Latest news with #PhonebyGoogle
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business Standard
Google Phone app gets Material 3 Expressive redesign, new call gestures
Google is rolling out a Material 3 Expressive redesign to its Phone app, introducing new call gestures and UI updates, with similar design changes coming to Gmail, Photos, and Messages New Delhi Google has reportedly begun rolling out a new Material 3 Expressive design update for its Phone app on Android. According to a report by 9To5Google, the latest beta of the 'Phone by Google' app introduces a sweeping visual overhaul alongside new gesture-based call answering options, including 'Horizontal swipe' and 'Single tap.' Google introduced Material 3 Expressive last month at its inaugural 'Android Show: I/O Edition,' describing it as the next major visual leap for Android 16. Building on the foundations of Material You, the new design language focuses on dynamic colour theming, playful animations, responsive UI elements, and modernised typography to offer a more personalised, expressive user experience. Phone by Google app: What is new With the new update, the Recents tab now displays call logs in rounded rectangular cards, a container style that's now applied throughout the app — including the Favourites section and dialer screen. The number pad itself remains unchanged, but the background sheet now features rounded corners for visual consistency. Filters like All, Missed, Contacts, Non-Spam, and Spam have also received design updates. The main Settings menu has been refreshed with the new Material 3 Expressive styling, and now includes a new 'Incoming call gesture' option, letting users choose between 'Horizontal swipe' or 'Single tap' to answer calls. The incoming call screen features a scalloped Material 3 shape that rotates until an action is taken. During an active call, the circular control buttons have been replaced by pill-shaped buttons that morph into rounded rectangles when selected. These include redesigned spacing and a more prominent, wider End Call button. Material 3 Expressive in other Google apps Google Photos: The app now features cleaner layouts with a floating toolbar in albums containing Share, Add photos, and Edit options — previously placed below the album cover. There's also a new 'Show QR Code' button when sharing an album, allowing users to generate scannable QR codes for collaborative sharing. Gmail: Some users are seeing early signs of Material 3 Expressive in Gmail, with visual changes including: Message lists now displayed on rounded-corner cards. Separately layered search bar, menu, and account switcher for improved depth. A bolder, more prominent 'Compose' floating button. Refined swipe animations for archiving emails. Google Messages: Material 3 Expressive is also reshaping Google Messages. Changes include: Conversation threads displayed in rounded cards. The Plus menu now uses pill-shaped containers for Gallery, GIFs, and Stickers. A unified toolbar in the emoji keyboard now lets users easily switch between Emoji, GIFs, Stickers, and Photomoji.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Google introduces Advanced Protection with Android 16: All the details
Google unveiled its Advanced Protection security suite for Android 16 today, expanding its strongest security protections to mobile devices. The new feature aims to protect high-risk individuals like journalists, elected officials, and public figures against sophisticated cyber threats. The Advanced Protection program, announced in a Google Security Blog post by Android Security Group Product Manager Il-Sung Lee, provides a unified security setting that activates and locks Android's highest security features. "Whether you're an at-risk individual – such as a journalist, elected official, or public figure – or you just prioritize security, Advanced Protection gives you the ability to activate Google's strongest security for mobile devices," Lee wrote in the announcement. Industry-first intrusion logging feature enhances security analysis by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like local network access control Expertinspector Learn More Undo Among the most innovative additions is Intrusion Logging, described as an "industry-first feature" that securely backs up device logs in a privacy-preserving, tamper-resistant way. This allows users to conduct forensic analysis if device compromise is suspected. The system employs a "defense-in-depth" strategy where multiple security layers work in concert, preventing both accidental and malicious disabling of individual security features within Advanced Protection. Single control point extends protection across multiple apps Advanced Protection functions as a unified control center that enables critical security settings across Google apps like Chrome, Google Messages, and Phone by Google. The company plans to incorporate third-party applications that choose to integrate with the system in the future. "Advanced Protection acts as a single control point that enables important security settings across many of your favorite Google apps," Lee explained. Additional features coming later this year The initial release provides immediate access to core enhanced security features, with additional capabilities planned for later this year. These include USB protection, options to disable auto-reconnect to insecure networks, and integration with Scam Detection for Phone by Google. Advanced Protection builds upon Google's commitment to continuously enhancing mobile security. Android's intelligent protections have been ranked highest in security by experts, with the Pixel 9 Pro leading in anti-fraud efficacy. The Advanced Protection feature will be available on devices running Android 16.
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Indian Express
Google deploys Gemini Nano in Chrome to protect users from online scams
Google is deploying advanced AI tools across Search, Chrome, and Android to detect and block online scams more effectively. The tech giant announced on Wednesday, May 8, that it will be integrating its on-device large language model (LLM) called Gemini Nano with the desktop version of its Chrome browser to act as an additional layer of defence against online scams. It will be expanded to Android devices in the future. Gemini Nano will be used to improve Enhanced Protection mode of Safe Browsing on Chrome. 'The on-device approach provides instant insight on risky websites and allows us to offer protection, even against scams that haven't been seen before. Gemini Nano's LLM is perfect for this use because of its ability to distill the varied, complex nature of websites, helping us adapt to new scam tactics more quickly,' Google said in a blog post. The company said it was already using the AI-enhanced approach to address remote tech support scams. Aside from Gemini Nano, Google said it will start displaying AI-powered warnings to Chrome and Android users. 'When Chrome's on-device machine learning model flags a notification, you'll receive a warning with the option to either unsubscribe or view the content that was blocked. And if you decide the warning was shown incorrectly, you can choose to allow future notifications from that website,' the company said. Google has been leveraging AI to detect and block online scams for several years now. For instance, AI is used to block millions of scammy search results on Google Search every day, as per the company. These AI-powered systems are used to scan vast quantities of text on the web, identify coordinated scam campaigns, and detect emerging threats. 'For example, we've observed a significant increase in bad actors on the web impersonating airline customer service providers and scamming people in need of help,' Google said, adding that AI has helped the company reduce these types of airline customer service scams by more than 80 per cent in Search. AI has also reportedly enabled the big tech company to identify 20 times more scam web pages than before. To address scam calls and messages, Google said it has undertaken efforts such as rolling out on-device, AI-powered Scam Detection in Google Messages and Phone by Google on Android devices.
India Today
05-05-2025
- India Today
Android 16 is bringing Advanced Protection mode, here is what it is and how it will work
With more people relying on their smartphones for everything from banking to social media, keeping your personal data safe has become more important than ever. Android 16 is set to introduce Advanced Protection mode, a new security feature that aims to shield users from threats by locking down their devices with stronger protection settings. Once enabled, this mode will automatically apply a range of safeguards to make the device more secure — especially useful for those who might not always dig deep into security settings to a report by the Android Authority, the Advanced Protection mode can already be tested on devices like the Google Pixel 9 running Android 16 Beta 4. Once the feature goes live, users will be able to find and activate it through a simple toggle in the Settings app. The moment it's turned on, several built-in protections kick in, many of which cannot be changed individually — making this a more robust form of security that prioritises safety over customisation. Source: Android Authority Source: Android Authority The Advanced Protection mode is designed to provide a comprehensive shield against common threats. For example, it will block unsafe network connections by disabling 2G support and preventing the use of outdated WEP Wi-Fi networks. These types of connections are easier for hackers to exploit, so turning them off helps reduce the risk of snooping or attacks. However, 2G may still be accessible in emergencies, like when you need to make a distress Advanced Protection mode will also prevent the installation of apps from outside the Google Play Store — commonly known as sideloading — a move that should stop users from accidentally installing harmful apps. In addition, it activates something called Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), which helps catch bugs and memory-related issues in apps, further improving overall device mode even adds extra protection to common apps. Google Messages and Phone by Google are already set up to work with Advanced Protection, offering features to detect spam and scams. The Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock will help keep your phone secure even if it's lost or stolen by locking it down and blocking unauthorised to a new AdvancedProtectionManager API introduced in earlier beta versions of Android 16, app developers will also be able to detect when this mode is enabled. That means apps — especially banking or secure communication tools — can adapt and offer extra safety features for users who've turned it useful feature is related to web browsing. If you land on a non-HTTPS page, which could be insecure, the system will issue a warning. Android Safe Browsing, which alerts you about suspicious or harmful websites, is also part of the first began working on this feature in October 2024, and it has gradually appeared in a couple of Android 16 beta updates. A wider release is expected once Android 16 rolls out in its stable form, likely in the coming weeks. Google is also expected to showcase more details during its next episode of The Android Show on May 13, followed by further announcements at the company's annual I/O developer conference.
Hi Dubai
05-02-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
TikTok Tops the List of Most Popular Mobile Apps in the UAE for 2024
A recent report has highlighted the mobile applications that captured the most attention from UAE residents in 2024, with TikTok emerging as the clear leader. According to Sensor Tower's "State of Mobile 2025" report, the short-video app took the top spot, with residents spending an average of 2 hours daily on the platform. The report reveals that the UAE's 11.2 million residents collectively spent a staggering 7.63 billion hours on TikTok last year. This translates to about 700 hours per resident. Haleema Saud, a local student, is one of many users who spend significant time on the app. "On weekdays, I spend three to four hours on TikTok, and on a free day, I can easily spend eight hours just watching videos on everything from cooking to computer engineering," she shared. Globally, TikTok recently made headlines due to concerns over user data security, especially in the US, where efforts to ban the app have been ongoing. Despite such controversies, TikTok's dominance continues in the UAE. Following TikTok, Telegram ranks as the second most popular app in the UAE, with residents averaging one hour a day on the messaging platform. Other frequently used apps in the country include WhatsApp Business, MX Player, Phone by Google, Google Maps, PLAYit, and Gmail. In terms of app downloads, TikTok was the second most downloaded app in the UAE last year, just behind VPN Proxy Master. Social media apps continued to dominate, with Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp Messenger also among the most downloaded. In the finance sector, the buy-now-pay-later platform Tabby topped the charts, followed by digital wallets like Taptap Send and C3Pay. E-commerce also saw growth, with Chinese app Temu becoming the most downloaded shopping app in the UAE and 15 other major markets, thanks to its direct-from-factory pricing model that offers consumers more affordable options amidst economic uncertainty. Other popular shopping apps included Trendyol, Shein, Noon, and Amazon, which rounded out the top five. News Source: Khaleej Times
