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Software

❤ Android 14 DP2 on Pixel Phone

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Flash notifications on Pixel will let you emulate a notification LED

Android 14 Developer Preview 2 includes a “Flash notifications” function that will let Pixel owners emulate the long-lost notification LED in the upcoming build.

One of the most notable features that has been missing from many top-tier smartphones in recent years is the notification LED. Many OEMs have offered workarounds that utilize the camera LED flash to let you know when you have an unread or urgent notification waiting to be accessed.

One notable absentee has been the Pixel lineup, but this could change soon as Google has added the “Flash notifications” option within the Accessibility panel in Android 14 Developer Preview 2. This section could be useful for those with hearing impairments, as it’s an extra visual clue that you have a call, SMS, or general app notification incoming.

You can enable “Camera flash notifications” or “Screen flash notifications” independently or simultaneously by heading to Settings > Accessibility > Flash notifications. From this new menu, you can tweak and toggle the options and even get a preview of the options in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you enable “Camera flash notifications” in Android 14 Developer Preview 2, when a notification is received, the LED flash on your Pixel camera system will turn on and off briefly. Google has gone a step further here too. The flashlight/torch toggle in Quick Settings will be highlighted to indicate something has been received and that you have camera flash notifications enabled.

This is similar to what is already available on iOS and some other Android devices. Sadly, Android 14 Developer Preview 2 offers no ability to tune or tweak this setting, at least at this stage. However, if you enable the “Screen flash notifications” option, you can choose a color in which your screen will flash from one of 12 options, all of which are bright neon-style hues for visibility.

These changes might not fully replace a true RGB-capable notification LED on your Pixel, but at least you’ll be able to get an extra visual representation of regular on-device notifications when Android 14 does eventually launch.

Android 14 DP2: Pixel phones gain monochrome theme, prep for custom clocks

 

 

 

 

As part of the second preview of Android 14, Pixel phones have gained a new monochrome Material You theme and are preparing to add custom lock screen clocks.

Since the launch of Material You with Android 12, Google has been steadily building upon that colorful foundation, adding things like color variations that use your wallpaper palette in new ways and preset themes that aren’t based on your wallpaper.

In the latter category, Android 14 DP2 introduces a new monochrome theme, marked by a black-and-white circle in the theme selector. As you’d expect, the theme saps all color out of Android’s menus and any Material You-compatible apps.

Besides looking kinda cool, the new monochrome Material You theme is actually added as an accessibility feature. I previously spoke with a person living with cataplexy; they noted that the colors of Google’s Material You themes would occasionally trigger seizures. For someone like that, a monochrome theme would likely go a long way toward making a Pixel phone more usable without disabling colors altogether.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, adding custom clocks to Pixel phones has long been a goal for Google, with work on it dating back to at least 2019. As seen in the screenshots above, it looks like the company is making another attempt at it with Android 14, as the Wallpaper & style applet includes a prominently placed option labeled “Clock Settings.”

The subheading reveals that this should allow you to “Pick a custom clock.” For now, however, this option does nothing, presumably because there aren’t any custom clocks installed from which to choose. As the custom clock option appears without needing to be forcibly enabled by our team, it’s quite possible that Google intends for the feature to launch as part of Android 14’s final release.

Another tidbit in Wallpaper & style that’s worth mentioning is a new bug related to Material You-themed icons. If you do a fresh install of Android 14 DP2 onto a device, rather than simply updating an already set up phone, the “Themed icons” toggle is not available. We’re not sure what the solution to this issue will be, though it will likely be fixed with a future DP2.1 update.

Android 14 DP2: Media player gains new animations and UI enhancements

 

 

 

 

Android 14 Developer Preview 2 is now available, and it wouldn’t be an early access build without Google making Media player tweaks.

The latest developer-focused build is the second such version of Android 14 that you can — and probably shouldn’t — flash on your eligible Google Pixel. Android 14 Developer Preview 1 didn’t tweak or tune the Media player which is used across the Quick Settings panel and lockscreen. This time, though, Google has made a number of small tweaks that will be noticeable right away.

A very minor animation tweak is visible when viewing the lockscreen media player. In Android 13, the player will slide up and expand into view into the Always-on display. Here in Android 14 Developer Preview 2, the Media player will slide down into view. It’s another minor change, but one that you’ll spot and wonder just what feels different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s not all, as when interacting with the player controls you’ll see a wave glow animation effect to indicate that something has been accessed or activated. Google has also restored the glowing animation effect when audio is playing that was originally added in Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1. Both glow effects will use a complimentary color to the album art of the media being played, and this appears to work with most apps compatible with the Media player in Android 14 Developer Preview 2.

The changes continue with the media output switcher. This area will now show any nearby or available speakers and Cast-enabled devices; what’s more, the volume control slider now has a new icon to indicate that audio is muted on your device.

❤ The March Pixel update with Android 13 QPR2 and Feature Drop is late

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Historically, Google updates its Pixel phones on the first Monday of the month at 10 a.m. PT. That’s today, but there’s no March update yet in an unexpected delay for Google Pixel.

Update 1: As of 10:30 a.m. PT, there’s still no Pixel update, but the Android Security Bulletin—March 2023 has been published. There are 31 security issues resolved in the Android 13 March patch dated 2023-03-01 and 29 for 2023-03-05.

Google’s post, as always, links to the March 2023 Pixel Update Bulletin, but that page is not yet live.

As of the usual time, there are zero blogs from Google announcing the March update for Pixel phones, while there are no new factory or OTA images.

Even if the update doesn’t roll out immediately for some phones, Google usually still details the release. For example, the Tensor-powered Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in 2021 often received their updates — factory images and on-device OTAs — a few weeks after older phones.

One recent example of Google deviating from the norm was last August, but that was due to Android 13 coming in the middle of that month. Google made no announcements on Monday, August 1 and waited until Thursday, August 4 to roll out an “additional update” just for the Pixel 6 series and 6a. The Android 13 update for all remaining phones came on Monday, August 15.

It’s not clear what’s causing this delay, or how long it will last. Android 13 QPR2 progressed through the Android Beta Program normally and is not the biggest update in terms of user-facing changes. One possibility is that Google found a showstopper bug that derailed today’s update.

New Google ‘phone’ shows up at FCC, likely Pixel 7a or Pixel Fold

A new Google device, labeled as a “phone,” has shown up for approval from the FCC, likely putting the Pixel 7a or Pixel Fold closer to release.

Before any device with wireless connectivity can be released, it needs to get approval from the various governmental regulators around the world, such as the FCC in the United States. This evening, a trio of new listings appeared at the FCC, all of which point to a single new “phone” coming soon from Google.

The new listings — G0DZQ, GHL1X, and GWKK3 — all make reference to one another and one includes a mention of another model, G82U8. To make the connection more explicit, one document that Google submitted to the FCC explains the differences between most of the new models.

FCC ID: A4RG0DZQ (parent model for NFC), FCC ID: A4RGWKK3 (parent model for BT/WLAN) and FCC ID: A4RGHL1X (variant model) use the same identical internal printed circuit board layouts, while the variant models depopulates mmWave related components and populated a different MHB ENDC module, details are available in the operational description.

Knowing that all four of these model numbers should be describing the same phone, the bigger question is which device we’re actually looking at. Up to this point, there have been leaks of the upcoming Pixel 7a, which is set to significantly upgrade Google’s previously midrange A-Series phones with things like a better camera, wireless charging, and 90Hz display.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited Pixel Fold has also been rumored to be on track to release this year, marking Google’s third recent attempt at releasing a foldable phone. Last week, we exclusively reported that the Pixel Fold is set to be heavier than the Galaxy Fold 4, likely due to its larger battery size.

Unfortunately, nothing in the FCC listings seems to indicate the physical size of this new phone, which would be an immediate giveaway to whether this is the Pixel Fold or Pixel 7a. The availability of an mmWave model doesn’t rule out this being the Pixel 7a, as even the Pixel 6a was available with mmWave through Verizon.

One potential clue lies in the inclusion of serial numbers of the devices that were tested, each typically beginning with “28291FQHN” or “28251FQHN.” In a hands-on leak of an early model of the Pixel 7a, a serial number beginning with “2A281FQHN” was visible, which appears to be quite similar.

The only thing we can know for sure is that this latest Pixel phone should release well before the usual fall Made by Google event, as the FCC’s confidentiality (which temporarily hides device images and manuals from the public) expires in six months. That means we’re almost certainly looking at something releasing midyear, like A-Series Pixel phones typically do.

The dates for Google I/O have not yet been announced, but that would be the next most likely opportunity for the company to showcase its latest hardware. This appearance at the FCC is just one step of many along the path to release. We’ll be keeping an eye on this mystery Pixel phone and any other devices Google may have up its sleeve between now and Google I/O.

❤ Android 14 features

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Passkeys are coming up soon as a way of using your phone and its biometrics in place of traditional passwords, and Android 14 is set to bring native support for passkeys to apps, including Dashlane.

In a blog post today, Dashlane explained that it will add native support for passkeys in Android 14. The upcoming version of Android unlocks support for passkeys within third-party apps, meaning that Dashlane likely won’t be the only app picking up support when the update debuts later this year. 1Password also announced support for passkeys recently.

Dashlane explains:

Mobile platforms such as Android and iOS will require changes to enable third-party applications such as Dashlane to manage passkeys. These are the very changes that have been included in this developer preview of Android 14. The user can simply create a passkey using their fingerprint instead of entering a password. The fingerprint ties the authentication action to the user of the device, which prevents anyone else from creating and using passkeys on this specific device.

In a tweet, Dashlane also showed what passkeys will look like in its app on Android 14, with a system prompt appearing similar to what we see with biometric authentication in Android today.

 

 

 

 

 

Support for passkeys in Dashlane on Android will come with the final release of Android 14, which is currently scheduled to arrive around August of this year, barring any unexpected delays.

Android 14 release timeline matches last year’s pace, adds one beta

 

 

The Android 14 Developer Preview and — later — Beta will follow the accelerated timeline established last year.

There are two developer previews, with the only other one coming in March:

  • Developer Preview 1 (February): Early baseline build focused on developer feedback, with new features, APIs, and behavior changes.
  • Developer Preview 2 (March): Incremental update with additional features, APIs, and behavior changes.

Like the last release, the Android 14 Beta will start in April, which is a month earlier than usual. Historically, the first beta launch is timed to I/O in May, after the consumer-facing features are announced on stage.

Platform Stability, with “final SDK/NDK APIs and also final internal APIs and app-facing system behaviors,” is coming in Beta 3. Google says, “From that time you’ll have several weeks before the official release to do your final testing.”

After that, in July, expect two more betas before the final release. There was no Beta 5 last year.

The final release looks set for August, with Google last year opting for a midmonth launch.

  • Beta 1 (April): Initial beta-quality release, over-the-air update to early adopters who enroll in Android Beta.
  • Beta 2 (May): Incremental Beta-quality release.
  • Beta 3 (June): First Platform Stability milestone including final APIs and behaviors. Play publishing also opens.
  • Beta 4 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
  • Beta 5 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
  • Final release: Android 14 release to AOSP and ecosystem.

More details on the Android 14 release timeline for developers is available here.

Android 14 prepares for physical keyboards and touchpad gestures

 

 

 

 

In its latest tweak to improve the experience of tablets and large-screen devices, Android 14 includes early work to better support physical keyboards and new gestures for touchpads.

For years now, Android tablet makers have offered keyboard accessories that can often be attached directly to a device, making it easier to use a tablet like a laptop. With Google’s recent efforts to improve Android for tablets, foldables, and more, it should be no surprise to see that Android 14’s Settings app includes a revamped menu for keyboard settings.

The new menu isn’t available by default (and isn’t guaranteed to launch with Android 14 this fall) but our team managed to forcibly enable it, to show the progress. On Android 13 today, the “Physical keyboard” menu is hidden away under System > Languages & input, but Android 14 moves this to System > Keyboard.

Inside, you’ll find the familiar option to enable/disable the on-screen keyboard when a physical keyboard is connected, along with the list of available shortcuts. What’s new here is the addition of a “Modifier keys” option, which allows you to remap a handful of common keyboard keys — Caps Lock, Ctrl, Meta, and Alt. Android users coming from ChromeOS may be particularly excited by the ability to remap Caps Lock, as Chromebooks typically have a Meta (or Search) key where Caps Lock is located.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many keyboard accessories for tablets also include a touchpad/trackpad to offer the full laptop-like experience. Android 14 also includes preparations for new gestures you can perform through a touchpad. We haven’t yet enabled these gestures, but some of them should look familiar to anyone who’s deeply familiar with ChromeOS.

 

 

 

 

For example, on a Chromebook touchpad, you can swipe left-to-right with two fingers to go back one page. A three-finger swipe upward opens ChromeOS’s Overview, while four-finger swipes left or right quickly switch between desks. Digging deeper into Android 14, we’ve found descriptions of the new settings and how each touchpad gesture should work.

Like most platforms, Android will let you switch the direction of scrolling, tune the cursor’s movement speed, and enable/disable tap-to-click.

<string name=”trackpad_reverse_scrolling_title”>Reverse scrolling</string>

<string name=”trackpad_reverse_scrolling_summary”>Content moves up when you scroll down</string>

<string name=”trackpad_pointer_speed”>Pointer speed</string>

<string name=”trackpad_tap_to_click”>Tap to click</string>

As for the gestures, you’ll use a three-finger swipe left or right to go back, just like you can trigger the back gesture on a touchscreen from either side of a device. Quickly swiping upward with three fingers will bring you to the home screen, but if you swipe upward and hold, the Overview menu will open instead. As you may have guessed, a three-finger downward swipe will open Android’s notification shade.

<string name=”trackpad_go_back_summary”>Swipe left or right with three fingers</string>

<string name=”trackpad_go_home_summary”>Swipe up with three fingers</string>

<string name=”trackpad_recent_apps_summary”>Swipe up with three fingers, then hold</string>

<string name=”trackpad_notifications_summary”>Swipe down with three fingers</string>

Similar to ChromeOS, you can swipe left or right on the touchpad with four fingers to quickly switch between apps, just like sliding your finger on Android’s touch gesture navigation bar today. The final gesture introduced in Android 14 code involves tapping the bottom-right corner of the touchpad to get “more options.” It’s not entirely clear what this will do, perhaps acting similar to a right-click on ChromeOS or a tap-and-hold on Android.

<string name=”trackpad_switch_apps_summary”>Swipe left or right with four fingers</string>

<string name=”trackpad_bottom_right_tap_summary”>Tap the bottom right corner of the touchpad for more options</string>

Android 14 will show apps that your smartphone or carrier installed in the background

 

 

 

 

The first developer preview of Android 14 dropped yesterday, and it brought a handful of new features along with it. Under the hood, though, there’s more on the way, including the ability for Android 14 to show apps that were installed in the background by your smartphone manufacturer or carrier – or by potentially a malicious party.

“Bloatware” has long been a blight on Android smartphones, especially those sold through US carriers. It’s common for devices to be preloaded with a bunch of apps and games that don’t necessarily need to be there and are often duplicates of other apps anyway. It’s also not uncommon for apps to be added in the background, often without the user’s knowledge, by carriers or smartphone makers.

This could also be useful for finding out if a piece of malware or some other malicious party manages to install an app.

With Android 14, Google is making it easier for users to keep track of apps that were installed in the background, with the company specifically saying those apps might come from their “device manufacturer” or carriers. Google explains:

Your device manufacturer may install apps on your device in the background, or allow your carrier and other partners to do so.

Any apps listed here aren’t required for your device to function normally. You can uninstall apps you don’t want.

Next to each app, there’s an easy uninstall button, and apps are listed if they were installed in the background within the past six months.

The change was first highlighted by Mishaal Rahman, and our Dylan Roussel has also managed to get it up and running. His device, as seen below, shows Google Play Services for AR and Spotify in that list, which seems to be in error, perhaps as the feature isn’t finished just yet. But Inware was installed over ADB, which backs up the idea that malicious installations could be caught by this new tool.

 

 

 

 

Android 14 DP1: Dual-SIM can now automatically switch mobile data to the best option

 

 

 

 

Dual-SIM has been around for years, but it has always required users to manually switch their active choice for mobile data and SMS. But with Android 14, Google is adding the ability for Dual-SIM to automatically switch to the best mobile data option.

Introduced in Android 14 Developer Preview 1, a new option in SIM settings allows your phone to automatically switch between the two SIM cards, depending on when one has “better availability for calls and internet.”

This feature essentially allows users to designate a secondary SIM as a backup for when their primary line doesn’t have good coverage. At that point, Android will automatically switch mobile data over to the secondary SIM.

If you’ve ever used Dual-SIM on Android, you’re probably familiar with the juggling act that is trying to switch over to your other SIM card when mobile data is scarce on the usual choice. In theory, this new toggle should save a lot of time, and we’ll be curious to see how often it switches when Android 14 drops in full later this year.

Notably, this feature doesn’t have to be manually enabled and works immediately on Android 14 Developer Preview 1 when you have two SIMs on board (physical or eSIM).

 

 

 

 

Notably, a similar feature has been in place on Apple’s iPhone for a few years at this point.

Android 14 DP1 preps ‘Cloned Apps’ to easily duplicate apps

 

 

 

 

Hidden in the first preview of Android 14, Google is preparing “Cloned Apps” as a more official option for having duplicate copies of an app on your phone or tablet.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in the case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.
On Android, it can sometimes come in handy to have multiple copies of a particular app installed, usually allowing you to be logged in to more than one account simultaneously. To do this today, you need to use a third-party app to create and manage a “Work Profile” on your phone/tablet, which creates a separate place to install apps.
With Android 14 Developer Preview 1, we’ve found Google is preparing an official way to clone apps without needing any third-party apps or even a Work Profile. Instead, you’ll be able to head to the new “Cloned Apps” menu (seen below) and select which Android apps you’d like to duplicate.

Notably, Google and other manufacturers of Android 14 devices are able to choose the apps that are not allowed to be cloned. In the case of Pixel phones, Google is blocking many of its own apps from being cloned, including media apps like YouTube and YouTube Music.

  • Android Auto
  • Calendar (AOSP)
  • Camera (AOSP)
  • Chrome
  • Clock
  • Contacts (AOSP)
  • Files
  • Gallery
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Camera
  • Google Contacts
  • Google Play Movies & TV
  • Google Search
  • Maps
  • MDS (Modem Diagnostic System)
  • Messages
  • Personal Safety
  • Phone
  • Photos
  • Pixel Tips
  • Play Store
  • Printer
  • Recorder
  • Stk (SIM Toolkit)
  • YouTube
  • YouTube Music

Android 14 DP1: Screen time is now prominently shown in battery usage stats

 

 

 

 

With the first developer preview of Android 14, Google is bringing back the ability to see screen time in battery usage stats.

Google redesigned the battery usage stats screen in Android 12, a change which led to quite a bit of confusion. Instead of showing battery usage since the last full charge, Google showed stats based on the last 24 hours.

The change was walked back in later updates, with the QPR1 update on Pixel phones delivering a change to show statistics from the last full charge instead of the last 24 hours. But even then, it was still somewhat difficult to see your screen time, which many use as a core metric to see how long their phone lasts in active use – there are, of course, many other contributing factors to battery life, but being able to see screen time is helpful nonetheless.

In Android 14’s first developer preview, Google has redesigned the battery usage page with a prominent “screen time since last full charge” section. It does, well, exactly what the name suggests.

 

 

 

 

While this might not be a big deal for everyone, it’s certainly a change that will be appreciated by enthusiasts.

The new page also now has a dropdown menu to show battery usage by apps or by system elements. This is technically unchanged from previous versions, the dropdown just makes it slightly more obvious on how to switch between the two sections.

❤ Here’s every new feature and change in iOS 16.4 beta 1

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The first beta of iOS 16.4 was released to developers today, and it includes a number of new features and changes. There are new emoji, improvements to Safari and web apps, and much more. Head below as we round up everything new in iOS 16.4 beta 1.

What’s new in iOS 16.4 beta 1?

New Safari and third-party browser features

  • iOS 16.4 brings new capabilities for Safari web apps: access to push notifications, home screen badges, and more.
  • Third-party browsers are now able to show a user interface for users to add a website to their home screen.

New Emoji

  • There are new emoji for things like a shaking face, a goose, a hyacinth, and a plain pink heart. These new Emoji are part of the Unicode Standard for Emoji Update 15.0, which was announced in July.

Changes to beta testing enrollment

 

 

 

 

  • Apple is cracking down on sharing iOS beta profiles. Now, the beta enrollment process will be tied to a developer’s Apple ID and accessed directly in the Settings app. Apple says:

Beginning with iOS & iPadOS 16.4 beta, members of the Apple Developer Program will see a new option to enable developer betas directly from Software Update in Settings.

This new option will be automatically enabled on devices already enrolled in the program that update to the latest beta release. Your iPhone or iPad must be signed in with the same Apple ID you used to enroll in the Apple Developer Program in order to see this option in Settings. In future iOS and iPadOS releases, this new setting will be the way to enable developer betas and configuration profiles will no longer grant access.

Cellular and 5G changes

 

 

 

 

  • iOS 16.4 adds a new “5G Standalone” feature that can deliver wildly fast speeds up to 3Gbps. In the United States, T-Mobile is the only carrier to support this feature.
  • Learn more: 3Gbps iPhone speeds could be coming soon as iOS 16.4 brings 5G Standalone support

Apple Podcasts updates

  • For Apple Podcasts, there are changes to the Library, improvements to Up Next, and new CarPlay updates.
    • Channels in Library: Easily access the channels you subscribe to and browse channels from shows you follow.
    • Up Next Enhancements: Resume episodes you began, start episodes you saved, and remove any you want to skip.
    • CarPlay Updates: Quickly pick up where you left off with Up Next and find new shows in Browse.

Shortcuts and Focus mode changes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • For the Always On Display, there’s a new filter for Focus modes, so you can have certain Focus modes enable or disable the Always On Display automatically.
  • In Shortcuts, there’s a new “Set Always on Display” action, a new Lock Screen action, and a new Set VPN action.

New animations in the Music app

 

 

 

 

  • In the Music app, there are various interface tweaks and icon changes. For instance, adding a song to your queue no longer causes a full-screen pop-up. Instead, there’s a much smaller notification at the bottom.
  • There isn’t, however, any sign of Apple Classical.

AppleCare in Settings

 

 

 

 

  • iOS 16.4 includes a new screen in the Settings app where you can see all of your AppleCare coverage for multiple devices like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

Mastodon in Messages

 

 

 

 

  • iOS 16.4 beta enables rich previews for Mastodon links in the Messages app. This is similar to what the app offers for Twitter and other websites.

Accessibility

  • iOS 16.4 beta 1 adds a new Accessibility feature in the “Motion” menu for dimming flashing lights: “Video content that depicts repeated flashing or strobing lights will be automatically dimmed. The video timeline will display when flashing lights occur in the timeline for supported media.”

New “Order Tracking” widgets for the Wallet app

 

 

 

 

  • Apple has added three new Home Screen widgets for the Wallet app’s integrated order tracking features.

Other tidbits

  • In the Home app, Apple says both manual and automatic Software Update support is now available for Matter Accessories. The update also reintroduces the new home architecture after it was pulled due to reliability issues.
  • A few other changes to the keyboard:
    • Autocorrect for the Korean keyboard is enabled by default for testing and feedback.
    • Ukrainian keyboard now supports predictive text.
    • Gujarati, Punjabi, and Urdu keyboards add support for transliteration layouts.
    • New keyboard layouts are available for Choctaw and Chickasaw.
  • Apple Pencil hover now provides Tilt and Azimuth support.

❤ Android is adding support for eSIM transfer between devices

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eSIM has been around for several years at this point, but support and handling is wildly different across different Android devices and carriers. Today, Google is announcing a new tool that will help the future of eSIM on Android, with support for eSIM transfer.

Alongside announcements regarding Wear OS 3 and Android, Google revealed that Android is picking up support for an eSIM transfer tool.

Google explained that support for eSIM transfer is coming to Android “later this year,” presumably attached to a later release of Android. The company expands that the new support allows users to transfer their service between devices virtually and works off of the global standard built out by the GSMA, with European carrier Deutsche Telekom among the first to adopt support.

And later this year, building on GSMA’s global standard, we’re bringing a new eSIM transfer capability to Android that allows users to quickly and securely transfer their mobile plan to a new device, without having to swap a physical SIM card. Deutsche Telekom is taking the first step in using this industry standard to enable a simple and secure transfer with eSIM for the Android ecosystem.

Last month, evidence was uncovered within Android’s QPR2 release where Google was laying the groundwork for eSIM transfer. That version of Android should be released in the not-too-distant future, but Google’s phrasing implies we might not see the feature fully debut until a bit later on in 2023.

In any case, it’s great to see Google giving eSIM some attention, as the state of eSIM on Android is certainly ready for improvements.

The state of eSIM on Android: A labyrinth across Pixel, Samsung, and carriers

eSIM is the next big thing in cellular connectivity, and while Apple is going all in on it, it’s clear the Android world has a lot of work to do. Let’s take a look at the state of eSIM on Android and how things work across different smartphones, carriers, and more.

What is an eSIM?

eSIM is short for “embedded SIM.” A quick explanation of that is that eSIM is a virtual version of a SIM card, rather than a physical item you slide into your smartphone.

An eSIM carries basically the same information as a traditional SIM, with your customer ID, mobile network details, and more. An eSIM is built directly into your device and is thus reprogrammable as you need. Many phones that support eSIM even support multiple active connections at one time, meaning you can switch back and forth between providers.

 

 

 

 

What Android smartphones support eSIM?

But like any emerging technology, eSIM isn’t available everywhere, and it’s pretty inconsistent where the feature is available on Android at this point.

The only company that has fully embraced eSIM on Android is Google, with full support for the technology in every Pixel smartphone released since 2017. This is partially because Google’s mobile network, Fi, offers eSIM support on Pixel phones and other devices. But Pixel phones from the Pixel 4 and later can also use eSIM on carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more.

Beyond the Pixel, Samsung has also made a big push with eSIM support on its various Android phones.

A few examples of Samsung devices that support eSIM include the company’s latest releases, such as the Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung also expanded support for the feature with its Android 12 update to the Galaxy S20 series, S21 series, Note 20 series, and the rest of its foldable lineup too.

 

 

All of these support eSIM

 

 

But there are still a lot of hits and misses within Samsung’s eSIM support. While the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 both support the feature, the “Fan Edition” models, S20 FE and S21 FE, do not. The company’s popular midrange phones, such as the Galaxy A53, also lack eSIM.

There are some other Android phones and devices that support eSIM as well, but it’s very inconsistent.

Samsung’s LTE smartwatches, for example, utilize eSIM. Motorola also supports the feature in select devices, as do select devices from Huawei, Honor, Oppo, Sony, and more. Our Andrew Romero has a full list of Android phones that support eSIM in the United States.

How do you set up an eSIM on major carriers?

The process of setting up an eSIM on Android depends on your smartphone and your carrier, and that’s where things are even more inconsistent.

On a Pixel phone, you simply go to Settings > Network & Internet and then press the “+” symbol to add a new eSIM. You’ll get a list of carriers and a shortcut to use the camera to scan a QR code provided by your carrier.

Notably, Google Fi offers a different setup method on Pixel as well. Instead of using a QR code, you can simply download the Google Fi app and activate it with your usual Google account credentials – this also applies to transferring your eSIM to a new device. But right now, Google Fi only supports eSIM on Pixel phones. Oh, and the Pixel 2, 3, and Pixel 3a all only support eSIM at all on Google Fi – you can’t use an eSIM from Verizon or other carriers with those devices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Samsung phones, you’ll go to Settings > Connections > SIM card manager > “Add mobile plan.” From there, you can scan a QR code from your carrier or transfer an eSIM from another smartphone, but this only works on T-Mobile in the US.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But that’s just the software – what about actual carrier support?

There are several US carriers that support eSIM on Android, including the big three – T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. But even within those carriers, you’ll find a lot of inconsistent messaging.

T-Mobile, for example, supports eSIM on most modern Samsung phones. But let’s say you just bought Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Galaxy Z Flip 4. According to T-Mobile, you’ll have to activate that device on a physical SIM, but you can then convert to an eSIM after initial activation.

Beyond that, Verizon says on a support page that it only supports eSIM on Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series, S22 series, and the Galaxy Note 20 series – no foldables.

MVNOs are even more confusing in this regard. Mint Mobile’s website, which is woefully out of date with its list of Android phones, claims that none of Samsung’s phones or Pixel phones are compatible with its eSIM service, though our Max Weinbach found that he was able to use eSIM with a Pixel 6 Pro fairly easily.

Google Fi, as mentioned, only supports eSIM on Pixel phones. US Mobile is also limited to just Pixel phones. And other carriers that do support eSIM aren’t very forthcoming on what devices are supported.

Verizon-owned Visible is perhaps one of the best examples of clearly communicating eSIM support on Android phones, but even that carrier has its hiccups with the technology.

And it only gets worse from there

Really, we’re just scratching the surface so far with this. eSIM is a great technology, but the headaches it could cause without a traditional physical SIM to back it up are immense.

One of the biggest concerns around eSIM-only devices is with international travel. Often, buying a physical SIM card from a shop while traveling, or even at the airport itself, is a quick and easy way to avoid costly roaming fees while abroad. There are solutions to this with eSIM too. Services such as GigSky and AirAlo offer eSIM for international travel, which is quite convenient, but they can be a lot more expensive than traditional means in some cases. Plus, local carriers might offer promotions for extra free data that these other services don’t carry on.

Friend-of-the-site Zachary Wander pointed out that, in Portugal as an example, Vodafone offers a 5GB plan with 5GB of free bonus data. AirAlo offers access to that plan, but without the bonus data, despite being the same price. Adam Conway also points this out.

There’s also the headache of activation with anything relating to eSIM. Most services require that you dig up your IMEI and EID and input them on a website. Not really a huge hassle, but it’s much more complicated than just sticking a paper clip into your device and inserting a fresh SIM card that’s all ready to go, as Joshua Vergara pointed out in a tweet.

 

 

 

 

 

Another headache that can (and probably will) arise is when it comes to switching devices. You can’t simply transfer an eSIM from one device to another in most cases. Google Fi makes this relatively easy, as does T-Mobile on Samsung smartphones. But others simply don’t. Verizon, for example, requires customers to contact support to transfer an eSIM between devices, even on iPhones.

Is Android ready for an eSIM-only smartphone?

In short, no. Android is far from ready for any device to rely fully on eSIM.

Yet, with Apple doing just that in the iPhone 14, it’s all but guaranteed that the likes of Samsung, Google, or other brands will go all-in on eSIM within the next couple of years. One can only hope that Apple’s push with the technology will help carriers smooth out their processes and unify how the technology works on Android.

Here’s a list of every carrier that supports eSIM on Android

 

 

 

 

Physical SIM cards have been around since the dawn of the mobile phone, though that may not be the case for long. SIM cards are being replaced by eSIMs – slowly but surely. Here’s a list of every US carrier that supports eSIM on Android devices.

What is eSIM?

Simply put, eSIM is the next step in mobile carriers. Rather than relying on a physical SIM card, Android devices are capable of downloading a SIM profile, which is just a virtual version. This provides a number of benefits to the customer.

One big upside is the speed at which a SIM can be obtained. Rather than waiting for one to be shipped and then taking the time to insert and activate one, you can just download one from the carrier itself and have a new phone plan up and running within minutes.

Unfortunately, in its current state, eSIM is sort of a pain to get a hold of. Carriers are able to implement the new standard, though some face compatibility issues in being able to provide them. In my own experience with Visible, obtaining one is difficult and makes way for some other possible issues.

Of course, that’s the fun of implementing a new standard. There are a few bugs along the way, but once they’re worked out, it hopefully becomes commonplace later on down the road.

Carriers that make eSIM available to Android users

While eSIM is growing among certain carriers, it’s still a bit messy. Most carriers that do support the new standard only support it within iOS devices. If they do support Android devices, you may find that it’s limited to either Samsung-made Galaxy devices or Google’s Pixel series.

Here’s our list of every US carrier that supports eSIM for Android devices:

In order to check if your device is compatible, you’ll need to head to that carrier and likely do an IMEI check. Once you do that, the site will let you know if your Android device is compatible. As mentioned, most of these support Samsung devices.

Can I switch to another carrier with eSIM?

Remember how we said that most carriers’ eSIM setup on Android was a bit messy? Well, that may have been an understatement. In reality, eSIM is still very much a mess. Most carriers won’t let you switch with your current number and require you to activate a new one if you’re using an eSIM on their service. We’re not entirely sure why this is the protocol for some carriers, though it’s incredibly frustrating and can leave users such as myself stuck on a plan without a current way to switch my number.

 

 

 

 

The best-case scenario is if you plan on switching to a carrier from one plan to another with a physical SIM. In that case, removing the physical and activating an eSIM on the new carrier should – in theory – allow you to keep your old number and download your new eSIM profile into your device.

While some carriers do support eSIM, it isn’t nearly as widespread as we’d like to see. With the increasing demand for the new standard being implemented correctly, we’ll likely see more carriers expand support for Android devices. On top of that, we’ll be fortunate if the woes that come with the current eSIM protocol are fixed.

❤ This concept visualizes what iOS 17 could look like, with a focus on refinement

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iOS 16 was released back in September of 2022. It brought plenty of visual changes to the iPhone and also changed how we interact with it, especially the lock screen. This update was all about personalization and customization. It brought features like lock screen customizations, widgets, the ability to edit & undo messages, and much more. So what could Apple possibly have in store for iOS 17? Parker Ortolani is back at it again with some new concepts and renders of what the future of iOS could look like, and it seems like refinement is the name of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

iOS 17 – further customizations

Parker posted his vision of what the future of iOS could look like, and it seems like it’s more of a refinement year than an evolutionary year. If customization was the theme in iOS 16, then further customization and frictionless interactivity is the theme for iOS 17.

 

iOS 17 Lock Screen updates

iOS 17 will most likely bring even more customization to your Lock Screen setups. Last year we got the ability to change the font on the time, add a few widgets, and even set different lock screens for different focus modes. iOS 17 should bring this to the next level with more fonts and widgets. Having the ability to possibly download other fonts and then be able to use them for your Lock Screen clock would be a great addition. Then, finally, also have the ability to fully share your Lock Screen with others. This could create a small marketplace where iPhone users could actually digitally sell their unique Lock Screen setups, similar to when the custom icon feature took over. I would love this feature to take place. I take inspiration from other people’s Lock Screens, so being able to share them would be ideal.

 

 

iOS 17 Lock Screen

 

 

New notification banners

It seems as though Parker believes that iOS 17 will bring a new UI to notification banners and how it interacts with the Dynamic Island. I personally think the new look is great, but it seems like others are not a fan. To me, it makes sense to make notifications the same shape as the Dynamic Island – pill-shaped and more bubbly. The other aspect of notifications that could be updated is actually using opacity to help with notification organization. The older that notification is the more opaque it gets, indicating that it’s no longer the first notification. I can also see this being adopted for types of notifications, where the higher importance the bolder the notification looks.

 

 

iOS 17 Notifications

 

 

Live Activities & widgets come to Home screen

iOS 16 brought the new Live Activities feature to our iPhones. This allows us to have an active widget that shows us real-time information and data based on the app that is using it. You could see how far your Uber is in real-time, or see the score of the basketball game. Live Activities are only displayed on the Lock Screen. iOS 17 could allow us to have a section of the Home screen that has a carousel of Live Activities. Very similar to how we can create a smart stack of Home screen widgets, just flick through your Live Activities to the most relevant one at the moment.

Another idea highlighted by Parker is that Apple could bring Lock Screen widgets to the Home screen. You might notice that the Home screen and Lock Screen widgets are different in how they look and where they can be used. Being able to add Lock Screen widgets to the Home screen is something Apple could easily implement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Siri catches up to the competition

Siri has always been known as the second (or even third) fiddle when it comes to smart assistants. Google has always been the king there, Alexa has an abundance of users it’s constantly learning from, and now Bing has begun to rise with the addition of ChatGPT; improving Siri should be of high importance to Apple, which can be done in multiple ways.

Parker suggests making Dynamic Island the area where Siri lives. Every time Siri is summoned, it will come from Dynamic Island. Adding small visual cues like a “listening” or a “you said” label to let the user know what Siri is actively doing would be a welcome addition. Being able to launch mini versions of an app like a quick note directly from Siri will also improve the user experience.

 

 

 

 

Wrap-up

Parker does a great job of highlighting some realistic updates and features that could come to iOS 17. The keyword there is realistic. We’ve learned that Apple is putting a lot of its R&D power into a supposed VR/AR headset in 2023; this means that there will be less innovation when it comes to iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS. That is why I also believe iOS 17 is going to be mostly about refining all the features they released with iOS 16.

There have also been reports that iOS 16 has been a huge battery drain and some persistent bugs and other annoyances that users were not dealing with when it came to iOS 15. iOS 15 was amazingly stable and had great optimization for battery life. That is the type of improvement we should expect with iOS 17 – refining the feature-heavy update of iOS 16.

❤ Samsung February 2023 update rolling out for these Galaxy devices

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Even though Samsung has just launched the Galaxy S23 series, the Korean company has not forgotten about its predecessors. A growing number of Samsung Galaxy devices are getting the February 2023 Android security update – here’s the full list.

Samsung February 2023 security update – here’s what’s new

Every single month, Google releases a generic or generalized Android security bulletin. This is publically available and indicates any software fixes for potential security issues that affect Android and core portions of the mobile operating system.

Patch notes are also provided by Samsung, as the updates for its own devices include a number of Galaxy-specific fixes. The Korean tech giant has now revealed the details of the February 2023 security update that is now slowly rolling out to a multitude of Galaxy devices. The February patch notes direct from Samsung list 5 “Critical” severity vulnerability fixes, 43 “High,” and no “Moderate” resolutions.

As is often the case, the February 2023 update is focused on security improvements and likely won’t include any noticeable new features or tweaks for your Samsung phone.

Devices with the Samsung February 2023 security update

The exact sequence in which Samsung updates phones seems to vary from month to month, but generally speaking, there’s a loose pattern that the company often follows. Typically, each month’s new security patch will arrive for premium devices like the Galaxy S flagships or Galaxy Z foldable hardware.

This is followed by a roll out of the patch affordable handsets, including the Galaxy A series, M series, and F series, although this depends heavily upon global markets and availability. Similarly, Samsung tends to release updates to newer devices before older ones. However, despite this often being the roadmap, this is a fairly loose guideline that doesn’t always hold true, so be sure to check the full list below for your own device(s).

This list will include a note on where the update first debuted and if it is also available in the United States. As usual, the latest additions will be marked in bold.

Galaxy S series

 

 

 

 

Signifying the best of the best when it comes to Samsung phones, the Galaxy S-series is often seen as the pinnacle of Android. The sales figures also back that up. Being at the top of the Samsung totem pole means that Galaxy S-series phones are likely to make up the bulk of the February 2023 security patch list in the opening weeks.

What’s interesting is that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G was the first such handset to get the February 2023 security update this month. Rolling out from February 7, the early-2022 handset is technically a cheaper version of the 2021 flagship Galaxy S21. It comes in a few flavors, as the Exynos 2100 variant is the first to be updated in selected regions including Brazil. It’s not clear when the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 version will be updated at this stage.

  • Galaxy S21 FE — G990EXXS3DWAA (Released first in Brazil)

Galaxy Note series

 

 

 

 

Since the merger of the Galaxy S and Note series fully with the Galaxy S22, the best days of the Note are long behind us. In many ways, this streamlines Samsung’s flagship efforts but is still disappointing for long time fans. However, several Note handsets are still updated on a regular basis.

The very first Samsung phone to get the February 2023 security update is, in fact, the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. This patch began rolling out in Europe on February 6, with a wider rollout to US-unlocked models starting later that day. Often the Qualcomm-powered model is updated much later, so it’s a nice change of pace for the former flagship.

  • Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra — N98xBXXS5GWB1 / N89xU1UES3GWA3 (Released first in Europe)

How to check for the latest OTA on your Galaxy device

 

 

 

 

If your Samsung device is slated to have been updated already, but the January patch hasn’t arrived for you personally, you can try updating manually. Simply open the Settings app, tap “Software update,” and choose “Download and install.”

❤ Samsung Galaxy S23 doesn’t support Android’s seamless updates yet again

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In a continued pattern, Samsung has yet again shipped its latest flagship without support for a years-old Android feature. Yet again, the Galaxy S23 series doesn’t support seamless updates.

For the sixth year in a row, Samsung has skipped out on support for seamless updates on the Galaxy S23 series. On checking our Galaxy S23 Ultra, seamless updates were reported as not available by both Inware and Treble Check, apps that check system data to report back on information such as this. We also manually checked via ADB.

Frankly, this comes as no surprise, as Samsung has shown time and time again that it clearly just doesn’t want to adopt this feature. Last year’s Galaxy S22 series also lacked the feature.

What are seamless updates? The feature, which Google introduced in 2016, allows Android to install updates in the background to then be applied in a later reboot. It’s typically slower than a regular update process, but it does provide a layer of safety for the update process as the A/B partitions can be reverted if something goes wrong.

Samsung is largely expected to skip out on seamless updates due to concerns with storage, given the feature tends to eat up extra storage. Of course, if that were the sole problem, one wonders why it’s still in place given Samsung is mostly doing away with 128GB storage tiers. Meanwhile, Samsung’s system files eat up over 50GB on our Galaxy S23 Ultra, up even more over last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra which lost over 30GB to system files.

Meanwhile, Google is still improving on seamless updates, with information spotted late last year showing meaningful improvements to the speed of updates that should appear in future Pixel smartphones.

Why don’t Samsung devices have seamless updates?

 

 

 

 

As of late, Samsung has been on the ball in terms of releasing new OS and security updates for its newer and older Galaxy devices. While that may be the case, there is one downside to updating a Samsung Galaxy phone: no seamless updates. What does this mean, and why doesn’t the OEM make use of this method? Let’s take a closer look.

What are seamless updates?

For most modern Android devices – excluding Samsung Galaxy devices – A/B seamless updates mean one simple thing: uninterrupted use during a software update.

For instance, when a Pixel phone starts the update process, it begins first by downloading the required files. This can take quite a while depending on how big the update is. After the download, the device will begin to install the update in the background while you’re still actively using the phone and won’t interrupt whatever you’re doing.

Now, this is where the seamless update begins to play a role. In the past, the installation portion of the update would be happening while the phone is off. Of course, it would usually take quite a bit of time as well. The issue with this method is that your device is off, meaning it’s briefly unusable other than being an overpriced paperweight.

 

 

 

 

Seamless updates, on the other hand, allow you to continue using the phone while the installation process is taking place. This is done by utilizing two identical partitions in the phone, where one (A) is in use by the user and the other (B) is in use by Android’s update management tool. Once the phone begins a reboot, those updates are moved in seconds to the complimenting partition. This also acts as a safety feature wherein if something goes wrong, your phone can recognize it quickly and revert to a previous update.

In all, that’s one reboot that takes much less time than a full install. In essence, you’re getting a few seconds or a couple of minutes of unusable time with your device rather than tens of minutes while the device completes its final install.

Why doesn’t Samsung take advantage of seamless updates?

There is a flip side to that coin. While you are getting less phone downtime, the amount of time it takes to complete an update in total can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, and even longer in some cases. Not to mention, you’ll be met with an “optimizing” period after boot-up, which can take a few minutes.

Comparatively, a Galaxy phone may take around 5 to 15 minutes to complete an update. Yes, that is 5 minutes of downtime, but it’s at least 15 minutes more time with a device at full speed and with a shiny new update. In addition, the early stages of seamless updates brought on the use of more storage than necessary. Google has since solved this issue and at one point planned on forcing Samsung to implement seamless updates.

This could be one of the reasons the major manufacturer hasn’t opted into A/B seamless updates. The method has been around for several years now, and while a lot of the kinks have been worked out, Samsung still hasn’t chosen to add seamless updates with the S22 line of devices. In fact, it was quite a surprise when the S21 line didn’t make use of the method and even more so when the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra hit the market without it.

 

 

 

 

We don’t know if Samsung will ever incorporate A/B seamless updates or if the company will continue to employ the same methods that have been working for a good while now. We can cross our fingers and hope for that to be the case with next year’s lineup, but the truth might be the company is biding by the age-old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset.

❤ Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 now available for Pixel phones

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Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 is rolling out today as what should be the final major preview before the stable launch in March.

It notably still features the January 2023 security patch, which could be addressed with an update (like a Beta 3.1) later on. The following issues have been resolved with Beta 3 (T2B3.230109.002):

Developer-reported and user-reported issues

  • Fixed an issue where notifications in a notification group were sometimes displayed with straight corners instead of rounded corners. (Issue #264287776, Issue #265529116)
  • Fixed an issue where the message in the notification shade that indicates an active VPN connection overlapped with the message about apps with active foreground services. (Issue #266075977)
  • Fixed an issue where the overflow menu couldn’t be accessed when editing Quick Settings tiles. (Issue #263484657)
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a device with vibration enabled to vibrate for too long after it received a notification. (Issue #239676913)

Other resolved issues

  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused messaging apps to crash or fail to send notifications.
  • Fixed a GPU issue that prevented apps from using certain visual effects.
  • Fixed an issue where Quick Settings tiles for a work profile were not added after setting up a new device.
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Pixel launcher to crash when using the Search bar in the app drawer.
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented a device from being unlocked using a pattern after the Google Assistant was activated.
  • Fixed an issue in the com.android.qns system process that sometimes caused crashes.
  • Fixed an issue with the Pixel launcher that prevented Chinese text input from being recognized when typing in the Search bar in the app drawer.
  • Fixed an issue where when entering and exiting Picture-in-picture (PiP) mode from an app after changing the screen orientation, the system Settings app crashed with a “Settings keeps stopping” message and then the system Settings app couldn’t be opened.
  • Fixed an issue with the System UI that sometimes caused it to crash from a null pointer exception.
  • Fixed an issue where the connection status of a Bluetooth device sometimes did not match the actual device state.
  • Fixed an issue where the Pixel launcher crashed when a user tapped a web search suggestion for a query term.
  • Fixed an issue that caused status bar icons to overlap with the date text when font and display settings were set to their maximum level on a device.

However, there’s still one remaining issue with how the “list of Recent apps sometimes becomes unresponsive if the screen orientation is changed while the list is open.”

Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 remaining on the January 2023 security patch level is quite odd as Google usually releases betas after the latest monthly Android security patch has launched. That is not expected until Monday, February 6.

If you have installed the QPR2 Beta, leaving the program will result in a wipe and your next opportunity to exit without losing data will be in March after the stable launch.

Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 system images are available for the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. as well as in the Android Emulator.

Most users will be installing Beta 3 from the Android Beta Program website. You can expect an OTA update in the coming hours. If you need help, here’s our full guide on installing Android 13.

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