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Wear OS 6 arrives, giving a fresh wind for smartwatches.
What you need to know
Wear OS 6’s Material 3 Expressive brings bold new visuals and smoother animations that blend with your mood.
UI now hugs the curved edges, and there’s a cleaner 3-slot layout along with dynamic theming.
Creative watch faces are also incoming, with photo-based designs and smoother transitions that unlock new customization.
Today at itsI/O 2025 developer conference, Google introduced the latest update to Wear OS meant to carrysmartwatchesinto a new era.Wear OS 6brings a wave of changes, including bold designs, smoother motions, and some extra battery life to keep your watch going longer.
Wear OS 6 iscoming in hot with Material 3 Expressive, a new design that blends style and smarts, as per Google’sblog post. It brings dynamic theming to the table, so your watch face and apps can shift colors to match your vibe.
The round display is getting some real attention too, with UI elements that wrap around the edges and layouts that make every quick glance worth it.
This update is giving your battery some love too. Wear OS 6 promises up to 10% more juice compared toWear OS 5, so your watch keeps ticking longer without constantly hunting for a charger.
Developers can now play with new Jetpack libraries (Wear Compose Material 3 and Wear ProtoLayout Material 3) to weave these new designs into their apps.
(Image credit: Google)
Tiles are getting a major facelift, too. A new 3-slot layout (title, main content, and a bottom slot) keeps the interface clean, while dynamic theming ensures your tiles blend seamlessly with your watch face.
Also new is what Google calls “Edge Buttons.” It hugs the sides of the screen, maximizing space on a 1.2-inch display.
Wear OS 6 also unlocks new tools, like animated transitions and support for photo-based designs. Plus, a fresh API makes it easier to build watch face marketplaces, so expect even more creative options soon.
(Image credit: Google)
The update also introduces enhanced media controls, including fast-forward, rewind, and playlist access. And in a nod to younger users, Google is expanding its lineup with Galaxy Watch for Kids, a phone-free way for little ones to stay connected safely.
For developers, the Wear OS 6 emulator is now live in Android Studio, along with codelabs and design kits to kickstart projects. Users, meanwhile, can look forward to the full rollout later this year.
Google has some new accessibility features to talk about(Image credit: Google)
Google has updates for Global Accessibility Awareness Day
The new features cover Android and Google Chrome
You can now ask Gemini questions about images on screen
We’ve already seen a bunch of updatesfor Apple productsin honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day this week, and now it’s Google’s turn – with four important upgrades on the way to Android and Chrome.
As per the officialblog post, the TalkBack screen reader feature in Android is getting some extra smarts, on top of the existing Gemini-powered functionality. The feature provides image descriptions for blind and low-vision users, even when no alt text is provided.
Now, you’ll be able to ask Gemini follow-up questions about the image that’s showing on screen – so if you need to know what color something is, or what else is showing in the picture, Gemini will be able to help out.
There’s also an update to Expressive Captions, which provides on-screen subtitles for anything with audio on your phone. Those subtitles will now reflect drawn on words, so you’ll be able to tell the difference between “no” and “noooooooooo”, Google says.
Page Zoom in Android can now zoom on text only(Image credit: Google)
We’ve got some accessibility improvements to talk about with Google Chrome, too. First up, scanned PDFs are getting Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which means you’ll be able to search for text inside them, and copy that text somewhere else.
For Chrome on Android, Page Zoom (above) is adding a feature to let you increase the size of text on pages, without affecting anything else (like images or layouts). To set up the feature, tap the three dots (top right) in a tab, thenSettings > Accessibility.
Google is also improving speech recognition technologies around the world, giving developers more resources for non-standard speech patterns and non-English languages, as part of its ongoingProject Euphoriainitiative.
Finally, a full suite of accessibility features are on the way to Google’s Bluebook app, which can be used as a testing platform. Upgrades for dictation and the screen reader tech should make the app more accessible than ever.
Google shines a light on Chromebook accessibility tools to help make classrooms more inclusive for everyone.
google
What you need to know
Google is putting the spotlight on how Chromebooks are making school way more accessible, especially for students with disabilities.
ChromeVox will soon turn audio captions into braille when connected to a braille display.
Natural-sounding “read aloud” voices are now built right in Chrome’s Reading Mode, which is great news for students with dyslexia or reading struggles.
Google is spotlighting howChromebooksare helping students with disabilities thrive in observance of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
In ablog post, Tricia Davis-Muffett, a senior director at Google for Education, shared how Google’s approach to accessibility on Chromebooks is making education more inclusive.
Some students can’t use a mouse or keyboard easily, Davis-Muffett noted. This is where Chromebook’s Face Control steps in, literally letting students navigate their devices with facial gestures such as head tilts and eyebrow raises instead of mouse clicks.
Googlerolled out this feature in January with ChromeOS 132, and it’s based on Android’s Project Gameface.
On top of this feature, the tech giant announced today that ChromeVox, the built-in screen reader for Chromebooks, is getting a nifty upgrade. Soon, when connected to a braille display, it’ll convert audio captions into braille.
That means students with visual impairments can independently read what’s on screen without waiting for anyone else to catch them up.
google
ChromeVox, Google’s built-in screen reader, was introduced in Chrome OS version 56.
Furthermore, for visually impaired students (and keyboard power users), Caret Browsing lets them move through a webpage using only their keyboard. It drops a blinking cursor on the page, like in a Word document, and it’s all arrow keys and tab navigation from there.
Google also highlights Chrome’s Reading Mode, touting that it now offers a “read aloud” feature with natural-sounding voices. This feature is particularly beneficial for students who struggle with dyslexia or other reading challenges. And because it’s baked right into Chromebooks, there’s no need for third-party software.
If you’re taking the SAT or AP exams on a Chromebook, the College Board’s Bluebook app now works hand-in-hand with ChromeOS accessibility features like Dictation and ChromeVox. This eliminates the need for separate testing accommodations.
The best part is that these tools aren’t tucked away or hidden behind premium paywalls since they’re baked into Chromebooks and ready to go from the first login. Google also highlights how partner apps from the Google for Education App Hub are building even more support on top of these features.
Google put on anAndroid Showtoday to offer a glimpse at its upcoming interface changes with Android 16, in addition to a slew of Gemini news. It didn’t show off any new devices running the new look; instead, Google offered advice to developers and an explanation of its overall design philosophy. That philosophy seems very… purple.
The new Material 3 Expressive guidelines call for extensive use of color (especially shades of purple and pink), new shapes in a variety of sizes, new motion effects when you take action, and new visual cues that group and contain elements on screen.
A screengrab of examples from Google’s Material 3 Expressive blog post(Image credit: Google)
Google says it has done more research on this design overhaul than any other design work it’s done since it brought its Material Design philosophy to Android in 2014. It claims to have conducted 46 studies with more than 18,000 participants, but frankly, I’m not a UX designer, so I don’t know if that’s a lot.
Google’s Material 3 Expressive is the new look of Android 16
After all of that work, Google has landed on this: Material 3 Expressive. The most notable features, once you get past the bright and – ahem – youthful colors, are the new motion effects.
For instance, when you swipe to dismiss a notification, the object you are swiping will be clear while other objects will blur slightly, making it easier to see. The other notifications nearby will move slightly as you swipe their neighbor. Basically, there will be a lot more organic-looking motion in the interface, especially on swipes and the control levers.
New shapes are coming to Android 16 with Material 3 Expressive(Image credit: Google)
There will be new type styles as well built into Android 16, with the ability to create variable or static fonts. Google is adding 35 more shapes to its interface library for developers to build with, along with an expanded range of default colors.
Google didn’t say that its new Material 3 Expressive design language was targeting iPhone fans, but the hints are there. The next version of Android won’t look cleaner and more organized, instead, Google wants to connect with users on an ‘emotional’ level. According to Google’s own research, the group that loves this new look the most are 18-24 year olds, ie, the iPhone’s most stalwart fan base.
Will this look win over the iPhone’s biggest fans? We’ll see in the months ahead(Image credit: Google)
In its official blog post, Google says, “It’s time to move beyond ‘clean’ and ‘boring’ designs to create interfaces that connect with people on an emotional level.” That connection seems to be much stronger among young people. Google says that every age group preferred the new Material 3 Expressive look, but 18-24 year olds were 87% in favor of the new look.
Apple’s iPhone fanbase is strongest in this age group, if not the generation that’s even younger. It makes sense that Google is making big changes to Android. In fact, this refresh may be overdue. We haven’t seen many inspiring new features in smartphones since they started to fold, and foldable phones haven’t exactly caught on. I’m surprised Google waited this long to improve the software, since there wasn’t any huge hardware innovation in the pipeline (temperature sensors, anybody?).
Material 3 Expressive is coming to more than just Android phones
The new Material 3 Expressive look won’t be limited to Android 16. Google says Wear OS 6 will get a similar design refresh, with more colors, motion, and adaptable buttons that change shape depending on your watch display.
Wear OS watches will also be able to use dynamic color themes, just like Android phones. Start with an image or photo and Wear OS will create a matching color theme for your watch to complement what it sees.
Google demonstrated new buttons that grow as they fill more of the Wear OS display(Image credit: Google)
Even Google’s apps will start to look more Expressive. Google says apps likeGoogle Photosand Maps will get an update in the months ahead that will make them look more like Android 16.
Google borrows a few iPhone features for Android 16, including a Lockdown Mode
Google also demonstrated Live Updates, a new feature that borrows from the iPhone to show you the progress of events like an Uber Eats delivery. The iPhone does this in the Dynamic Island, and Google is adding this feature to the top of the Android 16 display.
Security was a big focus of the Android Show, starting with new protections against calling and text message scams. Google is securing its phones against some common scammer tactics. For instance, scammers might call pretending to be from your bank and might ask you to sideload an app.
With Android 16, you won’t be able to disable Google’s Play Protect app-scanner or sideload any apps while you are on a phone call. You also won’t be able to grant permission to the Accessibility features, a common workaround to get backdoor access to a phone.
Google’s Messages app will also get smarter about text message scams. It will filter out scam messages that ask you to pay overdue toll road fees or try to sell you crypto.
The iPhone already has an extreme protection mode called Lockdown(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Google is also enabling Advanced Protection, its own version of Apple’s Lockdown Mode, on Android 16. Advanced Protection is a super high-security mode that offers the highest level of protection against attacks, whether over wireless networks or physically through the USB port.
Basically, if you’re a journalist, an elected official, or some other public figure and you think a government is trying to hack your phone, Google’s Advanced Protection should completely lock your phone against outside threats.
(Image credit: Google)
If you don’t need that much security but you still want more peace of mind, Google is improving its old Find My Device feature. Android 16 will introduce the Find Hub, which will be a much more robust location to track all of your devices, including Android phones, wearables, and accessories that use ultra-wideband (UWB), similar to Apple AirTags.
Google is introducing new UWB capabilities to help find objects nearby, and those will roll out to Motorola’s Moto Tag first in the months ahead. The new Find Hub will also be able to use satellite connectivity to help locate devices and keep users informed. Plus, if you lose your luggage, Google is working directly with certain airlines like British Airways to let you share your tag information so they can go look for the bag they lost.
Gemini is coming to your car… and your TV… and your watch, and…
Today’s Android Show wasn’t all about Android. Google also made some big announcements about Google Gemini. Gemini is coming to a lot more devices. Gemini is coming to Wear OS watches. Gemini is coming to Android Auto and cars that run Google natively.
Gemini is coming to Google TV. Gemini is even coming to Google’s Android XR, a platform for XR glasses that don’t even exist yet (or at least you can’t buy them). For a brief moment in the Android Show, we caught a glimpse of Google’s possible upcoming glasses.
Could these be Google’s new XR glasses? Hopefully we’ll find out at Google I/O(Image credit: Google)
You’ll be able to talk to Gemini Live and have a conversation in your car on the way to work. ‘Hey Gemini, I need advice on asking my boss for a promotion!’ or ‘Hey Gemini, why is my life so empty that I’m talking to a machine in my car when I could be listening to music or a true crime podcast?’
I may sound like an AI skeptic, but Google’s own suggestions are equally dystopian. Google says on the way to your Book Club, you might ask Gemini to summarize that book you read ages ago (and mostly forgot) and suggest discussion topics. That does not sound like a book club I want to join.
Google did not offer any specific timing for any of the features mentioned in the Android Show, and only said these concepts would appear in the months ahead. It’s unusual for Google to share so much news ahead ofGoogle I/O, which takes place May 20-21 near its HQ in Mountain View, CA. I’ll be on the scene at Google I/O with our News Chief Jake Krol to gather up anything new.
With thePixel 9alaunch already passed, and now team Android spilling all the beans, I suspect Google I/O is going to be mostly about AI. Google is getting these tidbits out of the way so that I don’t waste time asking about new phones when it wants to talk more about Gemini and all the new AI developments. Or perhaps, even better, the Android XR news today was just a hint of what’s to come. Stay tuned, we’ll know more next week!
There must be something in the water in Silicon Valley. Several big tech and digital brands including Amazon andAdobehave revealed subtle tweaks to their logos this month, and now Google has dropped the first significant update to its logo in a decade. This one, however, is a little more noticeable.
Perhaps signalling the final death-knell for the harsh geometry of the flat design movement, Google has blurred the four colours of its ‘G’ logo into a rainbow gradient. The resulting effect is decidedlyInstagram-esque, and, somewhat surprisingly for a logo that adorns millions of smart phone homescreens, the change is actually going down well. Is Google finally within reach of ourbest logosroundup?
Old (left) vs new (right)(Image credit: Google)
The update was first noticed today when it replaced the previous icon design for the Google search app oniOSandAndroid. And while plenty of people have already made joke that the new, blurrier version is just the original when viewed without glasses, the overall consensus seems to be that it’s much more contemporary.
“Makes the current one look dated already. That’s a sign of a good design!” Comments one reader at9to5Google, while another adds, “Somehow it looks better than the regular one.” Over on X, one user comments, “A rare logo update that actually looks nice.”
Users think the old logo looks dated in comparison
Users think the old logo looks dated in comparison
We can expect there to be more noise around this one as it lands on more (and more) users’ homescreens over the coming days. Unlike those subtleAmazonandAdoberebrands, this one’s going to be placed right in front of users. But judging by the initial response, Google’s new gradient is a winner.
Expanding interoperability, Android supports OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI, allowing users to securely share digital credentials across apps.
What you need to know
Android now natively supports OpenID standards for digital credential presentation and issuance.
Users can securely store and send cryptographically verifiable digital documents across different apps.
This update enables wider use of digital credentials for various purposes, including account recovery and identity verification on different platforms.
Google recently expanded its Digital ID access through its Wallet app for residents in the U.K. And to further expand the interoperability across different apps that store digital identities, the search giant is aiming to support open standards via various identity providers and services through the Android operating system.
Last week, through anAndroid Developers blog post, the company has announced that, “Android, via Credential Manager’s DigitalCredential API, now natively supports OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI for digital credential presentation and issuance respectively.”
As the search giant further explains, the Digital Credentials are cryptographically verifiable documents. They can include documents like driver’s licenses, passports, or national IDs. And, throughAndroid appsand with the help of the respective app developers, more can be incorporated and submitted digitally like education certifications, insurance policies, permits, for example in the near future.
Currently, the supported digital documents can be stored in “credential holders” apps like Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet. Some apps like banking or airline apps would, however, sometimes require the digital document for verification, which is not necessarily stored in the respective banking app.
Since Android supports secure sharing between devices through CTAP protocols. Users will be able to store multiple credentials across apps and choose which one to pick using OpenID4VP requests from websites or Android Credential Manager API.
The process involves verifier sending an OpenID4VP request to the Digital Credential API, prompting the user to select a credential. The user here only chooses a credential, not a digital wallet app. Android then redirects the request to the digital wallet app holding the credential to complete the action. The app can further perform additional due diligence before releasing the credential.
Per the recent Google Wallet announcement, soon users can use digital credentials to recover “Amazon accounts, access online health services with CVS and MyChart by Epic, and verify profiles or identity on platforms like Uber and Bumble.”
Next to Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet and 1Password will also be able to hold people’s digital credentials as digital wallets and support OpenID standards through Android’s Credential Manager API.
The feature first rolled out abroad last year, and now it’s rolling out for U.S. users.
(Image credit: Google)
What you need to know
Google’s pollen tracker for the Pixel Weather app is beginning to rollout for U.S. cities.
The feature first launched in the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Italy last year, and expanded to Japan in 2025.
The pollen tracker appears at the bottom of the city view but can be expanded and customized.
Google is rolling out aPixel Weather appupdate that adds a pollen tracker for U.S. users, as reported by9to5Google. The tracker features intuitive charts that show daily pollen levels on a scale of 0 to 4. It also breaks down individual pollen levels for grasses, trees, and weeds.
The pollen tracker was first announced as part of theOctober 2024 Pixel Feature Drop, but was limited to users in the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Italy. It was subsequently added for users in Japan with theMarch 2025 Pixel Feature Drop, and is now appearing on Pixel phones in the U.S. following a server-side push.
By default, the pollen tracker will appear in a pill near the bottom of the Pixel Weather page for your location. The page can be customized, so it’s possible to move the pollen tracker higher up on the page for easy access.
Users are seeing the pollen tracker appear inversion 1.0.20250315of the Pixel Weather app, which was last updated April 10, again indicating that this is a server-side rollout.
Tapping the pill opens a more detailed view of the pollen tracker, which will show a five-day view. It still show grass, tree, and weed pollen information, but also provides seasonality and cross reaction pollen data.
The server-side rollout is not complete, so it may take some time for the pollen tracker to appear for U.S. cities on all Pixel devices. 9to5Google notes that users can preview the pollen tracker by adding a city in one of the previously-supported countries, like United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, or Italy.
Google is offering repairs or payment for Pixel 7a users affected by a serious battery issue
Some Pixel 7a users have reported battery swelling severe enough to warp the phone chassis
Eligibility depends on region and warranty status
Googlehas stepped up to remedy a major battery swelling issue with somePixel 7asmartphones, meaning affected users can now claim a free repair or partial refund.
Recent reports have highlighted the battery expansion issue, which Google describes as including “visible swelling of the device”, the “phone cover bulging or separating from the device”, or the battery “draining significantly faster than usual”.
As we previously covered, swollen batteries present a danger to health and home, as they can be an unpredictable fire risk if left unattended – be sure to check out our guide onhow to dispose of an inflated phone batteryfor more information.
As9to5Googlereports, Google is offering walk-in repairs at centres in the following countries:
US
UK
India
Germany
Japan
Singapore
Additionally, Google is providing a mail-in repair service in the US and India only.
Google is also offering partial refunds to affected Pixel 7a users, depending on territory and warranty coverage: none of the following options are available in the US or India.
In other territories, those still covered by their Pixel 7a’s warranty can claim $456 from Google – that’s cash, not store credit.
And users in said territories who are out of their Pixel 7a’s warranty period can claim either $300 towards another Pixel phone, or $200 in cash.
It’s worth noting that if your Pixel 7a handset exhibits other forms of damage, such as exposure to sharp objects, liquid damage, or damage caused by excessive force, Google may refuse to issue a battery replacement.
The officialExtended Repair Programpage also notes that Google may charge an additional fee if the phone exhibits out-of-warranty damage like a cracked screen – which we’d guess is because screens typically need to be removed to access the internal components of a smartphone.
The kind of repair program that Google is running isn’t unheard of – some may even call it expected with an issue as serious as battery inflation – but it’s still good to see Google doing the right thing here.
Head to Google’s official registration page to get your repair or refund claim started, and be sure to let us know how you get on in the comments below.
Google has admitted that another Pixel A series smartphone has a battery problem. This time, it is the Pixel 7a that is affected. For now, Google has committed to offering one free battery replacement or between $200 and $456 in compensation, depending on eligibility.
Google now admits that the Pixel 7a can suffer from battery issues too. (Image source: Google)
Google has just released thePixel 9aglobally, which further narrows the gap between the company’s Pixel A series and its flagship smartphones. While Pixel A and Pixel smartphones share many components, Google the former have increasingly struggled with battery-related issues in recent months.
For example, Google published an update for thePixel 4aat the start of the year that effectivelyhalved the smartphone’s battery life. Fast forward to March and Google confirmed that the Pixel 9a’s battery would start degradingafter 200 cycles. Worse still, the device would slowly decrease its voltage between 201 and 1,000 cycles.
Now, Google has quietly announced an ‘extended repair programme’ for thePixel 7a, which debuted less than two years ago. In a support post, the company admits that batteries in certain Pixel 7a handsets have degraded to the point that they have started inflating. Typically, this fault would present itself when the battery forces the Pixel 7a’s back panel to bulge or detatch completely. However, there is a chance that the only sympton is drasticaly shorter battery life.
Currently, Google has only committed to one free battery replacement. Even then, the company will refuse a battery replacement if your Pixel 7a has liquid damage, display cracks or ‘exposure to sharp objects’. If you live outside India or the United States, you may be eligible for various ‘appeasement options’ worth up to $456 converted to your local currency. Please see Google’ssupportandregistration pagesfor more information.
Replacing the Pixel 7a’s battery is not an easy task. (Image source: iFixit)
Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app
These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels
While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month
Over the past couple of months,Googlehas been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to makeGeminiits flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.
It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Itsnew snooze function for group chats alsocomes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with aneasier way to join group chats,followingWhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.
Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.
Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating thatGoogle would get better at handling lengthy text messages.
For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.
But that could soon be a thing of the past, as9to5Googlehas picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on thePixel 9athat now reaches up to 14 lines.
Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.
Thanks to an APK teardown fromAndroid Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.
Unsubscribe from automated texts
This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, anunsubscribe buttonwas spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.
When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.
Read receipts gets a new look
(Image credit: 9to5Google)
Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.
In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.
Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media
We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping anew photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.
Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:
‘Optimize for chat’– sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.
‘Original quality’– sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.
(Image credit: 9to5Google)