Google's canceled "Pixie" became the Screenshots app

Google was rumored to be developing a new assistant called "Pixie" for its upcoming Pixel 9 smartphone. This AI assistant was intended to help users with complex tasks, like finding nearby stores for products users have photographed. It would have used data from various Google services, such as Gmail and Maps. However, plans for Pixie changed after a review by company leadership. They decided to scale back the project to avoid competition with Gemini, Google’s existing assistant used across all Android devices. Employees were informed that the direction of Pixie would be adjusted to ensure harmony within the company's AI offerings. As a result, Pixie was split into two parts. One part became the current Pixel Screenshots app, while the other contributed features to the Gemini assistant. Unfortunately, neither of these new products offers all the capabilities originally planned for the Pixie assistant. This new information is significant as it relates to a recent rumor about a project called "Pixel Sense." This service aims to provide predictive suggestions and reminders related to personal data, but it is not a full-fledged smart assistant. Pixel Sense is designed to assist users without competing with Gemini, using a different approach to providing help.