Android

TL;DR Google is revamping Voice Search with a redesigned interface that brings Search, AI Mode, Live, and Song Search together in one place. The new UI adds real-time transcription, transcript editing, and remembers your last-used search mode for a faster, more personalized experience. The redesign is currently limited to some Google app beta users. Google never seems to sit still for long. Just when you think the company is done tweaking Search, another redesign pops up. Earlier this year, we saw Google experimenting with a new Voice Search interface that looked a lot more like Gemini. Now, it appears the company is taking things a step further. According to a report by 9to5Google, Voice Search in the Google app is getting a major redesign. The new interface lets you jump between different ways of searching from a single screen. If you’ve ever opened Google to ask a quick question, identify a song playing in a cafe, or have a longer conversation with AI, this update could make those tasks feel much more seamless.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google Play Services v26.30.31 code shows Google is refining the upcoming Tap to Share feature to mirror Apple’s AirDrop process. Users will be able to transfer files directly from the share sheet by bringing two phones together, bypassing the manual Quick Share selection and reducing the number of taps required for a transfer. Google is also testing a dedicated toggle within settings to let users completely disable Tap to Share. Google is refining its upcoming proximity-based file transfer feature to make sharing between Android devices even quicker. Following our initial look at Android’s upcoming Tap to Share UI, code in the latest Google Play Services update reveals that Google could let users bypass manual target selection entirely, allowing them to trigger transfers by simply bringing two phones together straight from the standard share sheet. Furthermore, for those concerned about unexpected transfers, Google is working to add a toggle to completely disable Tap to Share and stick to the Quick Share basics. 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 TL;DR Images of official Samsung Galaxy S26 FE cases have leaked online, showing clear and silicone magnetic cases. Most of the images also show off the phone itself, revealing a design in line with previously leaked renders. A Samsung official previously hinted that the phone’s launch is just weeks away, so we don’t have long to wait. Samsung has already confirmed that the Galaxy S26 FE is in the works, and a regional representative hinted to us that its unveiling was just weeks away. We’ve seen a few leaks already, and a new leak has now revealed case options for the device. Android Headlines uncovered a bunch of images that apparently show official cases for the Galaxy S26 FE. We get a good look at both the clear magnetic cases and the silicone magnetic cases. Check out the images below.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Just weeks after the official One UI 9 release, Samsung already appears to be testing One UI 9.5 The latest build, spotted on Samsung’s test servers, appears to be for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Sadly, that’s all we know of Samsung’s upcoming UI. Samsung’s latest firmware, One UI 9, was officially announced only a couple of weeks ago, but it remains exclusive to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and the Flip 8. While a beta has been available for the Galaxy S26 series for several months, Samsung hasn’t specified One UI 9’s official rollout timelines for existing or older devices. Despite that, work for the next iteration, i.e., One UI 9.5, already appears to have begun. The first One UI 9.5 build has supposedly surfaced on Samsung’s test servers, hinting at active trials for the upcoming firmware. According to tipster Fahad Ali Javed, who shared the purported evidence on X (via SamMobile), the build is meant for the US variant of the yet-to-be-released Galaxy S27 Ultra. This assumption is based on the “S958U” at the beginning of the build number, as the Galaxy S26 Ultra bears the model number SM-S948U.

TL;DR A new leak has given away all the specs and pricing details of the upcoming Pixel 11 series. The phones are said to feature the Tensor G6 processor, Titan M3 co-processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. The Pixel 11 is expected to start at $899, the Pixel 11 Pro at $1,099, the Pixel 11 Pro XL at $1,299, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at $1,899. As we approach Google’s August 12 event, we’re seeing a slew of leaks for the upcoming Pixel 11 series and even the Pixel Watch 5. Now, a new leak has revealed detailed specs and pricing of all the upcoming Pixel phones. Pixel 11 specs and price According to Android Headlines, the Pixel 11 will come with a 6.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2,424 x 1,080 pixels, 3,000 nits of brightness, and a 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

Credit: Brady Snyder / Android Authority TL;DR The Galaxy S27 Ultra will reportedly drop the 3x camera and switch to a triple rear camera system. This comes after years of Samsung’s Ultra phones offering a quad camera setup. This 3x camera is effectively obsolete, but it’s still handy for portraits and macro photography. Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra phones have offered four rear cameras since 2021’s Galaxy S21 Ultra, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra also following this trend. Unfortunately, two sources have now claimed that Samsung could drop one camera next year. Veteran tipster Ice Universe refuted an X user’s post claiming that the Galaxy S27 Ultra will have a second rear telephoto camera. Instead, the leaker says the upcoming phone only has a 50MP 5x telephoto shooter.

Credit: Google TL;DR Google has already canceled the standalone AI Studio mobile app before it ever launched. The company says it will now bring AI-powered app creation directly into the Gemini app. Meanwhile, the AI Studio web experience will continue to grow and evolve. After officially announcing a dedicated AI Studio mobile app for Android and iOS in May, Google is officially pulling the plug on the project.

TL;DR The Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 update is causing a rare bug that randomly changes the displayed date. The issue appears in the quick settings date readout. The status bar time, calendar, and task apps remain accurate and unaffected. It’s always expected that an Android beta will have bugs. It’s what they’re for — find all the bugs and (hopefully) fix them before the stable update comes out. Usually, those bugs come down to things like app crashes, system freezes, or battery drains. But the Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 has done something I never expected on my Pixel 10 Pro: reinvent time as we know it. It all started one morning when it was almost 4 AM, and as I pulled down my quick settings panel to turn off dark mode, I saw the date, which was July 28th at the time, suddenly become “0 Jan.” I’m not sure if I should call that January 0th or Jan 0rd, but either way, it was an odd thing to witness. A reboot fixed it, but then the next day the same bug happened again, this time setting the date back to Wednesday, January 1st. That made a bit more sense, given January 1st was indeed a Wednesday, but even so, this is a strange bug.

Credit: Mitja Rutnik / Android Authority A few months ago, I decided to take my household management to the next level. I’d already gotten pretty good at keeping up with the basic chores, but I needed a system to track our family calendar, family goals, and household inventory. Plus, I wanted a way to customize the experience for my family, pets, and the actual number of rooms in my house. I tried several existing household apps, and a few came close to what I was looking for. Still, I wanted something completely tailored to my situation, not just something “close enough.” That got me thinking: could I make my own solution? Plenty of people are already using AI tools to learn programming, or for simple vibe coding, so I dove in with Claude to see what I could build, what walls I’d hit, and whether this could be a better fit for my needs.

Google Search is the dominant search engine for a reason. It has comprehensive indexing of sites around the world, its search operators make finding specific results easier, and it’s the default for many browsers and devices. However, if you’ve been on the internet as long as I have, you’ll remember a time when Google Search just felt better overall. I stuck with the search engine until last year. Now, I barely use it at all. And that’s thanks to how well its replacement — Brave Search — works for me.

I’ve been reviewing and writing about smartphones for over a decade, and while it has been a dream come true to do this for a living, the past few years have left me jaded. It’s not because I’ve lost interest in the space; I think it’s more about smartphone makers drip-feeding us so-called “upgrades” and marketing them like it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Quite frankly, I’m fed up, and I think a lot of people are too. Phone manufacturers have trapped themselves in this annual cycle where they are now expected to launch a new product, year on year, and it’s somehow supposed to be vastly better than the one before. That’s obviously a near-impossible feat, and as expected, it rarely (if ever) happens. Instead, what we end up getting are “new” smartphone models with higher prices, minor hardware upgrades, and very little to no innovation.

Android 17 isn’t a flashy update, but it gets plenty of significant changes across different areas. One such noteworthy change is a new multitasking feature called App Bubbles — letting you turn an app into a floating bubble on the screen, allowing you to access and use it on top of other apps when needed. While this is great for Pixel users, if you use a Samsung phone, you’ve had an App Bubble-like multitasking feature for years. It’s called Pop-Up View, and while it shares the same idea, it does a few things differently that make it significantly better than App Bubbles.

I have a complicated relationship with the Google Pixel 6, but I still find news of its demise to be bittersweet. I appreciate that Google extended support for another couple of years beyond the original expiration and that it has done an excellent job optimizing new software updates for aging hardware. Beyond the nuts and bolts, the Pixel 6 represents a seismic shift in the history of Google’s smartphones. For better or worse, it ushered in the Tensor era and gave Pixels the identity they still have today. The Pixel 6 was a complicated beast, and it’s the perfect encapsulation of Google’s hardware adventures.

Credit: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority An Android phone can replace several everyday gadgets — that’s nothing new. But what most people don’t realize is that it goes well beyond the obvious stuff like cameras, flashlights, radios, and calculators. The sensors packed into your phone can, with the right app, do things you’d never think to ask of it. We’re talking tape measures, metal detectors, sound meters, thermometers — things you’d otherwise have to dig out of a drawer. Use your phone as a tape measure

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google Search’s time filters appear to be broken, showing results from random dates instead of the selected timeframe. The issue seems to affect multiple accounts, devices, and searches worldwide, suggesting it may be a bug. Until Google fixes it, using the after/before:YYYY-MM-DD search operator remains the only workaround. Google Search’s time filters have been one of the easiest ways to find the latest information on any topic. They’re very helpful when you’re looking for search results within a specific time period, whether it be breaking news, software updates, or recent discussions. Google has provided options such as Past hour, Past 24 hours, Past week, Past month, Past year, and custom range as essential parts of Search for as long as memory serves, but it looks like these tools are now completely broken.

Generative AI is everywhere, whether it’s used as a cornerstone of a service, used to build apps, or employed to boost functionality within them. But with so many new products appearing all the time, which ones are worth checking out? We’re here to help with a new regular series covering the best and freshest AI apps and services that you should know about.

Keeping up with the latest and greatest apps and games is a difficult task, but I’m here to help. Each month, I detail a list of the best new Android apps and games, and this month’s edition is packed with useful apps, including one that brings PC games to Android. Let’s jump right in. Here are the best new Android apps and games you should try in August 2026.

If you’ve been using Android for a while, you’re probably used to a certain sort of rhythm. You buy a phone, open the Google Play Store, type in what you want, and tap Install. Easy, safe, and mostly unified. But hold onto your phone cases, because that familiar landscape is about to experience a massive, tectonic shift. We are standing on the edge of a new era where alternative, third-party app stores aren’t just niche options for tech hobbyists anymore — they are gearing up to take over your Android home screen. Massive gaming giants, multi-billion-dollar tech suites, and regional powerhouses are building their own digital storefronts to bypass Google entirely. For the first time in the US, third-party app stores will be readily available for download in the Google Play Store. For the average user, this means more choice, but it also means a whole new rulebook for discovering, managing, installing, and paying for the software we use every day.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority When it comes to robot pool cleaners, Beatbot is one of the most respected and recognized in the industry. The brand is known for exceptional performance, design, and build quality. It also demands some of the highest prices in the market for its high-end robots. You can spend a few thousand on the high-end models. Is there a way to get Beatbot’s quality on a tighter budget? I got the chance to test a bundle with the Beatbot Sora 30 and iSkim. This robotic team will clean your pool and surface at a more reasonable price of $1,498, with sales often bringing the price down closer to $1,000. Yes, that is for both the Sora 30 pool cleaner and the iSkim surface skimmer. Let’s talk about my experience with them and see if this bundle is the right one for you.

Samsung’s latest (and possibly last) clamshell foldable is available for purchase, and it’s received mixed early reviews. I’ll admit I’ve had a contentious relationship with the Z Flip series over the years, especially once Motorola revamped its Razr lineup in 2023. The competition hasn’t been close since, as Motorola consistently provided the better user experience and value. But Samsung hasn’t given up, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is undoubtedly its best flip-phone yet. It may not be a drastic departure from the outgoing Z Flip 7, but Samsung’s made some notable improvements. But with the Razr Ultra (2026) being excellent again this year, how well does it stack up?

Credit: Pankil Shah / Android Authority When I first heard Google was letting users recover their accounts with a selfie video, I had to try it. Was I skeptical? Absolutely. After all, uploading a video of my face to Google’s servers doesn’t exactly scream “great idea.” And enabling selfie verification for your Google account in the age of AI deepfakes sounds counterintuitive. But after trying it and understanding how it actually works, I’ve changed my mind. This might be one of the most genuinely useful additions to account security Google has made in a while.

It’s famous online security lore that you shouldn’t reuse the same password across multiple accounts. But once upon a time, I was a naïve student who liberally ignored this rule, placing far too much trust in the companies that held my data. Fast forward to 2026, and those bad habits have come back to bite an older and wiser version of myself. While I have long since stopped reusing passwords, the Ghost of Passwords Past decided to visit me when I was notified that my data had been exposed in a breach. And it ended up affecting a lot more than I expected.

The Android launcher space is the most exciting in the platform’s app industry, with a solution for seemingly every problem I’ve covered many of my favorite examples in the past, including Niagara Launcher and its focus on efficiency, Octopi Launcher and the added value it offers on multi-screen devices, and AIO Launcher, the launcher that best suits my current maximalist bent and forms the cornerstone of my main phone.

A couple of weeks ago, OnePlus confirmed it was winding down business operations in North America and Europe, confirming longstanding rumors we’d been hearing for months. It’s a devastating blow to markets like the US that are already starved for smartphone choices, but it’s the harsh reality we find ourselves in. However, OnePlus isn’t completely dead. While it may no longer serve the US, Canada, and Europe, it’s still fully operational in other parts of the world. And recently, OnePlus gave us our first tease of its next flagship smartphone: the OnePlus 16.

TL;DR Google appears to be preparing to move Nest Hub Sleep Sensing from Google Fit to Google Health. New Google Home app strings explain how the Nest Hub will share sleep and sound-event data with Google Health. The change isn’t live yet, but it fits Google’s broader transition away from Google Fit. Google has spent much of this year herding its various fitness services into the new Google Health app, but the second-generation Nest Hub’s Sleep Sensing feature is still tied to the outgoing Google Fit. That looks set to change in the near future. 9to5Google spotted updated text strings in version 4.23 of the Google Home app that explain “how your Nest Hub works with Google Health.” The wording largely replaces previous references to Google Fit, suggesting that the smart display’s sleep data will eventually be handled by Google Health instead.