9to5Google

Welcome to episode 38 of The Sideload, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will is joined by Peter Huber of Niagara Launcher to discuss the origins of Niagara, what it’s like maintaining a launcher in 2026, their partnership with the upcoming Clicks Communicator and so much more.

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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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.

Google is making a policy change to Android backups that adjusts what counts toward your Google Account storage.

I love reporting the news, and it’s something I’ve been doing day-in and day-out for well over a decade. The entire 9to5Google team is passionate about the work it does.

Ahead of their launch tomorrow, a new leak has shown off Nothing Ear (3a) in detail with vibrant colors and the return of a compact case.

Samsung’s foldables aren’t the only devices we expect to get a price increase. Reports say the Galaxy Watch 9 series and Watch Ultra 2 prices will go up by around 10%.

A new leak has revealed Samsung’s revamped Galaxy Wearable app for Galaxy Watch.

This is a list of features that Google has shown off but not yet launched. It goes a bit beyond features that are just slowly rolling out and enters the realm of possibly scrapped.

The next generation of Google’s smart home era has arrived, with the Google Home Speaker having set the stage. With an inevitable “Google Home Display” likely in the pipeline, what does that look like?

This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of our newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and more. Sign up here to get Weekender delivered to your inbox every weekend, and catch our weekday roundups too!

While the free tier of the Gemini app allows you to be quite productive, subscribing to Google AI Plus or AI Pro unlocks a lot more.

Building a business in 2026 means creating a brand. You need a logo, cohesive designs, and high quality images to go with your products and services. That’s where Zawa steps in, with an all-in-one platform that helps you build the brand you need from scratch, no experience required.

Peak ironic comedy. That’s how I’d describe leaked prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, as Samsung’s all-new “Wide” device is going to be cheaper than the “Ultra,” which is getting a price hike for no obvious reason.

On paper, the upcoming Pixel 11 series looks like more of the same. For the modern smartphone enthusiast, “more of the same” usually triggers an immediate eye-roll. Are we setting ourselves up for disappointment by expecting the Pixel 11 to be something it was never meant to be?

There’s a bit of an obsession out there with resurrecting the BlackBerry-style physical QWERTY keyboard but, after trying a couple of the latest attempts, I still struggle to see the appeal in 2026, and I’m really not sure who’s buying these.

Gemini for Android Auto has been divisive, to say the least, but for all of its pros and cons, there’s still one big problem that frustrates me on a frequent basis.

As previewed earlier this year, the Google Wallet app on phones can now show payment history made by Wear OS watches.

Google Pixel phones aren’t exactly known for taking an “everything and the kitchen sink” approach to features, which has led to some well-established features on other devices not being found on Pixel. According to 9to5Google readers, these are some of the biggest missing features on Google Pixel.