Android Faithful

They dig into Google’s new sideloading developer verification and what it means for Android. Rumors about Pixel 11 design shifts and removed sensors get a close look. Siri possibly using Gemini and Apple’s AI marketing hire spark AI conversation. Swift’s new Android SDK and rapid XR prototyping tools for building VR/AR apps also get attention.

A spring tech roundup full of leaks, policy drama, and a rare rugged phone sighting. Deep dives on a new sideloading flow and a controversial 24-hour wait. Camera and AI features on the latest flagship get spotlighted. Rumors swirl about Amazon building a phone and OnePlus’s uncertain future.

We're super excited to present a special edition of Android Faithful, welcoming back friend of the show and VP Product, Android Developer Experience at Google, Matthew McCullough who joins Huyen Tue Dao and Ron Richards to go behind the scenes on the making of the new Android Bench and the AI LLM Rankings recently made available to Android Developers. Matthew was kind enough to give us some time out of his day to give us the inside scoop on what went into the effort, exactly how and why Gemini came out on top of the LLM rankings and a provide a glimpse of what's to come! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:05:10 - NEWSGoogle went to SF for GDC and brought news for gamers and game developersLookout! 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 normalPATRON PICK: That was quick! Samsung is done selling the Galaxy Trifold!00:34:40 - HARDWAREFlo'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 - APPSA 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 MessagesGoogle rolls out Transit mode for Pixel devices and it's pretty darn cool.01:11:51 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKSean writes in with another suggestion of a phone with an SD Card expansion slotTharanga from Melbourne, Australia shows off HIS Unihertz phoneJoey checks in with an update on his new Pebble watch and how little he's had to charge it Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:05:55 - NEWSGoodbye 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 BenchQuick! Check your Google Play Perks, you may have $400 off on a new Pixel 10 ProPATRON PICK: Google Play begins shaming apps that are battery hogs00:33:18 - HARDWAREAre 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 conditionsThe physical keyboard revolution continues with the daring Unihertz Titan 2 Elite!01:03:54 - APPSWant a different news app? Check out Particle AI, now with a feature to turn news articles into audio podcasts01:14:01 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKIan from the UK has a suggestion for an icon to link to a file on Google DriveRobert is curious if MicroSD cards could be a solution to the RAM price increase crisis? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor0:04:12 - NEWSMarch 2026 Feature Drop: Pixel 10 ‘Comfort’ view, custom AI icons, At a Glance ‘My commute,’ & moreOh great, here comes 6GQualcomm and Other Industry Leaders Commit to 6G Trajectory Towards Commercialization Starting from 2029 OnwardsQualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite is the biggest smartwatch chip upgrade in 3 yearsSamsung hits pause on next-gen Edge, Z TriFold phones, but is optimistic about the S PenPATRON PICK: Motorola has a tiny new black box at MWC that wants to kill Android Auto cables0:33:22 - HARDWAREI tried Honor's ultra-thin foldable phone at MWC 2026, and it's almost too powerfulA closer look at Honor’s Robot PhoneHonor’s new MagicPad 4 is the world’s thinnest Android tabletOppo teases the Find N6’s crease-less display ahead of rumored March launchTecno revives modular Android devices with new concept phone1:00:48 - MORE HARDWARELenovo is working on a foldable that could be both your handheld and desktopThe Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagshipMotorola confirms GrapheneOS support for a future phone, bringing over featuresXiaomi launches 17 Ultra smartphone, an AirTag clone, and an ultra-slim power bank1:21:37 - FEEDBACKPaul wants to know how to add a shortcut to files on the homescreenDavid just noticed some questions appear when he blocks a call in Google Phone Dialer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hands-on impressions of Samsung's Galaxy S26 lineup, from S Pen retention to camera ocean mode. Deep dive into Samsung and Google AI features like agentic shopping, Gemini news, and Now Nudge. Coverage of Pixel 10a trade-offs, encrypted RCS testing, and Android malware leveraging AI. A frustrated review of the Motorola Moto Watch after a snowboarding test.

They unpack the bumpy Android 17 beta launch and what its new large-screen and runtime rules mean for apps. QuickShare and AirDrop compatibility updates get a close look. Leaks and rumors about Pixel 10a, a possible new Shield TV, Samsung S26 and a wider foldable spark hardware chatter. New Chrome pinned tabs, Now Playing becoming an app, and Nothing's AI widget tool round out the tech talk.

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!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:02:46 - NEWSWe've got more data on Smartphone sales growth in 2025 and Honor and Nothing impress with their increasesAs if the AirDrop for Android news couldn't get any better, Google sweetens it even more beyond PixelsLooks like Gemini will be quite prominent on Android PCsPATRON PICK: Google Messages is bringing back a key RCS feature you might not have noticed disappeared00:32:12 - HARDWAREWe've got the details on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Unpacked eventSome 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 - APPSMuch 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 automationsThe At-A-Glance Widget on Google Pixels is going high contrast!01:07:09 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKPatrick from Middle Tennessee shares some recommendations of good music players for Android! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:02:33 - NEWSAndroid’s full desktop interface leaks: New status bar, Chrome ExtensionsChromeOS will be ‘phased out’ in 2034 as Android PCs arrive late, court docs suggestGoogle releases ‘Desktop Camera’ app that’s seemingly for Android PCsAndroid 16 is off to a strong start in Google's latest usage breakdownGoogle Pixel expected to see ‘strongest growth’ in 2026, report saysPatron Pick: Motorola is getting away with zero OS updates thanks to regulatory loophole00:36:11 - HARDWAREMotorola Moto Watch first lookThere won’t be a Nothing Phone 4 this yearNothing’s next over-ear headphones reportedly cost around $150, launching in MarchNothing Phone 4a series leak reveals launch date, and it's just weeks awayInside Nvidia’s 10-year effort to make the Shield TV the most updated Android device ever00:58:12 - APPSGemini 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 betaThis free app turns your Android phone into an iPod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.