Pixel update adds sharing features for Recorder, plus better underwater photos

Google’s latest feature drop for Pixel phones makes it easier to share audio recordings, adds better integration for an underwater housing accessory, and wraps up a couple of other updates into a neat little package for Pixel owners. The update is available starting today for some owners of Pixel 3 phones and newer, and it will continue to reach others over the next two weeks.

First up, recordings made via the Recorder app will now be backed up at recorder.google.com where they can be shared with anyone. The site, discovered last week by 9to5Google, offers the same transcription and search features included in the app itself. It’s somewhat similar to Otter.ai, a tool for transcribing Zoom meetings.

The update also includes better support for an underwater phone housing sold by Kraken Sports. The housing, which is a $325 universal accessory that lets you use your phone’s camera underwater, will now allow Pixel owners to use their own native camera app rather than Kraken’s app. That should result in higher-quality underwater photos since the native app is able to capture and process more data than third-party camera apps can.

Other minor updates include a new bedtime screen when the phone is placed on a Pixel Stand, plus three new wallpaper options with illustrations celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8th that actually look kind of cool; they’re illustrated by Spanish duo Cachetejack. Finally, Smart Compose — the feature that automatically suggests words and phrases as you type — comes to a bunch of messaging apps, including Android Messages, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack.