Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
Google's Deep Research feature will be coming to the Gemini app for Pixel users with a Gemini Advanced subscription in the next few days.
Deep Research "helps you browse through up to hundreds of websites to generate a report with key findings, organized with links to original sources so you can learn even more."
Deep Research "helps you browse through up to hundreds of websites to generate a report with key findings, organized with links to original sources so you can learn even more."
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
Big news: Google has just announced that Android will soon make ALL apps resizable on large screen devices!
Currently, apps can lock themselves to portrait orientation or certain aspect ratios, which sucks for large screen devices like tablets, Chromebooks, and upcoming XR devices.
On large screen devices, Android 16 will ignore apps' requests to restrict resizing and orientation changes. This behavior applies to apps that target API 36 but doesn't apply to games. Apps can opt out in Android 16 but this opt-out will be removed in the next Android release.
Google is previewing these changes in Android 16 Beta 1.
Source
Currently, apps can lock themselves to portrait orientation or certain aspect ratios, which sucks for large screen devices like tablets, Chromebooks, and upcoming XR devices.
On large screen devices, Android 16 will ignore apps' requests to restrict resizing and orientation changes. This behavior applies to apps that target API 36 but doesn't apply to games. Apps can opt out in Android 16 but this opt-out will be removed in the next Android release.
Google is previewing these changes in Android 16 Beta 1.
Source
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
Google has announced that Android's Identity Check feature will roll out to more Android devices later this year!
This feature is currently available on Pixel devices following the December Android 15 QPR1 stable update and on One UI 7 eligible Samsung Galaxy devices. It only works on devices that support class 3 ("strong") biometrics.
Identity Check forces biometric authentication to be used when trying to change sensitive settings, accessing your Google or Samsung accounts, seeing your passwords, and much more when your phone is outside a designated trusted location. This protects you from thieves who know your PIN/passcode/password when they steal your phone.
To enable Identity Check once it rolls out, go to theft protection settings - Identity Check will be listed there if your device supports it.
Google also announced today that its Theft Protection Lock feature has been 100% rolled out, so you should see it if you're running Android 10 or later and have GMS. This feature automatically locks your phone when it's detected that a thief has snatched it from your hand. It uses an on-device machine learning algorithm to detect this.
This feature is currently available on Pixel devices following the December Android 15 QPR1 stable update and on One UI 7 eligible Samsung Galaxy devices. It only works on devices that support class 3 ("strong") biometrics.
Identity Check forces biometric authentication to be used when trying to change sensitive settings, accessing your Google or Samsung accounts, seeing your passwords, and much more when your phone is outside a designated trusted location. This protects you from thieves who know your PIN/passcode/password when they steal your phone.
To enable Identity Check once it rolls out, go to theft protection settings - Identity Check will be listed there if your device supports it.
Google also announced today that its Theft Protection Lock feature has been 100% rolled out, so you should see it if you're running Android 10 or later and have GMS. This feature automatically locks your phone when it's detected that a thief has snatched it from your hand. It uses an on-device machine learning algorithm to detect this.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🚨Android 16 Beta 1 is OFFICIAL!
The first Android 16 Beta brings big changes like:
- Better app support for tablets
- iOS-like notifications called Live Updates
- Predictive back enabled for apps targeting API 36
Read this article for ALL the details.
(FYI: Google just told me the release won't be fully available right now, but will be ready later today!)
The first Android 16 Beta brings big changes like:
- Better app support for tablets
- iOS-like notifications called Live Updates
- Predictive back enabled for apps targeting API 36
Read this article for ALL the details.
(FYI: Google just told me the release won't be fully available right now, but will be ready later today!)
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
Android 16 Beta 1 is now available!
The build number is BP22.250103.008, so this is a newer build than Android 15 QPR2 Beta 3.
Factory images and OTAs are available for the Pixel 6 and later.
The build number is BP22.250103.008, so this is a newer build than Android 15 QPR2 Beta 3.
Factory images and OTAs are available for the Pixel 6 and later.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
FYI: This is what Live Updates will actually look like in Android 16 Beta 1, as per Google's documentation.
The GIF you may have seen elsewhere doesn't represent the feature in its current form but instead a potential future version.
That's why I didn't include it in my article.
The GIF you may have seen elsewhere doesn't represent the feature in its current form but instead a potential future version.
That's why I didn't include it in my article.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🔒Here's how Advanced Protection Mode in Android 16 will protect your data
Turning on Advanced Protection will block sideloading, 2G connectivity, and enable MTE in Android 16.
Read this article on Android Authority for more details on this upcoming security feature.
Turning on Advanced Protection will block sideloading, 2G connectivity, and enable MTE in Android 16.
Read this article on Android Authority for more details on this upcoming security feature.
Android Authority
Here's how Advanced Protection Mode in Android 16 will protect your data
Advanced Protection Mode is a new security feature in Android 16 that builds upon Google's Advanced Protection Program. Here's how it works.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🔒Here's how Android's new Secure Lock feature will help secure your sensitive data
This'll solve a big security loophole:
If a thief who sees you enter your PIN steals your phone, they can unlock it and see notifications and widgets.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
This'll solve a big security loophole:
If a thief who sees you enter your PIN steals your phone, they can unlock it and see notifications and widgets.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Android Authority
Here's how Android's new Secure Lock feature will help secure your sensitive data
Android 16 may add a new Secure Lock feature that will let you remotely put your Android device into an enhanced security state.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
Evidently, the Galaxy S25 supports Satellite SOS messaging with Skylo as the service provider, but ONLY if you're on
Verizon.
Buried in Verizon's press release:
Why did Samsung not market this feature at all? What may have happened is that Samsung would rather not deal with deploying satellite SOS messages region-by-region and is leaving it up to carriers to make the respective partnerships, as Verizon has done with Skylo. Samsung went ahead and added support for a standards-based satellite solution in the form of the revived Snapdragon Satellite, so it's up to carriers to take advantage of it. I guess a lot of people would complain if Samsung had talked about the feature and how it's only available in a limited fashion, but I'm not sure why they didn't go the Google route and ink at least a nationwide deal.
Verizon.
Buried in Verizon's press release:
"Verizon now offers seamless connection to Satellite SOS messaging powered by Skylo on the Galaxy S25 series, in the unlikely event that you need emergency services and are in an area without cellular connectivity."
Why did Samsung not market this feature at all? What may have happened is that Samsung would rather not deal with deploying satellite SOS messages region-by-region and is leaving it up to carriers to make the respective partnerships, as Verizon has done with Skylo. Samsung went ahead and added support for a standards-based satellite solution in the form of the revived Snapdragon Satellite, so it's up to carriers to take advantage of it. I guess a lot of people would complain if Samsung had talked about the feature and how it's only available in a limited fashion, but I'm not sure why they didn't go the Google route and ink at least a nationwide deal.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🎵 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.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
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!
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
TalkBack image descriptions 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.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🚨 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.
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
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?
Forwarded from Mishaal's Android News Feed
🔊 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.