Latest news with #Handoff
Android Authority
5 days ago
- Android Authority
Is Google readying a rival to iOS' Contact Poster? (APK teardown)
Apple TL;DR We've spotted clues that indicate Google is working on a 'calling card' feature for Android. The feature may allow for full-screen images and custom fonts for incoming calls. Speculatively, it could be similar to iOS' Contact Posters, enabling users to personalize their call display. Google and Apple frequently look at each other's operating systems for inspiration on what next to bring to their own. We've seen iOS copy features like widgets, free app icon placement on the home screen, and more from Android. On the other hand, we've spotted Google working on features like Handoff, which are a page out of Apple's book. We've now spotted clues for an in-development 'calling card' feature, which could potentially become Android's answer to iOS' Contact Posters. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. What we know about 'Calling Cards' The Google Contacts app has slowly built up code for a 'calling card' feature over the past few releases. For instance, v4.55 of the app adds the following strings: Code Copy Text Picture and calling card Set this image as both a contact picture and calling card This string alone doesn't give many clues about what is happening, other than letting us know that users will be set an image as a contact picture and a calling card. The string name suggests the image comes from the calling card itself, so you'd be setting the calling card as the contact picture. The real 'aha!' moment came from a new Calling Card activity, where we spotted 'CallingCardFontData' and 'CallingCardFullScreenImageData.' This is where things get exciting: custom fonts and full-screen images. Sound familiar? AssembleDebug / Android Authority We have to dig into Google Play Services for the next set of clues. We've seen code related to saving calling cards to the cloud and syncing them to the device: AssembleDebug / Android Authority These strings also do not tell us what a Calling Card is, but they tell us that calling cards can be created, deleted, updated, synced, and more. Unfortunately, we don't have a definitive answer on what the upcoming Calling Cards feature within Google Contacts could be, and what it could do. So, what exactly are these 'calling cards,' then? While Google's apps remain tight-lipped about their exact functionality, the clues point to them potentially being Android's answer to iOS 17's delightful Contact Posters. iOS 17's Contact Posters With iOS 17, Apple introduced a new feature called Contact Posters, which are full-screen photos that appear whenever you call a known contact. Users can set their photo, personalize it with filters, and set the font and font color for their name. The next time the user calls a known contact, the receiver will see the user's set Contact Poster. Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority The Contact Poster also works with the NameDrop feature, which allows users to quickly share their contact information through AirDrop by bringing their devices close together. Apple Overall, the Contact Poster feature changed the dynamic of setting contact photos, a task that most of us never really bother with. Instead of you setting contact photos for all the contacts on your phone, each person can set it for themselves as they see fit and share it with you. This way, you have updated photos for your iPhone-using contacts, and you can still set a custom profile photo for them if you want to. Could 'Calling cards' be Google's answer to iOS' Contact Poster? Contact Poster beats having boring and blank incoming call screens, adding to the experience of owning and using an iPhone. Speculatively, clues like font information and full-screen images for Google's Calling Cards feature add weight to the possibility that this is the experience Google could also be building for Android users. Most of us have already set a photo for our Google account, and syncing this information with our contacts would be an easy way to bring Contact Poster-like functionality to Android. It is worth reiterating that we still don't know what Google Contact's Calling Cards are. It is a fair possibility that they turn out to be something else entirely. Google has also not announced anything yet about them. We'll watch for more clues about the feature and update you when we learn more. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Google Handoff could finally fix the Android experience across multiple devices
Android users have long enjoyed the freedom of choice when it comes to phones, tablets, and brands. But when it comes to how these devices work together, Android still feels disconnected. That could change soon, thanks to a new feature being tested by Google. Google Handoff could finally fix the Android experience(Freepik) A recent beta version of Google Play Services includes code hinting at a feature called Handoff. This new feature may allow users to continue apps, media, and notifications from one Android device to another. For example, watching a video on your tablet and picking it up from the same spot on your phone. Or swiping away a notification on your watch and seeing it disappear from your phone, too. This is not a new idea. Apple's Handoff and Continuity features already offer a smooth experience across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Samsung also has a version for Galaxy devices that lets users switch calls, share files, and connect earbuds easily. Google now seems ready to bring a similar benefit to the wider Android community. What makes Google's approach interesting? What makes this move important is that it may not be limited to one brand or device line. Since Handoff is being tested within Google Play Services, it could be available to all Android devices that run these core services. This would be a major step toward creating a more connected and user-friendly Android ecosystem. There is no official word from Google yet. No release timeline has been confirmed either. But the presence of the feature in a beta version is a strong signal that work is in progress. If and when this feature launches, it will make the daily use of multiple Android devices a lot more convenient. Right now, Android users often need to repeat actions or manage the same notifications on every device. Handoff could simplify all that. This is especially helpful for people who use Android at home, at work, and on the go. It could improve everything from media playback to messaging, without needing third party apps or brand specific workarounds. A better connected Android experience is long overdue. With Handoff, Google has the chance to build something truly useful for millions of users who rely on more than one device each day.
Phone Arena
24-06-2025
- Phone Arena
You might soon be able to do this across all your Android devices—just like Apple users can
A recent teardown of Google Play Services has revealed that Android users might soon get a feature that has been missing for a long time: a cross-device sync system similar to Apple's Handoff. The feature, unsurprisingly labeled "Handoff" in new code strings, might be part of Google's broader push to make its ecosystem work better across multiple devices. According to a new report, Google Play Services version 25.25.31 beta includes several new feature strings. These strings mention the ability to "continue tasks and access apps, media, and notifications across your devices," "sync notifications across your devices," and "access your files across your devices." This hints at a system that would let users move between Android devices more easily while keeping apps and content in sync. Earlier reports had already pointed to a feature called "App Cast," which would allow users to stream apps from one device to another. It now looks like App Cast will be part of this new Handoff system. If fully released, this could allow Android users to start a task on their phone and pick it up later on a tablet, Chromebook, or another device linked to their Google account. Apple already offers this kind of experience through its Continuity system. Samsung has a similar setup across its Galaxy products. Android users, on the other hand, often have to rely on third-party apps or brand-specific solutions, which don't always work well together. A built-in Handoff feature could make Android devices feel more connected and easier to use as a group. The Apple ecosystem has enjoyed continuity features for many years now. | Image credit — Apple One of the more useful additions is notification syncing. Right now, notifications dismissed on one Android device usually still show up on others. This can get frustrating, especially for users who switch between devices during the day. With Handoff, notifications could sync properly across devices, so users only have to deal with them once. The update also includes features for sharing files and media between devices. Google has not officially announced Handoff, so it's unclear when it might roll out or if it will be available on all Android devices. Since it is part of Google Play Services, there is a good chance that many devices could eventually support it. Apple and Samsung users have had this kind of feature for years, so it's good to see Google working on something similar. I believe this is a step in the right direction for Android's ecosystem. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
24-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Google might be cooking up something that'll feel oddly familiar to iPhone users
Google seems to be working on a new ecosystem feature that could finally bring true cross-device syncing to Android. Android's answer to Handoff is getting closer to reality The back-and-forth between Android and iOS is nothing new and this time, it is Google's turn to borrow an idea from Apple. According to a new report, Google is working on a feature similar to Apple's Handoff – and it could be available across all Android phones that have Google Play Services. The updated feature is designed for syncing across multiple Android devices, letting you do more than just share files. You will reportedly be able to sync notifications between devices (yes, finally beyond just Pixel and Galaxy phones), share media and even access apps from your primary device remotely on your other Android devices. If this sounds familiar, it is because Apple users already have something similar called Handoff. It allows tasks started in compatible apps to be picked up on another Apple device, as long as everything is signed in to the same iCloud account. Samsung has also done something like this with its own App Continuity setup, allowing file sharing, call answering, hotspot toggling and more between Galaxy devices. That said, the rollout for such a feature on Android is naturally slower. Unlike iOS, which only runs on Apple devices, Android has to work across tons of different brands, so tweaking cross-device features to fit them all takes a bit longer. Cross-device syncing could finally go Android-wide Google Play Services v25.25.31 beta includes the code hinting at the Handoff feature. | Image credit – Android Authority Evidence for the new Handoff feature was found in Google Play Services, which is a big deal – because it means this could be an Android-wide feature, not just something limited to Pixels or Samsung phones. If Google gets this right, the feature could, in theory, let you link a OnePlus phone, a Samsung tablet and a Pixel Watch and have them all work together – regardless of brand. Notifications, apps, media and files might all sync across your devices without needing to stay locked into one company's ecosystem. I say in theory because, of course, it is still early days, and we will have to see exactly how this all works once it officially rolls out. And if it does roll out, because Google has a history of testing features that don't quite hit the mark and ending up scrapping them. However, I am pretty sure this one won't be one of those. This is the kind of upgrade Android really needs I think features like Handoff are the kind of quality-of-life upgrades we should be seeing more often from big tech – not just another wave of flashy AI features, which have been dominating the conversation for well over a year now. And Google is actually in a good position to make that happen – it is behind Android, after all, the OS powering around 70% of smartphones globally. And to be fair, the company is clearly working on making Android better in real, everyday ways. And with Apple recently announcing iOS 26 – filled with subtle but very welcome quality-of-life improvements – it makes total sense that Google would want to highlight its own upgrades. This is a smart moment to remind users that Android is moving forward, too. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Android Authority
24-06-2025
- Android Authority
Google's answer to Apple's Handoff is coming with a welcome upgrade for Android (APK teardown)
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google is working on an Android-wide 'Handoff' feature for multi-device syncing. This feature will enable access to apps and media across your devices, and even sync notifications between them. Apple has a similar Continuity feature called Handoff, albeit without notification syncing. Last week, we spotted an in-development 'App Cast' tool within Google Play Services. Based on the strings, we speculated that Google could allow Android devices to stream apps installed on other hardware linked to your account. It seems Google has bigger plans for App Cast, as it could be one of the tools present in Android's version of Handoff. Yes, Google seems to be working on Android's own version of Handoff. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Google Play Services v25.25.31 beta includes these new strings: Code Copy Text Continue tasks and access apps, media, and notifications across your devices Handoff Sync notifications across your devices Notifications Access your files across your devices Files & media sharing As you can see, the App Cast feature is tied to the upcoming 'Handoff' feature. The strings explain that this ecosystem feature is intended for multi-device syncing, letting users access apps, media, and notifications across devices. As is explicitly mentioned, your notifications will be synced across your devices (finally!), and you will also be able to share files and media between them. We know from the previous APK teardown that you will also be able to access your apps on your primary device remotely on your other devices. Handoff sounds familiar? Well, Apple has a similar Continuity feature called Handoff. Users can start a task on compatible apps on one Apple device and resume the task on a different Apple device, as long as both devices are signed into iCloud using the same Apple account. Samsung also has an App Continuity feature that lets you share and transfer files, answer calls, connect earbuds, enable hotspots, and more across your connected Galaxy devices. It's very clear where Google is getting its inspiration for the Handoff feature. Thankfully, the Google Play Services version of Handoff will also sync notifications, which is a big pain point for multi-device ecosystem users as users end up having to clear actioned notifications across multiple devices. We've previously spotted the notification syncing feature, but at the time, it wasn't very clear whether the feature would be a Pixel-exclusive or be coming to all Android devices. With these new strings now being spotted in Google Play Services under the Handoff umbrella, this is likely an Android-wide feature, as long as you have Google Play Services. Google has yet to announce anything related to Android's Handoff feature. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
