🤖Google's beloved Androidify app is back with new features for making your own Android Bot

The new Androidify app uses AI to create an Android Bot that you can use on your social media profile

Here's how to download and use it, and how it works👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/create-custom-android-bot-with-androidify-3593760/

📱Your Pixel's big Android 16 QPR1 update brings more than just Material 3 Expressive

Android 16 QPR1 brings a major design overhaul, an early look at Android’s DeX-like desktop mode, and much more

Here's EVERY new feature in Android 16 QPR1👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr1-features-3594123/

🤖Google’s new Androidify app has helped create my favorite social media avatar yet

Google’s new Androidify app is a perfect tool for generating a social media avatar, especially for Android fans

Check out the Android Authority team's Bots in the link👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/androidify-app-hands-on-3594215/

(Huge thanks to the Android team for giving me early access!)

Confirmed: Gboard's new AI Writing Tools are rolling out to non-Pixels, but ONLY on devices with "Gemini Nano v2 or higher."

This means only devices with the multimodal version of Gemini Nano. Yes, this means the Pixel 8 series will not be getting Gboard's AI Writing Tools feature.

See the article linked👆 for more details.

🔐Tomorrow: I'll share some new info on Android's upcoming sideloading restrictions.

There's some good, some bad, and some confusing news.

Subscribe to the Authority Insights Newsletter and Podcast if you want the scoop!

End of an era: Kevin Barry, the original developer of Nova Launcher, is no longer working on the project. The plans to open source the project have also been halted.

Nova Launcher was acquired by analytics company Branch back in 2022.

https://teslacoilapps.com/nova/solong.html

🔒Is Google using Security as an Excuse to Kill Sideloading on Android?

On this week's pod, we break down Android's new sideloading restrictions, Google's win against the DOJ, and share some exclusive info about a new Pixel feature (!)

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/authority-insights-podcast-004-3594914/

🔓Google's plan to restrict sideloading on Android has a potential escape hatch for users

We've got some new info about how Android's sideloading restrictions will work, including a potential workaround.

Here's what you need to know👇

🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/how-android-sideloading-restrictions-may-work-3595355/

Gemini's new personal context capability is really nice.

I was helping my dad research saltless vs salt-based water conditioners, and without even telling it, Gemini pulled in info about the water hardness level in our county.

So basically, personal context can help you fine tune your prompts.

🔊Google could redesign Android’s volume slider to be more like iOS

Android is testing a new horizontal volume slider layout, presumably for phones in landscape mode

More details + what its design might look like in the article linked👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-horizontal-volume-slider-3596184/

🗃The Pixel's latest Android update has a hidden trick for organizing your Quick Settings

Google quietly added a new, faster way to reposition Quick Settings tiles in Android 16 QPR1: A double-tap gesture.

Here's how it works👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/trick-to-organize-quick-settings-3596284/

🔐⌚️Android’s anti-theft protections will soon be less annoying thanks to your watch

Soon, if you have a Pixel Watch 3+ connected to your Android phone, you won’t be forced to use biometrics to unlock apps, even outside of trusted locations.

Details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/identity-check-smartwatch-android-16-qpr2-3596334/

🗃Android 16 QPR1’s source code is nowhere to be found, but Google swears it’s coming

Google's latest AOSP delay has reignited fears about Android's open source future. Hopefully this delay doesn't become the new norm!

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr1-source-code-delay-3596650/

👣Health Connect will soon track your steps without needing another app

Google may be transforming Android's Health Connect service from a data hub to a fitness tracker

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/health-connect-step-tracking-support-3596725/

🖥 This new Android 16 QPR2 setting will make desktop mode less frustrating

Android 16 QPR2 adds a Universal Cursor setting that lets you control whether your mouse can move between displays

Perfect if you hate your mouse jumping between displays.

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr2-universal-cursor-3596761/

🧑‍⚕️Android's version of Apple Health is in bad shape, but Google's got a plan for change

On this week's Authority Insights Podcast, we talk about Google's plans to fix Health Connect, why AOSP as we know it may be dead, and more.

Listen below👇

🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/authority-insights-podcast-005-3597154/

🔐Exclusive: Google wants to make Android phones safer by switching to ‘risk-based’ security updates

Android is shifting to a new "Risk-Based Update System" and prioritizing most security fixes for quarterly releases.

Details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-risk-based-security-updates-3597466/

🎨 Android will soon be able to theme every app icon, and Google Play won't let developers opt out

In order to distribute apps on Google Play, developers MUST now agree to allow users to change the color of/theme their app's icon.

More details👇

🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/google-play-icon-theming-agreement-3597899/