Next month's Pixel Feature Drop will bring an iconic icon back to the Pixel status bar

The recent update to Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3, the latest beta for June’s Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop, due out on June 6, has returned an iconic icon to the status bar at the top of compatible Pixel screens. We are talking about the vibration mode icon. Like a reddit member with the handle shy wrote: “12QPR3 Beta 3 brought the vibrate icon back to the status bar + a toggle in front of it! But strangely, the icon doesn’t show on the lockscreen (hopefully just a bug).”

Google puts the iconic vibrate mode icon back on the status bar of Pixel 4 and higher handsets

The icon doesn’t just appear in the status bar as a screenshot shared by “shy” is displayed, but in the Sounds and Vibration menu there is now a toggle switch for a setting that reads: “Always show icon in vibrate mode.”

Tapping the Pixel volume slider opens a shortcut that quickly turns on vibrate mode on select Pixel models

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

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

The reason why users are upset is that without the icon appearing on the status bar, it is not 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’ll want to make sure your phone doesn’t start playing your ringtone (let’s say it’s Totally F***** from the musical Spring blossoms) loud and clear in a boardroom full of your bosses.

If you slide your finger down from the top of the screen, the vibrate mode icon will appear on the status bar if it is enabled

Or let’s say you attend the hot new Broadway musical. You want to make sure your phone vibrates in case you need to make a quick change to the aforementioned Anderson contract, but you don’t want to fool yourself by having your phone ringing 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 you can quickly enable vibration on the Pixel 6 series? Simply tap the volume button on the right side of your phone, which will reveal the volume slider and a bell icon. Tap the bell icon and tap the vibrate icon and viola! You have turned on vibration mode. But the icon does not appear on the status bar. Still, there is a way to prove that the feature is indeed enabled.

Scroll down from the top of the screen and if you have vibration turned on, you’ll 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, there will be no more tricks to see if Vibration mode is enabled on your Pixel’s status bar.

If you’re convinced that you should join the Android 12 QPR Beta program, remember that Google has yet to fulfill 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 may be available soon, but not now.

Also keep in mind that beta versions of Android are not stable and if you use the device as your daily driver you may not want to risk using certain features or dealing with reduced battery that will affect your use of the handset. . It’s best to wait until June 6 and install the June Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop on your Pixel phone that same day.