Taylor Kerns / Android Authority TL;DR Apple might experiment with a free tier for its music streaming service. An analyst has discovered references in Apple Music’s code, suggesting Apple might offer limited features for free. It’s possible this doesn’t happen, especially as Apple’s head of Music has opposed a free tier in the past. Apple … Read More “Apple Music might finally get a Spotify-like free tier” »
Paul Jones / Android Authority TL;DR One UI 9 beta integrates Lockdown mode directly into the power menu, instantly locking the phone and disabling biometrics upon triggering. Samsung removed the explicit “Lockdown mode” option from One UI 8.5, making the protective feature the default instead. While closing the power menu without choosing an option no … Read More “Samsung is adding a clever security upgrade to the power menu” »
TL;DR E Ink and MediaTek are teaming up to bring on-device AI features to future e-readers, including translation, transcription, and document summaries. MediaTek’s new MT8115 and MT8126 chips add dedicated AI hardware, potentially turning e-readers into more capable productivity and note-taking devices. The new platform also promises better color ePaper displays with smoother refresh rates, … Read More “New e-reader upgrades finally give you a reason to switch” »
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The X360 Mobile emulator has just been released as a public alpha. This is an Xbox 360 emulator for Android, although our initial testing understandably shows varying results. There are also some security concerns about the app, so you shouldn’t install it just yet. We first heard last month … Read More “A new Xbox 360 emulator just hit Android, but you should hold off” »
Prakhar Khanna / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung’s leaked Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup may include two very different designs: a traditional tall-and-narrow Ultra model and a shorter, wider Fold 8 variant. A recent real-world sighting appears to match the proportions of the leaked dummy units, lending credibility to the design rumors. The Fold 8 Wide … Read More “Leaked Galaxy Z Fold 8 design breaks from every Fold before it” »
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google is implementing a networking upgrade for Android that could make local file sharing and network access feel much more seamless. An upcoming Google Play System Update will let Android apps use certain standard networking ports typically reserved for system services. The change could improve compatibility with PCs, … Read More “Android may soon make local file sharing feel far less clunky” »
Stephen Schenck / Android Authority TL;DR Best Buy Canada has listed June 25, 2026, as the release date for the highly anticipated Google Home Speaker. Google still maintains that the speaker is coming in “Spring 2026” and hasn’t announced a specific launch date. When Android Authority recently asked about availability, Google said it would share … Read More “The new Google Home Speaker might finally arrive this month after a long wait” »
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Gearbox co-founder Randy Pitchford posted photos of what appears to be a Google Pixel Watch 5 that was reportedly found underwater near St. Martin. The back of the watch clearly shows “Google,” “Pixel Watch 5,” and health sensor markings, strongly suggesting it’s the real deal. Google hasn’t announced … Read More “An underwater Pixel Watch 5 just became the weirdest Google leak ever” »
TL;DR New leaked photos allegedly show Samsung’s upcoming wide foldable being used publicly in Korea. The device appears to be hidden inside Samsung’s internal anti-leak case, but its wider proportions are still visible. The phone is expected to launch in July and could reportedly debut as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 instead of the Galaxy … Read More “Samsung’s upcoming wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 spied in public for the first time” »
Andy Walker / Android Authority TL;DR Microsoft will soon begin sunsetting third-party logins for SwiftKey backup. If you want the keyboard to store your personal dictionary files and sync them across devices, you must now use a Microsoft account. If you already use a different login, such as Google or Apple, your data will be … Read More “PSA: Microsoft is killing SwiftKey’s Google account backups tomorrow. Do this to save your data” »
