December Pixel Drop: New features for your Pixel phone and more
The latest Pixel Drop1 brings more intelligent, helpful and intuitive features to your devices, with new ways to use Gemini, camera improvements and security updates. Better yet, it brings some favorite features to more countries.
Get super-organized with screenshots
New Pixel Screenshots2 upgrades will help you stay organized during a busy holiday season. For starters, when you're using Circle to Search3 and find something you like, you can save to Pixel Screenshots with just a tap so you can always find it later — no more lost gift ideas!
And Pixel Screenshots now automatically categorizes your screenshots, so it’s even easier to find exactly what you need with new search filters. When you find what you're looking for, Pixel Screenshots provides helpful suggested actions based on the information you saved — like creating a calendar invite or getting directions.
Pixel Screenshots also lets you add tickets or credit cards you’ve screenshot to Google Wallet4 giving you quick access to things like your driver’s license, boarding passes and more in one convenient spot.
And in Gboard, you’ll now see movie, music, product and other text suggestions from your screenshots while searching in relevant apps. Just turn on “Show suggestions from your screenshots in other apps” in the Pixel Screenshots app.
Use Gemini in new ways
Customize how Gemini helps you
Get more personalized responses from Gemini with the new saved info feature in Gemini Advanced. Saved info lets you ask Gemini to remember your interests and preferences so it can provide more helpful and relevant responses, tailored to your goals and needs.5 For example, tell Gemini you’re a vegetarian, and Gemini will remember and provide you vegetarian-friendly recipes without needing constant reminders. You can easily view, edit or delete any information you've shared as well as see when it’s used.
Get help across more of your favorite apps
We’re making it easier to access more apps and services from Gemini on Android. You can now ask Gemini to call personal contacts or businesses, as well as draft and send messages with your default phone and messaging apps. You can even set alarms, control your device settings, and open your camera to take a quick selfie.
We’ll be adding support for even more apps in the coming weeks. With the new Spotify extension6 you can play your favorite songs and discover playlists for any mood. You’ll be able to ask Gemini to control smart home devices that your Google Account can access such as lights, AC or TV, as well as ask Gemini for more information about a place on Maps and have it read reviews and scan websites to answer any questions.7
Additionally, Gemini Live8 is now available in more languages!
Capture memories, get creative and stay organized
Share to social in fewer steps
Now you can capture and share Ultra HDR photos — full of bright intensity, higher contrast and more detail — right to your Instagram Feed.9
Easily find photos and videos to share on Snapchat
It’s even easier to find photos and videos that you want to share on Snapchat. Instead of scrolling through your device photo albums, now you’ll see all your folders, favorites and cloud photos through the Photo Picker.10
Strike a pose with Dual Screen
Don’t struggle to get the perfect portrait photo this holiday season: Take advantage of Dual Screen on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Portrait Mode so you and your photo subject can preview every shot before capturing the moment.
Get more smiles with Made You Look updates
Plus, Pixel 9 Pro Fold users get an extra treat: Joy from Disney and Pixar's Inside Out joins the fun, bringing even more smiles to your photos.11
Send Pixel Studio stickers right from Gboard
Want to show off your Pixel Studio sticker creations in more places? They’re now available in your Gboard keyboard, so you can share them with friends and family via messages, social media and more.12
Discover more wacky emoji mash-ups
Emoji Kitchen in Gboard is your source for all the weird and hilarious emoji mixes of your dreams. And now with updated navigation, it’s easy to find the perfect expression when a standard emoji isn’t enough, straight from your keyboard.13
Enjoy cleaner audio
Reduce noise and distractions automatically with the new update to the Recorder app. Whether you’re using the app to record a lecture or important interview, distracting background noises can make audio playback hard to follow. You can now enable the “Clear voice” feature on Recorder to focus on speakers and reduce background noise.14
Enjoy a smoother, faster Pixel experience
Make your Pixel easier to read and navigate
We’re introducing a new way to navigate your smartphone with Simple View. Simple View increases your phone’s font size and touch sensitivity, making it easier to see and use controls, apps and widgets.10
See what’s playing
Discover more songs and artists with Now Playing’s latest upgrade. You’ll now be able to see album art for each song in your Now Playing history, so it’s easier to explore new music.
Try expanded safety and security features
Travel with peace of mind
Are you traveling this holiday season? Now, when you’re in a new location, Identity Check in beta15 will require your face or fingerprint authentication before any changes to sensitive settings can be made on your phone. This gives you extra protection against anyone who might try to take your phone and access your passwords, change your PIN or turn off theft protection features.
Stay in tune with your body’s recovery
Our enhanced Daily Readiness algorithm and new tools — Cardio Load and Target Load — originally launched with Pixel Watch 3. Powered by Fitbit’s advanced health and fitness capabilities, these metrics help you know your body better and balance activity with recovery so you can optimize your workouts and rest to prevent overtraining. On Pixel Watches, you can view these metrics on-wrist within the Fitbit Today app or by adding the Readiness complication to your watchface, and for Fitbit devices you can view these metrics in your Fitbit mobile app’s Today tab.
The December Pixel Drop, as well as new Android features, begins rolling out today.
