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Android

Android is Google’s open-source mobile operating system; think of it like a public park compared to Apple’s walled garden. It dates back to 2007, and though its dessert-inspired version names were retired in 2019 for a straightforward numbering system, there will always be a special place in our hearts for an OS called “Oreo” and “Ice Cream Sandwich.

Umar Shakir
Umar Shakir
Hyundai’s new Android-based infotainment software looks like Tesla’s.

Pleos Connect is the name of Hyundai Motor Group’s next-gen vehicle software interface based on Google’s Android Automotive OS, launching in Q2 2026. Today, the automaker kicked off a new annual conference to accelerate the development of Pleos and its “Cloud Mobility” software ecosystem, where “all forms of mobility are connected through software on the cloud,” including urban infrastructure.

Here’s a first look at the Pleos Connect interface:

hyundai pleos connect software
Pleos Connect has car controls and status on the left, maps on the right, and a toolbar with apps on the bottom.
Image: Hyundai
Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Google is getting a little more private about Android development.

The operating system will still be open source, but Google is now moving all development to a private, internal software branch. It previously worked on some features, like the Bluetooth stack, in public, but now everything is going in-house to streamline development.

Confused? Android expert Mishaal Rahman breaks down what it all means at Android Authority.

Umar Shakir
Umar Shakir
Google Pixel 9 alarms are turning off instead of going off.

People on Reddit are complaining they’ve missed work after their Pixel 9 alarms didn’t wake them up. Some claim they told Gemini to “stop” a timer or just to hush it, and it would unexpectedly disable all their alarms, too. This isn’t the only time we’ve heard problems with mobile device alarms recently (iPhone, Pixel Watch), have you noticed any issues?

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Oppo readies another Ultra.

The Find X8 Ultra will launch in China on April 10th, joined by the Find X8s and X8s Plus. The X8s is a “compact” version of last year’s Find X8, though its 6.3-inch display is still bigger than an iPhone 16.

As for the Ultra, we know it’ll have dual periscope cameras, a flat display, and a huge battery, but it remains to be seen if it will ever make it out of China.

Oppo Weibo post

[weibo.com]

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Google tests screen-off fingerprint unlock for Pixel phones.

Until now, you’ve only been able to use the scanner when the display is on, either by waking it or by using the phones’ always-on display feature. Now, Android Authority reports that after testing a settings option to enable screen-off fingerprint unlocking on Pixel 9 phones, Google has expanded that test to other Pixel phones in the third Android 16 beta.

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
WhatsApp is testing support for Android motion photos.

That’s according to WABetaInfo, which spotted that a recent beta of the Android app supports sharing motion photos, Android’s GIF-like animations that accompany some photos, similar to the Live Photos feature found on iPhones (and which, the outlet notes, WhatsApp for iOS already supports).

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
A wooden Razr.

Motorola is expected to reveal its new generation of Razr flip phones soon, and leaker Evan Blass thinks we’re going to see an unusual new finish: wood. He shared a GIF showing off the Razr Plus 2025 (a.k.a. Razr 60 Ultra outside the US) in a light brown wood version, though didn’t add any details — so we don’t know if this is real wood, like in 2014’s Moto X, or something else.

A leaked animation of a Razr phone with a wooden finish.
It’s not clear if this is real wood, or (more likely) wood effect.
GIF: Evleaks
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Gboard’s “undo” and “redo” buttons are rolling out now.

While the “undo” button sort of acts like the backspace key, it should come in handy if you want to reverse bigger errors, like pasting in an entire sentence or attaching the wrong link. You can add the shortcuts to Gboard’s toolbar for easy access.

Image: The Verge
Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
That’s no moon. It’s a smartphone.

The Realme P3 Ultra just launched in India starting at ₹26,999 (around $315). It comes in three colors, but we’re all about the “Glowing Lunar White” model, which uses a “Starlight Ink Process” to create a soil-textured lunar design that even glows in the dark.

It’s also IP69-rated, has a big 6,000mAh battery, and is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8350 chipset, but none of that matters as much as a glow-in-the-dark moon.

<em>This is how the “Glowing Lunar White” looks most of the time.</em>
<em>But it glows, too.</em>
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This is how the “Glowing Lunar White” looks most of the time.
Image: Realme
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Disco Elysium, TikTok-ified.

The game is getting an Android port, and ZA/UM studio head Denis Havel says it will get changes to “captivate the TikTok user with quick hits of compelling story, art, and audio, ultimately creating an all new, deeply engaging form of entertainment,” according to Eurogamer.

It’s set to launch this summer.

Umar Shakir
Umar Shakir
Some Chromecast with Google TV users have issues after Android 14 update.

Users on Reddit reported problems with USB storage and ethernet adapters not working, an unexpected color profile change, a weird Settings scrolling bug, and other minor issues, according to 9to5Mac. Separately, Google is also dealing with casting issues on many older Chromecast devices, but a fix is rolling out.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Researchers spotted North Korean spyware on the Google Play Store.

One of the malicious apps masqueraded as a file manager and had more than 10 downloads, according to the cybersecurity firm Lookout. The app contained Android spyware called KoSpy, which Lookout attributes to the North Korean hacking group APT37. It’s capable of collecting a device’s SMS messages, call logs, location, files, and more.

Lookout says the apps it found have since been removed from the Google Play Store.

Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
Purple Pixel 9A appears again.

Google’s new affordable phone has leaked repeatedly already, but it’s back again in new images shared by Evan Blass on X. They’re mostly marketing images and renders of the purple model — supposedly dubbed “Iris” — and closely match the design we’ve seen before, complete with an almost perfectly flat camera bump.

The 9A is rumored to launch this month with a bigger battery, new cameras, and a $499 starting price.

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Dominic Preston
Dominic Preston
WhatsApp is getting an AI widget.

Meta AI fans on Android will soon be able to get to the chatbot more quickly via WhatsApp. A widget is in the works offering direct shortcuts to open the chat with the AI, send an image to it, or begin a voice chat. Some WhatsApp beta users already have the widgets available, though no date’s been set for an official launch.

Meta is reportedly working on a standalone AI app too.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Gboard is testing a typewriter vibe.

The keyboard app’s latest beta transforms its rectangular keys into... circles, as spotted earlier by Android Authority. It kind of looks like a digital version of Logitech’s Pop Keys keyboard, which isn’t all that pleasant to type on.

Image: u/_bites_the_dust via Reddit