Earlier today, Google announced even more features coming to your Pixel 4 and older Pixel devices. This will be part of their ‘Feature Drops’ where they do just that instead of waiting for a new version of Android to do so. Everything below is all that will come w/ the 1st one.
One of the more important ones will be a more powerful Call Screening feature dedicated to robocalls. This will automatically filter and block incoming robocalls for you as you can see in the gif above. You’ll also be able to pull up the previous transcripts from other screened calls within your call log.
Next up, you’ll now have the ability to go into Photos and add Portrait Mode to any photos – whether you took the pic w/ that setting or not. Google is definitely taking advantage of all of their AI software photo rending here and giving you the option to do it later. I think as long you took the photo w/ a Pixel smartphone, the option will be there for you.
And for those of you who use the awesome Duo app for video calls, it get new tricks as well. So the app can now auto frame to keep you in the center of the call as well as blur out the background to hide a messy room/office.
If you have an older Pixel, this one is probably one of the more important features: improved RAM management. This will proactively compress cached apps to better run multiple apps at the same time like gaming, streaming, etc. This is something Pixel 3 owners will definitely appreciate.
Then we have other smaller features coming like:
- The Recorder app is now available on older generations of Pixel.
- Pixel 3 and 3a users will get Live Caption.
- Digital Wellbeing is getting updates too. Focus mode is rolling out to help you stay productive and minimize distractions by pausing apps you’ve selected in a single tap. You can now set an automatic schedule, take a short break or end Focus mode early without disrupting your schedule.
- Flip to Shhh will also join the Digital Wellbeing features on Pixel 2 and 2XL.
- If you use a Pixel 4 in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Singapore and Australia, you’ll soon get the new Google Assistant (English only), which is even faster and more helpful.
Be on the lookout for the updates which is expected to drop in coming weeks. You’ll have to make sure you have the latest version of Android and then grab the updated app in the Play Store. Which of these new features are you looking forward to?
