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Live Pixel 9 Pro photos show controversial design changes
Flat sides, more rounded corners, and a SIM tray slot where the microphone used to be
Google has largely stuck with the same design for its flagship phones since the Pixel 6 introduced the rear camera bar layout, but that appears set to change with this year's Pixel 9 series. After introducing a search bar look for the camera cutout on the Pixel 8, it seems the company is going all in with that design language for its 2024 flagships, morphing the camera bar into a pill-shaped rounded protrusion. Now, a leaked set of live photos of what appears to be the Pixel 9 Pro gives us our best look yet at the new design changes, and some of them might not be well-received.
Android 15 goes public, Chrome goes paid, and Google's AI goes free in this week's news
This week in Android: Google's killing spree continues and Samsung's Galaxy AI keeps spreading
Google kills products so frequently that you can't help but wonder where they're all coming from in the first place — the answer is death life by a thousand cuts, because the faucet of new services never really stops dripping. Speaking of, the AI features have been flowing like water lately, and that applies to more than just Google, as Samsung's Galaxy AI keeps spreading to extra devices and languages. Meanwhile, there's a new paid version of Chrome and a free version of Magic Editor, so there's a hearty helping of both yin and yang in this week's top five Android stories.
Phone thieves stare down a billion-device barrel as March updates bring April bugs in this week's news
This week in Android: More juicy Android 15 features surface and old apps keep coming out of the woodwork
Things move fast in the Android world, so nobody would blame you if you fell a little behind on the latest happenings. Just this week, Google has been gearing up to launch what will likely become the world's biggest network of location-aware devices, and that's not even counting all the Android 15 developments that have been trickling in. A bizarre trend of old apps resurfacing started to take shape in the last seven days, and recent firmware updates from Android's two biggest names have been less than flawless. Oh, and wouldn't you know it — Google went and killed another app in this week's five biggest Android headlines.
Gemini infects a new host and Galaxy AI goes mainstream in this week's news
This week in Android: Samsung and Google dominate the headlines with AI and updates
A leaked roadmap in late 2022 offered insight into Google's hardware plans, and a credible Pixel 9 rumor this week has corroborated some of what we saw there. Artificial intelligence wasn't part of that Google roadmap, but with the breakneck development speed of things like Gemini and Galaxy AI lately, there was no predicting what was to come in this arena. Even Google can't get its own story straight with Gemini Nano AI, but at least the company is under-promising and over-delivering on that and Circle to Search. Between these moves and a major Samsung One UI rollout, the two biggest players in the Android space absolutely dominated this week's top headlines.
No self-respecting tech company would be caught dead without a dark mode in its app in 2024 — after all, Google added system-wide support for dark mode in Android 10, and Apple did the same with iOS 13, both of which were released back in 2019. The Wyze app, meant for controlling smart doorbells, security cameras, and other goodies, was a little late to the party, but did add burgeoning dark mode support back in January. Now, it's going one step further.
New Pixel 9 renders point to 3 Google flagships coming this fall
Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL
A little over a year ago, we saw a leaked Pixel roadmap that suggested a smaller Pixel 9 Pro could be in the cards, with Google potentially making a standard Pixel 9, plus a smaller and larger variant of its Pro series phone in 2024. Earlier this year, the first Pixel 9 leaks seemed to suggest part of that prediction was coming true, as we saw a smaller and larger Pixel with Pro-style features on both. Now, renders of a standard Pixel 9 model have emerged, seemingly completing the rumored trifecta.
Android 15 shows its true colors while Apple sees red in this week's news
This week in Android: Samsung pulls a Google and the US pulls an EU
Android 15 made its first appearance back in February, but from a user perspective, it wasn't much different from Android 14. Now that Google has released Developer Preview 2, we're starting to get a better sense of what the next major release will actually change when it hits this summer. Meanwhile, certain Samsung users might get the update even faster than usual thanks to a new-old feature, and other major players, like Apple, Epic, and YouTube, made headlines in this week's biggest Android news.
Android 15 DP2 arrives ahead of next month's open beta: Here's what's new
Better satellite connectivity and NFC. plus more apps for the cover screen on flip-style foldables
Google starts its annual Android release cycle with Developer Preview builds intended for app makers to ready their wares ahead of an open beta program. We already knew from the Android 15 development timeline Google published alongside DP1 that there would be another dev-focused release this month before the public beta launches in April. Android 15 DP2 has now arrived, with Google highlighting some new functionality that we can all look forward to once the stable build touches down toward the end of summer.
US sues Apple for iPhone monopoly, points to iMessage and Apple Watch dominance, among other tactics
Antitrust suit raises similar concerns to the EU's recent DMA mandate
The US is one of the few countries where most people still text from their telephone number instead of using a secure messaging app like WhatsApp. This is partly due to carriers offering free SMS messaging with their plans in the early days of smartphones, but most of us following the mobile industry blame it on one thing: the dominance of iMessage in America. This and other aspects of Apple's walled garden, like its reluctance to fully support non-Apple Watch wearables, are being called into question in a new antitrust case filed by the US Justice Department today.
Google's Pixel 8a could finally get the display upgrade we've been waiting for
A 120Hz screen with DisplayPort output is reportedly in the cards
Last year's Pixel 7a made its official debut at Google I/O, and now we know that I/O 2024 is set for May 15, so an upgrade to the company's midrange line of phones could be less than two months away. Judging by the latest rumblings, it certainly seems that way, as the Pixel 8a was just spotted making its way through the FCC for certification. Now, a new rumor has emerged that points to some significant display improvements with this year's model.
Chrome can now use Android's default password provider instead of Google's
The new setting is hidden behind a flag, but it's functional on Chrome stable
There are so many excellent browsers for Android that sticking with the default might be doing yourself a disservice. Google Chrome comes pre-installed on all phones that ship with the Play Store, but with major competitors like Firefox opening up extension support and others with anti-tracking features, people who roll with the default are seeing new incentives to switch. Chrome's lack of support for non-Google password managers is another reason you may have been looking to make the jump, but a new hidden setting could level the playing field on this front.
Google sets a date, feds flex, and WhatsApp goes pin-crazy in this week's news
This week in Android: Samsung makes some questionable choices and the US government chooses violence
The biggest announcements of the year for the Android platform are coming in a matter of weeks, as Google has finally set a date for I/O 2024. At the same time, Apple's dragging its feet, holding Google back from releasing a feature we've been eagerly anticipating for months. But we finally got official word on the next big midrange phone, and it won't be from Samsung — at least in the US. Speaking of, the American government exerted a bit of power on the tech world, and WhatsApp seems to think the pin is mightier than the sword in this week's top five Android headlines.
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Every year, Google teases the biggest event in Android with a puzzle — when (or if) the community solves it, the date for that year's Google I/O conference will be revealed, giving us a precise time to expect the developer-summit-turned-media-extravaganza in Mountain View. Like speculation around Android's next desert codename or its hidden Easter egg and mascot, it's a fun tradition with low stakes that we can't help but take way too seriously. And thanks to some skilled individuals, you don't need to solve the puzzle yourself to figure out I/O 2024 is set for May 14th.
TikTok's rumored photos app could bring its Instagram rivalry full circle
A new TikTok Photos app seems like the exact opposite of Instagram Reels
Social media giant TikTok is facing pressure on multiple fronts, as the US congress is set to vote on a bill this week that could result in the app being banned nationwide, and there's ongoing competition from established players, like YouTube with its Shorts feature and Instagram with Reels, who have their eyes set on TikTok's short-form video throne. In an unexpected twist, evidence suggests TikTok could soon hit back with a new app of its own.
Android loses its emulator edge as Apple trims the hedge on its walled garden in this week's news
This week in Android: Big Tech goes on a killing spree, and the grass IS greener on the other side of the pond
With some of the biggest companies in the world constantly competing for market- and mindshare, there's never a dull week in Android news. This week, a few big names outside the usual Google-Samsung two-step came to dance, as EU regulators and corporate lawyers alike laid down the litigation. Of course, Google itself still made headlines, but not all of them were good. If you haven't been following the space as closely as you'd like, we've got you covered with a rundown of this week's top five headlines below.
Big Waze update wants to help you navigate those pesky roundabouts
Plus alerts for speed limit changes, speed bumps, and a lot more
Distracted driving is a real problem, and smartphones are often at the center of it. But when used properly, navigation apps like Waze can help more than they hurt, keeping you informed of the potential hazards ahead without drawing your eyes off the road. Today, Waze is picking up a suite of new features in this vein to help get you from point A to point B as swiftly and safely as possible.
Some Pixel 7 users are already getting Circle to Search
An update to the Google app seems to be triggering availability
The big March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop has arrived — well, technically it won't start rolling out in the US until next week, but it's already going live in some markets — and the headlining feature is that Google's new Circle to Search utility is becoming available on older Pixel phones, namely the 7 and 7 Pro. Usually, these things take a matter of days, if not weeks, to hit actual phones in the wild, but this particular feature seems to be arriving sooner than any of us expected.
Google and Samsung steal the limelight from MWC in this week's biggest news
This week in Android: Samsung's cooking up hardware and software while Google's in the kitchen with Wear OS
This week started off with the world's largest mobile show in Barcelona, as MWC 2024 brought the most prominent names in tech under one roof to showcase their latest concepts and prototypes. But even with all that hubbub, the two biggest companies in the Android space dominated headlines as usual, with rumors and releases on the hardware and software fronts from Samsung and Google hogging the limelight. If you missed out on any of the biggest headlines this week in Android amid all the commotion, we certainly don't blame you — in fact, we'll get you caught up in no time with the five biggest stories from the past seven days after the jump.
Google Chrome's search suggestions are about to get even stronger
Three new search features are rolling out to the browser starting today
Google Chrome already boasts some of the most robust search features out of all the browsers available, offering an Omnibox that can correct minor spelling mistakes and suggest surprisingly relevant sites well before you finish typing. Of course, you'd expect this from a browser made by the internet's biggest search engine, but Google didn't get to this point by relying on reputation. Now, Chrome is taking another step ahead of the pack with a handful of new search features rolling out today.
Here's how WhatsApp got better in February 2024
Channels and Communities keep getting better, but WhatsApp hasn't forgotten about its roots
With Meta at the helm, WhatsApp development has continued to chug along at a steady pace — particularly over the last year, with features being added left and right to help keep up with strong competitors in the encrypted messenger space like Signal and Telegram. February has been no different despite being a short month, so we'll dig into all the biggest changes that have happened so far to help you keep tabs.