Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have only just arrived, but owners of the latest Android flagships will soon get a bundle of major features before the end of 2022. If you’re looking to stay anonymous online, the latest Pixels will let you do it for free.
During the Made by Google launch event, the tech giant teased a list of features that will be coming soon to Pixel 7 and 7 Pro owners. This includes VPN by Google One, and a support page now states that it’s set to arrive this December. What’s more, Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users will have access to the VPN “at no extra cost.”
Owners won’t need a Google One subscription in order to access the VPN. However, other Google One membership benefits will be sold separately. Those with a premium membership (a 2TB plan or higher) that already have access to the Google One VPN won’t be affected, meaning no discounts on the plan.
Like all VPNs, the VPN by Google One will protect your online data by sending data through an encrypted tunnel. It will hide your IP address so no prying eyes can track your location. Plus, to show the right content of your region, it will assign an IP address based on your country. It may not have the selection of features like many of the best VPNs have, but free protection while browsing the web is always welcome.
You can check out the list of countries it’s available in here. However, VPN by Google on Pixel 7 and 7 Pro isn’t available in India and Singapore.
Next Pixel Feature Drop
The free VPN isn’t the only update Pixel 7 owners can expect. Google’s next Feature Drop is also coming this December, and it could see a few features from the Pixel 7 trickle down to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. This may include the accessibility feature Guided Frame in photos, Spatial Audio for Pixel Buds Pro for all Tensor-powered Pixels, and the Audio Message Transcription feature.
We’re also expecting the Clear Calling feature to arrive in a future Feature Drop, but it’s uncertain when this will arrive. This will reduce background noise when users are on a call, allowing the end user to hear the caller’s voice, well, clearly.
An Android 13 update (QPR1) is also expected in December. This is coming to the Pixel 4a and later. Users can expect “the next round of refinements such as bug fixes and improvements to stability and performance.”
We’re interested to see what new updates Google brings to its Pixel devices, especially with the latest Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. In the meantime, check out our face-off between the Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro.