Google is working on Adaptive Sound for Pixel phones

Last year Google launched “Pixel Feature Drops” - a special update schedule that delivers new features to Pixel phones. Four of these “drops” already found their way onto Pixel devices and now the guys at XDA Developers have uncovered the fifth one - and it’s all about sound. The Adaptive Sounds feature will probably drop on Pixel 5 phones next Monday as a part of the bump in the Android security patch level.

What is Adaptive Sound? Some of you may point out that there’s a feature that goes by the same name in the Pixel Buds earphones. It automatically adjusts the volume level depending on the noise around you. It seems that the Adaptive Sound feature for Pixel phones will be a bit different. Google aims to improve the overall sound quality by messing with the equalizer settings of your phone.

For example, if you’re in the bathroom your Pixel will adjust the equalizer in a way that battles echoes and reverberations from the tiles on the wall. If you’re cooking in the kitchen the Adaptive Sound system will bump certain frequencies in order for the sound to cut through.

There’s no official information on when this Pixel Feature Drop will arrive and which models will be supported. If Adaptive Sound starts rolling out next Monday, the Pixel 5 will be the first to get it, along with the Pixel 4a 5G probably. XDA Developers points out that there are no technical barriers preventing the new feature from being enabled on any Pixel phone running Android 11.