Android

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A new Garmin smartwatch has been spotted in an FCC filing. The device carries the model number A05170 and has support for LTE and satellite connectivity. It also features 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, ANT/ANT+, and NFC. Now that the Cirqa Smart Band is out, you may be wondering what else Garmin is working on. This will come as a surprise, but it turns out that the company’s next product will be a smartwatch. I know, I know, no one could’ve seen that coming. This smartwatch was recently spotted in a regulatory filing. The folks over at Gadgets and Wearables found the filing sitting in the FCC’s database. These documents don’t include the name of the device, but they do reveal that the model number is A05170. Additionally, Garmin describes the hardware as a portable digital transceiver, but the SAR evaluation report calls it a wrist-worn device.

Google is now less than a week away from unveiling the Pixel 11 series, with the launch event scheduled for August 12. We’re expecting four phones, plenty of new software tricks, and perhaps a few surprises that haven’t already escaped through the usual leak-shaped holes. Despite all that, it seems most of our readers don’t currently have solid plans to buy one. How do we know this? Well, we ran a poll in a recent opinion piece by my colleague Joe Maring, who explained why the Motorola Razr Fold has him questioning his long-standing Pixel loyalty. His argument focused on the Motorola foldable’s cameras, performance, battery life, and charging, but the question we put to you wasn’t related to whether you agreed with his comparisons. We asked more broadly, do you plan on getting any of the new Pixel 11 phones? They haven’t launched yet, so the question was really around your position based on leaks and propensity to upgrade.

Samsung’s latest foldable lineup is a departure from what the company’s been doing up to now. Rather than the usual two foldables — a Flip and a Fold — Samsung’s released three, including two book-style Z Fold phones in different aspect ratios. People have seemed excited about the new, wider form factor (the marginally less premium of the two) since before the phones were released, and now a survey Android Authority‘s been running has confirmed that vibe. In a poll we’ve been running since late July, we asked readers which of the two Z Fold 8 phones they’d be more likely to buy. There were four options: the wide Z Fold 8; the narrow, higher-end Z Fold 8 Ultra; a response for people who hadn’t decided yet; and one for folks who just aren’t interested. After more than 1,000 responses, the wide Z Fold 8 ran away with it, nabbing nearly 60% of all votes.

TL;DR DeepSeek has reportedly sent out notices to its clients about an upcoming price hike. This means DeepSeek’s current position as the most cost-effective AI service in the business may be short-lived. Notably, this is separate from a mid-July price increase announced by the company for peak-hour usage to ease server loads. Among AI providers like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, China-based DeepSeek has emerged as a more economical option for many. The company earned some positive headlines recently following the launch of its powerful V4 Flash model. Well, there’s some bad news coming today, as DeepSeek is seemingly planning a price hike. According to a report by Bloomberg, DeepSeek is sending notices to its clients, informing them of a “significant” price increase. There’s no word on how much more expensive its offerings will be, nor on when the updated prices will take effect. The general idea behind the notice was to give users enough time to prepare for the imminent changes.

Credit: VITURE TL;DR VITURE just revealed its lightest and thinnest-yet XR glasses meant for entertainment and gaming. The new VITURE Pro 2 offer improved clarity over the first generation, with more brightness than flagship models. A new, modular Dock Mini is launched alongside them and adds a 10,000mAh battery pack to power your devices, including a Nintendo Switch. On one hand, we see smartphone brands such as Samsung and Google pushing to deepen their roots in the category of AR Glasses. On the other, there are XR glasses that work with any device that has a USB-C connection. If I were to choose between the two (despite their different utilities), I’d rather pick the latter kind because they come with no (AI) strings attached and offer almost universal usability, blessing you with a ginormous display real estate in front of your eyes. One of the leading brands in this space is VITURE, which is now launching a new pair of XR glasses — one that’s on a strict diet. VITURE today is announcing the new VITURE Pro 2 XR glasses to mark its fifth anniversary. The new Pro 2 glasses cost almost half as much as last year’s Luma series, which we found to be extremely useful for entertainment and gaming. Despite that, VITURE claims these are the thinnest, lightest, and most comfort-oriented glasses it has ever made.

TL;DR A leaked internal report reveals TikTok withheld algorithm safety features from ~15 million people in 2022 to test how guardrails impacted daily active user (DAU) metrics. The report notes that a 16-year-old was randomly placed in the unprotected control group, flooding his feed with thousands of suicide and self-harm videos shortly before his death. TikTok says user safety remains a top priority, and it continues to invest in Trust and Safety. TikTok is certainly no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year, alarming shifts in TikTok’s privacy policy had many of us weighing whether it was finally time to hit delete on our accounts. Yet, as anyone who has searched for a decent TikTok alternative knows, finding a platform that recreates its hyper-personalized magic is far easier said than done. Now, a devastating revelation regarding how the app handles user safety might force even the most dedicated scrollers to think twice about their continued presence on the platform. According to a confidential internal report obtained by Bloomberg, when TikTok updated its algorithm in 2021 to stop users from getting overwhelmed by harmful content, the company intentionally withheld the fix from millions of users. To measure how safety features might impact app stickiness and daily active user (DAU) metrics, TikTok conducted a massive A/B experiment. By design, a control group comprising 10% of US users — about 15 million people — kept the old, unprotected version of the algorithm.

Credit: Karandeep Singh / Android Authority TL;DR Google Maps is getting food ordering, smarter personalized recommendations, a live transit widget, and conversational map edits through Ask Maps. Food ordering and conversational contributions are launching in the US first, while the live transit widget and personalized features are rolling out wherever Ask Maps is available. Ask Maps is also expanding to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, and more than 150 countries and territories in English. Google has announced several new features coming to Google Maps through Ask Maps, including the ability to order food directly from the app, more personalized recommendations powered by your Google data, a live transit widget, and conversational map edits.

It is said that the Tower of Babel signified the limitless capabilities of human unity and ambition. Truly, language is one of the biggest barriers, but modern technology is breaking it down. AI, translation apps, and certain devices are more accessible and easy to use than ever. Enter the Timekettle X1 Meeting, a device that promises to make multi-language meetings and general translation simple, even when offline. I’ve seen Timekettle translators for some years, usually at technology conventions like CES, which is a pretty good place for them, given the usual mass of multilingual attendees at such events. I always wondered how well they worked outside of such showcases; testing them for a few minutes on the show floor certainly isn’t enough to form an opinion.

Credit: Shimul Sood / Android Authority TL;DR A tipster has posted an image comparing the creases on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and OPPO Find N6. The tipster claimed that the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s crease got worse after less than two weeks of use. We can also confirm that the Ultra phone’s crease is more pronounced, but that it still feels the same. Samsung’s new foldable phones generally have less prominent creases than their predecessors, bringing us a little closer to a zero-crease future. However, at least one Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra owner reports that the crease has become more visible after mere days. Tipster @sondesix posted a picture comparing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra to the OPPO Find N6 (h/t: PhoneArena). The user later remarked that the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s crease became more prominent after just under two weeks of usage. The image does suggest that the Samsung phone has a more noticeable crinkle.

Apple is excellent at building product ecosystems — it’s ready to sell you almost everything you need for your iPhone, from AirPods to AirTags. Comparatively, Google has been slower to expand its Pixel hardware lineup. There are still glaring holes in the Pixel portfolio, including over-ear headphones and Bluetooth trackers. However, Google might be filling the latter hole with the Pixel Tag, a Bluetooth tracker built for the Google Find Hub network. It’ll be the perfect Android alternative to the AirTag and Apple’s Find My network… or will it?

TL;DR Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis has revealed that the company may launch twice as many phones in 2027 as it did this year. The executive also reiterated that the US market is a “major priority” for Nothing in the audio segment. Nothing seems to have more products planned for launch this quarter, though Evangelidis didn’t specify if they were phones or other devices. Nothing has largely succeeded in capturing the tech industry’s imagination despite being a relatively new entrant. Following the Phone 1, the company has released multiple flagships, including the Phone 4a Pro earlier this year. We’re now getting an early glimpse of the company’s ambitious plans for 2027, even as the tech world struggles with the RAM crisis. In an interview with Times Now Tech, Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis revealed the company plans to launch twice as many phones in 2027 as it did this year. If our math is accurate, this could potentially mean the release of up to six Nothing devices next year. For reference, Nothing has released three smartphones in 2026, including the vanilla Phone 4a, the Phone 4a Pro, and the Phone 4b. “We’ll share more details closer to launch, but the idea is to have a wider range of smartphones,” Evangelidis said.

TL;DR Signal now lets you link another Android phone or tablet to your existing account. You can optionally transfer your message history and the last 45 days of media. The update also redesigns Android tablet and foldable layout, ditching legacy single-screen navigation. For years, one of Signal’s biggest pain points when compared to other messaging apps wasn’t encryption, voice calls, or missing features. It was the awkward experience of moving between devices. If you wanted to use a second Android phone or tablet, you were largely out of luck. That finally changes with the latest update. Signal has announced a major expansion of its linked devices feature, allowing users to connect another Android phone or Android tablet to their existing account. The feature arrives in Signal Android v8.20, while Signal iOS v8.22 similarly lets iPhone users link another iPhone alongside existing iPad support.

Credit: Aurzen TL;DR Aurzen will launch a mini portable smart projector with Roku TV next month. The projector will be priced under $100, but the preorder deal makes it sweeter. Aurzen promises a $30 discount if you prebook the upcoming projector right now for just $1. Aurzen has been dabbling with Roku TV on its projectors for quite some time. Earlier in May, it also released the first portable projector with Roku TV at the helm, and another one is confirmed to arrive shortly. This one costs less than $100, and while we’re awaiting details, Aurzen is already teasing a slight variation to the design compared to the previous model. With that, the projector maker is also promising a good discount — if you take certain steps right now. Aurzen recently opened the floor for preorders for its upcoming EAZZE E1R projector with Roku ahead of the September 1 launch. The company is letting interested folks reserve theirs by paying just $1. In exchange, these early backers will get a $30 discount voucher that they can redeem on both Aurzen’s website and Amazon.

Credit: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Chrome on Android hasn’t kept up. That’s not a hot take — it’s just where things stand. And this is something you only realize once you step out and try other browsers like Firefox, Brave, Edge, and Samsung Internet. Extensions, proper privacy controls, customization, and background playback — competing browsers have been checking these boxes for years. The list of things Chrome still hasn’t gotten around to is longer than it should be, and it’s high time Google closed the gap.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority The Pixel 10 series may be Google’s best phones yet, but gamers got the short end of the stick. The Tensor G5 marked Google’s switch away from Arm’s Mali GPUs in favor of Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR architecture — specifically the mid-range, already aging DXT-48-1536. With the Pixel 11 launch approaching, one question keeps nagging at me: will history repeat itself? Rumors suggest the Tensor G6 will use another modest PowerVR GPU, the CXTP-48-1536. If Google’s recent trajectory is anything to go by, the Pixel 11 could fall even further behind rival flagship GPUs.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has pushed the fifth One UI 9 beta 5 update for the Galaxy S26 series to next week. The delay is due to final reviews and quality improvements to enhance system stability and fix bugs before a stable release. The over-the-air update will roll out to enrolled Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra devices in the US, UK, India, Germany, Poland, and South Korea when it goes live next week. Samsung has confirmed a short delay for the fifth beta build of One UI 9 for the Galaxy S26 series, pushing its expected release into next week. Galaxy S26 owners participating in the preview program will have to hold on a bit longer, following the rollout of the One UI 9 beta 4 update last month. According to an official announcement post on the Samsung Community forum (via Tarun Vats on X), the development team is taking additional time for “final reviews and quality improvements” before rolling out the fifth iteration. Samsung apologized to community members for the slight delay, citing the need to deliver a more stable, polished software experience to testers.

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR We’ve uncovered the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE’s FCC filing, revealing 45W charging, reverse wireless charging, and more. The filing also mentions both Qualcomm and Samsung Exynos wireless technologies. A closer look suggests that the phone will have a Samsung modem and chipset, as well as a Qualcomm local networking chip. Samsung has just launched its new foldable phones, but we’re already looking forward to the Galaxy S26 FE‘s imminent arrival. The phone is expected to launch in the coming weeks, and a regulatory filing has revealed a few details. The Galaxy S26 FE passed through the FCC’s database, and the filing reveals a few notable features. For one, the listing hints at both Qualcomm and Samsung Exynos silicon in the same model. Wait, what?

Significant updates are coming to Android Auto this year, and some features have already appeared on the dashboards of a few lucky users. Google’s new offerings include immersive 3D navigation in Google Maps, video playback support for YouTube users, and home screen widget support, with more features in the pipeline. It’s a substantial list of new additions, but as consumers are never quite satisfied, there’s always room for further improvement.

Credit: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google is laying the groundwork to add a built-in media editor directly to the Android Photo Picker. Code in Android 17 QPR2 Beta 2 reveals an “EditFeature” class designed as a pop-up dialog for quick edits like cropping and marking. Because the Photo Picker updates via Google Play System Updates, this feature can roll out independently of a full OS update. Android’s Photo Picker is a system component that provides third-party apps with a browsable interface for accessing media library content. It’s a massive leap forward for user privacy, as it allows users to share specific photos and videos with third-party apps without giving them access to their full media library. For app developers, it saves them the effort of building this interface themselves. Google has refocused its efforts on improving the Android Photo Picker, as we’ve spotted features like a camera shortcut in the works. You can look forward to another new feature coming soon: a media editor. 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.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Several Pixel owners have reported unresponsive touch screens in certain scenarios. The issue mostly occurs while gaming or using certain apps in full screen. Google hasn’t acknowledged this as a bug or shared a fix yet. It’s been almost two months since Google first rolled out Android 17 to all supported Pixel phones. While the newest version brings productivity upgrades, such as App Bubbles, and a healthy amount of under-the-hood upgrades, Google can’t seem to avoid bugs that come with the new update. Just days after its release, Pixel owners reported being unable to use their phones’ touchscreens properly. The touch bug now appears to have returned, but in a different outfit. Scores of Pixel users are now complaining of touch-related issues since upgrading to Android 17. Seemingly unrelated to the previously reported bug that led to temporarily unresponsive Pixel touchscreens, the new issue only seems to affect users inside games or certain other apps. According to a few reports on Reddit and Google Community forums, the issue appears especially when an app occupies the screen entirely, such as when playing a video on YouTube. Given the vastness and diversity of the different Pixels it impacts, we can’t rule it out as a hardware issue.

TL;DR Google is testing an experimental “Device Help” feature in Gemini that lets Pixel users describe a problem in natural language instead of hunting through Settings. Gemini can inspect relevant device settings before suggesting a fix, such as identifying Night Light when a user reports that their screen looks too yellow. The feature was spotted on a Pixel 9 running Android 17 and could mark a major step toward making Gemini a built-in troubleshooting assistant for Pixel devices. Google’s long-term vision for Gemini has always gone beyond replacing Google Assistant. With each update, the AI has gained more awareness of your device and more ways to help you complete tasks. Now, it looks like Google is experimenting with another capability that could make Gemini feel even more like a built-in device assistant. 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.

Credit: MANGMI TL;DR MANGMI has announced that the Air Y series of vertical Android handhelds will launch next week. The standard model has an early bird price of $89.99 and a recommended price of $94.99. The Air Y Pro has a promotional starting price of $145.99, but a recommended price of $159.99. MANGMI is a new Android handheld brand, but we loved the budget MANGMI Air X. The company has been teasing the Game Boy-like Air Y series for a while now, promising a vertical handheld experience that won’t break the bank. Now, MANGMI has announced launch and price details for the new devices. MANGMI confirmed that the Air Y series is launching on August 12. The standard Air Y is only available in a 3GB/32GB configuration and has a retail price of $94.99. However, you can get it for an early bird price of $89.99 if you buy it within the first three days of availability.

TL;DR Narwal has launched the new Narwal Freo 20 robot vacuum cleaner. It comes with a self-cleaning mop and dual RGB cameras. It offers interactive video monitoring and can identify baby toys and cribs to automatically switch to a low-noise cleaning mode. Narwal is today launching a brand-new robot vacuum cleaner — the Narwal Freo 20 — and it comes with a ton of features, including the first-ever self-cleaning mopping system in the Freo series. The Freo 20 is the first robot vacuum outside the Narwal Flow series to feature Narwal’s “FlowWash” mopping system. It uses 16 nozzles to spray hot water directly onto the mop to keep it clean while it mops your house. The company claims that this ensures better cleaning without leaving water streaks on the floor.

TL;DR More marketing materials for the Pixel Watch 5 have leaked. The smartwatch could come with Gemini Intelligence built in. Health features include heart health tracking, sleep tracking, cardio load tracking, and more. As we approach Google’s next hardware event, we’re seeing more leaked information about the upcoming Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel 11 series. After a recent leak shed some light on the Pixel Watch 5’s pricing and specs, we’re now getting even more official renders and images of the watch. Leaker Evan Blass has shared new marketing images and renders of the Pixel Watch 5 in his newsletter. The images also give us an idea of some of the new features we can expect to see on Google’s upcoming smartwatch.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google has added an interactive AI Storytime feature to Gemini for Home that lets families create and modify stories using voice commands. The update also improves alarms, timers, and other everyday features while fixing several bugs. The Google Home app now supports more smart camera brands and includes several new camera viewing and recording improvements. Google has announced a fresh batch of updates for Gemini for Home (Early access) and the Google Home app. The latest August 5 update adds a fun new AI-powered Storytime feature to Gemini for Home and promises to make everyday smart home controls more reliable in the app.