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Google's working on a Download Buddy for the Play Store
Plus a mysterious Cubes feature and other in-progress changes
Google makes sure the Play Store's interface is constantly evolving so that things always seem fresh and new anytime you're thinking of installing an app. As most Android users already know, Google is always looking ahead to a fault, focused on the next big thing and the latest catchy features. After months of digging into code and uncovering hidden flags in the app, Android researcher AssembleDebug has revealed several upcoming changes spotted in development for the Play Store app.
Oppo's ready to launch ColorOS 13, showing us how it totally isn't like OxygenOS 13
The Reno 8 series will be one of the first handsets to run it
It's fair to say that ColorOS is a lot more important to a lot more people now since it not only powers Oppo phones, but also shares its code base with OnePlus's OxygenOS skin. What started off as subtle changes on OnePlus devices, as we saw on the Nord 2, went on to become a much more homogenous software experience between the two sister brands with the current latest versions of ColorOS and OxygenOS sharing more elements than ever. While this means that the OxygenOS 13 launch from last week may have unintentionally provided clues as to what to expect with ColorOS 13 already, you won't have to wait to see the full thing for much longer now that Oppo has a game plan.
Google could have updated the Pixel 3 until Android 13, it just didn't want to
There aren't a lot of technical reasons for it being left behind, and revisiting the phone, it shouldn't be
Google has confirmed to us that the Pixel 3 series has received its last update, marking the end of a three-year promise. But revisiting the 2018-era flagship, I still can’t help but be disappointed that Google didn’t try harder to keep it supported longer. Google may have met its marketing requirements, but as I’ve said before, it’s hypocritical for a company committed to sustainability and customer security to leave old smartphones behind so quickly. Revisiting it for the last few days, the Pixel 3 is still a perfectly good phone that could have years of life left in it. And, according to everyone I've spoken to, there aren't any good technical reasons for it being left behind. Google just doesn't care.
The $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra still downloads updates like it's 2008
Samsung's flagship smartphones lack seamless updates, yet again
Back in 2020, Google made a change to its Android 11 Vendor Test Suite (VTS), requiring all smartphones launching with Android 11 and above to support seamless updates. However, the company ultimately backtracked on its decision and left it as an optional feature. Nevertheless, while phones from the likes of Google, OnePlus, and Motorola have long supported seamless updates, for some reason Samsung has been resistant to use it on even its most premium smartphones. The latest on that list is the newly-launched Galaxy S22 lineup, comprised of the Galaxy S22, S22+, and the $1,200 S22 Ultra.
Google is only giving the Pixel 6 three years of Android OS updates
That five-year promise is just for security patches, which is good, but also lame
Google's big five-year update promise for the Pixel 6 isn't quite as good as we'd hoped it would be. Somehow, the company found a way to drop the ball on that promise to make things just that little bit more awkward now that the dust has settled. See, Google promises five years of updates, but just for security patches. Actual OS-level major version updates will only be guaranteed until October 2024, meaning you get three years of OS updates and are only guaranteed to get Android 15.
The Nokia 5.3's better-late-than-never Android 11 update spreads to more countries
We'll take what we can get
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Google officially released the final version of Android 11 on September 8, 2020, by which point the Nokia 5.3 had already been out for six months. You may have expected it to get bumped up to the latest version soon rather than later, with it being an Android One device and all, but that's only just happening now and it'll be out of date again in around a month.
Google Photos is testing a new way of finding your best shots
A more visual way of showing recommendations
Top Shot is one of the most useful Google Photos features, as it allows you to choose a better photo from a selection of similar images you've taken. It's been around since the Pixel 3 launched, and there's also a little suggestion chip that pops up to remind you to use it. It looks like that chip could be replaced by a new row of image previews, or at least that's what Google is currently testing on some users.
Bixby's big new update might actually make it nicer to use
No killer new features, but some welcome quality of life changes
Samsung's much-mocked personal assistant Bixby keeps on trucking no matter what people think about it. The last meaningful update introduced some Google Assistant-inspired design changes, one of which meant it wouldn't open in full-screen whenever launched. With this latest update, some results will also be confined to the lower portion of the screen for a much less obtrusive look.
Samsung will give its enterprise-certified smartphones update support that rivals Apple
Recent Enterprise Edition Galaxy phones are promised up to five years of updates
Though the company hasn't made a big deal about it, sometime in the last year, Samsung changed its policies for Enterprise Edition "security maintenance releases," extending the window that devices like the Galaxy S21 and S20 series can expect software updates. The change dates back to at least March or January (if not earlier), but Samsung is now promising up to five years of updates for businesses that opt for them as part of the Enterprise Edition support. That's a software update commitment that almost rivals Apple, though unfortunately us general consumers won't enjoy the same duration of updates unless they happen to trickle down somehow.
Chromebook deal too good to be true? Check this first before pulling the trigger
Don't fall for this common sales trap
We all probably found that one killer Chromebook deal on Amazon or Walmart that (on paper) appears to be an incredible value for the money. The average, less-informed buyer immediately jumped on the deal, because why wouldn't they? After all, its workhorse specifications are more than enough for basic tasks like Zoom, schoolwork, and light gaming. And for an asking price of just a few hundred bucks, they would be a fool to look elsewhere, right?
Generally speaking, we're big fans of Wyze's budget-friendly smart home gadgets around here. The company has managed to release everything from security cameras to robot vacuums while undercutting the competition along the way. And while not every single product is a hit, Wyze has still built a great ecosystem of products worth your investment. Its Android app is getting a new update this week, bringing Google Home and Assistant support to the Wyze Lock.Despite a few glitches, our review of the Wyze Lock praised its low price and easy installation. It was missing one prominent feature at launch, though: integration with Google Home, which would allow for voice commands to lock and unlock your door as needed. Found in the patch notes for this week's Wyze app update Home support for the lock, so you can finally link your front door to your smart home app. This update delivers all of the benefits of Google Home integration, like voice commands and a single app management system.
Asus is bringing Android 11 to the Zenfone 7 and 7 Pro
Starting in Taiwan, with a global release to follow
If you're into selfies, the Asus Zenfone 7 series is hard to beat. Thanks to a unique flipping camera module, you can capture high-quality photos or videos from either side of the screen. They're pretty great phones in general, with long-lasting battery life and a massive 90Hz AMOLED display. Unfortunately, the devices launched just weeks before Android 11's official release, and despite ZenUI's stock-like appearance, both models have been stuck running on an older version of Google's OS. Thankfully, Android 11 is finally coming to the Zenfone 7 series, with updates starting today in Taiwan.
Android security update tracker, March 2021: Rankings for popular smartphones
We researched which phones get updates the fastest so you don't have to
es of Android don't matter as much as they used to. Many components of the operating system are updated through the Play Store, so even if you're on Android 8 or 9, you can still access most of the same apps and features as someone on the latest release of Android 10. However, the security updates that Google releases on a monthly basis are still critical to keeping your phone or tablet safe. Dozens of security flaws are discovered in components of Android each month, which is why Google releases monthly security patches.
Google's Pixel Buds may soon support manual updates
No more just waiting for it to happen on its own
Google's latest Pixel Buds were pretty polarizing when they landed last year, months after their announcement. Like them or hate them, one feature has been almost universally resented: The fact that updates are an automatic process with no user control. They just kind of happen while the buds are connected, and you can't do much to speed up the process. But according to a recent teardown, manual updates may soon be possible.
Samsung discontinues security updates for 2017 Galaxy A series
Samsung's 2017 budget phones have their last hurrah
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Samsung's software strategy has improved significantly over the past few years, turning the company from one of the worst OEMs for updates to one of the best. Last year, Samsung announced most of its devices would get three years of Android OS updates, and now it has updated its list of supported devices with a few additions and removals.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 doesn't support seamless updates
And unfortunately Google's CDD for Android 11 doesn't list it as a requirement
Last year, a change to the Android 11 Vendor Test Suite was spotted, indicating that phones launching with Android 11 and later would be required to support so-called "seamless" updates. This feature allows a phone to install a system update while it's running and simply reboot into the new environment without any user-facing delay. Unfortunately, that hasn't panned out. According to the latest Android 11 Compatibility Definition Document (CDD), Google has seemingly walked back that requirement, and we can confirm that the Samsung Galaxy S21 doesn't support seamless updates.
Future Android phones may get 4 years of updates, thanks to Google and Qualcomm
It's still up to phone companies to deliver, but new chips will make it possible
In what might prove to be the biggest Android news story of the week, today Google announced that all of Qualcomm's future chipsets, starting with the upcoming Snapdragon 888, will support three Android OS updates and four years of security updates. In layman's terms, that means some new phones landing in 2021 will probably get an extra year of updates — assuming OEMs step up to the plate and follow suit.
Chrome to get improved payment and password management across devices
Seamless autofill will be available whether you sync Chrome or not
Saving payment information and passwords to Chrome can be super handy, but it currently works only if you choose to sync your settings on each device. Over the coming months, Google will make changes to the payment and password manager so that you can use it seamlessly even when Chrome sync is switched off.
Chrome OS 87 rolls out with Bluetooth battery indicator, interactive Alt+Tab experience, and more
A well-rounded update that brings several new features and improvements to Chromebooks
A couple of weeks after Chrome 87 was released to desktop and mobile platforms, Google is rolling out Chrome OS 87 to the Stable channel, the final update of the year. Like the previous major update, 87 brings several new features and improvements to Chromebooks to enhance the user experience. Here are a few of the things Google announced today that are coming to eligible devices.
Google Play app approvals are suffering severe delays, jeopardizing security and customer retention
Some devs are waiting a month or more
Around this time last year, Google began imposing a more strenuous review process on new apps and updates submitted to the Play Store. For many developers, this was only a minor inconvenience that slowed down publishing by a few hours or days. However, in the months since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a growing number of people have detailed delays of several weeks for new apps and even simple bug fixes.