Summary
- Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 is here, bringing some necessary bug fixes to last month’s initial drop.
- This patch fixes device crashes, always-on display issues, missing battery status info, and broken backup methods.
- However, it’s important to cautious with sideloading the update, as multiple users have reported bricked devices. For now, waiting for the OTA patch is the safer option.
We just can’t get enough Pixel Feature Drop action. On top of Monday’s announcement of Google’s latest drop — one that will bring a whole slate of newer features to older devices across the company’s portfolio when it arrives in the US next week — we’re back with an all new QPR beta. Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 is live for the Pixel 5a and newer right now, complete with a bunch of bug fixes for last month’s release, though you might want to hold off upgrading for the time being.
As detailed on the Android beta subreddit, QPR3 beta 2 — which will eventually become the June Pixel Feature Drop — is focused primarily on stomping out some of the issues that first popped up in February. This includes something as generic as device crashes, which, you know, isn’t something you ever want to see on your daily driver, even if you know you’re rocking beta software. These crashes weren’t just random; they also appeared while updating apps or switching to a secondary user, often getting locked on a blank display after rebooting.
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 resolves the following issues and also includes fixes for some issues that are not noted here.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a device to crash or restart unexpectedly.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a device to crash or restart unexpectedly while updating apps after the device was flashed.
- Fixed issues that caused a device to display a blank, black screen after booting from flash.
- Fixed an issue that caused a device to crash and display a blank, black screen after switching to a secondary user.
- Fixed issues when always-on display mode was enabled that interfered with the “Double tap to wake” gesture and prevented the device from unlocking if the user tried to use their fingerprint to unlock the device.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused battery information to not display correctly in the system settings, status bar, and on the lock screen.
- Fixed issues that prevented device-to-device transfers and backup and restore from working.
- Fixed various issues that were impacting system stability, performance, and camera.
It’s not just fixes for those random crashes, though. Google also included solutions for mix-ups between the always-on display and double tapping to wake, missing battery status information throughout Android, and has backup and restore methods once again working. Boy, QPR3 Beta 1 sure was busted.
A necessary update, but be cautious
You could end up bricking your phone by accident
With all of those issues, you might be ready to dive headfirst into flashing this update, right? I’d caution against it. The fine folks at 9to5Google softbricked three different devices, including a Pixel 8 Pro and a Pixel Fold, while trying to sideload today’s release, with at least one other user on Reddit confirming the same thing. Considering Android 15 DP1 gave users similar headaches, this is becoming something of a pattern for Google.
At the very least, it sounds like the OTA patch works fine (though, obviously, it’ll take longer to patch than a simple sideload). Meanwhile, 9to5’s Ben Schoon tells me that anyone upgrading should ensure sideloaders should enable OEM Unlock before taking any action. Good advice, I’d say. We’ve reached out to Google about these problems, whether a fix is incoming, and what those with bricked devices should do to resolve the issue, and will update this story once we hear back.
If you’re new to Android QPR betas — and nothing I wrote above has scared you away — you can enroll in the Android Beta Program to get started. Manual methods for flashing factory images or OTA files also exist, but, again, I’d warn against that route for the time being, especially if you’re putting these QPR betas on your daily driver. Stay safe out there, sideloaders.
Google’s March Feature Drop is here, but not for you
The new release will roll out March 11 in the US, while everyone else will get it starting today
