Posts From Mishaal Rahman

Mishaal Rahman
Mishaal Rahman

I am the Editor-in-chief of XDA. In addition to breaking news on the Android OS and mobile devices, I manage all editorial and reviews content on the Portal. Tips/media inquiries: [email protected]

Tag Heuer’s latest luxury smartwatch features Super Mario branding

Tag Heuer’s latest luxury smartwatch features Super Mario branding

July 13, 2021
Most smartwatches cost a few hundred bucks and focus on function over form, though that doesn't necessarily mean they're cheaply made or are unfashionable. If you want a really fashionable smartwatch crafted with ultra premium hardware, then you'll have to shell out a lot more money, though you'll have fewer brands to choose from. TAG...
Ring rolls out end-to-end encryption for its wired video doorbells and security cameras

Ring rolls out end-to-end encryption for its wired video doorbells and security cameras

July 13, 2021
Ring has announced that the option to enable end-to-end encryption for video streams is now rolling out globally. Earlier this year, the company started testing the feature in the U.S., but the company is now ready to move the feature out of technical preview. The Amazon-owned smart home brand has been routinely criticized for sharing data...
Google wants to bring HTML5 games to your Android Auto car screen

Google wants to bring HTML5 games to your Android Auto car screen

July 12, 2021
The other day, users of Reddit's /r/AndroidAuto community noticed a mysterious "GearSnacks" icon appear in their car's app list. No references to "GearSnacks" can be found anywhere online except for the Reddit thread, but after launching the app, it was discovered that "GearSnacks" houses a multitude of short games. After digging into the latest Android...
Google casually namedrops “Pixel 6” and “Pixel 6 XL” in developer form

Google casually namedrops “Pixel 6” and “Pixel 6 XL” in developer form

July 12, 2021
We already know the Pixel 6 is coming, and we already know it'll be offered in two different models: a standard and "Pro" variant. We've seen the design, heard the top-level specs, know some of the new internals, and are continuing to learn more about its Android 12 software, but every now and then, we...
Google launches new tools to help developers grow their Android games

Google launches new tools to help developers grow their Android games

July 12, 2021
With over 3 billion monthly active devices running Android — of which 2.5 billion use Google Play — there are a ton of users for mobile game developers to target, but there's also stiff competition to watch out for. Just developing a high-quality game isn't enough to drive massive interest, as what comes after launch...
Google details Android 12’s new game dashboard tool and gaming mode APIs

Google details Android 12’s new game dashboard tool and gaming mode APIs

July 12, 2021
At its annual Google for Games Developer Summit, Google unveiled several new features for mobile gamers and game developers. Select devices running the latest version of the Android OS — Android 12 — will have access to a new game dashboard utility. Through this dashboard, users will have access to key utilities and can select...
Android 12 can let you play games before they’re done downloading

Android 12 can let you play games before they’re done downloading

July 12, 2021
Today, the games team at Google kicked off the annual Google for Games Developer Summit. At the Summit, Google unveiled new tools and solutions to make game development easier on Android and Chrome OS. That's not all, though. The company also unveiled a new feature aimed at improving the experience of delivering games to users....
[Update: Samsung Only] Google Messages has a hidden RCS API for third-party apps

[Update: Samsung Only] Google Messages has a hidden RCS API for third-party apps

July 9, 2021
RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services, is generally seen as the successor to SMS. It supports features like group chat management, higher quality file shares, read receipts, typing indicators, and end-to-end encryption. In order to use the RCS protocol for chats, it has to be supported by the network, the phone's OS, and the...
Google teases a “transformational feature” for Android 12 and new game mode APIs

Google teases a “transformational feature” for Android 12 and new game mode APIs

July 9, 2021
I/O is Google's biggest developer conference each year, and this year's event is where we saw the unveiling of Android 12. I/O isn't the only Google-led developer conference that shares Android news, however. On Monday, the 2021 Google for Games Developer Summit kicks off with hours of keynotes spanning two days. Ahead of the event,...
XDA member unknowingly bought a Pixel phone with an FBI backdoor

XDA member unknowingly bought a Pixel phone with an FBI backdoor

July 8, 2021
The XDA Forums routinely get new users who have trouble with their phones, but one unlucky user ended up with a problem that nobody knew how to solve. As it turns out, this user had bought a used Pixel phone that wasn't originally sold by Google or an official retailer but rather by the U.S....
Google’s Pixel 6 could have 5 years of software support, just like the iPhone

Google’s Pixel 6 could have 5 years of software support, just like the iPhone

July 8, 2021
If the rumors are true, Google is gearing up to launch the Pixel 5a next month, but what we're really looking forward to is the Pixel 6 series launch later this year. Based on what we know so far, it looks like the Pixel 6 Pro will be the first truly premium flagship-level smartphone from...
Google’s Play Store dominance under challenge by new U.S. lawsuit

Google’s Play Store dominance under challenge by new U.S. lawsuit

July 8, 2021
The U.S. States of Utah, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee are leading a lawsuit signed on by 32 other U.S. states alleging that Google is engaging in monopolistic practices to maintain dominance in Android app distribution and payment processing for digital content purchased through the Google Play Store. The lawsuit, which was filed today in...