The older Pixel phone has gotten a performance and camera boost thanks to Google's new software update.

• Pixel camera gets update to version 9.8
• Kernel updates for older Pixels are also rolling out.
• Additional options and performance upgrades are included.

Google has been busy pushing out software updates for its Pixel phones and Pixel watches in recent days, and we have a few more updates to report—including a low-level upgrade that should boost performance on older Pixel devices.

First, Google is updating the Pixel camera app (via 9to5Google), with the latest version 9.8 now arriving to compatible devices—which are all Pixel-branded phones, as well as the Google Pixel XL.

Among the new features on offer, we have the option to turn off cute animations in astrophotography mode, and support for a raised hand gesture to control timers on the rear camera. Pixel Fold owners can now use Dual Screen Preview in video mode, while the Add Me feature can be used on the external display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Every phone in the Google Pixel 9 series gets support for remotely connected cameras — compatible models include recent GoPro models, as well as other Pixel devices — meaning you're able to use one device to take photos and videos, and the other to control the capture.

Kernel updates

The second update to talk about the effects of the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8, as well as the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. As noted Android AuthorityThese older devices are getting a kernel upgrade to Linux 6.1.

Every Android phone runs on top of Linux, and the kernel is the lowest level of software, allowing everything else to run efficiently. While kernel updates aren't always important, Users are progressing Improvements in performance and battery life.

This puts older Pixel phones on the Tensor G3 and newer processors on the same kernel version as the new Pixel 9 phones that launched in the middle of last year. It’s something Google actually promised over a year ago, in January 2024 — but the updates are only hitting the phones now.

You don't have to do anything to get these updates: they should appear on your Pixel automatically, with a prompt when they're ready to install. If you want to run a manual check for updates, choose System > Software Update From settings.