The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.

Welcome to episode 32 of The Sideload, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes YouTuber and podcaster Steve Radochia back to the show to take a deep dive on Motorola’s latest Razrs. What does it mean for the industry — and for your next phone — when price hikes start being accompanied by tangible downgrades? They also talk about Steve’s new podcast Old’s Cool and spend five minutes debating the merits of each Ocean’s film.

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According to a Pixel 11 leak, Google’s next flagship smartphone lineup won’t be adopting the new “Project Toscana” face unlock hardware after all.

The consequences of RAMageddon have moved beyond the impossibility of building a gaming PC. Price hikes are hitting practically every gadget you could reasonably expect to find in your local Best Buy. Laptops, tablets, gaming consoles — if it’s got memory and a storage drive, it’s probably going up in price, and unfortunately, that’s true for smartphones too.

With the upcoming launch of iOS 26.5, Apple will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between the iPhone and Google Messages on Android.

If you have ever created an avatar for your WhatsApp profile, you should know the feature is being deleted altogether.

Right as it’s been revealed that Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 probably won’t have new face unlock hardware, a new name is showing off some impressive under-display face unlock tech that could start showing up in Android devices as soon as next year.

I try to appreciate my mom on a daily basis, but custom (and Hallmark) dictates that, once a year, I should appreciate her even more — ideally with a gift (or two). Flowers are great; chocolate is delicious; but great-tasting water is great and delicious.

So this Mother’s Day, ditch the droopy roses or the chocolate that’s not actually chocolate and go with a gift that stands the test of time and taste. Earlier this year, we covered Waterdrop Filter during its Spring Sale, and we’re partnering with them again to showcase their “everyday care” products that promote wellness, health, and longevity.

Hisense has a new Google TV-powered RGB mini-LED TV series available at nearly half the price of direct competitors, like TCL.

Following a messy launch process over the past few weeks, Walmart’s new Google TV-powered Onn 4K Pro and Onn 4K streaming stick are now available online for more customers.

According to a new leak, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 will reportedly be a bit lighter and improve on its display crease, but it sounds like an underwhelming upgrade on the whole.

A major leak has just revealed virtually every important detail about the Pixel 11 series including a breakdown of Tensor G6, some hardware updates the camera, and where Google’s “Pixel Glow” feature might be shown.

Gemini is reviving the idea of a smart speaker for Google, with the upcoming “Google Home Speaker” being the first new hardware in years. Meanwhile, it sounds like we might also be seeing a revival of third-party smart speakers in the Gemini era, something we’ve not seen in quite a while.

Google has been working on a Gemini app redesign for the past few months, and we now have our first look at the full overhaul.

Following an announcement in early April, Google says that Gemini for Home upgrades are set to roll out more widely in Europe and Asia-Pacific nations this coming week.

You can’t go anywhere on the internet today without running into AI. In some cases, that’s useful. AI can do some amazing things. On the other hand, it often feels like we’re watching someone reinvent the wheel. Now, word on the street is that OpenAI wants to build its own phone with an experience built around AI agents. Put simply, I think that sounds horrible.

Android AICore lets you “run generative AI features directly on your Android phone or tablet’s hardware.” These models (Gemini Nano) are inherently large, but Google now has a more detailed explanation of why Android AICore storage occasionally spikes.

Welcome to episode 98 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Abner, Damien, and Will all sorts of recent exclusive reporting. From Google’s upcoming app icon redesigns for Workspace — and, if Pixel is any indication, far beyond — to the upcoming Fitbit Air fitness band and its Google-ified partner app, there’s plenty to talk about. Plus, we look at Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Glasses and wonder just whether they’re the right pair for us.

Sponsored by Proton Unlimited: Pixelated listeners can save 30% on an annual subscription to the company’s suite of privacy-friendly services by signing up using our link. Thanks to Proton Unlimited for sponsoring the podcast.

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