Tag: Google

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Android 13 beta now available for Pixel 6a

Google’s new mid-range Pixel 6a has only just gotten into the hands of customers, and the company has already added it to the Android Beta Program.

As reported by 9to5Google, Google’s beta program website now lists the Pixel 6a as an eligible device for Android 13 Beta 4.1, which released roughly a week ago.

That means if you own a Pixel 6a, you can try out Android 13. All you need to do is visit the Android Beta Program website, sign in with your Google account, and click the ‘opt-in’ button on the Pixel 6a. You’ll get an over-the-air (OTA) update on your device that you can install to make the jump. It’s worth noting that the update is pretty large — when I installed it on my 6a, it was over 2GB in size. In other words, make sure to do this on Wi-Fi, not data.

Android 13 so far appears to be a relatively small update after Android 12’s major visual overhaul. Android 13 continues expanding on some of those visual changes, such as with improved icon theming, and adds new features like Bluetooth LE Audio and privacy features.

Google said the fourth public beta would be the final beta released for Android 13, so the software should be relatively polished. I haven’t noticed any glaring issues on my 6a since installing the beta last night, but keep in mind that it’s beta software, so things can definitely go wrong.

If you’d rather wait, it may not be much longer. Details from a recent Android 13 security bulletin point to a September release.

Source: 9to5Google

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Android 13 may not arrive until September

Google’s next big Android update may not arrive until September, as implied by details in a recent security bulletin.

Spotted by Android Police, Google’s Android 13 monthly security bulletin notes that the next major Android update will ship with a default security patch level of “2022-09-01.” In other words, the Android 13 update will ship with the September 2022 security patch.

The document goes on to detail several fixes included in the September security patch, noting that Android 13 devices “with a security patch level of 2022-09-01 or later are protected against these issues.”

While this all suggests a September release for Android 13, Android Police points out that Pixels might get it earlier. With last year’s Android 12 release, Google rolled out the update to Pixel devices two weeks after releasing the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Android 13 build.

With that in mind, it’s hard to say what will happen with Android 13 and Pixel phones this year. Google made the Android 13 developer preview (the stage before the public beta) available in February 2022, a month earlier than past developer previews. The Android 13 beta similarly came out earlier than usual in April — Google usually announces the beta at the I/O developer conference in May.

In the latest Android 13 beta news, Google just added the newly-released Pixel 6a to the list of supported Pixels. That means Pixel 6a owners can head to the Android Beta Program website and opt-in to join the beta. Doing so sends an over-the-air (OTA) update that will bump your Pixel 6a from Android 12 to Android 13 Beta 4.1. Learn more about that here.

Source: Google Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s August security patch for Pixels appears to be delayed

It looks like Google’s August security patch is delayed. The search giant typically drops its monthly security updates for Pixel phones on the first Monday of every month. However, the first Monday of August has come and gone without the corresponding update.

Per Android Police, Google did publish its monthly ‘Pixel Update Bulletin‘ on time, listing an August 2022 update coming for Android 12. The publication notes that it’s not clear why the update didn’t roll out, but the delay is likely due to some sort of bug or issue serious enough to warrant postponing the rollout.

The patch, when it eventually arrives, will address 40 security issues ranging from moderate to high severity across the kernel, modem, and camera.

Google also hasn’t yet released the latest Pixel builds for manual installation

Moreover, Android Police detailed that Verizon Pixel devices got an update, but it appears to be based on the July security patch, not the August patch. This won’t mean much for Canadian Pixel owners, but it’s interesting to see the carrier-specific Pixel phones getting a patch based on a month-old update.

Anyway, we’ll hopefully see the August patch hit Pixel devices soon, especially since Samsung beat it to the punch by rolling out the August security patch to its devices in July!

Source: Android Police

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Google Pixel 7, 7 Pro to launch October 13: report

Google’s upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro might be available for pre-order starting October 6th, according to new details shared by YouTube leaker Jon Prosser via his FrontPageTech blog.

Prosser notes that “very reputable sources” claim Google’s upcoming flagships will go live for pre-orders on October 6th, which likely means Google will hold an event to announce the devices that day (or near that day at least). Moreover, the devices will officially launch on the 13th.

That’s all that Prosser shares in the blog post, aside from linking to several older Pixel leaks as evidence of accuracy. However, Prosser has had a mixed record on leaks before, and any rumour — no matter how reputable the source — should be considered with a healthy dose of skepticism.

As seems to be the norm for Google now, the company tried to get out ahead of leakers by revealing the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro at its I/O developer conference in May. However, Google didn’t share many details beyond pictures of the design, confirmation that the phones would sport a ‘next-gen Google Tensor chip’ (Tensor 2?), and Android 13. Oh, and Google shared the colour options: ‘Obsidian,’ ‘Snow’ and ‘Hazel’ for the Pixel 7 Pro, and the Pixel 7 will come in ‘Obsidian,’ ‘Snow’ and ‘Lemongrass.’

Since then, some other details about the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have leaked. Thanks to these details, we’re pretty sure the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will sport similar displays to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and there may be some minor camera improvements as well. Plus, a prototype Pixel 7 Pro made it out into the wild, where it went up for sale on eBay and was scraped for data about Tensor 2.

Ultimately, October is a pretty safe bet for the launch month of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. Google typically unveils its new Pixel flagships in October, and they become available shortly after. It remains to be seen whether the predicted dates are accurate — hopefully so, I’d love an early October release window.

Header image credit: Google

Source: FrontPageTech

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Mobile Syrup

How to turn motion photos on (or off) on your iPhone or Android

Several phone manufacturers added some form of motion photo feature to their phones a few years back. Although the name changes from smartphone to smartphone — some call it Motion Photo, Live Photo, Moving Picture, Top Shot, or whatever (I made up one of those, guess which one) — the main benefit is the same: images move.

Here’s the thing: I used to turn motion photos off all the time because I thought it was pretty useless. Who wants pictures that move? That’s what videos are for. At least, that’s how I felt until I became a dad — now, motion photos are indispensable. The feature has saved so many pictures I’ve snapped of my very, very wiggly daughter because even if I don’t get the shot, it’s probably in the motion photo.

Because of that, I’ve been making sure motion photos are turned on whichever device I’m using (currently, that’s the excellent Pixel 6a). Below, you’ll find a brief overview of how the feature works and steps to enable it on some popular smartphones.

How motion photos work

Motion photos rely on a pretty complex mix of machine learning (ML) and software trickery, but the basic premise involves capturing a short video when people press the shutter button. The thing is, a video is just a stream of pictures stitched together, and most modern smartphones already capture a bunch of photos when you press the shutter button for things like HDR.

That’s a very simple explanation, of course — there’s a lot more to it. Google has a whole blog post about its motion photo tech, which does a great job showcasing some of the complex ML work going on in the background — it’s likely other manufacturers use similar systems.

It’s worth noting that some parts of motion photos are fairly consistent across devices. Regardless if you use an Apple or Android phone, you should be able to play a motion photo by pressing and holding the photo when you view it in your gallery. Moreover, I’ve noticed the actual photo often looks better than the motion photo, in part because the photo generally gets the full benefit of image processing and HDR, while the motion photo doesn’t.

How to enable motion photos

iPhone

Apple’s ‘Live Photo’ feature is very easy to turn on and off right in the camera. Look for the bullseye-like icon in the top-right corner of the camera — if it’s yellow, Live Photos are on. If it’s white with a line through it, Live Photos are off.

In the Apple Photos app, look for the ‘Live’ icon in the top-left corner when viewing a picture to tell whether an image is also a Live Photo.

Google Pixel

Google wrapped its motion photo feature into something called ‘Top Shot’ when the Pixel 3 launched. Top Shot adds some extra functionality to motion photos, such as automatically suggesting the best picture based on everything captured with the motion photo. This is part of what made motion photos such a lifesaver for me since I could snap a picture of my daughter and then use Top Shot to pick out the motion photo frame where she’s actually still smiling.

To turn on Top Shot in the Google Pixel camera app, tap the settings icon in the top-left corner, then select one of three options: off, auto, or on. I usually run with auto, since it’s pretty good at grabbing motion photos and running Top Shot when I need it (like when I take a picture of my daughter) and when I don’t (like when I take a picture of a flower).

In the Google Photos app, look for a circle icon with a play button in it at the top of the screen when viewing a photo (usually next to the Cast button). This icon marks which photos have motion — you can press and hold the picture, or tap the icon, to play the motion.

Samsung Galaxy

Similarly, you can enable motion photos on Samsung phones within the camera app. Look for a square icon with a triangle intersecting the right edge — that’s the motion photo icon. Tap it to turn motion photos on or off.

To view a motion photo, look for the ‘View motion photo’ button in the Samsung Gallery app.

Image credit: Samsung

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Here’s your chance to win a free Pixel 6a

Google’s Pixel 6a is the talk of the town right now, thanks to its stellar mid-range features.

MobileSyrup is now giving away this mid-range powerhouse for free. The Pixel 6a offers the same processor and premium software as its high-end counterparts. In fact, Jon Lamont, who reviewed the device for MobileSyrup, says that it might even be too good for its price.

The Pixel 6a features a 6.1-inch display with a 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution, Android 12, a Google Tensor chip, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and more. It also sports the same camera hardware as the Pixel 5, which offers a 12.2-megapixel primary sensor and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor.

The model we’re giving away is the ‘Sage’ colour variant. Additionally, we’re also offering up the Pixel Buds A-Series in ‘Clearly White’ for free alongside the Pixel 6a. This contest runs from July 29th to August 23rd, with the winner being selected on August 24th.

Sign up for our newsletter in the form below for a chance to win.

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Google’s refreshed Gmail interface arrives for more users

Google has been slowly rolling out its new Gmail design to desktop users over the last few weeks and months — now it’s headed to all Gmail users who have ‘Chat’ turned on.

As per Google (via Android Police), this is the latest stage of a rollout that began earlier this year. Google first announced the new design for Gmail in January, then made it available on an opt-in basis. In June, it released the new Gmail to desktop users on an opt-out basis, and now it’s going to arrive for all users with Chat. Anecdotally, the new Gmail briefly arrived on my personal Google account and has since vanished. I am not sure how or why.

Anyway, the new layout — if you’ve somehow managed to make it this long without seeing it — adds some nice Material You-style theming to Gmail, adds a sidebar for quickly jumping between Mail, Chat, Spaces, and Meet, adds conversation bubbles, and more.

Alongside the visual refresh, Google also detailed that it’s making Gmail search more powerful. In practice, that means you’ll see helpful new search ‘chips’ (those little suggestion bubbles you see popping up all through Google apps and Android), options to quickly narrow search results, and more.

On top of that, Google says it will enhance Gmail search with “contextual contact suggestions with intent matching for names and email addresses.” That should help improve the results when trying to find a contact in Gmail. Finally, Google’s enhancements will add personalized suggestions to search results based on how frequently users interact with a person in Gmail.

Google rounded things out with a promise that it will launch an improved Gmail experience for tablet users, better emoji, new accessibility features, and more.

Source: Google Via: Android Police

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Google’s new Play Store policies include restrictions on fullscreen ads

Google has outlined several policy changes heading to the Play Store later this year, impacting everything from fullscreen ads to subscriptions and more.

While many changes will only impact app developers, some will also change things up for consumers. You can check out all the new changes on the Play Console Help page, but we’ll run through them quickly below.

Fullscreen ads

First and foremost, Google will implement new restrictions on when apps can display fullscreen ads starting September 30th. Unfortunately, the change doesn’t remove these types of ads altogether, but the policy does say “unexpected” fullscreen ads are no longer allowed.

What that really means is fullscreen ads that would interrupt regular use of the app are no longer allowed — for example, ads popping up when an app first loads, while you’re playing a game, or scrolling through content. However, fullscreen ads are still allowed in other circumstances, such as when users opt-in (for example, when a game offers users a reward for watching an ad).

Google will also permit fullscreen ads at appropriate times, like after a round or level in a game, or before a video. That said, fullscreen ads must be skippable within 15-seconds (again, excluding opt-in ads where users choose to view them).

Arguably, these changes should apply to those pesky YouTube ads that appear in the middle of a video, but these changes don’t apply to that.

Health misinformation

Next up, Google adjusted Play policies around apps featuring health misinformation. Android Police notes that these have always been a problem for the Play Store, but the pandemic exacerbated it. Google now says that apps containing “misleading health claims that contradict existing medical consensus, or cause harm to users” are no longer allowed on the Play Store.

The new rule will go into effect on August 31st, although Google has more or less enforced a version of this for the last few years.

Subscriptions, impersonation, and more

The rest of the changes are much smaller in comparison, and likely users will feel the impact less. First is a change to the subscription policy that requires apps to include an accessible method for cancelling or managing subscriptions. Google doesn’t seem to care how the option is made available — it can use an in-app page, website, Google Play billing, etc. — as long as there’s a way for users to manage their subscription.

Example of impersonation apps. Image credit: Google

Another new policy will attempt to curb impersonation apps starting August 31st. This will target apps that try to impersonate other well-known apps, such as by copying app icons or names.

Google’s new policies also crack down on ‘stalkerware,’ a scary name for monitoring apps, such as those offered to parents to manage kids’ digital experiences (for example, content blockers). The policy change now requires these apps to offer clear disclosures about data privacy on the Play Store, as well as include the ‘IsMonitoringTool’ flag in the metadata file so that systems recognize when users install these apps. Developers have until November 1st to implement these changes.

Finally, Google will introduce new policies around apps with special permissions, like accessibilities tools, to improve security and privacy without hampering functionality.

You can review all the new changes here.

Source: Google Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel Buds Pro Review: Google’s best buds yet

Companies have been cashing in on wireless earbuds for years, but as low-cost buds get better, it’s getting difficult to justify buds that push the price higher than people want to pay.

That’s not to say that Google’s Pixel Buds Pro aren’t extremely solid wireless earbuds, but just that they cost slightly more than I expected – even for high-end earbuds. They’re cheaper than Apple’s AirPods Pro and offer a lot of the same features, but on the Android side, wireless earbuds are often more reasonably priced with fiercer competition. With this in mind, Google’s latest wireless earbuds don’t stand out as much as they should.

Top-notch sound

Putting the Pixel Buds Pro through my earbud test tracks was a blast. The sound was full-bodied and offered a soundscape with substantial width, a rarity with most Bluetooth buds.

This is enabled partly through the Pixel Buds Pro’s 11mm speaker driver, which must be tuned well since it sounds quite balanced compared to other Bluetooth earbuds with larger drivers. You can sometimes hear the limitations when the bass is absolutely pounding in a song, but I found the Buds Pro offers great sound quality in most cases.

One new addition Google hyped is the Pixel Buds Pro’s new ‘Volume EQ’ feature. The concept is that as you adjust the volume, the Pixel Buds Pro will change its tuning to ensure that the highs, mids and lows maintain a balance. However, this feature is tough to notice in practice. Switching between songs randomly and toggling the feature on and off offered no noticeable difference. Perhaps that’s part of the magic, or maybe Volume EQ is just overhyped marketing.

Either way, this doesn’t detract from my overall positive experience with the Pixel Buds Pro’s sound quality.

The Bluetooth earbuds’ active noise-cancelling (ANC) is great. It’s not the strongest implementation I’ve encountered, but it’s tuned well enough to keep ambient sound in the background. Google also added new technology called ‘Silent Seal’ that detects pressure in your ears and relieves it when using ANC. I’ve never experienced issues with ANC pressure, but I can feel it with some buds and see how it might wreak havoc on sensitive ears.

The Pixel Buds Pro doesn’t come with a cable for charging but features a USB-C port.

It’s difficult to judge if the Pixel Buds Pro will solve all the issues some people have with ANC buds, but there’s no denying they’re comfortable. The stemless design fits nicely in my ear, and since it sits flush against my head, they feel secure when I’m biking or running.

Google also added a seal detection method to the Pixel Buds app so you can try out the three different ear tip sizes included with the buds to know for sure what buds best fit your ears.

Hidden features

As the gap between great and decent wireless earbuds continues to shrink, the added features (or gimmicks to some) can help set good wireless buds apart from the pack. Google offers a few features that aren’t related to sound quality, and I’m so far impressed with the extra functionality.

My favourite is multipoint Bluetooth connection with seamless switching. This feature is key to Apple making its AirPods so easy to use, and I’m happy that others are finally catching up. That said, the implementation of the Pixel Buds has been hit and miss. They connect to my Mac/Pixel 6 and jump from one to the other, but the audio quality degrades significantly, which is annoying, and the buds struggle to return to normal. Other times I’ll be listening to music on my phone, and the Pixel Buds will disconnect and play a notification sound from my laptop. This only happened a few times, but Google will need to iron out these kinks to truly compete with AirPods.

I even tried this on a Chromebook where it was the same situation; plus you need to sideload the Pixel Buds app since you can’t download it directly from the ChromeOS Play Store.

Other features include hands-free Google Assistant and wireless charging. Both work as expected and are useful to have in your primary pair of earbuds. Each earbud is also rated for 11 hours of playback, but if you’re running ANC and Volume EQ, I found that I’d get a little less than that. Still, it was always enough for most situations. With the two extra charges you can get out of the case, you get a total of 31 hours.

Volume controls are rare to see on wireless earbuds, and it’s even more elusive to see them work well, but somehow Google has introduced an excellent touch panel on the Pixel Buds Pro. A soft swipe forward on the buds raises the volume a reasonable amount, and a swipe back brings it down. I still found myself accidentally tapping the touch panels when adjusting them, but compared to other earbuds I’ve tested – like the Galaxy Buds 2, for example, the Buds Pro works great.

The Pixel Buds app (left/green) and the Pixel Buds device settings on a Google Pixel 6 (right/pink). Both offer the same features and adapt to your device’s wallpaper if your Android device supports it.

Later in the fall, Google says spatial audio will make its way to the Pixel Buds Pro, offering a more immersive listening experience. I’m a big fan of the feature with Apple’s AirPods, so hopefully, Google and YouTube Music combine forces to make spatial audio on Android an even more compelling feature.

I also tested out the conversational Google translate feature, which works as advertised but you still need to have your phone nearby and manually switch when different people are talking (even if it’s just two people). It works, but if I were travelling and needed to use translate in a pinch, I would just use a smartphone since the earbuds make the experience slower and more cumbersome.

Finally, the buds are IPX4 water resistant, so they should be able to withstand a bit of rain, but I wouldn’t take them white water rafting or get them soaked.

Mic test

Overall, the Pixel Buds Pro microphone is on par with the rest of the crowd. From what I’ve been able to gather in my tests, Google has added EQ boosting tech that allows sound to be louder, but not necessarily better than the competition. It’s not a perfect mic, but for the occasional phone call or online meeting, the Pixel Buds Pro will get the job done.

I still find that holding a phone up to your face in loud environments sounds better, but in a quiet room, the Pixel Buds Pros’ mics are more than enough for what I expect most people to be using them for.

You can watch a video and listen to the Pixel Buds Pro, AirPods, OnePlus Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 above.

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New Pixel 7, 7 Pro camera details leak along with hint of third Pixel phone

More details about the upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro cameras emerged, as well as potential hints of a third Pixel device — don’t get your hopes up for a ‘Pixel Ultra’ though.

Developer and leaker Kuba Wojciechowski obtained and shared several details about the camera hardware in the upcoming Pixel line on Twitter (via Android Police). Starting with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, Wojciechowski said both phones could sport the same Samsung GN1 primary sensor and IMX381 ultra-wide sensor as what was on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

However, as Android Police notes, that isn’t much of a surprise. Google tends to hold onto camera hardware for multiple years and tune its camera software around that hardware to produce some pretty fantastic results. The Pixel 6 line introduced the first major camera hardware change in years, so it’s likely Google is only getting started with the GN1 sensor.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will also sport the same front-facing camera — an 11-megapixel Samsung 3J1, according to Wojciechowski. Previous information gleaned from Google’s camera app also indicated the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro would sport the same front-facing camera. Android Police says the 3J1 sensor is supposed to offer more secure face unlock capabilities, adding more fuel to the fire of face unlock rumours. That said, a camera sensor on its own likely won’t hold up against dedicated face unlock hardware like what you’d find in the iPhone or Pixel 4.

Wojciechowski also tweeted that the Pixel 7 Pro’s telephoto zoom camera would sport a Samsung GM1 sensor instead of the Sony IMX586 found in the 6 Pro. Wojciechowski suggests Google made the switch since the GM1 offers similar performance but, being a Samsung sensor, might have more consistent image processing with the GN1 primary lens.

Another ‘Lynx’ reference

Next up, Wojciechowski talks about a device bearing codename ‘Lynx’ or L10. Lynx is rumoured to be another high-end Pixel device set to arrive this year (perhaps we’ll finally get that Pixel Ultra that’s been rumoured for years). Alternatively, Lynx could just be an internal testing device for Google.

Wojciechowski says Lynx sports the same primary camera sensor — the GN1 — but has a secondary Sony IMX787 sensor plus an unknown 13-megapixel IMX712 for the selfie camera.

While this isn’t the first time Lynx has shown up (Android Police says the codename was spotted back in May 2022), there isn’t much known about Lynx so far. With only a few limited details about the camera available, it’s hard to say what it is. We know it isn’t the rumoured Pixel foldable or upcoming Pixel Tablet, though, since Wojciechowski addresses them next.

Pixel Tablet and foldable cameras

Starting with the Pixel Tablet, Wojciechowski says it will come with two cameras, both of which use the IMX355 sensor that was in the Pixel 6 selfie camera.

As for the rumoured foldable, Wojciechowski shared details on a ‘P7,’ which is likely the Pixel Fold (or Notepad, or whatever name Google eventually gives it). While it’s not clear what lenses the P7 will have, Wojciechowski says we can expect it will use the GN1 sensor for the main camera, an IMX363, an ultrawide IMX386, and an IMX355 selfie camera.

That’s it for this leak. There’s a ton of information, but as with any leak, it’s important to maintain a healthy dose of skepticism. Wojciechowski says this too, noting that the information was “obtained through data digging and might not be 100% accurate.”

Still, if accurate, it sounds like the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will focus on software to improve camera performance and won’t significantly alter the camera hardware on offer.

Source: Kuba Wojciechowski (Twitter) Via: Android Police