Tiny little UI experiment in Android 15 that I enabled:

When music is playing, the three-dot menu button in the volume slider can turn into a waveform.

This obviously hasn't rolled out yet, but what do you think of it anyways?

Oh wow, I did NOT expect Google to launch this yet!

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 enables desktop windowing support, and it runs directly on tablets just like I said it might!

Although the Pixel 9 Pro is already available to purchase in many countries like the US, however, atleast in India, Pixel 9 Pro will go on sale in November.
( 3 months late from the August release)

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The Wear OS 5 update is finally here for the Pixel Watch 1 and Pixel Watch 2!

The September 2024 update that's rolling out now brings Wear OS 5 based on Android 14. With the update, you'll get a new grid-view app launcher, improved Camera controls, and the Pixel Recorder app from the Pixel Watch 3.

Here are the build IDs:

Pixel Watch 1: AW2A.240903.005.A2

Pixel Watch 2: AW2A.240903.005.A1

Here's a first look at Priority Modes, the supercharged version of Do Not Disturb mode in Android 16!

You can create custom modes and toggle them from a new Quick Settings tile.

🔗 Screenshots + details on Priority Mode can be found in my latest article.

Google is preparing to let you run Linux apps on Android, just like Chrome OS

The company is working on a Terminal app that downloads, configures, runs, and interfaces with an instance of Debian in a VM.

🔗Full details in my latest article over on Android Authority.

Here's a demo of Android's in-development Terminal app for running Linux apps!

The Terminal app currently doesn't automatically download and configure the Linux VM for you, so the developer who sent me this had to use the LinuxInstaller app to download Debian.

(I sped the video up a bit in the middle because it takes some time to boot the VM for the first time.)

Google is testing a new version of Chrome for Android with extensions support

The new Desktop Android project brings browser extensions support to Chrome for Android, but there's a catch: It's not intended for mobile devices at the moment.

More details on this new project can be found in my latest article on Android Authority.

BREAKING: Google Tensor G5 Specification Leaked

Google’s Tensor G5 to power the Pixel 10 series next year will be designed internally by Google themselves without relying on Samsung for the bulk of the work. It will be manufactured on TSMC 3nm node process.

Tensor G5 CPU: codenamed 'Laguna'
SLC: 8MB
RAM: LPDDR5X (8533 Mbps)

• 1x Cortex-X4
• 5x Cortex-A725
• 2x Cortex-A520
Sadly Google is NOT using ARM's latest X925 cores which debuted with MediaTek Dimensity 9400 recently.

TPU:
The TOPS value is 18 / 9 TOPS (INT8/FP16), making it 40% larger compared to Tensor G4 but it will be around 15% faster only. The improved TPU also comes with a few new features for Google’s developers, such as small embedded RISC-V cores to allow running operations that are not implemented in hardware, as well as support for on-device training.

GPU:
This is the MOST disappointing part of the whole G5 chip. That's NOT because Google is ditching Mali GPU, but because Tensor G5 will feature PowerVR GPU from Imagination technologies — IMG DXT-48-1536 clocked at 1100MHz.

These GPU are mostly used by UNISOC in their chips for smartphones. The only reason why Google switched to PowerVR GPU is due to virtualization support. It also supports Ray tracing, however, the GPU will just have 2 CU (compute units) only in 2025 for 1000$ flagship phone

Now, to get your an idea of how fast would be the GPU, some crazy people calculated the expected benchmarking value of OpenCL compute & it will score around ...... well ........ 🤫 Let it be a surprise for Pixel fanbois.

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BREAKING: Google is developing its own custom architecture for future Tensor chips

Google already has its own custom architecture called 'Cypress' but it is basically for Axion processors for datacenters.

But now, Google is also working on a custom CPU core called 'Orion' that will debut with future Tensor chips, atleast 'after' the Tensor G6. Interestingly, Google is even testing some tensor chipsets clocked at 5.1GHz & manufactured on a 3nm node, likely TSMC.

Coming to the Tensor G6, it will power the Pixel 11 series & is codenamed as 'Malibu'. Although other SoCs will already be built on 2nm chip design in 2026, Tensor G6 will still be manufactured on 3nm node (N3P) by TSMC .

CPU:
• 1x Cortex- X930
• 6x Cortex- A730
SLC: 4MB
RAM: LPDDR5X
So, Tensor G6 will be a '7-core' configuration SoC

GPU:
Don't expect Google to ditch PowerVR GPU quite soon. Tensor G6 will have an IMG EXT GPU, having 3 CU (compute units) running at 1100Mhz. It will support virtualization & ray tracing, both.

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Here's a first look at Android's upcoming all-in-one Terminal app, which downloads, configures, runs, and interfaces with an instance of Debian running a virtual machine!

Currently, the Debian images are hosted on a Googler's GitHub, but Google plans to host these images themselves soon. For more info on this Terminal app, check out this article.

(Thanks to an anonymous dev for sharing this!)

BREAKING: Google Tensor G4 Spotted on Geekbench with PowerVR GPU

In a surprising twist, an early prototype of the Tensor G4 with a PowerVR GPU instead of Mali-G715 graphics has arrived on Geekbench. Many people assumed that its the Tensor G5, but in reality its a very early tensor G4 prototype to test and compile tensor new GPU drivers ahead of it final build.

According to some Google AOSP Dev, those chip on Geekbench are just basically tensor G4 with a different NPU under TSMC. So this is just a prototype for Google and Imagination developers to test and optimize the new drivers for the IMG DXT GPU. For the Tensor G5, Google has NOT even finalized the SoC core layout yet (especially the NPU).

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Google Pixel Watch 5 might be powered by custom Google Tensor chipset
Source

After news of Google working on custom architecture for Tensor SoCs for their Pixel smartphones, Google might also be putting a custom chip in its smartwatches instead of using Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear SoCs for wearables. The chip is code-named “NPT” (Newport Beach) and the intended release date is 2026.

CPU:
• 1x Arm Cortex-A78
• 2x Arm Cortex-A55

Google might also be assessing RISC-V as a potential alternative as well. The other details currently remain unknown as all these news are coming from a massive leak of a Google Internal Presentation from last year, which got leaked recently. Since the leaks are quite early, the final specifications could be change in future

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Pixel phones banned in Indonesia even though Google doesn't sell them there officially

Indonesian law mandates that foreign companies need to provide 40% local content as a part TKDN certification. Companies can fulfill those requirements by either manufacturing products locally, developing software locally or setting up R&D centers. Apple shortfall of 15$ Million investment in the country & thus the Indonesian Govt. ordered a sales ban on iPhones 16 series and Watch 10 series.

However, Apple officially sells iPhones in Indonesia unlike Google. Residents needs to import Pixels in the country, still the Indonesia Govt. ordered a sales ban on a product which isn't even sold officially in the country.

However, the restriction does NOT affect tourists or local residents who wish to purchase a Pixel outside of the county & legally import it by paying taxes properly. Additionally, the authorities are considering deactivating Pixel devices that are brought into the country illegally.

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Google confirms Pixel 9 Series in India comes with International Warranty

Google has confirmed to Geeky Ranjit (Indian Tech Youtuber) that all Pixel 9 series models including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with International warranty. This means that, if you buy these devices from outside India as they are generally available for quite cheap like in the US due to offers on trade-in, you can easily claim their warranty in India in case of any defects or problems with the handset.

Additionally, Google also opened two new exclusive service center in India in August, specifically in Delhi and Bangalore. The Mumbai Walk-In Centre will open soon.

Google says that these walk-in centres are designed to offer Pixel users top-tier customer service including "same-day repairs for most cases", device replacements, and resolving technical queries. These new Google-operated centres represent an exclusive, Google-owned service model, ensuring that users receive device care directly from the company.

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📱You've probably heard that LTPO OLED phones support variable refresh rate ...

but did you know that Android hasn't supported true VRR until now?

That's right - Google says Android 15 finally enables variable refresh rate support!

More details can be found in this article.