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AT&T is offering Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE for as low as $2.43 monthly over a 36-month installment plan for customers who add a new line online, with no device trade-in needed. Business customers get even steeper discounts, including a $0-per-month option on a new line, plus perks like an Enterprise Edition with extended warranty and Samsung Knox Suite.
The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command have all turned off advertising tracking on government-issued phones and computers, according to a letter Senator Ron Wyden shared. The change, rolled out earlier this year with the Air Force following in July, blocks the advertising identifiers apps use to generate location data that gets sold to data brokers.
TECNO has unveiled a special version of its POVA 8 Pro 5G smartphone made in partnership with Italian lifestyle brand Tonino Lamborghini. The companies say the collaboration goes beyond cosmetic branding, with Lamborghini's design philosophy woven into the phone's hardware, software and overall character rather than just applied as a surface finish.
Android Authority discovered that Google Gemini's Android app, version 17.55.8, contains unreleased code for a redesigned camera interface that shrinks the viewfinder to roughly half the screen instead of taking up the full display, letting users see chat content behind it. The same build also reveals a reworked '@' menu meant to look cleaner and to automatically hide disabled Connected Apps.
MapQuest has rolled out experimental Android Auto integration, letting its navigation app appear on vehicle dashboards for the first time. The September 1 update also introduces crowdsourced incident reporting for crashes, closures, and speed traps. Early testers report bugs like a zoomed-out map view and leftover iOS-related code, including a stray CarPlay notification.
Android Authority uncovered a new animation in a Google app beta (v17.55.8) that replaces Search Live's current gradient effect with small, blurry colorful blobs at the bottom of the screen. The beta also shows a reworked control layout that drops text labels, centers the microphone button, and adds a waveform animation when users speak.
Google has integrated its Gemini Spark AI assistant with Google Photos, letting it perform multi-step tasks like editing, organizing, and sharing images from a single prompt. Spark can also extract text from photos, summarize events, build visual stories, and run recurring tasks such as weekly album updates sent automatically to family or friends. The feature is rolling out gradually and currently limited to US users 18 and older with a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription.
Android Authority ran a reader poll after reviewing Google's Tensor G6 chip inside the Pixel 11, which improves AI and efficiency-focused tasks but falls behind rivals in gaming and raw performance. Of over 2,800 respondents, 34.3% said they'd prefer more raw power, 30.5% valued efficiency instead, and only 15.7% felt the chip strikes a good balance between the two.
A hands-on comparison from Android Authority weighs Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 against Motorola's book-style Razr Fold, noting the Fold 8's wider 5.5-inch cover screen and 7.6-inch inner display make multitasking and everyday use smoother than past Samsung foldables. The reviewer says Motorola's alternative undercuts the $1,900 Fold 8 Ultra on price while still offering a traditional foldable experience for buyers who don't need flagship cameras.
Fresh leaks suggest Samsung may retire the Plus tier in 2027 and introduce a Galaxy S27 Pro that shares the Ultra's design language in a smaller size. Analysts covering the rumor argue the move would resolve the awkward positioning the Plus model has had since the Galaxy S23 generation, sitting between a mid-range price and Ultra-level features without clearly justifying either.
TECNO unveiled a concept Android smartphone at IFA 2026 featuring a 6.7-inch, 144Hz display with virtually no visible bezel, achieved by inserting the screen from the rear and using a dual-layer cover glass that extends beneath the frame. The device isn't production-ready, but the demo reportedly makes the border between screen and frame nearly imperceptible except at extreme angles.
Leaker Digital Chat Station claims the upcoming HONOR Magic 9 series will offer an external 500mm teleconverter lens, delivering roughly 20.8x optical zoom. That would surpass the vivo X300 Ultra's 400mm teleconverter, which offers about 16.6x zoom. The leak also points to dual 200MP ARRI-branded cameras, a camera grip, a cooling fan and an ~8,000mAh battery.