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]

Android 12 will finally let alternative app stores update apps without bothering the user

Android 12 will finally let alternative app stores update apps without bothering the user

May 19, 2021
Back in late September of last year, Google announced that it will be "making changes in Android 12...to make it even easier for people to use other app stores on their devices while being careful not to compromise the safety measures Android has in place" in response to mounting pressure from Epic Games and government...
Magisk developer John Wu leaves Apple to join Google on the Android security team

Magisk developer John Wu leaves Apple to join Google on the Android security team

May 17, 2021
Few developers on the XDA forums are as well-known as John Wu, the creator of Magisk. Under his alias topjohnwu, the developer spent years developing the open-source root injection tool, superuser management app, and systemless modding framework. In the middle of 2019, he joined Apple as an intern to work on the company’s Siri Core...
The ASUS ZenFone 8 is the small phone to beat in 2021

The ASUS ZenFone 8 is the small phone to beat in 2021

May 12, 2021
I remember the first time I was ever truly excited about a smartphone. When HTC (remember when they were relevant?) released the Evo 4G on Sprint, it was the first Android phone to be widely considered a proper iPhone competitor. It was also considered a huge smartphone at the time as its 4.3-inch display dwarfed...
Googler drops hint that the Pixel 6 will have custom chip code-named “Whitechapel”

Googler drops hint that the Pixel 6 will have custom chip code-named “Whitechapel”

May 5, 2021
Earlier this month, a report alleged that Google will ship its in-house silicon in 2021 Pixel devices. Now, a Googler has left a comment online that provides the first public evidence we can point to that the upcoming Pixel 6 will be powered by the rumored Google-made chip. In a code change submitted to the Android...
Xiaomi may be working on a trio of high-end Android tablets

Xiaomi may be working on a trio of high-end Android tablets

May 5, 2021
Xiaomi offers a range of consumer electronics at different price points, but one market they've been largely absent from is tablets. The tablet market is dominated by Apple, and no Android phone maker apart from Samsung even really tries to compete with Apple, especially at the premium level. Based on the evidence we've dug up...
Here’s why Nova Launcher works better on Google Pixel phones

Here’s why Nova Launcher works better on Google Pixel phones

May 4, 2021
In the past, third-party launcher apps often provided a superior experience to the stock launcher found on most Android phones. With the revamp of the recent apps screen and the introduction of gestures in Android 9 Pie, though, third-party launchers were put at a disadvantage as these new experiences were integrated into the stock launcher...
How to customize Android’s built-in battery saver mode

How to customize Android’s built-in battery saver mode

May 2, 2021
Android has had a built-in Battery Saver mode for years now. If your phone is about to run out of battery, then you can activate it to keep the device running for a few extra hours. Battery Saver disables quite a few power-hungry features and tweaks a bunch of settings to extend the battery life....
How to debloat your phone (and more) without connecting to a PC

How to debloat your phone (and more) without connecting to a PC

May 1, 2021
The Android Debug Bridge, or ADB for short, is a nifty development tool to interface with your phone for debugging and testing. Through ADB, developers can access Android's built-in Linux command line shell with greater privileges than user-installed apps. This gives developers the ability to install or uninstall apps, grant or deny permissions, change system...
Google Play is suspending free trials in India following new RBI regulations

Google Play is suspending free trials in India following new RBI regulations

April 30, 2021
At the end of March, the Reserve Bank of India, India's central bank and financial regulatory authority, announced new rules on recurring transactions. In response, Google is informing developers of temporary changes for Google Play users in India. The RBI's new eMandate notification "calls for an additional layer of authentication for recurring transactions via credit cards,...
LineageOS 18.1 brings Android 11 to the OnePlus 6/6T, ASUS ZenFone 5Z, and Xiaomi Mi Note 3

LineageOS 18.1 brings Android 11 to the OnePlus 6/6T, ASUS ZenFone 5Z, and Xiaomi Mi Note 3

April 28, 2021
Late last month, LineageOS 18.1 based on Android 11 was released for nearly 60 devices. The initial list of supported devices included multiple products from Google, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Samsung, Sony, Xiaomi, and others. Now, 2 new OnePlus devices, 1 new ASUS device, and 1 new Xiaomi device are joining the LineageOS 18.1 build roster. Recommended...
Google I/O 2021 schedule goes live: Here’s what to look out for

Google I/O 2021 schedule goes live: Here’s what to look out for

April 28, 2021
Earlier this month, Google announced when its highly-anticipated developer conference will take place. Google I/O 2021 kicks off on May 18th and lasts through May 20th, and it'll be a virtual event that's free for anyone to attend. Today, Google published the full schedule for the event, giving us an overview of what sessions will...
Google Messages is getting a slick One UI-esque design on Samsung phones

Google Messages is getting a slick One UI-esque design on Samsung phones

April 28, 2021
When Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 series earlier this year, they partnered with Google to preinstall the latter's Messages app in many parts of the world. Google and Samsung's partnership is aimed at unifying the chat experience for Android users, especially as Google continues to lead the charge in rolling out RCS. Samsung's flavor of...