March 2026 Pixel Drop
New
- Desktop mode [8+]: Be more productive when you connect your Pixel to an external monitor with USB-C, , which enables a multi-window desktop mode
- Desktop windowing on tablet [Tablet]: Arrange and resize windows on your tablet, just like on a desktop
- Now Playing app: A brand new interface for all identified songs
- Gemini automation [10+ excl. 10a]: Automate tasks with the power of Gemini, with the ability to intercept its actions or leave it in the background to do its job
- Custom Icons: Customise your homepage with Scribbles, Cookies, Easel, Treasure, and Stardust
- Comfort view [10+ excl. 10a]: Reduce visual stimulation from very bright or saturated colors

Updated
- Find the look and Try it on with Circle to Search [10+ excl. 10a]: Identify multiple objects and try on some of the clothings virtually from your phone
- At a Glance updates: Get information related to your "Commute", "Sport scores" that you are interested to keep track of , and "Finance" for stocks related thing
- Magic Cue [10+ excl. 10a]: Get restaurant recommendations while you are having a conversation
- Theme packs: A new set of SpongeBob SquarePants seasonal theme packs, available until May 1, 2026

Expansion
- Guided frame: Provides descriptive audio and haptic feedback through your viewfinder, available in more languages and works offline for Pixel 10 series (excl. 10a)
- Connected Cameras: Supports new external cameras, applications, and Pixel devices via USB cable
- Journal app AI features [9+]: Features such as Reflection, Revisit Topics, and Mood ID are arriving to the Pixel 9 series
- Scam Detection [9+ excl. 9a & 10a]: Available in France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Germany, and Japan
- Call Notes [10+ excl. 10a]: Available in India
- Notification summaries [9+ excl. 9a & 10a]: Available in Japanese

More info: Pixel Community | Google Blog
#Updates #A16 #Pixel #Drop @PixelHubUpdates

Chrome to shift to a two-week release cycle
- The change will be effective starting September 2026, around the stable release of Chrome 153.
- All supported platforms and the beta channels are affected; Dev and Canary channels are not affected from this change.
- Google said this move will minimize disruption and simplify post-release debugging with a smaller scope.
- Extended Stable will continue with its existing eight-week cycle.

#News #Chrome @PixelHubUpdates

March 2026 Android Update
Find your lost luggage with Find Hub
- If you have added a tracker that is compatible with the Find Hub network, you can share its location with participating airlines.
- You are in control whether to continue or stop sharing its location at any time.
- Airlines that accept Find Hub locations to recover baggage includes Ajet, Air India, China Airlines, the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss International Airlines), Saudia Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines (with more to come in the near future).

Miscellaneous
- Real-tine location in Google Messages: You can also share location with people you trust directly in Google Messages, powered by Find Hub
- Custom Calling Cards: Previously on Pixel, Phone by Google now lets you create your own calling cards and share it with everyone or your saved contacts.
- Google Play Shorts
- Teacher-Approved Games on Android Auto
- More Emoji Kitchen Combos

More info: Google Blog (2)
#Android @PixelHubUpdates

Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite
- The fastest and most cost-efficient Gemini 3 series model.
- 2.5X faster Time to First Answer Token and 45% increase in output speed when compared with 2.5 Flash.
- Elo score of 1432, 86.9% on GPQA Diamond, and a MMMU Pro score of 76.8% (surpassing larger Gemini models from prior generations like 2.5 Flash).
- Price: $0.25/1M input tokens; $1.50/1M output tokens.
- Currently available in preview via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.

More info: Google Blog
#Apps #Gemini @PixelHubUpdates

Android: Expanded billing options, registered app stores, lower fees
- Developers can include their own billing systems alongside Google Play's billing.
- App stores can participate in the optional Registered App Stores program for a more simplified installation flow (rolling out outside of the US first).
- Edit: On Play Store, a warning banner will inform users if the app is draining more battery than expected.

Changes in Google Play Billing
- Google Play in-app payment structure has been splited into billing and service fees.
- Billing rate varies across markets (e.g. EEA, UK, and US will be 5%).
- Service fee for new installs is 20%; participating developers in the Apps Experience Program will get charged 15% for new app installs.
- Recurring subscriptions will have a service fee of 10%.
- The updated fee is scheduled to go effective around the world by September 30, 2027.

More info: Android Developers Blog (2)
#Play #Android @PixelHubUpdates

NotebookLM: Cinematic Video Overviews
- Powered by Gemini 3, Nano Banana Pro, and Veo 3, this newly announced feature can generate fluid animations and detailed visuals (Video Overview could only generate slideshows).
- Available in English for Google AI Ultra subscribers on web and mobile.

#Apps #NotebookLM @PixelHubUpdates

Google Workspace gets major upgrades with Gemini
Drive
- AI Overviews let you know the information right away without needing to open the document
- Ask Gemini is also available if you want to ask complex questions about your files

Docs
- Help me create can generate a draft for you based on the description you provided, capable of synthesising information from Gmail, Drive, Chat, and the web.
- Help me write can assist you on polishing your writings.
- Match writing style makes your tone and voice consistent throughout the document.
- Match doc format automatically align to the style of a reference document.

Sheets
- Gemini lets you edit your spreadsheets just with natural language prompts, eliminating the complex manual editing.
- Fill with Gemini helps with populating tables in an organised way.

Slides
- Create a slide can align with the theme you want and pull context from files, emails, and the web.
- Gemini allows you to make edits easily with just prompts.
- Generate a presentation, as the name implies, will prepare everything for you based on your prompts (coming soon).

Availability
- First available to Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers in English.
- New features for Drive are currently limited in the U.S.

More info: Google Blog | Google Workspace Blog
#Apps #Workspace #Drive #Docs #Sheets #Slides @PixelHubUpdates

Ask Maps: Understand what you can do in different places
- Powered by Gemini, you can now ask questions in a conversational manner with a customised map to visualise the options.
- Any kind of questions from curiosity to planning, this experience can provide directions, ETAs, and insider tips from real people.
- The results are personalised based on places you have searched or saved in Maps to get you the most relevant answer possible.
- First available for Android and iOS in the U.S. and India, with desktop coming soon.

#Apps #Maps @PixelHubUpdates

Immersive Navigation: Drive easily and safely on the route
- The biggest update in over a decade for driving experience in Maps.
- A vivid 3D view that reflects the buildings, overpasses, and terrain around you. alongside critical road details when it's helpful.
- More natural voice guidance that prepare you to make your tricky turns and lane changes in advance.
- Get informed about tradeoffs for alternate routes, like a longer trip with less traffic or a faster one with a toll, alongside real-time disruptions.
- Preview the destination you are heading to with Street View imagery, and get extra information on where to park your car.
- Rolling out today in the U.S. with availability expanding over the coming months to eligible iOS and Android devices, CarPlay, Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.

#Apps #Maps @PixelHubUpdates

BREAKING: Google Announced New Rules For Sideloading Apps

1. Enable developer mode

2. Confirm you aren't being coached:
A quick check to make sure that no one is talking you into turning off your security as scammers often pressure victims into disabling protections.

3. Restart your phone & reauthenticate:
This cuts off any remote access or active phone calls a scammer might be using to watch what you’re doing.

4. Come back after the protective waiting period and verify:
There is a one-time, one-day wait & then you can confirm that this is really you who’s making this change with our biometric authentication or device PIN. Scammers rely on manufactured urgency, so this breaks their spell.

5. Install apps:
Once you confirm you understand the risks, you’re all set to install apps from unverified developers, with the option of enabling for 7 days or indefinitely. For safety, you’ll still see a warning that the app is from an unverified developer, but you can just tap “Install Anyway.”

Follow @TechLeaksZone

Android Canary 2603
- Build ID: ZP11.260220.007

Download: Android Flash Tool | Pixel Factory Images Tracker
More info: Android Developers
#Updates #A16 #Canary #Pixel @PixelHubUpdates

More Clarification About The New Rules For Sideloading Apps in Android

1. ADB installs are not affected.
The waiting period does not apply to app installs via ADB.

2. No need to keep Developer Options ON
Once you change your phone's settings to allow apps to be installed from unregistered apps, you can turn OFF developer mode and download / update as normal. You don't have to keep developer options on to use this feature

3. 24hrs wait is a one-time process.
The one-day wait time is to change system settings which you have to do only once. After the settings take effect, you can install apps from anywhere you choose just as today.

Always Remember: Google Is Not Xiaomi!

Follow @TechLeaksZone

Android 17 Beta 3
- Build ID: CP21.260306.017
- March 2026 Security Patch
- Play Services: 26.02.35

What's New
- Photo Picker Customisation: Photo picker grid view can now be either displayed in 1:1 square or 9:16 portrait.
- RAW14 Image Format: Allow capturing 14-bit per pixel RAW images.
- Camera Device Type APIs: Identify whether a camera is built-in hardware, an external USB webcam, or a virtual camera. phone to tablet) via CompanionDeviceManager.
- System-Provided Location Button: Grant precise location to the app in the current session only, without triggering a dialog.
- Widget Support on External Displays: Improved visual consistency for widgets across different pixel densities.
- Desktop Interactive Picture-in-Picture (iPiP): Apps can request to be moved to a "pinned" windowing layer during desktop mode (default on external displays). These pinned windows remain interactive and always-on-top.
- Hidden Home Screen App Labels: Hide app labels on the home screen.
- Redesigned Screen Recording: A new floating toolbar improves recording controls and capture settings for creators. The UI is automatically excluded from the final video.
- VPN App Exclusion Settings: Users can select specific apps to bypass the VPN tunnel.

Download: Factory Images | OTA Images | GSI
Changes: Android Developers
#Updates #A17 #Beta #Pixel @PixelHubUpdates

What's up! We have some bad news for you...

The Pixel 10 devices (excluding the 10a) are getting a bootloader update in one of the future Android releases that increments the anti-rollback version for the bootloader.

This means that, after upgrading, you won't be able to downgrade to a lower version of Android. You might need to sideload a full OTA image again to avoid bricking in certain situations.

By the way, we're working on Pixel 11 leaks and a chemical element (13), stay tuned!

April 2026 Android 16 Pixel Update
- Build ID: CP1A.260405.005
- Apps: Fix for an issue where the Backup menu was missing from System settings in certain conditions
- Apps [Pixel 6~8 series, Fold, Tablet]: Fix for an issue that causes certain banking and third-party apps to crash in certain conditions
- Display & Graphics: Fix for some games to crash in certain conditions
- User Interface [Pixel 10 series]: Fix for an issue where the quick search bar is sometimes missing from the home screen in certain conditions
- WiFi [Pixel 9 series]: Fix for Quick Share to crash during file transfers in certain conditions

Download: Factory Images | OTA Images
Changes: Pixel Community | Android Security Bulletin | Pixel Security Bulletin
#Updates #A16 #Pixel @PixelHubUpdates

Chrome: Vertical Tabs & Immersive Reading Mode
- Manage multiple tabs with ease with Vertical Tabs, right-click on any Chrome window and select "Show Tabs Vertically" to use the feature.
- Focus more on the content with a new full-page interface in Reading mode, right-click on any page and select “Open in reading mode” to get a cleaner reading experience.

#Apps #Chrome @PixelHubUpdates

Android Canary 2604
- Build ID: ZP11.260320.007

Download: Android Flash Tool | Pixel Factory Images Tracker
More info: Android Developers
#Updates #A16 #Canary #Pixel @PixelHubUpdates

Skills for Gemini in Chrome
- Skills let you run similar prompts multiple times easily.
- After saving the prompts you need from your chat history, you can execute it by typing forward slash ( / ) or clicking the plus sign ( + ) button.
- Pre-made skills for common tasks and workflows are also available in chrome://skills/browse.
- Rolling out starting today and available on any signed-in Chrome desktop device with the browser language set to English (US).

More info: Google Blog
#Apps #Chrome #Gemini @PixelHubUpdates

Gemini for macOS
- Access it anywhere with a keyboard shortcut (Option + Space).
- Share open windows with Gemini to analyse, ask, summarise and more.
- Existing features like Google apps integration, Nano Banana and Veo are also available in the app, with more to come in the future.
- Available on macOS 15 and later versions for everyone.

More info: Google Gemini
#Apps #Gemini @PixelHubUpdates

Android 17 Beta 4
- Build ID: CP21.260330.008
- April 2026 Security Patch
- Play Services: 26.11.36

What's New
- App Memory Limits: Conservative, app memory limits to improve system stability.
- Background audio hardening changes: The audio framework enforces restrictions on background audio interactions including audio playback, audio focus requests, and volume change APIs.

Download: Factory Images | OTA Images | GSI
Changes: Android Developers
#Updates #A17 #Beta #Pixel @PixelHubUpdates