Google Pixel Update: AI Photo Tools, Battery-Saving Maps & Smarter Alerts
▼ Summary
– Google’s November Pixel Drop introduces notification summaries for longer chats on Pixel 9 and later devices, with a feature to silence low-priority notifications coming in December.
– A new low-power mode for Google Maps will darken the screen and show only essential navigation details, saving up to four hours of battery life for Pixel 10 series users.
– Scam detection for phone calls using Gemini Nano is expanding to the U.K., Ireland, India, Australia, and Canada, with a “Likely a scam” button added to message notifications.
– The Remix feature in Messages, powered by Nano Banana and Gemini, allows users to reimagine photos using prompts and is rolling out in several English-speaking countries with RCS enabled.
– Google Photos gains an AI editing feature where users can request edits via prompts, and the Pixel VIPs feature now prioritizes notifications from designated contacts and shows crisis badges for incidents in their area.
Google’s latest November software release, known as the Pixel Drop, introduces a suite of new features aimed at enhancing user experience across compatible devices. This quarterly update delivers smarter notification management, significant battery life improvements in Maps, and advanced AI-driven photo editing tools. The standout addition is a new low-power mode for Google Maps, which promises to extend battery life by up to four hours by dimming the screen and displaying only essential navigation details.
Notification summaries are now available for Pixel 9 and newer models, helping users manage lengthy conversations by condensing them into brief overviews. Google plans to introduce a feature next month that will automatically silence less important alerts. This move mirrors functionality Apple has offered with its Priority Notifications, though Google’s implementation focuses specifically on chat threads.
The battery-saving mode in Google Maps is designed for the Pixel 10 series. By darkening the display and limiting information to crucial navigation cues like upcoming turns and the route path, users can significantly prolong their device’s usage between charges. This practical feature addresses a common pain point for frequent travelers who rely heavily on mapping applications.
Expanding on its existing security measures, Google is rolling out its on-device scam detection for phone calls to additional countries. Initially available only in the United States for Pixel 9 and later models, this Gemini Nano-powered capability now reaches customers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Australia, and Canada. The system analyzes speech patterns in real time to identify potential fraudulent calls without sending data to external servers.
A new “Likely a scam” button now appears within message notifications, building upon Google’s current spam filtering technology. This visual warning helps users quickly identify and avoid potentially dangerous texts before they even open the messaging app.
The popular Nano Banana image model gains new functionality with the Remix feature in Messages. Available to RCS users who have English language support in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, and New Zealand, this tool allows people to reimagine their photos using text prompts. By combining the creative capabilities of Nano Banana with Gemini AI, users can transform ordinary pictures into customized visual expressions.
Pixel VIPs, introduced earlier this year, receives an upgrade in this update. Notifications from your eight designated priority contacts will now appear more prominently. Additionally, the home screen widget will display crisis badges when emergencies like floods occur in your VIPs’ locations, keeping you informed about their safety.
Google Photos becomes more intuitive with a new “Help me edit” option that uses artificial intelligence to perform complex edits based on verbal commands. Users can simply describe the changes they want, such as “Remove Riley’s sunglasses” or “Make Engel smile”, and the system will automatically apply these adjustments using its facial recognition technology.
Call Notes, Google’s call transcription feature, expands to Australia, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Japan. This tool creates written records of phone conversations, making it easier to recall important details discussed during calls.
Completing the feature set is a special “Wicked: For Good” theme package inspired by the popular movie. Pixel 6 and later device owners can refresh their interface with new wallpapers, custom icons, system sounds, and animated GIFs that bring a touch of cinematic magic to their everyday mobile experience.
(Source: TechCrunch)
