summary
- Google has released Android 14 Beta 5.3, which shows that the next major Android upgrade is running behind schedule.
- The update includes UI fixes for Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices, as well as improvements for connectivity issues on other Pixel devices.
- The new release also addresses several stability and performance issues, and includes important security fixes for high-risk vulnerabilities.
Android 14 has been in testing since February, and Google’s initial development schedule listed July as the last month for beta testing. So it’s safe to say that this year’s major Android upgrade is a little late at this point, and more clues have just been added to the pile: Google is releasing another beta for its new operating system.
Google announced Android 14 Beta 5.3 on Reddit today, reporting the build number UPB5.230623.009 and the September 2023 security patch level. The company also posted the release notes for the new version, which contains a lot of UI fixes for the new Pixel Fold. . and Pixel Tablet, but it also contains some changes that should fix connectivity issues on other Pixel devices:
- Fixed an issue with apps crashing in some cases after a
CallStyleThe notification has been posted. - Fixed several issues that could cause a call service or carrier outage.
- Fixed an issue where the system was using an inefficient pass when placing CPU limits on apps running in the background.
- Fixed issues with
SurfaceFlingerthat was causing a loss in system performance. - Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices where the taskbar would sometimes become invisible while interacting with it.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices where animations on animated wallpapers stuttered when launching apps.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold devices where the interface layout was misaligned during home screen customization.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold devices where the clock on the lock screen was flashing during animations.
- Fixed several issues affecting system stability and performance.
Yesterday, Google also published the September Android Security Bulletin, which gives us some information on what’s changed under the hood in this update. There are fixes for 20 high-risk and critical threats in the September 1 patches, as well as 12 patched Common Threats for vendors in the September 5 batch. The worst of these vulnerabilities may have allowed an attacker to remotely execute code on the device without any user interaction – a hack Mishaal Rahman suspect It is associated with an out of bounds error in the Bluetooth stack.
All registered Pixel devices from 4a 5G onwards are eligible for this update, which is already rolling out. However, in the past, we’ve seen beta updates take up to a week to reach all users, depending on the device and carrier. If you don’t see the new version already Settings → System → System updateThe manual method using Android Flash Tool to flash OTA or flash factory images is surprisingly simple and can get you the update right away.