Google quietly updates your phone with new bell icon – it actually has a useful purpose and can be adjusted in two steps
GOOGLE is quietly upgrading Android phones with a handy new feature that's easy to miss.
You just need to look for a new bell icon inside the Google app – one of the most popular downloads on Android phones.
Now at the bottom of the app, you'll find a new alerts panel, as spotted by 9to5Google.
This Notifications feed joins the Discover, Search, and Saved on the bottom bar of icons.
You'll find it on the far right, and can be opened with a single tap.
It'll relay a whole host of information to you that can be extremely useful.
For instance, it'll tell you about upcoming changes to weather – handy if you want to avoid a sudden soaking.
You'll receive alerts about delays to your flights or recaps of sports games that you might've been interested in.
And it'll even flag when new TV shows or movies are available to stream so you don't miss out on a brand new season your favorite series.
If something isn't useful, you can tap the menu for each item to delete it individually.
And if you really hate a particular type of alert, you can choose Don't Get Notifications Like This.
If you want the new feature, you'll need to make sure your Google app is updated to the latest version in the Play Store.
However, it's possible that the change hasn't rolled out to your account or device yet.
So you might need to be patient if you've updated but can't see the changes.
Google added a similar notifications feed all the way back in March.
Google Pixel battery tips – the official guide
Here's the official Google advice for Pixel owners on how to make your battery charge go further...
Tip 1: Let the phone close apps you’re not using.
Tip 2: Keep your phone and apps up to date. Applications become more battery efficient with each new iteration, addressing errors and glitches that use unnecessary power.
Tip 3: Turn down the brightness. Save your eyes by turning down the brightness of your phone, while also saving the battery. You can also set your phone to Dark theme, which turns your background to black. It uses less power and relieves some of the strain on your eyes, too.
Tip 4: Know which apps and activities are power hungry. Pixel users should be aware of what activities drain their batteries most. Video calls and gaming are at the top of the list. Users should also shut down apps they have opened but aren’t using.
This was useful as it meant that anyone could view it – including on iOS for iPhone and Android.
On the web, you'll find the notifications feed as a bell icon next to your profile picture in the top-right corner of Google.
You'll be able to see it on both the homepage and results pages if you're using a mobile device.
It should also signal that you've got notifications with a red pop-up badge on the bell.
COMING RIGHT UP!
Google also recently revealed some new features coming to Android phones.
Scam Call Detection will use AI to pick up on signs of fraud calls and warn you in advance.
There's also Circle to Search More, which lets you draw circles on anything you see on screen to search for it online.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Private Space lets you hide apps in a separate space to keep them away from prying eyes.
And the upcoming Android 15 update should also boost battery life – rumors suggest we could see rises of up to three extra hours per charge.