Apps & Services
Android Auto 11.2 Beta Released: What’s New!
Google is constantly bringing new updates for Android Auto, a powerful entertainment system that provides several features like audio video streaming, navigation, and many more. Basically, it is a solution provided by Google to make driving more convenient by providing some necessary and useful tools for car drivers. Now that Google has brought a new update for Android Auto, let’s see what it includes.
Android Auto 11.2 beta update is available
In a very short time, Android Auto has reached its eleventh version update. The main reason behind this is that Google has released several updates to provide stability to the application because multiple times the application has crashed or come with a lot of bugs, while in some updates it has introduced some features as well. Now moving forward, the company has rolled out a new 11.2 beta update for Android Auto users.
In the latest update, the company hasn’t shared any new changelog, but as usual, there are many expectations that the update may include some minor changes that significantly improve some functionalities.
As it is the beta version update, it will only be available for the users who have already enrolled in the beta program of Android Auto. If you haven’t enrolled yet, you can still do that by going to the official page of Android Auto on the Google Play Store and scrolling down to the beta program section. Here, just tap on the join button. Once you hit the button, the processing will start, and then you will receive a new update within minutes. Just install it and enjoy all the new features. If you are having any problems while installing new updates via the Play Store, you can also sideload the application via this link.
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Is the new update of Android Auto available for all Android users?
The latest update is available for devices that are running Android 8.0 or above.
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When will the stable update be available for Android Auto users?
Currently, there is no confirmed date available, but it is expected to be available publicly in the next couple of weeks.
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Is this update fixing some issues?
The update doesn’t bring any significant changes, but it is expected to fix some internal fixes.
Meta is quite active in upgrading its messaging platform, ‘WhatsApp’, as per the convenience of the users to enhance their experience. The new beta updates bring two new features: new sticker creation shortcuts and channels for linked devices.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new update for Android, available on the Google Play Beta Program with the beta version 2.24.10.23. This brings a shortcut for creating stickers, which is already seen on iOS. With this update, WhatsApp is separating the usual sticker creation tool from the AI-based sticker creation feature.
However, the sticker creation is getting an update on some applications, but currently, there’s one option to make both regular and AI-generated stickers. The other update reveals that the developers are building up another feature for connected devices, namely the ability to create, view, and follow channels. With this update, users get the power to access this feature even from their linked mobile devices, ensuring a cohesive experience. It does not even matter which mobile device they are using.
It is not yet confirmed exactly when these changes will be implemented for everyone. Since the features are still in the developing stage and yet to roll out stably, at the moment they are available only for beta users, but it is expected that soon the giant will make them available widely.
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Your secure and private digital wallet, ‘Google Wallet’, is dropping support for old Android and Wear OS versions, starting next month.
Google Wallet is a digital wallet facility on Android that allows you to quickly access payment cards, passes, tickets, keys, or IDs that you choose to store on it. Google Pay plays an essential role in helping you manage your money and your finances. The new support document reveals that from June 10, Google Wallet will only support Android smartphones that at least run Android 9 or higher. It means you can use Google Wallet on Samsung devices released in or around 2014, including the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Tab E 9.6.
“Google Wallet will require Android 9 or higher on your phone and OS 2.x or higher on your smartwatch.”
While using Google Wallet on your smartwatch, your watch should be running on Wear OS 2.x or higher. The good news is that Samsung Galaxy Watches with Wear OS are all compatible with the latest Wear OS 4, so none will be impacted by this change.
Google Wallet says the reason behind this new change is that “security updates aren’t available for Android versions below 9.”
Another support page, which is yet to be updated, shows Android 7.0 as the basic requirement. When Google Walled debuted in 2022, Android 5.0 was listed. With this new change, users who are using Android Nougat (7.0, 7.1) and Oreo (8.0, 8.1) are impacted. As reported by Android Studio, Android 9 Pie has a cumulative distribution of 86.4%.
Whereas, at launch, Wear OS 2 was based on Android 8.0 Oreo but was later updated to Android 9.0 Pie. Previously, Google ended Play Services support back in August 2023 for Android KitKat.
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New support is knocking on the doors of a few Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones, as PUBG is getting 120 fps support on the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Transparently, smartphone GPUs have become extensively powerful over the past couple of years, but the fact that can’t be denied is that a lot of that power goes to waste when it comes to mobile games. Plus, game developers also don’t take advantage of features such as high refresh rate displays.
Almost all smartphone manufacturers are offering a refresh rate of 120 Hz these days, but the catch is that there are only countably many games that support running at that frame rate, and PUBG, one of the most famous mobile games of all time, is one such example. It came into existence six years ago, in March 2017, and yet it is limited to a 90 fps frame rate.
Now finally, it appears that PUBG players who own a recent flagship Galaxy phone, including the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy Z Fold 5, will soon be able to battle it out at a smooth 120 fps. PUBG is close to getting a new update on May 13 that will introduce a 120 fps mode, and the Korean giant, through a post on X, has already confirmed that the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy S23 series, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be among the list of devices that will support that mode.
Samsung also stated that it has worked with Tencent, the game’s developer, on optimizing performance on these devices. The optimizations will be counted in the latest version of the Game Optimization Service (GOS), and the Game Booster application comes pre-installed on Galaxy devices.
Samsung has not revealed enough details regarding this report yet, but it will be interesting to see whether the brand will offer this 120 fps support to the rest of the flagship Galaxy smartphones or not.
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