Prepare your Pixel gear for updates, as the October 2024 Pixel Drop is going live today (October 15), with treats for Google phone, watch, earbuds and tablet owners alike.
The updates, which Google's summarized in a convenient video, is part of Google's regular program of special updates for its own devices, as opposed to more general Android-based updates that apply to all products running the open-source software. However, it just so happens that an Android update is also going live at the same time as the Pixel Drop. Confused yet?
To get back on track, let's go through all the upgrades Google's promised the Pixel posse.
Gemini gets Additional Intelligence
Google is introducing hands-free Gemini access for all Pixel Buds, after a period where it was exclusive to the latest Pixel Buds Pro 2. This can help you access directions, email summaries or a more general conversation via Gemini Live without unlocking your phone.
The Gemini assistant itself has also been updated to interact with the Pixel Screenshots app found on the Pixel 9 series. You can now ask Gemini to find something you saved in Screenshots, and the assistant will open it up for you, saving you the hassle of searching for it manually.
Pixel phones get updates for air, land and sea
More specifically related to the Pixel phones' hardware, the latest Pixel 9 models get more accurate coloration for underwater photos as part of this update, with a new dedicated camera mode. Just remember to search for a waterproof case among the best Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro cases, as the IP68 water resistance rating isn't the same as being truly waterproof.
Audio Magic Eraser improvements have been added to the Pixel 8 series and later. When editing video, you can now turn sounds up and down, rather than just reduce unwanted noise, and increase the volume of different people talking in the clip
Astrophotography mode, found on the Pixel 6 and later models, is now accessible from the Night Sight menu in the Camera app. This makes taking beautiful pictures of the night sky much more convenient, although it is a shame this came out after the recent Aurora Borealis appearance across much of the northern hemisphere.
What's more, Night Sight is itself available within Instagram for more convenient low-light photography in your favorite photo-based social network.
A small update for Pixel 8 Pro owners specifically is that the Thermometer app now gets the same camera-based interface as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The live image with a translucent graphic of your rear cameras overlaid makes aiming the thermometer much easier than the old method that simply highlighted the position of the rear thermal sensor on a blank background.
The last big upgrade is the addition of a Pollen tracker for Pixel Weather. This lets you check the current pollen index, the pollen forecast and what pollen types are currently out and about. This is only for the UK and three other European countries, but hopefully it'll come to more in a future update, including the U.S.
The Pixel Weather app itself is getting wider availability, too. Originally only on the Pixel 9 series, it's now going to be made available on Pixels dating back to 2021's Pixel 6 series, including the Pixel Tablet.
Don't forget the tablet and the watches
Speaking of the Pixel Tablet, it and Google's Pixel Watches are getting upgrades as part of this Drop too.
On all Pixel Watches, you will now have access to a Contact tile, giving you quick access to phone calls and messages for a specified person. You also get the option to send emoji reactions for Gmail, both in the app and via notifications.
As for the Pixel Tablet, it can now send media between it and any Pro Pixel phone just by bringing the two devices close to each other. The tablet can also sync its notifications with your phone so you don't get repeats.
Google has also given the Pixel Tablet a new home app screensaver through which you can control your smart home devices or monitor your active cameras. There are also new clock options for the digital photo frame mode, plus the option to share, favorite and archive the currently displayed image if you need to.
A big day for Google launches
Google's new anti-theft features are also officially launching today, for any Android device running Android 10 or later. This includes AI-powered theft detection that locks your phone in case it's taken from your hand, and the option to remotely lock your phone from a browser with your PIN and a security question if you didn't notice the theft immediately.
Plus, after months of beta releases, Android 15 arrives today for Pixel devices, bringing with it PIN-protected app spaces to keep things hidden or separate from other apps, automatic vibration adjustments for alerts, depending on how loud the environment is.
And with the arrival of Android 15 on Google's own phones, we will no doubt start appearing in various guises on other supported Android phones within the coming months. The best Android phone users will be eating well this winter, it seems.
