⌨️ You can now play Android games on PC with only a keyboard

Google Play Games on PC has been updated to let you map your keyboard presses to touch inputs.

Screenshots of this new feature can be found👇

🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/remap-controls-google-play-games-on-pc-3526996/

Found some more info on the new Live Updates feature in Android 16, which lets progress-centric notifications appear prominently on the lock screen/AOD and also show a tiny chip in the status bar for ongoing alerts.

This is the API (setShortCriticalText) that apps can use to set what text to show in the status bar chip. Google suggests a max length of 7 characters, which is not a lot to work with in English but can go a long-way in some other languages.

🔐Android 16's enhanced Advanced Protection will let apps know when you're serious about security

A new API lets apps detect when you're enrolled in Advanced Protection so they can enable extra security restrictions.

More details on this new feature👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-advanced-protection-api-3527060/

⌨️ Android 16 now lets you customize keyboard shortcuts — Here's how it works

Starting in Beta 2, Android 16 lets you assign custom key combinations to Android system shortcuts.

More details + a video demo can be found 👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/custom-keyboard-shortcuts-android-16-3527394/

🔔Here's your first real look at Live Updates in Android 16

I managed to fully enable and record a demo of Android 16’s Live Updates feature, showing off how these new notifications look.

You can find the video demo 👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-live-updates-demo-3528456/

📸 Android 16 lets you take proper screenshots of your beautiful HDR photos

Android 16 is implementing support for true HDR screenshots, enabling you to take screenshots of HDR content.

More details 👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-hdr-screenshots-3528355/

🚹 Android 16 could add a new way to trigger your screen saver

Instead of docking your device, the new "postured" trigger will let you simply place your device upright to trigger the screen saver.

More details 👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-screen-saver-postured-3528345/

Qualcomm just announced that its Snapdragon 8 Elite platform will be supported for "up to eight consecutive years of Android software and security updates."

"What this means is that support for platform software included in this program will be made available to OEMs for eight consecutive years, including both Android OS and kernel upgrades, without requiring significant changes or upgrades to the platform and OEM code on the device (a separation commonly referred as “Project Treble” or the “vendor implementation”). While kernel changes will require updating kernel mode drivers, the vendor code can remain unchanged while the software support is being provided. This software support can lower costs for OEMs interested in supporting their devices longer and can show consumers the advantages of Snapdragon mobile processors and software support."

The company worked with Google on this new program, which also extends to the next five generations of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 and 7-series mobile platforms. It's up to OEMs to take advantage of this program, though meaning 7 years of updates isn't guaranteed for any given device.

FYI: I detailed this new program (called Longevity GRF) in full back in October, in case you want to read more about what Google and Qualcomm have done.

📜The Play Store is A/B testing a header that stays on screen as you scroll through an app listing.

This fixed header has an install button so you don't have to scroll back up to install an app after finishing reading its listing.

More details here: https://www.androidauthority.com/google-play-store-fixed-header-install-button-apk-teardown-3490075/

📱Finally: Google Chrome for Android will soon go edge-to-edge, meaning the browser will draw content underneath the navigation bar!

🔗More details here: https://www.androidauthority.com/chrome-android-edge-to-edge-3531196/

📴 The Xiaomi 15 can be located via Google Find My Device even when it's powered off

The Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra are the latest phones to support Powered Off Finding on Android.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-15-powered-off-finding-3531103/

📲 Another phone brand just joined the elite '7 years of updates' club

HONOR just confirmed it's going to provide 7 years of Android OS and security updates to its Magic series, starting with the Magic 7 Pro. This makes them the first OEM to announce it will take advantage of the Longevity GRF program from Qualcomm and Google

🛜Qualcomm just announced the X85 modem, its latest flagship 5G modem-RF system!

Qualcomm says it reaches peak DL/UL speeds of 12.5/3.7Gbps.

This modem will appear in next-gen flagship Android devices like the Galaxy S26 series, etc.

Details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/qualcomm-x85-modem-3529921/

🏠Google Play wants to help you discover more useful widgets for your home screen

Google Play is adding a widget search filter, widget badges on app pages, & a curated editorial page for useful widgets, all to improve widget discoverability.

Details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-play-widgets-update-3531714/