The new Google Weather UI has rolled out to a bunch of my non-Pixel devices recently. I noticed it on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 the other day, but checked and saw it on a bunch of others too. These include:

* ASUS Zenfone 10
* Nothing Phone 2
* OnePlus 11
* OnePlus Pad
* OPPO Find X2
* Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

The new UI hasn't yet rolled out to my Xiaomi 13T Pro or OnePlus Open, though. Interestingly, my Tab S8 Ultra got the UI right after I updated it to Android 14. I doubt there's a connection between the OS version and the UI's rollout, though, since my Zenfone 10, OnePlus Pad, and Find X2 are all on Android 13.

Have you received the new Google Weather UI yet on your device?

Here's how Google will simplify sideloading in Android.

As part of a proposed class action lawsuit settlement, Google said it will revise the default sideloading flow in Android. Here's exactly what they're changing:

1) The pop-up with the text "For your security, your phone currently isn't allowed to install unknown apps from this source. You can change this in Settings" and the "Install unknown apps" screen that lets you enable sideloading from the specified source will be combined into a single screen. That means you won't have to visit Settings to enable sideloading from a specified source anymore.

2) The text in this combined screen will read as follows: "Your phone currently isn't configured to install apps from this source. Granting this source permission to install apps could place your phone and data at risk."

Google will have to maintain this revised default sideloading flow for a period of five years after it's implemented, and they cannot "introduce additional material complexity or burden into the Revised Default Sideloading Flow solely because an app was sideloaded, as opposed to being downloaded from Google Play."

Source: 6.10 Sideloading from the Settlement Agreement and Release document

Big news! Google has announced the details of its settlement with the more than 30 U.S. states that filed a class action lawsuit over Google Play.

Google says it will:

1) Be "further simplifying the sideloading process and updating the language that informs users about these potential risks of downloading apps directly from the web for the first time." More details here.

2) Allow app and game developers to "implement an alternative billing option alongside Google Play's billing system for their U.S. users who can then choose which option to use when making in-app purchases."

3) Allow developers to "show different pricing options within the app when a user makes a digital purchase."

4) Pay $630 million into a settlement fund that will be distributed according to a Court-approved plan. $70 million will go to a fund that will be used by the states.

There's a bunch of other changes that Google agreed to as part of the settlement. The Verge's Sean Hollister has an excellent summary you can read here.

MKBHD smartphone camera Blind test 2023 results

While announcing the MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2023, Marques also announced the Blind Smartphone Camera Test Winners from a few "million" votes

There is NO way to determine which smartphone offers the Best camera because the camera app offers many filters, Pro controls, Telephoto etc and 95% people on Earth are average users who do NOT care for these features.

They just click the pictures from their smartphone with a simple manual focus on the subject

That's why this is a FAIR way to determine which smartphone offers the BEST camera.
Since millions of people voted, the error also gets reduced.

Standard
🥇 Google Pixel 7A
🥈 Google Pixel Fold
🥉 OnePlus Open

Low light
🥇 iPhone 15 Pro
🥈 Google Pixel 8 Pro
🥉 Google Pixel 7A

Portrait mode
🥇 Google Pixel 8 Pro
🥈 Samsung Z Fold 5
🥉 iPhone 15 Pro

Follow @TechLeaksZone

Finally! Android is preparing to show you an estimate of your battery's remaining charge capacity, so you'll know when to replace it.

You can see a screenshot of the Pixel's new "battery health" page and read more details about this feature in my latest article for Android Authority.

Bonus details in the article: Android may soon know whether you've replaced your battery or not by checking its serial number.

(Thanks to @nailsad_eleos for the tip!)

Interesting: It looks like Google might be rebranding Nearby Share to Quick Share. Quick Share is notably the name of Samsung's file sharing service on Galaxy devices. Are these two services going to be merged?

More details in my article for Android Authority, via Kamila Wojciechowska.

From the whole Google Pixel Hub team, we wish you a wonderful holiday season.

We're grateful for this amazing community and your support on our channel as we've recently hit 6300 subscribers on here. Thank you for joining us.

May your holiday season be filled with laughter, love, and the warmth of family and friends.

Wishing you happy holidays and a prosperous new year filled with joy and happiness!

Wishing you all well,
- from the Pixel Hub team ❤️

We wish you a Happy New Year!

The Google Pixel Hub team is sending warm wishes to you and your loved ones as we step into 2024.

We hope the upcoming year brings you nothing but the very best! May this year be filled with success, happiness, and an abundance of love. We hope you have a fantastic time celebrating the new year and creating beautiful memories with your friends and family.

Cheers to an amazing 2024!
- with love, from the Google Pixel Hub team ❤️🎉

#Updates #Pixel
January 2024 Security Patch has been released!
Release date: January 03, 2024
Build: UQ1A.240105.004, UQ1A.240105.002 (Pixel 5a/6/6a/6 Pro)

Android Security Bulletin - January 2024 | Pixel Update Bulletin - January 2024

The January 2024 update has arrived on Pixel 5a and newer devices. You can read the changelog below.

Download for Google Pixel devices:
Factory Image | OTA update

Follow @PixelHubUpdates

#Updates #Pixel
January 2024 Security Patch changelog:

Camera
• Fix for users facing Camera crashes in certain conditions [3]

User Interface
• Fix for users facing flashing black screen when playing video in certain conditions [1]
• Fix for users unable to exit Setup Wizard in certain conditions [4]
• Fix for Wallpaper on home screen showing black in certain conditions [2]

---------------------------------------------------------------

Device Applicability
Fixes are available for all supported Pixel devices unless otherwise indicated below.

[1] Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8
[2] Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8, Pixel Fold
[3] Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro
[4] Pixel Tablet

Follow @PixelHubUpdates

#News #Pixel7a
Pixel 7a wins MKBHD's 2023 blind camera test!
YouTube

For the last 3 years, the budget Pixels 5a, 6a and 7a received the most points on average in the community voting.

Voting was taken in three categories: regular photos, night mode and portrait, with the 7a being #1 in regular, #3 in night mode and #4 in portrait.

The midrange 7a beat other flagships like Samsung S23 Ultra/Z Fold 5, OnePlus 11/Open, iPhone 15 Pro, Oppo Find X6 Pro or Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Next on the podium were the Pixels 8 Pro (#5 regular, #2 night, #1 portrait) and Fold (#3 regular, #6 night, #10 portrait).

The $499 mid-range Pixel managed to beat all of these flagships using a worse camera sensor proving once again that it's not about the size but how you use it 😉.

Follow @PixelHubUpdates

The rumors were true: Google is rebranding Nearby Share to “Quick Share” to better align with Samsung’s P2P file sharing service of the same name. Google collaborated with Samsung to integrate the experiences and bring “the best of [their] sharing solutions together into a singular cross-Android solution under the Quick Share name”.

The updated Quick Share branding will start rolling out to current Nearby Share-enabled devices next month.

The blog post is a bit vague, but my understanding is that Samsung’s existing Quick Share client now runs Google’s Nearby SDK in addition to their own. This would allow Nearby Share-enabled devices to appear in Samsung’s Quick Share menu, while also retaining support for sharing with existing Quick Share-compatible devices like Samsung PCs.

Speaking of PCs, Google says they’re working with OEMs like LG to bundle Google’s Quick Share Windows client.

Finally: Fast Pair support is coming to Google TV devices, starting with the Chromecast with Google TV. This will make it much easier to pair Fast Pair-enabled Bluetooth accessories with your Google TV device. You’ll see a big pop-up on your TV with a “Connect now” button when you put your Fast Pair-enabled accessory into pairing mode.

This is coming “in the next month” to the Chromecast followed by more Google TV devices later this year.

LG TVs and select Google TV/Android TV OS devices will soon be able to act as Thread border routers for Google Home. This will let them act as a hub for your Matter-enabled smart home ecosystem, making it easier to add new Matter devices to your home network and control them from within the Google Home app.

Google didn’t share any details on which Google TV/Android TV OS devices will support this, but I previously discovered code in AOSP that suggests that a Thread network stack will be added in Android 15 but is being specifically backported to Android 14 as well for TV devices. So, it’s possible only some TVs running Android TV 14 will support this.