6 ways Android 11 just turned up the heat against Apple’s iPhone

How Android 11 continues to roll out For phones around the world, users of Google’s mobile operating system are getting a ton of new features that could totally change the way they use their phones. Apple IOS has offered some of them for years, but other new tricks put Google ahead of the iPhone ($ 699 at Amazon).

From connecting third-party apps and the voice-controlled Google Assistant in deeper and more useful ways, to new communication tools designed to make conversations easier, Android 11 brings many important changes just as Apple prepares for the launch. launch of the rumored iPhone 12 with iOS 14 updated October 13.

As competition with rival smart assistants like Apple Siri Y Amazon Alexa keeps getting hotter, Google has been adding more and more features to its digital helper, Google Assistant. Not only is the Google Assistant the default AI on Android phones, it’s built-in too Google Home and Google Nest smart home devices (and even available in Apple devices loaded with certain Google apps).

Here’s a look at six of the most interesting and useful updates coming to Android 11 phones in 2020.

Google Assistant now works with third-party apps

For years Android users have been able to open their email, send a text message, and control a whole litany of actions on their phones with the Google Assistant, but the feature was limited to Android apps and services. Apple’s Siri, on the other hand, has been able to control third-party apps for a while now.

But Google has leveled things. The company recently announced partnerships with 30 third-party apps, including Walmart, Mint, Spotify, Etsy, and Discord, and says it expects to add more in the coming weeks and months.

Now Android 11 users will be able to perform tasks in specific applications by saying things like:

• “Hi Google, find comfy blankets on Etsy”
• “OK Google, open Selena Gomez on Snapchat.”
• “Hey Google, register a berry smoothie on MyFitnessPal.”

Verified calls let you know who’s calling

When your phone rings out of nowhere, you want to know who’s calling and why. The Android app you use to make and receive calls has gotten some updates that should help you figure it out, even when it doesn’t recognize the number, just like iPhones.

further spam filtering, which works by silencing calls from numbers that Google has identified as potentially fraudulent, Google has also introduced its Verified Calling feature, which authorizes certain companies and shows you the company name, logo, reason for the call and a check symbol.

There is a similar program called verified SMS for text messages.

Android can turn noises into push notifications

All kinds of things, from microwaves to fire alarms to visitors standing outside the front door, use sound to alert you. But if you have hearing loss or use headphones, it may not detect all of them. New Android sound notifications The feature is designed to hear all the beeps, buzzes, and bangs around you, and then alert you with a push notification on your phone.

Sound notifications use machine learning and your phone’s microphone to listen to 10 different types of sounds, including baby noises, running water, smoke and fire alarms, beeping appliances, and knocks. doors. Apple’s newest mobile operating system, iOS 14, has a similar feature called sound recognition.

To activate sound notifications in Android 11, open Settings, then touch Accessibility and enable Sound notifications.

Google TV comes to Android

Android TV, recently rebranded and updated as Google TV, is rolling out to Android devices with a host of old and new features syncing across devices including your library, recommendations, and watchlist. This puts it on par with Apple TV ($ 180 at Best Buy) devices and applications.

The biggest change Google TV brings to the Android TV and movie experience is the ability to search multiple providers like Netflix, Hulu, and even live TV. You can ask “Ok Google, search for action movies” or “show me science fiction adventure TV shows” and the results will span your subscriptions.

Google Duo adds screen sharing and voice messages with video

People who rely on Google Duo’s mobile-only video calling service to communicate with family and friends now have a couple of new ways to connect, through screen sharing and captioned video messaging, two features that it still lacks Apple’s FaceTime.

To share your screen during a video call, touch the three points in the lower right corner, then tap Share screen. A pop-up window will ask if you want to share confidential information on the call. Tap Start now to accept.

To leave a video message, wait for the call to go unanswered for 60 seconds or press Leave a video message while still playing. Follow the onscreen prompts, then touch Send. The subtitles will be added automatically.

Action Blocks app converts images to speech

The new Action Blocks app uses images and symbols to convey short sentences. Google calls it an “artificial voice for people with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, aphasia, and other speech-related disabilities.”

To try Action Blocks, download it from the Google Play app store. (For the record, Apple has similar apps available in its App Store, but none from Apple.)

For more tips and tricks from Google, check out these five Google Maps tricks that go beyond the driving directions, these seven functions of Android 11 you need to use immediately and how to pay for parking directly from the Google Maps application.