Android 13 QPR1 Developer Preview update hits the Privacy Sandbox
Google’s ill-fated Pixel 4 and 4 XL took some big swings with features like Project Soli radar sensing and a true Face ID-style biometric unlock mechanism, but underperforming sales and alleged infighting around the direction of the device led to an internal shakeup that saw the ousting of two key Pixel engineers. The 2019 flagships have almost felt forgotten in recent years, especially after Google appeared to end software support months ago — but a surprise update could be bringing the Pixel 4 back from the brink.
Unlike Samsung, who offers four full years of OS updates and an additional year of security patches for all its flagship devices, Google only promises three years of Android version upgrades and a year of security patches. So, after launching in October 2019, we expected that the October 2022 update for the Pixel 4 would be its last new Android version — however, Android expert Mishaal Rahman has spotted a new build for the device.
Before you get too excited, this is an experimental build that hasn’t been released to the public. Instead, it was pushed to the Android Privacy Sandbox where Google tests new technologies that allow ad tracking without the use of third-party cookies. Nonetheless, one developer enrolled in the program has received a completely new Android build on their Pixel 4.
The Developer Preview update is based on Android 13 QPR1, otherwise known as the December 2022 Pixel Feature Drop, so it’s about as new as they come in terms of Android versions. The update also includes the December 2022 security patches, which is something even some Pixel 5 users are still waiting for.
This doesn’t guarantee that Google is still planning to issue updates for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL — in fact, this build isn’t even available for the Pixel 4 XL, as the device doesn’t have access to the Privacy Sandbox — but it’s an official first-party build of Android, so there’s reason for hope that the Pixel 4 might not be completely obsolete just yet. And with Google’s renewed commitment to the Pixel line in general, who knows what the future could hold.
