Google Pixel phones already have one of my favourite features on any model, but a recent report suggests it could soon get even better.
‘Now Playing’, which debuted back in 2017, hears and identifies songs around you before listing them all in a handy database. It works automatically and without an internet connection, making it superior to Shazam.
If there’s one limitation, it’s that the information displayed on the lock screen is a bit basic. It tells you the song title and artist, but that’s about it.
Chris Martin / Foundry
However, that looks set to change in a future update. In an early build of upcoming Pixel software, Android Authority has spotted a new version of ‘Now Playing’ that includes album artwork, similar to the media controls you’ll find in the notification shade.
It also allows you to add the song to your favourites with a single tap, rather than needing to head into ‘Now Playing History’ first. It’s a subtle upgrade, but one that would make the feature more engaging, in line with Android 16’s new ‘Material 3 Expressive’ design.
Android Authority
There’s no guarantee that the feature will make it onto your Pixel phone anytime soon, though. It’s only currently available on the experimental ‘Android Canary’ program, and not everything makes it to the final version.
Still, it’d be a surprise not to see Google deliver some upgrades to a feature that’s essentially remained unchanged in the eight years it’s been available.
However, I really hope that artwork isn’t the only thing that Google improves when it comes to ‘Now Playing’. For several months, the feature hasn’t been working as intended, only identifying the currently playing song around two-thirds of the time, and consistently struggling with recently released tracks.
If Google updated its song-detecting abilities to be as seamless as advertised, it’d be a genuinely game-changing feature. At the moment, it remains a case of unfulfilled potential.
