Since Google introduced Pixel VIPs in June, the widget has become the primary way I message and call people. I use it multiple times throughout the day and it’s close to entering my first homescreen.
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This homescreen widget, which is offered through the Google Contacts app but does have a separate service powering it, has become a launcher for people. Tapping on an avatar brings up a bottom sheet, while the top half of your homescreen remains visible. This implementation makes Pixel VIPs feel more like a system UI than an app.
From that sheet (which picked up some Material 3 Expressive tweaks since launch), I have access to everything I primarily use Pixel VIPs for, including seeing the most recent message in our RCS conversation and last call. Meanwhile, the phone and messaging pill above is the main way I start talking to people now, with the Contacts shortcut also helpful.
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Earlier this month, messages from your VIPs were upgraded with their full avatar appearing in the status bar. It took me a moment to adjust to the amount of color that even a tiny circle brings, but I now like the prominence. It’s really hard to miss, especially on the always-on display. One nice option might be the ability to customize the ring around their photo in the full notification. It’s yellow at the moment — for a literal highlight — but color-coding would be a fun touch.
The other feature I use is Notes, which appears when you pull the sheet up and VIPs takes over the entire screen. It has replaced my manual Google Keep and label tactic, though I’d love the ability to set reminders that are synced to Google Tasks and appear in the full app (maybe as part of a new VIPs list).
I can obviously see how people would use location sharing. But even without that enabled, seeing the time/date and weather where they are is nice information to have before catching up with them.
The “Things to do together” feature — at the very bottom — is meant to be a conversation starter by suggesting Movies & TV, Podcasts, Books, Sports, etc. that you both like, but it doesn’t feel particularly personalized even after setting preferences.
One thing that would fit with Pixel VIPs is a rotating gallery of photos, with an emphasis on taken “[x] year(s) ago.” This could use Face Groups and act like the Google Photos “People & pets” widget. Add a button to immediately share for a conversation starter that’s so much more useful than the content suggestions we have today.
For me, Pixel VIPs is the best user interface and experience innovation that Google has made to the Pixel in ages. It’s certainly the most impactful in my day-to-day use. Pixel building features focused on your family and friends is admirable and does speak to the communication aspect of our smartphones, with the team more broadly believing Call Assist is a Pixel tentpole.
Ignoring full-blown apps (like Weather and Now Playing), the others I include in that category have to do with At a Glance. There’s the indicator that your flashlight is on with a quick tap turning it off, while there’s the age-old next calendar event that I do find useful on a weekly basis given its prominence compared to a notification.
(To go on an At a Glance tangent, the one feature I really want to have is surfacing the membership QR code when at a grocery store. I think about this feature that was included in the Material You concept reel every time I’m at Whole Foods and have to open their app.)
As with prioritized notifications, I hope Google keeps updating Pixel VIPs. Besides my suggestions, adding more app integrations beyond Google Messages and WhatsApp is a must.
I wish Google had made VIPs a part of a Pixel launch rather than just a Feature Drop to better emphasize it, if not including in the initial set-up experience and automatically adding the widget to homescreens.
If there’s continued investment, I do think VIPs is a candidate for broader Android inclusion. It’s very much what the Android team wanted to build with the Conversations widget (which remains available) several years ago.
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