Have a Pixel or other Android phone? Google has announced what’s coming for its June Android Drop, and it includes updates to Gemini intelligence, improved safety, easier sharing, and more. Here’s a summary of the key updates.
Fake Call Detection
With this feature, your phone can verify if a call is actually coming from the person’s device or is likely a suspected scammer impersonating them, likely using AI tools. It’s one of the latest scam tactics as individuals impersonate someone you know and demand money or fake an emergency. If they try to call by spoofing a trusted number, routing it through internet-based software, you will see a warning and can end the call immediately. It’s available on Android 12 and higher devices with Phone by Google, the default phone app for the majority of Android devices. It also requires that your contacts use Phone by Google as well, since the service verifies their number through an encrypted RCS digital handshake. It’s only when this handshake signal is missing that the system is triggered. It will ping the other person’s phone (the real one) and if it confirms it isn’t on an active call, you will be notified that the call is a potential scam and not coming from the number it purports to be coming from. So, if your contacts use iPhone, or it’s grandma calling from her ancient landline, this feature won’t work.
Multi-lookup Circle to Search
As previously announced, you can now use Circle to Search to look up not only one item at a time in a photo, but multiple items. This could be an entire outfit on a model or celebrity to replicate the look, or various pieces of furniture to outfit a room or staging a home. It’s available on all Android 14 and higher devices.
Google Photos Wardrobe
Use Google Photos as a digital wardrobe where you can mix and match items already in your physical closet based on photos you have already take wearing them. Maybe you wonder if those brown knee-high boots would go with that jean dress or how that tie might look with this blazer. You can save the favourite looks and share with friends. This feature will begin rolling out next week to eligible users in the U.S., India, and Brazil and works on devices with Android 10 or higher.
Personal Safety App Features For Kids
Coming soon, kids under 13 will have access to helpful features in the Personal Safety app, like displaying their medical information and setting emergency contacts on their device’s lock screen. They’ll also be able to turn on car crash detection, which automatically calls emergency services and texts emergency contacts after an accident. Teens, meanwhile, can use the Personal Safety app’s location features like Safety Check and real-time sharing with emergency contacts. The Personal Safety app is available globally.
Books Insights
There are new convenience features in Google Play Books, like tapping “Catch me up” to jump back in with a recap of what you’ve read so far and highlight a passage to ask questions and dive deeper into themes, context, or characters. Rolling out now, it works with select English titles, including thousands of free ones.
Quick Share with AirDrop
Google and iPhone are finally playing nice together with the option to share files between select Android phones and iPhone through Quick Share, which now works with AirDrop. This feature, already available on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, makes it easier to share photos, videos, and documents on the fly, both with or without an internet connection. This might be a group of friends sharing photos while you’re on vacation or colleagues at an event.
Emoji Kitchen
There are new Emoji Kitchen combinations, allowing you to remix the fun stickers in fun ways. Once created, you can share them in Gboard.