Google Announces Apple-Like Ecosystem Integration Coming To Android

Google is preparing to release a slew of features resembling Spatial Audio, Apple Watch unlock, AirDrop and AirPods-like fast pairing, among others, to Android devices so it could rival Apple's ecosystem integration.

The search engine giant announced the new features at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022.

According to Google, it will expand its Nearby Share feature to Windows PC. This AirDrop-like feature allows users to share photos, files and videos from Android devices to PCs quickly and easily.

Google further revealed that it will enhance Fast Pair to Windows PCs, Android TV, Google TV and compatible smart home products. In other words, Fast Pair-compatible headphones will connect to these devices seamlessly, just like the way AirPods connect with Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

Google is also planning to roll out a feature similar to the Apple Watch unlock for Mac and iPhone. According to Google, users will soon be able to unlock their Chromebook and other Android devices using the Wear OS smartwatch.

Moreover, Google is preparing to launch an Android feature that resembles Apple's Spatial Audio functionality on AirPods. This feature allows the AirPods to adopt sound based on the movements of the head and the audio source.

This will enable Android users to transfer audio sources between Chromebook and Android devices. It is worth noting that Android already supports basic spatial audio for several music services.

The recent announcement indicates that the search engine giant is trying to introduce Android users to the kind of ecosystem Apple users have long been enjoying.

However, it will take some time for all these features to be available to Android devices. Google said they would arrive over the next few months with some of these features no longer requiring a full Android OS update.

"Android was built for everyone, everywhere and to give people more choice in devices, whether it’s based on the design, features, or overall value. Over the years, we’ve evolved Android to support more devices in your life such as watches, tablets, TVs and even cars," Google said.

"And beyond Android, our work at Google includes laptops, headphones and speakers, smart home devices and much more. That’s why we’re building on our efforts and introducing more simple and helpful ways to make your devices, from Android’s ecosystem and beyond, work better together," the search engine giant noted on its latest press release.