Android

TL;DR The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 now offers a button to change the aspect ratio of apps running on the cover screen. This feature previously required the MultiStar app, but it’s now built into One UI 9 on the new Flip phone. The button also supports Labs apps this time, allowing you to adjust the aspect ratio of Google Maps, YouTube, and more. Samsung lets you run almost any app on the Galaxy Z Flip line’s cover screen via the MultiStar app, but many of them aren’t optimized for this display in the first place. One workaround on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is to enable MultiStar’s aspect ratio button, but there’s good news if you were hoping for a built-in solution. We can confirm that the Galaxy Z Flip 8‘s cover screen now offers an aspect ratio button in One UI 9 itself (thanks, Dylan H!). This button is found at the bottom of the screen and lets you switch between a full-screen mode, portrait orientation (left/right/center), and a square aspect ratio. Check out the screens below and the video at the top of the page.

Credit: Akshay Gangwar / Android Authority TL;DR While digging into the latest version of Snapseed, we found that the app has several major features in development. Google appears to be working on color grading tools, built-in RAW (DNG) photo capture, and a collage editor for Snapseed. Snapseed has been picking up new features at a steady pace lately. Just this month, Google rolled out new camera tools, support for additional RAW formats, and two new Camera Settings toggles for geotagging and saving original photos. Now, we’ve discovered even bigger feature additions are on the way.

For the past five years or so, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has been my trusty streaming companion. Everything was going fine until maybe a year ago, when I noticed the interface had gotten quite sluggish, switching between apps became a chore, and the buttons on the remote would sometimes stop responding. Having outlived its usefulness, I decided to ditch it and get the Google TV Streamer earlier this year. Google launched the TV Streamer in 2025 as the successor to the Chromecast with Google TV. The main perks of the new model include improved performance, an Ethernet port, and Google Home integration — all super-useful features that I wanted and that were missing on my old Fire TV 4K. Setting it up was very easy with the Google Home app, and the interface’s fluidity was a refreshing upgrade from the clunky Fire TV software.

We’re just about two weeks away from a new lineup of Google Pixel phones. As a Pixel fan myself, I should be thrilled right now. I should be counting down the days in anticipation of finally seeing what the Pixel 11 series has in store. Instead, I’m not really thinking about Google’s new Pixels at all. Despite being a Pixel user for the last several years, the Pixel 11 lineup isn’t on my mind. That’s partly due to the latest rumors about the phones not inspiring much confidence, but also because I can’t imagine Google one-upping the Android phone I’ve been using for the last few months.

TL;DR Google Photos now lets users quickly take photos to use with its AI editing tools, without leaving the app. The app shows a floating camera button in the photo picker screen in tools like Photo Remix and Photo to Video. Google says it’s aimed at users who need a “quick or temporary input” for AI edits. Google Photos is receiving a new update today that brings a handy quality-of-life feature for users who often use the app’s AI editing tools. The company announced that it is adding a new floating action button for camera access within several tools in the Google Photos “Create” tab. When making AI-powered edits to your photos, you will now be able to take a new picture to use as the base for your AI edits, without having to leave the Google Photos app.

TL;DR Google Photos now includes a toggle to turn off its shimmer animation for users who prefer a cleaner, static gallery. The new option is rolling out with Google Photos version 7.85, giving users more control over the app’s interface. Google has also introduced a new AI camera shortcut that lets you capture photos instantly for AI-powered edits. If you’ve ever opened Google Photos and been distracted by that shimmering effect across your photos, there’s finally some good news. Google has added a way to switch it off, giving users a little more control over how the app looks and feels. This change doesn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Android Authority reported last month that Google was working on a toggle for the effect, so its arrival isn’t much of a surprise. Still, it’s a welcome one for anyone who’s found the effect more annoying than eye-catching.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung’s latest Fold devices apparently save each screen’s rotation lock. This means you can use a different orientation for each display without manually setting them each time. We hope the feature comes to older Folds as part of the One UI 9 update. Samsung’s new foldable phones are finally here, and they bring a few notable software features as well. However, it looks like one handy software addition may have slipped under the radar until now. Redditor ultima40 reports that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra‘s rotation lock functionality is now saved for each screen (check out their video below). That means you can switch between the two displays, and the phone will remember the orientation/rotation lock for each one. So if you’ve got a Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and like to use the inner screen in landscape orientation, you can set this rotation lock accordingly, and it’ll stay in landscape mode whenever you unfold your phone.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR A new app called Messages by OzarksMade promises to recreate the Samsung Messages experience after Samsung discontinued its native messaging app in the US. The app clones Samsung Messages’ look, feel, and even its app icon while offering SMS, MMS, and even RCS support. Interestingly, RCS support is offered through a “Companion Mode” that uses Google Messages in the background. Samsung officially pulled the plug on Samsung Messages in the US earlier this month. Much to their disappointment, long-term Galaxy users have had to switch to Google Messages and become familiar with a brand-new interface after years of using Samsung Messages. Now, a new app called Messages by OzarksMade is trying to recreate the Samsung Messages experience almost entirely.

TL;DR Samsung introduced USB webcam support with this year’s Galaxy S26 series. The feature now returns on all three of the company’s new foldables. After connecting to your PC over USB-C, tap your charging notification to activate webcam mode. Samsung’s new foldables are finally official, and while this year everyone’s talking about the extra-wide hardware form factor debuting as the Galaxy Z Fold 8, there are nearly just as many reasons to be excited about Samsung’s latest software. These devices mark the arrival of One UI 9 stable, and we’ve spent a lot of time since documenting all the big changes present in this release. Our latest, though, actually marks the return of one upgrade we’ve already seen hit Samsung flagships before, as the new foldables all learn a handy USB trick. We’re talking about the ability to connect your smartphone to a computer over a USB cable, and use your phone’s camera as a PC webcam. The Galaxy S26 series already offers this option, and Google brought it to Pixels back during the Android 14 era, but we’re always still happy to see it coming to more hardware.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Gemini can now create images, diagrams, and infographics directly inside Google Docs. It can also edit existing visuals or apply a single prompt to multiple images at once. The web-only feature is gradually rolling out now to eligible Workspace, education, and Google AI plans. Google has been steadily giving Gemini more to do in Docs, from summarizing lengthy documents aloud to remembering how you prefer your writing to be formatted. Its latest upgrade is a little more visual, as Gemini can now create and edit images, diagrams, and infographics directly inside a document. Google announced the new tools in a Workspace update, explaining that Gemini can use the contents of your document as context when generating a visual. For example, you could ask it to add a diagram explaining a proposal, or turn the document into an infographic without having to copy everything into another app.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR The Pixel Watch 5 has appeared as a selectable device in the Google Health app. Its setup flow is already present, although the app appears to reuse Pixel Watch 4 artwork. Google is expected to launch the watch on August 12 in 41mm and 45mm sizes. Google’s next smartwatch is expected to be officially unveiled in the coming weeks, and we’ve already caught a few sightings of it. This time, it’s surfaced somewhere more official than the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. According to a tipster, the unannounced Pixel Watch 5 is now appearing as an option in the Google Health app. The sighting comes from @sameera_s_w on Telegram, who shared the screenshots below showing the Pixel Watch 5 at the top of the app’s device list. Selecting it opens a dedicated setup page, followed by a screen that asks the user to connect the watch to Google Health.

TL;DR Google Messages has been getting ready to remove the ability to initiate a web session by scanning a QR code. Google now has a statement up claiming that QR code logins are no longer available for Messages users in the US. Despite this, we’re still seeing the QR option both in the app and on the Messages web portal. Android users have their pick from a lot of great keyboard options, but let’s face it: Some of us are just never going to feel as comfortable with touch input as we are a nice, full-sized physical keyboard. That’s one of the many reasons we love the ability to respond to texts from the comfort of our PCs by taking advantage of the web interface for Google Messages. Earlier this year, though, we started seeing Google get ready to start sunsetting an easy pairing option for Messages on the web. Now it looks like the other shoe is starting to drop — if it hasn’t already. Google’s support documentation for Messages has recently been updated to deliver a very clear statement about QR code pairing for Messages on the web:

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google has added a remove device option to Find Hub. This update allows users to remove old and duplicate devices from the app. Google continues to slowly improve Find Hub with the rollout of new features. For example, location notifications started rolling out to the Android app back in May. The latest addition to the app is a feature that users have been wanting for quite some time. As Find Hub users are aware, you can track any device that’s added to the service. However, once a device is added to Find Hub, it can’t be removed. While it’s not the biggest problem in the world, being unable to remove a device you no longer use can be annoying. It can also be annoying if there’s a duplicate entry in your list.

TL;DR Google Maps users have been experiencing an error that prevented traffic data from showing up. Google now shares that it has implemented a fix. It may take a few hours for all users to see the return of traffic data. Google Maps isn’t just about getting you from point A to point B — it also wants to get you there as smoothly as possible, and not subject you to sitting through traffic jams that could be avoided. That’s just one of many reasons we rely on its real-time traffic data, showing us the roads that we’re better off routing around. Yesterday, though, we became aware of a really annoying Maps bug that was preventing the display of traffic data. But now we’ve got some good news, as Google shares word of a fix. Google tells Android Authority that it’s aware of the traffic issues Maps users were experiencing, and has already deployed a fix. While the company says that users in most areas should be seeing traffic levels just like normal in Maps, it does caution that it may take a few hours before everyone’s seeing them again, everywhere.

TL;DR Google Play is offering selected US users $150 off an unlocked Galaxy Z Fold 8 through the Google Store. The Z Fold 8 is still in its pre-order phase, making Google’s involvement particularly unexpected. The terms say eligibility is based on past Play activity, which may include users’ purchase histories. Google and Samsung might be Android allies, but the Google Store isn’t the first place you’d normally look to buy an upcoming Galaxy phone. That makes a promotion reportedly appearing in the Play Store all the more unexpected, as Google is offering selected users $150 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 while the phone is still available for pre-order. X user @joelenington tipped us off to the offer and shared screenshots showing it in the Play Store. Tapping the promotion takes the recipient to a Google Store page for the unlocked Galaxy Z Fold 8, with the $150 discount applied automatically at checkout.

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority TL;DR Three of Apple’s new smart home products are reportedly nearly ready for release. These products include a hub device built around Siri AI, a new TV set-top box, and a refreshed HomePod mini. The new Apple TV and HomePod mini are expected to launch this fall, while the hub could be released between October and early next year. Despite its struggles, Apple is taking another stab at challenging Google and Amazon for dominance in the smart home market. This renewed push into the category will see the company release a handful of new products and software. It appears that the first wave in this initiative will be spearheaded by three devices, including Apple’s long-rumored smart display. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is preparing to launch a new TV set-top box and a refreshed HomePod mini, in addition to a smart hub device built around Siri AI. It’s reported that the Apple TV, HomePod mini, and smart display are nearly ready for showtime. The new Apple TV and HomePod mini are expected to make their debut this fall, while the hub could be released between October and early next year.

TL;DR Play Games lets Android gamers keep track of achievements. Now Play is working on a new mode to automatically take screen recordings when you get a new achievement. Google warns that using this option may result in a frame rate hit. For gamers who are always looking for that next challenge, simply beating a game is rarely enough. There’s beating, and then there’s conquering, and when you’re looking to 100% a new release, that’s going to mean completing all of its achievements. Google Play already helps keep track of your progress there, and now it looks like it’s working on a new tool for showing off some of your biggest wins along the way. 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.

Busy homes can make an older router feel like the weak link, especially when multiple people are streaming, gaming, working, and downloading at once. The good news is there’s a great deal on the TP-Link BE6500 router at Amazon right now, and it looks like a strong pick for anyone ready to move on from an ISP router or aging Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 setup. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR WhatsApp Web is finally introducing support for end-to-end encrypted voice and video calling, along with features like Call Transfer and Waiting Room. Users are currently required to download the WhatsApp desktop app to make or receive calls. WhatsApp is also introducing QuickHD for video calls and noise suppression to block out background noise. WhatsApp Web is a useful tool that lets you view or continue your conversations on a desktop browser. However, some of WhatsApp’s most commonly used features, such as voice and video calling, have remained absent from this particular version of the chat app. Instead, users have been required to download the official WhatsApp desktop app to access them. But that’s changing now as part of a big update. Web Calling, as WhatsApp likes to call it, will finally let users make and receive audio or video calls directly from their browser, Meta shared in a blog post. This update will bring your entire call history to the browser with the Calls tab, while also unlocking things like reactions and screen sharing, all while maintaining end-to-end encryption.

Credit: SoundGuys TL;DR Import filings have revealed two new Sony headphones: the WH-CH730N and WH-CH530. The two headsets carry the model numbers YY3006 and YY3005, respectively. Both pairs of headphones will be available in several colors, including black, white, pink, blue, and more. While Sony has yet to make an announcement, we’re expecting the company to expand the WH-1000XM6 line with a new green colorway soon. However, that likely won’t be the only Sony headphone-related release we get in the near future. Recently spotted documents have revealed the successors to two other Sony audio products. Import filings from the Philippines and Vietnam, discovered by The Walkman Blog, reveal a device with the model number YY3006. According to the filing, this item will be called the WH-CH720N, indicating that it is the successor to the WH-CH720N. The outlet also found import documents for a device with the model number YY3005, which will be called the WH-CH530. Not a huge surprise, but these headphones are the successor to the very budget-friendly WH-CH520.

The REDTIGER F7NP is a front-and-rear dash cam built to give your car wider video coverage, and there’s a solid Amazon deal on it right now. This model stands out with 4K front recording, 1080p rear recording, built-in GPS, and 5.8GHz Wi-Fi for app access, making it a feature-packed pick for drivers who want more than basic road footage. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Andy Walker / Android Authority TL;DR The Google Play Store’s native voice search feature is currently restricted to English, forcing non-English speakers to rely on keyboard dictation workarounds. We’ve spotted an unreleased voice language selector in the works, supporting over 20 languages with quick toggles for recent selections. The feature, in its current development state, lacks automatic language detection, so speech is transcribed into the language that is manually active at the time. Google is constantly refining the Play Store with UI updates and subtle tweaks, but a significant quality-of-life feature is currently in the works for multilinguals. In the latest Google Play Store v52.4.41-34, we managed to enable an upcoming feature that adds dedicated multi-language support to the Play Store’s built-in voice search tool. 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.

Amazon just dropped the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G to $424.99, down from its $549.99 retail price. That saves you $125, which is a 23% discount relative to the RRP, and it is the best deal we’ve ever tracked on Amazon. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR Samsung is increasing its RAM production to meet demands from companies like Apple. The company is constructing a new end fab facility and optimizing its logistics to increase efficiency. It’s expected to increase RAM production by 15% by the end of the year. It’s no secret that the tech industry is facing a memory crisis. The DRAM shortage has driven prices up over the past few months, and companies like Apple and Samsung are feeling the pinch. In fact, Apple has been lobbying the US government to lift its restrictions on Chinese DRAM modules so it can offset some effects of the limited supply and buy some from Chinese manufacturers. However, that might not end up being necessary for Apple. According to a report from South Korean outlet SE Daily, Samsung is taking steps to increase its DRAM output by almost 15% by the end of the year, primarily to meet demands from big clients like Apple.

Credit: Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Apple has officially launched Apple Upgrade in the US: a Klarna-backed hardware leasing program that replaces its legacy iPhone Upgrade Program and standard installment plans. The Apple Upgrade program offers 12-to-36-month lease terms starting at $11.99/month across iPhones, Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches, though entry-level models like the base iPhone 16, iPad, MacBook Neo, and Apple Watch SE are excluded. Given global RAM shortages and rising hardware prices, first-party leasing could be the flexible option users need if they want to own the latest flagships without paying high upfront costs. As soaring component costs push smartphone prices to record highs, Apple is shifting its retail playbook to make high-end hardware feel more manageable again. Following early reports that the Cupertino giant was planning to pivot toward hardware leasing, Apple has officially launched “Apple Upgrade” in the United States. Powered by Klarna, the program completely replaces its legacy iPhone Upgrade Program and standard installment financing, while expanding subscriptions to Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches. According to Apple’s press release, the Apple Upgrade program offers 12- and 24-month terms for iPhones (starting at $17.99/month) and Apple Watches ($11.99/month), alongside 24- and 36-month options for Macs ($24.99/month) and iPads ($11.99/month). Applicants undergo a soft credit check through Klarna, can apply trade-in credits to lower monthly payments, and earn 3% Daily Cash using Apple Card.