Mishaal's Android News Feed

🚨Breaking: Google is partially easing its new sideloading restrictions! Google will allow 'experienced users' to more easily install Android apps made by unverified developers. More details 👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/android-power-users-install-unverified-apps-3615310/

🚨The wait is finally over: Android 16 QPR1's source code is now available on AOSP After a 2 month delay, Google has finally released the source code for Android 16 QPR1! Going to be digging through this shortly. LMK if you spot anything interesting! 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-qpr1-source-code-available-3614853/

🎉The November 2025 Pixel Drop is here! While it does NOT bring Android 16 QPR2, it does have MANY new features! From new themes to AI notifications, here’s EVERYTHING new in the latest Pixel Drop 👇 1) The first Pixel theme packs are here! Three new themes based on Wicked: For Good are available. 2) Pixels can now summarize your notifications for you! 3) Android will now prioritize notifications from your Pixel VIPs. 4) Google Maps is getting a new Power Saving Mode to extend your phone’s battery life on long drives! 5) Your Pixel phone can now protect you from scammers in third-party messaging apps! 6) You can now remix images with Nano 🍌in Messages! 7) Google Photos is making photo edits even easier with ‘Personalized Edits’! 8) Scam Detection and Call Notes are coming to more regions! 9) Magic Cue & Pixel Recorder are now smarter on the Pixel 10 thanks to Private AI Compute! 10) Lastly, coming next month, select Pixel phones will use AI to organize your notifications!

📍Android 16 fixes a big privacy flaw in its 'approximate' location setting Android 16 quietly introduced a new feature called "density-based coarse locations" that makes the 'approximate' location setting more secure. Here's how👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-density-based-coarse-locations-3614048/

✨Ready or not, Gemini will soon replace Google Assistant On this week's Authority Insights Podcast, we discuss Google Assistant’s demise, Android’s big app store changes, and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 benchmarks. Listen👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/authority-insights-podcast-012-3613802/

Pebblebee’s new Find Hub trackers add wireless charging and limited-edition colors by Taylor Kerns https://www.androidauthority.com/pebblebee-clip-5-card-5-3613740/

Niagara Launcher softens its minimalist core with new vivid themes by Tushar Mehta https://www.androidauthority.com/niagara-launcher-update-new-themes-wallpapers-3613608/

This week, Google proposed sweeping changes to Android to settle its lawsuit with Epic Games. The changes are a huge win for Tim Sweeney, but they'll also make the Android app ecosystem more competitive. Sadly, they won't do anything to reverse the sideloading restrictions. My detailed breakdown of all the changes👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/android-changes-third-party-app-stores-3613409/

Breaking: Google and Epic propose settlement to end years-long legal battle in the US by Adamya Sharma https://www.androidauthority.com/google-epic-settlement-3613077/

🪙The Android IRS: How Google once tried to tax battery-sucking background apps Android almost had its own IRS (seriously!) that would audit (no joke!) apps for their 🪫 usage. Here’s how it would’ve worked 👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/the-android-resource-economy-retrospective-3611494/

🚗Android Auto is borrowing a key new Apple CarPlay feature This week, Google's plans to bring widgets to Android Auto, the new AOD app integration in Android 17, and the Pixel 10's gaming woes. Listen at the link👇 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/authority-insights-podcast-011-3612047/

📱NEW: Android 17 could bring full-screen apps to your phone’s always-on display A new “Min Mode” feature lets apps display custom interfaces on the AOD, and Google Maps will be the first to use it for navigation. Click 👇for more details! 🔗https://www.androidauthority.com/android-17-aod-min-mode-rumor-3611806/