Mini XDA

Category primarily for news articles, typically ~300 words in length to meet SEO requirements.

[Update 6: Groups of 32 on Android] Group video calling in Google Duo goes live globally

[Update 6: Groups of 32 on Android] Group video calling in Google Duo goes live globally

July 7, 2020
Google was at the disadvantage of being late when it launched Allo and Duo to compete against the much older existing heavyweights. As a result, Google Allo, the online messaging service collapsed under the pressure of giants like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram, but Google Duo has sustained the pressure for delivering video calling as...
[Update 2: Coming Back] The Google Play Store will no longer show notifications for updated apps

[Update 2: Coming Back] The Google Play Store will no longer show notifications for updated apps

June 29, 2020
Late last month we came across an issue with the Google Play Store which prevented some newly published apps from showing up in search. The bug only brought up related search results when searching for new apps, even though they were definitely live on the platform. Google addressed this issue shortly thereafter and users were...
[Update: Google Countersues] Sonos is suing Google for allegedly stealing patented speaker technology

[Update: Google Countersues] Sonos is suing Google for allegedly stealing patented speaker technology

June 11, 2020
The smart speaker space is one of the hottest battlegrounds in the tech world right now. These devices have slowly made their way into millions of homes across the globe, giving the companies behind them ecosystem lock-in power and access to tons of information. Google has become a major player in this market, but Sonos...
[Update: Possibly this month] Brave Browser Android dev says the team would like to add extension support in 2020

[Update: Possibly this month] Brave Browser Android dev says the team would like to add extension support in 2020

June 2, 2020
When it comes to web browsers, Android offers users a variety of different options. Along with Google Chrome, Android users have access to a plethora of great third-party browsers like Kiwi, Vivaldi, and Brave. These browsers offer some amazing features like native ad-blocking, Chrome extension support, cryptojacking protection, and more. But what helps Brave stand...
[Update: Unity Plugin] Google open sources Cardboard so developers can build educative VR experiences in their apps

[Update: Unity Plugin] Google open sources Cardboard so developers can build educative VR experiences in their apps

May 27, 2020
Last month, Google announced a handful of new products at the annual "Made by Google" event. However, one product was quietly discontinued: Daydream VR. The VR platform was not mentioned on the Pixel 4's specification sheet and Google later confirmed the absence. Today, the company is making moves in VR to open source the once-popular...
[Update 11: San Diego, 5G Uploads] Verizon 5G is Rolling Out to More Cities

[Update 11: San Diego, 5G Uploads] Verizon 5G is Rolling Out to More Cities

May 20, 2020
While many people are still skeptical about 5G, Verizon continues its rollout plans. Today, the company flipped the switch for four new cities: Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Washington DC. Verizon is already selling a couple of 5G devices, but the list of available cities is still relatively small. So the continued expansion is good news. Verizon's...
[Update: Small Rollout] Twitter plans to allow users to limit who can reply to tweets

[Update: Small Rollout] Twitter plans to allow users to limit who can reply to tweets

May 20, 2020
CES 2020 is well underway and Twitter’s director of product management, Suzanne Xie, has unveiled some new changes that are coming to the platform later this year. These changes all primarily focus on conversations that you can have on the platform and aim to prevent bullying and harassment. The biggest change relates to "conversation participants."...
[Update: Fully Rolling Out] Dark theme rolling out for the Google App and Google Assistant once again

[Update: Fully Rolling Out] Dark theme rolling out for the Google App and Google Assistant once again

May 20, 2020
With the first stable release of Android 10 for the Pixel devices last week, the dark theme graduated as an easily accessible feature. Even before that, while showcasing developer previews, Google rolled out individual dark theme toggles for many of its apps such as Google Keep, Files, Photos, Fit, and many more Google apps. Back...
[Update: Launched in India] FreeBuds 3 are Huawei’s newest wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation and wireless charging

[Update: Launched in India] FreeBuds 3 are Huawei’s newest wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation and wireless charging

May 13, 2020
Huawei is taking the stage at IFA 2019 to announce some important devices in its portfolio. First up was the Kirin 990 and Kirin 990 5G flagship SoCs, one of which comes with an integrated modem, and which will find their way inside the upcoming Huawei Mate 30 series smartphones. Next up was the Huawei...
[Update: Rolling Out] Spotify tests social listening to let you and your friends control music together

[Update: Rolling Out] Spotify tests social listening to let you and your friends control music together

May 12, 2020
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services on the planet right now. They continue to add features to the platform and apps. The Android app recently got a sleep timer and now it appears a new "Social Listening" feature is in the works. Discovered by app scooper Jane Manchun Wong, Spotify is in...
Honor is offering deals on smartphones, wearables, and laptops for the next 2 weeks

Honor is offering deals on smartphones, wearables, and laptops for the next 2 weeks

April 1, 2020
Following the launch of the Honor 30S, Huawei's sub-brand Honor has officially announced the Honor Global Fans Day 2020 sale during which it will be offering deals on a variety of devices in its portfolio. The sale, which will last till April 14th, is already live in 18 countries and regions, including Germany, France, the...
[Update 2: Sprint 5G Model] OnePlus says the 7 Pro 5G will get Android 10 in Q1 2020

[Update 2: Sprint 5G Model] OnePlus says the 7 Pro 5G will get Android 10 in Q1 2020

March 20, 2020
We've been talking a lot about the OnePlus 7T series lately, which initially launched without a separate 5G model. That was surprising considering OnePlus was one of the first to launch a 5G phone. We now know the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition will be launching with 5G on T-Mobile, but we've also got some...