Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Hot in heels The latest version for Android came out earlier this monthGoogle is back with another update to Pixel users Participate in the Android Beta program. QPR3 Beta 1 is the first glimpse of the changes coming to these phones and will be officially made available to the devices sometime early next year.
The latest beta update includes some housekeeping features to further improve, as well as features you may have seen elsewhere before. With the exception of a few notable tweaks, changes are minimal, and additional features will be introduced as beta updates continue to roll out over the coming months.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET As Google’s preferred source.
Which Pixel devices are eligible for QPR3 Beta 1?
The Pixel-only update can be installed on any device from Pixel 6 onwards. The full list of supported devices is below.
- Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
- Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
- Pixel 7a
- Pixel fold
- Pixel tablet
- Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
- Pixel 8a
- Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold
- Pixel 9a
- Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold
What’s new in this update?
For the first beta of this quarterly release, there are a fair amount of tweaks to sift through, but we’ll just touch on some of the highlights.
Adjust lamp brightness
You can now adjust the brightness of your Pixel flashlight by setting the vertical slider.
Google has provided a way for Android users to adjust the brightness of their flashlight while it is on, and it is similar to the method iOS handles This feature. It’s a welcome feature for those times when you might only need a little light, not bright lights.
Remove the “At A Glance” widget.
You can reclaim some precious space by removing the At A Glance widget from your Pixel home screen.
The At A Glance widget has graced Pixel home screens for a long time, providing useful information without requiring you to look for it. Weather, calendar updates, Pixel Watch charging notifications, and an easy way to turn your flashlight on and off are just some of the things the gadget can do. Previously, this was a permanent pin on your home screen that you couldn’t remove, even if you wanted to.
With QPR3 beta 1, you can now remove the widget entirely, and reclaim some space on your home screen.
Better Placement shows which apps are using your location
You can now see when an app is using your location more clearly in the first beta of QPR3, just like microphone and camera usage.
Google has improved how it notifies you when an app uses your location. Previously, the location icon would appear in the upper right corner of your phone’s status bar, blending in with the other icons there. Now, a blue notification dot will appear at the top right of your screen, making it easier to notice when your location is being used.
How to install Android QPR3 Beta update 1
If you have a compatible device, the easiest way to install the latest QPR3 update is to sign up for the Android Beta program. Here’s how:
- Go to Android Beta Program website.
- Log in to your Google account.
- Scroll down to view your eligible devices.
- Next to the device on which you want to install the update, click Subscribe.
That’s it. Eventually, you’ll receive a notification that an update is available, and from there, you can download and install the latest Android beta from Google.