Android

The Google Pixel 9a is getting a redesign for 2025, complete with a flat camera module, as we’ve already shown off. Now, we also see that Google is changing up the cameras a bit this year. It is ditching the 64-megapixel primary sensor for a 48-megapixel sensor. It’s likely the same sensor that is included in the rest of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Android phones haven't fully adopted UWB over the years, but with Snapdragon 8 Elite directly supporting the connectivity, that could change.

The two-way connection between HMD Fusion and Smart Outfits1 opens up all sorts of possibilities. Human Mobile Devices teamed up with Venom: The Last Dance to create a conceptual outfit that explores those possibilities. With its dark, dripping visual effect and change of notification sounds, The Venom: The Last Dance outfits pay homage to one of the most iconic antiheroes from the world of comic books.

VP of Design at HMD, Raun Forsyth, explains. “Using electromagnetic arrays and ferrofluid, we’ve created a mesmerizing effect where the inky liquid dances across the back of the phone.”

Just as the symbiote changes its host, the Venom: The Last Dance outfits make changes to the phone itself. The interface gets a dark-looking overhaul, and lines from the new movie take the place of default notifications sounds, like “Who sent this?” when a message is received, and “Eddie, the time has come,” as an alarm sound. These bespoke outfits to celebrate the arrival of the Venom: The Last Dance cinematic release will not be available to purchase.

• The Android 15 update for Pixel devices is causing unexpected bricking of Pixel 6 devices.
• Users report their Pixel 6 becoming completely unresponsive, with troubleshooting methods yielding no results.
• The issue might be related to the Private Space on Android 15, but further investigation is needed.

Google Chrome will support Identity Check, an Android feature that forces biometric authentication when your phone has been stolen.

Other than having to make a workaround by creating an auto-syncing script through at least, like, probably 2 other apps... hmm...

TL;DR

• Google is working on a Download Manager feature for the Play Store, which could list your recently downloaded apps.
• We managed to activate the feature to give you an early look at the Download Manager.

We activated the feature in v43.2.16-29, giving us a better look at it and an idea of what it does. The Download Manager within the Google Play Store shows all apps that are currently downloading and all the recently installed apps that you haven’t opened yet. When you open the apps you can see in the list, the app exits the list, giving you an updated view of what you have yet to open. Take a look at the Download Manager in action in the video below:

https://youtu.be/Rd3IEenFbUk

Further, you will see the download count of the recent apps and games you have downloaded as a badge at the top of the app details page.

For now, the Download Manager within the Play Store merely lists the apps you have downloaded and not opened yet. It will be handy for people who download multiple apps in one go and forget about opening up.

This feature is not currently live in the Play Store, and Google hasn’t shared anything about its existence either, so it may or may not be released in the future. We’ll update this article when we learn more.

Per the GitHub readme:

This app is discontinued. The last release on Github and F-Droid will happen with the December 2024 Syncthing version. Interactions (issues, PRs) are limited now, and the entire repo will be archived after the last release. Thus all contributions are preserved for any future (re)use. The forum is still open for discussions and questions. I would kindly ask you to refrain from trying to challenge the decision or asking "why-type" questions - I wont engage with them.

The reason is a combination of Google making Play publishing something between hard and impossible and no active maintenance. The app saw no significant development for a long time and without Play releases I do no longer see enough benefit and/or have enough motivation to keep up the ongoing maintenance an app requires even without doing much, if any, changes.

Thanks a lot to everyone who ever contributed to this app!

This is extremely disappointing news. I have been using the Syncthing-Fork version, but since it is based on this app, this may be the end for that app as well.

OPPO already confirmed that the Find X8 series will be introduced on October 24th, and also said that it will introduce the OPPO Pad 3 Pro, and the OPPO Enco X3 alongside.

Now it has confirmed that it will introduce a new 120W fast charger, 12000mAh 80W SuperVOOC Power Bank and 50W compact magnetic power bank at the event.

The 120W GaN charger for the Find X8 series will feature dual-port output capability, supporting 80W+45W power output at the same time.

The OPPO 80W 12000mAh Flash Charge Power Bank battery in ivory white color features USB-C port and USB-A ports and is expected to support both input and output capabilities via USB-C.

The OPPO Magnetic charger for the Find X8 series will be just 8.8mm thick, is expected to pack 5000mAh battery.

There is also 50W wireless charger which should support both Apple and Android devices, in addition to charging OPPO Find X8 series at 50W wirelessly.

Once upon a time you could get a small android device with good specs.
https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xz1_compact-8610.php

It's still my favourite phone, even though it's been retired and is only used as an MP3 player with AUX in the garage nowadays.
I realize that for most people the phone is now a device to consume media through and that the larger screens are helpful there, but having a smart phone that is fully usable with one hand is still something I miss. Often.

Considering that modern androids have about 85% to 90% of their size as display size then a phone with the size of the xz1 compact should get a screen size of ~5 inches instead of the old 4.6 inches.

With the SoC advancements I don't even feel that the phone would require a flagship SoC to interest me. Put a Snapdragon 6, as much battery as you can fit and an AUX input in it and I'm game.

What would make you guys interested in a smaller phone today?

I've long been a super fan of Minuum Keyboard. I backed the IndieGoGo campaign and then bought it when it was officially released for Android. It's been my daily driver for 11 years.

Everyone has different wants and needs for a keyboard and I was lucky to find mine met in Minuum.

I had this powerful computer in my pocket and felt that it should compute at all times and make my life easier. The sloppy typing model did that for me. I never understood why people wanted a keyboard to replicate that of a typewriter and take up all that real estate, keyboards were supposed to get out of the way, not take up more room.

I dreamed about the machine learning algorithm improving to the point that I would never ever need to open it up to full mode, but when they should've been making improvements in that regard, they started trying to make emoji keyboards.

Unfortunately they couldn't make the company profitable in a way that could sustain them and pay the backers and it fell into disrepair.

Still I persisted. The unparalleled typing speed and efficiency was out of this world and that's all I wanted. An experience designed for mobile that excelled at mobile.

Unfortunately with Android 15 and no update since 2017 I believe, it's now time to say goodbye. The bottom row is inaccessible in the latest iteration of Android.

There was some brief hope last year when one of the developers promised an update should they get time to clean up the code, but it never came to fruition.

The downfall of Minuum was that people prefer familiarity and that sucks as it was a glimpse of the future or what the future could be.

Burn the pyre!

End the stream Dave!

A leak of the OnePlus 13's design shows off a wood grain look and flatter edges in a slight update to the look and feel.

Android 15 adds a new security feature called Failed Authentication Lock. Here's how it protects your sensitive data from thieves.

Ahead of a rollout starting in November, Oppo has revealed ColorOS 15 with some big UI changes, but also a lot of… let’s say “inspiration” from iOS.