Latest news with #RobertTriggs
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
How to make Android look like iOS 26, for better or for worse
Apple debuted its new design language for iOS 26, dubbed Liquid Glass, to a mixed reception in June. While some people enjoyed the new transparent icons and light refraction effects, others — including Android Authority's Robert Triggs — criticized it as an 'accessibility nightmare.' But that hasn't stopped many Android users from trying to emulate the new design on their own smartphones. And thanks to the customization features of Android and the ability to choose a different launcher, getting your Android phone to look more like iOS 26 is possible. Do you want your Android phone to look like iOS? 0 votes No, I use Android for a reason. NaN % Yes. NaN % The easiest way to get an iOS look on Android Megan Ellis / Android Authority You can get Android to look like iOS by using a custom launcher, which is the quickest way to switch up the design of your UI. There are plenty of iOS-themed launchers available for free, with many being updated for the latest version of iOS, which is currently in beta. I was able to quickly switch up the look of my Honor 400 Pro by using Launcher iOS 26, a popular and free launcher with over 10 million downloads. To consistently set a launcher as your new default UI, go to Settings > Default apps > Home app and switch to the launcher you want to use. The exact steps depend on which Android skin you're using, but they follow a similar flow. When I used Launcher iOS 26, it was able to switch out my wallpaper, certain app icons, and create widget-like folder and screens when I scrolled to the right or left of my default screen. Within the launcher app, you can further customize settings. Using an additional Control Center app, the launcher is also able to simulate creating a new iOS-like control panel — however this does not replace the default control panel included in your phone's OS. How to get the iOS 26 Liquid Glass look on Android Megan Ellis / Android Authority While a launcher is the quickest way to get the iOS 26 look on Android, many of these launchers don't have the transparent look of Liquid Glass built in. If you're more focused on accessing Liquid Glass-inspired widgets, then you can use a pack like iOS Glass KWGT iOS 26 Inspired. The $0.99 pack requires you to also buy KWGT Kustom Widget Pro, which costs an additional $5.99. Out of the methods I tried, this is one of the best ways to get iOS 26-inspired widgets on your screen, but they are constrained by the widget size KWGT Kustom Widget offers, which on my device was a 4×4 widget. You start out by installing a KWGT widget on your home screen and then click on it to add a template from your widget pack, in this case, iOS Glass. There are a variety of widgets to choose from, but I went with one that included app icons and my music player, along with the date and time. I then saved this template so that it applied to the KWGT widget. By combining Launcher iOS 26 with the glass widgets pack in Kustom Widget, you can get some of the transparent widgets of iOS 26 with the Apple-like interface of the launcher. I wasn't able to get transparent app icons however, as the different icon packs I used with Nova Launcher didn't look anything like the Play Store screenshots. But be prepared for a bit of troubleshooting. KWGT's buttons don't always work in the widgets, especially if the button is mapped to an app you don't have installed. It will also need different permissions depending on the function you want the widget to perform. What you should keep in mind when trying to make your Android look like iOS 26 As much as I tried to replicate the Liquid Glass UI on Android, each solution has its limitations. Launcher iOS 26 is inundated with ads, meaning that you have to watch an ad for every setting you have to change. Meanwhile, the different packs I tried relied either on a launcher or a widget tool — adding extra barriers to getting the look you want. If you're trying to get your Android device to look like iOS 26, there will be limitations. Of the different solutions I tried, none could actually achieve the light refraction effects that many people enjoy in Liquid Glass. I also found that the screenshots of icon packs did not always resemble the final result, leading me to uninstall or refund most of them. If you're not careful, you'll end up getting a cheap Liquid Glass imitation that just does not look good. Personally, I'll never switch from Android to iOS. While I do wish Android had some of the accessibility features that iOS has, I don't think that making everything translucent is the way to go. But hey, the beauty of Android is that it provides the user with choice, so you can always choose to imitate iOS 26, even if I don't personally recommend it.
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Android Authority
Samsung drops Snapdragon for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — here's why it makes sense
After months of speculation about the status of Samsung's custom Exynos chip program, we finally have an answer — it's alive and kicking inside the new Galaxy Z Flip 7. This includes customers in the US, who had previously only been treated to a modern Exynos chip in the Galaxy S24 FE. However, this choice leaves Samsung with two different chips inside its latest flagship foldable portfolio. The Exynos 2500 is in the Z Flip 7, but Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite powers the Galaxy Z Fold 7. But what does this all mean for consumers? Is someone getting a raw deal? Let's investigate. How do you feel about Exynos inside the Z Flip 7? 0 votes It's great. NaN % I'm disappointed. NaN % It makes no real difference. NaN % I'm not bothered. NaN % Exynos 2500 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Robert Triggs / Android Authority While the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a well-known quantity at this point (it powers virtually every Android flagship, after all), this is the first time we've seen the Exynos 2500. We'll have to wait a little longer to benchmark the chip, but we can already glean some interesting performance and feature details from Samsung's spec table. First, it offers a beefy CPU setup: a single powerhouse Cortex-X5 (X925), seven Cortex-A725 cores (two at 2.74GHz and five at 2.36GHz), and two smaller A520 cores for background tasks. That's 10 cores in total, surpassing the 8 Elite's eight cores, which should make it a dab hand at everyday multitasking scenarios. Exynos 2500 Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU Config Exynos 2500 1x 3.3GHz Cortex-X925 2x 2.74GHz Cortex-A725 5x 2.36GHz Cortex-A725 2x 1.8GHz Cortex-A520 Snapdragon 8 Elite 2x 4.32GHz (Phoenix-L) 6x 3.53GHz (Phoenix-M) GPU Exynos 2500 Xclipse 950 (ray tracing support) Snapdragon 8 Elite Adreno 830 (ray tracing support) AI Exynos 2500 2-GNPU 2-SNPU DSP Snapdragon 8 Elite Hexagon (fused scalar, tensor, and vector) Mixed precision INT8/INT16 INT4 support RAM support Exynos 2500 LPDDR5X Snapdragon 8 Elite LPDDR5X Video capture Exynos 2500 8K @ 30fps Snapdragon 8 Elite 8K @ 60fps 4G/5G Modem Exynos 2500 Exynos 2500 LTE/5G 12,000Mbps down NB-NTN (satellite support) Snapdragon 8 Elite X80 LTE/5G 10,000Mbps down 3,500Mbps up NB-NTN (satellite) support Other networking Exynos 2500 Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n Snapdragon 8 Elite Bluetooth 6.0 Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n Process Exynos 2500 Samsung 3nm GAA Snapdragon 8 Elite TSMC 3nm That said, with only a single large core and lower clock speeds, we'd expect the Snapdragon 8 Elite to offer much faster single-core performance — and possibly still edge out multi-core tasks through sheer brute force. Still, Samsung's latest chip is heftier than the last-gen Exynos 2400, which already performed well enough. Given that it's built on a smaller 3nm GAA process than last year's model, the chip should also sip on power. With this in mind, it's essential to look at the bigger picture when assessing whether the chip is the right choice. The Flip series has much less screen real estate, fewer multitasking capabilities, and a smaller battery than the power-user Z Fold 7. However, Samsung increased the Flip 7's battery by 300mAh to 4,300mAh, now just shy of the Fold 7's 4,400mAh capacity. Even so, opting for a potentially more frugal, possibly cooler chip over the powerful but sometimes scorching 8 Elite still makes sense for the Flip, while the Fold's power users won't begrudge the performance/heat/power trade-offs so much. This is reflected in the graphics department, too. Yes, Qualcomm's Adreno 830 is the fastest mobile GPU around, but it's arguably overkill for most modern games and can run hot, making it more suited to larger form factors. Samsung's Xclipse 950 GPU still supports ray tracing (now up to 28% faster) and has gone from six Work Group Processors (WGP) and four Render Back-ends (RB) to 8WGP/8RB. A ballpark guess would be roughly 20-35% faster rasterization than the previous gen, enough to keep the Flip sailing through games — even if it likely won't catch the market leaders. The 8 Elite will likely best Exynos, but benchmarks aren't everything for clamshells. One final key difference between the two is AI capabilities. Snapdragon's Hexagon DSP has proven to be pretty potent and helps power Galaxy AI. Even though it's difficult to make like-for-like comparisons here, nearly all of those same features also run on last-gen chipsets. Samsung states that the Exynos 2500 is 39% faster than its predecessor at AI workloads, which is obviously a meaningful improvement for on-device tools. Ultimately, what matters to you and me is whether Samsung's latest AI tools run on both chips, and they do. Otherwise, the processors share many other capabilities. Networking includes 5G sub-6GHz, mmWave, and satellite, as well as Wi-Fi 7. Bluetooth 5.4 versus 6.0 is a minor difference, and there are a few others in terms of 8K video recording and camera support. But this makes no real-world difference in terms of the new foldable handset that Samsung has just put on the market. What about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE? C. Scott Brown / Android Authority At the time of writing, Samsung hasn't specified exactly which chipset powers its more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. We do know it's an Exynos model, and it appears to be either the Exynos 2400 or 2400e, which would match the lower $899 price point, much like the mainstream Galaxy S24 FE. If that's the case, the phone will certainly still be powerful enough to handle daily workloads and more. That chip was, after all, flagship-tier in the S24 series, and we had few complaints about it back then. In fact, its battery life proved exceptional compared to Snapdragon. However, it'll lack the flagship Flip 7's more powerful gaming, AI, and multitasking capabilities and will feel even more off the pace compared to the even more powerful Fold 7. A more affordable chip puts the Z Flip 7 FE at a mainstream $899 price. Still, this chip worked well in the Galaxy S24 FE, and helped Samsung build a phone with flagship credentials but without the huge price tag. Exynos has helped Samsung hit the right price point to challenge the superb Moto Razr series, so trimming a bit of performance is undoubtedly worth it. Is Exynos right for the Flip? Hadlee Simons / Android Authority Like all clamshell foldable devices, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has to meet specific design requirements to accommodate its fashionable form factor. While we're used to the battery and capacity compromises, weighing up chipset pros and cons versus the mainstream Galaxy S flagships isn't something consumers have had to worry about in the past. But should you worry? While I can't be absolutely certain until we have the phone in the lab to test, I see no reason for consumers to worry about the performance of the Flip 7. Barring unforeseen issues with its manufacturing process, it won't be slow. While it might not benchmark quite as well as the Snapdragon 8 Elite-touting Fold 7 or S25 series, the chipset will likely marginally outperform last year's model or thereabouts, and that's plenty of power for this form factor. In all honesty, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is an overkill performer. It's great for power users, emulator lovers, and those who might be planning to use their phone as a desktop PC, but it's more than you'll need for typical mobile tasks. It certainly suits the Fold audience, but it's rather hot when pushed, which isn't great for a clamshell. Smaller foldables benefit from a slightly lower performance point that sips the phone's battery rather than guzzling it — and the Exynos seems to fit that bill. The Flip isn't built to top benchmarks, but it won't lack for performance. There's the cost factor to consider, too. We know the Snapdragon 8 Elite is quite pricey, which probably doesn't help the Fold 7's astronomical $2,000 price tag. Would the Flip have cost even more than $1,099 with the 8 Elite? Perhaps, and that certainly wouldn't have done the handset any favours, given that it already costs more than many traditional flagships. That said, consumers might rightly feel the phone should include the very best at this point, especially as there's only a minor difference in battery capacity. In this case, the Exynos 2500 might quite reasonably feel like a drawback. If you wanted to be cynical, Samsung needs to find a way to recover the expense of its custom silicon efforts, so it needs to get its latest Exynos model into at least one phone. While traditional flagship consumers might scream foul at different chips across the S series, there's a reasonable dividing line between the classic glass slabs, booklet foldables, and clamshells that gives the company an out. A chip that's 'more than good enough,' even if it's not the fastest, fits with familiar trade-offs of designs that favour fashion over function, especially if consumers struggle to tell the difference anyway. Ultimately, unless you're pushing the envelope with heavy emulators or trying to turn your phone into a workstation, the Exynos 2500 is set to be more than powerful enough for a stylish clamshell foldable like the Z Flip 7. It looks to strike the right balance of performance, efficiency, and cost — making it a smart pick for most people looking to live on the foldable edge without unnecessary excess.
Android Authority
7 days ago
- Android Authority
Routine creation just got super-easy in Samsung SmartThings
Robert Triggs / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung has formally announced several features coming to the SmartThings app. The most notable feature is a Routine Creation Assistant that lets you create routines with natural language. Other significant announcements include sharing your Galaxy Tag location with a URL and a Delay Actions feature for routines. Samsung's SmartThings platform allows you to easily control your smart home devices, and it's a solid alternative to Google and Apple's platforms. The company quietly launched a major app update last month, and it's now revealed a few more features. Perhaps the most notable addition is the Routine Creation Assistant. This feature harnesses generative AI so users can create routines with a simple text prompt. 'By simply typing a phrase such as 'Turn off all the lights when I leave the house,' users can generate customized routines without needing to manually configure each device or setting,' Samsung explained in an emailed press release. In any event, this feature should go a long way towards making routine creation a simple endeavor, especially for tech-averse users. What else is coming to SmartThings? Otherwise, the company also highlighted several more features that were launched in an app update last month. This includes the ability to share your Galaxy Tag location with others via a URL, Delay Actions, and Confirm to Run Actions. Delay Actions lets your routines have timed steps. Samsung gives the example of creating a 'Good Morning' routine that turns on the bedroom lighting at 7:00 AM, starts the coffee maker at 7:15 AM, and opens the curtains while playing music at 7:30 AM. This all takes place via one routine. Meanwhile, the Confirm to Run Actions feature gives you the option of confirming whether you want a routine to run or not. Samsung says this can help avoid accidental routine activations in a shared household. Meanwhile, Samsung says the Calm Onboarding feature has now expanded to 58 markets and also includes Galaxy wearables like earbuds and smartwatches. Calm Onboarding offers a more streamlined smart home setup experience from ordering and delivery to the actual setup process. Samsung says it can automatically detect, register, and connect your new smart home gadget to the SmartThings app. 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
7 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Should you buy a Pixel 9 on Prime Day or wait for the Pixel 10? Here's my expert advice
Robert Triggs / Android Authority If you love Google's Pixel phones and, more importantly, love getting a great deal, this year's Amazon Prime Day is a good one. Every single Google Pixel 9 model is currently on sale, with some discounts exceeding 30% off. In other words, there's never been a better time to buy Google's latest Pixel phones. But if you follow the Pixel lineup closely, you probably know that we're expecting the Pixel 10 series to arrive sometime in August. With a new generation of Pixels expected in just about a month, does it still make sense to buy a Pixel 9? Having looked through all of the Pixel 9 Prime Day deals, and based on what we know about the Pixel 10 lineup, here's my advice. The Prime Day 2025 Pixel 9 deals Robert Triggs / Android Authority First things first, let's run through all the Pixel 9 Prime Day deals. There are a lot of them, and they're all pretty great: Google Pixel 9 on sale for $549 (normally $799) on sale for $549 (normally $799) Google Pixel 9 Pro on sale for $749 (normally $999) on sale for $749 (normally $999) Google Pixel 9 Pro XL on sale for $749 (normally $1,099) on sale for $749 (normally $1,099) Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold on sale for $1,399 (normally $1,799) Every single one of these is a great deal. At $549, the base model Pixel 9 starts looking like a viable alternative to the cheaper Pixel 9a (which is also on sale). With more RAM, higher-quality cameras, more advanced photo/video recording features, and additional AI capabilities, there's a strong argument to be made for buying the $549 Pixel 9 over the $449 Pixel 9a. I also love the discounts for the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. $749 is a fantastic price for either one, and it means that fans of a larger Pro phone don't have to spend more just because they want a bigger screen and battery. Additionally, if you've been itching to buy a folding phone, saving $400 on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is pretty amazing. $1,399 is still a significant amount of money, but with rumors suggesting the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will receive a substantial price increase, this could be one of the best value foldable phone deals of the year. What we know about the Pixel 10 series Robert Triggs / Android Authority Here's where things get complicated. Those are undeniably great deals, but if the Pixel 10 series is all but confirmed to be on store shelves next month, are you better off just waiting for Google's newest phones? That depends on what you're looking for and how much you trust the current Pixel 10 rumors. Right now, the biggest upgrade we expect for all of the Pixel 10 phones is a new chipset. Where all of the Pixel 9 handsets have a Samsung-made Tensor G4 chip, every Pixel 10 model should have a TSMC-made Tensor G5. TSMC has a much better reputation and track record than Samsung's chipmaking business. With Google making that foundry switch, combined with the G5 likely using a smaller 3nm design compared to the G4's 4nm architecture, this year's Tensor chipset should see significant efficiency upgrades — meaning longer battery life and better thermal management. Google's Tensor G5 has the potential to be amazing, and it could mark a grand new chapter for Google's smartphone chips. And that's a good thing, because everything else we're expecting from the Pixel 10 lineup is a lot less interesting. Android Headlines Pixel 10 Pro XL leaked renders Looking at the base model Pixel 10, the phone is reported to have a brighter display and a slightly larger battery. Interestingly, though, the primary and ultrawide cameras will reportedly be worse sensors than the cameras on the Pixel 9, though the upside is that the Pixel 10 should have a dedicated telephoto camera (something the Pixel 9 lacks entirely). As for the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, we're expecting identical display, camera, and RAM specs compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google should offer new PWM technology, a larger vapor chamber, and a slight increase in battery capacity for both Pixel 10 Pro phones, but that's essentially it in terms of year-over-year upgrades. Meanwhile, details on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold remain mostly unknown. Word on the street is that the design will be largely unchanged from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and if the other Pixel 10 leaks are anything to go by, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's specs should be pretty familiar, too. Buy a Pixel 9 during Prime day or wait for the Pixel 10? 0 votes Get a Pixel 9 now, the Prime Day deals are great! NaN % Wait for the Pixel 10 — the Tensor G5 will be worth it. NaN % Should you buy or wait? Ryan Haines / Android Authority OK, so where does that leave us? Should you jump on these Prime Day Pixel 9 deals, or should you wait for the Pixel 10 to come out? If you've had bad luck with previous Pixel phones and aren't happy with Google's current Tensor chips, waiting a little longer for the Pixel 10 isn't a bad idea. There's no guarantee that the Tensor G5 will magically resolve every Tensor complaint you've ever had, but it stands to be the largest YoY chipset upgrade we've ever seen from Google, and that potential is exciting. However, unless you absolutely need the latest and greatest chipset technology (which you probably don't), I'd argue most folks are better off buying a Pixel 9 during these Prime Day sales. Beyond the Tensor G5, not much is changing between the Pixel 9 phones and their Pixel 10 successors. That could make the Pixel 10 lineup a bit boring, but it's great news for you if you're in the market for a new phone right now. Every Pixel 9 model remains well worth it in 2025, and at these Prime Day prices, they're all deserving of your dollars — even with the Pixel 10 series on the horizon.
Android Authority
06-07-2025
- Android Authority
I prefer Signal but use WhatsApp for this simple reason
Robert Triggs / Android Authority When WhatsApp changed its terms in 2021, I was one of the many users who looked for alternative messaging apps for Android. While I had heard about Signal before, the controversial move by WhatsApp prompted me to actually try the app out. I loved it then and I still love it now. But over all these years, I barely use Signal even though I prefer it greatly over WhatsApp. And that's because of a major advantage WhatsApp has over the privacy-focused messaging app. Which messaging app do you prefer? 0 votes WhatsApp. NaN % Signal. NaN % Telegram. NaN % Google Messages. NaN % Another app (let us know in the comments). NaN % There's a lot to love about Signal Robert Triggs / Android Authority You don't have to be someone who lives off-grid in the woods to appreciate Signal. The messaging app balances great privacy features with a sleek UI and plenty of useful features. It includes end-to-end encryption for your messages and calls by default. Even your profile is end-to-end encrypted and data collection is minimized. If you've tried other privacy-focused services, you'll know that there's usually a trade-off when it comes to features. But Signal has a great feature set, with certain tools even outpacing WhatsApp. In fact, Signal allows you to schedule messages — a feature that WhatsApp doesn't currently offer. Signal has a great feature set, with certain tools even outpacing WhatsApp. Signal also allows you to add contacts using a username, with the option to not share your number automatically when added. There's also the ability to set chat colors and wallpapers, meaning you can customize the appearance of the app. Essentials, such as video and voice calls, are well covered, and the app can be used on a desktop. Signal even has a Stories feature, though I never touch it. Overall, Signal is a feature-rich messaging app, in addition to its privacy features. As a result, I greatly prefer the experience over WhatsApp. WhatsApp has become a bloated nightmare Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority WhatsApp has added plenty of features over the years — but I don't use many of them. I miss the WhatsApp of yesteryear, when it was simpler. Statuses, Communities, and Channels all feel like they just add to the bloat and noise when using WhatsApp. I've also tried my best to ignore Meta AI, since I don't bother with generative AI on my smartphone, but WhatsApp just keeps making it more prominent. Above the new chat icon, there's now a Meta AI button. Meanwhile, the search bar you use to filter through your chats is now also filled with recommended prompts for the chatbot. You can mute Meta AI, but you can't actually remove it from WhatsApp. WhatsApp also has a spam and scam problem. While it's not as bad as you might find on social media platforms, I still receive far too many unsolicited messages from businesses and scammers. I receive far too many unsolicited messages from businesses and scammers. Finally, WhatsApp's plan to add adverts to the app has just soured my experience further. While I avoid the Updates tab as much as possible, and will likely not see any of these ads, it further highlights Meta's determination to monetize its apps as much as possible. It also incentivizes more data collection and sharing. Messages on the platform are end-to-end encrypted, but there's plenty that companies can determine from metadata. There's also no guarantee that Meta won't push ads to other parts of the app, since being a profitable company has never stopped it from pushing even more ads on its apps before. But WhatsApp has one major advantage Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority My distaste for WhatsApp is palpable, so why do I use it when I don't like the experience? It boils down to one simple consideration — most of my contacts use WhatsApp. In fact, I was surprised when I found out that WhatsApp is not as popular in the US as it is in other countries. WhatsApp is home to most of my chats with contacts and all of my groups. It's how PR companies often reach out to me. It's also how I reach certain businesses, like when I order a repeat of my cat's medication from my vet. It's truly rare to find someone who doesn't use WhatsApp here. While Signal also has group chats, the lack of contacts who use it means it's not a viable option for my community groups that include safety information and incident reports. I don't even have enough contacts who use Signal to create a casual group chat, since none of them know each other. It's also a hard sell to tell someone to switch over to Signal, since they'll encounter the same problem when they move over. I'm a tech journalist, so I should arguably have more contacts that use niche, security-focused apps. But I have 20 total contacts on Signal, in contrast to the 200+ I have on WhatsApp. It's a hard sell to get someone to switch over to Signal, since they'll encounter a lack of contacts too. It's the same reason that my colleagues can't leave WhatsApp despite the ads. But the biggest problem with messaging apps is that they require other people to use them, by definition. The messaging app we use depends on what everyone else around us uses, so it's essentially chosen for us by others. But that won't stop me from hoping that Signal emerges as a viable alternative to WhatsApp. The app has great features without the baggage of Meta-owned products. WhatsApp has been ordered by the European Union to allow interoperability with other encrypted messaging apps and progress is being made towards that goal. Hopefully more countries will add pressure to expand this feature to other regions. After all, we deserve to be able to choose which messaging app we use, since it plays such an important role in our daily lives.
