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Google has begun a gradual rollout of a new minimize feature for its Gemini assistant overlay on Android devices. The update adds a visible 'Minimize Gemini' button that shrinks the full-screen overlay into a small draggable bubble, letting users switch to other apps while Gemini continues processing in the background. Reports suggest only a limited number of users currently have access to the feature.
Google's newly launched chat theme feature in Messages, which lets users set custom backgrounds for individual conversations, is causing problems for some users just weeks after its August rollout. Reports include the feature randomly disappearing and reappearing, wallpapers taking one to two seconds to load, and occasional freezing when selecting themes. Google has acknowledged the issue on Reddit and pointed users toward a possible Play Store update fix.
A screenshot spotted by Joe Lenington on X shows the Google Pixel Tablet running Android 17 now displays Quick Share's Apple-device file-sharing interface, previously limited to select smartphones. Google's official FAQ page hasn't been updated to list the tablet, but fine print confirms the feature covers tablets as well as phones.
AT&T is offering Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE for as low as $2.43 monthly over a 36-month installment plan for customers who add a new line online, with no device trade-in needed. Business customers get even steeper discounts, including a $0-per-month option on a new line, plus perks like an Enterprise Edition with extended warranty and Samsung Knox Suite.
TECNO has unveiled a special version of its POVA 8 Pro 5G smartphone made in partnership with Italian lifestyle brand Tonino Lamborghini. The companies say the collaboration goes beyond cosmetic branding, with Lamborghini's design philosophy woven into the phone's hardware, software and overall character rather than just applied as a surface finish.
Android Authority discovered that Google Gemini's Android app, version 17.55.8, contains unreleased code for a redesigned camera interface that shrinks the viewfinder to roughly half the screen instead of taking up the full display, letting users see chat content behind it. The same build also reveals a reworked '@' menu meant to look cleaner and to automatically hide disabled Connected Apps.
Microsoft submitted 8.2 million Copilot chat logs as part of discovery in copyright suits from The New York Times, the Center for Investigative Reporting, and book authors. The company says only 59,545 logs shared at least 16 words with plaintiffs' news content, with far fewer showing substantial text overlap, and just 10 of 212 books evaluated had any matching passages.
Android Authority uncovered a new animation in a Google app beta (v17.55.8) that replaces Search Live's current gradient effect with small, blurry colorful blobs at the bottom of the screen. The beta also shows a reworked control layout that drops text labels, centers the microphone button, and adds a waveform animation when users speak.
Google has integrated its Gemini Spark AI assistant with Google Photos, letting it perform multi-step tasks like editing, organizing, and sharing images from a single prompt. Spark can also extract text from photos, summarize events, build visual stories, and run recurring tasks such as weekly album updates sent automatically to family or friends. The feature is rolling out gradually and currently limited to US users 18 and older with a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription.
Android Authority ran a reader poll after reviewing Google's Tensor G6 chip inside the Pixel 11, which improves AI and efficiency-focused tasks but falls behind rivals in gaming and raw performance. Of over 2,800 respondents, 34.3% said they'd prefer more raw power, 30.5% valued efficiency instead, and only 15.7% felt the chip strikes a good balance between the two.
A hands-on comparison from Android Authority weighs Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 against Motorola's book-style Razr Fold, noting the Fold 8's wider 5.5-inch cover screen and 7.6-inch inner display make multitasking and everyday use smoother than past Samsung foldables. The reviewer says Motorola's alternative undercuts the $1,900 Fold 8 Ultra on price while still offering a traditional foldable experience for buyers who don't need flagship cameras.
Fresh leaks suggest Samsung may retire the Plus tier in 2027 and introduce a Galaxy S27 Pro that shares the Ultra's design language in a smaller size. Analysts covering the rumor argue the move would resolve the awkward positioning the Plus model has had since the Galaxy S23 generation, sitting between a mid-range price and Ultra-level features without clearly justifying either.