One of the best parts about using a Pixel smartphone is the quarterly Pixel drop updates, that bring some exclusive new features and enhancements for your Pixel smartphone. With March underway, Google is now rolling out the first Pixel drop for 2025. It brings some much-needed AI improvements while expanding some features to older devices. Let’s check out what they have in store for us.
New Features in March Drop for Google Pixel Phones
While this update brings a ton of new additions to Pixel smartphone, tablet, and Watch, there is a lot to look out for if you are a Pixel 9 series owner. Here are all the features included in this March 2025 Pixel Drop.
1. Modes Replaces Do Not Disturb
We first saw Modes make a debut with the Android 16 Developer Preview updates. In a weird turn of events, Google has started pushing out this feature to all supported Pixel devices in Android 15.
Modes offers finer controls compared to Do Not Disturb, and you can create personalized Modes depending on the scenario and assign a related icon to it. Thus, you can create modes during bedtime, work, while gaming, or one for weekends. These modes are also accessible from the quick settings panel and the settings app.
2. Notification Cooldown is Here to Stay
Since Android 15 Developer Preview 1, we have been waiting for Notification cooldown to come to a stable release. The feature made a return with Android 16, and it is finally here for all devices. Notification Cooldown silences continuous alerts received in a short amount of time, thus, reducing the annoyance of incoming notifications.
3. AI-powered Scam Detection on Calls and Messages
To fight scammers and other malicious actors, Google is deploying AI into the battlefield with this update. Now the Google Phone app will listen to suspicious language and words that may hint towards a scam, and alert you for the same. The support for scam detection on call is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series, but Pixel 6 and newer devices will have the feature on the Messages app.
4. Connected Camera Support
If you are a live streamer living the Pixel life, then Google has a cool new feature for you. They are adding multi-camera support, letting you connect your phone with another Pixel or a GoPro to create your very own multiple-camera setup for live streams. This feature will be available in popular social media services including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and more.
5. Improvements to Pixel Screenshots App
The Pixel Screenshot app gets some new changes, as the app will automatically suggest you to add certain screenshots to your collection. Another big change for people like me, who need to take a ton of screen captures for articles, the Pixel Screenshot app is finally available for Work profiles. So I don’t have to switch profiles to use this feature.
6. Pixel Studio App Can Finally Create People
When we last took a look at the Pixel Studio app, one of our biggest gripes was its inability to create people. The Pixel Studio app would downright refuse to do it. But finally, Google decided to let us generate images of people with the help of AI, making the Studio app even more fun and useful. You can also turn the images into stickers if you want.
7. Wider Support for Google’s Satellite Messaging
With Android 15, Google introduced support for Satellite messaging for emergencies. This lets you connect directly to a satellite to contact 911 when you can’t get a phone signal. This feature was previously limited but is now being expanded across the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe. They are also adding support for carrier satellite messaging on Verizon and T-Mobile for Pixel 9 devices.
8. Transcriptions in Pixel Recorder
The Pixel Recorder app previously added the ability to transcribe your voice recordings. But now Google is making the feature more useful, as it can now create a transcription of your older recordings too. So if you ever wanted a way to transcribe your voice recordings from the past year or two, then there you have it. This feature is available on Pixel 6 devices and above.
9. Dual Screen Video Recording on Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Pixel 9 Pro Fold was one of the best foldables we saw last year in comparison to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, it lacked some features, like the ability to video record and show the preview on both inner and cover displays. Fortunately, this feature is now added to the device, along with the Add Me. So now you can see how the photo would turn out when using Add Me on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
10. Pixel Exclusive Features in Japan and Germany
Not all Pixel-exclusive features are available in all regions at launch. This was the case with Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Recorder AI summaries, Pixel Studio, and AI weather summaries which are finally making their way to Japan and Germany so they can enjoy the AI prowess of these new additions on their Pixel devices.
11. Pixel Watch Updates
The Pixel Watch 3 has received a new loss of pulse detection feature which has been approved by the FDA. So it can tell when your heart stops beating so you can get the immediate care that you need. The Watch 3 will now also be able to track and predict your menstrual cycle, which will be great for female owners of the watch.
The Watch 3 isn’t the only one getting all the love, all Pixel Watch models are also getting improved step measurements when walking for more accurate results.
