GoKawiil
Tech News
Google's Play Services v26.37 update, released September 21, extends the Motion Assist feature beyond Pixel devices to any Android phone running Android 17 or later. The tool displays small visual bubbles along screen edges that move in sync with a vehicle's motion, using the phone's sensors to help reduce motion sickness. Users can customize the bubbles' appearance and choose automatic or manual activation.
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that after years of brands chasing attention through content, emails and notifications, consumers are now seeking analog experiences like dinner parties, run clubs, and phone-free events. The piece suggests marketers should reframe their goal from maximizing time spent with a brand to helping people use their time more meaningfully.
In China, smartwatches designed for children have become a preferred device for parents managing preteens, offering location tracking and communication features without giving kids full smartphone access. These wearables let parents keep tabs on their children's whereabouts while limiting exposure to broader internet content and social apps.
Samsung's Good Lock support team has confirmed it is investigating a bug in the DIY Home feature of the Home Up module, which lets users freely arrange app icons and folders. Affected users say hidden folders show a noticeable delay before app icons appear, while regular folders open instantly, with the issue surfacing after updating from One UI 8.5 to One UI 9.0.
Google introduced Googlebooks, a new laptop platform built on Android rather than ChromeOS, though it looks and functions similarly with the same app dock, Chrome browser and Play Store access. The system retains Chromebook staples like the Titan security chip and built-in malware protection, but adds deeper phone-to-laptop integration, including instant login syncing and app handoff features like 'continue on,' demonstrated with the music app BandLab.
Retailers such as Apple, Samsung, Best Buy and GameStop let customers trade in old phones for store credit, discounts, or occasionally cash, offering a fast and hassle-free alternative to selling privately. However, the payout is notably lower than market value—Apple's trade-in program reportedly offers only $585 for a well-maintained iPhone 17 that retails for $899, and most programs pay in credit rather than cash.
Google unveiled its Googlebook laptop standard at a New York event, with five inaugural devices from HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and Asus now available for preorder ahead of an October 4 launch. Prices start at $899, and each purchase includes a year of Google AI Pro service with 5TB of storage. The laptops run on Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Intel Core Ultra 3 chips and must meet strict hardware requirements set by Google.
Android Authority found beta code in the Phone by Google app referencing a feature codenamed 'Hedwig,' publicly labeled 'Call for me.' The Gemini-powered tool would let the Phone app dial customer support lines, navigate automated voice menus, and hold your place in queue until a human agent is available.
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims Apple is prototyping two new iPhone displays—6.41 inches and 6.96 inches—for what may become the iPhone 20 Pro and Pro Max. The panels reportedly feature a bezel-less design that curves on all four edges, paired with a new punch-hole camera cutout, though no actual images of the hardware have surfaced.
Apple has built a 'Prepare to Ship' firmware feature into the iPhone 18 Pro Max that temporarily caps its battery below the 20Wh transport limit enforced in the US, EU and other regions. Once the device is activated by a customer, the cap lifts and the phone's full 5,391mAh capacity becomes available. The same toggle can be re-enabled manually when shipping a device for repair, trade-in or resale.
Apple introduced iPhone Handoff, a new iOS 27 capability that lets a single phone number and carrier account work across two iPhones simultaneously. Users simply unlock whichever iPhone they want to use, and calls, texts, saved payment cards and most apps sync automatically without needing separate accounts on each device.
Apple has enabled non-Apple users to participate in FaceTime calls through a web browser, a capability that has existed since 2021 with iOS 15 and macOS Monterey but remains largely unknown. An iPhone or Mac user must generate and share a FaceTime link, which Android and Windows users can open in an updated browser to join the call without installing any app.