If you own a Google Pixel phone, you may have experienced issues with the “Now Playing” feature, which might malfunction or not work. Fortunately, a fix is on the way and is expected to be released within a few days.
A recent comment on Google’s Issue Tracker (shared via Reddit) indicates that the bug affecting Pixel’s “Now Playing” has been resolved, and the fix will be included in an upcoming software release. This is likely the forthcoming March Pixel Drop.
The bug affects anyone with a Pixel 6 or later, including the Pixel 9 series. Depending on the phone model, the feature fails to recognize songs or simply doesn’t work at all.
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The “Now Playing” feature on Google Pixel phones is designed to provide users with a seamless and private way to identify music playing in their surroundings. This feature primarily operates through on-device processing, using a downloaded database to recognize songs without continuously sending audio to external servers. This approach emphasizes user privacy.
When enabled, Now Playing automatically displays the title and artist of any detected song on the Pixel’s lock screen, allowing for instant music identification without requiring user interaction. It also keeps a history of recognized songs, enabling users to review past identifications and mark their favorites.
Android Authority says the March Pixel Drop will contain more than a “Now Playing” feature fix. It should also resolve a buggy back gesture on Pixel phones and make customary performance and stability improvements.
Further, it could “finally bring the highly anticipated battery charging limit feature, customizable Do Not Disturb schedules called Modes, home screen icon shape customization, and more.”
We’re unsure why it took Google so long to fix the issue with “Now Playing.” Regardless, it’s nice to see it’s finally about to be resolved.