Google hosted a short press event early Monday morning in Barcelona, Spain, to announce several new features for Android. Among them was the new Chat with Gemini feature for Google Messages that will let you talk to Google’s artificial intelligence product without leaving the app. However, there was something much more exciting at the event: the McLaren F1 car that Google unveiled to showcase its partnership with the famous F1 racing team.
On the other hand, the fact that McLaren relies on Google and Samsung products to set world pit records won’t help you during your normal day-to-day Android experience. What might help you are the new features Google unveiled at the show and the expanded generative AI support coming to more Android apps.
We’ve been texting on smartphone apps and fighting over which messaging app is better for almost 20 years. If anything, we’re pretty good at texting, because it’s currently the primary form of human communication.
I feel like I don’t need AI to help me write in chat apps, be it iMessage, WhatsApp or Google Messages. But maybe I’m wrong. Generative AI could be useful in a variety of scenarios, as Google’s short Android presentation at MWC showed me.
Gemini AI and Android Auto
One new Android feature that Google demonstrated in Barcelona concerns texting while driving. Again, this is something we could have already prevented before Google Gemini was introduced. But now that generative artificial intelligence is here to help, there’s one feature that could save your life while driving.
Android Auto can condense long texts for you, which will definitely come in handy. Instead of reading the entire text aloud, you’ll get a summary with the main points.
I saw the feature in action in a BMW i5 M60 parked inside the Android Village. Of course, it was only the second coolest car at Google’s outdoor booth after the McLaren F1 race car.
You can still use Google Assistant to send and reply to messages, but you’ll be doing it all while looking at the road, not Android Auto screens.
Chat with Gemini within Google Messages
As for the regular Google Messages experience, the Chat with Gemini feature is rolling out immediately to a few eligible devices. That means Pixel 6 or later, Pixel Fold, Galaxy S22 or later, and Galaxy Z Fold or Flip. It will work in English in all countries where the feature is rolling out and in French (in Canada). Just update Google Messages to the latest version and sign in with your personal account.
Once the feature is enabled, you can tap the Chat with Gemini button to get started. One important thing to remember here. Conversations with Gemini are not end-to-end encrypted. These are conversations with artificial intelligence, not friends and family.
Google Messages also supports Magic Compose in Google Messages, and Gemini empowers the experience. That’s one thing I tried out at Google’s Android booth, where I used artificial intelligence to give my “Android Buddy” a Shakespearean take on my MWC experience so far.
For Magic Compose, Google only uses the previous 20 messages to get context. Data is processed on the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 or sent to the cloud on other devices. Google does not store these messages, and Gemini is not trained for them. RCS messages in this case remain end-to-end encrypted.
Other Android experiences announced at MWC
In addition to the Gemini summary in Android Auto, Google introduced seven new Android features.
- Generative AI can create descriptions for images in Lookout.
- An improved screen reader is available for Lens in Google Maps, allowing the phone to read aloud information about nearby places (like opening hours, ratings or directions).
- Google Docs supports handwritten notes. You can use your hand or a pen on your phone or tablet to annotate documents.
- The output switcher on Android now supports Spotify Connect devices.
- The redesigned Fitbit app now supports health data from a variety of wearables, including AllTrails, Oura and MyFitnessPal.
- Google Wallet passes are now available on Wear OS devices.
- Public transit directions are available in Google Maps for Wear OS
What about the McLaren F1 car?
Last season, McLaren achieved an incredibly fast pit stop time during one of the races. That 1.8 second pit stop is now a world record. This is not only thanks to a well-trained team that performs tasks in unison when the F1 car enters the pits. McLaren worked with Google and Samsung to achieve this feat.
The team used Android devices during training, recording video during training and sharing it between devices.
McLaren Racing announced at MWC that it will deepen its partnership with Google. In addition to Samsung phones, McLaren will use Google Pixel devices this season. Furthermore, Google AI will help collect and manage racing data.
If you are an F1 fan, you will see the markings of this partnership on the racing cars. Expect to see Google Chrome, Android and Pixel badges on the F1 car and driver and crew apparel.
