Android

I have been hearing about XREAL’s Project Aura glasses for so long, and all this while, I’ve found myself wondering whether they would truly live up to all the hype. After all, this is a completely new modality for Android, and as is often the case with early-stage tech, I’ve had my apprehensions about just how well-baked the experience would be. Now that I’ve had a chance to try the glasses out, I find myself counting days until they launch.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority The most compelling phones don’t make you choose between strong everyday hardware and something genuinely different. Unique features can add plenty to the experience, but they don’t paper over the cracks if you’re not getting the specs your money deserves. TCL’s new P80 Series arrives this month with the specs to back up its headline features. The P80 Ultra leads the range with hardware that compares strongly with rivals in the same price range, making a strong case for the P80 Series as one of the best-value smartphone options in its segment. The P80 Pro and P80 carry many of those strengths further down the lineup, while the Ultra and Pro add industry-exclusive NXTPAPER technology as a clear competitive advantage.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority One of the perks of this job is that we get to see upcoming tech before the public does. For example, I went to New York City for a first look at the Insta360 X6 before its launch, but the event was about more than just the new product. Insta360 also seized the opportunity to tell us about its history and offer a glimpse of what the future could hold. As awesome as the Insta360 X6 is, I walked away more excited about the ecosystem the brand is creating.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority Home security used to mean picking one doorbell camera, a camera for the backyard, and maybe a couple of sensors, and hoping it covered enough of your property to make a difference. At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Blurams is presenting a lineup that promises complete, thorough coverage and includes everything from solar-powered outdoor cameras to indoor domes, a local storage hub, and even an AI companion toy for kids. Blurams has been making cloud-connected security cameras and AI vision technology since 2018. This year’s lineup is designed to cover every part of your home right from the start. All the devices work together easily, and whether you choose the most affordable outdoor camera or the top model, you get free cloud playback and local storage, no subscription needed. Here’s what you need to know.

Credit: Timekettle Whether you’re dealing with a menu you can’t read, figuring out road signs, or asking someone for directions, the translation tools on our phones are undoubtedly helpful. The use case is rather narrow, though, and these apps aren’t up to the task if you’re in a meeting, on a call, or just trying to have a regular conversation with someone across a language gap. That’s what the Timekettle W4 Plus is for. Timekettle’s latest pair of AI interpreter earbuds is built for two-way, face-to-face conversation and makes it feel natural at every stage. You wear one earbud, the person you’re talking to wears the other, and you each just talk. No one has to hold a phone between you and wait for a translator app to catch up. The W4 Plus and the Timekettle’s latest software package are making their debut here at IFA 2026. Here’s what you need to know.

When I first heard of Samsung’s plans to make a wide Galaxy Z Fold 8, I knew I’d want one in my pocket. The 16:10 cover screen and 4:3 main screen aspect ratios sounded perfect for widescreen content consumption, and made for a compact form factor when shut. Before I bought a Galaxy Z Fold 8 for myself, I skimmed the spec sheet and looked for any notable downgrades. Neither the slightly smaller battery nor the rear dual-camera system disappointed me, but the lack of Flex Mode initially stunned me. Flex Mode allows you to prop up a foldable like a laptop. It uses a mix of hardware that keeps the hinge in a fixed position and software that makes the most of the split-screen UI. I’ve been using Flex Mode on Samsung foldables since the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and it became my preferred way to watch videos on a table or desk.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority Recently, we learned about a secret T-Mobile plan that costs just $25 per month, significantly undercutting every major US carrier. Before you rush out and sign up, however, you’ll want to make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting. On paper, the offer sounds compelling and, in a vacuum, it really is. That said, there are a few caveats you should consider before making up your mind.

A lot has been said about the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL since their unveiling on August 12 — much of it not very good. Pixel phones always come with an extra heaping of criticism, warranted or not, but there are real concerns about this year’s Pro phones. They have less RAM than last year’s models, HiLight has already proven disappointing, the Tensor G6 chip isn’t a particularly big performance upgrade, and the phones are more expensive than ever before. Considering all that, it would be safe to assume the Pixel 11 Pro () and Pixel 11 Pro XL () aren’t good phones. However, after spending about three weeks with both of them, I don’t think that could be further from the truth.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority I switch phones for a living, so I don’t say this lightly: Google makes great phones. But “great” and “the phone I’d actually buy and recommend to friends” are two very different things. I’ve used Galaxy and Pixel phones for years, and I always come back to a Galaxy. And no, this has nothing to do with foldables, the S Pen, or any of that stuff that only matters to a small group of users. It’s because of the experience that actually counts when you’re living with the same device for two or three years. Samsung just gets more of that right, at least for me. The Pixel 11 lineup hasn’t changed that.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority News that the original Chromecast has just received an unexpected update is music to my ears. I’m a big fan of the simplicity of those early HDMI dongles, far more than I am of the overly verbose and often laggy Google TV. I suppose I’m still just attached to my earliest smart TV experience, flinging content at my TV from my phone rather than running the gauntlet of advertisements just to find my favorite show. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, as they say, and my Chromecast (3rd gen) still sees occasional use. In fact, I’ve been using it a lot more in the past couple of years to placate two impatient youngsters.

In May 2025, the Google Photos app got an incredible feature: the ability to manually create photo stacks. Google Photos has long automatically created stacks of similar-looking pictures, helping to better organize your library. However, that automated process doesn’t always work as you’d like, leaving your Photos library more chaotic than you’d prefer. Manual stacking fixes that issue perfectly — but there’s been just one problem: it’s been exclusive to the Photos app on iOS. There’s been evidence of manual stacking coming to the Android app for a while, but month after month, it’s remained MIA.

Google Keep is a popular note-taking app, especially among those looking for a simple app for quick note-taking. It’s free, lightweight, and easy to use. Plus, it automatically syncs your notes across all devices at no extra cost and without additional configuration. Having said that, Google Keep has its own share of limitations. No rich-text editor, lack of proper note-organization options, and missing end-to-end encryption are a few common reasons people ditch Keep. If you’re in the same boat, here are some popular Google Keep alternatives you can check out.

Most smartphone makers are busy making their built-in cameras better every year, but at IFA 2026, I came across a phone taking a very different approach. Ulefone sub-brand, RugOne, has packed a GoPro-like action camera into the Xsnap 7 Pro, and the best part is, you can literally pop it right out of the phone. Where the action is

Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority TL;DR reMarkable has rolled out a new update for its E-Ink tablets. The update adds the ability to capture and copy on-screen content as images by circling it. The update also adds new pen colors, allows users to grab images from the cloud, and more. If you’re a user of one of reMarkable’s E-Ink tablets, you probably won’t want to hold off on updating it. The latest update contains some interesting features that will make life a little easier. The Norwegian tablet maker has released a new update today. In the release notes, the company lists several new features you can take advantage of. One of the most notable additions is a new capture tool.

TL;DR Googlebook laptops are arriving soon, featuring heavy cross-connectivity with Android phones. Users will be able to cast apps from phones to their Googlebook in order to remotely interact with them. It now appears that we’ll also be able to control Googlebooks remotely by using phone touchscreens as a trackpad. Do you ever think of your phone as a remote control? We already use our phones to control countless other devices through the apps they connect to, but somehow that feels like a different class of interaction entirely. Maybe the closest example of employing a phone as a straight-up remote is something like the Google TV control offered through that app and Google Home, letting us operate smart TVs with a phone’s touchscreen. And now we’re getting an early look at where Google could be trying this same sort of approach next. 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: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google has been working on adding the ability to minimize the Gemini overlay. Users are now starting to see the option on their devices. It appears Google is gradually rolling out the new button. While it’s not necessarily a problem, the Gemini overlay taking over the screen isn’t exactly ideal for multitaskers. Since it locks you in, you can’t really do anything else on your phone until you’re done with the chatbot. Last year, we spotted evidence that Google was working on fixing this oversight with a minimize function. Now it appears Google has started rolling out its solution. Users are reporting (1, 2, 3) that they are starting to see a new minimize button for the Gemini overlay. Based on the examples, the UI looks similar to the design we discovered in June, which adds a dedicated “Minimize Gemini” button that stays visible throughout your conversation with the AI. In the first version we saw, there was no button, which could have kept a lot of users from discovering the option.

2026 has been a tough year for many across the globe. Severe forest fires and extreme heat have hit many, while hurricanes, crazy storms, flooding, and drought conditions have hit many others. Almost all have been without power in their homes for extended periods, a problem for which there is a solution: The Anker SOLIX E10 Whole Home backup system provides infinite power. The E10 Whole Home backup system is a multi-part system that includes batteries, solar input, a multi-fuel generator, and more.

TL;DR Nothing has shared some details about Nothing OS 5.1 and Nothing OS 6.0. Nothing OS 5.1 will allow users to remap the Essential Key. Nothing OS 6.0 will be a larger update sometime in 2027. Nothing OS 5.0 is currently available in beta on Nothing Phone 3, with stable availability scheduled for next month. Nothing kicked off the open beta for its Android 17-based Nothing OS 5.0 last week. A stable release is still weeks away, currently slated for the middle of October, but the company’s already talking about Nothing OS 5.1 and beyond. In a forum post, nothing’s shared a little about what we can expect from future Nothing OS updates. The biggest detail to come out of the post is that the next update, Nothing OS 5.1, apparently won’t be a feature-rich release, but it’ll include the option to remap the Essential Key on phones that have it.

Beach days, park hangouts, and weekend trips all go better with a speaker that can handle the outdoors. The Sony ULT Field 3 fits that kind of use well, and there’s a solid Amazon deal on it right now. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Lyria 3.5 is now available in the Gemini app and the Gemini API. App users will now be able to choose between short and long tracks. Google is also introducing new templates to help you get started. Google introduced its latest music generation model, Lyria 3.5, a little over a month ago. At the time of the announcement, the model was only available in Google Flow Music. Now you’ll be able to access Lyria 3.5 in a couple more places. Starting today, Lyria 3.5 is available in the Gemini app and the Gemini API. That means you’ll now find the model on the web, mobile, and Flow Music. Developers also have access to the model in Google AI Studio and Google Vids.

Amazon has cut the price of this front-and-rear dash cam by $60, making it a great time to grab one before the deal disappears. The 70mai A810 Lite 4K Dash Cam Front and Rear is down to $89.97, which is 40% off its $149.99 recommended retail price. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR Apple is working to release a home security device, according to insider Mark Gurman. Gurman describes it as a “privacy-centric home security camera and automation device” that will be integrated with “a new home security and monitoring service.” The device is purportedly planned for release next year. Apple’s having an event in just a few days. The company hasn’t publicly acknowledged what it’ll announce at the Steve Jobs Theater next week, but we’re expecting to get our first official look at the next slate of iPhones, among other things, including the company’s first foldable. Looking further ahead, a new report out today is giving us an idea of what Apple might get up to next year and beyond — including, apparently, some kind of AI-powered home security system. Writing for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman says that Apple is “planning a privacy-centric home security camera and automation device” that’ll integrate with “a new home security and monitoring service.” It’s purportedly meant to launch next year.

The Blink Mini 2K Plus is Blink’s newest plug-in security camera, and it packs a lot into a small indoor setup. There’s also a solid deal on it at Amazon right now, which makes this a good time to take a closer look. See the deal at Amazon This camera records in up to 2K resolution at 2560 x 1440, so you get sharper footage than older Mini models. Blink also includes HDR with local tone mapping, low-light color vision, infrared night vision, two-way audio, and a built-in siren. That gives the Blink Mini 2K Plus a strong feature set for checking in on a room, keeping an eye on pets, or watching over entry points. Its 138-degree diagonal field of view helps cover more space, and it can record clips up to 60 seconds long.

TL;DR Android picked up cross-platform Quick Share/AirDrop support last fall, but access has been limited to specific device models. On the Pixel front, that’s included phones from the Pixel 8a on up, but earlier today we learned of a possible expansion to the Pixel Tablet. We’re now also getting reports of Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 users seeing notifications of this new support. Devices that won’t play nicely together suck. Sometimes incompatibility is the design goal, trying to lock you into one ecosystem or another. Other times it’s a glitch, or even just developer callousness. But however it starts, we’re always glad to see it come to an end. Android and iOS devices have been inching closer towards peaceful co-existence with the arrival of cross AirDrop/Quick Share support, and now it looks like a long-overdue expansion is taking place. Google started bringing AirDrop compatibility to Quick Share on Pixel 10 phones last fall, eventually expanding that down through the Pixel 8a series. And while that list now also includes the new Pixel 11 family, we’ve been wondering when the rest of the Pixel crew might be invited to join the party.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google Messages users are encountering issues with the new chat theme feature. The chat theme option is disappearing and reappearing for some. Others report a noticeable lag and occasional freezing. After months of testing, Google finally widely rolled out chat themes in the Messages app in August. This feature lets you set a background for a chat, giving you another way to customize your individual conversations. While it’s an exciting addition to the app, it looks like the feature is already having a couple of issues. If chat themes suddenly disappeared from the Google Messages app for you, then you’re not alone. Some users who recently got the feature claim that it is now gone for them. Others say that chat themes disappeared, then suddenly reappeared. A Google representative has replied to one of the Reddit threads, advising users to check the Play Store for a Messages app update, as a fix may have already been released.