Android

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The developer behind an unofficial GTA 5 port for Nintendo Switch is apparently working on an Android port. This unofficial GTA 5 Android port will apparently require a Snapdragon 865 chipset or newer, along with 8GB of RAM, and 65GB of storage. There’s no word on a release date, but there are a couple of reasons Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to launch next month, but a developer has already unofficially ported Grand Theft Auto 5 to Nintendo Switch. Now, it looks like this same developer is working on porting GTA 5 to Android. A developer named mojso has confirmed on Discord that they’re working on an unofficial Android port of Grand Theft Auto 5. They previously ported the game to Nintendo Switch last month.

Working from home has its perks, the biggest being avoiding a hectic morning commute. That means that my car spends most of the week sitting in the driveway. I mostly just use it for the occasional weekend road trip, so I’ve never been able to justify upgrading my vehicle to a newer model with Android Auto support. Ironically, those road trips are where I miss having Android Auto support the most. For years, I’ve gotten around that limitation by mounting my phone on the dashboard and keeping Google Maps open. This solution obviously works, but it’s far from ideal. Buttons are small, switching between apps is awkward, and, for the most part, it’s flat-out dangerous when driving at expressway speeds.

TL;DR HONOR has revealed the Magic 9 Pro Max in Moss Green, with an iPhone Pro-like camera setup. Its dual 200MP cameras pair with optional 200mm and 500mm teleconverter lenses. An 8,800mAh battery is reportedly class-leading; the full launch follows September 28. Smartphone makers have spent years making camera bumps bigger, but HONOR’s next flagship takes that trend somewhere new — and strangely familiar. The company has officially revealed the Magic 9 Pro Max, giving us a clear look at its redesigned rear and some seriously ambitious camera hardware. Shown in a new Moss Green finish, the phone trades HONOR’s usual centered camera island for a wide plateau spanning the top of the device. A large circular module housing the flash and possibly a periscope telephoto camera sits beside two smaller lenses, with prominent ARRI branding completing the look. HONOR’s promotional images also show a contrasting rounded rectangular section immediately below the camera bar.

If space is a premium in your home, the new Dreame D20 Air Plus robot vacuum may be the perfect solution. With 20,000Pa of suction pressure, edge and corner cleaning, hair anti-tangle features, and a compact design, it is an affordable solution if mopping is not your top priority. At 12.8 inches wide and just 3.7 inches tall, this is a compact, lightweight bot that can fit into tight spaces and under shorter furniture. Does this compact bot have what it takes to clean your home?

Weeks after the Google Pixel 11 launch, it’s clear the most egregious change wasn’t the price hike. The Pixel 11 Pro XL costs the same as Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, but Google could’ve justified the new price by boosting Tensor performance, doubling down on local AI features, or meaningfully changing the design. It didn’t do any of that. Google’s Tensor G6 chip is an iterative upgrade at best, my favorite Pixel exclusive uses cloud processing (Magic Capture), and the Pixel 11 Pro XL is still thicker and heavier than I’d like. To make matters worse, Google actually cut the amount of RAM on the Pro models from 16GB to 12GB.

TL;DR vivo has shared images of the upcoming vivo X500 Pro Max. It will be available in at least two colors: silver and orange. It will also support the 400mm ZEISS telephoto extender we’ve seen on the X300 Ultra. Vivo has been teasing the X500 series of smartphones for a few weeks now. While the company has already shared some enticing camera details for the X500 Pro and the X500, we were waiting to see what the flagship X500 Pro Max would look like. Well, that changes today, as the company has finally revealed the design.

Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has removed the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic from its Mobile Security work scope schedule, marking the end of official software and security updates. The August 2026 security patch and One UI 8 Watch update complete Samsung’s promise of four generations of Wear OS upgrades to these watches from 2021. While the smartwatches will continue to function, they will no longer receive new OS features or security patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities. It’s officially the end of the road for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic. After four generational platform upgrades culminating in the rollout of One UI 8 Watch, Samsung has now stopped security updates for these smartwatches, marking the end of an era for the wearable lineup that practically revived Google’s smartwatch ecosystem. As spotted by SamMobile, Samsung updated its Mobile Security work scope schedule following the release of its September 2026 security bulletin. Both the vanilla Galaxy Watch 4 and the physical-bezel Galaxy Watch 4 Classic have now been removed from the list of supported devices. This means the August 2026 security patch, which rolled out last month, serves as the final curtain call for both models.

The latest Pixels offer plenty of improvements, from better cameras to new AI features and much more. Of course, like many newly launched devices, they aren’t without a few hiccups. Despite launching less than a month ago, the Pixel 11 has already had a small number of reported issues. As an example, our very own Joe Maring ran into issues that left his Pixel 11 Pro bricked. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the issues that have plagued users so far, as well as some general troubleshooting and tips to keep your Pixel 11 running at its best.

Credit: Megan Ellis / Android Authority TL;DR Google is experimenting with a new pill-shaped toolbar in Keep. The toolbar makes useful editing features easier to access. However, as a result of this experiment, some other features have vanished, suggesting it may not be ready yet. “Keep it simple” is an adage that applies to Google’s default notes app, Google Keep. It’s one of the rare offerings from the tech giant that remain free of unnecessary AI additions, yet it remains incredibly useful for a variety of use cases. Rather than cramming AI features into Keep, Google is making smaller changes that make it easier to add richer elements such as checklists and different forms of media to your notes. 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: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority Silicon-carbon batteries have resulted in Android phones with huge batteries. We’ve even seen a few phones with 10,000mAh batteries, but these devices have mostly been restricted to China. Now, Xiaomi sub-brand REDMI has announced the £499 Note 17 Pro Max, bringing with it a massive 10,000mAh battery in a mainstream phone to global markets. And I wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of juice on offer.

These are strange times in the smartphone world. For as long as I can remember, recommending a new smartphone was fairly simple. If you wanted a premium smartphone without spending over a thousand dollars, an Android phone was almost always the better bet. While the absolute top-end of the market remains up for debate, Samsung, Google, and a plethora of Chinese OEMs competed on price and value to make Android phones the obvious choice in that sweet $700–$800 segment. That’s no longer true.

Credit: Stephen Radochia / Android Authority TL;DR Another source has reported that the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra will get Privacy Display functionality. This comes a few months after we first heard that the Pro model could get Privacy Display. It sounds like this feature won’t be available on the standard and Plus models, though. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra debuted Privacy Display technology earlier this year. This hardware feature physically restricts viewing angles so people can’t peek at your screen. We previously heard that the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro could also get this feature, and a new leak has now corroborated this claim. ET News reports that the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra will both get Privacy Display functionality, citing industry sources. The outlet specifically claims that both phones will have OLED screens with Flex Magic Pixel technology. This is the hardware innovation that enables Privacy Display.

TL;DR Motorola briefly displayed an official Signature 27 teaser on its US and European websites. The pop-up showed the phone’s camera and collected emails, then abruptly disappeared. Its US appearance hints at a stateside launch, while a Swarovski edition also looks likely. Motorola only introduced the first phone in its new Signature series in January, but it already appears ready to start building anticipation for the follow-up. The company briefly teased a device called the “Signature 27” on its website — and may have shown its hand early. A Reddit user first spotted the teaser as a pop-up, and Android Authority was also able to capture the image while it was live on Motorola’s US homepage. Rather than appearing as a regular banner, it surfaced after visitors opened the site and invited them to enter their name and email address for updates.

TL;DR NordVPN has released a new Chrome extension called PriceMice. It uses AI to check hotel room prices when booked from different countries. Users can then use a VPN to switch to the country with the best price to save money on their booking. Traveling might be fun, but planning a trip and booking everything can be more stressful than anything else. While companies like Google are trying to make trip planning easier with price tracking for flights in AI Mode, what about finding the best hotel deals? That’s the gap NordVPN is trying to fill with its new tool, PriceMice. PriceMice is a browser extension developed by NordVPN that can show you what a room would cost when booked from different countries. Travelers are well acquainted with location-based pricing on hotel booking websites. A room that costs $200 when booked from the US can cost considerably less when booked from another country.

TL;DR OpenAI has released the new ChatGPT Images 2.5 model, which can understand complex instructions and has better visual intelligence. It can also maintain distinct details from reference images and precisely edit a single element in photos. ChatGPT Images 2.5 is also better at editing over multiple steps without degrading quality. People have been creating and editing images with ChatGPT for a long time. So much so, in fact, that they’ve occasionally stumbled upon absolutely bizarre generations. However, OpenAI is now making it easier and faster to generate images in ChatGPT, while also making them more realistic and giving users some advanced tools for accurate editing. OpenAI announced the release of ChatGPT Images 2.5 as its new state-of-the-art image generation model. According to OpenAI’s blog post, the new model creates images with more natural lighting and textures without obliterating the subjects in an uploaded image. The company also claims that the new model is 50% faster at creating images.

Credit: FPT. TL;DR Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reports that the foldable iPhone will be called the iPhone Duo. Gurman adds that the device will have Apple Pencil support, coming over a year after Samsung first removed S Pen support from its Folds. The iPhone Duo is tipped to go on sale in October, starting at $2,000 for the 256GB model, all the way to ~$3,000 for a 2TB variant. Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone later today (September 9), and we’ve got a rough idea of what to expect. However, a trusted source has now revealed several key details. Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has revealed that the foldable iPhone might actually be called the iPhone Duo. Furthermore, the device will apparently have a starting price of $2,000 for the 256GB model. Gurman says the base model’s price tag is due to Apple absorbing rising memory costs for this variant.

TL;DR Google Chat is adding persistent drafts, so unfinished messages will remain saved even if you close Chat or restart your device. Drafts will sync across devices, letting you start a message on the web and finish it later on Android or iOS. The feature is rolling out on the web now, with Android and iOS availability expected by September 28. Some work messages require a bit of thought before you hit send. You might be writing a long project update, carefully wording some feedback, or simply need to come back and finish the message later. The annoying part is putting all that thought into a Google Chat message, only to find that your unfinished text is gone when you return. Google is now fixing that with persistent drafts in Chat. Unsent messages will remain saved directly in the compose box, even if you close Chat or restart your device. So, you can leave a message halfway through, come back later, and continue exactly where you stopped.

TL;DR Google is expanding Gemini Daily Brief access to even more users in the US. Users without a paid Google AI subscription can now get daily briefings as well. The feature is being rolled out gradually, so it could take some time to reach all eligible users. Google’s Gemini Daily Brief is a useful feature in theory. It surfaces helpful information once a day to keep users up to date with their tasks, emails, and everything else. The company is also working on making it easier to customize so users can fine-tune it to their liking. Now, Google is bringing Daily Brief to even more users in the US. Google announced today in an X post that it’s bringing Gemini Daily Brief to users without a Google AI Plus, Pro, or Ultra subscription. This means more people can get an easily digestible list of their tasks and important information every day directly from Gemini. The company also updated its support page and removed the mention of Google AI Plus, Pro, or Ultra subscriptions as a prerequisite for accessing Gemini Daily Brief.

TL;DR Meta’s latest AI system is Muse, an agentic model powered by Muse Spark designed to complete tasks on your behalf. Muse offers privacy by running within a private virtual machine. Access is initially opening to iOS and Android users in the US. Meta has been taking strides to step up its AI game in recent months, launching Muse Glimmer and Muse Spark earlier this year. Now it’s time for the company to make its big agentic push with the introduction of just straight-up Muse. Under the hood, Muse is powered by Muse Spark, and as Meta tells it, Muse it all about making it easier to get some work done. That means that users can present Muse with requests for anything from drafting and sending an email, to helping them find a deal on a new purchase, and the system will come up with its own plan of attack, and then move forward on actually doing the job once authorized. A separate agent called Sentinel helps make sure that Muse isn’t going online and doing anything you haven’t approved.

IFA is full of weird and wonderful tech, and every year the trick is separating the genuinely interesting stuff from the wall of white goods and AI-stuffed copycats. We spent the week walking the halls in Berlin at IFA 2026, and these are the five products that made us stop and look a little closer. Promoted

TL;DR YouTube and YouTube TV viewers had been reporting some odd blank-screen glitches. Google earlier confirmed the issue, and offered tips for a work-around while a fix was in progress. Everything should now be back to full working order. We’re all used to dealing with the occasional glitch with the software or services we use. Maybe that takes the form of a confusing error message. Maybe it’s the app simply doing something other than what we tell it to do. But maybe the most frustrating problems of all are the kind where we just get nothing to work with — like the blank-homepage issues some YouTube users recently started reporting. That’s exactly why we’re so glad to see that Google’s already sorting this mess out. If you haven’t run into this one yourself, impacted users report firing up either YouTube or the YouTube TV app, only to see nothing much at all. With regular YouTube, thumbnails wouldn’t load, but at least we got some text. YouTube TV wasn’t even that lucky, and could just present as a fully blacked-out screen.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority Customization is part of the fun of Android, or at least gives us a bit more sense of individualism. We spend plenty of time tweaking wallpapers, icons, and lock screens, so it makes sense that Google Messages is getting in on the act too. Its new chat themes let you give individual conversations their own look, and we wanted to know whether our readers were excited to try them out. My colleague Joe Maring recently took the new chat themes for a spin, showing how you can change conversation colors, use one of Google’s preset wallpapers, or choose an image of your own. The themes work with RCS chats and are visible only on your end of the conversation, so you can make the family group chat as tasteful or as horrific as you like without anyone else knowing. In his article, Joe ran a poll to find out if you were looking forward to giving the feature a go. The results certainly weren’t the landslide Google might have hoped for.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Find Hub’s new “Remembered” tab is starting to roll out. The new tab allows you to make a note of any object’s location. It appears the update is not widely available yet. Google recently rolled out its September Android Drop, introducing several new features to the platform. While it wasn’t available at the time, one of the new features that got announced was a new option in Find Hub designed to help you remember the locations of items that can’t be digitally tracked. The tech giant said the feature would be coming soon to devices running Android 16 or later. It seems the day for the rollout has now arrived. The folks over at 9to5Google report that Find Hub’s new “Remembered” tab is here. It will join Devices and People as the third available option on the bottom bar. It is marked by a bookmark icon with a Gemini spark in the top right corner.

TL;DR For the past few days, iPhone users have reported not getting Nest camera alerts on their devices. While the app still recorded events, notifications for them weren’t going through. Google shares that this glitch should now be resolved. A good smart home demands openness: With as many different devices as you’ll need to really get every last corner of your home automated, it’s critical that they all play nicely with each other. For Google Home, part of that means not arbitrarily setting up platform boundaries, and Google’s smart home solution is open for Apple users to enjoy. Unfortunately, Nest devices in particular have been experiencing a few hiccups lately when it comes to iOS devices — but Google’s already got good news. We expect a few key features from any smart home setup — it needs to provide remote control through our devices, it should support automated actions, and it should notify us about things worth our attention. With Nest on iOS, however, users have reported running into trouble with that last one, sharing on sites like Reddit the problems they recently noticed with Nest notifications not coming through on iOS devices.

TL;DR Combined US purchases of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra are tracking 30% ahead of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The two Fold models account for roughly 80% of current Galaxy Z8 series purchases in the US. Samsung says 30% of Galaxy Z Flip 8 buyers switched from competing brands, with most buying their first foldable. Apple’s big hardware event is scheduled for tomorrow, September 9, and the Cupertino-based company is finally expected to unveil a new device category that competitors like Samsung have spent years mastering: foldables. However, before the tech giant gets to enter the foldable market, Samsung is sharing figures to highlight just how much of a head start it’s working with. Roughly a month after launching the Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the all-new wide Z Fold 8, Samsung is highlighting how the lineup is changing foldable preferences in the US.