A tech writer subscribed to YouTube Premium Lite hoping for an ad-free experience without bundled services like YouTube Music, but found sponsored videos still appearing throughout the app on both TV and mobile after activation. Despite accepting that ads would remain on Shorts and music videos, they discovered sponsored placements interspersed regularly in their regular viewing feed as well, prompting them to cancel the subscription after just one month.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-02
Google has acknowledged a Messages bug triggered during data transfers to new phones, where old texts from unrelated conversations resurfaced and were sometimes sent to the wrong recipients. The company said a fix is already rolling out and should reach all affected users within a few weeks, though it hasn't detailed the exact cause or which app versions were impacted.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-02
Google has upgraded Gemini's video analysis with a new 'agentic' approach that lets the AI selectively choose which frames, audio, or transcript segments to review instead of processing every frame. The company says this cuts token usage by up to 88% while improving accuracy by up to 7%, and enables tracking of object counts, movement, and sub-second events across multi-hour videos. The feature currently works through the Gemini API in AI Studio and the Enterprise Agent Platform, with plans to reach the Gemini app and YouTube's 'Ask YouTube' tool soon.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-02
Google is rolling out a refreshed Timers tab in its Clock app as part of the September Android Drop. The update flattens the digit style, removes circular backgrounds from the keypad, adds quick presets for 1, 5, 10, and 15 minutes, and moves the start button above the number pad. Multiple active timers now display in a grid instead of a scrollable vertical list.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Google's September Android Drop introduces a feature letting users verbally tell Gemini where they placed untracked items, such as passports or keys, with the option to attach a photo. These notes are stored in a new 'Remembered' tab within the Find Hub app, and can also be added manually without using voice commands. The feature will roll out soon to devices running Android 16 or later in regions where both Gemini and Find Hub operate.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Pixel 11 owners have reported static noise appearing in videos recorded using the Video Boost feature, which enhances color, lighting, stabilization and low-light detail. Google told Android Authority it has identified the cause and built a software fix that will roll out through the Camera app in the coming weeks, with further optimizations arriving in a future monthly Android update.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Samsung is broadening its One UI 9 beta program beyond the Galaxy S25 series to include the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and S25 FE. The beta will roll out in India, Korea, the UK, and the US through the Samsung Members app, though the Galaxy S25 Edge appears excluded from this wave.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Google is trialing a new Quick Settings panel inside Android Auto's beta version 17.6.663424, accessible from the notification shade at the top of the screen. So far only a single Do Not Disturb tile has appeared, letting drivers silence phone notifications without opening the full settings menu. The feature arrives alongside a new app icon and a raccoon-themed weather animation spotted in the same beta build.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
A hidden feature in Android Auto beta version 17.6.66 shows a small animated raccoon, internally named 'Jimothy' after the viral social media character, hopping across the music player interface to display weather information. The widget also shows rain, clouds, or sun icons depending on local conditions, and currently only appears after manually switching the device theme in settings. Google has not confirmed a timeline or plans for a wider public rollout.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
A teardown of Google app version 17.54.10 reveals two new buttons being developed for the Gemini home screen: "Chat," for standard conversations with Gemini, and "Assign," which routes messages directly to Gemini Spark. This follows an earlier discovery of a similar "Assign Task" feature that has yet to launch for users.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Google has begun automatically inserting a Gemini AI shortcut into Google Messages, even though there is no dedicated toggle for it in the Connected Apps settings within Gemini itself. Users who don't want the floating AI icon hovering near their chat button can still remove it through an in-app setting, according to Android Authority.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Android Authority discovered a hidden feature in Google app version 17.54.10 that lets the Gemini overlay automatically shrink into a floating button while it processes a request. This would let users keep using their phone instead of waiting with the overlay locked on screen. The feature isn't live yet and appears to still be in internal testing.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
GoKawiil