Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Some Pixel phones are now showing album art for detected songs on tapping the Now Playing lock screen interface.
- The new expandable view appears to be rolling out with the Android 16 QPR3 update, but it’s unclear how widespread the rollout is yet.
- Some tracks currently load a blank white background instead of the album artwork.
Pixel phones have long had one of Android’s coolest music tricks built in. The Now Playing feature constantly listens for songs around you and identifies them right on your lock screen — like an always-on Shazam. With the Android 16 QPR3 update, Google appears to be rolling out a refreshed version of that experience that finally brings album art into the mix.