Google I/O 2019: all of the big news, announcements, and more – The Verge

Google and OnePlus are embracing the junior flagship trend

2019-05-15T08:00:00-04:00

Evan Blass (left) | winfuture.de (right)" data-portal-copyright="Leaked images: Evan Blass (left) | winfuture.de (right)" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/16218274/jbareham_190507_3388_0001.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />

Google Pixel 3A (left) | OnePlus 7 Pro (right) | Leaked images: Evan Blass (left) | winfuture.de (right)

Editor's note: This article was originally published in the buildup to the launch of Google and OnePlus' latest devices, as the nature of their pre-launch leaks was so comprehensive that we were able to do the analysis of what each phone means in advance. The language has since been amended to reflect the official status of both companies' new products.

Google's release of the Pixel 3A and 3A XL this month, accompanied by OnePlus' split of its single flagship into a basic and a Pro model, marks a significant moment for the phone industry. Starting from divergent positions, the two companies are ending up at the same destination, with one p …

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With the Pixel 3A, T-Mobile just proved how broken the RCS Chat rollout has become

2019-05-09T20:07:05-04:00

The Pixel 3A and Pixel 3 are coming as officially supported and sold phones on T-Mobile.

The Pixel 3A and Pixel 3 support the next-generation texting protocol called the Universal Profile for RCS (or Rich Communication Services, or Chat).

T-Mobile supports RCS.

But the Pixel 3A and Pixel 3 won't have RCS chat on T-Mobile's network. How is this so broken?

When Google first revealed its plans to support RCS Chat on Android back in April of 2018, I wanted to believe that it could move quickly to replace SMS on Android phones. RCS Chat is still not an end-to-end encrypted communication service, but at least it would provide better chat featu …

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Google is starting to reveal the secrets of its experimental Fuchsia OS

2019-05-09T18:17:25-04:00

Android and Chrome chief Hiroshi Lockheimer speaking at a live recording of The Vergecast at Google I/O 2019 in Mountain View, California. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Google Fuchsia remains shrouded in mystery, but the company is slowly beginning to open up about the next-generation operating system, what its purpose is, and what devices it might power. At Google's I/O developer conference this past week, Android and Chrome chief Hiroshi Lockheimer offered some rare insight into Fuchsia, albeit at a very high level, in front of public audiences.

What we do know about Fuchsia is that it's an open source project, similar to AOSP, but could run all manner of devices, from smart home gadgets to laptops to phones. It's also known to be built on an all-new, Google-built kernel called "zircon," formerly known a …

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Listen to The Vergecast live at Google I/O

2019-05-09T16:57:10-04:00

Google's I/O developer conference took place this week in Mountain View, California, and The Vergecast crew not only attended, but we also recorded a show in front of a live audience!

Hosts Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn ran through all of the announcements and then brought on Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's head of Android and Chrome, and Stephanie Cuthbertson, the company's director of Android, to talk about the newest Pixel devices, the new Nest line, mobile messaging, and, of course, the future of Android.

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One year later, restaurants are still confused by Google Duplex

2019-05-09T11:00:00-04:00

Myriah Q. hasn't stopped moving since the moment I entered the bar. She's got patrons seated on the sidewalk and the backyard areas, and she is pacing between opposite ends of the venue to keep up with the happy hour rush. Occasionally, she hops behind the counter to mix drinks, restart the music playlist, or organize menus. Suddenly, the phone rings - for the third time. Myriah looks at the caller ID, ignores the call, and resumes her dance.

"I don't have time for spam calls," she explains. "I'm busy enough as is."

But the call wasn't exactly spam. Twenty minutes earlier, I'd asked the bartender at Sweet Afton, an Irish pub in Astoria, Ne …

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Google’s Nest changes risk making the smart home a little dumber

2019-05-09T08:00:00-04:00

This week, Google announced that it would be integrating the Nest brand into its broader line of Home products, essentially making Nest the brand for every smart home gadget it sells. As part of this integration, Google's Home speaker and smart display products will now carry Nest branding and have Nest features.

But in addition to the rebranding, Google announced that it will be discontinuing the Works with Nest program at the end of August, dismantling a set of controls that allow other device manufacturers and service providers to integrate with the Nest ecosystem of devices. Instead, Google will offer a new Works with Google Assistant p …

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What could the ‘A’ stand for in Pixel 3A? Let’s discuss

2019-05-08T17:27:33-04:00

Google has officially released the Pixel 3A, its latest smartphone that serves as a cheaper, midrange entry point into the company's Pixel lineup. For more on the phone, check out Dieter's review, but we're here to talk about the Pixel 3A's name. Or more specifically: what does the "A" stand for?

Most of the Google Pixel 3A's moniker makes sense on the surface: "Google," who, you know, sells the phone. "Pixel," to indicate that it is of the same stock as its pricier siblings, with similar standards and brand ideologies - particularly around the camera quality - to match. "3," since that's the current generation of Pixel phone Google is on, …

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Android TV’s redesigned Play Store is all about simple signups

2019-05-08T12:25:04-04:00

Google has shown off a redesigned Play Store for Android TV at I/O 2019 that makes it much easier to download apps and sign up for new subscription services. Variety reports that the new interface will let publishers combine the installation of a new app with the signup and login processes, and 9to5Google adds that the new interface will support using PINs to log in, so you don't have to type your full password as often using your TV remote.

As well as showing off the new features and interface, the demonstration also received a cameo from an Amazon Prime Video app, which will finally see a widespread release on Android TV after Google and …

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Read Google’s new Nest privacy promise and tell me if you’re swayed

2019-05-07T21:07:21-04:00

Google wants to be inside your home. It wants to sell you cameras, alarm systems, and voice assistants to make your life - and maybe its targeted advertising business - that much easier. But there's a problem. People don't necessarily trust big tech companies or their camera-equipped smart displays right now.

And while Google may not have had a Cambridge Analytica-level scandal on its hands, a couple recent incidents with its Nest division could have given buyers pause: a string of digital break-ins where Nest cameras let strangers deliver fake nuclear bomb threats and spy on babies over the internet (not exaggerating), and the revelation t …

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Pixel 3A vs. Pixel 3: how the specs compare for Google’s latest phones

2019-05-07T17:33:48-04:00

Google just took the wraps off its latest smartphone: the Pixel 3A, a cheaper version of its flagship Pixel phone that starts at just $400, or roughly half of what the more powerful Pixel 3 costs.

If you want to know whether the Pixel 3A is good, I'd recommend reading my colleague Dieter Bohn's review (spoiler: it's very good, especially for the price). But the question isn't whether the Pixel 3A is good - it's whether the regular Pixel 3 (and Pixel 3 XL) are good enough to justify spending twice as much.

How does the Pixel 3 hold up?

First off, let's get to the biggest difference: the processor. Simply put, the Pixel 3 has a Qualcomm Snapd …

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