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Android 13 Beta QPR1 app switcher bug is annoying users

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Android 13 Beta app switcher bug

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1 is released with a variety of fixes for Pixel phones. But again, it doesn’t satisfy the users much. As per the details, the Android 13 new beta appears with a strange app switcher bug which is quite annoying for users.

What is an app switcher? An app switcher is a common Android feature that displays windows for all recently used apps. You can easily switch, open or close an application running in the background by using an app switcher.

The input reveals that a Pixel 7 user tried to access the app switcher after installing the latest Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1 update. However, the respective action resulted in glitches and freezing of applications.

Accordingly, the user observed the app switcher issue while using the Infinity app (an app that offers a smooth Reddit browsing experience). When he tried to switch between Infinity and the Chrome browser, the app didn’t respond.

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Even when he tried to switch to a previous app, the respective issue directed the user to a different app. In other words, this defect does not allow you to select or perform any action with the apps in the app switcher.

App Switcher Bug in detail

The user described that he begins by searching a Reddit topic in the Chrome app. Thereafter, he opened it in the Infinity app. After some scrolling, he went to the app switcher while remaining in the Infinity app and tried to jump on the Chrome application.

However, the Chrome app didn’t respond to touch gestures. Again, the user tried to come back to the Infinity app. But this action led him back to the Chrome page.

Though it’s not happening on every Pixel device. But we have gathered many instances where Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1 has generated the app switcher bug and made it irritating and unuseful. Several users came across the app switcher bug where either the apps stop responding or get freeze.

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Android 13 Beta app switcher bug

App Switcher Issue only with 3.1 Beta!

Yes, it’s worth mentioning that the app switcher issue was not present in the previous Android beta builds. On the other hand, while exploring the past firmware, we didn’t find any such defect. It looks like the new beta has given rise to some new headaches for users.

Another significant point is, many Pixel 7 owners confirm that they aren’t facing any such issue with the new beta iteration. Probably, the issue could be specific to the Infinity application. Yet, we cannot ignore the fact that it is a beta rollout and hence, a few bugs are obvious to find with the update.

Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1 – Fixes

Google has started rolling out the Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1 for its Pixel devices to enhance the user experience. The update holds various fixes and improvements that can slow down the previous issues in the phone system.

You can check these fixes below.

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  • Fixed a platform issue that caused apps to crash when they were using a MediaSession to handle input from hardware media playback buttons.
  • Fixed issues where a device’s GPU drivers sometimes caused the system UI to freeze during normal device use
  • Fixed an issue where Pixel phones sometimes displayed an incorrect “Missed call” notification instead of “Call answered on another device” when the call was answered remotely by Pixel Watch (in untethered mode).
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Google Camera app to crash
  • Fixed an issue that prevented Google Assistant from being activated by hotword on some devices
  • Fixed an issue that prevented motion-based gestures, such as “Lift to check phone” or “Flip to Shhh” from working on some devices
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused artifacts to display when recording or viewing video on some devices
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Google Camera app to launch slowly
  • Fixed an issue for Pixel 6a devices that sometimes caused the CarrierSettings to crash when inserting a SIM card
  • Fixed the issue that prevented the “Go to browser” option in the notification shade from working while using an instant app.

The latest Android 13 beta carries a T1B3.221003.008 build. In addition to a huge bundle of fixes, the update also welcomes the November 2022 security patch. While the update looks quite efficient, the app switcher glitch has created questions about it.

As mentioned, not every Pixel phone is facing such an issue. Thus, you can try using this update. For doing so, visit the Settings menu > System > System Updates. Before proceeding, ensure that your device is already running on a beta version.

In case you encounter any issues, you can tap HERE to learn about the feedback details.

Yash is a graduate of computer science and followed his way into journalism, he is interested in various subjects related to technologies and politics. Yash likes to listen classical songs and has a huge library of classical mixes.

Android

First Android 14 Developer Beta announced, launch around HarmonyOS 4

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Android 14 HarmonyOS 4

Android 14 is the next software version for the Android ecosystem. On February 8, Google stepped ahead to begin the development of this major upgrade with the first developer beta.

Google has released the roadmap for the development, beta testing, platform stability, and the final release of Android 14, which reveals meet the launch of Huawei HarmonyOS 4 later in the second half of 2023.

The first developer preview is already out for the Pixel devices. However, Google could open early access to other smartphone makers such as OnePlus by April when the open beta campaign kicks off.

As mentioned by the Android company, Android 14 is projected to reach platform stability by the end of July. But there’s still a possibility of these milestone timelines to delay, similar to last year.

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Android 14 development milestone

For your information, the Android 14 developer preview will be a very useful and early gift to the developer community. It will pave a way for the app devs to know more about the upcoming APIs and app features ahead of the final launch.

Looking into the developer preview features, Android 14 promises to improve productivity, enhances performance, improvements to security, and privacy, and bring new customizations.

Yes, there are new tweaks and changes made over Android 12, while there are more that will be visible as the development progress further. Throughout this phase, these developers (and later users) will help to fix bugs and make improvements to the Android 14 source code.

HarmonyOS 4:

Aside from the Android 14 developer beta, Huawei is preparing for the HarmonyOS 3.1 rollout but the company is working on HarmonyOS 4 as a major release for the next generation of Huawei devices. For now, there’s no official launch date available but we are likely to hear more on this at the Huawei Developer Conference (HDC) 2023 event.

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HarmonyOS 4 promises big upgrades over HarmonyOS 3 and a major restructure in the user interface (UI). Nonetheless, we’ll keep you posted.

Android 14 HarmonyOS 4

(source – Android)

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Android

Despite being an Android babyface, Samsung failed to understand dynamic theme in 2022

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Samsung

2022 is the year of Android 13 and Android phone makers spotted sending this software update with improved dynamic theme options, but as a babyface, it seems like Samsung still has not learned the core concepts of the dynamic theme.

Introduced with Android 12, the Material You powered dyanamic theme brings brand new settings to tweak the user interface. Instead of being just a feature, the dynamic theme became a part of Android’s soul. With Android 13, Google further polished the dynamic theme so it could be adapted to all Android devices.

Dynamic Theme (Simple version): Once you apply a new wallpaper, the phone generates a range of colors based on that wallpaper. The set of colors is called a color palette and it is then applied throughout the user interface.

Following the decline of Huawei, Samsung is enjoying unlimited Android prowess. It’s projected as a major Android promoter and a babyface. And why not? After all, the South Korean phone maker keeps on posting new mobile shipment records.

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However, the handling of the dynamic theme in One UI 5 (which is based on Android 13) shows that Samsung wasn’t serious about being an Android babyface in 2022.

You may want to know, how I reached this conclusion and why Samsung is a failure when it comes to precise work. Let’s find out together.

Appearance:

The user interface is all about appearance, and so does the dynamic theme. Using the dynamic theme on Samsung One UI 5 is different from stock Android 13.

Note: I’ve used the same pixel wallpaper on both Samsung and Pixel devices. So, we can keep the comparison on the same level.

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Home Screen:

Below is the home screen, which looks as usual on both One UI 5 and stock Android 13.

home screen

Quick Settings:

Both of the quick settings are using Material You in elements, such as quick access icons and sliders. However, the background on stock Android 13 is solid and remains black. On the other hand,  Samsung uses a translucent background in the quick settings, which has not changed even with the Android 13. It is Samsung’s way of implementing features. While in some scenarios, this way obstructs the viewing experience.

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Quick settings

For example, the translucent background is now reflecting the colors of the app opened in the background. It also compromises the look and feel of the quick settings icons and the whole quick settings UI. But it becomes subtle when used on top of the Settings menu.

Below you can check the example of the quick settings opened over the following screens.

(Left – on top of home screen wallpaper, on top of Play Store, on top of Settings menu).

Quick Settings

Settings:

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The setting is an important part of UI, which we access at least once a day. The layout, font, and elements are different in these two softwares. But Samsung used a slight proportion of the color palette in the Settings’ background and remain neutral for applying to the rest of the user interface.

Settings menu

Themed Icons:

I love themed icons because it brings a new look to the app icons. However, Samsung’s way of doing things is a little more disappointing than what it actually looks.

Below you can check Samsung One UI icons painted with color pallets alongside stock android icons. The use and management of contrast in the background and tint on the shape (size too) are super lazy on One UI app icons.

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On the flip side, stock Android gets these things done in the best way possible.

themed icons

There’s further inspection on this available, apply Dark Mode and see the change.

dark mode

Verdict:

We don’t need to explain the results. But It is certainly not nice to implement the dynamic theme for the Android babyface Samsung in 2022.

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What could’ve happened?

If possible, Samsung should’ve to blend more into the material rather than bleed into the material. Improve icons, and check visibility levels of the UI elements and the current issues may resolve to an extent.

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Android

MagicOS 7/Android 13 beta rolling out for Honor phones

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Honor MagicOS 7 eligible devices

Last month, Honor announced Android 13 based MagicOS 7 and its beta is now rolling out for several models. The rollout is confirmed on various models mentioned in the official roadmap.

According to the information, Honor MagicOS 7 is released for closed beta testers and selected participants will move to public beta in the next phase. After completing the beta test, Honor will send stable MagicOS 7.

Let’s look into the models and their corresponding Honor MagicOS 7/Android 13 beta versions:

Honor Magic V:

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The phone is receiving MagicOS 7.0.0.101 upgrading from Magic UI 6.0.0.185.

Honor Magic v Android 13 magicos 7

Honor Magic 3 Series:

Honor Magic 3, Magic 3 Pro, and Magic 3 Supreme Edition are receiving MagicOS 7.0.0.107 upgrading from Magic UI 6.0.0.139.

honor magic 3

Honor Magic 4 Series:

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Honor Magic 4, Magic 4 Pro, and Magic 4 Supreme Edition getting MagicOS 7 version 7.0.0.108 version upgrading from Magic UI 6.0.0.178.

Honor magic 4

Honor V40:

Honor V40 series is also eligible to download MagicOS 7 closed beta with version 7.0.0.121 users will have to download Magic UI 4.0.0.201 and 205 to participate in the beta activity.

honor v40

MagicOS 7:

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Honor MagicOS 7.0 is a people-centered intelligent interconnection ecosystem, it continues to improve AI Services. The software is also released with a personalized OS, protects privacy and security proactively, and updated the accessibility operation.

honor magicos 7

Beta:

It’s noted that the active rollout is spreading as Log and Nolog software packages.

Global:

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Currently, Honor is conducting these beta activities in China and it may soon open for global users of these devices.

Notes:

  • All of the eligible Honor smartphone owners must have to download the required firmware version before upgrading to MagicOS 7 closed beta.
  • During the closed beta testing, users are recommended to join the software user experience improvement program. You can report or suggest features to support closed beta testing environments.
  • This software update won’t erase your data but it’s recommended for you to make a backup of important files.
  • Users are suggested to update system apps to meet the compatibility.

(source – Honor 1, 2, 3, Reddit)

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