Will Sattelberg

In what could be your last chance to pick up Samsung’s first-ever tri-folding phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold is set to be restocked later this morning. If history is any indication, though, you’re going to want to make sure you’re prepared to add your device to cart as soon as possible.

YouTube’s been on an ad-friendly offensive lately, pushing more ads to viewers at large and punishing anyone with an ad blocker through various means. It’s latest move takes matters to a whole new level, though, as 90-second unskippable ads seem to be headed to TV viewers.

Welcome to episode 94 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will talk all about this week’s Pixel 11 leaks, granting everyone an early look at what appears to be a strikingly familiar smartphone launch on deck for later this year. After a brief dip into some Android 17 Beta 3 thoughts, the crew discusses Google’s upcoming display-less Fitbit band, clearly designed to take Whoop head-on with the help of Steph Curry.

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Sponsored by Proton Unlimited: Pixelated listeners can save 30% on an annual subscription to the company’s suite of privacy-friendly services by signing up using our link. Thanks to Proton Unlimited for sponsoring the podcast.

Motorola’s Razr lineup offers one of the most robust flip phone experiences you can find today, but equally appealing is its multitude of colors and finishes. It looks like the company’s upcoming 2026 entry will follow suit, with Moto’s usual partnership with Pantone still on lock.

Google’s Quick Share has been an important part of Android for a few years now, but it still has a few hidden tricks, including the ability to trigger sharing by simply tapping the phone you want to share to.

Google Photos has become much more than a way to manage and backup your photos and videos, especially in the age of AI. Not everyone needs — or, more accurately, wants — to trigger these functions on a regular basis, though, and a new update to the app is helping to eliminate those annoying, unwanted pop-ups.

One of the most beloved names in the TV business is throwing in the towel, as Sony’s new partnership with TCL has the latter officially taking over a 51% majority stake in this new venture.

If you’re looking for the most customizable out-of-the-box experience on a smartphone today, it’s tough to go wrong with Samsung. Unlike some of the more locked-down launchers you’ll find on Android — sorry, but I’m looking at you, Pixel — the amount of personal touches you can apply to any Galaxy phone can feel endless, and that’s before you install something like Good Lock. However, with One UI 8.5, it seems like Samsung made the rare move to remove some of this functionality in the name of security, and users aren’t pleased.

If you’ve shopped for anything remotely related to computing over the past six months, you know it’s a pretty bad time to be in the market for tech. With AI-fueled RAM and storage shortages continuing with no end in sight, plenty of brands have either enacted or are considering price hikes on their already-available tech. Starting tomorrow, Samsung might be the latest brand to join in the (not so) fun.

Welcome to episode 28 of The Sideload, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes Allison Johnson, senior reviewer at The Verge, to discuss her attempts at purchasing and reviewing Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold in the run-up to its eventual demise. They also discuss Allison’s hands-on with Google’s new agentic tools for Android and wonder whether this is a lead-up to some more impressive demos to come at this year’s I/O.

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Over the past two generations of Pixel, Google has built its smartphone brand into one of the few brands able to find (relative) growth in an increasingly-stagnant arena. Today, we’re getting our first look at this year’s Pixel 11, and despite being an anniversary release, it’s looking like we’re getting a third take on Google’s current design.

Google finally announced its long-awaited “advanced flow” for enabling sideloading from unverified developers last week, set to roll out later this year to all Android phones. It addressed a lot of the concerns we had with the future of installing third-party APKs, but that’s not to say it delivered every answer under the sun. Thankfully, a new FAQ video is going a long way in filling in some of the gaps, including confirming you won’t need to repeat this process when you get a new phone.

Welcome to episode 93 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will discuss Google’s new “advanced flow” for enabling sideloading on Android, set to launch on all Play-supported devices later this year. It’s a change built with security and safety in mind, and your hosts are pretty impressed with how the company has designed this shift. Then they dig into the potential news that OnePlus could be preparing to exit the global market, leaving an enthusiast-shaped hole in its place.

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Sponsored by Proton Unlimited: Pixelated listeners can save 30% on an annual subscription by signing up for Proton Unlimited using this link. Thanks to Proton Unlimited for sponsoring this week’s episode.

Google released Android 17 Beta 3 yesterday with a handful of interesting additions, but as is often the case, the coolest features are the ones typically hidden just below the surface — or, in this case, behind some secret flags. The company appears to be working on a new way for Pixel users to automatically fill their home screen with suggested apps, widgets, and more, and it could completely change how you layout your smartphone’s launcher.

Hot on the heels of our first look at the entry-level Moto Razr earlier this month, we’re getting our first glimpse at Motorola’s flagship clamshell for 2026. Unfortunately for anyone hoping this year’s model would come with a slimmer chassis, it seems like the brand is moving in the opposite direction.

After launching in last week’s Android Canary update, Google has added its redesigned screen recording menu to today’s Android 17 Beta 3, setting the stage for an all-but-guaranteed stable rollout later this year.

YouTube has certainly proven itself to be a bit of a pain for viewers lately, especially those members of its audience attempting to bypass ads. Today’s issue takes it to a whole new level, though, as some users are struggling to use the site without seeing repeated CAPTCHAs blocking access to videos.

Just a few short days after Samsung confirmed it would bring AirDrop support to the Galaxy S26 series, we’re already seeing the update arrive on devices in regions beyond its initial launch. Unfortunately for US readers, you’ll have to keep waiting a little while longer.

Spotify might be your go-to place to check out new releases or build out yet another playlist, but if you’re looking to learn the background of your favorite songs, you usually need to look elsewhere. A new tool now rolling out to paid users is looking to change that.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 took many Android fans by surprise last year, when Samsung — a company typically dedicated to making small changes over the course of many generations — finally leapt ahead to compete with its foldable competition. While it would be silly to expect the same result with this year’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung does appear to be making one change no one saw coming: a thicker design.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra might not rock the boat when it comes to its design, but there’s still plenty to like. From its semi-controversial Privacy Display to a slimmer, lighter chassis that goes a long way in making Samsung’s traditional phablet feel a little more pocket-friendly, anyone upgrading from a device more than a couple of generations old should notice more than a handful of upgrades. When it comes time to repair your Galaxy S26 Ultra, however, you might find yourself running into some familiar headaches.