Latest news with #AdamyaSharma
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Android Authority
Google Contacts Calling Cards sound more and more like iOS Contact Posters (APK teardown)
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Google Contacts has been working on a new 'Calling Cards' feature for a few versions now. Earlier analysis has suggested that this could function very similarly to iOS Contact Posters. New text strings and a promo image add further support to that interpretation. What is it they say about mobile operating systems? Good platforms copy, but great platforms steal? Android and iOS have definitely traded ideas more than a few times over the years, and just last month we were looking at what felt like Android's latest attempt to crib off Apple's notes. Google's Contacts app appeared to be working on its own version iOS Contact Posters, with 'Calling Cards' teasing custom pictures and a stylized rendering of your name to announce callers. At least, that's what it felt like Google was up to, but we still weren't sure exactly how this was going to work. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. We still don't quite have the full picture, but as were analyzing the changes in version 4.60.30.783994635 of Contacts, we spotted some further hints towards what to expect from Calling Cards: Code Copy Text Try adding a calling card Customize how %s appears during calls All contacts Dismiss this suggestion for all contacts or only this contact? This contact We knew from last time around that Calling Cards would let you choose a custom font, presumably for the display of your name, and that second string above feels like it adds some support to that interpretation, confirming that Calling Card custom content is explicitly intended to show up during calls. What we'd love at this point is to actually show you a Calling Card as they'd appear in Contacts, but the app's not quite ready to let us get that far right now. But while we'll have to keep digging to make any headway there, we do have maybe the next best thing, having unearthed an illustration it looks like Contacts could be planning to use when it finally introduces this tool to users: AssembleDebug / Android Authority That sure seems to add credence to the idea that Calling Cards will utilize a full-screen picture of your contact. Sadly, though, it doesn't do anything to add to our understanding of how text will factor in to these Cards, leaving us to keep looking at iOS Contact Posters and wondering it we might really get a 1:1 copy. Hopefully we get a chance to see this in action soon, and can finally put the last of this speculation to rest.
Android Authority
20-07-2025
- Android Authority
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is my first foldable phone, and it totally caught me off guard
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority I've handled every foldable phone Samsung has ever launched. I have admired their engineering. I have watched with jealousy as people at airport lounges and hotel lobbies dramatically unfold their devices like they were unfolding a future I have purposely denied myself. But despite my curiosity and awe, I've stayed far, far away from foldables, especially book-style devices. Samsung's flip phones still felt closer to home for someone like me who's used only slab phones all their life, but larger foldables are where I inevitably drew the line for many reasons. Early foldable models from Samsung had their fair share of red flags, be it peeling screen protectors, fragile hinges, a deep and distracting crease, and apps that behaved like they forgot what display size they were on. The phones also felt bulky and awkward, with their outer screens too cramped to be useful. But something changed with last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6. It was slimmer, lighter, and finally looked like it belonged in a regular person's hand. Still, it wasn't enough to make me want to cough up the kind of money that could buy a midrange phone and a holiday. Enter the Galaxy Z Fold 7. I assumed I'd enjoy the novelty for a few days and then smoothly return to my trusty candy bars. The new Fold 7 is the first book-style foldable I've used as my daily driver and primary phone. Like most of you, I've been firmly in the slab phone camp for years and am currently rotating between the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9a, and iPhone 16 Pro. And while I don't mind splurging on a flagship that truly impresses me, a phone as expensive as a Samsung Fold has to seriously deliver to justify the price. So when Samsung handed me a Fold 7 to try out, I assumed I'd enjoy the novelty for a few days and then smoothly return to my trusty candy bars. But what happened next caught me completely off guard. Folding old habits Adamya Sharma / Android Authority After using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for over a week now, I've had to unlearn over a decade's worth of slab-phone instincts. Nobody tells you just how much of a shift it is. For one, I initially found myself clinging to the familiar. I was defaulting more often to the outer screen and resisting the full experience. But within a day or so, the Fold 7 made it easier to let go of old habits. I've had to unlearn over a decade's worth of slab-phone instincts. The phone is incredibly skinny. At just 215 grams, it's lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. I just couldn't wrap my head around it, but I gladly wrapped both hands around it. Speaking of which, if you're thinking of getting Samsung's latest foldable phone and are new to the experience like me, get ready to have your hands occupied more often than not. Sure, One UI offers enough tricks to manage one-handed use, like seamless screen transitions, the new Now Bar, and a dead-simple one-handed mode, but you'll still end up needing your other hand if you want to properly enjoy that beautiful 8-inch AMOLED display. It's addictive in the best way. Just like reading a book, you'll default to both hands most of the time, but you won't mind it. The crease took me by surprise. While we're on the topic of the displays, the crease took me by surprise. Not because I hated it, like I was expecting to, but because I hardly felt bothered by it. Yes, the crease running down the middle of the main screen is still there. It's more noticeable on darker backgrounds than lighter ones, but honestly, it didn't take away from my experience of navigating the UI, watching videos, reading, or generally doing anything on the big screen. You really only feel it when you swipe your finger across the inner screen and notice the dip. I got used to it surprisingly quickly and didn't feel like it was a huge distraction. Samsung has also made the inner Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) 50% thicker this time, which makes the screen feel sturdier and adds a more premium touch compared to the earlier models I've tried. Grip woes and going case-free C. Scott Brown / Android Authority If you're used to bracing a slab phone with one hand, get ready to adjust. With the thin devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, there's not much frame to hold onto when unfolded, and your fingers inevitably land somewhere on the screen. It takes a while to retrain your grip. I've even considered buying one of those ring holders to get a good one-handed grip on the device in its unfolded state. I guess this is where a case would make all the difference, but that's another thing I'm struggling with at the moment. When it comes to slapping a case on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I've gone rogue. When it comes to slapping a case on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I've gone rogue. The phone feels so good in hand that covering it up with plastic just feels like a crime against its design. I know this decision could come back to bite me in the future, but for now, I'm staying case-free. That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 definitely feels more delicate than my usual slab phones. The barrage of warnings that popped up during the setup didn't exactly calm my nerves. It's so slim and lightweight, it practically screams 'handle with care.' But then I remind myself, it's not totally defenseless. With Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front, Victus 2 on the back, and a sturdy Armor Aluminum frame, I'm not exactly taking a swim without a life vest. The IP48 rating? Well, it's… something. I'm still not taking this thing anywhere near a beach unless it's in a ziplock bag, but given its improved design, with barely any visible gap when folded, the Fold 7 does seem to keep dust from entering the inner screen, which was one of my biggest worries. Built for work, multitasking, and killing my Kindle Adamya Sharma / Android Authority Now here's where things get fun. I'm doing way more on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 than I ever did on my slab phones. It really is the multitasking machine it's advertised to be. I've never been this productive on a phone. Asana and Slack are the two apps I use back and forth all the time for my work, and opening them simultaneously on one screen, without having to squint my way through the experience, was just sublime. I can even add a third app, like WordPress, to the mix without cluttering the display. That's because on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can adjust the size of each multitasking window, a neat touch that allows me to give more space to the app I am focused on, while the others hang around in smaller windows. Unlike typical split-screen tricks on other phones, multitasking actually feels usable here, and dare I say, elegant. The Fold 7 is the Kindle replacement I didn't know I was waiting for. Thanks to Samsung's close collaboration with Google, even AI features like Circle to Search queries and Gemini Live sessions have become smoother and more immersive on the large screen. Reading is also a joy again. The Fold 7 is the Kindle replacement I didn't know I was waiting for. I won't deny the appeal of E-Ink readers for comfort, battery life, and fewer distractions, but getting that book-like experience without needing a separate device has genuinely reignited my reading habit. Streaming, mistouches, and mild annoyances Amazon Prime video in Flex Mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Netflix in Flex Mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Of course, no tech is perfect. One area where I ran into issues was streaming. I watch a lot of content on my phone, and while apps like Netflix and YouTube are well-optimized for both the inner and outer displays and handle transitions between them smoothly, others, like Prime Video, Apple TV, and some local streaming apps here in my country, aren't quite there yet. As shown in the images above, all streaming apps are also not optimized to use the phone's Flex Mode. I've never appreciated the screen lock feature on streaming apps more than I have on the Fold 7. Moreover, I've never appreciated the screen lock feature some streaming apps offer more than I have on the Fold 7. As I mentioned earlier, there's very little frame to grip when the phone is unfolded, so it's easy to accidentally tap the screen while just holding the device. On apps like Prime Video, which don't offer a screen lock while watching content, this leads to constant interruptions, whether it's the X-Ray feature or the playback controls popping up every time your finger brushes the display. That said, One UI does let you adjust the aspect ratio on a per-app basis, which sometimes helps improve the viewing experience on apps that don't scale properly to the large screen, but isn't always an ideal solution. Why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 changed my mind C. Scott Brown / Android Authority After years of watching foldables mature from a distance, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 finally feels like a device designed not only for tech enthusiasts but for anyone looking to buy a premium smartphone. It's sleeker, lighter, and more durable, has a good set of cameras (more on that in our upcoming review), and is more thoughtfully made than any Fold before it. The improvements in app continuity, multitasking, and hardware make the form factor more appealing than ever before. I still wouldn't switch to a foldable from any other brand, though. Samsung's One UI is a huge part of what makes this experience work. The UI feels well-tailored to the foldable form factor, yet is familiar enough for anyone who has ever used a Samsung phone. Add to that the promise of seven years of updates and a robust ecosystem with Galaxy Watches, Buds, tablets, and more that talk to each other, and you've got a compelling reason to stay in Samsung's corner. Sure, foldables from HONOR, vivo, HUAWEI, and others are also pretty impressive. But I'm not ready to give up that polished, fully-integrated Samsung experience for the unknown. Not when I've only just now come around to the idea of switching from a trusty slab to a foldable phone. For the first time since foldables became a thing, I'm seriously thinking — yeah, this one is worth the plunge. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Thinnest, lightest Z Fold to date • More durable design • 200MP primary camera • Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy MSRP: $1,999.99 Thin, light, high-powered, and it folds! The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers an 8-inch OLED screen, a 200MP camera, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, and a 4,400mAh battery. The Galaxy AI experience is baked in, offering tools across the camera, Circle to Search, and much more. Best of all, Samsung continues to evolve their fold folding hinge assembly, promising reduced visibility of the crease. See price at Amazon See price at Samsung See price at Amazon Save $420.00
Android Authority
18-07-2025
- Android Authority
Google may be removing its iconic 'G' logo from Messages (APK teardown)
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR The Google Messages app could be getting a branding tweak that removes the famous 'G' logo. It seems that the company plans to use the full 'Google' wordmark in the app's header going forward. The new Google Messages branding seems to be consistent with other Google apps, such as Photos, Calendar, Drive, and more. Google is constantly making subtle changes to the look and feel of its core apps, and we've discovered that Google Messages may be in line for a minor but notable branding tweak. While digging around in the latest Google Messages beta version, we found that the app is experimenting with a branding update in its header that aligns with branding seen across many other Google apps. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Currently, Google Messages displays the familiar standalone 'G' icon in the top-left corner of the app's screen. However, using certain tricks of the trade, we uncovered that the 'G' logo is being swapped out for the full 'Google' wordmark, a more direct and brand-forward approach. Our teardown also shows how this updated branding will appear across different devices, including Samsung phones running One UI. Although Google could have updated the existing 'G' logo to its newer multi-colored gradient version, it's not surprising that the company has made this change. Many of its core apps, like Google Calendar, Drive, and Photos, already display the 'Google' branding in the app header, typically in plain white text. In this case, Messages seems to be following that trend, but with a twist. The wordmark appears in Google's full-color logo, making it stand out a bit more. We don't know when or if Google will switch to this new branding in Messages anytime soon, but it might be part of an upcoming UI refresh. We'll keep tracking it to see if it reaches stable builds. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
10-07-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
HMD plans to stop selling phones in the US, and you probably know why
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR HMD Global has revealed that it is scaling back its operations in the US. The company cites the 'challenging geopolitical and economic environment' as the reason for the decision. It will continue to honor warranty coverage and service for existing products. If you're an HMD Global, the Android phone maker that licenses the Nokia brand, fan who lives in the US, we have some bad news for you. The company has decided to stop selling its phones in the US. And you can probably guess the reason why. Over on Threads, Wired writer Julian Chokkattu shared a statement sent to him by HMD Global. The statement reveals that the company intends to wind down its operations in the US. As for why it's making the decision to exit the US market, HMD cites the 'challenging geopolitical and economic environment.' This relates to the tariff situation in the US, which is raising costs for both companies and consumers. Although HMD is scaling back its operations in the US, it says it will continue to honor all of its obligations. So those in the US who own an HMD phone will still have their warranty coverage and can receive service for existing products. The company adds that support for US customers will go through its global teams. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
10-07-2025
- Android Authority
Samsung Now Brief is making it easier to discover YouTube videos you may like
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has upgraded One UI's Now Brief feature on its latest foldables, introducing a read-aloud option and several new info cards. One of the new info cards adds personalized YouTube recommendations to your daily summaries. This card is currently available on Samsung's new foldable phones and will likely reach more devices with the stable One UI 8 update. Samsung's One UI 8 update is finally here with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, and it brings much more than what we've seen in beta builds over the last few weeks. For instance, we recently discovered that Samsung has upgraded the Now Brief feature in the new software release, adding an audio option that reads your summaries aloud and several new info card types. The new info card types let you add parking spot reminders, smart home updates, and wearable battery alerts to Now Brief, making the feature even more helpful. Additionally, Samsung has added a YouTube info card that adds personalized YouTube recommendations to your daily summaries. As shown in the attached screenshots, when you enable the YouTube toggle on Now Brief's 'Content to include' menu, a new section titled 'Check out these YouTube videos' is added to your summary. Now Brief requests access to your YouTube account when you first enable the toggle to provide personalized recommendations in this section. With the new YouTube info card, Now Brief summaries will also help you discover videos you may like, in addition to providing helpful information about your day. However, you'll have to wait a while to get this new info card on your device, as it's currently only available on Samsung's latest foldable phones. It will likely reach more Galaxy users with stable One UI 8 over the coming weeks. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
