Well, that didn’t last long. Google rolled out Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 this week as the final beta ahead of the December Pixel Feature Drop and then seemingly yanked it before most people could even tap “Download.”
Pixel users who hesitated for a few hours are now looking around like someone stole their dessert. Reports are piling up on Reddit from people who saw the update available, only to return later and find nothing. Their phones now insist they’re “up-to-date,” as if Beta 3 was just a fever dream.
So why the disappearing act?
As pointed out by Mishaal Rahman, the update shipped with a critical bug that causes SystemUI to crash when desktop mode is enabled. And that’s not some minor nuisance. In some cases, it can kick devices into a bootloop.
To avoid disaster, affected users would need to toggle off the setting manually by heading to Settings > System > Developer options > Enable desktop experience features before installing. But let’s be honest, most beta testers don’t pre-check developer flags before updating. However, if you’re already affected, check out this article for potential workarounds.
It appears enough devices ran into trouble that Google decided to halt the rollout, at least temporarily. Even devices that had the update queued earlier in the day no longer see it. Instead, they’re greeted with the classic “Your phone is up to date.”
And the timing is extra unfortunate because Beta 3 actually fixed some annoying bugs, including home screen shortcuts turning into gray circles, themes refusing to apply on the first try, and Google Play System updates failing to install. But all that good news is now on pause until Google sorts out the SystemUI crash linked to desktop mode.
If you didn’t install Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3 when it first appeared, you’re stuck waiting. And honestly, that might be a blessing.
Hillary Keverenge
2445 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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