The Best Thing About the Android P Beta
I installed the Android P Beta on my Pixel 2 XL as soon as it was released last week during Google’s I/O conference. There are some things I like (fit and finish) and some things I don’t (Bluetooth connections) but the top change for me is a simple one – the volume buttons now default to changing the media volume.
It might sound silly, but it drove me bonkers that on previous versions of Android the volume keys would change the ringer volume unless some media was already playing. I don’t know how everyone else uses their phone but I almost never change the ringer volume. I use the scheduled do not disturb feature to quiet things at night or manually toggle it on when I’m somewhere like dinner or church and don’t want the ringer going off.
Changing the media volume previously meant pressing the volume button, then expanding the on-screen volume pop-up, and finally dragging the volume slider where I wanted it. These additional steps were an annoyance at best. But a simple tweak has fixed things and I, for one, am very grateful for it.
