Google’s April 2025 Pixel Drop brings powerful Gemini Live camera and screen sharing features, but … More only for Pixel 9-series owners<\/p>\n
GOOGLE<\/p>\n
Google has announced a significant free AI upgrade to all Pixel 9-series owners in a surprise April 2025 \u201cPixel Drop,\u201d but not all Pixel owners are happy.<\/p>\n
Google April 2025 Pixel Drop At A Glance<\/p>\n
Google April 2025 Pixel Drop \u2014 What\u2019s New?<\/p>\n
Google officially announced<\/a> on April 8 that all Pixel 9-series smartphones now have free access to Gemini Live\u2019s new voice and screen sharing capabilities. I\u2019ve gone into more detail about these features previously<\/a>, but essentially what they do is let you give the Gemini App live access to your screen or the view through your camera, so you can converse with it in real time about what it sees.<\/p>\n As shown in Google\u2019s promotional video above, Gemini Live with Voice is a game-changing way to use your smartphone to get information about the world around you that requires no typing. Until now, this feature, along with screen sharing in Gemini Live, was available only to those holding a paid Gemini Advanced subscription.<\/p>\n As such, these new Gemini Live features are a significant upgrade for most owners of the standard Pixel 9, but Pixel 9 Pro-series owners already benefit from these functions through their included 2-month Gemini Advanced subscriptions. This leads me to suspect the unusual timing and limited scope of Google\u2019s surprise April 2025 Pixel Drop are really all about the upcoming Pixel 9a, due for release on April 10.<\/p>\n By extending these powerful new functions to the Pixel 9a, Google can showcase its best AI features on its new lower-cost model without having to bundle an expensive Google One AI Premium subscription \u2014 currently the only way to purchase Gemini Advanced.<\/p>\n Google’s Gemini Live with Camera feature identifies a fish during an interactive conversation<\/p>\n GOOGLE<\/p>\n A year of Google One AI Premium currently costs almost half as much as the $499 entry-level Pixel 9a, and the base Pixel 9 is already on sale without one. Whatever features Google gives to the Pixel 9a it must also surely give to the existing Pixel 9 too, so this feature drop is a neat way of getting around that problem.<\/p>\n The imminent Pixel 9a launch may also be part of the reason why Google isn\u2019t extending this offer to Pixel 8 owners, some of whom are understandably displeased (see comments to the YouTube video above), that they won\u2019t be getting the new features despite owning relatively recent smartphones.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unusual for a Pixel drop to focus on a single, major feature and, more importantly, to limit its availability exclusively to the latest Pixel series. However, doing so makes for a more compelling Pixel 9a launch and will presumably tempt more users to upgrade. On the other hand, it\u2019s one less reason for Pixel 9 Pro users to start paying for Gemini Advanced when their bundled 12-month subscriptions come to an end.<\/p>\n Will these free Gemini Live updates be enough to tempt you to upgrade to the Pixel 9a?<\/p>\n Follow @paul_monckton<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n ForbesNew Pixel 10 Report Details Unexpected Camera DowngradeBy Paul Monckton<\/a>ForbesGoogle Code Reveals Critical Warning For New Kid-Friendly Gemini AIBy Paul Monckton<\/a>
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