Pixel 4 update brings improvements to Face Unlock, dual-frequency GNSS

Pixel 4 devices are starting to receive the “Pixel Feature Drop,” which brings surprise improvements to Face Unlock and dual-frequency GNSS.

Google previously announced that instead of a regular Android update, Pixel 4 devices would receive a Pixel Feature Drop instead. It is now available with the expected improvements to Call Screen and Duo along with some surprise features.

For instance, Face Unlock will now be able to account for changes to a user’s face such as a new hairstyle or beard. It is also designed to make Face Unlock better over time. It will examine recent pictures that you’ve taken of yourself to improve its model.

“When it’s on, face unlock images are occasionally used to create improved face models. This helps recognize you better over time,” Google wrote in the update. The tech giant has outlined that these models are stored on the device itself and never online.

The update also brings dual-frequency GNSS. This allows for better location tracking because the device can track more than one signal from a satellite using two different frequencies.

It should be noted that a number of users had some issues with the November update and that some users (including us here at MobileSyrup) never received the update. There could be similar problems with this update as well.

Source: Google, XDA Developers