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March 2025 Pixel Update: Cool camera tricks, Emergency SOS grows, and app upgrades

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Google

Google kicked off the March 2025 Pixel Update today, alongside Android 15 QPR2. This update brings fresh features for Pixel phones, including better apps, new camera tools, and improved ways to stay connected. The rollout starts now, so keep an eye on your device!

Fun New Features

The Find My Device app now lets you share your location with friends, while Android Auto adds full games for some in-car entertainment. Google’s Gemini Live, powered by the speedy Gemini 2.0 Flash, is smarter and can chat in over 45 languages—no settings tweak needed. For Pixel 6+ users, you can now talk about pictures, files, or YouTube clips with the new Talk Live feature. Plus, Google teased live camera and screen-sharing tools coming soon, thanks to Project Astra.

Pixel 9’s Camera Gets Connected

The Pixel 9 series now has a “Connected Camera” option. You can link up a GoPro HERO10 Black (or newer) or a Pixel 6 to stream from different angles. A small pop-up lets you switch between cameras or add new ones. It works with apps like YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook, using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The Pixel Fold series also gets a dual-screen mode for video, showing the recording on the outer screen. On the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Dual Screen helps line up shots with the Add Me feature.

SOS Goes Farther

Satellite SOS is now available in Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, the UK, and Europe for Pixel 9 users. It’s free for two years and lets you reach emergency services without a cell signal. T-Mobile and Verizon users on Pixel 9 models can also send texts via satellite, including to 911 or friends.

App Updates

Pixel Studio on the Pixel 9 can now create images of people, thanks to Gemini’s Imagen 3 upgrade. Pixel Screenshots suggests items for your Collections, letting you save or trash them easily. It’s also rolling out to Work Profiles in English, Japanese, and German. In Japan and Germany, Pixel 9 owners get new goodies like AI weather updates and pollen tracking in Pixel Weather.

The Phone app now spots scams in real time on Pixel 9 in the US, vibrating to warn you. Google Messages adds scam alerts too, with quick options to report or dismiss them, starting in the US, UK, and Canada. Lastly, Gboard’s Voice Toolbar hits phones after debuting on the Pixel Tablet.

Android

Android 15 grows slowly, while Google brings new AI tools to search and creators

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Android 15

Google has shared the latest Android version usage numbers, showing that Android 15 is still in the early stages of adoption. As of April 2025, only 0.1% of Android devices are using Android 15. This version is currently in its beta phase, mostly available on Pixel and select partner phones. Android 14 leads the way with a 35.2% share, followed by Android 13 at 17.3% and Android 12 at 15.4%. Android 11 still holds 12.4%, showing how long older versions stick around.

Meanwhile, Google is also making changes in its AI efforts. The Gemini AI “prompt bar,” first seen in the Chrome browser, is now being tested in Google Search. This new feature lets users type or click suggestions to ask questions directly using Gemini, making search more interactive. It’s rolling out to more people gradually.

In addition to that, Google introduced Veo, a powerful video generation tool for creators. Veo can make high-quality videos from simple text prompts, using advanced AI to understand scenes, emotions, and cinematic styles. Google is currently letting select creators try Veo through a waitlist.

Together, these updates show how Google is improving both its Android platform and AI services. While Android 15 adoption is just beginning, features like the Gemini prompt bar and Veo highlight the company’s growing focus on AI to enhance user experiences across devices and tools.

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Android

Pixel Watch gets better media controls, and Android tests bubble bar for phones

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Android 16

Google is rolling out two new updates that aim to improve the experience on Android devices, including the Pixel Watch and Android phones.

First, the Pixel Watch is getting upgraded media controls. With the new update, users can now swipe between different media apps like Spotify and YouTube Music more easily. Instead of going back and forth through menus, you can just swipe left or right to switch apps. The update also adds a shortcut to quickly launch the full media app right from the watch. This makes listening to music or podcasts much smoother and faster.

Meanwhile, Google is testing a new feature for Android phones called the “bubble bar.” This new feature is meant to replace or enhance the current taskbar and app dock. It looks like a small floating bar with app icons, similar to bubbles. Users can easily switch between apps without going back to the home screen. The bubble bar could be especially helpful for larger-screen devices like foldables or tablets, making multitasking simpler.

These updates show how Google is working to make Android more user-friendly across different devices. While the Pixel Watch update is starting to roll out now, the bubble bar is still being tested, so it may take a while before it becomes available to everyone.

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Android

Android Auto weather card not working for many users

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Android Auto has recently had a small but annoying problem—its weather card isn’t showing up for many users. Usually, this feature shows the current temperature and weather condition in the top corner of the dashboard, which is helpful while driving. But now, for a lot of people, it’s either missing or just showing a blank space.

Reports about this issue have been popping up on Google’s support forums and Reddit over the past week. Some users say the card disappeared after a recent Android Auto update, while others noticed it went away without any changes to their apps or settings.

What’s odd is that Google hasn’t confirmed if this is a bug or a planned change. As of now, there’s no official fix or update. Some users tried restarting their phones, clearing cache, or reinstalling the app, but these steps didn’t work for everyone.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Android Auto has had similar issues with the weather card in the past, which were usually fixed through updates. Until Google releases a fix or gives more info, users will just have to wait and hope the card comes back soon.

If you’re affected, it’s a good idea to keep your app and phone updated in case a fix rolls out.

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