Google's Now Playing feature, introduced on the Google Pixel 2 and carried through to the current Pixel 5, is a useful tool for identifying songs you hear while out and about and want to listen to later. The only problem is that this has always been a Pixel-only feature.

As XDA Developers discovered, GitHub user Kieron Quinn has ported Now Playing to Android in general. Ambient Music Mod is a bit trickier to install than simply downloading an app, but it promises the same song identification capabilities as Now Playing. Furthermore, it even has access to Google's song database.

Additionally, it improves upon the original Now Playing feature by running completely on the device. While the real Now Playing requires the Pixel phone to be connected to Wi-Fi before naming songs, Ambient Music Mod handles the entire process locally once installed. It is also free and open source.

Again, getting the mod up and running requires some effort; it uses both Xposed and Magisk framework hubs, so you will need to install both of these on your phone first. You will then need to download the APK from Ambient Music Mod's recent release page and check to see if your phone is supported in the app. [Non-Pixel phones like the OnePlus 7T Pro have been tested to work, but not all Android devices are. Therefore, before using the "Build Installer" option to build the module, you need to go to the "Installer" tab in the mod app to see if yours works.

Then the problem remains to install the Magisk module using the Magisk app and do the same with Xposed. However, all being well means that Now Playing is fully reproduced on the phone after reboot, and if Ambient Music Mod is enabled, the title and artist of the song playing in the mic shot will be displayed on the lock screen. [Even if closed software like iOS 14.5 offers faster performance, the Ambient Music Mod shows the benefits of keeping Android open source.