Tech
Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1: What’s New?
Google has begun the next phase of its Android development cycle following the release of Android 13 QPR2, which brought the March Pixel Feature Drop to compatible Pixel range smartphones. With the stable version of Android 13 QPR2 just a few days away, Google has already set its sights on the next milestone, Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1.
Google has now released the new Android 13 QPR3 update for pixel devices, and this is the third quarterly update; it brings several new improvements for developing the ecosystem of Pixel devices. In this article, we will discuss it in detail.
The latest update is available for all the pixel devices from Pixel 4A to Pixel 7 Pro; users can identify the latest update by the version number T3B1.230224.005.
Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1
Google has released the stable update of QPR2, which has brought the Pixel Drop feature in March to be compatible with Pixel smartphones; now, Google has stated its third Quarterly update, which will also be available as previous developments with QPR3 beta 1.
Android 13 QPR 3 Beta 1 comes with several fixes
According to the official page Google, the Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 comes with several issues resolved, which will improve the overall performance of devices. According to the official page, issues related to the lock screen, Bluetooth audio, fingerprint icon, live wallpaper, widget, and app icons for detailed information; here is the detail about fixes :
- Fixed an issue where the clock text on the lock screen was the wrong color.
- Fixed an issue where Bluetooth audio wasn’t working on some devices.
- Fixed an issue where the fingerprint icon that is normally displayed on the screen to indicate the position of the fingerprint sensor erroneously changed to an exclamation point.
- Fixed an issue where live wallpapers could not be selected or used.
- Fixed an issue where widgets, app icon positions, and other configurable options on the home screen were reset after installing an OTA update.
- Fixed an issue that caused a device to be unenrolled from Face Unlock after installing an OTA update.
Moreover, as it is the beta update so users who have enrolled in the Android beta program will be eligible for getting this update, so if you also want to register your device in this program, visit this link.
Furthermore, the update is available in a beta form, which means it will have many issues that can unstable your device, and some features may not work properly, so it is advised to users if they don’t want to face any kind of issues on their device, so they can wait for the stable update which will be available by June.
The beta 1 of Android 13 QPR3 is being distributed gradually for all those who were already registered for the beta program of Android 13 QPR2, who will receive the new update in preview as if it were a very normal system update via OTA: to install it, just follow the path “Settings > System > System Update”.
Apple is continuously working on its next iteration of iOS 18 and is expected to bring some AI features from Samsung’sOne UI 6.1.
Generative AI-powered features are trending in the tech industry, and fortunately, the Korean giants already have a strong place in the trend. Samsung debuted a bundle of generative AI features under the nickname Galaxy AI with an Android 14-based One UI 6.1 skin on the Galaxy S24 series. Transparently, AI features are the key reason behind the boost in sales of the Galaxy S24 series. Now, Apple is gearing up to give strong competition by introducing a bundle of AI features with the iOS 18 update.
Reports are revealing that Apple could use the mechanism of One UI 6.1’s AI features for iOS 18. Reportedly, Apple could bring several AI-powered features, including the ability to summarize web pages in the Safari web browser. This feature is quite similar to the Browsing Assist feature of Samsung Internet.
If the reports are to be believed, then one more feature called the ‘Web Eraser’ feature would permit users to remove specific elements from web pages. The Note application in iOS 18 permits the recording of audio without any requirement to switch to the Voice Memos application. Samsung Notes’ voice recording feature also performs the same functionality, as it permits students to take notes and record lectures concurrently to have better context.
It also comes to light that Apple is also setting up to add a unit converter to the Calculator application with iOS 18. This feature is already housed in the Samsung Calculator application. Apart from all, the other rumored features of iOS 18 include automatic playlist generation in the Apple Music app, a new Scenes feature in the Canvas app, and AI-powered features in the Apple Health application, Keynote, Numbers, and Pages apps for improved productivity.
The rumors are also saying some other apps like Fitness, Mail, and Photo could also get AI features, but at the moment, it is not clear what those features are. It seems that users could make more detailed edits similar to Samsung’s Photo Assist feature in the Photos app. Appel could also offer RCS support for the Messages application in iOS 18.
Google’s Android ecosystem is always reliable for users, whether it comes to customization or availability, but it sometimes lacks in the security department. However, the company is improving in this department, and over the years, it has been dedicatedly working towards it. Now a new report also specifies the improvement.
Google has recently published a post where it shared details about the encounter with the application that hasn’t followed the terms and conditions of the Play Store.
According to the report, Google has detected 2.28 million apps that have violated the rules, and therefore, the developers are not able to publish them on the Play Store. This is all possible due to the company’s continuous effort, which developed the mechanism.
Along with this, there are almost 200000 applications detected that did not follow the rules and did not guarantee the correct use of sensitive permissions, and there are more than 330000 accounts that were banned for violations that were severe and repeated or the presence of malware in published apps.
In a recent report, the company also mentioned that there are almost 1.5 million old applications that lack the support of the recent APIs, and therefore they are not available for users who are using the latest version of Android. Additionally, Google Play Protect and real-time app scanning have allowed the Mountain View giant to identify over 5 million dangerous applications that are downloaded unofficially. For more information, you can read the full official post via this link.
Google and Samsung are coming together as their partnership goes beyond Android. On one side, Pixel smartphone devices use Samsung-manufactured Tensor chips; on the other hand, Smsung’s flagship Galaxy smartphones have AI features, like Circle to Search, noticeably before even the Pixel 8 series got this novelty.
In the report it is being unveiled, Rick Osteroh, SVP of platforms and devices at Google, stated that the brand’s “partnership has never been stronger.” A post on X shared by @rosterloh pointed to a positive meeting between TM Roh and @SamsungMobile leadership. It highlights a strong partnership between both and excitement about future collaborations, particularly in the area of AI.
Following the statement, he also attached a selfie with TM Roh, president and head of MX Business at Samsung Electronics.
Then, @SamsungMobile reposted Osterloh’s post and teased that both brands are actively working on expanding the functionalities of AI features for Android and Galaxy devices to enhance Galaxy experiences.
Google has already announced at the last Galaxy Unpacked event, back in January in San Jose, that the Samsung Galaxy S24 series will use Gemini AI models to power the forthcoming AI capabilities in the applications and services built by the Korean giant. The brand also brought new functionalities for Google Messages and Android Auto, powered by Gemini Nano.
For enhancing the summarizing facility, Samsung’s Smarter Notes, Voice Recorder, and Keyboard applications use the AI model Gemini Pro, whereas the Galaxy S24 series smartphones use Imagen 2 text-to-image technology to offer “Generative Edit” features in the Gallery application for upgrading photo editing.