Google’s latest Pixel Drop is here, adding more AI features for Pixel devices, a new tool to help prevent scams, and a new Wicked: For Good theme pack.
AI-powered features
To start things off, Google has now added AI-powered notification summaries to make it easy to understand longer texts in a rush. Google notes that this is ideal for things like party chats, quickly catching up on group chats, etc. This feature would also be handy when looking at a work chat at a glance, and could be helpful for users with busy careers with a lot of networking.
Google has also continued to add photo-related AI features, including personalized edits and a new remix feature. The personalized edits will aim to make timely changes to group photos and scan other images of the same person to apply them. Google notes that this feature is excellent in a circumstance where someone may have forgotten to take off their hat, blinked at the wrong time, or is wearing sunglasses when everyone else isn’t.
The new remix feature, located within Messages, uses Google’s Gemini AI Nano Banana or Gemini’s image generation and editing model to apply image changes. Google also notes that users on any mobile device (including group chats) can see remixed photos, and that other Google Messages users can remix the same image without leaving the app.
There is also another scam-protection layer to help prevent fraud. According to the tech giant, any Pixel 6 and up can now warn about potential scams when you get chat notifications from popular apps. Similar to what Google uses for phone calls, the device will now display a ‘Scam Likely’ alert alongside the notification if the message seems suspicious. Google is also bringing Gemini to your phone calls, with Gemini Nano now being able to record calls, take notes, and create a transcript alongside next steps based on the conversation.
Google has also added a new theme pack for the upcoming Wicked: For Good film, set to release later this month. Pixel users can now customize their devices with wallpapers, icons, system sounds and GIFs inspired by the production. There are three styles to choose from: For Good, Glinda, and Elphaba.
Google has also released a blog post detailing more features coming to Pixel devices this month.
