January patches for Google's Pixels are now live, together with a decent set of functional patch notes. Outside your usual security improvements, that means Pixel owners can also look forward to a handful of fixes, including some sound fixes for the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G, better automatic brightness on this year's phones, plus call improvements on certain MVNOs, and auto-rotation improvements across the whole currently supported Pixel lineup — no longer including the Pixel 2.
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We live in a 24/7 world that has taken "work from home" to a whole new meaning and yet, Google seems to think we all live, work, and sleep the same hours. At least, that's what its Pixel phones with adaptive charging seem to think. That probably needs to change.
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Google announced a new set of "Pixel Drop" features yesterday, adding a long list of capabilities to its existing devices. Well, sort of. As usual, Google's definition of what counts as a "new" feature is suspect. Many of the features in this latest update have been available on newer members of the Pixel family, and others are just tweaks to the previous functionality. Let's dissect this update and see what's new and what's worth getting excited about.
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Google debuted a number of new camera features with the Pixel 5, including a completely revamped interface for the app. Version 8.0 shipped on the new Pixel phones, but some users who tried to install the APK manually ran into trouble. Luckily, it looks like Google is starting to bring the overhauled camera app to older Pixels with v8.1.
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Face unlock for Google's Pixel 4 series of phones just keeps breaking. Some claim the Android 11 upgrade is to blame while others point fingers at more recent monthly updates. A reboot can temporarily fix the issue for some, while others are experiencing the problem in tandem with symptoms associated with the seemingly still-unfixed device sensor issue.
Read MoreNovember updates are rolling out now for Google's Pixels, and that includes the brand-new Pixel 5 and 4a 5G. Functional patch notes mention a whole pile of fixes for both new phones, as well as older Pixels. That includes fixes for the screen waking at certain times when it shouldn't, inadvertently hidden system navigation during full-screen playback, issues with ringer audio for starred contacts in DND mode, and resolutions for a handful of Android Auto bugs. As expected, the Pixel 2 and 2 XL have no update this month.
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Paying via NFC with Google Pay is more convenient, safe, and hygienic than swiping a payment card through a seldomly cleaned payment terminal. These days, almost every flagship phone includes the NFC interface required for Google Pay to function. But that doesn't guarantee that tap-to-pay will actually work. Recently, issues have popped up on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Pixel 5 — but it looks like this problem might be much more far reaching.
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Google tends to play it safe when it comes to the design of its Pixel lineup, but that doesn't mean Pixel owners have to settle for a boring look. While most folks wouldn't consider Google's hardware design very exciting, there's no denying that the company's official fabric cases look a lot more fetching. And right now, the Google Store is offering 50% off Pixel 4 and Pixel 3a fabric cases, dropping the price to just $20.
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Despite Google officially discontinuing the Pixel 4 and 4 XL in favor of the more modern Pixel 5, these handsets remain capable and still boast respectable specs. In fact, the devices aren't even a year old, making them perfectly decent phones to purchase. A standard Pixel 4 actually cost a whopping $800 when it came out, while you can now snatch one for as low as $449 on Amazon.
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Pixel phones combine solid specs and clean software for an really nice, overall Google-y experience — but they don't come without their fair share of issues. From cameras problems on the Pixel 2 to touchscreen bugs on the Pixel 4a, being first in line for software updates can sometimes have a price. Pixel 4 owners have complained about a weird battery bug for months now, and it seems like the recent Android 11 update hasn't fixed anything — and may have only exacerbated the issue.
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