Today, Google announced some new features that are coming to supported Pixel phones, meaning the Pixel 2 or higher. The Mountain View company says that it thinks your phone should get better over time, so it"s promising regular "feature drops".
First is the ability to add a portrait effect to existing photos. You"ll be able to add the background blur to any photo, whether it"s one you just took and forgot to turn on portrait mode, or one that you took years ago. Naturally, this will happen through Google Photos.
There"s a new update for Call Screen that uses Google Assistant to filter out robocalls before the phone even rings. And if it turns out to not be a robocall, your phone will ring with more information on who is calling. This feature is actually still exclusive to the Pixel 4 series.
You"ll also find improvements to video calls on Duo, such as auto-framing. Your phone will automatically center you in the video, and if someone in the room jumps behind you, it will reframe the shot. You"ll also be able to use a portrait mode effect on your video calls, to blur your background. And finally, Google is promising better quality calls, using machine learning to fix choppy audio.
Google also noted a few other things, such as the availability of the Pixel 4"s Recorder app on older devices. Live Caption is coming to the Pixel 3 series, Flip to Shhh is coming to Digital Wellbeing on the Pixel 2, and the Pixel 4 is getting the new Google Assistant in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, and Australia. Google will also be releasing an update for all Pixel phones with improved memory management.