Speaking to a source familiar with the company's plans, we've learned that Google intends to launch two new Pixel smartphones on Verizon in early spring 2019 - the Pixel 3 and 3 XL "Lite." An exact announcement date and pricing are not yet known. A Pixel 3 Lite prototype was leaked on a Russian tech blog last month, fueling rampant speculation about where the phone would be sold and how it would be positioned in Google's larger smartphone lineup.
When the Pixel 3 debuted two months back, Google made sure its new flagship lineup was adorned with all the latest bells and whistles, introducing us to a whole bunch of new features in the process. From the get-go, we were curious to learn which of these might also make their way to older Pixel phones, and when. Over the past few weeks more and more have been expanding to new devices, and the latest to spread the love is Playground and its Playmoji packs, now formally available for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL.
Google laid the groundwork for a new app earlier this month, and now you can (maybe) use it. While the prospect of "Pixel Sounds" isn't the most exciting, it improves a part of the Android experience that has long needed an overhaul. Pixel devices will soon have a more expansive set of ringtones with a much prettier interface. The app didn't work when it first popped up, but v2.0 does, and it's rolling out now.
Rumors about a possible budget Pixel phone have been circulating for months, but last month was the first time pictures of one leaked. The 'Pixel 3 Lite,' as it has been referred to, combines the design aesthetic of the Pixels with a midrange Snapdragon 670 processor. Renders of the phone have now leaked, and we're getting our first look at a larger variant.
91Mobiles partnered with OnLeaks to publish renders of the Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 Lite XL.
Call Screen debuted alongside the Pixel 3, allowing users to "screen" calls. While onstage, Google said that the feature would trickle down to the first- and second-generation Pixels in November. That ETA was right on the money for the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, though we're only now hearing reports of it arriving on the first-gen Pixel and Pixel XL.
Several reports of Call Screen hitting the oldest Pixels have surfaced on r/GooglePixel.
When the December security patches arrived yesterday excluding the 2016 Pixels once again, original Pixel owners no doubt wondered if they would have to wait until the end of the month to nab their update like they did in November. Thankfully, that's not the case this month as the factory images and OTAs have arrived just one day late for the first-generation Pixels.
Of course, one day late still isn't ideal for Google hardware, and there's no clear explanation why the delay exists, but ultimately it's a relief that there won't be another several weeks' wait.
According to reviews on the Play Store, the Google Sounds app that just popped up on the platform is super addictive, a great time waster, can turn two speakers into a surround sound experience, and prevents baldness. How is this possible? It's not. It's just an app that updates your sound settings so you can get ringtones that were previously only available on Pixel, and see some funky audio visualizations. At least, that's what it should be - neither of those features are live yet and, at the moment, downloading the app provides users with no real benefit at all.
On the Google Play Store listing there are screenshots of what the app will look like, complete with different-colored visualizations for a variety of sounds you're likely already familiar with if you have a Pixel.
According to reviews on the Play Store, the Google Sounds app that just popped up on the platform is super addictive, a great time waster, can turn two speakers into a surround sound experience, and prevents baldness. How is this possible? It's not. It's just an app that updates your sound settings so you can get ringtones that were previously only available on Pixel, and see some funky audio visualizations. At least, that's what it should be - neither of those features are live yet and, at the moment, downloading the app provides users with no real benefit at all.
On the Google Play Store listing there are screenshots of what the app will look like, complete with different-colored visualizations for a variety of sounds you're likely already familiar with if you have a Pixel.
When we first got to see Google demo its new Duplex service at I/O earlier this year, it was an absolute eye-opener. Digital assistants were evolving to the point where they could effortlessly interact with the general public, able to handle the messy uncertainties of language well enough to make phone calls on our behalf. Ever since, we've been aching for a chance to put this power to use for ourselves, and for a lucky new group of users, that day is finally arriving.
