Hot Android News Stories
News: Waze & Mr. T Team to Give 'Fools' Directions
Listen up, fool! You can now get a (loud) nudge in the right direction by Mr. T, thanks to Waze. The navigation app has incorporated a few well-known voices over the past few years, but none have had us more excited than the addition of this beloved fixture of the 1980s. Waze made the announcement that Mr. T's voice would be joining the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Morgan Freeman via their company blog. That's the great news. The bad news is that Mr. T is only available for Waze users i...
News: You're Going to Want Samsung's Latest Security Update
Who likes security? I like security. I lock my doors at night, and so should you! That's why it's exciting to me that Samsung has just announced its May security update. It's like getting a brand new, top-of-the-line lock for free, but for your phone.
News: The Nokia 6 Is Finally Coming to the US (Maybe)
The Nokia 6 has been out since January, releasing in China before having a slow trickle of releases throughout the year. Despite announcing a global release, the United States never received a street date for the smartphone, and for all this time, Nokia has left us out to dry. Now, it seems, their phone could be on its way as the 6 has received its FCC certification.
News: Siri Sucks at Rapping, MC Bixby Rubs It In
It looks like Samsung's Bixby finally got one up on Apple's Siri — when it comes to which virtual assistant can spit better rhymes, that is. Mhm, that's right. It's a rap battle between one AI and another, and Siri just can't spit.
News: The Galaxy S8 Once Had a Home Button & It Looked Terrible
It looks like Samsung was thinking about slapping a little nub of a home button on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. This is according to a patent published by the European Trade Mark and Design Network, uncovered by Android Headlines. Despite having a nearly bezel-less display on their latest flagships, the South Korean manufacturer apparently considered modeling the design after last year's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
News: Kids Are Going to Hate Samsung's New 'Marshmallow' App
Stop me if you've heard this one before. You plop a marshmallow down in front of a kid and propose the following: You can eat this marshmallow now, or you can wait twenty minutes and eat two marshmallows. What do you think the kid is going to do? Better still, what do you think you would do? Personally, I'd eat the first marshmallow without hesitation. But now we're getting off track ...
News: Samsung Galaxy S7 Surpasses Expectations with 55 Million Sold & Counting
The good news keeps on coming for Samsung! According to the market research firm Strategy Analytics, the Korean giant sold a whopping 7.2 million Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge smartphones in the first quarter of this year. That totals 55 million of the company's flagship smartphones sold since their launch in March 2016.
News: Galaxy S8s Are Experiencing Screen Burn-in & It's Not Just the Home Button
Last week, the internet was ablaze with talk about the Galaxy S8's home button, because it subtly changes positions without the phone alerting you. This feature was included to stop burn-in issues with the screen, and the general consensus from tech sites was the screens would not experience any burn-in at all.
News: Stop Trump from Building THAT Wall Using This App
Now, you can prevent Donald Trump from building that idiotic wall from the comfort of your smartphone. Well, in theory, you can, thanks to a hilarious new gaming app called — wait for it — Trump's Great Wall.
News: Your Google Pixel Will Become a Zombie Phone in 2019
Sad news for fans of Google's fantastic Pixel line. Google confirmed today that the Pixel and Pixel XL won't be getting any software or security updates past October 2019. What does that mean for you? Well, your Pixel might start acting a little ... weird soon. Should we run to Georgia and join the ricktatorship before that happens? Get the Pixel 2 when it's ready for launch? Or maybe ... we wait things out and grab the next Pixel after that?
News: The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Is Now Available
With all the hype surrounding the recent Galaxy S8 release, it can be easy to forget Samsung makes other smartphones. But let's be real here; $726 isn't cheap. If you're someone who doesn't want to drop that kind of cash on a smartphone — or who doesn't feel your device needs all the bells and whistles that come with Samsung's premium line — the new J3 Prime might be right for you.
News: OnePlus 5 Revealed — 8 GB RAM, Snapdragon 835, Dual Cameras & More
The OnePlus 5 just made its official debut, so we now have all of the juicy details. From the announcement, this device definitely sounds like it's going to be another flagship killer, following in the footsteps of its predecessors.
News: Samsung Announces New Flagship Phone, Impressive First Quarter Results
It's no secret that Samsung had a lot of bad press this year. Despite this, we've reported how, even with the massive negativity in the media, Samsung has been expected to have an excellent Q1. Not only have those expectations been confirmed today, but Samsung has announced they are also working on a new flagship smartphone. One that some say could be the Note 8.
News: T-Mobile & ZTE Add New Entries in the Budget Phone Race
The battle of the budget phone is well and truly underway, as both T-Mobile and ZTE have launched affordable new devices simultaneously.
News: Snapdragon 835 Will Power Three Pixel 2 Variants
Three variants of the Pixel 2 have appeared in Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code, confirming various suspicions about which processor will power the Pixel 2.
News: Google Maps Will Now Tell You if There's On-Site Parking at Your Destination
There's nothing worse than driving up to your destination only to discover that there isn't a parking spot in sight — but thankfully, Google Maps will soon have you covered.
News: Verizon's Galaxy S8 Is Missing a Key Bixby Feature
The Galaxy S8's Bixby Vision feature isn't working up to its full potential for Verizon customers, according to a recent CNET report.
News: Don't Be Fooled by Samsung's Shiny New UI, It's Still TouchWiz
Galaxy S8 preorders have begun arriving at doorsteps, and some websites seem to be enamored by Samsung's latest visual revamp of TouchWiz — but don't buy the hype, it's a trap! From TouchWiz to Grace UX to Samsung Experience, no matter what the name is, it's still the same old clunky framework everyone has hated from the start. Samsung may have put a fancy little bow on it, but TouchWiz is still a resource-hogging behemoth underneath its shiny new theme.
News: Project Halium Could Open the Floodgates for Non-Android Custom ROMs
Rooting a phone lets us install custom operating systems, known as ROMs, which replace the device's preinstalled OS. Most custom ROMs are based on code from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which gives them a look and feel similar to Google's version of stock Android. But every now and then, you'll see a ROM that isn't based on Android, though these are few and far between — at least, until now.
News: Samsung Removes Ability to Remap Bixby Button, Eliminating a Killer Galaxy S8 Feature
It was nice while it lasted. Samsung users who managed to get their hands on the Galaxy S8 or S8+ early enjoyed the ability to launch any app through the dedicated Bixby button. Unfortunately, Samsung wasn't all that down with us using the Bixby button for purposes other than its intended use — to provide quick access to Samsung's new virtual assistant.
News: Google's Family Link Just Got a Lot More Useful
Last month, Google introduced the Family Link app. This app, much needed in a world where the average age of kids first getting a smartphone is just over 10 years old, allows parents to set some limits on their children's phone usage. However, the app premiered with one caveat: Both the parent and the child had to have an Android phone. Now, Google has updated the app so it works on iOS devices.
News: Galaxy S8 Active to Be Another AT&T Exclusive
It turns out that the new Galaxy Samsung S8 Active (codenamed Cruiser) will be headed for AT&T in the US later this year, just like previous Active models. SamMobile revealed that the device would be exclusive to the network with a model number SM-G892A.
News: Huawei Gains Ground with High Sales of Mate 9
Huawei is the third biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world and continues to increase its market presence with each new device. The Mate 9, the company's latest high-end phablet, has been available for four months now and has sold five million units so far. This is 36% more than the Mate 8 sold four months after its premiere last year.
News: New Google Photos Update Adds Video Stabilization & More
The latest Google Photos update for Android has added a number of cool new features, like video stabilization and a rumored Google+ integration. The latest update started rolling out to devices on April 11, 2017, and includes the video stabilizing feature we've been waiting for.
News: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Revealed — Dual Cameras, 6 GB RAM, Bixby & More
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (or Galaxy Note8, depending on how you like it) is one phone which couldn't possibly have bigger shoes to fill. Samsung's latest flagship has officially been announced, so it's time to decide whether not it's capable of filing the void left by the failed Note 7. From the revealed specifications and details, the Note 8 is turning out to be one device worth pre-ordering.
News: Google Rumored to Invest $875M in LG Display to Give Pixel 2 Some Curves
The Pixel is now rumored to be the next phone up in line to be getting a curved display. ET News just reported that Google is in talks to invest $875 million (KRW 1 trillion) in LG Display to give their next-generation Pixel 2 smartphone some curves around the edges.
News: Samsung Anticipates Strongest Profits in Years Despite Note7 Debacle
It looks like Samsung is stronger than ever, as evidenced by their quarterly forecast, which suggests a global profit of $8.8 billion, the company's highest mark in three years. Impressive, considering the spectacular failure of the Note7, Samsung's last flagship prior to the new Galaxy S8.
News: Google Introduces AI for Its Android Services That Learns from You Without Compromising Privacy
Google, the company that rules the internet, is now testing a method to leverage its machine learning with its ubiquitous presence on mobile devices. The new model they're employing is called Federated Learning, and it hopes to apply artificial intelligence to Google's services on Android without compromising user privacy.
News: Google Names BlackBerry PRIV as One of the Most Secure Android Phones
Google released its "Android Security: 2016 Year in Review" report last month, and to no one's surprise, included its own flagship phones. However, one surprise on the list was the BlackBerry PRIV, which Google named one of the best Android devices for privacy.
News: Amazon to Refund $70 Million Worth of In-App Purchases by Kids
Any parent with a rambunctious child who may have at one point racked up a hefty bill on their Kindle or Android device can now breathe a sigh of relief. One, Jack Black has had it happen to him too, and two, Amazon will be refunding up to $70 million of in-app purchases made by children after downloading apps from the Amazon AppStore.
News: Galaxy S8+ Battery Life Is Very Good, but Not Better Than iPhone 7 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ isn't yet available for consumers to buy, but that isn't stopping tech reviewers from discovering what the phone is capable of. Turns out, the S8+ has a good battery—just not as good as the iPhone 7 Plus.
News: The LG G6 Is a Tank in JerryRigEverything's Scratch, Burn & Bend Test
We've been dying to see how the new LG G6 stands up to wear and tear, with its near bezel-less display and glass construction, ever since the device was announced at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona.
News: New Apple Music Update for Android Adds Support for Lyrics & More
Apple's music streaming service just got a major update on Android devices. The Spotify competitor has implemented some changes for users on non-Apple phones that have been available to iOS devices for some time now. Nevertheless, Apple Music users on Android should welcome these updates.
News: Chrysaor Malware Found on Android Devices—Here's What You Should Know & How to Protect Yourself
Chrysaor, a zero-day spyware believed to have been created by the Israeli "cyber war" group NSO, is an even greater threat to Android phones than it ever was to iOS.
News: Your Android Apps Are Secretly Getting Chatty with Your Data
As it turns out, your Android apps are pairing together to share your data without asking for your permission first. Researchers from Virginia Tech developed a tool called DIALDroid to monitor exchanges of data between Android apps over the last three years, and what they've found is quite alarming.
News: BlackBerry KeyOne Launch Date Pushed Back
We have some bad news for BlackBerry fans: It looks like the upcoming KeyOne flagship won't be shipped in April after all.
News: Excited About DeX? Here's a Reality Check
Samsung's new Galaxy S8 can turn into a PC with its DeX dock, but while that may sound like the future of mobile computing on the surface, there are definitely a few issues with the entire setup.
News: Galaxy X to Unfold Before the Note 8?
The Galaxy X, Samsung's long-awaited foldable smartphone, may be revealed a lot sooner than we thought.
News: High-End Galaxy S8+ with 6 GB RAM & 128 GB Storage Will Release in China First
Android lovers out there might be sad to hear that a high-end version of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage won't be released in the US, but rather, in China.
News: Google's Pixel 3 Stirs Up Competition Between Phone Makers HTC, LG, TCL & Coolpad
Google's Pixel smartphone is striking up some heated competition between phone makers HTC, LG, TCL, and Coolpad, as the Pixel 3 gets ready to release in 2018. Yep, you heard that right—not the Pixel, not the Pixel 2, but the Pixel 3—which shows that Google is really committed to the future of its new flagship line.