Latest news with #AndroidAuthority
Android Authority
9 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Don't hold your breath for a new Pixel Tablet
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR It's been over two years now since Google released the Pixel Tablet Despite hearing from sources about work on a follow-up, the Pixel Tablet 2 was seemingly canceled In a new interview, Google executives confirm that tablet development is on pause. We are still coming down off the rush from Google's latest big hardware launch, where the company introduced its full family of Pixel 10 smartphones, delivered a new Pixel Buds option, and showed off the Pixel Watch 4. While that lineup was just what we expected, it's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the one big gap in Google's mobile hardware offerings: Where's the tablet? Google launched the Pixel Tablet back in 2023, and at first we were optimistic that we might be seeing the Pixel series embrace the form factor in much the same way Google did with Nexus devices years before. Even with the Pixel Tablet serving double-duty as the spiritual successor to the Nest Hub, it didn't feel like a huge priority for Google, and by late 2024, rumors we had heard about plans for a Pixel Tablet 2 started to lose focus, and it sounded like Google was abandoning the project — even as we kept hope alive for what had been in the works as the Pixel Tablet 3. Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Here in 2025, there's been even less motion on tablets from Google. Really, the only progress we've seen has been the Pixel Tablet Pen mysteriously surfacing recently. Would Google's interest in pushing Chrome OS and Android together into a merged platform rekindle some of the old tablet love? Sadly, that's sounding less and less likely — at least on any immediate timeframe. Today Bloomberg shares a sprawling report on the state of Google's ambitions, speaking to Rick Osterloh and other executives. It talks about the role of Pixel hardware as a means to share Google's software advancements, and touches on the company's interest in alternate form factors like smart glasses. Sadly, though, it also includes a brief aside that appears to confirm that tablets are not among Google's priorities at the moment. Neither tablets nor smart rings are currently in development, and it sounds like Google thinks that the evolving state of smartphones is filling the niche tablets once did in users' lives — presumably with larger foldable phones stepping up there. That's a bit of a bummer for Pixel fans who still carry a torch for more traditional tablet options, but even if a new Pixel Tablet isn't currently in active development, that doesn't necessarily mean Google's done for good. Like we said, what's going on with Chrome OS is uncharted territory, and the more desktop-y Android gets, the more a new tablet stands to sound very appealing. Follow
Android Authority
2 hours ago
- Android Authority
Google just made it a whole lot easier to access Password Manager
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google has launched a new Password Manager app. The app makes it faster and easier to access Password Manager on your phone. The app does not come with a themed icon. For those times when you forget a password, you can always check Google Password Manager, which is built into your Android phone. And if you want to see if any of your passwords have been compromised, it can do that too. While Password Manager can be a pretty helpful tool, there isn't really a quick way to access it. But Google's new app aims to fix that problem. Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. If you open up the Play Store app and search for Google Password Manager, you'll see a listing for a new app. This isn't a new password manager to replace the old one. Rather, this app's specific purpose is to act as a shortcut to Google Password Manager. That means no more having to navigate through Settings to access the tool. All you have to do is download and install this app, and now you have a fast and easy way to get to it. It seems Google quietly launched this new app on the same day as the Pixel 10 launch. So it hasn't been out for long. Surprisingly, the tech giant released this new app without giving it a themed icon. But it could easily be fixed with a later update. Follow
Android Authority
3 hours ago
- Android Authority
Google is testing more nuanced punctuation options in Gboard (APK teardown)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR The latest Gboard beta contains clues that separate toggles to hide the comma and period keys may soon be available. Back in March, we spotted a single toggle for both keys being tested. If rolled out, users could choose a cleaner keyboard interface. Back in March, we reported that Google was working on a Gboard option to hide both the comma and period keys. That change echoed Apple's iPhone keyboard, where punctuation is hidden by default, but it didn't give Android users much control. While the cleaner layout may appeal to some, especially in regions where commas and periods aren't as essential, it tied both keys to a single switch. It seems that Google isn't done tweaking. In the latest Gboard beta (version 15.8.4.793526320-beta-arm64-v8a), we managed to activate an updated version of the feature. This time, there are two separate toggles: one for the comma key and another for the period key. AssembleDebug / Android Authority That means you'll be able to customize your layout to match your typing style, whether you can't live without quick access to commas or just want a less cluttered keyboard. Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. As the March testing proves, there's no guarantee these options will roll out to everyone, but the refinements suggest Google is still actively developing the idea. At least it looks like this will be an optional change, rather than an involuntary push toward the iPhone model. ⚠️ 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. Follow
Android Authority
4 hours ago
- Android Authority
One UI 8 could let you silence the most annoying system indicator (APK teardown)
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR One UI 8 may add an option to hide the location icon in the status bar when only system apps are accessing it. The icon would still appear when third-party apps access your location, alerting you to unexpected behavior. The change addresses complaints from Galaxy owners about the icon being almost constantly on since One UI 7. For months, Galaxy owners have complained about the location icon constantly lighting up in the status bar, often triggered by Samsung's services rather than third-party apps. Threads on Reddit are full of people calling it distracting or confusing. Now it looks like Samsung might be finally doing something about it. According to strings we saw in an internal One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung may add a new toggle that changes how the location icon behaves, potentially letting you hide it. Our thanks go to thatjoshguy69 for providing the APK file. Include this box somewhere in the body text: Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Based on the wording of the strings, the location icon may be off by default when Samsung services are accessing your location, but it could be enabled manually in the location settings. That would let you decide whether system apps should trigger the icon or not. Code Copy Text Show the Location icon in the status bar when system apps access your location. The icon will always appear when non-system apps access your location. Show status bar icon for system apps It's easy to see how this would be a useful change. System apps are still likely to access your location regularly, which can be taken as read, but you'll only see the indicator when a third-party app does the same. That means the icon becomes a clearer signal of when unexpected apps are using your location, rather than the constant noise of the icon from the routine access you expect. These strings don't indicate that this option is guaranteed to appear in public releases — Samsung could adjust or remove it before a wider rollout. But if your status bar is blinking much more than you'd like right now, you can be optimistic that Samsung is on the case. ⚠️ 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. Follow
Android Authority
4 hours ago
- Android Authority
Can't recall that café from Tuesday? Google Maps has a new feature to jog your memory (APK teardown)
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR The You tab in Google Maps has a new section called 'Your recent places.' This section shows a list of all the recent places you visited. You can sort through locations with various types of filters, save a location, share a location, and delete a location from your history. Having trouble remembering the store you went to a few days ago? Or maybe you want to share the location of a restaurant you ate at the other day. Google Maps is getting a feature that will show all the places you recently visited in one place. When you tap on the You tab in Google Maps, you'll see a section called Your lists, which contains various lists like Friends, Favorites, Saved trips, and so on. While exploring the app's version 25.34.00.796159725, we discovered that a new section has been added above the Your lists section. This new section is called 'Your recent places.' Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. As the title suggests, the Your recent places section will show you a list of all the places you visited recently. Above that list sits a carousel of filters, including Area, Category, Saved, and Maps history. Each of these filters provides multiple ways to filter. For example, when you tap on Category, you'll see options to filter by Food & drink, Culture, Shopping, Attractions, and Hotels. Off to the right of each listed location, you'll see a Bookmark icon and a three-dot menu. As you can probably guess, Bookmark allows you to save a location to a list. Meanwhile, the vertical three dots open up a menu where you can share that location, see visits and Maps history, or delete a location from your history. This new You tab section isn't the only new feature we found hiding in Google Maps recently. We also learned that Google is working on something to make it easier to share a list of search results with others. ⚠️ 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. Follow
