For a while now, Google hasn’t been content with releasing major versions of Android once a year only. The company offers smaller, more iterative updates known asFeature Drops for its Pixel devices, which it releases once every quarter along with the usual monthly Android security patch. After an ominous delay of a week, Googlehas just released the March Feature Drop, and it has also shared what exactly is new in it.
The March Feature Drop is the second quarterly update to come toAndroid 13, and it has arrived after an extensive beta period. Google usually releases security patches and Feature Drops on the first Monday of the month, but this time around, the company is delayed by a week. It’s unclear what exactly the holdup was, though it isn’t unprecedented. The company experienced some hiccups around the same time last year when it was still fine-tuning adjustments for its then brand-new Tensor, its very own Google-branded SoC.
A leak already offered a glimpseat what to expect with this quarter’s Feature Drop last week, and the company has basically confirmed that it’s accurate with its announcement today.
Pixel 7 camera features are coming to more devices
Google has released animproved version of Night Sightfor theGoogle Pixel 6and 6 Pro, which it first introduced on theGoogle Pixel 7and 7 Pro. The company says that it was able to squeeze this out of the original Tensor chip thanks to new and improved algorithms.
Your Pixel phone can now show you timers from your smart speakers
If your home is littered with some of thebest Google Assistant speakers, you may have found yourself wishing to see timers you’ve set on those on your phone. The March Feature Drop makes this a reality, with the At a Glance widget in the top left corner of your home screen showing which timers you have active on your connected devices. When the timer goes off, a push notification will let you mute it right on your phone or add another minute with one tap. This only works with Google speakers. The Google Home Max is specifically excluded, though. This initially started rolling out in November last year, so we presume that it’s merely becoming more widely available in the next few weeks.
Starting with the March Feature Drop, Pixel phones now come with offerHealth Connect as a pre-installed app. This tool makes it easier to sync health and fitness data across various apps and services. It’s rumored that the service will soon be pre-installed on all Android phones, which would make it easier for app developers to focus on their own services rather than supporting different sync options.
Pixels are becoming even better for phone calls
Google is also introducingDirect My Callon older Pixel phones.The Pixel 4a and newer can now show menu options when you call “the most popular toll-free numbers in the US” even before the automated voice lists them all. Google additionally revealed thatHold for Meis expanding to Japan, making it the third fourth country the service is available in addition to the US, Australia, and Canada.
On the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, it’s now also possible touse two eSIMs at the same timevia Dual SIM Dual Standby. This is only available for select carriers and networks, though.
Your Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro is a car key for your brand-new BMW
Google is finally putting the ultra-wideband antennas in the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro to good use. The March Feature Drop enables digital car key support, which turns your Pro phone into a hands-free solution to open your car. Once everything is set up, you just need to approach your vehicle and it will open automatically. Unfortunately, this is only available on “select 2022+ BMW models,” so for most of us will probably have upgraded to new phones by the time we can use this option. In any case, Google says the option will roll out “in the coming weeks.”
The Pixel Watch is getting Fall Detection and better customization options
Google also has theGoogle Pixel Watchin mind with the March Feature Drop, though the smartwatch received the headlining feature last month already. After months of rumors and teasers, it finally supportsFall Detection.This option does exactly what its name implies. It detects falls and automatically calls emergency services for you when you don’t respond or move within a certain time frame. Fall Detection can differentiate between sports and minor falls, and should be relatively hard to trigger on accident.
Google will also roll out new sound and display settings for all Wear OS 3 devices. The company is tight-lipped on details, but these will make it possible to turn on accessibility option like mono audio, color-correction and grayscale modes, and more.
Features spotted in the QPR2 betas
Like with other bigger releases, Google has been beta testing the March Feature Drop under the all-too-complicated “Android 13 Quarterly Platform Release 2” moniker, or QPR2 for short. It already gives us an idea of some further tweaks to Android 13, which are now rolling out to all Android phones.
As part of the QPR2 betas, Google introduced a few small design tweaks. When you swipe down in the notification shade to reveal all your quick settings tiles, you’ll notice that the clock in the top left corner is moving a bit and growing in size. The eagle-eyed among you may also notice that the padding and icon density has been tweaked ever so slightly in the Pixel Launcher.
There is also a new security measure that prevents you from screenshotting your Wi-Fi credentials, making sharing QR codes with your password just a little more difficult. While we’re on the subject of security, this update also bringsAndroid’s March 5 security patches, which include a fix for a critical vulnerability in Android System that could lead to remote code execution.
Install the March Feature Drop right away
As always, you can head to your system settings and search forsystem updateto get started with the installation process. You can also get thefactory imagesand theOTA filesfrom Google’s official resources if you’d prefer a faster installation route. Every Pixel phone newer than the Pixel 4a is eligible for the release. If you’re currently using the Android 13 QPR2 beta and would like to stay on the stable channel from now on, don’t forget toopt out of the beta program.
