GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple confirmed that its Trade In program lets customers exchange eligible Android devices for credit toward a new iPhone purchase. The offer extends Apple's existing trade-in system, which previously focused mainly on older iPhone models.
Reports indicate Samsung is already developing a successor to its still-unreleased smart glasses, suggesting the company is planning a multi-year product roadmap before the debut device even reaches consumers. Details on the follow-up model's features remain unclear at this stage.
Android Authority published its latest weekly collection of phone wallpapers, sourced from both readers and its own team members. The roundup continues an ongoing series that curates fresh wallpaper designs for Android users to download and use on their devices.
Users of Google's newly launched Pixel 11 lineup have flagged a handful of software problems, including devices getting stuck in boot loops and camera app malfunctions. It remains unclear how many units are affected or whether the issues stem from software or hardware causes.
Fairphone has released the Gen 6+ version of its repairable Android phone in the United States for $650. The device keeps most of last year's Gen 6 design but adds a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a new cobalt-blue color that honors cobalt miners and the Fair Cobalt Alliance nonprofit Fairphone co-founded.
Apple's standard iPhone 17 starts at $799, while the Google Pixel 11 and Samsung Galaxy S26 both launch at $899, a $100 gap that has flipped the usual value equation in the flagship smartphone market. Rising RAM and storage costs, plus heavier investment in on-device AI, are cited as reasons behind the higher pricing from Google and Samsung, and rumors suggest Apple may delay the iPhone 18 launch, potentially extending this pricing advantage.
Motorola briefly ran a website pop-up teasing a device called the Signature 27, showing a close-up of its rear camera and the tagline 'A new perspective is coming' while collecting visitor emails. The pop-up appeared on Motorola's US, UK and EU sites before quickly vanishing, and a partially loaded 'Crystals by Swarovski' logo suggests a bejeweled variant is planned, similar to the original Signature phone.
Google Chat now saves unsent messages directly in the compose box, keeping them intact even after closing the app or restarting a device. These drafts sync across platforms, so a message started on the web can be finished later on Android or iOS, and a new Drafts shortcut collects all pending messages in one place, retained for up to 30 days.
Google has expanded access to its Gemini Daily Brief feature, previously limited to Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers, to free-tier users in the US. The company confirmed the change via an X post and updated its support documentation to remove subscription requirements. The rollout is gradual, so not all eligible users may see the feature immediately.
Android Authority polled over 2,500 readers on Google Messages' new chat theme feature, which lets users customize individual RCS conversations with colors, preset wallpapers, or personal images visible only on their own device. The results split nearly evenly: 36% said they'd long wanted the feature, 33% were undecided but willing to try it, and just over 31% said they'd never use it.
Google has started rolling out a new 'Remembered' tab within its Find Hub app, letting users log the locations of untracked physical objects using Gemini AI or manual entry. The feature, previously announced as part of the September Android Drop, appears in app version 3.1.732-02 but is not yet widely available to all users.
Google Maps users on Android Auto are reporting that the recently rolled-out live speedometer and speed-limit indicator have vanished from the app. Some drivers also say markers for stop signs and traffic lights, which had appeared alongside the feature, are no longer showing up. The speedometer had only begun reaching beta testers in July after Google added a feature long available on mobile and on Apple CarPlay.