Microsoft is preparing more and more new features for Phone Link, its connection between Windows and Android. That includes, soon, putting Phone Link directly into the Windows 11 Start Menu.
In a post today, Microsoft has announced that it will integrate Phone Link into the Windows 11 Start Menu. This will put your phone’s status as well as shortcuts to key tools alongside your list of apps. Currently, it’s required that you open the Phone Link app manually to access these options.
So, for instance, if you want to start a text message through Phone Link, you would now be able to access this more quickly through the Start Menu.
Microsoft also adds that users would be able to access recent activities from their phone via the Start Menu.
Access your phone messages, calls, and photos directly from Start, ensuring you never miss an important update or moment.
Pick up where you left off with the latest activities from your phone, all seamlessly integrated into your Start menu experience.
This will only work with Android for the time being, with iOS support coming “later.” It’s rolling out now in beta using Phone Link version 1.24052.124.0 and Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790. As for when this will be available to all users, it remains unclear.
New images of a prototype Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 have emerged, showcasing an even deeper look at the Samsung foldable and internal display crease.
Images of prototype Galaxy Z Fold 6 or even Flip 6 units are not new, and we’ve seen almost every angle available through previous leaks. They showcase the entirety of the device, detailing the new boxier design on both foldable, as well as camera array changes this time around.
Photos credited to Sonny Dickson of further Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 prototype photos. The images exhibit both the outer and inner displays of each device, and it looks like generation six still carries a significant display crease.
The units in the photos are both prototypes or “dummy” units. Essentially, it means each is subject to extensive changes throughout the design process. These images could be showing off a display that carries a larger seam down the middle than the final version will, or Samsung may have equipped these units with an older display to simply show off the silhouette and overall profile of each phone. Still, users have been hoping for a less significant bend when the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip are open 180 degrees.
The images also show off a black prototype variant, which has “Samsung” crudely stamped on the hinges of both devices. It’s possible Samsung will ditch the etched logo we’ve seen on past Fold and Flip devices and instead opt for a stamped logo, much like in the images here. The etched logo is the preferable option, giving the $2,000 devices a little touch of quality.
Another small possible detail is the way the hinge protection plate flares out at the top and bottom of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It’s very hard to see, and the lighting in these images could be playing tricks on our eyes, but it looks like the hinge is a couple of millimeters further from the main phone panels at the ends than it is in the middle, where the Samsung logo is. There is no such angle for the Flip 6.
Besides a couple of small tidbits, Samsung’s design changes can be appreciated in these prototype units. Each phone looks to be carrying a smaller bezel around the internal display, and the overall footprint looks a little nicer than last year’s model.
Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 on July 10 in Paris.
Android 15 Beta 3 is available today with final system behaviors as part of the Platform Stability milestone.
Over the coming hours, we’ll dive into all of Android 15 Beta 3’s new features and every single change. (The newest updates will be at the top of this list. Be sure to check back often and tell us what you find in the comments below.) Android 15 Beta 2 screenshots appear on the left and Beta 3 on the right.
If you want to quickly install Android 15 Beta 2 on your compatible Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, or Pixel 8a, be sure to check out our step-by-step guide.
Volume menu can no longer be minimized
‘Speakers and displays’ label removed
Adaptive timeout
“Automatically turns off your screen if you’re not using your device”
Device & app notifications -> Notification read, reply & control
More prominent Circle to Search off switch
Shortcut to Color contrast preferences in Settings > Display
Android Safe Browsing
Settings > Security & privacy > More security & privacy
“Live threat protection sends some app or webpage info to Google for checking, without identifying you or your device. Google can’t use Android Safe Browsing data to see, track, or log your browsing activity.”
Show long app names
Pixel Launcher Home settings > App list settings
Screenshot 2: Disabled | 3: Enabled
Updated Android 15 system icon
In a nod to the codename (see below), there’s now an ice cream cone in the system icon.
No more VanillaIceCream
Home Controls screensaver for Pixel Tablet
Redesigned screenshot preview
Actions placed below the preview
Looks a bit odd when there are just two actions (Share + Markup)
The June Feature Drop continues to roll out through a series of app updates. Pixel Camera 9.4 brings manual lens section to the Pixel 6/7 Pro and Fold, as well as other tweaks.
Like on the Pixel 8 Pro, Google’s two other premium phones and foldable now let you choose one of the three rear lenses for a shot. Tap the settings gear in the bottom-left corner (or swipe up) for Photo Settings. You’ll find a new “Pro” tab next to “General” with Lens Selection: Auto or Manual.
(Despite the tab’s name, these aren’t the “Pro controls” introduced on the Pixel 8 Pro that let you adjust Focus, Shutter Speed, and ISO.)
The zoom pill above the shutter button gets replaced by Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto. Pinch in/out to zoom when this manual mode is enabled. Google will default to W when you open the app later.
Another change sees Pixel Camera move the RAW / JPEG picker to the Pro tab. It was previously buried in Settings > Advanced. This makes switching much easier when you want to professionally edit the shot later. Compared to the 8 Pro, you do not get the Resolution preference: 12MP or 50MP.
This update presumably brings the HDR+ Improved Frame Selection to the Pixel 6+, including Fold and Tablet:
HDR+ is now better about identifying the best moment from your photo in HDR+ with just a single shutter press. It’s smarter about which base frame it selects to produce the multi-frame merged image, looking at criteria such as open eyes and smiling subjects.
Google Pixel 8a is now available in many markets, be it via the official Google Store or third-party retailers. It looks a lot like the OG Pixel 8; it offers a streamlined feature set and is priced a bit lower. But is it the one you should get? Let’s find out.
The Google Pixel 8a is the next installment in the Pixel ‘a’ series, which many consider to be standing for ‘affordable’. The logic is sound – the design has been simplified, the cameras – less complicated, the connectivity – less premium. And finally – it is cheaper than the Pixel 8 even if not by a large margin.
The Pixel 8a has a similar design, but its front glass is an older Gorilla Glass 3 and the rear part is entirely made of plastic, the camera housing included. It is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, and it is available in familiar colorways – Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Aloe.
The Pixel 8a employs a bit smaller 6.1-inch OLED screen of extended 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It has the same Tensor G3 chip as the Pixel 8 and offers the same memory configuration of 8GB RAM + 128GB UFS storage.
Of course, the camera is what everyone thinks when hearing a Pixel and it will be one of the most discussed aspects about the Pixel 8a. Here we also have a dual-camera setup like on the Pixel 8, but with different sensors – a 64MP OIS primary and a 13MP FF ultrawide. The front camera is also a 13MP, with the same ultrawide lens as on the Pixel 8.
Finally, the Pixel 8a is powered by a 4,492mAh battery capable of up to 30W or so fast wired and up to 7.5W of wireless charging.
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Google Pixel 8a seems like a solid little flagship, one of the very few on the market, and also one that doesn’t cost a thousand dollars/euros. The slow 18W wired charging is a glaring omission on the spec sheet, though.
Unboxing the Pixel 8a
Google was one of the first makers to limit the retail box contents. The Pixel 8a package includes a USB-C cable and a USB-A-to-C adapter.
And that’s it. Still, it’s two accessories more than what Sony would give you in the Xperia retail box so we guess we should not complain.
The competition
The Google Pixel 8a is an excellent compact smartphone – it has a great design, a great OLED screen, a powerful chipset, good battery life and a superb camera experience. It’s the launch price that seems to be standing in its way of greatness, though it has begun to drop shortly after its premiere, which is a good sign.
The Pixel 8a launched at €549, so the “a” doesn’t seem to stand for affordable this time around. Especially considering that the Pixel 8’s price has dropped to €525 at third party sellers, making it the better choice of the two for its more premium design, slimmer bezels, better cameras (in specific use cases), and noticeably faster charging.
The Galaxy S24 is about €90 more expensive, but it will offer a more dynamic display with higher brightness, a much faster and more modern processor, more versatile camera experience, and faster charging.
Xiaomi 14 and iPhone 15 are popular compact alternatives, though they are about €200 more than the Pixel 8a, immediately making them the less attractive options. Sure, the Xiaomi 14 will give a much better screen and a much more powerful CPU and camera kit, but these come at a hefty premium.
Google Pixel 8 • Samsung Galaxy S24 • Xiaomi 14 • Apple iPhone 15
The verdict
The Google Pixel 8a turned out to be an incredibly capable compact smartphone – a rare breed. It aced our screen, battery, and speaker tests, it offers an easily likable and unique design, its performance is alright, and its camera is worthy of the Pixel name.
There are a couple of things to consider – like the thick bezels, the slow charging, and the heavy performance throttling under load.
We would still have liked to recommend the Pixel 8a, but unfortunately, at third-party retailers, its price is ridiculously close to that of the Pixel 8, which is the better phone by all accounts. The price has begun to go down already, so once it settles around the €420 mark and the “a” once again stands for affordable – it’s safe to say the Pixel 8a would be well worth considering.
Pros
Sturdy Pixel design, likable, IP67, compact.
Great OLED, bright, color-accurate, smooth.
Good battery life.
Very good speakers.
Decent performance.
Excellent photo and video quality across all cameras.
In addition to the Feature Drop, Google is rolling out QPR3 to Android 14 with the June 2024 security patch for the latest Pixel devices: 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, and 8a.
As the last major Android 14 update before Android 15, QPR3 is light on user-facing changes. For example, the Suggestions section of the Widgets list now shows app icons.
There are a few tweaks in Settings from the “Passwords, passkeys & autofill” rename to a new Display > Touch sensitivity menu that houses the existing Screen protector mode. Under Sound & vibration > Vibration & haptics, there’s a new “Keyboard vibration” toggle that replaces the Gboard preference.
In Security & privacy > More security & privacy, you’ll find “Allow camera software extensions”: “Enables the default software implementation of advanced camera features, such as Eyes Free videography.”
As seen in the cover image, Google has updated the Android 14 easter egg ahead of Android 15 (V).
There are 22 security issues resolved in the Android 14 June patch dated 2024-06-01 and 18 for 2024-06-05. Vulnerabilities range from high to critical.
The dedicated bulletin for Google devices lists additional security fixes.
On June 06,20204 Googleannounced a partnership that will allow Android users to message 911 through RCS. The capability is set to start rolling out this winter.
Communicating with 911 over SMS is possible in “some locations” today, but it’s not widespread. In fact, it’s “only available for around 53% of U.S. emergency responder call centers.”
Using Google Messages, those on Android will be able to text 911 using Rich Communication Services. This will let you see read receipts and typing indicators from emergency responders, thus eliminating the “uncertainty of waiting to see if your messages went through.”
Compared to SMS, RCS will allow you to send pictures and videos. Google says high-resolution media could “aid a faster and more effective response from emergency service providers.”
The last benefit is the ability to “share your precise location and additional information automatically through Android Emergency Location Service.” This can include your “language settings and opt-in Medical Information, so emergency responders know exactly where to go and can get helpful details from you even if you’re unable to reply.”
Google is partnering with emergency technology company RapidSOS on this launch. RCS support will “gradually roll out” to “emergency call centers across the U.S. starting this winter.” RapidSOS says that “Google’s RCS to 911 service will be made available at no cost to every 911 agency in the United States.”
More broadly, Google has a goal of making “RCS the standard for emergency services texting everywhere.”
As part of our commitment to user safety, we’re actively working with partners across the industry to expand access to emergency services through RCS.
On a different note, look at the tweaked media gallery in that “UI is subject to change” mockup. Instead of a large camera card, you get a consistent grid for the live preview, Gallery/Folders, and seven other images. You get to see more of your camera roll before having to scroll.
Following the last patch two weeks ago, Google is rolling out Android 15 Beta 2.2 with several Pixel fixes. Private space should now be fully working, while this update also addresses Wallet/NFC issues.
AP31.240426.023.B4 with the May 2024 security patch is available for all supported devices: Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a.
It’s a more sizable update than the initial patch that came immediately after I/O 2024. On a Pixel 8 and Tablet, the on-device OTA update size is 2.56 GB. That said, it’s only 55.78 MB on a different Pixel 8 Pro.
At launch, Google offered that full download. If you waited a bit, the smaller (and presumably intended) update was made available.
Fixed remaining issues where creating a private space on a device for the first time removed app icons from the Home screen (or Home screens if more than one Home screen had been added). (Issue #340868295)
Fixed an issue with the Wallet role that prevented NFC payments from functioning in some cases. (Issue #340933949)
Fixed an issue where the app drawer didn’t open when swiping up. (Issue #335798568)
Fixed an issue with NFC observe mode that prevented NFC payments from processing in some cases.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused videos that were recorded using 10-bit HDR to have a green tint.
Fixed various other issues that were impacting system stability, interactivity, and connectivity.
All eligible devices enrolled in the Android Beta for Pixel program will be offered an over-the-air (OTA) update to Beta 2.2.
Samsung Galaxy owners have noticed that Samsung’s Messages app is crashing frequently as of late, and the culprit seems to be an update to Google Meet, somehow.
Over the past few days, many Galaxy users on Reddit and Samsung’s forums have reported (via SamMobile) that the Samsung Messages app is crashing frequently. On trying to open any conversations, the app simply shuts down.
According to a Samsung moderator, the reason for this is an update to the Google Meet app.
Presumably due to the video calling shortcut in Samsung Messages that routes through Meet, something is causing the Messages app to crash frequently. Rolling back Meet updates seems to fix the problem, though. The exact cause isn’t clear, but it’s very widespread with the latest Messages and Google Meet updates. You can go to an older version of Meet by uninstalling updates to the app through Settings.
The problem can also be solved by moving from the Samsung Messages app to the Google Messages app.
Samsung Messages has actually been replaced by Google Messages on Galaxy devices sold in some regions including the US, but the original app is still used by many today. Hopefully, Google will issue a fix to the Meet app in the coming days.
The Android Find My Device app is going to become a whole lot more useful thanks to the arrival of tracker devices, but the app can quickly be filled up with old devices. Here’s how to remove and rename devices that show up in the Find My Device app on Android.
In the Find My Device app on Android, there are currently no controls for the devices within. At least, for the phones and audio devices. You can rename trackers and edit those, but everything else is stuck as-is.
Thankfully, there are a couple of ways to fix this.
Firstly, you can access the Find My Device app through the web.
At google.com/android/find you can click through on any device and, under the settings menu, rename the device to whatever you’d like. The default name on most devices will be whatever the product name is, but some will be different and use a model number instead of the actual product name.
Another option is to use the Google Play Store’s “My Device” menu.
This page, accessible through the web at play.google.com/library/devices, shows a list of any devices you’ve been signed into. This page similarly lets you rename devices, and it also shows TV and Chromebook devices as well. Normally you’d use this page to edit the display name of a device in the Play Store’s web app install tool, but it also syncs to the Find My Device app.
This same page also lets you easily remove devices from Find My Device on Android.
By unchecking the “Show in menus” toggle on any devices you don’t want to appear, they’ll disappear from the Android app in short order. Just keep in mind this also applies to the Play Store’s web client as well.
These changes tend to sync almost immediately, but it can sometimes take a couple of tries or a few minutes of waiting.
The only devices you can’t easily remove from Android’s Find My Device app are Bluetooth audio devices. To remove these, you’ll need to use one of the devices you’ve paired the headphones or speaker to and remove it manually from there.
To rename trackers, simply open the tracker in the app, tap settings, and you can rename it and even set its category.
Hopefully, future updates will make this easier, and also make it possible to reorganize the list.
