Next month’s Pixel Feature Drop will return an iconic icon to the Pixel status bar

by techlowdown · 7 May 2022

The recent update to Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3, which is the latest beta release for the June Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop due to drop on June 6th, returned an iconic icon to the status bar on the top of compatible Pixel displays. We are talking about the vibration mode icon. As one Reddit member with the handle schrombear wrote, “12QPR3 Beta 3 brought the vibration icon back to the status bar + a toggle for it! But strangely, the icon isn’t shown on the lockscreen (hopefully just a bug).”

Google will put the iconic vibration mode icon back on the status bar of Pixel 4 and higher handsets

Not only does the icon appear in the status bar as a screenshot shared by “schrombear” shows, but in the Sounds & vibration menu there is now a toggle switch for a setting that reads, “Always show icon when in vibrate mode.”

Tapping on the Pixel volume slider opens a shortcut that quickly enables vibration mode on certain Pixel models

Having the vibration icon in the status bar seems to be enough of an incentive to get some Pixel users to join the Android 12 QPR3 program such as Reddit user UserWithoutAName. He writes, “Wow, now I’m going to update to the beta. I’ve wanted this so badly. No idea why they removed vibrate icon from the status bar.”

Another user with the handle Aurelink sure sounds upset at Google for removing the icon in the first place. He writes, “Finally bringing back a feature we had for years in Android, even with the first Pixels. Man sometimes I hate Google.”

The reason why users are upset is that without the icon showing up on the status bar, it isn’t clear whether a user’s phone has vibration enabled or disabled. Why is this so important? If you’re attending a very important meeting about the Anderson contract, you want to make sure that your phone won’t start playing your ring tone (let’s say it is Totally F***** from the musical Spring Awakening) loud and clear in a boardroom full of your bosses.

Sliding your finger down from the top of the screen will show the vibration mode icon on the status bar if it has been enabled

Or let’s say that you are attending the hot new Broadway musical. You want to make sure that your phone vibrates just in case you need to make some quick change to the aforementioned Anderson contract but you don’t want to make an ass of yourself by having your phone ring from your seat three rows back from the stage.

Vibration icon appears on the Pixel 6 Pro status bar

By the way, did you know that on the Pixel 6 series you can quickly enable vibration? Simply tap the volume button on the right side of your phone which brings up the volume slider and a bell icon. Tap on the bell icon and tap on the vibrate icon and viola! You’ve enabled the vibration mode. But the icon won’t show up on the status bar. Still, there is a way to show that the feature has indeed been enabled.

Scroll down from the top of the screen and if you have vibration turned on, you will see the icon on the status bar. Now based on the Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3, once the next Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop is installed in June, no tricks will be necessary to see if vibration mode has been enabled on your Pixel’s status bar.

If you’re convinced that you need to join the Android 12 QPR Beta program, just remember that Google has yet to follow through on its promise to allow beta testers to return to the stable and public Beta updates without having to wipe your handset and reset your phone. That might be available sometime soon, but not right now.

Also, keep in mind that beta builds of Android are not stable and if you’re using the device as your daily driver, you might not want to risk losing the ability to use certain features or deal with a diminished battery that could sharply curtail your use of the handset. Your best bet is to wait for June 6th and install the June Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop on your Pixel phone that very day.