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Google Archive

Archives for August 2026

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Venmo on Google Play.

Google announced that you can now pay with your Venmo account on the Play Store, allowing you to purchase games and other content with your existing funds, linked cards, or bank accounts.

Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Looks like the Pixel Watch 5 is getting a Steph Curry edition too.

Just like the orange and grey special edition of the Fitbit Air we got in May, a new leak shows the Pixel Watch 5 with a similar band, suggesting Steph Curry will be lending his name to more Google gear.

Image of Steph Curry special edition Google Pixel Watch 5
Image: MyMobiles
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Android might get AI-generated lockscreen clocks.

9to5Google reports that Android Canary 2608 includes an interface for generating custom lockscreen clock designs using AI prompts, similar to Android’s “Create My Widget” feature. It also includes options for uploading a reference image or using “Ideas” Google suggests, but according to 9to5Google “server-side functionality” for the feature isn’t live yet.

Screenshots of an AI-generated lockscreen clock interface in Android Canary 2608
Image: Google / 9to5Google
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Google DeepMind says its AI model can predict tropical cyclones sooner.

The company shared research about how its WeatherNext AI model can predict a cyclone’s track, intensity, and wind structure up to 15 days in advance, giving “forecasters an extra day’s worth of predictive accuracy.”

Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Parents can send their kids money directly through Google Wallet now.

A new feature allows parents to add money to their kids’ linked Google Wallet balance, which kids can use for tap-to-pay purchases. Parents can also see their kids’ transaction history, set a daily spending limit, remotely lock / unlock the account, and have the option to get spending notifications.

An illustration of a parent and child using Google Wallet
Image: Google
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Oh look, more Pixel Watch 5 leaks.

Several leaks have already given us a good idea of what Google’s upcoming smartwatch launch will probably look like, but now some new marketing images shared by Evan Blass also show what features we can expect. Check out Android Authority’s breakdown of the “Ask Gemini” integration and health features shown in the leaks.

<em>The new leaks suggest an “Ask Gemini” integration will be available.</em>
<em>Here’s a closer look at the control dial.</em>
<em>The Fitbit Personal Health Coach feature will probably be supported. No suprises there.</em>
1/3
The new leaks suggest an “Ask Gemini” integration will be available.
Image leaked by Evan Blass
The messy politics behind Google’s big AI shakeup

Google’s AI leadership changes may have come down to pressure to speed up products — and internal ethical conflicts.

Hayden Field
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Soon, free Gmail won’t let you “send as” third-party email accounts.

Support for sending emails from third-party accounts like Yahoo or Outlook is ending in January 2027, Android Authority reports. Google’s also discontinuing Gmailify and the ability to fetch emails from third-party accounts in Gmail, but says you can still use “send as” for Gmail addresses and aliases, and “Google Workspace ‘Send as’ functionality is not affected.”

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
The Pixel 11’s “HiLight” might glow in these colors.

9to5Google uncovered code in the Google Contacts app that suggests you’ll be able to give your favorite contacts a “glow color” that appears on the Pixel 11’s built-in light when they call. Based on the code, you might get to choose from blue, cyan, green, orange, pink, purple, teal, white, or yellow.