With the Upcoming Update, These Pixel 4 Features Will Trickle Down to Pixel 3 Line-up

Published On: Oct 17, 2019 | Last Updated: Oct 17, 2019

The Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL made their debut a few days ago, with new design and more features compared to the Pixel 3 series. While some of these new features are hardware-based, many of them are just software additions. And that means these new software features can be added to the older Pixel smartphones. Well, Google intends to do that. The brand will soon offer the following Pixel 4 series features to the Pixel 3 series smartphones.

Table of Contents

1. Astrophotography Mode

One of the talking points of the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL is their Astrophotography mode. It is a software feature that helps you capture clear images of a sky at night. According to the demonstration by Google, the images captured in Astrophotography mode can clearly show stars and moon. Google has put out a tweet announcing that the Astrophotography mode will soon come to the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, and the Pixel 3a XL.

2. Top Shot with Short Videos

The Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL came with the Top Shot feature. It captures a few images before and after you hit the shutter button. In case you miss capturing any moment, either by hitting the shutter button too early or too late, you can choose an image from the additional photos captured by the Top Shot. Therefore, you can rest assured that even if you’ve not captured the moment at the right time, Top Shot is there for backup. However, Top Shot captures images for a second or two before and after you hit the shutter button. What if the moment you had to capture was two or maybe three seconds before or after you hit the shutter button? Top Shot can’t help you in that scenario.

Well, to solve that problem, the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL feature an improved version of Top Shot. It can capture a small video by tapping and holding the shutter button. So, you can start capturing the moment serval seconds before it is set to happen, unlike the Top Shot in the Pixel 3 devices. This way, you can rest assured that you haven’t missed capturing your precious memories, as the video had captured it all, from the start to end. According to a new report from Android Police, Top Shot with short videos is coming to Pixel 3 smartphones, including the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. However, there is no exact timeline for the rollout of this feature.

3. Record + Live Transcription

Google showcased its Recorder application with Pixel 4 smartphones. Apart from recording audio, it can transcript them in real-time. This is a boon for students, journalists, and other such people who frequently need record audio and transcript them. The APK of the Recorder app has been leaked online, and you can sideload one on your Pixel 3 smartphone. However, if you wait for a few days, you might get one officially, as various reports suggest that Google will roll out this feature to the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, and 3a XL.

4. Live Captions

The Pixel 4 series feature Live Caption. It generates real-time captions for any video. What’s even better is that it works without the internet. Moreover, you can place these captions anywhere on the screen by simply dragging and dropping it, so that it doesn’t obstruct your view. According to Android Police, they’ve confirmed it with Google that the feature will be rolled out to the Pixel 3 smartphones including the Pixel 3a, and the Pixel 3a XL with a future software update that will roll out later this year.

5. New Google Assistant

The new Google Assistant that is in the Pixel 4 line up made its debut at the Google I/O 2019. It is far less intrusive than the current Google Assistant – it appears as a thin bar above your navigation buttons. What even interesting is that it works without the internet, at least for carrying out local tasks. Moreover, the new Google Assistant is way faster than before. According to various reports, the new Google Assistant will make its way down to the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, and the Pixel 3a XL. Although the exact rollout date of this feature is still unknown.