Google’s 2023 recap highlights its Pixel 8 launch among 22 other releases and updates

As we bid farewell to 2023 and eagerly await the dawn of a new year, Google takes a nostalgic glance back at 23 groundbreaking product moments that defined the tech landscape throughout the year. Among the stellar highlights stands the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launches that showcased Google’s commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology.

The December 2023 Feature Drop added even more fire to the Pixel 8 Pro with support for Video Boost and other features. While there are still no signs of the promised Zoom Enhance, there’s plenty of other stuff to check out not just on your Pixel 8 but the entire Google ecosystem in general.

According to Google, 2023 was a landmark year for Pixel. The company unveiled the Pixel Fold, expanded the A-series with the Pixel 7a, and culminated with the launch of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, powered by the cutting-edge Google Tensor G3 and boasting a pro-level camera suite. But perhaps the most exciting innovation lies in the Pixel 8 Pro, the first smartphone with built-in AI powered by Gemini Nano. This breakthrough enables revolutionary features like Summarize in the Recorder app, which is just a glimpse of the exciting possibilities ahead.

As noted, Google has a list of the 23 biggest moments of 2023, and the launch of the Pixel 8, Pixel Fold, and Pixel 7a is just one among them. So, without further ado, let’s check out the rest of the stellar moments that defined Google’s year.

Google enhanced photo-editing capabilities with AI tools like Magic Editor and Best Take for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, making it easier for users to capture and edit memorable moments. Google also introduced palm gestures, a feature that lets you simply raise your hand with an open palm towards the camera and watch as the lens captures the perfect moment. It’s like magic, except it’s powered by Google’s cutting-edge technology. Furthermore, 2023 saw Google Photos gain a new Memories view, another AI-powered feature that automatically curates your photos and videos into beautiful collections based on themes, places, and even people.

Beyond smartphones, the Pixel family expanded with the introduction of the Pixel Tablet and upgraded Pixel Buds Pro, catering to a diverse range of user preferences. There was also a new Pixel Watch 2 unveiled alongside the Pixel 8, showcasing Google’s commitment towards making Pixel a popular hardware brand.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 wasn’t the only new wearable released this year. The company also took the wraps off the Fitbit Charge 6, offering improved health insights, a 7-day battery life, safety features, and significant software upgrades, including a new Fitbit app and a new Wear OS update with productivity and entertainment enhancements for compatible devices.

With these new devices, Google also introduced new ways to monitor your wellness, including fall detection and oxygen saturation (SpO2) tracking for the Google Pixel Watch. This demonstrates Google’s commitment to user well-being.

Google introduced the Gemini era, unveiling its largest and most versatile AI model to date. Gemini operates seamlessly across diverse forms of information, including text, audio, video, and code, representing a significant leap forward in making AI more accessible.

Bard, an interactive experiment in generative AI collaboration, expanded its capabilities in 2023. From learning how to code to enhancing visual capabilities, Bard is set to collaborate with Google Assistant, adding an extra layer of innovation to its repertoire.

Google delved into the realm of generative AI with the Search Generative Experience (SGE), revolutionizing how users access information. This experiment offers AI-powered overviews that provide a faster and more efficient way to comprehend and explore various topics.

Android 14 brought a wave of customization updates, including generative AI wallpapers, fonts, widgets, and the introduction of Magic Compose in beta, a generative AI tool for Google Messages.

Google launched the Chromebook Plus, a powerful, AI-driven device designed to elevate the laptop experience with best-in-class security and enhanced performance.

Google Maps became more immersive with features like Immersive View, providing a visual preview of entire trips, and expanded fuel-efficient routing to combat CO2 emissions.

Rich Communication Standard (RCS) hit 1 billion users in Google Messages, accompanied by new features such as end-to-end encryption for group messages and Voice Moods (beta).

Google addressed environmental concerns by launching extreme heat alerts, expanding flood forecasting, and introducing the Pollen API for developers to help users stay informed about changing allergens.

Google Workspace saw numerous launches, including the expansion of AI-powered Smart Compose to Google Chat, offering contextually aware suggestions for improved productivity. This year, Google made it possible to add crucial information to your Workspace projects by simply typing an “@” and scheduling meetings with colleagues happen seamlessly, right from your Gmail inbox.

Duet AI, an AI-powered collaborator in Google Workspace, became generally available, assisting users across various tools such as Slides, Sheets, Gmail, Meet, and Docs. Google also expanded Duet AI beyond Workspace, offering AI assistance across a range of Google Cloud products and services.

This year, Google introduced passkeys, a more secure alternative to passwords, relying on fingerprint, face scan, or pin authentication for account access. Passkeys ditch the vulnerability of passwords and leverage the power of public key cryptography, a fancy term for a highly secure encryption technology.

This is an interesting one, and I hadn’t come across it until today. Back in June, Google unveiled an AI-powered tool enabling users to virtually try on clothing, featuring a diverse set of models and promoting inclusivity. The AI model “can take just one clothing image and accurately reflect how it would drape, fold, cling, stretch and form wrinkles and shadows on a diverse set of real models in various poses.”

YouTube added AI features for creators, including Dream Screen for Shorts and a mobile video production app called YouTube Create, pushing the boundaries of creative expression. Google also rolled out experimental music AI tools, such as Dream Track for Shorts, offering creators the chance to craft distinctive 30-second soundtracks for their Shorts. Creators can then choose their preferred participating artists and prompts the AI to generate unique voices for an unparalleled creative experience.

Google Labs provided a space for experimental AI tools, including NotebookLM, reimagining note-taking with a powerful AI model at its core.

Chrome received a fresh look with a redesigned Chrome Web Store and updates to the address bar, and when celebrating the browser’s 15th anniversary, Google also added new features like refreshed icons, new color palettes and AI-powered extensions.

New and updated tools, including adding support for an image-checking feature to Fact Check Explorer to help you see if other fact checkers have verified it and “About this image” feature in Search to surface information about an image’s web history, how it’s used on other websites and its metadata, empowered users to fact-check information online.

Google Search marked its 25th anniversary, expanding Multisearch, introducing SGE, adding 33 languages to Google Translate, and enhancing insights on Google Flights and Google Trends.

As Google bids farewell to 2023, the Pixel 8 launch and the 22 other remarkable moments collectively underscore the company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and enhancing user experiences across various domains. Looking ahead, the tech world eagerly anticipates what Google has in store for the coming year.