Google to announce 'cool' new phone features

Google - ramping up its phone efforts
Google - ramping up its phone efforts

Google is to announce a whole host of new features for Android this week, with the search giant holding a press conference at its offices in San Francisco, where it will unveil "a couple of cool new mobile features."

While some had been suggesting that Google will show off a FaceTime rival, it seems that what will be demoed will be a little more low-key.

While Android already has FaceTime 'rivals' through its third-party apps like Fring, this is probably not something we would see in a software update, given that you need the addition of a front-facing camera for the feature to really work – something that is a hardware more than a software issue.

3.0 times the charm

The new features on show could well be part of Google's forthcoming Android 3.0 update, which goes under the delicious name of Gingerbread.

This update is said to bring a new user interface, improved cut-and-paste functionality and support for WebM video playback.

So far all of the above has been rumour and conjecture so it will be great to see what Google's mobile product head Hugo Barra will show off.

But, as it is low-key, we are suspecting it will more likely be upgrades to existing software - Google loves its upgrades - or brand-new new Google apps.

As always TechRadar will keep you posted.

Via AllThingsDigital

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.