Latest from Android Central

'Galaxy Buds On' could be the name of Samsung's rumored 'clip-on' earbuds

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:27:00 +0000

What you need to know

Rumors claim that Samsung's previously rumored open-ear or "clip-on" earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Able, have changed names to "Galaxy Buds On."
However, a leak from another source claims "Galaxy Able" might remain, as the title was discovered in the Wearable app's code with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.
Earlier this year, Galaxy Buds Able were rumored to be earbuds that rely on bone conduction for producing sound with

Rumors have surfaced again about a set of "bone conduction" earbuds that Samsung is developing.

Tipster evowizz on X posted a short claim about a unique pair of earbuds Samsung allegedly has in the works (via SamMobile). Their post claims that the previously rumored "Galaxy Buds Able" title has been replaced with "Galaxy Buds On." The publication adds that they bear the model number SM-U600 internally for Samsung.

The number reportedly swaps "R" for "U," the latter of which is typically used to identify new earbuds from the brand.

The situation progresses with another round of leaks from SammyGuru. According to its post, the publication discovered "Galaxy Able" listed in Samsung's Wearables app code beneath the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. What's more, the post highlights a "samsung.accessory" string that may suggest full integration for the buds across Samsung's software. This has speculation leaning to one side, but nothing's confirmed yet.

Now and then, rumors will conflict like this. It's best to take what's been said here with a grain of salt for the time being.

Audio shifts

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

To make sense of this, we'll have to walk things back to April when rumors of "bone conduction" earbuds surfaced. At the time, the name "Galaxy Buds Able" led the way with an open-ear or "clip-on" design. It was said that these earbuds would clip onto a person's ear, sending vibrations through their bones to produce sound. Clearly, this is a departure from earbuds we're used to seeing and using that sit in-ear (or even traditional open-earbuds.

The model number that SamMobile mentioned in this recent leak was cited before. Prior reports added that the "U" is typically reserved for U.S. product releases, but this model number changes things. The vibrancy or richness of audio has also been called into question. If these buds rely on bone conduction and not more traditional methods, their bass could suffer as a result.

Android Central's Take

These buds already sounded interesting before, but the idea isn't that wild or unique to Samsung. Other brands have gone this route before, and could be seen as another earbud alternative, like anything else on the market. I'm still holding back, since there's nothing else about these buds. No hardware specifications, no charging case, nothing. For now, I'll wait.

Enter a new era: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked confirmed for July, reservations begin

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0000

What you need to know

Samsung confirmed this evening that Galaxy Unpacked will take place on July 22 at 9 am ET/6 am PT in London, U.K.
The company brings its next foldables into the spotlight, stating a new era is coming for their intelligent capabilities and more, to make them feel personal.
Samsung's marketing campaign took over its Instagram, wiping all of its posts, as clues went up that users needed to decode.

The time has come. Samsung reveals the date for its summer Unpacked event and everything the keynote will discuss.

Samsung announced this evening that its 2026 summer Unpacked event will take place on July 22 in London, U.K. Interested parties can watch the event, which begins at 9 am ET/6 am PT, from Samsung's YouTube, Samsung.com, or its Newsroom. Of course, consumers are expecting to see what's next from the Korean OEM's many hardware series. Samsung states it will highlight the next era of its foldables.

It states these devices "combine intelligent capabilities and new form factors to deliver more personal, adaptive experiences and set a new standard for the AI era."

What's more, Samsung has kicked off its reserve program ahead of Unpacked, as usual. Consumers can "reserve to receive a $30 Samsung credit during pre-order for up to $1,230 in total savings. Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of ten $500 Samsung.com gift cards."

Set a reminder (and get up early)

(Image credit: Samsung)

It goes without saying that Samsung is keeping things a little hush-hush. Its announcement places its foldables front and center, and that's not something we're surprised about. These are its phones, and we're expecting them every (mid) year. Teases started late June when Samsung kicked off a viral marketing campaign that wiped every Instagram post it had.

The company is looking forward to revealing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 to consumers, but it wants to tell a story along the way. On Instagram, Samsung's been posting images, which serve as clues that we must decode. There's nothing like a bit of hype, and that's what Samsung's trying to cultivate. There's more to Galaxy Unpacked than its foldables.

We're also looking forward to the Galaxy Watch 9. We know there are some new health features, but what else? All will be revealed in two weeks.

Android Central's Take

This is the Galaxy Unpacked waiting room, please take a seat. We're two weeks out, and Samsung building up to something interesting (we hope, right?). What else other than foldables could we see? Also, what about these foldables are going to keep me interested and make me think about laying down some cash? I've got a lot of questions, but I'm curious by nature.

Rumors say Honor's alleged 'Wide' foldable competitor has a top-notch battery

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:22:00 +0000

What you need to know

Honor's alleged wide foldable finds itself in new rumors that say it could feature a 5.5-inch cover and 7.6-inch internal display.
A highlight in these rumors is its battery, which could arrive at 7,000mAh or higher, as Honor might look to do what others (Huawei) have not.
Wide foldable rumors have focused on Samsung; however, Honor and Vivo

There's been a lot of talk about wide foldables, and funnily enough, the first one didn't come from Samsung (Huawei did it first). Now, rumors continue old discussions, as Honor's take has its specifications leak.

Tipster Digital Chat Station posted a series of alleged details about Honor's rumored wide foldable (via NotebookCheck). Rumors suggest the phone will feature a 5.5-inch cover display, followed by a 7.6-inch internal screen. This follows along with the industry's first wide foldable from Huawei, the Pura X Max. A major piece of these rumors is the phone's suspected battery capacity.

The tipster claims Honor could equip the phone with a 7,000mAh cell or higher. If we look at Huawei's phone, that device features a 5,300mAh battery. The post on Weibo states Honor is aiming for the "largest battery capacity among flagship wide-folding phones," and this might ring true.

Other details claim the phone could offer a 200MP "large-sensor" camera (likely its main) and a periscope lens.

Wide rumors

(Image credit: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Central)

We've been hearing Wide foldable rumors for months now, and they've primarily involved Samsung. That changed recently, as rumors started throwing in other overseas phone makers, like Honor and Vivo. Unfortunately, Vivo's X Fold 6, which was suspected to be its wide fold entry, is the opposite. The device is positioned to take on Samsung's standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 more than it would a "wide" alternative.

Honor's portion of the rumors claimed that it was "only a matter of time" before the company got involved. What's more, the phone could offer a triple camera setup and see an alleged Q1 2027 debut. If we are heading toward a succession of wider foldables, we have Huawei's version to look back on. The company called it the first "horizontally wide foldable," which feels a lot like the O.G. Pixel Fold.

During its reveal, the Pura X Max looked more comfortable to hold, as it opts for a shorter form-factor, instead of the more vertical displays we're used to seeing.

Android Central's Take

For the sake of this section, I'll just go all-in on the rumors. I'd imagine that a wide foldable from Honor would do the same. Whether it's with the brand's AI, cameras, and battery. It's Magic V6 arrived with a pretty beastly battery for a regular foldable. Now, we've got rumors saying a shorter, wider version could beat that 6,660mAh battery. It would certainly draw attention.

Pixel 11 leak reveals double the storage and a price hike you won't like

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:45:00 +0000

What you need to know

Pixel 11 could finally ditch 128GB, with every model rumored to start at 256GB of storage.
Expect to pay more, as leaked European pricing suggests a €100 increase across the lineup.
The Pro XL and Pro Fold may see genuine price increases, making Google's premium phones even more expensive.

If Google’s latest Pixel 11 leak is anything to go by, the days of purchasing a Pixel phone with just 128GB storage could soon be over. The catch? You might have to pay more up front.

A fresh report from Dealabs paints the clearest picture yet of Google's upcoming Pixel 11 lineup. It suggests Google is preparing a major shake-up for storage, colors, pricing, and launch timing ahead of the phones' expected debut next month.

Perhaps the most surprising change (or not) is something many Pixel fans have been begging for. The leak suggests that Google is killing the 128GB base storage option across the entire Pixel 11 family. Instead, each model would ship with 256GB, bringing the Pixel family more in line with the direction other flagship makers have been heading.

Of course the change has a clear downside. The report says prices across the range will be up about €100 in Europe. That sounds like a straightforward price hike, but there's a bit more to it.

Prices could be shifting up

For the standard Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro, those buyers would essentially be paying what the 256GB versions of the last generation already cost. That means the base storage is twice as large, but so is the base price. The Pixel 11 is expected to begin at €999 for 256GB, while the Pixel 11 Pro could start at €1,199.

For Google’s premium models, however, the news is less rosy. The Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to start at €1,399, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold could go up to €1,999 for the base 256GB model. These seem to be real price increases (unlike the standard models, which are replacements for lower-capacity variants).

The Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold are said to scale up to 1TB of storage, but the highest storage version is said to be available in just the Midnight Haze black color. The standard Pixel 11 would max out at 512GB.

The leak also shows a glimpse of what could be the color palette of Google’s lineup for this year. The regular Pixel 11 is expected to be launched in Midnight Haze (black), Light Sterling (gray), Moss (green), and Fuchsia (pink). The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL, meanwhile, are rumored to be available in Midnight Haze, Light Fog (white), Pine (green), and Dune (pink). Those looking to get their hands on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold have fewer options, as only Midnight Haze and Pine are said to be on the table.

Timing-wise, Google just revealed that it will launch the Pixel 11 series on August 12, and preorders will start right after. It is expected to go on sale in stores on August 20.

But there is still an important caveat. These figures are accurate for Europe and the UK. Google doesn’t always reflect regional pricing across markets, so US pricing could end up telling a different story when the company makes everything official.

Android Central's Take

Personally, I'm all for Google ditching 128GB as the default. In 2026, that much storage just doesn’t cut it with AI features, 4K videos, and massive apps eating up space faster than ever. I'd rather start with 256GB than worry about deleting photos in a few months. That said, Google should not use a long overdue storage bump as an excuse to quietly charge everyone more. Doubling the storage is a welcome upgrade, but it only feels worthwhile if the price reflects the value rather than serving as another reason to justify flagship phone costs.

4 silly Android games I play to quiet my overstimulated brain

namerah.saud-fatmi@futurenet.com (Namerah Saud Fatmi) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:43:27 +0000

As someone raised with the many generations of the PlayStation console, gaming is a wonderful outlet for me that helps me unwind. I also find great comfort in patterns; it's something that has always relaxed my mind and helped ease my anxiety. Thus, it only makes sense that at the end of a long day, I rely on some casual gaming to calm my very overstimulated brain.

For as long as I have had a phone, even in the days of Symbian OS, I have always had a roster of silly games to play in my downtime. These are different from "proper" gaming sessions for me, as the goal here isn't to enjoy complex game mechanics or intricate worldbuilding. I'm not looking for Skyrim-level lore or an action-packed adventure. I just want my mind to be still and for me to fall asleep without any mental tabs open in the background.

This is my current roster of mindless, silly Android games that lull me to sleep in the wee hours of the night. They have ads and microtransactions, but the basic gameplay is free. You might find them ridiculous, but don't knock 'em 'til you've tried 'em.

Hello! My Cozy Inn

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Hello! My Cozy Inn is a slow-paced restaurant and hotel management game with several mini-games, including a farming sim, merge games, memory-pair games, and more. The plot is simple: you start out with a rundown little inn, and you have to make it successful.

Even if you have a very short attention span and limited patience, you will not tire of this game easily. Though you have to wait for revenue to accumulate over time to upgrade the inn, there are plenty of side quests to keep you occupied.

By the time you're done accomplishing the day's tasks, your nervous system is relaxed, and your eyes are closing. The game has a cozy atmosphere and does a great job of slowing you down.

A cozy simulator

Enjoy the slow life on a run-down farmhouse. Renovate it into a quaint little inn, upgrading your virtual restaurant, farmland, inn, and more as you progress.

Download for free on Google Play Store

Screwdom 3D

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Screwdom 3D is one of those Android games that don't require much thought. Your goal couldn't be simpler: unscrew the object you've been given. Tap a screw to unscrew it, dismantling the object piece by piece, layer by layer.

To make it a bit more challenging, the screws are color-coded. Players need to match the colors as required, without running out of holes to store screws that don't match the current color.

There are various fun 3D models to take apart, and they can be rotated at any angle up to 360 degrees. As you twist and turn the object, looking for matching screws, your mind focuses on this low-stress task and the background noise in your mind turns down.

And if you're feeling competitive, there are plenty of challenges where you compete with others, pushing you to finish puzzles as fast as you can (sometimes without failing a level).

Brick by brick

Take apart hundreds of objects by unscrewing the screws that hold them together. Color-match the screws and use objects like a magnet or a hammer to help you overcome obstacles when you get stuck.

Download for free on Google Play Store

Arrows – Puzzle Escape

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Arrows – Puzzle Escape is a black-and-white game that eliminates all stimulation. It leaves you focusing on just the black arrows set against a plain white background, clearing the board on every level.

I enjoy this game particularly because of the unraveling of the pattern. The logic it follows doesn't require much thought. It almost becomes muscle memory; a repetitive task of tapping away at the arrows to pass the level.

As you progress, the levels become increasingly intricate. There are daily and weekly challenges as well. The lack of a timer takes the pressure off, allowing you to immerse yourself in the game until sleep befalls you.

Go with the flow

Clear the board by tapping away at intertwined arrows. The direction of the arrow's pointer indicates where it can move. It's a basic concept, but the levels become increasingly challenging over time.

Download for free on Google Play Store

Magic Sort!

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Magic Sort! gives you a nice little dopamine boost with its bright colors and cute characters. You must sort the colorful liquids in the bottles, with each bottle containing only a single colored liquid at the end of the level.

It's easy to get stuck, but you can collect helpful tools to assist you along the way. Watching ads is sometimes required, but I find that waiting for the ad to finish is enough to make me fall asleep. Since relaxing my mind is my main goal when playing the game, it works out perfectly.

Sort colorful liquids

Sort colorful liquids in different bottles, with helpful tools available to aid you when the going gets tough. As the levels progress, new rules and bottle types are introduced, adding an enjoyable challenge to the sorting game.

Download for free on Google Play Store

Pixel Studio is dead, but there are still a few ways you can make fun stickers on your Pixel phone. Here's how

namerah.saud-fatmi@futurenet.com (Namerah Saud Fatmi) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:24:41 +0000

Google pulled a Google on Pixel Studio image generation, meaning the feature was killed just like countless other projects before it. Now that the AI image-generating feature is gone, there are still quite a few ways to create custom stickers on a Pixel phone.

Of the many ways, the easiest is as quick as a long press, whereas the other options require a few more steps. So, here are some ways I like to create custom stickers on my Pixel 10 Pro without Pixel Studio.

Note that my Pixel is running Android 17, but Pixels running Android 16 with recent updates should also have access to the same features. Make sure you update your phone and apps to the latest available versions in case you still don't see these features on your Pixel phone.

How to create custom stickers on Pixel phones with Google Photos

Google Photos is the native image gallery app on every single Pixel phone. Many Android phones also use it as the native image viewer.

To create a custom sticker from a preexisting image, first find the picture you want in Google Photos.

After that, simply press and hold the subject you want to make into a sticker. I usually use my cat, but this works with other animals and people too.

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

From there, you can past your sticker in other apps, including chats. You can also find them in the Collections tab on Google Photos.

How to create custom stickers on Pixel phones with Google Messages

Little did I know that Google Messages already has a sticker creator built into it. Now that I have found it, I am happy to share that it is incredibly easy to use.

If you want to create custom stickers from your photos, just open a chat in Google Messages and tap the smiley face icon next to the photo attachment icon in the text box. Then, choose the Photomoji option.

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

After that, either take a picture with the camera or select a picture from your device to create a sticker. Simply tap the send button to send the newly created sticker to the chat.

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

You can also use this sticker as a reaction image as opposed to the preloaded emojis, as a way to spice up your reactions ot messages.

There are still so many other ways to create your own custom stickers for messaging apps

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Although we can no longer use Pixel Studio to reimagine our photos into fun stickers or simply create basic ones, there are plenty of alternatives to do so.

The simplest way to access the same image-generation feature Pixel Studio had is to open Gemini. Attach the picture you want to turn into a sticker, give Gemini the instructions, and it'll spit out what you need. However, the result will be a picture with an opaque background.

WhatsApp users will find that creating stickers in the app is child's play. Simply select the stickers option in the app, then tap the "create sticker" button to convert any image from your photo gallery into a sticker. There's no AI reimagination feature, however, so you'll have to rely on AI like Gemini for that.

Google Pixel 10 Pro

The smartest Pixel

The Google Pixel 10 Pro strikes the perfect balance between a small, easy to use one-handed phone, as well top-tier flagship performance. Equipped with AI smarts and stunning cameras, this is the smartest Pixel for just about anybody.

Google just confirmed when the Pixel 11 is coming

sanujb6@gmail.com (Sanuj Bhatia) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:17:56 +0000

What you need to know

Google has confirmed a Made by Google event in New York on August 12 at 6 p.m. ET for the Pixel 11 series.
The Pixel Watch 5 series is also expected to be announced at the August 12 event.
The Pixel 11 series is expected to start at a higher price tag than the Pixel 10 series, although it may start with at least 256GB of storage.

Mark your calendars: Google has officially announced its next Made by Google event, where the Pixel 11 series is expected to launch, and it's happening on August 12.

Google has sent out press invites confirming it's hosting the event in New York on Wednesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. ET. That's a week earlier than last year's Pixel 10 launch, though the timing is notably later in the day than usual.

Google typically holds these events around 1 p.m. ET, but for the Pixel 11 series launch, the company is hosting it in the evening at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

The company hasn't officially named the Pixel 11 series in the invite, instead using the phrase "next generation of Pixel," but that's exactly what everyone expects. Google is also anticipated to announce the Pixel Watch 5 series alongside it.

What to expect from the Pixel 11 launch on August 12

(Image credit: Mark Gurman / X)

The invite itself has a very Apple-ish feel to it. It's pretty similar to how Apple sends out invites for its WWDC and iPhone launch events, and this is the first time Google has gone with something like this.

As for what the invite actually reveals, the teaser shows a gold-finish phone with the horizontal camera visor, which is enough to confirm it's a Google Pixel. Beyond that, there isn't much to go on from the poster itself.

On the leak front, the Pixel 11 series is rumored to start at 256GB instead of 128GB, which also points to a price increase over the predecessor. With RAM and memory component costs continuing to rise across the industry, it looks like the Pixel 11 series will be the next casualty of that trend.

There are also rumors of Google bringing the Pixel Glow indicator to the Pixel 11 series. The company has been rolling out the Glow light feature across its hardware lineup, first with the Googlebook earlier this year and then the Google Home Speaker last month, and it looks like the Pixel 11 will follow suit.

As always, Android Central will be on the ground at the Made by Google event to cover everything as it happens. What are you most excited about with the Pixel 11 series? Let us know in the comments below.

Budget phones projected to take a hit amid pressure from soaring memory prices

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:27:00 +0000

What you need to know

Omdia's latest research suggests rising memory costs will wound the budget phone market this year.
Data says the budget phone market could drop by 22%, as companies struggle to find positivity.
As a result, companies might turn to phones priced higher than $400, seeing as there's more leeway with swapping out materials to turn a profit.

The phone market crosses into the second half of the year with a sour outlook on budget phones. New research says we might see less of them, and the reason's still the same.

Early this morning (July 7), Omdia's research on the budget smartphone market suggests companies reduce production by 22% YoY (year-over-year). The culprit is the same one that's wreaked havoc across the market already: memory. Omdia states DRAM and NAND prices have continued to soar, contributing to its projections. The post adds that memory has become a significant "burden" on phone makers, accounting for "nearly 60% of the total BOM cost in smartphones priced below $400."

Android Central's Take

It probably goes without saying that consumers looking for a budget phone are more "sensitive" or "price conscious." That's the whole point of a more affordable, lower-cost phone. And that's the issue we run into. Prices start soaring for the "affordable" stuff, leaving people with no where to turn but back home.

The totals only get higher the lower the phone costs (for the consumer). This trend isn't expected to change anytime soon, with Omdia stating memory costs will negatively impact budget phones "for the coming quarters." As a result, Omdia's research suggests the market for mid-to-high-range products (priced above $400) could rise by 5.6%.

There are a few reasons for this. For one, Omdia says, "High-end consumers are less price-sensitive, helping to sustain stable demand." Additionally, it states that higher-priced phones give companies more leeway with their materials and, therefore, cost. The researchers use Chinese companies that have recently opted for LTPO OLED displays, instead of LTPO, saving upwards of $5 per device. The camera module can be tweaked, and the number of lenses can be adjusted, too.

Omdia adds that companies can save roughly 30% to 40% of their costs by opting for past-gen SoCs.

The story in numbers

(Image credit: Omdia)

While demand for budget phones is expected to drop and devices priced over $400 could see growth, Omdia still projects a 12% YoY decline in the overall market for 2026. Omdia states that many overseas makers have had to raise their prices to maintain a "thin profit margin" in these trying times. Budget phones already walk that affordability line, which means everything around the device is kept minimal.

That's the issue. If everything's been cut, and if memory prices are soaring, companies are struggling to find the green. Also, raising prices for these budget devices won't work, as Omdia's research suggests consumers in this market are "highly price-sensitive," as if that wasn't clear enough.

In May, Omdia's Q1 2026 report confirmed a 3% YoY dip in the U.S. phone market. Memory costs were credited with the decline, alongside "restrained carrier upgrades." Apple led the charge with 60% of the phones shipped. Samsung held 24% in second place, shipping 7.9 million phones. What's interesting in the numbers is how the budget sector has shifted. In Q1, phones under $300 rose by 8%, with researchers stating prepaid carrier plans likely aided these devices.

These two portable Samsung SSDs are up to 31% off at Amazon — that's 1TB of storage for as little as $0.20 per gig!

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:25:20 +0000

The global storage shortage isn't going away any time soon, but that doesn't mean you can find some good SSD deals if you know where to look. The Samsung T7 and T9 portable SSDs are two of my favorite storage devices for file management on the go, and Amazon is currently slashing up to 31% off the 1TB versions for a limited time.

Samsung T9 Portable SSD (1TB): ~~$287.99~~ $199.99 at Amazon

The T9 is a powerful storage device with read/write transfer speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, making it perfect for 4K video editing and large file management while traveling. Its rubberized exterior has also been drop-proof tested for up to 9.8 feet, while regular firmware updates and AES 256-bit encryption ensure that your files always stay safe wherever you are.

Grab this portable storage device from Amazon today and you'll score a straight 31% off your purchase! View Deal

Samsung T7 Portable SSD (1TB): ~~$274.99~~ $219.99 at Amazon

If you're looking for something more sleek and casual, the Samsung T7 is a great pick for everyday use. You get transfer speeds of up to 1,050Mb/s with USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology, high-end thermal control, and shock resistance from up to six feet in height. Order this approachable SSD from Amazon and you'll save 20% today. View Deal

Both of these Samsung storage solutions are durable and travel-ready, with lightning-fast transfer speeds, Dynamic Thermal Guard to prevent overheating, and high-end AES 256-bit hardware encryption straight out of the box. They're also small enough to toss into a bag or coat pocket.

That being said, the Samsung T9 is easily the better value here, offering faster transfer speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and a more durable design than the T7. I often recommend the Samsung T7 since it's usually a bit more affordable than its rubberized counterpart, but this leftover Prime Day deal has actually dropped the 1TB T9 to only $199.99, which is a full $20 cheaper than the T7's current price.

Still, if you prefer something sleek and you don't mind slower speeds, the T7 remains a solid pick. Both SSDs are impressive options if you need external storage while traveling this summer, and this Amazon deal has made them more approachable than they've been in a while (barring last month's Prime Day discounts, of course). Given how expensive storage devices are these days, every penny counts.

Your Android phone backup now counts against your Google storage — but the impact is smaller than you think

sanujb6@gmail.com (Sanuj Bhatia) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:19:31 +0000

What you need to know

Google now counts Android backups like SMS, call history, and settings toward your Google storage quota.
New backup controls let you choose exactly which data, including call history and settings, gets backed up.
Google says the average Android backup is only around 40MB, so most users won't notice a major impact.

Google has started counting your Android phone's backup data against your Google account storage.

Previously, Android backup data, including SMS, call history, and device settings, didn't count toward your Google storage quota. The only backup data that did count was Google Photos and MMS.

However, as spotted by 9to5Google, starting July 7th, Google is now counting all Android backup data against your total Google account storage.

This means SMS, call history, device settings, and other app data will now all count toward your total storage. On the upside, though, Google is also giving users more control over what gets backed up. There are new toggles in the Android backup settings that let you manually choose what's included.

(Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)

For example, you can choose whether to back up your call history, device settings, or app data individually, and turn off anything you don't need. You can find these options by going to Settings > Accounts and Backup > Google Backup.

The good news is that this will barely matter for most people. Google says the average Android backup is only around 40MB in size, so it's unlikely to make a meaningful dent in your total storage.

That said, if you have a lot of data to back up, you might need to upgrade to paid storage through a Google One or Google AI plan to get the extra headroom you need.

Google has already started rolling out the change. I can see it on my Pixel 10 Pro, and the company says existing accounts will get it in the coming months.

Android Central's Take

Honestly, I assumed Android backup data was already counting against my Google storage this whole time. Turns out it wasn't, so this change doesn't bother me much. What I do appreciate though is the new granular controls. Being able to choose exactly what gets backed up is something Android should have offered a long time ago, and I'm glad it's finally here.

Solos’ new smart glasses come with a literal plastic shield to block the camera

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:06:48 +0000

What you need to know

Solos' new AirGo A6 ditches the camera, prioritizing comfort, privacy, and an everyday glasses-like design.
Despite losing the camera, the A6 still packs AI features like live translation, voice commands, messaging, reminders, and open-ear audio.
The AirGo V2 is now available globally from $299, offering a 16MP camera, 2K video, modular frames, and up to 12 hours of battery life.
Solos' new Privacy Kit physically blocks the AirGo V2's camera instead of relying on software indicators alone.

Smart glasses are quickly becoming one of tech’s biggest battlegrounds, but one hurdle remains: convincing people to actually wear them. According to Solos, the answer isn’t to cram in more hardware but to make smart glasses look and feel like regular glasses while giving users more control over their privacy.

That’s precisely what the company is promising with its latest announcements at the AI Smartglasses Symposium 2026 in Hong Kong. Solos has launched the AirGo A6 and a new Privacy Kit for its camera-enabled glasses and officially launched the AirGo V2 around the world.

AirGo A6 puts comfort before cameras

(Image credit: Solos)

The AirGo A6 takes a different approach rather than chasing bigger specs. It skips the built-in camera entirely, making it a better fit for users who want AI features without constantly wearing a visible camera on their face.

The company claims that the glasses weigh around 19 grams without lenses, making them one of the lightest AI smart glasses announced to date. They are also fully compatible with prescription lenses.

While the design is minimal, there are still a lot of AI-powered features here. The AirGo A6 has hands-free SolosChat, wake-word activation, automatic power management, voice memos, live translation, messaging, a calendar, reminders, and open-ear audio for calls and music. Solos also says the glasses run on an open AI platform that will continue to evolve with future software updates, SDK integrations, and additional AI assistants.

A physical solution to a privacy problem

Camera-equipped smart glasses have been dogged by privacy concerns, and Solos is doing something refreshingly simple. Instead of software indicators, the company has launched a new Privacy Kit that physically blocks the camera when you don’t want it available.

The kit comes with a transparent ClearView Temple and a Clip-On Privacy Shield that completely covers the camera. A clip-on polarized sun lens is also included so users can easily add UV protection when swapping accessories.

The AirGo V2 is now available globally

(Image credit: Solos)

While the A6 is still on the horizon, you can purchase the AirGo V2 now. The company’s flagship smart glasses, priced from $299, feature a lightweight prescription-ready frame and a 16MP camera capable of taking photos and recording 2K video at 30fps with electronic image stabilization. Solos also notes YouTube livestreaming support is on the roadmap.

You also get the company’s modular SmartHinge design, which allows you to swap out different front frame faces depending on style or privacy needs.

The AirGo V2 also boasts software features like hands-free voice controls with SolosChat 4.0. Users can take photos, record video, control music, ask AI questions, and get live translation via the wake phrase “Hey Solos.” Open-ear speakers allow you to listen to music, calls, and AI responses while still listening to the world around you. Solos says the glasses will last 10 to 12 hours with everyday use. Optional swappable battery temples can extend that runtime for longer trips or events.

The glasses also support a variety of prescription lens types, including progressive, transition, polarized, and blue-light filtering lenses, and customers can upload their prescriptions at checkout.

Looking ahead, Solos is planning a dedicated charging case for August 2026. The case will recharge the swappable battery temples through USB-C and protect the glasses while traveling, although pricing has not been revealed yet. The AirGo A6’s launch date and pricing are still under wraps too. The new Privacy Kit starts at $39, and the full bundle is $79.

Android Central's Take

The upside here is obvious: you get the slick hands-free translation and wearable assistant without broadcasting your entire life to the cloud—assuming you actually remember to snap on that $49 plastic Privacy Shield. But selling a literal piece of plastic as an “innovative privacy kit” to combat the surveillance creep of their own camera-packed smart glasses is a pretty bold PR spin. We’ll see if the AirGo V2 really respects our boundaries or if it’s just a placebo clip-on to make us feel better about wearing a wire to the grocery store.

The Nothing Phone 4b is a flashy budget phone with flagship software promises

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000

What you need to know

Nothing's Phone 4b brings a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip, refined Glyph Interface, and Nothing's biggest battery yet to a more affordable price point.
The phone sports a 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a 5,200mAh battery, IP64 durability, and a transparent design that stays true to Nothing's signature look.
A 50MP OIS main camera, ultrawide lens, Ultra XDR processing, and 4K video recording aim to deliver a flagship-like photography experience without the flagship price.

Nothing is expanding its smartphone lineup again, but this time it is squarely targeting buyers looking for a polished Android experience without paying flagship prices. The new Nothing Phone 4b continues the momentum of the Phone 4a series with a handful of upgrades that until now were exclusive to more expensive devices like a Snapdragon processor, an improved Glyph Interface, and a larger battery.

The Phone 4b takes the Glyph Bar from the Phone 4a and combines it with the unibody styling of the Phone 4a Pro for what the company calls its cleanest design yet. The see-through look is still there, but the phone is also IP64-rated for dust and water resistance and is built to withstand up to 600N of bending force. It will be available in black, white, and blue.

Under the hood, Nothing has gone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, built on a 4nm process. The company claims the chip is close to the Phone 4a in performance, with a score of over one million on AnTuTu. The new platform also promises to improve power efficiency and speed up on-device AI work like voice recognition and photo enhancements that can happen locally instead of relying on the cloud.

Nothing's biggest battery yet

(Image credit: Nothing)

Battery life is another area getting a noticeable bump. The Phone 4b packs what Nothing is calling its biggest battery to date, rated at 5,200 mAh, with support for 33W wired fast charging. The phone can go from zero to 50 percent in less than 30 minutes, according to the company. Nothing is also suggesting that the battery should still have about 90% of its original capacity after about 1,200 charging cycles.

A lot of attention is also given to photography. The Phone 4b has a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization and a 119-degree ultrawide sensor. The Nothing’s TrueLens Engine 4 drives its new Ultra XDR processing, which blends 13 RAW frames for better dynamic range and color accuracy.

The display checks many boxes, too. It has a 6.77-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, HDR10+ support, up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, and a 1,000Hz instant touch sampling rate for more responsive gaming and everyday interactions.

Software-wise, the Phone 4b runs Nothing OS 4.1, based on Android 16. The phone offers Nothing's signature interface tweaks, along with the company's full suite of Essential AI tools, native ChatGPT integration, Google Gemini, Circle to Search, and the Essential Key for quick access to AI-powered features like Essential Space and Essential Search. Just as importantly, Nothing is promising three years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches, giving the Phone 4b one of the longest support windows in its price bracket.

Nothing is also launching a limited edition of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Edition to celebrate the cricket club’s second IPL title. The special model is available in a special red finish with custom branding and collector’s packaging. It will be available through an exclusive drop at the company’s Bengaluru flagship store initially. The Phone 4b starts at £299 (€329), offering 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Android Central's Take

Okay, I’ll admit, the six-year security patch commitment is a giant win for budget buyers, finally forcing the industry to treat affordable phones as long-term investments, not disposable tech. Nothing, for its part, isn’t pretending it has reinvented the wheel, but a 5,200mAh battery with a slow 33W charging speed isn’t exactly breaking new ground. My job involves staring at spec sheets and chasing down the latest hardware leaks for things like 9,000mAh cells and 185Hz displays, and I'm used to seeing budget hardware actually take some risks. The Phone 4b offers a strong software experience in a slick, glowing package, but remove the flashy LED marketing and it’s just another midrange device trying hard to sell itself as a flagship.

Nothing's new Ear 3a can record calls and save what you're listening to

sanujb6@gmail.com (Sanuj Bhatia) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000

What you need to know

Nothing Ear 3a introduces Audio Snapshot with onboard storage.
The earbuds can also record phone calls and meetings.
New 12mm drivers, 45dB ANC, and Hi-Res Audio support are included.
Pricing starts at just $99.

Nothing makes some of the best wireless earbuds on the market, and the company today unveiled its latest pair, the Ear 3a, with a new feature that feels particularly relevant in the AI era.

The headline feature of the Nothing Ear 3a is built-in storage of 32MB. Nothing says this lets users record what it calls Audio Snapshots, essentially allowing you to save whatever is being heard through the earbuds at any given moment. The feature captures audio from both before and after the trigger gesture, creating an "audio screenshot" without you ever having to pull out your phone.

Recordings automatically sync to the companion app, where you can replay, edit, share, and transcribe them.

(Image credit: Nothing)

The storage also enables call and meeting recording directly on the earbuds. Users can start recording with a simple gesture and capture conversations for up to two hours. With privacy in mind, other participants are notified whenever a call or meeting is being recorded.

On the audio side, the Ear 3a gets a new 12mm dynamic driver designed to deliver stronger bass and improved detail. The earbuds also support Hi-Res Audio Wireless at up to 24-bit/96kHz and an 8-band equalizer that you can customize right in the app.

There are ANC upgrades as well. The Ear 3a now offers up to 45dB of wideband ANC, with Nothing claiming a 17.1% improvement in overall noise cancellation coverage compared to the previous generation.

In terms of design, they'll look familiar to anyone who's used Nothing's earbuds before. The case keeps the brand's signature transparent-ish aesthetic, while the earbuds themselves come in four colors: Black, White, Yellow, and a new Pink finish.

The Nothing Ear 3a are priced at $99, putting them in direct competition with the Google Pixel Buds 2a and the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.

Android Central's Take

I've stopped getting excited about ANC improvements and bigger drivers at this point. But built-in storage that records and transcribes what you're hearing? That's something I'd genuinely use every day, especially when my attention span is basically non-existent at this point.

These Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leaks make me think the brand wants to go all-in this year

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:24:00 +0000

What you need to know

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max rumors suggest the phone could sport key upgrades over the 17 Pro Max, such as 200MP main and telephoto lenses.
The device might also feature a battery upgrade of ~500mAh or more, potentially sitting at ~8,000mAh.
Recent rumors claim the 18 Pro and Pro Max could see a 4-inch Dynamic Back Display after the 17 series shattered rre

Another round of Xiaomi 18 leaks talks about the series' top version, the 18 Pro Max, and the upgrades it could deliver.

The rumors that have surfaced early this week arrive days after the series' base model was highlighted. Frequent tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS) posted several upgrades the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max could feature once it debuts later this year (via Gizmochina). The tipster alleges the Chinese brand will equip the phone with a 200MP LOFIC sensor camera, alongside a 200MP telephoto macro lens.

On the flip side, rumors suggest Xiaomi is working on some screen changes. It's unclear how these differ from what we've received with the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. DCS claims the phone will sport "thinner" bezels and "large, rounded corners." The 17 Pro Max was already a phone with rounded corners. This could mean Xiaomi is trying to make those corners feel more comfortable to hold with one hand.

We'll have to wait for more on that one. Elsewhere, the 18 Pro Max is rumored to feature a battery upgrade. The device could offer a battery of ~8,000mAh or higher. Xiaomi might also pair this with 100W wired charging and wireless charging of an unspecified strength. The 17 Pro Max offered similar wired charging capabilities with 50W wireless charging, so we might see this once again.

Show up and show out

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

If we take a step back, the 17 Pro Max offered a 50MP main camera and a 5x periscope lens. While the device features the Dynamic Back Display, which was so popular for Xiaomi that it said it would "do it again," it looks like photography is a sector it wants to make better. Additionally, the phone offered a 7,500mAh battery. Given the rumors, that might jump by ~500mAh or more with this new version.

That Dynamic Back Display found its way into recent online rumors. Some say Xiaomi is looking to increase its size to 4 inches over the 2.1-inch display on the 17 Pro and Pro Max. More importantly, the screen could rock "higher brightness" and potentially "privacy protection," which sounds like what Samsung did for the Galaxy S26 Ultra (though there's nothing for certain).

The base Xiaomi 18 could get some TLC this year, too. The company might increase its battery by ~200mAh to ~7,200mAh. Overseas consumers should take these battery numbers with a grain of salt. Not because they're rumors, but because Xiaomi tweaks these numbers for global markets. We might see numbers lower than what's been proposed for the 18 Pro Max, just like we did for the 17 Pro Max.

Android Central's Take

I feel like Xiaomi wants to make the title "Pro Max" mean something. These upgrades also sound like a company that's trying to go all-in and make sure it's next iteration makes waves, not a splash. We're still early, and while the series is expected to rock Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, there's still a lot that's unknown. I'm expecting the series to debut later this year, so maybe we'll know more once (if) the company ramps up its teasers.

AI tools on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra that just make things easier

tips@androidcentral.com (Sponsored) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:42:25 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra focuses heavily on AI, but not in a way that feels abstract or overly technical. Instead, it’s designed to handle small, everyday tasks more efficiently, so there’s less time spent on routine digital admin and more on what actually matters. Here are a few ways the AI tools on Samsung’s latest flagship can help streamline your day.

TL;DR: The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses AI tools like Writing Assist¹, Note Assist², Now Brief, Browsing Assist³, and Photo Assist⁴ to simplify everyday tasks. From refining emails to summarising webpages and organising notes, the Galaxy S26 Ultra removes manual input to help streamline how it’s used throughout the day.

How does Writing Assist improve messages and emails?

Writing Assist refines text in real time, adjusting tone, grammar, and clarity directly within supported apps. It can rewrite a message to sound more formal, more concise, or more relaxed, depending on the situation.

We’ve all been there: a work email comes in after a long day, and you feel exhausted and unsure how to respond. Writing Assist unearths the perfect tone to deliver your message without sounding too short, impersonal or unprofessional.

A quick response written between meetings can also be adjusted to sound more professional without having to rewrite it from scratch. Plus, Writing Assist never misses; it helps you strike the right balance in messages, such as when following up with a colleague or responding to someone you don’t know well.

It removes the need to pause and rethink wording, helping messages come across clearly the first time.

Can the Galaxy S26 Ultra organise chaotic notes?

Note Assist organises and summarises notes automatically, turning unstructured text into something easier to read and act on. It can break down longer notes, highlight key points, and reshape rough ideas into a clearer format.

Phones have helped take notes on the go for years, but they aren’t so hot on helping you retrieve a note when you need it, especially if it’s been a while since you recorded it. The Galaxy S26 Ultra can summarise and present your thoughts in a more organised way, so you don't have to go back through everything later.

Note Assist is also useful for planning trips, saving ideas for get-togethers, or jotting down ideas. Plus, it reduces the need to manually tidy up notes afterwards, making them more useful straight away.

What does Now Brief show you during the day?

Now Brief gathers information from across the phone and presents it in a single, glanceable summary that includes calendar events, reminders, weather, and messages. Thanks to Galaxy AI⁵, it can not only pull information from across multiple apps but also help make sense of it all.

(Image credit: Future)

If you have a holiday or a theatre performance coming up in a different location, Now Brief will show you how to get there, what the weather is like, any tickets you might have booked and are available in your emails, etc. The feature will also suggest mindfulness sessions if you have a longer trip coming up to manage stress levels.

Better still, Now Brief also helps surface updates that might otherwise be missed, presenting them clearly, so it’s easier to stay on top of the day without constantly switching between apps.

Can the Galaxy S26 Ultra summarise webpages for you?

Browsing Assist summarises webpages into shorter, more digestible sections, highlighting key points without needing to read everything in full – perfect for avoiding the information overload we all face these days, especially on our smartphones.

It works directly in the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s browser and can be useful when checking reviews before buying something, scanning long articles, or checking what the critics are saying about the movie you’re watching or that actor that you know from that movie but can’t remember their name.

Instead of reading through entire pages of content, Browsing Assist presents the main points upfront, pulling out the most relevant information and helping you return to your original task. In short, it reduces the time spent skimming and scrolling, helping information feel more manageable.

How does Photo Assist improve photos after they’re taken?

Photo Assist applies AI-powered edits directly within the Gallery app, allowing adjustments such as removing distractions, improving composition, and refining lighting without using separate editing tools.

The only limit of Photo Assist really is your imagination. Using text prompts, it can add details or complete photos, or completely redo images to match their purpose. Want to add a flying pig in the background of your hen do snapshots? No problem. How about removing the flame from the last candle on the cake to make it look like the birthday girl blew them all out in one try? Photo Assist can sort that.

Cluttered backgrounds are cleaned up, photobombers are removed, and off-centre shots are quickly reframed. It also helps when preparing images to share, where a cleaner, more balanced photo makes a difference. Photo Assist turns editing into a quick step rather than a separate task, helping more photos feel worth keeping.

From writing messages to organising information and refining photos, the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses AI to handle small tasks more efficiently throughout the day. To see how these features work together and explore the device's full capabilities, visit the official Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra page.

¹ _{Samsung account login is required. Requires a network connection. Must meet length requirements to activate feature. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.}

² _{Samsung account login is required. Requires network connection.}

³ _{Available to use on Samsung Internet. Requires network connection and Samsung account login. Summarise feature may be limited or unavailable on certain paid websites. Character limit applies. Language pack download may be required. Accuracy of results not guaranteed.}

⁴ _{Requires network connection and Samsung account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the saved image to indicate it was generated by Galaxy AI. Accuracy of output not guaranteed.}

⁵ _{Samsung account login is required for certain AI features. Galaxy AI features are provided for free. Future releases may include additional advanced features that are offered as part of a paid subscription plan. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties.}

Let us know: Are you Team Google, Team Android, or both?

derrek.lee@futurenet.com (Derrek Lee) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:52:00 +0000

Google and Android are pretty much synonymous, given that the former owns and develops the latter. However, over the years, Android has more or less grown into its own entity, spanning not just your phone but wearables, vehicles, and more. Meanwhile, Google as a company continues to expand its reach beyond just Android and Search, and lately it's been all about AI.

But we want to know how you feel about both. In 2026, are you a fan of Google and/or Android? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Google and Android in 2026

Google and Android have grown a lot since their early days. Google (and its parent company, Alphabet) grew from a simple search engine to a huge conglomerate with a hand in many aspects of our lives, including internet browsers, self-driving cars, internet service, and the very smartphones in our hands. And while Google has pushed the boundaries of AI for many years, things have only recently begun to ramp up exponentially with the advent of generative AI.

Google now sees itself as an AI company, and these days its focus has been on incorporating AI across its many products.

Still, despite bringing tons of fun and useful products over the years, Google has had its fair share of problems. The company is constantly in litigation over its practices and has, on several occasions, been found to be anticompetitive or maintain a monopoly in certain markets. It has also aligned itself with government contracts that consumers find morally questionable.

Google has also introduced a ton of products only to kill them shortly after, which has sullied consumer trust in the brand.

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

Fortunately, Android is one of the products that Google has not managed to kill. After buying Android in 2005, Google turned it into the world's most widely used operating system, spanning many different device types and price points.

Android has many faces, even just on smartphones, thanks to its open-source nature, and companies like Samsung have helped expand its reach and feature set. In fact, Android phones often adopt new features before iOS on iPhones.

That said, Android isn't perfect, and while it has certainly become more capable with Android 17, it's still seen by many as a second-class citizen when compared to Apple. Even in 2026, there are still plenty of popular apps that are launched on iOS before making it to Android. And when apps do come to Android, there are often quality issues that aren't present on iOS.

Additionally, unlike iOS, Android is not very consistent, especially when you move across brands. Samsung and Google's own Pixel smartphones tend to get new Android platform features before anyone else, leaving others like Motorola waiting on the sidelines, which some find frustrating.

But let us know in the comments how you feel about Android and Google and if you're a fan of one or the other (or both)!

Google Maps is about to start ordering your takeout for you

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 19:06:27 +0000

What you need to know

Google Maps may soon let you order food with Gemini, cutting out apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Hidden code in the latest Google Maps app points to an upcoming "Ask Maps to order food" feature, but it's not live yet.
The feature appears to build on Gemini's Ask Maps experience, taking users from restaurant discovery to placing an order in one conversation.

Google Maps has long been the go-to app for finding a good place to eat. Soon, it may also be the app that orders your meal before you even arrive.

The latest version of Google Maps (26.27.00.941319029) has code strings hinting that the app could be used for more than just discovering restaurants and letting users order food via its Gemini-powered Ask Maps experience, as observed by the folks at Android Authority. If it works as intended, users might not have to get into apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash to place an order.

The strings refer to a feature called “Ask Maps to order food.” The feature isn't live at this point, but the wording gives one of the clearest glimpses yet into what Google is planning.

One of the promotional messages reads: “Tell us what you’re craving, find local favorites, and Maps will order for you — even when you’re on the go.” Other strings include a shortcut to “Order food,” a “Try it out” button, and an option to dismiss the prompt for later.

Gemini does the heavy lifting

The idea probably stems from Ask Maps, an AI assistant Google unveiled earlier this year. Gemini already has a feature that lets users find restaurants and attractions through natural-language conversations, instead of traditional keyword searches. It looks like Google isn't stopping at just recommendations. Instead, it looks like the next logical step is to complete the order for you.

We don’t yet know exactly how Google plans to do this. The big unknown is if Gemini will be able to do the entire ordering process in the cloud or if it’s going to lean on Google’s newer on-device AI capabilities.

Some of the functionality may require newer hardware to work too, such as the agentic AI features Google recently announced for the Pixel 10 series, which can do things like place orders, Android Authority points out. That said, Maps has always offered the same core experience across Android devices, so it’d be surprising if food ordering was limited to a handful of phones after all.

Then there's the question of what kind of ordering Google has in mind. The app’s strings appear geared toward pickup, implying Maps can order food while you’re driving.

If this feature sounds familiar, it’s because Google has tried in-app food ordering before. The company has also rolled out restaurant ordering into Search, Assistant, and Maps years ago with partners including DoorDash and other delivery services. This time, it’s the AI tier that’s different.

But for now there is no public interface to test and no timeline for launch. As with any APK teardown, just because you see the code doesn’t mean the feature will ship. Google builds a lot of stuff that never makes it into stable releases.

Android Central's Take

I'd be all for that if it actually helps me not bounce around between three different apps to get dinner sorted. If Google Maps can suggest a restaurant, order my dish, and have it ready for me when I arrive, that's a real quality-of-life upgrade. But Google also tends to add more features to Maps every year, and some of them don't stick. I’d rather see the company nail down a fast, reliable ordering experience than turn Maps into yet another bloated app that’s trying to do everything and does very little well.

The 'most stylish' Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is STILL selling at a record low price after Prime Day

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:58:20 +0000

Prime Day has come and gone, but apparently Amazon missed the memo: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, one of the best smartwatches on the market today, is still selling with a 33% discount on the retailer's site. That discount knocks the price of the 46mm watch down to its lowest price ever recorded, no strings attached.

This leftover Prime Day deal comes just weeks before the presumed unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 series later this month, but that doesn't mean it's not a great deal in its own right. For $335, you're getting one of the best-looking Android smartwatches ever built, with a rotating bezel, 64GB of onboard storage, and all of the latest One UI Watch software.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (2025) 46mm: ~~$499.99~~ $334.99 at Amazon

Did you miss all of the action during Prime Day? Amazon has you covered with a leftover deal that's dropping 33% off the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. This smartwatch may not get as much attention as the base model Galaxy Watch 8 or Galaxy Watch Ultra, but it's an ideal choice for someone who wants the smarts of a Samsung watch without sacrificing traditional design. View Deal

✅Recommended if: you want the features of a Samsung smartwatch with the look of a traditional timepiece; you like wearables with tactile features like a rotating bezel and physical buttons.

❌Skip this deal if: you want to wait for the launch of the Galaxy Watch 9 on July 22nd (most likely); you have thin wrists or you want a wearable with a more sleek design.

Don't let the hybrid design fool you: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is all power under the hood. The hybrid watch boasts an efficient Exynos processor straight out of the box, plus you get 64GB of onboard storage, a fast-charging battery, and all of the latest health and fitness tracking features from Samsung Health. The 3,000-nit display is bright and easy on the eyes, while the rotating bezel and Quick Buttons are great for users who like precise controls on their watches.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic does have a pretty bulky construction that may not work for all users, and others may simply not enjoy the "squircle" design or 1.34-inch display. Aside from those nitpicks, the only real issue we found with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was its steep $500 price tag at launch. Thanks to this Amazon deal, however, that's no longer a problem.

Razer gears up for an Axon Mobile launch on Google Play with two major events

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:45:00 +0000

What you need to know

Razer announced Axon Mobile, a version of its Axon Wallpaper Engine for Android devices, which is set to debut on July 15 on the Play Store.
The app brings creations from licensed IPs, creators, and artists who've made "high-quality animated visuals."
Razer is running a pre-registration period until July 15, and engaging with it enters users for a chance to win one of six prizes.

Razer, the popular gaming (computer) hardware company, is bringing some of its PC flair to Android. Users should keep an eye out because there's an ongoing pre-registration period, too.

Razer announced that it's bringing Axon Mobile, an Android version of its Axon Wallpaper Engine, to Android devices later in July. Desktop users might be familiar with Razer's "immersive and personalized" wallpaper engine. The brand states that's continued to "expand its library of immersive wallpapers, artist collaborations, and visual experiences" to transform digital spaces.

The experience of snagging artwork from licensed IPs, creators, and artists is something Razer says it's bringing to Android during its official July 15 launch. Through Axon Mobile (Axon Wallpaper Engine), Android users can browse the app's library and download "high-quality animated visuals and striking designs inspired by games, entertainment, and original Razer content."

Users can customize the content they see. Razer says it'll let you choose five wallpaper categories you might be interested in. This will likely affect your "For You" page, which refreshes its main page to help you find your next favorite wallpaper.

From now until July 15, Android users can pre-register for the Axon Wallpaper Engine on the Google Play Store. In doing so, you could "win one of six prizes—three Razer Hammerhead V3 HyperSpeed and three Razer Kishi V3." However, once the app launches, Razer says it's running another event from July 15 to July 29.

Engaging with the company's social media post about Axon Mobile's launch enters you for a chance to win "one of three Razer bundles, each featuring the Razer Kraken V4, Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, and Razer BlackWidow V4 TKL HyperSpeed."

There are tons of Android gamers

(Image credit: Razer)

While Razer primarily focuses on the computer hardware side of the industry, it hasn't forgotten mobile users. Android devices have found themselves in its crosshairs for major releases like the BlackShark V3 Pro in 2025. The V3 Pro felt like Razer was taking Android gaming seriously with a headset that delivered quality audio and comfort. ANC (active noise cancellation) was a highlight for Android Central's Brady Snyder, who said it performed better than he thought.

On the other hand, we have various Android gaming controllers, like the Kishi V2 Pro. Razer's controllers turn your phone into a handheld console. At the time, the Kishi V2 Pro launched with a 3.5mm audio jack and HyperSense Haptics. Since then, the company's come back with the Kishi V3, V3 Pro, and the V3 XL for phones, mini tablets, and full-sized tablets.

Android Central's Take

I can respect the focus Razer is putting on Android. For many, gaming on a phone is the most feasible way for them to enjoy what they love. It has brought gaming controllers into the Android world before, and they're interesting, to say the least. However, bringing this PC-like wallpaper to phones is another step. I feel as though this would attract people who game and those who don't. These are some pretty clean, immersive wallpapers. You don't have to be a gamer to enjoy them.

Big Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 display upgrade leaked ahead of launch

sanujb6@gmail.com (Sanuj Bhatia) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:16:19 +0000

What you need to know

Samsung is redesigning the hinge on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with the new mechanism offering noticeably better crease control.
The crease performance is reportedly comparable to the Oppo Find N6, which currently has the best crease of any foldable.
Both the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra are expected to benefit from the improved hinge design.

Samsung might finally be fixing the display crease problem with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 series.

Samsung looks set to launch its new foldable phones later this month. The company has already kicked off its marketing campaign teasing the new devices, and while leaks have given us a good idea of what to expect, we're now getting closer to launch with new leaks confirming some of the bigger upgrades on the way.

According to tipster Ice Universe on X, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is expected to feature a redesigned hinge, with the hinge feel reportedly being noticeably different from previous generations.

The tipster says Samsung has made several changes to the folding mechanism, making it more decisive. In practice, this means the phone is no longer as easy to hold open at certain in-between angles as before, which has led to better crease control.

Ice Universe goes on to say that it's reached the top level in the industry, with crease performance comparable to the Oppo Find N6.

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

The Oppo Find N6 launched earlier this year as a virtually crease-free foldable. Having spent an extended period with it hands-on, it still has the best crease performance of any foldable phone to date. It sounds like Samsung is finally closing that gap with the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Android Central's take

I've used the Oppo Find N6, and the crease really is that good. If Samsung is actually matching it with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, this might quietly end up being the most underrated upgrade on the entire phone.

It's also worth noting that the tipster is referring to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series as a whole, which suggests the improved crease performance will carry over to both the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

For those unfamiliar, the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 this time around will feature a slightly taller and wider, passport-style form factor, positioning it as a direct competitor to Apple's foldable phone later this year. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, meanwhile, will be the successor to last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7.

It remains to be seen just how much Samsung has improved the crease on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. But if the rumors hold up, the display upgrades alone should make it one of the bigger generational leaps for the lineup.

T-Mobile will apparently give you a FREE Google Pixel 10 with "most plans" — but what does this mean?

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:13:00 +0000

It's not unusual for wireless carriers to promote free phone deals, but these offers are typically bogged down with so much fine print that it doesn't really feel like saving. Fortunately, T-Mobile has been running some new deals that simplify the process considerably, especially if you're a Samsung or Google Pixel fan.

Add a line with "most plans" at T-Mobile and the carrier will hook you up with a free Google Pixel 10, full stop. No trade-in is required, and nearly all of T-Mo's unlimited plans are eligible. This includes the Essentials, Better Value, Experience Beyond, and Experience More plan, and if you're an existing T-Mobile customer, you can even use the legacy Go5G Next or Go5G Plus plans.

This Google Pixel 10 deal has been quite popular at T-Mobile — the Indigo variant is already completely sold out — so don't wait too long if you're interested.

Score a FREE Google Pixel 10 at T-Mobile, no trade-in required

Google Pixel 10 128GB: ~~$799.99~~ FREE with most plans at T-Mobile

Add a line with nearly any unlimited plan at T-Mobile and you'll get enough promo credits to make the Google Pixel 10 completely free. This AI-boosted flagship comes with the latest software from Google, in addition to industry-leading camera tech and a seven-year update promise. View Deal

The savings appear in the form of $800 in bill credits over 24 months, and both new and existing T-Mobile customers are eligible. In fact, if you're a new customer, T-Mobile will also give you a prepaid MasterCard worth $100 when you ditch your old carrier, and they'll even pay off your existing phone (up to $800) when you trade it in.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

The Google Pixel 10

Although it wasn't a dramatic upgrade from its predecessor, the Google Pixel 10 remains one of the best flagship phones that money can buy today, coming complete with a gorgeous 6.3-inch OLED display, Tensor G5 chipset, and 12GB of RAM as standard.

The device also boasts all of the fancy camera tech that has made Pixel phones so famous, plus you get all of the latest AI-boosted software features from Google AI. Moreover, the Pixel 10 comes with some upgraded battery life, and just like past generations, the haptics and speakers are top of the line.

The Google Pixel 10 continues to have some issues with battery throttling and gaming performance, and some users may want more than 128GB of storage, but it's otherwise an all-around great Android phone that the majority of folks will love using.

So what's the catch?

Of course, this T-Mobile deal isn't completely free of pesky fine print. You'll still need to pay the $35 activation fee and any applicable sales tax on the device, and new customers will have to add at least three lines if they want to use the Better Value plan (there's no such restriction for existing users). It may not be as easy as simply buying the phone unlocked from Amazon, but as far as carrier deals go, this T-Mobile offer is about as straightforward as it gets.

Samsung's Wearables app leaks with an all-new look to get ready for new watches

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:58:50 +0000

What you need to know

Rumors claim Samsung is working on reworking its Wearables app with a redesign that's much cleaner and fits its current One UI aesthetic.
The app reportedly revamps the home screen with a large rendering of the user's connected Galaxy Watch, minimizing the tab's options into containers.
The Wearables app leak also highlighted new Health features, which Samsung discussed previously before rolling out to Galaxy devices in June.

There's a lot of buzz surrounding Samsung's upcoming products since we entered June (and now July). A new rumor now claims there's a Wearable app rework on the way for your Galaxy Watch.

Over the weekend, SammyGuru reportedly discovered an "early look" at what Samsung is working on for the Wearable app. Supposedly, the company is preparing to give the app a face-lift with a new design that matches its current One UI design. The publication states the Home tab could feature a much larger rendering of your Galaxy Watch.

Your watch image will take up most of your display, while other options are scaled down and placed in containers. Watch Face previews are said to benefit from this more immersive Galaxy Watch rendering. While the app's settings get a visual refresher that will likely adhere to One UI 9's upcoming themes, SammyGuru says it found some hidden features, too.

Samsung is reportedly working on a way for users to "raise their wrist" to talk to Gemini, instead of long-pressing their side button. What's more, Galaxy AI could generate "custom tiles" for the user's watch "based on their interests." The post adds that the app's early code suggests tiles for sports, headlines, and more. For the outdoor, rugged users (Galaxy Watch Ultra), rumors claim it could pick up real-time elevation info for Trail Run, companion controls for the Depth app, and more.

There's a lot on the way

SammyGuru

The rumors mention new health features on the way to Samsung's next Galaxy Watches. The company already gave us a rundown of what we should expect from its Health app ahead of its next reveal. Aside from a major redesign (which has already rolled out to users), Samsung introduced new wellness features, such as Vitals. It states this will combine five crucial health metrics its watches capture about users. Vitals focuses on your heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen.

Vitals will enhance the app's pre-existing Energy Score by comparing these metrics to the user's "resting baseline" to highlight any important changes. Heart Rate Score is another new feature that will be available with One UI 9 Watch and its next watches. Your sleep, stress, activity, and body composition data all matter, as Heart Rate Score highlights changes that could negatively impact your heart.

We don't have a beta yet for Samsung's One UI 9 Watch software, but rumors claim it could have health reports waiting when we get it.

Android Central's Take

I know these are just rumors, but the Gemini change is a little strange. I'm sure this will be an option we'll be able to toggle. But to automatically have Gemini called forth by simply raising my wrist, an action taken when I want to see the time, sounds weird. I'm fine with long-pressing the side button (if I were to ever use Gemini on my watch). The redesign looks nice, too, I suppose. It brings the app closer to the way Samsung's OS has been moving recently. In that regard, it's not bad.

Upgrade Your Vacation: The Ultimate Summer 2026 Tech Guide

AC Staff — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:14:12 +0000

Hi Android Central readers!

We have updated this ultimate guide with more of the latest and greatest in tech when it comes to traveling this summer.

Any kind of travel can be stressful, and we know sometimes you might forget to pack the right tech gadget.

Android Central's full-time staff and some of its freelance contributors have helped put this entire guide together. We have spent hundreds of hours testing and reviewing these products to handpick the best gear and essentials to enhance your travel experience this summer.

There's a lot in this guide that will help you pick the right gadget to travel with, how to pack, and some great buying guides for your traveling convenience.

I would start by reading the article on "How to use this guide."

We hope you have a great summer vacation, and we hope this guide helps you!

— Shruti Shekar, Editor-in-Chief

How to use this guide

Traveling with your tech

Helpful traveling tips

Need a new phone for your summer travel plans? These are the Android devices you should consider in 2026

The only power and charging kits you need this summer: 6 essentials to keep your battery levels topped up

Tablets are essential travel companions, and I've selected the TOP 9 devices you should consider before hitting the road in 2026

I wouldn't leave my house without these excellent headphones to accompany me on my summer travels

How to lock your phone when traveling to the US

How to set up and use eSIM on Android

Tech must-haves for your pets during your summer travels

Tech, travel, and a toddler: Here's what we're taking on the road

Travel Buying Guides

Best prepaid sim cards

Best camera phones

Best portable chargers and power banks

Best portable high-capacity power banks

Best usb-c chargers

Best usb-c thumb drives

Best Kindle e-reader

Best microSD card for Android

Best travel app for Android

Best noise-cancelling headphones

Best Bluetooth tracker

Best bluetooth speaker

Best eSIM compatible Android phone

Best bluetooth headphone adapter

Best wireless plans for international travel

Best portable wi-fi hotspot

Best portable tablet

Best USB adapter for travel

Best sleep headphones

Best USB-C cable for travel

I created Harry Potter style moving portraits with the Homture Magic Frame

namerah.saud-fatmi@futurenet.com (Namerah Saud Fatmi) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:05:00 +0000

Gadget Weekly

(Image credit: Android Central)

Join Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and sometimes downright odd world of smartphone accessories, gadgets, and other nerdy toys every week.

Bringing pictures to life takes a whole new meaning with the Homture Magic Frame. This enchanting digital photo frame is loaded with AI goodies and smart sensors, making your still shots move dynamically.

What truly makes this a magical experience is the motion sensor detection. The frame only triggers movement in your static photos once it detects motion nearby. And that is exactly why it feels like a Harry Potter style moving portrait — it literally senses movement and reacts!

The Homture Magic Frame can be set up as a gift or for personal use

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

Priced at $139.99, the latest Homture Magic Frame version was launched in October 2025. The 10.1-inch frame has a Full HD+ (1920x1200) resolution, 64GB of local storage, a one-year warranty, and a 30-day return period. There is a stand built into the back that can be used both horizontally and vertically, and a proprietary power cord is included in the box.

The Homture Magic Frame can be set up for your own use or as a gift for someone else to use and own. This can be done by scanning the QR code on the box, or by sending a digital gift code if it's a long-distance present.

Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central

The Homture Magic Frame uses Wi-Fi to connect to the Android or iOS app. Once the frame is paired with your phone, you can add photos from your smartphone's gallery to the Magic Frame.

It is a fairly straightforward setup process that requires you to simply follow the steps indicated on the Magic Frame once you turn it on. The setup process takes about five minutes, including time to install the Homture app on your phone.

The moving photos are AI-powered

Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central

The moving pictures are created by using the AI Magic feature within the Homture app. You can select which photos you want to bring to life and what actions you would like them to do. For example, I created an AI Moment of my cat waving at me. Every time I step near the frame, my cat waves hello!

The sensor isn't perfect, and sometimes it doesn't detect movement. To address this, you can tweak the motion detection settings in the frame's Settings menu and choose from high, medium, or no trigger probability options to make the dynamic photos move more or less frequently.

Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central

Once these "AI Moments" are created, you can send them to the frame. There are several options within the app, such as the ability to show a certain picture or AI Moment immediately, add and delete pictures from the frame, hide pictures, like pictures, and download pictures. So if the frame is a gift, the recipient can add, remove, or download whatever pictures you loaded for them beforehand.

It is certainly cool, but is it worth spending money on?

(Image credit: Namerah Saud Fatmi / Android Central)

One big drawback is that the Homture Magic Frame requires AI credit points to create these dynamic portraits. Each moving photo or AI Moment consumes 100 points. You get a 2,000-point card for free with the frame, which translates into 20 AI-generated videos or AI Moments.

AI credit points can be topped up later as well, with 500 credits priced at $4.99, 1,000 credits selling for $9.99, and 2,000 credits going for $19.99. Prices vary per region.

As much as I also wish for Alexa or Google Home integration, that would likely just drive up the price of the smart frame even more.

With the right curation of photos and videos, the Homture Magic Frame can be the most thoughtful gift ever. At its current price, it is a reasonable purchase, cheaper than many alternatives. Just be careful about how you spend your free 2,000 credits so you don't need to purchase any for a while.

Homture Magic Frame

Magical memories

The Homture Magic Frame brings your static photos to life with its AI Moments feature. The screen is a lovely 10.1-inch Full HD+ and the smart frame is super easy to set up. If you're looking for a sentimental gift idea, this is the perfect pick.

You can upgrade your TV's sound quality with the new Google Home Speaker surround sound option. Here's how

Nicholas Sutrich — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 07:53:00 +0000

Many cinephiles have amazing home theater setups with projectors, reclining and rumbling seats, multi-channel surround sound systems, and probably even a built-in popcorn maker in their theater room. While that's great for people who want to spend a lot of time setting up all the pieces to the home theater puzzle, plenty of people don't have the technical know-how, time, or money for such an endeavor.

Thankfully, Google is making a simple home theater setup with its new Google Home Speaker, which lets you quickly pair your speakers with your Google TV Streamer for a quick surround sound system without all the wires or wall anchors. This is a great option for anyone with less space to work with, or even just as a temporary solution for any reason.

The best smart speakers from Sonos and Amazon have had this capability for quite a while, but Google is finally joining the crowd with its latest speaker, the 2026 Google Home Speaker.

What's it like using a Google Home Speaker with a TV?

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The 2026 Google Home Speaker upgrades the Nest Mini and Google Home Mini audio experience with a taller design and larger audio components, delivering significantly better bass and sound quality. It also uses 360-degree drivers, which can help create a virtual surround sound system with two speakers.

Traditional surround sound systems typically require you to hook up an amplifier and run wires for speakers that you'd normally mount on a wall or ceiling. Lots of people (including me) opt for soundbars for this reason: they usually connect to your TV, include a subwoofer, and sometimes add a second set of speakers for the rear channels.

All of these solutions generally require running audio wires, whereas a Google Home Speaker only requires a power cable. While the Google Home Speaker is the easiest solution in this set of options, it also comes with some caveats.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Compared to a traditional surround sound system or a soundbar, the Google Home Speaker won't have the booming bass of home theater systems, since it doesn't include a dedicated subwoofer. That might be better in a community housing situation (like an apartment), or in smaller living spaces.

While you can pair two Google Home Speakers with a Google TV Streamer, this only provides stereo sound with virtual surround options. It's not a true surround sound system since it doesn't have three or more speakers, so the overall quality and immersiveness of a traditional surround sound system will be missing.

That being said, this is a great option for simplicity's sake, to save space, and to reduce setup time, especially if you're not a person who enjoys running cables. If you pair only one Google Home Speaker with your TV, I recommend placing it under the TV or on a shelf at the front of your room. With two speakers, you have a bit more freedom to place them around the room.

Pairing a Google Home Speaker with your TV

(Image credit: Android Central)

To get started, you'll need at least one Google Home Speaker (two is best), plus a Google TV Streamer. I'll assume for this guide that you've already plugged in and set up your Google Home Speaker for regular use. If you haven't, go ahead and do that, then follow along with the guide:

1. On your Google TV Streamer, press the Home button, then select the Quick Settings option at the top of the screen.

2. On the pop-up window, select Audio output from the list of tiles.

3. In the audio output window, select Connect another device.

4. In the Remotes & Accessories section, select Google speakers from the list, then select Getting started.

(Image credit: Android Central)

5. A list of Google Home Speakers on your account will appear in the next window. Select all the speakers you want to use for TV audio output, then click Next.

6. Once setup is complete, all connected Google Home Speakers should appear in the Google speakers section of the Remotes & Accessories menu.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Now that youre Google Home Speakers and Google TV Streamer are connected, they will automatically connect and be used any time your Google TV Streamer is powered on.

Fixing audio latency issues with a Google Home Speaker and Google TV Streamer

Sometimes, when using wireless audio, you'll find that the image on the TV doesn't match the audio coming from your speakers. This is more than just annoying, as it makes it difficult to watch anything. Thankfully, Google has a simple built-in tool to fix this problem:

1. On your Google TV Streamer, press the Home button, then select the Quick Settings option at the top of the screen.

2. On the pop-up window, select All settings at the top.

3. Select the Remotes & Accessories section.

4. Select the Google speakers option.

(Image credit: Android Central)

5. Select the offending speaker from the list, then select Audio video sync.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the audio latency to match the audio with the bouncing ball.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Using an older Google Home or Nest speaker as a surround sound system

If you're not willing to shell out $200 for a pair of new Google Home Speakers (and I can't blame you for that), your existing Nest or Google Home speakers can serve a similar function, but it'll likely require a bit more tweaking.

All Google Home and Nest speakers support Bluetooth, so you can pair them with your TV or preferred streaming device to enjoy higher-quality audio than the TV can provide. Bluetooth could have quality, range, and audio latency issues, but let's get things set up first before we assume those things:

1. Open the Google Home app on your phone.

2. Select All devices from the list (it's the 4-square grid icon).

3. Find your speaker in the list and tap it.

4. Tap the settings cog at the top of the screen.

5. Select Audio from the list.

(Image credit: Android Central)

6. Select Paired Bluetooth devices.

7. Tap Enable pairing mode at the bottom, then select the speaker from the audio section of your TV or streaming device.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Since every TV or streaming device is different, I can't walk you through how to find the audio section on those, but it's likely under system settings, audio, then Bluetooth or wireless audio. If you need to adjust audio latency, your TV or streaming device should have options for it in the same section.

Whichever method you use, Google Home and Nest speakers are a great way to add higher-fidelity audio to a TV without running wires, which can make a big difference in your TV experience.

Is the Oura membership worth it? 5 reasons why I think it is

derrek.lee@futurenet.com (Derrek Lee) — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 06:11:00 +0000

The new Oura Ring 5 is out, and its smaller profile is definitely turning heads among current Oura users and prospective ones, myself included. However, in addition to the $50 price increase over the Oura Ring 4, there's another cost to consider: the Oura Membership.

The Oura Membership isn't required to use the Oura Ring, but the companion app's functionality will be quite limited without it. The $5.99 membership brings a host of features to the app and unlocks a bevy of capabilities that you wouldn't otherwise get.

If you don't subscribe, you won't get all the insights that come along with it. You open the Oura app and see only three things: your readiness score, sleep score, and activity score.

For some people, this may be adequate. I don't fully utilize all the perks of the membership, and the additional insights and features that come with the Oura membership may not be worth the extra cost on top of the one-time hardware cost. That said, there are still some major reasons why I remain subscribed to Oura.

What you get with the membership

For $5.99 a month, the Oura membership provides a ton of features and additional information that you won't get without it. The features include the following, per Oura:

Detailed sleep analysis
24/7 heart rate tracking (Daytime, Nighttime, Activity)
Integration with third-party health and wellness apps like Strava
Advanced temperature monitoring
Blood Oxygen Sensing (SpO2)
Daytime Stress
Dynamic activity goals with Automatic Activity Detection
Heart Health (Cardiovascular Age, Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max))
Metabolic Health (Glucose Tracking, Meals)
Oura Labs
Resilience
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and anniversary reports
Women's Health (Cycle Insights, Pregnancy Insights)

1. Take full advantage of your ring

(Image credit: Android Central)

It's silly to expect every Oura Ring owner to utilize every feature included in the membership, and I definitely don't. For example, none of the Women's Health features are useful for me, but I do use a number of the other features on a near-daily basis.

As someone who absolutely loathes wearing smartwatches to sleep, I've found the Oura Ring to be a vital part of my sleep routine. While you can get your sleep score without the membership, the subscription provides a deeper look into my sleep, including my sleep efficiency, restlessness, and how long it took for me to fall asleep. As someone who struggles with sleep, I find this information very useful in pinpointing ways I can improve.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

But beyond sleep alone, a combination of these features provides you with a comprehensive view of your overall health and wellness. The Oura Ring is so easy to wear throughout the day that it makes it easy to measure all-day heart rate, automatically track activities, and monitor potential symptoms that may indicate illness or strain on your body.

What's more, you get to try features that Oura is testing before they become fully baked into the Oura experience. The AI Advisor was one such feature that I tested before it rolled out, and it has become a core part of the Oura app.

2. Automatic activity detection is actually pretty great

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Automatic activity detection is perhaps one of my favorite Oura Ring features and one of the most impressive. While I prefer to manually track workouts, the Oura Ring is actually very good at detecting various activities, both in and out of exercise.

As a member, you will be able to use the ring to detect and analyze various activities, such as workouts and walks. The more you manually track workouts, the more accurate the Oura Ring gets, to the point where it's pretty good at recognizing when I'm doing HIIT or Pilates.

Even better, the Oura Ring can detect more day-to-day activities and even random things like dancing and yard work — something my other wearables, such as my Garmin Venu 4 (my preferred fitness wearable), can't do. Every time I go out, I'm always surprised to see the Oura Ring detect when I was dancing and for how long.

Furthermore, when the ring detects activity, it can include heart rate data and calorie calculations, making automatic tracking a valuable asset for your daily activity and health assessment.

3. Oura Advisor check-ins

(Image credit: Android Central)

Pretty much every tech company is diving into AI in some shape or form, and before Google introduced its Personal Health Coach, Oura launched the Advisor. With Oura Advisor, you're able to chat with the AI about your health and goals, and the AI will take what it knows about you into consideration.

What I like is that the Advisor checks in on you every so often, based on your daily activity and other metrics, to ensure you're on track. And you can even change the frequency of the Advisor's check-ins so it'll ping you weekly, daily, or somewhere in between. Furthermore, you can choose the Advisor's tone, which can be either more direct or more conversational.

Oura highlights that the Advisor is powered by a state-of-the-art large language model (LLM) and was recently enhanced with a new proprietary LLM designed for women's health. This gives Oura extensive knowledge of medical standards, research, and more, ensuring it's uniquely positioned to answer questions about your health and provide recommendations, especially with the additional context of your in-app data.

Of course, you should always take anything Oura Advisor says with a grain of salt, as it's not a medical product designed to diagnose or treat you, but I've found it gives some pretty sound advice in an easy-to-understand way.

4. Sync with third-party apps

(Image credit: Android Central)

Oura is great, but the ring doesn't always get all the information. Furthermore, not everyone likes wearing the ring while lifting weights, and I often track my workouts on a smartwatch. That's where third-party app integrations come in.

By connecting with Health Connect, the Oura app can pull workout data from my smartwatches and even weight data from my Withings scale to give me a full look at my day. The timeline feature helps me see my day in moments, including when I wake up, work out, and go to sleep.

Oura is basically a one-stop shop where you can get a pretty comprehensive view of your daily health and wellness, and it all contributes to your long-term health outlook.

And when I do track activities using the ring, the Oura app can send workouts to the Strava app, including location data (from the phone).

5. Oura puts its money where its products are

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Considering the benefits, I think $5.99 per month is a pretty reasonable price to pay, especially given that Oura is still a relatively new and small company. We've consistently asked why Oura has retained its subscription model when other smart ring companies have gone subscription-free, and the answer is always the same: Oura uses the membership to help improve the product.

There's a reason why Oura continues to produce the best smart rings on the market, even as the competition heats up with new players and advancements. Even Samsung felt compelled to enter the smart ring market, only to seemingly fall short of Oura, despite not charging a subscription fee.

"We really, actually feel pressure from our members to continually drive research and pioneer what the smart ring can be and invest that back into our product," Oura told us after launching the Oura Ring 4.

After seeing the growth from Oura Ring Gen 3 to Oura Ring 5, it's clear to me that Oura is doing exactly that, expanding on the value of each model by continuously adding new features throughout its lifecycle. To me, that seems well worth the $6 a month.

An alternative way to pay for the Oura Membership

If you're hesitating on buying both an Oura Ring and the membership, it may help you to know that you can purchase both using your FSA or HSA. For many, that money is just sitting there, unused, so this could give you a reason to dip into those funds.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs. Nest Mini: Taller or smaller?

Nicholas Sutrich — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:19:48 +0000

Google

Home Speaker

The best for audio quality

Google is taking a two-pronged approach for its latest smart speaker. It's both a "speaker first" and simultaneously the first speaker "built for Gemini." With better audio quality and better local AI processing, this is the speaker for the future.

Pros

Lovely design and construction
Speaker quality is downright impressive
Can be used as TV surround sound speakers
Understands complex requests without a problem
Deep integration into Google Home ecosystem
A Thread border router with Matter support

Cons

USB-C cable is hard-wired
Some responses are very slow

Google

Nest Mini

The anywhere speaker

Nest Mini was designed to give you instant access to Google Assistant anywhere in your home, and it doubles as an impressive little speaker that can be easily mounted on any wall. Unfortunately, it's both out of date and no longer for sale, and many Gemini commands can be quite slow.

Pros

Excellent value (if you can still find one)
Built-in mounting hole on the back
Diminutive size

Cons

Slow Assistant/Gemini responses
Sound quality isn't great (especially bass)
Proprietary barrel plug power connector

Google's Nest Mini speaker was announced alongside the Pixel 4, which should give you a good idea of how old the speaker is at this point. While smart home speakers were never designed to be updated annually the way phones are, the Nest Mini's hardware is showing its age in the Gemini era. Most commands take a notable amount of time to process, and since the audio quality was never top-tier to begin with, it's likely you're considering an upgrade by this point, anyway.

That's where the Google Home Speaker comes in. Google has dropped the Nest name for its latest speaker, going all-in on Gemini integration and a powerful new speaker system. At $99, it's twice the price of the Nest Mini when it launched, and while it's certainly an excellent upgrade for every Nest Mini owner, there might still be a few reasons to keep that Nest Mini in the right room.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs. Nest Mini: Design

(Image credit: Android Central)

My favorite Nest Mini feature was, undoubtedly, the mounting hole on the back. This ingenious little dimple lets it be hung on any wall, discreetly adding a speaker to any room you want. Whether you had the cord hanging freely (as in the picture above) or you got more professional with it and hid it, the Nest Mini was a great addition to any room.

The Google Home Speaker doesn't have this mounting hole, so it's not easy to hang on a wall, but it's a great addition to any shelf or nightstand thanks to its homey texture and colors. It uses a similar textile look to the Nest Mini, plus the same LED volume adjustment buttons on top and a thick rubber nonstick pad on the bottom to keep it from sliding or being bumped around.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

You'll also find a hardware mute switch on the bottom of both speakers, so you can feel confident in your privacy if you just want these to act as speakers (and not a Gemini-powered assistant).

While talking to the Nest Mini, an array of LEDs lights up on top to let you know it's listening or processing a command. The Google Home Speaker spruces this up a bit with an LED ring on the bottom, which features a unique glow that's more obvious than the Nest Mini, which is particularly important since it tends to blend in well with decor on shelves.

(Image credit: Android Central)

Both speakers feature poor choices for power cabling, which is more than just annoying. The Nest Mini featured a proprietary barrel plug, which meant you needed to buy a new charger if something happened to it. The Google Home Speaker uses a USB-C charging brick, but the cable is hardwired into the speaker, so you'll likely have to buy a whole new one if something happens to this one.

Both wires are about the same length (~6.5 ft), and since they're either proprietary or non-replaceable, you'll have to choose a location close to an outlet or extension cord.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs. Nest Mini: Sound quality and connectivity

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Although Nest Mini's sound quality was an improvement over the original Google Home Mini speaker, neither model offered stellar sound. They were simply too small for that. The Google Home Speaker substantially upgrades the audio quality this time around, and it does so without drastically altering the speaker's footprint.

That's because, while the Google Home Speaker is about twice as high as the Nest Mini speaker (42mm vs 86mm), it's also about the same diameter (96mm vs 106mm). That's a very easy size to stuff into a bookshelf or a similarly small space (as evidenced in the photo above).

The Google Home Speaker also features an omnidirectional 58mm full-range audio driver, delivering 360-degree audio that sounds great no matter where the "front" of the speaker is. Nest Mini features a similar 360-degree design, but the 40mm driver and substantially lighter weight (181g vs 408g) mean the Google Home Speaker's bass quality simply sounds better.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Both speakers support the Google Cast protocol and multi-room speaker capability, so you can cast nearly any audio source to them, but the Google Home Speaker supports Google's new surround sound mode. That lets you connect multiple Google Home speakers to your Google TV streamer for surround sound while watching TV, giving you a great way to ditch the soundbar (or an older wired audio system) for something chicer.

The Google Home Speaker also supports faster wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi 6 (Nest Mini is Wi-Fi 5), better Bluetooth quality via Bluetooth 5.4 (vs Bluetooth 5.0 on Nest Mini), and full support as a Thread hub for Matter connectivity.

That last part ensures that the Google Home Speaker is a better choice for smart home connectivity, as it allows newer smart home devices to connect through a local Thread network for faster local commands.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs. Nest Mini: AI capabilties and specs

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Nest Mini was launched as a mostly cloud-centric computing device, often offloading even the most basic commands to Google Assistant in the cloud. Over time, as Google has migrated many commands to Gemini, Nest Mini has started to feel slower and slower.

The Google Home Speaker was built to help fix this problem, but it doesn't do it quite as well as I had hoped. The newer 2.0GHz CPU with a built-in NPU is designed to process more tasks and commands locally, but my experience with the speaker has shown that Google still offloads many commands to the cloud.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs Nest Mini specs
Category	Google Home Speaker	Nest Mini
Speaker	Omni-directional 58mm full-range driver	360-degree sound with 40mm driver
Microphone	3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch	3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch
Dimensions	86.6mm/3.4in high x 107mm/4.2in diameter	42mm/1.65in high x 98mm/3.85mm diameter
Weight	396g	181g
Power adapter	30W USB-C PC/PPS charger	15W barrel plug adapter
RAM	1GB LPDDR4	1GB RAM
Storage	4GB EMMC	4GB EMMC
Processor	Quad-core A55 2.0 GHz with NPU	Quad-core A53 1.4Ghz with ML hardware engine
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, Thread 1.3 border router (2.4GHz), Matter, Google Cast	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, Google Cast
Colors	Globally: Hazel, Porcelain U.S. exclusive: Jade, Berry	Chalk, Charcoal, Coral, Sky

This results in a speaker that executes many commands fast (and some near instantly), but some commands are still absurdly slow. Even simple commands, like setting a timer, might take 20 seconds or more to execute if something goes awry. While this is likely just a bug happening with the Google Home Speaker at launch, it still shows that Google isn't keeping as many commands local as I'd like.

Since both devices support Gemini, there's no functional difference in these speakers' ability to use Google's AI-powered assistant. The difference is mainly down to speed, something I hope Google will continue to improve and tweak in the new speaker with future software updates.

Google Home Speaker (2026) vs. Nest Mini: Which should you buy?

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

While newer isn't always better (especially when it's double the price), Google no longer sells the Nest Mini. You could always pick up a second-hand unit on eBay and try your luck, especially if you just want a little speaker to hang on a wall.

Otherwise, the Google Home Speaker is an easy choice. It's got substantially better audio quality, support for Matter and Thread, Wi-Fi 6, newer Bluetooth for better audio quality, surround sound support with Google TV Streamers, and a better processor for faster smart home and Gemini queries.

I tested the Oura Ring 5 for a month, and it's exactly what other smart rings should aspire to be

derrek.lee@futurenet.com (Derrek Lee) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:52:00 +0000

It's been less than two years since I reviewed the Oura Ring 4, so I was surprised to learn that the Oura Ring 5 was coming so soon. After all, we went roughly three years between the launch of the Oura Ring Gen 3 and the Oura Ring 4.

But while I expected the Oura Ring 5 to simply be a refresh, the updated design really proves it's something of a generational leap over the Oura Ring 4. In fact, with the smaller profile, long battery life, and other notable upgrades, the Oura Ring 5 feels like the smart ring that all other rings should strive to be.

Category	Oura Ring 5
Materials	High-performance titanium exterior, titanium interior
Protection	IP68 Water resistant at a depth of 100m/328ft
Sensors	Red, green, and infrared LEDs (heart rate, blood oxygen) Digital temperature sensor Accelerometer
Battery	6-9 days, up to 80-minute charge time
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0 LE
Platform support	iOS (Apple Health), Android (Health Connect)
Dimensions	Width: 6.09mm Thickness: 2.28mm
Weight	2g+ (depending on size)
Sizes	6-13
Colors	Silver, Black, Stealth, Brushed Silver, Gold, Deep Rose

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

At first glance, the Oura Ring 5 looks a bit smaller than the Oura Ring 4, but you don't really get the full effect until you hold it in your hand. At just over 2 grams for my size 11, the Oura Ring 5 is surprisingly light. It honestly feels like a regular ring in the hand, unlike previous generations, which had a little heft.

Not only that, but the ring is surprisingly small, and if you're coming from the Oura Ring 4 (and especially the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic), then you'll definitely notice the difference. The narrower width helps the Oura Ring 5 blend in with the rest of your jewelry, making it look like a regular ring rather than a smart tracker.

I can see this going a long way towards popularizing wearable tech, as a major problem users had with previous Oura smart rings was their size. I didn't mind the size of the previous models, but now that I've used the Oura Ring 5, I can't imagine going back to anything bigger.

Oura Ring 5 (right) on top of the Oura Ring 4 (left). (Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

The ring is also thinner than previous models, and that's great for multiple reasons. Firstly, it makes it less noticeable in general, especially when carrying things or lifting weights. That last part is especially important because the ring doesn't protrude as much, so there's less concern about scuffing it against items like dumbbells in your hands.

Secondly, the thinner profile makes it even better to throw on a cover without worrying about adding too much thickness. Oura still doesn't make first-party cases, so I continue to use third-party covers I find on Amazon when I work out. I notice that the ring doesn't appear to scuff and scratch as easily as previous models, but it's not immune, so a cover helps keep it as pristine as possible.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

One thing that surprises me about the Oura Ring 5 is the battery life. Despite being 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4, the latest model offers better battery life. Oura says it should last from six to nine days per charge, which is in line with my use.

When I began tracking the battery life, the Oura Ring 5 was at full charge on Monday morning, and I didn't need to charge it until the following Wednesday. This included several days of manual and automatic workout tracking, as well as daily sleep tracking, with 8% battery life left to spare.

Oura Ring 5 (right) next to the Oura Ring 4 (left) and Oura Ring 4 Ceramic (top). (Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Speaking of tracking, the Oura Ring 5 still provides detailed health monitoring, especially for sleep. I've noticed that the heart rate data is much more consistent when tracking things like sleep or activities, whereas previous models would often have many gaps or fail to gather heart rate data altogether, particularly during workouts.

That said, workouts are the only area where the Oura Ring 5 falls a bit short. When tracking high-intensity exercise, I notice that the Oura Ring 5's heart rate data is often much lower than that of other wearables I've used, such as the Garmin Venu 4 and Fitbit Air. I don't notice this same deviation when at rest, as the live heart rate data lines up with the Garmin Venu 4 and Fitbit Air, but the Oura Ring 5, like its predecessors, shouldn't be relied on as a workout device.

(Image credit: Android Central)

That's actually not too surprising to me; the Oura Ring is more of a passive health tracker than an active fitness monitor. Fortunately, Oura has added the ability to connect another device to the app as a live heart rate source. You can use a dedicated heart rate monitor or even a smartwatch to see live heart rate data during your exercise, along with distance and pace (via location data from your phone).

Fortunately, the step count seems improved, despite this being an area that smart rings struggle with. I tracked a 5,000-step walk between the Oura Ring 5, Garmin Venu 4, and Fitbit Air, and while the ring had the largest deviation, it was only 15 steps off, which is pretty good.

Device	Step count
Oura Ring 5	4,985
Garmin Venu 4	4,996
Fitbit Air	5,004

One area where the Oura Ring 5 excels is automatic activity tracking. The ring can pretty accurately determine when I'm doing certain activities without me having to manually track them. That includes walks, runs, and even more varied activities, like yard work and dancing. I continue to be impressed every time I check my phone after a night out and see the ring asking me to confirm I was dancing.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

As for the app experience itself, it's very visual, with a customizable set of focus metrics at the top. These shortcuts make it easy to dig into your sleep, activities, stress, and more. You can even track your weight either via manual logging or syncing to third-party apps like Withings, and the app will show your weekly, monthly, and yearly trends.

The Today view dynamically changes, showing the most important metrics at the top, such as your sleep score when you wake up and your steps toward the end of the day. You can also view a timeline of your activities toward the bottom, which also shows tracked activities or synced workouts from other apps.

The Vitals tab shows daily measurements, while the Health tab gives you a more long-term look at your health trends. From the + button, you can access quick actions, where you can start an activity, begin an unguided meditation session, or even log meals. The meal-logging tool is actually pretty neat, as Oura can fairly accurately analyze what you're eating from a photo and provide nutritional and meal-timing insights to help with things like regulating hunger and cutting down on snacking.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Throughout the app, Oura Members also have access to the Oura Advisor, an AI chatbot that focuses on health and wellness. You can trigger it using the + button for general questions, or within each major metric, like sleep and activity, for more specific conversations about recent changes and updates.

Unlike Google's new AI-focused Google Health app, which often feels like an overload of information, Oura's insights are light throughout the app, allowing users to tap Advisor to learn more. When chatting with the Advisor, you can ask it about your metrics or general health questions, and it will tap into its health-focused large language model (LLM), which "draws from a broad foundation of established medical standards, research, and knowledge sources," to provide relevant and contextual responses.

One of my favorite aspects of the Advisor is how it checks in with me every so often, based on recent activities and more. You can even change the tone of the Advisor's responses and how often it checks in, which adds a nice bit of customization.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

One new feature for Android phones is Locate, which I've been asking for for years. With it, Oura Ring 5 owners can know where their ring was when it last connected to their phone, which can provide a good starting place for where to search. If you're within range, the app will let you know when you're getting close to the ring.

Since the ring doesn't have built-in GPS, ultra-wideband (UWB), or Bluetooth 6, the app won't give you precise tracking, so you'll have to rely on the app's proximity clues and do a bit of the work yourself. Still, it's a lot better than nothing, and will hopefully keep me from losing a third Oura Ring model.

(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)

Of course, nearly all of these features are available only via the Oura Membership, a monthly (or yearly, if you prefer) subscription that provides access to the ring's most useful features and insights. Many people are still unhappy to learn that the Oura app basically requires a subscription to be truly useful, but I do think it's well worth the cost, especially given how Oura has continuously improved its products over the years and consistently produces the best smart ring on the market.

And that's exactly what the Oura Ring 5 is. The Oura Ring 5 is what other smart rings should strive to be: slim, light, and practically invisible while keeping your health and wellness in check. Starting at $399, it's not cheap, and the membership is still a point of contention for some, but Oura proves that smart wearable tech can truly blend in.

Oura

Ring 5

Put a ring on it

The Oura Ring 5 is the latest smart ring from Oura, featuring a much smaller and lighter design but with longer battery life and better sensing.

I upgraded to the new Google Home Speaker for the AI, but I'm keeping it for the sound

Nicholas Sutrich — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 12:05:00 +0000

Google is relaunching its smart speaker ecosystem for the "Gemini era," as it has stated so many times with recent products. While I'm not fully convinced this new speaker is a truly revolutionary Gemini-powered speaker when compared to existing Google and Nest speakers, the overall quality of the Google Home Speaker is a great value for $99.

Whether you're looking for a new music-playing speaker that understands basic commands or want an extra speaker to enhance your smart home, this is a solid choice with some annoying software issues that will hopefully be cleared up in the near future.

Google Home Speaker price, availability, and specs

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The 2026 Google Home Speaker is the first smart speaker from Google that's designed "from the ground up for Gemini." It's the first Google speaker to include a proper NPU for AI processing, an upgrade over ML processors in the past few Nest releases. It retails for $99 and comes in two colors globally — Hazel and Porcelain — while U.S. customers can also choose from Berry or Jade varieties. My review unit is Jade.

Google includes 6 months of Google Home Premium for free (a $60 value) when you purchase a Google Home Speaker before September 30, 2026.

Google Home Speaker (2026) specs
Catrgory	Google Home Speaker
Speaker	Omni-directional 58mm full-range driver
Microphone	3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch
Dimensions	86.6mm/3.4in high x 107mm/4.2in diameter
Weight	396g
Power adapter	30W USB-C PC/PPS charger
RAM	1GB LPDDR4
Storage	4GB EMMC
Processor	Quad-core A55 2.0 GHz with NPU
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, Thread 1.3 border router (2.4GHz), Matter
Colors	Globally: Hazel, Porcelain U.S. exclusive: Jade, Berry

Mostly the right priorities

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

For the past few years, Google has used the Nest brand name for its smart speakers, but I've rarely called them that. Whether it's the Nest Mini or one of the Nest Hub smart displays, my household always refers to them audibly as the Google speaker or the Google display.

Because of that, I think it makes a lot more sense to keep using the Google name as the proper brand, and I know I'm not the only person who calls their smart speaker "Google" something or other. Thankfully, Google rectified the name without ruining the excellent design and the sort of feng shui character of the Nest line of smart speakers.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The 2026 speaker is still clad in homey fabric that looks graceful and unobtrusive on a shelf. It's the ideal size between the tiny Nest Mini and the gargantuan Google Home Max speaker, with appropriately sized audio components. It's even got a cute little glowing light underneath that makes it feel more like you're talking to a smart little robot than mumbling into a speaker.

But I don't understand why Google speakers seem to almost always have some weird issue with the power cables. Earlier models used barrel plugs and proprietary chargers, creating unnecessary e-waste. This model uses a standard 30W Google USB-C charger, but the cable is hardwired into the speaker, meaning you'll either have to splice it when it eventually breaks or toss the speaker and buy a new one. Dumb.

Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central

Since it's slightly smaller than the Nest Audio speaker (yes, there have been a lot of options over the years), the audio quality won't be quite as good, but the Google Home Speaker's advantage is that its speaker is omnidirectional. Depending on how you want to mount it, this could make a big difference.

You can also use the Google Home Speaker in conjunction with a Google TV Streamer to create a surround sound setup, which is a great feature I'm glad Google finally adopted from Amazon Echo and Fire TV devices.

I'm not exactly an audiophile and don't care much about top-notch sound, so I found these speakers ideal, as they're a notable upgrade over the Nest Minis I have around the house. Nest Audio fans should stick with those unless they have issues with using Gemini.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

And while "built for Gemini" should be the actual upgrade for the Google Home Speaker over any other Nest or Google speaker, my experience with it has been extremely inconsistent. If I ask it to turn the lights on or off, check my cameras, or even what the weather will be like next week, responses generally take about 1 second to process. This is much faster than the other Google speakers in my house, for the most part.

But some commands are bizarrely slow. Setting a timer, for example, often takes 20-25 seconds of processing time before I receive an "OK, setting a timer" response. Asking it to add bananas to my grocery list also takes 5-10 seconds. This bizarre behavior persists through reboots, so I don't know what to make of it. Clearly, the speaker isn't doing as much local processing for simple commands like this as I had hoped. Google is aware of the issues (as I'm not the only one experiencing them), and I will update this review if they are resolved.

This is particularly annoying because all of the other features I've used over the past week have been great. Gemini allows you to chain multiple commands together or even express complex commands, while Assistant can only do one at a time. For example, you can ask it to "turn off all lights except for the bedroom light," a command I issue nightly as I tuck in for reading time.

Android Central

This isn't particularly unique to this new speaker since Gemini has been rolled out to even the oldest 2016 Google Home speaker (which is still in operation in my house), but this speaker is certainly going to be supported for years to come, while those older speakers will eventually receive an end-of-life update.

At some point, Google had locked down several features behind the annoying Voice Match feature. I don't want to use Voice Match, but I (and others in my house) do want to check my calendar, and Google finally allows users to do that on its smart speakers.

This speaker also seems to actually understand commands, including simple ones like "stop" when a timer is going off, while I swear half my other speakers ignore my commands half the time. Maybe time will also turn this one into a pretty paperweight, but it's pretty great for the time being.

Should you buy it?

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The 2026 Google Home Speaker is a generally good little product that delivers great audio quality in a compelling design, with a virtual assistant that seems to actually understand you. Processing time is strangely lengthy for some simple commands (like setting a timer), but this is almost certainly a bug rather than a product defect.

If Google can reduce processing time for some commands, this will be my go-to speaker recommendation for the future. Gemini has been excellent for smart home commands in my experience, and far more understanding of every other type of command than Assistant has been for the past half-decade, and that's really all I want out of a smart speaker, anyway.

Prime Day is done, but this best-selling 4K projector is still at its lowest price

harish.jonnalagadda@futurenet.com (Harish Jonnalagadda) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:38:14 +0000

I tested all the projectors XGIMI released in the last five years, and there's no doubt in my mind that the Horizon 20 Max is the best of the lot. I want to highlight three areas where the projector has a clear advantage: lens shift with optical zoom, bright projection, and a built-in gimbal.

Lens shift in particular is a game-changer, as it basically allows me to position the Horizon 20 Max anywhere, and adjust the projection as needed. I used the projector with a 100-inch ALR panel, and setting it up with the screen was so easy that it just took a matter of minutes. I previously used the XGIMI Aura UST projector mostly because it was just easier to set up — I didn't want to bother mounting a long-throw projector — but with the Horizon 20 Max, I just put it on a nightstand, and the projector automatically adjusted the image scaling.

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

Optical zoom also plays a big part in this, and the Horizon 20 Max has an adjustable throw range of 1.2–1.5:1, giving you much better flexibility on where to position the projector. Honestly, with these two features, you don't have to deal with any of the usual hassles involved in setting up a long-throw projector. The best part? The Horizon 20 Max is once again down to $2,199, its lowest price. The projector usually goes for around $2,699, but with the Fourth of July celebration, you can buy it for much less.

The Horizon 20 Max projects a bright image, is effortless to set up in a medium or large room, and has the best image quality in its class. If you're interested in a home theater and want a long-throw projector you can use throughout the day, this is now my go-to recommendation. View Deal

The design of the Horizon 20 Max is similar to its predecessor, the Horizon S Max. There are a few changes to the color scheme, and the 20 Max doesn't quite attract as much attention, which is a good thing. What I like the most is that XGIMI retained the gimbal system, and that makes it easy to orient the projector to your preferences. This is a key advantage over the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2, and it is so convenient that I don't want to use a projector that isn't mounted on a swiveling base.

You get the usual connectivity; there are dual HDMI ports (with one eARC), optical and 3.5mm out, and USB-A ports if you want to attach an external drive. The projector uses Wi-Fi 6, and I didn't see any issues with connectivity in the six months I used it. Coming to the internals, it's powered by the reliable MediaTek MT9679 platform, and has 4GB of RAM alongside 128GB of built-in storage. The 4GB of RAM is absolutely needed to ensure the Google TV interface is lag-free, and thankfully, there are no problems in that area.

Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

The projector gets two 12W audio drivers, and there's Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-Virtual: X, and DTS-HD. I'd recommend using a dedicated soundbar to make the most of the projector, but if that isn't doable, the built-in sound is decent enough.

Where the Horizon 20 Max truly shines is the projection; it delivers up to 5,700 lumens, and in real-world use, you can easily get over 3,500 lumens, making it one of the brightest projectors in this category. It's noticeably brighter than the Horizon S Max, Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2, and even the VisionMaster Max. Why is this relevant? If you don't have a dark room, you can still use the 20 Max during the day and not get washed-out colors, which is a problem with projectors that don't get as bright.

Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Colors are vibrant, and there's a noticeable difference between the 20 Max and the Horizon S Max in this area, particularly when it comes to HDR content. I also like that there's a dedicated game mode that works really well with the PS5. The 20 Max gets Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced, and while you miss out on the unique Dynamic Black Level feature — which boosts black levels — when using Dolby Vision, it isn't a huge omission.

The 20 Max uses pixel shifting to deliver a 4K resolution, and it goes up to 300 inches. Valerion's VisionMaster Max is the closest rival, and the 20 Max does a better job with auto keystone correction, overall brightness levels, screen alignment, and the ability to adjust color balance based on the wall color — this makes a huge difference if you're not using a dedicated screen. You get the standard Google TV interface, and while I'm not a fan of the UI, I didn't have any problems with lag.

On the whole, the Horizon 20 Max is the best 4K long-throw projector I used. While it had its share of bugs at launch, XGIMI did a good job addressing most of these with software updates over the last six months, and after extensive testing, I'm confident in my recommendation of this projector. If you need a bright 4K long-throw projector with standout colors and easy configurability, the 20 Max is the one to get, and coming in at $2,199, it is an unmissable deal in this category.

T-Mobile is finally letting go of 2G in August, so anyone with it will need to transition

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:25:00 +0000

What you need to know

T-Mobile states it's retiring its 2G network on August 3, and anyone with devices that use this network will need to transition to newer phones.
An interview with T-Mobile's chief network officer, Ankur Kapoor, revealed that T-Mobile has held onto 2G for so long to not leave customers who rely on it in the rearview.
Recently, T-Mobile unveiled a limited edition $60 jersey with Umbro for its Member Month perks, ready to drop on July 7.

T-Mobile is making a change to its network. It's dropping some old network technology, and it's probably for the best.

The company announced in its Network Evolution log that it is preparing to retire its 2G GSM network. T-Mobile says its old 2G network will be shut down on August 3, 2026. With 2G preparing to go, T-Mobile reminds customers that anyone still using that old tech will lose "call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, or fixed dialing numbers via device settings" on Android and iOS.

For Android specifically, you'd have trouble "sending large multimedia messages, such as photos or videos."

While it might seem odd that T-Mobile was still holding onto its 2G network, considering its Evolution log says it dropped 3G (CDMA) in July 2022, an interview with Fierce Network shed some light on that. T-Mobile's chief network officer, Ankur Kapoor, told the publication that it didn't want to "leave a bunch of customers in the lurch." What's more, Kapoor tells Fierce Network that it observed many people entering the United States with devices that didn't have VoLTE enabled.

However, now T-Mobile has gotten to a point where customers won't lose anything by shutting down 2G. Kapoor says customers have been notified, and anyone still using an older device with 2G has "ample time" to migrate to newer phones with 5G.

The network evolves

(Image credit: Future)

Android Central's Take

I'm sure there is still someone using 2G, right? It's a big blue world we live on, after all. A quick Google search would tell you how much a security risk 2G is compared to the current standard. In a way, T-Mobile's doing us a favor.

As we've mentioned, T-Mobile shut down its 3G (CDMA) network in 2022, but it knocked out Sprint's version first. The notice about it came several months prior in 2021, as T-Mobile gave users four months to grab new devices before the January 1, 2022, deadline. Shortly after, it revealed that it would shut down Sprint's LTE network on June 30, 2022.

Funnily enough, T-Mobile said in 2021 that it would eventually retire its 2G and 3G networks; however, the former is only leaving us now, years later.

Let's also not forget that T-Mobile is capping off its month of freebies with a rather unique $60 jersey for customers. The latest Member Month perk is a limited-edition Umbro soccer jersey that customers can grab through the T-Life app starting July 7.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 looks pricier in these rumors, which isn't shocking in the least

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:49:03 +0000

What you need to know

Overseas rumors claim Samsung's upcoming summer lineup, featuring new foldables and watches, is set for price hikes.
Rumors suggest the Fold 7's successor, now rumored to be the "Fold 8 Ultra," could see a ~$114 increase for its base 256GB variant, and a ~$320 increase for its 1TB.
The Flip 8 could jump by ~$100 for its base storage, while the watches could rise by ~$45 to ~$50; however, these USD prices are simply estimations.

Price rumors are talking about Samsung's next wave of products this year, and what they're saying might (not) surprise you.

A post by WinFuture alleges a series of price increases for Samsung's upcoming foldables and watches (via Android Headlines). The publication cites its "reliable sources" in stating the Galaxy Z Fold 8 "Ultra," which was previously rumored to be the Fold 7's successor, could see a €100 (~$114) increase for its 256GB entry option. It claims that consumers looking to max out on storage with its 1TB variant might see a €280 (~$320) price hike.

That would put the 1TB variant at ~€2,799 (~$3,201). The "Wide" Fold 8 we've been hearing about could see a €1,999 (~$2,286) price tag for its 256GB model.

The post states that the starting price of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could go up by €100. What's more, the starting prices for the 40mm Bluetooth Galaxy Watch 9 and its 44mm size variant could rise by €40 and €30 (~$45, ~$34), respectively. As far as the Watch Ultra 2 is concerned, the report claims that it could jump by €50 (~$57).

Nothing is set in stone, of course. These are rumors. Also, the USD estimations are simply estimations. Samsung usually tweaks these prices a bit to fit the market the device will be sold in. Keep that in mind. We are expecting Samsung to debut its next products in July, but there are other things we should discuss first.

What we might see

(Image credit: Onleaks and Android Headlines)

Earlier this week, alleged specifications for Samsung's wide foldable surfaced for the first time. We've "known" that this phone was going to adopt a wider stance than before; however, tipster Tarun Vats speculates the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (now the wider variant) could grab a 5.5-inch Quad HD Plus screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Inside, consumers could find a 7.6-inch Quad HD Plus display and a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The device is expected to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and a 4,800mAh battery. The cameras were another talking point back in May. Those reports suggest the wider Fold's cameras won't be as interesting as its shape. Supposedly, the company is dropping a lens. We might only see a 50MP main sensor and a 50MP ultrawide lens. Basically, we could miss out on a telephoto, which makes the standard Fold we're used to look a little more appealing.

Android Central's Take

These rumors can get confusing. We've got name changes galore, and not much that's confirmed. Samsung recently started a marketing campaign after completely wiping its Instagram account. It's trying a different approach to teasing the next foldables. That means we—the users—need to turn into detectives and figure out what's going on. I think I'm more interested in finally seeing what these phones will offer than going over these rumors.

The end for the Phone 1: Nothing's final update hits the phone that started it all

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:53:12 +0000

What you need to know

Nothing announced the final software update for the Nothing Phone 1, the original device that debuted in 2022.
It carries bug fixes and the July 2026 security patch, while also celebrating the phone's achievements thus far.
A major highlight for the Phone 1 during its teasers was its Glyph Lighting system, which has seen a few iterations since then.

It's the end of an era. Nothing announces before the U.S. holiday that its original phone has obtained its final update.

In a community post, Nothing officially drew the curtain over its first phone as its final supported software update has been pushed to users. The final patch is pretty light. Nothing states users can expect "general improvements" and bug fixes (pretty standard stuff). It's also rolling out "overall system stability" updates and the July 2026 security patch, wrapping up four years of security fixes.

If you have a Phone 1, you're one of a kind. Nothing walks through the device's achievements, noting that it first debuted with Android 12 and that its final OS update brought it to Android 15. Not only did the Phone 1 begin our journey with Nothing, introducing us to "ideas around a cleaner, more intentional smartphone experience, from the Glyph Interface and dot matrix design language to a more focused take on Android."

Nothing credits its design philosophy to the Phone 1, as the lessons learned from it continue to shape its software and phones. To celebrate, the post adds that its Software Marketing team member, Rohit, is going back to the Phone 1 for a month to share their experience with it in 2026 and see how it holds up.

It all started in 2022

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

If we're talking about four years of updates, that takes us back to 2022. Teasers said Nothing's first phone was "Coming Soon" in the summer of 2022, and there was some serious hype around it. For the sake of this post, I'm talking about our readers. You could say that ~80% of our readers were either "definitely interested" or curious about the Nothing Phone 1. Around 19% said the device didn't interest them, but not everything is for everyone.

Nothing had truly inserted itself into a market heavily dominated by Apple and Samsung. It wasn't easy, yet here we are. The device's Glyph Lighting system was the star in teasers showing the phone in full shadow. What's more, Nothing's head of design, Tom Howard, said the clear chassis, which let us see its internals, was because they "really wanted to bring the inside out, and that meant working with the engineers to start from first principles."

Bringing things to 2026, we've been seeing people on TikTok drop their iPhones for the Nothing Phone, or at least think about doing it. Perhaps this timing is significant. Nothing's O.G. device is no more (for updates), while it teases a new era: the Nothing Phone 4b.

Android Central's Take

Nothing was interesting four years ago, and it's still interesting now. I'm a gamer, and you could say that whenever a gamer sees glowing lights, you've got their attention. To that, I'd say you're damn right (for me, anyway). My dumb jokes aside, Nothing's phones have always held a different aesthetic compared to the rest of the industry. There are risks. It's what sets them apart. Even its OS is something different that helps its phones stand on their own.

This exclusive T-Mobile deal gets you a powerful Samsung tablet for only $99 — but you're running out of time

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:35:00 +0000

Whether you're on the road or on the couch, tablets have become essential devices in today's world. They can also cost a pretty penny without a good deal attached, which is where companies like T-Mobile come in.

This weekend only, the iconic wireless provider will give you the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G for only $99 when you add a line with an eligible data plan on its website. That's a straight $500.99 discount, no trade-in required.

See my guide to the best T-Mobile deals of the month

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G 128GB: ~~$599.99~~ $99.99 with Tablet Unlimited Plus or higher at T-Mobile

In the market for a new couch companion? The Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G is an excellent choice, and now T-Mobile will give you the 'Fan Edition' tablet for only $99 when you add a line with the Tablet Unlimited Plus plan (or higher). The exclusive offer expires on July 8th, however, so don't wait too long to make your move. View Deal

The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is designated a "Fan Edition" tablet because it takes the most popular features of more-expensive Samsung tablets and loads them onto a versatile, midrange package that should please just about everyone. Straight out of the box, you get a vibrant 10.9-inch 90Hz display with an included S Pen stylus that magnetically connects to the side of the tablet. The Tab S10 FE also boasts a sturdy aluminum build with IP68 water-and-dust resistance, which is rare for a tablet in this price range.

Under the hood, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is powered by an efficient Exynos chipset with 12GB of RAM, plus you get a 12MP front-facing camera, expandable storage up to 2TB using microSD, and a large 8,000mAh battery should easily last a full day on a single charge.

Sure, there are more powerful Samsung tablets out there, but the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is a reliable, balanced choice for users who don't want to break the bank. This $500 discount from T-Mobile is just the cherry on top.

So what's the catch?

Like I mentioned above, you'll need to sign up for the Tablet Unlimited Plus plan (or higher) to enjoy the $500.99 in savings over 24 months. These data plans start at $25 per month using AutoPay, which you probably would've paid anyway if you plan to connect the tablet to a wireless network. You'll also need to cover a $35 activation fee and any applicable sales tax.

T-Mobile's Tablet Unlimited Plus plan gives you unlimited high-speed data every month, plus 15GB of mobile hotspot data, HD video streaming, and unlimited texting with 5GB of data in over 215 countries around the globe.

Google Home Speaker has a problem: users report incredibly slow response times

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:11:00 +0000

What you need to know

Google Home Speaker users have reported a glaring issue: their device's assistance has become incredibly sluggish.
Other users have experienced the same; however, this latency problem appears to affect more than the Home Speaker, as other Nest devices struggle, too.
Google has responded to this thread, stating a fix is being worked on "ASAP."

Google's latest smart speaker got off to a fast start, but users are reporting anything but good news, as problems emerge.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced on the Google Home subreddit from a user with a Home Speaker (via Android Police). The root of their report is that their Home Speaker has weirdly become sluggish. They say that the "First day all was smooth... the second day every single question (even 'hello') needs at least 30s of answer time." Troubleshooting provided no such relief from this issue.

Users started flowing into the thread, stating that others with the Home Speaker are having the same problem. The publication spotted another thread from a user that blows this problem wide open. It's not just a Home Speaker issue, but rather a Google smart home issue that's affecting a range of its products. The user says, "Everything is timing out."

They add that their smart home devices are all struggling with delayed or sluggish response times. Resetting has seemingly offered no aid in solving the issue. One user said, "Definitely noticed this since the update. Especially for simpler tasks which used to be snappier, eg turn on the light, change to warm white, set 50%." A subsequent report says they haven't noticed anything timed out, but rather their streamed content (like music) is stopping midway.

Google has become aware of this smart home problem. A community member says the company is "working on a fix ASAP." There's no clear timeframe for when we could see this, so users will have to tough it out as best as possible.

Updates were made to do the opposite

(Image credit: Google)

Android Central's Take

It's a bit strange to see issues surface for something Google has tried to make faster. It's like being caught in the strangest whirlwind. An update will likely be required to solve this problem, the only thing is when will we see it?

It's interesting to see users bring up the fact that the Home Speaker "used to be" snappy with its response times for mundane tasks. Google rolled out an update for Gemini's home assistance in March, quickening its responses by ~30% to ~40%. This patch reduced the latency between the user giving the task and Gemini responding to it/following it.

Google's smart speakers were brought into the spotlight a week ago, as the company fixed a long-standing SiriusXM radio problem. Users had been receiving errors with SiriusXM on their smart speaker, stating, "I looked for that, but it either isn't available or can't be played right now." SiriusXM would work via the user's phone, just not on Google's smart home devices. All is seemingly well now after Google's patch.

Samsung might bring Privacy Display to every Galaxy S27 model

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:15:00 +0000

What you need to know

Samsung is reportedly considering bringing its built-in Privacy Display to every Galaxy S27 model, not just the Ultra or the rumored Pro.
Unlike traditional privacy films, Samsung's solution is built directly into the OLED panel, preserving brightness and image quality while blocking side glances.
Samsung hasn't confirmed the feature's rollout or even the existence of the Galaxy S27 Pro, so these rumors should be treated cautiously.

Samsung's hardware-based Privacy Display may not be exclusive for much longer. Now a new report indicates the company is considering rolling out the feature across the entire Galaxy S27 series, potentially bringing one of its most useful upgrades well beyond the Ultra.

That’s a big shift from previous rumors that suggested Privacy Display would only extend as far as the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro. But now, new information from The Elec suggests Samsung is mulling the feature for all Galaxy S27 models — the standard Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27 Plus, the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro, and the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

Privacy Display first debuted on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, eliminating the need for traditional stick-on privacy screen protectors. Samsung’s solution is built into the OLED panel itself rather than a dark film, which always has an effect on brightness and image quality. This limits the display’s viewing angles so that when it’s on, only the person with the phone can see the screen clearly, and anyone trying to look from the side can see very little. It can also be set to automatically turn on when you open banking apps, read sensitive notifications, or enter passwords.

The tech itself is based on Samsung Display’s Flex Magic Pixel system, which combines two different kinds of subpixels. Both are active during normal use to provide a standard viewing experience. Turning on Privacy Display disables the subpixels at a wider angle, significantly reducing side visibility, with no external accessory required.

The wider rollout also coincides with rumors of a shake-up to Samsung's flagship lineup. A series of leaks suggest a new Galaxy S27 Pro alongside the standard, Plus, and Ultra versions, making a quartet of devices. The Pro should offer a ton of Ultra-grade features in a smaller form factor but won’t have the integrated S Pen.

Naturally, none of this is official. Samsung hasn't confirmed which Galaxy S27 models will get the Privacy Display or if the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro will even ever launch. There were also rumors that the company would launch a Pro-branded Galaxy S26 before settling on a three-phone lineup, so these reports should be taken with a grain of salt.

Android Central's Take

Hopefully this leak is accurate because Privacy Display sounds like a feature that shouldn’t be a luxury add-on. The feature does solve a real problem, and I would much rather see Samsung bring real privacy improvements to all flagships rather than keeping them behind the Ultra paywall. That said, if the company uses Privacy Display as yet another excuse to carve its lineup into even more confusing tiers, it risks overshadowing what is actually a genuinely useful innovation.

Samsung's Galaxy Glasses leak reveals how the whole Galaxy ecosystem comes together

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:10:00 +0000

What you need to know

A couple of Galaxy Glasses leaks reveal the companion app, touch controls, and deep integration with the wider Galaxy ecosystem.
You'll presumably be able to pair the glasses, install updates, tweak settings, check battery life, and automatically sync captured photos and videos to your Galaxy phone.
Dual LED recording indicators are said to alert both the wearer and people nearby whenever the camera is in use.

Samsung has already confirmed it’s joining the smart glasses race, but until now we haven’t really had an idea of what it’d be like to use its forthcoming wearable. Now, a couple of fresh leaks have not only revealed the companion app for the Galaxy Glasses but also how Samsung plans to integrate the device into the rest of its Galaxy ecosystem.

Thanks to SammyGuru, the newly leaked Galaxy Glasses Manager app offers us the clearest look yet at the software on which users will rely once the glasses arrive later this year. During setup, the app guides users through the process of granting permissions and putting the glasses into pairing mode before connecting the glasses to a phone. The onboarding screens also show Samsung’s Warby Parker-branded model, one of the two eyewear partnerships Samsung announced in conjunction with Gentle Monster.

Once paired, the app is the hub of control for the glasses. You will be able to install firmware updates, change the settings, and switch different features on or off. The main page also seems to show battery status and has a setting to automatically send photos and videos taken with the glasses directly to your Galaxy phone.

SammyGuru

The software also hints at a number of native features, including camera controls, AI assistants, notification readouts, accessibility options, advanced features, and a Find my glasses tool to find lost frames. SammyGuru couldn't see every menu, as it didn't have a working pair of glasses connected, so there's still more under the surface.

Android Central's Take

Smart glasses won’t go mainstream just because they’re smart; they have to fit in naturally with the devices people are already using every day. It just makes more sense to be able to control them with a Galaxy Watch or even a Galaxy Ring, rather than shouting voice commands in public. That said, Samsung has to make sure all of this works seamlessly rather than being another ecosystem perk that's only useful if you've gone all-in on Galaxy hardware.

The leak also confirms what Samsung had teased about its software platform. The Galaxy Glasses run One UI XR, Samsung’s interface, which is based on Google’s Android XR platform and is the same software that will be found on Samsung’s upcoming XR headset.

In addition to the companion app, another report from the same source gives us some insight into how you'll actually control the glasses. Samsung appears to be combining physical buttons with touch gestures instead of going fully on voice commands. A touch-sensitive panel is said to be located in the right temple. To move to the next song, swipe forward with one finger, or swipe backward to go to the previous track. Use two fingers to adjust the volume and tap to pause/resume playback. The same tap gesture can also be used to answer incoming calls.

There’s also a dedicated camera button near the hinge. A single press captures a photo, while pressing and holding starts video recording. Pressing again terminates the recording session. Also rumored to be included are two LED indicators to make recording more obvious, one facing outward to let people around you know the camera is active, and another facing the wearer to serve as a personal recording indicator.

Samsung's software experience could also be a good place to stash captured media. The leak says that newly captured photos and videos may show up in the Now Bar on supported Galaxy phones so that users can preview or reframe their shots. A connected Galaxy Watch may also show previews of similar things. But perhaps the most interesting discovery is how much Samsung wants these glasses to integrate with its other wearables.

The companion app’s code also makes references to a standalone Galaxy Glasses Controller app that could be pre-installed on Galaxy Watches. Other code strings reference gesture actions tied to the Galaxy Ring, suggesting that users could eventually control certain Glasses functions with hand or finger gestures detected by the ring. Samsung has not said how these gestures would work, but the references suggest that the company is actively developing tighter cross-device controls.

Of course, none of these features are official until Samsung introduces the product. Even if the Galaxy Glasses’ full release does come later this fall, the tech giant is expected to tease more of its Android XR plans in the coming weeks.

Platform Stability reached: Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 is here for Pixels, quickly after Beta 5

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:08:02 +0000

What you need to know

Google announced Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 is rolling out for enrolled Pixel testers a week after Beta 5 dropped.
The patch is lighter, focused mostly on fixing issues Pixel testers have been reporting on the Issue Tracker.
Beta 5 carried a significant number of fixes for Pixel users, such as solutions for vanishing widgets, the Game Dashboard, and more.

The next beta for Android 17's first quarterly update has crossed a major developmental hurdle. Here's everything Pixel testers can expect to find.

Google announced that Android 17 QPR1 Beta 6 is rolling out now for enrolled Pixel users. As vCP31.260618.005 rolls out to Pixel 6 and new phones, Google states Beta 6 means the quarterly update has reached Platform Stability. This is a key milestone, as Google looks to begin preparations for a wider (stable) launch for phones. This latest beta is a bit lighter. Google only appears to have a few bugs it's looking to squash ahead of more testing.

The company states it's rolling out a visual glitch when "rapidly swiping through the media carousel." Google says users experienced this in the Quick Settings layout and settings icons. Another fix rolling in is the result of several reports across three Issue Tracker threads following Beta 5. Pressing the volume buttons was reportedly producing an unintended result in the Clock app.

The remainder of the changelog is as follows:

Users were unable to select multiple spell checker languages
An issue in WindowManagerGlobal that resulted in app crashes
Enabling the Wi-Fi hotspot displayed a generic default SSID instead of the user's saved custom name

The work continues

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Android Central's Take

I wonder if Google is moving too fast. There are still so many pressing issues affecting users with Android 17, and other glaring problems for Pixels in general. Google has acknowledged some, but others have been happening for months now with no clear solution. I'd hate to see things get out of hand more than they are.

Beta 6 has stunned Pixel testers. It's only been a week since QPR1 Beta 5 rolled out, and that patch carried a significant number of bug fixes. The last beta rolled out a fix for an Android 17 problem stable Pixel users encountered: vanishing widgets. So, while Google has acknowledged and seemingly already solved this problem, Pixel users still have a while to wait before it hits their phones (unless they're in the beta). On the other hand, Google rolled out fixes for the Game Dashboard, a screen freeze with the Always-On Display, and more.

Android 17 QPR1 hitting Platform Stability early in July probably shouldn't surprise us. Google rolled out Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 in August last year, shortly after the Pixel 10 launched. Google's been quickening its development process and trying to work through bugs at the same time. There's a chance we'll see something similar take place this year, too.

Your Galaxy Watch will lose Vascular Load, switches to blood pressure 'trends'

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:58:22 +0000

What you need to know

Samsung Health app has posted a notice, informing Galaxy Watch users in the U.S. that Vascular Load will disappear with v7.0 of the app and One UI 9 Watch in July.
The company says it will replace this with "Blood Pressure Trends," which "periodically" checks your blood pressure to show your (potentially) changing trends.
Vascular Load was a part of the Galaxy Watch 8's Preventative Care features and would measure your blood flow and vascular stiffness while you slept.

Samsung is reportedly informing Galaxy Watch users that they will lose a heart wellness feature in the next major update.

Samsung rolled out a notice in its Health app this week titled "Vascular Load labs feature to be discontinued." A user on Reddit brought awareness to this notification as it's likely to affect Galaxy Watch users soon (via 9to5Google). The company states that, starting with v7.0 of the Samsung Health app and One UI 9 Watch, Vascular Load will disappear for U.S. users.

Samsung states One UI 9 Watch is expected to debut this month (July). Users have started wondering when older devices (Watch 8, Watch 7, etc.) could see this patch. There hasn't been a beta for the watch software yet, despite Samsung's confirmed July release for One UI 9 Watch.

Replacing Vascular Load will be Samsung's "Blood Pressure Trends" feature. The notice says this feature will "check your blood pressure periodically to show you a trend over time. It will also give you tips to help support healthy habits." Samsung adds that these trends will be available on the next series, the Galaxy Watch 9. It stresses, as always, that Blood Pressure Trends is simply a "wellness-only" feature, and any concerns should be discussed with your doctor.

Preventative Care

(Image credit: Samsung)

Vascular Load was one of Samsung's Preventative Care features it highlighted for the Galaxy Watch 8. Many features under this umbrella focused mainly on the user's heart, and Vascular Load was no different. Its focus was to help highlight the strain on your heart. Samsung said the Galaxy Watch 8 used PPG waveforms to measure "your blood flow and vascular stiffness throughout the night."

A person's stress, diet, and sleep primarily affect this statistic. It states that, if left unchecked, consistent "high" Vascular Load could lead to more severe health problems. It's unfortunate to see this go; however, Blood Pressure Trends seems to piggyback off the main Blood Pressure monitoring feature. After months of talking about it and working to clear regulatory hurdles, Samsung rolled out Blood Pressure monitoring in March.

Users are required to use an upper arm cuff to calibrate their Galaxy Watch for the first time and then every 28 days after.

Android Central's Take

It's a shame this feature is leaving. Seeing a metric about the strain on your heart gives users another keyhole into their overall health. It's another piece of information to make you wonder if there's anything you should change, like your food or how much sleep you're getting. Understanding your blood pressure is as equally important. Who knows, maybe we won't miss this.

Samsung quietly brings back its BEST Galaxy S26 Ultra deal for the 4th of July weekend — with or without trade

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:57:01 +0000

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is one of the most powerful phones ever built, but with a starting price of $1,299.99, it's also quite expensive. Fortunately, Samsung is attempting to ease the burden by resurrecting one of its best deals for the 4th of July weekend.

For a limited time, you can score up to $720 off the unlocked S26 Ultra when you trade in an old or broken device, no carrier activation required. Don't have anything to trade in? Skip that part of the process altogether and Samsung will STILL hook you up with $350 off the phone, a surprising straight discount that totally clobbers the current offers from Amazon and Best Buy.

Sure, Samsung Galaxy S26 deals are hardly uncommon, but it's unusual to see a straight discount this good outside of major sale events like Prime Day. If you want to buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra but hate all of the fine print included with most phone deals, this is your time to shine.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB: ~~$1,299.99~~ From $579.99 with trade-in | $949.99 without at Samsung

Buy the unlocked Galaxy S26 Ultra directly from the source and you'll be eligible for up to $720 of instant trade-in credit. Skip the trade-in process and Samsung will still carve a straight $350 off your purchase, no strings attached. View Deal

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung's best phone yet, coming complete with a massive 6.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED display (with embedded stylus), unbelievable performance from the Snapdragon chipset, and some of the fastest battery charging we've ever seen in a smartphone. You also get to experience Samsung's handy new Privacy Display feature, plus all of the latest Galaxy AI tricks and seven years of software updates guaranteed.

In addition to the discount described above, Samsung is also offering some impressive savings when you bundle the phone with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro (~~$249~~ now $225) or Galaxy Watch Ultra (~~$649.99~~ now $435). Your purchase will also come with six months of SiriusXM streaming, two months of Adobe Lightroom, and a 30-day trial for Samsung Health.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra may not be a massive upgrade over its predecessor, but it's still one of the most powerful Android phones on the market today. If you missed the Samsung deals during last week's Prime Day sale, here's your chance to get a straight discount that's nearly just as good.

Xreal ROG R1 is crazy expensive, but it's easily the best wearable monitor I've ever used

Nicholas Sutrich — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:52:20 +0000

AC thVRsday

In his weekly column, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich delves into all things VR, from new hardware to new games, upcoming technologies, and so much more.

I've spent the past five weeks with Xreal ROG R1 glasses, a cutting-edge pair developed jointly by Xreal and Asus. As with all ROG-branded products, these glasses (also known as a wearable monitor) have a very specific design language, a near-ridiculous number of features, and a price tag that puts them squarely in "enthusiast" territory.

They also pose a rather interesting alternative to traditional monitors that I'm not sure smart glasses are quite ready to bridge yet: replacing a gaming monitor with a virtual one. That's not to say the picture quality, resolution, or even features aren't there — it's top-notch in these categories among any comparable pair, after all. Rather, I'm just not sure how many people are ready to make smart glasses a proper replacement for monitors.

But if you're seriously considering clearing off your desk or you just want a robust on-the-go virtual monitor solution, Xreal ROG R1 is the best pair of smart display glasses money can buy. It's the ideal combination of the Xreal One Pro's ease and the robust feature set of a ROG device. Here's everything you need to know before buying.

What is Xreal ROG R1?

Xreal ROG R1 is a pair of smart glasses jointly designed by Xreal and Asus, featuring industry-leading 240Hz micro-OLED displays and a unique desktop dock with multiple input options. ROG R1 also supports the Xreal Eye camera and prescription glasses inserts.

ROG R1 can be used independently of this dock, which is how I used them the vast majority of the time during my five weeks of use, including a week's vacation away from home and one particularly long travel day spent in airports and on planes with the glasses.

Xreal Rog R1 retails for $849.99 and can be purchased at Best Buy, Xreal's website, or Asus' website. The box includes the glasses, a USB-C cable for the glasses, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a manual, three total nosepiece shapes/sizes, a prescription glasses adapter, the desktop dock, plus two USB-A to USB-C cables for the dock.

Xreal ROG R1 specs
Display	Sony micro-OLED
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Refresh rate	120Hz standalone, 240Hz when docked
Brightness	700-nit peak
Color support	8-bit, 106% sRGB. Dock supports HDR10
FoV	57-degrees
IPD	Narrow size: 57-66mm Broad size: 66-75mm
Spatial tracking	3DoF native, 6DoF with optional Xreal Eye
Electrochromic dimming	Yes, 3 levels
3D support	Side-by-side, automatic AI-converted
Audio	Bose speakers
Temple adjustment	3 angles, spring hinge with flexible arms
Dimensions	153mm x 4.9m x 166mm
Weight	90g
Control dock	1x USB-C power, 1x USB-C data and power, 1x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI

Displays aren't the only headliner feature

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The ROG R1's displays have a clear advantage, as they're the only pair of smart display glasses with a 240Hz display. That pair of micro-OLEDs runs at 120Hz when connected directly to any device, but connecting the glasses to the included ROG R1 dock unlocks 240Hz mode.

This is achieved through a special chip inside the R1 dock, which provides the extra horsepower needed to run at 240Hz. You'll need a device that can natively push 240Hz to take advantage, however, as the only interpolation mode supported on these glasses is upscaling 60Hz signals to 120Hz. There's no native way to scale 120Hz to 240Hz, which I was disappointed by, but I understand why it's a limitation.

Outside of 240Hz, the optics component of ROG R1 is essentially the same as in Xreal One Pro. When not plugged into the dock, it supports the same color and brightness output, plus the same 57-degree FoV via prism lenses. So, if you're not particularly interested in the 240Hz or dock functions, is there still a reason to choose these over Xreal One Pro? Yes, but only if you enjoy tweaking every last aspect of a device.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Xreal ROG R1 sports the most detailed OSD menu I've ever seen on a pair of smart glasses. There are very few glasses that offer a proper OSD menu — Xreal One was the first — and while I thought Xreal's previous efforts felt like a monitor, ROG R1 takes those options to the next level.

Honestly, the number of features available for both the glasses and the dock is borderline overwhelming. You'll easily spend 30 minutes just scrolling through everything to test them out and, undoubtedly, much longer figuring out your favorite settings.

ROG R1 supports several different presets, too, including custom ones you can save for later use. While I love all the additional (optional) settings, I really enjoyed the refreshed quick settings menu, which lets you instantly adjust brightness, lens tinting, speaker volume, screen size, and screen distance without having to dive through a bunch of annoying menus. Just click the minus button to open this menu.

Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central

The temples offer three angle adjustment options, and the left and right temples are independent, so you can find the display angle that best matches your face shape. The three different nose pads further enhance comfort, and the arms all use spring hinges, so they bend backward quite a bit to accommodate different head sizes.

Both Anchor and Smooth Follow modes use low-persistence black frame insertion to eliminate motion blur that can occur with spatially tracked virtual screens, and both 3DoF and 6DoF modes use PWM dimming at all levels. The 0DoF mode uses DC dimming at brightness levels 3-10, while levels 1 and 2 use PWM dimming.

These are 8-bit displays with no 10-bit support, so there should be no dithering at all. Despite the PWM dimming, I found these glasses quite comfortable with the prescription inserts. Normally, low-frequency PWM dimming (240-1000Hz) hurts my eyes and gives me a headache, but Xreal appears to be following the refresh rate here (120Hz), which typically doesn't bother me.

The dock changes everything

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

No other pair of smart display glasses to date ships with a dock like ROG R1. This dock sports two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and two USB-C ports on the back (one is power), plus a USB-C port on the front for your glasses. This means you can easily connect multiple computers or consoles to the dock and switch between them using the buttons on top of the dock, similar to a KVM switch.

Better yet, each button and joystick direction can be customized to perform virtually any feature or function toggle supported by the dock, so you can truly nail down your ideal configs and have them ready with a single press.

Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central

While the dock is phenomenal for providing 240Hz support and expanding preset and monitor parameter adjustment options, it's also a weird downgrade for spatial tracking and quick settings.

While the glasses alone support five quick settings for adjustment, plugging them into the dock removes the audio adjustment option. It's also cumbersome to switch between spatially-tracked modes and 0DoF mode, as you either have to set it to one of the quick buttons on top or dig through a few menus. Note that 6DoF requires the Xreal Eye attachment for the glasses, which can't be used with prescription lenses.

I also find it irritating that all the buttons on the glasses are disabled when plugging them into the dock. I understand that Asus/Xreal wants the dock to be the primary option, but it's still annoying for someone who switches between using the dock and plugging the glasses directly into portable devices.

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Xreal should be able to address those issues in a firmware update, though, so while this is certainly annoying in its current state, there's no reason it needs to stay that way. Overall, the ROG R1 is an incredible pair of glasses that offers higher-quality imagery and more options than any other pair of smart glasses on the market.

If you're looking for an ultra-clean desk setup with no monitors, this is truly an incredible solution, especially given how well Xreal's spatial tracking system works. I'd still recommend the $450 Xreal 1S for most people, but the ROG R1 is an impressive enthusiast option for gamers seeking the highest-end solution.

Does the Fitbit Air support automatic activity detection?

bradypsnyder@gmail.com (Brady Snyder) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:50:00 +0000

Does the Fitbit Air support automatic activity detection?

Best answer: Yes, the Google Fitbit Air automatically detects and saves activities in the background. These activities later appear in the Google Health app, where you can confirm, change, or delete them. The Fitbit Air's algorithm will adapt based on how you use the tracker, eventually giving preference to the activity types you track most.

Fitbit Air automatically detects activities in the Google Health app

The Google Fitbit Air is a screenless fitness tracker that monitors your health and activity data in the background. Without a screen onboard, there's no way to manually start tracking a workout directly on the Fitbit Air. Instead, users need to pull out their phone and open the Google Health app to manually track a workout with the Fitbit Air.

The alternative is to use the Fitbit Air's automatic activity detection feature. The fitness tracker monitors health metrics in the background, including your heart rate, steps, and cardio load. These metrics give your Fitbit Air an idea of when you're being physically active. After finishing, you can open the Google Health app to view automatically detected workouts or edit the details.

Google's automatic activity detection might not always get it right, and confirming or modifying the activity in the Google Health app helps improve the results. You can view activities recorded on the same day in the Today tab of the Health app, while older activities appear in the Fitness tab. From there, you can view workout recaps and tap a suggested activity type, or pick other options from the list to confirm.

Brady Snyder / Android Central

Google says that "activity detection gets smarter the more you use it," and adds that you can choose from 150 activity types. You can customize activity types and minimum durations for automatically recorded activities in the app. For example, you might not want your 15-minute walk to work to count as an activity, so you could set a 20-minute minimum duration for walks that your Fitbit Air automatically detects.

To improve the accuracy of your Fitbit Air's automatic activity detection, manually start a 10-minute outdoor walking workout using your phone and the Google Health app. Keep your phone on you as you complete the workout. This will calibrate your Fitbit Air, making automatically detected activity data more accurate.

In short, your Fitbit Air can automatically detect activities. However, you may want to confirm or edit activities later in the Google Health app for the best results.

Google

Fitbit Air

Automatic activity detection

The Google Fitbit Air is a passive fitness tracker that can automatically detect activities in the background. It lasts a week before needing a recharge, and users can view tracked activities in the Google Health companion app.

Gemini Omni is 'like Nano Banana for video' and I couldn't believe the results

bradypsnyder@gmail.com (Brady Snyder) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:29:32 +0000

I use Gemini for all sorts of things on my phone, from general assistant help and smart home control to generative AI creation. The app tries to be a jack-of-all-trades, capable of creating text, images, audio, and video from simple prompts. Gemini Omni is Google's latest video-generation tool, announced at Google I/O 2026 and bundled with the June Pixel Drop.

Gemini Omni's calling card is conversational prompts. Like how you can generate images with Nano Banana from simple inputs, Google wants you to be able to do the same with Gemini Omni. I tried it on my Pixel 10 Pro, and the experience felt way more polished than any Veo model. I don't generate AI videos very often, but when I do, I'll be using Gemini Omni going forward. Here's how you can, too.

Gemini Omni is a new model designed to create videos

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

Open up the Gemini app and tap the model picker, and you won't see Gemini Omni. You'll find 3.1 Flash-Lite, 3.5 Flash, and 3.1 Pro (availability varies depending on your Google AI subscription), but not Gemini Omni. That's because Gemini Omni is specifically designed for video. In fact, Google's landing page for Gemini Omni says we should "think of it like Nano Banana for video."

The model you'll be using in the Gemini app is called Gemini Omni Flash, and it's also available in Google Flow and YouTube Shorts. While it's wholly focused on video for now, Gemini Omni will eventually support image and audio outputs as well. The idea is that Gemini Omni will one day be able to "create anything from any input," which is a lofty goal. This will happen "in time," according to Google, but you can start using Omni for videos today.

Another oddity about Gemini Omni is that it's highlighted as a June Pixel Drop feature, but it's available on any smartphone. Gemini Omni isn't a Google Pixel exclusive; it's limited by your Google AI subscription status. There is a free version with strict rate limits, but more availability is reserved for Google AI Plus, Google AI Pro, and Google AI Ultra subscribers.

That's good news for anyone without a Pixel — everyone can try it in the Gemini app or on the web.

How I create videos with AI using Gemini Omni

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

Gemini Omni is designed to support multiple inputs and conversational prompts. In other words, anyone can use it. Here's how to get started:

1. Open the Gemini app.

2. Tap the + button and select Videos.

3. Now, you'll see the Gemini Omni prompting box. Tap the bottom-left button to upload a photo or video as part of your prompt, or press the bottom-right button to choose between a Landscape or Portrait aspect ratio.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

4. Next, come up with a text prompt. You can type your prompt or tap the microphone button to record an audio snippet as part of your prompt.

5. Tap the Send arrow to submit your prompt to Gemini Omni.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

6. Wait for your video to generate. You may see the following message: "I'm generating your video. This could take a few minutes, so check back to see when your video is ready.

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

7. When your video is ready, you can hit the Share button to create a public link to it. Or you can tap the three-button menu and select Save video to download it to your device.

Now, you've created your first video with Gemini Omni. Remember, you can use any mix of text, images, audio, or video to inform your Gemini Omni prompt.

If you're not sure where to start, you can tap one of the suggestions on the Gemini Omni page. It'll tell you exactly what it needs to generate a video. For example, the Talking pets suggestion will ask you for a picture of your pet to customize the output.

Should you use Veo or Gemini Omni for videos?

(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)

Gemini Omni is replacing Veo models in the Gemini app, although you'll still be able to find Veo models in other Google products. I've used both, and my vote goes to Gemini Omni. With its broad support for inputs and easy-to-follow suggestions, it doesn't take much skill to create a fun AI video with Omni.

I made a video of my seafood dinner coming to life and jumping off the plate, and well, Gemini Omni did its job. I'm not sure how often I'll turn to Omni to generate videos with AI, but I know it's up to the task.

Google

Pixel 10

Best for Gemini

Gemini Omni is here on Pixels like the Pixel 10 following the June Pixel Drop. You also get other exclusive features, like Screen Reactions and Bubbles, before anyone else.

Pixel users aren't receiving calls, but the issue might be Google's phone app

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:13:40 +0000

What you need to know

Pixel users have been raising an issue on Google's various subreddits and its Issue Tracker about a "missing incoming call" bug.
Users with a wide range of Pixel phones say their phones have been ignoring incoming calls, and rarely inform them that one has been attempted.
However, the problem could be with the Google Phone app, as this behavior has reportedly affected several phones for months.

Google Pixel users say they're suffering from a phone problem that no one (in this day and age) ever wants.

This Google Pixel problem reportedly concerns the phone's ability to receive calls, affecting a range of devices (via Android Authority). It's quickly become apparent through a Pixel subreddit report that this problem hasn't started in the past few days or weeks. Users state their Pixel has been missing calls for over a month. The original post (OP) says their Pixel 10 Pro XL "is not receiving calls after the last update." This was posted at the end of May.

They explain their situation, stating, "As mentioned since the last update people will call me and it won't go through. Just hangs on the calling screen and then hangs up. My wife said it happens routinely and she will have to call me 3 to 4 times and sometimes my phone will ring."

On their side, the user sees nothing. Their phone will remain idle with its display off. The user has run through a series of at-home troubleshooting steps (restarting, clearing cache, ensuring DND is off), but nothing has worked. Another user even further back reported this issue affecting their Pixel 7 Pro. Not only are users missing calls on Google's stable patch, but it's happening in Android 17 QPR1 Beta 5, too. This user says their Pixel 10 Pro XL only started missing calls after downloading the latest beta, adding that a thread has been opened on Google's Issue Tracker about it.

Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich brought this issue up earlier today after stating he's "had this behavior on several phones for months now." Sutrich adds that "it's a Google Phone app issue, not a Pixel issue." Android Central has reached out to Google about this missing incoming call issue and will update this post if we hear back.

This problem is dangerous

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

A Google Community member did respond to one of the Reddit threads. We can at least assume the company is aware of the issue. This is a troublesome problem, especially if it's affecting the Google Phone app. That means more than just Pixels have this problem. There was one report that mentioned the Galaxy S25, so users should remain cautious.

The last memorable Phone app problem we've reported was more of an inconvenience than anything else. Earlier this year, the app constantly flipped its orientation. You'd typically want your call to remain in portrait, but the app would switch to landscape, messing up the buttons. Google fixed this by rolling out a "keep portrait mode" in the app's display settings.

Curiously, Google's Call Screen for Pixels was cited as a potential culprit behind this missing-call issue. The user on Reddit said that, after turning it off, their device would alert them to incoming calls as expected.

Android Central's Take

I'm surprised there isn't more urgency. Missing phone calls is an incredibly serious issue. I saw one person on Reddit mention that they have kids and older parents. There's no telling what could be wrong if they happened to miss a call. Their child could be sick, or their parents could've had something happen, too. The problem seems to have been escalating lately. Hopefully, this kicks Google into higher gear.

T-Mobile caps off a month of freebies with a $60 jersey nobody asked for

techkritiko@gmail.com (Jay Bonggolto) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:29:23 +0000

What you need to know

T-Mobile's newest Member Month perk is a $60 limited-edition Umbro soccer jersey available through the T-Life app starting July 7.
The jersey is an original Umbro x T-Mobile design, not tied to any club or national team.
Existing T-Life perks aren't going anywhere, so the Umbro collaboration is an extra option rather than a replacement.

T-Mobile has been giving away everything from fuel discounts to entertainment perks for the past month, but its latest Member Month reward is taking a very different approach. Instead of another free giveaway, the carrier is joining in on soccer culture with an exclusive collaboration that customers can actually wear.

The company partnered with sportswear brand Umbro to introduce a limited-edition soccer jersey just for T-Mobile members. The catch? There is no free lunch. Starting July 7, eligible customers will be able to purchase the jersey for $60 through the T-Life app, while supplies last.

The jersey is not emblematic of any particular club or national team. Instead, it's an original Umbro and T-Mobile design that blends the sportswear company's football heritage with T-Mobile's signature magenta branding.

See my guide to the best T-Mobile deals of July 2026

(Image credit: T-Mobile)

The launch also is part of T-Mobile’s broader Member Month promotion, which celebrates 10 years of customer rewards. The company said the T-Life app had nearly 14 million members engaging with the app in the first week of the campaign, one of the busiest periods of engagement the platform has seen.

Customers were granted perks across the month, including discounted fuel, travel benefits, dining deals, and access to exclusive events like a members-only T-Pain show. T-Mobile also distributed more than 600,000 codes for fuel discounts and helped more than 1,500 drivers fill up at $1.99 a gallon.

Of course, the carrier’s existing benefits aren’t going away due to the Umbro collaboration. Customers on eligible plans still get access to ongoing extras such as streaming subscriptions, travel perks, DoorDash DashPass offers, and other T-Life promotions. The jersey is just the latest on that growing list.

Android Central's Take

As for me, I can't help but laugh at the sheer audacity of it all. A bold move, definitely, to end a month of real, tangible benefits like free food delivery and dirt cheap gas by asking us to pay a premium to become a walking billboard. Yes, the Umbro collab gives it a tiny shred of streetwear credibility, but at the end of the day, it’s still a $60 T-Mobile ad.

The best Verizon deals of July 2026 — so many free phones

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:49:03 +0000

The summer sale season is upon us, and the Verizon deals are really heating up. Whether you're in the market for a flagship phone, innovative foldable, or budget device, I've collected the best Verizon deals of July 2026 into this guide.

Verizon has been a major player in the wireless scene for over 20 years, offering users a variety of plan options for every type of user (and budget) imaginable. The Big Three carrier also offers a ton of awesome deals on Android phones, with extra rewards for those who trade in or add a line with an eligible data plan.

Keep reading for all of my favorite Verizon deals of July 2026, and don't forget to check back later to see what's new: I add new offers to this list on a regular basis.

See the full list of deals at Verizon today

Verizon deals

Motorola Razr (2026) 128GB: ~~$799.99~~ FREE with eligible unlimited plan at Verizon

The Motorola Razr 2026 has only been out since May 21st, but you can already get the innovative flip phone for FREE when you add a line with the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan at Verizon.View Deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 256GB: ~~$899.99~~ FREE with eligible unlimited plan at Verizon

The Galaxy S26 has only been out for a few months, but you can already get the new flagship for FREE by adding a line with the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan at Verizon. View Deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB: ~~$1,299.99~~ $5.55 per month with Unlimited Ultimate plan at Verizon

It's not hyperbolic to call the Galaxy S26 Ultra the most powerful Android phone of 2026, but this performance comes with a steep price tag to match. Fortunately, if you order the phone and add a line with the Unlimited Ultimate plan, Verizon will give you an S26 Ultra for only $5.55/month for 36 months.View Deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus 256GB: ~~$1,099.99~~ FREE with eligible unlimited plan at Verizon

Similar to the S26 deals that I described above, if you're interested in the super-balanced Galaxy 26 Plus, you can get the phone FREE by adding a line with the Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan at Verizon.View Deal

Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB: ~~$999.99~~ FREE with eligible unlimited plan at Verizon

Add a line with Verizon's Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan and the carrier will give you the powerful Google Pixel 10 Pro for FREE! View Deal

Google Pixel 10a 128GB: ~~$499.99~~ FREE with unlimited plan at Verizon

The long-awaited Google Pixel 10a finally hit store shelves on March 5th with a bunch of great deals in tow. Buy the midrange masterpiece from Verizon with a new line on the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan and you'll get enough promo credits to make the phone totally free. View Deal

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 256GB: ~~$1,199.99~~ $8.33 per month with eligible unlimited plan at Verizon

Add a line with the Unlimited Ultimate plan and Verizon will give you the super-powered Pixel 10 Pro XL for only $8.33 per month for 36 months, no trade-in required. View Deal

Motorola Edge (2026) 128GB: ~~$529.99~~ FREE with eligible data plan at Verizon

The Motorola Edge (2026) is a versatile midrange phone with great battery life, IP69 durability, and solid performance from a MediaTek chip. Add a line with the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan and Verizon will give you the device for 100% free. There's also some trade-in credit up for grabs if you're looking to ditch an old phone. View Deal

Back to the top^

Meta's AI Glasses golf integration is so in-depth that it has me looking for clubs

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:25:00 +0000

What you need to know

Meta AI glasses announce major golfing integrations coming to the U.S. and Canada as 18Birdies and Arccos enter with hands-free AI assistance.
Users will receive a "voice-first experience" while golfing, capable of telling the AI to "start a round of golf" and receive shooting tips, club recommendations, hazard alerts, and more.
Other Meta glasses, such as the Oakley Meta Vanguard, have been praised previously for enhancing the experience for athletes.

Golf isn't for the weak. It takes patience, skill, and understanding, and now Meta is looking to take advantage of its AI spectacles to help you strike like a pro.

Today (July 1), Meta announced that it's rolling out a "new era" of Athletic Intelligence for its AI glasses for golfers. The company's Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Meta Glasses are receiving significant golf integration, thanks to 18Birdies and Arccos. Of course, such integration is nothing without the user's choice of preferred app, and that's exactly what Meta is providing.

After deciding, users will experience a "voice-first golf experience" that delivers information about their game as they play. Course data, wind conditions, your performance data, club recommendations, and more will be spoken to you by Meta AI. Bringing 18Birdies and Arccos into the mix unlocks a whole new level of golf. Meta states that, with 18Birdies, users can say, "Hey Meta, start a round of golf." Yardage details, hazard warnings, and more become clear, all without you needing to ruin your focus.

Arccos handles the master-level recommendations for which club might earn you better results. Oakley showed off a demo of how Meta AI's golf integration can help a user figure out their aim and which club to use. The AI is specific, detailing how the hole is on the land, so you understand why the recommendation was given. When a round concludes, Meta AI alongside Arccos can deliver "insights into your play by accessing strokes-gained analytics, connecting with coaches on Skillest, and tracking your improvement over time."

Always go for a hole-in-one

A post shared by Oakley | Meta (@oakleymeta)
A photo posted by on

Meta says its AI-integrated golfing experience is here to lend a hand in strategy while you're teeing off. What's more, users can capture POV photos and videos while they play to share with others. Integration with 18Birdies and Arccos is rolling out in the U.S. and Canada for Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and the Meta Glasses.

Meta highlighted an important pair of AI glasses in this announcement: the Oakley Meta Vanguard. The company's Oakley Meta HSTN was also mentioned as a pair of frames that enhance the experience for athletes. Regarding the Meta Vanguard, they're pretty handy to have for runners, hikers, and cyclists. The glasses feature strong integration with Garmin, letting users ask Meta about their "average/current pace" when on a run.

Android Central's Take

Golf has been recommended to me before on a couple of different occasions. What's gotten me interested in Meta's integrations, from an outsider's perspective, is how useful its AI seems. Those Instagram vids are a treat to watch, I'd encourage you to do so if you haven't. The user can ask about anything pertaining to their score, how their score is trending, and even how to strike the ball. All I'm missing is an arc to show up mid-strike it does in video games and we're set.

Discord on the Meta Quest brings your friends within an arm's reach in VR

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:34:31 +0000

What you need to know

Discord announced that it has a native app launcher available for the Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3 series models on the Horizon App Store.
The app will function similarly to what users would receive on their phone or PC, with servers, texts, group DMs, and more available.
Meta Quest also features a Steam app, capable of streaming PCVR games directly to the headset.

Discord is a popular app among gamers and friends. The app gained even more popularity a few years back, and now it's rolling out on Meta's VR headsets.

Discord announced that its app is now available on Meta Quest, and users will find a familiar experience. Users with a Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, or Quest 3 series model can download Discord via the Horizon App Store. The company says it's breaking free from the Quest's browser. Now, after downloading, users will find their Discord servers, DMs, Group DMs, and more, as they would on their phone or PC client.

Meta Quest users will also benefit from their previously created "Meta Avatars." Discord says users can join video calls as their avatar. What's more, streaming content from your PC is a common occurrence on Discord. With the Meta Quest, users can stream the VR game they're playing while wearing their headset.

Discord worked on a refined experience that's true to the Meta Quest as its app hits the store. Users can open Discord and pin its contents to their viewing space. This gives you an easy route to join/exit a server, send a quick text, or start streaming. Users getting started can check the FAQ if there are any issues.

Also, Meta informed Android Central that from June 30 to September 30, "users who download and sign into Discord on Meta Quest can claim one month of Discord Nitro." Nitro is its subscription service, and claiming this would unlock HD streaming, 500MB file uploads, profile/avatar customization, custom emojis, and more.

Hey, join VC

(Image credit: Discord)

Gamers got a wondrous app on the Meta Quest via Valve's Steam library. Steam is a massive entry point for PC gaming. Thousands of new and old titles are available there, and now Meta's VR headsets are in on it. The "Meta-approved" Steam Link app lets users (Quest 2 and Quest 3) play PCVR games. Basically, what you're doing is streaming these titles to your VR headset. Users need Steam installed and a Wi-Fi 5 router (at least) to begin.

Then, from your PC, you'll need to enable remote play for this connection to work. We've essentially got the full PC gamer package now: Steam and Discord. VR gamers are eating good, and it's only getting better. Earlier this year, Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, discussed what's going to change the Quest space for games. Bosworth stated that Meta was shifting its focus from first-party developed games to third-party.

Bosworth also stressed that "the narrative that Meta is abandoning VR is obviously false."

Android Central's Take

This sounds like the right call to me. If I had to choose between using Discord in my web browser or a native, well-built client, I'd pick the latter. There's no way I'm fumbling with tabs. Just imagine doing that on a VR headset. I'm sure the UI is fine, but that's not seamless. That's not easy to pick up and ago. That sounds like work, and I'm glad Discord's fixed that.

Reach the Summit: Qualcomm's Snapdragon event is set for September

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:59:03 +0000

What you need to know

Qualcomm reveals that its Snapdragon Summit is set for September 22-24 in Maui, Hawaii.
The company's teaser was light, only stating "the future starts here," but we are expecting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 to debut here.
Recent rumors claim that this chip might not be the only we're expecting, as an "8 Elite Gen 6 Pro" could join the fray.

We were all expecting it. Though it's happened a little later this year, Qualcomm is finally setting the date for when its next flagship chip will launch.

This week, Qualcomm started teasing its next annual event for the next generation of Snapdragon. The company claims "the future starts here" ahead of its Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii. Qualcomm says the event will take place from September 22-24, a three-day set that we've become accustomed to.

The teaser is minimal (per usual), but what it does is set us up for what's coming from Qualcomm. The company's next-gen flagship SoC will most likely advance the same power, power efficiency, and AI solutions it introduced with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This chip is currently powering a multitude of flagship phones today, and its early benchmark tests highlighted Qualcomm's continued dominance.

Qualcomm put a bright spotlight on its chip's 20% increase in CPU performance, as well as a 35% increase in efficiency. A few multi-core tests from Geekbench scored the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ~15% higher than other chips on the market. There's no hiding that Qualcomm's looking to continue this trend, but how it'll do it (and what chips we'll see) is another talking point.

Plant the flag

(Image credit: Qualcomm / X)

While we're expecting a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, rumors claim Qualcomm wants to add a "Pro" to the mix. Considering what we know about the 8 Elite Gen 5's performance, an alleged "8 Elite Gen Pro" could get aggressive with its performance. Qualcomm might boost totals even higher than what we're used to; however, only phones labeled as "Ultra" would see it.

This is a claim tipsters laid down early, and it gets us thinking about the Galaxy S27 Ultra and so on. It's also been suspected that Qualcomm will build this next on TSMC's 2nm process. Another round of Pro rumors talked about its potential core architecture. The 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro might deploy a 2+3+3 CPU structure. What's more, the Adreno 850 GPU was thrown into the discussion, with claims that the "normal" 8 Elite Gen 6 could reach for the Adreno 845.

Mint Mobile is calling this new deal its 'best offer ever' — so what's the catch?

patrick.farmer@futurenet.com (Patrick Farmer) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:58:55 +0000

In my line of work, there is a lot of hyperbole. But sometimes when a retailer or wireless carrier claims that a new offer is its "best deal ever", it's worth taking a closer look. Case in point: Mint Mobile just launched a promotion that drops ALL of its wireless plans down to $15 per month, whether you're signing up for three months or a full year. It's that simple: switch to Mint and the savings are yours.

Switch to Mint Mobile and get 3, 6, or 12 months of wireless for only $15 per month

Join Mint Mobile with ANY 3, 6, or 12-month data plan and you'll only pay $15 per month. Wireless must be purchased in bulk, but considering that the minimum is $45 for three months, it's still cheaper than much of the competition.

Mint's Unlimited plan is easily the best value here, offering unlimited talk, text, and data, plus a free mobile hotspot and calls to Mexico, Canada, and the UK.View Deal

Mint Mobile has discounted its wireless before, but usually it requires the purchase of a smartphone to enjoy the savings. This is the first time that the T-Mobile-owned carrier has dropped all of its offerings to the same price, regardless of plan or commitment.

The only catch is that you'll need to pay for a minimum of three months of service to receive the savings, but that means it'll only cost you $45 out the door. Three full months of Unlimited wireless powered by T-Mobile for less than 50 bucks? Look at your last phone bill and tell me that doesn't sound good.

Need a new phone too?

Samsung Galaxy S26 256GB: ~~$900~~ $400, plus 50% off one year of Unlimited

Need a new phone to pair with your new wireless plan? Purchase the Samsung Galaxy S26 with one year of the Unlimited plan and Mint Mobile will give you $500 OFF the phone and 50% off the wireless. In other words, you're getting a top-rated 2026 phone AND a full 12 months of T-Mobile-powered wireless for only $580 (or $49/month using Affirm).View Deal

What is Mint Mobile?

Now owned and operated by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile is a prepaid mobile provider that specializes in selling its wireless in bulk. It's a perfect choice for users who want straightforward coverage for cheap, even if it means they lose the bells and whistles offered by more-expensive unlimited plans.

You purchase your coverage in 3, 6, or 12-month increments of time, and then you get talk, text, and data on T-Mobile's vast 5G network with no caps or confusing contract to worry about. Once your time allotment is over, you're free to switch to another carrier or upgrade/downgrade to a different plan with no penalty whatsoever.