Here’s Everything New Coming With The Latest Android Feature Drop

The newest Android Feature Drop is all about convenience and customization. You’ll get better chats, easier photo edits, improved smart home access, and even the ability to extend your safety check-ins, no major OS update required.

Android 16 is finally here, and while that brings a handful of new Android 16 features for devices that are compatible with the software, there’s also an Android Feature Drop for all Android OS devices, even those that aren’t getting Android 16 just yet. It might not be as exciting as getting Android 16, but you still end up getting some useful new features to enhance your user experience.

With this Android Feature Drop, there are six new features coming to all devices. This includes things like new personalized group chat features, a new image editor, and public transit payments through Wear OS. Users should get these features starting today, but it may take some time for them to show up for everybody. For everyone with an Android 16-compatible device, the Android 16 download should be available starting today and throughout the week. The Android 16 release date will also be different depending on which device you have.

Today’s Android Feature Drop lets you personalize group chats

Group chats are a fun way to keep in touch with multiple people at the same time. Group chats can be hectic if there are enough people in one, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be fun and personable. Starting today, you can add that personal touch to your group chats by giving them a custom icon. This isn’t just a way to make things more fun, but it can also help you keep things organized. Mainly by letting you more easily distinguish your group chat from the rest of your chats.

This feature is specifically for Google Messages. Along with it, it’s also now possible to see which of your contacts in your contact list have RCS messaging enabled. Additionally, you’ll now be able to mute certain group chats. This function lets you choose from a variety of durations, just like when muting notifications for other apps.

A new image editor makes getting the perfect photo easier than ever

The best camera is the one you have on you. That’s why using your phone for photos has become an incredibly popular choice for people who love to document their favorite moments. And with Android, users are getting a new image editor to make getting that perfect photo easier than ever. The new image editor lets you improve your photos with just a tap or two. These AI-powered suggestions will include things like the “Reimagine” option, which lets you describe what you want to see in the photo and “have it come to life,” Google says.

Other editing features like Auto Crop and Erase are all at your fingertips more quickly. So, editing your photos is more convenient, and it’ll be easier to share them. The new image editor is coming soon.

Android now lets you set up device-specific shortcuts for smart home products

If you have smart home products like cameras and thermostats around the house, Google is making it simpler to manage these with new device-specific shortcuts for your favorites. The idea here is that you can set up a shortcut for a specific product or products that are accessible from a particular device. Like bringing up your security cameras on your TV, or adjusting your smart thermostat’s temperature from your Wear OS smartwatch. You can pin these shortcuts to the device that makes the most sense for your personal setup.

It’s now possible to extend the time of the Safety Check feature

When Google added Safety Check to Android, it was a nice way for users to set check-in times with loved ones. Say you went out for a run. You could set up a check-in time with your significant other so they know that you’re safe and arrive home at a designated time.

With this new Android Feature Drop, it’s now possible to extend that check-in time. While you might not always use this, things change. You might be out and about and decide to make an unscheduled pit stop for something. If doing something like this would make you miss your check-in time, you can now just extend that time so you don’t cause any unnecessary panic. As missing your check-in automatically sends your location to emergency contacts.

New emoji kitchen sticker combinations make chats even more fun

Everyone loves tossing an emoji into the occasional chat message, and now you can have more fun with it thanks to newly added emoji kitchen sticker combinations coming to Android today. This feature in general isn’t new, but what is new is the ability to mix and match new combinations of emoji to create unique stickers to share. Such as “pointing pigs” or “thankful carrots.” These stickers can be shared with friends and family via Gboard after you’ve created them.

Wear OS users can now pay for public transit via their watch

Google is continuing to make Wear OS smartwatches as useful as possible, and the newest feature coming to the platform is the capability to make public transit payments via your wrist. Not too unlike how you would make a payment for something at the supermarket or the corner store. As an added bonus, if you’re using a city transit card, Google says you can tap the watch to pay right away even if the Google Wallet app is closed.