Google's November Pixel Drop is massive, and older Pixel phones are getting some love
Google's November Pixel Drop is massive, and older Pixel phones are getting some love
Google's latest Pixel Drop is packed with new features.
What you need to know
- Google's November Pixel Drop brings several Pixel 11-exclusive AI features to the older Pixel 10 series.
- Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 users can now create custom widgets and matching app icons using Google's AI tools.
- Pixel Search is expanding to Pixel 6 and newer phones, while the Pixel 11 gets upgraded Gemini Call Screen features.
Google has announced the November Pixel Drop for Pixel phones, bringing a massive list of new features to both newer and older Pixel smartphones.
Google releases Pixel Drops every few months, bringing new features and improvements to its Pixel devices beyond the usual security patches and bug fixes. While some of these updates are relatively minor, the latest November Pixel Drop is a pretty big one, especially if you're using a Pixel 10 series smartphone.
That's because Google is bringing several features that were previously exclusive to the Pixel 11 series to last year's flagships.
According to Google's official announcement, the November Pixel Drop brings Gemini Intelligence to the Pixel 10 series, including features like Rambler, Gemini's ability to handle multi-step tasks, and personalized suggestions.
For example, if someone sends you a text asking about your ETA while you're already using Google Maps, your Pixel can provide timely suggestions and actions based on what you're doing.
Another interesting addition is Create My Widget, which lets users create home screen widgets with natural language prompts. Instead of relying on existing widgets, you can simply describe what you want, and Google will generate one for you.
The feature is available on the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 series, although the Pixel 10a is notably missing from the list.
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Google has also introduced new custom icon styles with the November Pixel Drop. The company has added 10 different styles to choose from, which use its Nano Banana AI model to generate matching app icons and give your home screen a more consistent look.
Beyond customization, Google is bringing its Pixel Search experience to older devices, allowing users to search across apps, messages, photos, emails, and device settings directly from their phones. The feature is now available on the Pixel 6 series and newer devices.
Google hasn't forgotten about its latest phones either, and there are a couple of features exclusive to the Pixel 11 series. Google is upgrading Call Screen with Gemini, allowing the AI assistant to have more natural conversations with unknown callers while showing a live transcript on your phone.
There are upgrades to the HiLight feature on the Pixel 11 Pro phones as well, which can now light up when you receive a Google Messages notification. Unfortunately, there's still no support for third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.
In addition to the Pixel Drop, Google has also announced the availability of the Pixel Tag, which it first unveiled alongside the Pixel 11 series in August. The tracker is now available individually for $29.99 or as a four-pack for $99.99. It uses Google's upgraded Find Hub network and supports ultra-wideband (UWB) for precision tracking.
As for availability, Google says the November Pixel Drop started rolling out on November 10 and will continue reaching supported devices over the next several weeks. We haven't received the OTA update on our Pixel 11 Pro just yet, but considering Google's usual rollout schedule, you should hopefully see it arrive on your device within the next few days.
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