Android’s Future is Looking Brighter Than Ever

As Samsung unveiled its latest lineup of foldables and smartwatches at the Galaxy Unpacked event, a significant announcement was made in collaboration with Google. Several new Android features are set to debut on the Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8, before making their way to Pixel devices and other smartphones.

Source: lifehacker.com

This is a familiar pattern for Samsung’s mid-year product launches, as seen last year with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. The emphasis this time around is on Gemini, a feature that completes tasks for you, launched in beta in May. The Gemini Intelligence feature is being expanded to support more than 40 apps and will be available out of the box on the new Galaxy foldables.

With Gemini, users can launch their AI assistant with a screengrab, along with a prompt, allowing for a more intuitive and seamless experience. The AI can carry out various administrative tasks, such as booking cabs or reserving tables, in supported apps. Users will still receive an overview of the AI’s actions on their screen and have the final approval on any important decisions. Additionally, they can stop the process at any time.

Another exciting feature is the rebranded Gemini Notebook, an AI research tool previously known as NotebookLM. While there are no new features here, the app will be preinstalled on the new Samsung devices. Users of the Z Fold 8 can take advantage of the wider screen to drag and drop elements, such as images and web links, into their notebooks from other apps.

For those who invest in a new Samsung device, there are several perks to look forward to. The Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8 come with six months of Google AI Pro for free, which usually costs $19.99 a month. This subscription gets users video generation, the Antigravity coding tool, YouTube Premium Lite, 5TB of storage, and significantly higher usage limits across all of Google’s AI tools, including Gemini and Gemini Notebook.

Furthermore, the Galaxy Watch 9 will benefit from Gemini’s capabilities, allowing users to start listening for instructions as soon as they raise their wrist to talk, without needing a wake word. This means faster access to the AI assistant.

Lastly, Google has also announced ‘streamlined switching’ from iPhones, built into Android 17 and available on the new Samsung phones. This improved method allows users to switch wirelessly, without needing a cable, and supports extra data types, including Google Account details and wifi credentials, in addition to photos, videos, contacts, messages, and calendars.

This feature has already started rolling out on Pixel devices and will reportedly soon be available on other Android devices as well.

What’s New in Android 17

• Gemini Intelligence: Expanded to support more than 40 apps
• Gemini Notebook: Preinstalled on new Samsung devices
• Streamlined switching from iPhones: Wireless switching, supports extra data types

In conclusion, these new Android features are set to revolutionize the way we interact with our devices, making tasks more efficient and enjoyable. As Samsung and Google continue to collaborate, we can expect even more exciting updates in the future.