Google is one of the companies that appear at CES 2022. Although not showing off a new device, Google announced many new features that will be present in the device ecosystem and its Android operating system.
These new features will make integration between Android devices easier, much like the ecosystem that Apple offers. This is part of the 'Better Together' initiative that Google announced last year.
The biggest update is coming to the Fast Pair system which is designed to make pairing devices with Bluetooth headphones easier. This year, Google will add new features such as auto-switching between devices, faster pairing with Android TV and Google TV, and more.
With the update in the Fast Pair feature, wireless headphone users can switch devices automatically between Android phones, Chromebooks, Windows PCs, and others. In addition, Google will also support head tracking for spatial audio on Android.
Google will also make it easier for users of Android phones and Chromebook laptops to unlock their devices using smartwatches running Wear OS 3. A similar feature is already available on the Apple Watch that can be used to unlock iPhones.
Not only for phones and wearables, Google will also expand the Better Together feature for laptops. The search engine giant has collaborated with partners such as HP, Acer, and Intel, as quoted from The Verge, Thursday (6/1/2022).
With this support, users can use Fast Pair, sync text messages, and use the Nearby Share feature to share files on their Windows devices. Support for Windows devices follows Google's plans to bring Google Play Games to the Microsoft-made operating system.
Not only Windows, Google is also preparing many new features for Chromebooks besides Fast Pair. Google said they will create a system that can display all messaging apps on their phones to Chromebooks so that users can immediately use the messaging app of their choice.
Google will also add a feature called 'Camera Roll on Phone Hub' which will make it easier to transfer photos from your phone to your Chromebook. Laptops running Chromebooks can also be setup easily by connecting an Android phone.
Moving on to a more minor update, Google is currently still developing support for unlocking cars using UWB on mobile. This feature is currently only available on the Google Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung flagship phones.
