Due to a recent DOJ decision, Google’s lucrative relationship with Apple’s iPhone is in jeopardy, and that means the Pixel is even more important than ever to the company’s success. In 2024, it seems like the company will be leaning into AI. It’s got the Pixel 9 Pro with plenty of Gemini AI features, plus the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The company’s also launching a new Pixel Watch 3 as well as the Pixel Buds Pro 2.
The Pixel Fold now has Circle to Search, the feature that lets people draw a circle, tap, or scribble on their screen to search for anything. It was first available on the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Samsung’s Galaxy S24.
And in teeny tiny script underneath its promo photo, Google said Circle to Search will be available on the Pixel Tablet soon.
It stuck around as the company’s budgetiest budget phone since the 7A was released last year. But as DroidLife points out, there’s now a Pixel 6A-sized hole in Google’s online store.
If it’s truly gone, it could be making room for the rumored Pixel 8A with more storage and a 120Hz display, which could show up at Google I/O on May 14th — If Google doesn’t spoil its own announcement before then.
[Droid Life]
You may still be able to use find your Pixel 8 or 8 Pro when it’s off using Google’s Find My Device network in Android 15, writes Mishaal Rahman for Android Police.
Rahman says older Pixel phones, including the Pixel Fold, don’t appear to support the in-progress feature, though.
[Android Police]
Okay, it’s not exactly Dex, but Mishaal Rahman reports that the latest Android 14 beta allows Pixel 8 phones to use DisplayPort over USB-C for screen mirroring. Plug your phone into a monitor or TV and you’ll be able to output your phone’s display to the big screen — no adapter required. You can’t run a whole desktop environment ala Dex just yet, but that might be in the works.
Continuing its lack of secrecy around new phones (remember when it tweeted out a picture of the Pixel 4 months ahead of launch?), Google has seemingly confirmed that a Pixel 8A is on the way in a bug tracker, 9to5Google reports. We’ve already seen leaks of its design, specs, and packaging, but now we know it’ll get a new battery stats feature.
Google is hosting its quarterly show for Android developers and the ever-watchful Mishaal Rahman caught the response to a great question: will the regular Pixel 8 be able to run Google’s mobile-optimized language model? Google’s answer: No, because of “hardware limitations.”
The thing is, the Pixel 8 uses the very same chipset as the Pixel 8 Pro, which can run Gemini Nano. What the heck, Google?
Android 15 is official and as Android Police points out, it serves as a milestone for the Pixel line: the start of the all-Tensor era. The developer preview released today is compatible with the Pixel 6, 7, and 8 series — leaving the Snapdragon-powered Pixel 5 series in the history books. Gone but not forgotten.
[Android Police]
Android expert Mishaal Rahman has shared what could be Google’s second-generation foldable with Android Authority.
As you can see from the photo, the most noticeable difference is a square-shaped camera module, which appears to replace the camera bar that extends across the back of the first-gen device. Rahman’s source also says the potential Pixel Fold 2 has a slimmer form factor, along with rounder inner and outer displays.
The AI-powered Guided Frame feature that debuted on the Pixel 7 describes what’s in the selfie camera’s frame. In this Google commercial (audio descriptions version here) for Super Bowl 2024, director Adam Morse, who is blind, attempts to show how a person with low vision might experience it.
Months after a storage bug caused problems for Pixel users with multiple profiles upgrading to Android 14, Google now says a similar issue seen with the January 2024 Google Play system update is “more prevalent in devices with multiple user accounts and/or workprofiles.”
As Mishaal Rahman points out, the team says it’s working on a fix, but affected users can get relief now by connecting to a computer with the ADB debugging tool and following the steps outlined in this post.
Google Pixels recently updated the built-in password manager to identify accounts that support passkeys — a more secure login method than passwords — and prompt users for a simple security upgrade.
It’s coming to other devices eventually, and Google announced today several companies that not only support passkeys, but they’ve also set up their accounts so users will be taken directly to the correct page to set up a passkey. Better yet, other services can freely add the feature too.
OnLeaks shared a leaked picture of the Pixel 9 that’s expected later this year. The rest of this batch of promo shots are published at 91Mobiles, along with a rendered video. The phone has a 6.1-inch display and may have a telephoto lens, according to the article.
This follows up yesterday’s Pixel 9 Pro leak, also from OnLeaks.
X user chunvn8888 posted pictures purporting to be the retail packaging for the yet-unannounced Pixel 8a yesterday, as spotted by 9to5Google.
Unsurprisingly, it looks a lot like the Pixel 8. Assuming it follows in the footsteps of past budget Pixels, expect the same Tensor processor as the pricier models, but some skimping on fancier features.
Google teased a reveal for January 25th, but what’s a day between friends? The new Pixel 8 and 8 Pro hue will apparently be available exclusively through the Google Store and Google Fi.
Google said in October the parts would be available for seven years once they start selling on the iFixit store. Now Pixel 8 and 8 Pro parts are here they’re here, wrote ArsTechnica today.
A Pixel 8 Pro rear camera costs a collar-yanking $199.99, but can you really put a price on the ability to take what may or may not be a photo?
