December’s Feature Drop adds a bunch of new features to Android phones

December 2, 2022

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Google has posted the details on its latest Feature Drop which brings a host of new features including Reading Mode, more Emoji Kitchen options, additional styles for Google Photos, the ability to share your Digital Car Key, and a YouTube Search Widget. We've got the details for you after the break.

Google TV

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Google has streamlined the process of casting content from your phone to your nearby TV. Tap the button on the bottom right of the app to connect with a nearby television to watch the TV show or movie you've chosen. The remote control function will also activate on your phone so there's no need to pick up the physical remote.

Reading Mode

Reading Mode has been improved with the ability to customize contrast, text size, text-to-speech, and even font types on web pages and in apps. This is particularly useful for users with dyslexia or who are blind or have low vision.

YouTube Search Widget

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The YouTube Search Widget features shortcuts that let you jump directly into Home, Shorts, Subscriptions, and Library, whilst also allowing you to search for your favorite creator.

Emoji Kitchen

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The Emoji Kitchen benefits from additional holiday-themed emojis which you can mash up to create your own unique sticker combos on Gboard.

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Sharing your digital car key is now possible with Pixel and iPhones, with Google promising that the feature is coming to select smartphones running Android 12 and up.

Google Photos Styles

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The styles to collage editor on Google Photos gains unique designs from the Australian husband-and-wife visual duo DABSMYLA as well as Yao Cheng Design, giving you more options to choose from this festive season.

Wear OS Tiles

The December Feature Drop brings a couple of new tiles which show when the sun is rising and setting as well as your favorite contacts. The Keep app has also been refreshed so that notes look the same whether you are viewing them on your Wear OS smartwatch or on your handset. Finally, a new command has been added to the Google Assistant which lets you activate the Adidas app by saying “Hey Google, start a run with Adidas Running”.

Peter Holden Author

With over a decade's experience covering the world of Android and having reviewed more devices than he can count, Peter is excited about where the world of tech is heading. He is currently packing the Oppo Find X9 Pro.