March's Pixel Feature Drop
The March update is rolling out for the various devices in the Pixel range, as well as smartwatches. Not only does it come with the new March security update, it also comes with a host of improvements. For the Pixel 10 series, these include improvements in battery consumption. In the process, you also get the new features from Android 16 QPR3.
Security and bug fixes
The 1 March 2026 Android security patch fixes 63 vulnerabilities, followed by another 66 fixes on 5 March. The severity ranges from high to critical. In addition, the special bulletin for Google devices includes ten additional security patches.
A total of 16 functional issues are fixed in the areas of audio, camera, screen, graphics, telephony, framework and user interface. These include fixes for audio crashes and delays when opening the audio output selector. An issue where the camera service could crash has also been fixed.
System crashes and screen freezes have been addressed on certain models. For the Pixel 10 series, work has included GPU optimisation via an improved OpenCL driver, which should increase performance and benchmark scores. Issues where battery status was displayed incorrectly, such as during wireless charging, have also been fixed.
The March update made improvements to network stability, mobile connectivity and situations where the interface was temporarily unresponsive.
New features for your Pixel phone
With this Feature Drop, you also get new features. For instance, on the Pixel 6 and newer, you can set AI-generated app icons in styles such as Scribbles, Cookies and Stardust. A new SpongeBob SquarePants theme pack is also available.
For the Pixel 10 series, there is Comfort View, a refined colour filter mode that softens bright or saturated colours for greater viewing comfort. Magic Cue can now suggest restaurant recommendations based on conversations. You also get more comprehensive information in 'At a Glance', such as real-time sports modes, financial day updates and, from the Pixel 7, 'My commute' with up-to-date travel information.
Connecting an external monitor, keyboard or mouse to a Pixel 8 or newer with USB DisplayPort activates a multi-window desktop experience. The Pixel Tablet also gets extended window options.
Gemini automation is coming to the Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. With this, your device can, for example, help you book rides or order food, where you can follow the process live. Circle to Search has also been expanded and can now recognise multiple objects at once in a screenshot.
Other enhancements include AI features in the Diary app for the Pixel 9 series, Japanese notification views on recent models and Scam Detection in the Phone app in several European countries.
The update to Android 16 QPR3 brings several interface changes. These include the ability to remove 'At a glance' from your home screen, new animations in the Pixel Launcher and a new 'No recent items' screen when you don't have any apps open. Also, you can now adjust the torch brightness via quick settings and location status is displayed with a blue indicator, similar to camera and microphone notifications.
In addition, the 'System' page in the Settings app has been rearranged and you can choose a navigation mode with the button order Recent, Home and Back. If you connect an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, you get a desktop experience with windows; this also applies to the Pixel Tablet.
Pixel Watch: more standalone features
The Pixel Watch also gets new features. Express Pay lets you make NFC payments without opening Google Wallet first. In addition, you can set your watch to alert you if you forget your phone. On recent models, your phone can automatically lock if you lose connection with your watch.
The Pixel Watch 3 introduces one-handed controls for snoozing an alarm or answering calls, among other things. Satellite SOS on the Pixel Watch 4 has been extended to Europe and Canada, among others. Finally, the Pixel Watch 2 and newer can now receive Android earthquake alerts when not connected to your phone.
The updates are being distributed as of now for the different models.
