Google has pushed a new update to the standalone Now Playing app on Pixel devices, tweaking its interface and reintroducing support for secondary user accounts on a device, a feature that had gone missing after the app was split out from Pixel's system settings in March. Android Authority also found early code evidence that Google is working on restoring song-recognition notifications and a history-sync feature, both of which were casualties of that earlier redesign.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Android phones running version 6.0 or later include a built-in feature called Absolute Bluetooth Volume, which links your phone's volume buttons directly to connected Bluetooth speakers or headphones. When the phone's volume scale doesn't match a Bluetooth device's internal amplification, the sync can glitch, causing unresponsive buttons followed by sudden full-volume blasts. Android includes a native toggle to turn this feature off without installing extra apps.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-31
Google's Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 introduces a new 'Data logging' section inside Privacy Dashboard that lets users monitor data leaving the Private Compute Core, the isolated sandbox behind features like Live Caption and Smart Reply. Users can toggle logging on or off, choose between a limited three-day/100MB mode and a more exhaustive 12-hour/100MB detailed mode, and download or delete the resulting log files.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
The unofficial Android Auto app Xtream Player, successor to Fermata Xtream, has released version 1.4.0 with a new Games add-on for Premium subscribers, starting with Chess and Connect 4, meant only for use when the car is parked. The update also refreshes app icons, improves YouTube Music playback behavior, and fixes a bug that caused a black screen when using the side-panel skip control.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Google's Android 17 release becomes the first mobile OS to support Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), a TLS feature that hides the destination website names during connection setup, preventing ISPs and network snoopers from seeing which sites users visit. The update also lets carriers disable 2G connections on devices, cutting off a common vector for malicious SMS-blaster attacks, alongside stricter local-network permissions and default Certificate Transparency.
zdnet.com
· 2026-08-31
Google's Call Assist feature can screen unknown or suspicious calls before they ever ring through, either by prompting users manually or, on supported Pixel devices, handling the interaction automatically. If the call is identified as spam, the phone disconnects it; otherwise it rings and shows details about how the caller responded. The feature runs locally on the device without needing internet access, and Google says it doesn't store call audio or transcripts in user accounts.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-31
Google's latest Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 introduces a new way to manage the 'Install unknown apps' permission, letting users choose between permanently allowing an app to sideload APKs or requiring approval each time. This replaces the old all-or-nothing toggle that previously granted permanent installation rights until manually revoked through a buried settings menu.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4, released over the weekend, introduces a new Settings menu option letting users control which icons appear in the status bar. The feature can be accessed via Settings > Notifications or Settings > System, offering separate toggles for notification icons and system icons like mute, vibration, and battery percentage.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Google's latest Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 introduces an 'Agents' section under Security & Privacy settings that lists AI agents with access to apps or device actions. The feature isn't limited to Gemini's Spark-created agents and appears designed to track third-party agentic apps as well, though it currently shows no agents until one is installed.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
A year after buying the Galaxy S25 Edge outright, a reviewer traded it in for a Galaxy Z Fold 8, citing persistent battery and screen shortcomings that undercut its ultra-thin, lightweight design. Despite flagship specs like the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a 200MP camera packed into a 5.8mm body, Samsung has shown no sign of releasing a follow-up model.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
An Android Authority writer tested two third-party Android weather apps, Gradient Weather and Breezy Weather, after years of relying on Samsung Weather, Pixel Weather and AccuWeather. Both apps offered strong customization and usability, but the reviewer ultimately favored one over the other after weighing their strengths and drawbacks.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
A review piece examines Google's preinstalled Clock app and argues it lags behind specialized alternatives like Alarmy, Chrono and NFC Alarm Clock despite its wide reach on Android phones. The author's top request is adding task-based alarm challenges—math problems, CAPTCHAs, QR or NFC scans, or sliding puzzles—that force users to physically engage before an alarm can be dismissed.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
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