Android 12’s messy launch explained: why the Pixel is lagging behind

Android 12 is finally here, but you can’t have it.

It sounds like crazy talk, but it’s true, and it makes more sense than you probably think. If you’re not up to date with the news about Android 12 or Google’s Pixel phones, here’s what happened: Dave Burke, Google VP of Engineering and Android Project Manager, announced that Android 12 is finished and available. But (there is always a corn) he didn’t mean what you might assume, because he was talking about the source code used to create the software we know as Android 12.

Google later informed us that the Android 12 update will be not roll out to Pixel phones on October 4 as everyone expected. We contacted Google directly for clarification, and here is what we were told verbatim: “We’re putting the finishing touches on a special release with Pixel-exclusive and Pixel-first experiences on Android 12. This will roll out to Pixel users in the coming weeks.. “

It’s partly standard PR and partly really exciting. It also shows that the Android team and the Google Pixel team are not one and the same. Everyone works at their own pace.

The confusion and disappointment of the Android crowd has occurred because we expect to see updates the very minute a new version is released. This is how it always has been. For years, whenever Google announced that a new version of Android was ready and ready, it also immediately sent it to a Nexus or Pixel device. But it was a trend, not a rule; yesterday we saw how the system actually works.

Think of Google as another phone maker that wants to be able to sell as many phones as Samsung. The Pixel team exists to implement this vision. They work on the hardware, on the Pixel features only. They are working on taking the code written by the Android team and making it work on their phones. Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and all the other phone companies are doing the exact same thing; they just have less access to Google’s software engineers.

What is taking so long?

The real The question here is not “Why wasn’t the Android 12 update for supported Pixel phones released yesterday?” It’s “What is Google doing that takes longer?” Dave Burke focused on the main features of Android 12 in his announcement: things like better privacy controls and a new “fresh” user interface. He never once mentions the features reserved for pixels. It’s because it’s not his job worry about pixel-only functionality for now.

No need to worry

You don’t have to worry about your supported Pixel phone taking forever to get the update. Chances are it is already finished and the people who need to test it are busy testing and finalizing the details. Like any OEM, the Pixel team will take Android and turn it into software with exclusive features. That takes time.

Those features could turn the upcoming Pixel 6 into the best Android phone to ever graced the planet … or it might not stop its new phone from turning into another sales flop. Either way, Google takes the time to go all out with Android 12 because it knows what we like seeing in a phone: features.

Anshel Sag, senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy who has her finger on the pulse of all of these companies, agrees that the delay is not a big deal. We contacted him and he said: “I don’t really think it matters that much, but it does indicate that there may be a bit more going on with the Pixel version of Android 12 which might need a bit more QC. I think that’s it, I don’t think there is much to read in there.“

It looks like the Pixel team needs some time to work on the exclusive Pixel features.

So really, it looks like the Google Pixel Phone team wants to take a little more time to tighten up a few nuts and bolts on the specific features it has for Android 12. The operating system kernel is done and ready to go. to operate; By the time you read this you will probably be able to download and upload the base code to XDA Developers for your unlocked phone if you like it.

If you are not, continue as usual. It doesn’t matter if Google or someone else made your phone, yesterday marked the day that the developers of your phone started working on Android 12 so they can send out this long-awaited software update. Except for Motorola, probably. He hates updates.

A prediction

I’m going to leave that here so that we can prove I’m right or wrong in the future, so feel free to remind me anyway once it’s all over. I have no inside information about when the Pixel 6 or when Android 12 for Pixel phones comes out, but I can play sleuth. Honest in baseball – I don’t know anything and I am not subject to any embargo on anything. It’s just a crazy guess.

October 27.

Google is hosting its annual developer conference on October 27-28, and for the Android team, that’s a big deal. There’s an hour-long talk hosted by Kari Byron, over 30 lectures teaching the inner workings of Android 12 to interested developers, and even events where Google’s own in-house experts address code issues submitted by experts. external developers.

Sometimes it’s fun to guess.

Since Google is already paying to produce a long speech, it might as well drop 5 minutes of news on Pixel phones there. Yes, I could (probably) be wrong; Google might be announcing things on a completely different date. But like many of you, I’m excited and curious, so I’m playing guessing games. If you have any guess let me know. It’s more fun to go wrong in a group than to go wrong alone. 🙂