Google rolls out exclusive Android features to Samsung's new flagships

Google has announced several exclusive Android features heading to Samsung’s new flagship mobile devices — the Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy Tab S8 line.

First off, these two lines are gaining a few new tricks relating to Google’s apps. Google Duo users can use a new collaboration feature in the form of live sharing. Those running these devices can use the video calling service to collaborate across supported Samsung apps such as Notes and Gallery, create a YouTube watch party, or doodle together on Google’s Jamboard.

Speaking of YouTube, Google will soon allow Samsung users to preview videos within the Google Messages app. This might seem a niche use case to some users, but Google claims YouTube links are among the most shared on the platform. Like WhatsApp, users can view the video as many times as desired without heading to the YouTube app itself.

New Android features for Samsung

Beyond apps, a few new features are also hitting Samsung’s One UI 4. For one, the Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy Tab S8 devices will land with Voice Access baked-in to their Android 12 builds. This will allow users unable to touch their display to navigate apps, menus, and more. Through Assistant, users can also activate the feature by saying, “Hey Google, Voice access.”

Finally, Google reminds users that One UI 4 now includes Material You aesthetics, including dynamic theming support. “Change your wallpaper and the look and feel of your entire device, including your notifications, apps and more, will change to match the color palette,” adds Google. It’s a feature that first arrived on the Google Pixel 6 series, but you can expect more Android 12 devices to sport this feature as the OS version becomes more widely available.

The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 series aren’t the only Samsung devices to gain features from Google this week. A new update for the Galaxy Watch 4 promises new colors and fonts for watch face tinkerers and several new health tracking smarts.