Google will be releasing its latest Android 15 update later this year, and it’s poised to bring a ton of new features. These include a dedicated Private Space for your apps, saving app pairs, a predictive back gesture, and so much more. The update will also bring loads of minor improvements to the platform, many of which we’re still uncovering. Case in point: in the second beta of Android 15 that Google just released, there’s a new Google Pixel Avatar App that seemingly doesn’t change much. Here’s why Google added it.

Last Wednesday, Google released Android 15 Beta 2 for compatible Pixel devices, which includes every Tensor-powered Pixel. After installing the update, some users noticed that a new Google Pixel Avatar App was installed on their devices. According to my analysis, the Google Pixel Avatar App is simply an unbundled version of the existing avatar picker experience that’s found under Settings > System > Multiple users when you go to change your profile picture. It offers the same experience as the previous iteration that was integrated into the Settings app, complete with the ability to take a photo to use as your profile picture, select an image from your gallery to use as your profile picture, or select from one of several premade profile pictures. However, it adds one new feature: the ability to use your current Google Account picture as your profile picture.

Update: May 20, 2024 (1:51 AM ET): We’ve updated our Galaxy Ring hub with information on the launch window, model numbers, diet plan functionality, and more.

Original article: Samsung’s watches are among the best smartwatches in today’s market. Despite the line’s success, Samsung doesn’t appear ready to rest on its laurels. Instead, the company is pivoting to a much smaller form factor (and a different body part). Possibly sliding soon onto fingers near you, here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Ring.

Original article: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is easily one of the best smartwatches you can buy, though it’s not a dramatic improvement from its predecessor. We’re eagerly awaiting the release of the next iteration of Samsung’s smartwatches in the form of the Galaxy Watch 7 series, and we hope to see a lot more dramatic changes that catch it up to the competition, like the OnePlus Watch 2 and even the Apple Watch Series 9. But how is the Galaxy Watch 7 shaping up so far? Here’s what we know about the Galaxy Watch 7, what we can expect, and what we want it to be!

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 series: At a glance

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is just over a month away, and we’re starting to see official signs of upcoming devices the company is expected to launch. The Galaxy Watch 7 series is somewhat of a no-brainer when it comes to guessing what’s next from Samsung’s stable. We’ve been hearing Galaxy Watch 7 rumors for a while, but the wearable showed up on FCC last week, revealing some new details we weren’t aware of before.

Plenty has leaked about the iPhone 16 and that’s only natural as we inch our way to the eventual launch. And we’ll likely continue to hear more as time passes, such as today’s rumor that may have revealed the colors for Apple’s next-gen flagship.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared his expectations for the iPhone 16’s colors. Kuo claims that two new colors could replace some of the existing shades.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Apple’s iPhone 15 series came out in September 2023. Now that the hype for those has died down, we’re moving on to the 2024 models — and there are already plenty of iPhone 16 rumors and leaks going around.

Apple made some significant changes to the 2023 iPhone lineup, including the addition of USB-C, the mute-switch-replacing Action Button, Titanium bodies instead of Stainless Steel, Dynamic Island on the non-Pro iPhones, a periscope camera for the Pro Max model, and more. If you’ve been following Apple long enough, you’d know that most of these new features from the iPhone 15 series would most certainly be coming to iPhone 16 models. Additionally, what’s exclusive to the 2023 Pros would likely trickle down to the non-Pro variants this year. Keeping all that in mind, here’s what you can expect from the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024.

Despite being three years old, Apple’s AirTags still come in handy when you need to find something like your keys or wallet. But they could probably use an update by this point, and it looks like the Find My Device rival could get that update in the next year.

In today’s “Power On” newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is in the midst of developing a next-generation AirTag. Codenamed B589, the item locator is reportedly being tested by the tech giant’s manufacturing partners in Asia.

It may now have a successor, but that doesn’t stop the Sony WH-1000XM4 from still being among the best wireless headphones you can buy. The iconic cans are on sale from Adorama at the lowest price we’ve ever tracked right now, with a $140 discount dropping them to just $208.

Sony WH-1000XM4 for $208 ($140 off)

During the Trump administration, the United States officially rolled back net neutrality. Seven years later, the FCC has resurrected these policies from the dead. While net neutrality is back, there is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty surrounding it. Let’s dive deeper into the history of net neutrality, its current status, its pros and cons, and the future challenges it faces.

What is net neutrality, and why is it important?

Net neutrality refers to a set of policies first adopted by the FCC in 2015 that essentially treat the internet as a utility, similar to water, power, and telephone services. It also means that all web traffic is considered an equal priority.

Roughly a week ago, I unboxed the Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill, and in the days since, I’ve unexpectedly assuaged some personal guilt. Hear me out. I have plenty of vices — caffeine, overpriced backpacks, an inability to avoid puppies despite being allergic — but like many people, one of my worst habits is turning on the TV and then acting surprised when it’s three hours later. This is compounded by the inevitable skipping of gym sessions or, really, any activity in general (not a good look for a reviewer of fitness trackers).

After my delivery man dropped a large, cumbersome package on my doorstep and I found myself unloading a lightweight treadmill in my living room, an idea occurred to me: what if I left it there? Since then, I’ve started clocking steps while streaming shows instead of simply melting into the corner of my sectional.

Some might say that Google is back to stepping on its toes again. And by that, I mean it just introduced the third member of its Pixel 8 series, the mid-range Pixel 8a, which sits remarkably close to its smaller flagship, the Pixel 8. As such, you might struggle to decide between the two when it comes time to upgrade your phone, and that’s where we come in. I’ve been testing both devices side-by-side, so let’s compare the Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8 to help you pick your next phone.

Google Pixel 8a vs Google Pixel 8: At a glance

It’s been almost two years since Samsung launched its Camera Assistant app. While the tech giant’s flagship Android phones have enjoyed the app’s benefits, that hasn’t exactly been the case for some of the Fan Edition phones. But it looks like Galaxy S21 FE owners can now take advantage of the app.

First reported by SamMobile, it appears Samsung quietly rolled out support for Camera Assistant to the Galaxy S21 FE. In fact, support may have come out as early as January, as that’s the last time the update was updated.

A fair amount of details have already come out about Motorola’s upcoming 2024 clamshell Android foldables. However, a new leak may have spilled the beans on the colors and may have revealed an interesting improvement to the cheaper Razr.

In coordination with leaker Sudhanshu Ambhore, 91mobiles shared a handful of new renders for the Motorola Razr and Razr Plus (known as the Razr 50 and Razr 50 Ultra outside the US). Based on the images, it seems we can expect the Razr to come in grey and khaki, while the Razr Plus has peach, green, and blue color options.

During my years at Android Authority, I’ve had hands-on experience with dozens of mobile games and developed certain expectations. Chief among them is that most mobile games based on existing franchises are nothing more than cheap cash grabs. That’s what makes Solo Leveling: Arise such a breath of fresh air and our pick for the Best New Mobile App of the Week!

Solo Leveling Arise: At a glance

Solo Leveling began as a manhua novel in 2016 before transitioning to the webtoon format two years later. Arise represents the series’ first attempt at a video game adaptation, and despite its heavy reliance on in-app purchases, it’s clear that real care was taken to ensure the story, combat, and mechanics are up to the same standard as the manhua or webtoon.

Many are (quite rightly) scratching their heads over the seemingly small differences between the Google Pixel 8 and the newer Pixel 8a. However, one of the few reasons to pick the regular Pixel 8 over the more affordable 8a is charging times.

We tested it, and it takes about 100 minutes to fully charge the Google Pixel 8a. While it was charging, I did some research and discovered that the leisurely Galápagos tortoise moves, on average, at about 0.26 kilometers an hour, or 4.3 meters per minute. In the time it takes the Pixel 8a to charge, a particularly determined tortoise could finish a 400m race with a few minutes to spare. Talk about slow.

Google’s Pixel phones have always had great wallpapers. The first few generations amazed us with live wallpapers designed in collaboration with studios such as B-Reel and ustwo. Lately, Google has released some great minimalistic static wallpapers designed in collaboration with various artists, such as Andrew Zuckerman, who created the wallpapers for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Now, thanks to a source inside Google, we’re able to share the Pixel 9 series wallpapers early.

Because the wallpapers match their respective phone colorways, we can also preview the colors of the upcoming Pixel 9 series devices. Please keep in mind that these are early codenames, and Google is likely to use different names in its final marketing materials. It’s also possible that some of these colors might not end up being available at launch — or ever.

Samsung is gearing up for a summer filled with wearable launches, with the highly anticipated Galaxy Ring and the Galaxy Watch 7 series set to launch in a couple of months. However, recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filings have unveiled a surprising addition to the lineup: a potential Galaxy Watch FE.

The FCC listings, spotted by DroidLife, confirm model numbers for the Galaxy Watch 7. Model numbers SM-L300 and SM-L310, presumably the 40mm and 44mm Bluetooth-only versions of the Galaxy Watch 7, respectively, align with Samsung’s previous naming conventions. The SM-L305 and SM-L315 are likely their LTE counterparts, as indicated by the inclusion of cellular connectivity in the FCC documents.

It has been a busy week with a ton of announcements, as expected for any Google I/O event. The company unveiled tons of new AI stuff, as well as news on Android 15, Wear OS 5, and more. If you were following the event closely, you may have even noticed a couple of things that seemed like sneakily quiet announcements, such as a potential widget for Google Home.

During the Build beautiful Android widgets with Jetpack Glance session, which is meant more for developers than consumers, Google discussed the importance of widgets. The company explained that great widgets are helpful, simple, adaptive, cohesive, and discoverable. However, it was a slide that showed up near the end of the session that was particularly interesting.

We’re back with our round-up of the best streaming shows this week. Netflix is bringing in the heat with a show we have been waiting on for far too long (though the spin-off did help), while Peacock is bringing back our favorite format of romantic reality TV. Dive in!

The best new streaming shows this week

Here are six new shows you can get your hands on this week on Netflix, Max, Apple TV, and Peacock.

Every major Android update brings a couple of high-level, user-facing features that get a bunch of marketing and attention, but they also make a lot of low-level, under-the-hood changes that can be just as important from a user experience perspective. Take the upcoming Android 15 update as an example. At this week’s Google I/O 2024 developer conference, the second beta of Android 15 was announced with headline-grabbing features like Private Space, App Pairs, improved theft detection services, and a whole lot more. But during I/O, Google also quietly shared some interesting statistics about Android 15, such as that it improves standby battery life by up to three hours on some devices.

At Google I/O, I asked Dave Burke, VP of Engineering for the Android Platform, and Sameet Samat, President of the Android Ecosystem, to explain how Google achieved the battery life improvements that they announced as part of the latest version of Wear OS. If you missed the announcement, Google basically said that marathon runs on smartwatches running Wear OS 5 consume up to 20% less power than they do on Wear OS 4. Samat said this specific improvement was achieved by making a variety of optimizations, with one example being a reduction in how long it takes for the device’s main applications processor (AP) to go back to sleep after being woken up to write some health data. (For the full interview with Dave Burke and Sameet Samat, check out episode 44 of the Android Faithful podcast, of which I am a co-host).

The iPhone 16 series launch is still a few months away, but whispers of a groundbreaking 2025 iPhone could already be stealing the spotlight from Apple’s 2024 launches. A recent report from The Information, citing sources directly involved in the project, reveals that Apple is actively developing a radically thinner iPhone model.

While we had previously reported about a slim variant joining the iPhone 17 lineup, the latest report suggests a more ambitious vision. This ultra-thin iPhone, code-named D23, is poised to be an entirely new product, much like the iPhone X.

Google is making a small change to Google Maps that should help clean up the home screen a bit. It appears that change is now slowly starting to roll out to Android users.

During the Material You session at Google I/O this week, the tech giant debuted a new, simplified design for Google Maps. Specifically, the company reduced the number of tabs that appear in the bottom bar.

It has become pretty hard to recognize smartphone models from one another. After all, most of them are black slabs in the shape of a rectangle. There is one way to make phones a bit more interesting, though, and that’s with colors. The Google Pixel 8a comes in a few different ones, half of which are more conservative, while the others come in more adventurous hues. Let’s go over all the Google Pixel 8a colors available and find out which is your favorite.

The Google Pixel 8 comes in four color options: Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, and Aloe. Those are pretty creative names, right? These translate to black, white/cream, blue, and green. We have all versions here at Android Authority, so we can give you a closer look at each one. Let’s go over them together.

After months of anticipation and speculation, we are nearing the arrival of Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops. Samsung recently launched its Galaxy Book 4 series of laptops, and it seems like the company is gearing up to add a couple of new Snapdragon-powered models to the lineup.

A WinFuture report offers a first look at Samsung’s upcoming laptop models, revealing key specifications and high-resolution images of the upcoming devices.

Welcome back to this week’s movie roundup — where we find the newest hidden gems so you don’t have to. We’ve got a movie about a Marvel character this week (always exciting) and two slick thrillers to keep you up at night, followed by an animated movie to ease the tension.

The best new streaming movies this week

We’ve rounded up the best of Netflix and Hulu this week. Feel free to click the links below to explore what piques your interest first.

Circle to Search first arrived at the beginning of the year on the Galaxy S24 series. It later came to the Pixel phones and tablets. Google said during this year’s I/O event that it plans to expand Circle to Search’s reach to 200 million devices by the end of 2024. This could maybe include the iPhone.

The folks over at The Mac Observer spotted something interesting hiding in Chrome for iOS. There appears to be a new “Lens Circle to Search” flag that was quietly added to the app. Once the flag is enabled, the Circle to Search feature will be available within Google Lens on iOS.

Garmin is one of the best in the business when it comes to top-tier smartwatches, and the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar didn’t fail to impress us in our review of the device. One of our few gripes was the hefty price tag, but this deal is a rare chance to save big on the wearable. It’s $200 off on Amazon right now.

Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar for $599.99 ($200 off)

Android already makes signing into accounts easy by auto-filling your credentials in two taps. However, Google is simplifying the process even further in Android 15, while also bringing Credential Manager to Wear OS.

This week has been filled with announcements from Google I/O and now the company has revealed changes to Credential Manager. One of those changes will simplify the sign-in experience for passkeys.

If you’re still mixing your older Apple devices with the rest of the electronics world then you’ll find you need a USB-C to Lightning cable soon enough. Fortunately, Anker’s already affordable PowerLine III Flow is on sale right now at Best Buy, with a 40% clearance discount dropping it to just $17.99.

Anker 6ft PowerLine III Flow USB-C to Lightning Cable for $17.99 ($12 off)

A good-quality robot vacuum cuts out one of those mundane chores and makes life that little bit easier. For time-poor people, that’s a worthwhile investment. The Shark AI Ultra Robot vacuum is one of the more capable devices on the market, and it’s down to just $299.99 for the first time since the holidays.

Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum for $299.99 ($250 off)

Google renamed Android’s Nearby Share to Quick Share to harmonize the branding with Samsung’s Quick Share. Irrespective of what it is called, Quick Share is an incredibly convenient way to transfer files across devices. It’s the closest AirDrop alternative on Android, and the feature could soon make it even easier to share files, thanks to QR codes.

Android Authority contributor Assemble Debug spotted an upcoming feature to Quick Share in the latest Google Play Services beta v24.20.13. In addition to locating phones in proximity, Quick Share could soon offer a QR code that the receiver can scan to speed up the connection process and begin sharing files.

Android 14 officially arrived on October 4th to select Pixel devices but what about Android TV 14? While Android TV 13 never surfaced, Google has confirmed its plans for Android TV 14, though it hasn’t started rolling out just yet.

Update: May 17, 2024 (8:00 AM ET): We’ve updated our Galaxy Z Flip 6 rumor hub with apparent details about the foldable screen and charging speed.

Original article: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has been a very popular smartphone amongst consumers, more so than the larger, book-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The lower price and the accessible size are some of the reasons why users prefer this clamshell foldable. With 2024 now underway, we can look forward to Samsung refreshing this lineup with the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Here’s what we know about the Flip 6, what we can expect, and what we want it to be!

Google Wallet is a mobile payment app that also serves as a digital wallet where you can store your cards, IDs, passes, and other information. Google is working on adding support for e-Passports in Google Wallet, and it could do so in a way that reduces your need to pull it out often, though you’ll still need it around.

Android Authority contributor Assemble Debug spotted a new in-development feature in Google Wallet v24.18.633340707 and Google Play Services v24.20.13 beta. This feature would allow users to add their e-Passports to Google Wallet as an ID pass.

Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 14 Ultra back in February 2024, and it’s certainly one of the best camera phones on the market. Now it looks like we might have the first Xiaomi 15 Ultra rumors.

Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that an upcoming premium Xiaomi phone still has four rear cameras, including two telephoto cameras. This suggests that we’re talking about the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, as its predecessor launched with a quad-rear camera setup (featuring two tele lenses). Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro offered triple-camera systems.

Google’s Tensor processors for its Pixel phones have long been developed in partnership with Samsung and manufactured by Samsung Foundry. We’ve previously heard reports that Google could switch things up with the Tensor G5 inside the Pixel 10 range, and another source has echoed this claim.

Leaker Revegnus posted on X that Tensor chipsets from the Pixel 10 series onwards will be manufactured by TSMC. The tipster also added that Google will use TSMC’s 3nm process (ostensibly for the Tensor G5, at the very least). They also added that Google was expanding its R&D facility in Taiwan and hiring more local semiconductor engineers in preparation for the switch to TSMC.

Samsung is widely expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in July alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6. We’ve already heard about purported specs and features, but it looks like a key display upgrade has been revealed.

The Elec reports that Samsung will bring thicker ultra-thin glass (UTG) to the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s folding screen, going from 30 microns to 50 microns. This will apparently allow for improved surface hardness and a smaller display crease.

Samsung is extending a helping hand to Galaxy smartphone users who missed the initial window to sign up for its comprehensive device protection program, Samsung Care Plus. This first-ever open enrollment period, available from now until June 30, offers a second chance for peace of mind for owners of the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5.

Traditionally, Samsung Care Plus enrollment is limited to the first 60 days after purchase. The program offers a suite of benefits, including unlimited repairs for accidents such as drops and spills, mechanical breakdowns, and even theft and loss (depending on the plan).

In what seems like a significant move for the future of artificial intelligence and the online community in general, Reddit and OpenAI have announced a new partnership aimed at enhancing user experiences on both platforms.

Generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, rely heavily on real-world data and conversations to learn and refine their language generation capabilities. Reddit, with its millions of active users engaging in discussions on virtually every topic imaginable, is a treasure trove of authentic, up-to-date human interaction. This makes it an ideal resource for OpenAI to train its AI models, potentially leading to more nuanced, contextually aware, and relevant interactions with users.

Satellite connectivity in smartphones has been a hot topic ever since Apple introduced it in the iPhone 14 series. There’s a lot of work that goes into enabling satellite connectivity on a mobile device, which is why progress has been slow on the Android side of things. Fortunately, it’s looking more and more likely that we’ll see phones running Android 15 ship with satellite connectivity support.

In a previous Android beta release, we spotted a hidden satellite messaging page that we believed would tie into T-Mobile and SpaceX’s satellite messaging service. With the release of the second Android 15 beta this week, though, several T-Mobile users have found that this page has gone live for them.

Earlier this month, Samsung and Synopsys published a joint press release to announce it successfully mass produced its prototype 3nm process design. The press release didn’t specifically say, but it was believed the 3nm process would be used for the Exynos 2500. A new report claims this will be the case for the SoC expected to appear in the Galaxy S25.

A report from Business Korea claims Samsung plans to mass produce the Exynos 2500 using the 3nm process and that the processor will appear in the Galaxy S25 series. The outlet adds that the Exynos 2500 may end up surpassing Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip, which is also expected to use a 3nm process.

The VR market has experienced its share of ups and downs over the last decade, and while it has found its place among businesses and enthusiasts, the mainstream public has been a bit slower to adopt VR. This has started to change in the last few years with devices like the Meta Quest series, and more recently, Apple jumped in with its own Vision Pro headset. Not wanting to be left out of this newfound attention, Samsung will soon have its own take on virtual reality technology in the form of what’s currently being dubbed the “Samsung XR.”

Keyword: At a glance

During Google I/O 2024, Google unveiled a ton of updates to the Android operating system, including a new version of its wearable platform. Wear OS 5 will be coming later this year, so in preparation for its release, Google shared a preliminary Developer Preview build that offers early access to the platform’s new features and APIs. While we were exploring the first Wear OS 5 Developer Preview build, we discovered that it has several new features not mentioned in Google’s blog post announcing the update.

The first of these features is a new grid-based app launcher, a feature we previously spotted and enabled in Wear OS 4. The Wear OS 5 Developer Preview adds a grid view for the app launcher that you can toggle by going to Settings > General > App view or by scrolling down to the bottom of the app list. The previous list-based app launcher is still provided as an option, of course.

We’re nearly halfway through the year now, which means we’re that much closer to the launch of the iPhone 16. Everything seems to be on schedule as display production will reportedly start soon.

In a tweet limited to subscribers, display analyst Ross Young claimed that Apple will start screen production for the iPhone 16 series in June. Young added that the base model and the iPhone 16 Pro are projected to have the highest volume of production among the four incoming models.

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile have announced a formal commercial agreement to develop a space-based cellular broadband network. This ambitious venture aims to provide direct-to-cell phone service, bypassing traditional cell towers and potentially ensuring seamless communication across the continental United States, even in remote or challenging locations.

The companies have been working together since 2018 and have now formally entered an agreement till 2030. AST SpaceMobile is preparing to send its first five commercial satellites to Cape Canaveral for launch into low Earth orbit. Notably, in 2023, the companies achieved industry firsts by facilitating a voice call, text message, and even a video call between regular smartphones using their space-based connectivity technology.

A while back, it was reported that Google was removing the “Nudge” feature from Messages. Now it appears the tech giant is preparing to bring the feature to the app.

Nudges were first introduced in 2018 as a function for Gmail before expanding out to Google Messages in 2021. In Messages, the feature would prompt you to reply to messages and encourage you to follow up on outgoing messages by pushing unfinished conversations to the top of your conversations list. The feature was also used to remind users about birthdays if a date was stored in the contacts app.

The tech world is on high alert as Qualcomm’s highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite chips are nearing their market debut. ASUS recently announced a launch event for its brand-new AI PCs, which are expected to feature the new chips. However, its Vietnamese store site appears to have prematurely leaked details of the upcoming device.

During Google I/O 2024, the Mountain View-based firm launched the second beta for Android 15. The new beta introduces a number of changes, including one that should make it easier for the user to understand the makeup of their storage.

If you go into your settings on Android and take a look at your storage, you’ll see a category called “System.” The option isn’t exactly clear for most users who want to know what’s contained in the category. Tapping on the option will just inform you that “System includes files used to run Android version 14.” But it looks like Google wants to make things a little clearer for the average user with Android 15.

Lots of the deals we see every day are kinda meh, but this is one of those discounts that had us double-checking it was legit. Woot is currently offering the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for just $119.99 — a 48% markdown and easily the best price we’ve ever tracked.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $119.99 ($110 off)

Android 14 was publicly launched with the Pixel 8 series back in October 2023. We’re well into the new year, and Google has begun testing the next version of Android, now up to the Android 15 Beta 2. This is still only intended for early adopters and app developers, but things are coming along.

In this article, we’re going to tell you everything we know (and think we know) about Android 15 so far! Fair warning, we’ve covered a lot of features in immense detail, so this article is very long. Consequently, this article has several indexes that should make it easier to navigate.