We ring in the new year with updates that make your Pixel phone even more helpful: from a new way to search on your phone to measuring your body temperature. These features will be rolled out today and in the coming weeks.
For those who want to start the year 'fresh', the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are now available in a brand new, striking Mint color via the Google Store.
Take your temperature with the Pixel 8 Pro
With the new medical feature in the Thermometer app of the Pixel 8 Pro, you can scan your forehead with your phone to accurately measure your body temperature. The results can be easily saved in your Fitbit profile for better insight into your health and well-being.
Search everything on your phone with a simple gesture
On January 31, Circle to Search will be launched to make searching on your Pixel 8 and Pro 8 easier. Google AI introduces a new way to search on your phone without having to switch apps. Press and hold the Pixel home button or navigation bar in the app you are currently using and circle, highlight, or tap on what you see to get more information from Google Search. Use Circle to Search to find out what clothing a creator wore in a video, or to get extra help with a difficult crossword puzzle. All of this can be done without leaving your app. And with the latest AI- updates from multisearch, you can ask a more complex question about an image you are searching for, such as whether a particular plant needs fertilizer.
Enhance your messages with Magic Compose for Google Messages
Use Google's generative AI to rewrite a drafted message in different styles with Magic Compose, available on Pixel 6 and newer phones. You can use this feature to make your messages more concise, professional, or even dramatic - like Shakespeare. This is all possible on the Pixel 8 Pro thanks to Gemini Nano, Google's most efficient model for on-device tasks.
Respond with a personal Photomoji
Want to respond to a message with a picture of you or your loyal four-legged friend? With Photomoji in Google Messages, you can turn your favorite photos on your device into emojis using Google AI. Select the photo, and the app will recognize the main object in the photo, and press send. Your creations will be saved in a special tab so you can reuse them. As a bonus, your friends in group chats can also use your sent Photomoji.
Quickly share your content
Earlier this month, we announced an update for one of our most beloved features. With Quick Share, you can quickly share photos, files, and texts from your Pixel to billions of compatible devices in the Android, ChromeOS, and Windows ecosystem. Previously, Quick Share was known as Nearby Share. Tap the new Quick Share icon on the share sheet, and you will see a list of devices nearby that you can share content with, even when you are offline. You have full control over your privacy and can choose in your settings who can find your device and send files: everyone, only your contacts, or only your own devices.
Audio Switch expands to Pixel Watch
Pixel Buds Pro automatically connect when you switch between paired devices - so you don't have to switch them manually. Now you can switch your Pixel Buds Pro from your Pixel Watch to any Pixel phone or the Pixel Tablet, and receive handy notifications about where your audio is switching. This makes the experience of switching between devices even smoother.
