After a few weeks of silence, Paranoid Android is back with a long delayed beta number 2 of their upcoming PA 4.6 release. As with previous beta release for the PA 4.5 series, this one gives due emphasis to one thing: getting the new and colorful Dynamic System Bars in tip-top shape.
Paranoid Android introduced the new feature, abbreviated to DSB, early this month. This is part of Paranoid Android’s attempt to bring a pinch of Material Design to its users even before Android L takes flight. The DSBs change the colors of the status bar and the navigation panel to match that of the app’s color scheme, blending seamlessly into the app and presenting a stronger “paper-like” aesthetic.
Pretty as that may seem, the first iteration of the feature was unsurprisingly rough around the edges and consumed too much battery and resources. Beta 2 addresses some of those concerns, particularly the jittery animation and lag that users might experience when enabling DSB. That said, the developers note that there is still some battery drain, but not as bad as Beta 1’s consumption. Hopefully they will be able to iron that out completely as well in future releases.
Unfortunately, those future releases might start to come a bit slower. Seasons are changing and developers are starting to get bogged down by life. In particular, the summer development craziness we have enjoyed previously is practically over. Of course, PA development will go on but fans and curious observers might have to practice a bit of patience when waiting for what will happen next and when.
SOURCE: +Paranoid Android
