Last month Google introduced its first beta Android 14 after a developer preview. Then to continue the cycle, the company rolled out two more beta versions in the form of Beta 1.1 and Beta 2. For recall, beta 1 brought some new features, and then the next update came with bug fixes. The same is happening with the new beta; first, it released some new features, and now beta 2.1 comes with fixes. Let’s explore it more.
Android 14 Beta 2.1 brings several fixes
In the last update, Google added several new features such as data sharing updates, Health connect, and 10-bit HDR photos capture support, and now with beta 2.1 has included fixes to get more software smoothness. It fixes several issues present in the device, including battery percentage, audio disruptions with the device’s speaker, always-on-display issues with Android Auto, Google Photos app, Google contacts, and icon issues with Google messages.
Samsung users can expect Android 14’s new shortcuts for physical keyboard in One UI 6.0
The Android 14 beta 2.1 is now available for pixel smartphones starting from Pixel 4a to the Pixel 7 Pro. The update comes with version number UPB2.230407.019. It comes with Play Services 23.15.16 and uses the May 2023 security patch. For Verizon-affiliated Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the update comes with the same version number and May 2023 security patch.
As this is a beta update, the update is only available for the users who have already enrolled in the Android beta program from their devices; if you are one of them and want to enroll, then visit this link to register in it. However, the update is like a testing one, so it may include many bugs which can unstable the device, so if you are conscious about your device, then it is recommended to wait until the next stable update.
The complete changelog
- Fixed an issue that prevented users from completing device setup after opting a device running an Android 14 beta build out of the beta program. However, this fix is not backward compatible, so users that want to opt out of the beta program should take the following steps before opting out:
- Update the device to Android 14 Beta 2.1, either through the over-the-air (OTA) update prompt, or by downloading an OTA image and then applying the update manually.
- Reset the pin, pattern, or password that’s used on the device by navigating to Settings > Security & privacy > Screen lock. You can use the same pin, pattern, or password that was used previously, but you need to go through the setup flow.
- Opt out of the beta program by following the instructions listed for the “How can I opt out and return to a public Android release” question in the FAQ section of the Android Beta Program page.
- Fixed more issues that could cause the battery percentage to display as 0% regardless of the actual charge level of the device. (Issue #281890661)
- Fixed issues that sometimes caused audio disruptions with the device’s speakers. (Issue #282020333), (Issue #281926462), (Issue #282558809)
- Fixed system stability issues that could cause apps or the device to freeze or crash. (Issue #281108515)
- Fixed an issue with always-on-display mode when using a device with Android Auto. (Issue #282184174)
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Google Photos app to crash when trying to open certain photos.
- Fixed an issue where, while gesture navigation was enabled for a device, putting a video into picture-in-picture mode in the Google TV app made the picture-in-picture window disappear, even though playback continued and audio could still be heard.
- Fixed an issue that caused the Google Contacts app to crash when managing account settings.
- Fixed an issue where the icon for the Google Messages app did not display for notifications when always-on-display mode was enabled.
