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Android Authority outlines methods already available on most Android phones for sharing a user's real-time location with contacts, including Google Maps, Google Messages, and Find Hub. The guide walks through enabling location sharing in Google Maps via the profile menu, where users can set a time limit or share indefinitely until manually stopped.
Ford is retooling its Louisville Assembly Plant with a $2 billion investment in a Universal EV Production System that uses fewer parts, cooling connections and wiring to cut manufacturing costs for its upcoming Fathom EV, while still including smartphone integration like CarPlay and Android Auto. Slate, a newer EV maker building its pickup from scratch, has reportedly chosen to omit that infotainment feature as part of a more stripped-down approach.
A tech how-to guide details steps to fix a phone screen that stops responding to touch, starting with checking for physical damage, removing screen protectors, cases and accessories, and cleaning the screen with a damp microfiber cloth. If that fails, it recommends force-restarting the device, with specific button combinations listed for various iPhone models and general guidance for Android devices.
Users seeing low-storage warnings may find Spotify high on their device's storage list, often due to downloaded music and cached data rather than the app itself. Both iOS and Android offer built-in menus to check per-app storage use, and Android allows clearing an app's cache separately from its stored data.
Samsung's One UI 9, built on Android 17, includes several exclusive tools not found on other Android devices, spanning device connectivity, security protections, and audio sharing features tied to Samsung's ownership of Harman Kardon, Denon, and JBL. These capabilities are also present in One UI 8.5 and the earlier One UI 8, meaning even older Samsung devices that don't upgrade to the newest software can still access them.
Android routes audio through a system service called AudioFlinger, which mixes, resamples, and processes sound at 32-bit floating point before outputting it at 48kHz with 16- or 24-bit depth, regardless of the source file's original format. The explainer describes how this default processing can prevent true 'bit-perfect' playback, where audio reaches the hardware mathematically unchanged from the source file.
Security researcher Mark Blah released a working exploit for a zero-click Android vulnerability that lets attackers crash phones or disrupt cellular service by sending a single malformed eight-byte WAP Push message over SMS. The bug stems from unchecked header-length parsing in Android's WapPushOverSms.decodeWapPdu function, which triggers a crash in the com.android.phone process and can drop active calls, including emergency calls. Google patched the issue for Android 14 through 17 in its October 2026 update, though it wasn't listed in the public bulletin, leaving Android 12 and 13 devices unprotected.
Android Authority reviewed Anker's new $109.99 MagGo Power Bank 2 Pro, a 10,000mAh wireless charger with a built-in cooling fan, fast wired and wireless charging, and a compact design. The reviewer found that while not officially a Made-For-iPhone product, its fastest Qi2 speeds and advanced features are tailored to Apple's MagSafe-equipped phones, leaving Android users with a reduced experience.
A new Android home screen app called Victoria Launcher has surfaced, closely mirroring the design and feature set of the popular Niagara Launcher. Unlike Niagara, which charges a subscription or lifetime fee for its Pro tier, Victoria Launcher is open-source and free to use. The app was highlighted by an Android Authority writer who has used Niagara Launcher extensively.
Google rolled out chat themes to Google Messages in late August 2026, allowing users to set custom colors and wallpapers for individual conversations, a feature long available in other messaging apps. An Android Authority writer shared ten custom themes built from the app's included wallpaper collections, such as texture and space-photo backgrounds, paired with various accent color options.
An Android Authority writer says the OPPO Enco X4 true wireless earbuds solved a persistent fit problem he had with Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2. He notes the Pixel Buds Pro 2 eartips never created a secure seal for him, often requiring third-party eartip swaps to work properly, while he still credits the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for compact design, sound quality and live Gemini chat integration.
The 41mm Wi-Fi Google Pixel Watch 5 has dropped to $300 from $400, its lowest price since launch, while the 45mm version is down to $330 from $430. The 25% discount is currently available at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store ahead of the official Black Friday period.