Will Sattelberg

In a world filled with boring smartphone after boring smartphone, you have to give Ayaneo’s upcoming Pocket Play some credit: we haven’t seen a device like this in more than a decade. The company’s long-awaited (and slightly delayed) slider gaming phone is nearing a full launch, and while we’re still waiting for info on availability, we do finally have a detailed specs sheet that paints a pretty picture — with a few potential pitfalls, unfortunately.

Welcome to episode 87 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will talk through Google’s surprise Pixel 10a announcement, what we might expect from that phone, and whether it’s worth picking up a Pixel 9a in its place. Their attention briefly turns to Google’s February patch for Android — a patch without any much in the way of actual fixes, it seems — before finally debated Google’s oddly-sad Gemini ad ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl.

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The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots are set to take the field at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night for a Super Bowl showdown, but if you’re a fan of one of the league’s other 30 leagues, you’re probably already looking forward to next season. Luckily, YouTube TV isn’t keeping a single football fan waiting, because you can already purchase NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2026 season.

Google surprised us all yesterday with an official confirmation of the Pixel 10a ahead of its February 18th preorder date, but beyond a couple of images, we don’t have much actual information to work off. Luckily, it’s a Pixel phone, which means all four of Google’s new colorways have already leaked in fresh renders.

After months of leaks, renders, and just a little bit of head-scratching, the Pixel 10a is finally official. While we’ll have to wait until a more complete unveiling to learn about its specs, those same leaks have done a pretty good job in painting a picture of a very familiar A-series launch from Google. Assuming everything we’ve heard about the Pixel 10a is true, if you have any interest in grabbing a new budget phone this year, picking up a Pixel 9a right now is going to save you an easy $100 without making much of a sacrifice.

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 trio is shaping up to be an interesting launch — it’s just that the phones themselves aren’t actually the interesting part. We already know that a lot of what could’ve made the S26 lineup different from its predecessors has been thrown out the window thanks to failed concepts and stiff competition. Now, Samsung needs to try to tease a lineup that appears unchanged even by this brand’s own standards, and so far, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

We’re likely under a month away from Samsung’s official unveiling of the Galaxy S26 series, but that doesn’t mean the leaks have to stop. New renders are showcasing the Galaxy S26 Ultra in all four of its previously-leaked colorways, most of which look as familiar as the phone itself.

Welcome to The Sideload episode 20, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will is joined by Dom Preston, news editor at The Verge, to discuss his job, his experience at CES, and much more. From strange gadgets with bizarre AI applications to weekly check-ups on the strangest smartphone announcement ever, there’s plenty to dig into in tech. The two also dive into Dom’s personal project Braise, talk through balancing work and hobbies, and finally dip into their picks for the best films of 2025.

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The Galaxy S26 trio initially seemed like it might shake up Samsung’s usual status quo, but some stiff competition from Apple and a failed attempt to relaunch the Edge series seems to have thrown those original plans out the window. Now, it seems like the Galaxy S26 Ultra might be boring in a different way, as it appears to be losing out on its usual color-matching stylus for something a little more boardroom-friendly.

There’s a whole host of reasons people rely on third-party browsers on Android, and chief among them is a pretty popular workaround for background playback in YouTube. Unfortunately, those days might be coming to a close for non-subscribers.

Welcome to episode 86 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will dig into an early Android 17 build that includes one big visual change: blurred backdrops. Is this a sign of things to come for Google’s vision of its OS, or a more minor system-level tweak? The crew also checks out a leaked look at Android’s new — albeit really familiar — desktop mode, Google’s more affordable AI Plus plan for Gemini, and Chrome’s agentic AI tools.

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Dual-network tracker support is all the rage these days, and that means plenty of third-party tracking gadgets that were once exclusive to Apple are expanding into the world of Android. Today, KeySmart is next up with its latest SmartCard wallet tracker.

During Samsung’s Q4 2025 earnings call this week, the company took some time to hint at new products coming to stores in 2026, including AR glasses and a fresh lineup of foldables.

Microsoft might’ve ditched Android apps in Windows 11 a couple of years ago, but that doesn’t mean it’s abandoned cross-platform support altogether. A new update is making it easier to resume mobile apps on your PC, but only with a select group of services for the time being.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold is finally going up for sale in the US this Friday, but as expected, it won’t come cheap. You’ll have to shell out $2,900 before tax for the company’s first tri-folding smartphone — nearly $1,000 more than Samsung’s already-expensive Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Last week, OnePlus found itself drawing the ire of enthusiasts looking to keep the custom ROM dream alive after implementing anti-rollback measures that could result in a bricked device. Thankfully, the company now says it’s a temporary situation that’ll return to normal soon.

We’ve been hearing warnings for months about incoming price hikes for practically every consumer electronic on the market due, in large part, to an ongoing RAM shortage. Today, we’re getting our first hints on what’s to come from Samsung throughout 2026.

Welcome to The Sideload episode 19, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will is joined by Jason Howell, host of Android Faithful, to discuss the state of Android hardware in 2026. From major players like Samsung and Google, to smaller players like OnePlus, Jason and Will break down exactly how well Android hardware partners are performing in the market right now, and where they might be headed next.

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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.

Welcome to episode 85 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will talk through the end of Asus as a smartphone brand, as the company takes an indefinite hiatus from Android to focus on AI. After trying to figure out what’s next after the smartphone, we’re diving into some thoughts on the Clicks Communicator, Google’s Digital Wellbeing tools, and the whole thinking behind minimalist devices. Plus, we send Stadia off with one final goodbye.

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