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Amazon has introduced new Kids Tablets that run Android and include access to the Google Play store, alongside features for parental management. The devices come in two sizes, with protective cases and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids Plus, which offers ad-free content from major brands. A new AI-powered Storybuilder feature is also included to help children create custom stories and comics.
Android Authority polled over 1,800 readers about how they sideload apps now that Google has rolled out new sideloading restrictions, including advanced warnings and a 24-hour wait timer. More than 63% said they manually download APK installation files from sources like GitHub, while only 20.7% use third-party app stores such as F-Droid or Obtainium.
Google Play Store listings now display one of five badges indicating how well an Android app functions on Googlebook laptops. The tiers range from 'Made for desktop' and 'Optimized for desktop' for strong laptop experiences, down to 'Compatible with desktop' and warnings like 'Better on the website' or 'Built for mobile' for apps less suited to larger screens. The labeling system was spotted by a Reddit user and detailed by Android expert Mishaal Rahman.
Samsung has introduced new watch faces for the Galaxy Watch 9, notably the Radial Dashboard, which displays extensive information in a clear layout, and the Premium Analogue, offering a traditional look with smart features. Users can select from these options via the Galaxy Wearables app or third-party sources, customizing complications to suit their preferences.
App updates on iOS and Android frequently patch security flaws, fix bugs and add features, but auto-update toggles don't always catch everything. Automatic updates can stall or fail, and may not always reach devices immediately, as seen with Android Auto requiring manual updates at times.
Chromebooks ship with built-in restrictions that keep most users confined to apps from the Play Store. Developer Mode is an optional setting that removes several of ChromeOS's default protections, granting root access, allowing kernel modifications, and enabling installation of software outside the Play Store. The guide walks through what the mode does, when it's worth using, and the steps to turn it on.
On the launch day of its Googlebook laptops, Google told Android Authority that while all Play Store apps are available on every device, a small number of complex apps or games may not perform smoothly on Intel-based models. The company said this is because many Android apps were built for Arm chips, and it is working with developers, Intel and Qualcomm to improve compatibility. Three of the five launch Googlebooks—from Acer, Asus and Lenovo—use Intel chips, while Dell and HP models use Qualcomm's Arm-based Snapdragon processors.
Google has published a Viewer app on the Play Store built for its upcoming Googlebook laptops, offering combined viewing and editing of images, videos, audio and PDFs. Android Authority tested the app on an Android tablet, finding tools such as annotate, text, resize, crop and rotate for images, plus text, annotation and signature features for PDFs. The Googlebooks themselves went up for pre-order last month and are set to begin shipping soon.
Google has listed its new Antigravity development platform on the Play Store, but the app is built exclusively for Googlebook OS devices rather than Android phones. Android Authority sideloaded the APK onto a Pixel phone and found the interface poorly scaled, with setup failing at a Terminal VM configuration step due to a permission error.
Android Authority found new code in Play Store version 53.3.21-34 showing a more developed layout for paid game listings, featuring larger banner graphics and color-matched interface elements. The update also appears to replace numeric ratings with descriptive labels such as 'Absolute peak' or 'Controversial,' and is expected to add more detailed feature information for shoppers.
Teardown of Google Play Store version 53.3.21-34 uncovered code strings referencing a new 'playlist' feature that would let users group at least three games into a custom collection. The strings suggest users could name, describe, and color-code these playlists, plus add, remove, or delete games from them later. Google has not confirmed the feature publicly.
Google confirmed it has resolved a bug that caused the Google Photos app to freeze after users interacted with its editing tools. The company says the fix is included in the latest app update, version 7.94.0.988717361, available now on the Play Store.