Google’s on a roll this week, launching thePixel 8andPixel Watch 2at its hardware event, then releasing thestable version of Android 14immediately after. The company isn’t even taking the time to sit back and admire its work — in fact, it’s already looking forward to its next major software release, the December Pixel Feature Drop, also known as Android 14 Quarterly Platform Release 1 (QPR1). Beta testing started for this versionin late September, and just over two weeks later, Google is already back at it with Beta 2.
Google published therelease notesfor the new version, though it has yet to make its customary Reddit post marking the rollout. This version has a build number of U1B2.230922.006 and a security patch date of October 2023, just like QPR1 Beta 1. It’s a moderately sized update, clocking in at 129MB on the Pixel 6 and 204MB on the Pixel 7 Pro. As you might expect, the fixes listed are relatively minor:
Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2 resolves the top issues that are described in the following sections and includes fixes for some issues that are not noted here.
Separately, we’re also hearing that this version introducesa new Software Updates pageas a top-level Settings menu on Pixel phones. It combines OS updates with Google Play System updates and standard app updates, giving you a centralized location for making sure you’re on the latest software.
Notably, we’re not seeing the new Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro on the Android 14beta downloads page, which makes sense considering the phones have yet to hit shelves. However, we’re also not seeing the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, or Pixel 5, either — this is because support for all three of these models ends before December 2023. In contrast, the new Pixel models are promised Android upgrades for seven years.
The devices that will receive this update, provided they’reenrolled in the beta program, are the Pixel 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet.
As with all of Google’s updates, this version could take as long as a week to reach everyone, depending on device type and carrier. You can check to see if it’s available by heading toSettings → System → System update, then tapping theCheck for updatebutton. If you don’t want to wait, remember you canuse Android Flash Toolto manually flash thefactory imagesor sideload theOTA.
