Google's Pixel Studio Expands AI Image Generation to Include People

Google's Pixel Studio can now generate images and stickers of people

The latest Pixel feature drop is here with Google rolling updates across its family of smartphones and wearables. If you're a Pixel 9 owner in the US, you'll soon have access to a new version of Pixel Studio capable of creating stickers and images of people. As a refresher, Pixel Studio is an AI image app that is exclusive to Pixel devices. "Just type a description of a person or scene you'd like to see, or choose the style you want, like 'video game' or '3D cartoon,'" Google says of the new feature. The approach Google taking here is similar to the one Apple currently employs with Image Playground. Photorealistic images are off the table so that you can't use Pixel Studio to confuse your friends and family. Beyond Pixel Studio, Google is bringing other AI features to the Pixel family in the US and beyond. Most notably, the company's live scam protection, which Google brought to testers last fall, is expanding to more devices, with additional functionality for those with Pixel 9 handsets in the US. If you own a Pixel 9, it will start screening English calls to protect you from scams. On the Pixel 6 and newer, Google is expanding the availability of scam text detection, with the feature rolling out to phones in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 Pro users in Japan can look forward to a large portion of the brand's AI suite, including Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio, rolling out to their devices. Similarly, Google is making many of those same features available to Pixel 9 users in Germany. If AI features aren't your thing, this month's Pixel drop won't leave you disappointed. To start, Google is updating its Find My Device app to allow users to send and receive the location of friends and family, "so you can rest easy knowing where they are, or that they got where they were going safely." This is rolling out to recent Pixel devices, and more broadly the wider Android ecosystem. One other nifty new feature allows Pixel 9 owners to connect their phone to a recent GoPro camera or another Pixel phone to stream video from multiple angles. Google hasn't forgotten about Pixel Watch users. If you're running the latest model, the company has obtained clearance from the FDA to offer its Loss of Pulse Detection feature. "This first-of-its-kind feature can detect when you've experienced a loss of pulse," Google explains. A loss of pulse can occur due to a cardiac arrest, a respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose or poisoning. Whatever the case, the Pixel Watch 3 will automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive. Google is also rolling out on-device menstrual tracking to the Pixel Watch 3, and the entire Watch family will start tracking steps with greater precision and accuracy. This is due to the fact Google has made the underlying algorithm better at recognizing when you deviate from your usual walking pattern to go do something like push a shopping cart or wheelchair. "The improved algorithm ensures that not only are your steps accurately counted toward your daily goal, but that you'll get reliable insights into your daily activities." The March Pixel drop is starting to roll out today. As usual, it may take a few days before the update is available to download on your device.

Pixel Studio can finally generate people -- and that's not the only change Google is bringing to Pixel phones

Google has announced several new features coming to the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel Watch 3 and more as part of the latest Google feature drop. And the Pixel Studio feature introduced with last fall's flagship phones is getting a big new addition as it finally gains the ability to create images of people. That's not the only change Google unveiled today (March 4). Because of the software update every Pixel device from the Google Pixel 6 will be able to auto transcribe in the Recorder app, while older devices can now personalize their Pixel modes simply by swiping down on the screen. There is a lot more to get through, so let's have a look at all the upcoming features coming to your Google device. As noted, Google's Pixel Studio can finally create images of people, a feature that's been missing since the image generation feature first debuted in the Pixel 9 lineup. At the time, Google said it was restricting that ability to prevent the feature from being abused, but the company now indicates that several protections are in place to prevent that. When using the Pixel Studio, you can simply type a description of a person and the AI will work to create the image in the form of a sticker. This is a pretty big step, especially when compared to Apple Intelligence and its Image Playground app. While that feature has always had the ability to generate images of people since its debut late last year, you still have to use a photo to prompt Apple's AI. On top of that, Google has also announced that the Google Pixel 9 will be able to run Google Gemini 2.0 Flash, improving how conversational the AI is. Meanwhile, Gemini Live has started to roll out for the Google Pixel 6 and newer devices as well as Pixel Fold models. Finally, in the coming weeks, you'll be able to interact with Gemini Live through live video screen and screen sharing with Gemini Advanced. Google has also announced several new features for the Pixel 9, including the ability to stream from multiple cameras at once. User will be able to connect their device to either a GoPro or other Pixel phone and use it when streaming content. This means that you could have several different camera angles at once. Google is also introducing suggestions to the Pixel Screenshots app which will automatically suggest screenshots to be added to your collections. This will, theoretically, allow you to find them faster. To make the most of this feature, Pixel Screenshots is also now available for your work profile on the Pixel 9 series. If you happen to be a fan of the Pixel Fold, then you're in luck, as Google is adding support for video recording for dual screen. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's Dual Screen will now support Add Me, making it even easier to get everyone in the shot. Google has finally announced when US users will have access to the Loss of Pulse feature on the Pixel Watch 3. The feature, which allows the watch to contact emergency services when it can't register your heartbeat, was missing from the original launch as Google needed FDA approval. With that granted last week, Google has confirmed that the feature will begin rolling out to the US at the end of March. The Pixel Watch 3 is also getting on-device menstrual tracking, allowing users to log periods, view cycle status or predict their next period with ease. The step counter on all Pixel watches is also getting improved for better precision and accuracy. Pixel Watch 2 users will get access to the Pixel Watch 3's Auto bedtime mode, meaning your watch will be able to automatically detect when you fall asleep and act accordingly. Finally, all Google Pixel watches can manage your favorite audio content with new actions like fast forward and adjust speed. Included in today's software updates are a host of new features for Android devices that will help to protect you from scams and stay connected with your loved ones. For instance, Android users' devices will use AI to detect scam texts and calls. Users with a Pixel 6 and newer will be alerted to possible scam messages, but only the Pixel 9 series will alert you during calls. Android users can also now share their location in Find My Device with trusted contacts. As such, you can now use Find My Device to coordinate a meetup with friends and family, as well as make sure your loved ones got home safe. When in use, Live Location sharing shows you where your friends and family are in real time on the map view, meaning you always know where they are. All of these features and additions are impressive enough, but it's clear that there has never been a better time to own a Pixel Phone.

Google's Latest Pixel Feature Drop Will Let Pixel Studio Generate Images of People

This month's Pixel Feature Drop comes with new image generation capabilities, better scam detection, and new games in your car. It's a new month, so it's time for another one of Google's Pixel Feature Drops. This is when the company graces owners of the latest Pixel devices with new features and abilities, so they are convinced to stick with Google's flagship hardware. March's drop is mostly good news for international folks waiting on AI features, but there are a couple of other interesting bits to play with, especially if you're on the Pixel 9. Pixel Studio can now generate images of people. Once the update rolls out to Pixel 9 devices, you can use the text-to-image prompts to create pictures of a person, whereas previously, Pixel Studio was limited to animals and items. I wish I could try out the feature to tell you what it's like and how it compares to Apple's Image Playground, which lets you generate images of yourself or a few other chosen people from your familiar faces archive. But it's only just started rolling out as of this writing. I'm curious if the ability in Pixel Studio works like it does on iOS, where the app asks you to select a photo from the camera roll for the AI to generate its likeness of you or someone else. I'll be looking to see how the styles vary compared to Apple's image generation algorithms. Like cameras, each AI-led image-generation tool has its own "aesthetic." With this latest update, Google Messages is invoking a little more of the power of AI into more parts of the operating system. The Pixel already tells you if someone shady is calling. After the feature drop rolls out, Android's default messaging app will also identify scammy text messages, like the one I always receive that tells me I have a bill overdue for tolls. (I don't!) I love that I can share my location through Google Maps, but it takes quite a few taps before you can get to it. Google is moving the ability to share your location with trusted contacts to the Find My Device app. You can pop into the app to see where your devices are hanging and check where folks are on a live map. Again, this is another play from the book of iOS, where users have been locating their friends and devices quickly through the Find My app for iPhone and iPad. This feature will be available for the Pixel 6 and up. I'm not sure why Google insists we play games in our car. But if you're parked and using Android Auto, more games are coming to the vehicle's screen as part of this update. Candy Crush Soda Saga and Angry Birds 2 are among the new games you can play on your car's interactive touchscreen. You might try this feature out the next time you're parked. It's a good way to pass the time when other people in the car are waiting with you and you need to keep them entertained. The game is no longer playable once you switch the vehicle into drive mode. Satellite messaging is coming to Pixel 9 series users on the Verizon network. Now, you can connect to emergency services via satellite when you're somewhere without cellular service or wifi. Satellite SOS has also launched in more regions, including Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Google is finally dropping this annoying limitation from the Pixel Studio app

The feature is rolling out to Pixel 9 series devices and supports image generation in English, Japanese, and German. Google debuted its AI image generation app, Pixel Studio, with the Pixel 9 series last year. It gave users an easy and, more importantly, free way to generate and edit images with text prompts. However, the app had certain limitations at launch, and you couldn't use it to create images of people or edit existing images with people. That's changing today with the March 2025 Pixel Drop. In its latest Pixel Drop announcement, Google says you can now use the Pixel Studio app to create stickers and images of people. To do so, you simply have to enter the description of a person or a scene, and Pixel Studio will create the image you requested. You can specify your preferred style, like "video game" or "3D cartoon," to customize the image further. The feature will go live on Pixel 9 series devices with the March 2025 Pixel Drop, which will start rolling out to users today. Google says that support for generating images of people will be available in English, Japanese, and German, and it won't roll out in all regions. It's not immediately clear whether the Pixel Studio update also enables the ability to edit images with people. Along with the Pixel Studio update, the March 2025 Pixel Drop brings AI-powered scam protection, multi-cam streaming support, and improvements to the Pixel Screenshots app. With the new release, Google is also expanding Pixel's Satellite SOS feature to more users in the US and introducing new photo and video tools for the Pixel Fold.