What you need to know
- The latest Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 is now available for Pixel smartphones.
- The beta includes changes to how Adaptive Charging works on Pixels.
- There are also a number of bug fixes in the beta.
- The Android 14 beta is expected to launch in April.
After two weeks after the first QPR3 beta launched, Google is now releasing the second Android 13 QPR3 beta to eligible Pixel smartphones.
While there are normally plenty of bug fixes in QPR betas, there is one notable feature improvement that Google listed in its release notes. The new update will apparently bring changes to how Adaptive Charging works on Pixels.
“Improvements for Adaptive Charging that can automatically adjust to your charging needs using on-device signals.”
This comes after updates to Adaptive Charging were recently spotted, allowing Pixel owners to use the feature without requiring an alarm and to turn the feature off from the Adaptive Charging notification.
In addition, there are a number of bug fixes included in the update:
- Fixed an issue that caused the volume panel to flicker when adjusting the volume using the volume buttons.
- Fixed an issue that caused the system UI to get stuck in a blurry state in some cases, such as unlocking the device or finishing a phone call.
- Fixed an issue where the notification shade was closing immediately after a user opened it.
- Fixed an issue where the always-on display was displayed over apps and other content after unlocking the device.
- Fixed an issue where a device couldn’t copy apps and data wirelessly during first-time setup.
Pixel phones eligible for the update include the Pixel 4a up to the latest Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. If you’re already enrolled in the beta program, you should receive a notification for the OTA, or you can manually check by navigating to Settings > System > System update.
The stable QPR3 update is expected to arrive in June as the last quarterly update for Pixel smartphones ahead of the stable Android 14 launch later this year. With Android 14 in the works, Google will allow users on the Android 13 beta to jump right into the Android 14 beta when it launches sometime in April.
Android 14 is currently on its second developer preview, which is aimed at developers and not regular use for consumers. However, the beta should be much more stable and offer users more of an idea of what to expect from the next major Android version.
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