Lock screen widget support will only be available on tablets running Android 15, but what would happen if you enabled the feature anyway on a phone?
Surprisingly, it actually looks and works pretty well!
A video of this feature on phones can be found in this article I wrote for Android Authority.
Surprisingly, it actually looks and works pretty well!
A video of this feature on phones can be found in this article I wrote for Android Authority.
Android Authority
Phones won't support lock screen widgets in Android 15, but here's what it'd look like anyways
Android 15 adds support for lock screen widgets, but only on tablets. Here's what it'd look like if phones supported this feature.
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The Google TV Streamer is the first device to run Android 14 for TVs.
Android 14 for TV, ie. Android TV 14, brings improvements to power efficiency, accessibility, performance, multitasking, remote control, and networking.
More details can be found in my latest article for Android Authority.
Android 14 for TV, ie. Android TV 14, brings improvements to power efficiency, accessibility, performance, multitasking, remote control, and networking.
More details can be found in my latest article for Android Authority.
Android Authority
The Google TV Streamer is the first device to run Android 14 for TVs
The Google TV Streamer is the first device to ship with the latest version of Android built for TVs: Android 14 for TVs, ie. Android TV 14.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 support Google's Gemini Nano LLM, but what is it actually used for? It turns out, it's only used for a single feature right now, and it's not any of the Galaxy AI ones.
Samsung still presumably uses Gemini for some of the cloud-based Galaxy AI features, but I was surprised to find out that none of the on-device Galaxy AI features rely on Gemini Nano. I don't know exactly what model they use, but it's possibly Gauss Language.
Of course, Google is likely working on more features that rely on Gemini Nano, and those could come to Samsung devices. Then there are third-party apps like Adobe Acrobat, Patreon, and Grammarly, too, that will integrate Gemini Nano.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Samsung still presumably uses Gemini for some of the cloud-based Galaxy AI features, but I was surprised to find out that none of the on-device Galaxy AI features rely on Gemini Nano. I don't know exactly what model they use, but it's possibly Gauss Language.
Of course, Google is likely working on more features that rely on Gemini Nano, and those could come to Samsung devices. Then there are third-party apps like Adobe Acrobat, Patreon, and Grammarly, too, that will integrate Gemini Nano.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Android Authority
Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 support Gemini Nano: Here's what they use it for
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 both support Gemini Nano, the lightweight version of Google's Gemini LLM that runs on-device.
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So...this is interesting. Google is testing new Wear OS 5.1 builds out on the Pixel Watch 2, and they're surprisingly based on Android 15 rather than Android 14.
More details on what this could mean can be found in this article on Android Authority.
More details on what this could mean can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Android Authority
Google is already testing Wear OS 5.1, could be based on Android 15
Android Authority has learned of test builds of Wear OS 5.1 for the Pixel Watch 2, and they're apparently based on Android 15.
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Microsoft did it: They fixed Link to Windows on Android!
You no longer have to tap the "start now" button every time you want to stream an app from your phone to your PC.
In One UI 6.1.1, Link to Windows now uses Android's native app streaming APIs.
You no longer have to tap the "start now" button every time you want to stream an app from your phone to your PC.
In One UI 6.1.1, Link to Windows now uses Android's native app streaming APIs.
Android Authority
One UI 6.1.1 makes streaming apps to your Windows PC less annoying
One UI 6.1.1 removes the need to tap “start now” every time you want to stream an app from your Galaxy device to your Windows PC.
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Google says the Neural Networks API (NNAPI) will be deprecated in Android 15.
NNAPI was introduced in Android 8.1 to "provide a unified interface for hardware accelerated inference for on-device machine learning." Google cites the rapid pace of on-device machine learning breakthroughs as the reason for deprecating NNAPI, which was updated along with new Android version releases.
Google is recommending developers migrate from NNAPI to either TensorFlow Lite in Google Play Services, which provides an updatable TF runtime for custom on-device ML models, or to the new AICore service in Android 14+, which provides updatable GenAI foundation models like Gemini Nano.
NNAPI was introduced in Android 8.1 to "provide a unified interface for hardware accelerated inference for on-device machine learning." Google cites the rapid pace of on-device machine learning breakthroughs as the reason for deprecating NNAPI, which was updated along with new Android version releases.
Google is recommending developers migrate from NNAPI to either TensorFlow Lite in Google Play Services, which provides an updatable TF runtime for custom on-device ML models, or to the new AICore service in Android 14+, which provides updatable GenAI foundation models like Gemini Nano.
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The Google Play Store is starting to give users the option of whether they want to update an app installed from another source (ie. apps they sideloaded).
User Ayan on Telegram noticed this new "update from Play" button while they were on a listing for an app they sideloaded outside the Play Store.
"The app installed on your device didn't come from Google Play. You can update the app from the original source or from Google Play," the message below reads.
Android 14 introduced an update ownership API that lets app stores claim ownership over future updates for an app. This could be a way for the Play Store to reclaim update ownership, with the user's consent of course.
Let me know if you also see this in the Play Store!
Edit: To clarify, this seemingly gives you the choice of whether you want to update a sideloaded app from the Play Store.
Before, it would just do it, especially if said app's updates weren't claimed ownership over by another app store.
User Ayan on Telegram noticed this new "update from Play" button while they were on a listing for an app they sideloaded outside the Play Store.
"The app installed on your device didn't come from Google Play. You can update the app from the original source or from Google Play," the message below reads.
Android 14 introduced an update ownership API that lets app stores claim ownership over future updates for an app. This could be a way for the Play Store to reclaim update ownership, with the user's consent of course.
Let me know if you also see this in the Play Store!
Edit: To clarify, this seemingly gives you the choice of whether you want to update a sideloaded app from the Play Store.
Before, it would just do it, especially if said app's updates weren't claimed ownership over by another app store.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is here, and it fixes the biggest issues with the OG Pixel Fold!
🟥 Inner screen is closer to a square
⏩ Tensor G4 instead of G2
🔄 7 years of OS updates instead of 3 years
✂️Even thinner
Check out my coverage on Android Faithful for every single detail on the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold!
🟥 Inner screen is closer to a square
⏩ Tensor G4 instead of G2
🔄 7 years of OS updates instead of 3 years
✂️Even thinner
Check out my coverage on Android Faithful for every single detail on the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold!
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The Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL are finally OFFICIAL!
💡3000 nits peak brightness on Pro
📷 8K30 video via Video Boost on Pro
📱 7 years of updates
🤙 Tensor G4 w/ Satellite SOS
✨ New Magic Editor features
For more details than you could possibly want on these Pixel 9 phones, check out my coverage on Android Faithful!
💡3000 nits peak brightness on Pro
📷 8K30 video via Video Boost on Pro
📱 7 years of updates
🤙 Tensor G4 w/ Satellite SOS
✨ New Magic Editor features
For more details than you could possibly want on these Pixel 9 phones, check out my coverage on Android Faithful!
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Gemini Live is ... live! That super cool, more conversational version of Gemini that Google teased us with at I/O is now here, along with new extensions and updates to the Android app.
I've got some videos of these Gemini updates in this article over on Android Faithful!
I've got some videos of these Gemini updates in this article over on Android Faithful!
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The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are the EXACT same size and weight, so is it worth spending $200 more to grab the Pro?
Here are 12 key differences between the 9 and 9 Pro that you should know about if you're in the market for either.
Here are 12 key differences between the 9 and 9 Pro that you should know about if you're in the market for either.
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With the Pixel 9, Google made it so you don't have to compromise by picking the compact option.
The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are basically identical except for a few minor differences.
Trying to decide between the two? Here's what you should know.
The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are basically identical except for a few minor differences.
Trying to decide between the two? Here's what you should know.
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Google Pixel 9 pre-orders are live!
Pixel 9: howl.link/zplytxgjachqz
Pixel 9 Pro: howl.link/37k492400hbbt
Pixel 9 Pro XL: howl.link/9rou3lqmgn5w0
Pixel 9 Pro Fold: howl.link/vl2he0tr22lga
Please use my affiliate links to support me digging into Pixel/Android updates!
Pixel 9: howl.link/zplytxgjachqz
Pixel 9 Pro: howl.link/37k492400hbbt
Pixel 9 Pro XL: howl.link/9rou3lqmgn5w0
Pixel 9 Pro Fold: howl.link/vl2he0tr22lga
Please use my affiliate links to support me digging into Pixel/Android updates!
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Pixel Watch 3 pre-order links!
Pixel Watch 3 (41mm/WiFi): howl.link/wa4ie7rg6kbmf
Pixel Watch 3 (45mm/WiFi): howl.link/0yojh8kg07dd5
Pixel Watch 3 (41mm/LTE): howl.link/zo1ns04gfwzvp
Pixel Watch 3 (45mm/LTE): howl.link/p9zv4tlxcw1nm
—-
Pixel Buds Pro 2 pre-order link: https://howl.link/3nncmhpiwy3y0
—-
Use my affiliate links to support me :)
Pixel Watch 3 (41mm/WiFi): howl.link/wa4ie7rg6kbmf
Pixel Watch 3 (45mm/WiFi): howl.link/0yojh8kg07dd5
Pixel Watch 3 (41mm/LTE): howl.link/zo1ns04gfwzvp
Pixel Watch 3 (45mm/LTE): howl.link/p9zv4tlxcw1nm
—-
Pixel Buds Pro 2 pre-order link: https://howl.link/3nncmhpiwy3y0
—-
Use my affiliate links to support me :)
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The Android 15 QPR1 Beta is right around the corner!
With the release of Android 15 Beta 4.2 today, Google says the beta program for the first Android 15 Quarterly Platform Release (QPR1) will kick off soon.
If you unenroll from the Android Beta Program now before QPR1 Beta 1 rolls out, you'll automatically get the stable public Android 15 release. If you don't unenroll, you'll get QPR1 Beta 1 instead.
If you want to exit the Beta program without wiping your device, opt out of the program and ignore the downgrade OTA upgrade that gets pushed to you. Wait for the stable public OTA then take that.
With the release of Android 15 Beta 4.2 today, Google says the beta program for the first Android 15 Quarterly Platform Release (QPR1) will kick off soon.
If you unenroll from the Android Beta Program now before QPR1 Beta 1 rolls out, you'll automatically get the stable public Android 15 release. If you don't unenroll, you'll get QPR1 Beta 1 instead.
If you want to exit the Beta program without wiping your device, opt out of the program and ignore the downgrade OTA upgrade that gets pushed to you. Wait for the stable public OTA then take that.
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
Gemini Live is ... live! That super cool, more conversational version of Gemini that Google teased us with at I/O is now here, along with new extensions and updates to the Android app. I've got some videos of these Gemini updates in this article over on Android…
Gemini Live is starting to roll out!
I just got it on my Galaxy Z Fold 6, without any spoofing/sideloading/etc.
You need to be a Gemini Advanced user to access it, though.
I just got it on my Galaxy Z Fold 6, without any spoofing/sideloading/etc.
You need to be a Gemini Advanced user to access it, though.
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Phone Link now lets you easily share files between your Android phone and PC through the share menu!
How to use it:
On Windows, right-click a file, click Share, then select "Phone Link" under "Share using." This will send the file to whatever Android device your PC is currently connected to via Phone Link.
On Android, select a file, tap the share button, then select "Link to Windows [Send to PC]." This will open a menu letting you choose which PC you've connected via Phone Link to send to.
Storage location:
On Android:
On PC:
I've been using this for a few weeks but didn't even know it was actually new until Windows Central reported on it. In fairness, I only recently started using Link to Windows more earnestly after getting the Galaxy Z Flip 6/Z Fold 6.
How to use it:
On Windows, right-click a file, click Share, then select "Phone Link" under "Share using." This will send the file to whatever Android device your PC is currently connected to via Phone Link.
On Android, select a file, tap the share button, then select "Link to Windows [Send to PC]." This will open a menu letting you choose which PC you've connected via Phone Link to send to.
Storage location:
On Android:
/Download/Send from my PCOn PC:
/Downloads/Phone LinkI've been using this for a few weeks but didn't even know it was actually new until Windows Central reported on it. In fairness, I only recently started using Link to Windows more earnestly after getting the Galaxy Z Flip 6/Z Fold 6.
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