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10 productivity gadgets that will help you work smart in 2025

Dedication and determination can go a long way, but it’s also true that the right equipment can make you much more productive. Some products are made with productivity in mind, from the concept’s inception all the way up to the production line. Here at Android Authority, we are a content and productivity machine, and we’ve tried it all. Take a look at our productivity gadgets to catch a boost when you most need it! SPONSORED PLAUD.AI NOTE and NotePin PLAUD.AI NOTE PLAUD.AI NOTE MSRP: $159.00 Ef

Dear Android OEMs: Please don’t copy Apple’s minimalistic camera app

Robert Triggs / Android Authority Apple has just announced its iOS 26 software, and we’ve got a technically impressive Liquid Glass visual design here. However, one visual change that may have flown under the radar is the new camera app. And I really hope Android OEMs don’t copy this decision. Apple’s new camera app is an exercise in extreme minimalism, according to an official image seen below. The bottom of the viewfinder only contains preset camera zoom buttons, video and photo mode buttons

Android 16 introduces Advanced Protection mode to fortify your phone against threats

From harmful apps to insecure connections, there are all kinds of risks you’re exposed to. Thankfully, Android features a range of security settings to keep your device and data protected from these threats. To take this protection even further, Google is rolling out an Advanced Protection mode with Android 16 . Today, Android 16 is coming to eligible devices, and with it, Advanced Protection mode. As Android 16 beta users are aware, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this feature, but now it

Android 16 reduces notification clutter with this simple but needed change

TL;DR Android 16 will automatically group all notifications from the same app to create a more organized notification panel. While Android has supported notification grouping for years, it was largely up to app developers to implement. This behavior is now enforced by the OS, preventing any single app from cluttering the notification panel and making alerts more manageable for users. With the new Android 16 update, Google is introducing several major changes to how notifications look and beha

Google has released Android 16’s source code, but Samsung fans won’t need to wait long for One UI 8

TL;DR Google has officially released the Android 16 source code, allowing developers to build their own versions of the operating system. Major smartphone manufacturers like Samsung have already had prerelease access, though, which allows them to expedite their Android 16 updates, with some planning rollouts as early as this summer. The full Android 16 source code is being uploaded today to AOSP, a full three months earlier than when Android 15’s source code was released. Alongside the update

Don’t forget: Three-button navigation is getting a much-needed upgrade with Android 16

TL;DR Android 16 extends predictive back navigation to three-button navigation. You can now see a preview of the previous screen by long-pressing the back button. Additionally, apps targeting Android 16 will have predictive back system animations by default. After debuting the predictive back navigation as a developer option in Android 13, Google finally enabled it by default in last year’s release. The feature previously only worked when using gesture-based navigation, but Google is extendin

Android 16’s Desktop Mode transforms your Pixel phone into a PC, and here’s how you can try it now

TL;DR Google is developing a DeX-like desktop mode for Android phones, and you can try it out now on supported Pixel devices with Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2. This feature projects a desktop-like environment with a taskbar and freeform windows to an external display, while the phone screen remains usable. The desktop mode experience requires a Pixel 8 or newer, the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, and an external display. One of the most exciting pieces of Android news from last month’s Google I/O dev

Android 16 will make it easier to find your recent apps with a new taskbar overflow feature

TL;DR An upcoming Android 16 update will add a taskbar overflow button to improve app switching on tablets when many apps have been recently opened. Tapping the overflow button will open a horizontally scrolling carousel that displays previews of your recent apps. This feature is set to launch later this year with either Android 16 QPR1 or QPR2. Back in 2021, Google added a taskbar to Android to improve app switching on tablets. Since then, the company has made several improvements, such as a

Here’s when Android 16’s Material 3 Expressive redesign and Desktop Mode will roll out

TL;DR The Android 16 update is now available for Pixel devices, but the anticipated Material 3 Expressive UI and new Desktop Mode are not included in this initial release. Google plans to launch the Material 3 Expressive redesign with the Android 16 QPR1 update, which is expected to roll out on September 3, 2025. The new Desktop Mode is also slated for the Android 16 QPR1 release and is currently available for testing in QPR1 Beta 2. Google is finally rolling out the Android 16 update to supp

Android 16 now lets you customize keyboard shortcuts — Here’s how it works

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 adds the ability to customize keyboard shortcuts. This feature first went live in Android 16 Beta 2. While you can’t assign custom key combinations to every available shortcut, you can customize many of them. Update, June 10, 2025 (2:24 PM ET): Google announced today that it is launching custom keyboard shortcuts in Android so you can “create your own combination of hotkeys.” This feature is already available in Android 16 for the Pixel Tab

The impossible is happening: An Android phone will be compatible with Apple Watch

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority TL;DR Vivo has started teasing its next foldable, the X Fold 5. A product manager confirms that the Android phone will have Apple Watch compatibility. It’s also said to have direct support for iCloud and can be used as an extended screen with a Mac. At one point, Apple reportedly considered making an Apple Watch that’s compatible with Android to help it reach the platform’s billions of users. However, those plans eventually fell through and Apple has continu

Is Visible Plus Pro worth the extra $10 a month?

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority I’ve been a big Visible fan for years. While it’s not the only carrier I use, it’s definitely the one I most often come back to. I’m also not the only one in our staff who favors it, as Joe Maring recently left T-Mobile for Visible. There’s a lot to like about Visible, and it only continues to get better. Earlier this spring, the Verizon-owned brand announced a new plan: the confusingly named Visible Plus Pro. Naming aside, I signed up to give it a try and se

Android 16 wants to make your next phone trade-in process a lot faster

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 introduces a new “Trade-in Mode” to make trading in your old phone a faster process. This feature allows technicians to quickly access device details and run diagnostics by bypassing the usual setup wizard. Activating Trade-in Mode ensures security by forcing a factory reset on the next reboot, preventing misuse. The Android 16 update is rolling out to Pixel devices today. While Google’s official changelog is brief, the release is packed with n

Android 16 QPR1 beta 2 is here, with Pixel’s DeX competitor and more

TL;DR Google has announced the release of Android 16 QPR1 beta 2. The new beta software brings a desktop mode when connected to an external display. The update also brings desktop windowing functionality to tablets. Google launched Android 16 QPR1 beta 1 last month, giving us our first official look at the company’s new Material 3 Expressive design language. Now, the company has announced the release of Android 16 QPR1 beta 2. Perhaps the most notable addition is a desktop mode, dubbed conne

Save $100 on the GoPro HERO13 Black action camera!

If you’re trying to find the best action camera around, you’ve undoubtedly considered the GoPro HERO13 Black. It is the latest and greatest from a brand that is widely recognized for these action cams. If you’re looking to get it, right now might be a great time to pull the trigger, as the GoPro HERO13 Black is $100.99 off. Buy the GoPro HERO13 Black for just $329 ($100.99 off) This offer is available from Amazon, but you can get the same discount from GoPro’s website. We’re linking to the Amaz

Foldables are going to miss out on this major Android 16 multitasking feature

TL;DR Foldables like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold won’t support on-device windowing in Android 16. Only tablets will have the option of floating app windows, while phones with Desktop Mode will need an external display. Desktop Mode support is optional for OEMs building phones and foldables. If you were still hoping that Android 16 might finally let you run apps in floating windows on your foldable, you might want to temper those expectations. Despite the larger screens on foldables like the Pixel 9

The latest Android 16 QPR1 beta finally organizes Android’s messy sound settings

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google is cleaning up Android’s “Sound & vibration” settings page in the upcoming Android 16 QPR1 update. Instead of one long list, the new layout groups settings into distinct categories like “sound patterns” and “Audio.” The volume sliders also get a modern design, while other options are relocated to make the page feel less cluttered. After more than 16 years of development, the Android OS is packed with features. If they weren’t organized, navigat

I replaced every emulator on my phone with this $50 gaming handheld and I don’t regret it one bit

TrimUI Smart Pro The TrimUI Smart Pro is a fantastic 16:9 handheld that can reach below $50 on sale. It can handle everything up to the PS/N64, and you'll have to pay double for anything better. As someone who grew up playing retro games, I was over the moon when I first found out I could install emulators on my Android phone years ago. What could possibly be better than playing the classics on the same device I use dozens of times a day for every other task? Well, it turns out that a smooth r

iOS 26 proves that Android still has a software update problem

Joe Maring / Android Authority This week’s iOS 26 announcement sure was an odd one, wasn’t it? Between the controversial Liquid Glass redesign and the big name jump from iOS 18 to iOS 26, this year’s iPhone update is already proving to be one of the most peculiar we’ve seen in a while. Overall reactions to iOS 26 have been a mixed bag so far, and with an update this drastic, that’s to be expected. But even though not everything about Apple’s big software update is a winner, there’s one aspect

This small quick settings tweak is low-key my most anticipated Android 16 improvement

Joe Maring / Android Authority Android 16 is shaping up to be the biggest visual update to Google’s mobile operating system since the introduction of Material You with Android 12. That release was all about making the experience feel more personal to each user, with dynamic theming that could extract your wallpaper colors and apply them to other parts of the system. There was also a much more playful approach to form and motion across the OS. With its latest design system update, Material 3 Exp

Wallpaper Wednesday: More great phone wallpapers for all to share (June 11)

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Welcome to Wallpaper Wednesday! In this weekly roundup, we’ll give you a handful of Android wallpapers you can download and use on your phone, tablet, or even your laptop/PC. The images will come from folks here at Android Authority as well as our readers. All are free to use and come without watermarks. File formats are JPG and PNG, and we’ll provide images in both landscape and portrait modes, so they’ll be optimized for various screens. For the newest wall

Android 16 QPR1 lets you close all your apps super quick, but should you?

Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 includes a quality-of-life improvement that allows immediate swiping away of recent apps to close them. The update removes the delay caused by waiting for the app-closing animations to finish, so users can quickly swipe-close all their apps one after the other. Despite the performance improvement, habitual app-clearing offers little benefit and may drain your battery. Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 is here, and eager enthusiasts are digging

Here’s an early look at the Material 3 Expressive changes headed to the Google app (APK teardown)

Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR The Google app on Android could soon receive some subtle design tweaks. We’ve spotted upcoming tweaks for the status bar, search progress bar, and the tab bar at the bottom in the latest beta release. The app could also receive a new Material 3 Expressive loading animation and a button to refresh the feed. The Google app on Android is set to receive some visual changes in line with Android’s new Material 3 Expressive design language. We’ve spotted these

visionOS 26 announced with spatial widgets, all-new Personas, more

visionOS 26 is official. Today during WWDC, Apple announced the next major software update for Vision Pro. Here’s a roundup of new features coming to Vision Pro in visionOS 26. New features visionOS 26 brings to Apple Vision Pro Over the past year since visionOS 2 was announced, Apple Vision Pro users have received several major software updates—gaining powerful Mac Virtual Display upgrades and the first Apple Intelligence support. visionOS 26 is Apple’s next big push to grow spatial computin

iOS 26: Here’s the list of iPhone models compatible with the update

Apple’s next major iPhone software update is iOS 26, but not every iPhone will be compatible with the new software. Here are the iPhone models that will (and won’t) be supported by iOS 26 when it launches this fall. Three iPhone models miss out on iOS 26 support Every year when Apple unveils new software releases, there’s always a chance that older hardware models won’t be supported. Most recently, iOS 18 was supported by all the same iPhones that could run iOS 17. But this year, there’s a ch

Topics: 26 ios iphone max pro

Apple overhauls Vision Pro Personas feature, now with much higher-quality 3D avatars

As part of visionOS 26, Apple is overhauling the Personas feature for Apple Vision Pro users. Personas are the 3D avatars the system uses during FaceTime calls when the user is wearing the headset. When Vision Pro launched last year, Personas were widely criticized due to their uncanny valley appearance — and the whole feature was labelled as a ‘beta’ in the OS. Apple has been gradually improving the fidelity of the avatars with every release, and visionOS 26 takes the most dramatic step forwar

Here’s everything new in the Messages app with iOS 26

iOS 26 was unveiled by Apple today, and it includes several new features for the Messages app. Here’s what’s coming to the iPhone later this year. iOS 26 upgrades Messages with new design, group chat features, and more Apple’s Messages app is getting a handful of solid upgrades in iOS 26. Messages gains the new ‘Liquid Glass’ redesign that impacts the app, of course. Buttons have been updated, UI elements have a fresh look, and overall the app reflects iOS 26’s aesthetic well—familiar, yet ne

WWDC25: Image Playground gets a boost with ChatGPT integration

Apple just announced a notable update to Image Playground, its AI-powered image generation tool introduced last year as part of the Apple Intelligence rollout. Now, ChatGPT will appear as a filter option. Here’s what that means. Since its phased rollout last year, Image Playground has offered users an easy way to create illustrations in styles like “Sketch,” “3D cartoon,” and “Animation”. However, users have complained that the app has often felt somewhat limited, both in the kinds of images it

TestFlight adds managed background assets, faster macOS app installs on Apple Silicon

Apple’s TestFlight app for distributing pre-release software has been updated with new features and performance gains. Apple released TestFlight version 3.9 today, introducing managed background asset testing and a speed boost for beta app installation on recent Macs. Introduction of managed background assets (self-hosted assets) and Apple-hosted background assets for testing Faster installation of macOS apps on Apple Silicon Stability improvements and bug fixes Apple announced Background A

Apple leaks ‘AirPods Pro 3’ in the new iOS 26 beta

The first iOS 26 beta arrived yesterday, and already it’s been found to hold confirmation of a new product in the works: a reference to ‘AirPods Pro 3’ was discovered in Apple’s code, the second such recent leak. iOS 26 code explicitly references AirPods Pro 3 MacRumors contributor Steve Moser has discovered that iOS 26 code contains explicit mention of an unreleased Apple product. The name ’AirPods Pro 3’ was spotted by Moser in code for the first iOS 26 beta. There are no details on exactl

Topics: 26 airpods apple ios pro