TechCapsules

Samsung has replaced its long‑standing OneDrive integration with Google Photos in the Gallery app. The update, version 15.9.01.7, introduces a “Sync photos and videos” setting that lets users back up selected folders to a personal Google account directly from Gallery. The change coincides with the end of Samsung’s partnership with Microsoft on September 30, and the feature is available only on Android 13+ devices. Users can still disable sync or revert to OneDrive before the deadline.

For the past four to five months, Android Auto users have reported that the cellular signal icon in the status bar intermittently disappears, leaving an empty gap in the interface. The issue, observed across various devices, has been discussed widely on forums such as Reddit. With the rollout of Android Auto version 17.8, several commenters claim the problem is resolved, noting that the icon reappears consistently after the update. One user attributed the fix to clearing the [...]

Patrick, the eCommerce Editor at Android Central, transitioned from independent bookstore work and freelance writing to full‑time tech journalism in 2020. He joined Android Central in 2022 as the Deals and Commerce Writer, now overseeing eCommerce coverage and major sale events. Patrick specializes in simplifying complex tech purchases, aiming to reduce buyer’s remorse. His background spans writing for the Chicago Tribune, The Hill, BestReviews, and OddityMall, and he enjoys outdoor activities and caring for a polydactyl cat.

An overseas report indicates the Galaxy Z Fold 8 experienced a 10% sales lift after Apple unveiled its foldable iPhone Duo. Samsung’s Fold 8, already breaking pre‑order records, benefited from price differentials and immediate availability, especially in South Korea where the Duo costs a million won more and lacks a 1 TB option. The report notes consumers “waiting and seeing” before deciding, with the Fold 8’s quicker release and lower entry price tipping the scale.

Google began rolling out Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 to eligible Pixel devices, delivering a series of bug fixes ahead of the final platform‑stability milestone. The update targets unexpected reboots during continuous UI scrolling in media‑heavy apps, a missing volume‑slider UI when casting, and an HDR toggle that remained active despite user settings. Additional patches correct a Bluetooth‑device‑type icon glitch, stray background highlights in search fields, a Private Space unlocking error, a power‑button shortcut that froze the touchscreen, camera [...]

Google unveiled Android Bench 2.0, a new benchmark that evaluates large language models on complex Android development tasks such as upgrading dependencies, adding major features, and building apps from scratch. The test introduces long‑horizon tasks that can take days to complete and shifts from a binary pass‑or‑fail to continuous scoring. Early results show GPT‑6 Astra leading with a 28% pass rate, while Gemini 3.8 Flash achieved only 8%. The benchmark aims to better gauge AI capabilities for real‑world software development. [...]

Google has released version 5.26.365.x of its Keep app for Android, redesigning the “Note collection” homescreen widget. The previous Material You‑era sidebar that offered shortcuts for text, list, audio, drawing and photo notes has been removed and replaced with a circular floating‑action button (FAB). Tapping the FAB opens a pop‑up menu, mirroring the interaction of the smaller “Quick capture” widget and adding a second tap for note creation. The new edge‑to‑edge layout displays more of each note, eliminating the [...]

Google Design released a detailed overview of its Noto 3D emoji set, explaining that each character was hand‑drawn, sculpted, and debated to preserve emotional clarity while minimizing extraneous detail. Research guided the removal of complex anatomical features that slowed emotional processing, limiting each emoji to three essential details. The team shifted from flat icons to three‑dimensional forms that emphasize silhouette and posture, updating animal emojis like the raccoon. Noto 3D now expands beyond Pixel devices to Android, [...]