In a series of announcements, Google reaffirmed its commitment to open-source development, particularly within the Chromium ecosystem, while simultaneously refining user experiences across its Android applications and smart home devices suite. These updates reflect a focus on both foundational technology and user-centric design.

Championing Chromium: A Collaborative Effort for Web Innovation

Google unveiled a new initiative, “Supporters of Chromium-based Browsers,” in partnership with the Linux Foundation. This collaborative effort aims to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the Chromium project, the open-source foundation upon which browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera are built.

The initiative establishes a fund managed by the Linux Foundation, with initial support pledged from industry giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Opera. This collaborative funding model seeks to bolster the ongoing development and maintenance of Chromium, ensuring its continued evolution and accessibility for the wider web community.  

Google emphasized its substantial contributions to Chromium, highlighting over 100,000 commits in 2024, representing a significant majority of total contributions. The company also detailed the immense resources it dedicates to maintaining the project’s infrastructure, including thousands of servers running continuous tests, responding to numerous daily bug reports, and investing in code health and maintainability.

This translates to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual investment solely for maintenance, excluding any new features or innovations. Google explicitly stated its intention to maintain this level of investment, while welcoming increased participation and support from other stakeholders. This move comes at a time of increased scrutiny of Google’s role in the browser market, with some suggesting the potential divestiture of Chrome and Chromium. By highlighting its commitment to open-source and collaborative development, Google reinforces its position as a responsible steward of this critical web technology. 

Refining Memories in Google Photos: A More Personalized Experience

Google Photos is receiving a series of updates designed to enhance user control and personalization, particularly within the Memories feature. Memories, which automatically curates photos and videos from the past, can sometimes surface unwanted content. To address this, Google is streamlining access to its “hide faces” functionality. Previously buried within menus, this option will soon be directly accessible within the metadata of individual images. This allows users to quickly and easily remove specific individuals from their Memories, ensuring a more pleasant and personalized experience. The update also hints at the future inclusion of a “show more” option, giving users even greater control over the content surfaced by Memories. This improvement reflects Google’s ongoing effort to provide users with more granular control over their digital memories.  

Gemini on Lock Screen: Enhanced Convenience for Android Users

Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, is gaining new functionality that enhances its utility even when a user’s phone is locked. A new setting allows Gemini to make calls and send messages directly from the lock screen, providing a hands-free and convenient way to communicate. While not enabled by default, this feature can be toggled on within the Gemini app’s settings. Users can then invoke Gemini and issue voice commands to initiate calls or send messages without needing to unlock their device. This addition brings Gemini closer in functionality to its predecessor, Google Assistant, while offering a more streamlined and integrated experience.  

Chromecast with Google TV Receives First Update of 2025

The Chromecast with Google TV has received its first update of 2025, bringing performance improvements and security patches. The update, while not yet delivering the anticipated Android 14 upgrade, bumps the Android security patch level to November 2024. This update continues Google’s commitment to maintaining and improving its streaming device, even as users await the broader Android 14 rollout.

Gemini Overlay Redesign: A More Compact and Intuitive Interface

The Gemini overlay on Android is undergoing a significant redesign, adopting a more compact and intuitive interface. The new design streamlines the interaction with Gemini, presenting a simplified text field with a prominent voice input circle. This redesign echoes the recent simplification of the Gemini app’s home screen, creating a more consistent and user-friendly experience across platforms.

Google Home App Finally Embraces Full Material You Design

The Google Home app is finally receiving the full Material You treatment, bringing dynamic color theming to its interface. This long-awaited update allows the app to adapt its color scheme based on the user’s chosen wallpaper, creating a more personalized and visually cohesive experience. This update marks a significant step in Google’s efforts to fully integrate Material You across its suite of applications, providing a more consistent and aesthetically pleasing user experience.

These updates across Google’s services underscore the company’s commitment to both technological advancement and user-focused design. From bolstering open-source development to refining user interfaces, Google continues to invest in creating a more robust, accessible, and personalized digital experience.

The world of in-vehicle technology is constantly evolving, and Google’s Android Auto is keeping pace with its latest beta update, version 13.5. This release marks a significant step forward in inclusivity, broadening support beyond traditional cars and addressing some long-standing oversights. Meanwhile, Google has also rolled out the January security patch for its Pixel devices, ensuring users remain protected against the latest vulnerabilities.

One of the most noticeable changes in Android Auto 13.5 is the shift in terminology from “car” to “vehicle.” This seemingly small tweak reflects a broader commitment to supporting a wider range of transportation modes. The update explicitly mentions motorcycles within its code, signaling a move to cater to riders who have been utilizing the platform for some time.

This means that phrases like “Connected cars” are now “Connected vehicles,” and the “Connect a car” button has been appropriately updated to “Connect a vehicle.” This change may seem minor, but it represents a significant shift in perspective and a more inclusive approach to in-vehicle technology. It acknowledges that the road is shared by more than just four-wheeled automobiles.

Beyond the change in wording, the update also brings some exciting developments under the hood. New icons specifically designed for motorcycles have been added, along with assets for various vehicle brands, including Geely, Leap Motor, Fiat, and Lucid Motors.

The inclusion of Lucid is particularly noteworthy, as the company previously announced that its Lucid Air model would gain Android Auto support in late 2024. While the update hasn’t officially rolled out for Lucid vehicles yet, its presence in the Android Auto 13.5 beta suggests that the final certification is imminent. This hints at a closer integration between Android Auto and the growing electric vehicle market.

This expansion beyond traditional cars is a welcome development. For years, the term “car” within the Android Auto interface felt limiting, failing to acknowledge the diverse landscape of personal transportation. By embracing the broader term “vehicle,” Google is not only improving the user experience for motorcycle riders and other non-car vehicle owners but also positioning Android Auto as a more versatile and adaptable platform for the future of mobility.

While details about other in-development features, such as “Car Media,” remain scarce, the 13.5 update clearly demonstrates Google’s ongoing investment in Android Auto. This update lays the groundwork for a more inclusive and comprehensive in-vehicle experience.

In other news, Google has also released the January security patch for its Pixel lineup. This update addresses a number of security vulnerabilities, ensuring that Pixel users remain protected from potential threats. The update is rolling out to a wide range of Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold. 

The January security patch includes fixes for 26 security issues dated 2025-01-01 and 12 issues dated 2025-01-05. These vulnerabilities range in severity from high to critical, underscoring the importance of installing the update promptly. Google’s dedicated security bulletin for its devices also lists an additional security fix. 

The update is being distributed through both factory and OTA (Over-The-Air) images. Users should receive a notification on their devices prompting them to download and install the update. The update size can vary, but on a Pixel 9 Pro, it was observed to be a substantial 93.22 MB.

Specific build numbers for various Pixel models and regions have also been released, allowing users to verify they have received the correct update.

This concurrent release of Android Auto 13.5 and the January Pixel security patch showcases Google’s commitment to both innovation and security within its ecosystem. By expanding the reach of Android Auto and prioritizing user safety with timely security updates, Google continues to enhance the overall user experience for its customers. The focus on inclusivity in the Android Auto update, along with the consistent security measures for Pixel devices, demonstrates a holistic approach to technology development.