Newer Pixel phones get Pixel 4 features and third-party launcher gestures (Update)

Update, December 4, 2019 (6:15AM ET): Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a users have already reported that the December 2019 update brings the Pixel 4’s Live Caption functionality. Now, Google has indeed confirmed that it’s rolling out the AI-powered feature to the older Pixels.

The feature uses on-device machine learning to generate captions for web videos, locally stored clips, podcasts, and audio recordings in general. Live Caption is only available in English for now, but Google revealed on its AI blog that it’s working on support for other languages. The search giant adds that it’s also working to improve captions for content with multiple speakers.

What do you think of the Live Caption feature? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

Original article, December 2, 2019 (7:45AM ET): Google rolled out the latest Android security patch today. As usual, along with the security patch, the update also brought in some new features for Pixel devices, including a much-awaited feature: gesture navigation support on third-party launchers (via 9to5Google).

This means you can now choose from any number of launchers on the Google Play Store and still use Google’s new gesture navigation system. This includes swiping in from either bottom corner of the display to activate Google Assistant.

Curiously, the new feature comes to every device in the Pixel line except for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The reason those devices don’t have the feature is that, for whatever reason, the update hasn’t rolled out for those two devices as of yet. However, every other Pixel device — including the OG Pixel and Pixel XL — should have gesture navigation support on third-party launchers now.

Related: December 2019 Android security patch is here, final update for OG Pixel included

For now, anyway, Pixel 4 users will be stuck using the Pixel Launcher if they want to use gesture navigation.

Additionally, the new update also brings some Pixel 4-exclusive features to older devices. These include Pixel Themes, clipboard suggestions, and Google’s Live Caption tool.

Finally, if you are using the Pixel Launcher you can now swipe down from anywhere on the home screen to pull down the navigation shade. This will be a welcome update when it lands on the Pixel 4, as users can’t easily drop down the shade since that device has no fingerprint sensor.

We’ll keep you posted as soon as the update lands for Pixel 4 devices. In the meantime, click here to get it on all other Pixels.