Surprise! Google releases Android 14 Beta 5.1
After Google released Android 14 Beta 5 last Thursday, most figured that this would be the last Android 14 Beta release and that the next update for Android would be the final, stable version of Android 14. But Google surprised everyone by pushing out a new update just as many were slipping out of the office early for a head start to one of the final summer weekends remaining this year.
So Android 14 Beta 5.1 is now available and according to the release notes from the latest update, which Google itself characterizes as a minor one, the changes include:
- Fixed an issue that caused the system to stop detecting a SIM card if Fixed Dialing Number (FDN) features were enabled.
- Fixed an issue that caused connectivity interruptions for devices with carriers using 5G standalone (SA) mode.
- Fixed an issue for some devices where a blank home screen displayed after unlocking the device.
- Fixed a performance issue by temporarily disabling feather-styled live wallpaper on Pixel Fold. The live wallpaper version will be reenabled after the other underlying issues are fixed.
The update is offered to the Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet. To download and install it, go to Settings > System > System update and follow the directions. For my Pixel 6 Pro, the Android 14 Beta 5.1 update weighs in at 7.69MB and the update has a version number of UPB5.230623.005.
Google's timeline for Android 14 included only four Beta releases
Earlier this year Google's timeline for the Android 14 Developer preview and Beta program called for four Beta updates to be released. We are now in overtime and can we really still assume that the next update will be the final and stable version of Android 14? By the way, last year Android 13 was released on August 15th so Google is already a few days behind last year's schedule for the release of the latest major Android build.
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