Many users of Pixel smartphones can not only look forward to monthly updates and bug fixes but are also provided with a Pixel Feature Drop four times a year, which brings new functions to the smartphones. The eleventh Pixel Feature Drop was rolled out a few days ago and on this occasion, we will show you the improvements that have been made over the last two and a half years. Google has set the bar very high, it has to be said.
Google releases an Android security update every month, which is usually rolled out first on Pixel smartphones. Four times a year, i.e. quarterly every three months, a Pixel Feature Drop is added, which always brings new functions to the Pixel smartphones. This is intended to counteract the unsightly side effect of the fast-paced world that products are “outdated” shortly after purchase.
If a smartphone ages slowly, the battery will run out faster, the performance can cause problems at some point and the exterior may not be quite as chic as it was after the protective film was removed. Pixel buyers also have the same fate, but Google regularly sweetens this process for them: They want to ensure that customers can enjoy their device for a long time and since the end of 2019 they have ensured that the pixel smartphones are getting better and better instead of worse.
The drop feature always comes with the Android security update and has so far been released quarterly with one exception. One in December 2019, one in March 2020, then in June 2020, September 2020, December 2020, March 2021, June 2021, September 2021 in the baggage of Android 13, December 2021, March 2022, and the last just five days ago in June 2022.
In fact, these are not just small updates that are hardly worth mentioning, but some large chunks that you would not expect in the form of a free update. However, not all updates come to all Pixel generations, partly for technical reasons.
Of course, we have also reported to you about the Pixel Feature Drops in the past few months and many users may have forgotten which function they only received through such an update after the purchase. Below are the eleven previous Pixel Feature Drop updates. All details on the individual points can be found in the respective linked article.
Pixel Feature Drop December 2019
- Subsequent portrait mode: took a photo and forgot portrait mode? On the Pixel smartphones, the mode can also be applied later after the update.
- Prevent robocalls: The Google Assistant can identify suspicious numbers, answer them, and ask why they’re calling. The user is not aware of this and receives a transcribed version as a notification.
- Google Duo innovations: Google Duo can adjust the video section so that the user always remains in the center of the image – even with several people. The second improvement brings portrait mode to video calling, including blurry background.
- Google Recorder for everyone: The app for recording dictated texts is available for all Pixel generations.
- Live subtitles for everyone: The Live Caption feature of the Pixel 4 smartphones was updated to the third Pixel generation.
- Digital Wellbeing Focus Mode: The wellbeing focus mode, exclusive to Pixel 4 for a few weeks, has been released for all generations via an update.
- The new Google Assistant: The new Google Assistant has been rolled out for some English-speaking countries. Not yet in Germany or in German.
Pixel Feature Drop March 2020
- Plannable dark mode: The dark mode can be planned under Android 10 on the pixel smartphones and set up with fixed times. Actually a feature that should only come to all smartphones with Android 11.
- Google Pay in the power menu: Google Pay is in the power menu, allowing you to quickly change the credit card to be used or call up a stored customer card. All you have to do is hold down the power button and the changed menu is visible.
- New Motion Sense gestures: Pixel 4 users could look forward to a new gesture that can be used to control the smartphone. With the air tap, i.e. a hand movement in the direction of the display, the currently playing medium can be paused or continued.
- New rules for automation: Android 10 received a number of rules and options for automating important functions on Pixel smartphones. Also a point that should really only take off with Android 11.
- New emojis: As part of the update, the 169 new emojis from Emoji 12.1 came to Pixel phones.
- Car Accident Detection: The new Emergency Information app can detect car accidents and take appropriate action, such as informing emergency contacts or emergency services.
Pixel Feature Drop June 2020
- Adaptive battery: The adaptive battery functions ensure that the smartphone does not run out of breath so quickly – and now also as a precaution. Because the statistical functions are now very good at predicting how long the battery will last, this feature can react earlier and switch off more and more activities.
- New bedtime functions: Google has given the clock app on the Pixel smartphones some new bedtime functions that accompany the user from going to bed to sleeping to waking up. Basically, it’s about playing sleep sounds, turning off all notifications, and playing soft sounds to wake you up.
- Deep integration of the Google recorder: The recorder app is one of the highlights of the Pixel smartphones and has been more deeply integrated into the app ecosystem. The Google Assistant can now start recordings, search the transcribed recordings or even transfer the transcripts directly to Google Docs. A handy memory aid.
- Improved emergency information: The emergency information now also recognizes many other emergencies and can inform the stored contacts in an emergency.
Pixel Feature Drop September 2020
- Google Maps Live View: Google Maps combines augmented reality navigation with the ability to share live location with contacts. This means that the location can now be tracked live in the camera image.
- Suggested apps based on time of day: The Pixel Launcher can now pack apps in the bottom navigation that are suggested based on the time of day. Because many users use different apps in the early hours than in the evening, this can now also be mapped.
- Improved screenshot function: The function for taking screenshots, highlighting text or selecting objects, or inserting text and images has been revised and is now even easier to access than before.
- Automatic Folder Names: Another improvement in Pixel Launcher that may be familiar to many users of other launchers. Folders can now be automatically titled based on the apps placed in them.
- Smart replies in messenger apps: The smart replies that were previously known from some Google messengers can now go directly to the keyboard app and be selected from there. However, this currently only works with Gboard and only in English.
Pixel Feature Drop December 2020
- Extreme battery saver: If this mode is activated, the smartphone battery will last up to 48 hours longer than without this mode. However, this turns the device from a smartphone into a mobile phone.
- Adaptive Sound: This new mode is designed to ensure that you get the perfect sound in any environment. This is made possible by the constant local adjustment of loudspeaker and microphone.
- Improved location determination: This new mode improves location determination via GPS to such an extent that smartphones can determine the side of the road on which the user is traveling with a 75 percent probability.
- Optimized charging process: The optimized charging process protects the battery and ensures that it is charged much more slowly and gently when the user will probably not need the smartphone for a long time.
- Automatic switching between 5G and LTE: The smartphones can automatically switch from 5G to a lower frequency such as LTE as needed to save energy.
- Now Playing on YouTube Music: Those who frequently use the Pixel smartphone to recognize songs will now also find the history on YouTube Music and can therefore listen to all the songs again.
- Improved Google Photos suggestions: Optimizations for contrast, brightness, more dynamics and also for the depiction of sunrises and sunsets have now been added.
- Google Lens translates websites and apps: Google Lens has been improved and offers the possibility to fully translate both websites and apps in the app overview.
- Faster screenshots: The Pixel smartphones can now take screenshots even faster and have eliminated any waiting time for the screenshot to be taken.
- Glove mode: The new glove mode is intended to ensure that the display can be operated with gloves even in the cold season thanks to greater sensitivity.
Pixel Feature Drop March 2021
- Google Recorder Backup: The quite popular Google Recorder app is getting a major update that now enables cloud backup and comes with its own web client that allows access via the desktop browser.
- Underwater photography: In combination with a $325 accessory, the KRH04, the Pixel smartphones can now also shoot underwater photos. While this isn’t just related to a software update, it’s still a new special interest opportunity for avid pixel photographers.
- New wallpapers: The new pixel wallpapers are intended to accompany cultural moments throughout 2021 and provide suitable works of art for the home screen background.
- Smart suggestions in messaging apps: The Smart Compose function is now being used in “selected” messaging apps and makes text suggestions there. The suggestions appear in the input bar and can be accepted with a swipe of the space bar. Unfortunately only in English for the time being.
- Pixel Stand Bedtime Mode: Pixel Stand owners can look forward to a new Bedtime Mode that now offers similar functionality in line with Google’s new focus on sleeping and resting.
- Google Fit bonus: Google Fit can now record some new vital signs on the Pixel smartphones without the need for additional accessories: the heart rate and respiratory rate can be recorded using the camera.
Pixel Feature Drop June 2021
- Timelapse astrophotography: The astrophotography is being expanded with the drop feature and can now not only take individual pictures, but also videos. If desired, both the images and a video can be found in the camera folder after the recording.
- Secure folder in Google Photos: Google Photos gets a folder with locked access, the contents of which can only be viewed after re-authentication. However, this only works with local files that cannot be used via the cloud.
- Cheer up: There are also smombies among Pixel users, which Google now wants to protect from the consequences of staring at the display. Users are reminded to look up in traffic and not to look at their smartphone.
- Google Assistant picks up: The Google Assistant can now be instructed to answer or reject calls. This only replaces the swipe, but the Assistant does not answer the call itself.
- Smarter Gboard: Gboard can now recognize special content such as addresses or phone numbers and suggest them for insertion into the appropriate apps.
The 8th Pixel Feature Drop was the rollout of Android 12 with its new features. It wasn’t a real feature drop, but is included in Google’s counting. So the 9th update follows the 7th update.
Pixel Feature Drop December 2021
- Pixel 6 as a car key: Thanks to the activated UWB interface, the Pixel 6 can now be used as a car key on Android 12. However, only with a few BMW vehicles. But a start has been made so that this can quickly become established.
- Quick Tap to Snap: The tap gesture on the back of the pixel can now be used to launch Snapchat and snap a photo instantly.
- Now Playing favorites function: The music recognition Now Playing can now not only recognize songs, but also display all recognized titles as a history – including a favorites function
- Fast Nearby Share: Nearby Share also benefits from UWB and can now connect to other devices even faster.
- Person detection for Sound Amplifier: With Sound Amplifier, a single person can now be selected via camera and their voice can be highlighted in the crowd.
- Customize the Google Assistant button: The Google Assistant button on the power button can be customized: long press, short press, or anything in between.
- Google Recorder transcripts in German: Google Recorder has a powerful transcription function that can finally convert spoken sentences into German words.
- Pixel Buds update: Pixel Buds users can look forward to more bass options, faster connection to a secondary device, and fixes for stability issues.
Pixel Feature Drop March 2022
- New ‘at a glance’ functions: The well-known widget has been expanded and, after the update, receives information about the battery levels of the Bluetooth devices, alarm messages, the safety check and a reminder to switch off the alarm before public holidays.
- Battery widget: Pixel Launcher users can place a battery widget on the home screen that provides information about the battery status of all connected Bluetooth devices.
- Night Vision for Snapchat: Snapchat users can rejoice because they can now also use the night vision function of the Google camera directly in the Snapchat app. This makes for fancier pictures at night.
- Telephoning with live subtitles: If you don’t want to or can’t speak while telephoning, you can make the phone call entirely in text form: the user sees subtitles of what has been said and can type something himself, which is then read out to the other party
- Gboard sticker suggestions: Based on what you type, the Gboard keyboard app suggests text stickers that contain the said text.
Pixel Feature Drop June 2022
- Pocket Operator App: The Pixel smartphones are getting a new app that can be used to create entire music videos from short videos. It’s a reverse TikTok that Google developed in cooperation.
- Vaccination certificates on the home screen: In some countries, vaccination certificates are recognized by the screenshot function, automatically evaluated and can then be stored on the home screen for quick access.
- New ‘At a Glance’ content: The At-A-Glance widget on the home screen of Pixel phones will be further expanded and will be able to display content from the Nest Video Doorbell after the update, warns about the power consumption of the flashlight and will soon be able to provide data on air quality deliver.
- Amplified Audio Booster: The audio booster app gets an update and can highlight important audio content, block out background noise, and make it easier for people with hearing disabilities.
- Google Photos Real Tone Filter: With the Google Photos Real Tone filter, many filters trained for humans are now optimally used on dark skin tones. This is done by not only testing them primarily with fair-skinned people.
For me, an important argument for buying a Pixel smartphone that you can actually enjoy for three years. It should not be forgotten that this also applies to the cheap Pixel 4a, Pixel 3a and the Pixel 5a, which is not available in this country, and which Google treats in the same way as the flagship smartphones, which are almost twice as expensive.
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