Android 14
Google released the Pixel feature drop in June 2024 for its Pixel devices
Google aggressively updates Pixel device lineups, including smartphones and tablets. To get new features and improvements, the company follows the Quarterly release program, where initially, it provides testing updates to eligible users and then provides new stable updates publicly. Following the same trend, the company has started rolling out its third Pixel drop update for its devices; let’s explore it.
June 2024 Pixel drop update
With the June 2024 Pixel drop update, many new features exist, including Gemini nano, summarize in recorder, and connected displays. With the latest update, it has improved the HDR+frame selection. Now, you will get a manual lens selection option to handle the smartphone camera professionally. It has brought a doorbell notification: if your pixel tablet can give you a snapshot of who is at your front door, you can talk to them and receive a quick response. To explore all the latest features in detail, you can check the official changelog here.
Availability of the update for pixel devices
Google’s latest Pixel drop update will be available to select Pixel devices, including Pixel 8 series, pixel 7 series, Pixel 6 series, Pixel 5a, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold. However, it is worth noting that the feature’s availability will vary from device to device; if you have any of the smartphones mentioned above, you can check the feature’s availability with this link. It is worth noticing that the latest update also brings a new June 2024 security patch level.
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Google shared the Android release number last time in October 2023, when Android 13 was crowned first place with a newly released Android 14. Now again, the metrics of the most-used Android versions in 2024 get updated.
Despite the fact that it has already been seven months since the Android 14 release, Android 13 is still the most used Android version. Android 11, Android 12, and even Android 10 have surpassed the latest stable version of Android, which now holds the fifth place. The last will not always be the first. When it comes to the distribution of Android versions, the most recent version, Android 14, unfortunately does not rank first or second, but instead falls to the bottom of the Top 5.
This is being speculated as Google has finally updated the Android version distribution panel, hidden within Android Studio for a few years now. After calculating the appropriate calculations, the results show that Android 14 is on only 13% of mobile phones, a somewhat low figure considering that seven months have already passed since its launch.
If the statistics are to be believed, the most used version of Android is still Android 13, with 20.9% of the total. Since October 2023, which is the last time Google shared the data, Android 13 has dropped only 1.5%. The result is strange since it showcases that the second most used version is Android 11, holding a share of 19.0% instead of Android 12, with 14.7%.
Jumping on the five-year-old ‘Android 10’, which has a greater market share than Android 14, The “good” news is that the versions before Oreo are gently retiring, counting up to a total of 4.6%. Versions before Marshmallow and runtime permissions arrived are presented in only 1.2% of all active Android phones. We are mentioning the Android versions with their shares. –
- Android 13 (20.9%)
- Android 11 (19.0%)
- Android 12 (14.7%)
- Android 10 (13.6%)
- Android 14 (13.0%)
- Android 9 Pie (8.4%)
- Android 8 Oreo (5.8%)
- Android 7 Nougat (2.0%)
- Android 6 Marshmallow (1.4%)
- Android 5 Lollipop (0.9%)
Also, Android onwards accounts for 81.2% of the total. These versions receive changes and new features, such as updates to the Google Play system or Google services.
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Google is working towards the development of Android 15, but it is not only focused on the upcoming new Android iteration; at the same time, it is also bringing new features for the pixel devices with the Android 14 QPR updates.
For your information, the QPR update stands for Quarterly Platform Release, which aims to bring new functionalities and improvements for the Pixel device on a quarterly basis. In each quarter, the company provides beta updates and then offers public updates after testing the features. Like with the late Android 14 QPR 3 beta 2.2, the company has brought some new fixes.
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.2: What’s new?
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.2 brings some new fixes that will improve the overall functionality of the devices. According to the changelog, the latest update will fix the issue related to mobile phones halting connectivity even on the best networks. Along with this, the update has also made improvements for making the device more stable while using different functions.
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.2: official changelog
This minor update to Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 includes the following fixes:
- Fixed issues that sometimes caused mobile data connections to drop, even when the device was receiving a strong cellular signal. (Issue #322380000, Issue #315328193, Issue #318593420, Issue #327884305)
- Fixed various other issues that were impacting system stability and connectivity.
The update is live for all the eligible Google Pixel devices, including the Pixel 5a, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. However, it will only be available to those users who haven’t joined the Android 15 beta program.
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Last month, Samsung officially confirmed the One UI 6.1 update for the 2022 models. Now, keeping its promise, the company has started rolling out the major update for the Galaxy S22 series.
The Android 14-based One UI 6.1 update for the Galaxy S22 series is live in South Korea. Users who own the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra can identify the latest update by the firmware version numbers S901NKSU3EXDC, S906NKSU3EXDC, and S908NKSU3EXDC, respectively.
Samsung has released several Galaxy AI features with the One UI 6.1 update that will help you provide a better communication experience and take advantage of the ability to quickly understand information.
For your information, the Galaxy S22 series device will get the benefit of all the important Galaxy AI features, including Circle to Search, Live Translate, Generative Edit, Note Assist, Transcript Script, Chat Assist, and many more.
Apart from the Galaxy AI feature, the device will also get some important additions on the customization side, where users will get several new changes related to wallpaper, lock screen, alarm, calendar, and many more.
To check the latest update on your device, navigate to the settings, then select the software update option here. Tap on the download and install option. Wait until it finishes searching to see if the update is available, then tap on the install button.