Google yesterday released the third feature drop along with the June 2020 security patch for its Pixel phones which packs plenty of new features and enhancements. The update is already rolling out to all compatible Pixel phones out there and should be available to all over the next few days.
While Google has already given an overview of the changes that it is bringing with the third feature-drop, there are plenty of other changes and enhancements as well in the software update. Below is a look at all the new features and changes that the third feature drop introduces for the Pixel phones.
Improved Adaptive Battery
One of the major issues with the Pixel 4 series is its poor battery life. Despite various software features, the small batteries inside the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are simply not good enough to ensure that the devices last through a day. With the third feature drop, Google has improved the Adaptive Battery feature in Android 10 to make sure your Pixel lasts longer. The improvements should also be visible on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3.
Quickly Start a Voice Recording
You can now use Google Assistant to quickly start or search for a voice recording. Simply say "Hey Google, start recording my meeting" to start the voice recording. Similarly, you can search for recording voice notes using Google Assistant. If you want, you can even save a transcript of the recorded voice notes directly to Google Docs. This feature is only going to be available on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 though.
New Bedtime mode and tools
With the third Pixel feature drop, Google is renaming the Wind Down mode in Digital Wellbeing to Bedtime mode and adding new features to it. When you enable Bedtime mode, it will automatically enable Do Not Disturb as well to silence all your incoming calls, text, and app notifications. Your phone"s display will also switch to a Grayscale mode to ensure that your sleep cycle is not affected by harmful lights or bright colors. Bedtime mode can be customized to automatically enable itself at a set time every day or you can also set it to turn itself on when you put your phone on charge. There"s also a new toggle in Quick Settings using which you can quickly enable Bedtime mode. The new Bedtime mode is making its way to all Pixel devices.
Bedtime in Clock App
A regular bedtime is very important for a consistent sleep cycle and for this, Google has updated the Clock app with a new Bedtime tab. You can set your daily sleep and wake times to help maintain a consistent sleep schedule. You will receive a reminder before bedtime along with an option to play calm and soothing sounds on YouTube Music, Spotify, or Calm. The app will also give you a preview of your calendar entries for the next day along with the total hours of sleep that you will get when you set an alarm.
To ensure that you are not woken up harshly from your sleep, there"s a new Sunrise Alarm feature. Your Pixel will give a visual cue 15 minutes before your wake up time and play your favorite song or sound so that you wake up gently from your sleep. These new features will also make its way to other Android devices later this summer via the Clock app.
New Safety Features
Google is making its Personal Safety app available to all Pixel devices. So far, it was only available on the Pixel 4. It offers Car Crash Detection which was so far exclusive to the Pixel 4 series. This feature, however, will only be available in certain languages and regions.
Additionally, there"s a new Safety Check feature as well which can schedule a check-in from the app at a later time for your safety. For example, if you are out hiking alone, you can set Safety Check to check-in on you after an hour. Your Pixel will check back on you after the specified time and if you don"t mark yourself as safe, it will automatically send a message to your emergency contacts with your real-time location. The new safety features are going to be available across all Pixel phones.
Improved Face Unlock
A number of Pixel 4 owners are reporting an improved Face to unlock experience after installing the third feature drop on their device.
June 2020 Security Patch
The third feature drop for the Pixel phones comes in tandem with the June 2020 security patch. Apart from fixing a bunch of security issues, the update fixes a number of System UI and connectivity related bugs and comes with other functional patches.
Have you received the third feature drop on your Pixel phones? If you have noticed any other changes in the update, share them with us in the comments below!