Google’s Pixel devices have always had the advantage of receiving new software functionality through occasional feature drops, which add some improvements and fixes to the pre-existing set of software features. With the arrival of the December 2022 update, it seems that Google has decided to give Pixel users a healthy serving of new features.
The update itself is rather large, coming in at around 470 MB, although this is pretty unsurprising given the wealth of new features that come with the update. For one, the update includes connectivity features for better syncing between the Pixel Watch and Pixel handsets, although this isn’t the only surprise Google had in store.
Also included in the update is the new VPN by Google One, which comes at no extra cost. Google says that its VPN service is designed to help users keep their online activity private and confidential, and its payment-free nature is admittedly a much-welcome addition to the update.
Google has unified the Pixel’s privacy and security options within the Settings app, which combines both categories in one place. This also comes with new “action cards” that provide users with notifications regarding security risks, as well as helpful measures to combat such.
Google also introduced a new “Clear Calling” feature for Pixel 7 and 7 Pro handsets, which works by reducing background noise on the other end of the line while simultaneously enhancing the voice of the other caller. Speaking of voices, the Pixel Recorder app likewise got a boost with new “speaker labels.” English recordings and transcripts on Pixel 6 7 devices will now enable the Recorder app to identify and label each speaker, and can even insert line breaks when the speaker changes. The labels themselves are customizable as well.
Pushing further with its Fitbit integration, “Sleep Profile” is now available for Pixel Watch, which gives users better information and insight into their sleep patterns and habits. With a Fitbit Premium feature, the results gathered from user data can adjust monthly based on personal metrics and behavior, providing better ways to adjust sleep accordingly.
With that said, these are only a few of the many features and under-the-hood fixes introduced with the December 2022 update (you can check out more changes here). The software patch is available for several Pixel phones, from the Pixel 4a up to the latest Pixel 7 series.
