Next Pixel Feature Drop will bring back a feature that was removed on purpose in March
The Android 13 QPR3 Beta program is supposed to test features that could be included with the Pixel June Feature Drop which is tentatively scheduled for June 5th. The way Google has failed to adhere to its usual schedule when releasing recent updates for eligible Pixel models, who knows when the next Feature Drop will actually arrive. But for now, we can only go by Google's "first Monday of each month" update timetable.
According to AndroidPolice, the latest QPR3 Beta update (QPR3 Beta 3) returns a feature to compatible Pixel handsets that was stripped away in the March Feature Drop (which should be known as the March Feature Eraser, apparently). What was removed with last month's update was the ability of a Pixel user to share a screenshot of a QR code that when scanned, would allow any Android or iOS phone to connect to the Pixel user's Wi-Fi network.
After last month's Feature Drop, whenever a Pixel user took a screenshot of the QR code to share, all that would come up was a black screen. Obviously sharing a black screen is not going to be helpful to anyone. But in the latest QPR3 Beta, the feature has been reinstated.
The feature that allows Pixel users to share their Wi-Fi network via a screenshot of a QR code is expected to return with the June Feature Drop. Image credit Mishaal Rahman
Now you might think that removing the feature was a bug but when a Pixel user made a complaint about the feature not working, it ended up in the Google Issue Tracker where a Google engineer wrote that the removal of the Wi-Fi sharing feature was not going to be fixed and mentioned that the change was intended.
Rahman tweets that Google will return Wi-Fi sharing to compatible Pixel models in June
However, a tweet by tech journalist Mishaal Rahman says that "Google seems to have reverted this change in Android 13 QPR3 Beta 3, meaning you can once again take a screenshot of the "Share Wi-Fi" page to share with others! This change will likely be reflected in the upcoming Android 14 Beta 2 release as well."
And since the QPR3 Betas are tests for the June Feature Drop, we can only come to the conclusion that Wi-Fi sharing will return to the eligible Pixel models with the June Feature Drop. Will it take place on June 5th? That we will only be able to answer in hindsight.
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