GoKawiil
Tech News
An Android Authority reviewer says his Pixel 11 Pro became unusable just five days after purchase, after a factory reset triggered a shutdown loop during the setup process. The device reportedly went blank mid-reset and later kept powering off every few seconds whenever the user tried to complete initial setup, leaving the phone effectively dead.
Reddit users and Android Authority's own lux measurements indicate the Pixel 11 Pro's camera flash and flashlight are noticeably dimmer than the Pixel 10 Pro's, with one test showing 89 lux versus 123 lux. The likely culprit is a physical diffuser added around the camera visor to accommodate Google's new HiLight ambient LED array, which appears to soften the main flash's beam.
A hands-on review of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 finds that its new 4:3 aspect-ratio inner display finally reduces the black bars that plagued earlier foldables during widescreen video playback. However, the reviewer discovered they preferred using the device unfolded in portrait mode for reading and typing, only to find the inner selfie camera cutout repeatedly interferes with that experience.
Google's Pixel 11 series still impresses with software and AI features, but the Tensor G6 chip continues to lag well behind rival flagship processors in CPU, GPU and efficiency benchmarks. That leaves the upcoming Tensor G7 as a critical opportunity for Google to close the performance gap before it becomes a bigger problem for the Pixel 12.
Spotify suffered an outage that stopped many users from playing or downloading audiobooks across phones, desktops, and the web, with symptoms ranging from stalled loading to chapters skipping without playing. Spotify acknowledged the problem on its Community forum and has since marked the incident as fixed, though some users still report ongoing playback issues.
Multiple Android Auto users report that Spotify is displaying a 'Spotify isn't responding' error message, blocking access to music and podcasts through the car interface. The screen only offers options to exit or wait, with no clear explanation from Google or Spotify yet on what triggered the bug.
An industry tipster claims Samsung and Corning are jointly developing a new self-healing surface coating for the next generation of Gorilla Armor glass, potentially destined for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The coating would reportedly let the glass recover from everyday micro-scratches on its own, though details on timing, testing, or branding remain unconfirmed.
ESPN is hiking subscription costs across its streaming lineup starting September 17. ESPN Select rises from $13 to $14 monthly, ESPN Unlimited climbs from $30 to $32, and several bundles combining ESPN with Disney Plus and Hulu will also cost more, with increases ranging from $2 to $3 per month.
Google is rolling out version 2.0.0.965719431 of its Magnifier accessibility app with a new icon featuring a blue-to-purple gradient magnifying glass on a filled background, replacing the older blue design. However, the update appears to have broken the app's themed icon feature, showing a blank colored circle instead of the monochrome logo that normally matches a phone's Material You color scheme.
Google is reportedly working to bring back the notification feature for its Now Playing music-recognition app on Pixel devices, according to code found in the latest Android System Intelligence app for Pixel 11 devices. The feature was removed earlier this year when Google gave Now Playing its own dedicated app, breaking workflows that relied on notifications to log tracks into services like Last.fm. Code strings also hint at upcoming support for multiple user profiles, each with its own track history.
Code inside Google Play Store version 52.8.55-34 reveals that the Ask Play conversational search feature will soon accept image attachments from a phone's camera or gallery. Users could upload a screenshot of a home screen widget or app feature and ask Ask Play's AI to identify it or find similar apps. Google also appears ready to drop the separate 'Ask Play about this app' section, replacing it with scrollable suggested-question chips.
A new leak from Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station claims the OnePlus 16 will feature the thinnest bezels of any OnePlus phone yet, paired with a custom-built, high-clarity screen. The device is also expected to carry a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chip, a 6.78-inch panel, and design cues similar to the OnePlus 15's square camera module.