Android update will let you fix stupid typos in text messages (to other Android users)

A new suite of Android features could limit the use of the star button on your phone’s keyboard: instead of using the symbol to flag a typo, you can now edit messages up to 15 minutes after they’re sent.

Both you and the recipient(s) will need to be using the new version of the Google News app, which is part of a suite of updates announced by Google today. Everyone must also participate in RCS chat, not plain old text messaging. (We’ll have to see if these app requirements impact iPhone users when Apple rolls out RCS support later this year.)

Other notable parts of this upgrade lineup:

• A set of cross-device services lets you automatically share your phone’s broadband connection via Android’s mobile hotspot feature with a Chromebook or other Android device, and forward Google Meet calls to other Android devices when those other devices are also signed in to your Google account (video below).

• New home screen widgets for Android and tiles and complications for Wear OS will provide shortcuts to control your connected home gadgets.

• The Wear OS version of Google Wallet will add support for PayPal, expanding the range of quick payment options for Wear OS smartwatches.

• The subset of Android phones that support digital car keys will add support for new vehicles: unspecified Mini models now, “select” Mercedes-Benz cars and Polestar later.

• And since no Android feature is complete without some emoji news, the Emoji Kitchen added by Google in 2020 will offer more emoji combinations in the form of stickers, like a disco ball in your headphones.

Most of these updates will be available as updates to individual applications that support older versions of Google mobile operating systems. For example, Wear OS updates require 2021 vintage Wear OS 3, cross-device services require at least 2020 Android 11, and updates to smart home widgets and digital car keys require three-year-old Android 12.