✨Gemini Space is coming to Pixel phones, and it could be Google's take on Samsung's Now Bar

I found evidence of a 'Gemini Space' feature in the Android 16 QPR beta, and I think it may be Google's version of Samsung's Now Bar/Brief.

Here's what I know👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-gemini-space-leak-3569136/

📞Google Phone's Material 3 Expressive revamp and new call gestures are starting to roll out

The update brings a redesigned interface & an option to switch between the old single tap and new horizontal swipe UI for incoming calls!

LMK if you have it!

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-phone-beta-material-3-expressive-call-gestures-3569133/

🌐 Google just made it way easier to use Chrome extensions on Android

In April, I demoed Google's new 'Desktop' version of Chrome for Android w/ extension support.

Back then, it was a pain to use, but it's way better now!

How to try it yourself👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/try-new-chrome-for-android-with-extensions-3569268/

Agent Mode for Gemini in Android Studio is now available in the latest Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop Canary release!

This new feature lets you describe a complex goal in natural language to Gemini. Agent Mode will then form a plan that can span multiple files in a project and then execute that plan under your direction. It uses a "range of IDE tools for reading and modifying code, building the project, searching the codebase and more" to complete tasks with minimal oversight. It can also interact with external tools like GitHub via MCP.

You can access it from the Gemini sidebar window and then clicking the Agent tab. If you add your own Gemini API key, you can even expand its context window to 1 million tokens.

🔎Google app is now home to your Pinterest-like personalized image feed

Google is starting to roll out a new 'Image' tab in the Search app on Android, making it easier to discover images that suit your interests.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-app-images-tab-rollout-3569923/

🌐 Chrome on Android finally lets you move the address bar to the bottom, over a year after iOS

Google is now rolling out the ability to move Chrome's address bar to the bottom on Android. A flag for this has been available for a while now.

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/chrome-android-bottom-address-bar-3570198/

📍Google's Find Hub network is unreliable, but this simple change could fix it

Google is adding a new setup screen for Find Hub that'll appear when you set up a phone, & it could get more users to select the more reliable network option.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-find-hub-setup-screen-3570944/

Google is rolling out Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.1, a minor bug-fixing update. The build ID is BP31.250523.010.

It includes the following fixes:

* The "Approve" button in the Device Admin settings is transparent and invisible

* The lockscreen sound toggle shows as off, but sounds still play

* The Android back button intermittently fails to function

* Fix for a launcher crash when swiping up from the bottom

🪪 Google Wallet is making it easier to create custom passes on Android

Google Wallet now appears as a share target when sharing an image on Android, making it easier to create a custom digital pass

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-wallet-share-sheet-target-3571085/

🔐How Google’s Find Hub could use Android 16’s Secure Lock to protect your sensitive data

Secure Lock is a new feature in Android 16 that allows for remotely locking down your device into an enhanced security state

Here's what that means👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/find-hub-with-android-16-secure-lock-3571055/

Here's Google's official documentation for Android 16's new 'trade-in mode'.

Trade-in mode is a feature that helps technicians speed up device evaluations, which should hopefully result in you getting your credit/money back faster.

It lets technicians bypass the setup wizard, retrieve general health information about the device, and then automatically factory reset the device after evaluation is done.

⌚️The Pixel Watch 3 is the first Android device with this precise Bluetooth tracking feature

The Pixel Watch 3 supports Bluetooth 6.0’s Channel Sounding feature, which allows for much more precise location tracking

Here's what you need to know👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-watch-3-channel-sounding-3571567/

📶 Android 16 can warn you that you might be connected to a fake cell tower

Android 16's new "network notification" feature can potentially expose when your device is connected to a fake cell tower

Only some devices will support this, though.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-mobile-network-security-3571497/

📨 FINALLY: Gmail is starting to let users mark emails as read from Android's notifications center!

Some users are seeing a "mark as read" button in Gmail notifications. I don't have it yet, but I've seen 2 users mention it. LMK if you see it!

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/gmail-mark-as-read-on-android-3572128/

🔐Your Samsung phone will get Android 16's powerful Advanced Protection mode in One UI 8

Google's Advanced Protection mode is available for Samsung users in the One UI 8 beta.

Here's how to enable it and why you should👇

🔗 https://androidauthority.com/one-ui-8-advanced-protection-3572974/

(The feature rolled out to Pixel users last month and should come to more Android 16 users in the coming months. It's not available yet on the OnePlus 13 running the OxygenOS 16 beta, but hopefully it'll come soon.)

Nothing just launched the Phone (3) and...well, it certainly has a unique design!

What do y'all think of it? Did Nothing cook? Was replacing the Glyph lighting with the Glyph Matrix the right move?

(Specs and details in the link👇)

🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/nothing-phone-3-launch-3572890/