Google’s March update for Pixel smartphones has brought a surprising change: the removal of some previously available features.
Google typically adds new features to its Pixel phones with regular updates, but the March Feature Drop took a different approach. The update removed functionality from a key area of the Pixel user experience.
Pixel users who frequently customize their phone’s behavior may have noticed changes to the Recent Apps screen. This screen displays recent activity within apps and includes useful features like the ability to quickly save images or initiate a Google Lens search. However, those options are no longer available following the March update.
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Why Google Removed These Pixel Features
Users on Reddit have reported that the options to save and use Google Lens have disappeared from the Recent Apps screen after the latest update. Previously, clicking on an image within the screen would bring up options for Lens, Copy, Share, and Save. Now, the pop-up only offers Copy, along with a list of apps for sharing the image.
saving an image now requires users to manually locate and open Google Photos, a less streamlined process than before. Google has not publicly explained the decision, but it’s speculated that the change is intended to promote the “Circle to Search” feature, which allows users to initiate a Lens search by circling an element on their screen. The change is also present in the Android 17 beta, indicating Google does not plan to reinstate the removed features. This shift reflects Google’s ongoing refinement of its user interface and feature prioritization within the Android ecosystem.
