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Google is shutting down Gems, the Gemini feature that let users build custom AI assistants for specific tasks, and will automatically migrate them into a new format called 'skills.' The Gemini app is notifying users that existing Gems will keep working until the November 17, 2026 transition, after which they'll be accessible as skills usable across different AI tasks without requiring manual setup.
Researchers at Bay Area Labs say the Chrome extension Poper Blocker, which has over 2 million users and Google's 'Featured' and 'Established Publisher' badges, secretly collects browsing histories, screenshots and AI chatbot interactions. The extension uses code obfuscation and sandbox detection to avoid discovery, and the researchers say two other apps from the same developer, flagged as spyware nearly a decade ago, remain featured on the store. Bay Area Labs reported Poper Blocker to Google in May 2026 but says no action has been taken.
Google has officially confirmed it will phase out ChromeOS updates in mid-2034, a date previously revealed in court records. In a support document for IT administrators, Google said many newer Chromebooks will be eligible to migrate to its new Googlebook OS, though it did not specify which models or how the transition process will work. Management tools for Googlebooks in enterprise settings won't arrive until the second half of 2027, and licensing terms for the new OS have not yet been announced.
Google confirmed via a Help Center post that many of its newest Chromebook models will be eligible to transition to Googlebook OS, the new Android-based laptop operating system unveiled this month. The company hasn't specified which devices qualify or when the switch will be possible, saying details on migration paths and eligibility will come later. Existing Chromebooks will keep receiving updates through their normal support window, and the first Googlebooks are set to go on sale next week.
Android Authority found code in a Google Messages beta build enabling voice notes to start with a single tap on the waveform icon, replacing the current two-step process of tapping and then hitting a microphone icon. The feature is reportedly in limited testing and not yet widely rolled out.
Google has acknowledged a bug in its Photos app that leaves the Share, Edit, Add to, and Trash buttons unresponsive after a user edits a photo. A company spokesperson told Android Authority the Photos team is working on a fix, and in the meantime recommended saving edits as a copy or using photos.google.com to share or delete affected images. Reports of the issue span multiple Pixel phone generations as well as at least one Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Google has rolled out a new setting in its Recorder app for Pixel devices called 'Allow recordings in other apps,' which is enabled by default. With it on, audio recordings now appear directly in a Recordings folder accessible through any file manager, rather than being sandboxed within the app.
Google has confirmed it is sunsetting Gemini Gems, with migration to its newer Skills feature beginning November 17. Existing Gems will remain usable until they're converted, and users will retain their customizations in the form of Skills afterward. A banner in the Gems manager announced the change, though Google's linked support page explaining details isn't yet live.
Google's new Pixel Search app, which expands the app drawer search bar to surface photos, emails and other content, ships preinstalled on the Pixel 11 series but isn't officially available for older Pixels. Android Authority found that the app can be manually sideloaded onto older Pixel devices, provided they are running the Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 update or newer; installation fails on stable Android 17 QPR1 builds.
Starbucks confirmed last week it is closing about 250 stores across North America, roughly 1% of its 18,000 locations in the region. As of Monday, the affected locations are showing as closed on Google and in the company's own store locator tool.
Android Authority found code in a recent Google Messages build showing Google testing a redesigned pinned chats experience. Planned changes include an animated Material 3 Expressive typing indicator that replaces the plain 'typing' text with a moving contact photo, plus thumbnail previews for images, videos and GIFs instead of generic labels. The teardown also revealed a feature to pin or unpin multiple contacts at once, though none of these features are live yet.
According to GitHub documents reviewed by The Washington Post, US Customs and Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security, will deploy Google AI tools to recommend redactions on FOIA requests. By the end of September, AI will handle documents covering over 10 percent of FOIA requests—roughly 100,000 to 140,000 cases—with DHS staff reviewing the AI's suggestions afterward. Other agencies are pursuing similar tools: the Interior Department uses Microsoft software for attorney-client redactions, the DoJ uses Veriton's aiWARE for video redaction, and HHS is building its own tool called FRED.