But here are some new features that are coming to Android, starting with Google TV. There’s a new Google TV remote that will be included with each Android smartphone. It’ll be part of the new Google TV app. Making it easier to navigate through your TV without having to find the remote. Google Assistant is getting a new reminders hub. It’ll be a place for you to manage all of your reminders. So you can say “OK Google, open my reminders”, and you’ll see everything that you wanted to be reminded of. Gboard is getting power copying. Basically, you can copy multiple bits of information, and Gboard will be able to automatically extract them into separate pasting options. Making it easier to copy and paste big blocks of text. Gboard is also getting around 1,500 new Emoji Kitchen stickers.
Google Photos’ locked folder finally arrives
Google announced this back at Google I/O in May, but the Google Photos locked folder is going to be available on all Android 6+ smartphones. Which was previously a Pixel-exclusive feature. It’s a password-protected area to hide photos and videos that you don’t want others to see when they pick up your phone Google’s Nearby Share feature is going to get better visibility settings. So you can choose to be visible to everyone, your contacts or no one. It is also bringing the Heads Up feature for Digital Wellbeing to more phones. This is going to prevent you from walking into traffic while you are using your phone.
Android Auto gets loads of new features
Android Auto is also getting a bunch of new features with Android 12. This includes a big refresh with navigation “even more to the forefront” for Waze. Google Assistant Driving Mode gets a new dashboard. There’s also going to be personalized recommendations of music, news and podcast from Google Assistant. Google work profiles will now be supported on Android Auto. Dual-SIM phones will be able to switch SIMs in Android Auto. Google Pay and Android Auto will also allow you to pay for gas at about 32,500 gas stations in the US, by using your voice. And there’s plenty more features coming to Android 12 too.