Posts From Mishaal Rahman

Mishaal Rahman
1196 posts

Editor-in-chief on the XDA-Developers Portal. I have a keen interest in the Android framework and software development, but I'm willing to dip my toes into a variety of subjects. Please direct media inquiries to [email protected] You can also find me on Twitter @MishaalRahman, or on Reddit at /u/MishaalRahman.

All updates to existing Play Store apps must now target Android 9 Pie
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All updates to existing Play Store apps must now target Android 9 Pie

November 1, 2019
Back in late 2017, Google made a bold decision: force Android app developers to target newer API levels by adding new Play Store requirements. Google's goals are to improve ecosystem security (by making sure apps abide by all privacy and permission-related platform changes) and encourage the adoption of new APIs (so users can enjoy new...
Android 11 may finally bring a proper, native Wireless ADB implementation
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Android 11 may finally bring a proper, native Wireless ADB implementation

October 29, 2019
For Android app developers, ADB is an indispensable tool for debugging applications. With the ability to generate logs, push and pull files, sideload APKs, and enter the shell, ADB gives developers a lot of control over a test device while using a PC. While it's possible to use ADB wirelessly by connecting to your device...
Android 10 custom GSI brings the latest Android OS to any Project Treble-supported device
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Android 10 custom GSI brings the latest Android OS to any Project Treble-supported device

October 28, 2019
Thanks to Project Treble, a major rearchitecting of the Android OS, it's possible to boot a generic, AOSP-based system image without modifying the boot or vendor image. OEMs seeking Google certification are required to test their devices for Treble compliance by booting this "Generic System Image," or GSI, and verifying basic hardware functionality, but they...
Google says Chrome OS 80 will bring easier Android app sideloading for developers
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Google says Chrome OS 80 will bring easier Android app sideloading for developers

October 28, 2019
Last week at the Android Dev Summit, Google announced a feature that Chrome OS enthusiasts have wanted for years: the ability to sideload Android apps without enabling Developer Mode. We've seen code commits in the past that would have enabled this feature, but none of those implementations ever made their way to the stable channel....
Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon Wear 3300 may be the Wear OS smartwatch chip we’ve been waiting for
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Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon Wear 3300 may be the Wear OS smartwatch chip we’ve been waiting for

October 28, 2019
Google's Android OS for smartwatches, Wear OS, isn't nearly as successful as Android for smartphones, tablets, or televisions, and there's a lot of blame to go around for that. We can blame Google for not having enough confidence to launch its own smartwatch hardware or for barely giving Wear OS the time of day at...
Google quantifies how much faster Android 10’s new Share menu really is
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Google quantifies how much faster Android 10’s new Share menu really is

October 27, 2019
The Share menu is one of Android's best features, but for years, it's been plagued by a design that's just plain slow. The problem with Android's clunky share menu stemmed from Android 6 Marshmallow when Google introduced Direct Share, a feature that allows users to directly share content to the relevant part of an app....
Skip the wait: Enable RCS right now in Google Messages for any carrier
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Skip the wait: Enable RCS right now in Google Messages for any carrier

October 26, 2019
As we all know, the messaging situation on Android is a bit of a mess...at least in the United States. While most of us in the U.S. still use SMS, the rest of the world has shifted to better messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram. It's not easy to convince your friends and family to...
[Update 2: References Removed] Android Q may let you switch cards from Google Pay in the power menu
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[Update 2: References Removed] Android Q may let you switch cards from Google Pay in the power menu

October 22, 2019
Apps like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay have grown more popular around the world as carrying a wallet full of different credit cards, loyalty cards, passes, and tickets can be annoying. I've personally used Google Pay extensively during a recent trip to London where it was more convenient to pay for the London...
[Update: Redmi 3S/3X & Redmi 4/4X] LineageOS builds are coming back online for most supported Xiaomi devices
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[Update: Redmi 3S/3X & Redmi 4/4X] LineageOS builds are coming back online for most supported Xiaomi devices

October 18, 2019
If you own a Xiaomi device that is either well past its prime or you just plain don't like MIUI, then you may be running one of the many custom ROMs available on our forums. The most popular custom ROM for Xiaomi devices is LineageOS, but last month the official builds were taken offline. Now,...
[Update: Rolling Out] Google Maps 10.25.24 hints at reporting Disabled Vehicles, Lane Closures, and Objects on Roads
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[Update: Rolling Out] Google Maps 10.25.24 hints at reporting Disabled Vehicles, Lane Closures, and Objects on Roads

October 17, 2019
Google Maps is used by millions of drivers, so it's immensely useful as a crowd-sourced traffic and incident reporting tool. Maps first introduced incident reporting last year, though Waze has had it for years. Google started out with crash and speed trap reporting in November of last year before adding traffic slowdown reporting a few...
Google launches the Pixel 4 with 90Hz display, Motion Sense gestures, Face Unlock, Dual Cameras, and more
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Google launches the Pixel 4 with 90Hz display, Motion Sense gestures, Face Unlock, Dual Cameras, and more

October 15, 2019
After first teasing the phone 4 months ago, Google has officially unveiled the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. For those of you following tech news, you probably know a lot about the 2019 Pixel smartphones thanks to a bunch of leaks. Nevertheless, there were still some details that we were waiting to confirm, and...
Google Nest Mini is Google’s latest Assistant smart speaker with a built-in wall mount
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Google Nest Mini is Google’s latest Assistant smart speaker with a built-in wall mount

October 15, 2019
Google’s smartphone business has had mixed success, but some of its other hardware ventures have been much more successful. Take the Chromecast, for example, a product that has brought Google Cast, and by extension easy access to Google’s library of music and videos, to millions of homes around the world. The Chromecast’s success can be...