Pixel 3
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Google releases its last Pixel 3 security update
Google has released the final security update for the Pixel 3 as it delivers the February update to newer phones.
Android 12 is now rolling out to Pixel phones
The OS is coming to Pixel 3 and above.
Pixel 3 owners say their phones are bricking without warning
Reports are mounting of Pixel 3 phones that suddenly 'brick' — to the point where users can't even recover their devices.
Google's Live Caption feature for Pixel phones now supports calls
Google’s Live Caption tool is not only an important accessibility feature, but it’s also useful in noisy environments like a bar or a subway station. It’s available on Pixel phones and computers through the Chrome browser, and will provide onscreen subtitles for any media that plays audio on your device. With today’s launch of the Pixel 4a, though, Google is unveiling Live Caption for Calls and it’ll be available on the Pixel 2, 3, 3a, 4 and 4a.
Google brings personal safety and battery updates to Pixels
The most timely of these is the rollout of the Pixel 4’s Personal Safety app to all Pixel devices. Google is also adding a Safety Check tool that lets you schedule a check-in from the app at a later time.
The new iPhone SE shows Apple's other phones were overpriced all along
More so than any other iPhone before it, Apple's new SE model shows the company's phones should cost less.
Google brings automatic call screening to all of its Pixel phones
Over the last couple of years, Google has updated older Pixel devices with features that first appear on its most recent phones. The latest tool to make its way from Pixel 4 to the original Pixel, Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 is automatic call screening, which debuted on the former in December.
The Pixel 3a was a turning point for affordable smartphones
When it comes to phones, there hasn't been a year like 2019 in a while. Between the introduction of the first foldables and the rollout of technologies like 5G, 2019 wasn't just another year of comfortable iteration for manufacturers. Instead, it saw the introduction of devices that are likely to define the space moving forward, but none more so than the modest Pixel 3a.
Google's powerful Recorder app now works on older Pixel phones
Over its last few Pixel cycles, Google has made a point of bringing some features of its most recent phone to other devices. This week, for instance, Pixel 4's live audio captioning tool expanded to Pixel 3 and 3a devices. Now, owners of older Pixel handsets can check out one of Pixel 4's niftier aspects: the Recorder app that can capture and transcribe audio simultaneously.
Google's Live Captions come to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3A
Google has rolled out Live Caption to the Pixel 3 and the 3a like it promised back in October. The tech giant debuted the feature, which enables captions for all audio in real-time on your device, at I/O in May. It first landed on the Pixel 4, but now it's also out for the phone's older and more affordable siblings.
Amazon slashes the price of the Google Pixel 3 to $349 (updated)
You don't have to worry if you're put off by Google's Pixel 4, but think the Pixel 3a is too much of a compromise. Amazon is currently selling the Pixel 3 line starting at just $349 for the smaller 64GB model -- that's $50 less than the official price for a 3a. You can also snag the 128GB version for $449, while the larger Pixel 3 XL with 64GB of storage is available for the same $449. The discounts for these phones end on December 2nd, so you'll want to move fast if you've been waiting for a price drop like this.
Google's compact, Pixel 4-like Assistant starts reaching older phones
If you're not in a rush to get a Pixel 4 but would like a small taste of its Assistant upgrades, you're about to get your fix. Google is rolling out a compact, more Pixel 4-like version of its AI helper to older Android phones, so far focusing on Pixel 3 owners. The new version no longer monopolizes the screen when it provides an answer -- instead, it occupies only the space it needs. You might not feel quite so lost when you ask a question.
Google's Pixel 3, one year later: Amazing camera, rough start
As Google prepares to unveil the Pixel 4, surely the most leaked phone of all time, it's time to reassess its predecessor. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL arrived this time last year, with many of us balancing the list price ($150 more than the Pixel 2) against some promising camera features. For many of us, the latter won out: The Pixel 3 series packed an incredible camera that set the standard for smartphone photography for the ensuing 12 months. As we outlined in our Pixel 3 review, the major hardware highlights were a notched display, wireless charging and a soft-touch back. Other than that, though, most of the phone's best features lay in the software, whether that was being front of the line for Android updates or those aforementioned camera tricks. The Pixel 3 had a rough start, however, with several bugs ruining the experience for early adopters. Many also had to wait for several marquee Google features to go live. Some of us are still waiting.
These days, Apple is content to follow trends, not set them
Watching this week's Apple event gave me a sense of deja vu. With every new feature the iPhone maker announced, I felt like shouting something along the lines of, "The Simpsons already did it!" It felt as if everything Apple was doing was a riff on something another company had tried and tested before. Sure, Apple might be taking what others did and (possibly) making it better (maybe). But the company is also letting others take risks and innovate in its place, particularly when it comes to photography -- an area where it used to shine.
Android 10 may reach Pixel phones on September 3rd
It's been months since Google started testing Android Q (now Android 10), so where's the finished version? If you believe Canadian carriers, it's right around the corner. Both Rogers (since pulled) and Telus have posted support documents indicating that all Pixel phones will receive Android 10 starting on September 3rd, ranging from the originals through to the Pixel 3a line. We'd treat these dates with skepticism, but they line up with Google's recent history of releasing finished Android versions in late summer for the Pixel line and other devices with virtually stock software.
It's time to take Google's Pixel phones more seriously
Google got a lot right with the Pixel 3a. It has excellent cameras, reliable performance, respectable battery life and clever software. Best of all, at $400, the Pixel 3a costs half the original price of the flagship Pixel 3. And this formula of compelling features at a relatively lower price has proven successful. Google said Pixel sales for this quarter are double what they were a year ago.
Google quietly shelves custom Pixel phone cases
Google's Pixel 3a might have been good news for fans of mid-range phones, but it marked the death knell for one of the company's signature phone features: its customizable cases. The 9to5Google crew has discovered that Google axed the personalized My Cases it introduced alongside the Pixel 3, leaving you with just the ordinary fabric cases if you insist on getting official protection. The company's support page now says that the accessories are "no longer sold by Google."
The Pixel 3a vs. the Pixel 3 and Pixel 2: What's changed?
It's only May but we're already getting new a Pixel phone, just in time for Google I/O. But this release isn't a full-fledged Pixel 4, which we'll probably see this October. Instead, it's the 3a, a slightly stepped down version of Google's flagship with a discounted price to match. How stepped down is it, exactly? We've lined up all the important details about both the 3 and 3a as well as 2017's Pixel 2 to see what corners got cut. However, to see if it's really worth your time and money, we recommend giving our review of its larger sibling a peep.
The Pixel 3 can automatically take your 'best' selfie
For its latest AI-powered trick, the Pixel 3 identifies your expressions to automatically snap selfies. Courtesy of an update to the front-facing camera's Photobooth mode, Google's flagship can capture shots when you're smiling, kissing/pouting, sticking your tongue out, puffing your cheeks, or looking surprised.
Childish Gambino will host an immersive Pixel 3 event at Coachella
Childish Gambino teamed up with Google to promote the Pixel's Playground mode earlier this year -- now the collaboration is continuing at Coachella, where the rapper will host a festival experience designed to show off the Pixel 3's Night Sight capabilities.
