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Android now digitises the cards you hate to carry

Android 14 might be just weeks away, but Google hasn’t stopped rolling out helpful features for users of the current mobile operating system.

As well as announcing a new design font (complete with 3D robot logo, see above) today, Google has revealed a suite of new productivity and connectivity features.

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Our favourite of those features might be the ability to digitise some of the scannable physical cards in your wallet – such as your library card or gym membership card.

Cards with a barcode or a QR code, for instance, can now be stored in your Google Wallet just by uploading a photo of the physical card. Google says it’s secure and will work completely as a digital pass.

The company is also bringing Zoom and Webex apps to Android Auto, which will allow people to join audio conference calls, while checking out their meeting schedules.

Elsewhere, Google is updating the Assistant At a Glance widget with a new design. This feature will automatically surface information Google deems pertinent, such as an upcoming flight or a severe weather alert.

Google is also introducing the Image Q&A feature within Lookout. The feature, previously announced at Google I/O in May, will enable users with vision limitations to ask for an audio description of an image.

“Scrolling through images in a group chat, photos on your camera app or even on social media can often be inaccessible for people who are blind or low-vision. Image Q&A on Lookout makes visual content more accessible by using AI to generate more detailed descriptions,” Google writes in a blog post.

“After opening an image, you can type or use your voice to ask follow-up questions to learn more about what is in the image.”

Which is your favouritre new feature coming to Android? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.

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