Google announces new features coming to the Android ecosystem

Google finished its annual developers conference, Google I/O 2024, with a slew of announcements on its Android operating system across a variety of platforms. This covers the future Android 15 OS for smartphones and tablets.

Google claims it will include a "private space" feature in Android 15 when it debuts later this year. Google stated:

It’s like a digital safe within your phone for the apps you don’t want others to easily access or see. For example, you can hide health or banking apps in your private space to keep your personal information for your eyes only.

Google said that now that the feature is built into Android 15, the private space you create will be able to prevent data and notifications from any sensitive apps from being accessed by the rest of your smartphone

Another Android smartphone security feature that will be available shortly is Theft Detection Lock. When the feature is enabled, the phone will immediately lock out if it detects that it has been stolen from your possession.

Google Wallet will also get some changes for US users later this year, including the ability to scan and store digital versions of real-world objects such as event tickets, library cards, auto insurance cards, and more.

If you have a Google TV-based smart television, streaming box, or stick, it will soon be able to make AI-based recommendations about what to watch. Google says:

Now with the Gemini model, it’s even easier to pick what to watch with AI-generated descriptions on the homescreen, personalized for you based on your genre and actor preferences. AI-generated descriptions will also fill in missing or untranslated descriptions for movies and shows so you aren’t left guessing.

Finally, Google will release Wear OS 5, the latest wearable operating system update, later this year. Google says it will significantly extend the battery life of smartwatches, as well as make improvements to fitness apps.