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Nine new features coming to Android

New Emoji Kitchen combinations and a Google Keep widget

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A lot of news from MWC 2023 will showcase the evolving world of hardware. However, software gets its chance to shine under the spotlight, too. During the conference, Google announced a handful of new features coming to Android today and in the near future. Here are some new features to look out for:

Available now

New Emoji Kitchen combinations. New emojis are always a welcome sight with every software update. With the Emoji Kitchen, Google has this in spades, allowing users to create new emojis by combining existing ones. This update, the feature is adding more combinations including basketball- and spring-themed combinations.

Page zoom for Chrome. Starting today on Chrome Beta, users can increase the size of content on Chrome by up to 300 percent. It’s a big step for accessibility.

Noise cancellation on Google Meet. Google’s teleconferencing platform is making a huge case to compete against other platforms like Zoom. Today, the platform can now filter out distracting background noise from calls.

Better annotation on Google Drive. Starting today, users can now annotate PDFs on Google Drive using their stylus or their finger. Writing on PDFs create notes for reading. Meanwhile, the highlighter tool allows users to save text from a document.

Coming soon

Google Keep widget. Soon, users will be able to organize and create notes right from their Home screen using the upcoming Google Keep widget. The widget will also let users customize the looks and added images from the Home screen.

Google Keep on Wear OS. Adding to the previous update, Google Keep will soon have better integration with Wear OS. In an upcoming update, users will be able to dictate new notes and to-do lists with a single tap on their smartwatch.

New accessibility options for Wear OS. Staying with Wear OS, users will soon have more options to help with accessibility on their smartwatch. A new mono-audio mode will reduce the disorientation caused by split-audio configurations. Plus, color-correction and grayscale modes will help visually impaired users.

New animations in Google Pay. Starting next week, Google Pay users will be able to customize the app’s animation whenever a payment goes through.

Fast Pair on Chromebook. Users on Chromebook will soon be able to connect to their Bluetooth headphones with just one tap. Plus, if they already connected it to their Android phone, the settings will automatically save for Chromebooks.

Apps

Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts

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TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.

Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.

Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.

According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.

Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.

Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.

SEE ALSO: Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines

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Google Maps is finally getting a 3D mode

The app will also have a Gemini chatbot baked inside.

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Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.

In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.

In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.

Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.

Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps is finally getting a power saving mode

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Apple Music, TikTok launch Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience

Rolling out worldwide exclusively through Apple Music

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Ever came across a viral 15 or 30-second music snippet on TikTok that instantly became your jam on repeat?

For years, TikTok has been a regular source of songs that have become part of our playlists. And together with Apple Music, listening to the music you discover has just gotten even easier.

That’s through Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience, which launches exclusively though Apple Music.

With the new feature, Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy full-length tracks that they discover on TikTok. That’s without ever leaving that popular streaming app.

Fans who discover a song that they love on their For You or Sound Detail page can simply tap the Play Full Song button to open up an Apple Music player and enjoy the song in its entirety.

From there, subscribers can continue listening to a personalized stream of recommended songs. That means no more need to switch apps and search separately.

The new Play Full Song experience helps music fans move seamlessly from the moment of discovery to deeper listening. It’s also designed to be instant and all within the same environment.

Moreover, users can also save their favorite songs to Your Music and add them directly to their Apple Music playlists.

Built using Apple’s MusicKit, full-length song playback takes place on Apple Music. This way, streams are paid within the Apple Music service, supporting artists and rights holders while giving fans a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

Listening Party also launched

The feature builds on the success of TikTok’s Add to Music App. This was previously launched to help artists and fans convert discovery on TikTok to a playlist save in Apple Music and other streaming services.

To cap the announcement, TikTok and Apple Music are also introducing Listening Party. This new feature is designed to bring artists and fans together around music.

It creates a shared environment where fans can listen to songs from their favorite artists in real time, interact with each her, and engage directly with the artist during the session.

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