Mishaal's Android News Feed
Waiting for the Android 15 update to roll out for your Pixel? I have some good and bad news: Android 15 may have the longest gap - ever - between its source code drop and Pixel OTA release. Full details on Android 15's release schedule can be found in…
Google has just confirmed my report that the Pixel's Android 15 update won't roll out next month.
Android Authority
Google just confirmed when Pixel's Android 15 update will roll out
The Android Beta Exit update screen has been updated to mention that the Android 15 update will be available in October.
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Here's a first look at Android 15 QPR1's revamped keyboard switcher!
The new keyboard switcher is faster, more one-handed friendly, and has a cleaner design.
A video of this new keyboard switcher can be found in my latest article on Android Authority.
The new keyboard switcher is faster, more one-handed friendly, and has a cleaner design.
A video of this new keyboard switcher can be found in my latest article on Android Authority.
Android Authority
Switching between your favorite keyboards could be much faster in Android 15 QPR1
Google is testing a new keyboard switcher button in Android 15 QPR1 that's faster and more one-handed friendly.
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If you unlock the bootloader of your Google Pixel 9 as I did, AICore refuses to download the Gemini Nano with multimodality model, breaking core features of the Pixel Screenshots app, Call Notes, and AI weather reports in Pixel Weather.
Pixel Studio doesn't use Gemini Nano, so it still mostly works.
Not surprising, but Google doesn't want people snooping around and messing with these features/the model.
In the future, I'm betting a lot of these ML models will be run in VMs, further isolating them. In fact, that's one of the things that the Android Virtualization Framework team has pitched to developers - being able to securely run proprietary ML models in a VM. And AOSP has just added flags for assigning TPUs to protected VMs, so we're getting there.
Pixel Studio doesn't use Gemini Nano, so it still mostly works.
Not surprising, but Google doesn't want people snooping around and messing with these features/the model.
In the future, I'm betting a lot of these ML models will be run in VMs, further isolating them. In fact, that's one of the things that the Android Virtualization Framework team has pitched to developers - being able to securely run proprietary ML models in a VM. And AOSP has just added flags for assigning TPUs to protected VMs, so we're getting there.
Android Authority
PSA: Some Pixel AI features may not work if you unlock your device's bootloader
Google introduced a bunch of new AI features with the Pixel 9 series, but some of them don't work on devices with an unlocked bootloader.
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It's finally happening: Widgets are coming back to the lock screen on Android.
The feature seems ready to launch in Android 15 QPR1, ie. the December 2024 Android 15 release.
More details on this feature and how I know it's near launch can be found in my latest Android Authority article.
The feature seems ready to launch in Android 15 QPR1, ie. the December 2024 Android 15 release.
More details on this feature and how I know it's near launch can be found in my latest Android Authority article.
Android Authority
Lock screen widgets look nearly ready to launch in Android 15 QPR1
Android’s upcoming lock screen widgets feature has gotten closer to launch in Android 15 QPR1, and we have evidence.
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
It's finally happening: Widgets are coming back to the lock screen on Android. The feature seems ready to launch in Android 15 QPR1, ie. the December 2024 Android 15 release. More details on this feature and how I know it's near launch can be found in my…
Once the lock screen widgets feature rolls out in Android 15 QPR1, you'll see a new "show widgets on lock screen" toggle under Settings > Display > Lock screen and Settings > Hub mode on the Pixel Tablet.
Bonus: These screenshots also show off the new top-level Settings page redesign on the Pixel Tablet.
Bonus: These screenshots also show off the new top-level Settings page redesign on the Pixel Tablet.
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The Google Play Store is (once again) rolling out simultaneous downloads support!
With this change, the app store can download multiple app updates at the same time.
Google rolled this out a couple of times in the past, but they've pulled the feature before, so hopefully that doesn't happen this time.
Thanks to _ultranoob_ on Telegram for the tip!
With this change, the app store can download multiple app updates at the same time.
Google rolled this out a couple of times in the past, but they've pulled the feature before, so hopefully that doesn't happen this time.
Thanks to _ultranoob_ on Telegram for the tip!
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The Google Clock app is rolling out a new Timer Starter widget.
This widget lets you start a timer right from your home screen.
Handy for when you need to start a timer for a routine task, like brewing your morning coffee.
10m, 1m, and 5m aren't the only timers that can appear in the widget. If you set a 2m timer manually, for example, then the widget will show 2m as an option for next time. 10m, 1m, and 5m are just the defaults.
This widget lets you start a timer right from your home screen.
Handy for when you need to start a timer for a routine task, like brewing your morning coffee.
10m, 1m, and 5m aren't the only timers that can appear in the widget. If you set a 2m timer manually, for example, then the widget will show 2m as an option for next time. 10m, 1m, and 5m are just the defaults.
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Sending files from your Android phone to your Windows PC is now even easier with a recent Link to Windows update.
Your Windows PCs can now appear directly on the Android share sheet.
Details + a screenshot can be found in this article.
Your Windows PCs can now appear directly on the Android share sheet.
Details + a screenshot can be found in this article.
Android Authority
Microsoft Phone Link update makes it even easier to send files to your PC
The Link to Windows app has been updated to support showing your Windows PCs in the Android share sheet, making it easier to send files.
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One of the best features of Microsoft's Phone Link app is no longer exclusive to Samsung phones:
Instant Hotspot, which quickly enables the hotspot on your phone so your PC can get connected, now works on some OnePlus phones.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Instant Hotspot, which quickly enables the hotspot on your phone so your PC can get connected, now works on some OnePlus phones.
More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.
Android Authority
Phone Link’s Instant Hotspot feature is no longer exclusive to Samsung phones
The Instant Hotspot feature in Microsoft’s Phone Link app is no longer exclusive to Samsung phones. Here's what phones it now works on.
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The Samsung Developer Conference 2024 has been announced!
It's happening on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 10:00 AM PT.
The tagline is "AI for All." Expect to hear lots about Samsung's Android 15 fork, ie. One UI 7.0, and generative AI.
Samsung will unveil:
* The Samsung Health SDK Suite
* Door Locks on SmartThings
* Support for AOMedia's next-gen 3D audio tech
* Islet, an open-source confidential computing project
* Their on-device ML translation models
* New features for "Add to Samsung Wallet"
* New services in SmartThings Find
* How it uses generative AI to modify wallpapers
* Samsung Health Research Stack v2.0
* Tizen 9.0
and more.
It's happening on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 10:00 AM PT.
The tagline is "AI for All." Expect to hear lots about Samsung's Android 15 fork, ie. One UI 7.0, and generative AI.
Samsung will unveil:
* The Samsung Health SDK Suite
* Door Locks on SmartThings
* Support for AOMedia's next-gen 3D audio tech
* Islet, an open-source confidential computing project
* Their on-device ML translation models
* New features for "Add to Samsung Wallet"
* New services in SmartThings Find
* How it uses generative AI to modify wallpapers
* Samsung Health Research Stack v2.0
* Tizen 9.0
and more.
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Google's Live Transcribe app is getting a sleek new dual-screen mode for foldable phones...but it only works on Samsung and Google foldables.
Here's why.
Here's why.
Android Authority
Live Transcribe's new dual-screen mode won't work on all foldables: Here's why
The Live Transcribe app’s new dual-screen mode isn’t supported on every foldable phone. In fact, it only works on Samsung and Google ones.
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Google Translate quietly added a dual-screen conversation mode for foldable phones some time back, and it even works with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6!
(No, this isn't the same thing as the Pixel Fold's dual-screen interpreter.)
More details can be found in this article.
(No, this isn't the same thing as the Pixel Fold's dual-screen interpreter.)
More details can be found in this article.
Android Authority
Google Translate quietly added a dual-screen conversation mode for foldables
Google Translate has a dual-screen conversation mode that takes advantage of the outer display on foldable phones.
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Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1.1 is out, and the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL are now eligible to install it!
(Neither device had a QPR1 Beta 1 build.)
Beta 1.1 includes a fix for an issue that could sometimes cause devices to restart unexpectedly.
(Neither device had a QPR1 Beta 1 build.)
Beta 1.1 includes a fix for an issue that could sometimes cause devices to restart unexpectedly.
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A minor, but welcome change is rolling out to the Google Weather app's forecast tile on Wear OS:
You can now see weather information for the next four hours.
Screenshots can be seen in this article.
You can now see weather information for the next four hours.
Screenshots can be seen in this article.
Android Authority
The Google Weather app for Wear OS now has a more detailed forecast tile
Google is rolling out an update to its Weather app for Wear OS smartwatches that revamps the forecast tile to show more information.
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Android on the Google Pixel 9 will no longer call slow chargers 'fast.'
Google has updated the fast charging threshold so the Pixel 9 won't say "charging rapidly" when you're using a charger that only delivers 7.5W of power.
More details on this Android change can be found in this article.
Google has updated the fast charging threshold so the Pixel 9 won't say "charging rapidly" when you're using a charger that only delivers 7.5W of power.
More details on this Android change can be found in this article.
Android Authority
Android will no longer call slow chargers 'fast,' but only on Pixel 9 so far
The Google Pixel 9 has a higher threshold for fast charging, so slow chargers won't show "charging rapidly" on the lock screen.
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Circle to Search can now automatically scan barcodes and QR codes!
This feature was spotted by @AssembleDebug in late June but has now rolled out to myself and several other people.
Thanks to Anh on Discord for the tip!
This feature was spotted by @AssembleDebug in late June but has now rolled out to myself and several other people.
Thanks to Anh on Discord for the tip!
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
If you unlock the bootloader of your Google Pixel 9 as I did, AICore refuses to download the Gemini Nano with multimodality model, breaking core features of the Pixel Screenshots app, Call Notes, and AI weather reports in Pixel Weather. Pixel Studio doesn't…
UPDATE: Some users have figured out how to enable Call Notes, Pixel Screenshots, and other Gemini Nano-powered features on the Pixel 9!
It seems the culprit behind the model not downloading on bootloader unlocked devices is the Private Compute Services (PCS) app.
PCS last year implemented Key Attestation support to verify the authenticity of devices before allowing certain operations. AICore uses PCS' Protected Downloads API to securely download the Gemini Nano model.
(Interestingly, PCS last year added support for running the Protected Downloads operation in a virtual machine using AVF, though I'm not sure if this is actually used here.)
So by using TrickyStore to target PCS and modify the certificate chain generated for Android Key Attestation, voila, it works. Well, at least for now.
It seems the culprit behind the model not downloading on bootloader unlocked devices is the Private Compute Services (PCS) app.
PCS last year implemented Key Attestation support to verify the authenticity of devices before allowing certain operations. AICore uses PCS' Protected Downloads API to securely download the Gemini Nano model.
(Interestingly, PCS last year added support for running the Protected Downloads operation in a virtual machine using AVF, though I'm not sure if this is actually used here.)
So by using TrickyStore to target PCS and modify the certificate chain generated for Android Key Attestation, voila, it works. Well, at least for now.
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