Latest news with #PixelDrop
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Google Pixel Drop for June 2025: Android 16 rolls out Pixel VIPs widget, Gboard AI stickers, Pixel studio integration, battery health, and more
Google Pixel Drop for June 2025: The all-new Pixel VIPs widget and the seamless live updates feature across notification bars and lock screens are the highlights of Google's latest Pixel Drop, which offers a revolutionary Android 16 experience. Imagine being able to follow transportation, deliveries, or the whereabouts of loved ones in real time without ever having to open an app. Connecting with family and close friends is revolutionized by the Pixel VIPs widget, which allows you to view recent messages, avoid Do Not Disturb, receive location feeds, and quickly take notes from the home screen. This Pixel Drop is more than just an update; it's a constant companion thanks to its better Gboard AI stickers, improved accessibility, expressive captions, and strong security under the Android 16 hood. Stay put and explore all the new, positive features. June Pixel Drop 2025 features Your Pixel just got an upgrade with the June Pixel Drop, full of new features and updates that make your devices more helpful, personalized and accessible. | Credit: YouTube The June Pixel Drop, which includes numerous new features and upgrades to make your devices more useful, customizable, and accessible, is a recent update for your Pixel. Today, Android 16 begins to roll out to Pixel devices as well. Here are some new Pixel-related activities! 1. Pixel VIPs Keeping in touch with your most significant connections is redefined with the new Pixel VIPs widget. Users may quickly access important information, including birthdays, recent conversations, shared locations, and even real-time activity updates, by pinning their favorite individuals to the home screen. Allow VIPs to avoid Do Not Disturb breaks through the congestion, and make sure that your inner circle can always get in touch with you. This widget combines utility and emotional connection by allowing you to add notes or reminders for every contact, making your Pixel not just more intelligent but also more socially conscious and tailored to your everyday routine. Also Read: Android 16 update releasing today: Expected to come with material 3 expressive UI, battery health monitoring, Gemini AI integration, and more 2. Gboard AI Sticker With help from Pixel Studio, you can create a sticker of nearly anything you can imagine right on Gboard, thanks to generative AI. | Credit: Google Using text prompts or visual inspiration, Gboard now enables you to create personalized AI-generated stickers right from your keyboard. Without interrupting the discussion, you may quickly create entertaining, customized images while conversing with friends or expressing a feeling. The stickers give your messaging a creative touch that makes it seem new and lively, reflecting the tone and content of your request. This tool promotes more expressive, visual communication by fusing Gboard's smooth typing experience with Google's generative AI. Every conversation can be made more enjoyable, memorable, and authentically yours with this easy yet effective method. 3. Pixel SOS Even in isolated or off-grid locations, Satellite SOS, which is currently accessible in Australia, guarantees that you're never really out of reach. When cellular or Wi-Fi signals are not accessible, this life-saving capability uses satellite technology to connect users to emergency services. Pixel will help you position your phone toward the closest satellite so you can send SOS texts fast, whether you're hiking in the Outback or traveling in places with spotty reception. With its sophisticated emergency support, it provides travelers and outdoor adventurers with a crucial safety net that brings peace of mind. With this expansion, Pixel maintains its position as a leader in useful, life-improving innovation. 4. Pixels Camera Users of the Pixel may now see useful how-to instructions and visual inspiration of what each setting achieves by tapping the question mark icon in the top right corner of the Pixel's camera. You can make the most of your Pixel Camera with the help of this new learning center. 5. Magnifier Users can now read or scan content with ease thanks to the upgraded Magnifier app's live search feature, which detects and highlights text in real-time. The app provides haptic feedback for improved accessibility when you move your tablet over menus, signage, or documents. Those who struggle with reading or have impaired vision can particularly benefit from this. Zooming and adjusting contrast give consumers a more powerful experience while exploring both digital and real-world environments. It's a careful fusion of technology and accessibility that makes daily chores easier to handle and reduces reliance on outside help. 6. Expressive Captions It's available in even more countries beyond the U.S., including Canada, the U.K. and Australia. | Credit: Google More organic, emotionally intelligent captions are now available across supported media thanks to Google's Expressive Captions feature, which is also growing to include more languages and nations. The subtitles modify tone, passion, and tempo to convey the original speaker's meaning rather than merely copying speech. Captions now feel more engaging and human, whether you're watching a short clip, a movie, or a video conference. This improvement aids viewers in sound-off locations as well as users who are hard of hearing or deaf. It illustrates Google's ongoing efforts to provide a more immersive and inclusive online experience, increasing the significance of every word. 7. AI-powered Editing in Google Photos With AI-powered editing tools that recommend one-tap improvements based on the image context, Google Photos has just become smarter. The app rapidly suggests the most aesthetically pleasing adjustments, whether it's changing the lighting, blurring a bothersome background, or better framing your subject. For both novice and expert users, these modifications preserve natural aesthetics while saving time. In a single user-friendly interface, you may also access more sophisticated features like Magic Eraser, Portrait Light, and intelligent color balance. It's a potent update that transforms any picture into a memorable experience and makes excellent modifications easier to use and more accessible for all. For the latest and more interesting tech news, keep reading Indiatimes Tech.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
Missing Android 16's Pixel VIPs widget? You're not alone
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Google's new Pixel VIPs widget launched with the release of Android 16. However, some Pixel owners report that the widget is missing. An update to the Contacts app is likely needed before the widget becomes available. We've known for a while that Google has been working on a Pixel VIPs widget. This widget is one of the many features included in June's Pixel Drop, which was released yesterday. Although the update is out, the Pixel VIPs widget is nowhere to be seen for some Pixel owners. As a refresher, the Pixel VIPs widget is a Contacts app feature that allows you to put a 4×1 widget on your homescreen. You can insert up to eight of your contacts into this widget to stay connected to the most important people in your life. What makes this feature special is that it serves as a central store of various information about those people, populating details like birthday reminders, local weather, time information, and even their location if shared. VIPs can also bypass Do Not Disturb settings. Once you update to Android 16, you should get a note from Pixel Tips explaining how the feature works. Although the explainer is there, the actual feature appears to be missing for some users. One poster on Reddit states that they updated their Pixel 9 Pro to Android 16, but can't find the widget anywhere. Another Redditor claims the same thing happened to their phone after updating to Android 16. I can also confirm that the widget is missing for my Pixel 6 Pro after the update. It's important to keep in mind that this isn't the first time something like this has happened with Google's feature drops. Occasionally, some features that are supposed to be part of the main update show up later. For example, Video Boost was a promised feature for December's Pixel Drop, but it wasn't immediately available after the update was released. It's very likely that the Contacts app needs an update before the widget becomes available. You'll also need to have the Pixel VIPs app. So we're really just waiting for Google to flip the switch. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
Google Releases the Android 16 OS Months Earlier Than Expected
A day after Apple announced iOS 26 at WWDC 25, Google has pushed the button on one of its most ambitious midyear releases yet with the official launch of Android 16, along with June's Pixel Drop of exclusive features. Rolling out first to most supported Pixel phones, Android 16 lands months earlier than recent major versions, with a focus on productivity features and enhancements. These include Live Updates for tracking deliveries and rideshare cars, streamlined notifications, the ability to use desktop-style windows when your phone's connected to a monitor, new device security features, native controls for hearing aids and more. Shipping the OS in June, instead of the traditional August to September window, lets Google push fresh features into users' hands sooner, and gives phone makers extra runway to preload Android 16 on new phones set to debut in the fall. For Pixel owners, the update begins rolling out at 11 a.m. PT, with support for third-party phones coming later this year. Developers, meanwhile, get a new QPR beta that enables the external-monitor preview so they can start optimizing apps for bigger workspaces. Here's what you need to know. Android 16 arrives first on the Pixel Google is pushing a stable build of Android 16 to most supported Pixel phones today. The update layers a fresh Material 3 Expressive coat of paint on top of the OS and adds several new features, too. Android 16 will run on the Pixel 6 and later. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Live update and streamlined notifications If you're waiting for your sushi to arrive or watching your rideshare slowly inch across town, Android 16 now offers live updates that are pinned to your lock screen, so you don't have to keep opening an app to stay in the know. Also, notifications from the same app are now automatically grouped, reducing clutter on your lock screen from notification-heavy apps like Gmail and Ring. You won't receive individual notifications for a single app anymore. Google One-tap Advanced Protection for everyone A single toggle now bundles Google's toughest defenses, blocking dodgy websites, scam calls and even USB attacks while the phone is locked. Originally built for high-risk users like journalists and politicians, Advanced Protection is free and available for everyone on Android 16. Clearer calls for those with hearing aids If you use Bluetooth LE hearing aids, Android 16 lets you flip a switch that routes your voice through the phone's superior microphones instead of the tiny mics in your hearing aids, perfect for when you're in a bustling coffee shop or windy beach. There's also a new on-device panel for adjusting hearing-aid volume and presets in one place. Android 16 brings improvements for people who use hearing aids. Google Better productivity for tablet owners Tablet owners running Android 16 will get a desktop windowing mode later this year, built in partnership with Samsung. It lets you float, snap or resize multiple app windows on your device, like you would on a desktop, and Android 16 lays the groundwork for that. Android 16's desktop windowing will be released later this year. Google How to download Android 16 If you want to download and install Android 16 today, grab your Pixel and go to Settings > System > Software update > Check for update, and the roughly 2GB download should appear. If you don't see the update yet, just wait -- it's slowly rolling out to users today. Before you download, make sure your phone is on Wi-Fi, plug your phone in if the battery's low, and back up anything critical before you install. Once the file finishes, a quick reboot should complete the upgrade. Owners of Samsung, OnePlus and other Android devices will need to wait for their manufacturers' rollout notices later this year, but the process will be the same: Head to the software-update screen and follow the on-screen prompts. If you're on the Android 16 beta, you can turn your Pixel into a plug-and-play desktop Google's latest Android 16 beta (QPR1 Beta 2) lets Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 owners turn their phones into mini desktops. All you need to do is plug your phone to any external monitor with a USB-C cable, and a full task-bar-and-window interface will appear. You can juggle multiple apps side-by-side, pin favorites and even use keyboard shortcuts. You need to enable desktop experience features in the developer settings. Google If you want to try out the Android 16 Beta, you can enroll your Pixel 8 or 9 at then go to Settings > System > Software update to download the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 over the air. Non-Android 16 new features also released today Alongside Android 16, Google is releasing half a dozen features across the wider Android ecosystem today: Custom group chats . You can pick an icon and name, see who's on RCS and set a timed mute. . You can pick an icon and name, see who's on RCS and set a timed mute. Smarter Google Photos editor. Use one-tap AI fixes, text-prompt "Reimagine" edits and auto-crop. Use one-tap AI fixes, text-prompt "Reimagine" edits and auto-crop. Room-specific Google Home shortcuts. You can pin a camera to your TV, lights to your phone, thermostat to your watch. You can pin a camera to your TV, lights to your phone, thermostat to your watch. Extend Safety Check timers. Add extra minutes from the phone or Wear OS without restarting the countdown. Add extra minutes from the phone or Wear OS without restarting the countdown. Fresh Emoji Kitchen mash-ups. For more expressive stickers, you can create new combos like pointing pigs and thankful carrots. For more expressive stickers, you can create new combos like pointing pigs and thankful carrots. Faster transit taps on Wear OS. Swipe your watch and pay, even with Google Wallet closed. These are all the new features being released today across the entire Android ecosystem, not just Android 16. Google All six arrive via Play Services and app updates, no upgrade required.
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
Android 16 Launches Today With Practical Upgrades for Reducing Clutter
A day after Apple announced iOS 26 at WWDC 25, Google has pushed the pushed the button on one of its most ambitious mid-year releases yet, with the official launch of Android 16, along with June's Pixel Drop of exclusive features. Rolling out first to most supported Pixel phones, Android 16 lands months earlier than recent major versions with a focus on productivity features and enhancements. These include Live Updates for tracking deliveries and rideshare cars, streamlined notifications, the ability to use desktop-style windows when your phone's connected to a monitor, new device security features, native controls for hearing aids and more. Shipping the OS in June, instead of the traditional August to September window, lets Google push fresh features into users' hands sooner, and gives phone makers extra runway to preload Android 16 on new phones set to debut in the fall. For Pixel owners, the update begins rolling out at 11 a.m. PT, with support for third-party phones coming later this year. Developers, meanwhile, get a new QPR beta that enables the external-monitor preview so they can start optimizing apps for bigger workspaces. Here's what you need to know. Android 16 arrives first on the Pixel Google is pushing a stable build of Android 16 to most supported Pixel phones today, marking the platform's quickest major-version launch since Android 12 in 2021. The update layers a fresh Material 3 Expressive coat of paint on top of the OS and adds several new features too. Android 16 will run on the Pixel 6 and later. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Live update and streamlined notifications If you're waiting for your sushi to arrive or watching your ride share slowly inch across town, Android 16 now offers live updates that are pinned to your lock screen, so you don't have to keep opening any apps to stay in the know. Also, notifications from the same app are now automatically grouped, reducing clutter on your lock screen from notification-heavy apps like Gmail and Ring. You won't receive individual notifications for a single app anymore. Google One-tap Advanced Protection for everyone A single toggle now bundles Google's toughest defenses, blocking dodgy websites, scam calls and even USB attacks while the phone is locked. Originally built for high-risk users like journalists and politicians, Advanced Protection is free and up for grabs for everyone on Android 16. Clearer calls for those with hearing aids If you use Bluetooth LE hearing aids, Android 16 lets you flip a switch that routes your voice through the phone's superior microphones instead of the tiny mics in your hearing aids, perfect for when you're in a bustling coffee shop or windy beach. There's also a new on-device panel for adjusting hearing-aid volume and presets in one place. Android 16 brings improvements for people who use hearing aids. Google Better productivity for tablet owners Tablet owners running Android 16 will get a desktop windowing mode later this year, built in partnership with Samsung. It lets you float, snap or resize multiple app windows on your device, like you would on a desktop, and Android 16 lays the groundwork for that. Android 16's desktop windowing will release later this year. Google How to download Android 16 If you want to download and install Android 16 today, grab your Pixel and go to Settings > System > Software update > Check for update, and the roughly 2GB download should appear. If you don't see the update yet, just wait -- it's slowly rolling out to users today. Before you download, make sure your phone is on Wi-Fi, plug your phone in if the battery's low, and back up anything critical before you install. Once the file finishes, a quick reboot should complete the upgrade. Owners of Samsung, OnePlus and other Android devices will need to wait for their manufacturers' rollout notices later this year, but the process will be the same: head to the software-update screen and follow the on-screen prompts. And if you're on the Android 16 beta, you can turn your Pixel into a plug-and-play desktop Google's latest Android 16 beta (QPR1 Beta 2) lets Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 owners turn their phones into a mini desktop. All you need to do is plug your phone to any external monitor with a USB-C cable and a full task-bar-and-window interface will appear, so you can juggle multiple apps side-by-side, pin favorites and even use keyboard shortcuts. You need to enable desktop experience features in the developer settings. Google If you want to try out the Android 16 Beta, you can enroll your Pixel 8 or 9 at then go to Settings > System > Software update to download the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 over the air. Non-Android 16 new features also released today Alongside Android 16, Google is releasing half a dozen features across the wider Android ecosystem today: Custom group chats . You can pick an icon and name, see who's on RCS and set a timed mute. . You can pick an icon and name, see who's on RCS and set a timed mute. Smarter Google Photos editor. Use one-tap AI fixes, text-prompt "Reimagine" edits and auto-crop. Use one-tap AI fixes, text-prompt "Reimagine" edits and auto-crop. Room-specific Google Home shortcuts. You can pin a camera to your TV, light to your phone, thermostat to your watch. You can pin a camera to your TV, light to your phone, thermostat to your watch. Extend Safety Check timers. Add extra minutes from phone or Wear OS without restarting the countdown. Add extra minutes from phone or Wear OS without restarting the countdown. Fresh Emoji Kitchen mash-ups. You can create new combos like pointing pigs and thankful carrots for more expressive stickers. You can create new combos like pointing pigs and thankful carrots for more expressive stickers. Faster transit taps on Wear OS. Swipe your watch and pay, even with Google Wallet closed. These are all the new features being released today across the entire Android ecosystem, not just Android 16. Google All six arrive via Play Services and app updates. No upgrade required.
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Phone Arena
June Pixel Drop lands with Pixel VIPs, AI photo magic, and Gboard glow-up
The June Pixel Drop is now here for Pixels and brings quite a lot of new features and updates, including Pixel VIPs, custom stickers in Gboard, and advanced accessibility features. Also, Android 16 is now starting to roll out as well. Here's what the June Pixel Drop is bringing to your Pixel!There's a new Pixel VIPs widget from the Contacts app, tailored to help you give priority to the most important people in your life, like friends and family. The more details you add about your favorite people (like birthdays, emails, home addresses, and preferences), the fuller the Pixel VIPs experience will be. You can view your last call and message (including WhatsApp ones) with each VIP, see their location when shared, and even get reminders for important events like their birthday. You can add more info about the most important people in your life. | Image credit – Google On top of that, VIPs can also bypass Do Not Disturb, so you never miss a message from a special someone in your life. The feature is available on Pixel 6 and newer, and supports Google Messages and WhatsApp services. Another fun feature coming with the June Pixel Drop is the ability to create a sticker of nearly anything you can imagine. Using Pixel Studio and generative AI, you can get any sticker you want right away. As usual with AI, you'll have to type your prompt, choose an emotion, and then you can send it, without having to switch apps. What's even better is you can make stickers from photos as well: the background of the image will be automatically removed and the object becomes your sticker. The feature is available for Pixel 9 phones in select countries and currently supports English, Japanese, and German only. Google is also making some cool Pixel features available to more users. One of them is Satellite SOS, which is now available in Australia. Satellite SOS allows you to connect with emergency services in areas where there's no cellular connectivity or Wi-Fi availability. Satellite SOS is supported on phones from the Pixel 9 series. The service is currently available in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Europe, and now Australia. Meanwhile, the Recorder app gains the ability to offer you AI-generated summaries of recordings in French and German. Right now, the Pixel 9 series can get summaries in English, Japanese, German, and French, while for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9a, the feature is available in English only. AI summaries are now available in more languages. | Image credit – Google Meanwhile, Pixel 8 phones are getting Clear voice in the Recorder app. The feature removes background noises from recordings for better audio quality so you can hear everything crystal-clear. Photography enthusiasts also have what to be excited about with the June Pixel Drop. There's a new education hub that will help you take advantage of all the features in Pixel Camera. You can now tap the question mark icon in the upper right-hand corner of Pixel's Camera and then see visual inspiration for each mode. Also, the app will now offer you how-to instructions to achieve the best effect. With this update, you can now use live search in the Magnifier app (Pixel 5 and newer, without the foldables) which will help you learn more about your surroundings, without the need to take a photo. Basically, you can type what you're looking for (item on a menu, for example) and Magnifier will highlight matches on the screen in real-time. Also, when your Pixel finds something, it will give you a little haptic feedback. More accessibility features coming to your Android phone . | Image credit – Google Also, you can use new LE audio features with hearing aids on Pixel 9 and newer, running Android 16 . With these features, it will be easy for you to take calls on the go and access your hearing aid presets. Also, you can change your ambient volume from the settings of your Pixel phone. You can now quickly show how you feel about the moments that matter to you most. | Image credit – Google Expressive Captions is a feature that is designed to understand intensity, nuance, and emotion in speech and transfer it with words. It's now available in more countries beyond the U.S., including Canada, the UK, and Australia. Expressive Captions is available on Pixel 6 and newer Pixel phones, as well as other compatible Android phones (Android 15 or newer). Soon you'll be able to use AI-powered editing in Google Photos. You'll be able to get AI-powered suggestions to enhance your images and access recommended tools based on what you select to edit. You will also be getting easier access to your favorite editing tools.
