Latest news with #9To5Google
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business Standard
Google might redesign Phone app with new call answering options: Details
Google might be planning to redesign the Phone app. According to a report by 9To5Google, the US technology company might replace the 'Swipe up to answer' (vertical) gesture with two options, the first being 'Swipe right to answer' and the second being 'Tap to accept/deny.' As per 9To5Google, earlier last year, Google experimented with simplified 'Decline' and 'Answer' buttons for certain users, featuring red and green circular icons similar to those on Wear OS. More recently, Google's Phone app began developing a pill-shaped interface that lets users swipe left to decline and right to answer calls. As per the report, it was introduced in March with version 166, but has not yet been officially launched. Users who came across these under-testing features assumed that the tap to decline or answer buttons would get replaced with the horizontal pill-shaped interface. However, as per a report by Android Police, Google might just keep both options in the Phone app. In related news, Google is introducing an AI-powered feature to Drive that can analyse video files to provide summaries and answer questions about their content. Previously, this capability helped users by summarising documents and PDFs within Google Drive, removing the need to manually review these files. Now, it extends to video content, allowing users to avoid watching long meeting recordings or classes by receiving concise summaries instead.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business Standard
Google app on Android rolls out 'Activity' tab: Here's what it will do
The Activity tab stores history, saved items, and collections - offering quick access to recent searches, saved content, and grouped collections in a new layout Google app New Delhi Google app on Android is now getting the 'Activity' tab in the bottom bar. According to a 9To5Google report, the feature, which had been in testing phase for months, has now been rolled out. Notably, the update has not been released for all devices and might see a gradual rollout. The 'Activity' tab replaces the 'Saved' tab, and appears as the last item on the bottom bar. Google app: Activity tab's elements History Shows users' four most recent searches along with any websites they have visited from those results. Each item appears in a card format displaying the site's favicon, the search query or page title, date, time, and the domain. A three-dot menu on each card provides options to save, share, or delete. You can tap the '[x] items' shortcut to view your complete search history, offering quicker access than opening the full account menu. Saved items It refers to what was previously called the 'All saved items' view. These are now presented in a carousel layout and may include various types of content – such as web pages, images, product listings, Google Maps entries, and entertainment like movies or shows. Collections It serve as grouped sets of your saved content, which can either be automatically categorised or manually organised. If users prefer the previous layout, the original Activity view is still accessible under the 'Saves & Collections' option in your account menu. As per 9To5Google, this appears to be rolling out broadly with version 16.19 of the Google app, including on the stable release channel.
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Business Standard
23-05-2025
- Business Standard
Xiaomi follows Apple, Google with in-house Xring O1 chip for phones, tabs
China's Xiaomi is launching the Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphone and Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra tablet with the company's maiden in-house chipset, the Xring O1. According to 9To5Google, the company is making a shift as it moves toward self-reliance by reducing dependence on third-party chip makers like Qualcomm. Xring O1 system-on-chip: Details According to the report, Xiaomi's first custom-built system-on-chip (SoC), Xring O1, is built on a 3nm architecture. It will include a 10-core central processing unit (CPU), and a 16-core graphic processing unit (GPU). The chip will also feature a 6-core neural processing unit (NPU) which has been made dedicatedly for handling on-device processing for Xiaomi's native artificial intelligence-powered features. This SoC will debut on the Xiaomi 15S Pro and Pad 7 Ultra, but may also appear in future Xiaomi products. Xiaomi 15S Pro: What to expect As per a report by GSMArena, the Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphone is expected to retain the premium design and specifications of the Xiaomi 15 Pro. It will sport a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED QHD+ resolution display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. For imaging, the smartphone is expected to feature a triple camera set-up with a 50MP main camera coupled with an ultra-wide camera and a 5x periscope telephoto lens. It is likely that it will pack a 6,100mAh battery which will support 90W wired charging. The device will run on Xiaomi HyperOS 2, based on Android 15, and is expected to come in two colourways: Black and Blue. Xiaomi pad 7 Ultra: What to expect The Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra tablet will be powered by the XRING O1 chip, and will likely sport a 14-inch 3.2K OLED panel with a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The Xiaomi pad 7 Ultra tablet will pack a 12,000mAh battery, which is expected to deliver up to 18.95 hours of video playback and 528 days in ultra-power-saving mode. Xiaomi has revealed that HyperOS 2 will be optimised for the tablet and offer enhanced multitasking experience. The Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra will be compatible with the company's new magnesium alloy tablet keyboard, built specifically for this unit.
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Business Standard
22-05-2025
- Business Standard
Google releases Android 16 QPR1 beta for Pixels: New features, eligibility
The new Android 16 QPR beta build brings a redesigned user interface with Material 3 Expressive to compatible Google Pixel smartphones New Delhi Google has begun rolling out the Android 16 Quarterly Platform Release Beta 1 (QPR1) update to select Pixel smartphones. This under-testing update brings the Material 3 Expressive redesign which was showcased at the Android Show I/O Edition recently. 9To5Google shared a list of upgrades that the Android 16 QPR1 is bringing. Let us have a closer look at what all this new beta update will arrive with on select Pixel smartphones. Android 16 QPR1 update: What is new Wallpaper shape and weather 'effects' Google Pixel phones running Android 16 are getting a new 'Effects' feature that adds customisation options to wallpapers, including shape framing, colour overlays, and animated weather effects like rain or snow. Found in the first beta of Android 16 QPR1, this AI-powered tool lets users stylise any chosen image with options like 'Shape,' which frames subjects in themed cut-outs, and 'Weather,' which adds real-time local weather animations. The 'Cinematic' 3D wallpaper effect also now appears under this unified 'Effects' section. Android 16 QPR1 brings a redesigned Recents menu, introducing a more polished and consistent layout across devices, especially on foldables like the Pixel Fold. The update replaces the uneven preview sizes with a uniform grid showing four apps, making multitasking smoother. It also revamps app options—replacing the small icon above previews with a more visible pill-shaped drop-down button that sits directly on top of the app card, offering the same options as before but with improved accessibility. Additionally, the volume slider and panel have also been redesigned, and Audio sharing is rolling out that lets multiple users connect to the same source while listening to music. Style redesign Major visual and functional updates driven by the new Material 3 Expressive design language are coming. The update brings a refreshed UI with bolder, more vibrant icons and overhauls the lock screen customisation experience. Clock settings are now easier to access through a dedicated button, displaying clear previews of styles and a colour intensity slider, alongside dynamic and small size options. Shortcuts on the lock screen now appear in a grid format instead of a carousel, simplifying selection, while the toggle to assign left or right position has been moved to the bottom of the screen. Notification settings have also been expanded—users now get a detailed menu with view types like compact or full, and a new toggle called 'Show seen notifications' that hides alerts once they've been viewed. Silent and sensitive content toggles are included in this redesigned section, offering a more streamlined set-up experience with the expressive visual flair of Android 16. Glance shrinks Android 16 QPR1 brings a long-awaited update to the At a Glance widget on Pixel devices, making it smaller but still not fully removable. While many expected a toggle to disable the persistent widget, that option remains absent in the first beta release. Instead, Google has reduced the widget's size, creating room for an additional row of apps or widgets on the home screen. A prompt in Pixel Launcher notes: 'Enjoy more space for apps'—part of a refreshed layout where grid sizes are now labelled as 'Small,' 'Medium,' 'Large,' and 'XL,' based on icon dimensions rather than row and column counts. Though the inability to disable At a Glance may disappoint some users, the downsized design offers more flexibility in home screen layout and carries over to the lock screen as well. Notification redesign Android 16 QPR1 introduces a refreshed approach to notifications, with changes to both the lock screen layout and notification shade. One of the most visible updates is the addition of shortcut buttons below the notifications panel—a large 'Clear All' button now sits at the centre, flanked by quick-access options for notification history and notification settings. These shortcuts disappear when there are no active notifications. On the lock screen, a new layout system has been added. The default Compact view shows a single notification with minimised icons for others, while a new Full list mode displays multiple notifications, placing the rest in an overflow section. These layout choices are now housed in a full settings page titled 'Notifications on lock screen,' offering more control than the previous pop-up menu. Google has also added smoother swipe animations for dismissing notifications, rounding out a more polished and flexible experience. Setting app redesign One of the more noticeable visual updates in Android 16 QPR1 is the refreshed look of the Settings app, which now features colourful icons across categories. Moving away from its earlier monochrome design, the new layout brings a pastel-themed palette that adds more vibrancy without altering functionality. Each section—such as Connected devices, Network & internet, and Apps—gets its own colour, though some categories share similar tones, like light blue. Others, like System and About phone, retain a grey shade. While the update doesn't introduce any new features, the visual refresh aligns with the broader Material 3 Expressive design language seen across Android 16 QPR1, offering a more playful and modern interface throughout the OS. Additionally, the lock screen has also been redesigned. Android 16 QPR1 update: Eligible devices According to a report by 9To5Google, as of now, all Google Pixel devices powered by Tensor chips are eligible for Android 16 builds. The list of supported models includes the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Pixel 8, 8 Pro, 8a, the Pixel 9 series—comprising the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold—as well as the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold. It should also be noted that the update is only available for users enrolled in Google's Android 16 beta programme.
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Business Standard
19-05-2025
- Business Standard
Google to update Circle to Search with full-screen visual search: Report
Google is rolling out a notable upgrade to its Circle to Search (CtS) feature on Android, aimed at making searches more relevant by combining visual context with text input. According to 9To5Google, the feature will now automatically attach a full screenshot of the user's display when a Google Search is initiated within the CtS interface—enabling more contextual responses. The update is currently in beta testing and is expected to roll out widely in the coming weeks. When the feature first becomes available, users will see a prompt titled 'Search using your whole screen' explaining the update. Circle to Search: What's New According to the report, Google has now integrated text search with screen-wide visual analysis. When a user taps the search bar within the Circle to Search interface, a screenshot of the entire screen is automatically attached. This allows Google to analyse on-screen content and offer more tailored search results—whether it's identifying an object, summarising a paragraph, or answering a question based on an image. This new system enhances the original concept of Circle to Search, which allowed users to interactively circle or tap elements on their screen to trigger a Google Search without leaving the app they were in. Now, instead of requiring manual interaction with the screen, users can simply tap the search field to get full-screen contextual results, with Google treating the query as a question about the current screen—essentially, 'Ask about this image.' How It Works When Circle to Search is activated and a user types in a query, the system now automatically includes a screenshot of the screen in the search box. If users prefer to conduct a general text-only search without context, they can tap the attached image twice to remove it and proceed as before. This shift makes context-aware searches easier and more intuitive—ideal for asking about content within apps, articles, videos, or images—without needing to highlight anything manually. Users can still interact with screen elements directly, but now they also have the option to use full-screen analysis as the default behaviour.
