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Multiple Pixel owners across the 8, 9, 10, and 11 series say contactless payments and transit passes have been working inconsistently since last week, with a restart being the only apparent fix. The cause remains unidentified, and reports include devices running the latest Android and Google Play Services builds.
Flip-phone startup Dumb.co asked applicants for four internship roles to submit handwritten cover letters after receiving a flood of AI-generated submissions that felt impersonal. The company received nearly 900 applications through Handshake, with about 70% including handwritten letters, and 200 to 300 candidates also mailed in physical applications, according to customer success manager Marlee Pelton-Fuentes.
Android devices include a developer options menu, accessible after tapping the Build Number field seven times in Settings > About, that lets users adjust animation speeds. Within this menu, setting the Window animation scale, Transition animation scale and Animator duration scale to 0.5x makes system animations play twice as fast, a feature that has existed since Android 4.0.
Several Android features—including Clear Calling, Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, Adapt Sound and Mic mode—can be adjusted to improve call audio clarity. These settings vary by device and manufacturer, since Android does not have a single unified interface across phones. Physical mic cleanliness also affects call quality.
An opinion piece published on Entrepreneur argues that businesses need responsive, mobile-optimized websites since mobile devices account for more than half of global web traffic. The author contends that slow load times, outdated platforms and poor mobile navigation drive up bounce rates, hurt search rankings and cost companies sales or bookings. The piece frames mobile-first design and updated site infrastructure as now essential rather than optional for any online business.
Android Authority found code in Google Messages beta version 20260921 suggesting Google is building support for Samsung's Finder search tool to search text messages. The feature is not yet functional and Google Messages currently doesn't appear in Finder's list of supported apps.
Honor has launched its Magic 9 flagship line in China, led by the Magic 9 Pro Max, which features a redesigned camera island inspired by Arri's three-lens turret design. Arri contributed software features including LogC3 shooting, 14 preset Look LUTs, access to its LUT library, and 10-bit 4:2:2 codec support, while the phone's hardware includes a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 3.5x telephoto lens, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide. The device also packs an 8,800mAh silicon battery and runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip.
Foldable phone cases typically ship in two pieces covering the back, sides, camera island and front screen perimeter, guarding against drops, shock and scratches. Most basic cases skip full 360-degree coverage and leave the hinge exposed, while rugged options from brands like Casetify, Supcase and Otterbox add hinge protection and built-in screen protectors at the cost of extra bulk.
A tech commentary compares foldable phone screen sizes to compact tablets, noting devices like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra offer displays close in size to the iPad Mini's 8.3-inch screen. The piece argues that folding phones combine smartphone portability with tablet-like screen space, and can eliminate the need for a separate cellular data plan that many tablets require.
An analysis of foldable smartphones outlines persistent drawbacks including hinge durability, scratch-prone displays, added bulk and weight, weaker cameras, and apps that don't yet scale well across screens. It also notes that repairs are costly, with iFixit rating current foldables as effectively unrepairable, making insurance advisable given theft risk.
Reports indicate that sales of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 have increased following Apple's announcement of the iPhone Duo, its rumored foldable device. Samsung has responded by lowering prices on some of its foldable phones in certain markets. Foldables remain a small slice of the overall smartphone market, with IDC estimating 20.6 million foldable shipments last year against 1.25 billion total smartphone shipments.
Google's March Pixel Drop update for Android 16 introduces Desktop Mode, a feature that lets Pixel 8 and newer phones connect to an external monitor to run a PC-like interface. The feature had been in beta testing for several months before this official release.