It's been a while since we last saw Google deliver a proper Pixel Feature Drop, as the company's been preoccupied with getting Android 12 out the door. All Android devices got a boost in functionality last week, delivering improvements to widgets, Photos, Assistant, and more, but if that wasn't enough for you, you're in luck. The first Pixel Feature Drop since the launch of Google's latest phones is here, bringing along a whole slew of changes to every currently supported device.

Announced alongside the Pixel 6 back in October, Snapchat's Quick Tap to Snap is now available for the Pixel 4a 5G and newer devices. It uses the Quick Tap shortcut on the back of the phone to open directly to the viewfinder, letting you shoot all of your temporary photos and videos faster than ever. Snapchat is also adding a new "Pixel Face" filter exclusive to these phones, with more lenses to come in future Feature Drops.

The Sound Amplifier app is getting a new accessibility feature to help improve communication between those who are hard of hearing. Conversation mode uses on-device machine learning to turn out surrounding noise. You just point your camera at the person speaking with you, and the app takes care of the rest. It's still in early access, but Pixel users can start using it today as early testers.

Now Playing remains one of the best tools exclusive to Pixel phones, and it's about to get even better with a couple of new additions. First, you can now manually search for a song if it hasn't been automatically identified, Shazam-style. Obviously, this action will require connecting to the internet, but it's handy to have nonetheless. Second, on the Pixel 4 and newer devices, identified songs can be added to a favorites list right from the lock screen, available within your Now Playing history. We've heard about both of these features in recent leaks, and it's great they're finally coming to phones starting today.

Finally, there's a grab bag of new content worth highlighting. The Pixel Buds A-Series now have improved bass control, available directly within the partner app on any Android 6.0+ device. Ultra-wideband is now enabled on the Pixel 6 Pro, with improvements to Nearby Share to make sending content to other supported phones faster and more secure. New wallpapers celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities are available in the personalization menu. Car crash detection is now supported in Taiwan, Italy, and France, while the Recorder app now recognizes German, French, and Japanese. Finally, you can now adjust google Assistant's power button activation duration.

Today's Feature Drop is available for the Pixel 3a to the Pixel 5a right now, with Pixel 6 and 6 Pro devices receiving updates next week.

UPDATE: 2021/12/06 14:33 EST BY WILL SATTELBERG

Pixel December update

In addition to today's Feature Drop, Google announced its monthly update for its supported Pixel phones. Along with the December security patch, there are more than 100 changes, fixes, and improvements to its phones, with a specific focus on ironing out some of the quirks of its latest devices. Check out our coverage here for more info on everything it includes.