📲 Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 adds new animation for the power button long-press gesture

This new animation plays before the Gemini overlay pops up and basically makes it feel like you're squeezing the phone.

Thanks to A_Button117 on Discord for the tip!

https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr1-beta-2-power-button-animation-3567943/

🗨Your Android phone may soon recommend you use an 'optimized' voice assistant over other options

Google has added a new feature in Android that lets OEMs highlight specific digital assistants as “optimized” for their Android devices.

The timing of this addition is certainly interesting given Google's legal issues over its deals that make its own assistant the default on Android. However, the company told me this feature will be optional for OEMs, and that it won't be using it on its own devices.

More details👇🏾

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/android-recommended-assistant-3568465/

I just found out this feature is already in use by none other than Samsung!

In One UI 7, 'Google' (i.e. Gemini) is listed as the 'Recommended AI assistant.'

In One UI 8, Google is now shown as the 'AI assistant optimized for Galaxy.'

This feature does make sense - it gives OEMs the ability to highlight assistants that work better with their first-party services - but again, the timing makes it look bad.

✨Gemini Space is coming to Pixel phones, and it could be Google's take on Samsung's Now Bar

I found evidence of a 'Gemini Space' feature in the Android 16 QPR beta, and I think it may be Google's version of Samsung's Now Bar/Brief.

Here's what I know👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-gemini-space-leak-3569136/

📞Google Phone's Material 3 Expressive revamp and new call gestures are starting to roll out

The update brings a redesigned interface & an option to switch between the old single tap and new horizontal swipe UI for incoming calls!

LMK if you have it!

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-phone-beta-material-3-expressive-call-gestures-3569133/

🌐 Google just made it way easier to use Chrome extensions on Android

In April, I demoed Google's new 'Desktop' version of Chrome for Android w/ extension support.

Back then, it was a pain to use, but it's way better now!

How to try it yourself👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/try-new-chrome-for-android-with-extensions-3569268/

Agent Mode for Gemini in Android Studio is now available in the latest Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop Canary release!

This new feature lets you describe a complex goal in natural language to Gemini. Agent Mode will then form a plan that can span multiple files in a project and then execute that plan under your direction. It uses a "range of IDE tools for reading and modifying code, building the project, searching the codebase and more" to complete tasks with minimal oversight. It can also interact with external tools like GitHub via MCP.

You can access it from the Gemini sidebar window and then clicking the Agent tab. If you add your own Gemini API key, you can even expand its context window to 1 million tokens.

🔎Google app is now home to your Pinterest-like personalized image feed

Google is starting to roll out a new 'Image' tab in the Search app on Android, making it easier to discover images that suit your interests.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-app-images-tab-rollout-3569923/

🌐 Chrome on Android finally lets you move the address bar to the bottom, over a year after iOS

Google is now rolling out the ability to move Chrome's address bar to the bottom on Android. A flag for this has been available for a while now.

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/chrome-android-bottom-address-bar-3570198/

📍Google's Find Hub network is unreliable, but this simple change could fix it

Google is adding a new setup screen for Find Hub that'll appear when you set up a phone, & it could get more users to select the more reliable network option.

More details👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-find-hub-setup-screen-3570944/

Google is rolling out Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2.1, a minor bug-fixing update. The build ID is BP31.250523.010.

It includes the following fixes:

* The "Approve" button in the Device Admin settings is transparent and invisible

* The lockscreen sound toggle shows as off, but sounds still play

* The Android back button intermittently fails to function

* Fix for a launcher crash when swiping up from the bottom

🪪 Google Wallet is making it easier to create custom passes on Android

Google Wallet now appears as a share target when sharing an image on Android, making it easier to create a custom digital pass

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/google-wallet-share-sheet-target-3571085/

🔐How Google’s Find Hub could use Android 16’s Secure Lock to protect your sensitive data

Secure Lock is a new feature in Android 16 that allows for remotely locking down your device into an enhanced security state

Here's what that means👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/find-hub-with-android-16-secure-lock-3571055/

Here's Google's official documentation for Android 16's new 'trade-in mode'.

Trade-in mode is a feature that helps technicians speed up device evaluations, which should hopefully result in you getting your credit/money back faster.

It lets technicians bypass the setup wizard, retrieve general health information about the device, and then automatically factory reset the device after evaluation is done.

⌚️The Pixel Watch 3 is the first Android device with this precise Bluetooth tracking feature

The Pixel Watch 3 supports Bluetooth 6.0’s Channel Sounding feature, which allows for much more precise location tracking

Here's what you need to know👇

🔗 https://www.androidauthority.com/pixel-watch-3-channel-sounding-3571567/