- Google released a feature drop that offers older Pixel 5 functionality.
- The new photo editor, Extreme Battery Saver, Hold for Me and Duo Screen Sharing are included.
- As an extra, you will also receive new wallpapers from The Mandalorian.
You don’t have to buy a Pixel 5 or 4a 5G to get some of the latest software tricks from Google. Google is rolling out a feature drop in December that brings many Pixel 5 features to the Pixel 3 and newer phones (including the Pixel 4), plus an additional treat for The Mandalorian fans.
The promised Extreme Battery Saver mode allows you to extend the extra battery life at the expense of limiting apps and other energy chewing elements. The updated Google Photos editor uses AI to suggest changes that you can make with a single touch of a button. Adaptive Sound improves your phone’s speaker output based on ambient noise. Google Duo now supports screen sharing for group calls. The Assistant for Powered Hold for Me saves you the hassle of listening to music on hold during support calls.
See also: Google Pixel 4a review
Other upcoming features are specific to Pixel 5 and 4a 5G. GPS positioning is more accurate on foot. Your phone can also recognize when a website or app is using a non-native language and offer a Google Lens translation. The adaptive battery should save more power if you’re likely to miss your next charge. Adaptive charging (similar to iOS) improves the health of your phone’s battery by controlling the charging speed based on your alarms. Adaptive connectivity can extend battery life by switching to LTE when you don’t need the raw speed of 5G.
And yes, Mandalorian fans will be happy with Google’s newest pixel feature drop. Anyone using a Pixel 3 or higher can customize the background with new wallpapers from the Star Wars series, including at least one with their favorite child in power.
More icons, grid views, and app shapes are available. You can set background images based on famous art from Google Arts & Culture. If you listen to music frequently, Now Playing’s song recognition can export your history to a YouTube Music playlist.
The Pixel 5’s features will be available for Series 3 and 4 just weeks after Google first released it. While there are still incentives to buy newer phones, the decline in Google features makes it clear that software can keep your older Pixel largely relevant.