The Pixel 9 series is expected to make heavy use of LLMs and Gemini functions, with a new leak suggesting that they will all be available on upcoming devices under a new “Google AI” banner.
In late 2023, a report suggested that Google was working on “Pixie,” an AI assistant for Gemini Power that would be exclusive to Pixel hardware. It will use data from Gmail, Maps and other “Google products” on your phone to create a “personalized version of Google Assistant.”
Little was known about how it would unfold, but details were revealed Android Authority It's given a taste of what to expect — including the new name “Google AI.” The report also suggests that the Pixel 9 will ship with a feature that is somewhat similar to the controversial Microsoft Recall function.
Another feature of Google AI is “Add Me”. The camera function is described as “being able to make sure everyone is included in the group photo,” according to the screenshots. This could be an addition or extension of the Pixel 8's “Best Take” function that allows you to adjust facial reactions within group shots.
“Studio” is another new function within the Google AI suite. According to the report, this is just the new name for the “Creative Assitant” app, which was previously described as an extension of the generative AI tools. Interestingly, the accompanying screenshot succinctly states that with Studio you “imagine it” and “Pixel creates it.”
No other details have been shared about how this might be possible, but we're looking at enabling the Studio feature on the Pixel 9 series devices from Imagine 2, VideoFX or View, and ImageFX. Some can see.
The final new feature detailed in this leak is called “Pixel Screenshots.” This will allow you to use AI to search screenshots and use them as an extended library for information and context. You'll be able to “summarize new and existing screenshots” to answer “questions about the information they contain.”
As noted, this is similar to Microsoft's proposed implementation of the Recall feature in Windows 11. As with recent changes to Windows functionality, Google is making this an explicitly opt-in AI feature. This can be turned off at any time and will only apply to screenshots you've taken directly. This can make Pixel Screenshots more secure than actively scanning your entire on-device image library.
However, it will be able to extract the metadata, web links, app name and date to get a contextual picture of each screenshot. Everything will be processed on the device, so nothing will be sent from the cloud – another potential privacy bonus.
We won't have long to wait to see what “Google AI” will bring to the table with the Pixel 9 series. The three slab-style handsets and the foldable will be unveiled on August 13 at Mountain View hosted by Google.
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