Google announces new features on Gboard, Nearby Share, Wear OS, and Meet

Google just shared some new features coming to Android this month. There are updates ranging from Gboard and emojis, to a new accessibility feature. Google Meet, Wear OS, and Nearby Share are all getting some attention as well.

Gboard is getting a new “emojify” feature that lets you quickly add emojis to a message after typing it. You can try this now on GBoard beta.

Emoji Kitchen lets you fuse emojis together to create new ones, and Android has added a bunch of new mashups, including fall-themed ones.

Google Meet gets a new live sharing feature that lets you watch and play games together in video calls. You can now pin specific participants of a Google Meet call that you choose. These are rolling out now.

Nearby Share will receive an opt-in option “in the next few weeks”. This will let users send content to nearby devices on your Google account without a prompt, even if the screen is off. Google Apps will also have larger widgets optimized for Android Tablets.

There are two new accessibility features on Android for the hearing or visually impaired. One is called Custom Sound Notifications and when enabled it hears for specific sounds and notifies the user by vibration, flashing light, or a Wear OS notification. It’ll recognize things like running water, babies crying, dogs barking, a smoke alarm going off, or you can teach it a sound. Google TV now offers a curated library of audio-described films for the blind or low-vision.

Finally, Wear OS gets new Bitmoji watch faces and there’s a new Google Keep tile that makes it easier to quickly dictate a note or look at your other notes.

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