Android

17617 readers

225 users here now

The new home of /r/Android on Lemmy and the Fediverse!

Android news, reviews, tips, and discussions about rooting, tutorials, and apps.

💡Content Philosophy:

Content which benefits the community (news, rumours, and discussions) is generally allowed and is valued over content which benefits only the individual (technical questions, help buying/selling, rants, self-promotion, etc.) which will be removed if it's in violation of the rules.

Support, technical, or app related questions belong in: [email protected]

For fresh communities, lemmy apps, and instance updates: [email protected]

💬Matrix Chat

💬Telegram channels / chats

📰Our communities below

Rules

Stay on topic: All posts should be related to the Android OS or ecosystem.
No support questions, recommendation requests, rants, or bug reports: Posts must benefit the community rather than the individual. Please post to [email protected].
Describe images/videos, no memes: Please include a text description when sharing images or videos. Post memes to [email protected].
No self-promotion spam: Active community members can post their apps if they answer any questions in the comments. Please do not post links to your own website, YouTube, blog content, or communities.
No reposts or rehosted content: Share only the original source of an article, unless it's not available in English or requires logging in (like Twitter). Avoid reposting the same topic from other sources.
No editorializing titles: You can add the author or website's name if helpful, but keep article titles unchanged.
No piracy or unverified APKs: Do not share links or direct people to pirated content or unverified APKs, which may contain malicious code.
No unauthorized polls, bots, or giveaways: Do not create polls, use bots, or organize giveaways without first contacting mods for approval.
No offensive or low-effort content: Don't post offensive or unhelpful content. Keep it civil and friendly!
No affiliate links: Posting affiliate links is not allowed.

Quick Links

Our Communities

Lemmy App List

See thread

Chat and More

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

161

Google blocked Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro reviewers from using popular benchmarks to test the Tensor G3 chip, new owners too - NotebookCheck (www.notebookcheck.net)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

36 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemdro.id/post/2289548 ([email protected])

According to the comments section, users have been able to sideload them without issues. Play Store has since begun allowing the installs.

Updated: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-Pixel-8-Pixel-8-Pro-benchmark-block-lifted.759613.0.html

Google has lifted the block it placed on the ability for users to freely install benchmarking apps on its Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. The block had been in place during the review embargo period but extended past the on sale period where customers purchasing the devices couldn’t install benchmarks on their new Pixels either.

Update 2: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Exclusive-Google-confirms-with-Notebookcheck-it-blocked-benchmarks-during-Pixel-8-Pixel-8-Pro-review-embargo-period.761443.0.html

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The app hasn't been updated but the Play Store block has indeed been lifted. People were sideloading without issue. Perhaps Google intended for the block to only last until launch to prevent reviewers only.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Android 14 uses new APIs and Google requires everyone to update their SDK to say whether or not it uses the new APIs. If they did nothing it was flagged as an incompatible app, but if they don't use the APIs it will run fine.

You can usually adjust your app and publish an update without needing to change the app's targetSdkVersion. Similarly, you should not need to use new APIs or change the app's compileSdkVersion, although this can depend on the way your app is built and the platform functionality it's using.

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/14/migration

You can update the SDK without triggering an update to the app and it will be available on the play store.

Occam's razor applies here.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Yes. I have a personal app that I made many years ago and used on my Pixel 4 and 6. It would not work on my 8 until I updated the sdk version and some of the tooling.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There is actual compatibility, and official compatibility.

The updated apps likely didn't have any code changed. (why they still worked when side loaded) Instead, the Play Store listing updated the compatibility filter to include Android 14, so 14 users could now see them in the Play Store.

It's not an uncommon practice. Many apps might simply have a compatibility filter like "yes if [OS version > X]". But that can be a problem if some future OS breaks compatibility. Especially in the case of a benchmark app that's supposed to give comparable results between OS versions. If the new OS tweaks something that doesn't fully break the benchmark, but causes inaccurate numbers, that would need to be checked before it gets approved.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm not seeing updated versions of the listings on my end (in terms of the last updated entry). Unless compatibility can be set separately?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Unless compatibility can be set separately?

I imagine it could. It would be strange need to upload a "new version" of the app, when nothing actually changed accept approving a new OS for that version. Then you need to track which version numbers are real changes, and which aren't. That would be weird.