Every quarter, Google breathes new life into its Pixel lineup with a Pixel Feature Drop. Each Pixel Feature Drop brings new software features exclusive to Pixel phones, ranging from incredibly useful ones like Gemini Nano-powered AI features to more mundane ones like new wallpapers or expanded language support. Most new features announced with a Feature Drop rollout through app or server-side updates to Google’s apps, but some new features come from the OS itself. Some of these new OS features get called out in Google’s announcements or social media posts, but a lot of them never get a shout-out.
For example, Google touted the new Android 14 webcam feature and Repair Mode in its marketing for the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, but it didn’t mention some of the other new features the update added, like the ability to override an app’s aspect ratio, view your phone’s battery health, or set a different live wallpaper on the lock screen and home screen. It’s clear that Google is picking and choosing which features to highlight, but that means you might miss out on the fact that a certain feature you’ve been waiting for has been added unless you stumble upon it yourself.
