The second Samsung Unpacked event of the year took place yesterday, bringing us a whole troop of new devices from the South Korean manufacturer. However, it wasn't just about the hardware yesterday. Of course, Galaxy AI got a shout-out, but so did Google's partnership with Samsung.
There are four major updates and features coming to the software side of things on select Samsung devices, courtesy of Google, and they're pretty exciting. Let's talk about these new features and how they'll impact your daily life.
Google And Samsung's Partnership Brings Four New Software Improvements Our Way
Samsung is the biggest Android manufacturer in the world, and Google is the mind behind Android, so it's no surprise that the two companies are partnering and creating a synergy that benefits both of them. The best part is that none of these features seem gimmicky, and they all seem genuinely useful.
Gemini Can Understand The Context Of What's On Your Screen
Google has pushed its Gemini AI assistant insanely hard and there's almost no Google service left without some kind of Gemini integration. Truth is though, it's useful because it brings some of the functionality of Google Assistant and combines it with the power of generative AI models like ChatGPT. Whether you want to ask questions to learn about things, get it to do some work formatting text you've written, or even generate images, Gemini can do all of that.
Now, it has one new trick up its sleeve. Gemini will now be able to “see” what's on your screen, and answer questions based on what it's seeing. So, for instance, say you see a picture of a strange animal that you've never seen before, you can simply pop open Gemini — either with a swipe from the corner of the screen or with the “Hey Google” phrase — and ask it, “What kind of animal is on my screen?”.
A new perk comes when using Gemini while watching YouTube. You'll get an “Ask about this video” suggestion which can give you more information. And finally, if you happen to be using a Galaxy Z Fold 6, that big inner display now supports multitasking on Gemini, by allowing the overlay to be used in split-screen.
The New Samsung Galaxy Z Devices Have Improved Circle To Search
Circle to Search is super cool and we've been waxing lyrical about it since its reveal at the first Samsung Unpacked event of the year. Now, it can also help you translate text that's on your screen and even help with homework.
However, Google is adding a little more functionality. On the homework front, Circle to Search will be able to understand and solve symbolic math, which is typically on the more complex side. It'll also be able to scan barcodes and QR codes on your screen. You no longer need to find a second phone to scan with.
The Galaxy Watch 7 And Watch Ultra Debut Wear OS 5
Wear OS 5 is here. While I expected it to come with the next iteration of the Pixel Watch, it seems like Google doesn't mind letting Samsung get the first taste of the new smartwatch OS on its Watch 7 and Watch Ultra. Wear OS 5 comes with better performance and improved battery life over the previous generation of the OS.
You Can Now Watch YouTube TV In Multiview On The Z Fold 6
If you have a Z Fold 6 and you're subscribed to YouTube TV, you will no longer need to worry about how you'll watch multiple simultaneously-airing sports events at the same time. Now, you'll be able to watch in multiview natively, though you can only do so from pre-selected combos of football, news, weather, and other sports.
