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YouTuber Zack Nelson (JerryRigEverything) tested Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL and found it resists bending and holds up well to physical stress, though its display still scratches at level six despite Google's claims of improved scratch resistance. His teardown also showed the display and battery can each be removed in just a few minutes using basic tools like a heat gun, suction cup, and pry tool.
Google is rolling out version 2.0.0.965719431 of its Magnifier accessibility app with a new icon featuring a blue-to-purple gradient magnifying glass on a filled background, replacing the older blue design. However, the update appears to have broken the app's themed icon feature, showing a blank colored circle instead of the monochrome logo that normally matches a phone's Material You color scheme.
Google is reportedly working to bring back the notification feature for its Now Playing music-recognition app on Pixel devices, according to code found in the latest Android System Intelligence app for Pixel 11 devices. The feature was removed earlier this year when Google gave Now Playing its own dedicated app, breaking workflows that relied on notifications to log tracks into services like Last.fm. Code strings also hint at upcoming support for multiple user profiles, each with its own track history.
Android Authority polled over 4,200 readers on the best alternative to Google's new Pixel 11, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 won with roughly 26% of the vote. The budget-friendly Motorola Edge (2026) finished a close second, trailing by just 54 votes, while the pricier Pixel 11 Pro came in third with about 18.5% support.
Xiaomi has detailed its new XRing 03 processor on Weibo, built on a 3nm process and featuring an unannounced Arm G2-Ultra NX GPU with 16 cores and AI-based upscaling. The chip also includes a 10-core CPU with six 'super' and four 'large' cores, no small cores, peaking at 4.35GHz, plus a four-core NPU rated at 200 TOPS. It will debut in the Xiaomi 18 Fold, set to launch next month.
Google's new Pixel 11 Pro Fold shaves about 1mm off its overall thickness compared to its predecessor, but the design achieves this by making the two halves of the device asymmetrical rather than uniformly flat when unfolded. The side housing the cover display is noticeably thicker than the other half, a departure from the flat-backed design of every prior Pixel Fold model. The change accompanies other trade-offs, including a smaller battery capacity than the previous generation.
YouTuber JerryRigEverything's durability test found the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold cracked along both antenna lines near its hinge, and the outer display detached completely without tools. This marks the fourth straight year a Google foldable has failed at the same structural point, despite Google's claim that this model's build is three times stronger than before.
An Android Authority writer detailed how they paid just $399 for a Google Pixel 11 Pro, whose list price is $1,099, by combining several ongoing Google Store promotions. The savings came primarily from a trade-in credit for an old iPhone 17 plus additional discount coupons offered by Google around the Pixel 11 launch.
Pixel 11 owners are reporting severe graphical glitches that make Genshin Impact unplayable, a problem tied to the Tensor G6 chip's PowerVR GPU, which HoYoverse says doesn't meet the game's minimum requirements. Google confirmed it is working with HoYoverse on an optimization fix expected in an upcoming Genshin Impact update.
USB PD, especially its PPS feature, now underpins fast charging on most major phones, including Apple's iPhone 17 and Android flagships like Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google's Pixel 11 series. Qualcomm Quick Charge, once dominant, has largely folded into USB PD compatibility, while brands like OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi still rely on proprietary systems such as SuperVOOC and HyperCharge for their fastest speeds.
Several widely-used smartwatches, including Google's Pixel Watch 2, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro, and multiple Apple Watch models, will lose software support in 2026. The devices will continue basic functions like fitness tracking and notifications but won't receive further feature updates or, in some cases, security patches. Apple is reportedly retiring five watch models in a single watchOS release, one of its largest support cuts to date.
Google has carried its Qi2-based Pixelsnap magnetic charging system over to the new Pixel 11 phones, refreshing the accessory lineup with new cases from Google and third-party makers like dbrand, Spigen, Mous, Case-Mate and Bellroy. The Ring Stand accessory also returns in colors matching the new phones, though the Pixelsnap Charger Stand no longer matches the new Fog color option.