in the coming weeks.

Google Meet

It introduces a new live sharing feature to Meet. This will enable users to instantly co-watch YouTube videos and play classic games with up to 100 friends and family members at a time

Google TV

The company is bringing Audio Descriptions to Google TV. This feature will narrate live visual information as it happens in TV shows and movies.

Wear OS gets Keep Tile

Google is bringing a new Keep Tile feature to Wear OS. This feature will let users quickly dictate a note or checklist right from their wrists, and manage the ones made across devices, without ever having to pull out their smartphones or tablets.

Thanks for reading!!

Also read: Latest PS5 update brings 1440p support and a host of new features

Also read: iOS 16 is here: Top features, roll out timeline, list of eligible devices and more

Sumegha Gupta

A tech-freak self-motivated professional that thrives on innovation and overcoming challenges. She is a trained writer and scholarship holder. Went through with writing for a lot of big media houses. Writing is her all-time favorite job. Know more about her on facebook