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Making an Apple Watch for Android users could be surprisingly simple
Here's how it could work for everyone, including Apple
How many times have you read the words “Apple should make an Apple Watch for Android?” As a die-hard tech fan and a regular user of both platforms, I’ve also those words myself — and often read comments across all social platforms that say the company would never do it, that it would go against its walled-garden policy, and so on.
Google silently fixed your Pixel’s notification history
Tapping recently dismissed notifications finally opens them again with the March Feature Drop
Sometimes, you inadvertently swipe away notifications you may want to get back to later, or that you haven’t even properly processed just yet. That’s where Android’s opt-in notification history comes in, giving you an overview of everything your apps sent you the past few days. On Pixels running Android 14, notification history has been having issues reliably opening apps when tapping recent notifications in it. It looks like this is now fixed with the March Feature Drop, which Google started rolling out earlier this month.
Android will soon get Windows-style sticky keys for physical keyboards
Future Android versions could also add support for slow keys
Android 14 QPR3 won't be out for the masses until June, but we already have a decent idea about what it will bring to the table, thanks to beta releases. The second Android 14 QPR3 beta dropped this week, and although some are experiencing bricked devices while sideloading the update, we've learned a fair bit more about what the next quarterly platform release (QPR) will look like. Android sleuth Mishaal Rahman has detailed several of the changes, both big and small, included with the new release. We can now add another to the list, focusing on physical keyboards.
Your Android tablet could soon let you take notes right from the lock screen
A lock screen shortcut is incoming for apps like Google Keep
We've come a long way since the days of the basic capacitive stylus, with Samsung currently leading the pack in the mobile world with its S Pen stylus. However, there are several other underrated styluses that you can choose for your Android tablet that can help you write a quick note or get a quick doodle going. But for tablet users on Android 14, the process is not as quick as you'd want it to be. Thankfully, Google is working on making things easier by adding a new lock screen shortcut for the notes app of their choice.
5 Android 14 settings you'll want to change immediately
From your lock screen to new gestures, you need to change these five things after upgrading your smartphone
If you're looking for cool new features to try on your phone, update to Android 14. The latest OS version comes with many improvements and additions. We picked the best ones to make your Android 14 experience more enjoyable and productive, especially compared to Android 13.
Android 15 sticks with Android 14's space theme for some reason
What’s up with Google’s newfound love for the final frontier?
The Android 15 developer preview is finally here, and long with it, Google unveiled a new logo for the new version. In contrast to the big jump from Android 13 to Android 14, which switched from a generic Material You-style shape with a 13 in it to a full on NASA badge, Google didn’t make a big tweak for Android 15.
Android 14's flash notifications are great for accessibility — but that's not all
One of Android 14's unsung heroes
In a world where staying connected is as crucial as your morning coffee, Android 14 is the shining armor for all things notification-related. In addition to features like improved battery life and predictive back gestures, Android sprinkled some notification magic and added flash notifications to this update. Flash notifications are brief pop-ups that appear on a device's screen, either as a quick flash or a pop-up message to notify users of incoming notifications.
Android 15 gets a mention in Google's latest Easter egg
The first Android 15 Developer Preview could be released soon
Google rolled out Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 this week, detailing some of the features that could make it to the June Feature Drop. Meanwhile, Google is also slated to release the first Android 15 Developer Preview sometime this month or in March. It now looks like we're inching ever so closer to that day, with a subtle new change being spotted on Android 14’s Easter egg following the QPR3 Beta 1 update.
Google dropped the first Android 14 QPR3 beta on February 7, 2024. It’s available for testing now and will likely go live as the June Feature Drop in the middle of the year. While there aren’t all that many changes compared to Android 14 QPR2 on the surface, there is a lot going on under the hood. There are even some features that may only come out in Android 15, so let’s dive into everything that’s new.
Google's new Android 14 beta hints at the Pixel Tablet 2
Google's upcoming tablet could be codenamed Clementine and Kiyomi
The first Android 14 QPR3 beta has just gone live, giving us a peek at what's to come with the June Pixel Drop. We've already learned a fair bit about the features expected to make the cut, such as improvements to touch sensitivity depending on the user's environment and a long overdue addition for the Pixel Fold's cover/exterior screen. It now looks like Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 also contains references to a potential Pixel Tablet successor.
Android 15 could add an easy mode for people who struggle with tech
The upcoming 'easy pre-set' focuses on legibility and ease-of-use
Let’s face it: phones have become increasingly complex over the years, and not everyone wants to deal with all the features their handset offers. Some people may even have impairments that prevent them from easily taking advantage of all the best bells and whistles of Android. That’s where a new “easy pre-set” may come in, which was spotted under development in the new Android 14 QPR3 beta.
Google remembered that chat bubbles are still a thing on Android
The floating chat windows might see a renaissance on big screens
A long time ago, Facebook Messenger introduced a feature called chat heads, which moved your conversations into floating bubbles that sit on top of other content you see. The concept proved so popular that Google added a native version of it in Android 11, long after Facebook gave up on it more and more. Since then, the system-wide Chat Bubbles have languished as a little used option, but with Android 15, this could change again — at least for Android devices with big screens.
Your Pixel phone may soon automatically adapt its touch sensitivity to its environment
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 has a hidden feature that adjusts to 'your environment, activities, and screen protector'
Your phone’s default touch sensitivity is probably good enough for day-to-day use, but if you slap a screen protector on, use a glove, or need to use your phone under certain weather conditions, you might need to raise or lower the touch sensitivity to make it easier to operate your phone. Many Android phones offer dedicated “glove mode” or “screen protector mode” settings that increase the touch sensitivity, but you generally have to manually turn these settings on.
The Pixel Fold might borrow a screen lock trick from the OnePlus Open
Code discovered in Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 hints at a new cover screen gesture
The Pixel Fold is Google’s first attempt at making a foldable phone, so it makes sense that the device lacks some of the bells and whistles that some other foldable phones ship with. Fortunately, missing software features can always be introduced through updates, and the Pixel Fold has already received several of those. One feature missing on the Pixel Fold is a setting to control when to continue apps on the cover screen, but it looks like this functionality is in the works, according to code we discovered in today’s Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 release.
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 is here with our first look at June's Pixel Feature Drop
With the March Feature Drop all but ready, Google's beta program has a new focus
Until Android 15 arrives, Google's beta program will focus on Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) versions, more commonly known as Pixel Feature Drops. Android 14 QPR2, or the March 2024 Feature Drop, has been put through the paces, and it appears that Google is satisfied with its stability, as that beta program has now ended and another one is just getting started.
Google just hit send on February's Android security update for Pixels
The update fixes over a dozen vulnerabilities, including one critical CVE
Even though Google gave up on a fixed day for Pixel updates back in October 2023, the company has still dropped security updates every month since — and February 2024 is apparently no exception. When announcing its industry-leading promise of seven years of updates for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, the company said it would deploy updates "as soon as they’ve completed the necessary tests" rather than on a specific day. Yet here we are on the first Monday of the month, and like clockwork, Google is rolling out its next Android update for Pixel devices.
Android 15 could finally reclaim some free screen real estate
Displaying content under the status bar could become mandatory
Android updates have focused on the beautification of user interfaces since Android 12 when Google introduced Material You and dynamic theming. However, things continue to get better, and a lot of improvement now comes through optimization of the existing UI designs. Recently spotted code suggests apps could look better on Android 15, with proper optimizations in place for displaying under the status bar and gesture navigation bar, so content can utilize every inch of the device display.
Ultra HDR image capture could soon come to third-party Android apps
The CameraX API is getting bolstered for Android 14 and beyond
The plight of any Gen Z-er or millennial that grew up with an Android smartphone is the annoyance of how awful photos and videos look when captured using Snapchat. Heck, this author even remembers the theories other kids had to explain how horrible the quality of some Snaps were. Some of those theories turned out to be true, such as people saying it took a screenshot of the camera’s viewfinder. A trip down memory lane notwithstanding, the Android camera API situation is a mess. Third-party camera apps have had varying levels of difficulty enabling certain features across the spectrum of cameras on Android devices due to lacking API versions and compatibility problems. Android 14 added Ultra HDR support to pictures taken in the default camera app, but it hasn’t been usable by other apps beyond Google Photos. That seems to be changing.
Google's annoying 'update ownership' sideload warning spreads to more apps and phones
The warning was limited to Google's core apps and Pixel devices
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With Android 14 last year, Google introduced a new warning dialog for users downloading a Google app update from a different source. The behavior is part of the "update ownership" API in Android 14, which lets app stores claim ownership over an app. This meant users would be warned of the potential risks when they sideload an app update from another source. While it was largely believed to be limited to Pixel phones and some Google apps at the time, the warning dialogs are now popping up on non-Pixel phones and non-Google apps as well.
Google and Samsung reportedly streamlining future Wear OS updates on annual cycle
Wear OS 5 would be based on Android 14 with Wear OS 6 using Android 15
Wear OS, the Android-based smartwatch operating system that has been supported by Google and Samsung watches since re-launching in 2021, has had a notoriously long shelf life when it comes to new versions. Usually, every two years or so, a new Wear OS version will be released based on the previous version of Android. If you went to a store to pick up a new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, released last year, you’d get a watch running Wear OS 4, which is based on Android 13. A few years in the past, and your new smartwatch would have been based on the Android 11-based Wear OS 3. That’s all set to change moving forward, however.