Android

The Google Pixel 11 series is nearly here, and a massive leak just a few days ago pretty much revealed all the important bits we’ve been dying to know. While nothing is official until Google takes the stage on August 12, it seems to align with most of the rumors we’ve been seeing this year. The Pixel 11 Pro series will once again shine the brightest, quite literally this time, with the new HiLight notification light. But there doesn’t seem to be much in store for the base Pixel 11, which begs the question — should you simply grab the Pixel 10 at a discount today?

TL;DR In the fallout from last year’s Disney/YouTube TV spat, subscribers were promised free ESPN Unlimited. YTTV users are now starting to be notified about the arrival of their ESPN Unlimited perks. Initial access is through the ESPN app, with YTTV streaming arriving later. Last fall, Google and Disney found themselves butting heads over YouTube TV carriage agreements, with subscribers temporarily losing access to multiple ABC, ESPN, and National Geographic channels. It was embarrassing to see the corporate spat played out in public like it was, with YTTV subscribers effectively turned into bargaining chips. When they inevitably sorted things out, viewers were issued a credit, and Google announced a new deal that would, among things, bring a new ESPN offering to YTTV. And now, the better part of a year later, that’s finally happening. We just got this email notifying us of ESPN Unlimited arriving for YouTube TV accounts:

TL;DR Google’s freshening up its icons for a couple Wear OS apps on Pixel Watches. Both Clock and Stopwatch are getting new colors that feel a bit more natural. These changes follow Google updating the ECG icon back in June. Google’s next smartwatch is just days away, with the Pixel Watch 5 set to go official next Wednesday alongside the new Pixel 11 series. Obviously, we’re looking forward to it arriving with Wear OS 7, but it seems that Google’s also been preparing some additional tweaks to its smartwatch software portfolio, and today we’re checking out a new look for a couple of those apps. Pull up your Pixel Watch today, and chances are you’ll see an app view much like the one below:

Credit: Google TL;DR Google has released a new teaser ahead of its Pixel launch event. The teaser features the Pixel Watch 5, while reiterating the launch date. Google says its smartwatch “still has the decency to look like a watch.” Day by day, we’re getting closer to next week’s Made by Google event. This showcase will feature the company’s latest smartphones, as well as its next-generation smartwatch. To help hype you up for the launch, Google has released a brand new teaser video. After Google pushed out teasers for the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, it’s now the Pixel Watch 5’s turn. Just like in earlier teasers, this video offers the shadowy outline of the new device. It also ends in a similar fashion, by reiterating the launch date, which is August 12.

TL;DR Google’s been working on a new Gemini Feature called Proactive Assistance since at least earlier this year. Proactive Assistance sounds a lot like Magic Cue, pulling info from your apps based on screen context. Google now appears to be getting ready to show it off with the Pixel 11. Google’s Pixel 11 launch event will be upon us in just a few more days, and beyond the new hardware that’s set to debut, you can sure expect Google to be showing off its latest software developments. One that’s been on our radar for a while now has been Gemini Proactive Assistance, and recent discoveries have hinted that it could very well land as the next evolution of Magic Cue, possibly arriving with the Pixel 11. Ahead of next Wednesday’s launch, we’re taking a closer look at the latest developments there. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

TL;DR Android Authority has reviewed strings related to a new Pixel feature called Conversation Capture. Conversation Capture will record and transcribe audio, and with optional Gemini integration. We expect this feature will debut on the Pixel 11 series. One of Google’s best machine-learning enabled products has long been its Pixel-exclusive Recorder app, which makes searchable transcriptions of your recordings. Now, Google is integrating that basic concept deeper into the Android experience with a feature called Conversation Capture. Poking around the latest version of the Android System Intelligence app, we’ve seen a whole bunch of strings about Conversation Capture. Internally codenamed Auris, the feature sounds very similar to Google’s existing Recorder app, but built more deeply integrated with both Android and Gemini.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google recently rolled out Thread 1.4 to the Google TV Streamer. Users are reporting that Thread 1.4 has now come to Nest devices. These devices include the Nest Hub, Nest Hub Gen 2, Nest Hub Max, and Nest WiFi Pro. In June, Google finally threw the Google TV Streamer a bone and gave the device its first major OTA update of 2026. In addition to applying bug fixes and improvements, the update also brought support for Thread 1.4. Now that same support is starting to extend to the company’s smart displays and mesh system. It appears Google is rolling out Thread 1.4 to more devices. Users are reporting on Reddit that their Nest Hub devices have been upgraded to the latest version of the standard. The devices that have received the update, according to the post, include the Nest Hub, Nest Hub Gen 2, Nest Hub Max, and Nest WiFi Pro.

Busy places can make it hard to focus on your music, calls, or videos. Apple AirPods Max 2 are built for that kind of everyday use, and there’s a solid deal on them at Amazon right now. The top-tier Apple cans are on sale for $449, down from the $549 recommended retail price. That’s a $100 saving, or 18% off the RRP, which is a nice drop on Apple’s flagship over-ear headphones. See the deal at Amazon

Amazon just dropped the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor to $217.20, down from its $398.56 recommended retail price. That saves you $181, a 46% discount off the RRP. And, thanks to the on-page coupon, it’s the lowest price we’ve ever tracked on the high-end monitor. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR A solo game developer alleges that Google’s AI Search told a player about an unreleased character while being asked “silly” questions about their game. The developer claims that they never told anyone about the character publicly and the information only exists digitally in a private Google Docs file. A Google representative shared a statement denying that the company scans private Workspace content to train its AI models. There have been plenty of times when Google’s AI Search has been criticized for providing inaccurate information. In some instances, those screw-ups have been highly public, like when AI Overviews recommended adding glue to pizza. However, it appears that it can also sometimes veer into being unexpectedly accurate. For example, revealing an unannounced character for a game. The solo developer behind Klub Kofta Studio alleges that Google’s AI Search told a player about an unreleased character for their tower defense game Operation Octo. According to the Reddit post, the player was asking the AI “silly” questions about the game to get a laugh when it suddenly surfaced “surprisingly obscure info that should not be available for a small indie game like mine.” Out of curiosity, the developer asked the player if they could ask the AI about future content for the game, and the AI returned the highly specific character name “Vantage Tripod.”

Finding a phone that looks different from the usual crowd, runs smoothly every day, and doesn’t jump into flagship pricing can be tricky. That’s why this Amazon deal on the Nothing Phone 4a Pro stands out right away. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR Some new renders of an upcoming Googlebook laptop from Lenovo have surfaced. AI-generated images of an ASUS model were also shared. It’s possible the AI images are based on real press renders, but we haven’t been able to confirm that. We’ve been seeing a lot of Googlebook leaks lately, ahead of the first models hitting store shelves later this year. Today, we’re getting a better look at Lenovo’s first entry into the category, as well as images that might be based on press renders of ASUS’s first Googlebook. The new images come to us by way of Digital Citizen, which shared a handful of renders showing the unannounced Lenovo Googlebook 15 earlier this week. Today, the outlet’s shared more official-looking renders of that Lenovo laptop, plus some questionable images of the ASUS model.

TL;DR A new leak has spilled the beans on Sony’s upcoming WH-1000XM4C headphones, a spinoff of the now-discontinued WH-1000XM4. These headphones will reportedly retain a bulk of the hardware used in the original, but with a shorter battery life. Sony is expected to release the new headphones early next month in Black, Silver, and Lavender colors. The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones set the benchmark for what wireless headphones should be. While it has since been replaced with a couple of newer variants, the WH-1000XM4 holds a special place in audiophiles’ hearts. It now looks like Sony’s classic pair of headphones could be making a comeback soon, but not in the way you’re thinking. Prominent leaker Roland Quandt first revealed the existence of this supposed revival of the fan-favorite WH-1000XM4, claiming it would be known as the WH-1000XM4C. We’re now learning about the headphones’ possible hardware attributes, available colors, launch date, and expected pricing, courtesy of the folks at Dealabs.

A magnetic charger with a stand makes a lot of sense for anyone who wants their phone upright on a desk or nightstand instead of lying flat on a cable. There’s a good deal on the Google Pixelsnap Charger with Stand right now at Amazon, which drops it to $34.99. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Shimul Sood / Android Authority TL;DR Google Photos’ Gemini-powered Ask Photos feature is actively blocking searches for “weed,” “cannabis,” “marijuana,” and “joints,” even in regions where consumption is legal. The restriction surprisingly extends to classic search too, treating private photo queries like restricted generative prompts. Searching for alternative terms like “hemp” easily bypasses the restriction, whereas queries like “beer” or “alcohol” work without issue. Google Photos’ search functionality has felt unreliable lately, especially as Google continues to inject Gemini into every nook and cranny of its ecosystem. While Google recently began rolling out a dedicated toggle that lets users switch off Ask Photos and return to classic search, a new issue shows just how heavy-handed Gemini’s underlying guardrails can be when applied to personal files. Reddit user binarypower is complaining that Google Photos’ search feature yields no results when searching their personal photos for “weed,” “cannabis,” “marijuana,” or “joints.” The Gemini-powered Ask Photos feature actively refuses to search the user’s photos for these search terms, and the user claims that even classic search errors out.

TL;DR OPPO is easing OnePlus’ departure from the market by offering exclusive migration rewards to European users. Perks include discounts on audio gear and wearables, alongside a completely free AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger. The promotion is reportedly live on homepage banners in select countries such as Germany, France, and Spain. When OnePlus announced its retreat from major Western markets, the fallout was immediate. Fans felt deeply betrayed, left wondering what would become of ecosystem support and future hardware availability. While OnePlus has tried to calm fears by confirming the OnePlus 16 remains on course and rolling out ColorOS updates for the OnePlus 15 series, parent company OPPO is taking matters into its own hands. To soften the blow and welcome migrating users, OPPO has launched an exclusive “Join OPPO Family” rewards campaign for those coming from OnePlus. Although no push notifications have appeared inside the OnePlus app, keen-eyed Reddit user Specific_Avocado_795 spotted the promotional link on the official German website. While we were only able to confirm a direct checkout link via the German store, the offer appears tailored to ease European customers into the OPPO ecosystem.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The team behind the popular ARMSX2 PS2 emulator has released ARMSX3 for Android. This is a PS3 emulator that incorporates RPCS3’s improvements for Arm-based devices. This is just a proof-of-concept port right now, so don’t expect great performance or tons of polish. We’ve already seen a couple of PS3 emulators for Android, namely RPCSX-UI Android and aPS3e. However, the team behind the trusted ARMSX2 PS2 emulator has now thrown its hat into the ring with ARMSX3. As the name implies, ARMSX3 is indeed a PS3 emulator for Android. The new emulator is available on GitHub for now, and the team explains that this is merely a proof-of-concept port of the venerable RPCS3 emulator on desktop.

TL;DR Android Canary 2608 includes a redesigned icon for Google’s Terminal app, giving the developer-focused tool a more modern, boxy appearance. The new design retains Terminal’s familiar “>” and “-” symbols, but now looks noticeably similar to Google Sheets’ icon. There’s no word on when the redesigned icon will roll out widely, but it brings Terminal more in line with Google’s newer app icons. Google has been busy giving its app icons a fresh coat of paint lately, and it looks like even some of Android’s more niche tools aren’t being left behind. The latest Android Canary 2608 release comes with a redesigned icon for the Terminal app, giving the developer-focused tool a much more modern look. The current Terminal icon is fairly old-school, featuring the familiar “>” and “-” command-line symbols in neon green against a dark green background. Here’s a side-by-side look at the Terminal app’s current icon (left) and its newer design (right).

Credit: Stephen Radochia / Android Authority From its unique e-paper display to its amazing battery life, there’s a lot to like about the Pebble Time 2. Of course, it’s not for everyone. The Pebble Time 2 is great if you prefer a minimalistic, lightweight device with great battery life and a retro vibe. Unfortunately, the watch isn’t the strongest when it comes to fitness features and sleep tracking. Likewise, the watch platform has limited app integration with other ecosystems compared to Garmin and others.

TL;DR Google is working on a new feature to let users customize the visibility of notification icons in the status bar. Users will be able to choose to see all notification icons, only priority notification icons, or no icons at all. Similar features are already available on devices from other OEMs such as OnePlus and Samsung. Quick Settings customization may be the most talked-about feature in the latest Android Canary 2608 build, but Google is working on a bunch of new things under the hood. We’ve already reported on the new AI clock feature that the company is working on, and now we’ve found evidence of yet another useful feature that could be coming soon. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

TL;DR Soaring memory and RAM prices are pushing mid-range phone prices upward, narrowing the price gap with flagship devices. Counterpoint Research reports that premium smartphones ($600+ wholesale) grabbed a record 29% of global sales in H1 2026. OEMs are aggressively offering trade-in deals, financing, and buybacks to help buyers jump to top-tier phones. The best Android phones keep creeping up in price, but this pricing squeeze is creating an unexpected silver lining for consumers: flagship smartphones are starting to look like surprisingly great deals. According to the latest H1 2026 data from Counterpoint Research, premium smartphones (wholesale prices of $600 and above) grabbed a record 29% share of total global sales — up from 25% in H1 2025. Unit sales in the segment also grew 5% year over year.

At first, I never understood my colleagues’ obsession with weather apps. After all, I had simply relied on Google’s weather notifications for years. That’s until I actually tried a few of the weather apps my colleagues here at Android Authority suggested. That’s when I realized what I’d been missing. My forecasts didn’t have to be limited to daily highs and lows, with often inaccurate predictions. Instead, I could have tailored insights that provided the data I was most interested in. I, too, became a weather app nerd.

Credit: Pankil Shah / Android Authority Your keyboard is the most invasive app on your phone. Gboard is good — genuinely good — and I’m not here to argue otherwise. My only problem with it is that it’s owned by an advertising company that’d love to know everything about me. I stuck with it for so long because I couldn’t find an alternative that matched it without being owned by another tech giant. Then I stumbled onto FUTO Keyboard, and that excuse stopped working.

Credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Authority TL;DR Google Messages is expanding its server-side rollout of the floating context menu and selective text copying to more beta users. The redesigned floating menu places actions like Reply, Copy, Edit, Star, and Delete in a clean vertical list right by the text bubble for easier one-handed use. Selective text copying introduces draggable handles, allowing users to highlight specific details without copying an entire message. Google Messages finally appears to be expanding a major usability refresh to more users, bringing its redesigned floating context menu and selective text copying to (slightly) wider availability. Reddit user seeareeff reports that they could finally see the new floating context menu when long-pressing a message bubble. Rather than dumping action icons into the top action bar (which forced awkward hand re-gripping on larger phones), the vertical floating menu appears right below/above the text. Essential actions like Reply, Copy, Edit, Star, and Delete are neatly grouped in a clean list format that makes one-handed interaction far less frustrating.

Samsung gave us two very different foldables this year: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Both these foldables are aimed at completely different people. The Fold 8 introduces a new direction for Samsung with a wider display, a thinner chassis, and a much more compact feel in the hand. Meanwhile, the Fold 8 Ultra carries forward what the Galaxy Z Fold 7 started, refining that familiar formula. Here’s the thing, though: you’d expect two completely different form factors to come with equally different feature sets. Instead, they’re remarkably similar, and the Fold 8 Ultra is priced just $200 more than the Fold 8. That’s exactly what got me thinking. For such a relatively small price increase, the Ultra offers enough extra value that it almost feels like Samsung is nudging buyers in that direction.