Pixel smartphones hit by bug in ‘Now Playing’ feature
**Pixel Smartphones Encounter Bug in ‘Now Playing’ Feature Following Android System Intelligence Update**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 20, 2025, 06:48 PM*
Google’s Pixel smartphones have recently experienced a minor bug affecting the popular Now Playing feature. This issue surfaced after the latest update to Android System Intelligence, leading to the unexpected removal of the “Favorites” tab from the Now Playing history interface.
### What’s Happened?
Previously, users could easily toggle between a reverse-chronological “History” feed and a separate “Favorites” tab, allowing quick access to their favorite tracks. Following the update, the “Favorites” tab has disappeared, leaving only the “History” feed available to users.
### Functionality Remains Intact
Despite the missing “Favorites” tab, users can still mark songs as favorites directly from their lock screen or notification panel. This indicates that the core functionality of the Now Playing feature remains unaffected by the bug, though the user interface has been altered.
The issue is specific to version B.13 of Android System Intelligence, which is currently being rolled out across a wide range of devices.
### Additional Updates and Feature Evolution
The latest Android System Intelligence version also introduced a Now Playing lockscreen shortcut, designed to facilitate easier song identification. However, this shortcut is not yet accessible in the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2 release.
It’s worth noting that the Now Playing app has faced criticism in the past for not transferring history when users switch to a new Pixel device—a feature many users have been requesting.
The last significant update, titled “Enhance Now Playing,” was released at the end of 2024 and added album artwork to the feature, enhancing its visual appeal.
### What’s Next?
Google has yet to comment on a fix timeline for the missing “Favorites” tab. Pixel users experiencing this bug can expect a future update to restore full functionality to the Now Playing experience.
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Stay tuned for further updates on this story as they become available.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/google-s-pixel-smartphones-are-facing-a-bug/story
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