Android 13

When it comes to software updates, it wouldn’t be entirely wrong to say that Android smartphone manufacturers have been falling short. There are millions of phones developed by numerous different manufacturers, and they often struggle to meet specific standards when it comes to updating Android to different versions. However, Google and manufacturers have been working on solving this issue that has been bothering users for a long time. Recently, Google updated the Android version distribution statistics, revealing the progress in the industry.

When we look at Google’s published Android version distribution statistics, we can see that Android 13 is now the most popular version, taking the top spot. The operating system has increased its market share from 15% to 22.4% since the last update in May. Considering that only five months have passed, this is a significant achievement. It is estimated that not only newly sold phones but also existing models in the market have received these updates.

In the second position on the list, we have Android 12, which has declined from 16.3% to 15.8%. The still quite popular Android 11 has also decreased from 23.1% to 21.6%. Unfortunately, Android’s most significant challenge remains its update process. Older devices often continue to be used for years without upgrading to the latest versions. This situation not only disappoints users but also creates security vulnerabilities. For those curious, here’s the rest of the list:

Android 13: 15% -> 22.4%

Android 12: 16.3% -> 15.8%

Android 11: 23.1% -> 21.6%

Android 10: 17.8% -> 16.1%

Android 9: 11.9% -> 10.5%

Android 8.1: 6.1% -> 5.4%

Android 8: 2.2% -> 1.9%

Android 7.1: 1.5% -> 1.3%

Android 7: 1.5% -> 1.3%

Android 6: 2.3% -> 1.9%

Android 5.1: 1.5% -> 1.2%

Android 5: 0.3% -> 0.2%

Android 4.4: 0.5% -> 0.4%

Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.2 released with over 30 bug fixes

If you are already in the Android 14 QPR1 beta, you can just wait for the OTA update notification. If you want to join the beta now, you can visit Google’s beta enrollment page to get started.

Here is a list of the bug fixes (changelog) in Android 14 QPR1 beta 2.2:

• Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented devices from receiving calls. (Issue #298747690)

• Fixed an issue where tapping or long-pressing a Quick Settings tile sometimes failed to launch the corresponding app or settings menu. (Issue #302147272)

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Settings app to crash when checking for system software updates. (Issue #303739210)

• Fixed an issue that prevented Device Mirroring from working correctly with Pixel Fold devices. (Issue #302003079)

• Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented the system settings for large screen user per-app overrides from loading.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Camera HAL to apply the wrong tuning profile when an app requested a certain camera mode.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system UI or device to crash if accessibility magnification mode was toggled rapidly.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the package installer to crash due to a null pointer exception.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system launcher to crash due to a null pointer exception.

• Fixed an issue that interfered with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity until the device was rebooted.

• Fixed issues with Face Unlock reliability.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the device unlock animation to stutter.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the screen to flicker when transitioning from always-on display mode to the lock screen.

• Fixed an issue that caused the animation to display incorrectly when a user gestured to open the notification shade.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system UI to crash or consume more memory than necessary.

• Fixed an issue that caused the picture-in-picture window to stop displaying with rounded corners after locking and unlocking the device.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused device-to-device transfer data to be saved to an incorrect account.

• Fixed an issue that caused some UI elements to render incorrectly when the device font scale was increased.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the work profile badge for an app icon to be displayed in the wrong place while viewing the list of recent apps.

• Fixed an issue that caused some text to display in the wrong colors when always-on display features were enabled.

• Fixed issues that sometimes caused a device to crash and reboot.

• Fixed an issue where additional power was still being consumed by mobile network connectivity even after a device connected to Wi-Fi.

• Fixed an issue where audio failed to play back or was interrupted if Adaptive Sound was enabled.

• Fixed issues with audio playback when using spatial audio.

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused Wi-Fi service to be interrupted and fail to connect until the device was restarted.

• Fixed an issue where the battery level in the status bar sometimes displayed temporarily as 0%.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices where the “All Apps” button on the taskbar was slow to appear immediately after launching an app.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Fold devices where the lock screen was sometimes still displayed if the device was unlocked and unfolded at the same time.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices where a primary user’s live wallpaper selection would sometimes be overridden after a secondary user selected a different live wallpaper.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices that caused an unsmooth animation when tapping to return to an app from the list of recent apps.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet devices that caused audio to pop when adjusting the volume if a wired headset was connected.

• Fixed an issue for Pixel Tablet where a user was returned to the Home screen instead of the app that was open when the device was locked if they unlocked the device using their fingerprint while a screen saver was active.

• Fixed an issue that caused memory corruption in rare cases.

• Fixed various issues that were impacting system stability, performance, and connectivity

While the update fixes a number of bugs, there are still several significant bugs left on Google’s issue tracker, including Bluetooth audio issues and problems with the lock screen and always-on display. However, the company still has just over a month to iron out these issues before a stable release is expected in the first or second week of December.