The Android team at Google LLC is applying artificial intelligence to make the operating system that runs phones and other devices easier for people to use.

Google is putting AI to use with its Assistant At A Glance widget that can bring users useful information right on their home screen. It can now provide high-precision weather alerts, dynamic travel updates and event reminders, such as calendar events: “Reminder: You have an appointment in 30 minutes, get ready to go!”

The Android team is also putting AI to even more use for blind and low-vision users with images in group chat, photos on the camera app and social media using Image Q&A on Lookout. Lookout was launched in 2019 and designed for users with vision impairments and uses AI to help them accomplish everyday tasks such as sorting mail or putting away groceries. It has an additional feature that allows users to “ask questions of images,” using an AI model developed by Google DeepMind.

After opening an image, Lookout will provide a detailed description of what is on display and users can type or speak aloud to ask follow-up questions to learn more about it. With this update Lookout is being made available in 11 new languages, including Japanese, Korean and Japanese. This brings the total supported number of languages to 34.

Google Wallet is getting an upgrade that will make it easier for people to include everyday tickets and passes and tickets that include QR codes or barcodes, such as those on gym and library cards. The new system called Google Wallet Pass photo import will allow them to scan in an image of the pass into secure storage and it will place a version of it into their Google Wallet.

When they need to present it for use, they can simply call up their Google Wallet app and show it. This will allow users to reduce the total number of pieces of paper and cards in their wallet and add to their digital wallets.

Android Auto, the mobile app that allows users to use an Android phone’s features on a car’s entertainment system or dashboard, is getting new communication apps that will make it easier to connect with friends and family while on the go. Users will now be able to connect with Webex from Cisco Systems Inc. and Zoom directly from their console.

That will allow users to start and join conference calls via audio and browse meeting schedules from the car display. Active conference calls will be managed by Android Auto, which will allow users to control their entire experience including changing calls, microphone muting, call ending and more.

As for health and wellness, activity and sleep data can be personalized into Routines by adding it from Fitbit or Google Fit. This allows users to get a little motivational boost in the morning through their “Good morning” Routine when they say “Hello Google, good morning,” which will allow their Android to give them a recap of their hours slept and sleep start time.

The Android team will be rolling out these new features to Android phones and devices over the next few weeks.

Images: Google