Android 12 update rolling out to 4K Chromecast with Google TV.

The Chromecast with Google TV 4K, released in 2020, now gets the Android 12 update (build number STTE.220621.019.A2.9082754.) with July 2022 security patch level. Full release notes:

• Upgrades Android TV OS from 10 to 12
• Additional user settings lets you control HDR format and surround sound
• New! Match content frame rate allows you to switch between refresh rates
• Increased Security and Privacy
• New camera and mic privacy toggles let you disable or enable camera/mic access for all apps
• Android security patch level has been updated to July 2022
• Other bug fixes and performance improvements

To download the Android 12 update on your Chromecast with Google TV (4K), click your profile avatar in the top-right corner -> Settings -> System -> About -> System update.

🔗 9to5Google

Pixel Buds A-Series are getting a new update.

The new firmware version 3.514 brings "general bug fixes and improvements." Google has not provided any further details on what exactly has changed.

To check for the update, go to the Pixel Buds app/preferences > More settings > Firmware update.

Also, Google is offering to buy Pixel Buds A-Series in the new Charcoal color, which it quietly unveiled on October 7.

🔗 Google Pixel Buds Help

Google News | En

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will get a free VPN by Google One in December.

At a Made by Google event, the company announced that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro would be the first phones with a free VPN by Google One. As it turns out, it doesn't come out of the box and we'll have to wait until December for its availability.

It's also clarified that the availability of the free VPN "does not affect the cost or benefits of Google One Premium plans."

Free VPN by Google One will not be available in India and Singapore.

🔗 Google One Help via 9to5Google

Ongoing call chip is back!

Previously, Google intentionally turned off this feature for the Google Phone app by reverting to the floating bubble. Thus, the chip in the status bar could only be seen when calling in third-party apps such as Meet or Telegram.

However, starting in the second half of the summer, users slowly began to get the chip back. And now it has started to roll out to everyone. In addition, a couple of days ago, Google even officially reported on fixing the problem on Issue Tracker.

The Ongoing call chip in the status bar is also accompanied by the return of an updated notification.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I created a bug report about painting the navigation bar in the new In Call UI, so, open this link and tap +1 to support the report.

Google News | En

YouTube Music's new Playlists page UI is rolling out more widely.

A similar change was previously reported back in June. The playlist cover is now centered, with a blurry version behind it.
The "download," "edit," "play," "share," and "more" buttons are now located in a row just below the playlist title and description.

The Shuffle play button has moved to the "more" menu (three dots button).

The album pages remained unchanged, at least for now.

Google News | En

Google reallocates its resources amid Apple's growing market share in the U.S.

1) Amid Apple hitting an all-time high in U.S. market share, Google is "doubling down" on its investment in Pixel hardware to halt Samsung's "further decline.

Apparently, Google is doing this by moving product development and software engineering staff working on features for non-Google hardware to work on Google-branded devices.

2) Google sees Apple as a bigger problem than in the past, thanks to fears that regulators could shut down the multibillion-dollar agreement between Google and Apple to put Google Search on iPhones. If iPhones stop showing Google ads, Apple's rise and Samsung's fall is one of the few things that could be a serious problem for Google's revenue.

3) Some product managers working on Google TV software for TVs will be moved to Wear OS and Pixel Tablet directions.

4) Google is going to "invest less in developing its Google Assistant voice-assisted search for cars and for devices not made by Google, including TVs, headphones, smart-home speakers, smart glasses and smartwatches that use Google’s Wear OS software." It looks like partners will get fewer features and Pixel devices more and more exclusives.

5) Google is not abandoning its partners, it has "Google has singled out Samsung and Chinese brands OnePlus and Xiaomi as premium Android phone partners for which it should develop the best Google services. But that leaves a long list of other manufacturers that may not get the same attention from Google groups like the Assistant team."

🔗 Report from The Information

Google announced Android 13 (Go-edition).

The new version of the simplified OS will get:

• Google Play System updates which will keep the phone up to date for a long time.
• A Google Discover feature, letting you swipe right from your home screen to see a curated list of articles and other content.
• Support for Material You so you can customize your entire phone’s color scheme to coordinate with your wallpaper with 4 palettes to choose from.
• Key Android 13 features such as Notification Permissions, App Language Preferences "and more".

Google notes that it has now reached more than 250 million monthly active Android Go devices.

New release expected in 2023 along with new Android-Go devices.

🔗 Google Blog

Google News | En

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3 is Out!
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are now Included!

Security patch level: October 2022
Build: T1B3.221003.003

Resolved Issues:

• Fixed an issue for some devices where the screen unlock UI was displayed over notifications and other lock-screen content. (Issue #254163754)
• Fixed an issue that prevented the "Flip camera for selfie" gesture from working on some devices.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the screen to go blank while attempting to unlock a device.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented a device from being unlocked using either Face Unlock or Fingerprint Unlock when the device had been idle for multiple hours.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused fullscreen video playback to flicker after enabling always-on-display features and locking the screen.

🔗 Android Beta

• OTA images

• Factory Images

Google News | En

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3: There is a new "Turn on automatically" toggle under Battery share settings page.

Previously, reverse wireless charging was automatically enabled for a short period of time when the phone was connected to the charger. Now you can turn this feature off.

Also, they removed the strange line that was under the graphics.

Google News | En

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3: The old "Sound and Vibration" window is back. But there is a way to enable the new one!

In Beta 2 you saw the new "Sound & vibration" dialog card, but for some reason in Beta 3 it is turned off by default. But Mishaal Rahman shared a way to turn the new window back on using the ADB command:

adb shell

settings put global settings_volume_panel_in_systemui true

Speaking of which, Google has promised to add an opening animation for this window in one of the future builds.

🔗 Mishaal Rahman

Google News | En

Google has announced new icons for the Contacts, Messages, and Phone apps.

The new icons have the same look and feel as many other Google products and are designed to "emphasize their common purpose of helping you communicate."

Each is designed to adapt to Material You themes, so they will always fit your individual style.

The Google Contacts app has already received an update with a new icon. APK in the comments👇🏻

Upd: Google Messages also received an update with a new icon.

Google News | En

Clear Calling feature is now available by default for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro with Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.

Discovered earlier in Beta 1 and officially announced by Google at the event, the feature is now available by default on the fresh Pixel 7 and 7 Pro flagships with the latest beta on Android 13 QPR1. Eventually, other Google Tensor-based devices should also get it.

Google News | En

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3 adds support for "built-in" VPNs in preparation for the launch of Google One's free VPN service on the Pixel 7.

The firmware for these devices comes with a preinstalled com.google.android.apps.privacy.wildlife package called AdaptiveVPNPrebuilt, which is essentially a stub.

As a reminder, according to the support page, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will receive the promised free VPN by Google One in December.

🔗 Mishaal Rahman

Google News is now in Arabic!

Our @h_muc has created a Google News |AR channel. There is also a chat group connected to the channel if you would like to discuss about the news. So if you're more used to seeing content in that language, you're welcome!