9to5Google

Following the puzzle this morning, Google has announced that I/O 2026 is taking place May 19-20.

Amazon announced a new UI for Fire TV last month that, at the very least, seems heavily inspired by Google TV. Now, it’s actively rolling out in the US.

The Pixel 10a is set to go up for pre-order starting tomorrow, but if you’re impatient, you don’t need to wait long to learn all about the phone. In addition to yesterday’s leaked specs sheet, we’re also getting a look at a leaked ad that paints Google’s budget phone as an affordable do-everything device.

After introducing on the Pixel 10 last year, Google is expanding Quick Share support with AirDrop to the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold. 

Samsung has been teasing the Galaxy S26 series for the past couple of weeks on social media, and while there are some hints of good things such as the new “Privacy Display” and apparent low-light video upgrades, it’s hard to care when it’s surrounded by a ton of absolute AI slop.

Biometrics are a core part of any smartphone nowadays, and Google Pixel is one of the few brands that balances both fingerprint and face unlock properly. But it seems Google wants to take things a step further on Pixel, with a new “Project Toscana” in the works that includes new face unlock hardware for phones and even Chromebooks, which is said to be comparable to iPhone’s Face ID in performance.

The journey to Google I/O 2026 is well underway this morning with a puzzle to figure out the dates for the developer conference.

Surfacing reports suggest that Samsung held out as long as it could in previous years, but current RAM and chip increases are creating a situation in which Samsung can’t hold out any longer and must increase the launch price of the Galaxy S26. It’s raise prices or nothing.

There are a lot of reasons to use a cloud backup service like Google Photos, but one of the many perks is the ability to access your full library of photos from any device. However, a sync bug with Google Photos that’s affecting a number of users has left that ability partially broken.

Samsung’s Galaxy series, especially as you reach the high-end in price, seems to want to cater to professional video more every year. After adding pro video codecs, Samsung is now offering the option to connect up to two 24-bit audio inputs via Bluetooth with an “Advanced Audio” app.

The Galaxy S26 still hasn’t been officially announced, but that hasn’t stopped case manufacturers from launching accessories for it. The good news is that, unlike the Galaxy S26 phones themselves, it doesn’t look like accessories are getting a price increase.

After Samsung killed all of the other upgrades that were set to make the Galaxy S26 series even a little bit exciting, the one leftover element is the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s “Privacy Display.” As teasers continue, screenshots show off how you’ll be able to use the feature, including its automatic triggers and granular options.

Apple yesterday confirmed an event where it’s expected to launch new devices, and Nothing is poking fun at that by revealing its own March 5 launch event to debut the Phone (4a) series.

According to the latest release notes for Google Play services, Android phones will be getting a “new local file backup feature” powered by Google Drive.

The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.

Android XR glasses are coming in 2026. Here’s what you can expect from the user interface and experience. 

Welcome to The Sideload episode 22, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes Joe Maring back to the show to discuss his recent anti-buyer’s guide, a list of Android devices he currently recommends you stay away from. After discussions around the Pixel 9a and Motorola’s Moto G-series, Joe plays the first-ever round of a new game invented by Will, where he’ll have to figure out what smartphone is being described just from a handful of clues. Play along at home!

Subscribe

• YouTube Podcasts
• Pocket Casts
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

I’m not the first to sing the praises of Gboard. Google has done an excellent job evolving the once-basic AOSP keyboard into the most obvious choice on Android, to the point where I’m not sure why I’d recommend using anything else besides it. Now, Google might be working on fixing the one shortcoming I’ve found while typing on Gboard daily since its initial branding, and in a strange twist, it’s an idea taken directly from iOS.

It’s a tale as old as time. Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 have leaked, almost a full week before the company’s launch event.