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Google announced a long list of new features coming to its Pixel lineup, some of which will also be available for additional Android phones. While none of the updates will drastically change how users make images, there are some noteworthy new features related to the camera, photo apps, and audio.
Google’s December 2024 feature drop is large, with a long list of new or updated features coming to Pixel phones and a handful for the broader Android base. While the update focuses unsurprisingly on AI, the photography, audio, and content creator updates are largely AI-free. That includes new ways to interact with Pixel Fold displays while taking photos, tools for taking images of children, and an improved experience for Snapchat and Instagram users. Here’s what users can expect from the December 2024 release.
Social Media Updates for Pixel Phones
Those who use any devices in the Pixel 9 lineup, including the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, will soon be able to share a new file type to Instagram. With the latest update, Pixel 9 users will be able to capture and share Ultra HDR photos to their Instagram feed. That means those vibrant, richly contrasted images users take with their Pixel phones will now translate to Instagram.
Snapchat users also get a taste of something new with this release. Google has made it easier to find photos and videos they want to share on Snapchat. They can see all their folders, favorites, and cloud photos through the Photo Picker. This change will be available on the Pixel 6 and all newer Pixel phones, so having the latest device to access this update isn’t necessary.
Camera Updates for Pixel Phones
Pixel phones are celebrated for their cameras, so it makes sense that Google would introduce some new camera features, albeit only for Fold phones. Pixel Fold or Pixel 9 Pro Fold users can now use the dual-screen display when using Portrait Mode so that the person taking the photo and their subject can see the image preview. The dual-screen mode could introduce a new dynamic between the subject and the photographer. It also means users can utilize the front-facing camera for selfies while still getting to see the shot before taking it.
Parents and caretakers with the first-generation Fold phone also get a new tool, or at least one previously unavailable to them. Google has expanded the Made You Look feature, which plays an animation to grab a child’s attention and then takes the photo at the perfect moment. It is now available on the Pixel Fold and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Joy from ‘Inside Out’ is a newly added animation option in Made You Look, though only for Pixel 9 Pro Fold users.
Audio Updates for Android and Pixel Phones
Beyond photos and app updates, Google also announced two new audio features. First is the Clear Voice Mode in Recorder. With an update to the Recorder app, users can enable the “Clear voice” feature to reduce background noise and help keep the focus on the speaker. This tool could allow creators to to use a Pixel phone for voiceovers for videos, even if they can’t get into a quiet recording area. The Clear Voice Mode is only available for Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold phones.
Pixel users aren’t the only ones getting an audio update, either. Expressive Captions are now available for compatible Android phones. This feature uses AI to automatically capture the intensity and emotion of any content with sound on compatible Android phones, even livestreams. The press release explains that users may “see things like a gasp at a juicy secret, cheers and applause for a big win and all caps when someone is really excited.” Reading text alone can make it impossible to gather emotion and emphasis, so this expansion of Expressive Captions is appreciated.
Updates Are Arriving Today
The above updates represent just a small part of Google’s December 2024 feature drop. Complete details are available on the Google Blog. The new features and tools will roll out in a software update for devices starting today.
Image credits: Google
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