Tech News Wrap: Google's XR glasses, One UI 8.5 beta drops, Motorola's Fold could be real, and more

This is Android Central's Tech News Wrap, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week, Google's new XR Glasses dropped, Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta is out, Motorola's teasing a new foldable, the December Pixel update is bugging out Pixel stand support for some, and Qualcomm just launched two new mid-range chips. Let's get into it!

Google shows off it's XR Project Aura smartglasses

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Google seems to be ending this year with a bang! During The Android Show: XR Edition, Google showed off its Android XR smart glasses and also announced some new capabilities coming to Samsung's Galaxy XR headset.

Galaxy XR is gaining new tricks, which Google says are designed to "help you fully experience the spatial capabilities of Android XR and allow you to fit your headset naturally into the things you do every day." With features like "PC Connect" and "Likeness," Google is reimagining creativity, giving users more room to be productive with the multi-view screen and a digital avatar of you that mirrors your facial expressions and hand gestures in real-time, during team meetings.

As for Project Aura, which is supposedly equipped with a 70-degree field of view and optical see-through technology, these glasses are said to overlay the digital content within your field of view, turning it into a massive screen for work or entertainment.

One UI 8.5 is here... Sorta

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Samsung also had some big announcements this week. In a press release, the company stated that the One UI 8.5 beta has finally arrived, bringing new and easier ways to create, connect, and stay safe. While it might sound like a small software tweak, One UI 8.5 brings new Galaxy AI features to the Galaxy S25 series for now.

This includes an updated Photo Assist that helps you continue without saving each iteration on your device. This means you can use AI Eraser, then move or restyle the image in Photo Assist without saving it first.

With this new beta update, Samsung also adds new Theft Protection tools, a redesigned UI with 3D icons, and a customizable Quick Settings panel. Storage Share lets users access files across Galaxy phones, tablets, PCs, and even Samsung TVs. Many apps, including Calculator, Clock, and Samsung Health, have been redesigned for better visuals.

The One UI 8.5 beta is only available on Galaxy S25 series smartphones. You can head to Settings > Software update > Download & install to get it on your device.

Motolora drops a huge hint that a Fold is coming

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Motorola seems to be working on something super exciting, and we think its CES invite might hint at its next major form factor. Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich and Derrek Lee got a package from Motorola earlier this week, and the box had an invite to its CES display, plus a wooden flip book that opens and folds into a lamp, with a dim red light.

According to Sutrich, the lamp features a magnetic clasp that keeps it fully open and folded backward. The most obvious indication is within the invite itself, which states, "We're getting ready to unfold a new perspective at Lenovo Tech World, set to take place on January 6." The emphasis on "unfold" caught our attention, given that Motorola's current foldable phones are all Flip devices.

The mysterious device might also feature a wooden finish, as suggested by the wooden cover of the foldable lamp. It also has the Motorola "M" logo engraved on it, with the line "every fold reveals a possibility."

December Pixel update got bugg-y for some

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Google recently rolled out the Android 16 QPR2 update for the Pixel 10 series. The update brought some major features to Pixel phones, but it also appears to have killed support for some Pixel wireless chargers.

No, we aren't talking about the new PixelSnap Qi2 chargers, but about some Pixel Stand chargers you may have long forgotten about. Following the update, many Pixel 10 series users report that the Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) no longer works, even though it previously worked at the "perfect angle." As reported on Reddit, placing a Pixel 10 on the Stand now causes it to flash orange and white and reportedly throw a charging error, suggesting Google intentionally broke support.

This only seems to suggest that Google wants to push its new Qi2 chargers to Pixel 10 owners, officially ending support for others on the market.

Qualcomm brings two mid-range chips to the areana

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Qualcomm announced two chips today (Dec 11) for the mid-range and entry-level markets: the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 and the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4. These chips aim to improve mid-range and entry-level phones with better AI performance, photography, and fast charging. But

The 6s 4G Gen 2 chip features a Kyro CPU and Adreno GPU for smoother visuals and multitasking. The CPU brings speeds up to 2.9GHz, with improvements to its GPU for 20% more graphical performance. The company states the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 supports 120fps, and it can facilitate low-lag on FHD Plus display phones.

While the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 gets the same specs as the 6s 4G Gen 2. Qualcomm has placed its Kryo CPU in this chip, too; however, its speeds only peak at 2.3GHz. When it comes to the Adreno GPU, smooth graphics with support for 120fps are highlighted. Such graphical promises are slated for phones with FHD Plus screens.

More stories this week

Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:

• Google's 'Disco' experiment is an AI browser that turns your tabs into mini apps
• Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI to put Mickey Mouse inside your text prompts
• Spotify’s ‘Prompted Playlists’ lets you take more control of its algorithm
• Fortnite's back: Epic Games sees its hit battle royale return to the Play Store
• I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold at Dubai Mall — Samsung's tri-fold has a distinct advantage over the Huawei Mate XT, and the design is much better than I expected
• The Moto G 2026 is a surprisingly great $199 phone, and it's now available with some crazy colors and materials in tow (including this ludicrous pink color)
• More Pixel 10a leaks suggest specs close to Google's last mid-range
• Samsung looks ready to commit to Qi2 with a full magnetic accessory lineup for the S26 series
• The Pixel 9 and 10 just got a useful feature to silence junk notifications
• Rumored 'Moto Tag 2' could be just the tracker Android users are looking for