The latest flagships from Samsung, Google, and others pack the best hardware available — high-resolution cameras, bright displays, and all-day battery life.
For all their power, though, no other Android phone can match the software experience of a Google Pixel. It’s not just about the clean interface, either.
There are so many Pixel-exclusive features that it’s hard to go back to any other phone. These are the ones I miss most whenever I switch, and they prove Google still understands Android better than anyone.
Quiz
Google Pixel phones
Trivia challenge
From the original Pixel to the latest flagship — how well do you know Google’s own phone lineup?
HardwareHistoryCamerasSoftwareFeatures
In what year did Google release the very first Pixel smartphone?
Correct! The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL were announced on October 4, 2016. They replaced Google’s Nexus line and marked the first time Google fully branded a smartphone under its own name.
Not quite — the first Google Pixel launched in 2016. Google had previously made Nexus devices with hardware partners, but the Pixel line was the first to carry Google’s own branding front and center.
What computational photography feature, first introduced on the Pixel 2, allowed sharp photos of moving subjects using a single lens?
Correct! The Pixel 2 introduced Portrait Mode using a single rear camera, relying on Google’s machine learning rather than dual lenses to create that blurred background bokeh effect. It was hugely impressive for its time.
The answer is Portrait Mode. Unlike rivals that used two cameras to simulate depth, the Pixel 2 achieved Portrait Mode with just one lens by using Google’s advanced machine learning algorithms — a notable technical achievement.
Which Google-designed chip first appeared in the Pixel 6 series, marking Google’s shift away from Qualcomm processors?
Correct! The original Google Tensor chip debuted in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in 2021. It was Google’s first in-house SoC designed specifically to accelerate AI and machine learning tasks on-device.
The correct answer is Google Tensor. Introduced with the Pixel 6 in 2021, Tensor was Google’s first custom-built SoC. It prioritized AI workloads like speech recognition and photo processing over raw benchmark performance.
What Pixel-exclusive calling feature uses AI to screen spam calls and read out a caller’s reason for calling before you pick up?
Correct! Call Screen launched with the Pixel 3 in 2018 and lets Google Assistant intercept unknown calls, asking the caller to state their purpose. You see a live transcript and can decide whether to answer or mark it as spam.
The answer is Call Screen. Introduced on the Pixel 3, this feature lets Google Assistant handle incoming calls from unknown numbers, transcribing the caller’s response in real time so you can decide how to respond without ever picking up.
Which Pixel model was the first to feature a hole-punch front camera, moving away from the notch design?
Correct! The Pixel 4a, released in August 2020, was the first Pixel to use a punch-hole selfie camera cutout. It was a budget-friendly device that many considered one of the best value smartphones of that year.
The first Pixel with a hole-punch camera was the Pixel 4a, launched in 2020. Its predecessor, the Pixel 4, used a large top bezel housing Face Unlock sensors, so the 4a’s punch-hole design was a notable shift in Google’s approach.
What night photography mode, now a staple of smartphone cameras everywhere, did Google debut on the Pixel 3?
Correct! Night Sight arrived as an update for the Pixel 3 in November 2018 and used computational photography to capture bright, detailed images in near-darkness. It set the benchmark that nearly every Android manufacturer has since tried to match.
The answer is Night Sight. Google launched Night Sight for the Pixel 3 in late 2018, and it quickly became a gold standard for low-light smartphone photography, using multiple exposures and machine learning to dramatically brighten dark scenes.
The Pixel 4 series featured a unique sensor array on the back. What was the distinctive sensor included that no other mainstream Android phone had at the time?
Correct! The Pixel 4 included Google’s Soli radar chip, which enabled Motion Sense — allowing the phone to detect hand gestures hovering above the screen to skip tracks or silence alarms. It was innovative but ultimately discontinued in the Pixel 5.
The correct answer is the Soli radar chip. Google embedded this miniature radar sensor in the Pixel 4 to power Motion Sense gesture controls. Despite being a fascinating piece of technology, the feature was dropped by the Pixel 5 due to limited practical use.
Pixel phones are known for receiving Android updates first. How many years of OS updates did Google promise for the Pixel 8 series at launch?
Correct! With the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launched in 2023, Google committed to an impressive 7 years of OS and security updates. This matched Samsung’s Galaxy S24 promise and set a new standard for Android software longevity.
The answer is 7 years. Google announced 7 years of guaranteed OS and security updates for the Pixel 8 series — a major leap from the previous 3-year promise and a direct response to pressure from Samsung’s similarly extended update commitments.
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Now Playing
Any Android phone or iPhone can identify a song you randomly come across in a café or on the radio. Just pull out your phone, open an app or summon an AI assistant, and ask.
Pixel’s Now Playing feature flips that script. It quietly listens and identifies music in the background, so when you reach for the phone in your pocket, it will be ready to surface the song information right on the lock screen.
All this happens entirely on-device, with no data leaving your phone and no active internet connection required.
Even better, Pixel phones keep a running history of every song they’ve heard and identified, so you can always go back and rediscover that track you heard days ago but never got the chance to look up.
For a feature that’s been around for years, no other phone offers a Now Playing-like functionality. It’s one of those Pixel features that I use almost daily.
And that’s the perfect example of how Google still handles Android software better than anyone else.
The Pixel-only features I wish every Android phone had
These features could instantly upgrade my phone experience
Magic Cue
Magic Cue is a feature that genuinely made my Pixel feel more like a personal assistant.
The other day, when texting with a friend about our upcoming plans, he asked for the hotel confirmation number.
Usually, this would require me to dig through my Gmail inbox, copy the details, and then share them. Or, ask Gemini to surface the details and send them to him.
But instead of all this, Magic Cue just popped up a card right above Gboard with the necessary details. With a single tap, I shared the entire hotel booking details with him.
I’ve even seen Magic Cue surface relevant flight booking details based on a phone conversation I was having with my wife.
Admittedly, Magic Cue has not lived up to the hype. When Google announced it, it promised the world, but the feature failed to deliver. Still, when it works, it feels like magic.
Despite its flaws, this is the kind of feature that proves Google still has the edge in Android software.
Magic Cue works because it can pull details from several apps and services at once, all without any cloud processing or data leaving your phone.
Samsung and others can only try to replicate such a feature. Magic Cue proves that the company behind Android can do things that nobody else can.
At a Glance
Love it or hate it, you can’t ignore At a Glance on a Pixel phone. It sits quietly on the top of my Pixel’s home screen and lock screen. While I was not initially a fan, I’ve come to appreciate it for what it is.
In the morning, At a Glance shows the commute time to work even before I ask for it. Likewise, on the day I have to board a flight, it surfaces the relevant flight and gate details by pulling the information from my Gmail. Ahead of meetings, it shows a quiet countdown, so I don’t get caught off guard.
All of this happens entirely on its own. I’ve used Pixel phones for years, and I’ve never once set up At a Glance myself. That’s the Pixel magic, which happens behind the scenes.
Other Android manufacturers have tried to replicate this feature to no avail. They mostly end up showing the weather and calendar events, and that’s it.
Similar to Now Playing, At a Glance has been around for years, yet no other Android phone can match its functionality.
It is not a flashy feature you’d think about much, but it quietly does its job: providing relevant information “at a glance.”
Pixel Recorder
Yep, the Pixel Recorder app also works on the Pixel Watch.
There are so many recorder apps on the Play Store. Samsung, OnePlus, and other companies have their own recorder apps. Yet, none of them come close to matching the Pixel Recorder.
If you’ve never used the Recorder app on a Pixel, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s just another recorder app.
It features real-time transcription, so as I record, the app will transcribe everything on the spot, complete with speaker detection. And this happens entirely on-device, with no data ever leaving my phone.
Since I attend several meetings throughout the day, I rely on the Pixel Recorder to capture the audio. Thanks to transcription, I don’t have to worry about taking notes during meetings.
Later on, I can search through the transcript to find the exact information I need. Or export the transcript to Google Docs and ask Gemini to summarize the meeting and provide a list of actionable items.
So many AI-powered recorder apps claim to offer similar features, but they are all paid and not as good as the Pixel Recorder. And that’s despite sending the recorded audio to the cloud for processing.
The Pixel Recorder can do all this and more, all for free and locally.
This is just another example of how Google handles Android software the best, using hardware and software to deliver an unparalleled experience.
No one does Android like Google
None of the Pixel features I have talked about above are new or groundbreaking. They have been around for years, and yet no other Android manufacturer has been able to copy them and deliver a similar experience.
Rivals can beat the Pixel with their superior hardware, but they can’t match its software prowess. And that’s why, despite the Pixel’s drawbacks, I always keep one around as my secondary phone.
