Daily Superthread (Jul 21 2026) - Your daily thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

Note 1. You can search for previous daily threads.

Note 2. Join our IRC and Telegram chat-rooms! Please see our wiki for instructions.

Please post your questions here. Feel free to use this thread for general questions/discussion as well.

https://redd.it/1v2ge73
@reddit_android

Anyone else still miss pop-up selfie cameras? I can't be the only one...

Every time a new phone launches, it feels like we're getting the same design again and again. A punch-hole in the middle, a punch-hole in the corner, or sometimes a notch. That's it.

Then I remember my favorite phone, the OnePlus 7 Pro.

That phone felt years ahead of its time. A true edge-to-edge display with no notch, no punch-hole, no distractions. Watching movies, gaming, and even everyday scrolling felt so much more immersive. The pop-up camera wasn't just a gimmick, it made the phone feel futuristic.

I understand why companies moved away from it. Water resistance, durability, cost, and thinner designs all played a role. But I still feel like we lost something special.

Now almost every smartphone looks identical from the front. The excitement and uniqueness are gone.

If a brand released a modern flagship with:

A reliable pop-up selfie camera

Latest Snapdragon flagship processor

Excellent cameras

Big battery with fast charging

IP rating

I'd buy it without thinking twice.

Am I just being nostalgic, or are there still people who'd choose a pop-up camera over a punch-hole display today?

What's your favorite pop-up camera phone? Mine is still the OnePlus 7 Pro.

https://redd.it/1v1v0a1
@reddit_android

They came for the King... - Motorola G Stylus 2026 Teardown & Durability Test - JerryRigEverything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y-D4gYIVe4

https://redd.it/1v2qk10
@reddit_android

Android 17 QPR2 Beta 1 – New & Hidden Features + Performance & Stability
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rPHFSqy6DO8&si=hre37JyCLON3O7gk

https://redd.it/1v2u5aq
@reddit_android

The Android Developer Verifier app is rolling out
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-developer-verifier-app-rollout-3689106/

https://redd.it/1v31dke
@reddit_android

Non-thought-through Android system backup and restore process

I have a recent experience with trying to save a phone with smashed display. The phone (pixel 6a) didn't have hdmi-over-usb-c, and enabling talkback (pressing up-down buttons together) from lockscreen didn't work either. Luckily by pressing the right spot, I got a few pixels working and I managed to enable talkback, then usb/wireless debugging and finally scrcpy.


Even after finally transferring stuff to the new phone, of course some apps didn't fully. Banking needs reinitializing - either by confirming it on the broken screen (scrcpy cannot mirror it, it's flagged as "secure"), or sending the bank photos of IDs. WhatsApp sync was only up to the last backup, and then broke down because the sim card was already in the new phone probably.

I cannot imagine how stupidly complicated this is if you completely destroy/lose the phone, and/or you are not nearby the second device to confirm your identity (to transfer stuff from google backups).

I get it, 2FA and all is needed for security. But IMO this should come with some "safety token" to restore the base google account. Maybe friend's account setup as backup confirmation. It's far too easy to lose basically your whole e-identity. God forbid you are in a vacation and don't have flight tickets, credit cards etc.

Don't get me started with all the 2FA services, where each requires you to store some hashes somewhere safe, and then find them in 10 years. I somehow manage, but it's completely non-realistic requirements for layman people.

Rant over.

How do you guys keep your phone backed-up? Adb cannot even do full backups these days... Do you ever try restoring from backups? Or are you reconciled with some loses after each voluntary/forced phone change?

https://redd.it/1v2p1bj
@reddit_android

Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G heads for global release
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-17-Pro-Max-5G-heads-for-global-release.1348844.0.html

https://redd.it/1v377dl
@reddit_android

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2026 megathread

Livestream link

ASL livestream link

The keynote will begin when this post is 59 minutes old (9 AM EDT). u/welpimdamned and I have been invited to the Unpacked Watch Party in New York.

Use this thread to discuss the event, including the new devices. Feel free to share links to relevant coverage in the comments, and I'll add them to the megathread.

#Press releases



#Live media coverage

Engadget

CNET

Android Central

Android Police

TechRadar

Gizmodo

Mashable

Tom's Guide

#Articles



#Videos

https://redd.it/1v3e3ku
@reddit_android

Daily Superthread (Jul 22 2026) - Your daily thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

Note 1. You can search for previous daily threads.

Note 2. Join our IRC and Telegram chat-rooms! Please see our wiki for instructions.

Please post your questions here. Feel free to use this thread for general questions/discussion as well.

https://redd.it/1v3e309
@reddit_android

Switching from iOS is now even easier with the upgraded Android Switch

Hi Reddit,

At [*The Android Show | I/O Edition*](https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1tb8dxv/new_features_emojis_security_improvements_heres/) earlier this year, we announced an upgraded switching process that makes it easier to transfer your data from your iPhone to your new Android device. We worked with Apple to build a new iOS-to-Android transfer process from the ground up that allows more of your data to be wirelessly migrated, such as your favorite apps, passwords and passkeys, messages, files, homescreen layout, and even your eSIM profile.

Today, I wanted to share more details with this community about the upgraded migration experience, which is part of a new version of Android Switch available with [Android 17](https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1u7l1cw/android_17_is_out_and_heres_all_the_features/). 

https://preview.redd.it/t143xtmr3seh1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=9a881e8051aa36ede004a2f5c69dd7d9cb50133c

Previously, when you [switched from iPhone to Android](https://www.android.com/switch-to-android/), you had the option to copy data from your old phone with or without a cable. Many people didn’t have the right cable or dongle at hand when setting up their new Android device, so they opted to transfer data wirelessly. We designed that wireless experience to help you easily and securely move your most important data to your brand new Android device, but due to constraints with iOS, the types of data you could transfer was very limited. For example, you couldn’t transfer your alarms, apps, call history, or files, among other things. This forced you to spend more time manually setting up your new Android device.

To address these limitations, we worked with Apple to build a ground-up new transfer process built directly into the core of both Android and iOS. The new Android Switch migration experience supports transferring even more of your data, either via cable or wirelessly. No matter which method you choose, you’ll be able to transfer the same data via either. All of this works without needing to download a separate app or grant complex permissions. The new experience supports transferring new types of data like your Google Account, passwords and passkeys, and Wi-Fi credentials. Plus, both platforms support new APIs that developers can use to migrate in-app data securely across platforms.

Here’s a full breakdown of what data can be transferred from your iPhone to your new Android device based on which method you choose to transfer data:

||**(Classic)** **Wireless**|**(Classic)** **Wired**|**(Upgraded)** **Wired**|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|**Calendar events**|✅|✅|✅|
|**Contacts**|✅|✅|✅|
|**Local photos and videos**|✅|✅|✅|
|**Clock Alarms**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Device and Accessibility Settings**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Downloaded files**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Free apps**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Homescreen layout**|❌|✅|✅|
|**iMessage history**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Music files**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Notes (text-only)**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Voice memos**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Wallpapers**|❌|✅|✅|
|**WhatsApp history**|❌|✅|✅|
|**SMS, MMS and RCS history**|❌|✅|✅|
|**Encrypted RCS**|❌|❌|✅|
|**All files and folders**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Calendar attachments**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Call history**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Google Account**|❌|❌|✅|
|**eSIM**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Notes attachments**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Notes labels**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Offloaded message attachments**|❌|❌|✅|
|**One-Time Passwords**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Passkeys**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Passwords**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Third-party app data channel**|❌|❌|✅|
|**WiFi Credentials**|❌|❌|✅|
|**Photo albums**|❌|❌|🕘 (Coming soon)|

The upgraded Android Switch experience is available in Android 17 and has already started rolling out to the Pixel 8 and newer. It will also be available via Samsung Smart Switch on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 and Galaxy Z Fold8 series devices and will come to more Android devices soon. 

If your device is eligible for the upgraded migration experience, you’ll get a QR code immediately after you choose to copy data from an iPhone during setup. Visit our [Help

Center](https://support.google.com/android/answer/13626960) for more information.

https://redd.it/1v3fjf2
@reddit_android

Got any questions about the Galaxy Fold8, Fold8 Ultra, Flip8, Watch9, Watch Ultra2? We have hands-on, so AMA!

https://preview.redd.it/o2oyeq0vvseh1.jpg?width=5184&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e559e5cfff711e11ee2b8953b17c21f7551f74c

u/FragmentedChicken and have hands-on with the Galaxy Fold8, Fold8 Ultra, Flip8, Watch9, Watch Ultra2! Ask us anything. We were invited by Samsung to the Unpacked event and provided with loaner units for review. Leave your questions below and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

https://redd.it/1v3jte4
@reddit_android

Redmi Note 17 series reportedly set to launch with four models in Vietnam
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Redmi-Note-17-series-reportedly-set-to-launch-with-four-models-in-Vietnam.1348967.0.html

https://redd.it/1v3nkte
@reddit_android

Omdia: India smartphone shipments fall 13% in 2Q26 amid rising prices and macroeconomic headwinds
https://omdia.tech.informa.com/pr/2026/july/india-smartphone-shipments-fall-13percent-in-2q26-amid-rising-prices-and-macroeconomic-headwinds

https://redd.it/1v3b3n3
@reddit_android

[DEV] Introducing Mechanly - create personal apps and tasks that keep running when your screen is off!

Hi all! Excited to announce **Mechanly** \- my most ambitious project yet.

*Over the years I've built some Android firsts (*[IJP apps](https://ijp.app/)*):* ***Energy Ring***, the battery indicator that wraps around punch-hole cameras; ***Access Dots***, which brought camera and microphone privacy indicators to Android before they became a native feature; and ***CoverScreen Apps***, along with several experiments pushing what cover screens on Flip phones could do. And now super excited to share with another firsts for Android, a super app - Mechanly!

# Mechanly ^ _ ^

Mechanly lets you describe an **App** you wish existed or a **Task** you want your phone to handle.

For example:

*Check my Gmail Spam folder every few hours. Find messages that may have been caught by mistake and let me move them back to my inbox.*

*Or,*

*Every weekday morning, compare my two routes to work. Notify me only when one saves more than ten minutes.*

You don’t have to build a flowchart or connect a dozen blocks. Describe the result you want, review the access it needs, and save it.

Mechanly can create two kinds of experiences:

* **Tasks** work for you on demand or in the background. They can check something, process information, send a notification, or produce an interactive visual result.
* **Apps** give you a custom interface with its own storage, icon, and home-screen shortcut. An App can be a simple personal tool or stay connected to Tasks that keep its information updated.

# Why Android-first?

A modern Android phone is already a powerful, always-connected computer that stays with you throughout the day.

However, many agent-style tools still depend on a desktop computer, server, or open browser window.

Mechanly is built around a different idea: **your phone itself can be the home for your personal Apps and Tasks.**

A Task can run while Mechanly is closed and the screen is off. When it finds something useful, it can notify you or open an interactive result directly on your phone.

You don’t need to leave a PC, Mac, or VPS running just to check a website, prepare a briefing, or watch for something important.

# What Mechanly can do

* **Run Tasks in the background** Tasks can run on demand or on a schedule, including while Mechanly is closed and your phone’s screen is off.
* **Work inside your logged-in browser** Mechanly has a built-in browser. Sign in to a website once, and a Task can later use that same on-phone session. This is useful for information behind a login, especially when the website doesn’t provide a convenient API.
* **Use app connectors** Tasks can work with supported services such as Gmail and Google Calendar.
* **Use Android notifications - with permission** Mechanly can optionally read your phone’s notifications. This makes experiences such as notification triage and overnight summaries possible.
* **Notify you only when something matters** A Task doesn’t have to bother you after every run. It can notify you only when it finds an important email, a delayed delivery, a faster route, a price drop, or another condition you define.
* **Produce interactive visual results** A Task can return more than a sentence. Tapping its notification can open a visual briefing, workout, inbox, report, or another custom experience.
* **Create Apps for your home screen** A Mechanly App can have its own interface, storage, generated icon, and home-screen shortcut. It can be something small and personal that no developer would normally build as a standalone app.
* **Connect Apps and Tasks** An App can display information prepared by background Tasks. For example, a Task could check your orders periodically while an App presents them as a delivery and spending dashboard.
* **Share and import creations** Apps and Tasks can be shared through an import link. The person importing one can review the required access and connect their own accounts.

*I am sharing few Tasks and Apps that I created on Mechanly for your inspiration below, but

it's practically limitless, super excited to hear what you guys come up with or any unique use cases that you would like me to support!*

# Apps you can import

Install Mechanly first, then open these links on the same Android phone.

* [**Amazon Orders**](https://mechanly.app/share/share_11b9897551272760019793a1) Select your Amazon country and sign in through Mechanly’s browser. The App turns your order history into a dashboard showing month-to-date spending, category breakdowns, upcoming deliveries, recent purchases, and items that may still be within their return window. It is read-only. It cannot purchase, cancel, or return anything.
* [**Newsletter Digest**](https://mechanly.app/share/share_1a4b3ed208e85c572b60f5e9) Turns unread Gmail newsletters into a single daily edition with summaries, key points, and links to the original stories. It remembers what it has already processed, so you don’t keep seeing summaries of the same newsletters.
* [**Notification Triage**](https://mechanly.app/share/share_ff3c07e4ca7715a5804f30e2) Sorts your phone notifications into **Priority**, **Later**, and **Noise**, then gives you a short explanation of what may actually need your attention. You can add always-priority and always-ignore rules. The App is read-only and never dismisses or modifies your notifications.

# Visual Tasks you can import

Not every useful idea needs to become a full home-screen App. A Task can run quietly, send a concise notification, and still provide an interactive result when opened.

* [**Gmail Spam Rescue**](https://mechanly.app/share/share_d81222d1942ffa442328d472) Checks Gmail’s Spam folder every few hours and surfaces messages that may be false positives. It labels each message as low, medium, or high risk, then lets you mark it as important or move it back to the inbox. It is for that one genuine email you would otherwise discover in Spam three weeks too late.
* [**Daily Workout Coach**](https://mechanly.app/share/share_8062b0acb15066947fdc975a) Creates a workout at your chosen time using a repeating Push, Pull, Legs, and Rest rotation. Each run includes five exercises or recovery activities, sets and reps, focus areas, a form tip, and a fresh motivational one-liner. Tapping the notification opens the complete visual routine.

# Tasks can also be much simpler

Some Tasks only need to return a short answer:

* Compare two commute routes and notify me only when one is significantly faster.
* Check tomorrow’s calendar for overlapping meetings or missing travel time.
* Every Friday, find important emails that may still need a reply.
* Watch a product page for a price drop or restock.
* List subscriptions and charges due within the next two weeks.
* Check deliveries and notify me only when something is delayed or requires action.
* Summarize overnight notifications while ignoring promotions and ongoing system notices.
* Monitor a website or dashboard and report only what changed.
* Prepare a morning briefing from messages, email, calendar, weather, and traffic.

These examples are intentionally specific.

Mechanly isn’t meant to replace every app on your phone. It is meant to fill the small, personal gaps for which nobody is going to build an app just for you.

# Try Mechanly

Mechanly is currently free during Alpha, please let me know more use cases, and your nitpicks

[**Download Mechanly from Google Play**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.ijp.mechanly)

**What is one repetitive thing you keep opening an app or website to check? And what small, oddly specific App do you wish existed just for you?**

https://redd.it/1v3qgz8
@reddit_android

I built a family check-in app that doesn't use GPS. Looking for feedback

Hey,



I published an Android app called Closer and wanted some honest feedback from people here.I basically got tired of "family safety" apps that are just location tracking. I don't want a map of where someone is. I just want to know they're okay.

Closer works like this:

\-You invite someone and share a private confirmation number.

\-You send a check-in, either now or on a schedule.

They confirm by tapping that number.

\-f they miss it, get it wrong, or say they're not okay, you get an alert and can call or text them

No GPS or live tracking. Just check-ins with people you trust.

Free version is 1 person and simple once-a-day schedules. There's an optional Plus upgrade if you need more.



Play Store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.polyhistor.closer

Moe info:

https://closer-family-safety.com



Happy to answer questions.

https://redd.it/1v3ip9g
@reddit_android

Synco — open source, local-first sync between your Android phone and desktop. No cloud, no lag.

Built Synco because I got tired of reaching for my phone during deep work. It mirrors notifications, controls media playback, and routes calls between your Android phone and desktop — all over your local Wi-Fi. Zero cloud, end-to-end encrypted, free.

What it does:

\- Notification mirroring (WhatsApp, Slack, Gmail, etc.) straight to your desktop

\- Real-time call handling — answer/decline from your keyboard

\- Media telemetry & audio routing intelligence

\- Works over Local Wi-Fi, Direct Hotspot, or Bluetooth LE

\- E2EE using Curve25519 + AES-256-GCM

No signup, no cloud, no tracking. Just a direct encrypted link between your devices.

Completely free & open source: https://github.com/Dhruvesh-Dabhade/Synco

https://redd.it/1v3ezdr
@reddit_android

Daily Superthread (Jul 23 2026) - Your daily thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

Note 1. You can search for previous daily threads.

Note 2. Join our IRC and Telegram chat-rooms! Please see our wiki for instructions.

Please post your questions here. Feel free to use this thread for general questions/discussion as well.

https://redd.it/1v4bvph
@reddit_android

Google introduces new ‘selfie video’ sign-in method
https://9to5google.com/2026/07/23/google-account-selfie-video/

https://redd.it/1v4fx85
@reddit_android

Gaming test - Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbcAUIX8VeM&feature=youtu.be

https://redd.it/1v4lauf
@reddit_android