Android Faithful

We've got Android on our mind as Android 17 takes a major step forward and Jason Howell, Florence Ion and Ron Richards wrap up the month of March with an array of phones and Android related news to gear up for a busy few weeks leading up to Google I/O.

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00:05:48 - NEWS

• The first step in Google's new sideloading solution kicks off as Developer Verification opens up
• Apple hires an Ex-Google Exec to lead AI Marketing
• Have you dreamt of that killer VR/AR App? Now you can vibe code it for Android XR
• PATRON PICK: The unbelievable has happened as Swift now supports Android with the new Swift for Android SDK

00:32:07 - HARDWARE

• Our first glimpse at CAD Render leaks of the Google Pixel 11 show some interesting changes to the camera island
• Physical keyboards are IN as the Unihertz Titan Elite 2 skyrockets to success on Kickstarter
• Lots of activity with Google TV as Wal-Mart's ONN brand readies a new Stick device and a new Set Top Box and Xiaomi launches a new stick device without 4K support

00:54:52 - APPS

• The Android 17 Beta 3 has been released and its full of very cool features!
• More Android Auto goodness including background audio from YouTube support!
• Looking for a secure alternative to Google Workspace? Proton has you covered!

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We're tending to the Android garden now that Spring has arrived with the return of Jason Howell who joins Ron Richards and Florence Ion for a show packed with leaks and drama plus a rare rugged Ulefone spotted in the wild!

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00:09:10 - NEWS

• An update from Google on the Sideloading Drama that comes with a 24 hour waiting period and set of steps to enable it!
• GrapheneOS takes a stand against age verification requirements for operating systems
• Some staggering numbers about phone trade-ins and what they say about Android phone owners
• PATRON PICK: A leak reveals how budget phones may react to the RAM shortage

00:39:25 - HARDWARE

• Flo wraps up the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with a rundown of the AI Features and a deep dive on the Camera
• We're stunned, yet not surprised, by reports that Amazon is, yet again, developing a smartphone
• More reports of OnePlus' demise? Where there's smoke, there's often fire, this is getting weird!
• Oooh check out the REDMAGIC 11 Air Trace Edition Gaming Phone!

00:59:10 - APPS

• The March Canary update for Android is out and it's got a bunch of neat stuff!
• Android Auto is evolving and Google shares how it's expanding within the vehicle
• Google Messages is getting three features that everyone agrees are good: Mentions, Trash Folder and Live Location Sharing!

01:10:20 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

• Sergei writes in with his wish for Google Maps features for EV drivers

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It's a special GREEN day for Android and we celebrate it with the triumphant return of Huyen Tue Dao as she joins Florence Ion and Ron Richards to dive headfirst into the green dyed waters of Android news this week!

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00:05:10 - NEWS

• Google went to SF for GDC and brought news for gamers and game developers
• Lookout! There's a new top phone manufacturer in town of foldables and its...Motorola!
• Things got real weird in the OnePlus Community app in the US, but they're back to normal
• PATRON PICK: That was quick! Samsung is done selling the Galaxy Trifold!

00:34:40 - HARDWARE

• Flo's got some more review notes of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and news on the Perplexity hot word and people are getting headaches from the display?
• There's a leak of the Motorola Razr 2026 and it sure is Pantone Purple!
• We get a great update on the status of the Google Find My Hub network

00:56:40 - APPS

• A massive, immersive update to Google Maps has arrived and people are freaking out!
• New scam protections rollout to Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram by Meta and Instagram is shutting down End-to-End encryption on Direct Messages
• Google rolls out Transit mode for Pixel devices and it's pretty darn cool.

01:11:51 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

• Sean writes in with another suggestion of a phone with an SD Card expansion slot
• Tharanga from Melbourne, Australia shows off HIS Unihertz phone
• Joey checks in with an update on his new Pebble watch and how little he's had to charge it

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It's the post Mobile World Congress hangover, which is the perfect time for hands-on reviews with two of the hottest phones you can get right now and Florence Ion and Jason Howell have got 'em! Oh and Ron Richards is back to hear all about it!

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00:05:55 - NEWS

• Goodbye revenue share! Google drops their cut from the Google Play store and makes other changes sooner then they had to, but why!?!?!
• Google is ranking AIs and giving developers more tools with their new Android Bench
• Quick! Check your Google Play Perks, you may have $400 off on a new Pixel 10 Pro
• PATRON PICK: Google Play begins shaming apps that are battery hogs

00:33:18 - HARDWARE

• Are you ready for the Google Pixel 10A hands-on review? Cause it' s a good one!
• How about our impressions of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
• Nothing unveiled the Nothing Phone (4A) Pro and the Nothing Headphone (a) and they're both pretty rad!
• The first glimpses of the OnePlus 15T have emerged and they're intriguing! Unfortunately, OnePlus and Oppo are raising prices on everything due to market conditions
• The physical keyboard revolution continues with the daring Unihertz Titan 2 Elite!

01:03:54 - APPS

• Want a different news app? Check out Particle AI, now with a feature to turn news articles into audio podcasts

01:14:01 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

• Ian from the UK has a suggestion for an icon to link to a file on Google Drive
• Robert is curious if MicroSD cards could be a solution to the RAM price increase crisis?

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Jason and Flo are joined by Juan Bagnell to mostly discuss this year's biggest Mobile World Congress hardware announcements, but they couldn't help but start with the junk in Google's trunk.

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0:04:12 - NEWS

• March 2026 Feature Drop: Pixel 10 ‘Comfort’ view, custom AI icons, At a Glance ‘My commute,’ & more
• Oh great, here comes 6G
• Qualcomm and Other Industry Leaders Commit to 6G Trajectory Towards Commercialization Starting from 2029 Onwards
• Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite is the biggest smartwatch chip upgrade in 3 years
• Samsung hits pause on next-gen Edge, Z TriFold phones, but is optimistic about the S Pen
• PATRON PICK: Motorola has a tiny new black box at MWC that wants to kill Android Auto cables

0:33:22 - HARDWARE

• I tried Honor's ultra-thin foldable phone at MWC 2026, and it's almost too powerful
• A closer look at Honor’s Robot Phone
• Honor’s new MagicPad 4 is the world’s thinnest Android tablet
• Oppo teases the Find N6’s crease-less display ahead of rumored March launch
• Tecno revives modular Android devices with new concept phone

1:00:48 - MORE HARDWARE

• Lenovo is working on a foldable that could be both your handheld and desktop
• The Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagship
• Motorola confirms GrapheneOS support for a future phone, bringing over features
• Xiaomi launches 17 Ultra smartphone, an AirTag clone, and an ultra-slim power bank

1:21:37 - FEEDBACK

• Paul wants to know how to add a shortcut to files on the homescreen
• David just noticed some questions appear when he blocks a call in Google Phone Dialer

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Well whaddaya know, Jason Howell and Florence Ion are on the scene with Samsung's newest flagship series, the Galaxy S26 lineup, for at least a part of the show. Plus, Flo details Google's agentic Gemini news, Google I/O dates are here, and Jason reviews the Motorola Moto Watch.

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0:00:11 - SAMSUNG GALAXY UNPACKED

• Flo and Jason go hands-on with the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra

0:20:12 - NEWS

• A more intelligent Android on Samsung Galaxy S26
• Google I/O 2026 confirmed for May 19: Here's what to expect
• Android malware is now using Gemini AI to adapt in real time (Updated: Google statement)
• Patron Pick: Calling Cards made Google Contacts too busy, but a fix is in the works

0:49:02 - MORE HARDWARE

• Google's Pixel 10a Brings Gemini Live and Satellite SOS to the Mid-Range
• I tested Motorola's new Moto Watch on a snowboarding trip and came back frustrated

1:07:38 - APPS

• Pixel At a Glance adds Sports and Finance updates
• Olympics on Peacock on Google TV was EXCELLENT
• Google, Apple start testing encrypted RCS on Android and iOS 26.4

1:17:09 - FEEDBACK

• Nicholas goes to bat for the usefulness of Air Drop compatibility

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We're still reeling from the roller coaster launch of Android 17 but we're doing our best to hold our own as Florence Ion, Ron Richards and Huyen Tue Dao ponder the new OS beta along with more AirDrop/QuickShare news and lots of new phones to discuss!

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00:02:30 - NEWS

• The first beta for Android 17 was released after a bit of back and forth from Google
• QuickShare is making adjustments to be more like AirDrop and AirDrop compatibility is available for Pixel 9s!
• PATRON PICK: Unlock the Android Auto Developer Options for more control of your in-car experience!

00:32:13 - HARDWARE

• There's leaks of the upcoming Google Pixel 10A and the colors are delightful and the EU shows the battery life is impressive!
• Could it be? Could NVIDIA be working on a NEW NVIDIA Shield TV device?
• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is coming and that means that all the specs for the upcoming S26 line have leaked along with a possible glimpse of the WIDE Foldable? Is it wider than the Pixel Fold?
• And some new phones in the world with the Tecno Pova Curve 2 and the global release of the Huawei Mate 80 Pro 

00:58:03 - APPS

• Now you can pin tabs on Chrome on Android!
• Looks like Now Playing will graduate to a full app but maybe for Pixels only?
• Nothing's Playground launches letting you vibe code your own widgets with AI, but is it any good?

01:10:40 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

• Chris K writes in for an AirDrop like experience via PushBullet
• @MColey on Threads shares how their family uses AirDrop on iOS to share photos

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Love is in the air this Valentine's week...a love affair with all things Android as Ron Richards is reunited with Florence Ion, Huyen Tue Dao and Jason Howell to revel in confirmed (not leaks!) of Samsung news plus drama around YouTube Music. Ah, Amore!

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00:02:46 - NEWS

• We've got more data on Smartphone sales growth in 2025 and Honor and Nothing impress with their increases
• As if the AirDrop for Android news couldn't get any better, Google sweetens it even more beyond Pixels
• Looks like Gemini will be quite prominent on Android PCs
• PATRON PICK: Google Messages is bringing back a key RCS feature you might not have noticed disappeared

00:32:12 - HARDWARE

• We've got the details on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event
• Some news on the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 8 going wide (pun intended)
• Jason test drives the INMO Air3 glasses and gets Android in his face!

00:54:10 - APPS

• Much ado about nothing with YouTube Music and access to Lyrics. Plus AI Playlists are here!
• More on Google Home's update to enable support for smart buttons in automations
• The At-A-Glance Widget on Google Pixels is going high contrast!

01:07:09 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

• Patrick from Middle Tennessee shares some recommendations of good music players for Android!

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With Ron gone (in Portland for pinball, don't worry), Jason Howell, Florence Ion, and Huyen Tue Dao do their best to hold down the fort. From Android desktop UI leaks to Nvidia's masterful 10 year (and counting) run with the Shield, to a live unboxing of the new Motorola Moto Watch, everything you need for Android bliss is right here.

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00:02:33 - NEWS

• Android’s full desktop interface leaks: New status bar, Chrome Extensions
• ChromeOS will be ‘phased out’ in 2034 as Android PCs arrive late, court docs suggest
• Google releases ‘Desktop Camera’ app that’s seemingly for Android PCs
• Android 16 is off to a strong start in Google's latest usage breakdown
• Google Pixel expected to see ‘strongest growth’ in 2026, report says
• Patron Pick: Motorola is getting away with zero OS updates thanks to regulatory loophole

00:36:11 - HARDWARE

• Motorola Moto Watch first look
• There won’t be a Nothing Phone 4 this year
• Nothing’s next over-ear headphones reportedly cost around $150, launching in March
• Nothing Phone 4a series leak reveals launch date, and it's just weeks away
• Inside Nvidia’s 10-year effort to make the Shield TV the most updated Android device ever

00:58:12 - APPS

• Gemini in navigation is now available for walking and cycling in Google Maps.
• Fitbit's co-founders are back with a new app, and you can sign up for the limited beta
• This free app turns your Android phone into an iPod

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