9to5Google

If you’re a regular 9to5Google reader, you probably already know the turbulence happening inside the consumer electronics space. We’re all collectively looking down the barrel of significantly higher prices across the board, primarily — though not exclusively — thanks to increased component demand from AI companies. Put simply, buying a smartphone in 2026 is about to suck, but with a little bit of planning, you aren’t completely out of hope.

As revealed in the ongoing court saga, Google and Epic Games have apparently struck a new deal that involves Android, Unreal Engine, and some sort of “product development,” and it’s going to remain a secret for the time being.

In what could be a bug or behavior change, the Google Play Store is not showing available updates for system-level apps if you have automatic updates disabled.

Rewind almost 15 years, and the Android ROM scene was thriving. Nightly builds, tons of projects, we truly were living in a golden age. Nowadays, things have changed significantly. Just what happened to the custom ROM scene, and can it be revived?

If you’ve been dreaming of a life that revolves around just a single device — your phone — capable of replacing your laptop, desktop, and more, a new piece of hardware might give you exactly what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, you’ll need to accept some cut corners to get there.

Every year, YouTube outlines its priorities, and the 2026 edition previews what product updates to expect. 

YouTube videos have long supported the custom SRV3 caption format, which creators have been using in pretty creative ways. Apparently, that format has been disabled, and some are reporting that uploaded caption files are being deleted from videos.

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 rolling out a significant redesign and modernization of voice search on Android. 

Asus has reiterated that it will “no longer” be making “new” Android smartphones with its focus shifting towards the market built up by AI.

Smartphone accessories aren’t just add-ons, they’re a huge part of the experience of using and owning your device. But, for Android users, it’s often felt like we’re getting the short end of the stick, with a whole world of accessories that only ever seem to care about the iPhone. Finally, though, that feels like it’s changing.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have taken the world by storm over the past few years, but they’re pretty limited in terms of what they can actually do. The new “Mentra Live” smart glasses offer a lot of the same benefits as Ray-Ban Meta, but with an app store and more integrations, including support for YouTube livestreams.

The beloved show that’s been around longer than most of us is finding a new streaming option to immortalize itself. Sesame Street will be available on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Google’s Fast Pair protocol delivers one of the best Bluetooth experiences you’ll find today, automatically pairing wireless earbuds, speakers, and other accessories and sharing those details across your account. Unfortunately, a new paper reveals some pretty serious security concerns with some Fast Pair devices, and you’ll need to update each of your gadgets individually to fix it.

Ayaneo might’ve made a splash late last year with is Xperia Play-esque Pocket Play smartphone, but if you’ve been holding out on buying one of those over, say, a new Pixel, you’ll need to wait a little longer.

YouTube is rolling out updates to its video search filters that include renames, removals, and other adjustments. These changes aim to “align better with your expectations.”

Announced at CES 2026 this week, the new 8BitDo Flip Pad is a USB-C controller for Android phones (and iPhones too) that sits on top of your display and seems just perfect for emulators.

Since Qualcomm expanded into developing Windows CPUs, Lenovo has offered a small number of laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite. With the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus on the market, Lenovo is giving the Yoga PC series a needed update.