Swimming with Head Above Water Causes Drowning

Since the 1.20 release on Android, there seems to be no way to doggy paddle (swim with the player's head above water) without drowning. I used to be able to travel long distances this way with no breathing problems. But now, when swimming at the surface, the bubble "meter" appears and the bubbles count down just like if you were swimming underwater. The player has to stop swimming every few seconds to float and catch their breath. I get the feeling this wasn't an intentional change.