Latest news with #GoogleContacts
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Pixel VIPs could be the Contacts app upgrade you didn't know you needed (APK teardown)
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Google is testing a new 'Pixel VIPs' home screen widget within the Contacts app that centralizes info from key contacts. The widget shows recent calls, messages (including WhatsApp), location data, birthdays, and allows notes for up to eight key people. The widget is still in its testing phase and may be released in a future update to Pixel devices. Google has been working on a new Pixel VIPs widget for the Google Contacts app. This widget could seemingly make it easier to view all your communication history with the people who matter the most to you. We also spotted that the feature could integrate third-party communication apps too, with WhatsApp being one of the first integrations. We now bring to you a comprehensive look at the Pixel VIPs widget and how it could work on your Pixel. 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. Thanks to a source, we got access to the introduction video for the Pixel Besties feature from within the Pixel Tips app. Take a look at the video below: The presence of paw print icons indicates that this is a 'dogfood' build, i.e., a build used for internal testing. So it's likely that the feature will roll out to Pixel devices in an upcoming update, perhaps with Android 16 QPR1. As the introduction video showcases, Google Contacts' Pixel VIPs widget lets you see the last call and messages (including from WhatsApp), real-time location, birthday reminders, and more of up to eight contacts that you set as your VIPs. Once the feature is rolled out, you can set it up by opening the Contacts app, navigating to the Organize tab, and tapping Pixel VIPs. Here, you will be able to choose up to eight VIPs. You'll have to give permissions for the first-time setup. Once done, you can add the Pixel VIPs widget to your home screen. The Pixel VIPs widget is 4×1 in size on your home screen and will display the contacts you have selected as your VIPs. Clicking on a contact here will open a Google Contacts profile listing important details, such as their Birthday, last call and WhatsApp message, and location update. The location update also seems to include local weather and time information, which is a nice touch. There's also a section called 'Notes' that would let you add notes about the person. Further, there's also a 'Things to do together' section, although details on how it is populated are not available at the moment. Finally, there's a 'See all' button at the end. Also, don't miss the quick call, SMS, and WhatsApp shortcuts right at the header, alongside the three-dot menu button presumably for the Contacts app. The Pixel Besties widget is undoubtedly a neat touch, one that would put your most important relationships right on your phone's home screen. This first iteration already looks interesting, though I would love to see Google expand on the idea with a 'Feed' widget too, that could highlight upcoming birthdays and any timed notes, for instance. Right now, it looks like you have to manually pull up the contact card through the widget to learn this information. Surfacing this info right on the home screen would be pretty helpful and would save all of us a few clicks and the embarrassment of missing birthdays. 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.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Google announces new security features for Android for protection against scam and theft
At the Android Show on Tuesday, ahead of Google I/O, Google announced new security and privacy features for Android. These new features include new protections for calls, screen sharing, messages, device access, and system-level permissions. With these features, Google aims to protect users from falling for a scam, keep their details secure in case a device is stolen or taken over by an attacker, and enhance device-level security for various attacks. Phone scammers often ask users to take actions like tapping on unsafe links or downloading unknown apps. In order to protect users, Google is blocking some actions and warning users of a potential scam while they are on a call with someone not in their contact list. For Android 16, these actions include side-loading an app for the first time from a web browser, messaging app, or other sources that have not been verified by Google, and granting accessibility permission to an app so that a scammer can take control of the device. The company is also preventing users running Android 6 or later from disabling Google Play Protect, which scans the device for harmful apps while they are on a call. Google is adding screen-sharing protection as well by reminding users to stop sharing the screen after a call ends. The company is also testing a new warning screen with select banks in the U.K. to prevent fraud through screen-sharing. When users on devices running Android 11 or later open a partner bank's app while sharing a screen with an unknown number, the device will show a warning screen with a button to quickly end the screen-sharing. Google is enhancing protection against scams in Google Messages after launching the feature in March. The feature uses on-device AI to alert users of a potential scam based on the conversation. The company is now bolstering user security by having the tool to detect more types of fraud, including crypto, gift card, toll road, and other billing fees, financial impersonation, and technical support. What's more, the company is adding verification keys to the Google Contacts app, which will help users authenticate that the person on the other end is the intended receiver. Users can verify their contacts by having them scan a QR code or match numbers displayed on the screen. Verified keys mean that your conversation with your contact on Google Messages is end-to-end encrypted and secured. Google said that if an attacker starts controlling a phone number through a SIM swap attack and messages you through a new device, the Google Contacts app will show the verification status as unverified. This feature will be available for Google Messages later this summer for users running Android 10 or later versions. Earlier this year, Google rolled out Identity Check protection to Pixel and Samsung devices with OneUI 7. The feature requires users to use biometric authentication to change critical settings like changing your device PIN or biometrics, disabling theft protection, or accessing Passkeys when the user is not at one of the trusted locations they have added. The company is now making this feature available to other device makers with Android 16. Later this year, Google will add better protection for Factory Reset, restricting all kinds of functions on the device that are reset without authorization of the previous lock pattern/PIN or Google account credentials. This essentially makes a stolen device hard to use. To prevent someone from locking your device remotely, the company is adding a security challenge question to prevent unauthorized access. With Android 16, the company will also hide one-time passwords if the device is not connected to Wi-Fi and hasn't been unlocked recently. The company is adding new features to its Google Play Protect live detection program as well, which detect unsafe apps that have hidden or changed icons. This feature will be available in the coming months for users running Google Pixel 6+. The company said it is now applying a new set of on-device rules to catch more categories of malicious apps. Google is adding new measures to bolster its Advanced Protection Mode to protect public figures with new on-device features. The company is also debuting a new Find My Hub to keep track of items, friends, and family. Check out how to watch the livestream and more from Google I/O. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Google announces new security features for Android for protection against scam and theft
At the Android Show on Tuesday, ahead of Google I/O, Google announced new security and privacy features for Android. These new features include new protections for calls, screen sharing, messages, device access, and system-level permissions. With these features, Google aims to protect users from falling for a scam, keep their details secure in case a device is stolen or taken over by an attacker, and enhance device-level security for various attacks. Phone scammers often ask users to take actions like tapping on unsafe links or downloading unknown apps. In order to protect users, Google is blocking some actions and warning users of a potential scam while they are on a call with someone not in their contact list. For Android 16, these actions include side-loading an app for the first time from a web browser, messaging app, or other sources that have not been verified by Google, and granting accessibility permission to an app so that a scammer can take control of the device. The company is also preventing users running Android 6 or later from disabling Google Play Protect, which scans the device for harmful apps while they are on a call. Google is adding screen-sharing protection as well by reminding users to stop sharing the screen after a call ends. The company is also testing a new warning screen with select banks in the U.K. to prevent fraud through screen-sharing. When users on devices running Android 11 or later open a partner bank's app while sharing a screen with an unknown number, the device will show a warning screen with a button to quickly end the screen-sharing. Google is enhancing protection against scams in Google Messages after launching the feature in March. The feature uses on-device AI to alert users of a potential scam based on the conversation. The company is now bolstering user security by having the tool to detect more types of fraud, including crypto, gift card, toll road, and other billing fees, financial impersonation, and technical support. What's more, the company is adding verification keys to the Google Contacts app, which will help users authenticate that the person on the other end is the intended receiver. Users can verify their contacts by having them scan a QR code or match numbers displayed on the screen. Verified keys mean that your conversation with your contact on Google Messages is end-to-end encrypted and secured. Google said that if an attacker starts controlling a phone number through a SIM swap attack and messages you through a new device, the Google Contacts app will show the verification status as unverified. This feature will be available for Google Messages later this summer for users running Android 10 or later versions. Earlier this year, Google rolled out Identity Check protection to Pixel and Samsung devices with OneUI 7. The feature requires users to use biometric authentication to change critical settings like changing your device PIN or biometrics, disabling theft protection, or accessing Passkeys when the user is not at one of the trusted locations they have added. The company is now making this feature available to other device makers with Android 16. Later this year, Google will add better protection for Factory Reset, restricting all kinds of functions on the device that are reset without authorization of the previous lock pattern/PIN or Google account credentials. This essentially makes a stolen device hard to use. To prevent someone from locking your device remotely, the company is adding a security challenge question to prevent unauthorized access. With Android 16, the company will also hide one-time passwords if the device is not connected to Wi-Fi and hasn't been unlocked recently. The company is adding new features to its Google Play Protect live detection program as well, which detect unsafe apps that have hidden or changed icons. This feature will be available in the coming months for users running Google Pixel 6+. The company said it is now applying a new set of on-device rules to catch more categories of malicious apps. Google is adding new measures to bolster its Advanced Protection Mode to protect public figures with new on-device features. The company is also debuting a new Find My Hub to keep track of items, friends, and family. Check out how to watch the livestream and more from Google I/O. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
