Pixel series is finally catching up to other Android phones thanks to small redesign
Sometimes the best changes are the small ones. A quality-of-life update is coming to a future version of Pixel OS separating the volume controls for ringtones and notifications.
Itâs a pretty basic change, sure, but considering the fact that you can already adjust the volume for media and alarms separately, it makes sense to have the tool cover everything. You can silence notifications in case your group chat is sending out tons of texts while still letting you hear phone calls, for example. Apparently, this one feature has been in the works for about a year and a half, according to the original Google IssueTracker post asking for this change (opens in new tab). Looking through the thread, it seems Google didnât really see this request as important enough to implement quickly so the company took its time.
At the bottom of the post, youâll see a comment by someone, who presumably works at Google, stating the ârequested feature will be available in a future buildâ. Exactly which one is unknown although 9to5Google (opens in new tab) did find a clue in the files of Android 13 QPR3 (opens in new tab) (Quarterly Platform Release) Beta 3. They found an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command hinting at the design change. 9to5Google suggests the update could arrive with the release of the stable version of âAndroid 13 QPR3 Beta 3â, but that might be wishful thinking.Â
Android 14 changes
An Android 14 launch seems more likely, though, given the current âstage of the development cycleâ. This is backed by another discovery by Android Police (opens in new tab) where the publication found the two sliders already enabled on an early Android 14 build (opens in new tab). And in said build, they discovered âsetting the [Pixel] phone to vibrateâ mutes both volumes.
The companyâs next big event is Google IO 2023 (May 10) where we expect to get a good look at Android 14 before its official launch later this summer. Besides getting new features, âweâre also expecting [the operating system] to bring some quality-of-life upgradesâ as well as a boost to device security. Perhaps the slider changes will be a part of that package or its reveal of the anticipated Pixel 7a phone.
Itâs hard to say for sure, but weâll know soon enough in about a week. Check out TechRadarâs recent roundup of the best deals for both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro if you’re looking to upgrade.