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Google's September Pixel Drop brought Android 17 QPR1 to Pixel phones this week, adding minor features alongside a wave of user complaints about new bugs. Reported issues span performance slowdowns, connectivity failures, display glitches, and unexpected UI behavior, though it's unclear how widespread the problems actually are.
Google is developing a feature in the Contacts app that would let users embed their Calling Card image directly into VCF (vCard) files, according to a teardown of app version 4.88.28.981523105. This would allow people to share their personalized visual business card with someone new without first exchanging a phone call, though the recipient would need the Google Contacts app installed to actually see the image.
Google has updated its AI agent CC, previously a general productivity tool tied to Gmail and Calendar, to focus specifically on family coordination tasks such as tracking school schedules, signing permission slips, building shopping lists, and planning weekly meals. CC now operates with its own Google account and customizable permissions, letting family members choose what information—like emails from schools or sports clubs—gets shared with it automatically or manually.
Google is rolling out a new way to trigger the Sidekick overlay in Play Games, letting users open it directly from the notifications panel instead of relying solely on the onscreen drag handle. The option appears under Settings > General > Google Play Games as 'Configure Sidekick access,' alongside the existing in-game-only setting. Evidence also points to a double-tap activation method still in development.
Google’s threat intelligence team secretly embedded an undercover analyst within the hacking group TeamPCP during its extensive supply chain attack campaign. This inside access allowed Google to monitor the group’s activities, warn potential targets, and assist law enforcement in identifying key members. The operation uncovered critical security lapses and contributed to arrests in Australia last month.
Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses are increasingly being nicknamed 'perv glasses' due to misuse by people secretly filming others in public, echoing the 'Glasshole' stigma that doomed Google Glass in 2014. The author says this backlash has changed their own stance, now favoring reports that Apple's rumored smart glasses, expected next year, might launch without photo or video recording capability.
Google has begun distributing Pixel VIPs version 2.0.97, delivering the redesign it previewed but did not fully demonstrate at the September Pixel Drop. The update introduces a floating navigation strip for quickly switching between VIP contacts, moves local updates like weather and time higher on the page, and applies Material 3 Expressive visual touches such as scalloped profile frames and outlined icons.
Google is quietly expanding its chat themes feature in Google Messages beyond RCS conversations to include standard SMS texts, according to a Reddit user's discovery confirmed on a Pixel 6a. Users can access the feature through the three-dot menu or contact info page, though Google hasn't published official documentation about the rollout.
Google has updated its Pixel Weather app to include a refresh button on the larger home screen widget, letting users manually pull the latest conditions instead of waiting for background updates. The company also removed the left/right arrow buttons previously used to scrub through hourly and daily forecasts within the app. The changes appear in version 1.1.20260716.979549101 of the app.
In a New York Times podcast appearance, Sundar Pichai said the current speed of technological change exceeds anything humans are biologically equipped to handle. The remarks have sparked broader discussion about how executives should manage teams facing constant cognitive strain from rapid tech shifts.
Google has rolled out new infrastructure aimed at supporting agentic commerce, where AI agents complete purchases on behalf of users. A payments infrastructure veteran notes that the underlying payment systems for this technology remain unresolved, echoing a recurring pattern where new commerce tech launches on rails not built for it.
Google has released stable versions of its AndroidX Security State and Security State Provider libraries, giving apps a way to check the security status of individual Android components rather than relying solely on the device's overall security patch date. Apps can now determine which specific fixes are installed, which updates are pending, and whether known vulnerabilities have been addressed, even if the broad patch level hasn't changed.