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]

Google Play Games update brings integration with Android 12’s Game Dashboard

Google Play Games update brings integration with Android 12’s Game Dashboard

August 15, 2021
Mobile gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet apart from providing new APIs and services for game developers, Google hasn't added many user-facing gaming features to Android itself. That is until Android 12, which is set for release later this fall. When Android 12 rolls out, it'll bring with it a new Game Dashboard feature....
Android’s latest accessibility feature lets you control your phone with facial expressions

Android’s latest accessibility feature lets you control your phone with facial expressions

August 15, 2021
Android has long had an Accessibility API that's intended for developers to build apps and experiences aimed at helping persons with disabilities, though it isn't always used for that purpose. Google intends for apps that use the Accessibility API to fall into a few categories, including screen readers, switch-based input systems, and voice-based input systems....
Android 12 Beta 4 hints the Pixel 6 has Samsung’s 50MP GN1 sensor and Exynos 5123 modem

Android 12 Beta 4 hints the Pixel 6 has Samsung’s 50MP GN1 sensor and Exynos 5123 modem

August 11, 2021
The fourth beta release of Android 12 rolled out earlier today, marking the Platform Stability milestone. The purpose of this release is to provide developers a build with finalized APIs and app-facing behaviors so they can test and update their apps before the stable release. As always, Beta 4 contains several changes not mentioned in...
Find My Device app reveals more details on Google’s crowdsourced tracking network

Find My Device app reveals more details on Google’s crowdsourced tracking network

August 11, 2021
In mid-June, we first reported that Google is working on a "Find My Device Network", essentially the Android version of Apple's "Find My network". The strings we discovered in the Google Play Services app stated that this network will allow your phone to help locate your and other people's devices. Apart from the strings and...
Android 12 reaches Platform Stability with Beta 4, out now for Pixel phones

Android 12 reaches Platform Stability with Beta 4, out now for Pixel phones

August 11, 2021
The fourth beta release of Android 12 goes live today, and it marks the Platform Stability milestone. This means that Android 12 Beta 4 has finalized APIs and app-facing behaviors, so developers can test their apps on the latest release without having to worry about changes in the next beta impacting compatibility testing. With the release...
Google’s redesigned smartwatch apps debut on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 series

Google’s redesigned smartwatch apps debut on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 series

August 11, 2021
Today at its Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Classic, the first smartwatches to run Wear OS 3, the new version of Wear OS co-developed by Samsung and Google. To coincide with the launch of Samsung's new hardware, Google today unveiled updated versions of its smartwatch apps that...
MediaTek’s Dimensity 920 and Dimensity 810 chips are aimed at mid-range 5G smartphones

MediaTek’s Dimensity 920 and Dimensity 810 chips are aimed at mid-range 5G smartphones

August 11, 2021
Taiwanese chip design firm MediaTek today launched two new products in its Dimensity lineup of mobile SoCs: the Dimensity 920 and the Dimensity 810. The MediaTek Dimensity family of SoCs is comprised of numerous chips designed for mobile devices, and they all feature integrated 5G modems. The latest additions to the Dimensity family are no...
Code for new Qualcomm wearable chip, possibly the Snapdragon Wear 5100, appears online

Code for new Qualcomm wearable chip, possibly the Snapdragon Wear 5100, appears online

August 3, 2021
Qualcomm's reputation was dealt a blow these past few weeks. Back in mid-May, the company had to deal with the news that Google is rebuilding Wear OS with a new partner — Samsung. Just yesterday, Google confirmed its upcoming Pixel 6 series will ship with the company's own silicon rather than Qualcomm's. After news of...
August 2021 Android security update rolls out to supported Pixel phones

August 2021 Android security update rolls out to supported Pixel phones

August 2, 2021
Google consistently publishes a new Android Security Bulletin on the first Monday of every month, and they've done so for nearly every month in the last few years. Thus, it's no surprise that today, Google published the Android Security Bulletin for August 2021, though the company did have one big surprise for us that's separate...
Google teases the Pixel 6 series with its custom Google Tensor chip

Google teases the Pixel 6 series with its custom Google Tensor chip

August 2, 2021
It's no surprise that Google is preparing to launch the Pixel 6 series later this year, and in now typical Google fashion, the company has shared a plethora of details about its new phones weeks ahead of their launch. Google today confirmed the names, design, expected launch date, and many of the specs of its...
OnePlus 9R update brings OxygenOS 11.2.4.4 with Bitmoji AOD

OnePlus 9R update brings OxygenOS 11.2.4.4 with Bitmoji AOD

July 28, 2021
The OnePlus 9R, an overclocked version of the OnePlus 8T that's only available in India and China, is getting a new software update to OxygenOS 11.2.4.4. The update brings the most recent security patch level — July 2021 — and also enhances the Always on Display with new features. According to the post announcing the update...
Android 12 prepares to kill off native support for Internet-based SIP calling

Android 12 prepares to kill off native support for Internet-based SIP calling

July 28, 2021
Session Initiation Protocol, or SIP, is a protocol that's commonly used for making voice calls over the Internet. Years back, SIP clients and providers were decently popular because they offered free or cheap worldwide Internet-based calling while many U.S. carriers still didn't even offer unlimited voice calls on their networks. For years, Android natively supported...