- The Pixel Camera is getting an update to version 9.8
- Kernel updates for older Pixels are also rolling out
- Extra options and performance upgrades are included
Google has been busy pushing out software updates for its Pixel phones and Pixel watches in recent days, and we’ve got a couple more updates to report on – including a low-level upgrade that should boost performance on older Pixel handsets.
First though, Google is updating the Pixel Camera app (via 9to5Google), with the latest version 9.8 now arriving on compatible devices – which is all Pixel-branded phones, as well as the Google Pixel Tablet.
Among the new features on offer, we’ve got the option to turn off the cute animation in astrophotography mode, and support for the raised hand gesture to control timers on the rear camera. Pixel Fold owners can now use Dual Screen Preview in video mode, while the Add Me feature can be used on the external display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Every phone in the Google Pixel 9 series gets support for remote connected cameras – compatible models include recent GoPro models, as well as other Pixel handsets – which means you’re able to use one device for taking the photo and videos, and another for controlling the capturing.
Kernel updates
The second update to talk about affects the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 ranges, plus the Pixel Fold and the Pixel Tablet. As noted by Android Authority, these older devices are getting a kernel upgrade to Linux 6.1.
Every Android phone runs on top of Linux, and the kernel is the lowest level of software, effectively enabling everything else to run. While kernel updates aren’t always significant, users are reporting improvements in performance and battery life.
This puts the older Pixel phones on Tensor G3 and newer processors to the same kernel version as the new Pixel 9 handsets that launched in the middle of last year. It’s something Google actually promised more than a year ago, back in January 2024 – but the updates are only now reaching phones.
You shouldn’t have to do anything to get these updates: they should appear on your Pixel device automatically, with a prompt when they’re ready to install. If you want to run a manual check for updates, choose System > Software update from Settings.