Google has announced a new set of Android features as part of its September Android update. The latest Android Drop brings five useful tools designed to make everyday smartphone use easier, safer and more convenient.
The new features will be available across different Android versions. While some tools require the latest Android 16 or Android 17, others will reach much older devices, including phones running Android 9.
Google Can Now Remember Where You Put Important Items
One of the most useful additions is the new remembered items feature in Find Hub.
With this feature, you can use Gemini to remember where you left everyday items that do not have a tracking device attached to them. This could be anything from your passport and house keys to a charger or another item that you often misplace.
For example, you can tell Gemini that you left your passport in a particular drawer. Later, you can ask Gemini where you kept it, and it can help you recall the saved location.
This could be particularly useful for people who frequently forget where they have placed important belongings.
Motion Assist Helps Reduce Motion Sickness
Google is also introducing Motion Assist, a feature designed to make using your phone while travelling more comfortable.
The feature places a moving visual overlay on the screen that is intended to reduce motion sickness when you are using your phone as a passenger in a moving vehicle.
Users can customise the overlay, including its appearance, colour and transparency. It can also be added to Quick Settings or configured to activate automatically.
However, Motion Assist has a more limited availability than some of the other features. It is currently designed for phones running Android 17.
Gemini Live Gets a New Guided Vision Feature
Another important addition is Guided vision, which allows users to share their phone’s camera with Gemini Live.
Gemini can then provide spoken descriptions of objects and surroundings visible through the camera. The feature is designed with blind and low-vision users in mind and can assist with everyday tasks.
For instance, users can use it to get help reading information on a food package or identifying an object when lighting conditions are poor.
Google is making Guided vision available across a wide range of Android devices, with support starting from Android 9.
Find Hub Gets More Useful Without a Tracker
Find Hub is also becoming more helpful with the ability to remember the locations of important items without requiring a physical tracking tag.
This means users can save the location of things they commonly need to find later. Instead of attaching a tracker to every item, they can simply tell Gemini where they placed it and retrieve that information when needed.
Google Messages Gets New Customisation Features
Google is also bringing two new features to Google Messages.
Users can now create and edit shared Google Keep notes directly within a conversation. This means they do not have to leave the messaging app whenever they want to create or update a shared note.
Google Messages is also getting Chat themes, allowing users to personalise individual conversations with different backgrounds and matching text bubble colours.
These customisation options are available now and give users more control over how their conversations look.
Gemini Intelligence Is Missing From the New Android Update
Despite the focus on new Google features, there is one notable omission from the September Android update: Gemini Intelligence.
Google’s more advanced AI tools are designed to perform tasks across different apps with less input from the user. These capabilities can include finding information, handling documents and completing certain tasks on the user’s behalf.
However, Google has not included Gemini Intelligence as part of this Android Drop.
Why Gemini Intelligence May Not Be Available Yet
The absence of Gemini Intelligence may not come as a major surprise because Google’s advanced AI features require more powerful hardware.
The toolset reportedly requires at least 12GB of RAM, which means a large number of Android smartphones may not meet the hardware requirements.
For users with newer and more powerful Android phones, the bigger question is when Google will make these advanced Gemini features available.
For now, Google’s September Android Drop focuses on practical improvements such as remembering misplaced items, reducing motion sickness, improving accessibility and adding more options to Google Messages.
What Android Users Should Know
The September Android update is not a single feature release for every Android phone. Availability depends on the Android version and the device being used.
While Android 17 users get access to newer tools such as Motion Assist, features like Guided vision are being extended to much older Android devices.
Users should therefore check their device and Android version to find out which of the new Google features are available to them.
