The March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop is here, bringing new features to Pixel phones, the Pixel Tablet, and the first-gen Pixel Watch. Here’s what’s new:

Pixel phones:

1) Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro! This was previously exclusive to the Galaxy S24 series and the Pixel 8 series.

2) Next-gen Call Screen (Pixel 6 and newer) is adding a “hello” chip that gets the Google Assistant to prompt the caller to speak. This can be useful if the caller is silent. If you aren’t available, the Assistant will let the caller know to wait.

3) You can now share Ultra HDR photos to Instagram or 10-bit HDR videos to Reels from your Pixel phone (Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 8, 8 Pro, and Fold)!

Pixel Tablet:

1) Gboard’s new Voice Toolbar for tablets minimizes the digital keyboard when voice input is activated in order to optimize screen space.

Pixel phones and Pixel Tablet:

1) Android’s Connected Devices settings page now lets you access Bluetooth accessories you previously set up through Fast Pair (Pixel 5a and later)..

2) Google Docs Markups lets you add handwritten annotations to a document using only your finger or stylus. (This was announced last week at MWC 2024 and is available on any device running Android 8.0+).

Pixel Watch:

1) First-gen Pixel Watch is finally getting automatic workout detection! This works for running, walking, elliptical, spinning, outdoor biking, treadmill, and rowing.

2) You can now set a goal pace during an exercise with your first-gen Pixel Watch. This lets you know when you’re within your target and get notifications for when you fall outside of it.

3) You can now track the time you spend in each heart rate zone to optimize and guide your training on your first-gen Pixel Watch, and you can set up notifications to alert you when you move between zones.

4) Fitbit Relax App now guides you through breathing exercises to help you relax.

The update also brings Android 14 QPR2 with the March 2024 security patches. QPR2 introduces several new Android features including an expandable Bluetooth QS tile, faster seamless updates, partial screen recording and screen casting, a search bar in the taskbar’s app drawer, a revamped privacy indicator dialog, a new shortcut to share your Wi-Fi network, and other minor changes.

#Updates #Changes #Pixel
March 2024 Security Patch Changes:
Apps
• General improvements for stability and performance with certain system apps *[4]

Assistant
• Fix for assistant not responding to verbal commands in certain conditions *[11]

Biometrics
• General improvements for fingerprint recognition and response in certain conditions *[3]

Bluetooth
• Fix for audio quality issue with connected bluetooth devices under certain conditions *[3]
• Fix for issue causing Bluetooth to stop functioning under certain conditions *[6]

Camera
• Fix for issue causing camera to stop functioning in certain conditions *[8]

Display & Graphics
• Fix for brightness changes in photo and video under certain conditions *[8]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing display to turn green in certain conditions *[8]
• General improvements to display stability and performance in certain conditions *[11]

Framework
• Fix for issue in launching Google Play store app under certain conditions *[4]
• Fix for issue in using multi-finger gestures under certain conditions *[3]
• General improvements for system stability and performance in certain conditions *[6]

Media
• Fix for issue in playing video on Google TV under certain conditions *[5]

Sensors
• Fix for issue causing vibrations on new texts to stop working in certain conditions *[3]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing vibrations on new texts to stop working in certain conditions *[2]

System
• General improvements for system stability and performance in certain conditions *[1]

Telephony
• Fix for issue in routing calls to connected bluetooth devices under certain conditions *[9]
• Fix for issue occasionally occurring when WiFi icon shows during an ongoing call after WiFi is disabled. *[2]
• Fix for issue unable to make or receive calls occasionally in certain conditions *[4]
• Fix for issue with mobile data not switching correctly in certain conditions *[2]
• Fix for issue with voice distortion when making calls *[7]

User Interface
• Additional improvements for face unlock stability in certain conditions *[3]
• Fix for issue causing game dashboard to stop functioning under certain conditions *[9]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing home screen icons to appear invisible *[4]
• Fix for issue occasionally causing the wallpaper to get stuck or go dark *[12]
• Fix for issue with animations during transitions in certain conditions*[13]
• Fix for issue with incorrect app icons showing under certain conditions *[6]
• Fix for issue with incorrect internet connection status during transitions in certain conditions *[4]
• Fix for issue with layouts and animations during transitions in certain conditions *[4]
• Fix for issue with the notification color theme in certain conditions *[10]
• Fix for taskbar icons and navigation buttons not working in certain conditions *[14]
• General improvements for performance and stability in certain UI transitions and animations *[4]
• General improvements for performance in certain UI transitions *[8]

Wi-Fi
• General improvements for WiFi connection stability and performance in certain conditions*[11]

*[1] All except Tablet
*[2] Pixel 6/Pro/6a
*[3] Pixel 6~Pixel 8
*[4] Pixel 6~Pixel 8 & Fold
*[5] Pixel 6~Pixel 8 & Tablet
*[6] All except 5a
*[7] Pixel 7a
*[8] Pixel 7~8
*[9] Pixel 7~8 & Fold
*[10] Pixel 7~8 & Tablet
*[11] Pixel 8/Pro
*[12] Pixel 8/Pro & Fold
*[13] Pixel Fold & Tablet
*[14] Pixel Tablet

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Android 14 QPR2 & March 2024 Security Patch
Build: AP1A.240305.019.A1
Android Security Bulletin | Pixel Update Bulletin | Pixel Feature Drop (Blog) | Changes

The second QPR for Android 14 alongside Feature Drop arrived today for Pixel 5a & later supported devices. On another note, Android 11 will no longer receive security patches from Google.

Download:
Pixel 5a: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 6: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 6 Pro: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 6a: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 7: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 7 Pro: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 7a: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel Fold: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel Tablet: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 8: Factory Image | OTA Image
Pixel 8 Pro: Factory Image | OTA Image

#Updates #A14 #Pixel
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Google Pixel's market share grew by a ridiculous 527%

Generally, I don't care or post about vendors' smartphone shipment and their market share, but the 527% increase in market share and YoY growth is so ridiculous, I have not seen any brand growing this much

It turns out that Google’s Pixel phones are growing in popularity in Japan even after Pixels are known for heating issues

IDC’s Q4 2023 figures show that shipments grew by 527% in JUST 1 year
Pixel's market share went from JUST 1.5% in 2022 to 10.7% in 2023

Kudos to Apple for once again being the KING in market share and it is now covering more than 50% market in Japan

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Files By Google added shortcut to scan document (v1.5.276, A/B testing)
Google's file management app just got even better, now with the ability to scan documents. All your saved documents will be stored locally over at Files by Google > Scanned.

A similar shortcut can be found on Drive, but instead you will be saving it to the cloud. Other than that, both of them offer the same set of features, from auto-capture to editing tools, which is powered by Play Services.

#Apps #Files
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Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2
Build: AP21.240216.010
Security patch level: March 2024
Google Play services: 23.50.14

Changes:
• Fixed crash or restart issue (while updating apps)
• Resolved black screen issue after booting from flash & switching to another user
• Fixed "Double tap to wake" gesture with Always-on display enabled
• Fixed incorrect battery information
• Resolved device-to-device transfers and backup and restore from working
• Other minor fixes for system stability, performance, and camera

Issues:
• OTA has been pulled down due to potential disruption causing device to not boot up
• The Assistant At a Glance widget sometimes displays weather information for the wrong location

Download:
Pixel 5a: Factory Image
Pixel 6: Factory Image
Pixel 6 Pro: Factory Image
Pixel 6a: Factory Image
Pixel 7: Factory Image
Pixel 7 Pro: Factory Image
Pixel 7a: Factory Image
Pixel Fold: Factory Image
Pixel Tablet: Factory Image
Pixel 8: Factory Image
Pixel 8 Pro: Factory Image

#Beta #A14 #A14QPR3
Follow @PixelHubUpdates

Ramadan Mubarak to all the Muslims out there.

It's the month to seek forgiveness, to mend broken relationships, and to make peace with one’s self. Forgive our physical and emotional wrongdoings.

Google has announced that movie tickets and boarding passes will automatically be added to Google Wallet when you get a confirmation email in Gmail!

This feature is live for some global movie chains and airlines but more partners will be added in the future.

Furthermore, Google also says you can now manually archive passes in Wallet (on both mobile and Wear OS), which will move them down to the "Archived Passes" section.

Finally: Google has enabled display output on a Pixel phone for the first time!

With Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2, you can mirror your Pixel 8's screen to an external display, as Google has finally enabled DisplayPort Alternate Mode.

More details are available in my article for Android Authority.

Google is preparing to launch Offline Retail Stores in India

Alphabet is planning on introducing a Google-branded brick-and-mortar store in India to sell a gamut of Google’s products and showcase it as an experience center

In brick-and-mortar stores, consumers can speak with employees and ask questions about the products or services.
Brick-and-mortar stores can offer experience shopping whereby consumers can test a product

"A team from Google from the US was here in India last week. They comprised of four-five members senior management team from the US,"
“They had visited New Delhi and Mumbai as part of their India study for the store opening and visited some malls in both the cities"

Apple introduced its own Apple-branded and operated stores last year in Mumbai and New Delhi.

Now, Google is also looking at New Delhi and Mumbai as possible locations for its first store in India.

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Google I/O 2024 holding on May 14
The event was teased with a puzzle, and later announced to the public after getting solved, but no details were provided. Here's some rough estimation according to past events, though everyone should take this information with a grain of salt.

It's likely that we would get the new Pixel 8a, alongside some previews of the new features in Android 15 that are yet to be added. There might also be some new updates for the existing Google products that we all know well.

#GoogleIO
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Google's Gemini could power iPhone's Generative AI Features
Source

Apple is in talks with Google to build Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence engine into its iPhones to power the NEW AI features coming to iOS
Apple also recently held discussions with OpenAI & has considered using its model as well

Since early last year, Apple has been testing its own large language model (LLM) — the technology behind generative AI — codenamed 'Ajax'
Some employees also have been trying out a basic chatbot dubbed 'Apple GPT'

However, Apple's LLM is inferior to Google's Gemini or OpenAI's GPT model, thus Apple will either use the GPT or Gemini
It’s unlikely that any deal with any partner will be announced until June's WWDC event

Samsung Galaxy S24 series AI features are also powered by Google's Gemini only

Upcoming iOS 18 will include AI features such as a NEW version of Siri that is more intelligent as powered by an LLM, New AI features for Apple Music, Xcode, Spotlight Search, iMessages etc

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