Amazon’s week of product reveals features a revamped line up of Echo devices, starting with the first Echo Dot Max with enhanced voice assistance and AI.
The company also revealed an upgraded Echo Studio that takes its deep bass and rich sounds to new heights with an empowered AZ3 Pro chip.
The Echo Show 8 and 11 now features woefully improved displays that offer even more information to users, thanks to Alexa Plus.
Every device announced is available for pre-orders ahead of launches this fall.
Amazon’s product announcements continue, as the company dropped four new Echo series devices, all powered by its advanced Alexa Plus AI.
A press release revealed Amazon’s next generation of Echo devices that load up AI software, sound, assistance, and more, all empowered by its AI. Consumers will notice that this year’s Echo products have received a complete redesign. Starting with the first-ever Echo Dot Max, Amazon states this new device brings roughly three times more bass compared to its previous Echo Dot 5th Gen.
This product has received a two-way speaker system with a “high-excursion” woofer for deeper bass and crispy highs. While this compact speaker still embodies what Amazon intends for the Echo Dot series (now in Max), there’s a lot inside that consumers don’t see, which is pushing it further ahead.
(Image credit: Amazon)
Internally, the Echo Dot Max, like the rest of the newly launched products, features Amazon’s custom silicon chip. For the Max specifically, the post states it features the new AZ3 chip for “better conversation detection.” This chip pushes the Dot Max to sift out background noise, so your natural conversations with Alexa Plus remain crystal clear.
While Alexa Plus is there for whatever your query is, Amazon announced that preparing to launch the Alexa Plus Store. Users can manage their Amazon subscriptions from this store, and “explore, discover, and enable devices and services” from TaskRabbit, Fandango, Priceline, Uber, Lyft, and more.
The Amazon Echo Dot Max starts at $99.99, and pre-orders are available ahead of its October 29 rollout.
Echo Studio shines again
(Image credit: Amazon)
This year’s Echo Studio already made headlines over the previous iteration, as consumers will find it ~40% smaller than before. Amazon states it’s trying to balance a device that fits seamlessly into your living space, while also providing rich, powerful sound, no matter where you put it in the room.
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It offers the same woofer as the Dot Max; however, its specifications mention that the Echo Studio also supports spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. The newest Studio really zeroes in on delivering immersive sounds for homeowners, as it sports a spherical design this time with a knit-fabric covering, which Amazon says contributes to its “ultimate acoustic transparency.”
Inside the Studio, Amazon placed its custom AZ3 Pro chip, which takes the audio capabilities of the standard AZ3 even higher.
The audio potential for the Echo Studio strives for new heights when paired with other Studio devices or the new Dot Max (up to five). When connected to a “compatible” Fire TV Stick, users can activate Alexa Home Theater and let the AI facilitate that cinema-quality sound you’re looking for. Amazon states consumers will also find these products in its Alexa Home Theater bundles.
The Echo Studio starts at $219, and its pre-orders are live (November 15 rollout).
Putting on a (Echo) Show
(Image credit: Amazon)
Amazon’s Echo Show models feature a screen, which only enhances the smart home experience, but this year’s pair, the Show 8 and 11, are looking to do more with AI. The post highlights the Show 8 and 11’s in-cell touch and “negative liquid crystal design” for an improved visual screen experience. Inside, the AZ3 Pro chip is there, as well as Amazon’s Omnisense technology.
Leveraging the Show 8 and 11’s 13MP camera, Omnisense delivers a new world of ambient AI, as the devices can act depending on what’s happening in your home. If you’ve set a reminder for someone and that person happens to walk by, the Show 8 and 11 will show it to them. Alexa is also said to “greet you” when you walk up to these newest Show models.
The upgraded screens for the Show 8 and 11 give users even more information when Alexa surfaces their favorite content.
For entertainment, Amazon says these models sport a new “media control center” for browsing music, podcasts, and books in their own dedicated places. Alexa Plus adds a Shopping widget, which monitors and tracks your deliveries and more from Amazon, Whole Foods, and Amazon Fresh. Tapping the display or asking Alexa to surface details about your orders is possible. Alexa is even there, ready to answer questions about gift recommendations for people.
There’s a notable update with the Show 8 and 11’s Health & Wellness features, and that’s the inclusion of Oura. Amazon states that it’s working with Oura, enabling users to connect their accounts, so Alexa can provide “personalized suggestions like getting in a quick workout based on your schedule.” Home Organization helps users manage calendar schedules, while Alexa Plus Home is your one-stop shop for everything smart home, like your Ring camera feeds.
Google updated its Pixel Buds Pro 2 support page with a changelog highlighting a significant update that’s rolling out.
This new update rolls out Adaptive Audio and Loud Noise Protection to users, as well as Head Gestures for accepting/declining calls and texts.
The Buds Pro 2 had their first update in January, a long four-moth wait after its launch last September.
It’s been quite a while since Pixel Buds Pro 2 users got an update, but today’s the day a major one is rolling out with some much-needed new features.
Google updated its Pixel Buds Pro 2 support page with a changelog highlighting the newest update rolling out to end the week (via 9to5Google). Three major features in v4.467 for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 start with Adaptive Audio. Now, when you’re listening to your music or podcasts, your earbuds will automatically adjust their volume so you remain alert when outside.
Google states Adaptive Audio will “dynamically reduce the volume of unwanted noises and sounds,” while keeping you involved with what’s around you.
Furthering your listening experience is Loud Noise Protection. The changelog states that when a loud noise occurs, such as a fire engine’s siren and horn, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will drop its volume, so the siren doesn’t burst your eardrums. Rounding out the major features is “Head Gestures” for calls and texts. While wearing your buds, nodding your head will accept calls/begin a reply to a text.
Shaking your head declines both. Google warns that some apps will require a setup process to get this working, so be alert when this update arrives and you’d like to use it.
An update that brings more
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
This final feature is more of a QoL (quality of life) update, as Google states Gemini Live interactions should be a little easier in “noisy environments.” The patch notes say this update is implementing some “advanced audio processing” that puts more of a focus on your voice over background noises. It’s like Clear Calling, but for your conversations with the AI.
Users should expect their Pixel Buds Pro 2 update to begin appearing today, if not in the next several days.
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The last significant Pixel Buds Pro 2 update rolled out in January, which marked the device’s first update four months after its launch. That update was a little lackluster, as its changes/additions weren’t explicitly stated after a Reddit user discovered its existence. It also seemed more like a prelude for more to come, as Google was likely more interested in fixing up some problems users encountered early on.
A new translation feature is rolling out to WhatsApp on iOS and Android, but the supported languages and features will be different on both platforms.
You can get real-time translation of your WhatsApp messages
Meta announced it’ll “gradually” roll out a new translation feature on WhatsApp for Android and iOS. You’ll be able to translate messages in one-to-one chats, groups, and Channels by long-pressing on them and tapping the “Translate” option. That should allow you to choose what language the message you want translated from or to. The company says that every translation is handled on-device, and WhatsApp cannot see the messages. That means your chats remain encrypted.
It’s not the same for everyone
Android users are getting a better version of the feature, albeit with fewer supported languages. Once they translate a message, they’ll have the option to turn on automatic translation for the entire thread and see translated versions of all future messages.
On the other hand, iPhone users will be able to use the feature in more languages. In total, WhatsApp on iOS will be able to translate messages between the 19 languages supported by Apple’s Translate app. Android users will be able to use translations in six languages:
English
Spanish
Hindi
Portuguese
Russian
Arabic
Meta’s new feature comes shortly after Apple launched Live Translation on its own Messages app on iOS 26. The feature works automatically while you type your messages, much like what Meta says Android users will be able to do on WhatsApp.
That’s what AI is all about, right?
I feel like we’re in the middle of an automated translation boom, and I love it. Learning languages can be fun, but it’s difficult, so having reliable translation tools at hand can make life much easier. Considering how many people around the world use WhatsApp, that feature could be even more consequential than the Live Translation on the AirPods Pro 3. I’ll definitely use it way more often.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
Release notes for Google Home 3.40 are now available even as version 3.41 is beginning to roll out with a number of details about the redesigned app and “Google Home Speaker.”
New today are filters for person, vehicle, etc. directly in the camera events view instead of needing to use the Activity tab. Google Home will also suggest device favorites for new users.
New automation editor: The new automation editor has an improved user interface and introduces “conditions” for the first time. Users can now add conditions to automations like days of the week, presence, or device status like on or off. This makes automations more personal and smarter than ever. Access the new editor through the Automations tab > Create + > New automation. Learn more at Manage smart home automations in Google Home.
Hot water controls and more thermostat upgrades: Added support for older Nest Thermostats, including hot water controls and schedules for UK or EU models for the first time. Plus easier Eco controls, outdoor temperature, and more. Refer to our community blog post about Complete Nest Thermostat controls.
Event filters directly in camera experience: Quickly find the events that matter most by filtering event types (person, vehicle, and more) directly from a camera’s events view. You can still filter events across your home on the Activity tab.
Suggested favorites: It’s even easier to get quick access to your most used devices in the Home app. Users with zero favorites will now see suggested device favorites on the Favorites tab of the app. These can be edited anytime.
Bug Fixes
Layout issue during device setup: Fixed an issue for some users where the full screen was not visible when adding a custom room name or entering a Wi-Fi password during device setup on iOS.
Lock settings error: Resolved an issue causing errors for some users when accessing lock settings on Member accounts with limited access.
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The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.
The following first-party apps comprise the “Google System”:
A feature appearing in the changelog does not mean it’s widely available. Some capabilities take months to fully launch.
Google Play services v25.36 (2025-09-15)
Account Management
Advertisement – scroll for more content
[Auto] With this update, you’ll now get an improved Google sign-in engagement and discovery in Automotive.
[Wear] You can now use the dashboard in Parental Controls with an expressive theme.
Developer Services
[Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Location & Context related processes in their apps.
Device Connectivity
[Phone] With this feature, you can transfer supervised accounts to your new device with QuickStart.
[Phone, Wear] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services.
System Management
[Auto, PC, Phone, TV, Wear] Updates to system management services that improve Device Performance.
Google Play Store v48.0 (2025-09-15)
[Phone] At the top of the Apps tab, we’ve added a new featured format.
[Phone] Users in South Korea will now find a dedicated entertainment section under Apps.
Google Play services v25.35 (2025-09-08)
Developer Services
[Phone] With this update, Document Scanner now supports expressive design.
Device Connectivity
[Phone, Wear] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services.
Security & Privacy
[Phone] Phone theft protection is now on by default for new devices in Brazil.
System Management
[Phone] With this update, phone number verification and reachability run automatically on setup. You can manage your preferences in Device Settings and Google Account.
Wallet
[Phone, Wear] Provision access cards from work profile to personal profile.
Google Play Store v47.9 (2025-09-08)
[Phone] With the new task-based search feature, you can find apps that can help you finish your tasks.
Google Play services v25.34 (2025-09-01)
Account Management
[Phone] Bug fixes for Account Management related services.
Device Connectivity
[Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Device Connectivity related processes in their apps.
[Phone, Wear] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Device Connectivity related processes in their apps.
Safety & Emergency
[Phone] With this update, backup and restore for theft protection is now available.
Wallet
[Phone, Wear] You can now authenticate a tap transaction if your phone stays locked for more than 30 seconds.
Google Play Store v47.8 (2025-09-01)
[Phone] Snippets now show more relevant results.
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Google Home is rolling out a new automation editor experience on Android and iOS.
The editor supports conditions, adds new actions and triggers, and just empowers more complicated automations.
While some features aren’t yet working, you still have the option to go back to the old editor.
Having a proper smart home means more than just installing some Wi-Fi lightbulbs, smart outlets, and security cameras. If you really want to get the most out of all that tech, you’re going to want to set up some automations, where one event triggers a bunch of other things to start happening in sequence — like maybe when someone rings your doorbell, you want the show you’re watching to automatically pause and the lights in your foyer to turn on.
Getting that all configured properly, though, can be a huge undertaking — and that’s even assuming that all the automated stuff you’d like to do is supported at all. Thankfully, Google just announced that the Home app is receiving a major update to its automation editor, including adding in some new starter triggers.
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Looking through Google’s list of triggers, we spot one new one for when the temperature hits a specific figure. But it sounds like Google’s adding a whole lot more, and in its announcement the company does clarify that more additions are on the way.
We’re also seeing the arrival of the new conditions options we previewed earlier this year, letting you getting even more specific about when triggers should be active. That promises to be an exceptionally powerful tool for being incredibly precise with the automations you create.
The last big one here is the addition of one-time automations, which basically just let you schedule an automation like you’d set an alarm — only without forcing you to have it recurring. That sounds perfect for when you’re going to be away, but want to make sure that a one-off event still happens.
All that sounds good, but Google does warn us that the new editor is still a bit of a work in progress, and it doesn’t yet support everything the old one did — you can’t yet change light colors, or turn off cameras, for instance. But our saving grace may be that Google isn’t forcing the new experience on everyone just yet, and even if you try it and don’t like it, you have the ability for now to revert to the old editor.
With nothing to lose, give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments! If you don’t see it yet, sit tight, as it’s rolling out in phases and may still be on its way to your phone.
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Last week, Google dropped a bombshell: The company plans to verify the identity of all developers who distribute apps for Android, even those outside the Play Store. Starting next year, if a developer chooses not to verify their identity, Android will prevent their apps from being installed on certified devices (ie. devices with Google Mobile Services). This news sent shockwaves through the enthusiast community, with many criticizing Google for transforming Android into an iOS-like walled garden.
Google claims its goal is to prevent bad actors from distributing malicious software under a cloak of anonymity. However, many believe the company has an ulterior motive, such as killing emulation on Android or hindering Android-based e-readers. In response, Sameer Samat, President of the Android Ecosystem at Google, said, “Sideloading is fundamental to Android, and it’s not going anywhere.” He added that the company’s new requirements aren’t designed to limit choice but rather to “make sure that if you download an app from a developer, regardless of where you get it, it’s actually from them.”
However, Samat’s statement did little to assuage people’s fears, as it didn’t explain a key part of the equation: the how. We know what Google wants to do (block Android apps from unverified developers), when it wants to do it (starting September 2026 and rolling out through 2027), and why (to reduce malware), but not how it’s going to enforce this policy on devices.
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
The most obvious method would be through Google Play Protect, the on-device security service available on all certified Android devices. As the system’s Package Verifier, Play Protect already has all the privileges needed to enforce Google’s new developer verification requirements, so it would make a lot of sense for it to take on these new responsibilities, especially since it already comes bundled with Google Mobile Services. But we’ve recently learned that Google is going another route — one that raises more questions than it answers. On the bright side, we’ve also learned that Google may leave some existing mechanisms to sideload apps intact, provided you’re comfortable using developer tools.
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Coming soon: Android Developer Verifier
Rather than enforce its new developer verification requirements through Play Protect, Google is apparently creating an entirely new system service called Android Developer Verifier. This new app will be responsible for validating whether an application package is associated with a verified Android developer, i.e., a developer who has registered with Google through the new Android Developer Console.
A screenshot of the Android Developer Console
The Android Developer Verifier app can’t be found on current devices, unlike Play Protect (which is part of the Play Store). Instead, it will be distributed in the future, with Google mandating that its OEM partners preload the app on new devices launching with Android 16 QPR2 or later.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Why does it matter that Google is creating a new app instead of using Play Protect? This simple difference could have major ramifications.
First, it means the enforcement of the new developer verification requirements will likely be decoupled from the system’s package verification mechanism, which is handled by Play Protect. Therefore, disabling Play Protect probably won’t disable the Android Developer Verifier, assuming the latter lacks its own opt-out mechanism (which we doubt Google will offer).
I say “likely” because it’s possible the Android Developer Verifier app will communicate with Play Protect in some way, but in that case, why make it a separate app? After speaking with independent security researchers and platform developers, here are a few other potential reasons for this approach:
It could simply be an organizational matter, where the Android platform security team developed it rather than the GMS (Google Mobile Services) team.
From a security standpoint, decoupling it from GMS reduces the attack surface. If a malicious app compromises GMS, it could affect everything GMS manages. If Google makes the app open source, then that would allow its code to be independently audited, unlike Play Protect.
By decoupling it from GMS, devices without GMS could also use the service, assuming Google releases the source code. Custom ROM developers, for example, could then modify the app to add their own trusted sources instead of only using Google’s. Developers who don’t want this feature could ignore the app entirely without affecting GMS functionality.
In my view, these are weak reasons. Google has never really cared for the minuscule number of custom ROM users, so the third point was unlikely a factor in their decision. The first two points make sense from a security and architectural perspective, but the trade-offs are enormous.
Using Play Protect would make it much easier for Google to enforce its new developer requirements, as the service is already on every certified Android device. In contrast, OEMs will have to push updates to include the Android Developer Verifier app. So far, Google has only announced plans to require the app on new devices, with no mention of a mandate for existing ones.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Google Play Protect is not its own app but rather part of the Play Store.
Since Google’s goal is to improve security, it would make sense to require the app on all devices, presumably by pushing OEMs to include it in updates. In that case, though, why leave it up to OEMs, who are known for slow rollouts — or no updates at all — for older devices? And if Google were planning to deploy the Android Developer Verifier app over-the-air (i.e., with no OS update required, similar to Android System SafetyCore), then why require OEMs to integrate it into their builds in the first place?
The decision to make Android Developer Verifier, as I said before, raises more questions than it answers. While it’s nice that custom ROM users could benefit, I’m not sure they have a lot to be excited about given Google’s recent decisions affecting AOSP. If Google is making Android Developer Verifier a separate app so it won’t be turned off when you turn off Play Protect, then that means regular users won’t have an easy time installing apps from outside the Google Play Store using the device’s built-in package installer anymore.
(We reached out to our contact at Google two days ago for a statement regarding the Android Developer Verifier app but didn’t hear back prior to publication.)
Fortunately, there might be a silver lining. On a FAQ page, Google says that you’ll be “free to install apps without verification with ADB.” ADB, or Android Debug Bridge, is a command-line tool used by developers to control their device from a PC. Installing apps via ADB is as simple as downloading the binary onto a PC, downloading the APK file for an Android app, and then executing a command to push and install the app onto a device. There are even open source tools for running ADB commands on-device, which should hopefully make it possible to install unverified apps without the need for a PC.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Installing an Android app through ADB
Allowing installation through ADB would reduce the headache for developers, who frequently need to install apps during early development. It would also allow power users comfortable with command-line tools to continue sideloading, while deterring most casual users — the most common target for scammers and hackers.
We hope that Google keeps its word and preserves ADB installation. The changes don’t go into effect for at least another year, leaving plenty of time for the company to change its mind. While we hope Google will at least allow ADB sideloading, we also realize it may ultimately decide to restrict this method to prevent scammers from exploiting it.
Special thanks to security researcher linuxct for helping review this article!
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Big changes are coming to Quick Share, including support for iPhones
Quick Share for iPhones is still in the works, and here’s proof
Gboard has become a staple keyboard in the Android community due to the fact that Google has made it the default keyboard on Pixel devices. Much like other Google apps — looking at you, Google Messages — Gboard has a lot to offer and continues to see Google’s attention placed on expanding what it can do. One of the latest features the company added is the ability to get your phone’s AI to help with writing text. The feature was previously only available for Pixel devices, but it has begun rolling out to more Android devices alongside the latest Pixel feature drop.
To take advantage of the new feature, you’ll need to be running the latest version of Gboard, and even then, it may take a few days or even weeks to roll out to your device. At the time of writing, I have yet to receive the feature on my Galaxy S25 Ultra, but others are already seeing it on OnePlus 13. Once it’s available, though, you can use Gboard’s AI writing tools to spellcheck your text, generate new versions of your messages, and more.
Further, Google says that all processing is done on your device using Gemini Nano, so you don’t have to worry about privacy. Of course, that hasn’t stopped people from wondering what data Gemini can access in your messages.
How to use Gboard’s AI writing tools
To get started using Gboard’s AI writing tools, simply launch an app that supports Gboard and then look for the writing tools icon, which looks like a little pencil with a couple of stars around it. Tap it again to open the AI writing window, and it will immediately begin providing suggestions for the message in the text field.
From there, you can select various styles you want the AI to use, including friendly, emojify, professional, elaborate, and more. There’s also an option to rephrase and proofread your text, so you can make sure the message don’t contain any spelling or grammar issues. Other keyboards offer similar functionality, too, but at now you can find them directly in Gboard if you’re already using Google’s keyboard.
While you can edit and even delete messages after you send them in some apps, not all apps allow that option, so it’s nice to have another way to check your work before sending a message out to your contacts. That said, it’s also worth noting that AI writing tools are only available on devices running Gemini Nano v2 or higher.
So you got your hands on a new Pixel 10 smartphone. They’re great phones, and there’s a lot of cool new features to check out, which can make things a little overwhelming. After all, setting up your new Android phone only gets you through so much, even though it often feels like it takes forever to move accounts, transfer data, and set up your eSIM.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you get the most out of your Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro. With this guide, we’re going to talk about some of the first things you should set up or do with your new Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro. Keep in mind that some features may be exclusive to the Pro model, which we’ll note where appropriate.
Spruce up your wallpaper with Live Effect
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Thanks to Android 16 and Tensor, you can add some extra flair to your wallpapers with Live Effects. Navigate to Settings (or long-press the home screen) > Wallpaper & style > More wallpapers, then tap Live effects.
Here you can select a photo from your gallery to set as a wallpaper. After you choose an image, you’re taken to an Effects page, where you can select how the wallpaper will be styled.
You have three main effects to choose from: Shape, Weather, and Cinematic.
With Shape, five shapes surround the main subject of the photo, and five adjustable colors fill the rest of the display. The shape will expand to reveal the full image when transitioning from the lock screen to the home screen. Weather creates an artificial weather effect in your image, including fog, rain, snow, sun, or an option that mimics local weather conditions. Lastly, Cinematic will apply a parallax effect to the subject of your photo, making it really stand out on your display.
Set up your screen saver
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Screensavers often feel redundant on Android, especially when you have an Always-on Display (AOD). However, you can find a selection of nice screen saver configurations on the Pixel 10, which can make your display act as a slideshow for your photos or show useful information while your phone is charging.
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Navigate to Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver. First, toggle the feature on, then tap When to show to decide if you want the screen saver to appear solely when charging or when the phone is charging while upright (such as on the new Pixelsnap Charger with Stand). You can also restrict this feature to wireless charging.
Next, select your screen saver. You can choose from the Everyday Clock, Google Photos, Home Controls, Pilot Bold Clock, and Pixel Weather. Finally, you can toggle on Low light mode to enable a low-light clock when you’re in a dark environment.
Enable Voice Translate for calls
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
I have a lot of international friends, most of whom speak English. However, some of them don’t, and there’s a bit of a language barrier when I try to speak in their language or they in mine. Fortunately, Google’s Voice Translation feature is quite good and can even project your own voice in a call being translated in real time to another language!
It’s a pretty impressive feature, but you have to first enable it. To do so, open the Phone app and navigate to the burger or three-dot menu at the top. Tap Settings > Voice translate, then toggle the feature on, after which, you’ll have to wait your language to finish downloading (make sure the the Language you speak is set to your native tongue).
The supported languages include: English (US and UK), French, German, Hindi (in preview), Indonesian, Italian, Japanese (in preview), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Spain), and Swedish.
Voice Translate works on-device, but you should note that it may not always get translations correct. You’ll also get a handy transcript during the call in case you need to see what the other person is saying.
Create your first entry in Pixel Journal
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
An AI-powered journal may sound a bit odd, but it’s actually one of those nice-to-have features that you may come to appreciate. Not only can it help you get started on entries by pulling up recent photos, locations, and fitness data, but when you’re done with an entry, it will provide an AI-generated “Reflection” to help you think a little more deeply about the experience you just described.
Open the Pixel Journal app, and you’ll be asked to set your journaling goals. Then, you can connect Google Photos and Health Connect to allow additional customization. Finally, once you set a lock for your Journal, you can start writing your first entry, which you’ll find in the Entries tab.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Pixel Journal lets you change fonts, add images and edit the layout, and more. Once you’re done, you’ll likely receive an AI Reflection, or if not, you may have to enable AI features, which you can do in the settings. You can also navigate to the Insights tab, where you’ll find a week or month view of your journal entries.
We suggest you tap your Google account thumbnail at the top then navigate to Journal settings. Here, you’ll be able to Back up your journal and enable AI features (which may take some time to install/load).
Set up Magic Cue for contextual suggestions
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Magic Cue is a highlight Pixel 10 feature that uses AI to provide contextual suggestions within your apps. This uses on-device processing to pull up information and actions like contacts, locations, events, and more, based on what you’re doing, who you’re calling, or the conversations you’re having.
Navigate to Settings > Magic Cue and enable the various toggles after reading through the descriptions of each toggle. Scroll down and tap the option to Use data from specific apps. Here you can select which app data you want Magic Cue to work with. For now, it supports Pixel Screenshots, Gmail, Google Messages, Keep, Contacts, and Calendar.
Finally, after toggling the various Magic Cue options, scroll to the bottom and ensure that Magic Cue is up to date.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
You can try it by texting a friend and asking about the data of an event or planning something like a meetup. Magic Cue may pop up with a Create event pill that will send you straight to the Calendar app with the details of the event you were discussing. Other examples include pulling up flight details when calling a related airline (you can also manually pull up Magic Cue while on call).
Magic Cue won’t be too consistent when you first use the Pixel 10, but it may become more useful over time with more data.
Turn on Daily Hub to keep you up to date
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Daily Hub is another place where the Pixel 10 tries to get ahead of you by highlighting upcoming events, weather, YouTube recommendations, and suggested topics for you to dive into based on your interests.
You can enable Daily Hub by navigating to Settings > System > Daily Hub. Toggle it on, then from your home screen, swipe to the right to access the Discover feed. Here, you’ll find Daily Hub at the top left of your screen.
Try Camera Coach for photography tips
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Camera Coach is one of the highlight Pixel 10 features. It acts as a photography expert by walking you through how to take a good photo based on your scene. It’s off by default, but accessing it is pretty easy.
Open the camera app and tap the sparkly camera icon at the top right of the viewfinder. Camera Coach will turn on and automatically examine your scene to suggest shots for you. You can either rescan or select any of the suggestions, which will relate to whatever the camera sees.
Once you select a scene, the app will take a few seconds to prepare steps, and then walk you through how to take the optimal photo. Follow each step, and at the end, it will prompt you to capture the photo, or you can start back from the beginning.
Zoom in all the way
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
If you picked up a Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, or are planning to get a Pixel 10 Pro Fold in the future, Google’s new Pro Res Zoom is a new camera feature you’ve got to check out. In a nutshell, it uses a specially-trained AI located in the Pixel 10’s Tensor processor to enhance extremely zoomed-in photos. This effect can only be applied while taking a picture, not after the fact, so it’s important to enable it if you want to use it.
The first time you open the camera app, your Pixel will ask you if you want to enable Pro Res Zoom, as well as a bevy of other new features. But if you turned it off or aren’t sure, enabling it is easy.
Open the camera app, tap the settings gear icon on the bottom-left of the viewfinder, then tap the “…” button on the top right. When the camera settings menu opens, tap Model download, then select Pro Res Zoom from the list to download the AI model to your phone.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Now that it’s enabled, using Pro Res Zoom is as easy as it gets. When taking a picture of something, Pro Res Zoom will be automatically used whenever you zoom in beyond 30x. The further you zoom, the more reliant on Pro Res Zoom your phone might be. Pro Res Zoom works best on buildings, landscapes, natural objects like birds or plants, and even some man-made objects like cars.
Just be aware that the AI is a little overconfident when it comes to text, which you can read more about in our Pixel 10 camera review. If you don’t like the result you get from Pro Res Zoom, you can always select the original version by navigating to the photo in the Google Photos app, opening the photo, then tapping on the thumbnails at the bottom to swap between the original and enhanced versions.
Go ahead, have fun with this feature! It’s hit-or-miss, but when it does nail the detail enhancement, it’s a mind-blowing concept.
Edit with Ask Photos
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Another unique way to utilize your Pixel 10’s AI processing capabilities is to ask the Photos app to edit a photo for you. Contrary to what some people might think, the Gemini-powered AI experience here isn’t editing a photo for you in the way a human might edit a photo in Photoshop.
Instead, Gemini is used as a way to “search” for Google Photos features via more natural language, then automatically apply those features to a photo. In the above example, I asked the Google Photos app to remove the glare from the image. The result was incredible, and it was easier than ever since I didn’t have to scroll through a bunch of settings just to find the one I wanted.
To get started, open the Google Photos app, then find a photo you want to edit. After opening the photo, tap the Edit button at the bottom of the screen. Once the edit menu appears, tap the Help me edit bar. Either type your request when the keyboard appears, or tap the microphone button to speak your request. Alternatively, you can select one of the suggested actions that appear on the screen after flicking the Help me edit bar.
Display adjustments
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Google Pixel phones are renowned for their color accuracy and brightness, but did you know that you can adjust a lot of these options? The Pixel 10 series offers numerous display options, allowing you to customize settings such as reducing blue light output, adjusting the color according to ambient lighting, dimming the display, and even adjusting the PWM frequency for sensitive users.
To find most display options, open your system settings by tapping Settings in the app drawer, or pulling down on the status bar twice and tapping the settings gear icon. After that, tap Display & touch.Give these settings a try:
Adaptive tone: Automatically adjusts the display’s white balance to feel more natural based on ambient light.
Night Light: Can be used to reduce the blue light output of the display all the time, or put on a schedule to be enabled at night.
Colors: If you prefer less saturated colors and more natural contrast, select the Natural option.
Color contrast: Material 3 is a beautiful UI theme, but sometimes those lighter buttons are hard to see. Try using Medium or High contrast colors to help adjust these.
If you’re like me and find that Pixel phones gives you headaches when looking at the screen too long, Google introduced a new accessibility option on the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. This doubles the PWM dimming rate, which may be helpful for some users.
If you find headaches to be a problem, particularly when you’re looking at the phone at night, open your system settings, then scroll all the way down to Accessibility. Select the “Adjust brightness for sensitive eyes” setting to enable the new feature.
Additionally, I recommend using a screen dimming app like this one. It’s a free app that manages your phone’s display brightness differently from the system brightness. This helps reduce the harshness of the display, particularly when viewing it in low light, and is a great alternative for sensitive eyes.
Google already dominates the global smartphone market through Android, and now it is taking another step that has many, including myself, concerned. You see, Android powers more than 70 percent of smartphones worldwide, which gives Google unrivaled influence over how billions of people use their devices.
The company announced that starting in 2026, apps installed on certified Android devices, whether through the Play Store, sideloaded APKs, or third-party stores like F-Droid, will need to come from a developer who has gone through Google’s new verification process.
Google frames this as a security measure to protect against fraud and malware. According to its own research, apps from internet sideloading sources are over 50 times more likely to contain malware compared to those on the Play Store. The main idea here is to make it harder for repeat offenders to return under a new identity after being banned.
The irony here is hard to ignore. Despite years of security features baked into Android, sophisticated spyware like Pegasus has still managed to bypass protections and infect devices. It is difficult not to see this as Google tightening its grip on the entire Android ecosystem under the guise of safety.
The rollout begins in October 2025 with early access for some developers, expanding to all developers in March 2026. By September 2026, the requirements will be enforced in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. A global rollout is expected from 2027 onward.
The verification process will require developers to register with Google through a dedicated Android Developer Console, built specifically for those distributing outside the Play Store.
A separate dashboard will exist for student and hobbyist developers, but the system still requires sharing personal identifying information like legal name, address, and phone number with Google.
Do you see the problem with this approach?
This change will have major implications for free and open source software. F-Droid and other alternative app stores rely on independent developers, many of whom may be unwilling or unable to provide their personal details to Google.
While sideloading will technically remain possible, the barrier of developer verification means fewer apps will be available outside Google’s control.
In practice, this could turn Google into the effective gatekeeper for all apps on “certified” Android devices, which includes nearly every modern Android phone that hasn’t been rooted, aside from the likes of Huawei.
This will be difficult for competition regulators worldwide to ignore. By requiring all apps on certified Android devices to come from Google-verified developers, the company is not banning sideloading outright, but it is centralizing control over who can distribute apps at scale.
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