Android 16 updates are being rolled out for eligible Pixel devices; new functionalities are now accessible on Android regardless of the operating system version; along with several accessibility enhancements. One of the standout features, Circle to Search, is being introduced to Android users without being dependent on the Android 16 upgrade. Circle to Search allows you to check if content displayed on your screen, such as an incoming message, is a scam. An AI Overview will pop up on your screen, providing details about the scam message and offering useful steps to safeguard yourself when you use Circle to Search. This eliminates the need to switch apps in search of information regarding a possible scam.
GoogleCircle to Search isn’t the only new safety enhancement being introduced to Android. Call Reason is a fresh feature in the Phone app that enables users to label a call to a contact as “urgent.” The contact will notice the urgent label on their call screen. If they fail to answer right away, the urgent notification will remain in their call history. Additionally, Google has implemented an anti-spam feature in Google Messages. You can now exit and report group chats in Google Messages if you suspect an unknown number has invited you to a group for harmful reasons. When you receive the group join notification, an alert will appear displaying information about the group along with safety tips. You will have the option to exit the chat, report it, and block the number, all through simple one-tap actions.
To wrap up, Android users will be introduced to several appealing features, such as pinned tabs in Google Chrome, brand new Emoji Kitchen stickers for the holiday season, and emotion tags in Expressive Captions like [joy] or [sadness].
