Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority It’s fair to say that Google Photos has been the best thing that has ever happened to smartphone photography management. For years, it has served as the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it tool. And for the longest time, it was my go-to recommendation. It was practically free. It was unlimited. It was perfect … Read More “I’m self-hosting a Google Photos alternative on my old Pixel” »
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority But while I was enjoying my honeymoon period with that camera hardware, I found myself appreciating something far less flashy, but far more useful in day-to-day use: the default camera app It’s one of those features that doesn’t show up in spec sheets, yet it quietly changes how comfortable a … Read More “Vivo’s Android camera app makes Pixel and Galaxy ones feel outdated” »
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Pixel’s “Take a Message” voicemail feature has been spotted in India. The feature has been spotted by users enrolled in the Phone app and Google Play Services beta programs, though there may also be a server-side switch at play. Our APK teardown earlier in the week spotted clues for … Read More “Pixel’s Take a Message feature just expanded to a major new market” »
When the Google Pixel 7 launched in 2022, it came with several interesting features like Face Unlock, Super Res Zoom, an LTPO display, and a bunch of special camera additions. One feature I didn’t give too much attention to, though, was the included free VPN service. How Google’s VPN saved me from relying on data … Read More “I’ve had this awesome Pixel feature for 4 years, but I just started using it” »
TL;DR Pixel phones are getting a feature that will make it easier to create reaction videos. Screen Reactions lets you record yourself and whatever is on your screen at the same time, then overlays your response directly on the clip. The feature is coming to Pixel devices first this summer. Some of the most popular … Read More “Google is turning Pixels into the perfect phones for reaction videos” »
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A new Android 17 leak suggests Google is working on deeper Material You customization for Pixel phones. Pixel users may soon be able to pick custom accent colors in the Wallpaper & style settings instead of choosing from preset options. The leak also shows new color intensity presets like … Read More “Google could finally give Pixels proper Material You color controls” »
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority Google bundles several lesser-known features with its Pixel software that can significantly improve your everyday experience. One such feature is Quick Tap, which lets you double-tap the back of your phone to perform an action. I mostly use Quick Tap on my phone to take screenshots or open the Simplenote … Read More “How to add Google’s Quick Tap gesture to any Android phone” »
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Google may be bringing the Pixel Screenshots app to desktop platforms, moving beyond Pixel phone exclusivity. We managed to activate a “desktop” release of the Pixel Screenshots app through the Play Store. The move likely signals integration with the rumored Aluminium OS or potential new Google desktop hardware. Google … Read More “The Pixel Screenshots app could be headed to Aluminium OS” »
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google is preparing to expand its “Take a Message” voicemail feature beyond Pixel devices to other Android smartphones. Code snippets within the Phone by Google app reveal a massive regional expansion targeting dozens of new markets in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. While currently restricted to specific English-speaking regions, … Read More “Google’s Take a Message feature may soon expand to non-Pixel phones, 20+ new markets” »
Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Our hearing is important, and it’s something we should want to protect. Google agrees; Pixel phones have something called “Sound Exposure Notifications” that monitor how loud your audio is and provide a warning if it thinks things are too loud. That sounds all well and good, but in some situations, … Read More “This Pixel safety feature is making my driving less safe” »
