These Google Pixel 7 features will arrive on older Pixel phones in the future

Google Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and 6a at the Google Fall 2022 event
(Image credit: Chris Wedel / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Google will supposedly bring some of the Pixel 7 features to older Pixel phones.
  • The Pixel 6 line will apparently receive support for Clear Calling, Guided Frame, and Real Tone enhancements.
  • These features are said to be arriving as part of a future Feature Drop in December.

This year's Google Pixel flagship line debuted with a bunch of new features and enhancements powered by the Tensor G2 chipset, but these capabilities won't be limited to the Pixel 7 line for long.

According to PhoneArena, Google has confirmed that some of the Pixel 7 series' features are coming to the Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a in the future. One of the marquee features is Clear Calling, which filters out background noise and makes the voice on the other end of the line clearer using machine learning. Google said during its Pixel 7 launch that Clear Calling provides a better phone call experience even if the person you're talking to is "on a windy street or in a noisy restaurant."

Another nifty capability coming to the Pixel 6 series is Guided Frames, which allows people with low vision to take better selfies by using audio guides and haptics. Google's Real Tone is also making its way to the Pixel 6 series. It accurately represents all skin tones and is expanding to Night Sight and Portrait mode.

Quick phrases such as "silence" will also arrive on the Pixel 6 phones, allowing you to mute the ringtone of an incoming call using your voice. Unfortunately, the long-awaited Face Unlock, as well as the improved Super Res Zoom, will reportedly remain exclusive to Pixel 7 phones for some time.

If you own a Pixel phone, this confirmation doesn't come as a surprise given that new features brought about by Google's best Android phones each year traditionally trickle down to older handsets. 

Most of the new capabilities introduced by the Pixel 7 line require a Tensor chipset, so don't expect them to arrive on models older than last year's models. That said, the improved At a Glance widget and Audio Message Transcription features are expected to arrive on the Pixel 4a and all newer models later this year.

The new features are expected to land on the Pixel 6 line in December as part of a future Feature Drop, which will supposedly introduce spatial audio support to the Pixel Buds Pro as a Pixel 6 exclusive.

You can join the Android 13 beta testing if you want to gain early access to these capabilities, assuming you don't mind a buggy experience. If you want to get your hands on the latest and greatest Pixel phones, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are now available for preorder via different channels.

Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.

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