Google’s Material You design system has been at the core of Android’s visual customization, generating dynamic color palettes that adapt to the wallpaper. However, users of Android 15 have noticed an odd issue: the color palettes generated by Material You sometimes include duplicates, which reduces the variety of options available for personalizing their devices. Despite user feedback, Google has confirmed that this behavior is “working as intended.”

The Evolution of Material You in Android

Material You was introduced to provide a more personalized and dynamic user experience by generating color palettes from the wallpaper. These colors are applied throughout the Android interface, giving users a cohesive and visually appealing experience. Typically, the system generates a dozen or more distinct color options for users to choose from, allowing for broad customization.

However, users began reporting duplicated color palettes in the Android 15 beta releases, which continued even in the final version. Instead of a full set of unique colors, users were seeing multiple identical options. While this behavior was not widely noticed in earlier versions, some users claim that Android 14 did not exhibit the same issue.

Investigating the Duplicate Color Issue

Some reports, such as those from Android Authority, suggest that this issue is unique to Android 15. Yet, on closer examination, users have also observed duplicated color palettes on devices running Android 14, particularly in later builds. This shows that the issue likely started before Android 15 and may not be limited to the latest version.

What’s unusual is that this behavior does not align with previous Android releases like Android 13, where the system generated distinct color options. It seems that the duplication problem is a relatively recent development, raising questions about what might have changed in Android 14 and Android 15 to cause this.

Google’s Response: “Won’t Fix (Intended Behavior)”

When users raised this issue on Google’s Issue Tracker, the company responded by marking the issue as “won’t fix (intended behavior)” in September 2023. Google acknowledged the feedback but stated that the duplication of color palettes is, in fact, how the system is designed to function.

While this explanation has left many users puzzled, it seems that Google believes the system is operating correctly despite the reduction in palette variety.

Possible Reasons for the Duplication

Although Google hasn’t provided a detailed explanation for this decision, one theory is that the system is programmed to display a certain number of color options—typically around 12. If the system doesn’t generate enough unique palettes based on the wallpaper, it may duplicate existing ones to fill the list. While this isn’t an ideal user experience, it would explain why users are seeing duplicated colors instead of more distinct options.

The decision to leave this behavior unchanged has disappointed some users who expect more from Android’s customization options. The lack of variety in the generated palettes could limit the personalization that Material You was designed to enhance.

Will Google Address This in Future Updates?

While Google has marked this issue as resolved for now, there’s still hope that it might be reconsidered in future Android updates. Android 15 is still in its early stages, and updates could potentially address the duplicate palette issue if enough feedback from users and developers is received.

For now, however, users experiencing duplicated color palettes will need to work within the current system or explore third-party customization options.

Conclusion

The duplication of Material You color palettes in Android 15 may seem like an odd quirk, but according to Google, it is intentional. While this reduces the variety of color options for users, it appears to be a deliberate choice, at least for now. As Android evolves, there is always the possibility that Google will revisit this design decision, but for the time being, users may need to adjust their expectations for how much customization they can achieve through Material You.

By addressing the concerns of both users and the tech community, this article provides a clearer understanding of why Google has taken this approach, while also leaving room for potential improvements in future Android releases.

Source

Google has introduced new enhancements for both Google Photos and Chrome for Android, providing users with easier ways to back up their media and listen to web pages. Here’s a breakdown of the latest features:

Google Photos Web Backup for Folders:

Google Photos on the web now allows users to automatically back up folders from their computer, making it easier to store photos and videos in the cloud without needing additional software.

When you visit photos.google.com, Google Photos can scan and upload media from folders you have selected on your computer. This is similar to the Google Drive desktop app on both Mac and Windows but with a more streamlined, browser-based approach.

To use this feature, go to photos.google.com and click on the Upload button in the app bar, then select Back up folders. This will allow you to choose folders on your computer that you want to sync with Google Photos. After selecting the folders, you will need to permit Google Photos to start the backup process.

You can easily manage the folders you back up by revisiting this option. The “Folder backup” menu lets you see which folders are currently being backed up, remove folders you no longer want to sync, and add new ones if needed.

This feature is available on desktop Chrome, including Chromebooks, and offers a more lightweight alternative to the Google Drive desktop app. While the Google Drive app works in the background, with Google Photos on the web, you’ll need to visit the site periodically to ensure new media gets backed up.

Chrome’s ‘Listen to this Page’ Adds Background Playback:

In addition to improvements in Google Photos, Chrome for Android has updated its “Listen to this page” feature, which now supports background playback. This tool, designed to read web pages aloud, allows users to continue listening even when they switch to other apps or close the browser.

The “Listen to this page” feature, initially introduced as part of Chrome’s text-to-speech capabilities, previously paused audio when you exited the browser. However, with the release of Chrome 130, you can now continue listening to articles even after leaving the app. This brings it more in line with Google’s Reading Mode app, which offers a similar audio experience.

When using this feature, a media player appears in the notification panel, displaying the article title and website, along with playback controls such as rewind, skip, and a timeline scrubber. Users can adjust the playback speed from 0.5x to 4x and choose from 10 different voices for narration. There is also a Highlight text & auto-scroll feature that highlights the text as it’s being read aloud, making it easier to follow along.

For quick access, users can add a play button between the address bar and tab switcher. This shortcut eliminates the need to open Chrome’s three-dot overflow menu, streamlining the listening experience. To enable this, go to Chrome Settings > Toolbar shortcut and select the option to add the play button to your toolbar.

The background playback feature and other improvements are rolling out widely with Chrome 130 for Android this week.

With these updates, Google is making it easier for users to back up their media and enjoy hands-free web browsing. Whether you’re looking to automatically sync your folders to Google Photos or listen to web content while multitasking, these tools seamlessly offer convenience and flexibility.

Google is rolling out several updates with the upcoming release of Chrome 131 for Android. This update brings significant improvements, particularly for users who rely on third-party password managers, along with a more streamlined Google Maps interface.

Chrome 131: Better Autofill with Third-Party Password Managers

Chrome 131, scheduled for a stable release on November 12, introduces native support for third-party autofill services on Android. Previously, users experienced issues with autofill, such as glitchy page scrolling and duplicate suggestions when using password managers other than Google’s built-in service. This was because Chrome operated in a “compatibility mode” for autofill, which sometimes caused a disjointed user experience.

With Chrome 131, third-party services can now seamlessly autofill passwords, passkeys, addresses, payment details, and other stored information. This makes the autofill process smoother and faster, offering a better experience for users who prefer alternatives like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden.

To activate this feature, Android 14+ users can navigate to their device’s settings through Settings > Passwords, passkeys & accounts. From there, they can choose a third-party service for autofill. In Chrome, under Settings > Autofill Services, selecting “Autofill using another service” enables this feature. Users need to restart the browser for the changes to take effect.

If you’re using Chrome 131 in beta, you can further enhance your autofill experience by enabling the following flag:

chrome://flags#enable-autofill-virtual-view-structure

Google has announced that Chrome will discontinue the older compatibility mode for autofill by early 2025. Therefore, users should switch to third-party autofill in Chrome settings to avoid any disruption in their experience once this mode is deprecated. Encouraging users to toggle the autofill option ensures that they enjoy seamless functionality with third-party services.

Google Maps: Relocating the Weather Widget for a Cleaner View

Along with Chrome updates, Google Maps on Android is also seeing a minor but important interface change. Earlier this year, the app introduced a weather display on the top-left corner, providing real-time information on temperature, weather conditions, and air quality index (AQI). However, Google is now relocating this weather widget to declutter the main map view.

The weather information will no longer overlay the map but will instead be housed in the “Latest in the area” section, located at the bottom of the screen. This section displays relevant updates for the user’s current city, neighborhood, or nearby attractions. When expanded, the weather will appear in the top-right corner, and in the bottom-right corner when the information panel is minimized. To access this panel, users simply need to interact with the map or swipe up from the bottom.

This repositioning helps make the map more visually clean and less crowded with elements. The bottom panel’s collapsible feature also allows users to explore the map with fewer distractions. Although this change might slightly reduce the ease of checking weather conditions while navigating, the overall map view gains clarity.

The revamped interface is currently being tested in the beta version of Google Maps (version 11.151.x), with an expected stable release in the coming updates. However, users who prefer quick access to weather information may find this change less convenient, as the display area is slightly reduced when the bottom panel is expanded.

Final Thoughts

With Chrome 131 and the updated Google Maps, Android users can expect improved functionality and a cleaner, more efficient experience. The autofill improvements in Chrome ensure that third-party password managers integrate more naturally, while the changes in Google Maps make navigation more visually appealing by decluttering the interface. These updates highlight Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance usability and streamline the overall experience for Android users.

Both features are currently in beta but are expected to reach all users soon, making Android even more user-friendly with optimized browsing and navigation.