Android

Credit: Megan Ellis / Android Authority TL;DR Google is rolling out an update for the Calendar app. There is a new option that scales event information density based on screen size. The update is available to users with personal Google accounts, all Workspace customers, and Workspace Individual subscribers. Earlier this year, Google announced it was making a change to the Calendar app. This update would help to optimize Google Calendar for various screen sizes. If you’ve been waiting for this change, you’ll be happy to know that it’s finally rolling out. In a new blog post, Google announced that it is updating information density for the calendar grid to accommodate larger screens. Now, when you want to adjust the appearance of your calendar grid, you’ll see three information density options:

TL;DR Pixel 4 series phones, and the Pixel 4a in particular, have recently been suffering from a boot loop problem. Back at the start of July, Google let us know that a fix would soon be heading out. Pixel 4a owners now report that their latest Play update has finally sorted the bug out. Outside of full-on bricking a device, where you just can’t get it to respond at all anymore, is there any glitch more frustrating to deal with than a boot loop? At least most of the time when an app is malfunctioning, we have the opportunity to try troubleshooting it, but when your phone keeps restarting itself over and over, there’s just not a lot you can do. Some owners of older Pixel devices — and the Pixel 4a in particular — have been dealing with just such a headache, but we’ve got good news: Google’s fix has finally arrived. We first heard about this issue just about a month ago, with Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, and Pixel 4a owners reporting that their phones were stuck in a boot loop. Roughly a week later, Google let us know that a fix was on the way for these phones, with plans to distribute it as part of a July Play system update.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Android TV accounts for 14% of respondents’ most-used TV setups, ahead of Apple’s tvOS at 8%. Roku and Fire TV remain far ahead, combining for 54% of primary TV and streaming player setups. Viewers value easy search most, while the top AI request is filtering out recommendations they probably won’t like. Android and Apple have spent many years battling for your pocket, but the contest looks rather different on the biggest screen in your home. New survey data suggests Android TV is used on considerably more primary US television setups than Apple TV, although both remain some distance behind Roku and Amazon Fire TV. The figures come from Hub Entertainment Research’s latest “Evolution of the TV Set” survey, as reported by The Streamable. When respondents were asked which operating system runs on their most-used TV or streaming player, 14% named Android TV, compared with 8% for Apple’s tvOS. That first figure presumably includes devices that use the Google TV interface, which is built on the Android TV OS and wasn’t listed separately in the results.

Credit: Google TL;DR Google has announced the launch of Lyria 3.5. The new music generation model produces more complex melodic structures, higher-quality lyrics, and improved vocals. Lyria 3.5 is rolling out today in Google Flow Music. Last week, Google announced the launch of Gemini 3.6 Flash, the company’s latest workhorse Flash model. Along with 3.6 Flash, the tech giant also released Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and 3.5 Flash Cyber. This week, another new Google-made AI model is getting rolled out. Unlike the others, this one is aimed at helping you create music. Google has announced that it has launched its latest music generation model, Lyria 3.5. Compared to the previous model, Lyria 3.5 is said to produce richer and more complex melodic structures. The AI is also said to adhere to prompts better and is more structurally aware, allowing it to generate higher-quality lyrics. Another improvement is vocals, which Google says are more realistic and emotionally nuanced than before, with better pronunciation to boot.

TL;DR Google’s introducing a new hardware element on the Pixel 11 series: the Pixel Glow RGB LED matrix. After showing it off in a teaser two weeks back, Pixel Glow is front and center in Google’s latest video. While this offers a great look at Pixel Glow hardware, we still have plenty of questions about how it will operate. We are a mere two weeks away from August 12, when Google will unveil the new Pixel 11 series. Given the sheer amount of leaks we’ve seen so far, it’s almost surprising to think that there are any unknowns remaining, but we’re still looking to fill in more and more key details on hardware changes like that RGB LED Pixel Glow effect coming to the Pixel 11 Pro. Google gave us a little preview of Pixel Glow earlier this month, and today is following that up with an even better look at Pixel Glow in action. Google just posted a new Pixel 11 Pro teaser video on YouTube and across its social channels:

The Aurzen Boom Air is a compact portable projector built for easy streaming and movie nights without extra gear, and there’s a solid Amazon deal on it right now. It comes with built-in Google TV, so apps run straight from the projector instead of needing a separate streaming stick. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR A fresh leak has revealed the Pixel Buds Pro 2 in a brand-new dark green color. This new Pixel Buds Pro 2 colorway could launch alongside the Pixel 11 series next month. There’s some precedent for a move like this, as Google launched new shades of the Pixel Buds 2a to pair with the Pixel 10a earlier this year. The Google Pixel 11 series will debut on August 12, with event invites going out earlier this month. As in the past, there’s hardly any detail that has been left unrevealed by leaks. We recently stumbled upon prematurely posted Amazon listings that gave us early info on the potential launch-day colors of the flagship. A similar leak has now revealed that Google may debut a new pair of Pixel Buds Pro 2 featuring at least one of these colors. Based on the Pixel 11 and 11 Pro leaks so far, it’s clear that Google is leaning toward a darker shade of green for its flagships this year. So it should come as no surprise that another Amazon listing has revealed the Pixel Buds Pro 2 in a similar color, though it appears to be a darker shade than what we’ve seen from the Pixel 11 leaks so far. Amazon has since removed the listing, but not before a screenshot was captured by the crew over at 9to5Google.

TL;DR Google Play is preparing for the global rollout of its Age Signals API. The API lets parents share the age ranges of young users without revealing specific personal info. Apps can then deliver age-appropriate experiences tailored to those ranges. Google already gives parents control over what their children have access to on Android devices through features like Family Link, but what about the flip side of that? While parents can limit access to apps for kids they think are too young, how about giving developers the ability to tailor an app’s presentation to users of a certain age? It turns out Google already came up with a system for doing just that — and it’s just about to make its big global debut. It’s called the Play Age Signals API, and it’s designed to offer a privacy-preserving way for users to share their ages with developers. Instead of revealing anything as personal as a birth date, Play Age Signals instead allows apps to query Google Play for the age range a user falls into: Those are set to 0-12, 13-15, 16-17, and 18+ by default.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google Lens users are having an issue with the tool on Chrome. When loading an image from the new tab page, the collapse function for the full image preview stops working. The Lens icon in the search bar also doesn’t work. Google has confirmed that it is aware of the issue and is working on a fix. If you’ve been having trouble with Google Lens on Chrome lately, it’s not just you. There appears to be a problem that’s preventing users from using the tool effectively. The good news is that the issue may not be around for much longer. A Chrome user on Reddit has pointed out a weird Google Lens bug they’ve been experiencing while using the browser. When loading a Google Lens translated image from a new tab page, a window opens showing the full image. According to the user, clicking the window’s collapse button does nothing, leaving them stuck with a window blocking the view of the translated image. You can see an example in the picture below.

The TESSAN Travel Adapter is built for people who want a single compact charger for trips abroad, and there’s a solid deal on it at Amazon right now. TESSAN focuses on travel-friendly charging gear, and this model stands out for its slim, lightweight design that packs several charging options into a single body. See the deal at Amazon

Misplacing a wallet or travel holder can turn a normal day into a hassle fast. The Life360 Tile Slim is built for that exact problem, and there’s a good deal on it at Amazon right now. The tracker is down to $19.99 from its $24.95 recommended retail price, which is a 20% discount off RRP. That also matches the best deal we’ve seen on the device. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR An Android 17 update caused some Pixel phones to show a “Phone doesn’t meet security requirements” error in Google Wallet. The bug blocked contactless payments and card enrollment, even though the affected devices passed Play Integrity checks. Google has rolled out a server-side fix. Users should restart their phone and wait up to 24 hours for it to take effect. A recent Android 17 release appears to have left some Pixel owners unable to use Google Wallet. Affected devices began showing a “Phone doesn’t meet security requirements” error, removing payment cards and preventing users from adding new ones. The good news is that Google has now rolled out a fix, although it may take some time before affected devices recover. The issue was particularly confusing because affected phones still passed Play Integrity checks and remained Play Protect certified. User reports on Google’s Pixel support forum, along with several discussions across Reddit’s Google Pixel and Google Wallet subs, showed that Google Wallet refused to process NFC payments even though the devices appeared fully certified. Some users also reported that apps like Too Good To Go were suddenly marked as incompatible.

TL;DR Meta is updating the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses with support for the latest Muse Spark AI model. The update also introduces Neural Handwriting with Meta AI, which lets you write prompts on any flat surface using the Neural Band. Meta is further adding support for its social media platform Threads and Instagram Instant uploads. Meta launched the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses last year, featuring a color screen built directly into the lens, and the Meta Neural Band accessory for gestures. While the Ray-Ban Display can already accomplish quite a few tasks thanks to its screen, Meta is now adding more features to that list and introducing support for its latest AI model. As part of the version 127 update that began rolling out this week, the Ray-Ban Display picks up support for Meta’s latest AI model, dubbed Muse Spark. The company says this new model offers “smarter” responses to queries and a better understanding of what you see in front of you. This updated model will also show better suggestions throughout the day, Meta said in a blog post.

Amazon has cut $200 off the INNOCN 49-inch Curved Gaming Monitor 49C1G, dropping it to $499.96 from its $699.99 recommended retail price. That’s a 29% discount relative to the RRP, and it puts a giant super-ultrawide display into a much more tempting price range. See the deal at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR A leak claims that the Galaxy S26 FE will be available in Graphite, Aqua Green, and a third color that’s between blue and purple. The Fan Edition phone may be available in three storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The leak also claims the phone will launch around September 1, 2026. With the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series and Flip 8 out of the way, it’s time to turn our attention to Samsung’s next release. That should be the cost-effective Fan Edition phone, the Galaxy S26 FE. A leak has provided a few new details about this handset. According to a report from Dealabs, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S26 FE sometime around September 1, 2026. This would fall in line with its predecessor, as Samsung also launched the S25 FE in early September. When that launch happens, the phone will reportedly be available in three colors. These three colors include Graphite, Aqua Green, and a third color that’s said to be somewhere between blue and purple.

TL;DR Gemini on Mac now supports hands-free voice commands, letting you press and hold the fn key to talk to the AI from any app without switching windows. Gemini can understand what’s on your screen to rewrite documents, polish emails, and summarize notes. Voice dictation is getting smarter too, automatically removing filler words like “umm” and “ahs” to turn spoken thoughts into clean, polished text. The Gemini app on Mac has slowly been turning into much more than a chatbot, and Google’s latest update pushes it another step in that direction. Instead of constantly switching between typing and clicking, you’ll soon be able to get things done by simply talking. Google is introducing a new voice shortcut for the Gemini app on macOS. Just press and hold the fn key on your Mac, start speaking, and Gemini will listen from whichever app you’re currently using.

TL;DR Google has completely removed the recently launched “Me Meme” feature from Google Photos. The company has also removed its post announcing the feature and all mentions of “Me Meme” from its support pages. Google has a long and storied history of shutting down apps and services and killing features shortly after introducing them. There are several websites dedicated to listing various Google services that are no longer functional. We can now add yet another feature to those lists: Me Meme. 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.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE has appeared in a certification database, revealing charging information. Samsung’s upcoming phone is listed with 45W wired charging speeds, which would match the Galaxy S25 FE. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S26 FE in the coming weeks or months, and we’ve already seen a smattering of leaks. However, a regulatory filing may have just revealed a key snippet of info. 91mobiles spotted a Samsung Galaxy S26 FE listing in the UL Demko certification database (model number SM-S741). We were able to track down the listing and corroborate the details. Check out our screenshot below.

TL;DR The stable version of One UI 9 has an anti-distraction tool that lets you block network access for games and browsers. The software also includes granular audio hardening controls and a new Gesture wake-up feature for Bixby activation. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 are the first to receive One UI 9, while older flagships will get the update at an unspecified date. While One UI 9 is just around the corner for existing flagships, Samsung’s Z8 foldables offer the stable version of the software out of the box. Beta releases have given us early glimpses at some potential additions, like the ability to restrict network access to certain apps. We can now confirm that this particular feature has made the cut to the stable release, along with a few others we’ve previously reported on. We last discussed this network-access feature in a follow-up report in late May. Now, thanks to the company’s latest range of foldables, we’re seeing how the options are implemented in stable One UI 9. There are two new toggles — Restrict browsers and Restrict games — in the previously discovered Advanced settings page within Network restrictions (Thanks, Dylan H).

TL;DR HBO Max is testing a new Shorts feed that lets users discover movies and TV shows by swiping through vertical clips. An in-house AI system helps pick the best scenes from HBO Max’s catalog. Select Android users in the US can also try Ask HBO Max. This AI-powered search tool understands natural-language requests like moods, genres, or viewing occasions instead of requiring exact movie or show titles. Remember when Netflix introduced its TikTok-style vertical feed to help people stumble across something new to watch? Now, HBO Max wants to make finding your next binge just as effortless. Warner Bros. is testing a feature called Shorts, bringing a vertical, swipeable feed of movie and TV clips to HBO Max in the US. Instead of scrolling through endless rows of posters and trying to judge a show by its thumbnail, you’ll be able to flip through short iconic scenes, trailers, and bonus content until something catches your attention.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority At the beginning of the summer, T-Mobile announced plans to kill many of its oldest legacy tiers, effectively forcing customers onto newer plans. It’s not the company’s first time trying a move like this, but this time, it’s not backing down so easily. Naturally, legacy customers are less than thrilled. Many are exploring alternative carriers, while others have escalated their frustration by filing official complaints with the FCC. The agency has given T-Mobile a July 31st deadline to justify the change before making a further ruling.

TL;DR Google is working on a new animation for Circle to Search to bring it in line with the Gemini overlay animation. It’s also tweaking the new Gemini Live overlay animation to make it sharper and cleaner. The “Agent Dashboard” chip is also being renamed to “Recents.” Google has been tweaking the Gemini UI on Android over the past couple of weeks. We’ve already seen the company working on a new animation for the Gemini Live overlay on Android, and it seems Google is expanding it to more places. 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.

I recently detailed my battle with ads on my parents’ phones, so needless to say, I’m not particularly fond of the scammy pop-ups that corrupt my and their YouTube experience. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to address this issue. Recently, the DuckDuckGo Browser rolled out its own solution — a dedicated YouTube Ad-Blocking feature that my colleague Shimul used to great effect on her device. But what is your preferred way to deal with ads on YouTube?

You’d expect that purchasing a device would grant you access to all its features, right? If I buy a car, I’d be surprised if I couldn’t fasten the seat belts or adjust the air conditioning because I haven’t also purchased the brand-specific floor mats. Well, that’s what buying a Galaxy Watch has been like for the past six years. The seemingly inconsequential Samsung Health Monitor app holds a host of important health and wellness monitoring features hostage to users who don’t meet certain conditions. While I’ll admit that regulatory and regional limitations are beyond Samsung’s control, there is one condition that certainly isn’t. To make the most of your Samsung Galaxy Watch, you need to pair it with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, even if you own a brand-new Android handset.

TL;DR Gemini can now read, understand, and take action based on comments in Google Docs. It can also review a document and leave feedback as comments. The new Gemini capabilities are rolling out starting today and should reach all users within 15 days. Google has been rolling out a bunch of useful new Gemini integrations in Google Docs. The AI can already create images, diagrams, and infographics in Google Docs, and now it can help you understand and take action on comments as well. In a new blog post, Google has announced that Gemini in Google Docs is gaining the ability to read, understand, and even take action based on comments in a document.