Google’s Android update tackles motion sickness, accessibility, and more
Google has announced five new Android features, including 'Motion Assist' to reduce motion sickness and 'Guided Vision' to assist blind and low-vision users. These updates leverage Gemini AI to improve accessibility and personalization across various Android devices.
Why it matters
These updates demonstrate the integration of generative AI into mobile operating systems to solve specific accessibility and user experience challenges.
On Tuesday, Google announced it’s rolling out five new updates designed to make Android phones more accessible, useful, and personalized. Announced in a blog post on Tuesday, the features include those aimed at reducing motion sickness, helping blind and low-vision users navigate their surroundings, remembering where users leave important items, and another that adds new ways to personalize Google Messages.
While some of the features see Google playing catch-up to Apple, which already offers similar features for iPhone users, others specifically leverage Gemini to provide various improvements.
The most interesting update is “Motion Assist,” a feature designed to help people who experience motion sickness while using their phones in a moving vehicle. It adds a bubble overlay to the screen that moves in response to the vehicle’s motion, helping reduce the disconnect between what users see on their screens and what their bodies feel.
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