The latest Google Pixel feature drop gives users quicker ways to reach frequent contacts, a fresh scam alert to counter fraudulent texts and two months of Audible access timed to the release of new Harry Potter audiobooks.
The September update arrives a month after the launch of Google’s Pixel 11 line, and the new features are available to anyone using a Pixel 6 or newer device.
Faster Contacts and Scam Protection
An update to Google’s Pixel VIP feature, which lets you designate up to eight contacts as close friends and family, now allows you to create home screen widgets that tap to call or text your favourite people. If you call someone especially frequently, you no longer need to dig through your phone or text app first.
New Scam Detection alerts in the Gboard keyboard work across chat apps, showing a warning pop-up when the phone detects a likely scam text message. This joins the existing Scam Detection alerts in notifications, which are receiving a regional expansion with support for more languages.
Harry Potter Themes and Audible Offer
Pixel phones will receive Harry Potter theme packs for customising the home screen, icons and sounds, arriving as part of a promotional tie-in with the Audible release of Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions audiobook. Anyone with a Pixel 6 or newer will get the packs, along with an offer for two months of Audible access, whether or not they wish to stream Harry Potter.
Pixel Watch Gesture Updates
Google is also updating its Pixel Watch this week, with improvements to how the raise-to-talk gesture works on the Pixel Watch 4 and 5, along with a one-handed pinch gesture for opening the notification tray on the Pixel Watch 3 and newer.
The Pixel Drop follows Apple’s release of iOS 27, which adds an updated Siri AI along with a range of AI features to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer. Apple’s iOS 27 works on devices as old as 2019’s iPhone 11, promising performance improvements along with an overhauled device search.
