Since its release in October, Android 12 did not allow Pixel smartphones to adjust the Chromecast volume while using it. This was not caused by a bug, but was intentionally disabled by Google due to a legal dispute with Sonos. The problem, which would have been resolved definitively with the launch of Android 12L, with a fix already applied in the first beta released in December, it was still present on the stable version currently in circulation.
Partially resolved with the January 2022 update
However, as noted by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, the January 2022 update for Pixels seems to have included the fix as well. Most apps now allow you to correctly control the volume of the Chromecast with the side volume rocker, regardless of whether they are in the foreground or in the background.
However, this does not apply to all apps, with YouTube And YouTube Music which still do not show the new controls. Second a comment from a Googler this particular issue is actually related to YouTube itself rather than any changes made to Android, and should be fixed as soon as the YouTube Music team finds what is causing the problem.
The fix is included for the January 2022 update not yet available for some Pixels, such as the i Pixel 6 And Pixel 6 Pro. After some important problems with the December patch, these phones will receive this month’s update towards the end of January, along with other corrections. The Pixel 3s will get the aforementioned fix too, with a final security update coming in the coming weeks.
However, it remains interesting to see how Google has managed to implement this correction long before the initial date set (considering that the launch of Android 12L is expected around March / April).