Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro
Prakhar Khanna
Google is rolling out its quarterly Pixel Drop update for June 2026, and it includes a bunch of new features alongside the stable build of Android 17. The company is expanding AirDrop support for older budget Pixel phones, bringing Pixel 10 AI features to more devices, and adding new AI models, among other things. This is Google’s biggest update of 2026, and you should install it on your compatible Pixel phone right now.
Here are some of the most notable features coming to your Google Pixel phone with the June 2026 update.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The stable build of Android 17 is now live for Google Pixel 6 and newer phones. It brings new features like App Bubbles, which lets you turn any app into a floating bubble on your main screen.
You can access it with a long press on an app, which will create an easy-to-access bubble. This feature is useful for those of us who consistently switch back and forth between apps or need to access a certain app often. For instance, I can quickly glance at my flight app for boarding without exiting my work app at an airport.
If you have a foldable Pixel phone, Google is adding a special Bubble Bar at the bottom of the screen to let you access and organize your recent bubbles from one dedicated space. Speaking of foldable phones, Google says it'll soon roll out a 50/50 gaming mode for folding screens. It will add a dynamic gaming pad on the bottom half of your screen and run the game on the top half.
Android 17 also brings Screen Reactions, which is geared toward social media creators. It lets you take a selfie video overlaid on a screen recording—you no longer need a green screen for it. Other features include built-in parental controls beyond Pixel devices, boosted security, and an enhanced "Mark as lost" feature in the Google Find Hub.
ForbesGoogle Aims To Reinvent The Laptop With Gemini-First GooglebookYou can now edit photos with your voice on more Pixel phones.
Prakhar Khanna
Magic Cue was one of the features I loved when reviewing the Pixel 10 last year. It showed contextual information on my screen as an overlay, based on the on-screen content. However, it worked on a limited set of apps back then. Google says the Magic Cue feature is expanding to "more apps where conversations are happening." While it didn't reveal the names of these new apps, it is promising to see the feature coming to more chat and social apps.
Google is also expanding its Edit Photos feature to more markets. It will now be available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. For context, Edit Photos allows you to... you guessed it, edit your pictures with your voice. Instead of toggling settings from the menu, you can ask your Pixel phone to perform editing tasks ranging from simple touch-ups to more expansive edits. It is available on the Pixel 6 series and newer models.
Google Pixel 9a
Prakhar Khanna
I work on a Mac but use a Vivo X300 Ultra as my daily driver, and AirDrop support on Android has been a godsend for me. If your workflow also involves interacting with both Apple and Google ecosystems, you'd be glad to know that the company is expanding AirDrop support to older Pixel phones. Both Pixel 9a and Pixel 8a will now show Apple devices in their Quick Share menu.
For the Pixel 10a, which already supports AirDrop file sharing, Google is also adding support for its Voice Translate feature. It lets you translate your speech into another language (and in your own voice!) during a call. It was rolled out with the Pixel 10 series launch last August but is now coming to the $500 Google phone, which means it doesn't require the latest processor and 12GB of RAM. This means it could roll out to more previous-generation Pixel devices in the future.
Google's Manual Call Screen feature allows you to tap the call screen button during an incoming call and ask the caller why they're calling you. It also shows you a real-time transcript of the caller's answer, suggests replies, and gives you the option to hang up or accept the call.
It is part of the company’s Call Assist tool, but it was rolled out to limited markets. Google is now expanding its support to Pixel 10 series phones in India. However, Manual Call Screen is available on the Pixel 6 series and newer models in other markets. Hopefully, it’ll expand to older Pixel phones in the country.
Google Pixel Watches
Getty Images
The June 2026 Pixel Drop update brings the Gemini Omni video generation model and the Lyria 3 music generation model to the Gemini app on Pixel phones. The former is only available to AI Pro subscribers and higher, whereas Lyria 3 is coming to Pixels running Android 17.
The new update is also adding a feature to Pixel watches. If you own one of these wearables, you might know that it can detect certain emergencies, like car crashes, falls, and loss of pulse. Google is upgrading this feature to allow the Pixel Watch to automatically call emergency services and notify your designated emergency contacts through the connected Pixel phone.
The upgraded Fall Detection feature is now rolling out to all Pixel watches, while Car Crash Detection is coming to the Pixel Watch 2, 3, and 4. However, Loss of Pulse Detection will only be available on the Pixel Watch 3 and 4.
Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 Pro
Prakhar Khanna
With so many features coming to Google products in a single update, you might be wondering if your Pixel phone is supported. As aforementioned, this update is available on Pixel 6 and newer models, and here's a list of all supported Google phones for more clarity:
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。