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.
Not as fast as Epic might have hoped — it’s targeting 100 million by the end of the year — but CEO Tim Sweeney tells journalists that goal is still “totally achievable.”
Meanwhile, it’s suing Samsung and Google over the “Auto Blocker” feature that, by default, stops users from installing that store on new Samsung phones.
After 12 years, today EA announced that its free-to-play city building mobile game is shutting down. D’oh!
We have made the difficult decision to sunset Tapped Out. In-app purchases have been disabled, and the game will be removed from the app stores October 31, 2024. You may continue playing until January 24th, 2025, at which point servers will be turned off and TSTO will not be accessible.
I forced the update after it came out yesterday but rebooted into a mostly blank screen saying “add tile,” which also happened to a few other people who posted about problems on Google’s support forum and Reddit.
After a fastboot reset (video walkthrough here), I was up and running, but you may want to hold off on this one.
Google’s $99.99 Chromecast successor isn’t scheduled to launch until the 24th, but 9to5Google points out people in the UK, Germany, and Canada (below) who have already brought them home.
If you’re wondering how much storage space is free out of 32GB, one person reported it starts with 26GB available.
Ford has a good thing going with its next-gen infotainment system — whether you use CarPlay or not.
Google will let you make birthday events directly in Google Calendar, starting on Android and coming to web and iOS “in the future.”
Pulse oximetry features were recently removed from new Apple Watches due to Masimo’s patent infringement claim. Now the medical device maker has announced deals with Qualcomm and Google for Wear OS reference platforms.
They say that OEMs who use them will design the wearables exteriors and software, but with internal hardware, software, and sensors designed/tested by Masimo.
9to5Google reports that late Saturday / early Sunday something started causing the Google app to close as soon as it’s opened for some people on Android, and I’m seeing that issue on my Pixel 8 Pro.
There’s no word from Google on what the issue is, but the Chrome search bar still works, as well as this Reddit suggestion of uninstalling all updates from the Google app.
Update: The problem appears to have been resolved overnight, as noted on Google’s status dashboard.
When it launched on Android in June, the app only supported the Samsung Galaxy S23, S24, and the Google Pixel 7/8 lineups. Compatibility with OnePlus and Xiaomi phones running Android 13 was added later, but Blackmagic has released another update adding features like recording timecode, plus support for the Samsung Galaxy Flip 5/6 and Fold 5/6 phones.
Wildly popular fashion designer Sandy Liang designed a Galaxy Z Flip 6 phone case and sent the device to influencers during New York Fashion Week.
Flip phones are experiencing something of a tech Renaissance among young people. This collaboration hits on the nostalgia and trendy aesthetics — but will it make anyone ditch their iPhone?
“Phones should be colorful” is a hill I and others at The Verge will die on. A Samsung Galaxy S24 FE leak from Android Headlines purports to show four colors that Samsung will release the phone in, and just look at this green! We do love a green phone.
The outlet also published renders in yellow, blue, and black colors.
Mishaal Rahman has found that Android’s quick pulldown menu, where you toggle Wi-Fi or turn on the flashlight, might be harder to get to in a future release of the OS.
A single swipe down will apparently only show you notifications. It takes two fingers for the settings buttons — no other option. We saw something similar in a recent Samsung UI 7 leak.
Because Balatro is coming to mobile. The poker roguelike that I refuse to play because I enjoy being a productive member of society will come to iOS, Apple Arcade, and Android on September 26th. Balatro’s developer LocalThunk released a cheeky new trailer for the announcement, knowing full well he’s about to tank the global economy. Check it out here.
Volvo’s new flagship EV has plenty of luxury bells and whistles, but some of its technology is still TBA.
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Verge Score
The Pixel 9 is the Android flagship for anyone who just wants a dang phone.
Following a test in June, Microsoft will now let you send files to your linked Android phone from the Share menu in Windows 11. The update will roll out gradually to users starting today.
Android Authority spotted a change to the Android Beta Exit release notes that reveals Google won’t be rolling out the update next month.
Android updates typically come in October, but so do new Pixel devices — Google released its Pixel 9 lineup two months earlier than usual, so many people were expecting a September drop for Android 15.
[Android Authority]
Just scroll to the bottom of your email, tap on the text box to start drafting your reply, and then tap the send icon to send it off, according to a Google blog post.
The new quick reply experience is live now on personal Google accounts. It’s coming to iOS “later this year,” Google says.
If you just got a Pixel 9 and you want to do more than potentially break the long held social contract we all shared around photos than soon you’ll be able to put the excellent Arc browser on it!
Now to patiently wait for extension support in the mobile version of Arc. I’ve been using it on my Mac and iPhone for months and cannot wait to put it on my Pixel and Boox Palma too.
The AI is inconsistent, but the hardware is oh so good.
The program, which paid security researchers up to $20,000 to locate vulnerabilities in popular Android apps, is being shuttered after seven years due to “a decrease in the number of actionable vulnerabilities reported.”
Google last announced in 2019 that it had paid $265,000 in bounties via the program — a fraction of the $10 million it paid out across all vulnerability programs last year.
