Google’s September Android Update Brings New Gemini and Messages Features

Another month, another “Drop.” Google has unveiled its latest batch of Android features this week, all arriving as part of its September Android Drop. Although the lineup is relatively short, all five additions appear genuinely useful. In fact, this update almost gives users a reason to skip buying one of Google’s newest products.

Keep track of your belongings without a dedicated tracker

Google is an interesting company. It finally introduces its own answer to the AirTag, the Pixel Tag, only to immediately undermine it with a new Find Hub capability. “Soon,” Google says, users will be able to ask Gemini to remember where they left their belongings, allowing them to keep track of those items without requiring a dedicated tracker.

Google says the feature is intended for “things you don’t put a tracker tag on,” such as a passport or spare key, although there are no restrictions on what you can use it for. For example, you can simply tell Gemini to remember that you placed your keys in your bedside drawer, and it will save that location for you. You can also choose to attach a photo for additional help. When you can’t locate something, you can ask Gemini where it is or open the new “remembered items” section inside Find Hub. Google has not provided a specific release date for the feature, but says it will work on Android 16 and newer in countries where both Gemini and Find Hub are supported.

Android gets its own solution for motion sickness

Apple introduced “Vehicle Motion Cues” with iOS 18, a feature intended to help reduce motion sickness by displaying a series of dots on the screen. The dots move along with the vehicle. This helps prevent the brain from becoming “confused” when viewing a stationary screen inside a moving vehicle; instead, it perceives the display as moving too, which can hopefully help keep the senses in equilibrium.

Although developers have already introduced this idea to Android through third-party applications, Google is now offering its own version. Google calls its implementation “Motion Assist,” and it operates in much the same way as Apple’s feature. Similar to Vehicle Motion Cues, users can customize the appearance of the dots; specifically, they can adjust their shape, color, and opacity. The feature can either be configured to activate automatically or added as a Quick Setting tile for whenever it is needed. Google says Motion Assist will be available on all phones running Android 17.

“Guided vision” arrives in Gemini Live

Nearly every major technology company with an AI platform now provides a “Live” feature that allows its AI to “see” through a device’s camera and answer questions about the user’s surroundings. In Google’s case, that feature is Gemini Live.

Google is now bringing “Guided vision” to Gemini Live, a feature created with blind and low-vision users in mind. Guided vision uses Gemini Live to make navigating the surrounding environment more accessible. Instead of only answering questions such as “what type of plant is this” or “when was this building built,” Google says Guided vision can assist with tasks such as reading small print on a nutrition label or identifying different dishes on a restaurant menu in low-light conditions. Additionally, Guided vision can help users position their camera correctly when it is not aimed at the right area. This feature will be supported on a broader range of devices than some of the other additions, with Google saying it will work on Android 9 and newer devices where Gemini is available.

Google Messages adds collaborative Google Keep support

For users who regularly work with friends or group chats on shared lists, such as grocery lists or vacation plans, Google Messages is gaining a useful new capability. Following this Pixel Drop, Google Messages users will see a new Google Keep icon within the (+) menu. Once enabled, users can create and modify new notes directly from their conversations. Instead of switching back and forth between Google Keep and Google Messages, users can now chat and collaborate within a single app.

Google Messages introduces new chat customization features

Google Messages is also receiving additional options for personalizing chats. Users can now change a conversation’s background to whatever they prefer, including images stored in their library. Once an image is selected, the text bubbles will automatically adjust to complement the image’s color scheme. However, users can still change the colors themselves or customize the message bubbles without altering the chat background.