4 exclusive Pixel settings that prove Google still handles Android software best
4 exclusive Pixel settings that prove Google still handles Android software best
https://www.androidpolice.com/exclusive-pixel-settings-prove-google-handles-android-software-best/
Publish Date: 2026-06-07 12:15:00
Source Domain: www.androidpolice.com
The latest flagships from Samsung, Google, and others pack the best hardware available — high-resolution cameras, bright displays, and all-day battery life.
For all their power, though, no other Android phone can match the software experience of a Google Pixel. It’s not just about the clean interface, either.
There are so many Pixel-exclusive features that it’s hard to go back to any other phone. These are the ones I miss most whenever I switch, and they prove Google still understands Android better than anyone.
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge
Google Pixel phones
Trivia challenge
From the original Pixel to the latest flagship — how well do you know Google’s own phone lineup?
HardwareHistoryCamerasSoftwareFeatures
Begin
In what year did Google release the very first Pixel smartphone?
A2014B2015C2016D2017
Correct! The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL were announced on October 4, 2016. They replaced Google’s Nexus line and marked the first time Google fully branded a smartphone under its own name.
Not quite — the first Google Pixel launched in 2016. Google had previously made Nexus devices with hardware partners, but the Pixel line was the first to carry Google’s own branding front and center.
Continue
What computational photography feature, first introduced on the Pixel 2, allowed sharp photos of moving subjects using a single lens?
ANight SightBPortrait ModeCSuper Res ZoomDMotion Photos
Correct! The Pixel 2 introduced Portrait Mode using a single rear camera, relying on Google’s machine learning rather than dual lenses to create that blurred background bokeh effect. It was hugely impressive for its time.
The answer is Portrait Mode. Unlike rivals that used two cameras to simulate depth, the Pixel 2 achieved Portrait Mode with just one lens by using Google’s advanced machine learning algorithms — a notable technical achievement.
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Which…
