13 hidden features in Google’s first phone, the Pixel, that you won’t find in any manual

IT’S NOT just about the hardware. Google’s first smartphone is riddled with secret features that could make you fall in love with it.

GOOGLE’S first smartphone looks like a sophisticated marriage of metal and glass. And it is.

But it’s also a maze of useful features, shortcuts, and extras not listed in any manual.

Some of the best features of this phone — the highlights you will demonstrate to your friends until they’re thoroughly frustrated — are not obvious or even easy to guess.

To get start your quest to uncover them all, we have exposed 13 of the Google Pixel phone’s handiest additions below, from the hidden trivia game show to the skyward swipe that will change your world ... or just the way you view notifications.

1. Fastest phone check ever:

This phone will show you what’s going on in record time without even touching its screen. It’s one of its best features. Just tap and swipe down its rear fingerprint sensor, and you’ll unlock the phone, turn on its screen, and reveal your notifications at once. It sounds simple but it’s a true time-saver and genuinely addictive. You must enable this feature in the Moves menu to get it working.

Google's Pixel XL smartphone has a host of hidden features.

2. Taking trivia:

Google Assistant knows things and can test whether you know them too. For fun, ask the Assistant to play “Lucky Trivia” (as in “I’m feeling lucky”), and you’ll be asked to answer five trivia questions with a game-show styling.

3. Instant photo:

Well, not instant, but fast. The impressive camera in this phone opens fastest when you double-click its On button. Simple when you know about it.

4. Hidden shortcuts:

It’s not just the phone with hidden shortcuts but many of its apps too. Hold your finger on an app and, if enabled, it will display extra options. Long-pressing the camera app, for example, gives quick access to selfie and video modes. Keep a finger on the Maps app and you can quickly navigate to your saved locations, like work or home. Third parties like Evernote and LinkedIn are rolling out these additions too. And, yes, it works a lot like Apple’s 3D Touch.

5. Less hidden shortcuts:

If you want to make those shortcuts easier to access, you can drag them to the home screen as a permanent addition.

Hands on with the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones announced by Google in San Francisco.

6. Real-life GIFs:

Like other cameras, the Pixel camera has a burst mode. Hold down shutter icon, and it will snap photos in quick succession. Unlike other cameras, the Pixel camera not only saves the photos individually, but turns them into a separate animated GIF.

7. So many GIFs:

This phone has a real GIF underbelly. They’re even hidden in the default keyboard. In a supported app, you can tap on the emoji option, select the GIF icon, and you’ll find a popular animated photos organised by category. Your messaging feed may never look the same.

8. Photo tweaks:

Don’t be put off by the Pixel camera’s lack of a pro setting. You’re just in it by default. You can hold a finger on the screen to fix its focus, after you’ve set the focus you can tap the exposure compensation slider to change the brightness of a scene, and there’s a dedicated icon for white balance.

9. Selfie smart:

A swift and stealthy switch into selfie mode is easy with this phone. With the camera app open, flick your hand around twice to swap to the front camera. The Pixel isn’t the first Android phone to do it, but it’s super handy.

Google’s Pixel phone, announced at this even in San Francisco, includes unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos taken with the Pixel phones. Picture: Ramin Talaie/Getty Images/AFP

10. Smart storage:

This phone comes with unlimited storage for the photos and videos you capture with it. This is particularly useful if you regret buying the 32GB version of this phone and need to clear out some images. If you enable Smart Storage, it will remove backed up photos and videos from the device automatically when you’re close to running out of space.

11. Go-to-bed reminders:

Two important settings can remind you to stop playing with your Pixel and get some sleep. The first is Night Light that acts as a blue-light filter on your screen, and the second is Priority notifications that stops all but important beeps (like your alarm or phone calls from nominated contacts) disturbing you. You can set them to automatically start and stop on a schedule that suits you.

12. Just be quiet:

If you just need a break from your phone beeps and rings, you can set the Do Not Disturb feature to block everything for just an hour. It’s accessible from the drop-down menu and useful in meetings and movies, as well as at your breaking point.

13. This is not your only guide:

Google has gone all out in terms of support for this phone. If you want help with your Pixel phone, you can access an expert by tapping the prominent Support tab in the settings menu and ordering a phone call. There’s also a chat option if you prefer text.

Originally published as 13 hidden features in Google’s first phone, the Pixel, that you won’t find in any manual