Everything Google announced at its Android Show, from Googlebooks to vibe-coded widgets

During Google’s virtual “Android Show: I/O Edition” event on Tuesday, the tech giant announced a series of upcoming updates and features, including improved Gemini Intelligence features, new hardware called Googlebooks and other Android improvements such as vibe-coded widgets, Gemini in Chrome and new emoji.

The features arrive ahead of Google’s annual developer conference this month, which like last year will largely focus on AI.

Below we have collected all of Google’s announcements for you.

Google Books

Google unveiled Googlebooks, its new line of laptops built with Gemini at its core. The technology giant is working with partners such as Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo to create the first Googlebooks in different shapes and sizes.

The company says Googlebooks, launching this fall, will be the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence to provide personalized and proactive assistance.

The laptops come with ‘Magic Pointer’, a new kind of cursor with Gemini built in, compatibility with Android phones that lets people use apps from their phone directly from their Googlebook, the ability to create custom widgets and more.

Google has unveiled a new ‘Create My Widget’ feature that allows users to code their own custom widgets. The new feature will first launch this summer on the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones.

Users can create widgets by describing what they want in natural language. For example, you can ask the feature to “suggest three high-protein meal recipes every week,” which will give you a custom dashboard that you can add and resize to your home screen.

Updates for Android Auto

Android Auto is getting a refresh that brings more personalization, widgets, and an edge-to-edge experience to your dashboard, so it fits any screen, whether it’s an ultra-wide angle, a circle, or a unique shape. Users can add widgets that help them see the things that matter most at a glance, even while using navigation.

Media apps like YouTube Music and Spotify are also getting redesigned interfaces to make them easier to use in the car.

Additionally, later this year, for the first time in Android Auto, you’ll be able to watch videos on apps like YouTube in 60fps full HD in supported cars, starting with BMW, Ford, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Škoda, Tata and Volvo.

Google said Gemini is now rolling out widely on Android Auto, allowing drivers to ask questions, brainstorm ideas or learn about topics hands-free on the go. The company also said users will be able to order food from the car, starting with DoorDash.

3D emoji

Google has announced that all 4,000 Android emojis have been refined to make them more similar to what they actually are. The new emojis, launching later this year, are designed to feel less flat and more expressive and realistic.

Creator Features

Android is launching a “Screen Reactions” feature that records you and your screen at the same time, a format often seen on TikTok and Instagram Reels. The feature will first roll out to Pixel devices this summer.

Google also teamed up with Meta to bring the best of Instagram to its Android devices, including Ultra HDR, native stabilization and night mode. Additionally, the company has optimized the capture-to-upload pipeline to ensure your photos and videos stay sharp when you post them.

The tech giant is bringing new tools to Meta’s Edit app, exclusively on Android, including “smart enhance” to upscale photos and “sound separation” to amplify and remove sounds.

Gemini’s agentic characteristics

Under Gemini Intelligence, the assistant can pull data from one app and perform multi-step functions across apps. For example, you can take a photo of an event flyer and ask the assistant to find that event on sites like Expedia.

This feature also allows users to summon the assistant with their on-screen shopping list and ask it to build a shopping cart based on those items in the shopping app of their choice.

Twin in Chrome

The company is now introducing Gemini in Chrome on Android, following previous launches on iOS and desktop, allowing users to summarize content or ask questions about what they see on the webpage. Android users also get the experimental auto-browse feature that allows them to navigate websites and perform tasks such as booking a ticket on behalf of a user.

Fill in the form

Gemini can use data from Personal Intelligence to help users fill out complex forms on mobile through an opt-in feature.

Dictate

Google has launched a new feature in Gboard called Rambler that converts your speech into cleaned text, similar to apps like Wispr Flow and Monologue. The feature removes filler words like ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ and also understands when you say ‘Let’s meet at 3pm… er, 2pm’ and put ‘Let’s meet at 2pm’ as the end result.

Extensive AirDrop support

Last year, Google added a way for Pixel phones to share photos and files with iPhones by making Quick Share work with AirDrop. The company said the feature will be available this year for users of other smartphone companies including Samsung, Oppo,
OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi and Honor.

Additionally, if you don’t have a compatible device, you can use Quick Share on any device to generate a QR code, which will help you share files on iPhone via the cloud.

Additionally, Google said users will soon have access to Quick Share, available in apps like WhatsApp.

Easier transfer from iPhone to Android

Google plans to introduce a new iOS to Android Transfer that will let you import your passwords, photos, messages, favorite apps, contacts, eSIM and your home screen layout from your iPhone to your new Android phone. This feature will launch on Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices this year.

Pause point

A new Android feature lets you pause when you launch an app you’ve marked as one of your distractions. Before you can scroll, game, or do whatever else is wasting your time, you have to take a 10-second break and be confronted with other choices you can make instead, like, for example, launching your Google Play Books app to read. You can also optionally set a timer that stops you from using the app before you dive in.

Improved threat protection features

After previous tests in Brazil, Google is also expanding its standard theft protection to all Android users worldwide. The features will be enabled by default on all new Android 17 devices, as well as those that have been reset or upgraded to the latest operating system.

When enabled, features like Remote Lock and Theft Detection Lock are automatically enabled and Google reduces the number of times a thief can try to guess your PIN or password. There will also be longer wait times between failed attempts. Law enforcement can now also access the device IMEI from the lock screen on Android 12 and later, allowing them to quickly verify ownership of a device if it is stolen.

Additionally, theft protection is being extended to devices running Android 10 and higher in select markets including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Pixel users with up-to-date software and Advanced Protection Mode enabled now get Intrusion Tracking, a security feature that helps investigate suspected spyware attacks and device compromises.