Staying safe online is challenging in the modern digital landscape, but Google makes some of thebest Android phoneswith built-in privacy features.Google One VPNcomes installed by default on Pixel phones to protect your IP address from prying eyes on the internet, but it can be a little annoying to use, with a persistent notification in the status bar. With thePixel 8 seriesdebut earlier this month, Google is changing the way its VPN service is implemented, saving you valuable space in the status bar.
The Pixel 8 and8 Proannounced recently pack several obvious improvements in terms of hardware and software, such as a new Tensor SoC,enhanced cameraand image correction capabilities, and a better design that doesn’t break as easily. However, some of the nuanced changes exclusive to these new devices are coming to the fore as the early adopters spend some more time with them. Among these, Google One VPN users are likely to notice the persistent notification of the service has now disappeared, and is survived only by a simple key icon in the status bar (via9to5Google).
On Pixel phones including the Pixel Fold, Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and earlier models, Google offered VPN services through theGoogle One app. Activating it works just like purchasing additional cloud storage on Google Drive. However, this VPN service shows an annoying persistent notification as long as it is active. Asupport threadabout the annoyance explains users need to disable notifications from the app to hide the persistent notification, which shows up on the lock screen as well.
Google says VPN is built into the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Effectively, the app is listed on the Play Store asPixel VPN by Google One, and it shows up asVPN by Google Onein the app drawer. The app comes preinstalled on the latest crop of Pixel phones, and when the VPN service is active, the persistent item in your notification shade is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you just see a key icon in the status bar, just like VPN with Google Fi. This way, your lock screen and notification shade are free to display important notifications from other apps, instead of ones running in the background.
Familiar controls are still here, though with an on/off toggle provided as a Quick Settings tile. A switch to temporarily pause the service is also available in the Settings app underNetwork & internet→VPN. Advanced settings for the VPN also allow pausing the service on Wi-Fi networks of your choice, detected with the help of additional access to the location permission. This setting can come in handy if you have network-level security features enabled on your home or office Wi-Fi. You also have the option of disabling the VPN on apps you select, or carrier apps which use your carrier-assigned IP address for identification and providing services.
Although this implementation is a step in the right direction for Google, disabling a persistent notification is far from ideal, and the company should work towards making this VPN system the new default on older Pixel phones as well. It could even encourage more people to stick with Google’s VPN service, still available on other devices through the Google One app.
