Google Pixel devices also only gets a two-year OS update cycle

Google Pixel XL

Google had the opportunity to do something different with its flagship Pixel smartphones. But, unfortunately, it’s sticking to an old formula. Just like Nexus devices of years past, there is a two-year cycle for the Pixel and Pixel XL to get operating system updates from Google. This means, users won’t be getting Android Q when that comes out in October 2019. What you would get is an additional year of security updates but that ends there. Google had the chance to keep users loyal to Pixel and give them a reward for sticking to the device but it seems they’ve missed the chance on this one.

Source: PCWorld 

Google’s next Pixel devices get codenamed in the Android AOSP gerrit

Google Pixel XL

It doesn’t really say much about the new devices but there might be three new Google-made devices coming out later this year. The rumoured Google Pixel XL replacement, with its codename Muskie, has shown up in the Android AOSP gerrit. Android Police spotted Muskie alongside the other codenames Walleye and Taimen.

Walleye is predicted to be a Pixel-sized smartphone and Taimen is expected to be a bigger smartphone than Muskie. It’s also plausible that Taimen can be a tablet. We really can’t say at this point. But this does point to having three new Google devices coming soon.

Source: Android Authority

Some Google Pixel users reporting microphone issues

Some Google Pixel owners are reporting issues with their smartphone's microphone. Hundreds of users have chimed in saying that their devices are having issues with some of their microphones, rendering audio unusable in some cases even when shooting video.

"The most common problem is a hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec," said Google employee Brian Rakowski. "The other related problems are due to a faulty microphone."

This isn't the first issue that's affected the HTC-built Google Pixel, which had early LTE-disconnection issues with certain carriers. In the case of the microphone issues, these are hardware related, possibly because the Pixel had a short time to get to market.

Google is aware of the issue, it is helping customers get replacements for their faulty devices. Is this issue affecting your Pixel phone?

Source: Engadget

You won’t see any Pixel-branded laptops anytime soon

Looks like we’ve seen the last of the premium Pixel-branded laptops. Let’s clarify, though, that this doesn’t mean the end of Chrome OS or Google’s laptop initiatives. According to Rick Osterloh, senior vice president for Hardware at Google, the company will not use the Pixel brand for laptops in the future. Pixel has been associated recently with Google’s new and well-received line of smartphones, which have, unfortunately, been having some issues with supply and demand recently.

Osterloh says during an interview at Mobile World Congress that there might be new product categories that will carry the Pixel name, though. As TechCrunch points out, if you head to the Google Store, there are no Pixel laptops for sale at the moment. But as Osterloh qualifies, there might be Google-branded laptops in the future still but they “don’t have any plans to discuss at this time.”