Latest news with #GoogleUpdate
Phone Arena
6 days ago
- Phone Arena
Android Auto's new look is here, but not everyone's on board
Android Auto just got a rare design update, but not everyone is happy about it. As part of a recent rollout, Google applied its Material You interface to Android Auto's music player, creating a more unified look that matches your phone's wallpaper. The problem is that it replaces the dynamic album art backgrounds, and some users are calling it a visual downgrade. Top is before and bottom is after. | Image credit — @Adil15101 The music player now pulls background colors from your Android wallpaper instead of using the currently playing track's album art. This change was meant to bring consistency across the interface, but it's also flattened the look and stripped away one of the music player's most distinctive visual user Adil15101 shared a side-by-side image comparing the old and new layouts. The older interface displayed vibrant backgrounds tied to the music, while the new one opts for blander, wallpaper-based palettes that don't always fit the vibe of what you're listening to. This design decision follows a broader update we recently covered, where Android Auto officially adopted Material You theming. The update allows your car's display to match your Android phone's wallpaper color palette, bringing a more cohesive visual identity across screens. While some users appreciate the polish, it's clear the music player changes have proven controversial. So much unused space... | Image credit — @flcinusa The update also tweaks the layout. The seekbar has been moved below the timestamp, and the album art is now smaller, creating what many are calling a cluttered-yet-empty feel — particularly on cars with portrait-oriented displays. Reddit user flcinusa noted that the already-reduced album art looks 'comically tiny' on their display. While the repositioned seekbar may reduce accidental touches, it creates odd spacing and visual imbalance, making better use of the space feel like an afterthought. To be fair, Material You is a big UI leap for Android Auto, which has traditionally been more utilitarian and function-focused. Google has also confirmed it's also working on a light theme, climate control integration, and Gemini AI voice features — all part of a broader push to modernize the platform. But for now, this refresh seems to be the decision based on the users' feedback. And for music lovers used to bold, dynamic album art backgrounds, this latest change might feel more like a step backward than forward.
Android Authority
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Android Authority
Android Auto now plays nicely with your phone's color scheme
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Google is fixing the previous issues with wallpaper-based theming on Android Auto. With this update, base palettes in Android Auto sync more seamlessly with your phone. The update is currently in beta, but some people have also started seeing it in the stable version, suggesting a gradual rollout. Since the official launch of Android 16's stable version, Google has been refreshing many apps with its new 'Expressive' design language. Meanwhile, Android Auto, the app that receives far fewer glimpses, and mostly brief ones, is now adopting Google's older and more prevalent theming style with Material You. With this update, the colors in the Android Auto interface on your car's head unit will now match the wallpaper on your Android phone. While Google first started testing Material You theming for Android Auto last year, there were some issues with color consistency, and it supported only limited colors. However, 9to5Google recently noted that these limitations appear to have been fixed with the latest 14.9 beta update of Android Auto, allowing the interface to sync correctly with the colors on your Android device. The colors now apply consistently to different elements, and are most evident on the Settings app when you access them from within the car. The colors automatically also refresh when you change the wallpaper, aligning with the color scheme on your phone. While 9to5Google spotted these changes on the latest beta version, a few people also reported seeing the splash of colors on their cars' units with the stable version, suggesting Google may have begun rolling it out. Follow
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
New Google Battery Tool Severely Limits Older Pixel Phones
Google has introduced a controversial update for Pixel devices that limits battery performance through the Battery Health Assistance (BHA). This could result in smartphones becoming unusable without a battery replacement. In early 2025, Google rendered a number of otherwise functional Pixel 4a devices unusable with a surprising update. Now, the same fate could affect more, if not all, Pixel smartphones. A new battery tool delivered via update is particularly impacting older Google Pixel models. Data miners from the online magazine 'AndroidAuthority' have discovered traces in the system app 'Battery Health Assistance' (BHA) released with the Pixel 9a that bring significant restrictions for users. The battery application could soon appear on more Google Pixel smartphones and, in the worst case, lead to phones functioning poorly without a battery replacement. The purpose of the BHA is fundamentally sensible: The feature assesses the battery's health and adjusts basic system settings when the app detects battery wear. These measures are intended to extend the device's lifespan and protect the battery from damage. However, the settings made by the BHA come at the expense of usage time. They involve reducing battery capacity and charging speed. In other words, the phone takes longer to fully charge and lasts for shorter periods. Affected Pixel users currently have no way to counter this approach of the new battery tool—it's a mandatory update, and the function cannot be disabled without a battery replacement by a professional. This is made very clear in the leaked code lines. The description text states, among other things: 'Battery health monitoring can only be changed when the battery is replaced.' As mentioned earlier, the approach is reminiscent of the update Google delivered for the Pixel 4a in January 2025. Complaints mounted about previously perfectly functioning smartphones that were degraded to electronic waste after the update. The update significantly shortened the usage time of the phones. Google justified the patch at the time by stating that lithium-ion batteries are wear parts whose performance decreases over time. The internet giant offered a free battery replacement. However, the replacement only occurred as long as the battery supply lasted—those who were late had to choose between compensation and a discount in the Google Store. Read also: Battery Calibration Makes the Smartphone Significantly More Enduring Google currently offers the BHA only on the Pixel 9a. So far, no negative effects have been noticed on the relatively new smartphone. But the next older model to 'benefit' from this battery optimization is already determined. According to a recently published announcement from Google, the function will be available for the Google Pixel 6a starting July 8, 2025. This is the Lite version of the popular Pixel 6 family, following the Pixel 4a. The series has been on the market for four years now, and thus Google might target the batteries of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro next. Following the example of the Pixel 4a, Google is again offering Pixel 6a owners a battery replacement or compensation. Starting July 21, 2025, they can have their device's battery replaced once for free. Alternatively, Google offers a discount code for purchasing a new smartphone in its own Google Store. Those who do not wish to use either option can receive compensation. However, the internet giant does not reveal exact amounts. The registration page is now online. Unfortunately, users have little recourse if the BHA is installed. Once on the smartphone, the app is difficult to remove from the system. Under normal circumstances, Android allows for a firmware update to install a previous system version and thus reverse harmful changes. However, Google has already blocked this path, as noted by the online magazine 'DroidLife.' Previous firmware versions have disappeared from official sources. The post New Google Battery Tool Severely Limits Older Pixel Phones appeared first on TECHBOOK.
