So Linus from Linus Tech Tips just posted a video about how he's looking for a new phone after he dropped his current one in the pool (RIP), and he brings up how Sony's Android OS is great except for the fact that the back button is on the left side.
Fortunately, Sony's working on fixing this.
If you aren't aware, the 3-button navigation by default has the back button on the left, the home button in the middle, and the recents button on the right. This is the default AOSP placement and is what you get on Google and Sony phones (among others).
Samsung and a few others like Xiaomi swap the position of the back and recents buttons so that the back button is on the right by default (but you can swap them back if you want). Honestly, I can see why Linus is put off by the thought of switching to a Sony device, having built up years of muscle memory around the back button being on the right.
Back in January, an engineer for Sony submitted patches to AOSP that allow for swapping the position of the back and recent buttons. The patches went dormant for months; there were some merge conflicts with SystemUI and a Googler didn't like the setting was going to be exposed to users by default (it's now controlled by a config flag that the OEM can override).
Last week, though, a Google code reviewer gave a +2 to it, so there's a chance interest in it has been revived and it could be merged to AOSP. If it does, we could see it land in an Android 14 QPR or Android 15. After seeing Linus' complaint, I definitely think this feature should be standard. Sony could add this in before it gets merged to AOSP, but a user with an Xperia 1 V tells me there's no such feature right now on their device.
(Ignore the title of the patches which says it adds support for swapping recent and home button positions; the code shows it's actually for swapping recent and back button positions.)
Fortunately, Sony's working on fixing this.
If you aren't aware, the 3-button navigation by default has the back button on the left, the home button in the middle, and the recents button on the right. This is the default AOSP placement and is what you get on Google and Sony phones (among others).
Samsung and a few others like Xiaomi swap the position of the back and recents buttons so that the back button is on the right by default (but you can swap them back if you want). Honestly, I can see why Linus is put off by the thought of switching to a Sony device, having built up years of muscle memory around the back button being on the right.
Back in January, an engineer for Sony submitted patches to AOSP that allow for swapping the position of the back and recent buttons. The patches went dormant for months; there were some merge conflicts with SystemUI and a Googler didn't like the setting was going to be exposed to users by default (it's now controlled by a config flag that the OEM can override).
Last week, though, a Google code reviewer gave a +2 to it, so there's a chance interest in it has been revived and it could be merged to AOSP. If it does, we could see it land in an Android 14 QPR or Android 15. After seeing Linus' complaint, I definitely think this feature should be standard. Sony could add this in before it gets merged to AOSP, but a user with an Xperia 1 V tells me there's no such feature right now on their device.
(Ignore the title of the patches which says it adds support for swapping recent and home button positions; the code shows it's actually for swapping recent and back button positions.)
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Android 14 is HERE! (Told y’all it’d be today😉) Google is uploading the Android 14 source code to AOSP. Once the code is uploaded, I'll dig through it to see if there's any interesting features or changes I missed. If you find anything yourself, send me a tip!
Android 14 is rolling out to the Pixel 4a 5G and later starting today and will be available later this year for devices from Samsung, iQOO, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
Read more at Esper.io.
Android 14 is rolling out to the Pixel 4a 5G and later starting today and will be available later this year for devices from Samsung, iQOO, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
Read more at Esper.io.
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Android 14 is rolling out for the Pixel 4a 5G and later starting TODAY! The update brings more customization, control, and accessibility features.
If you haven’t been on the beta and want to know what new features are in Android 14, I wrote a summary over on Reddit that I recommend you check out!
If you haven’t been on the beta and want to know what new features are in Android 14, I wrote a summary over on Reddit that I recommend you check out!
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What’s new in Android 14 for app developers? A lot of things, actually. If you haven’t been keeping up with my posts, I wrote a summary on Reddit of some of the more impactful Android 14 changes.
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The Pixel 8’s generative AI wallpaper feature is SO COOL!
You can create brand new wallpapers that nobody else has ever seen just by choosing a few topics and colors from some preset options. While you can’t go wild with custom prompts, you still have a ton of choice!
After you create and apply a wallpaper, it’s saved to your device so you can change to it at any time. You can also tap the pencil icon to modify the prompt used to generate it.
The wallpapers you generate have metadata added to them that lists the AI wallpaper version, the prompt used to generate it, the transform matrix, and a “credit” line that says “AI-generated with Google.”
Under the hood, Google’s generative AI wallpaper app uses an AI-generated text-to-image diffusion model to create wallpapers. (I believe at one point it used Parti, but that may have changed.) All the processing is done server-side, so it takes a few seconds for it to work.
The generative AI wallpaper feature is coming first to the Pixel 8. Since it works entirely server-side, there’s no reason it can’t come to other Pixels in a future update, like the upcoming December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop. (It’s being tested on the Pixel 6 & Pixel 7, in fact.)
You can create brand new wallpapers that nobody else has ever seen just by choosing a few topics and colors from some preset options. While you can’t go wild with custom prompts, you still have a ton of choice!
After you create and apply a wallpaper, it’s saved to your device so you can change to it at any time. You can also tap the pencil icon to modify the prompt used to generate it.
The wallpapers you generate have metadata added to them that lists the AI wallpaper version, the prompt used to generate it, the transform matrix, and a “credit” line that says “AI-generated with Google.”
Under the hood, Google’s generative AI wallpaper app uses an AI-generated text-to-image diffusion model to create wallpapers. (I believe at one point it used Parti, but that may have changed.) All the processing is done server-side, so it takes a few seconds for it to work.
The generative AI wallpaper feature is coming first to the Pixel 8. Since it works entirely server-side, there’s no reason it can’t come to other Pixels in a future update, like the upcoming December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop. (It’s being tested on the Pixel 6 & Pixel 7, in fact.)
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Here are some of the wallpapers I’ve made using the Pixel 8’s generative AI wallpaper feature:
Patreon/X subscribers can get all 38 wallpapers I made. There are some really cool designs in there!
Patreon/X subscribers can get all 38 wallpapers I made. There are some really cool designs in there!
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The Google Clock app on the Pixel 8 can show weather info for different cities on the home screen! You have to go to settings to enable “local weather on clock” after which you’ll see weather info in the Clock tab as well as when using the “World” clock widget.
Note that the weather information is actually provided by a separate app called “Weather” (package name
This feature might come to the Pixel 5a and later in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, but right now it’s only available on the Pixel 8 series.
Note that the weather information is actually provided by a separate app called “Weather” (package name
com.google.android.apps.weather) and not from the Google Clock app itself. This lets the Google Clock app show weather information without requesting the location permission.This feature might come to the Pixel 5a and later in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop, but right now it’s only available on the Pixel 8 series.
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Google started offering free VPN by Google One access starting with the Pixel 7, but they’re taking things a bit further with the Pixel 8 series!
VPN by Google One will now appear as a “built-in” VPN under Settings > Network & Internet > VPN. This will improve discoverability of the VPN that Google provides freely to Pixel 8 users and also make controlling its settings feel more native.
Under the hood, this integration is made possible by a new pre-installed app called
VPN by Google One will now appear as a “built-in” VPN under Settings > Network & Internet > VPN. This will improve discoverability of the VPN that Google provides freely to Pixel 8 users and also make controlling its settings feel more native.
Under the hood, this integration is made possible by a new pre-installed app called
AdaptiveVPN, system overlays that flip the config_advanced_vpn_enabled and config_pixel_vpn_enabled flags, and new code in settings added in Android 13 QPR1.👍37🔥10❤🔥4🤡4😁1😱1
Android 14, at least its source code, was supposed to be released on September 5 instead of today. Don’t believe me? The draft for the “Android 14 is live in AOSP” article actually linked out to another blog post with this URL: feature-drop-september-2023. So why the delay?
According to a source, Google discovered a nasty memory leak that caused performance issues. This issue was actually fixed in the last-minute Android 14 Beta 5.3 release that rolled out on September 5.
The relevant line from the Beta 5.3 changelog is this: “Fixed issues with SurfaceFlinger that were causing a loss in system performance.” Now that the source code is going live, we’ll be able to find out what this bug was about.
Also, I was partially wrong about something I said last month: OEMs (at least some of them) were informed about the delay. Their biggest partners were told about this, which makes sense since it affects their own release schedules.
According to a source, Google discovered a nasty memory leak that caused performance issues. This issue was actually fixed in the last-minute Android 14 Beta 5.3 release that rolled out on September 5.
The relevant line from the Beta 5.3 changelog is this: “Fixed issues with SurfaceFlinger that were causing a loss in system performance.” Now that the source code is going live, we’ll be able to find out what this bug was about.
Also, I was partially wrong about something I said last month: OEMs (at least some of them) were informed about the delay. Their biggest partners were told about this, which makes sense since it affects their own release schedules.
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What happened to Android’s predictive back gesture? We finally have an answer!
ICYMI: Android 13 started work on a predictive back gesture system that would let you see whether the back gesture would exit the app back to the home screen. This was expanded in Android 14 to let you see what screen the back gesture would take you to within the app or whether the gesture would take you to the previous app in the back stack. Android 14 also added a new back gesture arrow icon.
Now, the issue is that these back-to-home, cross-activity, and cross-task system animations aren’t enabled by default. You have to go to Settings > System > Developer options and toggle “predictive back animations” to enable them.
It’s not as if apps get to support the predictive back gesture system for free, though. The amount of work that’s required to support it depends on the app, but Google has been working to add robust library support for the feature. It’s enabled in the Material Design Components library for BottomSheets, SideSheets, and SearchBar on v1.10.0+ as well as for Compose with v1.8.0-alpha07 of the Jetpack Activity library.
Google is giving developers more time to adapt their apps to the predictive back gesture system, so we should hopefully see it be enabled by default in Android 15!
ICYMI: Android 13 started work on a predictive back gesture system that would let you see whether the back gesture would exit the app back to the home screen. This was expanded in Android 14 to let you see what screen the back gesture would take you to within the app or whether the gesture would take you to the previous app in the back stack. Android 14 also added a new back gesture arrow icon.
Now, the issue is that these back-to-home, cross-activity, and cross-task system animations aren’t enabled by default. You have to go to Settings > System > Developer options and toggle “predictive back animations” to enable them.
It’s not as if apps get to support the predictive back gesture system for free, though. The amount of work that’s required to support it depends on the app, but Google has been working to add robust library support for the feature. It’s enabled in the Material Design Components library for BottomSheets, SideSheets, and SearchBar on v1.10.0+ as well as for Compose with v1.8.0-alpha07 of the Jetpack Activity library.
Google is giving developers more time to adapt their apps to the predictive back gesture system, so we should hopefully see it be enabled by default in Android 15!
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The Pixel 8 series launches with Android 14 and will get 7 years of software support, including annual OS updates, monthly security updates, and quarterly Pixel Feature Drops. This means they'll be supported till 2030.
I can't emphasize enough how big of a deal this is.
Google didn't offer much detail on how they were able to expand software support so significantly (up from 3 years OS + 5 years security on previous Pixels). They only said this: "to make this possible, we’ve been working to secure long-term commitments from partner teams, and put the necessary testing infrastructure in place."
Also, Google basically confirmed that you shouldn't expect updates to roll out on the same day as the Android Security Bulletin (they've missed that target for a while now anyway).
"We also dug into how we can deliver the highest quality, best tested updates to Pixel users on a consistent basis. As part of this effort, our security updates, bug fixes and feature updates won’t roll out on a specific day each month. Instead, we’ll deploy updates as soon as they’ve completed the necessary tests to ensure they improve the experience for all Pixel customers."
I can't emphasize enough how big of a deal this is.
Google didn't offer much detail on how they were able to expand software support so significantly (up from 3 years OS + 5 years security on previous Pixels). They only said this: "to make this possible, we’ve been working to secure long-term commitments from partner teams, and put the necessary testing infrastructure in place."
Also, Google basically confirmed that you shouldn't expect updates to roll out on the same day as the Android Security Bulletin (they've missed that target for a while now anyway).
"We also dug into how we can deliver the highest quality, best tested updates to Pixel users on a consistent basis. As part of this effort, our security updates, bug fixes and feature updates won’t roll out on a specific day each month. Instead, we’ll deploy updates as soon as they’ve completed the necessary tests to ensure they improve the experience for all Pixel customers."
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Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 series is now classified as a Class 3 (formerly Strong) biometric, which allows it to be used for BiometricPrompt (ie. authenticate within apps) and the Android Keystore.
This means you'll be able to use the Pixel 8's Face Unlock in banking apps and for payment apps like Google Wallet.
By the way, if you want to learn more about how biometric sensors are classified and how Google enforces/verifies these classifications, I made a post for subscribers that dives into this.
This means you'll be able to use the Pixel 8's Face Unlock in banking apps and for payment apps like Google Wallet.
By the way, if you want to learn more about how biometric sensors are classified and how Google enforces/verifies these classifications, I made a post for subscribers that dives into this.
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Besides all the new features in Android 14 I already talked about, here are some of the other new features for Pixels in the October 2023 Pixel Feature Drop:
* Dual Screen interpreter mode in Google Translate for the Pixel Fold
* You can now choose to automatically open RAW images in your favorite RAW editor directly from Google Photos. Works on Pixel 6 and newer phones as well as Pixel Tablet. (Below image via Nail Sadykov.)
* Pixel 6 and newer phones as well as Pixel Tablet will now notify you if your power adapter or USB cable is charging your device slowly or not at all.
* Battery Saver is getting a new design in Android 14 that lets you see exactly what is being restricted on your Pixel to extend battery life and select essential apps that can continue to run when you toggle Extreme Battery Saver. You can now also turn on (Extreme) Battery Saver with automatic notifications at 10% and 20%.
* Google Kids Space on the Pixel Tablet now has a "streamlined navigation bar" that makes it easier for kids to explore, switch apps, and return to the home screen. (This is the "kids mode" navigation bar I discovered in Android 13 and which Google accidentally showed off in marketing materials back in June.)
* Dual Screen interpreter mode in Google Translate for the Pixel Fold
* You can now choose to automatically open RAW images in your favorite RAW editor directly from Google Photos. Works on Pixel 6 and newer phones as well as Pixel Tablet. (Below image via Nail Sadykov.)
* Pixel 6 and newer phones as well as Pixel Tablet will now notify you if your power adapter or USB cable is charging your device slowly or not at all.
* Battery Saver is getting a new design in Android 14 that lets you see exactly what is being restricted on your Pixel to extend battery life and select essential apps that can continue to run when you toggle Extreme Battery Saver. You can now also turn on (Extreme) Battery Saver with automatic notifications at 10% and 20%.
* Google Kids Space on the Pixel Tablet now has a "streamlined navigation bar" that makes it easier for kids to explore, switch apps, and return to the home screen. (This is the "kids mode" navigation bar I discovered in Android 13 and which Google accidentally showed off in marketing materials back in June.)
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