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No, Android 11 DP1 isn't here yet. (Source: GSMArena)

Google builds hype for the Android 11 Developer Preview by mistake

Earlier (on February 13, 2020), Android Police spotted a page for a new Android Developer Preview on this OEM's website. However, its download links never went live. Now, this page is back to its old Android 10 self, suggesting th...

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 14 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0100

Yeah, we doubt that this is the Pixel 5. (Image source: Front Page Tech)

Rumour | This is what the Google Pixel 5 XL apparently looks like

Fancy a look at the Pixel 5 XL nine months before Google releases it? Well, that is what Jon Prosser and Front Page Tech claim to be offering, at least. Unconvinced? Yeah, so are we.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 14 Feb 2020 19:35:00 +0100

Galaxy S10e owners get shafted in the Galaxy S20 trade-in program

Samsung has opened up its Galaxy S20 series trade-in program for reservers and there looks to be a few issues with it. For one, owners of the Galaxy S10e get the short end of the stick.

Ricci Rox, Thu, 13 Feb 2020 09:43:00 +0100

The Google Pixel 2 XL received a very good score of 88% in our review.

Android 10 update headaches skipped by Google Pixel 2 XL enjoying Android R

There have been plenty of headlines written in regard to smartphone owners waiting to receive an update to Android 10. However, smartphones are definitely not created equally, as an image of a Google Pixel 2 XL running on an alleg...

Daniel R Deakin, Wed, 05 Feb 2020 10:45:00 +0100

A forthcoming update to Google Translate will bring the sci-fi world of Star Trek one step closer to reality. (Source: Google)

Star Trek's universal translator comes one step closer to reality with Google Translate update

Google has been working hard to bring all sorts of AI-powered smarts to Android smartphones for some time. The latest application of this technology will bring Android closer to realizing the Star Trek vision of universal translat...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Wed, 29 Jan 2020 11:49:00 +0100

The Nexus 6P case claimants should receive their payments soon. (Source: Amazon)

The Nexus 6P settlement is on the brink of paying out

Recently, the Google/Huawei Nexus 6P was the subject of a class action lawsuit in which the claimants experienced a disproportional amount of battery drain, bootloops or both. This case was settled, and the beneficiaries have now ...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 26 Jan 2020 16:56:00 +0100

The Google Camera app may have been upgraded to support 24fps recording. (Source: Google)

The latest Google Camera app update allegedly hints at new 24fps feature

Google Camera has just been updated to version 7.3.017 on the Play Store. A new report allegedly based on a teardown of its APK specifies the ability to record at 24 frames per second (fps). This option may pertain to upcoming pho...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 25 Jan 2020 21:10:00 +0100

Biometrics were more of a thing back in the Exynos 8895's day. (Source: Samsung)

A hugely dubious leak alleges the Pixel 4a will rock an old Exynos SoC

A new leak posted to the Geekbench 5 database purports to spill some of the upcoming Google Pixel 4a's specs. However, this "leak" is particularly unreliable, not the least as it makes the bold claim that the OEM will switch from ...

Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 21 Jan 2020 19:03:00 +0100

A Pixel 4 was caught running Android 11. (Source: CNN)

Google Pixel 4 caught running Android 11 ahead of Developer Preview 1 release

The first developer preview for Android 10 went live in March last year. We expect the same release timeframe for Android 11 this year, and the fact that a Pixel 4 has been found running Android 11 on a benchmark supports that not...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 20 Jan 2020 06:31:00 +0100

Our best look at a Google Pixel 4a so far. (Image source: @OnLeaks & @91Mobiles)

Do not discount the Pixel 4a XL yet: Probable new Pixel codenames appear in AOSP repository

A Pixel 4a XL may still be in the works, according to XDA Developers. The website claims to have spotted three new codenames in an AOSP repository, which may point to two new devices and potentially a development board.

Alex Alderson, Fri, 17 Jan 2020 18:19:00 +0100

Alphabet joins Apple, Amazon and Microsoft with a US$1 trillion market cap. (Source: Alphabet)

Alphabet crests US$1 trillion market cap thanks to Google

Alphabet has become the US fourth company to crest the US$1 trillion market cap. This puts it up there with Apple, Amazon and Microsoft which are the only other companies to achieve the milestone.

Sanjiv Sathiah, Fri, 17 Jan 2020 10:34:00 +0100

Google Stadia will get over 120 games in 2020

Google Stadia to get over 120 new games in 2020, 10 of which will be exclusives

A Google Stadia spokesperson stated that the platform will be getting over 120 games in 2020, of which 10 will be exclusives. The company also promised some QoL upgrades such as 4K gaming on the web, better Google Assistant functi...

Anil Satyanarayana, Thu, 16 Jan 2020 23:16:00 +0100

The Pixel 4a will keep the headphone jack. (Source: 91Mobiles x OnLeaks)

First images of the Google Pixel 4a throw up a few surprises

The Pixel 3a was one of the best smartphone releases of the year, in stark contrast to the Pixel 4 phones. Google will be hoping to build on that success with the Pixel 4a, and a new report has now revealed more than ever before o...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 29 Dec 2019 09:08:00 +0100

The iPhone 11 Pro lost to the OnePlus 7T Pro in the very first round after messing up the white balance in its shot. (Source: Gadgets Now)

MKBHD's 2019 blind smartphone camera test throws up a few surprises

Last year, popular YouTube tech channel Marques Brownlee hosted a blind smartphone camera test that had some shocking results—with the US$300 Pocophone F1 finishing in second place. This year's version is just as interesting, as i...

Ricci Rox, Tue, 17 Dec 2019 21:05:00 +0100

The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are currently at their cheapest ever - US$120 off!

The Pixel 3a phones are widely regarded as being some of the most recommendable devices in the market right now, especially in the US. The 3a and 3a XL have MSRPs of US$399 and US$479 respectively, but can now be had with a massiv...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 15 Dec 2019 19:03:00 +0100

eSIMs may have a bright future. (Source: Medium)

The eSIM market is now thought to be worth US$700 million by the end of 2019

The eSIM market is thought to be capable of growing rapidly in terms of shipment volumes until 2025. New research on the same subject now shows that its value will exceed US$700 million by the end of the year. This may be driven b...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:37:00 +0100

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are stepping down their respective roles as CEO and President of Alphabet. (Source: Getty)

Larry Page, Sergey Brin step down from Alphabet, Sundar Pichai takes over the reins

In a bombshell announcement, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have announced that they are stepping aside from their roles as Alphabet CEO and Chairman, respectively. In their place, long-trusted lieutenant Sundar Picha...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Wed, 04 Dec 2019 02:24:00 +0100

The Mi Note 10 features ridiculously good camera hardware. (Source: Mi)

DxOMark picks its best smartphone cameras of 2019 sorted by categories, and the Mi Note 10 Pro dominates

DxOMark has shared its thoughts on what it considers to be the best smartphone cameras of 2019, grouped into specific sub-categories. There are a few iffy choices, but one major takeaway from the list is just how impressive the Xi...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:19:00 +0100

Google has some offers for Black Friday. (Source: Google)

Deal | Google's Black Friday sale makes its Pixel prices look much more reasonable

The Google Pixel 4 series started at US$799 at launch. However, the OEM's Black Friday event brings it down to $200 off each variant. Their predecessors are also included in this sale, as are the Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 29 Nov 2019 21:16:00 +0100

Google Pixel 4: bells and whistles instead of battery power

Google's Pixel 4 exhibited various flaws in our test while at the same time neglecting important smartphone core competences. What good is innovation if the phone cannot even last until the end of the day?

Daniel Schmidt, Tue, 26 Nov 2019 21:42:00 +0100

The Google Pixel 4 XL offers ridiculous performance. (Source: CNN)

The Google Pixel 4 XL is a performance beast but it runs super hot

A few weeks ago, in spite of its SoC disadvantage, the Google Pixel 4 XL destroyed the OnePlus 7T in a resource-intensive transcoding test designed to reflect real-world performance. In a longer, more brutal test, the Pixel 4 XL i...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 17 Nov 2019 12:44:00 +0100

Lift to Talk is one of many upcoming "smart" features for the Google Assistant. (Source: XDA)

Google's Assistant may soon add the 'Lift to Talk' feature

XDA contributors have found that Google has included code that supports its long-touted "Lift to Talk" setting for Assistant in its app. This feature allows the voice-activated AI in question to be prepared to answer queries whene...

Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 12 Nov 2019 00:07:00 +0100

Oops, there goes the Pixel 4 XL. (Source: JerryRigEverything)

The Google Pixel 4 XL goes through JerryRigEverything's stress test and fails woefully

Google's new Pixel 4 phones have been faced with numerous challenges since they were launched a few weeks ago. Further compounding issues, the larger Pixel 4 XL just made its way to popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, wher...

Ricci Rox, Tue, 05 Nov 2019 21:00:00 +0100

November 2019 Android security update now available for Pixel phones, but not the original Pixel

The November 2019 security updates for Android are now available for the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, and the Essential Phone. Noticeably absent from this list are the origi...

Sam Medley, Mon, 04 Nov 2019 22:32:00 +0100

Google's Recorder is smarter than the average dictation app. (Source: Google)

Google's advanced Recorder facility is coming to older Pixel devices

Google introduced a new kind of Recorder app with the Pixel 4 series. It is not merely capable of capturing audio, but of transcribing it in real time and making the resulting text searchable with the help of AI. A Mountain View r...

Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 04 Nov 2019 19:34:00 +0100

Fitbit could be set to join the Alphabet stable of brands. (Source: Fitbit)

Rumor: Alphabet in talks to acquire Fitbit

Google’s parent company Alphabet is said to be deep in negotiations to buy fitness wearables company Fitbit. Fitbit had indicated late last month that it was interested in a sale of the company and it looks like it might likely en...

Sanjiv Sathiah, Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:26:00 +0100

Oh So Slow: Google Pixel 4 XL shown to be a laggy mess

Artem Russakovskii of Android Police has posted a video showing his Pixel 4 XL taking ages to open the Settings and Spotify apps. Video recording on the phones also appears to be less than stellar, with obvious stutters at the sta...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 27 Oct 2019 21:13:00 +0100

Phones with a headphone jack are a dying breed. (Source: Lifewire)

Best smartphones with a 3.5mm headphone jack you can buy in 2019

Phones with a headphone jack are becoming unicorns, especially in the premium segment of the market. After the launch of the Galaxy Note 10 duo, lovers of the 3.5mm jack now have their work cut out for them in the search for impre...

Ricci Rox, Sat, 26 Oct 2019 23:50:00 +0200

The Google Pixel 4 is currently limited to 4K30 fps video recording. (Source: Google)

New evidence points towards the Pixel 4 phones originally having 4K60 video recording

The Pixel 4 phones have caught a lot of flak for being unable to record 4K video at 60 fps. According to a discovery, however, it would seem that the devices were originally able to do that but the feature ended up not making it t...

Ricci Rox, Fri, 25 Oct 2019 18:49:00 +0200

The Google Pixel 4 has a few not-so-pleasant surprises in store. (Source: Google)

Update | Cheeky Google: The Pixel 4 throttles the display refresh rate based on brightness setting, and you wouldn't even know it

The Google Pixel 4's 90 Hz Smooth Display feature seems to be dependent on the display brightness setting and not on the 'content' as was originally claimed by Google. This was first discovered by a Redditor and subsequently confi...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:12:00 +0200

The Pixel 4 XL's display has now been confirmed to be supplied by Samsung Display. (Source: iFixit)

iFixit's Pixel 4 XL review shows the flagship's poor repairability, reveals important hardware details

iFixit has now published its Pixel 4 XL teardown, with the new Google phone earning a 4/10 repairability score. The report also reveals some previously unknown details of the phone's hardware, most notable being that of the 90 Hz ...

Ricci Rox, Thu, 24 Oct 2019 17:12:00 +0200

Google to bring at least five Pixel 4 to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a series. (Image source: Google)

Google to bring at least five Pixel 4 features to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a series

Night Sight 2.0 with a new astrophotography mode, Live Caption and offline Google Assistant are just three examples of features debuting on the Pixel 4 series. However, these will not remain Pixel 4 exclusives, with Google plannin...

Alex Alderson, Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:33:00 +0200

DxOMark Pixel 4 Camera Review: Great but not the best

DxOMark has now published its Google Pixel 4 camera review. Going by the website's test criteria, the Pixel 4 is overall a worse camera phone than the OnePlus 7 Pro and Honor 20 Pro. On the flip side, it's somehow the the joint be...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 21 Oct 2019 21:17:00 +0200

Super optimized! Series of performance tests touts the Google Pixel 4 as the fastest Android phone in the world

A series of tests have shown the Google Pixel 4 XL hilariously outpacing the OnePlus 7T in real-world, resource-intensive processing tasks. The fact that the Pixel 4 XL has less RAM and a weaker SoC than the 7T makes it all the mo...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:52:00 +0200

Best at still photography, lacking at video. (Source: The Verge)

Google explains the rationale behind the Pixel 4's lack of 4K60fps video recording

The Google Pixel 4 phones don't have support for shooting 4K60fps videos even though Android phones have been able to do that for well over a year. Google has now explained the rationale behind the decision but it's woefully uncon...

Ricci Rox, Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:45:00 +0200

Digital Wellbeing is now available on Chrome 77. (Source: Google)

Digital Wellbeing is now a feature of Chrome on Android 10

Google introduced Digital Wellbeing in order to allow users to track and manage their phone use, which extends to a per-app basis. This feature is now integrated into a new Chrome browser update. It can be used to display screen t...

Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 20 Oct 2019 18:23:00 +0200

The Google Pixel 4 phones just don't offer enough value. (Source: Google)

Opinion | The Google Pixel 4 still feels like an overly elaborate joke

It's been almost a week since Google unveiled the Pixel 4 phones in New York but it's still baffling just how poor the phones are—the smaller Pixel 4, in particular. In fact, some choices by the company were so off the mark that o...

Ricci Rox, Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:29:00 +0200

Renders of the Pixel 4 XL. (Source: BGR)

Who made the display on the Google Pixel 4 XL - Samsung or LG?

The Pixel 4 XL's 90 Hz QHD+ AMOLED display has been hailed for its impressive quality, even winning DisplayMate's "Best Smartphone Display" award. That raises a few questions, of course, the most important being: who exactly made ...

Ricci Rox, Sat, 19 Oct 2019 15:48:00 +0200

US$295 for the 128 GB Pixel 3 XL. (Source: Google)

Opinion | Google's Pixel 4 trade-in program is laughable

If you own a Pixel 3 and were about to use the Pixel 4's trade-in program to get Google's latest device for significantly cheaper, think twice. You see, Google seems to be of the opinion that the 128 GB Pixel 3 XL is worth a measl...

Ricci Rox, Thu, 17 Oct 2019 19:51:00 +0200

The Pixel 4 can be unlocked even with your eyes closed. (Image source: @thisisFoxx)

Google warns that the Pixel 4 can be unlocked with your eyes closed; perhaps even by someone who just looks like you too

The Pixel 4 series only uses face unlock for biometric authentication; it is that secure. Or is it? Well, a video of one device unlocking to closed eyes suggests otherwise, as does the possibility of someone who merely looks "a lo...

Alex Alderson, Thu, 17 Oct 2019 14:37:00 +0200

The Pixel 4 XL has the most color accurate display in the world. (Source: Google)

The Google Pixel 4 XL's AMOLED display sets new records in DisplayMate's test

The new Google Pixel 4 phones may have their issues but the quality of their displays isn't to be questioned—that of the bigger Pixel 4 XL, at least—if DisplayMate's latest review is anything to go by. The new flagship has won the...

Ricci Rox, Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:49:00 +0200

Nest Wi-Fi is Google's new mesh solution

Google also announced its new Nest Wi-Fi home product at the 2019 Pixel launch event. It consists of scalable router and point units in various muted colors. A single 802.11s router covers up to 2200 square feet of space each, whe...

Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:49:00 +0200

Meet the new Google Pixel 4. (Source: Google)

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are now official with 90 Hz OLED screens, dual-cameras, built-in Soli radar, and enhanced on-device AI capabilities

At its Made by Google 2019 event, Google finally took wraps off the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. The new Pixel 4 series comes with features such as a Soli radar chip for advanced hands-free gestures, on-device AI and voice ...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, Tue, 15 Oct 2019 19:48:00 +0200

Google launches its first pair of true wireless earbuds

Google unveiled its second-generation Pixel Buds at its 2019 'Made By' event. They are truly wireless products that, as the OEM claims, have been designed to be as compact and streamlined as possible. Nevertheless, they are rated...

Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 15 Oct 2019 19:21:00 +0200

The Pixel 4, now without headphones or a headphone jack adapter. (Image source: u/mseven97)

Pixel 4 retail box reveals some surprises ahead of tomorrow's launch

The Google Pixel 4 series launch is almost upon us, with the company expected to announce at least a Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. While the two devices will feature more cameras than their predecessors, a new leak highlights some absen...

Alex Alderson, Mon, 14 Oct 2019 17:57:00 +0200

New Pixel 4 marketing material leaks out ahead of launch. (Source: @evleaks)

Evan Blass leaks official Pixel 4 renders and marketing shots

It might be hard to believe, but the Pixel 4 leaks keep coming. This time serial leaker Evan Blass has leaked official Pixel 4 renders and marketing shots ahead of its official launch next week.

Sanjiv Sathiah, Sat, 12 Oct 2019 01:32:00 +0200

Android teases a dark theme for Google Maps. (Source: Instagram)

A dark theme for Google Maps is finally on the way

The Android Instagram page has recently posted a short video that hints at a dark theme for Google Maps in the near future. It appears to cause every aspect of the app, including the map-markings themselves, to conform to a color ...

Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 11 Oct 2019 17:21:00 +0200

The Pixelbook Go features a more rounded design than the current Pixelbook. (Source: 9to5Google)

Pixelbook Go caught in live photos ahead of launch

Google’s forthcoming Pixelbook Go has been leaked in full ahead of its launch. The device takes on a more rounded design language than previous Pixelbooks but remains very much focused on portability.

Sanjiv Sathiah, Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:00:00 +0200

Google may be working on a Pixel 4 with 5G

According to sources cited by the Nikkei Asian Review, Google may be working on a 5G-capable Pixel 4. The handset may be announced at Google's Pixel event on October 15th but likely wouldn't be available for months. However, consi...

Sam Medley, Wed, 09 Oct 2019 22:11:00 +0200

Google Nexus / Pixel