Android

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR The Google Play Store is offering discounts on Pixel 11 phones and the Pixel Watch 5 via the Play Points section. It looks like platinum members can get $150 off a Pixel 11 or Pixel 11 Pro series phone, $175 off the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and $75 off the Pixel Watch 5. The deal takes the form of a discount code that must be applied before August 30. The Google Pixel 11 phones are finally here, and there’s no shortage of deals if you’re keen on getting one of these devices. However, it turns out that the Google Play Store itself is also hiding Pixel 11 series offers in plain sight. Droid-Life spotted various Pixel 11 offers in the Play Points section of the Google Play Store in the US. This can be found by tapping the Play Points icon at the top of the app, next to the notification and account icons. From here, you can navigate to the Perks section to view a variety of Pixel 11 series discounts. Alternatively, you can find these deals via the “You” tab in the bottom-right corner.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR YouTube says its ceaseless design changes occur for a reason, and that is to ensure more visibility for content. It shares a few examples of UI changes made recently to reduce clutter. These changes are designed to establish consistency across mobile apps, YouTube’s web interface, and apps for TVs. YouTube’s endless experimentation with its user interface, both on mobile and the web, can feel jarring. It’s almost as if the UI is constantly changing, and at any given time you’ll find different content orientations, experimental placements, and buttons spread across the interface. The next day you’d find these changes reversed, or new ones being tested. In the last year alone, we’ve seen more than half a dozen major changes. But YouTube recently explained the philosophy behind the move, confirming these changes are intentional. In a recent blog post attributed to Jonathan Terleski, YouTube’s VP of User Experience, the video giant reveals the drive behind these unceasing changes. The blog recounts five such incidents when YouTube’s interface has gone through minimal changes to “reduce clutter and make the app feel effortless to use.” The idea is to make “every pixel count.”

This week, we saw the launch of Google’s latest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 5, but judging by reader sentiment, the company has already launched its breakout hit wearable earlier this year. In May, the Fitbit Air arrived with its minimalist, screenless design that I’ve been clamoring for for years. Granted, it misses a few features on my personal wishlist, but it proves that you don’t need a display to keep tabs on your health.

TL;DR Google Meet’s Take notes for me feature now works for in-person meetings. It creates a transcript, summary, and action items in a Google Doc after the session. The feature is rolling out to eligible Google AI and Workspace plans on Android, web, and iOS. We’ve seen speech recognition evolve rapidly over the past year. Voice typing is so accurate now that dictation is replacing traditional keyboards for some of us, with specialized software like Wispr Flow making it effortless to catch every word. Some brands have even turned to dedicated physical hardware to capture offline discussions. Now, Google wants a piece of that offline pie, and it doesn’t require buying extra gadgets. Google officially announced that its Take notes for me feature in Google Meet, previously locked to virtual calls, now supports face-to-face, in-person meetings (via 9to5Google). Instead of serving purely as a video conferencing tool, Google is morphing Meet into a central hub for all your professional conversations, online or off. Google first previewed the move at Cloud Next in April, and the feature is now beginning its wider rollout.

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR A leaker reports that Samsung’s One UI 9.5 software includes an app lock feature. One screenshot suggests you can simply hold on the desired app’s icon and then choose the padlock icon to lock it. Another screenshot also hints that this tool has a lot in common with Android Canary’s recent app lock feature. App lock functionality has been a staple feature on phones from several Android brands. This lets you put apps behind a PIN or biometric scan. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t have a proper app lock system. Thankfully, it looks like this is changing in One UI 9.5. Tipster Fahad Ali Javed (h/t: SamMobile) uncovered an App Lock feature in Samsung’s upcoming software. The app lock icon appears when you press and hold an app icon in the app drawer. Check out the leaker’s screenshots below.

Credit: Shimul Sood / Android Authority TL;DR A leaker has shared screenshots of One UI 9.5. The tipster claims that “Much has changed.” Samsung is currently busy preparing to roll out the stable version of One UI 9.0 to older Galaxy devices. However, we know that the company is multitasking, working on One UI 9.5, which was spotted on a test server for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. While no information about the update has been revealed yet, we could start getting some details soon. Over on X (formerly Twitter), Fahad Ali Javed shared some screenshots in a social media post. The screenshots are of an early build of One UI 9.5 running on a Galaxy device.

TL;DR Google Sheets is rolling out a new Canvas feature that uses Gemini to turn boring spreadsheets into interactive ones. Using the feature requires no prior coding or formula knowledge. Your canvas stays synced with the original Sheet, while letting you customize its layout, design, and functionality. Google’s new flipped Sheets icon is also visible in the Canvas announcement images and GIFs. What started out as a relatively simple spreadsheet web application 20 years ago has since transformed into one of the most used productivity tools out there. We’re talking about Google Sheets, which is now a lot more than just rows, columns, and formulas, and thanks to Gemini’s smarts, it’s about to become a lot more versatile. The tech giant is rolling out a new Gemini-powered feature that can turn your Google Sheets spreadsheets into “custom, interactive mini-apps.” It’s called Sheets canvas, and it’s designed to help you turn raw data into something easier to interact with.

TL;DR Google Maps shows popular times to alert you how busy a destination is. Recently, some users have noticed popular times disappearing from the Maps Android app. It’s not yet clear if this is a glitch, intentional, or if Google’s just moving the info somewhere else. If you’re only using Google Maps to plot a route from point A to point B, you are seriously missing out on a lot. In addition to offering useful discovery tools for finding new places worth visiting, Maps also makes it possible to strategize your travels so you don’t show up somewhere at its busiest time of the day. But now, for some reason, users are having trouble viewing popular times in Maps. Google collects location data from Maps users to help generate the bar graph you see depicting popular times for destinations. In addition to just giving you a general overview of when you might want to plan your trip to best avoid crowds, it also offers a live view of what those crowds look like right at the moment, arming you with a lot of useful info.

TL;DR Galaxy users are encountering a problem where the navigation bar will only hide when the notification panel is pulled down. Samsung has acknowledged that there is a bug with NavStar’s hide button function The company confirms that the issue has been fixed in One UI 9.0. Although One UI 9.0 is available on Samsung’s latest foldables out of the box, the company’s older phones are still waiting on the stable rollout. The update is set to bring a variety of changes, such as an anti-distraction tool, granular audio hardening controls, and more. On top of that, it appears the update will also contain a fix for an annoying problem that was introduced in One UI 8.5. After releasing One UI 8.5, some Galaxy owners noticed a problem with their navigation bar. Specifically, the navigation bar only disappears when the user pulls down the notification panel. Unsurprisingly, this is a problem that caused a great deal of frustration to those affected.

Credit: Google TL;DR Google has announced the launch of Gemini 3.7 Flash. The new model performs better at PDF document comprehension, code accuracy, web development, and more. Gemini Spark will start using Gemini 3.7 Flash starting today. Google first introduced us to Gemini 3.6 Flash in late July. At the time, the model was Google’s smartest workhorse model to date. It sure didn’t take long for that model to become old news. The company is already launching its successor, Gemini 3.7 Flash. In a blog post, the Mountain View-based firm states that this new model takes developer feedback into consideration, along with algorithmic improvements. The result is improved performance across software engineering, knowledge work, and web development workflows. To sweeten the deal, Google is offering the model at the same introductory price that came with 3.6 Flash.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Some Google Maps users are reporting an issue with the app. The pins that mark hotel locations are not showing up for these users. The issue appears to be occurring on Android, iOS, and PC. Google Maps just recently fixed an error that prevented traffic data from showing up. While that problem is now in the rearview mirror, it looks like the team won’t be able to take a break quite yet. Another bug has reared its ugly head, and this one affects hotel results. When you open up the Google Maps app, one of the first things you’ll see are pins. These are used to show you where various businesses and landmarks are located, such as restaurants, museums, supermarkets, and so on. You can also perform a search on a specific subject to see all of the locations for that subject in your area.

TL;DR Chip manufacturers have already started moving to next-gen 2nm fabrication levels. After Samsung got started with the Exynos 2600, Google was expected to deliver the Tensor G6 as a 2nm component. This week, an interview with a Google VP claims the Tensor G6 is instead a 3nm chip. Tech enthusiasts love their specs, and for as much as we might understand that there’s a whole lot more to the performance and experience that a device offers than what can easily be distilled down to a few numbers… numbers sure are convenient, aren’t they? Whether we’re counting megapixels or measuring RAM, everyone sits up and takes notice when those numbers cross a new threshold — and that’s just what’s been happening with the chips that power our phones lately, as manufacturers move to advanced 2nm fabrication levels. But with the Pixel 11 series debuting this week, we’re getting some unfortunate news about the rise of the 2nm era. Samsung got the ball rolling on 2nm chips in phones with its Exynos 2600, but lately we’ve been looking forward to Google joining that club, too. The Tensor G5 was a 3nm chip, but rumors have been hinting that the Tenor G6 could make the move to 2nm since last fall. And really, that momentum never faded, leaving us expecting a 2nm Tensor G6 all the way up until the Pixel 11’s launch this week.

Dead zones and slowdowns get old fast in a busy home, especially when phones, TVs, laptops, and game consoles are all fighting for bandwidth. Amazon now has a deal on the TP-Link Deco BE23 3-pack that makes a whole-home Wi-Fi 7 setup much easier on your budget. The TP-Link Deco BE23 is down to $152.99 from its $219.99 recommended retail price, a 30% discount. That saves you $67, and at $152.99, this matches the all-time low. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR GoFullPage, used by more than 11 million people, was pulled from the Chrome Web Store and disabled for some users. The extension was flagged as violating Chrome Web Store policy, triggering an “unsafe” warning. GoFullPage’s developer says the removal stems from a copyright issue, not a security compromise, and Google is working with the team to restore it. Having a Chrome extension you have relied on for years suddenly red-flagged can instantly spark concerns about malware or compromised software. That exact panic hit over 11 million users this week when GoFullPage, a staple full-page screenshot utility, abruptly disappeared from the Chrome Web Store and triggered automated safety alerts across Chromium web browsers like Chrome and Brave. Brave, for instance, is warning users that the extension may be unsafe and recommends removing it. The warning says the extension is disabled because it “violates the Web Store policy,” as shown in the screenshot below:

The TOZO S8 AMOLED Smart Watch is a budget-friendly smartwatch built around everyday health tools, fitness tracking, and a screen that looks better than you might expect at this price. It already stands out for its 1.32-inch AMOLED display with a sharp 466 x 466 resolution, and right now there’s also a strong deal on it at Amazon. See the deal at Amazon

Keeping an eye on a whole room is a lot easier when your camera can move instead of staying fixed in one spot. That is exactly where the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera fits in, and it is on sale at Amazon right now. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR Swiff v1.3.0 adds the original Adobe Flash Player, giving users another way to play older Flash games that may not work properly with Ruffle. The update expands Swiff beyond Flash, adding support for J2ME mobile games, Scratch games, and web shortcuts for games found elsewhere online. Swiff also gets a host of quality-of-life improvements, including playlists, better storage management, customizable on-screen controls, and numerous bug fixes. If you miss the good ol’ days of browser gaming, or if you’re simply an avid Android Authority reader, there’s a very good chance you’ve already run into Swiff. The Android app, which was released early in July, brought back an easy way to play thousands of classic Flash games on the go. The app is now getting a major update that makes it more than just a simple Flash game player. Swiff version 1.3.0 is out now, and it is a significant update that can bolster the app’s already-vast game library. Not only does it unlock the original Adobe Flash Player, but it finally brings support for J2ME and Scratch games.

TL;DR Counterpoint’s Q2 2026 US smartphone sales figures reveal a 5% year-over-year decline, largely driven by rising component costs. Meanwhile, the sub-$100 smartphone segment has reportedly seen a sales dip of 64% YoY in the US. The research firm forecasts the average selling prices of future smartphones to go up, with the Pixel 11 already starting that trend, and Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 lineup expected to continue it. The global energy price hikes precipitated by the Middle East conflict have impacted the purchasing power of many consumers. This is on top of the ongoing RAM shortage, which has raised component costs and left smartphone makers scrambling to secure more units. A combination of these factors has led manufacturers to either raise prices or shut up shop entirely. Some of these realities are now being reflected in a new quarterly sales report. Counterpoint Research’s Q2 smartphone sales report shows a 5% YoY decline in US sales. Similarly, sales of Apple, Google, Motorola, and Samsung phones fell 4% in Q2 2026 compared to the same period last year. The impact of the financial crunch has been particularly harsh on the rest of the market, which has collectively witnessed a 45% YoY sales reduction in the US.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR YouTube is extending the “Ask YouTube” experiment to mobile devices. You’ll need to go into the app and tap on “Ask” in the search bar to use the feature. It will only be available to signed-in users who are 13 and above. Searching for content in the YouTube mobile app is about to get more conversational. YouTube is expanding an experiment it launched back in April to mobile devices. Google has announced that it is rolling out the “Ask YouTube” feature to the YouTube mobile app. If you’re unfamiliar with the tool, it made its debut as an experiment on desktop on April 27, 2026. This experiment adds an “Ask YouTube” button to the search bar, which you can click on to bring up a conversational search experience to dive deeper into topics. It works similarly to asking Google’s AI questions in the Gemini app.

Amazon has dropped the Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo to $339.99, down from its $549.99 RRP. That saves you $210, a 38% discount off the recommended retail price, and it is worth a look now because this is an Amazon Lightning Deal that ends in under nine hours. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Sony TL;DR Sony says its recently launched flagship Xperia 1 has witnessed strong demand, despite a price hike in its home country, Japan. The company pins the phone’s success to its improved camera and distinct features, such as the 3.5mm headphone jack and the microSD card slot. Besides these standout features, Sony attributes good sales numbers to the Xperia 1 VIII’s improved cameras. Most smartphones have long been bereft of features such as the 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot, with only a handful of phones still carrying on the tradition. One of them is the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII, which launches in May and is available to buy across Japan, Europe, and the UK. Sony believes that despite the industry having almost forgotten these features, the headphone jack and microSD card remain “integral” to their flagship device. Japanese publication IT Media (via GSMArena) recently spoke to two Sony representatives about the Xperia 1 VIII’s sales in Japan. Despite a price hike in the home country, where the price goes past the 200,000 yen mark, the phone’s “sales have remained strong, and customer satisfaction is very high,” the representatives said in the interview. The team says demand is high, especially for high storage capacity models, such as 1TB, and the new gold color. The sales trend continues across different markets.

Credit: iFixit TL;DR iFixit has given the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 a low 4/10 repairability score due to an extremely fragile inner screen, delicate hinge, and impractical dust protection. Positives include standard Phillips/JIS screws, modular USB-C ports, and an 8.8% silicon-carbon battery boost with pull-tabs. However, accessing one battery requires risking the outer screen. Paired inner display and hinge assemblies require gutting the phone for repairs, and official spare parts remain scarce. Samsung’s latest foldable flagships might feel like sleek engineering marvels, but beneath that polished exterior lies a familiar, frustrating story. We’ve been impressed by Samsung’s new foldable form factor in our Galaxy Z Fold 8 hands-on, yet a fresh teardown from the folks at iFixit reminds us that ultra-thin foldables still come with major repairability trade-offs. iFixit has given the Galaxy Z Fold 8 a provisional 4/10 repairability score, hampered by an extremely fragile inner screen, an intricate hinge, and a dust-resistance rating that isn’t quite practical for real-world use.

Credit: Tushar Mehta / Android Authority TL;DR TL Spotify on Android users are experiencing severe performance issues, including UI lag, frozen playback, and unresponsive controls. Spotify acknowledged the issue on its community forum earlier in the month but offered no timelines or updates since then. Many frustrated subscribers are considering switching to YouTube Music or Apple Music. Spotify users on Android are reaching a breaking point as severe performance issues, UI lag, and unresponsive player controls continue to plague the app. We reported on the issue earlier in the month, and the company briefly acknowledged the issue at the time. However, user complaints have continued to pour in throughout the week, while Spotify has not shared any further updates or fixes. This has left subscribers paying top dollar for an increasingly broken mobile experience, and many are considering switching to alternatives like YouTube Music and Apple Music. There have been so many Reddit threads and comments in the past week alone highlighting the community’s widespread frustration with Spotify on Android. Multiple threads are calling out frozen playback screens, delayed button inputs, and endless loading spinners. Users report that basic interactions. such as pausing a track, switching playlists, or opening the Now Playing screen, frequently lag or crash the application altogether.

TL;DR Chrome Canary is testing a Gemini-powered “Change it for me” option for weak and reused passwords. The feature is controlled by a hidden “Password change with Glic” flag and isn’t working reliably yet. It builds on a Gemini password feature first spotted in Chrome’s code back in 2024. Keeping track of dozens of online logins and staying safe online gets exhausting fast. But it’s also very frustrating when reused passwords finally come back to bite you, so Google might be building an AI shortcut to clean up that mess. Instead of just warning you about weak credentials, Chrome could soon let Gemini automatically swap them out for you. Spotted by browser tipster Leopeva64 on X, the feature is currently tucked behind a hidden flag in the latest Chrome Canary build on desktop. The flag is not available in Chrome Canary for Android as of this writing.

TL;DR Following Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Xiaomi could be preparing a wide foldable. An image of the foldable was revealed as part of the company’s Hyper OS 4 beta update. With this foldable, Xiaomi could follow in the footsteps of Samsung and Apple with a wide-screen foldable of its own. Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 last month revived the idea of a wide-screen foldable phone, which had last been seen on the first-gen Google Pixel Fold. Rumors also suggest that Apple will launch its first-ever foldable iPhone later this fall. There’s now another phone brand we can add to the list. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has seemingly shown off its wide foldable as part of a beta update announcement. It’s hard to determine whether this was a slip-up or a deliberate move by the manufacturer. However, this is the strongest evidence yet that a wide-screen foldable from Xiaomi is on the horizon (via GizmoChina).