The latest Android 16 QPR1 beta finally organizes Android's messy sound settings
TL;DR Google is cleaning up Android's 'Sound & vibration' settings page in the upcoming Android 16 QPR1 update.
Instead of one long list, the new layout groups settings into distinct categories like 'sound patterns' and 'Audio.'
The volume sliders also get a modern design, while other options are relocated to make the page feel less cluttered.
After more than 16 years of development, the Android OS is packed with features. If they weren't organized, navigating them would be a mess. For a long time, that's exactly what Android's sound settings page felt like, but Google is finally cleaning it up in the next quarterly release of Android 16.
After installing Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on our Pixel device, we noticed that the Settings > Sound & vibration menu has received a major cleanup. Instead of presenting every setting in a single vertical list, the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta separates them by category. For instance, the 'phone ringtone,' 'default notification sound,' and 'default alarm sound' options are now grouped under a new 'sound patterns' section. Meanwhile, the 'Spatial Audio' and 'Media' items are under a new 'Audio' section. The five volume sliders remain at the top of the page, but they've been updated with the more modern Material 3 Expressive design seen in the volume panel. Furthermore, the 'audio will play on' entry no longer sits awkwardly between the media and call volume sliders but has been moved to the very top.
Here's a gallery showing the Sound & Vibration settings page in Android 16 versus Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2:
Sound & vibration settings in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1
Sound & vibration settings in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2
And if that's not enough to showcase the difference, here's a list that shows just how unorganized this page was before and after the update to Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2:
Sound & Vibration settings in Android 16 Media volume
Audio will play on
Call volume
Ring volume
Notification volume
Alarm volume
Phone ringtone
Live Caption
Spatial audio
Now Playing
Media
Vibration & haptics
Default notification sound
Default alarm sound
Clear Calling
Dial pad tones
Screen locking sound
Charging sounds and vibration
Tap & click sounds
Always show icon when in vibrate mode
Sound & Vibration Settings in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 Volume Audio will play on Media volume Call volume Ring volume Notification volume Alarm volume
Vibration & haptics
Sound patterns Phone ringtone Default notification sound Default alarm sound
Audio Spatial Audio Media
System sounds & vibrations Dial pad tones Screen locking sound Charging sounds and vibration Tap & click sounds Always show icon when in vibrate mode Live Caption Adaptive Sound Now Playing Clear Calling
I'm glad to see Google finally start to tidy up Android's sound settings in Android 16 QPR1. This is something I complained about back in 2023, as I noticed Google was reorganizing many other pages in the Settings app while leaving the Sound & vibration page untouched. The Material 3 Expressive redesign, which places menu items in separate cards, goes a long way in making the Settings app feel less cluttered. However, the Sound & vibration page previously undermined this by keeping all its options in one long, vertical list. While the new page still has too many settings under the 'system sounds & vibrations' section at the bottom, it's much better than before.
Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at
Email our staff at news@androidauthority.com . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Major Rental Car Company's New Policy Drives Controversy
Major Rental Car Company's New Policy Drives Controversy originally appeared on Parade. If you plan on hitting the road in a rental car or truck this summer, consumers are warning about a new policy that took effect at one of the biggest vehicle rental companies recently. Back in April, popular car and truck rental service Hertz announced it would employ artificial intelligence (AI) to check over its returned vehicles instead of tasking a human with the inspection. At the time, Hertz explained it partnered with Israeli AI vehicle inspection system company, UVeye, to "transform" how it maintains its vehicles and "bring efficiency and greater accuracy" to the process so it can "focus on our vehicles being ready when and where our customers want them." While Hertz intended the process to be smoother, some consumers complain that the new system is reason to "never rent from them again." Especially after hearing the story of one customer who returned his Thrifty rental vehicle (part of the Hertz Corporation) to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and was later charged over $400 for a 1-inch scuff discovered on a tire by the AI scanner, according to a report by The Drive. The outlet reported a $250 charge for the repair, $125 for processing, and another $65 administrative fee, totaling $440. The renter said he was made aware of the fees only minutes after dropping off the car, but could not speak to a human about it. Related: Social media has now become a hot spot for concerns sparked by the "frustrating" situation. "AI can't keep a reservation right for the amount of cars on the lot," one X user said, suggesting the entire system is flawed. "What a scam," a second declared. "How many times is Hertz charging customers for the same small scuffs," another asked, worried that a scuff picked up and paid for by one renter could then be "found" by the AI again when the next renter returns it. But those who have used it say that it doesn't work that way–some are even applauding the new policy. "Customers are directed to a web portal where they can view before-and-after photos captured by the scanners," a second X (formerly Twitter) user shared. "I've used this in Columbus OH and it was great." "I actually love this technology. It captures the before & after image of the car detail, and charges the renter who caused the damage rather than having to raise rates on the rest of us," they added. Related: In a statement first shared with USA Today, a Hertz spokesperson said: "Over 97% of cars scanned with this technology show no billable damage, proving that the vast majority of rentals are incident-free. Vehicle damage has long been a common pain point across the car rental industry for customers and companies alike. At Hertz, we're using this technology to tackle this head-on." "As we continue rolling out this technology, we remain committed to ongoing innovation and continuous improvement," they added, noting that any issues flagged by a customer in the chat are reviewed by a live agent. "With regards to this specific incident, a live agent reviewed this customer's escalation and manually reviewed the photos at pickup and return and confirmed the damage was new," the spokesperson said. "While we understand that some customers may hope for a different outcome, we want to ensure every case is handled fairly and objectively, using the best information available." Hertz said it's working on integrating its live agents into its app to make communicating with a customer service representative easier. The rental company, which also owns Dollar Car Rental, Thrifty Car Rental, and Firefly Car Rental, said it began the rollout of its AI scanners at the Atlanta airport this spring, but plans to expand to most major U.S. airports by the end of the year. Next: Major Rental Car Company's New Policy Drives Controversy first appeared on Parade on Jul 2, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
CNET
11 minutes ago
- CNET
Starlink Plans to Send 42K Satellites Into Space. That Could Be Bad News for the Ozone
Satellites like the ones used for Starlink's internet service could be depleting the Earth's ozone layer when they're deorbited, according to a study funded by NASA and published in Geophysical Research Letters in June. 2024. When Starlink's satellites reach the end of their lives, they burn up in the Earth's atmosphere and leave behind small particles of aluminum oxide. These travel down into the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation. Researchers from the University of Southern California found that these oxides have increased eightfold from 2016 to 2022. Not all of these are caused by Starlink -- the internet provider didn't launch its first satellites until May 2019 -- but it currently has the largest fleet by far. Of the roughly 10,000 active objects in low Earth orbit, more than 7,750 belong to Starlink, according to data collected by Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist who tracks satellite launches. The company currently has permission to launch 12,000 more satellites and has as many as 42,000 planned in the future, according to These satellites are designed to last about five years. A 550-pound satellite will release about 66 pounds of aluminum oxide nanoparticles during reentry. Starlink's satellites have grown heavier over time, with the latest version weighing in at about 2,760 pounds. The aluminum will mostly be released between 30 and 50 miles above the Earth's surface but will then drift down to the ozone layer, which would take about 30 years. We're already seeing these effects -- satellites burning up in 2022 caused a 29.5% increase of aluminum in the atmosphere above the natural level -- but the researchers said it will only get worse. Locating local internet providers "This is primarily a concern for the large number of satellites to be launched in the future," Joseph Wang, one of the study's authors, told CNET. "We projected a yearly excess of more than 640% over the natural level. Based on that projection, we are very worried." Unlike other substances that deplete the ozone, aluminum oxide particles aren't consumed in the process, the researchers said. They continue to harm the ozone layer until they naturally descend to lower altitudes, which could take about 30 years. If Starlink scales up as it hopes, more than 8,000 satellites could burn up in the atmosphere every year. The researchers applied a forecasting model to account for the growing number of satellites in the sky and found that the amount of aluminum could grow to 360 metric tons -- or 640% above natural levels. Starlink has led exponential growth of satellites in the sky What's maybe most alarming about this new research is how much is still uncharted territory. "The environmental impacts from the reentry of satellites are currently poorly understood," the study states. In the four years that Starlink has been launching satellites, it accounts for 40% of all satellites ever launched, and it plans on increasing its fleet seven times over. Starlink's main competitor, Amazon's Project Kuiper, plans to launch 3,232 satellites in the coming years. An article published in Nature determined that 100,000 satellites in the sky "is not just feasible but quite likely." This is almost entirely because of private companies such as SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb that are launching satellites to provide high-speed internet. According to the EPA, excessive UV radiation can lead to skin cancer, cataracts and weakened immune systems, as well as reduced crop yield and disruptions in the marine food chain. "As reentry rates increase, it is crucial to further explore the concerns highlighted in this study," researchers say. Starlink didn't respond to CNET's request for comment.
Android Authority
16 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Deal: Narwal Fro Pro robot cleaner plummets to $400, a new record-low price
Jonathan Feist / Android Authority Here at Android Authority, we are big fans of Narwal cleaning robots. In fact, our top pick in our list of the best robot vacuums is a Narwal high-end model. Not everyone wants to spend well over a grand on a cleaning robot, though. The Narwal Freo Pro is a fantastic option if you want something more affordable. It competes against much more expensive alternatives, and is currently at a record-low price of just $399.99. Buy the Narwal Freo Pro for just $399.99 ($300 off) This offer is available from Amazon. Just keep in mind the discount isn't applied automatically. You must manually apply an on-page coupon to get the lower price. Narwal Freo Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo Narwal Freo Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo LiDAR and more in a mid-range bot There are not many compromises in the Narwal Freo Pro to help bring the price down. Only a few controls in the base station, manual detergent addition, but still some of the best floor cleaning capabilities we've seen from a robot vacuum. See price at Amazon Save $300.00 With Coupon! I already own the Narwal Freo X Ultra, but if I were to buy a new robot vacuum and mop using my hard-earned money, the Narwal Freo Pro is the one I would get. I mean, it's a great robot even at its full $699.99, as it competes with much more expensive models. Paying just $399.99 for such a capable robot is an amazing deal, and it happens to be a new record-low price for this unit. The Narwal Freo Pro is no lackluster. As mentioned above, it competes with much more expensive robots. In fact, it is very similar to the Narwal Freo X Ultra, which is a previous-generation flagship model. This means it's a very capable robot cleaner. The vacuum has a suction power of 8,500Pa, which is actually a bit stronger than the Freo X Ultra's 8,200Pa. The latter can pick up metal marbles, so regular dust and debris will have nothing on either of them. The actual difference between the two isn't actually noticeable, though. Jonathan Feist / Android Authority Narwal's mopping function is also among the best in the industry. These dual pads essentially scrub the floor using a rotating motion. The system can also recognize how dirty the mopping pads are when they return to the dock, and it will continue sending the robot to clean until they are squeaky clean. The lidar system works great, and it had no issues navigating through a house or avoiding objects during our tests. I happen to love the zero-tangle brush on the Narwal Freo X Ultra. It's a dream for anyone with long hair or people with pets. The Narwal Freo Pro has it, too, but it does a little better with hair thanks to the anti-tangling front brushes. How can Narwal make such a good robot and offer it at a lower price? Well, there are some small sacrifices. The Narwal Freo Pro base has no physical buttons, so you'll need to control it through the app, exclusively. That said, I rarely ever touch those buttons! I wouldn't see this as a problem. Jonathan Feist / Android Authority Additionally, it does not automatically dispense detergent. Instead, you'll need to drop a dissolving tablet into the freshwater tank every time you refill it. I refill mine about once a week, and while it may be a minor annoyance to remember dropping the tablet in there, I wouldn't exactly call it a deal-breaker. As you can see, the downsides are not a big deal, and it even has some improvements. The robot's dust bag can still hold about seven weeks of debris, which we thought it was a conservative estimation. We've been able to make it last more than double. This is one heck of a deal, so make sure to sign up for yours while you can. Record-low prices don't tend to last long. Extra deal: The Narwal Freo X Ultra is $429.99! Narwal Freo X Ultra Narwal Freo X Ultra Our floors have never looked cleaner Powerful suction, anti-clog dirt channels and brushes, LiDAR and laser sensors, and a convenient self-cleaning base station make the Narwal Freo X Ultra one of the best robot vacuums we've seen for home users. Safe and efficient operation for wood, tile, carpet, and nearly every floor surface in between. See price at Narwal Save $470.00 Now, if you prefer automatic detergent dispensing and would like to have base physical buttons, the Narwal Freo X Ultra is still available, and it is currently discounted to $429.99. While older, it is still an amazing robot.
