YouTube announced last month that podcasts are coming to YouTube Music, and we’re now seeing the Android app add the necessary support with version 5.48. 

With this month’s March Feature Drop, Google finally rolled out Cross Device Timers on Pixel phones. At a Glance is now readying a pair of location proximity features when you’re near an airport or transit station.

In the coming months, Google is expected to add a slew of AI features to its products, with some already rumored for I/O 2023. Gboard for Android is now working to integrate the Imagen text-to-image generator.

In addition to the one we spotted in November, Google Contacts for Android is getting a second homescreen widget that will let you pin favorites.

At the start of last month, Pixel Watch Fall Detection appeared for some users, but Google has not rolled it out in an official manner. Ahead of the winter launch deadline, here’s a closer look at how it works.

Back in September, Google confirmed our Insight that Google Tasks would replace Assistant Reminders in the “coming months.” We’re still waiting for this to launch five months later, but work is ongoing.

Google Photos first rolled out the Locked Folder to Pixel phones before bringing it to other Android devices at the end of 2021, and is now working on adding cloud backup.

In recent months, Android’s Messages app quietly lost its Google Assistant integration. However, Google Messages might be replacing that functionality with something called “Spotlights.”

Last August, Google Meet for Android introduced a feature that lets you co-watch videos on YouTube, curate a playlist on Spotify, and play games together. YouTube Music is now readying support for Google Meet Live Sharing.

Since we already have a good idea of the hardware, the remaining unknowns about Google’s upcoming fordable are focused on the software experience. The latest tidbit is how the Pixel Fold will offer the same Flip to Shhh gesture as on phones for enabling Do Not Disturb.

We’re still waiting for the ability to use Wear OS to unlock Android devices and Chromebooks. Watch Unlock was demoed earlier this year, and ongoing work reveals how Smart Lock will be sticking around as “Extend Unlock.”

On Pixel phones, enabling the Camera app’s RAW+JPEG capture results in an on-device “Raw” folder. Google Photos might soon offer a more integrated experience for RAW images in the app.

The latest beta version (1.5) of Digital Wellbeing is rolling out with one upcoming addition and the removal of an in-development feature.

Since its launch, Fast Pair has grown beyond Bluetooth headphones to smartwatches and Matter smart home devices. Fast Pair’s next device category looks to be the stylus ahead of the Pixel Tablet.

Since August, Gboard has been working on a redesign of the Shortcuts toolbar. Development on that continues with the latest beta this week, while Google has decided to tweak the tablet UI.

The other change Google is making to Nearby Share are UI tweaks that infuse Material You to the main sheet you interact with.

While Search results and the Discover feed are visually tweaked from time to time, other parts of the Google app are often slow to change. Fortunately, Google is now working on a Material You redesign of the Search app.

Back in April of 2016, Google updated Calendar for Android and iOS with a tool to help you find time for personal goals. Amid another upcoming removal, Google Calendar is planning to get rid of “Goals.”

Like on phones, many Wear OS features are delivered via Google Play services, and the latest version reveals what backups on watches will cover, as well as more features for Google Wallet.

Ahead of the Pixel event, a pre-release Google Home update includes early signs of two distinct docks for next year’s Pixel tablet.

Watch faces that let people set pictures of their family and friends are quite popular. Ahead of the Pixel Watch, Google Photos is readying support for such an integration.

Just last week, the Nest Hub Max was updated with another way to skip “Hey Google.” This currently only works for certain commands, but Google Assistant will eventually let you make custom Quick Phrases.

Back in April, we reported that the Pixel 6 Pro was supposed to launch with Face Unlock, and we’ve since detailed Google’s continued development of the capability. Android 13 QPR1 reveals what the end user Pixel Face Unlock experience will be like.

Stadia 4.33 for Android is rolling out now via the Google Play Store, and in it, our team has found early signs of Party Stream coming to Android, as well as a potentially upcoming Ubisoft+ promotion.