this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
60 points (91.7% liked)

Google Pixel

5946 readers
18 users here now

The World's Google Pixel community!

This community is for lemmings to gather and discuss all things related to the Google Pixel phone and other related hardware. Feel free to ask questions, seek advice, and engage in discussions around the Pixel and its ecosystem.

We ask you to be polite when addressing others and respect Lemmy.world's rules.

NSFW content is not allowed and will immediately get you banned.

It also goes without saying that self-promotion of any nature and referral links are not allowed. When in doubt, contact the mod team first.

Also, please, no politics.

For more general Android discussions, see [email protected].

This community is not in any way affiliated with Google. If you are looking for customer support regarding your Pixel phone, look here instead: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

I've been using the Android 14 Beta for a while now so nothing really new to me for now, but what I liked since the beta is that the battery life got better.

The ability to give apps permissions on a per-file basis is also cool, although it made some apps unusable probably because they aren't supporting that right now (but maybe that changed or will change soon now that the stable release is out).

So what are the changes you noticed the most and which ones do you like or hate so far?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm super glad we have volume controls of notifications and phone separated again.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

GrapheneOS Android 14 will be dropping this month. I don't know what new features there will be but looking forward to it

[–] lustrum 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've considered this swap. You got some experience with it, what do you miss?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Switched a month or two ago. Pretty good, no really complaints, setting up the Google services I need is easy to do. Battery life took a hit but still a full day, some hiccups like one bank app that just doesn't work. Overall I'm happy with it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

P6 and all I noticed was the lock screen customizations. Everything else feels exactly the same.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I feel like they have tweaked the haptics, could just be my imagination. There are a few little visual things like the change to the numbers when inputting your PIN.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Ok I'm glad someone said it because the haptics, to me, feel even better than before. Pixel 7a checking in.. Transitions using gestures feel better as well.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

No major changes, which in my opinion is a good thing. I like the new lock screen customisation options.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Things I've noted:

  • My news app now crashes on launch, making it useless. Goes to show what happens when you ignore repeated warnings about making your app compatible with the new OS update.
  • At a glance can finally show both weather information and a notification at the same time. We finally have the technology!
  • The back gesture indicator looks a little bit different. I have no strong opinions on it, maybe slightly better looking.
  • The color scheme seems a little bit darker, maybe? Again, no strong opinions.
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

pretty boring, same as android 13 with some bug fixes and extra buttons in places

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Android Police did a nice write-up about the Android 14 changes: https://www.androidpolice.com/android-14/

Or if you prefer a nerdier version: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/14/summary

But yeah, as others pointed out in the comments, the visual changes are rare, it's mostly incremental QoL improvements, battery optimizations (mostly for Pixel phones as there were lots of those in the Beta changelogs), and a few security features (e.g. you can choose to let an app only see the image you're about to upload, but I found that it breaks uploading on the Tumblr app, so gotta wait for apps to fully support that).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

So not much aye.

Looked for battery information. Couldn't find it. About as useful as I could see.

What pixel need to do is stop breaking functions. Display out and such. Stop breaking software

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Haven't noticed anything apart from a few minor visual changes. And the new easter egg

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where's the Easter egg ? I liked when it was dessert themed. I used to look forward to new updates. Watch the show. Now it's just not worth it. I'm less than interested.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Settings -> About phone -> Android version, then tap repeatedly on the Android version (after you entered the "Android version" screen). Once you see a rocket logo, keep pulling it to the bottom until the game starts.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Fantastic. Cheers

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I've also been on the beta. Overall Android doesn't seem to have really change though, aside from maybe better battery life and minor aesthetic changes.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Pixel 7 PRO here and seems that battery take more time to be discharged than in android 13

Is it my sensation or someone else has the same sensation?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Without dealing with side loading, is there a trick to force a pixel 6 to update OTA on Google Fi?

I know in the past you could clear the storage for certain Google services on the device and it would magically find an update that it claimed wasn't available 10 seconds prior. But I've been out of the game for a bit. Do those tricks still work? My Google Fi pixel 6 doesn't show an update is available and I'm still on 13. I've only tried rebooting and trying again so far.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Have you tried this? I'm curious if it takes less time than OTA. It's an actual Google-made site.

https://pixelrepair.withgoogle.com/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

OnePlus had an app called oxygen updater that you could use OTA files with. sad that Google doesn't have something similar because it was really useful

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You can apply the OTA image over ADB if you're technical enough. Doesn't require too much.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It should hopefully not be long for you to get it - I got mine yesterday p6 pro on fi

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is there any additional customization for the notification shade or does it still black out the entire screen below it?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

no extra customisation from what I can see. mostly the same as android 13

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Still waiting for calyx to do the update. Honestly, I doubt much will really change for me.

[–] lustrum 4 points 1 year ago

I like it, seems more refined with some nice QoL tweaks.

The haptics are broken though. Swiping between recent apps has gone and sometimes pressing back it doesn't vibrate.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nothing of value changed other than the lock screen customizations. What is nice about that is that it changes the always on display look too.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

New colours are neat and webcam feature

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

7a battery life seems to have improved somewhat.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Every time I get an update, I think of this quote and I haven't had an iPhone since the 4 lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

7 pro battery life on standard battery saver mode is brilliant! it tanks if you have any pop out video players on though

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Nothing I hate. I'm on a Pixel 5, so super outdated but will be making a leap for the Pixel 8 Pro. I think it's quick and snappy though. No real complaints here.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My pixel stand works again, so I'm over the moon with it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have one from like 5 years ago. It works with my Pixel 5. I'm getting the 8 so I hope it works with that too

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

was really hoping it would fix the biometric settings bug introduced at the last update of 13 but apparently not

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

In developer options you can enable "Predictive back animations" buried towards the bottom. It doesn't work anywhere except the settings app (yet) and some Google apps when back would take you to the launcher.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I hope they keep this trend of releasing android updates with fixes / polish more than new functionalities. Especially the functionalities that put extra background services like when they released digital wellbeing.

In the battery menu It would have been nice if they added the standby time next to the screen on time. "Standby time since last full charge" something like that. Now you need to calculate it and it sucks.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I really like the Easter Egg game, it's fun trying to land on each of the bodies, tricky though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Wish the clocks for home screen were better designed :( there's a lovely rounded one but for some reason it goes horrible and slim upon locking

load more comments
view more: next ›