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Motorola and Google are investigating a bug that prevents Android Auto from placing outgoing calls when clamshell foldables like the Razr or Galaxy Z Flip are closed. Incoming calls still work fine, and the issue only affects calls initiated while the phone is folded shut. Users say the problem began after Gemini replaced Google Assistant, with reports spanning several months into September.
Samsung has begun rolling out a major SmartThings redesign, starting with iOS version 1.7.51 rather than Galaxy or other Android devices. The update brings a refreshed Home tab, faster device controls when phone and hub share a Wi-Fi network, more compact device cards, and a new Routine Insights feature showing the three most-used routines and their recent activity. The iOS version also adopts Apple's Liquid Glass visual style.
Samsung has released version 6.6.18.22 of the Galaxy Store, relocating the Menu option from the top-left hamburger icon to the floating bottom bar. The bottom bar now holds four items: Apps, Games, My Galaxy, and Menu. The update is rolling out globally to Galaxy devices, including those running One UI 8.5 and One UI 9.
Google has begun phasing out Google Assistant on mobile devices, replacing it with Gemini. Users report that the 'Switch to Google Assistant' option has disappeared from the Gemini app's account menu, following a company email last month announcing the rollout would begin September 4.
Tipster Ice Universe claims the Galaxy S27 Ultra will use a 200MP ISOCELL HP6 main sensor based on Samsung's DeepPix pixel architecture, which he says produces warmer colors, better highlight control, and cleaner shadows than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The same leak suggests Samsung may remove the dedicated 3x telephoto lens, leaving the phone to jump from 1x directly to 5x zoom.
Samsung Electronics and several affiliates, including Samsung C&T, SDS, SDI, Life Insurance and Fire & Marine Insurance, will together invest $1 billion in Helix Digital Infrastructure. Helix, launched in June by KKR and backed by Nvidia, the Kuwait Investment Authority and Vistra, focuses on data centers, power generation and fiber networks, and has already secured more than $10 billion in commitments.
Samsung has committed $1.0 billion to Helix Digital Infrastructure, a platform backed by KKR and Nvidia. The investment brings Helix's total secured capital to more than $11 billion.
Leaker Steve 'OnLeaks' Hemmerstoffer posted a new render of the Galaxy S27 Ultra's rear camera island, showing a pill-shaped module with a telephoto lens, microphone cutout, auxiliary sensors including laser autofocus, and an LED flash stacked top to bottom. This followed reports from leaker Ice Universe, who examined early Chinese third-party cases that lacked cutouts for some sensors, prompting speculation Samsung had dropped laser autofocus; Ice Universe has since pushed back on OnLeaks' arrangement, saying the flash sits above the camera rather than below.
Samsung outlines several built-in options for Galaxy users to extend battery life, including keeping software updated, placing rarely used apps into deep sleep via Settings > Battery > Background usage limits, and enabling Power savings to restrict background data use. The guidance also highlights Battery protection, which lets users cap charging between 80 and 95 percent instead of always charging to full.
Android Authority polled nearly 5,000 readers on their preferred alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, which costs $50 more than its predecessor with few added features. The Motorola Edge (2026) narrowly won with 25.6% of votes, edging out the Samsung Galaxy S26 at 25.4%, while the Pixel 11 placed third with 20.3%.
Samsung has begun pushing the stable One UI 9 update, based on Android 17, to the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 in Korea. Beta testers are receiving a smaller ~535MB download to move to the final build, while users still on One UI 8.5 get a much larger update package of around 3.8GB. The rollout follows the update's earlier launch on the Galaxy S26 line and is expected to expand to the US soon.
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.