According to reports, Google's upcoming Pixel Tablet will support USI styluses, and Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 just released some information about stylus charging notifications.
This news is a significant innovation for Google, giving users a more streamlined and convenient experience with their stylus on the Pixel Tablet.
A Fast Pair Stylus
Google Play services (for Wear OS, version 23.02.13) have now been updated with a trio of "fast_pair_stylus" strings for low-battery notifications comparable to what you would get with Bluetooth headphones, 9to5Google reports.
It has also been revealed that the feature will provide three low battery alerts for styluses: "Battery getting low," "Low battery," and "Very low battery." These notifications will also prompt users to 'Consider charging soon,' 'Charge soon,' and 'Charge now.'
Battery getting low \u2022 Consider charging soon
Low battery \u2022 Charge soon
Very low battery \u2022 Charge now
The Fast Pair Service (GFPS) uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to discover nearby Bluetooth devices without draining the phone's battery, allowing for "magical" scenarios based on device proximity. This addition makes pairing a stylus with the Pixel Tablet as straightforward as possible.
XDA tells us that it makes perfect sense for Google to apply the tried-and-tested Fast Pair battery alerts to the stylus category.
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The Settings Services app, which powers the Pixel's Battery widget, is set to be updated with a generic "bt stylus" icon. This means that users can see the current percentage of their Pixel Tablet stylus battery life in the Battery widget, making it even more convenient to use.
How About Charging?
It is still unknown how the hypothetical stylus would charge, but it seems likely that Google will use a solution that allows wireless charging.
Reports say it would be unusually rudimentary for Google to put a USB-C port on the pen. Unlike the iPad Pro, the Pixel Tablet has no prominent charging surface on the side edges. Some are convinced Apple will not implement first-gen Apple Pencil magnetic wireless charging tech with the styluses.
At this point, it is possible to speculate that the screen's thicker bezel likely conceals a charger of some kind. This, however, still needs to be confirmed.
In Other News
A new Google Chromecast popped up in the preview for the Google Home app, which led many to believe that a more powerful "Pro" variant is currently being developed.
Not too long ago, the search giant released a cheaper Chromecast with Google TV (HD). However, a recent leak suggests that Google is ready to release another soon.
The most recent discovery is likely a higher-end offering with a few hardware improvements and software tweaks.
The new streaming device was discovered buried deep within the code of the most recent update to the Google Home app preview. "YTC" is the codename given to the potential new device.
Stay posted here at Tech Times.
Related Article: New Google Chromecast Appears on the Google Home App - Could it be a Higher-End 'Pro' Option?
