Nothing’s Android 16 update will be released later this week
After launching in beta recently, Nothing has confirmed plans to release its Android 16 update later this week.
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Author
Ben Schoon is a Senior Editor at 9to5Google, working for the publication as one of its primary news writers since 2016.
In 2013, Ben helped start an independent tech publication where he learned the skills used at 9to5Google including writing, product photography, and videography. He is located in the city of Winston-Salem in North Carolina where he lives with his wife Melissa. Ben is an avid disc golf player.
He primarily covers Android products, including Google Pixel devices, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, as well as devices from OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, and more. Beyond just covering news about these products, Ben also spends time using these products himself, speaking from experience with the articles he writes. Some of Ben’s most recent hands-on reviews include; Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Motorola Razr+, HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, and more.
Ben is also a leading source for information about Google’s Android TV, diving deeply into important parts of the platform including its powerful Operator Tier, explaining future changes to the platform, and reviewing its products such as Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and more.
In 2019, Ben leaked one of the first in-person photos of the Pixel 4 before later revealing the Recorder and Pixel Themes apps months ahead of launch. In 2020, Ben also reported on multiple upcoming Pixel devices including Pixel 5a and the first report of Google working on a foldable Pixel smartphone. That same month, he was also the first to correctly report the $49 price point of what became the Chromecast with Google TV.
Ben Schoon is active on Twitter, @nexusben, but can also be found on Instagram and LinkedIn. For questions or tips, you can email him directly, and his portfolio is also available online.
Email: schoon@9to5mac.com | Encrypted Email: benschoon@protonmail.com
Gemini coming to Polestar vehicles with a ‘future’ Android Automotive update
Polestar has officially announced plans to deliver Gemini on its Android Automotive-powered EVs sometime next year alongside a “future Google update.”
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OnePlus is teasing its next smartphone, OnePlus 15R, and a new watch too
OnePlus is fresh off of the global debut of the OnePlus 15 earlier this month, but is already teasing its next release, the OnePlus 15R, as well as a new smartwatch.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube tests bringing back direct messages, a ‘top feature request’
YouTube’s latest test is preparing support for direct messages where users can share videos with each other and have conversations.
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Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 are the first phones to get satellite SMS in Europe through Orange
Google’s Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 series phones are about to be the first smartphones to work with satellite SMS functionality on Orange, a carrier in Europe.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube TV’s ‘lower-cost sports bundle’ possibly coming next year, MLB.TV excluded
YouTube TV is reportedly going to “be ready” to launch a new “lower-cost sports bundle” sometime next year following its new deal with Disney, but with MLB.TV missing from the picture.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy Buds 4 Pro leak with revamped design and ‘find your phone’ feature [Gallery]
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are likely due to be released next year, but early software leaks are revealing more details about the upcoming earbuds.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle TV’s latest remote design ‘never runs out of power’ by using indoor light
Google TV devices have a new remote option that uses indoor light to ensure it “never runs out of power.”
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Google releases its ‘Google Sans Flex’ font to the public
Google has released its Sans Flex font freely for download, allowing anyone to use the font that’s found on many Google products.
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Google TV homescreen redesign more widely rolling out
The revamped Google TV homescreen is more widely rolling out to users.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Auto adding new Google Maps EV filters for charging speed, payment method
Google Maps for Android Auto is picking up some new features for EV owners, with new filters in the works for charging speed and payment method when you’re searching for a charging station.
Expand Expanding CloseIt’s not just you, many websites are not working this morning amid Cloudflare outage
A widespread Cloudflare outage this morning has led to many websites not working properly, with many unable to load up at all.
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Nomad’s leather Pixel Watch band is now almost $30 cheaper than Google’s
Leather bands have been a bit of a no man’s land for the Pixel Watch, but Nomad delivered one that’s not only better than Google’s but not as expensive, and it’s now on sale for even less.
Expand Expanding CloseAmazon will keep using Android on Fire TV as new Vega OS focuses on low-end devices
Amazon has confirmed that it’s not giving up on Android for its Fire TV lineup just yet, implying that its new Vega OS might focus mainly on low-end or low-power devices.
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Samsung’s new ‘Smart Keyboard’ has a dedicated AI button and a coin cell battery for $109
Samsung has just launched a new wireless keyboard for Galaxy devices, with the “Smart Keyboard” including a dedicated button for launching AI services.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube TV packages likely on the way, renewed Disney deal hints
YouTube TV is a pricey service, but it seems increasingly likely that more flexible packages are planned, and Google’s new agreement with Disney makes that all the more clear.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle keeps finding the most clever ways to use AI – I can’t wait to see what’s next
I’m not really a huge fan of modern AI. For the past couple of years, it’s just been shoved into everything online, and usually not for the better. Google, though, has really hit its stride lately in finding incredible, out-of-the-box ways to use AI to just make things better, and there are a couple of key examples of this.
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Lenovo isn’t saying anything about Android PCs yet in odd support page
A support page on Lenovo’s website was recently highlighted as showing the limitations of Android PCs ahead of Google’s formal debut, but Lenovo has confirmed that the page has nothing to do with that effort, and also removed it.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube TV and Disney reach ‘multi-year’ deal with ESPN, ABC, more channels now live
After nearly two weeks of channels being dark, YouTube TV and Disney have officially settled on a new deal which will last multiple years, and has already brought ESPN and ABC channels back online.
Expand Expanding ClosePebblebee’s latest Find Hub trackers for Android continue to raise the bar
While Android’s Find Hub network still has plenty of deficiecies in terms of actual performance, the hardware continues to improve. Recently, Pebblebee introduced its Gen 5 series with new Card and Clip trackers, and they continue to raise the bar on hardware quality.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid may add NFC-based contact sharing similar to iPhone, early findings suggest
New evidence reveals that Google is working on some form of NFC-based contact sharing on Android, similar to iPhone’s “NameDrop,” but it’s very early days.
Expand Expanding CloseThis 5-in-1 Qi2 charging station for Pixel 10 is my favorite desk accessory [Gallery]
Qi2 has been absolutely my favorite upgrade for the Pixel 10 generation, and that’s largely because it opens up a new world of accessories. One of the best I’ve tried is a neat 5-in-1 charging dock from Baseus that lets you power up your Pixel 10 easily, while also having power for anything else right on hand.
Expand Expanding CloseReport: Tesla is working on adding CarPlay support, but ignoring Android Auto
Tesla has among the most popular electric vehicles on the market, but the company has always avoided support for Google’s Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay. Now, Tesla is apparently considering a change, but ignoring Google’s side.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s a closer look at the Google TV homescreen redesign [Gallery]
While it’s still not widely available, the Google TV homescreen redesign is rolling out to more users. Here’s a closer look at what’s changed.
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