5 things i will miss most when i dig the Google Pixel phone

Despite the fact that I refused to get another pixel phone at any time soon, there is definitely some Pixel-exclusive features I will miss when I switch to the next smartphone. Conversation screening and other call features do not make my list, as these opportunities are not available in non -supported markets. Still, here’s what to stick for when I upgrade.

This is definitely one of my favorite things about the Pixel line, as these phones in general were the first to get brand new Android versions. For example, released Google Android 16 June 10, and Pixel Hyndet got the same day. Samsung, Xiaomi and other manufacturers have not yet provided Android 16 to their phones.

Of course, Google has the advantage of owning the platform and hardware, so it is a bit unreasonable to expect other manufacturers to be just as fast on the draw. I would also argue that Android version updates have not had many really playing features, while many new features are released via Google Play Services instead. Still, I would always appreciate being in front of the flock when it comes to stable software releases.

Google has now offered to play functionality on its pixels for many years now. This uses machine learning on devices to identify the music played in your environment, and then shows the track information on the lock screen. You can even access your now player history to get a log of songs recognized by your phone.

I still think it’s one of the best pixel features after all this time, and I really want more brands to adopt similar devices on devices. At least the developer community has gone in with Surrounding music mod So I can technically get this on my phone that is not pixel, albeit with a little tinker.

Perhaps the biggest reason I bought a pixel phone was basically the camera quality. Compared to most of the rivals at that time, I thought the Pixel 7 Pro generally took great shots that still looked quite natural. In fact, I still find myself taking some good snaps with this phone in 2025.

Don’t get me wrong. Rival manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo have undoubtedly better camaraderie than pixel phones. And some of these Camera Take significantly better pictures under conditions with low light or when you zoom in. But it says a lot that I sometimes want to shoot a scene or take a selfie with my old pixel instead of a newer flagship.

A voice recorder who automatically transcribes speech without internet connection? It sounds pedestrian in 2025, but Google’s recorder was blowing my mind when I used Pixel 4 back in 2019. In fact, I still use this app today when conducting interviews, and I continue to consider it one of the best pixel functions.

Rival brands have long offered voice recorders apps with transcription functionality. However, most of these apps were missing transcrip on devices at that time, and that’s what made Google’s app really special. Some of these apps have since received offline smarts, but Google Recorder still stands out thanks to seamless cloudbackup, online access (recorder.google.com) and locally generated summaries. I will miss the official, pre -loaded version of my pixel, but I will definitely side to this app on my next phone.

A pixel feature that flew under my radar before I bought Pixel 7 Pro was Recents/Multitasking menu. This is another feature I loved, and I really want to miss it when I finally switch to another phone.

Pixel devices have offered a super charged recycling menu for generations now. Just enter the repeat menu and see you Screen and Select Buttons under the app windows. Pressure Screen to quickly take a screenshot of an app, while Select The button allows you to select and select text. You can also tap and hold text to mark it without using Select button. In any case, I found the latter button incredibly useful for copying text in images or for text that simply cannot be selected for some reason. Asus has come close to its own multitasking menu, but it still does not scratch the same itch.