View all notes The Pixel 6 is the most exciting phone in years. From the all-new Tensor SoC to the radically redesigned chassis, it looks like Google is finally ready to re-enter the race with a true flagship. Of course, it will take a lot longer for products like Apple and Samsung to pull off a new camera module, but the new AOSP comments confirm that the Pixel 6 will indeed have the much-requested feature.
Last May, we learned that Google could potentially add ultra-wideband support. On devices currently announced in 2021. UWB is important for high-precision short-range applications, including devices such as trackers. The latest phones from both Samsung and Apple support ultra-wideband, which can be seen in applications like Galaxy SmartTag.
As Nine to Five Google found, my log checks everything except AOSP Gerrit UWB. For Pixel 6. This comment requests that the Pixel-specific UWB HAL or Hardware Abstraction Layer be renamed “to avoid conflicts with the AOSP HAL policy rules that will be added in Android T”. That’s great news for anyone interested in the Pixel 6, but it’s a major step forward for any Android phone, even if you don’t plan to buy Google’s next device.
Android S refers to Android 12 if it hasn’t followed Google’s internal codename since the removal of the dessert theme. A generic version of ultra-wideband support, based primarily on the Pixel implementation, is in the works for Android 13. It’s codenamed “Android T” here. This will make it easier for all manufacturers to incorporate UWB into their future devices.
This will likely delay native support for this technology until early next year, but regardless, it’s good to see some degree of compatibility in the works. Google needs cell phones to replace jewelry like car keys. For now, we will use this wireless technology. It’s also possible to unlock cars using existing standards like NFC, but Android’s native UWB support seems to be a matter of time.