Android is Google’s open-source mobile operating system; think of it like a public park compared to Apple’s walled garden. It dates back to 2007, and though its dessert-inspired version names were retired in 2019 for a straightforward numbering system, there will always be a special place in our hearts for an OS called “Oreo” and “Ice Cream Sandwich.
Until now, you’ve only been able to use the scanner when the display is on, either by waking it or by using the phones’ always-on display feature. Now, Android Authority reports that after testing a settings option to enable screen-off fingerprint unlocking on Pixel 9 phones, Google has expanded that test to other Pixel phones in the third Android 16 beta.
That’s according to WABetaInfo, which spotted that a recent beta of the Android app supports sharing motion photos, Android’s GIF-like animations that accompany some photos, similar to the Live Photos feature found on iPhones (and which, the outlet notes, WhatsApp for iOS already supports).
[wabetainfo.com]
Motorola is expected to reveal its new generation of Razr flip phones soon, and leaker Evan Blass thinks we’re going to see an unusual new finish: wood. He shared a GIF showing off the Razr Plus 2025 (a.k.a. Razr 60 Ultra outside the US) in a light brown wood version, though didn’t add any details — so we don’t know if this is real wood, like in 2014’s Moto X, or something else.
While the “undo” button sort of acts like the backspace key, it should come in handy if you want to reverse bigger errors, like pasting in an entire sentence or attaching the wrong link. You can add the shortcuts to Gboard’s toolbar for easy access.
The Realme P3 Ultra just launched in India starting at ₹26,999 (around $315). It comes in three colors, but we’re all about the “Glowing Lunar White” model, which uses a “Starlight Ink Process” to create a soil-textured lunar design that even glows in the dark.
It’s also IP69-rated, has a big 6,000mAh battery, and is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8350 chipset, but none of that matters as much as a glow-in-the-dark moon.
The game is getting an Android port, and ZA/UM studio head Denis Havel says it will get changes to “captivate the TikTok user with quick hits of compelling story, art, and audio, ultimately creating an all new, deeply engaging form of entertainment,” according to Eurogamer.
It’s set to launch this summer.
Users on Reddit reported problems with USB storage and ethernet adapters not working, an unexpected color profile change, a weird Settings scrolling bug, and other minor issues, according to 9to5Mac. Separately, Google is also dealing with casting issues on many older Chromecast devices, but a fix is rolling out.
One of the malicious apps masqueraded as a file manager and had more than 10 downloads, according to the cybersecurity firm Lookout. The app contained Android spyware called KoSpy, which Lookout attributes to the North Korean hacking group APT37. It’s capable of collecting a device’s SMS messages, call logs, location, files, and more.
Lookout says the apps it found have since been removed from the Google Play Store.
Google’s new affordable phone has leaked repeatedly already, but it’s back again in new images shared by Evan Blass on X. They’re mostly marketing images and renders of the purple model — supposedly dubbed “Iris” — and closely match the design we’ve seen before, complete with an almost perfectly flat camera bump.
The 9A is rumored to launch this month with a bigger battery, new cameras, and a $499 starting price.
Meta AI fans on Android will soon be able to get to the chatbot more quickly via WhatsApp. A widget is in the works offering direct shortcuts to open the chat with the AI, send an image to it, or begin a voice chat. Some WhatsApp beta users already have the widgets available, though no date’s been set for an official launch.
Meta is reportedly working on a standalone AI app too.
The keyboard app’s latest beta transforms its rectangular keys into... circles, as spotted earlier by Android Authority. It kind of looks like a digital version of Logitech’s Pop Keys keyboard, which isn’t all that pleasant to type on.
Never mind rotating smartwatch crowns, rotating cameras rings are the next frontier. Nubia’s Focus 2 Ultra has a spinning dial around its rear camera, and it’s actually functional: it controls the phone’s camera zoom. It’s surprisingly easy to rotate with one finger while you’re holding the phone in portrait, and is a gimmick I’d probably end up using.
This is the Nubia Music 2. Like the first Music it packs a 2.1-channel sound system perfect for annoying people on public transit, designed to be 600 percent louder than the average phone. This year, it adds LEDs and an AI music generator. God help us if they ever release a Music 3.
The 14 Pro and 14 Pro Plus, which launched in India last month, are coming to Europe, too, starting at €429.99 (around $450). The big hook is a temperature-sensitive, color-changing finish, with the pearlescent white back turning blue as it drops below 61 degrees Fahrenheit. And with an IP69 rating, Realme put both to the test at once by flooding the phone with cold water in a live demo at Mobile World Congress.
Two weeks after Apple announced its first 5G modem touting unmatched power efficiency in the iPhone 16E, its former supplier has announced its 8th gen 5G modem-to-antenna solution which includes mmWave support for gigabit throughput unlike Apple’s C1 modem. The Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF “sets new standards for 5G and gives connectivity leadership to the Android ecosystem.”
Honor has announced that its flagship Honor Magic phones will now receive seven years of Android OS updates and seven years of security support, starting with the recent Magic 7 Pro in the EU.
That makes Honor the first Chinese manufacturer to match software support pledges from Samsung and Google — Oppo and Xiaomi tend to offer four or five years of support for their phones.
The £179 (around $225) add-on for the company’s new 15 Ultra flagship hasn’t changed too much from last year’s except for the eye-catching color. The battery is bigger at 2,000mAh, though, so it’ll keep the 15 Ultra running a little longer. The two-stage shutter button and other controls are also now joined by a thumb rest, which may look like a film advance lever but sadly doesn’t do anything other than sit there.
