Looking forward to the next update for our Android phones is always exciting. Every year, we test out the latest Android updates to find out how our Android experience has improved (if at all). Android updates are packed with new features, bug fixes, and improvements, and Google likes to show off the flashiest features at events like Google I/O and Made by Google. But if you just skimmed over what’s headlined at Google’s events, you can miss out on new features that can have an outsize impact on your phone.
While AI features continue to dominate the Android release schedule, Google continues to push out Android updates that include these small but important features. If you’re unhappy with recent AI-heavy updates, remember that Google’s small feature updates can have the biggest impact. Unfortunately, this can be a bad thing.
Related
Google recently dropped a feature that could stop your apps from working correctly
Security can be inconvenient
No Android update is perfect; we’re used to spotting bugs and broken features in new versions of Android. Apps not working correctly after installing a new Android update isn’t a rare incident, and the issue is usually fixed promptly. However, unless you stay current on the Android Developers Blog, you would have missed an announcement from Google that could stop your apps from working.
The update to the Play Integrity API includes a new feature that allows apps to check the security of the phone they’re running on. If a phone fails this integrity check, the app may not work. On one hand, this is a good thing, as it’ll prompt users to regularly update their phones. However, the update could mean that devices running Android 12 or earlier (the cutoff for this feature) will find that apps work more slowly or not at all.
This feature, packed with technical jargon and hard to understand, is not one promoted by Google on its landing pages. However, this could have a colossal impact on users of old Android phones, as they may be forced to upgrade to continue using their devices. It just goes to show that the most important features can be tucked away where you won’t come across them in your daily life. But it’s not all bad.
Google let us use our faces to unlock apps
That’s a big deal
Another feature you might have missed in 2023 was Google’s upgrades to its biometric authentication system. First found on the Pixel 8, this was a dramatic change that opened up the door to a new world of digital security. The Class 3 Face Unlock system used machine learning and AI algorithms built into Tensor G3 and the Titan M2 chip to authenticate access.
The impact of this feature has implications beyond allowing us to use our faces to unlock apps. Building AI into core security features shows how inescapable AI is. Even if you deliberately choose to avoid AI-powered features like Pixel Screenshots or Gemini Live, you are forced to use AI for actions as mundane as unlocking your phone. This feature marked a new era for AI dominance on our phones.
The switch from Google Assistant to Gemini has big implications
Older devices will be left behind
When Google launched Gemini in 2023, it allowed us to choose between Google Assistant and Gemini for our choice of voice assistant. This was useful for those of us who remain unconvinced about Gemini’s capabilities, but for many people, changing to Gemini did not impact their day-to-day life. But some devices, unable to run Gemini’s on-device processing requirements, will soon run into trouble.
Gemini will soon replace Google Assistant, except for devices that don’t meet the hardware requirements. Unfortunately, this means our smart speakers, too. Google claims that it will bring a new experience “powered by Gemini” to smart speakers, implying that dated hardware may not matter as much. But this choice means that many people may find themselves struggling with a Google Assistant that’s no longer being updated, or a stripped-down Gemini that doesn’t offer much new.
While Gemini is not a small feature, it’s easy to forget how widespread the impact of the switch will be. Even if you choose not to opt in to Gemini, you’ll find it impacting your life in a myriad of ways.
New features from Google can impact you in more ways than advertised
It’s easy to walk away from a Google announcement with just the headline features in your mind. But it’s always good to read the small print, as Google likes to tuck features with the biggest impact underneath the headline features, which don’t impact your life too much. So always read the small print, and keep up to date on Google’s blogs if you want to spot the features that’ll impact your life.
Related
