🔁 Check your Pixel phone: the May 2025 security update is rolling out!

FYI: This is likely the final Android 15-based update for Pixel phones. The next update should bring Android 16!

More details on this update👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-may-2025-software-update-3554974/

Also be warned that if you have a Pixel 6 or Pixel 8 series device, this update increments the anti-roll back version for the bootloader.

This means that once you update, you CANNOT downgrade to an older release! Doing so will brick the device!

🔐 Here's our first look at Android's new Advanced Protection Mode page!

As I've mentioned repeatedly, Android 16 is adding an Advanced Protection Mode feature that turns on several security features (like disabling sideloading and USB data connections when locked) as well as provides an API for third-party apps to turn on their own security measures.

Although the Advanced Protection Mode feature + API are available in the Android 16 betas, there's no user-facing way to turn it on. However, @AssembleDebug managed to get the APM page to show up in Play Services.

This is just a guess, but I think Google will announce APM at I/O and then roll it out with or soon after the Android 16 stable release. This doesn't need an OS update to QPR1 or later to work.

For a full breakdown, check out AssembleDebug's post on Android Authority👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-advanced-protection-mode-screenshots-3550119/

🥷 Google is working on an "Intrustion Detection" feature for Android 16

This feature collects various device events for off-device investigation of potential device compromise.

More details on what info is collected👇

🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-16-intrusion-detection-3550583/

(I've been tracking this one for a while (back when it was called "forensic service"), but there wasn't enough info for me to report on it. Fortunately, the latest Play Services update gave AssembleDebug enough details to go ahead.)

🔋Google has confirmed that only the Pixel 9 series Pixel 8a will show Battery Health info!

The Battery Health menu was added in Android 16 Beta 3 for Pixel and shows your phone's remaining battery capacity as a %.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-battery-health-menu-missing-older-google-pixels-3554776/

Opera is rolling out a big update to its Android browser app that brings major tab management upgrades!

Opera v89 for Android adds:

- Three tab gallery layouts (carousel, grid, list)
- Tab Islands (basically tab groups)
- Tab search support
- Tab reopening
- Tab muting

These features have been in the beta version for a few weeks now, but they should now be available to everyone after updating.

(Disclaimer: Opera invited me to Lisbon last month to attend their Browser Days event. This was one of several announcements they previewed for me, but I'm not obligated to cover it.

I'm personally surprised the Android browser didn't have these features already, especially since it's been ahead of Chrome in many other ways!)

🫧 The Bubble Bar will be a HUGE multitasking upgrade for Android phones, so I can't wait for it to roll out!

Here's a hands-on video that showcases how useful this multitasking feature will be👇

🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usbw169Cgzc

📱Android’s phone taskbar isn't quite ready yet, but it's already getting a multitasking boost

Google is preparing to bring the tablet taskbar to phones, and it'll have a button that opens a list of recent apps

More details in the article linked 👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-phone-taskbar-recent-switcher-3554534/

🖥 Google is finally building its own version of Samsung DeX!

Here's a FIRST LOOK at Android's upcoming Desktop Mode!

Click the link 👇for my hands-on over on Android Authority

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-desktop-mode-leak-3550321/

⏩ First look at Android's slick new animations for its big expressive redesign

No redesign is complete without new animations, so of course Android is getting several of them!

Take a look 👇and let me know what you think!

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-expressive-animations-leak-3549969/

Google just announced that Android now natively supports the OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI standards for digital credentials!

Android already supports digital identity documents, ie driver's licenses and passports, but this new standard opens up support for other types of documents like education certificates, insurance policies, memberships, etc.

Via the new DigitalCredential API in Android's Credential Manager, digital credentials can be securely presented to any app or website on the device.

Yesterday, Google announced that Google Wallet will be able to use digital credentials to recover Amazon accounts, access online health services with CVS and MyChart by Epic, and verify profiles or identity on Uber/Bumble. Other apps like Samsung Wallet and 1Password can also hold digital credentials via Android's Credential Manager API.

🎨Google is working on a BIG UI overhaul for Android, and it looks SO GOOD!

Google is finally updating Android's UI after so many years, and I've got a comprehensive look at the new UI for you over on Android Authority
👇

🔗 https://androidauthority.com/android-new-design-changes-leak-3549582/

Phew: OnePlus is no longer charging $500 for the Watch 3 in the U.S.!

Due to U.S. tariffs, OnePlus temporarily bumped the price of the Watch 3 to $500, but the company has now lowered the price to $350.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/oneplus-watch-3-pricing-3548695/

📰Were you expecting a ton of Android news at Google I/O next month?

I have great news and potentially bad news:

Great news: You won't have to wait for I/O for big Android news, because "The Android Show: I/O Edition" is happening (virtually) on May 13 @ 10AM PT! This event will feature "the latest updates coming to the Android ecosystem."

Potentially bad news: This might mean Android won't have as big presence during the I/O keynotes...but we already know there will still be several Android-focused sessions (including one on Material 3 Expressive, Android 16 for TV, Android XR, etc.) plus Google says there will be "more special announcements and surprises in store" for us at the event, so fingers crossed!

LOCK SCREEN WIDGETS ARE FINALLY BACK!

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 enables the lock screen widgets feature on the Pixel Tablet.

More details can be found in this article on Android Authority.

Oh wow, I did NOT expect Google to launch this yet!

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 enables desktop windowing support, and it runs directly on tablets just like I said it might!

External display settings - a feature I spotted last month - is now live in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2!

When you hook your Pixel 8 or Pixel 9 series device up to an external monitor, you'll be able to change its display resolution or rotation under Settings > Connected devices.