Android is updating its Emoji Kitchen, and more new introductions announced
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Key notes
- Edit messages up to 15 minutes after sending with Google Messages (requires RCS Chat).
- Connect to phone hotspots and switch between devices during Google Meet calls with a single tap.
- Control smart home devices from your phone’s home screen or Wear OS watch with Google Home Favorites.
Google announced several new features and updates for Android devices. First, users of Google Messages with RCS Chat can now edit messages for up to 15 minutes after sending. This allows for correcting typos or clarifying messages.
Sharing a phone’s hotspot with other devices is also simplified with “Instant Hotspot.” Now, a single tap connects an Android tablet or Chromebook to the phone’s hotspot.
Users can switch between their phone, tablet, or web browser during a call using the Cast icon.
Google is also introducing new Emoji Kitchen sticker combinations, allowing users to remix their favorite emojis and share them as stickers via Gboard. Just when Apple planned to intorduce something similar in iOS 18. But Emoji Kitchen has been here for some time now.
Wear OS smartwatches gain improved smart home functionality. The Google Home Favorites tile and complication allow users to view and control smart home devices directly from their watch.
Users in the U.S. and Germany can now make secure payments with PayPal on Google Wallet using their Wear OS watch.
Digital car key functionality, which allows users to lock, unlock, and start their car using their phone, is expanding beyond select MINI models. Soon, users with select Mercedes-Benz and Polestar vehicles will also be able to use this feature. Users can even securely share their digital car keys with others.
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