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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.

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.

Google is finally giving users the option to change their Gmail address without deleting their account or making a new one, and it’s so easy to do.

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.

Android phones, for better or worse, are probably best known for being “cheap.” While that word may not be the best way to describe every low-cost smartphone, there’s an abundance of affordable Android phones out there, and the new Moto G Power (2026) is adding to that list, and leaving a pretty good first impression.

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.

Shopping appears to be one of the big pushes for AI in 2026, and Google is giving Gemini about as large as a boost as it could in this arena thanks to a new partnership with Walmart.

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.

Motorola took to CES 2026 with previews of some big announcements including its first book-style foldable, but also tagging along for the ride is a new “Moto Watch” that just can’t help but bring up memories of the Moto 360 that Motorola seemingly refuses to give a second chance.

The Razr Fold doesn’t look like a company’s first steps in designing a larger foldable. In fact, the Razr Fold from Motorola meets the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and beats the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in almost every physical aspect, but it probably won’t be available for a good while.

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.

Motorola has a couple of new phones to show off at CES, and at least one of them lacks any kind of hinge. The new Motorola Signature looks like the company’s most promising non-Razr flagship in ages, but unfortunately, you might not get a chance to try it for yourself.

Motorola has announced a sequel to the Moto Tag, with the new Moto Tag 2 coming later this year with improved battery life and better tracking in the Android Find Hub app.