Tag: Google

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Google rolling out fix for bug that prevented checking for new Play system updates

Last week, Android users were left confused after the ability to manually check for Google Play system updates mysteriously vanished from devices. Now, the option is coming back, thanks to a Google Play Store update.

As spotted by Twitter user Hiren Vasani and elevated by Esper’s senior technical editor, Mishaal Rahman (via Android Police), the Play Store update ‘31.9.20-21’ fixes the issue and restores the missing menu that lets people check for Play System updates.

If you’re a little confused by all this talk of Play-related updates, here’s the skinny: Google offers Play system updates as a way to push new features or tweaks to Android and Google services without a full-on software update, whereas the Google Play Store update is, well, just an update to Google’s app store. The two are, of course, linked, but Play system updates are part of Google’s ongoing effort to split features off from Android to make it easier to update them without releasing a whole new Android build.

Anyway, to get back the ability to check for Play system updates, you’ll need to update the Google Play Store. To do that, open the Play Store > Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner > Settings > About > Update Play Store (under the Play Store version towards the bottom of the menu).

At the time of writing, the Play Store on a Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a that I tested was still on version 31.9.13-21, and tapping the update option surfaced a pop-up saying the Play Store was up-to-date. Both devices still can’t check for Play system updates, unsurprisingly.

Unfortunately, this will likely be the case for many users for a bit. Google tends to roll out updates slowly. If you’re not seeing the Play Store update now, it should arrive in the next few days. Once that happens, you should be able to check for Play System updates, like the recent August update that doesn’t appear to have rolled out widely yet.

Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter) Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Google Play system updates menu vanishes for some Android users

The ability to check for Google Play system updates has vanished for several Android devices from various manufacturers.

As spotted by 9to5Google, devices from Google, Samsung, Nothing, Xiaomi, Nokia, and Motorola have all lost the ability to check for these updates. It’s worth noting that Google Play system updates are separate from Android updates and exist as yet another way for Google to push new software and features to Android devices.

Previously, users could open the Settings app and navigate to Security > Google Play system update to view details about the current version and check if a new update is available. We actually detailed this process last week when outlining the new features available in the August 2022 Play system update.

Now, however, tapping the ‘Google Play system update’ option in the Security menu doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t open the update page, there’s no longer a ‘Check for update’ button; it’s just gone. It’s not clear if this is related to a bug, or if Google intentionally changed the behaviour.

Either is possible — on the bug side, I recall downloading the August Play system update to my Pixel 6a on the 19th after publishing MobileSyrup‘s coverage of what’s new in the update. However, my Pixel 6a says it’s still on the July update and tapping the Play system update doesn’t do anything. Similarly, a Pixel 6 I tested doesn’t let you click the Play system update option either. It’s also on the July update, but I don’t recall manually triggering the August update on it. It’s possible something in the August update caused this, but with both these phones listing the July update as the current one, I’m not sure.

9to5Google posits that Google changed the behaviour only to show the update page when there’s a new update. While possible, I wonder why the phones still show the July update when the August update is available and supposedly installed on my device.

Whatever the reason, it seems a little weird that the only way to manually trigger a Play system update suddenly vanished. Hopefully, Google provides some information about what’s going on.

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s Pixel Tablet may run 64-bit-only Android 13

Google’s upcoming Pixel Tablet might run a 64-bit-only version of Android when it launches sometime next year.

The search giant didn’t reveal much about the Pixel Tablet when it announced the device at its Google I/O developer conference in May, and we’ve mostly been in the dark about it since. However, new details shared by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter suggest Google’s testing a 64-bit-only version of Android on the device.

Rahman tweeted a link to Google’s development resources, which indicate the company is experimenting with 64-bit-only Android 13 builds on a device with the codename ‘Tangor.’ Tangor, for those unfamiliar with the name, refers to the Pixel Tablet.

Going exclusively 64-bit would have several impacts. On the one hand, Android Police notes that cutting 32-bit support should reduce RAM use, but one downside would be that the tablet couldn’t run 32-bit apps anymore. That shouldn’t be a major issue, though, given that the Play Store has required that apps use a 64-bit architecture for a while.

In fact, Rahman details in a blog post that Google has been working towards 64-bit-only Android for a while, with last year’s Android 12 being the first version of the OS that can be compiled with 64-bit-only components. The same applies to Android 13.

Didn’t Apple do this in 2017?

Naturally, some may look and this 64-bit push and wonder what took Google so long. Apple moved the iPhone to 64-bit in 2017. The thing is, Apple’s iOS and Android are very different — Apple was more easily able to force a change because it has complete control over iOS and the App Store. For Google, Android’s scale and being open-source means the company has to take a slower approach to major changes like this so as not to isolate vendors or markets that still rely on 32-bit. A big example of this, as Android Police points out, is China (although Chinese app stores have agreed to start phasing out 32-bit apps).

Android Police notes that changes from chipmakers may also be a factor in this push. Most mobile phones use chips based on Arm chip designs, with newer designs only supporting 64-bit processes. That has led some chipmakers to include a small number of processors that support 32-bit, resulting in some odd, asymmetrical chip designs.

And presumably, if Google does go 64-bit-only with the Pixel Tablet, the company will likely do the same with its Tensor chip and Pixel phones in the future.

Of course, Google may also just be running internal tests to see how well a 64-bit-only device would perform. We likely won’t know for sure until the Pixel Tablet launches (it’s expected to arrive sometime in 2023). Still, it’d be nice to see Android go 64-bit-only, and if Google made the leap, other manufacturers would likely follow.

Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter), Google Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Four Pixel 7 models pass through FCC

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have now passed through the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC); however, there were four individual listings.

The documents from the regulator show four model numbers: GP4BC, GVU6C, GE2AE and GQML3. The first two support Sub-6 5G, which includes 5G running on 3500MHz spectrum like what Canadian carriers are currently rolling out. The other two have mmWave connectivity.

Canadians will likely get the Sub-6 models while the U.S. will get the mmWave version.

The GP4BC and GE2AE also sport ultrawideband. Currently, the Pixel 6 Pro is the only Google phone with the functionality, so it’s likely these two model numbers belong to the Pixel 7 Pro.

All four devices will also feature Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, NFC and wireless charging.

Further, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are expected to sport the Tensor 2 chipset and will launch sometime this fall.

Source: GSMArena, FCC

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s Android 13 statue is a swingset that kinda looks like a butt

As is tradition, Google installed an official statue on its campus commemorating the Android 13 release. Except, as Android Police spotted, the statue kinda looks like the Android mascot (called bugdroid by many) grew a big ol’ butt.

The statue is supposed to be a swingset made out of the number 13 rotated on its side. Unfortunately, Google decided to make the crossbar of the swingset blue instead of green to match the sideways ‘3’ seat. Because of this, at a quick glance, it’s not super obvious that the swingset is the number 13 rotated 90 degrees.

Coupled with the bugdroid’s head appearing at the top in the same colour as the 3, it kinda looks like a butt (or perhaps other, more unsavoury parts of the human anatomy, depending on your imagination and where you draw the lines).

For those not able to go to Google’s campus and check out the new bugdroid buttdroid statue for yourself, Google also has an augmented reality (AR) version you can view online. The AR version does make the blue bar a little more prominent, but the butt is very much still there.

Beyond the new buttdroid display, the new statue joins the group of Android statues that don’t feature desserts. Back when Google still leaned into the dessert names for Android releases, we got neat statues that combined the bugdroid with Oreos, pies, ice cream sandwiches, and more. Those statues were fun, and definitely didn’t look like body parts.

Image credit: @tikurahulahul

Source: Twitter Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Android 13 stable update breaks unified search for beta users

Users making the leap from the Android 13 beta to the recently released stable release may notice that the unified search has reverted to the years-old, basically useless Google search.

While it’s not entirely clear why the update reverted the search capabilities, Google is at least aware of the problem. According to 9to5Google, Google said an “upcoming release” will include a fix. Hopefully, that upcoming release arrives soon, as the improved device search is frankly one of the best parts of Android 13.

For those not familiar with unified search, or search on Pixels in general, well, it’s been a mixed bag for some time. The Pixel launcher has sported a Google search bar along the bottom of the home screen for years, but that bar was just a shortcut to search the web with Google. You could use it to search your phone, but the results were fairly limited.

With Android 12, Google revamped device search capabilities, adding a new search functionality to the app drawer in the Pixel launcher. This new device search was super fast and a great way to find stuff on your phone, including apps (plus shortcuts to things within some apps), contacts, and more. I’d say it felt more like the Spotlight search available on the iPhone. Unfortunately, this revamped search was only available in the app drawer and not from the Google search bar pinned to the bottom of every Pixel’s home screen.

Pixel launcher search

From left to right: Old web search, new unified search (on A13 Beta), device search

Android 13 changed that with a new unified search that offered both the faster device search and web searches right from that Google search bar. Personally, I wish I could turn off the web searches and just get the device search since unified search drops the helpful app shortcuts in favour of web searches. Either way, I loved having a reason to use the search bar on the home screen again.

Unfortunately, after the Android 13 stable update, tapping the Google search bar opens the old web search on my Pixel 6a (you can tell by the lack of Material You styling). However, I can still access the device search from the app drawer. This appears to be the case for any Pixel that made the leap from the beta to stable Android 13 — I have a Pixel 6 exhibiting the same behaviour after the update, while 9to5 says it experienced the issue on its Pixel 4a, 6, 6 Pro, and 6a units.

The search mixup isn’t the only issue plaguing the Android 13 update. Several Pixel users also reported getting an Android 12 update instead of the new Android 13, which has caused some confusion for users.

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Some Google Pixels received an Android 12 update instead of Android 13

It wouldn’t be a major Google software release if there wasn’t something that went wrong.

Google started pushing the stable Android 13 update to Pixel devices on August 15th, and already some users have encountered an issue. For some Pixel devices, the latest update is actually to Android 12, not version 13. Several reports have emerged on Twitter and the r/GooglePixel subreddit about users receiving a 2GB Android 12 update on their Pixel phone.

Per Android Police, some brave users took a risk and installed the mystery Android 12 update and claimed it simply re-installed the Android 12 update and seemingly didn’t bump the OS build number.

Other users noted they initially received the Android 13 upgrade but weren’t able to update right away. When they went back to download the new software a few hours later, the Android 12 update had replaced it. Moreover, some users who installed the Android 12 update were able to download the Android 13 update after.

Screenshot credit: u/fooldomus

Android Police notes the issues seems to primarily impact the Pixel 6, Pixel 4a and Pixel 5a (which isn’t available in Canada). Overall, the problem doesn’t seem that widespread, but it still impacted a bunch of Pixel users.

If you’re in the same boat with an Android 12 update on your Pixel, you might be able to trigger the Android 13 update by rebooting the device. If that doesn’t work, you’ll just need to wait for Google to fix the problem on its end unless you’re brave enough to redownload Android 12.

Source: Twitter, Reddit, (2) Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

How to block annoying on-site notifications with Chrome

I hate the web.

This is a tough stance to take since the internet pays my rent, but the way apps and websites constantly vie for my attention is often very draining. That said, I noticed something when I was using Google Chrome today that makes the experience a little bit better.

If you constantly deny popup notifications, Chrome will learn this behaviour over time and auto-block websites asking you to subscribe to its push notifications. I noticed this happening to me today, and when I dove a little deeper, it turns out you can block all those types of notifications directly from the Chrome Settings menu.

 

You should be able to access the setting with this link if you’re in Chrome. If that doesn’t work, accessing this menu is a bit of a pain. Click on the ‘three-dot’ menu in the top left of your Chrome window and choose ‘Settings.’ From there, select ‘Privacy and Security’ from the left-hand menu. Then click on ‘Site Settings,’ and select Notifications from the next page.

Once you’re in the Notifications area, you can disable site notifications or use a quiet way to deliver your online Chrome notifications. There is one issue with this which is that it also silences notifications for important apps like Google Calendar or other online work apps.

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Mobile Syrup

Android 13 now available for Pixel phones, AOSP

Android 13 is finally here, at least, if you’ve got a Pixel. Google started rolling out the official Android 13 update to eligible Pixel phones on August 15th.

Alongside Pixel phones, Google also pushed the Android 13 update to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). That means Android 13’s code is now available for everyone. While that doesn’t mean your phone will get Android 13 right away, access to AOSP can help speed things along.

Those who have followed the Android 13 developer previews and beta releases over the last several months likely won’t find many surprises in the stable version of Android 13. It’s a fairly modest upgrade over Android 12, with a focus on refinding some features — like Material You — and adding various quality of life improvements.

How to download Android 13

Image credit: Google

Before we get into what’s new, let’s talk about how to get the update. For Pixel users, it’s pretty simple: open Settings > System > System update. The update should appear there once it’s available for your device, although it could take some time to show up (Google likes to roll out these updates slowly to ease pressure on servers and catch any serious bugs that sneak through). My Pixel 6a is running the Android 13 beta and hasn’t gotten the stable update yet, so expect it could take a while.

It’s also worth noting that people with the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, or 6a won’t be able to downgrade back to Android 12. As spotted by 9to5Google, a Google warning on the developers website where it hosts factory images for its devices says Android 13 includes a “bootloader update that increments the anti-roll back version.” If you’ve got one of these devices, you may want to hold off until you’re sure you won’t need to go back to Android 12 for some reason.

Finally, although updating through the system update option on your phone is the easiest way, the impatient among us can download the factory images or over-the-air (OTA) images from Google’s developers website and install them manually. Unless you know what you’re doing, though, you’re probably better of waiting for the update to show up on your phone automatically.

Some of Android 13’s best new features

GIF credit: Google

Instead of an exhaustive list of new features (because there are a lot!), we’ve compiled a quick list of some of the best new features in Android 13:

GIF credit: Google

  • Set languages for individual apps instead of changing it system-wide (great for people who speak multiple languages).
  • Private photo picker lets you share specific images with certain apps, instead of the whole media library.
  • Immersive listening experience with headphones that support head tracking via Spatial Audio.
  • Improved connectivity with ChromeOS.
  • Better tablet UI with new taskbar and split-screen functionality.
  • Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio support.
  • Expanded Material You colour options.
  • Cinematic wallpapers.
  • Improved launcher search on Pixel phones.
  • Opt-in notifications.
  • Quick-access QR code scanner.
  • And more…

Source: Google Via: Android Central

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel Watch to have 24-hour battery life, according to Fitbit app teardown

Back in May, Google announced the Pixel Watch at its I/O developer conference, confirming long-running rumours that the company was working on a smartwatch. We don’t know much about the watch yet, but details continue to emerge — the latest suggests potential Pixel Watch customers should expect the battery to last about one day.

9to5Google performed a teardown of the latest Fitbit app, version 3.65, and uncovered text within the app for battery-related notifications for the Pixel Watch (as a reminder, Google owns Fitbit, and the Pixel Watch is set to feature Fitbit integration). The first bit of text is for a notification that will remind Pixel Watch users to charge up before bed:

“Get a notification before your bedtime goal if your Pixel Watch battery is too low to track a night’s sleep.”

9to5 notes that the above notification will show up shortly before users’ bedtime goal, giving them time to charge up before bed. However, the publication found another battery-related notification with some more interesting details:

“Time to charge your watch

“You’ll need at least 30% charge to track a full night’s sleep”

Now, here’s where things get a little speculative. 9to5 suggests — given it’s recommended people get eight hours of sleep each night — that could mean the Pixel Watch will burn through 30 percent of its battery in about eight hours. If you expand that to 24 hours, that’d be about 90 percent of the Pixel Watch battery, suggesting the Pixel Watch will offer about 24-hour battery life.

24-hour battery could put the Pixel Watch behind competitors

Now, a few important caveats. First, and most important, is that this information comes from an app teardown. 9to5 cracked open the Fitbit app and found these text snippets for notifications related to the Pixel Watch. But since the Pixel Watch isn’t out yet and likely won’t arrive until October or November, there’s still time for Google to refine its software. In other words, these details could change, or may not accurately reflect the final product. So, take this information with a healthy dose of skepticism.

However, as Android Police points out, the 24-hour number does match previous reports about the Pixel Watch’s battery. Other rumours suggest the Pixel Watch will sport a 300mAh battery, which will last all day — Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 sports a 247mAh or 361mAh battery, depending on the watch size. That adds some credibility to the teardown information.

It’s also worth noting that sleep tracking features often use heart rate monitoring, which can have an increased impact on the battery. That could mean the 30 percent in eight hours measure is with the heart rate monitor, and potentially you could squeeze more longevity by disabling heart rate monitoring. But we won’t know that for sure until the Pixel Watch is in reviewers’ hands.

Ultimately, it sounds like the Pixel Watch could have subpar battery life. It’s a bit of a bummer, considering what other watches have on offer. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 lasts 40 hours, while the recently unveiled Galaxy Watch 5 should go even longer thanks to its bigger battery. Fitbit’s own smartwatches last pretty long — the Sense that I wear consistently gets me through two days before I need to charge it. Hopefully the Pixel Watch proves these details wrong when it launches in the fall, but keep your hype in check just in case.

Header image credit: Google

Source: 9to5Google Via: Android Police