GoKawiil
Tech News
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.
A new wave of screenless wearable devices is gaining popularity as alternatives to mainstream smartwatches like the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Pixel Watch. These minimalist gadgets focus on health tracking without a display, appealing to users who want fitness and biometric data without the distractions of a screen.
An Android Authority columnist reports buying his 14th iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro, and argues that Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL have largely closed the technical gap with Apple's devices. Despite that parity, he says Apple still draws outsized attention and loyalty because of how it markets and narrates its products rather than through superior specs.
Google has removed the Pixel Tablet from its official store, with links now redirecting to the general landing page, even though the device will keep getting software support through 2028. The move effectively ends new sales of Google's only current tablet without an announced successor.
Google appears to be trialing Proactive Assistance, an AI feature originally exclusive to the Pixel 11 series, on the older Pixel 10 Pro XL through the Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 update. YouTube channel In Depth Tech Reviews found the settings menu and permission toggles for the feature already present, closely mirroring what appears on Pixel 11 devices. The feature isn't fully working yet, with odd artifacts like a non-functional 'Android Easter Egg' entry in the assistant menu suggesting it's still in early testing.
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro launches at $1,199, a $100 increase over the iPhone 17 Pro, adding a variable aperture camera system for photographers. Google's Pixel 11 Pro also rose $100 to $1,099, gaining a larger 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with 30x optical-style zoom and a 120x AI-enhanced Pro Zoom mode. Beyond cameras, the two phones diverge sharply in design, colors and software, running iOS 27 and Android 17 respectively.
Google has published details on how it designed its new Noto 3D emoji set, first unveiled at I/O in May, and confirmed which manufacturers will bring it to their phones. Partners include Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, vivo, iQOO, HONOR, TECNO, Infinix, itel, and Motorola, alongside stock Android 17 devices like the Pixel 11. Samsung is notably absent, as it maintains its own emoji designs.
Android Authority found new code strings in Android Canary 2609 revealing that Google's in-development AI clock feature will let users edit, delete, rate, and generate multiple custom lock screen clock styles. The strings also point to cloud backup and device-to-device transfer support, meaning custom clocks could carry over when someone switches to a new Pixel phone. The feature remains non-functional in current Canary builds, so it's still under active development.
Amazon is currently selling the Google Pixel 10a for $424, a 15% markdown from its $499 list price. The mid-range 2026 Pixel features a 6.3-inch Actua display, Tensor G4 chip, 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, a 5,100mAh battery, and a 48MP main camera. This is the lowest price outside of the earlier Prime Day sale.
Google has rolled out its September 2026 Pixel Drop, a smaller update separate from the broader Android Drop released earlier this month. The headline feature upgrades the Pixel VIPs widget, first introduced in June 2025, by letting users call or text saved contacts directly from the home screen instead of tapping into a profile card first. The update also expands Scam Detection to monitor text messages for suspicious content and flag likely scams as users type responses.
Retailers are discounting the Pixel Watch 5 LTE model by roughly 20%, or about $100 off, just weeks after its launch. The smartwatch includes heart-rate tracking, over 50 workout modes, cellular connectivity, and fast charging.
Google disclosed that a vulnerability in Pixel phones' modem software, tracked as CVE-2026-58704, was exploited in a limited number of targeted attacks before being patched this week. The flaw allowed attackers to escalate privileges from the isolated modem component into the phone's broader system without any user interaction, a so-called zero-click exploit. Google has not identified who carried out the attacks.