Google

YouTube TV adds resizable Miniplayer on Android and Pixel users struggle with quick phrases bug

Published

5 months ago

December 1, 2024

YouTube TV for Android just introduced a new resizable, picture-in-picture (PiP) style mini player, offering a smoother and more user-friendly experience. Meanwhile, some Pixel users are battling a frustrating notification bug caused by a glitch in Google Assistant’s Quick Phrases feature. Here’s a breakdown of both updates.

YouTube TV’s Resizable Miniplayer on Android

YouTube TV is catching up with its main YouTube app by rolling out a redesigned in-app miniplayer for Android phones and tablets. This update brings a picture-in-picture (PiP)-style player that improves usability and aligns with the broader YouTube ecosystem.

What’s New in the Miniplayer?

The new miniplayer now functions like a PiP window within the app.
It includes play/pause buttons, 15-second rewind/skip controls, and a close option in the corner.
A central button allows users to expand the miniplayer back to full-screen mode.
The player supports pinch-to-zoom, letting you adjust its size and even stretch it to span the full screen width.

This upgrade is a significant improvement over the old miniplayer, which displayed only a narrow bar at the bottom with limited controls. Now, browsing through YouTube TV while watching live TV or videos feels much more intuitive.

Update Rollout Details

The redesigned miniplayer is included in version 8.47.0 of the YouTube TV Android app. This change unifies the interface across YouTube apps and makes multitasking while streaming content more enjoyable.

Pixel Phones Hit by Persistent Quick Phrases Bug

While YouTube TV is improving, Pixel users are dealing with a persistent bug linked to Google Assistant’s Quick Phrases. This issue is causing repeated and stuck notifications that interfere with regular phone use.

What Are Quick Phrases?

Quick Phrases simplify voice commands for tasks like stopping alarms or answering calls. For example, saying “Stop” can silence an alarm, and “Answer” can pick up a call—no “Hey Google” needed.

The Notification Glitch

The problem arises when Quick Phrases notifications refuse to disappear, even after completing the task. Here’s what users are reporting:

Alarms and Timers: The “Say Stop” prompt remains on the screen after alarms are turned off.
Incoming Calls: A toast notification asking users to “Say ‘Answer’” stays on the screen even after calls are answered or dismissed.

This issue has been spotted across various Pixel devices, including the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 Pro XL, on both stable and beta versions of Android 15.

How It Impacts Users

The stuck notifications can lock up areas of the screen, block the caller ID, or persist on the lock screen, making them not only annoying but also disruptive.

What’s Causing the Bug?

The glitch appears to stem from the Google app, which powers features like Gemini and Google Assistant. Since the issue is tied to this app, it’s not dependent on specific Pixel models or Android versions.

Workarounds and Fixes

Until Google releases a permanent fix, users can try the following solutions:

Restart the Device: A simple reboot can temporarily clear the notifications.
Force-Stop the Google App:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Google.
- Select Force Stop to reset the app.
Disable Quick Phrases:
- Open Google Assistant settings.
- Navigate to Quick Phrases and turn them off for specific tasks.

While force-stopping offers a temporary solution, disabling Quick Phrases altogether prevents the issue from recurring.

Conclusion

With YouTube TV’s improved miniplayer, Android users get a better viewing experience. However, Pixel owners facing the Quick Phrases bug are left waiting for Google to roll out a fix. In the meantime, temporary solutions can help manage the glitch, but it’s clear that a robust update from Google is needed to resolve this annoyance completely.

Related Topics:Google News Pixel YouTube TV

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Google

Google brings new AI tools for learning languages and adds more features to Wallet and NotebookLM

Published

8 hours ago

April 29, 2025

Tom Carter

Google is rolling out several new AI-powered features to help users learn languages, manage documents, and store IDs more easily.

First, Google is introducing new language learning tools through its Search app. These tools use AI to give users personalized lessons to practice speaking and listening in Spanish. English speakers in the U.S. can try these lessons, which include feedback and daily reminders. Google plans to expand support for more languages and regions soon.

Next, NotebookLM — Google’s AI note-taking tool — is getting smarter. It now offers “audio overviews,” where users can listen to summaries of their notes. This feature works in English, but Google says more languages like Spanish, Hindi, and Japanese will be added later this year. NotebookLM can also now answer questions based on user documents in more languages.

Lastly, Google Wallet is becoming more useful in the UK. People can now add digital versions of their UK passports for identity verification. This feature, in partnership with the UK government, helps users quickly confirm their identity online for government services.

With these updates, Google continues to blend AI into everyday tools, making learning, organizing, and identification easier and more accessible for users worldwide.

Android

Google apps and Android Auto get fresh looks and smart updates

Published

10 hours ago

April 29, 2025

Tom Carter

Google is bringing a cleaner and more modern design to many of its apps with the latest Material You changes. Apps like Google Calendar, Contacts, and others now have rounded corners, better spacing, and improved colors. These small updates make the apps look more polished and easier to use, especially on tablets and foldable phones. Google is quietly adding these updates through server-side changes, so users don’t need to download anything extra.

At the same time, Android Auto is also getting a helpful new feature. Google is testing built-in climate controls that let you adjust your car’s temperature and fan settings directly from the Android Auto screen. A demo shown by Google includes a new “Climate” button on the screen, which opens controls like temperature, fan speed, and even seat heaters.

This update is meant to reduce distractions while driving, as drivers won’t need to switch between different screens or reach for physical buttons. Google says the feature will work on cars that already support digital climate control systems.

Together, these changes show how Google is making its software not just prettier, but smarter and more user-friendly. Whether you’re checking your calendar or driving to work, these improvements are designed to make daily tasks easier and safer.

Google

Gemini app gets new look and better controls for switching ai models

Published

12 hours ago

April 29, 2025

Tom Carter

Google is giving its Gemini app a fresh new design on Android to make things easier for users. The biggest change is how you switch between different Gemini AI models like Gemini 1.5 Pro and Gemini 1.0 Pro.

In the old version of the app, you had to dig into the settings menu to switch models, which wasn’t very convenient. But now, Google has made it simpler by adding a new button right below the chat box. This lets you quickly choose the AI model you want to use. You’ll also see a short note explaining what each model is good at, helping you decide which one to use.

The new layout also moves the microphone and image upload buttons. They now sit to the left of the text input bar, which makes the bottom of the screen look cleaner and more organized.

These updates seem to be rolling out slowly, so not everyone will see them right away. However, it looks like Google is testing these changes before launching them more widely.

With this update, Google is trying to make the Gemini app more user-friendly and give people more control over how they interact with its AI tools. It’s a small but helpful step in improving the overall experience.