While Discover and Assistant Snapshot have gone through a handful of visual revamps in recent years, the rest of the Google app has remained the same. Google is now testing a settings redesign on Android that removes the “More” tab.
Today
New Pixel phones released in the fall usually launch with exclusive software features that later become available on older Google phones. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will be the first to feature Material You weather widgets powered by the Google app.
YouTube TV customers are once again feeling the effects of a contract dispute between the platform and its content partners. This time around, NBC may remove all of its channels from YouTube TV, but it seems one part of the dispute may have been that NBC tried to force Google to bundle Peacock in with YouTube TV subscriptions.
Best Android app deals of the day: Doctor Who, Galaxy Trader, Kosmos, more
It is now time to collect all of Tuesday’s best deals on Android games and apps. As always, our Chromebook, Google, and Android hubs are filled with notable hardware offers, including today’s deal on Lenovo’s P11 Pro Android Tablet, but for now it’s all about the apps. Today’s collection is highlighted by titles such as Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins, Galaxy Trader, Kosmos – Work Time Tracker, FTP Server, and more. Head below the fold for a closer look.
Google Fiber is available in 11 cities/regions across the country and has spent the last few years modernizing its service. The legacy Google Fiber TV offering is now officially set to be retired in favor of streaming.
Xiaomi Mi TV Stick seems to be getting a refresh w/ a bit more Android TV horsepower
Android TV lagged behind when it came to streaming sticks for years, but 2020 finally saw the first options debut. The most notable early adopter was the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, and now the product seems to be getting a 2021 refresh.
Gboard is a keyboard full of neat features and a rock-solid core typing experience, but like any Google product feature, it’s subject to evolve over time. With the Emoji Kitchen rising in popularity, Google has just confirmed it will scrap its “Minis” stickers from Gboard in the not-too-distant future.
Amazon announces new Echo Show 15, Astro robot, Smart Thermostat, and more
Today, Amazon is virtually taking the stage to unveil a host of new devices and services. While September has already been quite eventful with new Fire TV unveils and Kindle releases, we’re expecting this event to focus on the Echo and Alexa smart home lineups of Amazon’s stable. We’ll be updating this post throughout the event with all the details on Amazon’s latest products and more announced today.
Deals: Lenovo P11 Pro tablet falls to low of $270, Beats Studio Buds $110, more
A new all-time low on the Lenovo P11 Pro tablet at $270 headlines all of today’s best deals. That’s alongside the Beats Studio Buds for $110 and Anker’s Google Fit Bluetooth 5.0 Smart Scale for $27. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
Back in October, Google introduced default and custom wallpapers for Meet. Google Meet is now rolling out video backgrounds that are first coming to the web.
Listen to a short-form recap or roundup of all the top 9to5Google stories of the previous 24 hours. 9to5Google Daily is available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon, iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Pocket Casts and other podcast players.
Google launched its first new Nest Cam in years in August, but the lineup is still in the process of expanding. A new Nest Cam with Floodlight has been scheduled for some time now, and it has just unexpectedly started shipping from Best Buy ahead of the Google Store release.
With fall in the air, Pixel 6 season is now well under way, and the latest leak gives us possible prices for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in Europe, as well as some of the color names.
While we await the full release of Android 12 for Pixel devices, Developer Preview 2 is now available for the OnePlus 9 series with a number of tweaks and tuning in tow.
WhatsApp ‘multi-device 2.0’ update could allow for multiple smartphone connections
After a long time waiting, WhatsApp introduced multi-device support earlier this year but with certain connected device limitations. However, it seems that a potential “multi-device 2.0” update could enable your secondary smartphone to use your “main” WhatsApp account.
Renders of an affordably focused Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 have given us a glimpse at the Android tablet for the very first time.
September 27
Compared to other redesigns, Material You for Google Calendar is very straightforward, but the widgets do benefit from one handy tweak.
Google Workspace was announced at the start of October as a rebrand of G Suite and revamped approach to office-less productivity. As part of these changes, all of Google’s Workspace apps are seeing new icons, with the rollout now underway.
Last week, Google rolled out the latest version of its browser and kicked off the new four-week release cadence. Chrome 94 is now widely rolling out on Android, and it brings along Material You, as well as Dynamic Color on newer devices.
On Chromebooks, you can access most Google services with either the website or the Android app. Google today updated Gmail for Android on Chrome OS with the latest Material You redesign, but more importantly the latest app icon.
Google Docs getting wider comment boxes, background watermark support
The Google Docs web client is adding support for background watermarks, while comment boxes in the sidebar are getting wider to let you read more feedback per line.
The Wear OS market is in a state of transition thanks to Google’s big revamp, and that makes some of the only watches worth buying the TicWatch Pro 3 and TicWatch E3 from Mobvoi that run on the Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip. Though, suddenly, the listings for those TicWatch models have been updated to claim they are now using the Snapdragon 4100+.
Back in 2019, Google introduced real-time video call transcriptions and has since added support for more languages. The next step sees Google Meet beta test live translated captions.
Performing a Google search has become an everyday occurrence for most of us, and now Chrome is working to make it easier to browse your results with a new “Side search” panel.
Fossil Gen 6 is now available ahead of its future Wear OS 3 upgrade, here’s where to buy it
Google’s major Wear OS revamp is still only found on the Galaxy Watch 4, but if you want a smartwatch that works better with non-Samsung phones, there are only a few options. Today, Fossil has launched its Wear OS 3-compatible Gen 6 lineup, here’s where you can buy it.
Besides appearing in the top-right corner of every Google app, your avatar is most prominently used for Gmail. A new “Google Illustrations” tool lets you find and build a custom profile picture.
Deals: OnePlus 8T on sale from $499, Hisense 55-inch Android TV $149 off, more
All of today’s best deals are headlined by the OnePlus 8T smartphone on sale from $499. That’s joined by a $149 discount on the Hisense 55-inch Android TV and this Lenovo 10-inch Chromebook Duet at $199. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
A fair few months after we first uncovered the feature, Google has added “Phone Link” to Stadia, allowing you to play games using your smartphone as a gamepad on your Chromecast, Android TV devices, and through a web browser.
Latest Fairphone 4 leak shows off the surprisingly sleek design in more detail
Modern smartphones are slick and refined pieces of technology, but all too often that comes at the expense of repairability. The Fairphone 4 is around the corner with the goal of fixing that with a shockingly slim and modern-looking design.
In addition to debuting Wear OS 3, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was the first wearable to have a client for Google’s streaming service. The YouTube Music app is now coming to Wear OS 2 watches.
Starting today, Fitbit’s latest health tracker is shipping to customers. The Fitbit Charge 5 is now available, and it’s coming with an upgrade to Fitbit Premium, too, in the form of new content from Calm.
Google Assistant broadcasts are a very useful way to relay information to your family quickly, and it seems the company is working on expanding its reach just a bit further. It seems that Google is currently testing support for Assistant broadcasts on Chromecast with Google TV.
While the US and other regions are shining more of a spotlight on Google and the Play Store, the EU has already issued a 2018 ruling that imposed Google with a $5 billion fine over anticompetitive practices on Android. Google is fighting that fine, and slamming EU regulators over turning a blind eye to Apple.
According to a new report from Korean media, Samsung is considering canceling the launch of the more affordable Galaxy S21 FE.
Google TV adds support for Kocowa in search results for Korean TV shows and movies
As its list of supported streaming apps continues to expand, Google TV is starting to add search integration with more niche services. Over the past few days, Google TV has quietly added support for Kocowa, a service that specializes in Korean TV shows and movies.
As smartphone charge speeds have increased, so have our charging habits. Which is why we had some interesting responses when we asked you how often you charge your smartphone.
As we steadily edge toward the stable launch of Android 12, more first-party apps are gaining Material You tweaks including the Google Assistant.
September 26
NBC today threatened to pull its channels from YouTube TV if a new contract is not signed. Google this evening issued its response, and said YouTube TV will see a $10 price drop if the NBCU channels disappear.
Despite being incorporated on September 4, 1998, Google has long celebrated its birthday on September 27. Shoppers in Europe can take advantage of a birthday hardware sale in their local Google Stores today.
NBC Universal tonight started warning subscribers that its channels may soon be removed from YouTube TV in the midst of a contract dispute with Google.
Google TV integrates with over 30 streaming services, here’s the full list [U]
Perhaps the most useful thing about the new Google TV platform is the ability to aggregate and organize content from a variety of different sources. Which ones, though? Here’s a full list of streaming services that Google TV supports at launch.
Google Doodle celebrates company’s 23rd birthday w/ a cake
Google is celebrating its 23rd birthday with an animated homepage Doodle that features a chocolate frosted cake.
Google’s marketing campaign for its upcoming flagship started online but has since expanded to TV and billboards. A new Pixel 6 magazine ad features much of the same copy but teases some upcoming capabilities.
In October of 2019, Google Assistant introduced an Issa Rae voice that responds to a subset of common queries, like the weather. Just shy of two years later, at the end of this month, the cameo will stop working.
September 25
Following a first look at the Galaxy S22 Ultra this week, another leak offers a first look at the two mainstream options in Samsung’s upcoming lineup, the Galaxy S22, and Galaxy S22+. The leak is most notable for revealing the size of the two devices.
Following version 93’s release on Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux, the next release of Google’s browser is rolling out. Chrome 94 is here and marks the start of updates every four weeks (instead of six).
