With the December 2024 Feature Drop, Pixel Camera 9.7 is rolling out “Quick access controls.”
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Camera 9.7 widely rolling out with ‘Quick access controls’ for brightness, WB
Author
Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
Google News redesign simplifies the bottom bar on Android
Like other first-party apps this year, a small Google News redesign on Android simplifies the bottom bar.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Agentspace is a ‘multimodal search agent’ for companies
Branded like the Workspace suite of productivity apps, Google Agentspace combines “Gemini’s advanced reasoning, Google-quality search, and enterprise data.”
Expand Expanding CloseNotebookLM gets redesign & ‘Joining’ Audio Overviews, ‘Plus’ tier coming to Google One
After dropping the experimental status in October, Google is rolling out a big update to NotebookLM that includes a redesign, while the Plus tier is beginning to go live.
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Google Store selling instant photo printer, lists Bellroy Pixel Watch Strap
The latest products on the US Google Store are Bellroy’s Pixel Watch Strap and an instant photo printer that supports Fast Pair.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Thermometer updated with ‘new’ icon
In addition to the bigger Pixel Recorder, Screenshots, and Studio updates, Google has updated the Thermometer icon with a new-ish icon.
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YouTube on the web gets ‘Custom’ playback speed controls
Following Android and iOS last month, the YouTube website now offers fine-tunable (“Custom”) playback speed.
Expand Expanding CloseYou have to enable Pixel Recorder Clear voice, Call Screen AI replies in Phone app
In addition to Pixel Screenshots and Studio, Google is rolling out Clear voice in Recorder and the Phone app’s Call Screen AI replies as part of the December 2024 Feature Drop.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music adding ‘Pin to Speed dial’ customization on Android, iOS
YouTube Music is rolling out a new “Pin to Speed dial” option that lets you customize the new grid introduced in October.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Wallet Pixel 9 promo combines $150 discount with $100 prepaid gift card
Google Wallet is running a curious promotion that complements the existing Google Store sales on the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL with a $100 Prepaid Mastercard gift card.
Expand Expanding CloseHands-on: An Android XR headset that validates Gemini and Google’s past few years
Mixed reality headsets are not new. My personal novelty with them ended upon buying Apple’s Vision Pro earlier this year. In using Samsung’s Android XR-powered Project Moohan for about 30 minutes last week, Google has got all the basics down. However, Android XR has a true differentiator with Gemini, while bringing together almost a decade’s worth of Google efforts in a seamless, integrated manner.
Expand Expanding CloseOne day… realized: Hands-on with Google’s Android XR glasses
As a child, my first vision for the future of technology was shaped by an aspect of Star Trek that’s different from most people’s: the absolute ubiquity of touchscreens and tablets (PADDs). I was enamored with the idea of interacting with information via touch and being able to do so anywhere instead of in a fixed place. All that became reality with the iPhone and Android, and I live it every day.
My next vision of the future came with a 2:30 minute concept video. It ingrained in me that what comes after the smartphone is information overlaid with your line of sight as it’s contextually needed.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle announces Android XR, launching 2025 on Samsung headset
Besides phones and tablets, Android is available on smartwatches, TVs, and even cars. Google today announced Android XR as the next form factor the operating system is coming to.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube TV getting $10 price increase to $82.99 in January 2025
Following the last increase in April of 2023, the price of YouTube TV is going up $10 to $82.99 starting Monday, January 13, 2025.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps rolling out new teal accent color on Android, iOS
Like other first-party apps that lack Dynamic Color theming, Google Maps currently uses a blue accent for buttons and other UI elements, but that looks to be changing to teal.
Expand Expanding CloseHow to test Gemini in Google Assistant on Nest Mini, Audio
After being spotted by some earlier this month, Google has detailed how Gemini “AI-powered answers” in Google Assistant works on the Nest Mini and Audio, and how to test it.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Wallet rolling out adding passport IDs on Android
After testing in October, Google Wallet’s ability to add your passport as an ID to the Android app is now widely rolling out in stable.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Screenshots rolling out Gboard recall integration
The latest update to Pixel Screenshots rolled out this week, and the Gboard recall feature is now rolling out.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid’s Unknown tracker alerts adding ‘Find Nearby’ for FMD tags
Android offers OS-level “Unknown tracker alerts“, and Google is now adding two new features, including Find Nearby, for Find My Device (FMD) network tags.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps widely rolling out on-device Timeline history notice
Just under a year ago, Google announced that Maps Location History would be moving to your phone, and this Timeline change is more widely rolling out.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle details Gemini 2.0 Project Astra capabilities, ‘Mariner’ browser agent
In announcing Gemini 2.0, Google today shared the latest on Project Astra, while unveiling Project Mariner as an agent that can browse the web for you.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle announces Gemini 2.0 with agentic focus, coming to Gemini app
Just over a year after version 1.0, Google today announced Gemini 2.0 as its “new AI model for the agentic era.”
Expand Expanding CloseGemini website tweaks text field, adds model info to Android app
Google is making some tweaks to the UI of Gemini on the web (text field) and Android app (model identification).
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid’s Privacy dashboard adds 7-day history with Nov. Google Play system update
After introducing in Android 16 Developer Preview 1 last month, Google is rolling out a 7-day history for the Privacy dashboard to Android 15.
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