Google Pixel

Just in time for Google’s major expansion to software updates on future Pixels, Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2 is bringing a new software update dashboard to Pixel devices.

For years now, Google has had a relatively regular schedule of releasing Pixel updates on predictable dates, but that schedule has seen lots of delays in recent years. This week, Google has confirmed that, starting with Pixel 8, updates for Pixel phones will just come out when they’re ready.

Following this morning’s announcement, Android 14 is now rolling out to the following Pixel devices: 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, and Fold.

While there are a handful of meaningful Pixel additions and changes, Android 14 is not a particularly flashy launch, with Google choosing to refine the mobile OS, just like last year’s release.

More so than in past years, Google advertising and teasing ahead of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro is laser-focused on encouraging people to switch phones.

Google’s Pixel phones still largely make up a small portion of the smartphone market, but slowly the devices are growing in popularity. A new report details that Google Pixel phones continue to grow in Japan, and have been taking market share from the iPhone.

While Google Pixel remains an ultimately pretty small player in the smartphone market, it’s clear that Google is gaining traction. Case in point, in Q2 of 2023, Google Pixel was the only brand that experienced growth in the North American market.

Apple ditched leather accessories with its latest lineup and instead moved to a new “FineWoven” fabric material for iPhone 15. But, after some time using it, FineWoven just reminds me how good Google’s old fabric cases for Pixel were.

Google just launched the first beta of Android 14 QPR1 today, and within it, there are some key changes and upgrades, including support for battery charge cycle counts on Pixel phones.

Google is rolling out Android 13’s September update for the Pixel 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet and Fold today. It comes two weeks after when Google usually releases monthly Pixel updates as we wait for Android 14, and is just a security patch.

Google is continuing the drop of new 25th anniversary wallpapers today with a pair for Pixel Superfans that anybody can grab.

Historically, the Google Store’s birthday sales are limited to Asia-Pacific and Europe, but it’s now live in the US for the 25th anniversary.

Google is starting to roll out a big redesign of the Pixel Camera app with version 9.0 that notably requires Android 14.

Google Pixel owners now have access to dozens of new wallpapers across the existing Cityscapes, Textures, and Life categories in an unexpected Q3 2023 drop.

For the third time this cycle, Google is rolling out another bug fixer with Android 14 Beta 5.3 for all Pixel devices. With this patch, it does seem the stable release might be further off.

Apple is apparently set to ditch leather cases on the iPhone 15 series and, in its place, adopt a new “woven” fabric case as 9to5Mac reports. That’s a style of case that Google Pixel users are quite familiar with, so here are a few things to keep in mind as Apple prepares to revive the cases Google never should have killed off.

With each new phone that comes out, a resolution designation accompanies it, ranging anywhere between HD, FHD, UHD, or even QHD. Sometimes they even throw a “+” in there. So what do those specifiers mean? This quick and easy guide will take you through it.

To help owners learn more and become experts about their devices, Google now offers the Pixel Simulator. This website features “interactive tutorials about the hardware, features, and customization options.”

One of my continued takeaways with the Pixel Fold is that you can feel how many iterations — three by our count — it underwent before launch. Additional development time leads to better products, and I wonder what would happen if that was applied to flagship phones (Pixel 6, 7, 8, etc).