🎵 You'll soon be able to customize the haptics for your Pixel's ringtone and notification alert
An upcoming version of the Google Sounds app will let you change the vibration pattern for your selected ringtone or notification alert.
More details + a demo of this upcoming feature can be found in this article.
An upcoming version of the Google Sounds app will let you change the vibration pattern for your selected ringtone or notification alert.
More details + a demo of this upcoming feature can be found in this article.
Android Authority
You'll soon be able to customize the haptics for your Pixel's ringtone and notification alert
The Google Sounds app will let you change the vibration pattern for your selected ringtone or notification alert. Here's what it's like.
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The Galaxy S25 sadly doesn't support the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF).
If this doesn't change in Android 16, it means the device won't support the new Terminal app that lets you run a Linux distro in a virtual machine.
The reason I'm surprised by this is that Android 15's vendor software requirements state that chipsets that launch with vendor API level 202404 must declare support for AVF. That means every device with the Snapdragon 8 Elite is capable of supporting it, but I guess Samsung still chose to disable it. Maybe it still interferes with the Knox hypervisor?
Hopefully Samsung adds support in a future release, because Android 16's Terminal app is shaping up to be an incredibly useful feature!
If this doesn't change in Android 16, it means the device won't support the new Terminal app that lets you run a Linux distro in a virtual machine.
The reason I'm surprised by this is that Android 15's vendor software requirements state that chipsets that launch with vendor API level 202404 must declare support for AVF. That means every device with the Snapdragon 8 Elite is capable of supporting it, but I guess Samsung still chose to disable it. Maybe it still interferes with the Knox hypervisor?
Hopefully Samsung adds support in a future release, because Android 16's Terminal app is shaping up to be an incredibly useful feature!
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
📱The OnePlus 13 gets Gemini Nano support in its first software update The OnePlus 13 is not only the first OnePlus phone to support Gemini Nano, but it may also be the first non-Pixel to support the multimodal version of the model! More details can be found…
TalkBack image denoscriptions on the OnePlus 13 are powered by an on-device generative AI model from Google.
So I guess this confirms the OnePlus 13 indeed supports the multimodal Gemini Nano model.
The model occupies about ~4GB of space so I hope more use cases emerge for it. Once the AI Edge SDK opens up more, I'm hoping some 3P apps start to use it.
So I guess this confirms the OnePlus 13 indeed supports the multimodal Gemini Nano model.
The model occupies about ~4GB of space so I hope more use cases emerge for it. Once the AI Edge SDK opens up more, I'm hoping some 3P apps start to use it.
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🚨 Breaking: Google is releasing most of the source code for Pebble, with its former CEO Eric Migicovsky telling me he plans to build a new watch based on the newly open sourced Pebble OS.
Android Authority
Pebble cements its smartwatch legacy as Google shares source code with the community
Google has just released the source code for the Pebble watch, paving the way for more aftermarket development and potentially new hardware.
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The Google Play Store is going to show a "Verified" badge for some VPN apps.
These badges will appear on store listings for VPN apps that "prioritize user privacy and safety, help users make more informed choices about the VPN apps they use, and build confidence in the apps they ultimately download."
VPN apps have to earn the badge by "adhering to the Play safety and security guidelines" and successfully completing a "Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) Level 2 validation." They also have to have at least 10k installs and 250 reviews, be published for at least 90 days, and submit a Data Safety section declaration while opting into independent security review and encryption in transit.
Nord, hide dot me, and Aloha Browser are among the few to secure the badge. You can easily find more by searching "VPN" in the Play Store.
Out of curiosity: What VPN are you currently using, and why did you choose it?
These badges will appear on store listings for VPN apps that "prioritize user privacy and safety, help users make more informed choices about the VPN apps they use, and build confidence in the apps they ultimately download."
VPN apps have to earn the badge by "adhering to the Play safety and security guidelines" and successfully completing a "Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) Level 2 validation." They also have to have at least 10k installs and 250 reviews, be published for at least 90 days, and submit a Data Safety section declaration while opting into independent security review and encryption in transit.
Nord, hide dot me, and Aloha Browser are among the few to secure the badge. You can easily find more by searching "VPN" in the Play Store.
Out of curiosity: What VPN are you currently using, and why did you choose it?
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🔊 Android 16 improves how hearing aids deal with noisy environments
Android 16 brings new features for LE Audio hearing aids like:
- Bluetooth ambient volume controls
- Ability to switch which mic is used for voice calls
🔗Details: https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-hearing-aids-3520978/
Android 16 brings new features for LE Audio hearing aids like:
- Bluetooth ambient volume controls
- Ability to switch which mic is used for voice calls
🔗Details: https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-hearing-aids-3520978/
Android Authority
Android 16 improves how hearing aids deal with noisy environments
Android 16 will bring better support for LE Audio hearing aids with features like ambient volume controls.
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🔔 Here's how Google's changing notifications in Android 16 with Live Updates
A lot of people were confused by Google's announcement of Live Updates in Android 16.
My latest article 👇 explores the feature in more detail
🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-16-live-notifications-3518375/
Oh, and I found confirmation within the Android developer docs that Live Updates will appear as chips in the status bar, which lines up with my previous reporting on Rich Ongoing Notifications!
A lot of people were confused by Google's announcement of Live Updates in Android 16.
My latest article 👇 explores the feature in more detail
🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-16-live-notifications-3518375/
Oh, and I found confirmation within the Android developer docs that Live Updates will appear as chips in the status bar, which lines up with my previous reporting on Rich Ongoing Notifications!
Android Authority
Here's how Google's changing notifications in Android 16 with Live Updates
Android 16 will introduce Live Updates, a new class of notification that's always on top. Here's how it compare to iOS Live Activities.
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🕶Android 16 prepares to make dark mode work with more apps
Android may add a new feature that automatically converts light theme apps to dark theme, even if they don't have a native dark theme.
Details + screenshots can be found at the link👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-forced-dark-mode-3521090/
Android may add a new feature that automatically converts light theme apps to dark theme, even if they don't have a native dark theme.
Details + screenshots can be found at the link👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-forced-dark-mode-3521090/
Android Authority
Android 16 prepares to make dark mode work with more apps
Google is working on a new feature for Android 16 that automatically puts apps into dark mode, even if they don't support it.
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New Play Protect features on Android protect against dangerous apps
- Play Protect can't be disabled during calls
- Chrome will ask you to turn on Play Protect before sideloading
- Play Protect will autorevoke permissions for dangerous apps
Details👇
🔗 https://www.androidfaithful.com/google-play-protect-jan-2025/
- Play Protect can't be disabled during calls
- Chrome will ask you to turn on Play Protect before sideloading
- Play Protect will autorevoke permissions for dangerous apps
Details👇
🔗 https://www.androidfaithful.com/google-play-protect-jan-2025/
Android Faithful
New Play Protect features roll out on Android to protect against dangerous apps
Google has just revealed how effective its Play Protect service was at protecting users in 2024, and it also unveiled some new security features that are available now.
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
A major update to scrcpy is out, bringing a very nifty feature: Virtual display support! scrcpy can now create virtual displays that you can mirror instead of your device's main display. This means you can stream apps to your PC and still use your phone at…
Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 broke the ability for scrcpy to create virtual displays, as the requisite permissions were removed from shell.
However, Google now says it has added back these permissions to shell for Android 16.
While this will re-enable scrcpy's virtual display feature, Google warns that these permissions are only held by shell for testing purposes and may be removed again in the future without notice.
However, Google now says it has added back these permissions to shell for Android 16.
While this will re-enable scrcpy's virtual display feature, Google warns that these permissions are only held by shell for testing purposes and may be removed again in the future without notice.
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🔫 Android 16's Linux Terminal will soon let you run graphical apps, so of course I ran Doom
ICYMI: Google's been working on a Terminal app that runs Debian in a VM, and they've made steady progress on it.
Click 👇for more details on this progress
🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-16-linux-terminal-doom-3521804/
(Once again, "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" is stuck in my head.)
ICYMI: Google's been working on a Terminal app that runs Debian in a VM, and they've made steady progress on it.
Click 👇for more details on this progress
🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-16-linux-terminal-doom-3521804/
(Once again, "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" is stuck in my head.)
Android Authority
Android 16's Linux Terminal will soon let you run graphical apps, so of course we ran Doom
Android 16’s Linux Terminal will soon be able to run graphical Linux apps, so we fired up Doom to show this feature off.
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Looks like T-Mobile and Starlink are starting to let some Pixel 9 users into the satellite messaging beta.
Just heard from two Pixel 9 Pro XL users that they were invited to the beta.
When the beta first launched two weeks ago, it was reported that only 5 Samsung models were supported (Z Flip 6, Z Fold 6, S24 series). My OnePlus 13 wasn't accepted into the beta, but hopefully that'll change soon.
FWIW: Google has been testing Starlink support on the Pixel 9 for a few months now.
Just heard from two Pixel 9 Pro XL users that they were invited to the beta.
When the beta first launched two weeks ago, it was reported that only 5 Samsung models were supported (Z Flip 6, Z Fold 6, S24 series). My OnePlus 13 wasn't accepted into the beta, but hopefully that'll change soon.
FWIW: Google has been testing Starlink support on the Pixel 9 for a few months now.
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🛜 Quick Settings on Android could revert to expanding tiles the old way
Google is testing a change that brings back the old Quick Settings tile expansion behavior from Android 5.1.
It's far from finished, but here's a video showing the current state👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-quick-settings-expansion-3521878/
Google is testing a change that brings back the old Quick Settings tile expansion behavior from Android 5.1.
It's far from finished, but here's a video showing the current state👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-quick-settings-expansion-3521878/
Android Authority
Quick Settings on Android could revert to expanding tiles the old way
Google may change how the Quick Settings tiles for Internet and Bluetooth expand. Here's a first look at how they could behave on Android.
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📏 Android 16 is getting more personalized with new regional preference options
Android 16 may let you set your preferred measurement system and region independent of the system language.
Here's why that's important👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-region-measurement-settings-3521970/
Android 16 may let you set your preferred measurement system and region independent of the system language.
Here's why that's important👇
🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-region-measurement-settings-3521970/
Android Authority
Android 16 is getting more personalized with new regional preference options
Android 16 could finally let you set your phone's region independently of the system language. Here's why that matters.
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One Googler says that "AVF is mandatory starting from Android 16."
AVF, if you aren't aware, is the Android Virtualization Framework. It provides a set of APIs for system apps to run payloads in an Android or Linux virtual machine. It's also notably what enables the new Linux Terminal app in Android 16.
Almost every OEM has devices supporting AVF, with the lone exception of Samsung (possibly due to conflicts with Knox). I thought this would change with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series, as they launch with vendor software built for Android 15, and AFAIK, VSR-15 still has a clause mandating that devices launching on API level 202404 support AVF. So I'm not sure what happened here, but hopefully the requirement is actually real in Android 16, at least for newly launching devices.
AVF, if you aren't aware, is the Android Virtualization Framework. It provides a set of APIs for system apps to run payloads in an Android or Linux virtual machine. It's also notably what enables the new Linux Terminal app in Android 16.
Almost every OEM has devices supporting AVF, with the lone exception of Samsung (possibly due to conflicts with Knox). I thought this would change with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series, as they launch with vendor software built for Android 15, and AFAIK, VSR-15 still has a clause mandating that devices launching on API level 202404 support AVF. So I'm not sure what happened here, but hopefully the requirement is actually real in Android 16, at least for newly launching devices.
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The supported Linux kernel versions for Android 16 have been revealed. They include:
Upgrades:
- android11-5.4
- android12-5.4
- android12-5.10
- android13-5.10
- android13-5.15
- android14-5.15
- android14-6.1
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
New launches for devices with chipsets not under GRF:
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
New launches for devices with chipsets under GRF:
- android13-5.15
- android14-5.15
- android14-6.1
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
---
Yes, this means that there could be new Android 16 devices shipping with a kernel/vendor software built for Android 13.
Upgrades:
- android11-5.4
- android12-5.4
- android12-5.10
- android13-5.10
- android13-5.15
- android14-5.15
- android14-6.1
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
New launches for devices with chipsets not under GRF:
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
New launches for devices with chipsets under GRF:
- android13-5.15
- android14-5.15
- android14-6.1
- android15-6.6
- android16-6.12
---
Yes, this means that there could be new Android 16 devices shipping with a kernel/vendor software built for Android 13.
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✨Google Photos will now add an invisible watermark to images edited with Reimagine
Photos will start using SynthID, a technology that embeds imperceptible digital watermarks into images, to mark images edited with Reimagine.
🔗 https://www.androidfaithful.com/google-photos-reimagine-watermark/
Photos will start using SynthID, a technology that embeds imperceptible digital watermarks into images, to mark images edited with Reimagine.
🔗 https://www.androidfaithful.com/google-photos-reimagine-watermark/
Android Faithful
Google Photos will now add an invisible watermark to images edited with Reimagine
When you use the Reimagine feature in the Google Photos app, your AI-edited photos will have an invisible watermark made using SynthID technology.
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