Google Releases 5 More Updates for Android Including Earthquake Warnings and Improved Circle to Search Feature

Google regularly releases new updates for Android. These updates could be new ways to experience Google AI, like Gemini Live and Circle to Search, new features to improve the privacy and security of your phone, or better ways to communicate with others, like the ability to edit text messages after they are sent.

Today, Google is releasing five more updates for Android. These updates include an updated Circle to Search to help you recognize music you hear in the real world, a more comprehensive earthquake alert system that will notify you of a potential earthquake from anywhere in the United States, offline maps for your WearOS smartwatch, and more.

Here are the five new updates that Google reported.

1. No matter where you are in the United States, you can be notified before an earthquake occurs

A free service called the Android Earthquake Alerts System can warn you if there is an earthquake before you feel it. Today, Google reported that the Android Earthquake Alerts System is growing to every one of the 50 states and six territories.

You can anticipate receiving one of two notifications in the event of an earthquake in your region: Be Aware Alert and Take Action Alert. The Be Aware Alert is intended to notify you of light shaking and provide information regarding the earthquake’s location and magnitude. People who may experience moderate to severe shaking will receive instructions on how to protect themselves in the Take Action Alert.

When the shaking is finished, you can tap your screen for tips on what to do next.

2. Use Circle to Search to assist with finding music you’re hearing

If you have a phone with Circle to Search, you can now use the AI-powered feature to help you find a song, whether it’s playing at a bar, in your car, at a restaurant, during a concert, or even on social media. While Shazam is excellent at recognizing music that you hear in the wild, you can also use the feature to help you find music on social media.

You should simply long press the home button, or navigation bar, to trigger Circle to Search on your supported phone, and afterward tap the music button right next to the Google search button at the bottom of your screen. In the Google search results, you should find the track’s name, artist, and a YouTube link to the song.

3. Use Google Maps offline on your WearOS watch

When you’re out in the middle of nowhere, using Google Maps is difficult because, if you don’t have cell service, not all of the map’s features will work to get you where you need to go. Because of this, you should always download Google Maps offline, particularly if you have a planned trip.

Fortunately, you can now use offline maps on your smartwatch as well if you have a WearOS Watch. You will be able to access the map directly from your wrist even if your phone is left behind because it will sync with your watch as long as the map has been downloaded to your phone as well.

Additionally, Google offers two brand-new smartwatch shortcuts for Google Maps: You can use your voice to find a place to go, and tapping on your watch face lets you see what’s around you.

4. Listen to a web page aloud in Chrome while you keep surfing the web

A new Chrome feature that can read any webpage, such as a recipe or long-form article, aloud to you is also coming today.

The “Listen to this page” option can be found in the three-dot menu at the top-right of any page in your web browser. A player with a few playback controls will appear at the bottom of the screen once the feature is enabled. You can delay or play the sound, skip 10 seconds forward and back, clean to your ideal time, and switch on text featuring and auto scroll. Also, you can change the listening speed, favored voice, and language.

You likewise don’t need to stay on the page to continue to listen – – you can browse the current website, change to a different tab, or even lock your screen you’ll in any case have the option to hear the web page being read aloud.

5. Powered by Gemini, you can also listen to in-depth audio descriptions of images

If you are using TalkBack on an Android device, you will now receive more in-depth audio descriptions for images on your phone or tablet, powered by Gemini AI models on devices that are supported.

TalkBack, a Google screen reader that provides spoken feedback to enable blind or low-vision individuals to use their devices without having to look at the screen, is included in most Android devices. TalkBack will tell you what’s on your screen, such as text, buttons, and other items, when you tap or swipe around the screen. The accessibility feature may also suggest what to do next.

With this new Gemini feature, you can use images from your camera roll, text messages, social media, the web, and more.