Android Gets A Makeover By Google, Rolls Out New Features

• Google has rebranded Android with a new look, adding improvements to the classic green Android figure.
  
• Android’s longtime mascot, the droid, is more three-dimensional than ever – called the “bugdroid” now.
  
• This move comes ahead of Android 14’s release while Google also rolled out new Android features.

Android smartphones rule the market despite the Apple iPhone’s high aspirational value. Google estimates that there are more than 3 billion Android devices in use worldwide. Over the years, the Android logo has evolved quite a few times to modernise its look and feel. With the release of Android 14 around the corner, Google is giving the most widely used mobile operating system a facelift with new branding.

Google captioned the post, “The cutest bugdroids you ever did see.” Jason Fournier, Director, Android Consumer Brand Management, said in a blog post, “We believe our brand system and how we show up visually to the world as Android should reflect Android’s core ethos of being open, iterative and inclusive. That’s why we’re sharing an update to our visual identity that better represents our Android community — and it’s also a lot of fun, too.”

Also Read: Know Everything That The Upcoming iOS 17 Has To Offer

Some History

The logo that Android launched with was created by Irina Blok, who was a big part of the original launch campaign. In the beginning, the logo was intended specifically for developers. After the reveal, individual customers fell in love with the little green robot so much that Google decided to use it as the logo. The last major change to the Android logo was in 2019. This was also the time when their naming system was altered.

Google would name the new Android versions after desserts like Marshmallow, Oreo, Nougat, Lollipop, which has now been made simpler by calling the new release as Android 14. “Each time we overhaul our branding, we evaluate not only changing needs, but also future goals. We know people today want more choice and autonomy, and we want our brand to be reflective of Android: something that gives people the freedom to create on their terms,” said Fournier.

The Inspiration

According to Google, the new appearance is customisable and draws influence from Material design to go with the brand’s colour scheme. The Android logo has been styled in lowercase for many years. The change from “android” to “Android” gives it more significance when placed next to the Google logo. “While we’ve added more curves and personality unique to Android, the new Android stylisation more closely mirrors Google’s logo and creates balance between the two,” Fournier added.

About The New Logo

As part of their last update, the Android robot became a prominent fixture of their logo, reflecting the playfulness people have come to expect from Android. The team has now given the non-human member of the Android community an entirely new 3D look. The face and the most recognisable feature of the Android robot, the bugdroid, now has a lot more dimension and personality. “As a visual signifier of our brand, we wanted the bugdroid to appear as dynamic as Android itself. We’ve also updated the robot’s full-body appearance to ensure it can easily transition between digital and real-life environments, making it a versatile and reliable companion across channels, platforms and contexts,” said Jason in the blog post.

New Features Alert

Apart from giving the Android robot a makeover, Google has also introduced a set of new features for the OS users in its blog post. The tech giant will be rolling out these features very soon:

Google Wallet Pass Photo Import

Android users will now have the option to digitize passes that have a barcode or a QR code, like gym or library cards. All you have to do is upload an image of the pass to store a secure, digital version of it in your Google Wallet.

Android Auto to get Zoom support

With Google adding Zoom and Webex by Cisco to Android Auto, users will be able to start and join conference calls by audio and browse meeting schedules from the car display itself. “Active calls are managed through Android Auto, so you can mute your microphone when needed and end the call when finished,” explained Google.

Google Assistant Gets AI Assistance

The Google Assistant widget, “At a Glance” will now bring you helpful information like high-precision weather alerts, dynamic travel updates and upcoming event reminders on your home screen using AI

Image Q&A on Lookout

This feature will be rolled out on the Lookout app which makes visual content more accessible, especially for the blind or low-vision individuals. The Image Q&A feature will be able to generate detailed descriptions by using AI. “After opening an image, you can type or use your voice to ask follow-up questions to learn more about what is in the image,” said Google. 11 new languages, including Japanese, Korean and Chinese, will be available on Lookout, which brings the total number of supported languages to 34.

Learn About Your Sleep Stats

Android wishes to provide its users with some morning motivation through this new update. You can now hear about your Fitbit or Google Fit activity and sleep data in ‘Personal Routines.’ To get started, add your hours slept and sleep start time to your ‘Good Morning Routine.’ Then say, “Hey Google, good morning” to hear a recap of your sleep stats in the morning.

Apart from the above-mentioned features, many more small but significant upgrades will be seen across Android devices in the coming times. The company intends to create a smooth operating experience for all its users and we are here for it!