Google's June Pixel drop is here! 7 cool new upgrades rolling out to your phone soon

If you’re a Pixel phone user, be prepared for some cool new features. With the June Pixel Drop, your Pixel will become more helpful, personalized, and accessible. These new features will start rolling out today; however, you can expect the rollout to take a few days (or weeks) to reach every supported Pixel device.

What’s new in the June Pixel Drop? Let’s dive in.

Also: Your Android phone is getting 4 big upgrades for free, thanks to Android 16

1. Pixel VIPs

With this new feature, you can turn specific friends and family members into VIPs. The VIPs widget makes it easier to stay connected to your favorite people. You’ll want to add as much information as you can for each VIP  — such as birthdays, email, home addresses, and preferences — to get the most out of the feature. 

Once you’ve made someone a VIP, you’ll be able to view your last call and message with them and even allow them to bypass Do Not Disturb. You can keep notes on your VIPs, view their locations, and find things to do together. 

It’s also important to note that sensitive data about your VIPs does not leave your phone.

2. Custom stickers in Gboard

Thanks to Pixel Studio and generative AI, you can now create a sticker for nearly anything, directly from Gboard. Type whatever you want into the prompt, choose an emotion, and send away. You’ll even be able to make stickers from your camera roll; AI will remove the background in the photo, so the subject in the image becomes the focus of your sticker.

3. Existing features to more phones

Another big deal with the June Pixel Drop is that existing Pixel features will be rolling out to more phones and more users. For example, Satellite SOS is now available in Australia, and the Recorder app can now provide AI-generated summaries of recordings in French and German. Finally, Clear voice (within the Recorder app) — which allows you to remove background noises from recordings — is coming to Pixel 8 phones.

4. Improve your photo skills

When taking a photo, you can now tap the question mark icon in the upper right corner of the Pixel Camera app to see visual examples of what each mode does, as well as how-to instructions. This education hub will go a long way to help you get the best shots.

5. Enhanced accessibility features

Accessibility gets a bump with the help of live search within the Magnifier app, so you can learn more about your surroundings in real time (without having to first take a photo). Also, if you type what you’re looking for (such as a menu entry), Magnifier will highlight matches on the screen as you move your device, and a vibration will indicate it’s found something.

Also: The best Google Pixel phones to buy: Expert tested and reviewed

The LE audio features are now usable with hearing aids on the Pixel 9 and newer phones running Android 16. This will make it possible for you to take calls on the go, access your hearing aid presets, and change ambient volume throughout the Pixel phone.

6. Expressive Captions

When you watch a sporting event, the commentators never fail to add a bit of color to the action. With Expressive Captions, the text will better match the emotion, intensity, and nuance of what’s being said.

7. AI-powered editing tools

You’ll soon be able to fine-tune your photos in just a few easy steps. AI-powered suggestions can help you enhance your photos with a single tap, and instant access to recommended tools (based on what you’ve selected for editing) will give you complete control over photo editing.

Also: I’m a diehard Pixel user, but this ‘anti-flagship’ blew my 9 Pro out of the water

For more information on the June Pixel Drop, check out the new features coming to Android directly from Google.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.