I get it. A new update comes out, and you can't help but jump on it to see the improvements made in the UI, performance, security, and quality of life departments. I get it because as soon as a new update is production-ready for my Samsung device, I download and install it.
Unfortunately, sometimes updates might not be airtight and can result in serious issues for your smartphone. While many people have been lucky with their Pixels, that's not the case for many who have installed the second beta for Android 14 QPR3. The good news is that it's just a soft brick.
Some Pixels Are Being Soft-Bricked By Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2
The Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 was made available to download for Pixel users just about a day ago, and there've been a disturbing amount of reports of the update soft-bricking phones when sideloaded. It was first reported by the folks at 9To5Google and corroborated by users on Reddit.
This problem seems to be specific to people who sideloaded the update rather than those who downloaded it over-the-air (OTA), and it takes effect once you restart the device. You'll find your phone stuck on the Google logo, and it won't progress past that point no matter how long you leave it. This doesn't happen to all devices that sideload the update, but it is happening to a concerning number of them.
Fortunately, this is just a soft brick, which means you can roll back by sideloading Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 over it.
Google doesn't have the best reputation regarding OS updates for its devices. Looking back, they seem to have had more instances than average where software updates leave smartphones running worse than before. They've escaped that fate recently, for the most part, and while it can be allowed since this is a beta, it surely isn't great publicity.
What New Features Does Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 Bring To The Table?
Is updating to the second beta of Android 14 QPR3 worth the potential fear of bricking? We'll let you decide, but here are some of the features that you'll find in the new OS update:
- You'll get haptic feedback when adjusting your device's brightness.
- There's a toggle for haptic feedback when typing on your device's keyboard.
- There are some minor changes to the user interface for certain aspects of the Settings menu. For instance, the “Passwords & autofill” section now reads as “Passwords, passkeys & autofill”.
- There is now an “Allow camera software extensions” toggle to allow the “default software implementation of advanced camera features”.
- It also includes several fixes, including some to address situations that could cause the device to crash or restart suddenly.
So yeah, you won't find any massive changes in this update, but they make the operating system on your Google Pixel a lot nicer in minor ways. Remember, Beta 1 brought its own changes, so Beta 2 adds some more on top of that.
