GoKawiil
Tech News
A comparison of the Pixel 11 series against five rival flagship phones shows Google's new Tensor G6 chip trailing significantly in CPU and GPU benchmarks, most notably against Apple's A19 and A19 Pro chips inside the iPhone 17 lineup. The Tensor G6 also falls short on battery efficiency and thermal performance compared to competitors that in some cases cost less than the $1,000-plus Pixel 11.
A free Android utility called Action Notch converts a phone's front camera notch into an interactive shortcut, letting users tap, double-tap, or long-press it to trigger actions like screenshots, flashlight toggles, or automation scripts from Tasker and MacroDroid. The app supports more than 50 actions, and a paid pro tier adds extra gestures plus rule-based actions that let a single gesture behave differently depending on context.
Xiaomi's new $500 Redmi Note 17 Pro Max includes full-resolution 50MP photo capture and a manual/pro camera mode, features absent from Google's $900 Pixel 11. Google reserves these tools for its pricier Pixel 11 Pro lineup, even though the base Pixel has hardware capable of supporting them.
An Android Authority reviewer who tested every major US book-style foldable this year says Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, despite leading on specs like its Snapdragon chip and camera system, isn't the phone they'd actually choose to carry. Instead they'd pick Motorola's Razr Fold, with its 6,000mAh battery and large bright display, or Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold, even though both trail Samsung on raw performance.
A reviewer chose the plain Obsidian colorway of the Pixel 11 Pro and found the matte metal rails a major upgrade over last year's glossy Pixel 10 Pro. The new finish resists smudges, skin oils, and slipperiness that plagued the previous model's shiny sides.
Android Authority's three-week review of the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL finds the phones fall short on paper, with less RAM than last year, a modest Tensor G6 upgrade, higher prices, and a disappointing HiLight feature. Despite these shortcomings, the reviewer says daily use of the devices remains compelling thanks to strong hardware, cameras, and software.
An Android Authority writer who regularly switches between Galaxy and Pixel devices explains why he keeps returning to Samsung phones, citing superior built-in apps and features. He points to Secure Folder outperforming Private Space, Samsung DeX beating Pixel's barebones Desktop Mode, and Modes and Routines, Samsung Notes, and Samsung Gallery each surpassing their Google counterparts.
Google Photos on Android has begun rolling out the ability to manually group photos into stacks, a feature that has been available on iOS since May 2025. Users can create a stack by pressing and holding on multiple photos, giving more control over library organization than the app's automatic stacking. The feature appears to be rolling out server-side, as it's showing up on some devices like Pixel phones but not yet on others such as the Galaxy Z Fold.
Google is broadening its cross-platform file-sharing feature that lets Quick Share work with Apple's AirDrop, with reports now surfacing from Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 owners seeing enabling notifications. This follows an earlier sighting of the feature reaching the Pixel Tablet, suggesting Google is rolling the capability out beyond the Pixel 8a-and-newer devices that first got it last fall.
Google's newly launched chat theme feature in Messages, which lets users set custom backgrounds for individual conversations, is causing problems for some users just weeks after its August rollout. Reports include the feature randomly disappearing and reappearing, wallpapers taking one to two seconds to load, and occasional freezing when selecting themes. Google has acknowledged the issue on Reddit and pointed users toward a possible Play Store update fix.
Google has released the first software update for the Pixel Watch 5, moving the firmware from CD5A.260611.008 to CP3A.260905.002 while keeping the device on Wear OS 7 based on Android 17. The rollout includes September security fixes, but the accompanying changelog largely restates Gemini and gesture features that already shipped at launch rather than introducing new capabilities.
Multiple Wear OS users across Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch, and OnePlus Watch devices say Gemini claims to complete smart home commands—like adjusting lights, AC, or vacuums—without actually executing them. The issue surfaced around the same time Google expanded Gemini for Home's voice command capabilities on phones and speakers, where the assistant continues to work normally. Google has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded publicly.