Android Feature Drop Q4 2023 brings all these improvements to your Google Pixel and other devices

The latest Android Feature Drop (Q4 2023) is official, bringing improvements for all users of eligible devices. It’s noteworthy that Android Feature Drops are different from Pixel Feature Drops, since the latter bring new exclusive features only to Google Pixel devices, so they should not be confused.

The new Android Feature Drop brings improvements focused on the Google Messages service, Google TV, control of Smart Home devices from your Wear OS smartwatch, Google Assistant Routines on Wear OS, security and more.

More Emoji Kitchen sticker combinations on Google Messages

Now you will have more emoji Remix possibilities to convert them into stickers that you can use through Gboard, for those conversations related to recipes or food.

Voice Moods on Google Messages

This feature is still in beta, but it interprets the tonality of your voice messages to add an appropriate background and moving emoji theme to accompany them, giving them even more expressiveness.

Animated reactions on Google Messages

This new feature had been leaked recently, and is basically new detailed animations that appear when you use some reactions in messages. Like the previous feature, this one is also in beta stage.

More than 10 new free TV channels from Google TV

If you are a regular user of the Google TV service, the company is adding more than 10 new channels to add variety to the catalog.

Improved Smart Home controls from your smartwatch

The latest Android Feature Drop (Q4 2023) also includes more control options from your WearOS smartwatch, including controlling groups of lights, turning on and docking devices such as vacuum cleaners, etc.

Set ‘Home’ or ‘Away’ status from your smartwatch

Now you can change between the ‘Home’ or ‘Away’ status of the Google Home service directly from your WearOS smartwatch, giving you easy access to that useful option that allows you to automatically change the operation of all your Smart Home devices (like turning off all lights and turning on cameras when you set the ‘Away’ status).

Start Assistant Routines from your smartwatch

Android Feature Drop (Q4 2023) will allow you to start any of your set Google Assistant Routines directly from your WearOS smartwatch using voice commands, just as you would from your smartphone and other Smart Home devices. However, this feature is labeled as ‘coming soon’.

Improved logging in with a security key

If you use FIDO2 security keys for apps or services that handle sensitive information, you can now set a PIN that allows you to access more easily while restricting other people’s access to your accounts if you lose your security key.

Google Assistant ‘At a Glance’ shortcut on your watch face

In another functional improvement for WearOS smartwatches, you can add the well-known ‘At a Glance’ shortcut directly to your watch face, getting all the information you normally receive on the smartphone widget, now directly on your wrist.

Audible AI image descriptions

This accessibility feature offers AI-powered image descriptions in audible format through the TalkBack service, with people with visual impairments in mind. The feature works with any type of image, whether taken pictures or images from social media apps.

Reply to calls by typing; more ‘Live Caption’ languages

Now you can answer calls by typing what you want to say, so you don’t have to use your real voice. Also, ‘Live Caption’ will get support for more languages, and the combination of both features will allow you to answer calls without having to listen to the other person either, since you will know what they say thanks to the captions. According to Google, this feature will arrive ‘in the next few weeks’. It’s worth noting that this feature has been exclusive to the Pixel devices, but will now be available on other Android phones too.