Android

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.

Credit: Mitja Rutnik / Android Authority TL;DR Anthropic found that Claude accessed the open internet during cyber evaluations and compromised three real organizations. One model uploaded malware, which was downloaded and run on 15 systems before being removed. Anthropic says this was a containment failure, unlike OpenAI’s models exploiting a zero-day vulnerability to escape isolation. The reassuring thing about testing powerful AI models in a sealed environment is that they can’t do much damage outside it. The less reassuring part is that humans have to ensure the environment is actually sealed, and we humans make mistakes. That’s apparently what happened to Anthropic, which just revealed that Claude accessed the open internet during cybersecurity evaluations and gained unauthorized access to three real organizations. Detailing the incidents on its website, Anthropic uncovered the hacks after OpenAI disclosed on July 21 that its own models had escaped an isolated test environment and compromised Hugging Face. That prompted Anthropic to review 141,006 evaluation runs, uncovering three incidents across six runs dating back to April.

TL;DR Google’s latest preview of the September Feature Drop has arrived with Android 17 QPR1 Beta 8. Unlike QPR2 Beta 1, this build still supports Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices. Changes appear almost entirely focused on new bugfixes. The weekend is practically here, and that means many of us are getting a long-overdue chance to unwind. Maybe you decompress with some gardening, or enjoying an artistic pursuit. But for a very special type of smartphone enthusiast, there’s probably nothing more fun to spend a weekend doing than checking out a new, in-development Android build. If that’s the way your nerd flag flies, we’ve got some great news to share, as Google releases Android 17 QPR1 Beta 8. It’s been two weeks since Google dropped Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7, and right on schedule, Google’s sharing the release notes for QPR1 Beta 8. It’s important to remember that unlike the QPR2 Beta 1 release we just got, which dropped support for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones, this one still supports the full Pixel 6 series.

TL;DR Yesterday, Google announce that Google Earth was getting Nano Banana 2 image generation. The company is now pressing pause on the feature, citing policy violations. Google plans to bring it back after stricter guardrails are in place. Playing around generating images with AI is a whole lot of fun… up until it isn’t. At some point, someone’s going to make a particularly controversial image, or maybe try to pass off a fake as the real thing, or even just rip off a real artist’s work. Yesterday, Google announced it was bringing Gemini’s Nano Banana 2 image generation to Google Earth to make it easy to create imaginative landscapes based on real-world locations, and now it’s already finding itself forced to backtrack. Over on X, Google’s official news account has issued a statement:

TL;DR One UI 9 introduces a new security measure that permanently locks your phone after 13 failed unlock attempts. We’ve got a look at the message users will see if they ever cross this unfortunate threshold. There’s no easy button to reset, and users will be forced to restore their phone manually. Samsung’s newest foldables are debuting with One UI 9, and beyond Android 17 itself, that’s introducing a whole lot of little changes. One important one we highlighted earlier this week concerns device security, and how your phone will now permanently lock itself down after 13 failed attempts to enter a PIN or password. Hopefully that’s never something you have to deal with yourself — but if you’re at all curious what it’s like, we’ve got a hands-on look to share with you. Both Android 17 and One UI 9 are taking steps to harden your phone against attempts to guess its unlock code, adding delays of increasing length after too many attempts before finally locking the device down for good, with no option forward but a full reset.

TL;DR Gmail has started alerting users when they try to reply all to emails on which they were BCC’d. The change should help you avoid accidentally letting people know you were blind-copied. All Gmail users should see the new alert when applicable beginning today. Gmail’s got a new feature that could save you some embarrassment. Starting today, when you reply-all to an email that you’re BCC’d on, you’ll see a warning that lets you know what you’re about to do will let everyone on the chain know that you were blind copied. Google outlined the change in a blog post today. Effective immediately, when you click the Reply all button under an email that you were BCC’d on, you’ll see a prominent, yellow banner to warn you that you’re about to send your reply to everyone who was CC’d on the original message, which will both let those people know you received the original message and expose your email address to them.

Credit: The Mac Observer TL;DR A leak has revealed a Swarovski Edition of the Motorola Razr 2026. The latest SE model features a textured black panel with embedded crystal-like studs. Motorola is no stranger when it comes to creating special editions for its phones. For example, last year’s Razr had a FIFA World Cup Edition, a Paris Hilton Edition, and a Swarovski Edition. It appears that the Swarovski collaboration is coming back for another year, and a new leak has provided our first look. The folks over at The Mac Observer have obtained images of the Swarovski Edition of the Motorola Razr 2026. The design looks very similar to the 2025 model, with a textured back panel featuring crystal-like studs arranged in a quilted pattern. This also extends partially to the upper half of the phone, just below the external display.

TL;DR The Pixel 11 Pro’s colorful rear light may launch under the name “HiLight.” We previously found the feature under the Pixel Glow name in Android 17 Beta 4. Google has shown the light in teasers, but hasn’t confirmed its final name or full capabilities. Google has already teased the colorful rear light coming to the Pixel 11 Pro, but the company may be saving one small surprise for launch day. The feature we’ve been calling Pixel Glow may not be called that at all, with one source claiming it will be named HiLight. The claim comes from software engineer Dylan Roussel on X, who says the Pixel 11 feature won’t launch under the Pixel Glow name seen in Android 17. Roussel has a track record of uncovering hidden features in Android betas and Google apps, although this new revelation is far from confirmed.

TL;DR A recent Pixel 11 leak mentioned the name “Pixel Tag.” Now a new find uncovers multiple product listings for the Google Pixel Tag, revealing it as a Find Hub tracker We also get our first look at the hardware, which features a built-in speaker. With August on our doorstep, the next Made By Google product launch event is nearly within reach. That’s going to bring us the Pixel 11 series, as well as the Pixel Watch 5, but what else? Well, there’s that new Pixel Buds Pro 2 colorway, for one. But if you’ve been paying close attention, you also might remember that mention of “Pixel Tag” support we saw pop up in an earlier Pixel 11 leak. Now we’re finally starting to learn what to expect from this hardware. The team over at 9to5Google has uncovered some European product listings for the Google Pixel Tag, including one with a hardware description that appears to confirm that this is indeed a “Find My Device” tracker fob. As if that weren’t enough, we also get to check out the first image of the Pixel Tag to be discovered:

TL;DR Google Messages is preparing an update that’ll refresh the app’s search function. The new version will move the search bar to the bottom of the screen and introduce better visual previews. It’s not clear when this update will reach users. Google is working to make the search function in Messages a little more user-friendly. Poking around the latest beta version of the Messages app, we got a look at an unreleased search interface that makes finding content in your conversations easier. We managed to enable the updated search interface in version messages.android_20260727_03_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic of the Google Messages app. There are a couple of key differences in the new layout. First of all: the search bar has moved from the top of the screen to the bottom, making it much easier to reach.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google is working on a few changes for the Keep app. The plus icon is now bigger and has a permanent blue color. The background options button has moved to a new location, with a checkbox button taking its old spot. You may be perfectly fine with the UI in the Keep app, but that won’t stop Google from trying to make improvements. While investigating app version 5.26.301.00.90, we noticed that some changes are in the works. Let’s jump right into what we found during our APK teardown. 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 Leaked renders appear to reveal Motorola’s upcoming Moto Watch Ultra. The smartwatch would feature a 46mm stainless steel case, LTE, GPS, IP68 protection, and 50m water resistance. Motorola has yet to announce the wearable, leaving its software, pricing, and launch date a mystery. Motorola was one of the companies that helped put Android smartwatches on the map with the original Moto 360. But while Samsung, Google, and OnePlus have spent the past few years pushing further into the premium wearable market, recently Motorola has largely sat on the sidelines. That could soon be changing, as we check out some new hardware. The Mac Observer has published leaked marketing images of an unannounced smartwatch internally referred to as the Moto Watch Ultra, and the hardware suggests Motorola is finally preparing to compete with the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in the flagship smartwatch space again.

The new UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W Charger is built for people who carry a laptop, tablet, phone, and other gear at once, and there’s already a solid deal on it. This is a high-output GaN wall charger designed to reduce the number of bricks you need on your desk or in your bag. See the deal at UGREEN

TL;DR Casio has just launched its first smart Ring Watch, known as the CRW-H001, featuring a small LCD panel and health/fitness tracking. The wearable can track a wide range of workouts and monitor heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen levels, among other features. Casio is currently selling the CRW-H001 Ring Watch only in China, with no word yet on a global launch. Casio introduced the bizarre-looking Ring Watch in late 2024, mirroring the design of a classic Casio wristwatch, but designed to be worn on your finger. The manufacturer is now taking this concept one step further with its new offering, featuring a similar retro timepiece design, but with all the attributes you’d expect from a modern-day smart ring. The Japanese watchmaker has released the CRW-H001, which doesn’t look too dissimilar to the old Ring Watch. It even features a similar LCD panel that can show the time and set a stopwatch or alarms for you. However, as the Chinese product page reveals, this smart ring can do a lot more, including monitoring the wearer’s heart rate, blood oxygen level, and body temperature (via Gizmodo).

TL;DR Newly leaked images show three Googlebook-branded devices from Lenovo. The images feature laptops in two sizes, plus a two-in-one tablet with a detachable keyboard. Pricing and availability are still unknown. This spring, Google debuted a new category of Android-powered laptops called Googlebooks. In its announcement, Google said that five companies would be making the first round of Googlebooks: Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. We saw a Googlebook-branded mouse from Lenovo a couple of weeks ago, and today, fresh leaks are giving us a good look at more Lenovo Googlebook hardware. Android Headlines has published what looks like marketing imagery for both Lenovo Googlebook laptops and a two-in-one Lenovo Googlebook tablet that’s shown with a stylus and a detachable keyboard case. The images also feature the mouse we saw earlier this month.

Movie nights, dorm rooms, and trips are a lot more fun when you can bring a big screen with you. The XGIMI Elfin Flip Laser fits that kind of setup well, and there’s already a deal on it at Amazon. Right now, the XGIMI Elfin Flip Laser is down to $718.99 from its $799 recommended retail price, a 10% discount. It’s also the first Amazon deal we’ve seen on the projector. See the deal at Amazon

Amazon has knocked $100 off the Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm, LTE), dropping it to $349.99 from its $449.99 recommended retail price. That is a 22% discount relative to the RRP, and it is one of the strongest prices we have seen outside of Prime Day. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: The Mac Observer TL;DR A new leak showcases the software experience on the Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 5. The screenshots reveal a similar UI, but with small visual refinements. In about a week and a half, Google will hold its upcoming launch event. The closer we get to that date, the more and more leaks have been popping up. In fact, a new collection of images was just revealed earlier this morning. While most of the recent leaks have focused on the hardware side, a new leak provides a glimpse at the software side of the Pixel 11 series and the Pixel Watch 5. The Mac Observer has obtained images showing off the software experience on the Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 5. As you’ll see in the galleries below, the UI looks very similar to the Android experience that’s currently available, with a few small visual refinements.

TL;DR Galaxy SmartTag 3 may get a fresh squircle design, but it could lose the built-in lanyard hole. A physical button is reportedly making a comeback, potentially letting you trigger Modes & Routines automations in addition to helping you locate your Galaxy phone. The tracker is expected to retain Bluetooth, UWB, Samsung Find, and water resistance, with a possible Bluetooth 6.0 upgrade. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Watch 9 are barely out the door, yet the rumor mill has already moved on to what’s next. This time, it’s the Galaxy SmartTag 3, and a newly leaked redesign suggests Samsung could be making one part of the tracker more polished while making another a little less practical. According to a report by SamMobile, the Galaxy SmartTag 3 is expected to adopt a squircle-shaped design, giving Samsung’s item tracker a fresh look. At first glance, that sounds like a welcome refresh. But the redesign may come with one trade-off that you will notice almost immediately.

Credit: Brady Snyder / Android Authority TL;DR Many Google Health users have expressed frustration over unprompted, lengthy AI Coach commentary cluttering their app dashboards. New strings in Google Health v5.04.1 reveal upcoming coaching preferences that will allow users to disable AI Coach insights. Selecting the “No Coach insights” option will restore a clean layout with basic fitness metrics and no extra commentary. Ever since Google overhauled its health ecosystem with its AI-powered Health Coach, many users have felt that using the new Google Health app is a frustrating experience. Instead of clean, easily scannable fitness metrics, users were suddenly greeted by paragraphs of unprompted AI commentary every time they opened the app. Fortunately, Google seems to be acknowledging the pushback. New strings discovered in the Google Health app v5.04.1 reveal that the company is preparing dedicated preference controls that will finally let users mute AI Coach insights and return to viewing their raw data. 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 Amazon has confirmed it received $600 million as part of a tariff refund, saying some consumers will get their money back. The US Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs earlier this year, making companies eligible to request refunds. Amazon hasn’t clarified when it will process these refunds, though customers can expect word from the retailer soon. The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the US government this year by invalidating certain trade tariffs. As a consequence, companies were allowed to request a refund of the tariffs they had paid until that point. E-commerce retailer Amazon has now announced how it will manage these refunds. Speaking to analysts on a conference call, Amazon’s Chief Financial Officer, Brian Olsavsky, confirmed that the company has received $600 million in tariff refunds, and that a portion of it will be returned to the consumers (via Bloomberg).

Credit: Evan Blass/LeakMail TL;DR A trusted leaker has posted a variety of images showing off the base Pixel 11 and its associated features. The images show off a variety of colors, including apparent Hibiscus and Pistachio options. The leaked pictures also hint at agentic features and 30x zoom capabilities. Google is scheduled to unveil the Pixel 11 phones on August 12, and we’ve already seen a stream of leaks ahead of the event. A trusted tipster recently revealed a ton of Pixel 11 Pro Fold images, and the same source has now revealed plenty of Pixel 11 material. Veteran leaker Evan Blass has posted a slew of images showing off the vanilla Pixel 11 and its associated features. We get a good look at the phone (see image at the top of the page), as well as a family image showing off the various colors. Based on a previous leak, we’re looking at Hibiscus, Frost, Obsidian, and Pistachio color schemes. The Hibiscus and Pistachio options look particularly vibrant, making for a pleasant change from the usual grays and blacks.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR A new report reveals five internal Samsung hardware codenames: B9, H9, Q9A, Q9B, and Z9. These codenames are said to correspond to the Galaxy Z Flip 9, Z Fold 9, Z Fold 9 Ultra, Z TriFold 2, and a “Rollable Flex” tablet, respectively. Summer 2027 is said to be the targeted launch window for the mainstream foldables, while the rollable slate could be slated for early 2028. Samsung’s foldable roadmap for next year is already leaking, and it looks like the company is preparing to go even bigger with its form-factor ambitions. Freshly surfaced codenames suggest that, alongside standard annual upgrades, Samsung is prepping a second-generation tri-fold device and a brand-new rollable slate for 2027. According to a report by GalaxyClub, internal development tracks show that Samsung has at least five distinct foldable-adjacent hardware projects in the pipeline for next year. The baseline lineup remains fairly straightforward: the codename “B9” points directly to the Galaxy Z Flip 9, while “H9” represents the standard Galaxy Z Fold 9.