Here’s everything new in Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 [Gallery]
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Spotify rolling out ‘User Notes’ and ‘Running Mode’ features on Android – here’s what they do
Spotify is introducing two new features this week including a “Running Mode” that can automatically match songs and playlists to the pace of your workout, as well as “User Notes” which let you leave notes throughout your library to refer to later.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Sideload 041: A vision of Pixels to come
Welcome to episode 41 of The Sideload, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Ben Schoon joins Will to discuss the future of Pixel, as Google’s Pixel 11 attempts to bridge the gap between always-accessible AI assistant and a more minimalist, digital wellbeing-friendly experience. They also dig into the world of AI ads, posters, and more, and wonder whether they’re doing far more harm than good to the people who choose to monetize them.
Sponsored by NordVPN: Listeners to The Sideload can save up to 76% on a two-year subscription alongside four extra months for absolutely free by signing up for NordVPN using this link. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this week’s episode.
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Expand Expanding CloseSamsung makes warranty repairs easier with Android 17, advertises it with AI guinea pigs [Gallery]
Live on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series and presumably coming to more devices when Android 17 / One UI 9 rolls out more broadly, Samsung is showing off a new “Warranty and Care” menu that makes it a whole lot easier to deal with repairs and warranty claims on your Galaxy device.
Expand Expanding CloseGemini in Chrome and auto browse roll out on Android in the US
After previewing in May, Google has now finished rolling out Gemini in Chrome for Android users in the US.
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Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Easy Delivery, Kingdom Rush Vengeance, Front Armies, more
Your afternoon lineup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to roll, including titles like Easy Delivery Co., Front Armies [RTS], Wall Of Insanity 2, 9th Dawn Remake RPG, Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD Game, and more. Alongside Best Buy’s massive 60th Anniversary Sale, we are still tracking some serious pre-order deals on Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold – including extra $150 off select models at Amazon – as well as deals on the Olive Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 and a giant $750 price drop on Samsung’s 16-inch Snapdragon X Elite touchscreen Galaxy Book.
Read MorePixel Screenshots updated with new date and app filters
Following Journal and Recorder, the Pixel 11 update for the Screenshots app is here with the ability to filter “by date range and source.”
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Deals: 1-day Galaxy sale – Tabs from $215, S26 cases 60% off, Olive Pixel Buds Pro 2, Galaxy Book $750 off, more
As part of the ongoing Best Buy 60th Anniversary Sale, today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by a 1-day Samsung Galaxy sale offering Galaxy tabs from $215, official Galaxy S26 series cases and accessories from $10, and more. The sale also features a giant $750 discount on Samsung’s 16-inch Snapdragon X Elite touchscreen Galaxy Book and has ushered in Best Buy’s first deal on the new Olive Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. Just be sure to also scope out the Sonos Ace ANC headphones at $200 off the launch price and this chance to score Sony’s wonderful WH-1000XM6 ANC Headphones at $260 off. Everything else awaits below.
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NBC raises Peacock’s price for the fourth year in a row
NBC Universal has announced that Peacock will get yet another price hike, the fourth time in the platform’s history, which also now makes for a price hike in each of the past four years.
Expand Expanding CloseFairphone officially starts selling its new repairable Android phone in the US for $649
Following the launch of audio products in the US earlier this year, Fairphone is officially bringing its repairable Android phone, the Fairphone Gen 6+, to the States for $649.
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It’s not just you, Google’s Nest Hubs were hit with an outage late last night
If your “goodnight” routine was met with silence last night, you’re not alone. Google’s Nest Hub devices were hit with a widespread outage that broke functionality entirely, but it’s all back in action this morning.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Pixel strategy is now ‘attack,’ 13 million phones in 2026, ending China production
A new report details Google’s plans to completely end production in China as soon as next year, while the company is aiming to sell around 13 million Pixel phones in 2026.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle’s got Spirit (yes it does)
Good morning. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Today I’m reading more about Anthropic’s strange new text watermarking process, watching this historic Joshua Baéz home run recap on repeat, listening to the incredible new Phoebe Bridgers album, and getting stuck into Daniel Mason’s new satire, Country People.
As a reminder, Inbox is the tech newsletter you should be able to read in around 95 seconds. We cover the most important 9to5Google stories from the last couple of days along with a few highlights from around the web. We publish every Tuesday and Thursday, and if you like what you read, please subscribe.
Expand Expanding CloseWhat’s new in Android’s August 2026 Google System Updates [U]
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.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle rolling out Android 17 QPR1 Beta 9 for Pixel
The Android 17 QPR1 preview is surprisingly still active as Google today released Beta 9. This follows a big Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 on Friday.
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Monday’s Android app deals and freebies: Demon Castle, Deus Ex GO, SENTINEL 519, GNOSIA, more
Your Monday afternoon lineup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to roll, including titles like Demon Castle Story, Deus Ex GO, Hitman GO, SENTINEL 519: SAGA – GENESIS, Sands of Salzaar, Laser Tanks: Pixel RPG, GNOSIA, FrogBoy, and more. Best Buy’s massive 60th Anniversary Sale is now in full swing with deep deals on TVs, Android phones, and 10x rewards points, as well as 20% off all official new Pixel 11 Pixelsnap cases, a 58-inch Hisense smart TV for $190, and up to $1,350 off 2026 Copilot+ PC and gaming laptops. But for now it’s all about the Google Play deals and they are all waiting below/.
Read MoreGoogle hires former Gmail lead to be Chrome’s new VP of Product
Google has hired Jacob Bank as VP of Product for Chrome. The announcement was made today, with Bank previously working at Google for six years.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube now counts video views immediately, ‘from the very first frame’
Starting next week, YouTube will change how view counts on a video are measured, with a view now being registered immediately as a viewer starts watching a video.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle just bought a bunch of Spirit Airlines data for AI training
As the AI race continues to hunt for new data to use for AI training, Google has just purchased a huge dump of old data from the now-defunct Spirit Airlines to be “helpful” in training its AI models.
Expand Expanding CloseFind Hub for Wear OS adds very basic ‘Find people’ app
Google is rolling out an update to Find Hub on Wear OS that adds a “Find people” app to your watch. The experience was previously just for your devices.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung Galaxy design might ditch its ‘core identity’ for a Pixel camera bar – it needs to
New evidence suggests that Samsung is possibly, maybe, potentially looking to move away from the vertical camera design on Galaxy phones that it recently called its “core identity” for something closer to a Pixel camera bar, and I seriously hope it happens.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Recorder update brings new Pixel 11 app icon
Following the Journal app last week, Google is rolling out an update to Pixel Recorder that brings the new app icon to older devices.
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Deals: Best Buy 60th Anniversary Sale, Pixelsnap cases 20% off, Copilot+ PCs up to $1,350 off, Nothing Headphone (a), more
Joining the massive Best Buy 60th Anniversary Sale that kicked off today, alongside the ongoing Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold pre-order deals, today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by a host of new discounts. Not only is Best Buy now offering 20% off all of Google’s new Pixelsnap cases, but it is also now delivering some seriously deep deals on Copilot+ PCs, gaming laptops, and more at up to $1,350 off as well as OLED TVs from $700 and this 58-inch model at just $190. Those offers join a new Amazon all-time low Nothing Headphone (a) at nearly 30% off and even more down below.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle says Pixel 11’s new MediaTek modem is ‘faster and more power efficient’
The Pixel 11 series brings Google’s updated Tensor G6 chipset that, while not quite as big of an upgrade as we expected, still brings a big new change in a MediaTek-made modem that Google has some claims about.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung is reportedly building an even wider Galaxy Z Fold 9 for video viewing
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an absolute smash hit and, with that in mind, Samsung is reportedly doubling down on the form factor with a second wide device now in the works for the Galaxy Z Fold 9 series, making for a total of five new foldables in 2027.
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