Latest Android Feature Drop Helps You Keep Tabs on Items Without a Tracker

Rob Pegoraro — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Google also puts Gemini Live to work in Android's Guided Vision tool to describe the things in front of you, and adds a setting to help people feel less motion sickness.

The lead item in Google’s latest Android feature drop enlists computer sensing and memory as a backup to the human version; specifically, for the parts you use to remember where you put things.

This update for Android 16 extends the

Google Details Reduced Play Store Fees That Trim Its Take to 10% in Many Cases

Rob Pegoraro — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:25:37 +0000

Policy changes forced by Epic Games’ lawsuit leave Google taking a smaller bite of mobile-app transactions than Apple.

It has taken vastly longer than a fortnight for the lawsuit brought by Fortnite’s developer to compel some changes to Google’s Play Store, but that time has finally come.

On Wednesday, Google documented a series of reductions in the fees it charges developers for transactions in …

Google Unwraps Plans to Put AI to Work for Android, Web Developers

Rob Pegoraro — Tue, 19 May 2026 17:45:00 +0000

New Play Store features aim to ease marketing and management burdens for app developers. But Google is focusing this vibe-coding venture only on a few app categories to start.

Google’s AI news at Google I/O didn’t stop at people who use Android and Chrome apps; the company also unveiled a wide-ranging set of AI tools for people developing those apps.

In the Play Store, the changes will have AI serving …

In Android 17, 'Gemini Intelligence' Can Automate Tasks Across Apps

Rob Pegoraro — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Examples include booking a better spot in a spin class. It's one of several 'Android Show' announcements that cover spam calls, enhanced video recording, Android Auto, and more.

Android 17 is coming into focus now that Google has taken the wraps off much of its new mobile OS a week before Google I/O. While previous beta releases revealed architectural-level refinements, such as requiring app interfaces to adapt to …

The Best Android Apps for 2026

Jeffrey L. Wilson, Gabriel Zamora — Wed, 06 May 2026 19:11:35 +0000

The Google Play store has millions of apps. Some are great, many are duds. Our guide, which covers 13 key categories and 100 top apps, features the ones that deserve a place on your Android phone or tablet.

Google Ships Latest Android 17 Beta. Here's What's New

Rob Pegoraro — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:22:24 +0000

Privacy-minded users may appreciate a new location-permission control that app developers can embed, granting one-time access to the device’s precise location.

The next edition of Google’s mobile operating system marked another milestone with the release Thursday of Android 17’s third beta, and the announcement of “platform stability” for that version.

As Google’s post explains, reaching that checkpoint makes Android 17 a non-moving target for app developers: "The API …

Google Messages Finally Lets You Share Your Live Location

James Peckham — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:36:40 +0000

Similar features have been available on iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp for almost a decade.

Messaging apps like iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp have offered live location sharing since 2017, and now Android phones running Google Messages can finally do the same.

It’s unclear why Google took so long to offer real-time location tracking, but the feature is now beginning to appear on Android, as spotted by …

Google To Impose 24-Hour Safety Wait To Activate Android App Sideloading

Michael Kan — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 20:37:02 +0000

The 24-hour wait is only a one-time process, and is part of an effort to stop Android malware and scams. But the upcoming restriction is already facing some backlash.

To stop scams and malware, Google is previewing a new safeguard for Android that’ll force users to go through a one-time 24-hour wait before they can sideload apps from unverified developers.

The safeguard is part of a new “advanced flow for sideloading” that Google is preparing, months after the company …

Google Blocked 1.75M Policy-Violating Apps From Google Play in 2025

Will Mccurdy — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 16:36:28 +0000

The tech giant chalked up its success in keeping the Play Store clean to initiatives like developer verification as well as new mandatory review checks and testing requirements.

Google says it prevented over 1.75 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play during 2025, while banning more than 80,000 “bad developer" accounts that attempted to publish harmful apps, according to its latest report.

In addition, Google says it prevented over 255,000 apps …

The Best Android Video Chat Apps for 2026

Jordan Minor, Russell Holly — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 20:58:41 +0000

Skype is out of the picture, but don't sweat. The best Android video chat apps can handle all your face-to-face messaging needs—and more.

Want to Run Android Apps and Games on Your PC? These 5 Programs Can Help

Whitson Gordon, Jason Cohen — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Some tinkering may be required, but these apps and services can make it happen.

Apple makes it easy to run iPhone and iPad apps on your Mac, but the same can't really be said for Android and Windows. If you wanted to play Android games on a bigger …

Perplexity's Comet Is Now on Android, Bringing AI Browser Wars to Mobile

James Peckham — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:58:35 +0000

Perplexity says it redesigned how Comet works for Android as it didn't want to 'just force a desktop experience onto mobile.'

Perplexity's AI browser, Comet, is now available to download on Android, bringing the AI tool to mobile for the first time.

Comet first launched on desktop in June for those with a $200-per-month Max subscription before expanding to

Google Play Will Soon Warn You About Apps That Consume Too Much Battery

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:47:01 +0000

Starting March 1, apps that cross Google's threshold for background activity will be subject to reduced visibility and a warning label on Google Play.

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.

Google Play will soon warn you about apps that cause excessive battery drain.

The update was announced earlier this week alongside Google's guidelines for developers on a new …

Brace Yourself for a Flood of AI Videos: OpenAI's Sora App Launches on Android

Michael Kan — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 20:57:07 +0000

After an invite-only launch on iOS, OpenAI brings its TikTok-style AI video generator to Android.

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.

Android users can finally access OpenAI's Sora app, a TikTok-style platform that focuses on frighteningly realistic AI-generated videos.

Sora 2 originally launched last month as an invite-only iOS …

'Keep Android Open' Campaign Pushes Back on Google's Sideloading Restrictions

Michael Kan — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:50:52 +0000

Free Android app store F-Droid asks users to lobby government regulators to take action. Google says the move is needed to reduce the risk of malware infecting Android devices.

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A "Keep Android Open" campaign is pushing back on new rules from Google that will reportedly block users from sideloading apps on

Microsoft Is Axing This Android App. You Have 3 Weeks to Find a Replacement

James Peckham — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 21:39:28 +0000

A year ago, Microsoft celebrated 10 million Outlook Lite downloads. Effective Oct. 6, however, Redmond says it's being retired 'so we can focus our investments' on the main Outlook app.

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Microsoft is cleaning house by shutting down some of its smaller services. We've already seen the demise of Lens and the Editor …

Microsoft Kills Another App. You Have Less Than a Month to Find an Alternative

James Peckham — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:55:25 +0000

A year ago, Microsoft celebrated 10 million Outlook Lite downloads. Effective Oct. 6, however, Redmond says it's being retired 'so we can focus our investments' on the main Outlook app.

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.

Microsoft is cleaning house by shutting down some of its smaller services. We've already seen the demise of Lens and the

Delete These Android Crypto Apps Now: 20 Phishing Apps Found on Play Store

James Peckham — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:36:08 +0000

Cybersecurity researchers have found 20 malicious apps that snuck onto Google’s Play Store to try and drain people's funds from their wallets.

Researchers have found 20 Android apps designed to steal cryptocurrency by impersonating popular wallets and gaining access by faking services. If you have crypto, you should ensure you haven't downloaded any of these fake apps.

Experts at Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) found the apps on the Google Play Store, …

Google Makes It Difficult to Record Calls on Android: Here's What Works for Me

Lance Whitney — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:58:34 +0000

Have an important phone call coming up and want to record it? It's not easy, but with the right app (and some luck), you can save both incoming and outgoing calls on your Android phone.

Recording phone calls on an Android device can be a challenge. While Google's own Phone app offers a recording feature, whether or not it works depends on your carrier, region, and other conditions. You can always use an external recording device, but I've found several …

Bad Android Battery Life Recently? Blame Instagram

James Peckham — Thu, 29 May 2025 14:09:43 +0000

If you’ve got an Android phone or tablet, you’ll want to make sure you update Instagram as soon as possible to help with your device's battery life.

If you’ve got Instagram installed on an Android phone or tablet, you should update the app soon to fix some possible battery life issues with your device.

According to a statement on the Android community forums, “Instagram is rolling out an updated app that should fix …

Your Android Can Download Fewer Apps Than in 2023, Here’s Why That’s Good

James Peckham — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:57:10 +0000

The Google Play Store has been undergoing various clean ups, and the latest figures suggest a 47% drop in readily available apps to download.

The Google Play Store has fewer apps now than it did in 2023. The company has dropped from hosting 3.4 million apps at the start of 2024 to around 1.8 million in April.

This news comes from app intelligence provider Appfigures, which shared the analysis with

What Is That? Google Messages Can Now Blur Images With Nudity

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 22:11:49 +0000

The feature will detect and blur x-rated images in Google Messages and trigger a warning if you try to receive, send, or forward a nude image.

UPDATE 4/23: Google is now rolling out sensitive content warnings for Messages.

The feature will detect and blur images that may contain nudity in Google Messages, trigger a warning if you try to receive, send, or forward a nude image, and provide resources for you …

Android’s Find My Device App Now Shows the Live Location of Your Contacts

Jibin Joseph — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:35:35 +0000

Google's device-tracking app can now help you find people, too.

Google has begun rolling out a Find My Device App feature that allows you to view the live location of people who share their location with you, 9to5Google reports.

The new feature is meant to help you find misplaced devices, coordinate a meetup, or ensure a …

Suspected North Korean Hackers Infiltrate Google Play With 'KoSpy' Spyware

Michael Kan — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:04:46 +0000

KoSpy masqueraded as utility apps, according to Lookout Mobile Security, which links the activity to a cyber-espionage campaign out of North Korea.

Newly discovered spyware, possibly from a North Korean hacking group, was found circulating on the Google Play Store.

The spyware programs, dubbed "KoSpy," were masquerading as utility apps. But once installed, they secretly collected a wide range of data from Android devices, including SMS messages and …

Google Simplifies Widget Discovery on the Play Store

Jibin Joseph — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:05:01 +0000

Google will showcase top widgets and promote the apps that provide them.

If you enjoy using widgets on your Android phone, Google on Monday announced that it is adding three new features to improve widget discovery. These include a dedicated widget search filter, widget badges on app info pages, and a curated widgets editorial page.

"Historically, one of …

Amazon Is Killing Its Appstore for Android Devices

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:33 +0000

The Google Play Store competitor will cease operations on Aug. 20 but will live on via Amazon's Fire TVs and Fire Tablets.

Amazon will discontinue its Amazon Appstore for Android, effective Aug. 20.

In a notice sent to developers, Amazon says its Amazon Appstore on Android devices and the Amazon Coins program will shut down this summer. Devs can release app updates, but the store has already stopped accepting …

Apple TV+ Launches for Android Phones

Tyler Hayes — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Until now, Apple TV+ has only been available on Android smartphones via the browser. Apple is hoping a dedicated app will mean more sign-ups for its streaming service.

Apple is launching its TV app for Android phones and tablets for the first time, allowing those on Google's mobile OS to subscribe to and watch Apple TV+ via a dedicated app.

Apple TV+ launched in 2019 across Apple devices, on the web, and for …

Is Your Android VPN Safe? Here's a New Way to Check

Kate Irwin — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:45:43 +0000

Google Play finally rolls out badges on VPN apps that appear if an app has passed an independent security review.

Google has added new badges to some VPN apps on the Google Play Store to show you which apps have undergone an extra safety review.

The badge is displayed toward the bottom of a VPN app's description and looks like a shield icon with a star inside …

Verizon Kills Its Messaging Apps—Try These Instead

Kate Irwin — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:01:02 +0000

The Android and iOS apps are officially shutting down Dec. 9.

UPDATE 12/9: Verizon has now deleted an FAQ about its discontinued Message+ and Verizon Messages apps. Verizon has said the apps would be fully shut down by today, though a quick search shows the Message+ app is still listed on Apple's App Store. We reached out to Verizon for comment.

If …

Risky 'SpyLoan' Android Apps Surge on Google Play Store

Kate Irwin — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 20:13:13 +0000

The apps promise loans in a range of currencies, but they may swipe your personal information and use it to harass or extort you.

Over a dozen "spyloan" Android apps have been identified on the Google Play Store, new research reveals. McAfee found 15 apps posing as financial loan apps with low interest rates. But these apps are really "spyloan" apps because they swipe your personal data and may use …

WhatsApp Is Finally Adding Voice Message Transcripts

Jibin Joseph — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:00:07 +0000

The feature is rolling out to users on both iOS and Android globally in the coming weeks.

WhatsApp is rolling out voice message transcripts to all users in the coming weeks, the company announced Thursday.

The feature—which others like Apple's Messages and Phone apps already offer—is useful when you receive a voice message but can't play …

Brace Yourself for Ads on Threads in January

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:38:17 +0000

With X users flocking to alternatives after the US election, it may not be the worst time for Threads to cash in. 'At the end of the day, we're a business,' Instagram Head Adam Mosseri said in April.

TSMC Finds Unexploded Bomb at Chip Factory Site

Kate Irwin — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:42:48 +0000

TSMC finds a corroded bomb at one of its upcoming chip factory sites in Taiwan, but says construction is still on schedule.

Google Pixel Phones Get Real-Time Scam and Malware Detection Features

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:50:09 +0000

The AI-based features are rolling out to Pixel 6 or newer first but will soon be expanded to other Android devices, Google says.

Xbox's Android App Will Actually Start Selling Games This Fall

Kate Irwin — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:31:29 +0000

Thanks to a recent court ruling forcing Google to let third parties host their own app stores on Android, Microsoft will allow for in-app purchases and gameplay via the Xbox Android app.

In the wake of a US judge ordering Google to open up its Android app store, Microsoft says it will update its Xbox Android app this fall to allow users to buy games directly on the app.

"The court's ruling to open …

Google Play Must Open Up to Third-Party App Stores, Judge Rules

Michael Kan — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 21:45:30 +0000

The ruling could usher in huge changes for the Play Store in the next three years. However, Google plans on appealing the ruling, which stems from the Epic Games antitrust case.

A US judge is ordering Google to open up its Android app store, Google Play, after a jury found the tech giant is running an illegal monopoly.

The controversial changes include allowing third-party app stores to be available on Google Play for the next three years, …

Epic Games Sues Google, Samsung Over Auto Blocker, App Store Competition

Kate Irwin — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:04:04 +0000

The game publisher alleges Samsung and Google are breaking US law by prohibiting app store alternatives on Samsung devices with features like Auto Blocker.

Epic Games is suing Google and Samsung because it believes the tech giants are making it harder to sideload apps or allow alternative app stores, like Epic's, onto Android devices. Epic alleges that Samsung and Google are engaging in illegal acts of collusion to block competition, …

Google Wallet Adds Support for California Driver's Licenses, ID Cards

Jibin Joseph — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:02:24 +0000

After giving Apple Wallet the nod earlier this month, the state of California is expanding its mobile driver’s license program to Google Wallet.

Californians can now add their driver's licenses and identification cards to Google Wallet.

Google Wallet joins the CA DMV Wallet mobile driver’s license (mDL) app as another platform authorized to store Californians' digital IDs. It's also coming "soon" to …

Google Play Store May Delete Tons of Android Apps Next Month

Kate Irwin — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:42:23 +0000

Google ups the minimum requirements for app functionality to reduce junky listings in its app store, meaning a mass deletion event could be on the horizon.

Thousands of apps on the Google Play Store may suddenly disappear next month.

Google is updating its app store policies to require Android apps on the Google Play Store to actually work, with specific examples of what that means. By …

Google Play Store Finally Lets You Download Multiple Apps at Once

Joe Hindy — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:03:25 +0000

The new simultaneous downloads feature only works for fresh installs of new apps, not updates.

Android phone owners setting up a new phone have run into the same issues for years. You queue up several dozen apps and then dutifully wait for them to install one at a time. With the latest Google Play Store update, however, it'll now download and install multiple apps at …

PCMag UK android-apps

Latest Android Feature Drop Helps You Keep Tabs on Items Without a Tracker

Google Details Reduced Play Store Fees That Trim Its Take to 10% in Many Cases

Google Unwraps Plans to Put AI to Work for Android, Web Developers

In Android 17, 'Gemini Intelligence' Can Automate Tasks Across Apps

The Best Android Apps for 2026

Google Ships Latest Android 17 Beta. Here's What's New

Google Messages Finally Lets You Share Your Live Location

Google To Impose 24-Hour Safety Wait To Activate Android App Sideloading

Google Blocked 1.75M Policy-Violating Apps From Google Play in 2025

The Best Android Video Chat Apps for 2026

Want to Run Android Apps and Games on Your PC? These 5 Programs Can Help

Perplexity's Comet Is Now on Android, Bringing AI Browser Wars to Mobile

Google Play Will Soon Warn You About Apps That Consume Too Much Battery

Brace Yourself for a Flood of AI Videos: OpenAI's Sora App Launches on Android

'Keep Android Open' Campaign Pushes Back on Google's Sideloading Restrictions

Microsoft Is Axing This Android App. You Have 3 Weeks to Find a Replacement

Microsoft Kills Another App. You Have Less Than a Month to Find an Alternative

Delete These Android Crypto Apps Now: 20 Phishing Apps Found on Play Store

Google Makes It Difficult to Record Calls on Android: Here's What Works for Me

Bad Android Battery Life Recently? Blame Instagram

Your Android Can Download Fewer Apps Than in 2023, Here’s Why That’s Good

What Is That? Google Messages Can Now Blur Images With Nudity

Android’s Find My Device App Now Shows the Live Location of Your Contacts

Suspected North Korean Hackers Infiltrate Google Play With 'KoSpy' Spyware

Google Simplifies Widget Discovery on the Play Store

Amazon Is Killing Its Appstore for Android Devices

Apple TV+ Launches for Android Phones

Is Your Android VPN Safe? Here's a New Way to Check

Verizon Kills Its Messaging Apps—Try These Instead

Risky 'SpyLoan' Android Apps Surge on Google Play Store

WhatsApp Is Finally Adding Voice Message Transcripts

Brace Yourself for Ads on Threads in January

TSMC Finds Unexploded Bomb at Chip Factory Site

Google Pixel Phones Get Real-Time Scam and Malware Detection Features

Xbox's Android App Will Actually Start Selling Games This Fall

Google Play Must Open Up to Third-Party App Stores, Judge Rules

Epic Games Sues Google, Samsung Over Auto Blocker, App Store Competition

Google Wallet Adds Support for California Driver's Licenses, ID Cards

Google Play Store May Delete Tons of Android Apps Next Month

Google Play Store Finally Lets You Download Multiple Apps at Once