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Code found in a Google Phone app beta (version 245.0.1006864670) reveals a new component called BeeslyTransitModeService, linking the Take a Message feature to Transit mode. Strings in the release reference automatically starting Take a Message when Transit mode is enabled and show a new notification reading 'Taking a message - In Transit Mode.'
Google is piloting a new 'Family' entry at the top of the Settings app on some Pixel 11 phones, according to Android Authority. The hub consolidates family members, shared Google One storage, subscriptions like YouTube Premium and Google AI, shared calendar events, and live location sharing in one place. Currently only a handful of Pixel 11 users have reported seeing it, and Google has not confirmed a wider rollout.
A Pixel owner on Reddit reported two consecutive morning alarms failing to sound, instead showing a notification that the alarm was 'automatically silenced' after its set duration. The user said they made no settings changes and missed important work obligations as a result. Several other Pixel users in the thread described similar experiences, and Google has said it is looking into the issue.
Google is widening the rollout of a redesigned Google Wallet card selector that replaces the horizontal card carousel with a vertically stacked list of saved debit and credit cards. The new layout opens as a separate screen, leaving transit cards, loyalty cards, and passes accessible from the main Wallet screen as before. Android Authority says the interface, previously seen only by a small number of users, has now appeared on Pixel phones used by its own team.
GrapheneOS says it has traced a regression in Google's Android 17 QPR1 update that causes lag, stuttering, freezes, and app crashes on Pixel devices under memory pressure. The project says the bug originates in Pixel firmware and drivers supplied by Google, meaning it can affect stock Pixel software too, and it has already patched the issue in its own OS release while Google has not yet issued a fix.
Users on Reddit and other forums have reported intermittent or complete failures of tap-to-pay on Pixel phones since mid last month, affecting devices from the Pixel 9 series onward, including the Pixel 11 and Pixel 10 Pro. ZDNET says Google has not yet acknowledged the bug or issued an official fix, though restarting the phone appears to resolve the problem for some users.
Google is developing a hands-free way to trigger Emergency SOS on Android devices, according to code strings found in a new build of its Personal Safety app. The strings suggest the feature would require voice confirmation, letting users say 'yes' to proceed or 'cancel' to dismiss an alert, rather than pressing the power button five times as currently required.
An Android Authority writer describes keeping a four-year-old Nothing Phone 1 running after it reached the end of official software support. The fixes included a third-party battery replacement, switching to a slower 18W charger and thinner case to reduce heat, and moving to lighter, open-source apps to cut battery drain and improve speed.
Android Authority highlights a two-year-old Pixel setting, Charging Optimization's 'Limit to 80%' option, found under Battery and Charging settings. Enabling it stops the phone from charging past 80% most of the time, though it occasionally charges fully to keep battery capacity estimates accurate. The outlet notes the feature can also reduce heat buildup when people use their phone while it's plugged in.
Android Authority ran a two-week reader poll asking Pixel owners whether Android 17 QPR1, which began rolling out this month, introduced new problems. Of 1,458 respondents, about 68% reported some new issue, with performance (19%), UI behavior (16%), display glitches (14%) and connectivity (11%) as the top complaints, while nearly a third said they saw no new problems.
Multiple Pixel users have reported that their status bar, Quick Settings tiles, and notification shade are becoming unresponsive or failing to display new notifications following the Android 17 QPR1 update. Some users say notifications appear but can't be tapped, while others report notifications not showing up at all. Google's official PixelCommunity Reddit account has acknowledged the reports and suggested resetting app presets or restarting in safe mode as temporary workarounds.
Multiple Pixel owners across the 8, 9, 10, and 11 series say contactless payments and transit passes have been working inconsistently since last week, with a restart being the only apparent fix. The cause remains unidentified, and reports include devices running the latest Android and Google Play Services builds.