News & Reviews:   feature

Ever needed to make a phone call so urgently that you couldn't stand wasting time unlocking your phone? Well, it seems Google has considered that scenario and is doing something about it. The Gemini app will soon add a new feature that lets you use the phone without unlocking.

For years, Android has stuck to one major release per year for its mobile operating system (OS). Typically, the major Android update happens sometime in the second half of the year. However, the Android 16 update will happen much earlier next year.

For those unaware, WhatsApp has been working on ways we can organize our chats. First, the company introduced filters in April to make it easier to track chats and chat groups. Now, that feature has been expanded further with custom lists.

The biggest advantage of larger screens is the ability to fit more apps. For mobile devices, this applies to tablets and some foldable phones. A taskbar greatly helps users with managing apps, so it's great to see Google considering an upgrade there.

The generative AI trend has flourished in 2024, with more companies aiming to develop their own version. For smartphones, Google Gemini is definitely the biggest player in the game now. As such, it's not surprising to see Google adding new features to stay ahead.

If you've ever watched a video in a foreign language, you may have found the auto-captioning inaccurate. Or maybe you just want to watch videos in your language, and that's totally fine. But did you know YouTube has an auto-dubbing feature?

First introduced in 2023, Circle to Search is a feature that lets you circle an image on your phone to initiate a Google search. Previously, it was exclusive to Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices. But soon, that will no longer be the case.

If you have different chat groups for work or family in WhatsApp, it might be a hassle to keep track of them all. While you can filter them by unread, favourites or groups, it may not be enough for some people. In that case, new filters would make a lot of sense.

Did you know you can change your WhatsApp wallpaper? Having said that, you either pick from the Bright, Dark and Solid Colours categories or use your own photos/screenshots. There's no real theme system that changes things like the chat message box, font, etc. But that could change soon.

Often, we hear a new song or recall old ones without knowing the title. That's usually not a problem if it's played on the radio or something, as you can identify songs or tunes with apps like Shazam. But what if you don't have the song to playback? Well, YouTube Music has a new feature for that.