GoKawiil
Tech News
Google has released the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, an incremental update to last year's foldable that keeps the same overall design but adds a lighter body, a brighter display, improved wireless charging and an updated camera sensor. The device is thinner and 19 grams lighter than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Google says durability has tripled thanks to a new glass-ceramic cover and glass-fiber composite back.
Google's official PixelSnap Phone Case for the Pixel 10 Pro XL is currently discounted by 58% on Amazon. The case is built around Google's magnetic PixelSnap system, supporting chargers, stands, grips and wallets, and features a soft-touch exterior with microfiber lining. It comes in several colors, including Obsidian and Moonstone, though availability varies by seller.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is currently on sale for 29% off, bringing it back to its all-time low price, a $350 reduction from its list price. The device features Google's Tensor G5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and built-in AI capabilities.
Google is rolling out an opt-in Scam Detection feature in Messages that uses Gemini AI models to analyze sender intent and flag deceptive texts, processing data through its encrypted Private AI Compute system. The feature, launching first on Pixel 10+, Galaxy S26, Z Flip and Fold 8 devices, will be joined by on-device link scanning via Gemini Nano and redesigned scam warnings for unknown senders. Google also plans to expand notification-level scam warnings to devices from Honor, Motorola, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, vivo and Xiaomi, and will add automatic screen-sharing privacy protections to Android 15+ devices later this month.
Samsung and Motorola have issued guidance on maintaining foldable phone hinges, recommending users clear debris from the inner display before closing the device and avoid excessive pressure. Samsung notes its Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 carry IP48 ratings, meaning protection from objects 1mm or larger but not full dust resistance, while Motorola warns that dust buildup can shorten hinge life and damage internal displays, advising against pressurized air dusters.
Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative concluded Pwn2Own Ireland 2026, awarding $1,262,000 across three days as researchers demonstrated 98 zero-day vulnerabilities in devices including the Samsung Galaxy S26, Google Pixel 10, OpenAI Codex and Oracle's Autonomous AI Database. Ikotas Labs won the contest overall with $361,000 and 42.5 Master of Pwn points, including a $300,000 payout for a chained exploit against the Pixel 10, ahead of runners-up Xint and Team ZyGoat.
Google appears to be rolling out the newer Screen Saver styles, including the Charge, Clock, and Weather designs introduced with Pixel 10 and Pixel 11, to Pixel 9 series phones. A tipster's Pixel 9 Pro reportedly gained access to these options, and a separate Reddit report says Pixel 10 units are also now getting the Charge style that debuted on Pixel 11.
Multiple Pixel owners, including users of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 Pro, say the September 2026 software update has broken their lock screens, preventing correct PINs or patterns from registering. Affected users describe patterns resetting mid-gesture and PIN entries being rejected after only the first digit, leaving them unable to access their phones. Troubleshooting steps like Safe Mode, cleaning the screen or reinstalling the build have not fixed the issue for at least one user, who resorted to a factory reset.
Google released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1, adding builds for the Pixel 11 lineup after last week's Beta 6 release omitted them. Pixel 6a through Pixel 10 devices receive build CP41.260831.007.A3, while all Pixel 11 models get build CP41.260831.011. Google notes Pixel 11 Pro Fold users may need to re-enroll Face Unlock for it to work properly.
Android Authority polled over 2,200 readers on which phone they'd choose instead of the Pixel 11 Pro. The Galaxy S26 Plus won with 26.2% of votes, followed by the Pixel 10 Pro at 21.8%, the Nothing Phone 3 at 20.5%, and the Motorola Razr at 19.5%. The standard Pixel 11 finished last with just 12% of the vote.
Google has pushed out Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6 to Pixel testers, arriving sooner than the usual two-week cadence and carrying build number CP41.260831.007. Unlike Beta 5, this build does not support the Pixel 11 series, only extending to Pixel 10 devices, alongside a set of bug fixes Google outlined for the release.
Pixel owners are reporting on Reddit that absolute volume control, which keeps phone and Bluetooth headphone volume levels synced, has stopped working reliably since installing the Android 17 QPR1 update. A Pixel 10 user described the feature failing entirely after the September update, while others say it works intermittently and can sometimes be restored by disconnecting and reconnecting their audio device.