Android is becoming a platform for AI fever dreams. At this year’s MWC, the overseas trade show where Google usually has a booth to remind the world that its mobile platform is global, the Android maker announced new ways of interacting Gemini from the inside Google messages as if Gemini is just another friend.
Starting this week, Google will roll out the ability to access Gemini directly from Google Messages on any Android device. That’s called Talk to Gemini, and like chatbots in apps like Slack, you’ll be able to chat with it to write messages, plan events, and pin ideas. You will not need to install the Gemini app to access this feature.
Even if you don’t plan on interacting with Gemini, more AI infusions are coming to an Android device near you. For those using Android Auto behind the wheel, your car can condense long messages and noisy group chats. The AI will also introduce you to possible responses and other things you can do while keeping your eyes on the road. But speaking from experience, I hope this won’t be one of those interactions that requires you to express yourself directly.
Lookout on Android, a built-in feature aimed at blind and visually impaired users, will now offer automatically generated AI descriptions of photos and images that come with messages. There’s also improved screen reader support for Lens inside Maps, so when you point your AR camera at a building or storefront, TalkBack will dictate what’s ahead and input it into Google Maps.
Android watch bearers, first, let me say that it’s nice to have you here. You should know that Google will give you access to tickets, passes and other necessary wallet staples for the next period Wear OS Update. Transport directions will also be available soon, making it easier to remember which train or bus you should catch without taking out your phone.
Health Connect is the last part of this whirlwind of small news. This latest update brings all your third-party health data from apps like AllTrails and MyFitnessPal and aggregates it into the Today tab in the Fitbit app. I’m curious to see what happens with this data sharing package since Google launched it last year. I will be testing this in more detail as it comes out.
This article was originally published on Gizmodo.