BIG
The January security patch is now rolling out to the Pixel 4a and newer, alongside an update adds fixes to the Pixel 7 series.
Of course, this update doesn’t come with anything significant, as Google released a Feature Drop in December.
The security patch also came with 20 security issues resolved, with vulnerabilities that range from moderate to critical.
The update is rolling out over the air and should hit your phone sooner than later.
Via: 9to5Google
The three big Android players in Canada are Google, OnePlus and Samsung, so I decided to look at all three companies’ Android 13 implementations to see what they can learn from each other.
With the launch of ‘Material You’ in 2021, Google started to push Android towards personalization. Samsung and OnePlus have followed suit, and now we have three compelling Android options heading into 2023.
Not only do the looks set them apart, but the way each system handles default apps and the animations linking them all together play a significant part in what makes an excellent operating system. Overall, system stability and user-friendliness also play a role, along with how functional it is.
The most prominent theme linking all three builds of Android 13 I’ve played with, is that the system UI adapts to the user’s wallpaper in varying ways throughout the OS.
Samsung and Google push this the furthest with colour-adapting icons, and I like it a lot. Unfortunately, many devs don’t support the feature yet, and all the icons look alike, but when people mod their iPhones to look like this, I think we need to prioritize customization.
Samsung’s colours often seem bolder than the Pixel’s, but both phones retain a trendy pastel palette, so selecting what you find more appealing is up to you. Samsung and Google offer several colour palettes in Android 13, so picky people should be able to find something that suits them. However, it would be nice if users could select the theme colours themselves. OnePlus allows you to do this, but the company’s implementation doesn’t permeate as much throughout the operating system, and they’re often quite subtle, so it’s difficult to call this a real win.
Where you’ll run into these adaptive colours the most are the notification shade and the Android Messages app. The default keyboard should adapt as well. All three companies do a good job of adding pops of colour to the notification shade, but OnePlus feels like it’s shoehorned it in. At the same time, both Google and Samsung have more deliberate theming, tying the notifications and quick toggles into the overall ecosystem. OxygenOS 13 does get some points for having more quick access to things at once, but Samsung makes its quick toggles very easy to use with one hand.
One area that can add a lot of personality to a phone is the ‘Now Playing’ quick toggle. In this regard, Google takes the cake with its large and colourful block that even includes the super fun squiggly line to show your listening progress. OnePlus’ implementation is smart since it takes up the least space, and Samsung feels like it’s barely even trying here. Its basic notification is unappealing, and the podcast controls are wonky, which throws off the design’s balance.
Samsung has very nice animations in One UI 5 that make it feel great and snappy. OnePlus has new animations too, but by comparison, they’re simple and slow. They don’t have the speed and bounce that make Samsung so satisfying. Google sits on the opposite side of the spectrum with bouncy animations that feel slightly slower than Samsung’s. The animations don’t make or break any system, and if you find them slow, you can always speed them up using developer settings on Android.
Another toggle that makes its way into this conversation is how each manufacturer handles volume controls. Samsung and Google take much better care to colour-match their volume controls, but OnePlus has the added flexibility of being simpler (on some phones) due to its physical mute switch.
Google solves this lack of an alert slider with a software version that appears when you hit the volume buttons. On the other hand, Samsung forces users to open the secondary volume pane to control notification volume. And even when you get to that second page, it’s confusing and unlabelled. Both Google and OnePlus keep things more straightforward.
Samsung has released one of the most compelling Android builds this year due to One UI five’s heavy emphasis on customization. Beyond colourful app icons and accents, the Korean tech giant now lets users set custom ringtones and wallpapers for contacts. The company also stresses that it’s made the lock screen easier to customize, but compared to iOS it feels somewhat limited, and the choices it presents are mostly dull or terrible.
Where Samsung could learn a thing or two is in how it deals with its multiple features, all operating systems need to handle this better, but Samsung really needs to simplify things. For instance, there are multiple ways to do everything from notifications to media control to adding wallpapers and more.
When you’re using the OS at a surface level, it feels and looks better than ever before, but once you get into the settings and start using the phone, it quickly becomes as complicated and convoluted as always.
OxygenOS is still in a transitional phase between OnePlus and Oppo. This isn’t necessarily bad since there’s a lot of good packed inside, but it’s still rougher around the edges compared to One UI 5 and the Pixel launcher.
I like the giant 3×3 folder that lets you keep more apps on your home screen in an appealing way. However, it only works when you’re home screen is set to display apps in a 4×6 orientation. OnePlus also stubbornly believes that its default widget should have red 1s in it, which is especially annoying in this age of customization. For example, I want to show off the brand on the lock screen with a custom widget, but I don’t want it to clash with my wallpaper.
Beyond that, OnePlus is starting to emulate Samsung more, which may or may not be a good thing. For instance, the company is using more notifications for features throughout the OS, and it even has a quick access side panel that stores apps, offering a copy of Samsung’s Edge panels. The feature can be disabled, but I worry most users will find it annoying as they try to swipe from the side to go back.
One thing OnePlus does well is integrating screentime notifiers naturally into the operating system. For instance, the Always-on display shows users when and how many times they’ve used their phone throughout the day. To build on this, the company has an app called Wellpaper that does similar things to the wallpaper. However, the fact that this isn’t built into the phone properly makes it feel like an afterthought. There’s something smart about presenting users with an ambient way to gauge their screen time, and I wish other companies would adopt similar ideas.
Two years into Material You’s life cycle and Google isn’t as far ahead in the colour adaptive world as it once was. That said, it’s still leading in a few categories, and its simplicity should not be taken as a lack of features.
While Samsung throws everything at the wall to see what sticks, Google is very targeted and doesn’t jam new features into every nook and cranny. It also doesn’t overload users with choices, making it feel like you’re more in control of your phone.
The other key feature the Pixel launcher has is a robust system search tool. It’s still not iOS level, but it feels like a more vital part of the operating system compared to Samsung and OnePlus. When you open the app drawer on the Pixel, you can even set it to have the keyboard open by default. It’s something everyone should do since it makes doing quick web, settings or app searches just a swipe away. The search feature can even pull items out of apps, such as surfacing chats when you type in a contact’s name.
Once again, this lends itself to simplicity which is the main thing the Pixel launcher does right. It’s not trying to give users every feature under the sun. Instead, it predicts what people will want to do the most and makes that easy. The software mute toggle is another excellent example of this.
The best Android launcher is likely subjective, but I think the Pixel launcher takes the crown. I wish that it would offer a little more lock screen customization like Samsung and Apple, but at the end of the day, Google’s design language is so strong on the Pixel that it’s hard to hate on such a unified look.
Samsung’s array of features means that a lot of people are hooked on one. This works well for Samsung, and there’s no denying that things such as the S Pen, Edge Pannels, Dex and others are great for productivity. But most people use their phones as a social media browsers with a camera, and for that, the Pixel Launcher feels easier.
The Pixel 8 is expected to be Google’s 2023 flagship smartphone, and while it won’t come out for about ten months, coding suggests that it’ll bring a new camera mode.
Spotted by developer Kuba Wojieciechowski, and reported by The Verge, Google’s Husky and Shiba phones, which we know as the codenames for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, will bring staggered HDR to their cameras.
Staggered HDR is a photography method where long exposure and short exposure are taken at the same time and then combined into one image. This creates HDR images faster and with better quality when the subject is in motion. Google’s current method is a bit different and called ‘HDR Plus Bracketing,’ which takes pictures in rapid succession and then creates a final image with a wide dynamic range. However, these result in poor motion images.
Long story short, courtesy of Google we got a clean, unobfuscated version of Google Camera Go, that includes references that seemingly confirm that flagship Pixels in 2023 – Husky and Shiba – will support staggered HDR. pic.twitter.com/YdaWTlGznN
— Kuba Wojciechowski⚡ (@Za_Raczke) December 19, 2022
If this functionality is coming to the Pixel series, then we should expect the Pixel series to have new camera sensors in 2023. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro use the Samsung Isocell GN1, but this sensor doesn’t support staggered HDR. The Pixel 8 series, however, would need to feature the Samsung Isocell GN2, which does support staggered HDR. GN2 also provides better autofocus due to its improved phase section array.
However, the Pixel 8 series is almost a year away, so we’ll have many more leaks before we eventually see Google’s 2023 flagships.
Source: The Verge, Kuba Wojciechowski
Leaker OnLeaks is back, this time with details about Google’s long-rumoured foldable Pixel. In combination with the website Howtoisolve, OnLeaks shared renders showing off the so-called Pixel Fold along with some specs.
First, the site notes that the Pixel Fold is expected to release in May 2023 sporting a design similar to Google’s current series of Pixel phones. Per the renders, the Pixel Fold will feature a large camera bar with three cameras, although it won’t be connected to the edges of the phone like on the Pixel 7.
Howtoisolve reports that the phone’s dimensions will measure roughly 158.7 x 139.7 x 5.7mm (8.3mm with the camera bump) when unfolded. The foldable will reportedly sport Google’s Tensor G2 chip, come in ‘Silver’ and ‘Black’ colours, USB-C charging, and will have a 5.79-inch cover display with a hold-punch selfie camera and a 7.69-inch inner display with a hole-punch selfie camera on the right side.
Moreover, Howtoisolve suggests the Pixel Fold might support a pen, sport 12GB of RAM, run Android 13, and cost $1,799 USD (roughly $2,443.27 CAD).
While all these details line up well with previous Pixel Fold leaks, suggesting they’re accurate, I’m not sure I buy Howtoisolve‘s claim of “~100% accurate rumors.” As with any leak, take a healthy dose of skepticism.
Source: OnLeaks, Howtoisolve
Arriving alongside Google’s latest Pixel drop is a feature I don’t think many noticed exists. 9to5Google spotted a new setting that allows users to keep Wi-Fi on by default when airplane mode is on.
Before, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned off when you turned on airplane mode. However, following the update, once you switch Wi-Fi back on after starting airplane mode, the phone remembers this preference and leaves Wi-Fi on in the future.
The first time you turn Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on in airplane mode, you’ll see an Android system notification that says, “If you keep Bluetooth on, it will stay on the next time you’re in airplane mode.” Then, the next time you are on a plane, it’ll say, “Your phone remembers to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on in airplane mode. To change this, turn them off.”
It’s helpful that the device now remembers your choices, but I don’t think this feature is necessary because airplane Wi-Fi typically sucks and is expensive. Who is trying to use awful airplane Wi-Fi on their Pixel smartphone? Maybe on a laptop, but logging in from a smartphone is far less likely.
Google says this feature will work on Android 11 devices and up.
This feature released alongside the December Pixel Feature Drop.
Source: Google Via: 9to5Google
Every few months, we get a new Pixel feature drop for Google’s Pixel phones, watches and earbuds. This latest release includes new software features and expands existing functionality to additional regions and languages.
First off, VPN by Google One Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro users will now be able to use the app at no cost. Clear Calling makes it easier to hear the other person on a phone call by reducing background noise and enhancing the sound of the caller’s voice. This feature is only available on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro’s Pixel Recorder app can now keep track of multiple participants in a meeting while transcribing.
Spatial Audio is coming to the Pixel Buds Pro in January. There’s a new Safety Center with a unified hub for reviewing security and privacy settings. Further, there are new Pixel Wallpapers to celebrate the International Day of People with Disabilities.
Pixel Watch users can now gain deeper sleep insights through Fitbit Premium’s Sleep Profile feature, although it’s worth noting this feature has been available since November 22nd. Sleep Profile can also provide monthly sleep animal longitudinal analysis of your sleep to find ways to improve over time.
Additionally, Pixel Watch users will be able to access new tiles, including ‘Weather’ and ‘Contacts.’ Although Google says it’s adding a Weather tile, MobileSyrup’s news editor Jon Lamont has had a weather tile on his Pixel Watch from day one (there’s even a picture of it in his review).
In addition to everything above, Pixel features like Cough and Snore detection, and Live Chat Translate, will be expanding to new regions and languages.
If you’re looking for a new phone this holiday season, it’s hard to turn away from this Pixel discount Google is offering.
The Pixel 7 has been knocked down to $649, which is $150 off its starting price, and the Pixel 7 Pro is $300 less than it was before, making it $879. The Pixel 6a, which released during the summer of 2022, is down to $499.
You can buy the phones from Google here.
We strongly recommend all three of these devices with some caveats, so make sure to read our reviews below to find out which one works the best for you.
While this is the cleanest deal, many Canadian carriers appear to have reduced the cost of the phone and leading up to Black Friday, Best Buy is offering gift cards to temp people towards Pixel devices.
Source: Google Via: RedFlagDeals
Google’s November 2022 security patch dropped for Pixel phones a few days ago, and, if you haven’t already updated your Pixel phone, you should. The update includes a fix for a security flaw that could allow someone to bypass the phone’s lock screen using a SIM card.
David Schütz discovered the issue and detailed it in a blog post and video. While the post is well worth a read if you’re interested in this kind of thing, the short version is that someone with physical access to a Pixel device could bypass lock screen protections, including the fingerprint and PIN, and gain access to the phone.
To do so, all an attacker would need to do is swap the SIM card in the phone. In the video, Schütz shows himself swapping a SIM card into a locked Pixel 6, which then asks for the SIM PIN. After entering that wrong three times, the Pixel asks for a personal unblocking key (PUK), which is used to reset a SIM PIN if a user forgets it. However, in the case of Pixel phones, after entering the PUK and typing in a new SIM PIN, the phone unlocks.
Put another way, an attacker would only need a SIM card with a SIM PIN a PUK code that they know to gain access to any Pixel smartphone. The November 2022 security patch, which is now available for the Pixel 4a and newer, fixes the problem.
Frustratingly, Schütz reported the security flaw to Android’s Vulnerability Rewards Program in the middle of 2022, but Google didn’t do anything until September after some in-person prodding. Still, Schütz got a $70,000 USD reward (about $93,703 CAD), which is a good chunk of change for spotting the flaw.
Source: Schütz Via: 9to5Google
The November security patch is now rolling out to the Pixel 4a and newer, alongside an update that adds three small fixes to the Pixel 7 series.
Thankfully, Google fixes should help battery power for the Pixel 7 series. Previous reports indicated that the Pixel 7’s display has increased power consumption, and now Google’s update should improve this issue.
Battery & Charging
Display & Graphics
System
The security patch also came with 19 security issues resolved with vulnerabilities that range from moderate to critical.
The update is rolling out over the air and should hit your phone sooner than later.
Source: Google (2) Via: 9to5Google
We’re offering the Pixel Watch in our latest giveaway.
The package includes the Pixel Watch in ‘Matte Black’ ‘Stainless Steel’ and an ‘Obsidian’ Active band. This contest ends on January 15th, with MobileSyrup selecting the winner on January 16th.
The Pixel Watch features a bold circular, domed design, with Fitbit health and fitness features, as well as GPS, Wear OS 3.5, a blood oxygen sensor, built-in microphone for Google Assistant and more.
In Jon Lamont’s review of the Pixel Watch, he said: “Presently, it feels like a jack of all trades. Thankfully, it’s also a master of some.”
MobileSyrup is also running a Pixel 7 Pro contest until November 14th, so check out this link for a chance to win the Pixel 7 Pro, and we have a Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch contest in partnership with Telus running until November 30th.
Sign up for our newsletter to enter: