Pixel smartphones hit by bug in 'Now Playing' feature
What's the story
Google's Pixel smartphones have been hit by a minor bug in their Now Playing feature. The issue, which appeared after the latest update of Android System Intelligence, has resulted in the disappearance of the "Favorites" tab from the Now Playing history. The change leaves users with only a reverse-chronological "History" feed and no second tab for easy access to their favorite tracks.
Functionality
Users can still mark songs as favorites
Despite the disappearance of the "Favorites" tab, users can still mark songs as favorites from their lock screen or notifications. This suggests that the core functionality of the feature is still intact, even if its user interface has been altered by this latest update. The bug is specific to version B.13 of Android System Intelligence, which is being rolled out widely across devices.
Feature evolution
Now Playing app has been criticized for not transferring history
The latest version of Android System Intelligence also revealed a Now Playing lockscreen shortcut, making it easier to trigger a search. However, this feature isn't yet available in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2. The Now Playing app has been criticized for not transferring history when users switch to a new Pixel phone. The last major update was "Enhance Now Playing" at the end of 2024, which added album artwork to the feature.