The Android 11 Developer Preview, as the name implies, is primarily intended to be an early preview of Android 11’s changes so developers can make their apps compatible long before it launches. However, sometimes upcoming Pixel-exclusive features leak through, as is the case with “Columbus” which lets you do things like invoking the Google Assistant with a double-tap on the back.
Latest
Exclusive: Google plans new Chromecast Ultra based on Android TV (w/ remote!)
According to a reliable source familiar with the company’s plans, Google is planning to launch a second-generation Chromecast Ultra this year based on Android TV. The device is a dongle, much like the current form-factor, but there is one major hardware addition: an external remote.
Here’s how fragmentation killed the Moment Pro Camera app for Android
This week, Moment announced that it would be pulling the plug on its Android app, “Pro Camera.” Why? Because of Android’s fragmentation. In the time since, I’ve seen countless people complain that Moment just isn’t trying hard enough or that it can’t be that complicated.
Instead of just telling you that I think they’re justified in this decision, I think it’s easier to just show you how complicated the situation has become for Moment Pro Camera on Android.
Source: Google Duo is testing picture-in-picture multitasking on the web
Google is prepping to launch picture-in-picture video calls for Google Duo on the web, according to a source familiar with the matter. That means you’ll soon be able to make Duo calls and do other things on your computer at the same time.
Sources: Internal YouTube Music gains music library upload as Play Music transition nears
According to two sources familiar with the matter, Google has internally rolled out a beta version of YouTube Music that adds support for the music library/cloud locker functionality you might be familiar with from Google Play Music. One source suggested that efforts to transition Google Play Music users to YouTube Music are right around the corner…
Google Photos trialing monthly subscription to get your best pictures auto-printed
In September, Google Photos added large canvas prints, as well as individual prints. Google Photos is now trialing a “monthly photo prints” subscription program.
Google Keep prepares for universal Assistant integration, audio uploads on web
Google Keep is getting ready for integration with the Google Assistant on all platforms, as well as the ability to upload audio from web. We’ve managed to enable a few features on Keep which show us how they work.
Google Pixel 4 XL pricing may start at $999, Nest Mini at $49 according to Best Buy
Google’s Pixel 4 is coming on October 15th and tons of information about the device has already been leaked. However, pricing details have been both scarce and unreliable so far. Today, we’re getting some new details on the Pixel 4 XL and Nest Mini pricing.
How Google could open up Pixel 4 Motion Sense to app and game developers
Over the past month, we’ve been slowly learning more about what the Project Soli powered “Motion Sense” on Google Pixel 4 can and can’t do. Now, we’ve found evidence of how Google would open Motion Sense on the Pixel 4 to app and game developers, including a Unity game engine plugin.
This is Google Photos’ black-and-white ‘Colorize’ filter in action [Gallery]
Google to require updated ‘Powered by Android’ w/ new branding starting in 2020
For the past five years, Google has required that Android smartphones ship with a message on their boot screen that says “Powered by Android.” Now, we’re learning that the requirements around this message will including Google’s new Android branding starting in 2020.
Google is hiding OEM gesture navigation systems on Android, can’t include in setup
Android 10’s new gesture navigation system is a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s what Google wants to be a standard across every Android device. Now, we’re learning that Google is going to force OEMs to hide their own gesture navigation systems in Android, even going so far as to not include them in the setup wizard.
Exclusive: ‘New Google Assistant’ on Pixel 4 ‘coming soon’ to these countries
Since exclusively showing the “new Google Assistant” in action on Wednesday, one common question we’ve been asked is about availability. Unsurprisingly, the next-generation Assistant will launch first on the Pixel 4 in the US, but it’s also “coming soon” to three other countries.
Exclusive: Google working on ‘Raise to talk’ for Pixel 4’s ‘new Assistant’
Earlier this week, we exclusively detailed the Pixel 4’s “new Google Assistant” that can seamlessly handle back-to-back commands and partially works offline. The Made by Google flagships could feature an interesting way to launch that next-generation Assistant: raise to talk.
Google is close to launching a speed test feature on Nest Hub devices
According to strings found in a build of the Nest Hub’s frontend software, Google is actively developing (and is nearing launch of) a new speed test feature for the popular Nest Hub smart display. The feature could possibly allow for troubleshooting connection issues when devices are unresponsive, or perhaps just exist as a standalone feature.
Exclusive: Google Pixel 4 camera will bring ‘Dual Exposure Camera Controls’, here’s how it works
We’ve learned so much over the past few months about updates to the camera on the Google Pixel 4, including a recent tidbit about the existence of a “Pixel Neural Core.” We’ve now learned that the Google Pixel 4 will offer “Dual Exposure Camera Controls” to help you take the perfect shot, regardless of lighting.
Exclusive: Latest Pixel 4 spec sheets reveal ‘Pixel Neural Core,’ no buds in the box
For the past two months, the hardware of the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL has felt “known,” with leakers even posting the full spec sheet to YouTube. Today, we’ve exclusively obtained the official spec sheet for the Google Pixel 4, which includes a previously unknown detail, the “Pixel Neural Core.”
Here are a bunch of songs that have something to do with the Pixel 4
Music is an important part of the advertising campaign for any new device, and Google has had some iconic tracks in its Pixel campaign. Today, we’ve uncovered some of the new music tracks that we assume Google will be using with the Pixel 4.
Exclusive: Here’s ‘Face Unlock’ in action on Google Pixel 4 [Video]
Google’s Pixel 4 is set to be one of the first Android smartphones to implement a truly secure and seamless facial recognition system. Thanks to a marketing video we’ve obtained, we can show you what Face Unlock looks like in action on the Pixel 4.
Exclusive: Official Pixel 4 camera samples show astrophotography, selfies, more [Gallery]
The Google Pixel 4 is now less than two weeks from being properly unveiled at the 10/15 Made by Google Event, but the leaks just keep rolling in. We can now exclusively show you some official, full-resolution camera samples that Google plans to use to promote the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
Exclusive: Google and Pokemon built a Soli demo game for Pixel 4 [Video]
Google and The Pokemon Company jointly built a Soli/Motion Sense demo app for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pokemon Wave Hello, as you can see in the screenshots below that 9to5Google has exclusively obtained. The app is not a full-fledged game, but rather a quick demo to show how the Pixel 4’s new air gesture features work…
Exclusive: Pixel 4 Motion Sense demo shows how each gesture will work [Video]
One of the key features of Google’s Pixel 4 will be the collection of new Soli-powered “Motion Sense” gestures. We’ve seen these gestures in some previous leaks, but now we’ve got a Google-made promo video that shows off how the various gestures will work.
Exclusive: Here’s the ‘new Google Assistant’ on Pixel 4 [Video]
The first Pixel 4 tease from Google actually came during the I/O 2019 keynote. A “next generation Assistant” was demoed from a case-covered device, and officially teased as launching on the “next Pixel phones.” We now have an exclusive first look at the “new Google Assistant” that will debut on the Pixel 4.
[Update: 14 more] Motion Sense on Google Pixel 4 will work with these 9 media apps at launch
One of the features we’re most looking forward to on the Google Pixel 4 is the ability to control things like music without touching our phones by simply gesturing over the screen. Now we’ve now learned that Motion Sense on the Pixel 4 will certainly work with these media apps.
Expand
Expanding
Close