Google rolls out five Android updates to tackle motion sickness and boost accessibility

Google has announced five new updates for Android devices, aiming to improve accessibility, utility, and personalisation for users. The features, detailed in a blog post on Tuesday, include tools designed to mitigate motion sickness, assist blind and low-vision users, and help individuals remember where they have stored important items.

A headline addition is “Motion Assist,” a feature intended for users who experience discomfort while using their phones in moving vehicles. The tool adds a bubble overlay to the screen that moves in response to the vehicle’s motion, reducing the disconnect between visual input and physical sensation. Google states that the feature is available to Android 17 users, who can customise the bubble’s shape, colour, and transparency, or set it to activate automatically.

While the concept is not entirely new, with Apple introducing similar “Vehicle Motion Cues” in 2024, Google’s approach leverages its Gemini AI model for other enhancements. The company is also introducing “Guided Vision,” a tool designed for blind and low-vision users. By combining the phone’s camera with Gemini, the feature helps users read small print on labels, view menus in dim lighting, or identify objects in their surroundings. It also provides voice guidance to help users position the camera correctly.

“Guided Vision” will be available on phones running Android 9 and newer, specifically in countries where the Gemini model is already accessible. Another update integrates Gemini with the Find Hub app, creating a “remembered items” section. Users can tell the AI where they have stored specific objects, such as a passport in a drawer, and attach photos to help identify the item later.

In a move that mirrors recent updates from Apple, Google is also enhancing its messaging and note-taking ecosystem. Google Messages now integrates with Google Keep, allowing users to share and edit grocery lists or vacation notes directly within conversations. Additionally, the app offers new personalisation options, enabling users to customise individual chats with specific backgrounds, photos, and colours, with text bubbles automatically matching the chosen theme.