The Era of 15GB Free Gmail Storage Is Ending
Google has confirmed it is testing a 5GB storage limit for some new Gmail accounts, with users able to unlock the standard 15GB by adding a phone number. Android Authority reports: While the company didn’t mention which regions are impacted, user reports from yesterday were mostly from African countries. That said, if Google’s tests prove successful, this could possibly become the norm … ⌘ Read more

Scrcpy 4.0 发布：远程控制安卓手机，让 Android 应用开始有“桌面化”体验
Scrcpy 是一款开源免费的电脑控制安卓工具，支持 Windows、macOS、Linux，Scrcpy v4.0 今日更新，新增弹性显示功能（Flex Display），让 Android 应用的界面会跟着窗口大小自动调整。@Appinn 大概就是，当你在电脑上拉宽 Scrc ⌘ Read more

Google Announces Its Chromebook Successor: the Googlebook
Google is teasing a new line of “Googlebook” laptops for this fall, powered by a new Android-and-ChromeOS-derived operating system that will run Chrome, Android apps, phone-connected apps and files, and deeply integrated Gemini features. The company says Chromebooks will continue “after the launch of Googlebook” and “…all Chromebooks will continue to receive … ⌘ Read more

The Top New Features in Google’s Android 17—and Gemini Intelligence—Coming This Summer
You’ll soon be able to generate your own widgets or ask Gemini to finish a booking in Chrome on Android. ⌘ Read more

Googlebook Is Google’s New AI-Powered Laptop Platform Built on Android
They won’t replace Chromebooks, but Googlebooks have an Android-centered operating system, AI-first features like the Magic Pointer, and a promise of desktop-grade apps. ⌘ Read more

iPhone-Android RCS Conversations Are End-To-End Encrypted In iOS 26.5
Apple says end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between iPhone and Android is now available in iOS 26.5, though the feature is still considered beta and depends on carrier support on both sides. MacRumors reports: Apple says that it worked with Google to lead a cross-industry effort to add E2EE to RCS. iOS users will need iOS 26.5, while … ⌘ Read more

Update Your iPhone Now for Better Encrypted Messaging With Android
As part of the iOS 26.5 update, Apple’s Messages app can now encrypt texts between some iPhone and Android smartphones. ⌘ Read more

The Trump Phone Either Is Or Isn’t Closer To Delivery
September 2025? January 2026? Delivery dates keep slipping for the Trump Organization’s “Trump Phone” — a gold-coloured Android smartphone priced at $499 (£370). But in March the Verge spotted signs the phone was moving forward:

FCC listings for a smartphone with the trade name “T1” show that it was tested late last year, and granted certification by the FCC in Janu … ⌘ Read more

Pixel art apps on F-Droid, comparison ⌘ Read more

The Best Mobile Gaming Controllers for iPhone and Android (2026)
Your iPhone or Android phone can work overtime as a full-on gaming console with the help of these mobile controllers. Backbone makes my favorite. ⌘ Read more

15 Best MagSafe Wireless Chargers (2026): Power Banks, Stands, Pads, and Travel Chargers
Top up your Qi2 Android phone or MagSafe iPhone with a magnetic wireless charging stand, pad, car charger, or power bank. ⌘ Read more

EU Tells Google To Open Up AI On Android; Google Says That’s ‘Unwarranted Intervention’
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In January, the European Commission began an initial investigation, known as a specification proceeding, into how Google has implemented AI in the Android operating system. The results are in, and the EU says Android needs to be more open, which is no … ⌘ Read more

Golang news Android app updated
1 points posted by minaandrawos ⌘ Read more

Google 发布 Android CLI：官方 AI 开发工具，开发速度提升约 3 倍
开发安卓应用这件事，已经从需要一位开发者，变成了需要一个 AI Agent。Google 专门为 AI 发布了一套 Android CLI（命令行工具）、Skills 和安卓知识库。 Google 在 Android 开发者博客上宣布：《Android CLI 和技能：使用任何代理以 3 倍的速度构 ⌘ Read more

Amazon’s New Fire TV Sticks No Longer Support Sideloading
Amazon’s newest Fire TV Sticks are dropping support for normal sideloading, blocking apps from outside the Amazon Appstore unless the device is registered with developers. Cord Cutters News reports: This week, Amazon announced the upcoming launch of a new Fire TV Stick HD. The new model will run on Amazon’s Vega OS, rather than Android, so most streamin … ⌘ Read more

Google Rolls Out Gmail End-To-End Encryption On Mobile Devices
Gmail’s end-to-end encryption is now available on all Android and iOS devices, letting enterprise users send and read encrypted emails directly in the app without any extra tools. “This launch combines the highest level of privacy and data encryption with a user-friendly experience for all users, enabling simple encrypted email for all customers from s … ⌘ Read more

Samsung’s Messages App Is Shutting Down
Samsung says it will discontinue its Samsung Messages app in July 2026 and is directing Galaxy users to switch to Google Messages instead. Android Central reports: […] Samsung says users can switch to Google Messages as their default app to maintain a consistent Android messaging experience. The fine print also states that once the app is discontinued, “sending messages via Samsung Messages … ⌘ Read more

Wine Staging 11.6 Ships Big Patch Series For Working On DirectComposition
Following Friday’s release of Wine 11.6 with reviving the Android driver and improving game mod support as part of DLL loader updates, Wine-Staging 11.6 is out today with extra patches atop… ⌘ Read more

Wine 11.6 Begins Reviving Its Android Driver
Wine 11.6 is out as the newest bi-weekly development release for this open-source software enabling Windows games and applications on Linux, macOS, and other platforms… ⌘ Read more

College Student, Cat Meme Helped Crack Massive Botnet Case
The Wall Street Journal shares the “wild behind-the-scenes story” of how the world’s largest and most destructive botnet was uncovered and taken down, writes Slashdot reader sturgeon. “At times, the network known as Kimwolf included more than a million compromised home Android devices and digital photo frames – enough DDoS firepower to disrupt internet traffic … ⌘ Read more

Samsung Is Bringing AirDrop-Style Sharing to Older Galaxy Devices
Samsung is reportedly planning to roll out AirDrop-style file sharing for older Galaxy phones via a Quick Share update. Early reports suggest the feature is appearing on devices from the Galaxy S22 through the S25, though it is not actually working yet. Android Central reports: As spotted by Reddit users (via Tarun Vats on X), a Quick Share a … ⌘ Read more

Google’s Android Automotive Is Moving From the Dashboard To the ‘Brain’ of the Car
Google is expanding Android Automotive from the infotainment screen into the broader non-safety “brain” of software-defined vehicles. With its new Android Automotive OS for Software-Defined Vehicles, the in-car experience will feel “much more cohesive and the latest features will reach your driveway faster,” Matt … ⌘ Read more

GrapheneOS Refuses to Comply with Age-Verification Laws
An anonymous reader shared this report from Tom’s Hardware:

GrapheneOS, the privacy-focused Android fork, said in a post on X on Friday that it will not comply with emerging laws requiring operating systems to collect user age data at setup. “GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone around the world without requiring personal information, identification or an acco … ⌘ Read more

In the interest of fairness and hopefully for the last time, I ever have to address this, Google has flip-flopped again and promised “sideloading” will not be removed from their version of Android, but instead have to be enabled in the developer settings, using the following “advanced flow”:

To be perfectly clear, this still falls short of what I wanted, but at this point, it is a compromise I’m willing to take, over further pursuing this, through the various available European courts, myself.

Here is their full statement:
https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/android-developer-verification.html

Thunderbird Looks To Finalize Its Exchange Support, Refresh The Calendar UI
Thunderbird announced today the availability of their public roadmaps where they are making it easier for end-users to comprehend what they are currently working on for this mail client not only for the desktop builds but also their Android and iOS versions too… ⌘ Read more

Google Details New 24-Hour Process To Sideload Unverified Android Apps
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Google is planning big changes for Android in 2026 aimed at combating malware across the entire device ecosystem. Starting in September, Google will begin restricting application sideloading with its developer verification program, but not everyone is on board. Android Ecosy … ⌘ Read more

Android, Epic, and What’s Really Behind Google’s ‘Existential’ Threat to F-Droid
Starting in September, even Android developers not in Google’s Play Store will still be required to register with Google to distribute their apps in Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, with Google continuing “to roll out these requirements globally” four months later. Even developers distributing Android apps on … ⌘ Read more

CachyOS Dethrones Arch As ProtonDB’s Top Linux Gamer Desktop Distro
Linux gaming “has gotten to the point where some people claim that Linux runs their games better than Windows does,” according to the Android site XDA Developers. And there’s a new surprise on ProtonDB, an “unofficial” community website with crowdsourced data about videogame compatability with the Linux software/gaming compatability layer P … ⌘ Read more

Google Now Using AutoFDO To Enhance Android’s Linux Kernel Performance
Google’s Android LLVM toolchain team shared publicly this week that they have begun making use of AutoFDO for automatic feedback directed optimizations of their Linux kernel build used by Android… ⌘ Read more

@thecanine@twtxt.net sorry to hear that, mate. Don’t worry, something better will come up. After all, it has got to be easy to beat Android, right? :-)

@thecanine@twtxt.net

as things are now in fact even worse

You mean this, right?

Contrary to a vague mention of a possible “advanced flow” that may eventually allow “experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn’t verified”, Google’s description of the program continues to state plainly that:

Starting in September 2026, Android will require all apps to be registered by verified developers in order to be installed on certified Android devices

Until such time that they have shown evidence that it will be possible to bypass the verification process without undue friction, we must believe what is stated on their official page: that all apps from non-registered developers will be blocked once their lock-down goes into effect.

Last year, I made a huge mistake. I repeated on here, what multiple sourcea at Google told me, and what is to this day, written on their blog about Android.
I failed to take into consideration, that people who work at Google, often just lie, or present things intentionally vaguely, so they do not have to follow through with their promises.
I would like to apologize to everyone, who took my previous posts here, as assurance software not explicitly approved by Google, will continue working on Android, past this year (or even just a couple months from now) and that everything has been resolved, as things are now in fact even worse, than they were before. To follow the current state of “Open Android”, please check: https://keepandroidopen.org/

European Consortium Wants Open-Source Alternative To Google Play Integrity
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Heise: Pay securely with an Android smartphone, completely without Google services: This is the plan being developed by the newly founded industry consortium led by the German Volla Systeme GmbH. It is an open-source alternative to Google Play Integrity. This proprietary interface decid … ⌘ Read more

Google Ends Its 30% App Store Fee, Welcomes Third-Party App Stores
Google is eliminating its traditional 30% Play Store fee and introducing lower commissions, while at the same time allowing alternative billing systems and making it easier for third-party app stores to operate on Android. The changes stem largely from Google’s settlement with Epic Games. Engadget reports: The biggest change is to how Goo … ⌘ Read more

New App Alerts You If Someone Nearby Is Wearing Smart Glasses
A new Android app called Nearby Glasses alerts users when Bluetooth signals from smart glasses are detected nearby. The Android app, called Nearby Glasses, “launches at a time as there is an increasing resistance against always-recording or listening devices, which critics say process information about nearby people who do not give their consent,” repor … ⌘ Read more

Motorola Partners With GrapheneOS
At MWC 2026, Motorola announced a partnership with the GrapheneOS Foundation to bring the hardened, Google-free Android variant to future devices. Until now, the OS had been designed exclusively for Google Pixel phones. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Motorola to bring GrapheneOS’s industry-leading privacy and security-focused mobile operating system to their next-generation smartphone,” a GrapheneOS … ⌘ Read more

Panasonic Will No Longer Make Its Own TVs
Panasonic is handing over the manufacturing, marketing, and sales of its TVs to Shenzhen-based Skyworth, effectively exiting in-house TV production. Ars Technica reports: Skyworth is a Shenzhen-headquartered TV brand. The company claims to be “a top three global provider of the Android TV platform.” In July, research firm Omdia reported that Skyworth was one of the top-five TV brands … ⌘ Read more

👋 Looking for other interested folks to continue to evolve the development of Salty.im 🙏 I’ve been hard™ at work on the v2 branch and @doesnm.p.psf.lt@doesnm.p.psf.lt has been incredibly helpful so far. Be great ot have a few more folks to join us, some of the v2 highlights include:

• Double Ratchet by default.
  
• Group Chat (sender/client fan-out for now)
  
• Much better TUI with background agent.
  
• Mobile App coming soon™ (iOS in progress, Android next, same codebase)

Google Confirms AirDrop Sharing is Coming To Android Phones Beyond Pixels
Google’s Quick Share-AirDrop interoperability, which has been exclusive to the Pixel 10 series since its surprise launch last year, is headed to a much broader set of Android devices in 2026.

Eric Kay, Google’s Vice President of Engineering for the Android platform, confirmed the expansion during a press briefing at the company’s … ⌘ Read more

‘Everyone is Stealing TV’
A sprawling informal economy of rogue streaming devices has taken hold across the U.S., as consumers fed up with rising TV subscription costs turn to cheap Android-based boxes that promise free access to thousands of live channels, sports events, and on-demand movies for a one-time $200 to $400 purchase.

The two dominant players – SuperBox and vSeeBox – are manufactured by opaque Chinese companies and distributed … ⌘ Read more

Why Google’s Android for PC Launch May Be Messy and Controversial
Google’s much-anticipated plan to merge Android and ChromeOS into a single operating system called Aluminium is shaping up to be a drawn-out, complicated transition that could leave existing Chromebook users behind, according to previously unreported court documents in the Google search antitrust case.

The new OS won’t be compatible with all exi … ⌘ Read more

Nothing CEO Says Company Won’t Launch New Flagship Smartphone Every Year ‘For the Sake of It’
Android smartphone maker Nothing won’t release a Phone 4 this year, the company’s founder and chief executive said, and that the 2025 Phone 3 will remain the brand’s flagship device throughout 2026.

“We’re not just going to churn out a new flagship every year for the sake of it, we want ev … ⌘ Read more

Android’s Full Desktop Mode Surfaces in Accidental Chromium Leak
A bug report filed on the Chromium Issue Tracker inadvertently exposed Google’s desktop Android interface for the first time, revealing a system codenamed “Aluminum OS” running on existing Chromebook hardware. The report, ostensibly about Chrome Incognito tabs, included screen captures from an HP Elite Dragonfly 13.5 Chromebook running Android 16.

The … ⌘ Read more

Android Phones Are Getting More Anti-Theft Features
An anonymous reader shares a report: Google on Tuesday announced an expanded set of Android theft-protection features, designed to make its mobile devices less of a target for criminals. Building on existing tools like Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and others introduced in 2024, the newly launched updates include stronger authentication safeguards and enhanced … ⌘ Read more

Is Google Prioritizing YouTube and X Over News Publishers on Discover?
Earlier this month, the media site Press Gazette reported that now Google “is increasingly prioritising AI summaries, X posts and Youtube videos” on its “Discover” feed (which appears on the leftmost homescreen page of many Android phones and the Google app’s homepage).

“The changes could be devastating for publishers who rely heavily … ⌘ Read more

New Linux/Android 2-in-1 Tablet ‘Open Slate’ Announced by Brax Technologies
Brax Technologies just announced “a privacy-focused alternative to locked-down tablets” called open_slate that can double as a consumer tablet and a Linux-capable workstation on ARM.

Earlier Brax Technologies built the privacy-focused smartphone BraX3, which co-founder Plamen Todorov says proved “a privacy-focused mobile devi … ⌘ Read more

Google Discover Replaces News Headlines With Sometimes Inaccurate AI-Generated Alternatives
An anonymous reader shared this report from The Verge:

In early December, I brought you the news that Google has begun replacing Verge headlines, and those of our competitors, with AI clickbait nonsense in its content feed [which appears on the leftmost homescreen page of many Android phones … ⌘ Read more

The Android ‘NexPhone’: Linux on Demand, Dual-Boots Into Windows 11 - and Transforms Into a Workstation
The “NexDock” (from Nex Computer) already turns your phone into a laptop workstation. Purism chose it as the docking station for their Librem 5 phones.

But now Nex is offering its own smartphone “that runs Android 16, launches Debian, and dual-boots into Windows 11,” acco … ⌘ Read more

Epic and Google Have a Secret $800 Million Unreal Engine and Services Deal
A federal judge revealed a previously undisclosed ~$800 million, six-year partnership between Epic Games and Google tied to Unreal Engine services and joint marketing. It raises questions about whether the deal influenced Epic’s willingness to settle its antitrust case over Android. The Verge reports: [California District Judge … ⌘ Read more

Nova Launcher Gets a New Owner and Ads
Nova Launcher has been acquired by Instabridge, which says it will keep the app maintained but is evaluating ad-supported options for the free version. Android Authority reports: Today, Nova Launcher announced that the Swedish company Instabridge has acquired it from Branch Metrics. Instabridge claims it wants to be a responsible owner of Nova and does not want to reinvent the launcher overnight. Howev … ⌘ Read more