December Feature Drop: Pixel 6 Pro UWB, adjust Assistant long press, Pixel Buds A-Series bass slider, & more
Your Pixel gets a boost of helpfulness with Feature Drops. They’re automatic software updates that send new features, tricks, and apps to your phone, making it better and more helpful as time goes on. Your Pixel now recognizes more songs, lets you access Snapchat from your lock screen*[1], and more. Everything happens over the air, so you get the new-phone feeling without needing to get a new phone*[2].
The features will begin rolling out to Pixel devices starting on December 6th, continuing in stages over the next two weeks. The update will begin to roll out for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro users starting later this month.
Update to the latest Android version and
update your Android apps to receive the latest features. Once updated, look out for a notification from the Tips app to learn more about all of the ways your Pixel just got more helpful.
An easier way to share files with people around you.
Nearby Share lets you send photos, videos, files, map locations, and more. Now you can quickly find nearby UWB devices to share with through the highlighted arc right on your screen*[3].
Your Pixel is also a car key.
With digital car key, you can lock, unlock, and even start your car with your phone. Now, on select BMW models, you can do all of these things from your Pixel with just a tap*[4].
Quick Tap to Snap.
You can already customize the actions your Pixel takes when you use Quick Tap, from taking a screenshot to playing music. With Quick Tap to Snap, now you can access Snapchat directly from your lock screen, making Pixel the fastest phone to open Snapchat. Simply tap twice on the back of your Pixel to open Snapchat, so you’ll never miss a shareable moment*[1]. Starting in December you’ll also be able to apply a new Pixel-exclusive Lens – Pixel Face – to your Snaps. Look out more for Pixel-exclusive Lenses in future feature drops.
Find even more music with new features in Now Playing.
Now Playing’s new search button can help you find much more music. If your phone hasn’t identified a track automatically, tap the search button to use Google to find it*[5]. And now, when you find a track you like, you can save it to your favorites so you can easily go back and listen to it later*[6]. Just tap the musical note next to the track recognition on your lock screen to add it as a favorite. Find your favorites in Now Playing history.
Your Pixel can call for help, even if you can’t.
When car crash detection is turned on in the Personal Safety app, your phone can help detect if you’ve been in a severe car accident*[8]. If a crash is detected, your phone will check in with you to see if you’re OK. If there’s no response, Pixel can share your location and other relevant details with emergency responders. Car crash detection is now supported in Taiwan, Italy, and France, in addition to Spain, Ireland, Japan, the UK, Australia, Singapore, and the US.
Recorder now transcribes in more languages.
Recorder lets you instantly transcribe audio into text so you can search, edit, and share your recordings. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s now available in Japanese, French, and German on Pixel 3 and newer Pixel phones*[9].
It’s all about that bass.
Get more control over the bass levels on your Pixel Buds A-Series*[10]. You can now use a slider that lets you adjust the bass from -1 to +4, giving you twice the bass range you have now. So go ahead and pump up that bass.
New Curated Culture wallpapers.
Keep your Pixel screens culturally relevant with the latest Curated Culture wallpaper collection*[11]. This latest installment celebrates International Day of People with Disabilities. We worked with Dana Kearley (she/they), a chronically ill and disabled multidisciplinary artist. Their work is inherently autobiographical, and is grounded in tenderness, sickness, and disability. It explores the complexities and nuances of living in a sick and disabled body while playfully using color, texture, light, and shadow.
Press and hold the power button to get help from Google.
With Android 12, you can now press and hold the power button to get help from your Google Assistant. You can also adjust how long you’d like to hold the power button to activate Google Assistant*[7].
Summary of availability per device
----------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimers
*[1] Available only on Pixel 4a with 5G or newer Pixel phones.
*[2] Your Pixel will generally receive Feature Drops during the applicable Android update and support periods for the phone. See g.co/pixel/updates for details. Availability of some Feature Drops may vary.
*[3] UWB-based features available only on Pixel 6 Pro.
*[4] Not available in all countries. Available only on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. See g.co/android/digitalcarkey for details.
*[5] Requires internet connection. Available only on Pixel 4 or newer Pixel phones.
*[6] Available only on Pixel 3a or newer Pixel phones.
*[7] Available only on Pixel 3 or newer Pixel phones. Google Assistant and some related features are not available in all languages. See g.co/assistant/languages for updates to language availability.
*[8] Available only on Pixel 3, 4 or newer Pixel phones. Not available on Pixel 3a. Not available in all languages or countries. Car crash detection may not detect all accidents. High-impact activities may trigger calls to emergency services. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. For country and language availability and more information see g.co/pixel/carcrashdetection.
*[9] Recorder sharing requires internet connection.
*[10] Requires a Pixel phone, or an Android 6.0+ device with the Pixel Buds app. Pixel Buds A-Series sold separately.
*[11] Available only on Pixel 3 or newer Pixel phones.