Back in September 2023, Google introduced an updated wordmark and 3D robot design for Android. That new wordmark is appearing on Pixel devices with the Android 14 QPR3 Beta.
On Pixel devices, the boot sequence starts with the “Google” logo appearing in full color and then a Material You Dynamic Color “G” that animates in. “Powered by Android” then appears at the bottom of the screen.
Starting with Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 on some devices, “Powered by” is centered (instead of left-aligned) with the updated wordmark that prominently features a capitalized “A” and other tweaked letters. This is followed by the Android head.
As of QPR3 Beta 2, not all devices, like the Pixel Tablet, have been refreshed with the new Android wordmark.
On newer Android devices, like the Honor Magic 6 Pro and Xiaomi 14 Ultra, a 3D version of the head, which appears at the bottom edge of the screen, is used. The Galaxy S24 features the new wordmark.
Meanwhile, QPR3 Beta 2 increases the size of the boot animation as evidenced by the size of the “Google” logo getting bigger when the animation starts.
It’s a shame that this change wasn’t timed with the initial Android 14 release in October, or the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro launch.
With the latest beta updates to Android 14, Google seems to have drastically sped up how fast Pixel devices can install an OTA update. Now, we’re getting a closer look at how that’s been accomplished.
First spotted with Android 14’s QPR2 Beta 1 update, the “Seamless Updates” feature has gotten a whole lot faster on Pixel phones.
Where Google’s updates used to take upwards of 20-40 minutes to install a simple OTA, the new process could be as quick as 10-15 minutes, perhaps even less. It’s extremely impressive and would make anyone wonder how Google pulled it off.
On Twitter/X, APKMirror founder, Artem Russakovskii, discusses a few main points of improvement that seem to be responsible for faster seamless updates. Russakovskii cites “Google’s tests” and Google’s David Anderson (a software engineer working at the company since 2018), but Google itself doesn’t seem to have publically shared this data.
That starts with compression operations, which Android is now parallelizing for a speed boost of 26% in Google’s own tests, Russakovskii explains. OTA updates on Android require the compression of thousands of “small blocks” of data, so putting those operations in parallel certainly speeds things up.
Related to that, Android is now batching operations for those same blocks. Where the OS previously would make 200 separate writes of 4KB files, it now makes a single write of one 800KB file. Google apparently found a 24% reduction in install time with this method.
Finally, the biggest improvement comes in newer Pixels switching from the GZ compression method to the LZ4 method. Google describes LZ4 as “extremely fast compression,” and it certainly shows here.
This apparently results in a 50% reduction in install time but only applies to specific devices. Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro are the only devices eligible for this new compression method, as older Pixels will stick with the slower GZ method. It’s unclear why this is the case, but it could have something to do with the chip. Mishaal Rahman highlighted on Twitter/X that, when installing Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1, Pixel 8 Pro was taking advantage of Tensor G3’s mid-cores to speed things along, and Google specifically notes that LZ4’s faster compression is “scalable with multi-cores CPU.”.
Google is, according to Russakovskii, changing its guidance for other Android OEMs with this new method in mind, so there’s a chance we could see similar improvements outside of Pixel in the future.
3. Google switched the Pixels (I'm getting clarification on exactly which, but at least P7) to use LZ4 compression instead of GZ. This resulted in a 50% (!!) decrease in install time.
All of these combined take a ~25 min install time down to around 6 minutes.
Samsung is pretty widely rolling out its Android 14 update over the past week, but there’s a slight chance you should wait to actually install it, as it seems Samsung has left out a method that prevents burn-in from the status bar.
Burn-in on smartphone displays was once a major problem, with a few years on the same smartphone often resulting in display elements showing up nearly constantly on the screen. A common trick to prevent this is to slightly shift UI elements so they never stay in the same place too long. It’s nearly invisible to the user, but goes a very long way in preventing burn-in.
In One UI 6 (Android 14), though, it seems Samsung might have left this out.
Users on Reddit noticed that the status bar elements (time, battery, etc) no longer seem to shift over time. This was spotted by comparing screenshots over time, with the status bar elements perfectly aligning. Back in One UI 5 (Android 13), comparing screenshots over time showed that the elements would move a fair bit, resulting in an almost blurred effect when stacking screenshots on top of each other as seen below.
Notably, the navigation bar buttons still move, so Samsung doesn’t seem to have given up on this method entirely.
As for what exactly is going on here, it’s really hard to say. It’s entirely possible that Samsung has just adjusted screenshots to where they compensate for status bar elements moving, or that the company is using a new method for preventing burn-in. It’s also noteworthy that the comparison is made on two different devices – a Galaxy S23 Ultra on One UI 6 and a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra on One UI 5.
In any case, it’s at least a little worrying, and we’ll be curious to see if things change with further updates.
One UI 5 (1st photo) vs One UI 6 (2nd photo)
Samsung posts a new Android 14 update schedule for over 50 Galaxy devices
Samsung’s Android 14 rollout is well underway this week, and the company has now posted an updated schedule for the release, which details over 50 devices set to be updated over the next couple of months.
In Germany, Samsung has posted (as spotted by SamMobile) a new schedule via the Samsung Members app that details over 50 different devices set to get Android 14. The updated schedule shows updates going through February 2024, with the bulk of the work being done in November and December of this year.
Of course, we’ve heard this story before. Earlier this month, a roadmap posted by Samsung in another European country also detailed the company’s plans before being scrubbed from the web. But there are a couple of reasons to believe this latest roadmap is much more accurate. For one, it has far more devices, and it also lacks specific dates, which are always tough to hit. Beyond that, it’s being distributed through the Samsung Members app instead of the company’s forums, and the Members app is where we’ve seen this sort of roadmap released in the past.
Presumably, Samsung will add this same list to other countries in the days to come. It’s not live in the US as of now.
That’s not to say this is a concrete, definitive schedule. It’s still lacking plenty of lower-cost models, and things are always subject to change. But, that said, this is the closest we’re likely to get.
Samsung Android 14 update schedule
Smartphones
Galaxy S23 – Completed
Galaxy S23+ – Completed
Galaxy S23 Ultra – Completed
Galaxy Z Fold 5 – November 2023
Galaxy Z Fold 4 – December 2023
Galaxy Z Fold 3 – December 2023
Galaxy Z Flip 5 – November 2023
Galaxy Z Flip 4 – December 2023
Galaxy Z Flip 3 – December 2023
Galaxy S22 – December 2023
Galaxy S22+ – December 2023
Galaxy S22 Ultra – December 2023
Galaxy S21 – December 2023
Galaxy S21+ – December 2023
Galaxy S21 Ultra – December 2023
Galaxy S21 FE – December 2023
Galaxy A72 – December 2023
Galaxy A54 5G – November 2023
Galaxy A53 5G – December 2023
Galaxy A52 – December 2023
Galaxy A52 5G – December 2023
Galaxy A52s 5G – December 2023
Galaxy A34 5G – November 2023
Galaxy A33 5G – December 2023
Galaxy A23 5G – January 2024
Galaxy A14 – December 2023
Galaxy A14 5G – December 2023
Galaxy A13 – February 2024
Galaxy A13 5G – February 2024
Galaxy A04s – February 2024
Galaxy M53 5G – December 2023
Galaxy M33 5G – December 2023
Galaxy M23 5G – February 2024
Galaxy M13 – February 2024
Galaxy XCover 6 Pro – December 2023
Tablets
Galaxy Tab S9 – November 2023
Galaxy Tab S9 5G – November 2023
Galaxy Tab S9+ – November 2023
Galaxy Tab S9+ 5G – November 2023
Galaxy Tab S8 – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S8 5G – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S8+ – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S8+ 5G – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra 5G – December 2023
Galaxy Tab S7 FE – January 2024
Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G – January 2024
Galaxy Tab S6 Lite – November 2023
Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro – January 2024
Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro 5G – January 2024
Galaxy Tab A8 – February 2024
Galaxy Tab A7 Lite – February 2024
Again, the list here certainly isn’t definitive or all-inclusive, but it offers a much clearer picture of Samsung’s Android 14 update schedule compared to what we’ve had thus far.
With Android 14, Google removed the ability to long press an icon on the homescreen to quickly see notifications from that app.
Previously, you’d be able to see any available notifications from an app by holding down on the icon in the launcher or grid. Only one was shown in its entirety with a counter in the corner if there were more. Besides opening it from there, you could also swipe it away.
This was useful if your notification tray was overflowing with alerts, while it went hand-in-hand with the notification dot, which continues to feel like an iOS trait more than an Android one.
In Android 14, long pressing on an icon just shows app shortcuts, as well as App info, Pause app, and Widgets. In fact, now that notifications no longer appear there, Google made it so that those three shortcuts appear as a full list at the top instead of being merged together. The Android team presumably decided to remove notifications and then introduced the tall list.
Android 13 vs. 14
This change was brought up during the Android 14 Beta Program over the summer. In August 2023, Google said the removal of notifications was the new intended behavior and that it “won’t fix.” There’s no reason behind this change, but the company presumably has usage stats.
With the stable launch of Android 14 on Pixel last month, there have been over a hundred new comments requesting the capability be brought back.
Personally, I didn’t notice the removal and have never used that app menu for anything beyond shortcuts and quick access to the App info page. Most users are presumably all in on the notification tray. However, Google does not seem to really be doing anything major with the app long press menu in Android 14, so the restoration of notifications doesn’t seem like it would be overly disruptive.
Samsung has officially launched its Android 14 update, One UI 6, with new features, updated design, and more. Here’s everything that’s new, a list of Samsung Galaxy devices getting Android 14, and everything else you’ll need to know.
What’s new in Android 14 on Samsung Galaxy?
Android 14 is, in itself, a not-so-major update, but it does bring some key changes to the world’s most popular smartphone operating system. Those changes, which we’ve previously detailed, include additions such as support for UltraHDR, improvements to the share menu, lockscreen changes, official support for flash notifications, and more.
Many of the features new on Pixel phones, though, have been in place already on Samsung smartphones, such as the new lockscreens. So what’s new on Galaxy?
One UI 6 is Samsung’s latest Android skin, and built on top of Android 14 it brings some notable changes such as the new “Quick Panel” design for Quick Settings, an option to change the wallpaper based on the time of day or certain modes, expansions to the lockscreen customization options, a new camera widget, new weather widgets, as well as new emoji and a new default system font.
Samsung devices with Android 14 – The full list
On October 30, 2023, Samsung officially launched its Android 14 update to its current flagship phones, just 26 days after Google Pixel devices were updated. That’s six days after last year’s release, but much faster given Pixels were updated much earlier in 2022.
Here’s the full list of Samsung Galaxy devices that currently have Android 14.
This list will be continuously updated over the coming months with the latest additions marked in bold text. Check back regularly!
Galaxy S devices with Android 14
In October 2023, Samsung started pushing One UI 6 to the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra in select countries across the globe. This primarily started in Europe, but has since expanded globally including the United States. In mid-November, Samsung expanded the update to the Galaxy S22 series, as well as to the newly-released Galaxy S23 FE, but only on Exynos models, and the update has also shown up on Galaxy S21 devices.
Galaxy S23 – Available globally
Galaxy S23+ – Available globally
Galaxy S23 Ultra – Available globally
Galaxy S23 FE – Exynos models only
Galaxy S22 – Available globally
Galaxy S22+ – Available globally
Galaxy S22Ultra – Available globally
Galaxy S21 – Available in Europe
Galaxy S21+ – Available in Europe
Galaxy S21 Ultra – Available in Europe
Galaxy S21 FE – Available in Europe, US carriers
Galaxy Foldables with Android 14
On November 21, Samsung started rolling out Android 14 to its latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, but only on Verizon Wireless in the US so far.
The first Galaxy A series device to get the One UI 6 update was the Galaxy A54, which picked up the update on AT&T in the US on November 21. A day later, the Galaxy A73 was updated in Iran, and the super-affordable Galaxy A34 and Galaxy A14 5G weren’t too far behind. Samsung has also since released Android 14 for the Galaxy A24 and Galaxy A53.
Galaxy A54 – Available on AT&T US
Galaxy A53 – Available in UK
Galaxy A34 – Available in Europe
Galaxy A24 – Available in Middle East, North Africa
Galaxy A14 – Available globally
Galaxy A73 – Available in Iran
Meanwhile, in Samsung’s Galaxy M series, the Galaxy M53 has been updated in Germany thus far.
Galaxy M53 – Available in Germany
Galaxy Tablets with Android 14
On November 22, Samsung released its first Android 14 update for a tablet, with the Galaxy Tab S9 series now eligible to be updated in most countries, as is the Galaxy Tab S8 series in select regions.
In December, Samsung has also released the One UI 6 update for its newest tablets, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9+ FE, as well as expanding it to other regions on Tab S8.
Galaxy Tab S9 – Available in Europe, US, Canada
Galaxy Tab S9+ – Available in Europe, US, Canada
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra – Available in Europe, US, Canada
Galaxy Tab S9 FE – Available in Europe
Galaxy Tab S9+ FE – Available in Europe
Galaxy Tab S8 – Available in Europe, US, Korea
Galaxy Tab S8+ – Available in Europe, US, Korea
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – Available in Europe, US, Korea
Will my Galaxy device get Android 14?
Of course, not every Samsung smartphone or tablet will get Android 14. The update is being provided in line with Samsung’s current update policy. That means any flagship released since 2021 is eligible, as they all have at least four major Android OS updates. The 2020-released Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and Galaxy Z Flip/5G however, will not be updated as Samsung has confirmed following a slip-up on the company’s part.
Generally speaking, any Samsung smartphone or tablet released in the past two years will be updated to Android 14. For slightly older devices, the update will still be available, but only to the more expensive hardware such as the Galaxy S, Galaxy Z, and Galaxy Tab S lineups.
Samsung Android 14 update schedule
The state of Samsung’s official schedule for Android 14 and One UI 6 updates has been a little hit or miss, with one schedule being removed early on. But, in November, the company posted a pretty official-looking schedule to its Samsung Members app in some countries, which gives us a good idea of what to expect.
The list below is based on Samsung’s official Android 14 schedule, and we’re constantly updating it as new devices are updated.
If last year’s Android 13 update is anything to go by, Samsung will likely blow through its core lineup well before 2024 rings in.
With the November security patch, Google today is rolling out the first update to Android 14 since launch for the following Pixel devices: 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, and 8 Pro.
There are 17 security issues resolved in the Android 14 November patch dated 2023-11-01 and 22 for 2023-11-05. Vulnerabilities range from high to critical. The dedicated bulletin for Google devices lists eight additional security fixes. As of today, there are just global builds.
Google lists seven fixes across Display & Graphics, NFC, System, User Interface, and Touch.
Of note, the 4a 5G and 5 are still seeing updates. While the Pixel 5 technically met its “guaranteed security updates” date in October, the 4a 5G doesn’t hit it until November. Google might as well update both. The Pixel 4a also sees another Android 13 ipdate.
Monthly Pixel security bulletin now includes changelog of ‘Functional updates’ & fixes
Several months ago, Google added a section in the main Android Security Bulletin that listed patches specific to Pixel and Nexus devices. For October, that list was broken out into a dedicated “Pixel / Nexus Security Bulletin.” With the November patch, Google has added a section detailing “Functional updates” like bug fixes for its devices.
After listing the various security issues that have been patched for Pixel/Nexus devices, Google displays a new section called “Functional updates” or “issues not related to the security of Pixel devices.”
These updates are included to address functionality issues not related to the security of Pixel devices. The table includes associated references; the affected category, such as Bluetooth or mobile data; and a summary of the issue.
Notably, it only references “Pixel devices,” though this changelog of sorts does not specifically identify any particular phone or tablet, leaving the original Pixel, Pixel 2, and Pixel C as possible recipients of these fixes.
Each entry includes a description of the “Improvements” and a category, like Audio, Bluetooth, Camera, Mobile data, and Stability. There are also reference numbers, though it does not correlate to any publicly accessible bug tracker.
In November, 12 items are listed, with the bulk related to Bluetooth, including resolving issues related to cars and general pairing.
This is a very good step towards transparency and provides a centralized repository to list what has been resolved. In the past, Google has relied on posts in the User Community. This comes as the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are due for a slate of fixes for display issues, high-pitched noises, and clicking sounds.
There are 34 bug fixes in U1B2.230922.013, which is still on the October 2023 security patch. This release is available for all devices out of the gate, with the on-device Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.2 OTA coming in at 40.35 MB on a Pixel Fold.
There’s a fix for the pink text issue on the Pixel 8 Pro AOD.
Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented devices from receiving calls. (Issue #298747690)
Fixed an issue where tapping or long-pressing a Quick Settings tile sometimes failed to launch the corresponding app or settings menu. (Issue #302147272)
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Settings app to crash when checking for system software updates. (Issue #303739210)
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Camera HAL to apply the wrong tuning profile when an app requested a certain camera mode.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system UI or device to crash if accessibility magnification mode was toggled rapidly.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the package installer to crash due to a null pointer exception.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system launcher to crash due to a null pointer exception.
Fixed an issue that interfered with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity until the device was rebooted.
Fixed issues with Face Unlock reliability.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the device unlock animation to stutter.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the screen to flicker when transitioning from always-on display mode to the lock screen.
Fixed an issue that caused the animation to display incorrectly when a user gestured to open the notification shade.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system UI to crash or consume more memory than necessary.
Fixed an issue that caused the picture-in-picture window to stop displaying with rounded corners after locking and unlocking the device.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused device-to-device transfer data to be saved to an incorrect account.
Fixed an issue that caused some UI elements to render incorrectly when the device font scale was increased.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the work profile badge for an app icon to be displayed in the wrong place while viewing the list of recent apps.
Fixed an issue that caused some text to display in the wrong colors when always-on display features were enabled.
Fixed issues that sometimes caused a device to crash and reboot.
Fixed an issue where additional power was still being consumed by mobile network connectivity even after a device connected to Wi-Fi.
Fixed an issue where audio failed to play back or was interrupted if Adaptive Sound was enabled.
Fixed issues with audio playback when using spatial audio.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused Wi-Fi service to be interrupted and fail to connect until the device was restarted.
Fixed an issue where the battery level in the status bar sometimes displayed temporarily as 0%.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices where the “All Apps” button on the taskbar was slow to appear immediately after launching an app.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Fold devices where the lock screen was sometimes still displayed if the device was unlocked and unfolded at the same time.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices where a primary user’s live wallpaper selection would sometimes be overridden after a secondary user selected a different live wallpaper.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices that caused an unsmooth animation when tapping to return to an app from the list of recent apps.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices that caused audio to pop when adjusting the volume if a wired headset was connected.
Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet where a user was returned to the Home screen instead of the app that was open when the device was locked if they unlocked the device using their fingerprint while a screen saver was active.
Fixed an issue that caused memory corruption in rare cases.
Fixed various issues that were impacting system stability, performance, and connectivity.
Most will install via the Android Beta Program, but you can also flash or sideload. If you need help, here’s our full guide on installing Android 14. Google says:
Your device will be automatically updated to Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.2 within 5 days.
One UI 6 is finally available for some users in full, bringing a list of changes to the OS. One change is the addition of a new security tool called “Auto Blocker” which acts as additional security for Samsung Galaxy phones.
According to Samsung, Auto Blocker is intended to be somewhat of an expansion of additional and optional security tools at your disposal. Heading into the settings with bring you to a new page with a suite of options that are entirely a matter of preference, similar to how some would use malware protection on a computer.
One security option on this page is the familiar “Block app installation from unauthorized sources” feature. Normally, that option would be on a different page, but has since moved with One UI 6/ The option is now also off by default, which is a big change from previous versions of One UI where the first time users tried to sideload an app, it was blocked.
Now, users can sideload as much as they want with the knowledge that it’s not always entirely safe. The option will act as a prevention tool whenever apps are not being sideloaded intentionally.
Auto Blocker also brings app security checks to keep third-party programs in check, as well as a blocker for USB commands. Turning Samsung’s Auto Blocker on with the toggle at the top of that page looks to enable all three of these features at the same time. Below is an “Advanced” section with more tools that can be turned on and off individually, like Message Guard, to protect users from Zero Click attacks and malicious code in direct messages.
Auto Blocker is available for every Samsung Galaxy device running One UI 6, which is rolling out globally now.
Samsung confirms a list of over 20 Galaxy smartphones that will get Android 14
Earlier today Samsung officially announced that its Android 14 update is now rolling out to the Galaxy S23 series, and the company has also confirmed the first few Galaxy smartphones that will be eligible for Android 14 in the coming months.
Android 14 for Samsung devices comes in the form of One UI 6.0, an update that delivers platform improvements from Google as well as updates to Samsung’s skin. Those updates include a bunch of new camera features, updated emoji, and more. But, to start, it’s all exclusive to the Galaxy S23 series which is getting the update now.
What comes next?
According to a small list that Samsung has provided, other Galaxy smartphones getting Android 14 will begin with the past few years of flagships, foldables, and a couple of A-Series devices.
In talking about the new features coming to “Enhance-X,” Samsung also confirmed over 20 devices that will be updated to One UI 6.0, many of which come as no surprise. That initial list includes devices released in 2020 and newer, starting with Galaxy S series devices.
Galaxy S23 series
Galaxy S22 series
Galaxy S21 series
Galaxy S20 series
Beyond that, almost every Samsung foldable is going to get One UI 6.0 except for the original Galaxy Fold.
Galaxy Z Fold 5
Galaxy Z Fold 4
Galaxy Z Fold 3
Galaxy Z Fold 2
Galaxy Z Flip 5
Galaxy Z Flip 4
Galaxy Z Flip 3
Galaxy Z Flip 5G
Galaxy Z Flip
And, finally, Samsung has also confirmed that Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy A54, and Galaxy A53 will all be eligible, as well as some M-series devices.
Galaxy Note 20 series
Galaxy A54
Galaxy A53
Galaxy A34
Galaxy A33
Galaxy M54
Galaxy M53
Galaxy M34
Galaxy M33
Update: To address the elephant in the room, the Galaxy S20 series, Note 20 series, Flip/5G, and Fold 2 were not expected to get One UI 6.0, but Samsung’s wording here is pretty clear. The quote below is a footnote on Samsung’s blog post and refers to a new camera feature which requires One UI 6.0 or higher, meaning that the devices listed would need to be getting the update.
Available on Galaxy S23 series, S22 series, S21 series, S20 series, Note20 series, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Z Fold4, Z Flip4, Z Fold3, Z Flip3, Z Fold2, Z Flip 5G and Z Flip LTE, A54, A53, A34, A33, M54, M53, M34, M33 devices operating on One UI 6.0 or above.
We have reached out to Samsung for comment on the status of 2020 device updates.
These devices will all get One UI 6.0 in time, and likely pretty quickly if last year’s Android 13 rollout serves as any indication. For now, though, we’re still waiting on Samsung to release Android 14 to the Galaxy S23 series in the US, which is coming “soon.”
This initial list, notably, is by no means complete. Samsung’s current policy for software updates means that many more smartphones and tablets will be updated to Android 14, but the company has not officially confirmed anything outside of this initial list.
Depending on the device, this issue can result in the primary user being unable to access media storage. Alternatively, the issue can reboot the device with a “Factory data reset” message. If this message is accepted, data that is not backed up can be lost, and if it is declined, the device repeatedly reboots with the “Pixel is starting” message.
Google starts by saying that this storage issue impacts the “Pixel 6 and later models” that “have both received the Android 14 update and have multiple users (other than the primary user) set up.” This includes “users, guests, restricted profiles, and child users,” but not simply having more than one Google Account signed in “within the primary user or work profiles.”
The company has already rolled out a Google Play system update to “help prevent this issue from being triggered on additional devices.” To install, open Settings > Security & privacy > System & update > Google Play system update. The latest version we’re seeing today is October 1, 2023.
For those currently “unable to access media storage,” Google is working on a system update that “will repair the issue and restore access to media files without requiring a factory reset.”
Google is also “investigating methods that may be able to recover some data” for devices in a “Pixel is starting” boot loop. However, this seems more tentative: “We’ll provide more information as soon as it is available.”
For all other users, including those that factory reset their device, Google says to avoid “creating or logging into a secondary user on the device until the OTA update is available.”
Google ends with an apology:
We’re sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, and we appreciate your patience.
Android 14 breaks storage on Pixel 6 phones with multiple user profiles
Android 14 is a solid update to Google’s smartphone OS, but the update does seem to be causing some significant issues regarding user profiles on Pixel 6 series devices.
Following the update to Android 14 that rolled out earlier this month, some Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a owners are seeing some considerable issues with their devices, specifically around storage becoming unusable. A growing number of users across Google’sforums, Reddit, and elsewhere reporting that their Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices are drastically hindered, to the point of breaking most tasks users would perform on their devices.
The storage problem takes effect if the user, before installing Android 14, had multiple profiles on the device.
Following the installation of Android 14, the main profile on a Pixel 6 series device seems to lose access to storage, which prevents users from taking photos or videos, downloading files, and both installing or uninstalling applications. However, on the second profile, things seem to work as expected.
Other limitations include that apps report the device as having no available storage, Google Photos can’t refresh a user’s library (only showing low-quality previews), and files can’t be accessed via USB from a connected PC, as one of our readers explained in an email.
Given that Android’s user profiles are more of a niche feature on smartphones (primarily used for personal and work profiles), this issue doesn’t appear excessively widespread, but the symptoms of the problem are affecting users pretty consistently.
Google has, so far, not offered any solution for this issue or public statement.
Exactly two weeks after the previous release, Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.1 is rolling out today with a handful of bug fixes, but the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro aren’t getting updated right away.
There are just three fixes for Pixel devices, which are getting U1B2.230922.010 today with the October 2023 security patch:
Fixed issues with biometric authentication, such as an issue that sometimes prevented the under-display fingerprint sensor from activating while always-on display features were enabled.
Fixed an issue where, in some cases after swapping SIM cards on a device, the device couldn’t connect to cellular service.
Fixed various issues that were impacting system stability and performance.
Google says the “Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will receive this update at a later time.” The initial Beta 2 update rolled out a week ago.
The OTA and factory images are now available, while the on-device OTA is also rolling out immediately (66MB on the Pixel Fold and 7 Pro).
Google wants every Android version to be ‘higher quality than the previous release’
Dave Burke, VP of Engineering for Android, was interviewed during The Android Show today and shared a lot of interesting tidbits, especially around quality and performance.
In the context of Android releases, Burke considers quality the “number one feature” given how much we use our phones:
If you think about how much we depend on our devices and how much we use them [in] a day, it’s just really important that the device runs really, really well. Really, really reliably. The highest performance, highest fidelity.
The Android team has a “pledge” internally to “ensure that every release was higher quality than the previous release by a set of expanding metrics that we measure in the lab and in the field.”
We’ve been holding ourselves to that. It’s difficult, I can tell you, because you’re only as good as the weakest metric. So you’ve got to chase everything down, but it’s really causing us to force the bar higher and higher.
Burke described one way the team is doing that:
Even internally, we’re looking at actually changing some of our developer practices in 2024 where rather than sort of go[ing] off for a year and work[ing] on a release for a very long time, we break that up into chunks internally so that we sort of keep the branch green as we go.
From the description we have today, this just seems to be an internal change rather than anything that would impact the yearly cycle.
On Android 14, Burke highlighted expression (gen AI wallpapers, lockscreen clocks, and shortcuts) and performance as the big tentpoles. Burke said the team “may not have talked enough” about performance. (Frankly, Google should have discussed it on-stage at I/O in May.)
We’ve done a ton of work to reduce CPU activity of background apps, and the result is that there’s 30% less cold starts now on Android 14. Cold starts are when you have to literally read the code pages off the flash and read them into memory before you execute them. A 30% reduction is pretty dramatic, and you feel that as a user.
This involved increasing the number of cached processes, but doing so risks increased CPU usage and, therefore, battery drain. Android 14 does a better job of properly freezing the processes.
Burke also mentioned how large-screen-related work, like the transient taskbar, was originally part of Android 14 but moved up into Android 13 (QPR2) as Google worked to be more competitive in the space and to support foldables.