Official Google Canada Blog

Sustainable style: Introducing the Pixel 4a case

Monday, August 3, 2020

Pixel 4a.
Knitted for the planet
Last year, we outlined our sustainability commitments across manufacturing, the supply chain and product design. We also introduced the new Google Nest Mini speaker, the first Google product with fabric made with recycled water bottles. The Pixel 4a cases also feature this material; in fact, two recycled plastic bottles can provide enough knitted outer fabric for five cases. In total, the case is made from over 70 percent recycled material, meaning we’re turning waste into something beautiful.

Made to last
The new Pixel 4a fabric case reduces worries of wear and tear by using a jacquard pattern to more effectively mask signs of use. When hand washing won’t do the trick, the Pixel 4a fabric case is also machine washable with clothes or on its own to help remove dirt, dyes and other grime that could build up in between the fibers of the case. See g.co/cases/help for more tips.

Find your style
Fresh patterns and textures along with beautiful pop colours on the lock button and G symbol add vibrance and functionality to your phone case. The unique fabric material and new patterns come in three colours that complement the Pixel 4a and your own style, so you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics for protection.

Added protection, just in case
Our new edge-to-edge inner microfiber wraps around your Pixel and the raised-edge design helps protect your screen and camera against scratches. You can rest easy knowing that your Pixel is in safe hands, even if your hands may be a little unsteady.

Learn more about our Pixel 4a fabric case, and check out other accessories from our Made for Google partners like CaseMate, Moment and Pela.

New Pixels—and new prices—are here

Monday, August 3, 2020

Pixel 4aPixel 4a (5G)Pixel 5

Meet Pixel 4a: The “everything you love about Google” phone
Want to charge less often, take professional-looking photos, with enterprise-grade security, all without breaking the bank? The Pixel 4a, starting at $479, has your name on it.

Same great Pixel camera, new lower price
With the same incredible camera from Pixel 4 and a new re-designed hole punch design, Pixel 4a brings the same features that have helped millions of Pixel owners take great shots. HDR+ with dual exposure controls, Portrait Mode, Top Shot, Night Sight with astrophotography capabilities and fused video stabilization—they’re all there.

Sleek design
The Pixel 4a comes in Just Black with a 5.8-inch OLED display and has a matte finish that feels secure and comfortable in your hand and includes Pixel’s signature color pop power button in mint. Check out the custom wallpapers that have some fun with the punch-hole camera.

Help for those who need it
In addition to features like Recorder, which now connects with Google Docs to seamlessly save and share transcriptions and recordings (English only), Pixel 4a will feature helpful experiences like the Personal Safety app for real-time emergency notifications.

Pixel 4a also has Live Caption, which provides real-time captioning (English only) for your video and audio content. New with the Pixel 4a launch--and available for Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4 users--Live Caption will now automatically caption your voice and video calls.

New Google Assistant in more languages
Introduced last year, the new Google Assistant is also available on Pixel 4a to help with multitasking across apps and getting things done fast, like finding a photo or sending a text. You can now try out the new experience in French, German, Spanish and Italian, in addition to English, with more languages coming soon. Learn more at g.co/pixelassistant/languages.

Pre-order Pixel 4a now
The Pixel 4a has a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 730G Mobile Platform, Titan M security module for on-device security, 6GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage with an even bigger battery that lasts all day*. New Pixel 4a fabric cases will also be available in three new colours.

Pixel 4a users can enjoy entertainment, games & apps, and extra storage with 3 month free trials of YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and Google One when you sign up for a recurring subscription. Learn more here.

Pixel 4a is now available for pre-order in Canada on the Google Store. If you’ve got an older phone and want to trade it in for a Pixel 4a, we’re making it easier than ever with our new trade-in program on the Google Store. We’ll give you up to $180 for select devices, learn more here. Pixel 4a will be available to customers on September 10 through the Google Store, Bell, Rogers, TELUS, Freedom Mobile, Vidéotron, Best Buy and more.

Sneak peek at Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5
This fall, we’ll have two more devices to talk about, the Pixel 4a (5G), starting at $679, and Pixel 5, both with 5G** to make streaming videos, downloading content, and playing games on Stadia or other platforms on the go.

Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 will be available in Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. In the coming months, we’ll share more about these devices*** and our approach to 5G. In the meantime, be sure to sign up to be the first to hear more.

*Approximate battery life based on a mix of talk, data, standby, and use of other features, with always on display off. An active display and other usage factors will decrease battery life. Pixel 4a battery testing conducted in Mountain View, California in early 2020 on pre-production hardware and software. Actual results may vary.

**Requires a 5G data plan (sold separately). 5G service not available on all carrier networks or in all areas. Contact carrier for details. 5G service, speed and performance depend on many factors including, but not limited to, carrier network capabilities, device configuration and capabilities, network traffic, location, signal strength and signal obstruction. Actual results may vary. Some features not available in all areas. Data rates may apply. See g.co/pixel/networkinfo for info.

*** These devices have not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. These devices are not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.

What emergency funding means for publishers around the world

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Lawton Constitution5,600 recipientsGoogle News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund

In South Korea, Kim Hong-tak from the Jeonnam Ilbo is using JERF funds to highlight the resilience of the local businesses affected by COVID-19. The publication has created a designated column focused on local small and medium sized businesses to highlight their strengths and values and serve as a bridge to connect them to the right government agencies for further support.

In the United Kingdom, DC Thomson used the funding to support new content teams to help generate 10,000 subscribers during lockdown. In Argentina, El Diario published an editorial describing how the funding will allow them “to continue..to keep the voices of the city and the region alive”. And, In Canada, Narcity Media will use the funds to increase their staff by hiring at least 1-2 new reporters.

These are a handful of stories among many we received since launching JERF in April. When COVID-19 was turning the world upside down, we didn’t know what to expect. The intent was simple: help address a very real need from local publishers and news sites globally that are facing financial hardship as a result of the economic and advertising downturn.

In the last few months, we have provided $39.5 million in funding to more than 5600 publishers in 115 countries. The money is being applied in diverse and creative ways, from ensuring basic reporting needs and giving emergency stipends to allow reporters to cover the crisis, to driving audience engagement and generating subscriptions.

Within two weeks of our announcement, we received more than 12,000 applications. The massive response gave us the opportunity to understand what “local” means in different parts of the world, and how dynamics ranging from newsroom size to ownership structure can differ depending on the region and the kinds of communities served. For instance, the average newsroom size varied from 20 in Asia Pacific to eight in North America.

We learned from publishers that advertising continues to be the sole source of revenue for most JERF recipients, with 50 percent claiming to be totally advertising dependent. A survey we carried out also showed that less than 30 percent of recipients operate some form of a paywall, while less than 18 percent rely on community contributions or memberships to support their journalism. That situation is changing, though, with 60 percent of the recipients planning to diversify their revenue streams by developing subscription, membership or contribution models.

Additionally, around 20 percent of publishers told us they are prioritizing a need for cultural change that includes a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as organizational and business management.

The pandemic has affected everyone, and local news organizations have been at the forefront in helping their communities navigate COVID-19. At the Google News Initiative, we are trying to play our part with this funding and other initiatives as we all work towards the common goal of a sustainable, innovative and diverse news industry globally.

Posted by Ludovic Blecher, Head of Google News Initiative Innovation

A look at how Canadians are using YouTube to get their sports fix

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Reliving the magic of epic sports momentsincreased by 250%with Bautista himself

FIFATV is another great example of bringing fans together. They began uploading full-length classic soccer matches with the hashtag #WorldCupAtHome and encouraged viewers to get involved and suggest other classic matches to rewatch.

Getting to know our favourite athletes

Something interesting to come about while live sports have been on pause has been seeing and learning more about our favourite athletes and how they’re quarantining at home. One of my personal favourites is Canada’s own P.K. Subban, who’s been using his YouTube channel to give fans a glimpse into his everyday life.

When we spoke with Subban about his channel he told us, “It's been a great new way to connect with my fans around the globe, especially during this time. With live sports on pause, YouTube has helped me to stay engaged with my online community and share more about my life off the ice - my content may have even inspired some quarantine haircuts!"

Many other athletes have also used this time to connect with fans - check out the channels from Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler and Raptors very own, Serge Ibaka.

Discovering new sports and building communities

If you had told me a year ago that I would be a fan of competitive marble racing, I wouldn’t have believed you. While it’s been around for a while, marble racing has become incredibly popular as a replacement sport with live sports on pause. What makes marble racing videos so exciting is that they emulate a perfect substitute for those missing televised sports by using multiple cameras, tournament brackets and play-by-play commentary at every turn for the marbles. To give you a sense of how popular the sport has become, Jelle’s Marble Runs videos were viewed over 9 million times globally in March 2020.

Another outcome from the pause of live sports has been watching sports enthusiasts build new communities on YouTube to share their love of the game. Beyond the Court is a group of seven long-time friends and basketball fans that missed live sports so much, they created a YouTube channel to connect with other fans and debate important basketball questions like, “Who is your 2020 NBA MVP?”, recapping Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” and even debating Vince Carter’s Legacy with the Raptors among other NBA based topics.

Despite the pause of live sports, there have been many bright moments that have brought fans together. In what feels like the longest “halftime” in sports history, through YouTube we’ve reflected on the iconic sports moments that moved us, caught a glimpse into the lives of our favourite athletes and found a new love for marbles. While it’s been a unique time to be a sports fan, it's inspired a new love for the game that is unmatched.

Posted by Soneeka Patel, Sports Partnerships Lead, YouTube Canada

“Hey Google, make a group call” now on Nest Hub Max

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Nest Hub Max “Hey Google, make a group call”

With group video calling on Nest Hub Max, you can now bring the whole family together, spontaneously check in with your siblings or host a weekly happy hour with friends for up to 32 people. To get started, you can create groups in the Duo mobile app, and from there just ask your Hub Max, “Hey Google, make a group call,” and tap on the Duo group you want to connect with. And with auto-framing, you can freely move around your kitchen or living room during your Duo video call, while staying in view.

“Hey Google, join my next meeting”

You can also try, “Hey Google, start a meeting” to connect with up to 100 people on Google Meet for fitness classes, book clubs, community gatherings or whatever else you’ve got planned. If you want to call into a meeting, say "Hey Google, join a meeting" then tap the "enter a meeting code" option and type it in to join. Or try asking, “Hey Google, join my next meeting” to instantly connect to the next call on your personal Google Calendar. Meet group video calling is launching first on Nest Hub Max.

Google Assistant and Nest have always made it easy to connect with friends and family⁠—and now, the more the merrier.

Google Play Pass: Enjoy apps and games without ads or in-app purchases

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Apps and games you already love, plus more to discover

To make all of these apps and games easier to find, we’ve added a new Play Pass tab for subscribers. Play Pass apps and games can also be found throughout the Play Store–just look for the Play Pass “ticket.” All apps and games found on the Play Pass homepage or throughout the Play Store with the ticket are completely unlocked with your subscription.

Share with your family

Just as with Google Play Family Library, family managers can share their Play Pass subscription with up to five other family members in their Google Family. Each family member can access Play Pass individually, so your experience won’t be affected by what others download. Play Pass also has a great selection of family-friendly apps and games—from Sesame Workshop to Learny Land—so the whole family can enjoy.

Get started

Once Play Pass is available this week, you can start your trial by simply opening the Play Store app on your Android device, tapping the menu at the top left, and looking for “Play Pass.” You can learn more here. Have fun!

The new Google Pixel Buds are available today for your listening pleasure

Monday, July 13, 2020

In October, we introduced the all-new Google Pixel Buds—with high-quality sound, an unobtrusive design that fits securely and comfortably in your ear, and helpful AI features. We wanted to make sure whether you're streaming content while working out, or sitting in a noisy room talking on a conference call, you have the best possible audio experience. Today, Pixel Buds are available in Canada for $239 in Clearly White.

We sat down with some of the team behind Pixel Buds to learn more about these new features, and also to hear how they’ve been using Pixel Buds.

Get started easily with Fast Pair
“I always used to use wired headphones because I had concerns about the reliability of Bluetooth connectivity, as lots of other earbuds have pairing problems, including the original Pixel Buds. With Pixel Buds, we focused on building Fast Pair to eliminate these pain points and easily connect to your phone.”
- Ethan Grabau, Product Manager

Clear calls with special mics and sensor Adaptive Sound for better audio Hands-free help with Google Assistant

Real-time translations with conversation mode
“Conversation mode was built to solve a simple problem: How can we use Translate on Pixel Buds to remove language barriers? Making the conversation as natural as possible even with the use of the phone was important, so we decided to create the split screen UI to show exactly what was being said, and translating it in real time on the screen. Any exposure to a different language is also an opportunity to learn, so we wanted to make the feature not only as helpful as possible for things like being in a different country, but also as simple as being able to help bilingual households across generations connect through language.”
- Tricia Fu, Associate Product Manager

Peace of mind with Find My Device
“The fear of losing expensive wireless earbuds is real, and in many cases a reason why people are afraid of trying them. We tried to reduce that fear a bit with Find My Device. If an earbud falls out when you’re walking or running, you know right away. But you may be less aware when you return home and absentmindedly put them down somewhere. So we built the ability to let you ring your earbuds from your phone. We also wanted to make sure we were thoughtful in what that experience is like. You can ring one earbud at a time, to focus on finding either the left or right earbud. The moment your hands touch the lost earbud, the ringing will stop. We hope people won’t need to use this feature often, but if they do, they can find misplaced earbuds more easily.”
- Alex Yee, Interaction Designer

Like Pixel phones and other Google devices, Pixel Buds will get better over time with new features, including an update to Find My Earbuds which will show the last known location of your earbuds.

Pixel Buds are available through the Google Store and retailers including (but not limited to) Best Buy, Staples, WIRELESS WAVE, Tbooth wireless and TELUS. Other colours—Almost Black and Quite Mint —will be available next month.

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