Google is launching a slew of new features for its family of Pixel phones and other mobile devices, including a few updates that are powered by the search giant’s new Gemini Nano AI model. The update began rolling out to compatible Pixel phones on Wednesday.
Many of the changes build on existing Google features, including Pixel-exclusive ones like the Recorder app and Photo Unblur for sharpening old photos. Google is touting the Pixel 8 Pro as being the first phone to run Gemini Nano, and it’s starting by applying the model to the Recorder app and Smart Reply predictive text feature. The update is another sign that Google is weaving AI into its mobile products, a point it emphasized during the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s unveiling in October.
The Pixel 8 Pro will be able to summarize conversations in the Recorder app without requiring an internet connection. Gemini Nano is also powering a new version of Smart Reply that should provide “high quality responses with conversational awareness,” according to Google’s blog post. The new Gemini-powered Smart Reply is in developer preview and can be accessed in WhatsApp, but will eventually expand to other apps.
Google says its Video Boost technology produces better video dynamic range, including shadow detail and highlights that aren’t blown out, when compared to the Apple iPhone 15 Pro. But you’ll have to wait to get your Video Boost video back from Google’s data centers.
Video Boost, the option that lets you send video footage to the cloud for more rigorous processing and better brightness, is also coming to the Pixel 8 Pro in this update. Google announced the feature back in October but is only now launching it for its high-end smartphone.
Other highlights include an update to Photo Unblur that’s better at sharpening photos of cats and dogs in addition to people, photo previews on the Pixel Fold’s outer screen while using the inner screen as a viewfinder in the camera app, the ability to use the Pixel 6 and later as a computer webcam when connected via USB, and suggested replies when screening calls.
With the update, Google’s Password Manager will also be able to automatically detect accounts that support passkeys, a new type of login credential that uses biometric authentication and your physical device to approve logins. It’s a more secure alternative to the password that’s become more widely adopted in 2023.
Google is taking a page from Samsung and Apple with some of the changes in its latest update. For example, Google is introducing Repair Mode, which prevents personal data from being accessed when you send in your phone for a repair. It sounds similar to Samsung’s Maintenance Mode, which the company released globally in 2022. You’ll also be able to unlock your Pixel phone using your watch when it’s nearby, a feature that’s been available on the Apple Watch for years. The previously-mentioned webcam feature also resembles Apple’s Continuity Camera mode for the Mac and iPhone.
You can view the full list of new features on Google’s blog. While it’s typical for Google to periodically bring new features to Pixel devices, this update contains more features than most. Perhaps it’s a signal that Google is deepening its focus on Pixel-exclusive features now that it has a bigger ecosystem of devices that span phones, earbuds, watches and more. The update also serves as yet another sign that AI is going to play a big role in smartphones moving forward, with Google, Qualcomm and Samsung all making AI-related smartphone announcements in the last three months.
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