With the latest update, Opera One offers the following improvements for your tabs:

• Tab layouts: You can switch between Grid view and List view. The first option lets you preview your tabs, while the second layout caters to tab hoarders by keeping more tabs on the screen. To switch between Grid view and List view, tap the bottom-left button on the tab gallery.

  

• Tab groups: Opera One now lets you create tab groups to keep everything organized. Work, travel, recreation, family, or something else. Long-press a tab, select additional pages for your group, and then give it a name and color.
• Tab search: If you are lost in a hundred open tabs and need to find something, just use tab search to locate the page you need by tapping the search button in the tab gallery.
• Improved navigation: It is now easier to switch to private mode or synced tabs. Just swipe left or right.

  

Here is what Jona Bolin, Product Manager of Opera One for iOS, said about the update:

"We're all excited about the launch of the new iPhones, but here we're even more excited about fixing the tab issue on iOS. Some people say we're too much into tab overload, and indeed we are - because we can control it."

While the improved tab management system is the main focus of the update, developers added a bit more. You can now customize what appears in the browser's menu to keep it organized. Also, Opera's built-in Aria AI now has a new home in the middle of the bottom bar and improved answers with more information on various topics.

The updated Opera One for iPhone and iPad is now available for download for free from the App Store.

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Posted Thursday 4 September 2025 at 4:02 am AEST (my time).

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According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we'll have to wait for another year. Apple is expected to launch a foldable iPhone in 2026, followed by a foldable iPad in 2028. Kuo's latest note corroborates previous rumors suggesting that Apple will launch its foldable iPhone in 2026.

Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) will be a highlight on both devices, and the Taiwan-based General Interface Solution (GIS) will handle the backend processing of the UTG. It involves tasks such as cutting, edge/corner treatment, inspection, inner/outer packaging, and shipping. GIS will work with Corning, which will be the exclusive supplier of raw UTG for iPhone.

Working on UTG is a delicate affair, according to Kuo, as the glass is "highly sensitive to micro-cracks on the edges, surface particles, and stress fatigue." It's expected to push costs two to four times higher as it involves complex backend processing compared to the standard cover glass used in smartphones.

Moreover, the price of a UTG unit for the foldable iPad will be considerably higher than that of the foldable iPhone, given its bigger screen real estate.

Apple previously estimated to ship around 6 to 8 million foldable iPhone units in 2026 and 10 to 15 million in 2027. Kuo said that the iPhone-maker revised its shipment forecasts recently and now expects 8 to 10 million shipments in 2026, followed by 20 to 25 million in 2027. Meanwhile, the foldable iPad is forecasted to reach around 0.5 to 1 million shipments in 2028.

A foldable iPhone could save the day for Apple when it can't keep up with the rivals on the AI front. Some of its fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a foldable.

Apple is looking for new growth drivers, and one of them will most likely arrive next week at its Awe Dropping event. It was reported that the iPhone 17 lineup could kick off a three-year cycle of major design changes and set the stage for Apple's boldest iPhone evolution in recent years.

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Posted Wednesday 3 September 2025 at 5:34 pm AEST (my time).

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However, user reports on platforms like Reddit suggest several early buyers are not happy with the Pixel 10's wireless charging experience. It appears that some unknown issue is messing with the wireless charging feature on the latest Pixels.

According to reports, people are dealing with various charging-related issues when using their existing chargers. For instance, their Pixel 10, 10 Pro, or Pro XL would stop charging after a few seconds or minutes of being connected to a wireless charger.

Some users are experiencing speed-related issues, where the wireless charging drops to around 5W on some older Qi chargers, including the Pixel Stand 2nd Gen.

The issue was first reported by 9to5Google, suggesting that the problem may be related to Google's adoption of the new Qi2 wireless charging standard and transitioning to Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) from the older Extended Power Profile (EPP).

Both MPP and EPP support wireless charging up to 15W; however, MPP uses magnets to align the devices properly. It's worth noting that the official Pixel 10 listing on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) website doesn't put any restrictions on the charging limits for chargers that aren't Qi2 compatible.

It's also suggested that the older Pixel Stand may not be able to power the device efficiently, as Google's previously used semi-proprietary charging method has been updated to be part of the newer Qi2 standard, possibly resulting in the older charger being unsupported.

It remains to be seen how Google addresses the wireless charging issue on Pixel 10 devices. In the meantime, it's recommended that Pixel 10 owners use a Qi2-certified wireless charger for the best possible results.

Google launched its new Qi2-certified Pixelsnap Charger alongside the devices this year, which sticks to the back of the smartphone, much like Apple's MagSafe. It supports wireless charging of up to 25W for the Pixel 10 Pro XL and up to 15W for the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro Fold.

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Posted Saturday 30 August 2025 at 12:32 pm AEST (my time).

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Instead of the Mobile Plans app, Microsoft is recommending customers purchase data plans directly on their respective mobile operator's website. This gives mobile operators more flexibility since they'll be able to configure their own sign-up portals and payment flows, while customers will benefit from not having to deal with one other app. The Redmond tech firm has also highlighted built-in functionality in Windows 11's Settings app, which prompts you to share your device's identifiers with the mobile operator. Once you agree to this, your eSIM is automatically provisioned without needing to manually configure anything.

It is important to note that customers will not be losing cellular capabilities, only the Mobile Plans app will be going away and users will be expected to seamlessly transition to web portals hosted by their mobile operators. Microsoft is already testing this migration process and the enablement through the Windows Settings app directly with mobile carriers.

The Mobile Plans app will continue working as-is until February 27, 2026, after which it will become non-functional and be removed from the Microsoft Store too. Until then, Microsoft will continue working with mobile operators to streamline the transition process. The Redmond tech giant expects carriers to update their websites with dedicated instructions for eSIM technologies in Windows 11, but you can find more general guidance on the topic here, which contains separate instructions for both Windows 10 and 11.

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Posted Friday 29 August 2025 at 12:34 pm AEST (my time).

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Honor has officially launched the MagicPad3 for the UK and EU for a retail price of £599.99, as part of its global market expansion, announced at an event in London.. The tablet was actually already available on the Honor website and came with an early bird voucher, bringing the price down by £100 to £499.99. The launch bundle includes the Magic Pencil 3 stylus and the Smart Touch Keyboard at no extra cost, adding significant value.

The MagicPad3 features a 13.3-inch LCD display with 3.2K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The display is IMAX Enhanced certified and can reach up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 platform and comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, and it has a 12,450mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging.

It’s a very portable tablet with its slim design coming in at just 5.79mm thick and weighing 595g. It also features a 13-layer heat dissipation system with a dual-flow vapor chamber to maintain performance.

The tablet runs on Android 15 with Honor’s MagicOS 9, which integrates AI features. These AI tools include assistance for writing, text summarization, and speech-to-text conversion. The tablet’s software enables seamless file transfers across Android and iOS thanks to features like Honor Share. For anyone who will be using this tablet for productivity purposes, the included keyboard and stylus will be central.

The MagicPad3 is equipped with an eight-speaker audio system with Honor Spatial audio for an immersive sound experience. The camera setup includes a 13MP main rear camera with a macro lens and a 9MP front-facing camera. The camera system is nothing to write home about, but it will be suitable for video calls and basic photography - if you want to snap great photos, you’ll want the Honor Magic V5 instead.

To learn more about buying the MagicPad3, head over to the device’s product page.

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Posted Friday 29 August 2025 at 5:18 am AEST (my time).

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The Honor Magic V5, a foldable smartphone, is launching in the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, the company announced at an event held in London today. The phone was previously released in China and is already available in other markets like Hong Kong and Malaysia. Today, the Honor Magic V5 has been unveiled alongside several other products, including the Honor MagicPad3. The Magic V5 is available in Ivory White, Dawn Gold, and Black in Europe, with a Reddish Brown/Silk Brown color exclusive to Asia.

The Magic V5 features a 5,820mAh silicon-carbon battery, the largest in a foldable device, which is more dense and efficient. This battery provides 14 hours and 37 minutes of YouTube playback on the inner screen, which is significantly longer than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7’s 10 hours and 57 minutes. Be wary about these figures, however, because the data comes from Honor’s own lab tests under specific preset conditions.

The phone supports 66W wired and 50W wireless SuperCharge, and the external display has a peak brightness of up to 5,000 nits, compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7’s 2,600 nits. The inner screen comes in at 7.95 inches, and the outer screen is 6.43 inches.

The Honor V5 supports the new Gemini Live feature, which enables live video interaction and screen sharing for real-time assistance. The phone also has AI Deepfake Detection, which can analyze faces during video calls and notify users of the deepfake risk percentage. The feature is good because it processes on-device, so no third parties will have access.

The Magic V5 also supports the Magic-Pen stylus on both internal and external displays, and there’s a feature called Multi-Flex, which allows for simultaneous use of three apps on the large inner screen.

Cameras are also a big draw for prospective buyers so Honor has included a solid camera setup with this device. The Honor V5 includes a 50MP Wide Camera, a 64MP Periscope Telephoto Lens, and a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera. The camera system includes features like AI Enhanced Portrait, Harcourt Portrait, and AI Super Zoom. On the front, the phone has two 20MP selfie cameras.

The Magic V5 is an ultra-slim 8.8mm, despite being a foldable, and weighs 217g for the Ivory White model (the phone’s weight varies slightly by color), with an IP58 and IP59 water and dust resistance rating, so there’s no need to worry about splashes damaging this phone.

If you're based in the UK, pricing for this device starts at £1,699.99, meanwhile, if you're in the Eurozone, you'll be looking at a price tag of €1,999.99. Buyers at HONOR eStore in the UK can claim a gift with their purchase including the Pad10 and other gifts worth £554.

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Posted Friday 29 August 2025 at 5:12 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft Edge has an experimental feature that supports background video playback on Android. Anyone can try the feature, but you have to download Microsoft Edge Canary for Android and jump through a few hoops, including enabling a flag.

The answer to the most pressing question is yes, the feature does let you play YouTube videos in the background even if you do not have YouTube Premium. I tested it on several videos, including the Windows Central Podcast and various songs.

Video Background Play works when you navigate to other tabs, swap to another app, and even when you lock your phone.

Playing YouTube videos while your phone is locked is nothing new, but Google tends to plug holes and workarounds from time to time. Having the option in Edge is convenient, assuming it makes its way to general availability.

The new feature was spotted by Leo Varela, who shared a video on X (formerly Twitter).

Apple has announced the date of its next big event: September 9th, 2024, at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. The event, which has the tagline “Awe dropping,” will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park.

Image: Apple

 

This is where we expect to hear more about the iPhone 17 lineup, which rumors (and at least one supposed public sighting) indicate will add a Google Pixel-like camera bar on the rear. It’s also another opportunity for Apple to talk about its Liquid Glass software revamp and the future of Apple Intelligence features like AI upgrades for Siri.

The star of the show could be a slim new 6.6-inch “iPhone Air” model, which would have fewer camera lenses, but shave some thickness as part of a years-long approach by Apple to revamp the look and feel of its iPhones before it eventually adds a foldable version to the mix, and in 2027, a rumored 20th Anniversary iPhone with curved glass edges and slimmer bezels.

Developing…

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Posted Wednesday 27 August 2025 at 2:37 am AEST (my time).

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Starting with the chipset, the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite features the Exynos 1380, the same processor the company uses in the Galaxy A series smartphones like the Galaxy A54 5G and A35 5G.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Lite has a 10.9-inch screen peaking at 600 nits brightness with "Vision Booster," Samsung's intelligent outdoor algorithm that adjusts things like colors and contrast to improve screen visibility in bright sunlight.

As for the battery, you're looking at an 8000mAh unit that supports "Super-Fast" 25W charging with a compatible Samsung charger and cable. The device ships with Android 15, not 16. It comes in two configurations: one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and another with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can expand storage using a microSD Card of up to 2TB. The rear camera is an 8MP sensor, and the front-facing camera is 5MP.

Here's a quick specs sheet:

The tablet comes with an S-Pen in the box with software features like Circle to Search with Google, letting you search for anything on screen without switching apps. It also comes with offers for apps like Goodnotes and Clip Studio Paint to get you started, and supports the Galaxy AI Key on the Book Cover Keyboard. That keyboard is sold separately, of course.

Samsung has yet to reveal the price for the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite. The company only claims that it would be "affordable." The device is set to launch in the US next week on September 4.

You can learn more from the official announcement blog post.

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Posted Tuesday 26 August 2025 at 5:24 am AEST (my time).

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We're just a couple of weeks away from the iPhone 17's debut, and the big question is whether all the buzz surrounding Apple's next flagship is truly justified. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 lineup is set to kick off a three-year cycle of major design changes, laying the groundwork for Apple's boldest iPhone evolution in recent years.

Gurman says Apple will commence its design overhaul this September with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Air, echoing the MacBook Air's debut in 2008 with an emphasis on being thinner and lighter. However, this shift toward sleekness will come with a few trade-offs, including a smaller battery, the removal of the physical SIM card slot, and fewer camera sensors on the back.

The other members of the iPhone 17 line don't expect to be a massive departure from the current iPhone 16 series, except for a revamped camera system, a redesigned back panel, and the launch of Pro models in orange.

As previously reported, Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026. Gurman notes that" it looks like Samsung Electronics Co.'s book-style foldables that open into a small tablet". The foldable iPhone is rumored to feature five cameras while also eliminating the physical SIM card slot. Interestingly, the device is said to rely on Touch ID instead of Face ID.

Moreover, the foldable iPhone might launch in black and white and get Apple's in-house C2 modem. Fast forward to 2027, coinciding with the iPhone's 20th anniversary, Apple is expected to unveil a glass-centric iPhone with curved glass that perfectly matches the Liquid Glass interface for iOS.

While Apple has a slew of products in the pipeline for upcoming years, including iPhone 17e for 2026, and updated iPads and MacBooks with M5 chips, iPhone is at the heart of product development in the company.

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Posted Monday 25 August 2025 at 5:32 am AEST (my time).

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The new release, however, is positioned to provide a faster and easier way to access and manage passwords, passkeys, and saved data on Android devices, according to Google. In essence, the app is more about convenience and visibility than offering brand-new features.

The timing may not be accidental. When users search for "password manager" on the Play Store, they typically encounter well-known third-party services such as Bitwarden, Proton Pass, and Enpass but not Google’s own solution, until now. With the dedicated app, Google is positioning itself more prominently in the password management market.

Functionality-wise, the app does little more than act as a shortcut to the existing password management interface. From there, users can manage stored logins and adjust settings. From within the app’s settings, users can also enable on-device end-to-end encryption. This feature ensures that passwords remain protected from unauthorised access, even by Google itself, by encrypting data both at rest and during transit. Encryption is tied to the device’s screen lock, and can be enabled via Settings > Set up on-device encryption.

For most Android users, the new app won’t introduce any significant changes to their daily experience. It doesn’t expand the feature set, but rather offers another way to launch a service that has long been part of the Android ecosystem.

For those who would like to get the app for themselves, the new Google Password Manager is now available to download on the Play Store, providing Android users a more direct entry point to the company's built-in credential management system.

Source: Ghacks.net

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Posted Friday 22 August 2025 at 1:58 pm AEST (my time).

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Google on Wednesday introduced its new Pixel 10 lineup during an event in New York – complete with a very strange keynote. In case you missed it, there are a lot of similarities across the latest Pixel models — and some key additions — including the MagSafe-style Pixelsnap, Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, and a proactive AI feature known as Magic Cue.

While Google’s Pro models come loaded with the most advanced tech, the base Pixel 10 looks like the sleeper hit. Starting at $799, it’s the most affordable of the bunch, and for the first time, it adds a telephoto lens to the standard Pixel. For anyone weighing an upgrade, the real question is how the base Pixel 10 stacks up against last year’s Pixel 9.

On the surface, they look similar and even share some of the same specs. Dig deeper, though, and you’ll find some bigger differences worth talking about. Let’s break down what’s changed, and what matters most.

Perhaps the most notable difference between the Pixel 10 and its predecessor is the addition of Pixelsnap. The built-in magnets provide a seamless, convenient way to securely attach third-party and Google-made Qi2 accessories like wallets, stands, and portable battery packs to the Pixel 10. You’ll no longer have to clamp your phone in a car mount or precisely place it on a wireless charging pad. The ring of magnets provides a perfect alignment every time, eliminating the frustration of waking up to a dead phone because it was slightly misaligned.

It’s the kind of upgrade that gradually rewires your habits, making the Pixel 10 feel more integrated into your daily routine than any of its predecessors. It’s nice being able to attach and detach your favorite accessories in seconds.

One of the biggest downsides of last year’s Pixel 9 is the lack of a telephoto camera. Without one, you don’t get the reach or portrait framing a telephoto camera provides. However, for the first time, Google’s Pixel 10 gets a dedicated telephoto lens, giving you crisper, more usable photos of distant subjects, whether you’re snapping a skyline or taking graduation portraits. That’s a big deal if you’ve ever tried to take a photo with digital zoom, which often results in mushy details.

But there is a trade-off. The Pixel 10’s main and ultrawide cameras are actually a bit smaller than what you’d find in the Pixel 9. The Pixel 10 uses a 48-megapixel wide camera and 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, while the 9 has a 50-megapixel wide camera and 48-megapixel ultrawide camera. That said, Google’s new Tensor G5 chip promises to produce higher quality images and videos, so the 10 may keep up with the 9 just fine. We’ll have to test how the cameras compare in the real world before giving our final verdict.

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Posted Friday 22 August 2025 at 1:56 pm AEST (my time).

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Google has released the first beta of Android 16 quarterly platform release 2 (QPR2) which introduces an expanded dark theme option that intelligently inverts the UI of apps that don’t have a native dark mode, providing for a more consistent visual experience. The system now also automatically generates a themed icon for an app to match the user’s chosen theme, if a dedicated icon isn’t provided. These two changes should improve the look and feel of Android.

The new update also sees the underlying mechanics of Picture-in-Picture (PiP) transitions refactored, creating smoother and more reliable animations for the user.

In the beta, there’s a new system-level security state called Secure Lock Device which can be remotely activated to immediately lock the phone and require the primary PIN or password for unlocking. The feature may temporarily disable biometric unlock for heightened security. Another security feature is a user-facing toggle to control the Phone Theft Protection feature, which automatically locks a device after multiple failed login attempts. Also, the system now notifies the user when their time zone is automatically changed.

The new beta also brings several new ways to make Android smarter. Firstly, there’s a new Data Transfer API that allows for more reliable data migration when going from iOS to Android. The Output Switcher now integrates personal audio sharing, giving users a more intuitive way to manage and share audio from their apps to multiple Bluetooth devices. Finally, there’s a new system-level slider that allows users to adjust the perceived brightness of HDR content.

The beta program is now available for supported Pixel devices, and users can enroll to receive the update over-the-air. If you’re not feeling very experimental, the final public release of Android 16 QPR2 is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025.

Source: Android Developers Blog

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Posted Friday 22 August 2025 at 3:19 am AEST (my time).

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The Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 and W5 Gen 2 platforms are using Skylo’s Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN) for satellite connectivity. Thanks to the 4nm manufacturing process, the W5+ Gen 2 comes with an optimized RF Front End (RFFE) to deliver more performance and efficiency. The size and power consumption are also reduced by ~20%, allowing OEMs to deliver thinner smartwatches with better battery life.

To improve GPS positioning accuracy in densely urban or deep canyon areas, Qualcomm’s Location Machine Learning 3.0 delivers improved GPS positioning accuracy by up to 50% compared to the previous-generation wearable platform.

The Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 is compatible with the latest version of Wear OS and it is also powering the recently announced Google Pixel Watch 4.

Sandeep Waraich, Sr. Director, Product Management for Google Wearables, said:

“We’re excited to have the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 powering the new Google Pixel Watch 4, delivering high performance, delightful experiences, and potentially life-saving capabilities. For smartwatches, performance, efficiency, and connectivity are crucial features that need to work seamlessly in any environment, and this new platform, coupled with Wear OS 6, delivers on all fronts, and to be the first smartwatch to market with emergency satellite communications is a huge leap forward in our suite of safety features.”

This new W5 wearable platform is available both with a low-power co-processor as the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2, or without the co-processor as the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. Google is using its own co-processor with the Pixel Watch 4; hence, it is using the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2.

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Posted Friday 22 August 2025 at 3:18 am AEST (my time).

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Google has formally announced the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL, and their hardware upgrades can be summed up in two letter/number combinations: G5 and Qi2. Otherwise, there’s not much to see on the outside of the phones. They mostly cost the same as last year’s devices — $799 for the Pixel 10, $999 for the 10 Pro, and $1,199 for the 256GB 10 Pro XL, though Google got rid of the cheaper 128GB Pro XL variant. They also look an awful lot like last year’s phones, with a few specs tweaked here and there. But we got a look at some of the new features running on these phones, including — you guessed it — a bunch of AI stuff, and there’s just a whole lot more going on than meets the eye.

But let’s start with those top-line updates. In each of these phones is the new Tensor G5 chipset, the first one made by TSMC after four generations of Samsung-made, Google-customized silicon. Google says the CPU is on average 34 percent faster than Tensor G4’s, and claims a 60 percent performance increase for on-device AI tasks handled by the TPU. On-device AI is a real theme across the Pixel 10’s new features, which we’ll get to in a minute.

The Pro colors aren’t as bright because these phones are Professionals and very serious.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

 

The standard-issue Pixel 10 gets to have more fun.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

 

Then there’s the long-awaited Qi2 charging support. With apologies to the HMD Skyline, we haven’t seen a major Android OEM offer proper Qi2 on a phone until now. That includes the MagSafe-esque ring of magnets on the back panel, which Google is introducing as Pixelsnap. Google will offer a couple of its own accessories at launch: a magnetic stand charger with a detachable wireless charging puck, plus a ring-type grip that also acts as a stand. There are roughly nine million different Magsafe accessories on the market that the Pixel 10 will be compatible with, too. The regular 10 and the 10 Pro will charge at up to 15W with a Qi2 charger, but only the 10 Pro XL supports the top Qi2.2 wireless charging speed of 25W.

There’s good and bad news for the regular Pixel 10. The bad: instead of sharing the 10 Pro’s big 50-megapixel main camera sensor as it has in previous years, the regular 10 makes do with a smaller sensor borrowed from the budget-friendly Pixel 9A. It’s a 48-megapixel 1/2”-type sensor, compared to the 50-megapixel 1/1.3”-type sensor that’s now reserved for the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. The Pixel 10 also gets the 9A’s 13-megapixel ultrawide, while the Pro phones get a bigger 48-megapixel sensor. But the good news is that it has a proper telephoto lens for the first time, though again, its 5x camera is a step down from the hardware offered on the Pro phones. Win some, lose some.

Speaking of losses: Google is taking a page out of Apple’s playbook, and the versions of the Pixel 10 phones sold in the US will be eSIM-only. The physical SIM tray is replaced with the ability to use two active eSIMs at once and store eight “or more” eSIM profiles.

 

Screens are a little brighter across the board; batteries are a little bigger, too. The Pixel 10 offers a 4970mAh battery compared to 4700mAh in the Pixel 9. The 10 Pro is actually a little lower than the regular 10, at 4870mAh, which is still a slight bump over the Pixel 9 Pro’s 4700mAh capacity. The Pixel 10 Pro XL gets a 5200mAh capacity, up from 5060mAh in the previous generation.

 

Maybe the most notable new AI feature on the 10 series is called Magic Cue, which proactively suggests text that you might want to paste into an app or a conversation based on context. If a friend texts to ask for the address of the Airbnb you’re sharing, in theory, Magic Cue will grab the address from your email and suggest it above the keyboard without any input from you. You’ll be able to tap and check the email for yourself, or paste it straight into the conversation. If it recognizes that you’re calling the number of a business listed on an email, like an airline you’ve already booked a flight with, it can surface relevant details in the phone app, like your confirmation number. It looks like a kind of turbo-charged autofill for everything.

 

 

 

Magic Cue works with first-party apps for the most part, including messages, calendar, Gmail, and the phone app, but it’s also built into Gboard, so you may see text suggestions across third-party apps, too. Senior director of product management for Pixel Shenaz Zack confirmed all AI is running on-device, and while it incorporates your very recent phone activity into its suggestions, she says that it’s “ephemeral.” Zack adds, “It’s not going to remember what you did a week ago,” and that it’s not saving any screen content. Zack wouldn’t say whether this feature would roll out to older Pixel devices. It’s one of those things that, if it works as it should, really could save you time and effort as you bounce between apps on your phone. Or it could be nothing at all! Either way, the Google Now dream lives on.

 

There’s a load of other AI features here, too. On the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL, the camera app will use diffusion AI models to improve detail in shots taken above 30x zoom. This isn’t just an algorithm deciding whether a pixel should be red based on the pixels around it — this is full-on generative AI in the camera app. It happens after you take a picture, it doesn’t work on people, and the results are tagged as being edited using AI in C2PA content credentials, which are now supported by Google Photos. Good! But holy crap is this an extinction-level “what is a photo” event. I have more thoughts about it all, but regardless of any philosophical hangups, it looked really effective in the demos I saw. What would normally look like digitally zoomed garbage became an actual usable image. Were they photos? Who can say?

 

Then there’s the lightning round of AI features. There’s an AI Camera Coach, which gives you step-by-step directions to improve a particular photo you’re trying to compose. Nice idea, but I’m not sure who’s going to use it. You can now use text prompts to edit photos in the AI-powered Magic Editor. There’s also a journal app, because Google and Apple can’t stop copying each other, and this one uses AI to assign a smiley face emoji summing up your daily entries and generates prompts based on what you’ve written about. Creepy!

 

Finally, there’s an AI translator in the phone app — not a new concept. But this version uses AI to mimic the voice of the person you’re talking to, so you’ll hear translations in something closer to their speech rather than a robot. The effect is decent, if not spot on.

 

The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL are available for preorder today; they’ll be on shelves August 28th. The Pixel 10 starts at $799, and the 10 Pro starts at $999 — same as last year’s phones. Starting at $1,199, the Pixel 10 Pro XL isn’t technically more expensive than the 9 Pro XL, since it matches the price for last year’s 256GB variant; you just won’t find a $1,099 128GB version this time around.

 

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

 

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:33 am AEST (my time).

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The original Pixel Watch was late to the game. For years, there had been rumors of a Google smartwatch that never materialized. Then, when it finally arrived, it was a quintessential first-gen device, with thicc bezels, dismal battery life, and a host of quirks that needed ironing out. My DMs were full of people wondering when the watch would be unceremoniously dumped into Google’s infamous product graveyard. A part of me wondered if Google was going to spend the next decade playing catch-up.

Fast forward to 2025, and I’m holding the Pixel Watch 4 at Google’s office in New York City. On the surface (and my wrist), it doesn’t look like much has changed. But after fiddling with a few menus, watching some demos, and talking over the updates, it’s evident that Google has a clear vision about where smartwatches are going.

“The overall lens through which we see our mission as a team is ‘essential companion,’” says Sandeep Waraich, Google’s product lead for Pixel wearables. That “essential companion,” Waraich says, should be a wearable and continuous presence on your body that’s intelligent, helps coach you to better health, and also acts as a “guardian.”

Viewed that way, the bevy of Pixel Watch 4 updates starts to look like a roadmap.

The Pixel Watch 4’s new display has thinner bezels, 10 percent more screen area, and a 50 percent increase in brightness.

Starting with hardware, the Pixel Watch 4 has a new domed “Actua 360” display — as in, the display itself, not just the glass, is also domed. What this translates to is about 10 percent more visible screen space, 15 percent thinner bezels, and a 50 percent increase in maximum brightness to 3,000 nits. On a table, there’s a lineup of the Pixel Watch 2, 3, and 4 with the flashlight app turned on. Side-by-side, the improvements are striking.

Material 3 Expressive in Wear OS 6 also helps emphasize the Pixel Watch’s roundness. (No squircles here, folks.) The widgets have more rounded edges, and each screen has been redesigned to be more glanceable, fitting more complications. It’s not Liquid Glass, but there are subtle animations when flitting through menus that call your attention to the Pixel Watch’s rain droplet-inspired design. Altogether, it’s a design tweak that makes sense and is aesthetically pleasing.

Google also says battery life has improved. The 41mm watch gets an estimated 30 hours on a single charge, while the 45mm gets 40 hours. That can stretch up to two days in battery saver mode for the smaller watch and three days for the larger one. I couldn’t test that at a hands-on, but I did get to see the improved fast charging in action. At 1:30PM ET, I stuck a 45mm Pixel Watch 4 with 50 percent battery on the watch’s new side-mounted charger. By 1:48PM, it was at 94 percent. Google says this translates to about 25 percent faster charging, taking only 15 minutes to go from zero to 50 percent.

Look! Tiny screws! According to Waraich, the inside of the Pixel Watch 4 resembles a “bento box” for better serviceability.

I was prepared to hate the new side-mounted charger, which sees the charging pins moved onto the edge opposite the crown. Three proprietary chargers in four years feels wasteful. But while I don’t love e-waste, I do like the change. For one, it turns your watch into a little desk or nightstand display. It also makes it so that it doesn’t matter what kind of strap you use. With more traditional charging pucks, a loop-type band without a clasp tends to flop over. My colleague Allison Johnson pointed out that it kind of looks like the Pixel Watch is resting its tired little head on a pillow. That’s kind of cute.

Another thing that caught my eye: if you remove the straps and peer into the lugs, you now see two teeny tiny screws — because starting this year, the Pixel Watch 4’s display and battery will be replaceable and repairable. The screws aren’t proprietary either, and according to Waraich, the idea is to make the devices as durable and long-lasting as possible. He also says this will be true of every Pixel Watch going forward.

That’s huge. Smartwatches are notoriously hard to repair, and the Pixel Watch’s screen design makes it particularly prone to damage. (The Verge should know; we unintentionally cracked the displays of two Pixel Watches.) Repairability has specifically been a pain point for the Pixel Watches, so seeing Google take that feedback to heart is encouraging.

Put together, these hardware updates really zero in on Google’s attempt to build a glanceable device that lasts a long time. As for the personalized companion part, well, of course that’s referring to AI.

The new charger looks like a little pillow for a sleepy smartwatch.

As with the Galaxy Watch 8, Gemini has a big presence on the Pixel Watch 4. It replaces Google Assistant and is capable of more complex queries — even if none have been able to blow my mind yet. But, in a bid to make interacting with Gemini as smooth as possible, the speaker and haptic engines have also been updated so you can hear and interact more easily. There’s also a new raise-to-talk gesture that lets you speak to Gemini without having to use the wake word. The processor has been upgraded to the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 to enable more on-device AI features, as well, like smart replies. On the Pixel Watch 4, you’ll get more smart reply options to texts that refer to the content of your conversations. They’re not confined to the default Messages app, either.

But the major AI update this time around is a Gemini-powered health coach that’s slated to arrive alongside a revamped Fitbit app in October. So far, I’ve been skeptical about AI fitness features, but I’m cautiously curious about what I’ve seen from Google. The gist is the health coach will act more like a personal trainer than a Captain Obvious summary generator. If you sleep poorly, it’ll adjust workout suggestions. (This is also why Google is also introducing an improved sleep algorithm.) You can tell it that you’ve been injured, and that too will be taken into consideration when generating weekly fitness plans. I did a deeper dive on the health coach demo, but to keep things brief, this is the first time that I’ve felt remotely intrigued by any AI health coaching feature.

Another big first is the Satellite SOS mode. If you’re without your phone and in a remote area with no signal, you can still call emergency services. (So long as you have the LTE version of the watch.) The big thing here is that there’s no extra subscription cost. The watch will also feature more accurate dual-frequency GPS — a nice update given that I’ve had issues with the Pixel Watch’s GPS maps in the past.

It only looks like last year’s Pixel Watches. These updates are incredibly substantive.

When you look back at the original Pixel Watch, this is a substantial amount of progress. There’s a healthy mix of sensible and experimental ideas. As far as AI smartwatch assistants, Google has beaten Apple to the punch. (Technically, Samsung got Gemini on a smartwatch first, but Gemini is Google’s baby.) Satellite SOS on a smartwatch is also an industry first, and Google is making a statement here with repairability. We’ll have to see how that AI coach fares in testing, but here, too, Google is barreling forward.

I’m not saying every update or idea presented here is a good one. But you can at least see the shape of Google’s plans: a sleek, all-day, and personalized companion that lets you bring AI where your phone can’t easily go. There are rough edges. Some would argue glasses are a much better form factor for this concept. But, given how many wearable makers have felt stuck in a loop of iterative updates, it’s refreshing to see that Google has a bold, wearable thesis that it’s working toward. Whether it can truly execute on delivering the ultimate “essential companion” is up for debate. But right now? Dare I say it, I think Google has the wearable juice.Photos by Allison Johnson / The Verge

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:30 am AEST (my time).

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Four years after launching the original Pixel Buds A-series, Google’s back with the Pixel Buds 2A. The new budget buds are $30 more expensive at $129.99, but add some notable updates like an upgraded chip, Gemini access, a replaceable battery, and most importantly, active noise cancellation.

The 2A also adds a Tensor A1 chip, which Google says “unlocks the power of Google’s advanced AI and Gemini features.” That Gemini access was heavily emphasized during my briefings, though in practice it mostly replaces Google Assistant on the buds. For most people, the most exciting feature enabled by the new Tensor chip is active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. The acoustics have been re-engineered — there’s also AI-powered wind and background noise reduction for calls. Google says battery life has increased to roughly seven hours with ANC on and 10 hours with it off. The case holds an extra 20 hours of juice. Five minutes of charging also gets you about an hour of playtime. The buds also have improved IP54 water and sweat resistance, while the case gets an IPX4 rating.

Perhaps most interesting is that these buds are more repairable than the previous model. While fiddling around with the case at a hands-on, I was told that the inside insert pops out, allowing you to replace the battery when it gets old. This dovetails nicely with the Pixel Watch 4, which is also more repairable than previous versions.

These updates aren’t too shabby, but the Pixel Buds 2A aren’t exactly the stars of this year’s Made by Google announcements. While the Pixel 10 phones and the Pixel Watch 4 took center stage at my hands-on, the buds were sequestered to the side, next to the watch straps and other accessories. The units I was shown weren’t even connected, so I couldn’t try the noise-canceling features. Even if I could, a quiet Google office isn’t the ideal environment for getting an accurate sense of the buds’ noise-cancelling prowess. But, the design is familiar, the buds are still extremely lightweight, fit nicely (there are now four eartip sizes and no protruding fins), and the new purple color is fetching. I wish the cases supported wireless charging in addition to USB-C. You can’t have everything.

The eartips come in four sizes now and don’t have protruding earfins.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

 

If there’s a clear theme to all these upgrades, it’s that Google is prepping its hardware for on-the-go AI. For the earbuds, that means futureproofing everything to work with Gemini. It’s the obvious reason for adding the Tensor A1 chip to its budget line, as well as the new noise reduction features that are also coming to the Pro 2. When you consider that the Pixel Watch 4 adds Gemini to the wrist, and that Google’s embarking on a new era of smart glasses with Android XR, the rationale for these particular updates starts falling into place.

 

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:25 am AEST (my time).

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Photo: Chris Welch / The Verge

Google just announced its new budget Pixel Buds 2A, but it didn’t forget about the earbuds it launched last fall. Owners of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will get an update in September that will deliver a few new AI-powered features.

One of them, Adaptive Audio, automatically adjusts the volume based on the noise in your environment. Google’s also improving the audio processing to reduce background noise when interacting with Gemini Live. Pro 2 owners will be able to pick up calls and reply to texts hands-free by nodding or shaking their head. A new Loud Noise Protection feature, in which the buds automatically dampen sound when loud noises like sirens or alarms are detected, is also coming.

Oh, and Google announced a new “moonstone” color. (It’s dark gray, I don’t know what else to tell you.) The Pro 2 in moonstone will cost the same price at $229 and launch alongside the Pixel 10 lineup on August 28th.

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:24 am AEST (my time).

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Finally, a foldable to take to the beach. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is official, matching last year’s starting MSRP of $1,799, and it comes with an IP68 rating. That means full water and dust resistance, which is something that no other foldable maker has figured out yet — and no small feat for a device with moving parts.

The 10 Pro Fold uses a new hinge with a gear-less design that Google says provides better protection against drops. It certainly feels sturdy, though it didn’t feel overly stiff when I unfolded and folded the phone back up again. The crease on the inner screen doesn’t look any more prominent to my eye, but I’m not usually bothered by the crease anyway.

The new hinge doesn’t appear to up the crease factor.

Very small particles are a particular concern for foldables. A piece of sand or dirt that works its way under the sensitive inner screen can cause it to fail. Folding phones have some protections against particles, like brushes in the hinges to keep dust out, but none had been considered fully dust-tight — until now. Samsung’s IP48-rated Folds and Flips only guarantee protection against objects greater than a millimeter in size, which is bigger than a speck of dust (not to mention many sand grains).

Dust resistance isn’t the only hardware change on the 10 Pro Fold. When folded, the front panel is about a millimeter narrower, making the whole device a tiny bit less wide than the last version. With slimmer bezels, the outer screen measures 6.4 inches compared to 6.3 inches on the 9 Pro Fold, and the 8-inch inner display gets a little brighter in peak brightness mode this time around: 3,000 nits compared to 2,700.

Despite slightly narrower dimensions, there’s a bigger battery in this phone.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

 

Google figured out IP68, but it hasn’t cracked adding better camera hardware to its folding phone.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

The 10 Pro Fold gets the same high-level updates as the rest of the Pixel 10 series, including the new Tensor G5 chip and Qi2 support. Tensor G5 is at least partially responsible for a slew of new AI features, many of which run on the device itself. There’s a translator for phone calls that mimics the speaker’s voice, something called Magic Cue that proactively finds and suggests relevant bits of information based on context, and a journal app with AI-powered prompts. You can read up on the new AI features in more detail by jumping over to my Pixel 10 and 10 Pro hands-on.

Qi2 is a welcome addition to the Android ecosystem, offering support for up to 15W charging on the 10 Pro Fold and compatibility with a whole wide world of phone accessories thanks to the embedded magnets in the device. Google is calling its version Pixelsnap, and I can confirm that its first-party magnetic ring grip will remain stuck to a folding phone even while dangling the phone by the ring. Did it still make me a little queasy? Absolutely.

One place the 10 Pro Fold hasn’t offered improvements is in camera hardware. The Fold’s sensors and lenses are still a bit smaller than the more powerful, light-sensitive hardware on the two slab-style Pro phones. Google may have solved dust resistance on a folding phone, but it hasn’t found a way to cram in better cameras.

Surprisingly, neither color option is black or white this time.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold will come in two options that are shockingly not white or black: a gray-ish “moonstone” and a subtle greenish-yellow “jade.” It goes on sale on October 9th, with preorders starting today.

Photos by Allison Johnson / The Verge

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:22 am AEST (my time).

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Google has just announced a bunch of shiny new devices to look at and AI features to yell about. As part of its Made by Google event, the company revealed an upgraded Pixel 10 lineup, a bubblier smartwatch with a brighter screen, and a ton of AI updates that extend across all of its new devices.

Here’s everything that was announced at the Made by Google 2025 event.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold has a bigger outer display.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Just like the slew of leaks predicted, Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold comes with an IP68 rating, making it the first foldable that’s dust-tight and protected against continuous submersion in water. Google also shrunk the bezels on the outside of the device, allowing for a slightly larger 6.4-inch cover display. The inner screen remains the same at 8 inches.

The 10 Pro Fold comes equipped with the company’s upgraded Tensor G5 processor, its first made with TSMC instead of Samsung. It also offers support for Qi2 wireless charging speeds of up to 15W, which I’ll go over in more detail later on.

The 10 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 and is available in silver and green. The new device will be available in stores a bit later than usual, on October 9th.

The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL look mostly the same.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

The new Pixel 10 Pro and the larger XL variant haven’t changed much. They both look almost identical to their predecessors and come with the same 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch display sizes, along with an unchanged 16GB of RAM.

The major difference is that the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL come with a Tensor G5 chip and support for Qi2 wireless charging — though only the 10 Pro XL supports Qi 2.2-certified speeds of up to 25W (the smaller 10 Pro is stuck at 15W). Google also removed the 128GB 10 Pro XL, leaving you with the options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage.

The 10 Pro starts at $999, while the 10 Pro XL has a slightly higher starting price of $1,119 because Google skipped the 128GB storage variant. Both phones are available for preorder today, with in-store availability starting on August 28th. They’re available in silver, green, white, and black.

The Pixel 10 comes with magnets, too.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

For the first time, the base Pixel phone is getting a three-camera setup, just like its more premium sibling. The new cameras aren’t as good as the ones on the Pro-level models, as the Pixel 10 uses a smaller 48-megapixel main camera, a 13MP ultrawide sensor, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens. Those first two are actually downgrades compared to the Pixel 9.

Other key upgrades include support for Qi2 wireless charging speeds of up to 15W, the Tensor G5 chip, a slightly larger battery, and a higher peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits. The Pixel 10 starts at $799 and will be available for preorder before hitting store shelves on August 28th. It comes in indigo, light blue, bright green, and black.

The new ring accessory could be a handy stand or phone holder.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

With the entire Pixel 10 lineup featuring wireless charging, Google has designed a bunch of new “Pixelsnap” accessories that support Qi2 magnetic charging. That includes a set of Qi2-compatible cases priced at $49.99, which match the colors of Google’s newest phones, along with a $39.99 wireless charging puck and a $69.99 Pixelsnap charger that doubles as a stand.

Additionally, Google revealed a $29.99 ring-style accessory that snaps to the back of your device, allowing you to use it as a way to prop up your phone. Google is launching a new dual-port 67W fast charger, as well.

The Pixel Watch 4’s display is 50 percent brighter.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

On top of its phone lineup, Google also took the wraps off its Pixel Watch 4. The new smartwatch comes with a bunch of notable upgrades, including a “domed” display that allows for 10 percent more visible screen space and 16 percent smaller bezels. The display’s brightness got a boost, too, with a 50 percent increase to 3,000 nits.

Google says the Watch 4 has a 25 percent longer battery life, allowing for 30 hours of use on the 41mm model and 40 hours on the 45mm version. The device starts at $349 for the 41mm Wi-Fi model and $449 for LTE, while the 45mm version starts at $399 for Wi-Fi-only and $499 with LTE. It will be available on October 9th.

The Pixel Buds 2A are loaded with new features.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Google’s budget-friendly Pixel Buds 2A cost $129.99, making them $30 more expensive than their predecessors. But the price increase comes with a number of upgrades, including Google’s Tensor A1 chip, a replaceable charging case battery, active noise cancellation, and support for Gemini AI.

The earbuds also offer transparency mode, which lets you hear the environment around you, along with AI-powered wind and background noise reductions during calls. The Buds 2A also offer seven hours of battery life with ANC turned on (or 10 hours when turned off).

The Buds 2A will be available in stores in black and purple on October 9th.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 will get Adaptive Audio and more next month.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Even though Google set its focus on its latest and greatest devices, it didn’t forget about the Pixel Buds Pro 2 it released last year. These earbuds are getting a decent-sized update coming in September that will add Adaptive Audio, a new feature that automatically adjusts sounds to how loud your environment is, as well as Noise Protection, which will dampen sudden loud noises to help protect your hearing.

Other features on the way include the ability to nod or shake your head to answer or decline phone calls and respond to texts. They will also get a new feature that reduces background noise when using Gemini Live. Oh, and they come in a new silver color, as well.

Magic Cue makes suggestions based on your activity.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Every device that Google showed today comes with some degree of AI, with its phones getting the vast majority of new features. That includes a new Magic Cue tool that can make proactive suggestions based on what you’re doing on your phone, such as surfacing an Airbnb listing if your friend asks for the address.

Google also put AI directly into the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL’s cameras, allowing it to use the technology to refine the detail of zoomed-in photos. Pixel phones even offer an AI Camera Coach to help you improve your shots, as well as new AI journaling and translator apps. Meanwhile, on the Pixel Watch 4, Google added a new AI-powered health coach.

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:19 am AEST (my time).

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Google’s new magnetic Pixelsnap charger attaches to an optional stand accessory.

Image: Google

With its new Pixel 10 Series, Google is finally embracing the Qi2 wireless charging standard, making it much easier to securely attach wireless chargers thanks to a ring of magnets built into the device. That also makes the new phone compatible with the many MagSafe and Qi2 accessories already on the market — so naturally, Google is introducing its own options, too.

The magnetic Pixelsnap Charger can be used with a stand accessory that also supports the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Image: Google

 

The Pixelsnap Charger is a wireless charging puck that looks similar to Apple’s own MagSafe charger and is compatible with other Qi2-certified devices. It supports wireless charging speeds up to 25W when paired with the Pixel 10 Pro XL and can be purchased with an optional stand accessory that’s sturdy enough to support the Pixel 10 Pro Fold while it’s unfolded and allows the charging puck to be detached as needed.

Put a ring on it! Google’s new magnetic stand can support Pixel 10 devices horizontally or vertically.

Image: Google

 

If you’re eager to upgrade to one of the new Pixel 10 Series devices and aren’t already eyeing one of PopSockets’ magnetic grip accessories, the Pixelsnap Ring Stand offers similar functionality. You can prop up your device using its fold-out metal ring, while a soft microfiber lining between the accessory and your phone lets you rotate the stand for changing its orientation without having to completely remove it.

You can use magnetic accessories with Google’s new Pixelsnap cases.

Image: Google

 

Google is also introducing a collection of Pixelsnap cases compatible with the new magnetic functionality. The cases for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold include moonstone, jade, and obsidian color options, while the 10 Pro XL adds a porcelain option, and the 10 and 10 Pro add indigo, frost, and lemongrass versions.

The Pixel Flex charger can power up two devices simultaneously but will detect and prioritize Pixel devices.

Image: Google

 

And because wireless charging isn’t truly wireless — you still need a tether to a power source — Google is releasing a new dual port adapter. The Pixel Flex Dual Port 67W USB-C Fast Charger features folding prongs for portability and a “proprietary algorithm that intelligently identifies andprioritizes charging Pixel phones” with two devices connected. It’s not the smallest or fastest multiport charger you can buy, but it’s got a sleek design if you’re not into branding.

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Posted Thursday 21 August 2025 at 2:17 am AEST (my time).

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By "upgraded audio performance," Samsung is referring to things like a larger speaker compared to the previous Buds FE model, which should deliver deeper bass and clearer treble. Samsung has also enabled "Enhanced ANC" by default, which the company says "reduces ambient noise, creating a more immersive listening experience."

We've also got the AI-powered Crystal Clear Call technology, which uses a machine learning model and microphones positioned to face your mouth to make sure your voice is isolated from background racket during calls.

On the AI side, there's the integration with the Galaxy AI Interpreter app on your phone, which lets you listen to a conversation or lecture in a foreign language. You can also use voice commands to check your email without reaching for your phone when you say "Hey Google".

As for controls, you have got your standard pinch gestures: pinch once to play or pause, twice to skip forward, and three times to go back. For volume, you just swipe up or down the Blade. The earbuds also feature an Auto Switch function that moves the connection between your Galaxy devices automatically, just like what Apple rolled out with its AirPods Pro back in 2020.

Samsung says the battery will last up to 8.5 hours with ANC off and 6 hours with ANC on. The case extends that to 30 hours and 24 hours, respectively. If you need a quick spec sheet, here you go:

The new Buds start at $149.99 ($100 cheaper than the Buds3 Pro was at launch), and will begin rolling out progressively on September 5.

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Posted Tuesday 19 August 2025 at 8:16 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft has highlighted that a request it often receives from its OneNote customers is that pages created on Android and iOS should have cleaner and more consistent margins when viewed in the same application on Windows, Mac, and the web. While this may sound like a very minor request, it makes the experience more consistent and neat, regardless of the platform you are viewing your page on.

Since the lack of consistent margins was annoying a significant number of its customers, Microsoft has implemented a change that allows pages created on mobile devices to maintain their layouts consistently across other form factors, devices, and displays. You can check out the change below:

One caveat that OneNote users need to keep in mind is that this will only apply to new pages created in OneNote on mobile. It will not retroactively apply to any previous pages that you may have created. While this may still be a nuisance, at least it's better than the previous state of OneNote.

This update is now available for Microsoft 365 customers running the following versions of OneNote:

• Android: Version 16.0.19127.20046 or later
• iOS: Version 16.100 (Build 25080736) or later

If you don't see the update available on your platform yet, don't worry, as new capabilities are rolled out in a staggered manner to ensure a smoother experience for everyone.

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Posted Friday 15 August 2025 at 1:32 pm AEST (my time).

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Vitals tracking on the Apple Watch Series 10. 

Credit: Apple

In early 2024, Apple removed a blood oxygen monitoring feature from its then-current Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches, following a ruling that the feature violated light-based pulse oximetry patents from a California-based company called Masimo. Removing the feature allowed Apple to circumvent an import ban and continue selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 (and, later, the Series 10) in the US.

Today, Apple announced that it's restoring a version of the blood oxygen monitoring feature to affected Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 watches. Apple says these updates were "enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling."

The feature has been redesigned, presumably to get around the Masimo patents that prompted the import ban in the first place. Apple says that sensor data from your watch will be sent to your iPhone for processing, and you can find the data in the Respiratory section of the Health app on your phone. The old version of the feature allowed results to be viewed directly on the Apple Watch, as shown in Apple's documentation.

The redesigned version of the feature will be available on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 after users install the watchOS 11.6.1 update on their watches and the iOS 18.6.1 update on their paired iPhones.

Apple says that watches outside the US won't be affected by the update, since they were never subject to the US import ban in the first place. It also won't affect Apple Watches purchased in the US before the import ban went into effect—Apple never removed the feature from watches it had already sold, so if you bought a Series 9 or Ultra 2 watch in the fall of 2023 or if you're still using an older watch with the blood oxygen monitoring feature, the updates won't change anything for you.

Masimo originally sued Apple over the blood oxygen monitoring feature in January of 2020. According to Masimo, Masimo and Apple had initially met in 2013 to talk about a potential partnership or acquisition, but Apple instead poached Masimo's engineers to implement the feature on its own without Masimo's involvement.

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Posted Friday 15 August 2025 at 4:36 am AEST (my time).

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We’re just one week away from Google’s Pixel 10 launch event, but the steady stream of leaks shows no sign of stopping. Now, new leaked images shared by Dutch outlet NieuweMobiel show what looks like Google’s rumored “Pixelsnap” cases with a ring in the center, hinting at support for the Qi2 wireless charging standard.

Bringing Qi2 magnetic charging to the Pixel 10 would be a pretty big deal. Among Android phones, only the HMD Skyline comes with the built-in magnets to fully support Qi2 magnetic charging, while “Qi2 Ready” phones like Samsung’s newest foldables rely on magnetic cases to make them Qi2-compatible.

Image: NieuweMobiel

This latest leak aligns with another leak we saw last month, which showed the Pixel 10 what appears to be a wireless charging puck. As shown by NieuweMobiel, the new Pixel 10 cases could come in blue, black, green, and light blue, while the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL could have gray, green, and white options.

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Posted Thursday 14 August 2025 at 12:47 pm AEST (my time).

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