While Google has been optimizing Android for foldable phones and tablets since Android 12L, not all app developers are following suit by optimizing their apps for bigger screens. To combat this issue, Samsung employed a method to force apps to stretch and fit the bigger screen on its foldable phones and tablets, but that feature wasn't available on Google's first foldable phone. That is changing today.
December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop update brings the ability to stretch all apps to fit bigger screens
Google's Pixel devices, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, and wearables, have received the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop update. As discovered by Mishaal Rahman, the Pixel Fold and the Pixel Tablet have received the ability to override the default aspect ratio of apps on a per-app basis. This lets people use apps in full-screen mode even if the app doesn't support landscape or full-screen modes on foldable phones and tablets.
While Google didn't mention the feature in its official changelog, the feature is present in the latest Pixel update. Mishaal notes that it might become a core feature and could be included in all Android devices from Android 15 onwards. Brands may choose to disable this feature, though. dual-screen preview for the camera on the Pixel Fold. The dual-screen preview feature has been present on Samsung's foldable phones for a few years now.
Some other features included in the new update include Video Boost for Pixel 8 series phones, Gemini Nano (Generative AI) that can summarize recorded audio and offer smart replies without an internet connection, and Night Sight Timelapse for the Pixel 8. The new software update also brings the ability to use Pixel phones and tablets as a webcam through a new USB mode when connected to a computer.
The Call Screen brings more controls to the user by offering contextual replies. Pixel phones are also getting the Repair Mode, a feature that has been available on Samsung phones for more than a year. Clear Calling is now available for the Pixel Tablet, while the built-in document scanner can now remove smudges and unwanted elements from the scanned document. Google Password Manager can now detect which accounts have passkey support and offer passkey creation. The Recorder app now supports 28 languages, while Direct My Call and Hold For Me features now work in the UK.
The Clock app now shows the weather information for a selected location. The Portrait Light feature, which lets you add portrait modes to an image captured earlier, now uses an AI model and offers a new Balance mode. Google's famous Photo Unblur feature now works for animals, too, in the Google Photos app.
