Alongside the Android 16 launch and June 2025 Pixel Drop, Google is highlighting the latest (app) features for all Android devices.
Google Messages is previewing a trio of upcoming features that improve the group chat experience. For some, these features are already in beta testing. Instead of four mini avatars, you can set a “custom icon for your RCS group chat,” while you can “see which friends in your contact list have RCS enabled” before starting a conversation. Additionally, you can “mute notifications on specific group chats for a duration of your choosing.” These features are officially “coming soon,” with Google’s preview showing the Material 3 Expressive redesign.
The Google Home app will let you set “device-specific shortcuts for your Favorites” across Android, Wear OS, and Google TV.
For example, you can pin your security cameras to your Google TV, your kitchen speaker to your Android phone and your thermostat to your Wear OS smartwatch — whatever combination makes it easier to manage your home.
Speaking of Wear OS, Google Wallet will let you “tap right away with city transit cards” even if the app is closed on your watch. This should speed things up when you’re on public transit.
If you use a credit or debit card to tap, make sure to turn this feature on first in your settings.
In the Personal Safety app, Safety Check will let you “extend the check-in time with a tap of your phone or smartwatch” instead of having to create a new one. You can “Add time” from the main page and during the final countdown.
Finally, there are new Emoji Kitchen combinations, while Google is highlighting the upcoming Google Photos editor and image viewer redesign. The former has a focus on surfacing AI-powered suggestions.
Then there’s an “Android Enterprise Feature Drop” to coincide with the new OS. Google is highlighting Advanced Protection, expanded Identity Check availability, and corporate ID badges (via NFC) in Google Wallet. On the Android 16 front, there’s the upcoming addition of desktop windowing and other tablet upgrades, like custom keyboard shortcuts.
Gemini is also coming to the Google Docs app to let you “quickly summarize documents, surface key insights, and draft new content in over 20 languages” after previously being limited to the web version.
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