Google enhances RCS media quality and expands Gemini AI capabilities to WhatsApp and system notifications
Top 3 Key Points:
- RCS Media Upgrade: Google Messages now supports sending uncompressed media in RCS chats, improving communication quality between Android and iPhone users.
- Gemini AI Integration: Google’s Gemini AI is set to handle WhatsApp calls, messages, and notifications, expanding its role in daily smartphone tasks.
- Apple Competition: As Google enhances its AI features, Apple is also preparing new AI capabilities with Siri in the upcoming iPhone 16 series.
Google has been urging Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services (RCS) for a better messaging experience between Android and iPhone users. Last year, Apple finally agreed to support RCS, which allows for more secure and efficient communication between the two platforms. However, an issue remained—Google Messages still sent out highly compressed media files, leading to lower quality in shared photos and videos. Fortunately, Google is now addressing this problem.
Recent updates in the Google Messages beta (version messages.android_20240823_00_RC00.phone_samsung_openbeta_dynamic) show that users will soon have two options when sending media: “Optimized for chat,” which reduces file quality for faster sending, and “Original quality,” which sends the media uncompressed but uses more data. This improvement ensures that Android users can share high-quality media with iPhone users once RCS support is fully implemented.
Although the exact release date for this feature is unclear, it’s expected to coincide with the iPhone 16 launch around September 9, 2024. When Apple enables RCS on all iPhones, Android and iPhone users will finally be able to exchange full-quality images and videos seamlessly.
On another front, Google is making strides with its AI model, Gemini. Integrated into the Pixel 9 series and other popular apps like Spotify, Gemini is becoming a crucial part of the smartphone experience. Google is expanding Gemini’s capabilities with new extensions for WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Android system notifications, as seen in the latest Google app beta (version 15.34.32.29.arm64).
These extensions will allow users to read and reply to messages, make WhatsApp calls, and manage notifications through voice commands. The Notifications extension, in particular, could categorize and summarize alerts, making it easier to manage your device’s notifications.
While these features are still in development, they highlight Google’s ambition to make Gemini an essential tool for smartphone users, especially as Apple prepares to introduce new AI features in Siri with the iPhone 16 series. As both companies continue to innovate, the race to dominate the AI assistant market is heating up.
Key Points:
- Google Calendar is coming to the New Tab Page in Chrome for Workspace users.
- Circle to Search is expanding to more Android devices, including Xiaomi 14T.
- Chrome is getting other new features for enterprise users.
Google Calendar on Chrome’s New Tab Page:
Google Workspace users will soon see their Google Calendar on the New Tab Page in Chrome. This will make it easier to see upcoming meetings and join them quickly. You’ll also see your daily schedule below the calendar.
Circle to Search Expanding to More Devices:
Circle to Search, a feature that lets you search by drawing circles around objects in your photos, is expanding to more Android devices. This feature was previously limited to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices, but now it’s coming to Tecno and Xiaomi devices.
Other Chrome Updates:
Chrome is also getting other new features for enterprise users, such as a new sign-in flow that provides more transparency and a feature that lets admins set site shortcuts.
These updates are all designed to make it easier for businesses to use Chrome and Google Workspace.
YouTube is making content creation easier and more fun with new AI features.
- AI-powered video backgrounds: Create stunning visuals for your Shorts videos with Google’s Veo AI model.
- AI-powered video ideas: Get inspiration for your next video with YouTube Studio’s AI-powered brainstorming tool.
- AI-powered comments: Quickly respond to your viewers with AI-suggested replies.
YouTube is adding more AI features to help creators make better videos. One of the biggest announcements is the integration of Veo, a powerful AI model, into YouTube Shorts. This means you can create high-quality backgrounds and even short video clips using just a few words.
Imagine being able to describe a scene, like “a bustling city street at sunset,” and having Veo instantly generate a visually stunning background for your Short. Or, perhaps you need a quick clip to transition between two scenes; Veo can create a short video that perfectly fits your needs.
Another exciting feature is the new AI-powered brainstorming tool in YouTube Studio. This tool can suggest video ideas based on your channel’s history and what’s popular on YouTube. It’s like having a creative assistant that always has fresh ideas.
For example, if you’ve been creating cooking videos, the tool might suggest ideas like “Vegan cooking hacks” or “Quick and easy weeknight meals.” Or, if you’re a gaming channel, it could suggest ideas like “Top 5 new games to try” or “Let’s play a classic game.”
YouTube is also working on AI-powered comments. This feature will suggest replies to comments, making it easier for creators to engage with their audience.
For example, if a viewer leaves a comment saying “Great video!” the AI might suggest a reply like “Thanks for watching!” Or, if a viewer asks a question, the AI could suggest a helpful answer based on the video’s content.
These new AI features are making YouTube an even more powerful platform for creators. By automating tasks like background creation and idea generation, creators can spend more time focusing on what they do best: creating great content.
Key points:
- Android 15 QPR1 Beta introduces a new navigation bar key for quick keyboard switching.
- This allows for faster switching between multiple keyboard apps and languages.
- The feature is currently being tested and is expected to become standard on Google Pixel devices in December.
Android users will soon experience a significant improvement in keyboard switching. A new feature being tested in Android 15 QPR1 Beta introduces a dedicated key on the navigation bar that allows for rapid switching between different keyboard apps and languages.
Imagine having the ability to seamlessly switch between multiple keyboards without navigating through settings or menus. This new key, visually represented as a globe, provides a direct and intuitive way to change keyboards on the fly. Whether you need to switch between different languages or prefer different keyboard apps for specific tasks, this feature offers a convenient solution.
For example, if you have multiple languages enabled and use both Gboard and SwiftKey, you can quickly toggle between them by pressing the new key. This eliminates the need for extra steps and ensures a smooth typing experience.
While this feature is currently in beta testing, it’s expected to become a standard part of Android 15 QPR1, which is scheduled to be released on Google Pixel devices in December. This means that many Android users will soon be able to enjoy the benefits of faster and more efficient keyboard switching.
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