Google Android update adds motion sickness relief and accessibility tools
Google announced five new Android features, including Motion Assist for motion sickness and Guided Vision for blind and low-vision users.
Google said Tuesday it is rolling out five new updates for Android phones, aimed at making the platform more accessible, useful and personalized.
One of the additions is Motion Assist, a feature for people who experience motion sickness while using their phones in a moving vehicle. It places a bubble overlay on the screen that moves in response to the vehicle's motion, reducing the disconnect between what users see and what their bodies feel. Users can set it to turn on automatically, add it to Quick Settings, and customize the bubble's shape, color and transparency. Google says the feature is available to Android 17 users. Apple introduced a similar feature, Vehicle Motion Cues, in 2024.
Google is also introducing Guided Vision, designed for blind and low-vision users. It combines the phone's camera with Gemini to help with tasks like reading small print on a food label, viewing a menu in a dark restaurant, or identifying objects around the house. The feature can also provide voice guidance when the camera isn't positioned correctly, telling users to move the phone, pan around, or center an object. Guided Vision is coming to phones running Android 9 and newer in countries where Gemini is available.
Another update gives Gemini a new way to help users remember where they put important items. A "remembered items" section in Find Hub will allow users to tell Gemini where they've stored something. For example, a user could say they put their passport in a bedroom drawer, and Gemini can save that information in Find Hub. Users can also attach a photo to make the item easier to identify later.
Additionally, Google is adding a Google Keep integration to Google Messages, allowing people to share and edit grocery lists, vacation notes, and other information directly within a conversation. Google Messages is also getting more personalization options. Users will be able to customize individual chats with backgrounds, photos, and colors, and the text bubbles will automatically match. Apple added a similar custom background feature to Messages last year.
