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Google backtracks on Android 12's new ripple effect after users confuse it for a bug
It's intended behavior, but not everyone is happy about it
Wide-ranging visual changes are arriving with Android 12, all part of Google's brand-new Material You design system. Reactions to this have, on the whole, been pretty positive, but there are some aspects of it that aren't quite so popular. Animations are getting a lot of attention, since they've remained unchanged for so long, and the new ripple effect, in particular, isn't going down so well.
YouTube Music migration from Google Play Music is breaking the YouTube sidebar for some
There is a solution, but it's not particularly desirable
Last month, Google began rolling out a transfer tool to help users migrate seamlessly from Google Play Music to YouTube Music. It's a one-click process that syncs your library, recommendations, playlists, likes and dislikes, and more. However, as is often the case with new tech like this, many users are experiencing a glitch, reporting that the migration of their data is causing their YouTube side panel to disappear on both desktop and mobile.
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Google Assistant and Android Auto didn't play together nicely a while ago when the Assistant muted itself over Bluetooth for some. Another unrelated issue has now surfaced where Google simply doesn't answer voice commands on Android Auto, even though it understands and parses speech perfectly fine.
The once-handy home screen Google search bar is acting up on Pixel devices. Many users, including some here at Android Police, are experiencing an annoying glitch that causes the bar to not show search history or suggestions of any kind.
Back in April, users reported to Google that their Android Auto head units were showing weird, glitchy visuals under some circumstances. A fix was promised for sometime in June, but the month came and went with no resolution. Google has acknowledged this, though, and says a fix is rolling out now.
As the de facto flagship phone for Android (or at least that portion of Android that isn't covered in Samsung logos), the Nexus 6 gets an inordinate amount of attention. That's not always a good thing, especially when the hardware and/or software exhibits major flaws or defects. For example: a considerable number of users are reporting a total failure of their phone's mobile data connection. The problem is occurring on multiple software versions and across different carriers and locations.
One of the more persistent and frustrating issues with the OnePlus One has been its touchscreen, which saw a spat of problems and firmware fixes late last year. A software update in November seemed to have fixed the glitches, but in the last few weeks dozens of users on the official OnePlus forums have reported a resurgence of touchscreen issues. Perhaps it has something to do with the new Android updates, perhaps it's because of the rising temperatures as spring hits the northern hemisphere. Whatever the cause, OnePlus One owners are steamed.
Raise your hand if you like carrier apps added to your phone. Anyone. Go ahead, don't be shy. Well if you don't, here's a great example of why companies like AT&T should leave the software alone. An over-the-air update to 4.4.4 for the carrier-customized version of the Galaxy Note 3 was sent out on November 28th, then unceremoniously pulled. A previous message on the support page explained why:
One of the selling points of HTC's Advantage program is free Google Drive space. Of course, that's not as interesting as the free screen repair or update guarantee, but it's still part of the package. HTC has just posted a message on its Advantage website that alerts customers to a problem with the Google Drive deal. An error of some sort is preventing M8 owners on AT&T from redeeming that 50GB offer.
If you're idly cruising the Play Store on the web, checking out the most downloaded apps ever, you might stumble onto a little glitch when an install count crosses 1 billion. That's right, billion... We're talking 9 zeros, folks! Hitting this illustrious mark will result in an install range that reads 1,000,000,000 - 705,032,704. Not only does tradition tell us that the larger number should come second, but that is an exceptionally specific amount.
Some of you who've played The Simpsons: Tapped Out, Electronic Arts' Springfield-themed Sim City clone, may have noticed a lack in features when compared with the slightly older iOS version. Namely, it lacked the ability to sync saved games (towns) over Origin, EA's much-derided social gaming platform and store. The latest update to the Android version adds Origin syncing... while leaving at least some players without a town to sync.
Earlier this morning, something strange happened. A handful of paid Disney games – including Where's My Water?, Temple Run: Brave, and Wreck-it Ralph, among others – suddenly showed up as free in the Play Store. Naturally, stories started popping up in the Android world that a bunch of fairly popular games were suddenly available without charge for no apparent reason. Perhaps Disney decided that it was time to give some titles away – but that didn't make much sense, as the "lite" versions of most titles were still present alongside their formerly-paid counterparts.
Earlier today, we noticed a bug report for a very strange issue with multiple user accounts on the Nexus 7. Apparently, certain applications are displaying the underlying screen - be it the wallpaper, app tray, or the Play Store (depending on where the app was launched from) - through the foreground app. But here's the kicker: it's only happening on secondary accounts. Yeah, it's confusing and strange.
Update: According to HTC, this problem is currently only affecting the Tegra 3 (international) version of the One X - not the Rogers/AT&T One X or international One XL. HTC advises those affected to contact customer support, though the channel through which you purchased your device is a good bet as well, especially if it was from a carrier or brick and mortar store where they can exchange the unit immediately.
The DROID BIONIC, it's no secret, hasn't been launched bug-free. In fact, there's a number of bugs, particularly the dreaded data connection drop, that make using the BIONIC a major annoyance at times. Verizon has apparently been keeping track, and has a very detailed list of the glitches currently afflicting the phone, given to a customer in a support e-mail (weird, we know). The good folks over at Droid-life have compiled a "Top 10" bug list along with all the reported issues (here), and we've excerpted a few that we've noticed most:
If you've downloaded or had the Android 2.3.6 update pushed to your AT&T, T-Mobile, or unlocked Nexus S recently without issue, consider yourself lucky. None of this applies to the Nexus S 4G on the Sprint network.
When I switched from AT&T from Verizon and swapped my aging, battered, and bruised Nexus One for a DROID BIONIC, the possibility of buyer’s remorse was not on my mind. I was coming from AT&T - America’s single least reliable network in terms of dropped calls. So, I thought the last thing I’d end up doing was wishing I was back there. And now, at least part of me does.
When we leaked the official ROM and radio image for the HTC Thunderbolt's Gingerbread update last week, users were understandably excited. An official Sense, Gingerbread ROM was probably highest on the list of demands for Thunderbolt users (aside from better battery life, perhaps).