Pixel phones updated with new gesture controls, emoji, AR effects and more – TechCrunch

One of the benefits of owning a Pixel smartphone is that it improves over time as the Pixels are the first to receive updates that provide the latest fixes and improvements. The first round of new features arrived in December, including a filter for automated calls, more photo controls, improved Duo calls, etc. Today Google Says Pixel Owners Get a second set of additions, this time with new music controls, new emoji, even more photo and video features, extensive emergency help features, improvements to Google Pay, and many more.

Last year, Google introduced a new type of gesture control called Motion Sense with the introduction of the Pixel 4. The idea is that you can now control your phone without having to touch it. Instead, the smartphone detects the wave from your hands and translates it into software commands.

Motion Sense has already allowed Pixel 4 owners to move forward or backward to a previous song. With today's update, they will also be able to pause and resume music by tapping over the phone.

Google suggests that this will be an easy way to pause your music when you need to have a conversation. But in reality, it will only be useful if it works consistently – and so far, critics have said that the Motion Sense system was picky and underdeveloped. Of course, this could change over time.

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Another improvement today is a Pixel 4 update Personal security app, who arrived for the first time in October. The app uses the phone's sensors to detect if you have had a serious car accident and checks with you if you need help. It also allows American users to call 911 with a key or voice command. If you do not answer, the phone shares your location and contact information with emergency responders. Now the functionality is coming to users in Australia (000) and the United Kingdom (999).

The new update package also includes additional AR effects for the Google Duo video call app, which can change with your expression and move around the screen. These are not Duo's first effect set, but updating the effects list is essential for social communication applications.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 4's selfie camera can now create images with depth, which improves blurry portrait and color, and lets you create 3D photos for Facebook.

Pixel phones will now receive emoji version 12.1 update that hit the iPhone with the iOS 3.2 update in October 2019, and which arrived on Twitter in January 2020. The set includes 169 new, more inclusive emoji, offering a wider range of gender and skin tones as well as more combinations of couples.

A change to Google Pay will now allow you to press and hold the power button to browse your debit and credit cards, event tickets, event cards boarding and other stored items. This comes first in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Taiwan and Singapore.

You can also now take a screenshot of the barcode of a boarding pass, then tap a notification to add it to Google Pay, and then receive updates from flight in real time in the form of notifications. This will be rolled out in all countries with Google Play on Pixel 3, 3a and 4 in March.

For experienced users, another useful addition now allows you to configure rules based on Wi-Fi or physical location. For example, you can configure your phone to automatically silence your ringtone when you get to work, or go into Do Not Disturb mode when you get home, among other things.

Other new features include the deployment of Live Caption (automatic subtitles) on Pixel 2 phones, the ability to schedule Dark theme turns off and on, an easier way to access emergency contacts and medical information, improved long press options to get faster help from your apps and a Adaptive brightness update for easier reading in direct sunlight.

Google says the new feature set will be rolled out from today. You may not see it immediately, but you should do it fairly quickly.