What you need to know
- Google rolls out Android 14 Beta swiftly to address glaring problems due to the Beta 3 version.
- The patch aims to solve fingerprint unlock issues users reported with the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and 6a.
- Known problems listed when Beta 3 rolled out still apply to Beta 3.1, testers should proceed with caution.
Google Pixels will begin to receive a treat as the company looks to patch some problems with phones enrolled in the Android 14 beta, addressing a glaring problem with the fingerprint sensor introduced in the previous build.
An official Google member announced on Reddit that the Android 14 Beta 3.1 build is starting to roll out to eligible Pixel devices. This new version is rolling out to those in the program with a Pixel 4a up to the latest Pixel 7a. The update is light, only aiming to bring in some fixes people have been reporting ever since the Android 14 Beta 3 build went live.
The full changelog is as follows:
- Fixed issues where Fingerprint Unlock was either unavailable or unusable on some devices. (Issue #284360298, Issue #284529436, Issue #284436572)
- Fixed platform compatibility issues that were affecting mapping SDKs, which caused dependent apps to crash in some cases.
The good news here is that Google addressed the fingerprint unlock problem rather quickly after users discovered the problem. You may remember not even a week ago when users started reporting issues with their fingerprint scanner, with the option to use fingerprint unlock no longer available to them after updating their devices to the then-latest Android 14 Beta 3. The issue was a little hit or miss, but the problem remained, and it seemed to mainly affect Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and 6a owners, and even then not all of them were affected.
Hopefully, with the patch coming as swiftly as it has, the problems are no longer cropping up. Although, Google has been struggling to get its fingerprint unlock in line for the past few beta builds, as there was an issue addressed in the Android 14 Beta 1.1 build back in April.
Google states it may take users up to a week to update to Beta 3.1 as it rolls out in a phased manner across devices and carriers. Keep in mind that this update will be offered as an automatic OTA for those enrolled in the beta program.
Lastly, as noted on the release note's developer page, other known issues from Beta 3 still apply to this Beta 3.1 version.
The Google Pixel 7a is quite a strong phone with a 6.1-inch display. With the strength to go toe-to-toe with flagship devices, the Pixel 7a top-tier cameras and haptics provide an experience you'll struggle to find elsewhere. The Pixel 7a is not only available at a great price but utilizes Google's Tensor G2 chip.
