Skip to main content

Android is getting an AI overhaul. Here’s what it looks like

Android 15 on stage at Google I/O 2024.
Google

At Google I/O 2024, Google has shown off a lot of new improvements coming to Android, thanks to Gemini. With Gemini, Android will be aware of the context on the screen in a variety of scenarios, which will make your life a lot easier. At least, according to Google.

Circle to Search, which was first shown off during Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year, will be getting some new enhancements. Now, Circle to Search will be a great new study buddy for students. Why? Because it will be able to help with homework, like physics and math. You can simply circle a prompt on the screen, and it will give you step-by-step instructions on how to solve it.

This new feature for Circle to Search will be available today. By the end of the year, it should be available on over 200 million devices.

Google Gemini making a meme.
Google

A major focus of Gemini is how it will be context-aware of what’s on your screen. For example, Gemini can generate an image related to a text message, and it can be dropped right into the conversation. You can also ask Gemini specific questions about a video that you’re currently watching or even long PDF files so you don’t have to scroll through multiple pages. This feature will be rolling out to devices over the next few months.

Gemini Nano multimodal capabilities will be available for Google Pixel later this year. With this feature, your smartphone will be able to process text, as well as understand more information in certain contexts such as sounds, sighs, and spoken language.

Google Gemini Ask a PDF feature.
Google

An accessibility feature that’s being improved with Gemini is TalkBack. This is a feature that is designed for people who experience blindness or low vision. TalkBack allows users to get richer and clearer descriptions of what is happening in an image. This Gemini update to TalkBack will fill in more missing information, like details about what is in a family photo or even the cut of clothes when shopping online. No data connection is needed since Gemini Nano is on-device.

Gemini will also further help prevent scam calls. Gemini Nano can provide real-time alerts during a call if it is able to detect conversation patterns that are commonly associated with scams. For example, when a “bank representative” asks you to transfer funds, make a payment with gift cards, or provide personal information.

When Gemini Nano detects these phrases, it will give you an alert on the screen while you’re on the call with a bit of information, like telling you that banks will never ask you to move money.

This is just the start of improvements coming to Android 15.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
I saw the future of video calling, and it blew me away
A photo of Google's Project Starline during a demo session.

When was the last time you saw or used a piece of technology that made you feel like you were living in the future? Was it the very first time you picked up a smartphone? Perhaps it was more recently, when you held your first folding phone? Maybe it was even an AI gadget? (Wait, probably not that.)

For me, it was on May 14, 2024. A few hours after the Google I/O 2024 keynote ended, I had the opportunity to demo Google's Project Starline. It wasn't technically a new announcement for I/O 2024, but it was one of the most impressive things I saw at Shoreline Amphitheater that day.
What is Project Starline?
Project Starline | Be there from anywhere

Read more
The Google app on your Android phone is getting a helpful new feature
Google app on Android beta showing Notifications.

The Google app for Android phones is getting a helpful new feature to make search even better. The latest beta has a dedicated "Notifications" feed in its bottom bar. The feature was first introduced on the mobile version of Google for Android earlier this year. The app feature was first noticed by 9to5Google.

The app now includes a Notifications option at the bottom, next to Discover, Search, and Saved items. The Notifications section displays a continuous list of alerts from Google Search, weather conditions, flight information, sports scores, movies and TV shows, and more. The notifications are grouped under “Today” and “Earlier." This feature should prove handy if you miss a notification from the Google app, as it provides a more focused view than Android's system-level history.

Read more
Android 15 release date: When will my phone get the update?
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has announced and shown off Android 15, which is the next major version of its mobile operating system. The development and release cycle of Android typically has a three-phase strategy, and that applies to Android 15 as well.

The first phase is always the Developer Preview phase, which happened earlier this year. It’s then followed by the more public Beta testing phase, and then the final, stable version comes out for everyone.

Read more