Following reports of Pixel phones stuck on bootloop after a software update, Google has halted the rollout to prevent more users suffering the same fate.
Google’s latest beta version of Android Q had been causing the bootlooping problems, with desperate customers resorting to factory resetting their smartphones (despite data loss) in order to save them. Android Police reports that the Pixel 2 XL was most affected, although at least one Pixel 3 user also experienced the issue, and now Google has halted the rollout of the update to Pixel phones.
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If you have experienced the same problem, it’s worth trying this alternative to factory reset: restarting, going into recovery mode, and then rebooting. If successful, this method will preserve your precious saved data.
The 4th beta of Android Q is available only to a select number of phones, including the OnePlus 7 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 9, and the most highly anticipated feature is Dark Mode, which gives the option of a black-and-grey themed interface to soothe your retinas when browsing your phone.
Along with dark mode, the full version of Android Q (due in the second half of 2019) will offer improved live captions, focus mode for blocking out distractions, and so-called ‘bubbles’ for multitasking with different apps. More fundamentally, gesture navigation is expected to be fully incorporated into this iteration of the operating system, rather than the halfway house between gestures and buttons that Android Pie currently offers. The gesture navigation works in a similar way to an iPhone, with a long swipe up taking you home.
In May, Google announced that only 10.4% of Android users had the latest version of the operating system installed, so if they’re hoping for a bigger uptake of Android Q they’ll have to make sure all flaws are ironed out before it’s released to the public.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.