Pixel Phones Receive New Feature Drop; Pixel 7a Leaks Online

Google has finally announced its first big feature drop for 2023, which brings some much-welcome updates to its Pixel smartphones. Previously, Google added Fall Detection for the Pixel Watch, and the company has now moved to updating its Pixel phones with some rather nifty features.

One feature that now makes its way to the older Pixel 6 and 6 Pro is improved Night Sight photo processing, allowing users to take lowlight photographs a lot faster and quicker. This feature originally appeared on the Pixel 7 series phones, although Night Sight itself was introduced by Google way back.

Google has also made its Magic Eraser editing feature available for older Pixel devices, which allows users to edit and remove unwanted subjects in their photos. Magic Eraser was also recently made available on other devices connected to Google One account subscriptions, including iPhones too.

As for other features included in the update, Google’s “Direct my Call” is now available for the Pixel 4a, and lets users bypass lengthy menu options during calls to businesses and such. Also added is Google Health Connect, a software feature which allows users to store, connect and share data from their compatible health and fitness apps.

Meanwhile, “At a Glance” functionality has also received a new update, that will show the countdown on a user’s Pixel phone simultaneously with any compatible and connected Nest devices. Google has also added Dual eSIM with Dual SIM standby for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro handsets. With all that being said, users can view the full list of features on Google’s Official webpage. As for Pixel 6 and 6 Pro owners however, it should be noted that the updates for the Pixel 6 series might come at a later date, as reports come in of a March 20 schedule.

In other Google-related news, leaked photos showing the Pixel 7a in all its glory have popped up online, giving us a clearer view of what the phone will look like once it launches. The photos were shared by Zingnews, a Vietnamese tech website. The photos show hands-on usage of a Pixel 7a prototype up close, which incorporates several familiar Pixel design elements, such as the glossy rear panels, rectangular camera bar, as well as metal railing on the sides.

The original article states that the device is a software prototype, and as a result is not the retail version that Google might launch for retail and carriers. The report also states that the prototype was locked remotely after the images were shared online.

Other Pixel 7a leaks claim that the phone might feature a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Google Tensor G2 chip, up to 8GB of RAM, a 64MP Sony IMX787 sensor and 12MP UW camera, 5W wireless charging, and will be pre-loaded with Android 13. As for the phone’s release, we might see it unveiled at Google I/O 2023, which is set to take place on 10th May.