Google enhances Quick Share with QR code feature and new app buttons
![Android Quick Share](https://www.imjdg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/quick-share-img.jpg)
Top 3 Key Points:
- Google is adding a new QR code feature for fast data sharing on Android.
- Redesigned app buttons for image search, translation, music, and homework.
- New colorful icons improve app navigation and ease of use.
Google is working on enhancing its Quick Share feature for Android by introducing a new QR code-based system. This will allow users to share files simply by scanning a QR code from another device, making data transfers faster and easier. This new feature is expected to be integrated into the Android app soon.
Quick Share utilising QR code to send and receive stuff. This will be available in future updates making it easy to receive files just by scanning the QR code. #Android #Google pic.twitter.com/zdjFBe6bV1
— AssembleDebug (Shiv) (@AssembleDebug) September 21, 2024
Alongside this, Google has refreshed the design of its Android app, focusing on improving usability. The buttons below the search bar have been redesigned, though they are not entirely new—they’ve just received a modern update. These shortcuts now appear more compact and visually appealing.
The new app buttons include features like image search, translation, music search, and homework tools. They now have colorful icons, making them easy to spot and distinguish from one another, ensuring a smoother and more efficient user experience. This update streamlines the interface, with all options visible at once, reducing unnecessary steps.
Easy fix coming to prevent accidental 911 calls on your Pixel Watch
![Google Pixel Watch 3 FCC](https://www.imjdg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pixel-watch-3xl-img-1.jpg)
The Emergency SOS feature on the Pixel Watch is great for quickly calling for help in urgent situations. You just need to press the watch’s crown five times fast. This works well for emergencies, but it can also cause the watch to dial 911 by accident.
Good news is, Google is working on a fix to stop these unwanted calls. In the newest update of the Pixel Watch app (version 3.3.0.714022638), we found hints that Google might add a new “Touch and Hold to Call” option for the SOS feature.
With this new method, after you press the crown five times, you’ll need to touch and keep your finger on the screen for three seconds before the call starts. This extra step should cut down on the number of accidental emergency calls.
We’ve seen a preview video of how this will work when it’s ready, and it looks promising. Importantly, this won’t be the only way to activate SOS. People will still have the choice to use this new touch-and-hold method or stick with the current way, which will now have a five-second wait before calling.
This new way to trigger Emergency SOS isn’t ready yet in the current app version, but it should come in a future update. We’ll keep this article updated once it’s available for everyone to use.
New look for Google’s Circle to Search
![Google](https://www.imjdg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Google-scaled.jpg)
Google has just started to update its Circle to Search feature, which was announced with the Galaxy S25 and new Gemini tools.
The old design had a separate search bar with two round buttons for finding songs and translating text. Now, everything is packed into one simple pill-shaped box. Google chose this design after trying out a few others and decided it was the easiest to use.
When you turn on Circle to Search, the search bar slides up smoothly from the bottom of your screen. When you close it, it slides back down the same way. The background now uses bright colors, sometimes showing Google’s famous red, yellow, blue, and green.
The microphone icon matches the style of the other buttons, and the buttons to close or see more options are now inside little circles at the top corners.
What’s New in Circle to Search
Circle to Search now makes it easier to deal with numbers, emails, and web links. When you see these, the feature marks them with a special pin. If you tap on a phone number, it automatically goes into your dialer. Tap an email, and a new email starts. Click a link, and it opens in Chrome. This means one less tap for you.
Google also added AI Overviews, which give you more info when you search for places, pictures, or items.
This new Circle to Search design is starting to show up on some phones with the latest Google app beta (version 16.1.43). You might need to force stop the Google Search app to see it, but not everyone can use it yet.
Google TV’s new ‘Quick News’ feature uses Gemini AI
![Google](https://www.imjdg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Google-scaled.jpg)
Google TV is now introducing a new way for some users to stay updated with the news through a feature called “Quick News.” This was first shown at the big tech event, CES, this month.
“Quick News” is all about bringing the day’s big news stories right to your TV. It uses Gemini, an AI tool, to make short summaries of news and find related videos, mostly from YouTube.
Here’s how Google describes it on their support page:
With Gemini’s help and some human checking, “Quick News” gives you a quick look at the top news stories and shows related YouTube videos from sources you can trust. The news updates throughout the day to keep you in the loop.
Right now, not everyone can use this feature. Google is only letting some Google TV users in the US try it out this week. You’ll find “Quick News” on the “For You” page of Google TV.
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