First look at Pixel 8a in real life
TechDroider

Alleged Pixel 8a photos have been shared by TechDroider on Twitter.

It seems like Google is following suit of Samsung for making the ugliest bezels on a midrange device. The device looks bad. Very bad.

We can't even defend Google with this one because they didn't even bother to make the edges even like with other Pixels.

#Pixel8a
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Google Pixel AI editing tools are coming to all Google Photos users
Google Blog

Starting on May 15, basically the next day after the Google I/O event on May 14, many of Google Pixel's exclusive AI-powered tools like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Portrait Light — will be available to anyone (including Apple's iOS users) using Google Photos with NO subnoscription required.

Pixel 8 series exclusive Magic Editor would also be available for all Android and iOS users but with 10 saves each month.

Your device should at least have 4 GB RAM and it should either be Android 8.0 /iOS 15 or higher.

If you want to continue saving edits made using Magic Editor after 10 saves, you’ll need to either:
• Upgrade to a Premium Google One plan 2 TB or above.
• Be a Google Pixel user even if it's a Pixel 1

Other Google Photos features like — Video Boost, Audio Eraser, and Best Take are still Pixel 8 series exclusive

Follow @TechLeaksZone

The first Android 15 beta is HERE! Android 15 Beta 1 is rolling out today to users enrolled in the Android beta program. Supported devices include the Pixel 6 and newer, as well as the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold.

Here’s what’s new in Android 15 Beta 1, according to Google:

* As I first reported, apps targeting Android 15 are now displayed edge-to-edge by default when running on Android 15! This means apps won’t have to call the edge-to-edge APIs to show content behind system bars in Android 15, though they should call those APIs to do so in earlier releases. To assist app developers in supporting edge-to-edge, many Material 3 composables handle insets for you.

* Another Android 15 feature I first reported on is app archiving, which went live in DP2 but Google is now choosing to highlight in Beta 1. Android 15 includes OS level support for app archiving and unarchiving, making it easier for third-party app stores to support it (Google Play already does since last year). App store developers should check out the new PackageInstaller APIs while launcher developers should check out the new LauncherApps APIs to learn how to handle archived apps.

* The TalkBack accessibility service in Android 15 now supports Braille displays that use human interface devices over USB and Bluetooth.

* There’s also now an OS-level API for E2EE of contact keys so users can securely manage and verify other people’s contact information, enhancements to the NFC observe mode to allow apps to register a fingerprint so they can be notified of polling loop activity, inter-character text justification support, a new ProfilingManager class to collect profiling info from within apps, and additional changes to prevent malicious background apps from bringing other apps to the foreground.

Android 15 Beta 1 is the first of 4 planned beta releases. Beta 2 will very likely be unveiled at Google I/O on May 14, while Beta 3 will happen sometime in June and Beta 4 sometime in July. Beta 3 is when Platform Stability will be reached.

The Pixel Watch may soon add support for syncing app permissions from your phone!

Back in October, I discovered a new "sync permissions" setting in Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2 that gives your connected Wear OS smartwatch the same app permissions you allowed on your phone.

Today, Nail Sadykov discovered that the Pixel Watch companion app is preparing to add support for this. After flipping a flag, a new 'device details' item appears in the companion app that says "remove watch, sync permissions, share contacts".

Tapping on this opens Android's Bluetooth device details page for your connected Pixel Watch, surfacing the "sync permissions from phone" menu item I previously discovered.