Android

TL;DR OnePlus will launch a new budget smartphone in India — the OnePlus N6x. The phone looks similar to the Nord 5, and will be available in two colors: Burgundy Red and Ice Blue. The OnePlus N6x will launch on July 31. OnePlus may have decided not to launch any new products in the US and Europe, but the brand is definitely not holding back with new devices in other parts of the world. After launching the OnePlus N6 in India late last month, the company is now teasing yet another phone in the N-series. According to an Amazon microsite that just went live, the smartphone maker is gearing up to launch the new OnePlus N6x. The microsite doesn’t give us many details about the upcoming phone, but it does reveal the design, color options, and launch date.

https://youtu.be/RGTGAkNOjCU It’s been a year since Samsung removed the S Pen from the Galaxy Z Fold series. The Z Fold 7 debuted a welcome redesign that was thinner and lighter than ever before, and the hardware needed to power the stylus is one of the things sacrificed to make that happen.

Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was a remarkably well-built phone, with the lack of S Pen support perhaps being the only blemish on a notably upgraded hardware package. Still, spec enthusiasts were perhaps left wondering whether the $2,000 asking price was too steep, given that the less expensive Galaxy S25 Ultra and now the Galaxy S26 Ultra offer faster charging, longer battery life, and superior camera specs. Samsung appears to have heard the call. For those clamoring for even more hardware, we now have two booklet Samsung foldables to pick from — the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra. Perhaps the only drawback is that this means the regular Z Fold 8 missed out on a few series staples (like the telephoto camera), and the price of the Ultra has gone up, making Samsung’s best hardware even more expensive.

Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority TL;DR Robinhood now includes a yearly WHOOP Peak membership as a credit card perk. WHOOP users will be eligible for a $239 credit for an annual membership, hardware included. The offer is only valid if you make the purchase through your Robinhood Platinum Visa card. Despite newer alternatives, such as the Fitbit Air, cropping up recently, WHOOP’s screenless bands still take the top spot for people who care about fitness metrics more than anything. The companion app, however, is somewhat of a sticking point, not because of what it offers, but the subscription wall WHOOP puts up to let you access your health data. That’s why some people have also attempted to break through the wall with an unofficial open-source app for their WHOOP bands. But if you’d rather take matters into your own hands and still do not want to pay for a subscription, there’s another way to get a yearly WHOOP subscription without paying for it. Fintech platform Robinhood recently announced that people who own its Platinum Visa credit card will now get a complimentary annual WHOOP Peak subscription. While the $239 yearly subscription will not be automatically available as a perk with the card, Robinhood clarifies that the subscription cost will be offset as a “statement credit.” That means you must purchase your subscriptions through a Robinhood card and not other sources. The $239 bill also includes your hardware costs, so you effectively pay nothing.

TL;DR Spotify has launched a new “Music Video Charts Global” playlist. The new playlist will contain the top 50 most-streamed music videos. The playlist will be refreshed every day at 6:00 PM ET. Spotify started showing music videos to its premium subscribers back in 2024 and brought the feature to the US towards the tail end of 2025. Now, the company is taking things one step further in its effort to get more loyal YouTube fans to switch to the music streaming service as their go-to music video streaming solution. Spotify today announced that it is bringing music video charts to its users with the launch of its “Music Video Charts Global” playlist. It will contain the top 50 most-streamed music videos so more users can discover popular videos on the platform. The music video charts playlist will refresh every day at 6:00 PM ET, and Spotify will also highlight the top 10 music videos on its social media.

Credit: Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung will seemingly provide the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with five major OS upgrades and five years of security patches. The watches launch with One UI 9n Watch based on Wear OS 7, and you can expect software support until 2031. This marks the best software update commitment in the smartwatch industry, beating the likes of Pixel Watch and Apple Watch. Samsung has quietly raised the bar for smartwatch longevity, announcing an expanded five-year firmware support window for the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. According to a report from SamMobile, the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will receive five major OS upgrades and five years of security patches. The new watches launch with One UI 9 Watch based on Wear OS 7, and you can expect software support until 2031.

TL;DR GameCube launch window title Pikmin has been 100% decompiled, opening the door to unofficial ports of the game. Pikmin joins recently decompiled games like Twilight Princess, Mario Party 4, and Animal Crossing. Decompiling a game is typically a prerequisite for it to be (unofficially) ported to modern platforms, allowing people to play it without using an emulator. The decompilation process takes plenty of time and effort, but we’ve already seen a few GameCube titles reaching this milestone. Now, we can add another prominent title to this list. The GC/Wii Decompilation Discord group has announced that popular first-party GameCube game Pikmin has now been 100% decompiled. Decompilation is basically the time-consuming process of reverse-engineering a game’s original code and functions. This usually opens the door for others to then unofficially port the game to other platforms like Windows and Android.

TL;DR Samsung’s latest foldables are the first devices to come with Google’s Gemini Nano 4 on-device AI model. Gemini Nano 4 powers Gemini Intelligence features like task automation. Gemini Intelligence features like “Create My Widget” are yet to roll out. Earlier this year, Google announced new Gemma 4 models, which were to be the foundation for the company’s next-gen on-device AI model: Gemini Nano 4. Well, that model is now officially here with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold 8, and Z Flip 8. According to a blog post on the Android Developers Blog, Samsung’s new foldables come with Google’s latest on-device AI model, Gemini Nano 4. The post also states that Nano 4 supports over 140 languages, better multimodal understanding, and more.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google has confirmed that the ability to track online orders in Google Wallet is now “fully” rolled out in the US. This feature lets you easily view and track orders in the Wallet app. The feature is only available in the US for now, with no word on a wider release. Google quietly announced the ability to track online orders in Google Wallet last month, and there’s now good news if you were waiting for this feature to hit your Android device. The company just confirmed that it’s fully rolled out in the US. Google announced the rollout in an email to Android Authority as well as via a LinkedIn post by Stavan Parikh, the company’s vice-president of payments. The company’s email notes that the feature is now “fully rolled-out to all US users.”

TL;DR The Pixel Watch 5 has surfaced in the Google Play Console, revealing the same Snapdragon W5 platform used by recent Pixel Watches. The listing also points to a RAM upgrade, possibly to assist new Gemini-powered features. The accompanying image matches previously leaked renders, offering another look at Google’s upcoming smartwatch ahead of its expected August launch. We’ve already gotten our first look at the Pixel Watch 5 through leaked renders, which showed off Google’s upcoming smartwatch in four colors. We’ve also heard about a rumored price increase for the wearable. Now, a fresh, sort of “official” leak is giving us a peek under the hood. A new Google Play Console listing, spotted by folks over at 9to5Google, appears to reveal key hardware details for the Pixel Watch 5 ahead of its expected debut alongside the Pixel 11 series next month.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google Meet will automatically organize notes, transcripts, and recordings in a new Google Meet folder in Drive. Each meeting gets its own subfolder, while recurring meetings will keep all instances together. Attendees with access will also see shortcuts, with the rollout starting today. Yesterday, we saw that Google Meet is making it easier to find the files associated with your calls on its redesigned web homepage. Google is now tackling the same problem on the Drive side, with meeting notes, transcripts, and recordings set to be organized automatically rather than left loose in the host’s storage. According to a new Google Workspace update, these files will be uploaded to a new Google Meet folder in the host’s My Drive after each meeting. Inside that folder, Google will create separate subfolders for individual meetings, while different instances of the same recurring meeting will be grouped together.

TL;DR Samsung’s new smartwatches just made their formal debut, including the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Rated for up to 10ATM, and with an IP69K certification, the Ultra 2 is well equipped for divers. Mares has partnered with Samsung for a Diving app, and we’ve got an early look at how its subscription could work. Samsung just got done showing off all its new summer hardware at Unpacked in London, including the wide new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8. More than that, though, we also got to meet Samsung’s latest wearables, with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2. The Ultra 2 in particular is packed with some serious features, and beyond the big hardware upgrades, it’s also got a nice set of software exclusives — including an upcoming Diving app from Mares. Ahead of that getting here, we’ve got some important details to share on how you’ll use it. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 offers some heavy-duty water resistance, boasting an IP69K rating and the ability to withstand 10 atmospheres of pressure. That kind of protection makes the watch suitable for diving, and to capitalize on the hardware, Samsung announced a partnership with diving brand Mares to bring an exclusive Diving app to the Ultra 2 — well, exclusive across the Wear OS platform, anyway.

Credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Authority TL;DR WhatsApp has revamped the audio experience on Android Auto. Users can now hear and respond to messages, make calls, see call history, and reach favorites from their car’s screen. WhatsApp is rolling out a suite of new features today. If you’re a WhatsApp user who also uses Android Auto and CarPlay, there are a few reasons to be excited about this update. Without further ado, let’s dive into what’s new. In a new blog post, WhatsApp announced that the team has refreshed the audio experience on Android Auto and CarPlay. Previously, users were limited to composing messages and placing calls. However, this update will greatly expand upon what you can do.

TL;DR A new leak shows all four color options for each of the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro XL handsets. The Pro models appear in Pine, Light Fog, Midnight Haze, and a warmer coral-copper finish. The 36 renders offer the clearest look yet at the conventional Pixel 11 lineup before Google’s August 12 event. Google has already given us an official glimpse of the Pixel 11 ahead of its launch next month, but it has been less forthcoming about the colors you’ll be able to buy. A huge collection of leaked renders may now have filled that particular blank, showing every color expected for the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro XL. MyMobiles has published 36 high-resolution press renders covering the three conventional Pixel 11 models, with each phone shown in four colors and from three different angles. The publication calls this the most complete look at the lineup so far.

TL;DR Samsung has been preparing a new home screen setting for One UI 9, with the option for a Google Search bar. With One UI 9 stable on the new Z8 series, we finally see this setting make its debut. Users can choose from Google Search, Finder, both, or neither. Samsung’s latest major platform release is here, as the Android 17-based One UI 9 hits stable for the launch of Samsung’s latest foldables, including the wide new Galaxy Z Fold 8. As we look forward to Samsung getting the ball rolling with updates for its existing Galaxy models, we wanted to briefly shine the spotlight on one very nice change that makes Samsung’s phones feel just a little more like Google’s own. A couple months back, we spotted Samsung preparing to give One UI 9 the ability to let users choose between Finder and Google for their home screen search experience. And now, with the debut of One UI 9 stable, we’re seeing that change in action (Thanks: Dylan H).

TL;DR Garmin’s new CIRQA fitness tracker launched with live heart rate data locked behind a monthly paywall. That feature will be made available without a subscription soon. Some competing screenless fitness trackers offer live heart rate tracking without a subscription. Yesterday, Garmin launched its own screenless fitness tracker, the CIRQA Smart Band. Garmin is pitching the tracker as subscription-free, but early hands-on coverage found that a very basic fitness tracking feature — the ability to see your heart rate in real time — is locked behind the $6.99 Garmin Connect+ subscription. Garmin’s committed to fixing that in the near future, however. As spotted by NotebookCheck, Garmin will issue an update to the Garmin Connect Mobile app will let users see their live heart rate data during workouts, with or without a subscription. As it stands today, users not paying for Garmin Connect+ are only able to see their average heart rate for their current workout.

TL;DR Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 is missing Flex Mode. It’s reported that this was done on purpose to produce better crease control. Flex Mode is still available on the Fold 8 Ultra. Today, Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Fold 8, and Flip 8. If you were considering putting an order down for one of these phones, there’s something you should be aware of. The new wide Fold model is missing a long-standing foldable feature. Samsung first introduced a feature called Flex Mode in 2020. It first appeared on the original Galaxy Z Flip, but was later introduced to the second-generation Fold. Since then, the feature has been a staple in Samsung’s foldable phones. However, you won’t find Flex Mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Credit: Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Microsoft is rolling out XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC. Players will now be able to play original XBOX games on PC and handhelds. You’ll also be able to enhance the experience with features such as 4x resolution upscaling, VSync support, enhanced anti-aliasing, and more. To this day, there are still people who love playing original XBOX games. But if you don’t want to break out your original XBOX hardware, you’ll now have a new way to access these classic titles. Microsoft is rolling out a new program that will let you play these games on PCs and handhelds. In a blog post, Microsoft announced the launch of XBOX Backward Compatibility on PC. The program will allow you to play original XBOX games on PCs and handhelds. According to the company, this program “marks the beginning of a broader effort to preserve XBOX games from the past and bring them to PC.”

Working from a laptop on the road can feel cramped fast, and a portable second screen is one of the easiest ways to fix that. The AOC Portable Monitor V50 is built for that kind of setup, and there’s a deal on it at Amazon right now through an on-page coupon. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked that the Galaxy Ring will get FDA-cleared sleep apnea risk monitoring this fall. It’ll be the first smart ring to be cleared by the FDA for this purpose, Samsung says. Other smart rings offer SpO2 monitoring features, but without the specific FDA clearance to evaluate sleep apnea risk. Samsung made a bunch of big announcements in London today. At Galaxy Unpacked, we finally got official reveals for the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra, as well as a new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. But in among the headline news, Samsung quickly teased another interesting new development: the Galaxy Ring will soon offer to monitor for signs of sleep apnea. In an Unpacked segment about Galaxy Watch 9 and Samsung Health’s new, FDA-cleared sleep apnea monitoring, Samsung digital health lead Sharanya Desai dropped that starting this year, “Galaxy Ring will be the first and only FDA-cleared over-the-counter ring device for sleep apnea risk detection.” That’s all the info Samsung’s shared about it so far.

The TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2 stands out from the usual Android tablet crowd by putting the screen first. TCL built this 11-inch tablet around its matte, paper-like NXTPAPER display, which is made to cut glare and make long reading sessions easier on your eyes. It also runs Android 15, and TCL pitches it as a device for work, watching videos, and everyday play. There’s a deal on it right now, too, which makes it a lot more tempting. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Taylor Kerns / Android Authority TL;DR Google Photos is working on improving how you select and copy text in images. We have spotted a new button that will appear when the app detects text in a picture. Google also appears to be expanding its Expressive UI design to more Settings pages. Google is once again working on a couple of changes for the Photos app. Earlier this month, we told you about Ask Photos possibly letting users edit their image metadata. This time, the Photos team is developing a better way to select and copy text from an image. On top of that, Material 3 Expressive is expanding to more areas in the app. Let’s dive in and check out what could be coming our way soon. 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: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR There are a growing number of reports saying that T-Mobile is down. Reports appear to span across the country. If you’re a T-Mobile user, you may have some trouble with your service today. It appears that the network is experiencing some technical difficulties at the moment. According to Downdetector, T-Mobile users are reporting that the network appears to be down. Looking at the heat map, the reports are coming in from all across the country, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and more. There are hundreds of reports so far, and it looks like problems began around 10 AM ET.

TL;DR Google has shared more information about its improved Android Switch utility, including what data can be moved and which phones are supported. The new version of Android Switch requires Android 17 and is available on Pixel 8, 9, and 10 phones, as well as Samsung’s latest foldables. The Pixel 8 can only use Android Switch during initial setup. Other eligible phones can access the feature at any time. With the stable release of Android 17 for Pixel devices last week, Google introduced a new-and-improved device transfer tool to make it easier to switch from iPhone to Android. Built in collaboration with Apple, the revamped Android Switch is built right into Android 17, letting users move more data from their old iPhone in a more seamless way, with our without a wired connection. Today, we’re getting more info about what the upgraded feature can do and which devices can take advantage — and it turns out some Android 17 devices aren’t supported. Google’s Mishaal Rahman posted some helpful new info about the new Android Switch on Reddit this morning. Right now, the updated experience is available on Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and Pixel 10 series phones, as well as Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8 phones. That means the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 can’t take advantage, despite being eligible for the Android 17 update. That seems like a pretty minor omission; there probably aren’t many users switching from an iPhone to a four- or five-year-old Android device.

TL;DR Samsung has freshly revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the Galaxy Flip 8 at an event in London. While AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have opened pre-orders for the phones, in-store availability will begin on August 7. All carriers are offering steep discounts on the new foldables, in addition to the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung has just announced the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra at Unpacked, accompanied by the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. If you’re torn between multiple carriers to pick up your foldable or smartwatch, here’s a summary of all the pre-order promotions offered by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. AT&T