It’s time for another Pixel Drop! Google has announced the latest set of features coming to its line of Pixel phones, tablets, smartwatches, and earbuds. Some of this functionality comes standard in Android 15, though Astrophotography and other features are exclusive to the Pixel platform.

The October 2024 Pixel Drop is available for Pixel 6 smartphones and newer (except the 6a, sorry) as part of the Android 15 update. Eligible smartphones gain access to Night Sight in the Instagram app, a Theft Protection suite that helps you secure and recover a lost smartphone, and Private Space functionality. Private Space generates a “separate space” on your phone for organizing apps with sensitive information. This private zone can only be accessed with a separate PIN from the one you normally use to unlock your phone.

Google is also making it easier to spy on the stars with a new Astrophotography feature coming to Night Sight. In your camera app, tap on Night Sight then slide over to “Astro” to access the all-new photography mode.

Adaptive Vibration is coming to the Pixel 7 (and newer), which I think is really cool. It uses your phone’s mic and other sensors to get a reading on the ambient noise levels in your immediate area and adjusts the intensity of the notification vibration so it’s not loudly buzzing in your pocket during meetings or rattling off the nightstand every morning.

Audio Magic Eraser, which can adjust the vocals and volume levels of specific assets within a recording (i.e. turning up voices while turning down background noise), is arriving globally for the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a. It will be available in “limited markets” for the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Object Temperature Sensor, which uses your phone’s camera as a thermal viewfinder, is also coming to the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

If you’re rocking a new Pixel 9-series device, rejoice. Your phone (whether it’s a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, or Pixel 9 Pro XL) can now capture clearer images, video, and audio while underwater. You should, obviously, put your phone in a waterproof case before you dunk it into the depths. The Pixel 9 series also gains Gemini Extensions for Pixel Screenshots, which uses Gemini to search your screenshot folder for images based on your natural language description of them.

Eligible Pixel phones and tablets in Europe (specifically France, Germany, Italy, and the UK) receive a new Pollen Data Block for the Weather app that lets you check pollen index levels, research which plants are currently pollinating, and view forecasts of how intense your day’s allergies may be. Speaking of the Weather app, it is finally coming to older Pixel smartphones all the way back to the Pixel 6. We’re also going to see an expansion of the Gemini Live smart assistant to Brazil, Denmark, India, Japan, and Korea.

The Pixel Watch gains a trio of improvements, including an upgrade to the Contacts app that introduces Individual Contact Tiles for easier access to your favorite people and Emoji email reactions, which allow you to send emojis in response to Gmail notifications.

If you own the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Pixel Buds Pro, Pixel Buds A-Series, or the original Pixel Buds, the new Gemini on Pixel Buds feature will enable you to access the AI assistant without having to take out your phone. Pixel Tablet owners, on the other hand, now have access to the always-on Panel Screensaver (helpful for when you use your tablet as a home remote), new Clock Screensaver designs, new Photo Frame actions that will let you more easily share and archive images, plus synced notification dismissals between your Pixel tablet and smartphone.

Source: Google