Google Allo adds background themes and Smart Smiley feature

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Google Allo adds background themes and Smart Smiley feature July 01, 2025 The recently launchedGoogle Allomessaging app continues to add new features via updates from the Play Store. The latest version includes a new option that washinted at a couple of weeks agoin a leak: background themes. Basically, Allo users now have the option to switch from a basic background for their text chats to a variety of different and colorful designs....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 289 words · Ronald Parks

Google appoints new leader for Google Plus Photos and 'Streams'

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Google appoints new leader for Google Plus Photos and ‘Streams’ August 22, 2025 Just last week, Forbes conducted aninterview with Google’s Sundar Pichai. In that interview, the Google exec hinted that the future of Google+ could see the company “focus on [Hangouts], photos, and the Google+ stream as three important areas, rather than being thought of as one area.” And now it seems that Google is doing just that, as it has been confirmed that Product Vice President Bradley Horowitz is now in charge of Photos and what he refers to as Streams (the social component of G+)....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 365 words · Dr. Kimberly Booth

Google Clips passes by the FCC, inches closer to launch

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Google Clips passes by the FCC, inches closer to launch August 13, 2025 Announced back in October alongsideGoogle‘s refreshedPixel lineupandPixelbook,Google Clipslooks to be one step closer to launch, thanks to its recent visit to theFCC. The filing does not unveil anything new— the device sports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as a built-in rechargeable battery that should net you three hours of use....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 314 words · Amy Bennett

Google wants developers to name Android OEMs culling their apps

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Google wants developers to name Android OEMs culling their apps July 31, 2025 Smartphone makers want to give users morebattery lifeby killing unnecessary apps in the background. However, some OEMs perhaps take this practice a little too far. Now, Google wants to hear from developers how OEM software from Android makers is affecting their apps. Spotted byXDA, app makers can now fill in a survey detailing how OEMs’ “app restriction” practices on Android are culling their apps....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 323 words · Samantha Christensen

GoPro Odyssey 16-camera VR rig now available for $15,000

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. GoPro Odyssey 16-camera VR rig now available for $15,000 August 17, 2025 Remember that insane rigGoogle showed off at I/O? Yes, the one with the 16 GoPro cameras. It looked like the ideal VR-recording machine for content creators, and now it can be yours! The portable camera maker has just launched the product under the GoPro Odyssey moniker. Don’t go rushing to try and get yourself one just yet, though....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 391 words · Leslie Davis

Guetzli is a new Google algorithm that cuts JPEG file sizes by 35 percent

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Guetzli is a new Google algorithm that cuts JPEG file sizes by 35 percent June 20, 2025 Loading up a web page quickly takes more than having a fast internet connection at home or on the road. Other factors can also be involved, such as the speed of the server the site is hosted on, the code that’s used to make and design the page and the file sizes for any images that are used in the site....

July 8, 2025 · 3 min · 435 words · Lisa Mccullough

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite tips and tricks — Become a master wizard!

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite tips and tricks — Become a master wizard! July 24, 2025 Harry Potter: Wizards Uniteis the latestaugmented reality gamefrom Pokémon Go creator Niantic, and in a lot of ways it’s a much more mature title at release. It has more features and a more developed shop system, but the sheer amount of content can be overwhelming for new players....

July 8, 2025 · 6 min · 1223 words · Mary Garcia

Hell freezes over: Verizon offers unlimited data plan for $80 a month

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Hell freezes over: Verizon offers unlimited data plan for $80 a month July 29, 2025 Verizon Wirelessis making ahugeabout-face in its data plans. The nation’s biggest wireless carrier has announced it will launch Verizon Unlimited, which will offer smartphone and tablets unlimited data for $80 per month. The plan will officially be available starting on Monday, February 13. This sea change comes after the company tried to push a 5GB monthly data promotion for $55 per month over the past few weeks, claiming that most people don’t really need “unlimited” plans....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 330 words · Tammy Hunter

Here's our first look at Minecraft Earth gameplay

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Here’s our first look at Minecraft Earth gameplay July 27, 2025 Today during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), developer Mojang showed off its upcomingMinecraft EarthAR mobile game for the first time. Apart from the traditionalMinecraftaspects of building and destroying, Minecraft Earth throws in a few wrinkles for the mobile crowd. For example, Mojang chief brand officer Lydia Winters demoed the game’s motion tracking....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 227 words · Christopher Aguilar

Here's the official word on in-box chargers for the OnePlus 9 flagships

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Here’s the official word on in-box chargers for the OnePlus 9 flagships July 28, 2025 When Apple first ditched the in-box charger with theiPhone 12, Android OEMs like Samsung and Xiaomi mocked the company for doing so. We all know what happened after that. Both Samsung and Xiaomi removed the charger from the packaging of their respective flagships. While the latter has stillmade the accessory optional, the South Korean brand seems to begoing all-inon the charger-less approach for its phones....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 286 words · David Potts

Here's when your Samsung phone will get the Expert RAW camera app

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Here’s when your Samsung phone will get the Expert RAW camera app August 21, 2025 Samsung smartphoneshave world-renowned photography chops. However, since Samsung is so popular, its computational photography software tends to stylize photos and videos quite a bit. As such, professional photographers might wish they had a bit more control. Enter the Expert RAW camera app, which Samsung launched late last year exclusively for theSamsung Galaxy S21 Ultra....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 312 words · Antonio Gonzalez

How do you secure your phone's lock screen? [Poll of the Week]

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. How do you secure your phone’s lock screen? [Poll of the Week] June 29, 2025 No matter which way you look at it, lock screen security is a thing we should all be using on our smartphones. Sure, typing in a PIN or passworddozens of times each daycan get annoying, but using one of these methods might actually be able to help you keep all your information safe....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 269 words · Kenneth Chapman

How to hide the navigation and status bars on the Galaxy S8

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. How to hide the navigation and status bars on the Galaxy S8 August 24, 2025 TheSamsung Galaxy S8ships with a delicious display-to-body ratio, meaning almost the entire front of the device is occupied by the screen. If you wish to optimize this space even further, you might consider removing the navigation buttons or status bar. These occupy space at the top and bottom of the handset, but a handy guide from theXDA Developersforums explains how they can be removed, essentially putting your S8 into immersive mode all the time....

July 8, 2025 · 2 min · 354 words · Anthony Richards