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Similarweb found that 93.7% of ChatGPT.com visitors in September also visited Google.com, while 14.1% of Google visitors also used ChatGPT.com, according to a Search Engine Watch report cited by Entrepreneur. The figures measure overlapping monthly website visits, not the order, frequency or purpose of those visits, and don't capture app usage.
Google is reportedly working on changes to Gemini's sidebar interface and experimenting with a new overlay animation for the assistant. Separately, the Google app's You tab may add a Shortcuts section allowing users to view or delete their search history.
Google skipped its usual first-Tuesday Pixel security update in November, breaking a pattern it had followed for most of 2025. A Reddit user points to entries in Google's Android security vulnerability database tagged with a November 2026 QPR2 identifier, plus unusually large driver and firmware changes, as evidence that Android 17 QPR2 may be arriving earlier than its expected December release. Build-tracking site BetaWiki has also listed two November-dated release candidate builds, though Google has not confirmed any of this or explained the missing update.
Code strings in Google app version 17.73.15 reveal an upcoming offline mode for Gemini Live that requires users to first set it up while connected to the internet. Once active, the offline mode will run with 'limited features,' and users will be prompted to reconnect for full functionality.
Google has begun rolling out a 'Notify when left behind' feature in its Find Hub app, alerting users when they stray too far from a connected tracker or tagged item. The setting can be enabled per device via the tracker's settings page, and alerts won't trigger if the item is left at a user's designated Home address in Google Maps. The feature is currently live in the US and parts of Europe, and works across brands including Moto and Chipolo trackers, according to 9to5Google.
An Android Authority writer describes using Google One's built-in Storage Manager tool to clean up nearly 4GB of old photos, large email attachments, spam, and bin items rather than paying for extra cloud storage. The tool, accessible via Drive, Photos, or the web, sorts clutter into categories like large documents, spam emails, and bin contents to simplify cleanup.
Google rolled out a redesign of its Wallet app in early October, replacing the horizontal card carousel with a vertical list layout. A columnist at Android Authority reports that switching between payment cards now requires multiple taps or swipes instead of a single swipe, and that viewing card details has also become more cumbersome.
Google has updated the Google Earth app icon on its Play Store listing to a more colorful, gradient-heavy design, replacing the old all-blue wavy-line logo with one blending lavender-blue and bright blue tones. The new icon currently appears only on the Play Store and the Google Earth Engine website, while the Google Earth website and the installed app still show the old icon.
Android Authority's review of the Apple Watch Series 12 finds the device largely unchanged in size and design from the Series 10 and 11, with incremental upgrades to battery charging, sensors, and health features. The 46mm aluminum model starts at $449, with a 42mm version from $399, and the watch remains iPhone-exclusive. The reviewer concludes software, performance, and display quality remain strong, but says competing smartwatches have now matched or exceeded some of Apple's capabilities.
ASN Bank, a Dutch bank known for its ethical banking stance, has reportedly restricted its banking app from working on Android devices that don't run Google's standard services, including privacy-focused systems like GrapheneOS. Users of de-Googled or custom Android builds are apparently unable to access ASN's banking app as a result.
Google has begun rolling out a "Notify when left behind" feature for item trackers within its Find Hub Android app, according to 9to5Google. Users can enable the toggle per-tag in settings, and the app automatically excludes the Home address saved in a user's Google Account from triggering alerts. The feature is currently live for item trackers in the US and Europe but not yet for devices like headphones.
Google confirmed via its official Nest Community account that a daylight saving time bug affecting timers and alarms on smart home devices has been fixed. The issue surfaced after the November 1 clock change, causing devices in Canadian regions with permanent daylight saving time to display incorrect times, including Lenovo Smart Clock and Clock Essential units running an hour behind despite Google Assistant showing the correct time.