Mishaal's Android News Feed
Google is preparing to add a "Pixel Troubleshooting" app (package name com.google.android.apps.diagnosticstool, stored at /product/priv-app/DiagnosticsToolPrebuilt) that'll help users troubleshoot battery/network issues. Screenshot credits: Kaan Akgün on…
Here's a better look at the new "battery diagnostics" page under Settings > Battery on Pixel. This page is provided by the new "Pixel Troubleshooting" app.
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Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2 prepares to let you sync app permissions between your phone and connected Bluetooth device, provided the Bluetooth device was connected using the Companion Device Manager (CDM) API and runs Android.
You'll find this under Bluetooth detail settings. I believe CDM permission sync requires the companion device be running Android 13, hence it'll likely work with Wear OS 4 devices like the Pixel Watch 2, Galaxy Watch 4 series and later, and later this year the Pixel Watch.
<string name="bluetooth_details_permissions_sync_summary">Give %1$s the same app permissions that you’ve allowed on %2$s</string> <string name="bluetooth_details_permissions_sync_title">Sync permissions</string>You'll find this under Bluetooth detail settings. I believe CDM permission sync requires the companion device be running Android 13, hence it'll likely work with Wear OS 4 devices like the Pixel Watch 2, Galaxy Watch 4 series and later, and later this year the Pixel Watch.
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2 prepares to let you sync app permissions between your phone and connected Bluetooth device, provided the Bluetooth device was connected using the Companion Device Manager (CDM) API and runs Android. <string name="bluetooth_details_…
Here's a first look at Android's upcoming "sync permissions" feature, which will let you sync app permissions between your phone and your connected Wear OS smartwatch!
This doesn't currently work. I had to manually surface the toggle (thanks to Nail Sadykov for testing it!)
This doesn't currently work. I had to manually surface the toggle (thanks to Nail Sadykov for testing it!)
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Google Camera on the Pixel 8 not only saves photos in the new Ultra HDR format (JPEG_R) introduced with Android 14, but it also adds support for Display P3 capture!
Display P3 wide gamut capture is a new capability of Android 14. Devices can capture wide gamut color images in JPEG format without using 10-bit HDR.
There's apparently a setting in Google Camera on the Pixel 8 to opt out of wide gamut capture, whereas Ultra HDR captures are always enabled.
Thanks to anon for the tip!
Display P3 wide gamut capture is a new capability of Android 14. Devices can capture wide gamut color images in JPEG format without using 10-bit HDR.
There's apparently a setting in Google Camera on the Pixel 8 to opt out of wide gamut capture, whereas Ultra HDR captures are always enabled.
Thanks to anon for the tip!
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Google's new Magnifier app is available for download on the Pixel 5 and later!
The Magnifier app uses your camera "to magnify small text, see object details, or zoom in on faraway text like street signs or restaurant menus behind a service counter."
You can change the image contrast and brightness, zoom in even further, use filters, control the flashlight intensity, and search, listen, or copy text with Google Lens.
Thanks to _better_be_me on Threads for the tip!
Download Magnifier from Google Play
The Magnifier app uses your camera "to magnify small text, see object details, or zoom in on faraway text like street signs or restaurant menus behind a service counter."
You can change the image contrast and brightness, zoom in even further, use filters, control the flashlight intensity, and search, listen, or copy text with Google Lens.
Thanks to _better_be_me on Threads for the tip!
Download Magnifier from Google Play
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
Since I'm not gonna have my own Pixel 8 for a while, I might as well put this out there so someone else can test it ASAP: You might be able to enable DisplayPort Alternate Mode (ie. display output over USB-C) if you root the device. That's because it seems…
I have some bad news to share: This method didn't work.
A brave person with a Pixel 8 Pro (who wants to stay anonymous) reached out to me, and we were able to easily root the device.
We overrode the property and verified the sysfs files were changed, too, but sadly there was still no display output.
This person used a USB-C to HDMI adapter and cables that they verified worked with another device (a Samsung), so it's not a cable problem.
I'm not fully ruling out display output support, but it's not looking good. Once Google releases the Pixel 8's kernel/device tree sources next week, we should hopefully find more clues.
A brave person with a Pixel 8 Pro (who wants to stay anonymous) reached out to me, and we were able to easily root the device.
We overrode the property and verified the sysfs files were changed, too, but sadly there was still no display output.
This person used a USB-C to HDMI adapter and cables that they verified worked with another device (a Samsung), so it's not a cable problem.
I'm not fully ruling out display output support, but it's not looking good. Once Google releases the Pixel 8's kernel/device tree sources next week, we should hopefully find more clues.
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How long has the Android Auto notification had a "disconnect" button?
I don't recall seeing this before but I may be mistaken. I'm using wireless AA if that matters.
Pretty excited by this button because if you have a family car and multiple people use wireless AA, it can be annoying to change which device to use AA on.
I don't recall seeing this before but I may be mistaken. I'm using wireless AA if that matters.
Pretty excited by this button because if you have a family car and multiple people use wireless AA, it can be annoying to change which device to use AA on.
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Seems like the Pixel 8 is using Google's new Fast Pair-powered setup experience!
Fast Pair speeds up the initial discovery of devices in the setup process. The device being setup broadcasts its status via Fast Pair, and any Fast Pair-supporting Android phones nearby will get a half-sheet popup that opens a QR code scanner.
This new setup experience debuted on the Galaxy S23 series earlier this year, so I was wondering when it would show up on Pixel.
Credits: tech_that_out on Twitter
Fast Pair speeds up the initial discovery of devices in the setup process. The device being setup broadcasts its status via Fast Pair, and any Fast Pair-supporting Android phones nearby will get a half-sheet popup that opens a QR code scanner.
This new setup experience debuted on the Galaxy S23 series earlier this year, so I was wondering when it would show up on Pixel.
Credits: tech_that_out on Twitter
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Google Camera's new "Pro" controls also work on a Pixel 6 Pro!
(Requires modifying the Google Camera 9.1 APK from the Pixel 8, though!)
More details on this feature courtesy of Kamila Wojciechowska over on Twitter.
Edit: Installing this modded version requires rooting your Pixel (because the package name wasn't changed, which isn't a trivial modification to make when it comes to GCam).
Kamila currently doesn't intend to release this, but I'm sure regular GCam modders will get this out soon.
(Requires modifying the Google Camera 9.1 APK from the Pixel 8, though!)
More details on this feature courtesy of Kamila Wojciechowska over on Twitter.
Edit: Installing this modded version requires rooting your Pixel (because the package name wasn't changed, which isn't a trivial modification to make when it comes to GCam).
Kamila currently doesn't intend to release this, but I'm sure regular GCam modders will get this out soon.
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Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 is low-key one of the phone's BIGGEST upgrades and is a huge milestone for biometric authentication.
My latest article for Android Central dives into why this change is such a big deal.
My latest article for Android Central dives into why this change is such a big deal.
Android Central
Why the Pixel 8's Face Unlock upgrade is a big deal
Face unlock on the Pixel 8 doesn’t compromise on security.
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How to check the Biometric Class of your phone's fingerprint or face unlock sensor
One of the biggest improvements in the Pixel 8 series versus the Pixel 7 series is the upgraded face unlock: It now works with banking apps and Google Pay!
This is because face unlock on the Pixel 8 is a Class 3 biometric, which means it can integrate with the BiometricPrompt API and Android Keystore system.
This is the first Android device (AFAIK) that offers Class 3 face unlock using just the front-facing camera. So how do you actually check the security classification of your phone's face unlock?
It's easy! All you need is to set up ADB and then run a single command:
Android will output all recognized biometric sensors on the device, their strength, and modality.
Modality of 2 refers to a fingerprint scanner, while modality of 8 refers to a face scanner. Strength of 15 is Class 3, strength of 255 is Class 2, and strength of 4095 is Class 1. (The biometric strengths are defined here while the modalities are defined here.)
For example, attached to this post is the output from a Pixel 7 Pro versus a Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 7 Pro has an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that's a Class 3 biometric as well as a face unlock scanner that's a Class 1 biometric. The Pixel 8 series also has an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that's a Class 3 biometric but it also has a Class 3 face unlock.
(Thanks to anon for checking this on their Pixel 8 Pro!)
One of the biggest improvements in the Pixel 8 series versus the Pixel 7 series is the upgraded face unlock: It now works with banking apps and Google Pay!
This is because face unlock on the Pixel 8 is a Class 3 biometric, which means it can integrate with the BiometricPrompt API and Android Keystore system.
This is the first Android device (AFAIK) that offers Class 3 face unlock using just the front-facing camera. So how do you actually check the security classification of your phone's face unlock?
It's easy! All you need is to set up ADB and then run a single command:
adb shell dumpsys biometric Android will output all recognized biometric sensors on the device, their strength, and modality.
Modality of 2 refers to a fingerprint scanner, while modality of 8 refers to a face scanner. Strength of 15 is Class 3, strength of 255 is Class 2, and strength of 4095 is Class 1. (The biometric strengths are defined here while the modalities are defined here.)
For example, attached to this post is the output from a Pixel 7 Pro versus a Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 7 Pro has an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that's a Class 3 biometric as well as a face unlock scanner that's a Class 1 biometric. The Pixel 8 series also has an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that's a Class 3 biometric but it also has a Class 3 face unlock.
(Thanks to anon for checking this on their Pixel 8 Pro!)
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