February 19, 2026, 11:10 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Recognizing music with a smartphone has become commonplace. Apps like Shazam have popularized identifying songs that are playing. Google took it a step further with the Pixel-exclusive feature “Now Playing.”
The devices automatically recognize music in the surroundings and store identified tracks locally on the smartphone—without active searching. Until now, “Now Playing” has been integrated into the system. Major changes were only possible through comprehensive Android updates. That might now change. System code hints suggest that Google plans to turn the feature into a standalone app.
Standalone App for “Now Playing” Planned
Google apparently plans to release “Now Playing” as a standalone Android app, similar to what has been done with the weather app. According to information from “9to5google.com,” this insight comes from the source code of the latest Android system services. Users will be invited via a pop-up message to download the app from the Play Store. It could be released with the next Pixel feature drop in March 2026. However, official confirmation from Google is still pending.
Advantages and Possible Innovations
By outsourcing to a separate app, Google could update “Now Playing” more independently from system services. This could lead to more frequent updates and new features, especially in the user interface, and the lack of synchronization between devices. An expansion to other Android smartphones is considered unlikely, as the app’s package name indicates a Pixel-exclusive feature.