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Google's payment app has gone through several rebrands since launching as Google Wallet in 2011, becoming Android Pay in 2015, then Google Pay in 2018, before reverting to the Google Wallet name in 2022. The two names now refer to distinct but related products, which has caused confusion among users about which app does what.
A tech guide lists ten practical second uses for retired Android phones, noting that even older devices retain working cameras, GPS, displays, speakers, sensors and Wi-Fi. Suggested uses include turning the phone into a kitchen display, hiking GPS unit, or retro gaming handheld. The guide recommends backing up data and performing a factory reset before repurposing a device.
A longtime Gmail user who had relied on the service for about 15 years switched to Mozilla's Thunderbird email client earlier this year, using it on Windows and Android for roughly seven months. The user cites frustration with Gmail's promotional smart features, ads and AI-heavy interface, contrasting it with Thunderbird's local storage, which allows offline access to emails without an internet connection.
Android Authority's Stephen Radochia tested Google's new AI-generated battery summary feature on a Pixel 11 Pro XL for a week. The tool, found under Settings > Battery and charging > Battery usage, uses Gemini to translate battery drain data into plain-language explanations instead of raw percentages, flagging apps like TikTok and X as major power consumers.
Apple unveiled its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, at its September event, with retail availability expected later this month. An Android Authority columnist argues that Apple's entry into the wide, passport-style foldable category will likely prompt Android manufacturers to follow with similar designs, as has happened with past Apple product shifts like the thin iPhone Air and Liquid Glass software style.
Google is rolling out a fix for a bug that removed cellular signal strength indicators from Android Auto dashboards earlier this year. Google employee Mishaal Rahman confirmed the fix is currently rolling out, after some users reported the icon's return in the Android Auto v17.8 beta build. The fix is not yet widely available on the stable channel.
Google has launched Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1, the first preview of its next quarterly platform release, for Pixel phones ranging from the Pixel 6a to the Pixel 11 series. Most devices receive build DP11.260918.006, while Pixel 11 models get DP11.260918.005, with Google noting the release focuses on bug fixes.
Google has added a new Map tool to the Gemini app, currently available only on Android and iOS mobile versions. The tool shows users' location on a live map with zoom and search functions, and an 'Explore this area' button that adds map data to prompts. Separately, a beta version of the Google app is replacing the forward-slash shortcut with an @ symbol for accessing skills and connectors.
GrapheneOS says Android 17 QPR1, released for Pixels on September 15, contains a regression in the Pixel kernel driver tree that causes stuttering, lag and freezes under memory pressure, severe enough to trigger process kills. GrapheneOS inherited the bug through its firmware/driver updates but says it has shipped a fix in today's release, linking the kernel commit on GitLab.
Google has acknowledged a bug affecting a subset of Google Messages users that disrupts delivery of RCS messages, particularly media attachments like GIFs and photos. A company spokesperson told Android Authority that a fix is already being rolled out and will reach all affected users over the coming weeks.
Google is experimenting with a Chrome Canary flag called 'Biometric reauth for password filling' that requires a fingerprint or face scan before autofilling saved passwords on Android. The feature appeared in version 157.0.8083.0 and was spotted by browser researcher Leopeva64, who demonstrated it triggering an authentication prompt. Google previously tested a similar feature in 2024 before pulling it ahead of a stable release.
Twelve South has launched Airfly Drive, a small USB adapter that converts factory-wired CarPlay into wireless CarPlay. It plugs into a car's USB-A or USB-C port, pairs with a phone without any app or account, and automatically reconnects each time the car starts. The device supports two paired phones with one-button switching and is priced at $39.99 in black or white.