Android

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TL;DR Microsoft is experiencing a major Xbox service disruption. Affected users are having issues signing in, finding games in the store, and playing titles they own. Microsoft says that it’s identified the source of this outage, but there’s not yet a fix available. When it’s too hot to play outside, video games can be your best friend, keeping you entertained and scratching that competitive itch, right from the comfort of your couch. At least, that’s how things should be working, but this summer has already seen its fare share of gaming outages, like the service interruption that hit the PlayStation Network late last week. Now it’s Microsoft in the hot seat, as multiple Xbox systems go offline. Microsoft’s Xbox status tracker confirms ongoing issues affecting sign-ins and viewing games in the store, but also more critically, problems playing both digital and disc-based games.

TL;DR T-Mobile subscribers will be eligible to redeem a $5 ticket to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day through the T-Life app. Subscribers are also able to enter a sweepstakes to win a bundle that includes a Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Both these perks are available tomorrow, July 28. T-Mobile offers subscribers perks each week through its (increasingly controversial) T-Life app. The quality of these T-Mobile Tuesdays bonuses varies, but tomorrow’s is more fun than most: subscribers will be able to nab a ticket to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day for $5. As noted by The Mobile Report, the discounted tickets are redeemable through Atom Tickets. Each customer can redeem a single discounted ticket. We haven’t seen the fine print of the deal, but it’s safe to assume the $5 price is good for a regular screening. Still, that could save you $10 or more, depending on what your local theater charges.

TL;DR A Samsung document confirms that One UI 9 will cap the number of incorrect PIN, password, or pattern attempts to just 13. This is part of the recent changes to Android 17, though Samsung’s implementation is much stricter. Samsung will ignore repeated attempts with the same password or PIN, and such attempts won’t count toward the overall failed-attempt tally. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve entered the PIN for our Android phone‘s lock screen incorrectly. The Android platform used to be fairly lenient about the number of incorrect PIN attempts allowed on the lock screen. As we recently learned, Google has tightened the screws a little with Android 17. These changes are expectedly trickling down to One UI 9, though Samsung is taking a more aggressive approach. According to a support document published over the weekend, One UI 9 is adopting “stricter lock screen security measures” for consecutive incorrect attempts of the lock screen pattern, PIN, or password. While Android 17 cut down the number of attempts from 1,800 over a five-year period to just 20, One UI 9 is capping that to just 13, with users having to wait 24 hours if they get it wrong 12 times (via SammyGuru).

Credit: Qualcomm TL;DR Qualcomm is said to have notified hardware partners that chip prices will rise by double-digit percentages starting September 1, 2026. Severe semiconductor and memory supply constraints have forced key fabrication partners, such as TSMC, to pass higher manufacturing costs down to Qualcomm. These costs are now being passed on to hardware brands, who will then pass them on to consumers. Expect even higher phone prices in late 2026 and throughout 2027. Qualcomm has reportedly notified its hardware partners that chip prices will increase by double-digit percentages starting September 1, 2026. With skyrocketing component costs already threatening upcoming flagships like the Pixel 11 series and seemingly pushing Qualcomm to explore a cheaper Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 variant, this systemic adjustment confirms that the entire mobile ecosystem is in for a price shock. According to a Bloomberg report, Qualcomm has sent a letter to hardware partners confirming the upcoming shift, stating that it can no longer absorb rising operational costs due to supplier and component bottlenecks.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung says its smart glasses are designed to complement smartphones rather than replace them. The company is leaning heavily on Galaxy phones for AI processing while promising phone-grade durability and stronger privacy protections. Samsung’s approach stands in contrast to Meta’s vision for AI glasses and plays to one of its biggest competitive strengths. When Samsung showcased its smart glasses at the recent Galaxy Unpacked, most of the attention centered on the hardware itself. The company confirmed partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 platform, a voice-first experience, and up to nine hours of battery life. But little was said about the philosophy behind the product.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The ARMSX2 emulator on Android now supports playing PS2 games via system link. Participating Android devices generally need to be connected to the same internet connection. A recent update also brings an easy way to back up and restore save states, memory cards, screenshots, and other data. ARMSX2 has quickly become the best PS2 emulator on Android, owing to a steady stream of additions, improvements, and fixes. The team isn’t stopping here, as it’s just released a few more updates in the last few days. And one update brings a fantastic multiplayer feature. ARMSX2 v2.6.5.1 was released on GitHub and the Play Store two days ago and adds support for system link gameplay. For the uninitiated, system link or LAN functionality allowed PS2 owners to physically connect their consoles together to play supported games. This functionality was particularly popular prior to the widespread adoption of broadband internet connections.

Credit: Megan Ellis / Android Authority TL;DR A Google Maps bug is causing color-coded traffic lines (green, yellow, orange, and red) to vanish from the map interface, while underlying traffic data, road closures, and route calculations remain functional. The issue affects Android, iOS, and desktop web browsers. Standard fixes like toggling traffic layers, clearing cache, or switching accounts do not solve the problem. If you rely on Google Maps to gauge whether your commute is clear or jammed up with heavy traffic, you might want to double-check your screen before heading out. A growing number of Google Maps users on both Android and iOS are reporting a confusing UI bug that completely removes color-coded traffic lines from their navigation layer, leaving routes visually clear even when severe delays lie ahead. Reddit user Czerwony150 highlighted that traffic colors on Google Maps suddenly stopped working for them out of nowhere. This appears to be a display/rendering bug that prevents the green, yellow, orange, and red route lines from displaying in the map overview. You can still see some elements of the traffic layer, such as road closures and road maintenance work, but the visual traffic overview via colors is completely gone. Route calculations bring the traffic data back into view for that route, but the rest of the map overview remains devoid of traffic colors.

TL;DR Google Translate is working on a “Live Translate” widget. It will let users start live translations without opening the app. Google is also working on letting “Live Translate” keep running even if the user leaves the app. Google recently started using Gemini 3.5 Live Translate to improve the Google Translate app’s live translation performance. The company has also been spotted working on a new UI for the app. Now, it seems Google is making it easier to access the “Live Translate” feature on Android. 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.

The Galaxy Watch 9 has officially arrived, bringing the annual round of upgrades to Samsung’s flagship wearable. If you’ve been holding onto an older Galaxy Watch, the new generation will feel like a major improvement. However, if you’ve spent the last year with the Galaxy Watch 8, the new model may feel like a surprisingly safe update. The hardware is familiar, and the headlining features already exist elsewhere. As always at the start of the wearables launch season, I’m wondering how I’d spend my own money if I were shopping for a smartwatch today, and in a perfect world, I’d probably wait a little longer. Google’s Pixel Watch 5 is likely to land this fall, and could bring more substantial changes than we’ve seen from Samsung this year. In the meantime, the Pixel Watch 4 remains one of my favorite devices. For anyone eager to buy a new smartwatch right now, these are the reasons I’d still recommend the Pixel Watch 4 over the Galaxy Watch 9.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority TL;DR Google platform engineers are discussing and evaluating restricting the Android Debug Bridge daemon (adbd) to external interfaces, such as Wi-Fi (wlan0). Blocking “localhost loopback” addresses would prevent terminal emulator apps (like Termux) and permission frameworks (like Shizuku) from executing elevated on-device ADB commands without a PC. The security proposal stems from vulnerability concerns, but no decision is final, and developers have suggested an opt-in Developer Options toggle as a compromise. Google is weighing changes to how Android handles local debugging connections, a move that could fundamentally alter how power users customize their devices. ADB (Android Debug Bridge) remains the last line of defense for tweaking device behavior, managing permissions, and running scripts without requiring full root access, and on-device ADB adds an incredible layer of convenience. However, internal discussions among Android platform engineers suggest that this long-standing flexibility and convenience might eventually face some network-level restrictions. As detailed in a technical breakdown by Android developer Kitsumed, a proposal posted to Google’s Issue Tracker discusses restricting the ADB daemon (adbd) to external network interfaces, such as Wi-Fi (wlan0) or USB. Crucially, this would block connections over “localhost loopback” addresses, such as 127.0.0.1.

The latest Galaxy Unpacked has blessed Samsung fans with three new foldables to check out. And while the Galaxy Z Flip 8 looks like a perfectly reasonable upgrade to Samsung’s more compact foldable, it’s the two larger phones that truly share the spotlight from Samsung’s latest launch event. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 catches the eye with its new form factor, and a fairly approachable price for a folding phone — all seemingly tailored to appeal to first-time foldable buyers. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, meanwhile, takes the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and improves key features, such as its cameras and battery, to create the ultimate Samsung foldable.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is available for pre-order, and Samsung has made some legitimate improvements to the phone. It features a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a slimmer chassis, which I did notice while holding the device. Samsung’s also improved the cover screen experience, with new specialized widgets and cards. However, the improvements came at a cost, as the Galaxy Z Flip 8 now starts at $1,200 — a $100 increase over the previous generation. It’s also not clear that Samsung fully understands what buyers want, as the Z Flip 8 still lacks some important upgrades. Thankfully, if the Galaxy Z Flip 8 didn’t hit the mark for you, here are five excellent alternatives that deserve a spot in your pocket.

Credit: Tushar Mehta / Android Authority TL;DR A new leak points to the OnePlus 16 having the same fundamental design as the OnePlus 15. The phone is tipped to have a similar square camera bump and a 6.78-inch screen with thin bezels. The OnePlus 16 is also tipped to launch in October, but will miss Europe and the US following the brand’s exit in these markets. OnePlus recently announced plans to exit North America and Europe, following months of rumors about the brand’s fate. The company is focusing on China instead, and it’s still working on the OnePlus 16. Now, new leaks have revealed more information about this upcoming flagship. Leaker Digital Chat Station recently revealed more design-related details regarding the apparent OnePlus 16. The tipster claimed the phone’s overall design direction remains unchanged compared to the OnePlus 15. You can specifically expect a 6.78-inch screen with “ultra-narrow” bezels as well as a small, square camera bump. Check out the machine-translated screenshot below.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 finally proved Samsung has the chops to make an ultra-thin foldable. I used both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the 8.9mm thickness of the latter made it feel like using a traditional smartphone for the first time, even when folded. Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s slim profile is a clear leap in every way but one — the older models were easier to open. Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is just as thin as the Fold 7, but it sports redesigned side rails with a subtle chamfer that makes them easier to open. The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s flat design worked when Samsung foldables were thicker. At their current sub-9mm thickness, a change was overdue.

TL;DR Apple’s smart glasses are delayed to June 2027. The company is using the extra time to refine the glasses’ features and messaging around privacy. It could offer more privacy features than Meta Ray-Bans or the upcoming Samsung smart glasses. Apple has been working on smart glasses for a long, long time now. While the company was originally expected to announce its entry into the market this year, it has since been delayed to early 2027. Now, a new Bloomberg report gives us some insight into why Apple could be delaying its smart glasses. According to the report, Apple’s primary concerns with its upcoming smart glasses aren’t just features or Siri integration (though those will be important), but the privacy aspect of its glasses. So far, Meta Ray-Ban glasses are the de facto standard camera-equipped smart glasses, and the privacy implications of those glasses are known far and wide.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR An Android Authority teardown has uncovered evidence that trusted Android apps could soon see and control screen contents when your device is locked. Code snippets suggest that this functionality could help you complete tasks on a locked device. It’s theoretically possible that this feature could come to Googlebooks as well. Google has been pushing agentic AI in 2026, as it unveiled Gemini Intelligence earlier this year to proactively accomplish tasks across your apps. Now, it looks like Google is laying the groundwork for agentic AI and screen automation functionality even when your device screen is locked. 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: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google seems to be developing a Phone to Watch Unlock feature for Pixel Watches. The feature would automatically unlock your watch after you unlock your paired Pixel phone, effectively reversing today’s Watch Unlock feature. Our findings suggest it will be exclusive to Pixel devices through Google’s Connected Phone & Watch services app. Google already lets compatible Pixel Watches help you unlock your phone through its Watch Unlock, but it looks like the company is now building the feature in reverse.

TL;DR A new report claims that Samsung’s second-generation Galaxy Z TriFold could launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 9 series next year. The company is also expected to introduce a Galaxy S27 Pro, creating a “4+4” flagship strategy with four Galaxy S phones and four foldables every year. Unlike the first Galaxy Z TriFold, which had a limited production run, Samsung could manufacture the second-generation model in larger numbers. Just days after Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8, reports are already emerging about what could be the company’s most ambitious flagship smartphone plans yet. Korean publication ETNews claims that Samsung will launch the so-called Galaxy Z TriFold 2 next year. The device is also expected to become a regular member of the company’s foldable phone lineup instead of having a limited run as it did this time around.

Credit: Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority TL;DR GrapheneOS says Motorola phones are on track to gain support for its privacy-focused operating system in 2027 thanks to Qualcomm’s hardware security improvements. The project says it currently supports only devices that implement Android’s latest secure element-backed rate limiting, which makes brute-force attacks significantly harder. Back at MWC 2026, Motorola and GrapheneOS announced a long-term partnership that will end the latter’s long-standing exclusivity to Google Pixel phones. Now, GrapheneOS has reiterated that support for Motorola smartphones is on track for 2027.

Credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Authority Samsung has pulled back the curtain on its new foldable phones, and there’s plenty to be excited about. The new Z Flip 8, Fold 8, and Fold 8 Ultra bring powerful silicon, slick software, and a few new camera tricks. One of my favorite upgrades is the fact that all three devices are equipped with silicon-carbon batteries. This is the first time that Samsung is using this tech in its phones, coming a while after most rivals adopted it. While I’m happy to see silicon-carbon batteries in these new devices, I’m more excited about what this means for the Galaxy S27 series.

Credit: Stephen Radochia / Android Authority The Galaxy Z Fold 8 was officially unveiled this week, and its highlight feature is the massive unfolded 8-inch display. It can serve as a proper productivity machine or just as a much better entertainment device compared to standard bar phones. That got me thinking about which apps I’d download first on a device like this, and I’ve come up with a list. While there are a lot of apps that take advantage of the massive display of the device or the split screen feature, these are the five I’d install on day one.

While there are plenty of free apps available on Android, some just don’t cut it. It’s nice to save cash to spend on other things in life, but often, splurging a little on a paid Android app provides a far more polished, unique, or focused experience. I have a lengthy list of apps I’ve purchased over the years, some of which I no longer use. Others, including the apps mentioned below, have stood the test of time.

It’s not a secret anymore. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 series has arrived, and, as expected, Samsung has split its book-style foldable lineup into two this time. There’s the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the standard and wider model, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which serves as the direct successor to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 (albeit with the added Ultra moniker). We appreciated last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 a lot, thanks to its much slimmer design and wider cover screen. And while Samsung has made some meaningful changes on top of that this year, my hands-on time with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra still left me wanting a little more.