Latest news with #MishaalRahman
Android Authority
7 hours ago
- Android Authority
Google just made it way easier to use Chrome extensions on Android — here's how
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google is developing a new version of Chrome for Android that supports extensions, and recent builds show significant progress. It's now possible to install Chrome extensions directly from the Chrome Web Store, and they will persist even after restarting the browser. The feature is still experimental and intended for future Android-powered PCs, but anyone can sideload the APK to try it now. While Google Chrome is by far the most popular browser on Android, its lack of extension support has always held it back from being the most powerful. Without the ability to install the many useful Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store, the mobile browser's functionality is limited. Fortunately, Google is quietly working to change this by developing a new version of Chrome for Android that supports extensions, and it has improved significantly since we first took it for a spin back in April. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. For context, we reported last year that Google is developing special 'desktop' builds of Chrome for Android specifically to house this new Chrome extension support. These builds are designed to give future Android-powered PCs a browser experience on par with Chrome on other desktop operating systems. While Google doesn't currently make Android for PCs, it is an active area of development as part of the company's long-term goal to unify its ChromeOS and Android operating systems. Thanks to Chrome's open-source nature, we can track Google's progress on this feature. In April, we gave you a first look at extension support in these 'desktop' builds, but the experience was rudimentary at the time. For starters, installing Chrome extensions was a hassle, requiring us to manually download .crx files and drag-and-drop them into the extensions page. Furthermore, Chrome would delete all installed extensions every time we restarted the browser. These two issues made the feature unusable for daily browsing, but fortunately, Google has since fixed them in newer builds. Last week, Android Authority reader Kawshik Ahmed tipped us off that it's now possible to install Chrome extensions directly from the Chrome Web Store. In our testing, we not only confirmed this but also found that the browser no longer deletes extensions between launches. Installing Dark Reader from the Chrome Web Store Dark Reader and Keepa extensions installed via the Chrome Web Store We also noticed that extension icons now appeared in Chrome's toolbar. While the main extensions button didn't work, individual extension icons, like the one for Dark Reader, were functional. This allowed us to control them directly from the toolbar, even though their pop-up dialogs had some noticeable UI scaling issues. Adding Chrome Web Store support makes installing extensions in these 'desktop' builds much easier — it now takes just a single click. While the experience isn't perfect — some Chrome extensions still don't work, the main extension menu doesn't launch, and pop-ups don't scale correctly — it's clear that full extension support is progressing nicely. Unfortunately, there's still no evidence that Google plans to bring these 'desktop' builds to phones or tablets. As far as we know, the company is targeting Android-powered PCs, though we don't have a timeline for that launch. However, if you're comfortable sideloading APKs, you don't have to wait for an official release to try it yourself. How to install the 'desktop' version of Chrome for Android and use Chrome extensions 1) Click this link to open Google's download page for the 'desktop' builds of Chrome for Android. 2) Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the folder containing the latest build (the one with the highest number). 3) Open that folder and download the ' file. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority 4) Extract the .zip file and locate ' inside the chrome-android-desktop > apks. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority 5) Tap the file to install it using Android's Package Installer. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority 6) Launch the new Chromium app from your app drawer. (Note: Because this is built from Chrome's open-source code, it will appear as 'Chromium,' not 'Chrome.') 7) Navigate to the Chrome Web Store and install your favorite Chrome extensions. And that's it! The process is much simpler than before. However, before you start browsing, there are a few important caveats to keep in mind: Missing Features : Because these builds are compiled from Chromium, the open-source version of Chrome, they lack proprietary Google features like account sync and Google Cast support. : Because these builds are compiled from Chromium, the open-source version of Chrome, they lack proprietary Google features like account sync and Google Cast support. No Automatic Updates : Since this app is not installed from the Google Play Store, you will need to manually check for and install new versions. : Since this app is not installed from the Google Play Store, you will need to manually check for and install new versions. Potential for Bugs: These are experimental builds that have not undergone extensive testing. They can be buggy, so we don't recommend relying on them for any critical tasks. Let us know in the comments below if you plan to use these builds and what extensions you'd like to try out! Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Gemini Space is coming to Pixel phones, and it could be Google's take on Samsung's Now Bar
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Google is developing a new feature called 'Gemini Space' for its Pixel phones, which is expected to debut on the upcoming Pixel 10 series. 'Gemini Space' could be a rebrand of the At a Glance widget that will add new information like finance recaps and sports scores. This new feature could be Google's version of Samsung's 'Now Brief,' providing a full-screen, contextual summary of your day from the lock screen. Google is locked in a race with rival OpenAI to get people to use its Gemini AI over ChatGPT, and one of its key advantages in the race is its hardware ecosystem. The company has already integrated its Gemini AI into multiple features on its Pixel devices and plans to introduce even more with the upcoming Pixel 10 series. One such upcoming feature is called 'Gemini Space,' which we expect will debut on the Pixel 10 before trickling down to previous devices. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. Our first clue about 'Gemini Space' appeared in last month's Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 release, which quietly added a new system configuration file named 'Ambient Data.' The file hints that 'Ambient Data' is the internal codename for 'Gemini Space.' Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority This 'Ambient Data' configuration file is present in the firmware for both the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 8 Pro, suggesting the feature will be supported on at least some current-generation devices. Unfortunately, the file itself and the rest of the firmware offer no further details about what the feature does. We did find some related references to an 'Ambience Hub,' though details on how it works are similarly scarce. However, the naming offers a clue. Based on existing features like 'ambient display' and 'ambient AOD,' it's likely that 'Ambient Data' refers to contextual information shown on the ambient display. The 'Ambience Hub' feature, then, might be a new interface for presenting that data. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority So what will this 'Ambient Data' consist of? We found clues in the Android System Intelligence app, which is responsible for the Pixel's At a Glance experience. Our findings suggest Gemini Space will show a finance recap and sports scores — two features we've been tracking for a while. We even managed to recently surface the finance recap toggle in the Pixel's At a Glance settings. Code Copy Text gemini_space_finance_recap gemini_space_sports_score This evidence suggests Google could be planning to rebrand At a Glance as 'Gemini Space' and relaunch it with more capabilities. Specifically, 'Gemini Space' could be Google's version of the 'Now Bar' and 'Now Brief' features on Samsung Galaxy phones. On Galaxy devices, the Now Bar is a small chip on the lock screen with live app updates, complemented by the Now Brief, a full-screen summary of your day with contextual information. While one could argue that At a Glance is already a version of the Now Bar, Pixel phones lack a comparable experience to Now Brief that is accessible from the lock screen. The 'Gemini Space' and 'Ambience Hub' features could finally provide that. Notably, we spotted Google testing a change last year that repositions the At a Glance widget to the bottom of the lock screen, which would make it look strikingly similar to Samsung's Now Bar (and Live Activities on iOS). With such limited information, our theory could be off base, and 'Gemini Space' might have no parallels to Samsung's features. If that's the case, we truly don't know what Google is building. I'm personally hoping for a feature similar to Nothing's Essential Space, but beyond the name, there's no evidence for this. It's also possible this feature is tied to the long-rumored Pixel Sense — now expected to be called Magic Cue — but we're not sure how. However, Magic Cue is expected to be a Pixel 10 exclusive, whereas our findings suggest 'Gemini Space' will not be as limited. Whatever the case, it's clear Google plans to integrate Gemini more tightly into its Pixel lineup. While the exact role of 'Gemini Space' remains to be seen, we're excited to find out. Google is rumored to launch the Pixel 10 series at a Made by Google event in August, so we hopefully won't have to wait long to see what form this feature ultimately takes. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
Android may soon recommend you use an 'optimized' voice assistant — here's what that really means
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR OEMs can now highlight specific digital assistants as 'optimized' for their Android devices in the default app settings. Google says it created the feature at an OEM's request so OEMs can recommend assistants verified to work with their first-party applications. While Google says it won't do this on its own Pixel phones, the feature comes as the company is facing growing regulatory pressure. For many years, Google Assistant was widely seen as the best personal assistant app for Android. While Bixby and Alexa were better suited for users heavily invested in the Samsung and Amazon ecosystems, Google Assistant was generally the better performer for most tasks on Android. In the era of LLM chatbots, however, the Android voice assistant space is more competitive than ever. With so many capable assistants to choose from, it can be tough for users to find the right one. To help with this decision, Android OEMs can now choose to highlight which assistants are 'optimized' for their devices — a feature that notably comes as Google faces mounting regulatory pressure over its deals that make its own services the default on Android. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. Why OEMs want to highlight certain voice assistants, and how they'll do so For a long time, Android has let you change the default voice assistant — the service that launches when you hold the power button or swipe up from the corner. You can do this on most devices by going to the 'default digital assistant app' page under Settings > Apps > Default apps. The operating system doesn't favor any particular service, listing all eligible voice assistants alphabetically. As a result, not even Google's own assistant is placed at the top of the list. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority The current 'default digital assistant app' page in Android A few months back, though, I was digging through the then-latest beta of Android 16 when I found evidence of a new 'recommended assistants' feature. The feature allows OEMs to define a list of voice assistants that will appear in a separate 'Optimized for device' category at the top of the 'default digital assistant app' page. All other installed voice assistants are then displayed below in an 'Others' category on the same page. Because no description accompanies the 'Optimized for device' header, and the feature's source code doesn't explain its purpose either, I wasn't sure what made a voice assistant 'optimized' for a particular device. Furthermore, the feature isn't active on any Android 16 devices we checked, leaving us without any real-world examples of what OEMs might consider an 'optimized' assistant. However, given the broader context, we thought that maybe Google or one of its OEM partners wanted to label their own voice assistant as 'optimized.' This would subtly discourage users from picking other options, as promoting an assistant as 'optimized' for a device implies that all others are sub-optimal, which isn't necessarily true. To find out if Google planned to recommend its own Gemini assistant this way, we reached out to the company with our findings. A Google spokesperson told us that it created the feature at the request of an OEM partner. Apparently, an OEM wanted the ability to highlight digital assistants it had verified to work with its first-party apps. OEMs would need Google's help to develop this feature because the underlying component, Permission Controller, is a Project Mainline module that Google controls. Here's the full statement shared by a Google spokesperson in response to our inquiry: 'This optional UI allows OEMs to provide a list of assistants that have been verified to work with their applications and is controlled and configured by the OEM, including what assistants they choose to recommend, the total number of recommended assistants and whether they want to use it at all.' – Google spokesperson The spokesperson also shared a mockup of the 'default digital assistant app' page that shows what it could look like if the 'recommended assistants' feature is not only enabled but customized by the OEM. You can see this mockup in the image on the left below. On the right is my own screenshot of the page with the default text; to take this screenshot, I created a fake voice assistant app and manually elevated it as the 'recommended' service with a bit of tinkering. Google's mockup of the 'default digital assistant app' page that shows how OEMs can configure which services to recommend. My image of the 'default digital assistant app' page, using a fake assistant service I manually set as the 'recommended assistant', on a Pixel phone running Android 16 Google's explanation, and the image it shared, aligns with other recent developments in Android. In my review of Android 16, I noted that several OEMs are using the new App Functions API to integrate Gemini with their own calendar, clock, and notes apps. Because of these new integrations, one or more of these OEMs — such as Xiaomi — could use the 'recommended assistants' feature to label Gemini as 'optimized,' signaling to users that it works best with the phone's native applications. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Gemini Apps for the Xiaomi Calendar and Xiaomi Notes apps made possible by the App Functions API Will Google be recommending its Gemini assistant on its own Pixel devices? While Google developed this feature based on OEM feedback, nothing precludes the company from leveraging it for its own devices. However, our Google spokesperson told us the company doesn't plan to deploy the feature on its own Pixel phones. We don't know where else this UI will show up, but we can safely say it won't make an appearance on Pixel devices at the very least. We're glad Google isn't forcing Gemini to be labeled as the 'optimized' assistant on all Android devices, let alone its own Pixel phones. Though it's well within the company's power to do so, we feel that would be an incredibly shortsighted decision. Google is already under intense scrutiny for its default assistant deals, and pushing Gemini over competitors like Perplexity would have only added fuel to the fire. While forcing such a change would surely be tempting — especially as companies like Motorola and Samsung ink deals to preload Perplexity — it would only exacerbate Google's legal troubles. Leaving the decision in the hands of OEMs is a wise move. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Google Messages just pulled the plug on its new unsubscribe button for some users
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google is removing a new Messages feature that made it easier to unsubscribe from automated business texts for users in the U.S. and Spain. The feature added a prominent unsubscribe button to chats, which sent a 'STOP' command for the user after they provided a reason for unsubscribing. It's unclear why the feature is being removed only in the U.S. and Spain but not other countries. Businesses, charities, and political campaigns send millions of automated text messages daily. While many find these messages useful, others view them as unwanted clutter. In April, Google Messages introduced a feature to help users easily unsubscribe from these texts, but the company is already sunsetting it for users in some countries. I first spotted the feature in early April as a new prompt at the bottom of my chats with businesses, which asked if I wanted to 'unsubscribe to stop receiving messages.' Tapping the button launched a confirmation sheet asking for a reason, after which the Google Messages app would send a 'STOP' command on my behalf. This feature was particularly helpful because, while many services let you opt-out by replying 'STOP,' not all users are aware of this option, especially when it isn't explicitly mentioned in the messages. By adding a persistent unsubscribe button, Google made the opt-out process much more discoverable. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Some businesses may not have been pleased with the change, however, as Google has now announced it is reverting it for users in the U.S. and Spain. For users in both countries, the unsubscribe option will disappear from the bottom of chats with businesses using RCS. In the U.S., it will also be removed from the bottom of SMS/MMS chats from businesses using short codes, though it will remain in the context menu. For users in Spain, however, the option will be removed entirely from RCS business chats, including from the context menu. According to Google, businesses will still receive unsubscribe requests from users on Google Messages versions older than 20250518.01. This implies the feature was removed in version 20250518.01 and later, so the button may already be gone if you're on a recent update. I can confirm it is already missing for me in the U.S. The targeted removal in the U.S. and Spain — while the feature remains in Brazil, France, Germany, India, Mexico, and the UK — suggests its reversal is not due to a bug. It's possible the change was prompted by an uptick in complaints from businesses that saw a surge in users unsubscribing once the option became more prominent, but we can't say for sure. Another possibility is that users complained about the button causing them to inadvertently unsubscribe from important updates, as one user pointed out in the comments of our previous post. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Android 16 QPR1 beta 2 has a hidden customization option for the lock screen clock
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google introduced new lock screen clock customization options in Android 16 QPR1 beta 1. In the second beta release, the company has added another hidden customization option for the lock screen clock. This new option lets you switch between 'Rounded' and 'Sharp' font styles for the default lock screen clock. Google rolled out the first Android 16 QPR1 beta release last month, introducing a new customization option for the lock screen clock. The beta build included an updated version of the 'Wallpaper & style' app, which featured a new slider that lets you adjust the clock's appearance. Although Android 16 QPR1 beta 2 does not offer additional customization options on the surface, a user has stumbled upon a hidden feature that lets you further tweak the clock's design. Reddit user als26 discovered the hidden customization feature while trying out the new lock screen clock customization in Android 16 QPR1 beta 2. You can trigger it by tapping the lock screen clock preview in the editor, and it makes a subtle change to the font style. As shown in the attached screenshots, this hidden option switches the clock font from the default 'Rounded' to 'Sharp.' It also shows a toast highlighting the style change and the option to undo with a tap. Like the customization slider, this new option only works with the default lock screen clock, since it's the only one using a 'reactive' font that allows for dynamic adjustment. It's not clear whether Google plans to offer these customization options for other lock screen clocks. We'll update this post as soon as we have more details. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
