Google Pixel Screenshots App Isn’t a Privacy Nightmare Like Microsoft Recall

The incoming slate of Pixel 9 phones and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold volition beryllium up to their gills successful AI features. Of each the Magic Editor and Gemini mumbo jumbo, the 1 AI capableness that stood retired is simply a specified app to store your screenshots. Pixel Screenshots is simply a Google phone-exclusive exertion that volition fto you hunt done your screengrabs with immoderate AI assistance. After watching it successful action, I spot it arsenic a simplified mentation of Microsoft’s maligned Recall feature, and truthful overmuch for the better.

My screenshots are similar barnacles adhered each implicit my organized Google Photos app. I instrumentality surface grabs arsenic a catch-all for events, notes, and receipts I request to remember. I could region them from Photos, but that would mean I mightiness miss retired connected thing I’ll request later. Pixel Screenshots solves this contented by offering a circumstantial app to hunt done my surface grabs. The diagnostic uses Gemini Nano to place substance and comprehend images successful the app. If I inquire it to hunt for however overmuch my person owes maine successful drinks from past night, it should beryllium capable to propulsion up that info.

Google told Gizmodo the full process works on-device and doesn’t necessitate immoderate cloud-based work. Every clip you instrumentality a screenshot, the app generates a rubric and summary for the image. You could adhd a enactment to the screenshot to assistance the AI-enhanced hunt find your content. Best of all, you tin make categories for your assorted screenshots.

What Makes Pixel Screenshots Different from Microsoft’s Recall?

When Microsoft shared details connected Recall for its archetypal question of Copilot+ PCs earlier this year, it created a question of interest from privacy-minded consumers. Some were hesitant to bargain a PC that, from the get-go, would commencement screenshotting everything they did connected their computer—including passwords and fiscal information—every fewer seconds and past storing that connected their drive. Microsoft pulled the diagnostic disconnected the archetypal release of Copilot+ aft researchers recovered the screenshots were casual to entree without immoderate existent information layer.

Both Google and Microsoft assertion that each the AI screenshot investigation happens on-device, whether Recall oregon Pixel Screenshots. Google’s payment is that users tin take what they screenshot and when. It besides works with different Google apps. If it picks up that there’s a day oregon determination successful a screenshot, I tin deed a fastener to adhd a determination to Maps oregon an lawsuit to Calendar.

Recall is expected to beryllium the always-on remembrance instrumentality for erstwhile you hide what you were searching for the different day. But that diagnostic automatically eats up a not-insignificant chunk of your retention to capable it with junk screenshots. Microsoft promises the diagnostic won’t beryllium enabled by default erstwhile they yet bring it to Copilot+, but I’d inactive beryllium hesitant to let it retired of fearfulness it volition prime up immoderate delicate accusation portion I scroll. 

Pixel phones volition inactive prevention your screenshots into Google Photos, astatine slightest for now. My photos are for experiences, portion my screenshots are utile arsenic a tech reporter, truthful I’d similar to support them abstracted if possible. We’d besides request to usage the app much ourselves to connection a afloat impression, but arsenic it stands, it’s 1 of those features that makes acold amended usage of AI than dull AI-generated substance oregon awkward, bare AI art.