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Android may soon recommend you use an ‘optimized’ voice assistant — here’s what that really means

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR OEMs can now highlight specific digital assistants as “optimized” for their Android devices in the default app settings. Google says it created the feature at an OEM’s request so OEMs can recommend assistants verified to work with their first-party applications. While Google says it won’t do this on its own Pixel phones, the feature comes as the company is facing growing regulatory pressure. For many years, Google Assistant was widely seen as the best

Grab these free retro Sega games for iPhone before it’s too late

If you’re a fan of retro Sega games – or just think you might be – you’ll want to download nine of them to your iPhone before they are discontinued … CNET’s Zachary McAuliffe spotted the warning message when downloading a couple of them. I downloaded Crazy Taxi and Streets of Rage, and after I started these games, I saw a screen that said support for the games will be discontinued soon. The screen also says you can play these games offline even after support ends. All nine are currently free

If this OnePlus 15 camera leak is true, OnePlus might be making a critical mistake

Ryan Haines / Android Authority The OnePlus 13 is, without a doubt, one of my favorite Android phones available today — and for a multitude of reasons. Its design is great, performance is outstanding, and battery life is amazing. Unlike a lot of past OnePlus phones, the OnePlus 13’s cameras are just as good (if not better) than the rest of its flagship competitors. And that’s why the latest OnePlus 15 leak has me worried. Earlier this week, a well-known leaker teased a few details about the u

Wallpaper Wednesday: More great phone wallpapers for all to share (June 18)

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

Google’s compact look for Gemini Live isn’t even out, and it’s already getting better (APK teardown)

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Google’s got quite a few in-development changes in its latest Android app update, including screen-top layout tweaks. The new Gemini Live overlay we looked at last week is already showing signs of refinement. Google’s working on a way to explicitly suggest AI Mode search topics. Over the past few days, we’ve been spotting a lot of changes that have popped up in Google’s most recent update to its Android app. Those finds included stuff like work toward

My 6 favorite open-source Android apps from the Google Play store - and why that matters

Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images Android and open source are closely intertwined. In fact, most open-source fans I know also use Android. Coincidence? I think not. One nice thing about Android is that the Google Play Store has lots of open-source software. That's not to say every single open-source title is worth your time and effort, but there are plenty of FOSS apps that are not only worth your time but also some of the best in class. Also: I upgraded to Android 16 - here's what I love a

The best budget Android phone for 2025

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good phone these days. The best budget Android phones offer impressive performance, long battery life and capable phone cameras — all at a price that won’t drain your wallet. Whether you're looking for a reliable everyday device, a backup phone or something for a younger family member, there's a growing list of budget smartphones that deliver solid function without the high cost of flagship phones. From Samsung phones with slick designs to models pac

I Downloaded Crazy Taxi on My iPhone for Free Before Sega Discontinues It

You can get nine retro Sega games for free right now on iOS and Android mobile devices, but you should hurry and get them now before Sega discontinues support for the titles. Here are the nine Sega games you can get for free now: Crazy Taxi Classic (iOS/Android) Golden Axe Classics (iOS/Android) Shining Force Classics (iOS/Android) Sonic CD Classic (iOS/Android) Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Ep. 2 (iOS/Android) Streets of Rage Classic (iOS/Android) Streets of Rage 2 Classic (iOS/Android) Super M

A fix is on the way for Android 16’s broken navigation buttons and gestures

Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR Some Android 16 users have been dealing with an issue that causes navigation buttons and gestures to become temporarily unresponsive. Google has reportedly fixed this bug internally. The fix is expected to roll out in the next update. The stable build of Android 16 has been available for Pixel devices for a week now. While it has been smooth sailing for the most part, some users have run into bugs. One such bug negatively impacts navigation buttons and ge

Samsung’s next foldables could arrive with a Google AI Pro freebie (APK teardown)

Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority TL;DR Select Android smartphones offer an extended premium trial of Google’s AI services, including the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25. A recent Google app update suggests that the Galaxy Fold 7 and Flip 7 will soon join that club. It’s still unclear for how long this free offer might apply, but was 6 months for the S25 series. Google’s premium AI offerings can pull off some really impressive feats — if you haven’t had a chance yet to see what kind of videos Veo 3 can

Google improves camera playback in Home app, but some are still frustrated

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR The Google Home 3.33 app update claims to improve camera timeline scrubbing on Android with better framerate and loading. A limited-access member tier is now generally available, allowing more control over shared home permissions. Early user feedback is mixed, with some praising the upgrade and others saying scrubbing performance is still lacking. Google has rolled out a new update to its Google Home app that targets one of the most persistent complai

One UI 8 is missing these 2 crucial Android 16 features, and I want them now!

Joe Maring / Android Authority Samsung pleasantly surprised us with how fast it started its Android 16 beta, especially after the mess it made with the One UI 7 rollout. One UI 8 has been a small update so far, but it makes some welcome tweaks to what we got in One UI 7’s major redesign. While it’s based on Android 16 and even has some features that Pixels don’t have access to just yet, two of my favorite additions are missing, and I really want Samsung to add them as soon as possible. Materia

Download these now free retro mobile games before Sega removes them

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Although there has been no official announcement, Sega has revealed that it’s discontinuing support for nine retro games that were ported to iOS and Android several years ago. Before that happens, the company has made all the games completely free and removed all in-app purchases, as spotted by Android Authority. The list includes the following

Android Automotive now lets apps show your food order status and more on your car’s home screen

Polestar TL;DR Android Automotive OS is getting a new feature called AppCard, which allows apps to display their most relevant data and functions on the home screen. AppCards can display information like the status of a food order, but the visual styling of these cards is controlled by carmakers, not app developers. It’s unclear whether the feature will require the latest version of Android Automotive, though. When you’re driving, your focus should be on the road, but sometimes you need to g

Motorola confirms Android 16 is coming to these phones

Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Motorola has revealed which phones will get Android 16. The list includes the Motorola Edge 40 Pro and higher, recent Moto G phones, and recent Razr foldables. Unfortunately, many Moto G phones and the original ThinkPhone are missing from the list. Google has just released Android 16, and we’re now waiting for Android phone makers to announce their own rollout plans. Motorola hasn’t announced a timeline for availability just yet, but it has revealed whic

This iPhone feature is the only reason I haven’t switched back to a Pixel phone

Ryan Haines / Android Authority I often find myself shuffling between phones — sometimes as frequently as switching handsets every week. And I make sure to replicate my home screen layout on each Android phone so that I don’t feel unfamiliar when switching and my muscle memory doesn’t act up either. But every single one of those Android phones teases my inner urge to have everything look visually organized. When you have a bunch of widgets — all different shapes and sizes — plastered across mu

I recommend OnePlus' lateset flagship phone over the S25 Ultra - here's why

ZDNET's key takeaways The OnePlus 13 is a snappy, nearly no-compromise phone that starts at $899. A Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with a 6,000mAh battery and 80W fast charging, is a recipe for endurance success. IP69 is almost excessive, but you'll appreciate it when least expected. $999.99 at Best Buy Purchase the OnePlus 13 from Best Buy and you'll receive a free $100 gift card. This deal applies to both Black Eclipse and Midnight Ocean color options. It's not often that I review a smartphone

Your Android phone just got a big upgrade for free - these Pixel models included

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Android 16 is officially here, and Google has some big upgrades on the way. Instead of releasing a new OS and a new phone lineup at the same time, Google is making the same move it did with Android 15 and giving both software and hardware their time to shine. Also: 'End of 10' offers hope and support to Windows 10 users who can't upgrade their PCs This is the earliest Google has launched a major Android release in a while (for comparison, Android 15 was released on Oct. 15, 2

I upgraded to Android 16 - here's what I love and what's still missing

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Android 16 looked to be one of the most impressive upgrades to the mobile operating system in recent times. Google teased some seriously cool features that would elevate Android to the next level. However, although some of those expected features made their way to the final release, some did not. Because some of the more hotly anticipated features have yet to materialize, Android 16 seems (on the surface) to be kinda blah. But don't be fooled. Even though the big U

Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 adds new animation for the power button long-press gesture

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android is getting several new animations as part of its Material 3 Expressive revamp. Google has started testing one of the upcoming animations in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta release. It appears as a black overlay that expands from the screen borders when you long-press the power button. In addition to refreshed UI elements, Android’s new Material 3 Expressive design language is set to introduce some slick new animations. We gave you an early look at

Android 16 is out on all eligible Pixel phones, with new live update notifications feature

As usual, the new Android release comes to Pixel phones first, but others like Motorola and Samsung are doing testing. Google has released Android 16 to the masses, as it's now available for compatible handsets. The company says new devices will come preloaded with the OS in "the coming months." As usual, it's first coming to Google's own Pixel phones. The update includes several notable features. The biggest one might be live updates in notifications. This means that stuff like ride-shares an

Android Automotive update will make it easier to talk to Gemini in your car

TL;DR The Android Automotive 16 update introduces several subtle UI changes to the home screen, launcher, and notification panel. Key adjustments include a redesigned volume panel, a taller media card, a new voice assistant button, and a more legible app grid. The update also adds a toggle for Ultra-Wideband (UWB), a key component of Android’s digital car key feature. Just like with Android on phones and tablets, Google pushes out yearly updates to its OS for cars, Android Automotive OS (AAOS

Google Discover may finally stop hiding the links it shares (APK teardown)

Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Earlier this year, Google implemented automatic link shortening for stories shared through Discover. If you’d rather keep the full URL intact, it looks like Google is developing an option to disable the shorteners. Right now we’re able to activate an early preview of the toggle, but it’s not yet operational. Google is absolutely no stranger when it comes to controversies, but they don’t have to all be big “federal antitrust case” scale for us to take not

Android 16 update breaks button and gesture navigation for some Pixel users

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google Pixel users are experiencing an annoying bug after installing the Android 16 update. The bug results in navigation buttons and gestures becoming temporarily unresponsive. User reports suggest that the issue is not limited to a specific Pixel model, although not all users are affected. Google recently rolled out Android 16 on the stable channel, bringing several new features to its Pixel devices. However, the update also seems to have introduced a f

Finally, Bluetooth trackers for Android users that work better than AirTags (and are cheaper)

ZDNET's key takeaways The Chipolo One Point and Card Point normally retails for $26 and $24, respectively. They're highly accurate, robust, and integrate well into the Google ecosystem. However, the One is only splashproof, and the Card version has a non-user-replaceable battery. View now at Amazon View now at Chipolo more buying choices AirTags are one of the things that have set the Apple ecosystem apart from the Android ecosystem. But now that Google has rolled out its Find My Device netwo

The Trump Mobile T1 Phone looks both bad and impossible

Here is a roughly complete list of all the things we know for sure about the first phone made for the new Trump Mobile wireless provider: it’s called the T1 Phone 8002 (gold version). It costs $499, and you can reserve one now with a $100 down payment. It is, according to the website, coming in September. That’s about all I feel confident saying. Beyond that, all we have is a website that was clearly put together quickly and somewhat sloppily, a promise that the phone is “designed and built in

Jokes and Humour in the Public Android API

Jokes and Humour in the public Android API Previously I have covered a relatively obscure now-removed placeholder string in Android that doubles as an easter egg, the fictitious carrier by the name of El Telco Loco. But this time it is about methods and other parts of the publicly facing Android API that may generally be more humourous than they are useful. Easter eggs, jokes, whatever you want to call them, that are visible to Android app developers rather than regular users. ActivityManager.

I turned my Pixel 9 into a desktop PC and it actually works great

Android 16 is finally here, but unfortunately, some of the best features are still on the horizon. One upcoming tool that I’ve been keeping a particularly close eye on is Android 16’s Desktop Mode, currently available in the QPR1 Beta 2. It’s been a while since I gave Samsung’s equivalent Dex setup a go, so I’m very keen to see what’s different, what’s new, and how far things have come. Eager to try it out, I grabbed my Pixel 9 Pro XL, installed the latest beta, and decided to try working on my

These are the subscriptions I actually don’t mind paying for

Andy Walker / Android Authority No one likes paying for something more than once, but subscriptions have become an annoying yet necessary part of life. Some are hard to justify, but others add value to my life. Whether they provide consumable content, weather information, or critical navigation data, these are the subscriptions I don’t mind paying for: How many subscription services and apps are you currently paying for? 281 votes None. 14 % 1-4. 60 % 5-9. 20 % 10 or more. 5 % FlightRadar24

A native PS3 emulator for Android is available on the Play Store

We're another step closer to getting PlayStation 3 games to run smoothly on an Android smartphone. A little-known developer has released aPS3e, a PS3 emulator that can natively run on Android, onto the Google Play Store. Independent developers have been creating ways to emulate our favorite nostalgic hits on PS3, but offering a direct way to do it on an Android device is a major step in the emulation world. Before you dive in, it's worth noting that aPS3e suffers the same issues as other emulat