All articles tagged with #authority insights news
Google updates the Pixel Thermometer app with a white background and blue gradient icon to align with Google's new gradient design, and switches the health data connection option from Fitbit to Google Health; the update (version 1.0.947990598) is rolling out to Pixel users via the Play Store, with no major feature changes beyond the icon and branding.
Google is developing a new Quick Insert feature for Gboard on Android that adds a diamond-plus button to quickly insert content such as emoji, contacts, clipboard history, images, and more from across the device. The tool appears to pull from multiple sources and may include a search for older items, but its exact integration with existing Gboard options and whether it will genuinely speed up workflows remains unclear; APK teardowns hint at potential features that may or may not reach a public release.
Google's Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 adds a SIM security timeline to log modem-detected threats (IMEI/IMSI), a SIM security info screen detailing active encryption ciphers across calls, SMS, and data, and new notifications warning about a broader range of cellular attacks (DoS, jamming, imprisonment, downgrade, location tracking).
Android Authority reports that Google Maps is being prepared to integrate Gemini’s Personal Intelligence, enabling Maps to surface reservations, flights, and other data by tapping connected Google apps (Gmail, Google Photos, Google Workspace, YouTube, and more). The discovery also notes two new sections in Maps—Connected Content Apps and Personalization—that currently load indefinitely, indicating the features are still under development.
Google’s Phone app beta reveals codenames for the Pixel 11 lineup, including “formosan” tied to the Pixel 11a, suggesting the budget Pixel is in development with a likely launch around March 2027, though internal codenames don’t confirm a product.
Android Authority reports that Google Maps’ Ask Maps, which already uses Gemini for restaurant recommendations, is being readied to actually place food orders on a user’s behalf. The exact mechanism (cloud-based Gemini versus device hardware) and any restrictions aren’t clear yet, and there’s no public rollout announced.
Google is testing new 'Live' voice features in Keep and Gmail, previewed at Google I/O and expected to roll out over the summer; Gmail Live is already seen in beta for some users, while Keep Live lets you create or edit notes by speaking (with reminders handed to Tasks). Google also hinted that Docs and other apps may get Gemini-powered conversational abilities, signaling a broader move toward voice-first interactions.
Google is testing a dedicated Minimize Gemini button to keep Gemini running in the background while you continue using your phone, and a more compact account-switcher UI in both the Google and Gemini apps, signaling a polished UI update that could roll out soon.
Android 17's QPR1 beta 3 introduces a toggle to hide Gboard's globe icon even when multiple languages are enabled, while still allowing language switching via long-pressing the space bar; Google is also redesigning the keyboard switcher UI, but it's unclear if these changes will reach the stable release, and some third-party keyboards (like SwiftKey) may not support the space-bar switch feature.