Last month, Google announced major updates including its first Pixel foldable phone and Pixel 7a. This week, the company is rolling out new software updates for Pixel smartphones. From hands-free photos to new features focused on safety, the latest Feature Drop is aimed at enhancing the experience of using Pixel devices.
Here are the updates that Pixel users can expect from 13 June, according to an blog post.
Users can now schedule a safety check by asking Google Assistant on their Pixel phones. For instance, if you are out for a walk at night, you can say: “Hey Google, start a safety check for 40 minutes.” If you don’t respond to your safety check in the set duration, your emergency contacts will be notified, and your real-time location will be shared with them, the Google's blog post explains.
Google’s car crash detection on Pixel has helped people since its launch in 2019. Now, along with alerting emergency services, it will also share your live location and call status with your emergency contacts to keep your loved ones in the loop.
Pixel 7 Pro’s Macro Focus is now available to capture larger-than-life videos of the smallest details. For instance, flowers swaying in the wind or the flapping of a bug's wings. According to the blog post, users can now take self-timed photos by simply raising their palms on their Pixel 6 and newer phones after setting the timer for 3 or 10 seconds.
People using Pixel 6 and newer models can now customise their wallpapers by adding a cinematic touch or dynamic 3D scenes and bringing their favourite memories to life. There are also new emoji wallpapers that can mix and match more than 4,000 emoji with different patterns and colours to create a wallpaper depending on your mood.
The Pixel Watch will now be able to check oxygen saturation (SpO2) to help people monitor any changes in the level, which is also linked to sleep quality. It’s also a way of keeping a note of overall health and wellness. The Pixel Watch will also monitor heart rate throughout the day and night and send you notifications when it is unusually high or low.
