Android

It’s usually difficult to get excited about a new Android browser. Unlike the launcher space, which includes a puzzle piece for almost every conceivable niche, browsers are mostly limited to two major schools of thought: you can go with a browser based on Firefox’s underpinnings, or one based on Chromium, the underlying technology that powers Google Chrome. Since these platforms on which browsers are built are largely immutable, any new browser release must innovate in other core areas that matter — aesthetics, usability, and customizability.

TL;DR GrapheneOS found MTE hardware support in the Pixel 11 after earlier concerns. The discovery could keep GrapheneOS support alive for Google’s latest phones. Developers are testing MTE performance before deciding whether support for Pixel 11 is viable. GrapheneOS appeared ready to walk away from the Pixel 11 series just a few days ago. The privacy-focused Android project even warned against buying the phones after discovering they lacked hardware support for Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), a key security feature. But that warning may have been premature: GrapheneOS developers have now found that Pixel 11 phones do have MTE hardware support, giving the project a potential path toward supporting Google’s latest flagships. GrapheneOS shared the news on X, and they made this discovery after Google released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4, the first beta version to support the Pixel 11 series. Developers examining the new firmware found references indicating the phones have the necessary MTE capability, despite earlier software suggesting otherwise.

Credit: Xiaomi TL;DR Xiaomi has revealed the Smart Band 11 with a slimmer design and a host of new colors. The fitness band features the same 1.72″ display as last year, but with 33% more brightness. Xiaomi also claims improvements to heart rate and SpO2 measurements. Xiaomi has been the center of attention at the IFA 2026 trade show in Berlin for previewing its new wide Fold, which bears uncanny similarities to the leaked iPhone Ultra. While the Xiaomi 18 Fold is hogging much of the limelight, the brand has quietly revealed its next-generation fitness tracker with the same slim and lightweight design, several weeks of battery life, and a much brighter display than last year’s Xiaomi Smart Band 10. Arriving just months after the global release of the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 Pro (wider screen, bigger battery than the standard Band 10), the new Xiaomi Smart Band 11 makes minimal design changes. The new Band 11 still offers a choice between a metal and a ceramic casing, as with last year’s model. It’s about a millimeter slimmer than the previous version, measuring only 9.99mm thick, though that presumably doesn’t include the protrusion from the optical sensors on the back. The Band 11 with the metal casing weighs only 15.58 grams, but without the band included.

Credit: Supplied by Lexar TL;DR Lexar has announced the Muse Ultraslim Portable SSD, claiming it’s the world’s thinnest portable SSD. This accessory comes with 512GB or 1TB of storage and a magnetic carry sleeve, allowing it to be attached via MagSafe or a magnet case. There’s no word on pricing, but this SSD could be ideal for ProRes or APV video capture via your phone. Smartphones have become increasingly capable of high-quality video capture. Apple debuted ProRes video on its iPhones years ago, but Android phones have also made major strides thanks to LOG and APV video capture. Now, Lexar has announced an extremely thin SSD that might be the one to get for people who film a ton of high-quality videos on their phones. The Lexar Muse Ultraslim Portable SSD is marketed as the world’s thinnest portable SSD, with the company claiming that it varies from 1mm to 3.8mm thick. The company says it also comes with a magnetic carry sleeve, allowing it to be attached to an iPhone via MagSafe. This should also play nicely with magnet cases on Android phones or magnet-equipped phones like the Pixel 11 range.

Credit: Luna TL;DR Luna has announced that its WHOOP-like screenless tracker is shipping worldwide. The Luna Band is available on the company’s website for $149 (€149). You’ll be able to pick from several band strap colors. While WHOOP has long dominated the screenless fitness tracker world, that dominance has recently been shaken by the emergence of Google’s Fitbit Air and Garmin’s CIRQA Smart Band. However, those two aren’t the only challengers WHOOP may need to be concerned about, as smart ring maker Luna revealed its intentions to enter the market earlier this year. If you’ve been waiting to get a Luna Band, you won’t have to wait much longer. Months after the Luna Band made its debut at CES, Luna announced in May that the waitlist for the wearable was open. Pre-orders started on July 4, and the first shipments were scheduled for July 31. However, Drop 1 was an invite-only experience that quickly sold out, so if you weren’t one of the over 100,000 people who signed up for the waitlist, then you missed out on that first shipment.

TL;DR Timekettle has just announced the W4 Plus AI translation earbuds, with a handful of new AI features to deliver faster and more human-like translation. These earbuds will be available in a standard version with some AI features requiring a monthly subscription, plus a more expensive subscription-free version that includes all features. The W4 Plus can deliver over three hours of continuous translation, with the charging case extending that to 12 hours. While most translations today happen through software-based solutions, Timekettle takes a different approach by offering real-time translation through earbuds. With IFA 2026 officially here, the manufacturer has now announced a new pair of translation-oriented earbuds, but with a catch. Following up on last year’s W4 and W4 Pro, the W4 Plus still supports 52 languages, 106 accents, and 13 language pairs for offline use. The big upgrade, however, comes in the software department, courtesy of Babel OS 3.0, which the manufacturer says delivers faster, more natural-sounding translations.

TL;DR Evidence found in the Google Phone app suggests Scam Detection could soon expand to Xiaomi phones. The feature is already available on Pixels and the Galaxy S26 series. It’s also expected to arrive soon on vivo phones. Google’s Scam Detection feature may have arrived first on Pixel phones, but it has been slowly expanding to other Android manufacturers. It’s already available on the Galaxy S26 series, and we even spotted signs that it could be coming to vivo phones soon. Now, we’re seeing evidence that Scam Detection could be headed to yet another Android phone maker. 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 The Pixel Watch 5 ‘Stephen Curry’ edition is now on sale for $579. It comes with a special Performance Loop band with a water-repellent coating and Stephen Curry branding. The Pixel Watch 5 launched last month, and for the most part, you could buy any version of the watch and bundle it with any watch band since it went on sale on August 20. However, there was one edition of the Pixel Watch 5 that wasn’t available to buy until today — the Stephen Curry special edition. The special-edition Pixel Watch 5 comes with a 45mm case in Satin Pyrite and a band that isn’t available on the regular 41mm and 45mm watches. It includes a Google Performance Loop band in Rye, with a water-repellent coating designed to help wick away moisture during tough workouts. The band also features “Stephen Curry” and “#LockIn” branding.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR OpenAI has launched GPT-6 Astra, with stronger capabilities in software engineering, computer use, and cybersecurity. Astra is OpenAI’s first model to reach its “Critical” cybersecurity threshold and is more jailbreak-resistant than GPT-5.6 Sol. OpenAI isn’t officially calling Astra AGI, but its president says he personally thinks “we’re there.” OpenAI has launched GPT-6 Astra, its latest flagship AI model and what the company describes as the most capable model it has deployed to date. Astra brings notable gains in areas such as software engineering, computer use, and cybersecurity, and it will roll out to paid ChatGPT users and the API over the coming week. And while OpenAI isn’t officially calling this AGI, one of its founders now says he personally thinks we’ve reached that point. As reported by TechCrunch, OpenAI is particularly talking up Astra’s ability to use computers and browsers, while president Greg Brockman described it as the company’s most intelligent model yet. The company also reckons Astra is its best model so far for software engineering, with testing showing improvements in areas like bug detection and working with codebases.

TL;DR UGREEN is launching three smart home hubs that combine network storage, video recording, and local AI processing. Instead of talking to Gemini in the cloud like you do with Google Home, here all voice commands are processed by the hub itself. Depending on your needs, UGREEN’s hardware can offer some seriously heavy-duty NVIDIA AI silicon. Smart homes are getting smarter, and that might just be a problem. While the idea of a more feature-reach, accessible, and proactive smart home sounds great on face value, the growing reliance of so many of these systems on cloud-based AI is making some shoppers think twice. UGREEN believes it might just have the solution in the form of some advanced smart home hubs. Ecosystems like Google Home tap into cloud-powered AI continually, from processing your voice input, to analyzing your Nest camera footage. Beyond obvious privacy considerations, there’s also the subscription cost to consider with the more advanced camera functionality, to say nothing of storage.

TL;DR UGREEN’s big smart home push involves the launch of a smart speaker, photo frame, and multiple cameras. The outdoor cameras are designed to work perfectly with the company’s new local-AI smart home hubs, and include both wired and solar-powered options. A smart speaker also makes it easy to connect with the company’s Uliya digital assistant. In addition to its pricey new smart home hubs, UGREEN is getting its smart home ambitions up to speed with a slate of its own hardware, including a speaker, photo frame, and trio of cameras. We’re looking at one indoor camera and two mountable outdoor cameras: the SynCare Indoor Cam ID500 Pro, SynCare PoE CAM OD600 Pro, and SynCare Battery Cam OD800 Pro. All three offer an 8MP, 4K main camera.

TL;DR UGREEN’s got a bunch of new power solutions debuting, including the first Qi2 magnetic bank with liquid cooling. That’s joined by a set of new 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 chargers ideal for Apple users. Those combo chargers are available in both foldable travel sizes, as well as desktop stands. These days, power solutions aren’t just about capacity and speed. In order to reach the demanding limits we insist upon, more and more often manufacturers must contend with the ever-present specter of heat — not a battery’s best friend. And while we’ve seen plenty of ways to manage heat, you’ve probably never seen any quite like UGREEN’s latest — literally. Plenty of us already know and love the convenience of magnetic Qi2 battery banks, ready to pop right on the back of compatible phones and cases. With small devices like this, there’s not much room to squeeze in bulky cooling systems. In light of that, UGREEN has engineered a clever solution.

TL;DR Google is working on an Expressive redesign for Digital Wellbeing’s app activity, App timers, and Bedtime mode. App timers could soon let you select multiple apps and assign the same daily limit to all of them at once. Bedtime mode could ditch collapsible sections while moving Bedtime routine to the top and Weekly average to the bottom. For a tool that’s supposed to help you track your screen time and reduce it, Digital Wellbeing’s UI sure does promote the opposite. This hasn’t really been a concern up until now, mainly because we’ve been content with what the app offers. However, now that we’ve gotten an early look at how much better Digital Wellbeing could be, it’s going to be difficult to go back. We’ve spotted Google working on several Digital Wellbeing UI changes — changes that could finally bring an Expressive makeover to the screen-time monitoring app.

Credit: AWOL TL;DR AWOL Vision has unveiled the LuxVision, its new flagship ultra-short-throw projector, at IFA 2026. AWOL says it’s the world’s first 4K 120Hz UST projector to also offer optical shift. The LuxVision is rated at 6,000 ISO lumens and launches around October from $6,499. Projectors are great if you want a ridiculously big picture, but setups with ceiling mounts or long cable runs, along with carefully calculated distances, aren’t exactly living-room friendly.Ultra-short-throw projectors solve much of that by sitting just inches from the wall, and AWOL Vision’s new LuxVision aims to eliminate another compromise by bringing true 4K 120Hz output and optical shift to the format. Unveiled at IFA 2026, AWOL bills the LuxVision as the world’s first 4K 120Hz ultra-short-throw projector with optical shift. That combination is the main selling point, as you get the smoother motion of a 120Hz display without giving up the living-room-friendly setup of a UST projector. At the same time, the optical shift gives you more freedom to position the image without compromising its 4K detail.

Credit: Philips Hue TL;DR Signify has announced a partnership with Nanoleaf. The partnership will bring Nanoleaf Shapes into the Philips Hue ecosystem. You’ll need a Philips Hue Wall Light Module to integrate the panels into your setup. Ever since a slip-up revealed a hexagon-shaped panel icon in the Philips Hue app, we’ve been expecting a panel-related announcement. Initially, there was a belief that the company could launch its first-ever wall panel lights. However, a leak in late August revealed that the brand may instead integrate Nanoleaf panels via a new module. A recently published support page added more weight to this discovery. Now Philips Hue’s parent company has made it official. Amid all of the IFA 2026 news today, Signify announced a partnership between Philips Hue and Nanoleaf. That partnership will bring compatible Nanoleaf Shapes into the Hue ecosystem. Compatible panels include Nanoleaf Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles.

TL;DR Google is working on a Weekly wrap feature for Digital Wellbeing that could proactively recap your phone usage. Gemini Nano could turn your weekly screen-time data into personalized, contextual insights instead of just showing raw numbers. The feature is still in development, and there’s no guarantee Google will release it to users. Google’s Digital Wellbeing app is the place you’d go to know exactly how much time you’re spending on your phone. The catch, however, is that it’s largely a passive tool that you need to manually open and dig through. The tool doesn’t take a proactive approach, though that might soon change. Digital Wellbeing could soon add a new Weekly wrap feature that, exactly as it sounds, would give you a weekly recap of your phone usage.

Credit: Govee TL;DR Govee is launching what it calls the “industry’s first AI-powered mood-responsive ceiling light.” Its outdoor lights have an “industry first” dual-layer illumination architecture. The company is also launching two new strip lights. It’s been a busy day of announcements with IFA 2026 underway, especially for smart lights. Philips Hue just launched several new products and features. Now it’s Govee’s turn, which has four new lights to be on the lookout for. The company is launching a new ceiling light, two light strips, and an outdoor light. Govee Sky Ceiling Light

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google has launched WeatherNext 3, its most advanced AI weather model yet. Forecasts can now update hourly and offer much finer local detail than WeatherNext 2. Google says that precipitation forecasts made a day or more in advance can be up to 50% more accurate. Weather forecasting can be bang on the money, or infuriatingly inaccurate. Most of us have probably looked out the window at falling rain while our weather app confidently suggests we won’t get wet if we head out. Google is trying to close some of that gap with WeatherNext 3, its new AI weather model that should deliver more detailed, more frequently updated forecasts to services including Google Search, Gemini, and Maps. Google announced WeatherNext 3 today, describing it as its most advanced and accurate global weather model yet. One of the biggest changes is how often and how closely it can monitor the weather. WeatherNext 2 produced forecasts in six-hour increments on a 25km grid, whereas the new model can generate hourly forecasts and show some conditions at a 5km resolution. That should give Google a better chance of accounting for the weather that can vary considerably between nearby locations.

TL;DR US smartphone prices rose just 5%, far less than the 15% global increase. New phones are getting pricier as memory costs squeeze manufacturers worldwide. Shoppers elsewhere face steeper hikes, making the US look surprisingly insulated. If you’ve been grumbling about the price of this year’s flagship phones, you’re not exactly wrong. Samsung, Google, and Motorola have all asked US shoppers to pay more for their latest flagships, with most of the increases landing around the $100 mark. But here’s the thing: It could be a whole lot worse. Counterpoint Research’s latest smartphone price tracker shows that global smartphone retail prices have climbed an average of 15% so far in 2026. More than 40% of smartphone models have seen price hikes this year, while new launches are coming in 25% more expensive than their year-ago counterparts.

Credit: Signify TL;DR Philips Hue is launching several new smart light products. The company has also announced that it is previewing a backup and restore feature. Backup and restore will allow users of the Hue Bridge and Bridge Pro to back up their settings to the Hue cloud. Due to leaks, it’s been known for a few months now that Philips Hue would have some new products to show off later in the year. Some of those products include new Festavia lights and a camera for Hue Sync. Sure enough, the company has finally announced its next slate of lighting solutions. In addition to the new smart lights, Philips Hue is also giving users a highly requested feature. Backup and restore Starting with the new feature, Philips Hue announced that it is previewing a backup and restore function. With backup and restore, users of the Hue Bridge and Bridge Pro will be able to back up their settings to the Hue cloud. That means you’ll now be able to save settings, accessories, rooms, zones, scenes, automations, and more in case anything happens. This is something that many users have been wanting for years.

TL;DR Multiple AI models are not functioning as intended today. In addition to Claude and Grok, now OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Codex are experiencing problems. The company is currently attempting mitigation steps. If you know and care about any AI agents, it sounds like you should probably be checking in on them this morning, as they are just dropping like flies, one by one. We’ve already told you about the problems both Claude and Grok are having, and now we’ve got one more to add to the list. OpenAI shares that both Codex and ChatGPT are running into higher error rates than normal today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLV4dFCEJ-E TL;DR Lenovo’s Project Swan is a 14-inch laptop concept with a rollable display that expands into a 17-inch, 16:9 screen. The idea combines the portability of a smaller laptop with extra screen space for multitasking, potentially replacing the need for a portable monitor. Project Swan is still a proof of concept, so there’s no pricing or release date, and questions around durability and battery life remain. Lenovo has never been particularly shy about making laptops do weird things. We’ve seen screens fold, twist, and even stretch vertically, and at IFA 2026, the company is experimenting with another idea: What if your regular 14-inch laptop could suddenly give you a much wider screen when you need it? That’s the idea behind Project Swan, one of two Intel-powered laptop concepts Lenovo is showing off at IFA this year. And while it’s still just a concept, it solves a problem anyone who regularly works on a laptop will probably recognize. At first glance, Project Swan sounds surprisingly ordinary. It’s a 14-inch laptop that measures 17.9mm thick and weighs 1.6kg, so you could realistically toss it into a backpack and carry it to work without much thought. The clever bit happens when you need more room. Project Swan’s display can roll outward, transforming that compact 14-inch screen into a much larger 17-inch, 16:9 display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLV4dFCEJ-E TL;DR Lenovo has announced the Yoga Tab Gen 2 and Yoga Tab Plus Gen 2 Android tablets. Both tablets effectively use last year’s flagship silicon, while offering a 144Hz display, pen support, and seven major OS upgrades. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Gen 2 starts at $729, while the Tab Plus Gen 2 starts at $999.99. Lenovo has announced a slew of products at IFA 2026, including new RTX Spark computers and a couple of interesting concepts. However, it also has something up its sleeve if you’re looking for a powerful Android tablet. Lenovo announced the Yoga Tab Gen 2 and Yoga Tab Plus Gen 2 in Berlin today, and both tablets are positioned as premium, creator-focused slates with pen support. The latter device is the more upmarket product, though, featuring a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a 13-inch 4K “PureSight Pro” display (144Hz, 1,100 nits of peak brightness).

TL;DR Motorola has teamed up with Swarovski again for a special-edition Razr 2026 featuring 35 crystals, plus a larger 32-facet crystal on the hinge. It’s still a regular Razr 2026 underneath, with a 3.6-inch cover screen, 6.9-inch AMOLED display, dual 50MP cameras, and a 4,800mAh battery. At $900, it’s $100 cheaper than last year’s Swarovski Razr but $100 pricier than the regular Razr 2026. Motorola is also bundling Moto Buds 2 Plus and a Moto watch for a limited time. Motorola’s Razr phones already have one thing going for them that most smartphones don’t: they’re genuinely fun to look at. Between the flip-phone form factor, bright colors, and compact design, a Razr tends to stand out even before you open it. And this isn’t Motorola’s first time adding some extra sparkle, either. The company teamed up with Swarovski for a crystal-covered Razr last year, and now the Razr 2026 is getting the same treatment. The new special-edition Motorola Razr 2026 comes in a dark PANTONE Meteorite finish, but the color is really playing backup here. The star of the show is the collection of 35 Swarovski crystals individually positioned across the back of the phone. Motorola has paired them with a quilted, leather-like texture, so instead of looking like someone attacked a Razr with a bedazzling kit, there’s at least some thought behind the whole aesthetic.

TL;DR The Lingverse iKairos is a modular AI wearable that comes in the form of a desktop robot companion. It can also be detached and worn around the neck as an AI pendant. It will gather contextual data and surface relevant suggestions for users. Wearable AI pendants are nothing new, and neither are AI desktop companions. However, at IFA 2026, Singapore-based company Lingverse is showcasing a modular AI wearable that can both sit at your desk and hang around your neck. The company calls it iKairos, and its modular design lets it learn about the user’s life from different perspectives. At a desk, it will observe and interact with users like any other desktop AI robot. However, users can pop it out of its robot body and slot it into a necklace to take it with them on the go.