Hold onto your hats, Pixel users! Google is rolling out the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3, and it's packed with fixes and improvements. This is a big deal because the Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs) bring more substantial changes than your average monthly update. Think of it as a major tune-up for your phone!
This beta program is nearing its completion, with the official launch of Android 16 QPR2 expected in December. Google itself says these betas are "suitable for general use," so you can expect a relatively stable experience.
For developers, this is the second Platform stability release, which means the final behaviors that apps will see are now set.
So, what's new in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3? A whole host of fixes, including:
- Fixes for Google Play System Updates failing to install. This was a real headache for some users, but thankfully, it's been addressed.
- Home screen shortcuts no longer appearing as blank gray circles. A visual glitch that's now a thing of the past.
- Wallet icon color corrections on the lock screen. A minor cosmetic issue, but still good to see it resolved.
- Adaptive charging now correctly stops at 100%. No more overcharging concerns!
- Swipe-up gesture issues have been fixed. The gesture should now work reliably.
- Theme application issues are resolved. Your chosen theme should apply flawlessly on the first try.
- Rainbow artifacts in 50MP images are gone. If you've been seeing these in photos taken with the ultrawide or telephoto lens, they're gone.
- Improved battery life, especially on foldable devices. Excessive CPU usage by the launcher was draining the battery, but that's been addressed.
- Bluetooth audio routing fixes. Calls should now correctly route audio via Bluetooth.
- Wi-Fi access for New Zealand users is improved. Users in New Zealand can now access all 6GHz Wi-Fi networks.
- Terminal app stability. The Terminal app no longer crashes when you change your device’s UI font size while it is open.
- Special character input in the terminal is fixed. You can now type special characters like *, @, or # in the GUI terminal.
- Smoother animations and UI responsiveness. Simultaneously swiping lockscreen widgets and the notification shade no longer causes buggy animations and a laggy, unresponsive UI.
- Screen unresponsiveness and freezing issues are resolved.
- Display freezes and screen noise are fixed.
- Unexpected device crashes are fixed.
To report any problems, the Android Beta Feedback app is available on Pixel devices. You can find it in your app drawer or Quick Settings. You can also file bugs in the Google issue tracker, and the Android Beta community is on Reddit.
But here's where it gets interesting: This update is available for a wide range of Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 through the Pixel 10 series, as well as the Android Emulator.
Most users will install via the Android Beta Program, but flashing or sideloading is also an option for those who like to get their hands dirty.
Now, here's a thought-provoking question: Do you think these QPR updates are a good way for Google to deliver more significant changes, or would you prefer more frequent, smaller updates? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
