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Google wants to make Android 16 even better at streaming music and video 4:30 AM (2 minutes ago)

Whenever your Android device plays any kind of media, such as songs or YouTube videos, the operating system spawns a number of complex, independent processes to ensure the media is played back securely. This is done to mitigate vulnerabilities that take advantage of malformed media files or insecure media codecs, such as the infamous Stagefright vulnerability from several years ago. While Android’s media file handling is now much more secure, it is also inefficient, which is an issue that a new feature in Android 16 aims to solve.

A codec is a software algorithm that defines how digital audio or video data is compressed or decompressed. Prior to Android 7.0, the entire media framework was encapsulated in a single, monolithic process that held a lot of sensitive permissions. Because codecs were included, a vulnerability in their media file processing could allow an attacker to escalate privileges.

Nothing’s CMF Phone 2 teaser hints at notable camera improvements 4:16 AM (16 minutes ago)

Although it’s only been a few weeks since Nothing unveiled the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, the company is already preparing to launch a new phone. It has started teasing this device through its budget-focused sub-brand CMF, leading us to suspect it could be the CMF Phone 2.

Nothing debuted its CMF sub-brand with the CMF Phone 1 last year, which featured a unique customizable design with a removable back cover and an accessory point. While we know very little about its successor at this point, the short teaser shared on Nothing’s community forums showcases a camera and a secondary cutout within a pill-shaped island.

How an app about a cartoon bird is helping me be a better person 4:00 AM (32 minutes ago)

Three weeks ago, I hatched a baby bird named Blueberry. And what a journey it’s been since. Blueberry has grown up into a toddler and discovered that they really like Baby Shark. They also love bread and corn (but aren’t a fan of cherries). Blueberry goes on daily adventures to learn more about the world and is accompanied by their friend Oakley — a baby kernel who wants to grow into a strong tree one day. At night, Blueberry returns home so they can rest up for their next big adventure.

No, I’m not trying to pitch the next great Pixar movie. This is what I’ve been doing in an Android app called Finch.

RCS setup in Google Messages keeps failing? Here’s how to (maybe) fix it 3:55 AM (37 minutes ago)

Google Messages has emerged as the primary medium of RCS messages on Android flagships, so it’s crucial that RCS messages work reliably through it. However, as users have discovered in the past week, that has not been the case. If you are setting up a new device and are trying to toggle RCS on, you’ll find that the app fails to connect to Google’s servers, a bug that seems to recur every few months and it’s not even restricted to new devices.

AndroidPolice spotted numerous complaints on the Google Messages subreddit, such as this and this, where users were frustrated that they couldn’t activate RCS on their phones. RCS texting works until it doesn’t suddenly, and their device gets stuck trying to register but fails. Consequently, the RCS status gets stuck on “Setting up” on their device, with no end in sight.

This 4K Google TV box hasn’t even been announced yet, but we’ve already got reviews 3:14 AM (last hour)

The Walmart-affiliated Onn brand has become a major name in the Android TV space in recent years thanks to its affordable pricing and solid quality. There’s a good variety of Onn TV boxes to choose from, but it looks like an unreleased model has landed in the hands of reviewers.

Members of the Home Testers Club have been posting reviews and images of the Onn 4K Plus TV box since early March (spotted via r/androidtv). This website allows users to receive free products in exchange for reviews and feedback, and most of the device’s reviews indeed indicate that it was received for free. However, some reviewers said they paid for the TV box, suggesting that it’s on sale in some capacity. We weren’t able to spot it on Walmart’s website, though.

I like Nothing’s Essential Space, but it didn’t need a button 3:00 AM (last hour)

I’ve had a tough time with many of the AI features rolling out across Android and iOS. I know that many of them are meant to be helpful, and many of my colleagues have found ways to incorporate them into their daily lives, but as a writer and researcher, I often feel like the features are trying to replace what I’m good at. However, now that Nothing has introduced the first version of its Essential Space, I’m starting to change my tune.

Even though I count writing and research among my skills, I can’t always say the same for organization, which is where Nothing’s new tool comes in. It’s like the best of Google’s Pixel Screenshots, Recorder, and a notes app all rolled into one, but there’s one thing I can’t shake: Why in the world did Nothing need to give it a hardware button?

Serious about your retro gaming? This PS2 emulator now tracks true retro trophies 2:20 AM (2 hours ago)

For retro gamers looking for a challenge, Hardcore RetroAchievements are as challenging as it gets. Despite being available exclusively on emulators, they require you to do things the hard way, without any modern niceties like save states or cheats. Late last year, the requirements for unlocking Hardcore RetroAchievements were tightened, but as of this week, the PS2 emulator NetherSX2 on Android has passed the test.

Now, enabling hardcode mode on NetherSX2 version 1.8 or newer will unlock Hardcore RetroAchievement on your account. Trying to use banned features like save states, rewind, or cheats will swap you to Softcore achievements, which are not tracked competitively in the retro gaming community. A popup will warn gamers before this happens so it won’t accidentally kill any runs.

Google Calendar and Keep widgets are getting some much-needed spring cleaning (APK teardown) 2:00 AM (2 hours ago)

Like any good app developer, Google’s always thinking about how to improve the experience for its users, and keeps us on our toes by constantly tweaking its Android apps in the pursuit of perfection. We’re so interested in staying on top of what it’s up to that we’re constantly looking for evidence of changes before they’ve even been completely implemented. Last month we checked out some of those in-development tweaks for Google Calendar, including the possible adoption of the Google Sans Flex font. Now that new typeface has surfaced once again, as we uncover work on some changes to widgets for both Calendar and Keep.

Driver ran away with your package? Uber is working on a solution (APK teardown) 12:33 AM (3 hours ago)

Uber has evolved to become more than just a rideshare and food delivery service. One of its more recent additions was a courier service, but your options were limited if your package was damaged or lost. Fortunately, it looks like the company is working on a solution.

Galaxy A55 5G just joined the One UI 7 beta party 12:14 AM (4 hours ago)

One UI 7 is the talk of the town for both positive and negative reasons. It’s a great update for Samsung smartphones, but it has been delayed for months now, drawing questions on the efficacy of Samsung’s software update promises. The stable rollout is expected to begin on April 7, and before that, Samsung has now released a One UI 7 beta release for the Galaxy A55 5G.

As spotted in Samsung’s Community forums (via Sammobile), the One UI 7 beta program is now open for the Galaxy AA55 5G in South Korea. Users in the region will need to install the Samsung Members app, log into the app with their Samsung account, and then click on the One UI 7 beta program banner on the app’s home page. Once enrolled, they can download the update from Settings > Software update > Download and install.

How powerful is the Nintendo Switch 2 versus Switch? NVIDIA has the answer. 3 Apr 10:25 PM (6 hours ago)

Nintendo has just peeled the curtain back on the Switch 2, and the new handheld certainly looks like a significant performance upgrade. Nintendo previously confirmed the console’s spec sheet, but merely noted that it uses a custom NVIDIA chipset. Now, the chipmaker has revealed more details.

NVIDIA revealed a few more details about the Switch 2’s processor on its blog, confirming that it has ten times the graphical performance of the original Switch. For what it’s worth, the Tegra X1 chip used in the first Switch wasn’t quite cutting-edge upon that console’s release in 2017. Nevertheless, it still looks like a major horsepower boost, and NVIDIA is also bringing a few extra features to the table.

ChatGPT Plus is free for a short time: Here’s how to claim it 3 Apr 9:14 PM (7 hours ago)

ChatGPT has quickly become one of the most popular tools among students for studying, writing, and research. Now, OpenAI is making it even more accessible by offering a free two-month ChatGPT Plus subscription to eligible college students in the United States and Canada. What’s great is that the offer has come just in time for the final months of this academic year.

Android 15’s Theft Detection Lock is overreacting, users say 3 Apr 8:27 PM (8 hours ago)

Android 15’s Theft Detection Lock has been raising some eyebrows lately. Reports are emerging that the feature frequently activates on its own even though no theft has occurred.

Google Messages is finally doing something about its annoying compose box limit (APK Teardown) 3 Apr 7:14 PM (9 hours ago)

If you feel that writing a long text in Google Messages is like trying to draft an essay on a sticky note, you’re not alone. Google Messages has a tiny compose box, which has been a pain point for users for many years. Thankfully, Google finally seems to be doing something about it.

The best Roku streaming device is $20 off right now 3 Apr 3:59 PM (12 hours ago)

Roku has plenty of streaming devices, but if you want the absolute best one the brand has to offer, it would be the 2024 version of the Roku Ultra. It’s on sale today, so you can get the best of the bunch at just $79.99. It’s usually $99.99, so you’re saving yourself a nice $20 bucks!

Get the Roku Ultra 2024 for just $79.99 ($20 off)

Here’s what gaming on Android Auto actually requires 3 Apr 2:33 PM (13 hours ago)

Cars are a whole lot more than just a way for us to get from point A to point B, and considering how much time some of us spend in them, it shouldn’t be any surprise that in-vehicle entertainment is a major priority. These days, car dashboards are just as connected and hooked in to streaming services as our phones, but there’s long been one entertainment option they lacked: gaming. Google’s recently started a concerted effort to do something about that, and we’re now getting some new details about the arrival of gaming on Android Auto.

In addition to app support expanding on Android Automotive, late last month we started to hear about game compatibility coming to Android Auto, as well. When parked, the system would allow you to play a number of compatible games — indeed, Google labels the collection “Play while parked“.

Tablet deals: Save big with these hot Google and Apple discounts! 3 Apr 2:06 PM (14 hours ago)

Are you looking for a tablet? There’s no better time to get a pretty good pad at a nice price. While the tablet market isn’t exactly thriving, this means prices have gotten very accessible and deals are plentiful. Today, we’ll look at the best deals for some of the best mid-tier tablets the market has to offer. These come from Google and Apple, so there is something for both iPadOS and Android fans here.

Get the Google Pixel Tablet for just $279 ($120 off)

YouTube is trying to give Shorts what creators love about TikTok 3 Apr 1:09 PM (15 hours ago)

As the future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain, other platforms continue to seize the opportunity to win over creators. YouTube is the latest to step up its short-form video game, announcing a fresh batch of creation tools for its Shorts platform. The new features are designed to make the Shorts editing experience more dynamic and intuitive, particularly for creators who are used to the creative flexibility offered by TikTok.

In a blog post published earlier today, Google detailed five new tools that will be rolling out sometime this spring. There’s no exact release timeline yet, and it’s still unclear whether the updates will arrive on both Android and iOS simultaneously.

Google Photos fixes Magic Editor saves so they don’t disappear like the objects you erased 3 Apr 1:04 PM (15 hours ago)

Google Photos offers a bevy of features to help you edit images just the way you want. One of its most popular features is Magic Editor, which puts generative AI behind the wheel to make advanced-level edits to your photo. Recently, users noticed an issue with Magic Editor that prevented edits from being saved. Now Google has responded to the reports.

When using Magic Editor, you have the ability to alter pretty much anything in the image, like the color of the sky or the position of the subject. Once you’re done, if you want to keep the edits, you’ll need to save your creation. However, issues with the feature were stopping users from following through on this final step.

Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer deal: Save $20 and cook meat to perfection 3 Apr 12:16 PM (16 hours ago)

If you asked me to list my top three smart devices, my smart meat thermometer would definitely be on that list. I love food and want my meat cooked to perfection every single time. If you can relate, a smart thermometer is a total game-changer, but they tend to be a bit pricey, usually around $100. The Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer is a bit cheaper at $89.99, but today, you can get it at an even lower $69.94 price point.

Get the Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer for just $69.94 ($20.05 off)

Epic’s latest free Android game will have you defending your magical kingdom 3 Apr 11:29 AM (17 hours ago)

As Epic Games Store users are aware, you can get free games every week when you use the desktop app. This also recently became the case for Epic’s mobile store, starting out with Super Meat Boy Forever and Eastern Exorcist. Last week, players had the chance to pick up Evoland 2 and Out There — Omega Edition. Now a new title has been added to the weekly free games program for you to try out.

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for the latest entry to the weekly free games program. Today, Epic announced that Doodle Kingdom: Medieval is the new freebie you can hop on this week.

Samsung may have already locked in a new launch date for the Galaxy S25 Edge 3 Apr 10:40 AM (17 hours ago)

Samsung has allegedly postponed the Galaxy S25 Edge launch to sometime between May and June due to leadership changes within its mobile division. The device was previously expected to arrive on April 15, but a new report claims you’ll have to wait a little over a month to get your hands on the ultra-slim flagship phone.

Although Samsung hasn’t released an official statement, Sammobile reports that the company has already scheduled a new launch date for the Galaxy S25 Edge. Sources familiar with the matter have told the publication that Samsung now plans to unveil the device in an online-only event on May 13.

Tariffs explained: What they are and how they affect smartphones 3 Apr 9:38 AM (18 hours ago)

While on the campaign trail in 2024, Donald Trump repeatedly mentioned his plans to institute tariffs on non-US goods should he win the presidency. Now that he’s back in the White House, he has started fulfilling his tariff promises today. These tariffs will have a dramatic effect on the cost of goods within the US that are wholly or even partially sourced from other countries.

One industry that will see changes due to Trump’s tariffs is smartphones. Being that Android Authority is heavily focused on phones, I’m here to help break down what tariffs are supposed to do, why Trump is increasing them, and what this might mean for you, the smartphone consumer.

Colorful Razr Plus 2025 leak shows off Motorola’s next foldable in multiple hues 3 Apr 9:35 AM (18 hours ago)

The Motorola Razr Plus 2025, otherwise known outside of the US as the Razr 60 Ultra, has been the star of several leaks leading up to its eventual launch. However, the latest leak gives us our best look yet at the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip rival.

Trusted tipster Evan Blass has shared a collection of new Motorola Razr Plus 2025 images that appear to be marketing material. In the gallery below, we see an image of the phone being used to record someone playing tennis. Another image provides a peek at the all important hinge. And there’s an image that’s specifically meant to show off the cover screen.

T-Mobile vs US Mobile: US Mobile can use all three networks, but which stands stronger? 3 Apr 9:24 AM (19 hours ago)

T-Mobile has quickly become a dominant force in the mobile world, though it is far from your only choice. Not only are there two other major networks, but there are also plenty of smaller carriers that run on T-Mobile’s network. Then there’s US Mobile, which stands out on its own, thanks to its new status as the so-called “super carrier.”

US Mobile is the only prepaid carrier that can switch between all three major networks. While the process isn’t necessarily instantaneous, it can be very helpful and grants the carrier a level of flexibility unseen elsewhere. So, how does US Mobile compare to T-Mobile? Good question. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at US Mobile vs T-Mobile.

T-Mobile tracking glitch exposed real-time location of children to strangers 3 Apr 8:09 AM (20 hours ago)

Tech updates don’t always go smoothly, but most bugs are usually nothing more than a mild inconvenience. However, a T-Mobile glitch this week went way beyond that territory, becoming outright dangerous. Some customers trying to check on their kids’ whereabouts were instead shown the names, pictures, and real-time locations of other people’s children across the country.

The issue affected users of the T-Mobile SyncUP KIDS tracking service, which is marketed as a way for parents to monitor young children who don’t yet have smartphones. One user, speaking to 404 Media, said she was unable to locate her own children but was instead shown profiles of multiple unfamiliar kids, including their school locations and photos that clearly showed they were minors.

Verizon’s ‘guaranteed’ three-year price lock has a lot of caveats 3 Apr 7:21 AM (21 hours ago)

As everything around us continues to get more expensive, Verizon is introducing a new policy to temporarily keep your bill from rising. However, this new offer comes with a few notable caveats.

Today, Verizon announced the rollout of Price Lock Guarantee. Just as it sounds, this policy locks the price of your plan so your bill will stay the same for the next three years. Whether you’re a new or existing customer, you’ll be automatically enrolled if you have myPlan or myHome.

Gemini could clean up how it shares sources in a move that feels ChatGPT-inspired (APK teardown) 3 Apr 7:18 AM (21 hours ago)

When you ask Gemini a question, the chatbot provides a detailed response and highlights the sources from which it pulled the information. Currently, it displays the sources and related content in a horizontally scrollable list underneath the response. However, that could change soon.

If you hate how reverse wireless charging means you can’t use your phone, check this out 3 Apr 6:58 AM (21 hours ago)

Reverse wireless charging is a nifty feature some of the best Android phones support. Using the wireless charging coil on the back of the phone, you can “leech” power from it and charge something smaller, such as a smartwatch or earbuds case. It’s a bit slow, and you need to get the placement of the other device just right, but it can come through in a pinch.

The biggest problem with this system, though, is that your phone becomes inoperable. It needs to be face-down on a flat surface for this to work, and there it must stay while your accessory slowly sucks some juice.

Google Pixel 10 may make some compromises to fit in its telephoto camera 3 Apr 5:55 AM (22 hours ago)

When the CAD renders for the Pixel 10 series leaked, it revealed that Google could make a surprising change to the base model Pixel. This change was the possible inclusion of a third camera. Android Authority has now confirmed that a new camera is being added to the vanilla Pixel 10, and we also have the camera specs.

In our exclusive report, we reveal the camera specs for every member of the Pixel 10 family. However, what’s going on with the base Pixel 10 is particularly interesting. While these phones have used the same dual camera setup strategy since the Pixel 6, this year’s standard model deviates from tradition.

Source: This year’s Pixel 10 Pro phones won’t be getting any camera upgrades 3 Apr 5:51 AM (22 hours ago)

Back in March, we got our first peak at the Pixel 10 series via leaked CAD renders. Those renders revealed that Google may play it safe and reuse the design from the Pixel 9 series. But the design may not be the only thing the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL will share with its predecessor. It looks like we can expect the cameras to be similar as well.

Through an exclusive report, Android Authority revealed the camera specs for the whole Pixel 10 family. While the base model will see some notable changes, which you can read about in the report, it appears that won’t be the case for the Pixel 10 Pro or the Pro XL.

Exclusive: Here are the camera specs for the Google Pixel 10 series 3 Apr 5:39 AM (22 hours ago)

As we slowly approach the launch of the Pixel 10 series, we’re seeing more and more details about the phones leak. One rumor we’ve seen surface recently is that the base Pixel 10 will receive a dedicated telephoto camera, bringing it in line with the Pro models. However, no other details have been provided about the camera setup.

Now, thanks to a source inside Google, Android Authority has viewed documents revealing the big camera hardware changes coming to the Pixel 10 series.

Android 16 could mimic how iOS handles app settings, but it’s not as bad as you think 3 Apr 5:00 AM (23 hours ago)

The Android Settings app is the go-to place for changing device settings, but it’s not typically where users go to change individual app settings. This is because apps generally have their own interfaces for changing settings that are independent of the Android Settings app. Android 16 adds a new API that lets apps integrate their own settings with the Android Settings app, and if this API becomes broadly adopted, it could transform Android Settings into a one-stop shop for both device and app settings.

Android 16 introduces SettingsPreferenceService, an API that “is to be implemented by apps that contribute to the Android Settings surface.” Apps can choose which preferences to expose to Android Settings, and they can choose to make those preferences read-only or writable. More specifically, developers can mark certain preferences as DEEPLINK_ONLY, indicating that they cannot be changed directly, but a direct link to the preference’s settings will be provided. They can also mark preferences as EXPECT_POST_CONFIRMATION, meaning the user will have the option to revert the changes. Further, they can mark preferences as NO_DIRECT_ACCESS, indicating the preference is too sensitive to be changed directly, or NO_SENSITIVITY, meaning the preference can be changed without explicit consent. To aid users in understanding each preference, developers can provide a title and summary for the Android Settings app to display.

Google details how Gemini is getting way smarter with its Google Photos integration 3 Apr 4:56 AM (23 hours ago)

Google recently announced that Gemini would soon be able to tap into Google Photos, letting the AI chatbot answer natural language queries about your stored images. This would be possible through Gemini Extensions, which have recently been renamed to just “apps.” While we are still waiting for the feature to roll out widely, Google has now shared more details on how Gemini’s Google Photos integration will work.

Through a new support document, Google is laying out how you can use Google Photos in conjunction with the Gemini app. You’ll need apps for both Gemini and Google Photos installed on your device and have Gemini Apps Activity turned on, as that’s the requirement for getting Apps in Gemini to work.

Stats show ChatGPT usage is leaving Gemini in the dust, and it’s not even close 3 Apr 4:39 AM (23 hours ago)

Gemini may not be the most popular AI chatbot on the market, but it’s steadily gaining traction. Thanks to Google introducing new capabilities and making a few paid features available on the free tier, Gemini has attracted many new users. However, according to recently released web traffic statistics, Google’s chatbot still lags far behind its main competitor: ChatGPT.

A recent report from analytics firm Similarweb revealed that Gemini’s web traffic grew to 10.9 million average daily visits in March 2025, marking a 7.4% increase month-over-month. While that may sound like great news for Google, Gemini still has a long way to go if it wishes to catch up to ChatGPT.

The biggest mistake Google needs to avoid with the Pixel 10 series 3 Apr 4:30 AM (yesterday, 4:30 am)

We’re still a few months away from when we expect Google to launch the Pixel 10 series. Even so, we already have a very good idea of what all four phones will look like. Last month, renders for the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL all made their way online. And just a few weeks later, Pixel 10 Pro Fold renders followed suit.

Assuming these leaks are accurate, which we have reason to believe they are, Google isn’t changing much of anything on the design front this year. The Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL all look virtually identical to their predecessors — including the flat sides, rounded corners, and iconic camera bar on the back. Similarly, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold bears a striking resemblance to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the only difference being a possible reduction in thickness.

Driving just isn’t the same without these 6 underrated Android Auto apps 3 Apr 4:00 AM (yesterday, 4:00 am)

Android Auto is one of Google’s more underrated products. It provides a quick and distraction-free portal to your Android smartphone while on the road, allowing you to play music, access pertinent information, and navigate your surroundings. Naturally, I take full advantage of it with a list of apps I rely on daily. But what about those apps that aren’t as obvious as Spotify, Google Maps, Waze, or WhatsApp? Below is my list of underrated Android Auto apps that are well worth trying.

Musicolet

Google Discover’s latest change sits on the thin line between a bug and a feature 3 Apr 3:34 AM (yesterday, 3:34 am)

Many Android flagships have a minus-one screen (the pane on the left of your home screen) that houses Google Discover, a personalized content feed from Google that displays articles, videos, and other personalized content. It’s fair to presume that many people are accustomed to Discover’s look and feel, and any small change will be noticeable to both users and content publishers. Google is now testing a full-width layout for Google Discover, and it frankly spoils the aesthetic of the minus-one screen.

Previously, articles displayed on Google Discover would appear as cards with a featured image and a border. There would be plenty of margins on the left and right of the image, giving it a clean look thanks to the fairly used whitespace. However, as spotted by 9to5Google, Google is rolling out a zero-margin layout where the image spans the entire width of your display. Allegedly, in doing so, this layout also cuts off some portions of the image, compromising the context.

Nintendo made its own Switch emulator… for the Nintendo Switch 2 3 Apr 3:24 AM (yesterday, 3:24 am)

The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been announced, and the good news for anyone upgrading is that it will be (mostly) backwards compatible. However, an interview with the developers behind the console revealed that compatibility required a unique solution, and that solution is emulation.

Unlike previous generational leaps like the Nintendo DS to the 3DS or the Nintendo Wii to the Wii U, the hardware in the Switch 2 bears little resemblance to the Switch 1. In their words, “those systems were compatible because Nintendo 3DS contained Nintendo DS hardware and Wii U contained Wii hardware. However, Switch 2 doesn’t contain any Switch hardware.”

PSA: You have less than one month left to buy cheap gaming handhelds in the US 3 Apr 1:58 AM (yesterday, 1:58 am)

The proliferation of cheap gaming handhelds from the likes of TrimUI and Anbernic may be coming to a close, as a new executive order is set to eliminate the de minimis tax exemption on products under $800 coming from China on May 2. Under the new rules, all products will be subject to a minimum duty rate of 30% of their stated value.

However, the minimum fee per product is $25, meaning that gaming handhelds with a stated value under $80 or so will pay an even higher percentage in fees. This minimum fee will increase to $50 on June 1, which doubles the effective price of many budget handhelds.

Google might soon make this Pixel 9 exclusive feature even more useful (APK Teardown) 3 Apr 1:00 AM (yesterday, 1:00 am)

For the longest time, Google didn’t let Pixel users record calls on their phones. That changed with the Google Pixel 9 series, which introduced Call Notes, an AI-powered feature that not only summarizes calls but also provides an audio recording and a full transcript of conversations. Pixel 9 users can copy or share the call summary, read the call transcript, play the call recording, or share the call recording as an audio (.wav) file. Now, Google seems to be working towards adding another convenient tool to that list.

T-Mobile will literally give you free money if you break up with your internet provider right now! 3 Apr 12:47 AM (yesterday, 12:47 am)

T-Mobile has built a strong customer base by enticing subscribers away from competitors with attractive deals. Now, the “un-carrier” is setting its sights on home internet users, offering financial incentives to lure customers from other ISPs.

Google Photos tagged the wrong face? It could soon get easier to fix (APK teardown) 3 Apr 12:45 AM (yesterday, 12:45 am)

Google Photos is one of Google’s better apps, and it’s a great tool for organizing your photos across Android flagships. One of the app’s most useful features is that it automatically recognizes faces and creates a face group, grouping together all the photos where a particular face (e.g., a person) appears. This allows you to search for all photos where a person or even a group of people appear and feeds into other Google Photos features like Memories. The feature is great, but there’s room for improvement on how Google gives control back to the user, and that’s exactly what the company seems to be working on.

Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 launched: Powering your next affordable flagship? 2 Apr 11:06 PM (yesterday, 11:06 pm)

We’ve been hearing about a new Snapdragon 8s processor for a while now, and we expected it to slot in just below the all-conquering Snapdragon 8 Elite. Now, Qualcomm has indeed announced the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.

The new chipset was announced in China and uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 name instead of the expected Snapdragon 8s Elite moniker. We’re guessing that’s because the new chip uses off-the-shelf Arm Cortex CPU cores instead of Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU tech. More specifically, the new chip uses one Cortex-X4 core at 3.2GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores at 3GHz, two Cortex-A720 cores at 2.8GHz, and two Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 2GHz. In other words, the processor differs from its predecessor by not having any little CPU cores.

Here are some sweet Samsung monitor deals for different types of users 2 Apr 3:57 PM (yesterday, 3:57 pm)

Are you looking for a monitor? Samsung has some of the most popular ones, and contrary to popular belief, they don’t have to be crazy expensive. You can get some really nice monitors at a reasonable price, especially if you wait for some sweet deals like these. Today, we have a few offers for you, featuring monitors for different types of users. Let’s go over today’s hottest Samsung monitor deals together!

Get the Samsung Essential S3 (S36GD) Series 27-Inch Monitor for $109.99 ($70 off)

Save $110 on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro 2 Apr 2:55 PM (yesterday, 2:55 pm)

If you’re looking for a great set of earbuds, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are among our favorites. They are usually pretty expensive at $249.99, though. Deals pop up from time to time, though, and this is definitely one of the best ones we’ve seen. You can currently get the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for just $139.99. That’s a $110 discount!

Get the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro for just $139.99 ($110 off)

Deal: Google Pixel 9 Pro still at its $699 all-time low price 2 Apr 1:38 PM (yesterday, 1:38 pm)

Just a couple of days ago, we reported on Target offering the Google Pixel 9 Pro at a record-low price of $699. Target is not usually one to offer record-low prices, and this is one sweet deal! We don’t think the offer will last much longer, so we just wanted to remind you guys the deal is still available, saving you a whole $300 on one of the hottest smartphones around.

Get the Google Pixel 9 Pro for just $699 ($300 off)

Android 16 Beta 3.2 arrives with fixes for haptics gone crazy 2 Apr 12:53 PM (yesterday, 12:53 pm)

Before you know it, Android 16 is going to be ready for its stable release. With the arrival of Beta 3 last month, we started crossing the threshold into Platform Stability territory, but even at this late stage there are still some persistent bugs in need of fixes. We saw Google address some of those with Android 16 Beta 3.1, and now we’ve got a fresh crop of bugfixes incoming with Beta 3.2

Just like we saw last time around, there’s not a lot that this release attempts to address, and we’re largely playing cleanup at this point. But even with this very short changelog, Google is still managing to tackle some important-sounding bugs:

Writing a paper? Google’s NotebookLM research assistant can now do the source gathering for you 2 Apr 12:13 PM (yesterday, 12:13 pm)

Google has introduced a lot of new AI-powered tools over the course of the past year or so, but NotebookLM has easily got to be one of our favorites. Its podcast-like Audio Overviews quickly emerged as its standout feature, and while we now have Audio Overviews baked into Gemini itself, there’s still plenty of great reasons to check out NotebookLM. We already loved the way it’s been able to chew through and condense complicated source material, and now the tool is getting even more flexible about its access to sources, thanks to the new Discover button.

So far, you’ve had to be very intentional about the sources you feed to NotebookLM. It’s like you’re starting with a blank slate, that you then begin filling in with documents you upload and share to the service. The kind of laser-focus that helps ensure has been one of NotebookLM’s big benefits, but it’s also something that can be a little limiting if you don’t have a suitable corpus to start with.

Nintendo Switch 2 full hardware specs: Battery life, connectivity, and more 2 Apr 11:49 AM (yesterday, 11:49 am)

The long-awaited Direct showcase for the Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived. We now have plenty of information about the new features and the games coming to the system. The event also took a little time to provide a few details on the hardware. But if you want to know exactly what you’re getting with the Switch 2, Nintendo has now released the full specs of the console.

Shortly after the Direct showcase, Nintendo released more details about the Switch 2. On its Japanese website, the company shared a spec sheet that tells us almost everything about the system, except for the processor used. Nintendo only says that it is a custom-made chip by NVIDIA.

Don’t expect any big battery upgrades from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 2 Apr 10:18 AM (yesterday, 10:18 am)

Samsung’s next-gen smartwatches appear to be making their way through regulatory channels. Two battery models believed to belong to the upcoming Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic have now received SafetyKorea certification, suggesting that launch preparations are coming together.

Spotted on South Korea’s product safety platform by XpertPick, the listings reference two specific batteries: EB-BL330ABY and EB-BL505ABY. Based on naming patterns and previous leaks, the former is likely tied to the standard Galaxy Watch 8, while the latter appears to belong to the Watch 8 Classic.

This simple trick lets you bypass T-Mobile’s new in-store policy 2 Apr 10:06 AM (yesterday, 10:06 am)

Back in February, we learned that T-Mobile had quietly moved away from its traditional customer service experience, requiring customers to handle most tasks — including adding new phone lines and devices — through the app, even while in-store. At the time, it was clarified that while this would become the primary method, customers could still decline the T-Life experience if they wished. Unfortunately, Redditor  tva_raylan now reports that this may no longer be the case.

Starting today, T-Mobile is requiring both its corporate and third-party retail locations to reach 60% usage for the T-Life app.

No, you’re not going crazy: One of the best Pixel Weather app features is now missing (Update) 2 Apr 9:13 AM (yesterday, 9:13 am)

Update: April 2, 2025 (2:14 PM ET): After removing the Weather Map from the Pixel Weather app, Google has brought the feature back. The re-emergence of the Weather Map is a server-side fix.

Original article: March 31, 2025 (12:30 PM ET): Google has suddenly and quietly removed the Weather Map feature from the Pixel Weather app. Users on Reddit and the Google Community forum have noticed that the feature has disappeared following what appears to be a server-side change. That means the app hasn’t received an official update through the Play Store, but the feature has still been removed. We can also confirm that the Weather Map is no longer available on the Pixel devices owned by our team members.

Find My Device is getting ready for its big UWB precision tracking upgrade (APK teardown) 2 Apr 8:53 AM (yesterday, 8:53 am)

With all the choices you’ve got when it comes to tracking hardware, we’re increasingly approaching a point where you’re not going to have much of an excuse any longer for constantly misplacing your stuff. Not all of these trackers are created the same, however, and we definitely have some thoughts about the best Bluetooth tracker for most Android users.

One big factor impacting performance is support for ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity, and we’ve been following Google’s progress towards adding UWB support to its Find My Device network. That’s still in the works, and today we’re checking out the latest evidence we’ve uncovered of that development’s progress.

Following Google Fi, now Tello also supports RCS on iPhone 2 Apr 8:51 AM (yesterday, 8:51 am)

Last year, Apple began rolling out RCS support with iOS 18, finally opening the door to richer communication between Android and iPhone users instead of defaulting to SMS. The only catch was that Apple Messages didn’t directly support RCS for most carriers, requiring wireless providers to supply their own carrier bundle for it to work, which isn’t cheap. As a result, many prepaid carriers were left waiting for support, but that changes with iOS 18.4.

We reported yesterday that Google Fi now supports RCS with the arrival of the latest iOS update. At the time, it was anticipated that other T-Mobile MVNOs would likely follow suit, and now, at least Tello has. Speaking through its official Tello subreddit, the carrier states that all you need to do to get started is the following:

Survey shows people are surprisingly okay with giving AI their search history 2 Apr 8:20 AM (yesterday, 8:20 am)

Data is the currency of the digital age, and people are more wary than ever of giving away too much of their personal info to Big Tech. So when we ran a poll about whether you would feel comfortable giving an AI chatbot your search history, we were a little surprised by the result.

Just to give some context about these results, Ryan Haines wrote about his experience handing over his search data to AI, and it was within his article that the poll was conducted. Despite his usual caution, Ryan opted to let Gemini access his search history in an experiment to see how personalization would affect its responses. He was keen to find out how much better the tailored answers would be, and he accepted that Gemini only uses the data when personalization is enabled. He was relatively impressed with the results, but the poll aimed to find out if you would be happy to make the same privacy sacrifice.

Nintendo Switch 2 launched: Here’s everything we learned from today’s Nintendo Direct 2 Apr 6:49 AM (yesterday, 6:49 am)

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to be one of the biggest console launches of all time, building on the incredible success of the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo bided its sweet time in releasing details, but today was finally the day the Japanese game giant lifted the curtain. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve learned at today’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.

Nintendo Switch 2 hardware

We had already seen the physical design of the Nintendo Switch 2, but today’s Nintendo Direct revealed how much of an upgrade the new console will bring. The new handheld features a larger, 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Some fans are disappointed it’s not an OLED panel, although it does now support HDR, so games should still look better.

This overkill chip opens the door to enhanced Gemini on Chromebooks 2 Apr 6:00 AM (yesterday, 6:00 am)

Windows and Mac computers have gained powerful AI silicon in the last few years, but what about Chromebooks? Fortunately, MediaTek has announced a new Chromebook chip with impressive AI capabilities and general performance.

MediaTek revealed its new Kompanio Ultra chip today, and it’s effectively the Dimensity 9400 mobile chipset with a few small tweaks. Perhaps the most notable shared feature is the NPU 890 silicon for AI tasks, with the company saying it offers 50 TOPs of performance. The firm claimed that the AI performance is five times better than that of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U (Meteor Lake) processor.

CAMON 40 Pro 5G vs. iPhone 16 Pro & Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Can mid-range compete with flagship? 2 Apr 5:41 AM (yesterday, 5:41 am)

In the world of smartphone photography, technological advancements never fail to impress. The focus has shifted from simply “capturing a shot” in the early days to now “capturing it perfectly,” with competition moving away from hardware specs to algorithm optimization and user experience. The TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G aims to make waves in high-speed photography with its FlashSnap Mode and BestMoment AI frame selection. But can it truly compete with flagship rivals like the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra? Let’s dive into the tech and real-world performance to find out.

FlashSnap Mode: A breakthrough in shutter speed

The CAMON 40 Pro 5G’s FlashSnap Mode boasts a shutter speed up to 1/11235 seconds, a standout figure on paper. To put that in perspective, the average human blink lasts 1/4 second, meaning the CAMON’s shutter speed is 2600 times faster. This allows the device to effortlessly capture high-speed moments, such as jumps, dunks, or splashing water. While faster shutter speeds may slightly compromise image quality, the difference is negligible in well-lit conditions. Compared to the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra, the CAMON 40 Pro 5G delivers a higher success rate in high-speed photography, particularly excelling in capturing fast-moving subjects.

iPhone can now play Nintendo DS games online with Android and consoles 2 Apr 5:24 AM (yesterday, 5:24 am)

Emulators on iOS still lag well behind their Android counterparts, but Delta Emulator is one of the few making huge headway. The app supports various Nintendo consoles, from the NES to the Nintendo DS, and now a new feature brings it closer than ever to its counterparts on Android.

Update version 1.7 officially adds online multiplayer to Nintendo DS games via community WFC servers. This feature is built into certain Nintendo DS games, but the process of connecting to servers is onerous, to say the least. Delta Emulator makes this as easy as possible by offering a selection of a few pre-configured WFC servers (Wiimmfi, WiiLink WFC, or AltWFC). Pick one from the Nintendo DS core settings, and the app will take care of the rest. You can connect to additional servers by inputting DNS settings, as usual.

Android 15 blocked Phone Link from mirroring sensitive notifications, but Microsoft has a fix 2 Apr 5:00 AM (yesterday, 5:00 am)

Microsoft’s Phone Link app makes it very easy to control your Android phone from a Windows PC. It can control your phone’s sound settings, show your phone’s text messages, start phone calls, pull your photos, and mirror your phone’s notifications, among other things. To mirror notifications, Phone Link uses Android’s standard API for reading notifications, specifically the notification listener API. Google recently blocked certain notifications from being read by most notification listeners, leaving Phone Link unable to mirror all notifications. Fortunately, Microsoft recently rolled out an update to Phone Link that resolves this issue.

Last year’s Android 15 update introduced a number of security changes, including one that protects two-factor authentication codes from malicious apps. Android 15 marks notifications containing these codes as sensitive, preventing them from being read by untrusted notification listener services. When a notification is marked sensitive, its content is replaced with the message, “sensitive notification content hidden.” While this security feature safeguards sensitive information, it also reduces the convenience of services like Phone Link.

Wallpaper Wednesday: More great phone wallpapers for all to share (April 2) 2 Apr 4:30 AM (2 days ago)

Welcome to Wallpaper Wednesday! In this weekly roundup, we’ll give you a handful of Android wallpapers you can download and use on your phone, tablet, or even your laptop/PC. The images will come from folks here at Android Authority as well as our readers. All are free to use and come without watermarks. File formats are JPG and PNG, and we’ll provide images in both landscape and portrait modes, so they’ll be optimized for various screens.

For the newest walls as well as all the ones from previous weeks, check out this Drive link. Want to submit your own? Head to the bottom of this article.

Wallpaper Wednesday: April 2, 2025

Another week, another set of awesome Android wallpapers for you to share! Remember that we are always looking for submissions from our readers. Head to the bottom of this article to find out how you could have one of your images featured in an upcoming Wallpaper Wednesday!

Google Keep could soon get a more modern look with these upcoming tweaks (APK teardown) 2 Apr 4:29 AM (2 days ago)

After rolling out a new option to help users quickly jot down text notes in Google Keep, Google is now prepping a few interface changes for the popular note-taking app. We’ve spotted these changes before the rollout to give you an early look.

Google made a dashcam app for cars with Android Automotive, but you can’t download it 2 Apr 4:00 AM (2 days ago)

Modern cars have a lot of electronics, including multiple cameras to detect people or objects behind the vehicle or to prevent collisions with anything in front. Despite many cars being equipped with cameras, only a few support using them to record their surroundings. You still need to buy a dashcam for most vehicles, including many cars that run Android Automotive. Google wants to change that, though, which is why it developed a dashcam app that car makers can easily integrate into their own vehicles.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE and FE Plus are its biggest and fastest midrange tablets yet 2 Apr 4:00 AM (2 days ago)

After all the leaks and rumors, Samsung’s latest Fan Edition tablets are finally here. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus are making their official debut in the US.

Today, Samsung announced the launch of its new midrange tablets. Being the successors to the Tab S9 FE and FE Plus, don’t expect drastic changes between the old and new models. However, there are a few notable changes.

Sony Xperia 1 VII renders leak: This could be the best phone with a headphone jack 2 Apr 3:50 AM (2 days ago)

Sony phones haven’t enjoyed much market share in the last few years, but devices like the Xperia 1 VI have delivered impressive multimedia and camera capabilities. We’re expecting the Xperia 1 VII to launch later this year, and we now have a good look at what could be the device.

Xpert Pick and long-time leaker Steve ‘OnLeaks’ Hemmerstoffer have posted apparent Sony Xperia 1 VII renders online. The images show a phone that looks very similar to the Xperia 1 VI, featuring a near-identical rear camera bump. We can also make out a periscope camera here. The renders also show fairly prominent top and bottom bezels compared to rival handsets.

These 4 free smartphone apps are all I need to stay organized 2 Apr 3:00 AM (2 days ago)

I’ve been described as organized, but the reality is that I feel like I’m wading through chaos on a daily basis. Between deadlines, errands, and the executive dysfunction that comes with ADHD, I need to lean on technology to help me manage my daily tasks.

You would think that this means I’m a power user of a large productivity suite or rely on an arsenal of the best productivity apps. But the truth is I’m often overwhelmed by just how many features some of these apps have, as well as the involved setup they require. That’s why when it comes to staying organized, I manage to get by with these four free apps thanks to their simplicity and ease of use.

Motorola’s latest mid-ranger features a Pantone-validated display and cameras 2 Apr 2:55 AM (2 days ago)

Motorola has kicked off the 2025 refresh for its Edge lineup with the launch of a new mid-range phone: the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion. The device brings several noteworthy improvements over last year’s Edge 50 Fusion, including a more color-accurate display, a new chipset, Moto AI features, and a larger battery.

Motorola has equipped the Edge 60 Fusion with a 6.67-inch pOLED panel with a 2712 x 1220p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. It’s a Pantone-validated quad-curved panel that reportedly offers more true-to-life color reproduction than the display on last year’s model. Motorola has also worked with the Pantone Color Institute to curate three unique colorways for the Edge 60 Pro: Amazonite, Slipstream, and Zephyr.

Google may finally stop forcing you to manually ask to ID songs (APK teardown) 2 Apr 2:30 AM (2 days ago)

You know what music sounds likes, don’t you? We may not always be able to recognize the exact song we’re hearing, or even name the artist, but at least we tend to know the difference between a song of some kind, and noise that isn’t a song at all. So why is it, in a world with powerful AI agents at our fingertips, sometimes we still need to manually tell Google that a song’s playing? Based on a new discovery, though, that may not be the case for much longer.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE specs leak: Like an S24 FE and Z Flip 5 had a baby 2 Apr 2:17 AM (2 days ago)

We’ve heard about a cheaper Samsung foldable phone called the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for months now, and we’ve even seen apparent renders. Now, a reliable publication has revealed specs for the new handset.

Galaxy Club has revealed specs for the international version of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE (model number SM-F761B). The outlet says it’ll have an Exynos 2400e chipset and 8GB of RAM, much like last year’s Galaxy S24 FE. The apparent choice of an Exynos 2400 series processor lines up with our own previously published findings.

These are the first settings I enable on a Samsung phone 2 Apr 2:00 AM (2 days ago)

I’ve been using Samsung phones for a long time. In 2012, the Galaxy S2 was my first smartphone, and after a break for Nexus and Pixel phones, I’ve been back with Samsung since the Galaxy S10 Plus in 2019. That means I’ve used every version of One UI so far and delved through every app, settings menu, and Good Lock module over the years. With that experience, I have a checklist of settings and features I enable right away, most recently on my Galaxy S25, and you should use them too.

Samsung loves to pack its phones with more menus than an overbooked restaurant, which can be confusing and daunting to the uninitiated. It’s worth the work, though, as One UI can be the most personalized flavor of Android once you have it set up right.

Google Messages could finally let you text on your own time (APK teardown) 2 Apr 12:05 AM (2 days ago)

Google Messages used to offer a reminder function, and this could be used to effectively snooze messages too. The option isn’t available anymore, but it looks like a proper notification snoozing feature is in the works.

The next Galaxy Ring could bring a major battery tech upgrade 1 Apr 10:29 PM (2 days ago)

One of our biggest disappointments with the Samsung Galaxy Ring was its battery life. Samsung claimed it would last six to seven days, but our review found it fell far short of that estimate. The issue is even worse for smaller Galaxy Ring sizes, which have less battery capacity. However, Samsung may be planning a major battery upgrade for its next-generation smart ring.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge rumors: Release date, leaked specs, rumored price, and more 1 Apr 10:08 PM (2 days ago)

We’ve had some time to get familiar with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series now, and while there’s a lot to love about the new trio, what’s more exciting is that Samsung also teased a fourth model. Despite earlier rumors around the use of Slim branding, it seems Samsung has dusted off its old Edge moniker once again.

Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy S25 Edge, as well as what we hope to see from it.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch may be delayed, but not for the reason you think 1 Apr 9:37 PM (2 days ago)

Just yesterday, a report suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge could launch as early as April 15. However, a new conflicting report now claims the ultra-slim device will see a delay, pushing its release further down the line.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge early release rumors gain new support 1 Apr 9:02 PM (2 days ago)

Samsung could unveil the hotly anticipated Galaxy S25 Edge a day sooner than expected. While previous reports alleged that the company planned on announcing the device in an online-only Unpacked event on April 16, a new leak suggests that the slim phone could launch on April 15.

In a recent report, Dutch publication Nieuwe Mobiel claims that the Galaxy S25 Edge could land in Europe on April 15. The rumored launch date aligns with a previous comment from a Samsung executive, who said the phone could launch “around April.” However, whether the April 15 launch date refers to the beginning of the pre-order period or the open sale is unclear. Either way, you should be able to get your hands on the device before the end of the month.

Love the Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses? A big upgrade is coming with Android at its heart 1 Apr 8:43 PM (2 days ago)

The Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses have been an unexpected success in a market where the likes of Apple and Samsung are pushing bulky, expensive headsets that lack portability. Building on this momentum, Meta is gearing up to release a significantly more premium pair of AR glasses, the news of which first broke in January. Now, new details have surfaced, revealing how these high-end glasses featuring a built-in display will work.

Google misses deadline for lifesaving Pixel Watch feature, but code hints it’s close 1 Apr 7:13 PM (2 days ago)

Back in February, Google said that it had received FDA clearance for its critical Loss of Pulse Detection feature, which was first announced in August last year. The safety tool was expected to debut on the Pixel Watch 3, with Google promising a rollout by the end of March. However, as of today, April 1, the feature is still missing from the smartwatch.

Pixel’s lock screen weather glitch showing outdated forecasts (Updated: Fix incoming) 1 Apr 6:09 PM (2 days ago)

Update: April 1, 2025 (10:03 PM ET): Google has acknowledged the issue with incorrect weather forecasts showing up on Pixel lock screens. The company has issued a fix and shared the following statement with Android Authority:

You can still save $100 on the Yaber T2 Portable Projector 1 Apr 3:35 PM (2 days ago)

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is over, and with it ended a bunch of pretty nice deals. If you were considering getting a portable projector, though, you can still save on the Yaber T2. The deal is the same, you save $100, bringing the cost down to the same record-low price of $249.99.

Get the Yaber T2 Portable Projector for just $249.99 ($100 off)