Boox has released the Note Air 6C, an update to its Note Air E Ink tablet line, featuring a processor up to 45 percent faster than its predecessor and a 40 percent boost in PDF page-turning speed. The 10.3-inch device runs Android 16 with full Google Play Store access, includes a fingerprint sensor on the power button, four microphones, and ships with the Pen3 stylus that needs no charging or pairing. It starts at $580, a $50 increase over the previous Air 5C model.
Google has rolled out its September 2026 Pixel Drop, a smaller update separate from the broader Android Drop released earlier this month. The headline feature upgrades the Pixel VIPs widget, first introduced in June 2025, by letting users call or text saved contacts directly from the home screen instead of tapping into a profile card first. The update also expands Scam Detection to monitor text messages for suspicious content and flag likely scams as users type responses.
Android Authority released its weekly roundup of Android wallpapers for September 16, featuring submissions from readers and the site's own team. The collection offers a fresh batch of images that phone owners can download and set as backgrounds.
Apple has released the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which reviewers say deliver notable gains in battery life, processing performance, and camera quality over the prior generation. These improvements reportedly put the devices ahead of competing premium Android flagships in overall capability.
WIRED's roundup of the best Android phones for 2026 includes guidance for shoppers considering models outside the main recommendations, covering display type, screen size, processor, RAM, cooling and refresh rate. It notes that OLED screens are now common even in budget phones, that Qualcomm Snapdragon 7-series or MediaTek Dimensity 7000-series chips or better offer reliable performance, and that 8GB of RAM (ideally 12GB) suits multitasking and AI features.
Boox has unveiled the Palma 3, its latest phone-shaped E Ink reader, alongside the larger Note Air6 C and Note Mini C. The Palma 3 keeps the same 6.13-inch, 300ppi E Ink Carta screen as its predecessor but adds a new aluminum-and-fiberglass build, a Qualcomm Q-6690 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, a 16MP camera, and support for an optional active stylus. It ships with Android 16, a major jump from Android 13 on the Palma 2.
WIRED has released a dedicated mobile app for iPhone and Android, available as a free download. The app bundles a personalized daily digest, video content, podcasts, narrated stories, and a comment section for reader discussion and live AMAs with journalists.
Google confirmed updates to its Pixel VIP widget but did not release official screenshots. Reporters manually activated the feature to capture and share the first images of the redesigned widget ahead of its broader rollout.
Boox introduced three new Android 16-powered E Ink devices: the Palma 3, a palm-sized ereader now built with an anodized aluminum frame and support for the InkSense Plus stylus, plus a 6.13-inch screen, 128GB storage and a 16MP camera. The company also revealed the 10.3-inch color Note Air6 C with a Dual Notes feature and keyboard accessory, and the Note Mini C, an 8.52-inch color device aimed at mobile professionals with enterprise app access.
Samsung launched its Switchers ad campaign this week, using real-life celebrity couples and clinical psychologist Orna Guralnik from Showtime's Couples Therapy to frame switching from iPhone to Android as an emotional decision. The six 30-second spots feature pairs like Ciara Miller and Dylan Efron, and Nick Foles and Clay Matthews, and promote Samsung's newest Galaxy Z foldables. The campaign debuted just days after Apple unveiled its own foldable iPhone, the Duo.
Google's September 2026 security bulletin fixes 110 vulnerabilities in Pixel devices, including a high-severity flaw (CVE-2026-58704) in the Cellular Modem component that is being exploited in limited, targeted attacks. The bug stems from a logic error that lets an attacker on an adjacent network bypass permissions and escalate privileges without user interaction. The update, rolling out at patch level 2026-09-05, also addresses 12 critical remote code execution bugs and 89 privilege escalation issues.
Because Android Auto ships as a regular Play Store app rather than a system component, it normally updates automatically in the background, but that process can stall if a phone lacks Wi-Fi access or auto-update settings are disabled. Users can check their version by searching for Android Auto in the Play Store, where an Uninstall button confirms they already have the latest release, or an Update button lets them install it manually. Devices need Android 9.0 or later, released in 2018, to receive current updates.
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