Google Pixel

Google’s latest initiative to promote the Pixel brand is a multi-year partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

As we wait for QPR2 to hit stable, Google is ready to start the next quarterly cycle with Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 today.

The year in updates continues with Android 14 February security patch today for the Pixel 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, and 8 Pro. This is still Android 14 QPR1 and not QPR2.

The Phone by Google (as it’s officially named) app is losing a “Nearby Places” feature that “allowed business name search queries entered into the Phone app to provide local business phone number results beyond just your personal contacts.” 

Google will once again have a Pixel commercial during the Super Bowl. The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro Super Bowl ad focuses on using the camera with Guided Frame. 

The Google Store has offered its own financing option for years now, but recently, Google has implemented a minimum purchase amount to use the line of credit.

After installing the January 2024 Google Play system update, some Pixel owners reported an issue accessing data stored in internal storage, and Google is now out with a detailed fix that end users can apply to their phones.

Following the CES announcement at the start of this month, Google is now rolling out Quick Share on Pixel and other non-Samsung devices. 

Google ended 2023 with a pretty sizable Pixel Feature Drop where the camera took center stage. There was Video Boost + Night Sight Video for the 8 Pro, as well as Night Sight timelapse for the 8/Pro. All users benefited from being able to turn their Pixel into a laptop/desktop webcam, while the Pixel Fold picked up Dual Screen Preview and customizable app aspect ratios (Tablet too).  

As part of the December Feature Drop, the Google Password Manager on Pixel devices introduced the ability to upgrade supported online accounts to passkeys. Google is partnering and highlighting several services that offer passkey upgrades today.

In announcing that Assistant would lose 17 “underutilized” features, Google also said the Pixel Launcher microphone shortcut would be removed. Google is now rolling out this deprecation.

There are a lot of items that can be added to Google Wallet, and even though you don’t see an ‘Add to Google Wallet’ on some tickets or passes, you can still add them with one little trick.

Google confirmed today that the January Pixel Feature Drop just consists of app updates from the Play Store. Meanwhile, the Google Store has emailed the 20% off discount codes for the Mint Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

Google is giving the Pixel a surprise January 2024 Feature Drop that coincides with the Mint 8 and 8 Pro. This follows a big update in December and comes two months ahead of schedule. 

Following a storage access issue in October with the initial Android 14 release and multiple users, Pixel devices might be facing another problem related to the January 2024 Google Play System Update.

Google is rolling out Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3 to Pixel phones, Tablet, and Fold today in what should be the final milestone before the stable launch.