Latest news with #9to5google
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Drivers fume over infuriating Google Maps change after key feature suddenly vanishes from phones
AN INFURIATING Google Maps change is driving users around the bend after a key feature vanishes from their phones. With the removal of Driving Mode, users had to use the 'Show media playback controls' feature that works with apps like YouTube Music and Spotify. When navigating, this extends the bottom sheet with a bar that has album art, song name, and artist at the left. In addition to playback controls at the right, tapping 'Browse' shows nine suggestions to quickly switch. There's also a shortcut to 'Open YouTube Music.' Enabling this blocks the bottom half of the 'Report' button, but it's still tappable reports As of Google Maps 25.28 (stable) and 25.29 (beta), these media controls have disappeared over the past week or so. Settings > Navigation loses the 'Show media playback controls' toggle and 'Default media app' option. The feature remains available on iOS but without Assistant Driving Mode, Google Maps really should provide easy access to media controls for Android users. In an update posted on 9to5google - Google has said that it is 'actively working to fix an issue that is affecting media playback controls on Google Maps.' The disappearance was therefore just a bug which should be rectified soon. Over 10 million Android users told to turn off devices after Google exposes 'infection' – exact list of models affected More Google Maps News Homeowners are being urged to take an extra step to protect their property, and it starts with Google Maps. Experts warn that criminals are using the app's Street View tool to scope out homes before breaking in. One way to block burglars is to blur your home on Google Maps. Street View images offer a clear shot of your property, including possible entry points, layout, and even your security setup. That's exactly the kind of information criminals are looking for, an expert said. Professor Christopher Hermann, of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said thieves often check online before striking. Protect your bank from raiding scams Google Maps has also made an important change that can protect your bank from raiding scams. The web mapping platform allows businesses to set up profiles which show up in local searches. Most people assume they are accurate business listings, however, it appears thousands of them are fake and part of a scam. Google recently unearthed over 10,000 phony listings in Google Maps, CBS News reported on Wednesday. The listings varied from outright fake businesses to legitimate accounts that had been hacked or hijacked by cybercriminals. Google swiftly removed the listings and filed a lawsuit against the alleged scammers.
Phone Arena
12-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Mandatory update coming soon to Pixel 6a units and owners won't like it
Pixel 6a is not the first Google phone affected by an overheating issue | Image credit: PhoneArena If you're still using a Pixel 6a, there's a chance that you're eligible for a 'mandatory' software update that Google plans to release in the coming weeks. The reason this update is mandatory is because some Pixel 6a units have major issues with the battery, and the update is meant to reduce the risk of heard about this not long ago when it's been discovered in the latest Android 16 beta that Google plans to roll out a software update to the Pixel 6a that specifically targeted the phone's battery performance. Earlier today, Google confirmed to 9to5google that it will indeed start informing Pixel 6a users in July that they will receive a software update that will reduce the capacity of their phone's battery. – Google, June 2025. Unfortunately, we don't know how many Pixel 6a units are affected by this issue, but apparently not all will receive the update. Google also said that even though customers who own one of the affected Pixel 6a units will be contacted next month, the update might not arrive immediately for those of you who plan to circumvent the update in order to avoid having your phone's battery capacity reduced by purchasing a new one, it's probably not going to be a successful approach in the long term. As Google notes in the message to 9to5google , once your battery hits 400 charge cycles, the mandatory update will be automatically installed on your phone in case it's one of the affected devices. Pixel 4a was also the target of a similar update not long ago | Image credit: PhoneArena Google's decision to push out this mandatory update follows a series of reports from Pixel 6a owners claiming their phones caught fire while charging. These reports only recently emerged online, although the Pixel 6a hit shelves three years ago. Sadly, this is not the first Pixel device that exhibits overheating issues. Google recently rolled out a similar update to a number of Pixel 4a units that were affected by a similar overheating issue. Some Pixel 4a owners were offered free battery replacements.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Time of India
Google is holding event in June for Pixel 10 series, no one is invited except…
Google is reportedly holding a 'special event' for Pixel 10 series of smartphones, days after The Android Show and Google I/O 2025 . The company has sent invitations for an exclusive "pre-launch event" in June, offering a sneak peek at the Pixel 10 series and other "upcoming devices." While the timing suggests an earlier reveal for partners, it does not necessarily indicate an expedited Made by Google 2025 public launch. According to a report by 9to5google, the email invitation, quickly shared on Reddit over the weekend, details "Pixel Penthouse" – an "exclusive pre-launch event" designed for Google's "biggest retail and press partners" in the UK. Its purpose is to provide a "sneak preview of our upcoming devices pre-release." Who can attend the Pixel Penthouse event Interestingly, Google is extending this exclusive opportunity to 25 "lucky Superfans." These chosen individuals will attend the 90-minute event in London on June 27, where they are expected to get a first look at the Pixel 10 series and likely the Pixel Watch 4 . The invitation promises "hands on with pre-release Pixel devices and features," along with a Q&A session with Google employees. Attendees will presumably be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The cover image accompanying the invitation reportedly displays a generic Pixel phone, tablet, watch, and Buds – likely old stock imagery, though the designs are generally expected to remain consistent. When is the Pixel Penthouse event The event will be held on June 27, where the invitees "will get hands on with pre-release Pixel devices and features, get treated to some custom Pixel themed goodies, and sit in on a one-off interview/Q&A session with Googlers." Those who have got the invite must answer a few questions to be able to get access to the event. They have until June 4 to answer questions. The event comes around the same time when videos and photos on social media platforms suggested that Google is shooting promo videos of the upcoming Pixel smartphones. It has also been reported that the Made by Google event will be held in mid-August.
Phone Arena
24-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Google Wallet gets even more new features before the month's end
Google Wallet's Nearby Passes makes it easier to open a pass | Image credit: Google Receive the latest Google news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy – Google, May 2025 The Wallet app received a lot of love from Google in the last month or so. If you're a regular user, this is Wallet's 'one more thing' moment. With May coming to an end, Google announced a bunch of new features coming to Wallet in the next few its yearly I/O event, Google revealed several new features for Wallet and Pay and promised to deliver them very soon. Some of these new features are already starting to show on many devices, as pointed out by 9to5google One of the numerous upgrades Google announced this week is related to Nearby Passes. Once Google Wallet gets the update, it will be able to notify users when they're closing in to a specific location via an alert that will show up on the screen. But there's more to this feature than simply notifying the user that they're near one of their favorite you happen to have a loyalty card stored in your Google Wallet and you're near your favorite locale, you'll not only be alerted by the app, but you'll also be able to tap the notification to immediately open the loyalty card that you have stored in importantly, Google is giving Wallet users full control over these Nearby Passes notifications, so you can choose to disable them if you want. Simply head to Pass Details Screen and opt to 'get notifications for this loyalty card' for one or more loyalty addition to simply notifying the user about their proximity to a specific location, Google Wallet will also display 'relevant deals, promotions, and additional services' if the location you're near offers any of these. They will be shown as cards below the Nearby Passes notifications, Google is also making it easier for Wallet users to add boarding passes to the app. The feature introduced last year called Auto Linked Passes has just received an upgrade, which allows developers from airlines that integrate loyalty cards to automatically push boarding passes to their users' wallets after they check in for a of the few Google apps that benefits from a coherent development cycle, Wallet has gone a very long way since its inception a few years ago. Arguably the best digital wallet available on Android and iOS, Google Wallet seems to be here to stay for the long haul, something that's pretty rare for a company like Google, which usually discontinues a large percentage of its projects after just a few years.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Time of India
Google may have updated its logo for first time in nearly 10 years
has reportedly changed its logo and is debuting a refresh of its recognisable multi-colored 'G' icon, marking the first visual update to the symbol in nearly a decade. The change is said to have begun to appear on the company's mobile applications on both Android and iOS, introducing a subtle but noticeable shift in design. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The current circular 'G' icon was initially introduced on September 1, 2015, as part of a broader redesign that saw Google update its main six-letter wordmark to a modern, sans-serif typeface called Product Sans. Prior to that, the 'G' icon featured a lowercase white 'g' set against a solid blue background. The 'new' Google logo: What has changed According to a report by 9to5google, the updated icon moves away from the distinct, solid colour segments that have characterised the 'G' for the past ten years. Instead, the new design features a subtle blending effect, with the red section bleeding into the yellow, the yellow into the green, and the green flowing into the blue. The report goes on to say that the updated 'G' icon is currently in use by the Google Search app for iOS. On Monday (May 12), the change also arrived on the Android platform with the beta version of the Google app (version 16.18). While the change is rolling out, it is a relatively subtle alteration that users might not immediately notice, especially. As of the time of writing, checks by members of the Time of India-Gadgets Now team confirmed that they had not yet received the update featuring the refreshed 'G' icon on their devices, suggesting a phased rollout. Moreover, the report goes on to say that Google may not be simultaneously refreshing its main six-letter 'Google' wordmark. It also remains unclear whether this new blending style will be applied to other product logos that currently use the company's four-colour scheme, such as Chrome or Maps, although the design concept could theoretically be applied to their multi-sectional icons with relative ease. There have been reports which claim that Google plans to announce Material Design 3 in Android 16 at upcoming Google I/O, and it is speculated that an official announcement may be made at that time.
