On the factory images page for Pixel updates, Google added a note today to let owners of the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold know that there is a situation they need to be aware of when applying the May 2026 update.

Google notes that this latest update increments the anti-rollback version of the bootloader and there could be an issue if you try to manually update later and run into issues:

Warning: The May 2026 update for Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold devices contains a bootloader update that increments the anti-roll back version for the bootloader. This prevents the device from rolling back to previous vulnerable versions of the bootloader. After flashing the May 2026 update on these devices you won’t be able to flash and boot older Android 16 builds.

Breaking that down a bit, you may be aware of Android’s seamless updates. In the basic form, seamless updates are a way for Google to load bootable builds of Android in 2 separate slots (active and inactive) on your device. This lets an update install in the background, leaving your device available during that process, and then only requiring a quick reboot to switch over to the new build.

For most updates, you switch slots, moving a previous build to the inactive slot as a fallback build if something were to go wrong. Then, when a new update arrives, it takes the inactive slot and then you do another switch.

However, since this May 2026 update brings a new bootloader, that inactive slot with the older bootloader could become a problem. Should you try to flash the active slot with a build that fails to boot, the fallback or inactive slot would kick in and try to boot that build with the older bootloader. This would essentially leave your device in an unbootable state.

The fix? For the majority of you, I wouldn’t worry about any of this. This is a warning for those who might manually flash an update at some point and attempt to do so in the active slot. If the inactive slot remains on an older bootloader, then there would be a problem.

Here’s the recommendation:

In short, most of you don’t need to worry about a thing. Folks who tinker, maybe consider the instructions above.

And for those curious, Google issued a very similar warning last year to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a.

Read the original post: Google Issues Warning For May 2026 Pixel 10 Update

In this Android 16 build for May, Google has released a single build for the Pixel 7a up through the Pixel 10a. We are missing updates for the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7 series – we’ve talked about why these devices don’t see every single update any longer.

The new build can be found below for each device, but it’s the same for all as CP1A.260505.005, at least for now. On occasion, we see Google release additional builds for specific carriers or countries.

As for rollout timing, this May Pixel update will start today and “continue over the next several weeks in phases.”

As for what’s new in the May 2026 Pixel update, Google shared the following:

Again, Google (and its carrier partners like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T) will begin pushing these updates over-the-air shortly (Settings>System>Software updates>System update), but if you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, you will soon find each factory image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go.

• Factory Images
• OTA Files
• Pixel/Nexus Security Bulletin
• Pixel Security Update Changes

Read the original post: 2026 May Pixel Update Available for Your Pixel Phone

Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series of phones should still be supported through 2026, 2027, and beyond, we’re just starting to question what the cadence for updates will be going forward. I bring this up because folks who own these devices are likely wondering where their updates are after several misses in recent months, starting around July 2025.

Google has issued monthly updates for its Pixel devices from the day they were introduced, so a missed month or two is a noteworthy event. For a device to miss updates for several months is really something that should be drawing some attention. That in mind, no where in Google’s official documentation does it say that their Pixel devices are guaranteed to receive monthly updates, but that’s how they have sent them. Their support documents simply state the number of years of expected support.

We’ve asked Google to give us more information on what we believe is a change in the update schedule for the Pixel 6 (and Pixel 7), but they have so far not gone into specifics, only suggesting that all of the still-supported Pixel devices are “compliant.” When we asked what was up with Pixel 6 updates, they responded with the following:

“Pixel phones will remain security compliant for the full duration of their support windows, which can be found here.

Your device will remain private and secure through Pixel specific patches, Google Play System Updates and fixes through the Android Security Bulletin. You can also expect your phone to get better over time with regular Pixel Drops and updates to the latest OS for the device’s full support window.”

Because of that vague statement, we thought it was time to start a running timeline of updates for these devices to help you keep track of what the current releases are for each. And just maybe, this will give us some clarity around expectations going forward.

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro update timeline, current build: The current Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro update you should be on is CP1A.260405.005.

• June 2025 update: Received on June 10 as the first stable Android 16 build (BP2A.250605.031.A2)
• July 2025 update: Did not receive a July update
• August 2025 update: Did not receive an August update – received another June build in August (BP2A.250605.031.A5)
• September 2025 update: Received on September 3 as QPR1 and build (BP3A.250905.014)
• October 2025 update: Did not receive October update
• November 2025 update: Did not receive November update
• December 2025 update: Received on December 2 as December quarterly update (QPR2, BP4A.251205.006)
• January 2026 update: Did not receive January update
• February 2026: Did not receive February update
• March 2026: Received on March 3 as March quarterly update (QPR3, CP1A.260305.016)
• April 2026: Received on April 7 as a regular monthly update (CP1A.260405.005)
• May 2026: Did not receive May update

NOTE: We’re back to missing updates with the May 2026 update.

Pixel 6a update timeline, current build: The current Pixel 6a update you should be on is CP1A.260405.005.

• June 2025 update: Received on June 10 as the first stable Android 16 build (BP2A.250605.031.A2)
• July 2025 update: Received on July 8 with July security patch (BP2A.250705.008)
• August 2025 update: Received another July build (BP2A.250705.008.A1)
• September 2025 update: Received on September 3 as QPR1 and build (BP3A.250905.014)
• October 2025 update: Did not receive October update
• November 2025 update: Did not receive November update
• December 2025 update: Received on December 2 as December quarterly update (QPR2, BP4A.251205.006)
• January 2026 update: Did not receive January update
• February 2026: Did not receive February update
• March 2026: Received on March 3 as March quarterly update (QPR3, CP1A.260305.016)
• April 2026: Received on April 7 as a regular monthly update (CP1A.260405.005)
• May 2026: Did not receive May update

NOTE: We’re back to missing updates with the May 2026 update.

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro update timeline, current build: The current Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro update you should be on is CP1A.260405.005.

• June 2025 update: Received on June 10 as the first stable Android 16 build (BP2A.250605.031.A2)
• July 2025 update: Received on July 8 with July security patch (BP2A.250705.008)
• August 2025 update: Received on August 5 with August security patch (BP2A.250805.005)
• September 2025 update: Received on September 3 as QPR1 and build (BP3A.250905.014)
• October 2025 update: Received on October 8 with October security patch (BP3A.251005.004.B1); received 2nd October update on October 30 (BP3A.251005.004.B2)
• November 2025 update: Did not receive November update
• December 2025 update: Received on December 2 as December quarterly update (QPR2, BP4A.251205.006)
• January 2026 update: Did not receive January update
• February 2026: Did not receive February update
• March 2026: Received on March 3 as March quarterly update (QPR3, CP1A.260305.016)
• April 2026: Received on April 7 as a regular monthly update (CP1A.260405.005)
• May 2026: Did not receive May update

NOTE: We’re back to missing updates with the May 2026 update.

Pixel 7a update timeline, current build: The current Pixel 7a update you should be on is CP1A.260505.005.

• November 2025 update: Received on November 11 with November security patch (BP3A.251105.015)
• December 2025 update: Did not receive December update
• January 2026 update: Received on January 12 with January security patch (BP4A.260105.004.E1)
• February 2026: Received update on February 3 with February security patch (BP4A.260205.001)
• March 2026: Received on March 3 as March quarterly update (QPR3, CP1A.260305.016)
• April 2026: Received on April 7 as a regular monthly update (CP1A.260405.005)
• May 2026: Received on May 5 as regular monthly update (CP1A.260505.005)

NOTE: The Pixel 7a first missed the December update and has received the January, February, March, April, and May 2026 patches. Still, because of the December miss, we’re now tracking it.

We’ll continue to update this post each month unless the updates start showing up monthly again. We’ll also add devices if they slip from the monthly cadence.

UPDATED MAY 5 – GOOGLE RELEASED THE MAY UPDATE AND LEFT OUT UPDATES FOR THE PIXEL 6, 6 PRO, 6A, PIXEL 7, AND 7 PRO.

Read the original post: Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 Updates are Missing: Here’s What is Happening With Your Pixel

This may all sound confusing, since they could just show off what’s new at the actual I/O on May 19, right? Well, Google has other plans for the 2nd year in a row. If you look back to Google I/O 2025, they did this exact same thing.

Google is spending a lot of time at its developer conference talking about AI these days. To make sure they can fill up the full 2-hour keynote with AI news, they are separating out Android for 2026. This means a special “The Android Show” a week before the actual I/O conference kicks off.

Google has told us that this will be one of the biggest years yet for Android, so if this separation worries you, it shouldn’t. There should be a ton of Android XR updates, stable Android 17 has a chance to show up, and all of their top Android apps typically see refreshes on some level.

“The Android Show: I/O Edition” for 2026 kicks off on May 12 at 10AM PT. You can watch it at YouTube. You can also visit this dedicated Android I/O site for more: android.com/io-2026.

Read the original post: Android Show “I/O Edition” to Highlight One of Android’s Biggest Years Yet

As announced, Gemini 3.1 is coming to supported Google Home devices. This means improved understanding and problem solving, with Gemini capable of executing multi-step commands. This update also includes a bug fix for Gemini mixing up AM/PM when setting an alarm.

Inside the Google Home app, there are big changes, following up on last week’s speed improvement announcement. This week, Google highlights an improved camera experience, with a more modern look now available with faster navigation, smoother scrubbing, and sightline tracking. A redesigned event details page is also rolling out, showcased in the image above.

Updated automations are in the update, such as the ability to manage robot vacuums, checking door locks, and much more. Read the full list of changes below.

If you want to be one of the first Google Home users to try everything that Google announced this morning, you’ll want to be part of the Public Preview. You can find instructions on joining Public Preview here, letting you get these new features ahead of others.

// Google

Read the original post: Google Home Updated With Gemini 3.1, App Gets Big Improvements

According to a changelog posted by 9to5Mac, iOS 26.5 will add E2EE RCS messaging (still in “beta”) through supported carriers and could take some time to land on your devices.

The changelog they listed says the following:

• End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time.

As much as this news bring us joy and will lead to more secure conversations between our friends with iPhones, those “roll out over time” and “with supported carriers” pieces could mean a lengthy period before we get access. Carriers in the US are notoriously bad at supporting anything new, but they’ve been particularly bad with RCS. RCS still feels like a broken service at times depending on which carriers you are attempting to send between.

I will say that RCS has been a tremendous success for the most part with Apple on board. While I still see some issues with Android-to-iPhone messaging, it works for the most part and the group chats, media sharing, and reactions have all been greatly improved. The only issue now is on Apple’s end, with VPNs (NordVPN specifically) not playing nicely with RCS between the two platforms. Here’s to hoping that gets fixed with this 26.5 update.

For those of you who use Google Messages and RCS frequently, how have things been when messaging an iPhone?

Read the original post: RCS Encryption Ready to Rollout Between iPhones and Android in New Update

For now, we have account management changes when you sign-in with a Dasher account, new developer services, and bug fixes for Wallet-related services. We’re also getting an update to Google Play that lets you open the Google Play Sidekick from the notificaton drawer.

View the full list below – we’ll update it as the month moves along and Google shares more.

And for those who forgot, you can check Android’s secret update menu to update some of this stuff right away.

// Google

Read the original post: May Google Play Updates Bring Several Changes

From what we can view in screenshots, since our iOS-powered devices haven’t yet received the change that began to seed out late last week and over the weekend, the opening screen is much less wordy now. Instead of Gemini prompting you to create images or creating music, it’s a simple prompt of, “What should we focus on?”

It looks good. The welcome page is upgraded, plus the answer flow also received some nice touches. You can view a video of it in action here.

Gemini itself isn’t changing. It has all of the same features and we’re sure it will continue to expand its capabilities. Now, Google, please hurry up and release this UI upgrade to Android. Thanks.

// reddit | @immasiddx

Read the original post: Gemini App Looks Way Better on iOS Now

Eligible watches are the Galaxy Watch 7, Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Galaxy Watch Ultra. To claim, the process is very simple. After the 15-day return period expires on your Watch purchase, Samsung will email you a redemption code to claim your free scale via Withings website.

Withings Body Smart scale complements your Galaxy Watch by measuring key body composition metrics at-home, including body fat, weight, muscle mass and visceral fat. By using the Galaxy Watch and Withings Body Smart together, users are empowered to build a complete picture of their health, from home and on the go.

The promo is live May 4 through July 19. That’s quite some time to take advantage of the deal. It’s available exclusively on Samsung’s website and in the Shop Samsung app.

Samsung Links: Galaxy Watch Ultra | Watch 8 Classic

// Samsung

Read the original post: Buy Select Galaxy Watch, Get Free Withings Smart Scale ($130 Value)

The perks are quite good, especially for anyone not on T-Mobile who is considering a switch. That’s how they get ya. For example, activation fees get waived for Costco members, so that’s $35 in fees not having to be paid for those who add new lines and purchase select device upgrades.

There are also exclusive rebates for online orders. Costco members can get Costco gift cards, up to $100 for device upgrades. And yes, Costco promotions stack with existing T-Mobile deals, such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) rebates. For a family of 4 who switch to T-Mobile and bring their own devices, you could net a value of over $5K when adding the Costco Shop cards.

To see how much you can be saving or to check out what you and the family may qualify for, you can link your accounts via the landing page below.

T-Mobile Landing Page

// The Mobile Report

Read the original post: Costco Members Can Now Access T-Mobile Deals Online

The Telegram account called Mystic Leaks dropped a “nuke” of information this morning for the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. It’s mostly a specs dump, but it tells us a lot of what we like to know about new hardware.

For those new to this account, just know that they’ve provided reliable early information like this for a couple of years now. If they are releasing info, we tend to not ignore it.

Pixel 11 series gets Tensor G6, other chip changes

The first list of specs for the Pixel 11 shows Google bringing the Tensor G6, built on a TSMC N2 node (2nm). The architecture for this chip will be as follows:

• 1× ARM C1-Ultra @ 4.11 GHz
• 4× ARM C1-Pro @ 3.38 GHz
• 2× ARM C1-Pro @ 2.65 GHz

Joining the main Tensor G6 chip, we may also get a new Titan M3 security chip, PowerVR C-Series CXTP-48-1536 GPU, modem from MediaTek (M90, MT6986D), new TPU, and a new GXP (imaging).

Pixel 11 series specs

That out of the way, the rest of the specs show mostly expected things, like RAM configurations, display sizes/resolutions/brightness, battery capacities, and SKU/model numbers. We also get some color options for the Pixel 11, but not the Pro models.

The specs dump mentions several camera changes too, but all are operating under codenames (like chemosh, vesta, bastet, barghest, chonky) without any other details. The “chemosh” sensor could be 50MP.

This leak mentions that the temperature sensor from the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro will not return on the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL. This was previously hinted at in Pixel 11 series renders, so not too surprising there. People do love it, though.

Finally, we have another mention here about “Pixel Glow,” which is the new light system coming to the back of Pixel 11 phones. This will be an RGB LED around the camera bar, which we’ve read about here and here.

// Mystic Leaks

Read the original post: Pixel 11 Series Specs Leak Tells All

Since arriving at the beginning of 2026, Samsung has continued to offer the biggest Galaxy S26 Ultra discounts through their best-in-industry trade-in program. We’ve also seen some straight cash discounts from other retail partners. However, the trade-in program remains the best way to save on Samsung devices.

Current Best Galaxy S26 Ultra Deal (5/3/2026)

Samsung’s best Galaxy S26 Ultra discount will almost always come by way of trade-in. If you’ve been in the space for any amount of time, you know that Samsung gives you an instant discount for the value of your trade. If your current phone is worth $900, they give you that discount off the price you pay today, you just send them your phone later to confirm the phone. It’s the best discount program in the business.

As of today, Samsung is doing up to $720 off the Galaxy S26 Ultra with an instant trade-in discount. To get that price cut, you would need to trade-in a Galaxy S25 Ultra. There are other phones worth up to $480 off, but that’s the top value.

At $720 off, you could pay as little as $579 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra with 256GB storage. That same discount on the 512GB model would drop it to $779.

Check your trade value through this link below.

Samsung Deal Link

Your other option to save big is going to be through Samsung’s store as a first responder, military, health care worker, educator or student with a .edu email, or if you work for a company that offers Samsung discount. I will also point out that AAA members can see significant discounts as well.

The way to get those discounts, which can vary, is to access the Samsung Offer Programs page and type in your email to verify that you qualify. For AAA members, you’ll login to your AAA account, head to the discounts page, find Samsung, and then click through several links to unlock. My current Oregon AAA discount saves me an extra $130 off the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Samsung Offer Programs Link

Galaxy S26 Ultra Deal History

As we mentioned earlier, Samsung hasn’t brought out the big promos we have seen from previous Galaxy launches. They cut back in a big way, but still have offered decent trade-in discounts from select devices. Overall, though, Samsung went cheap for the Galaxy S26 Ultra launch.

$900 off with trades: The best deal we have seen was through the pre-order period where Samsung was offering up to $900 instantly off with trade-ins. That discount only came if you traded a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 6. From there, the discounts fell to $800 off with a Galaxy S24 Ultra.

$930 off in total savings: Shortly after pushing out those pre-order deals, Samsung sweetened the launch deal a bit with $900 off from trades, plus a $30 bonus credit to apply towards accessories. There was a PayPal $50 discount that briefly showed up too. These deals were a mixed bag that not everyone qualified for.

Free storage upgrade: One of our favorite Samsung promos from previous years is a free storage upgrade that could get you 512GB storage for the price of the 256GB model. They used to run this regularly for past launches, but for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, they’ve only given it to us once, briefly.

Read the original post: Samsung’s Best Galaxy S26 Ultra Deals are Through Secret Programs

For the best Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL deal, we have seen Google and its retailer partners give us discounts as high as $400 off, no trade-ins or promo code required. But most months, we’re looking at at least $300 off for the XL model.

Current Best Pixel 10 Pro XL Deal (5/3/2026)

The current best deal on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a $300 off discount. For the smaller Pixel 10 Pro, you are looking at $250 off. With those price cuts, you will find a Pixel 10 XL with 256GB storage at a starting price of $899 and the Pixel 10 Pro with 128GB storage at $749.

If you have specific colors in mind that you are considering, the Moonstone and Porcelain models of the Pixel 10 Pro XL are getting that full $300 off. Other colors are only $250 off.

For the Pixel 10 Pro, all colors are $250 off and that runs up through 256GB and 512GB storage options.

Amazon Deal Links: Pixel 10 Pro | Pixel 10 Pro XL

Your other option to save money is always going to be through the Google Store, where Google tends to give you pretty decent value for older Pixel phones if you trade-in. As of right now, a Pixel 9 Pro XL is worth $475 off, which gives you a bigger savings than the deal we just mentioned above. You’ll want to hit that link below to see what your phone’s value is.

Google Store Link

Pixel 10 Pro XL Deal History

Since first launching in August 2025, both the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL have been discounted more times than we can keep track of. There have been typical $200-off deals, but we’ve also seen them as high as $400 off for a very short time. If the deal above wasn’t to your liking, below is a bit of history to potentially help you decide when the time is right to buy.

Best Pixel 10 Pro XL deal ever: As a last minute 2025 holiday sale, Amazon dropped the Pixel 10 Pro XL by $400 off and the Pixel 10 Pro by $350 off. That brought starting prices for each to $799 and $649, which is insane. We have not seen this deal since.

$350 off happened once: The other best deal we’ve seen was a $350 off discount that happened just before that $400 off deal. We haven’t seen this deal return in 2026.

$300 off is the norm: For most of 2026, Google has given us $300 off deals on the regular. This appears to be the standard discount we see each month. We saw this same price hit the Pixel 10 Pro XL a couple of weeks ago and it is already back again. The bigger surprise is when Google matches $300 off on the smaller Pixel 10 Pro, which happens much less frequently.

• READ: Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL review

Read the original post: Pixel 10 Pro XL Keeps Finding $300 Off

COSMO, from what we can tell, is an AI agent installed directly onto your device. Inside is a Gemini Nano model that can run offline, crawling deep into nearly all aspects of your device. Given the rudimentary nature of the app, it’s believed that COSMO is more of a testing bed for future experiences, but the general idea is there.

Here is just a few of the tasks COSMO could accomplish that Google listed before pulling the app and all of the information.

• List Tracker: Automatically suggests keep lists to you.
• Document Writer: If I mention needing to make a document, write a letter or summarize something, offer to make the doc for me.
• Calendar Event Suggester: If I am discussing plans or scheduling with someone and agree on a time, offer to schedule it on calendar.
• Browser Agent: Offer to automate tasks using Mariner.
• Add Timer: If I mention a time bound task, suggest to create a timer in the clock app.
• Deep Research: If I discuss a complicated research need that requires multiple sources to answer, and where a full report could be useful, offer to complete deep research for me on the topic.

COSMO wouldn’t solely be for offline usage. There are three “Fulfillment” models: Hybrid (PI when online, Nano offline), PI Only (Use Server PI only), and Nano Only (Use Local NanoApp only).

For those who ask how this differs from Gemini, think of it more like an on-device AI agent, capable of extreme context awareness. It will basically listen and hear everything, capable of completing plenty of tasks for you. Whether that’s something you actually want is entirely up to you.

Maybe we’ll hear more about this at Google I/O?

Google Play Link (No Longer Live)

// 9to5Google

Read the original post: Google Releases, Pulls COSMO AI App From Google Play

The Gemini app is a very clean experience, free from ads and sponsored content. AI Mode is not the same. You can often find sponsored results at the bottom of AI Mode content, related to the product you might be searching for. In a way, you could say this is how ads can be done somewhat tastefully, but Schindler was clear to say that Google is committed to creating a really great user experience.

Here’s an excerpt from the call, providing context on the conversation as a whole.

“Let’s also be clear, ads have always been a big part of scaling products to reach billions of people. And if done well, ads can be really valuable and really helpful commercial information, and at the right moment we’ll share any plans as we have said, but we’re not rushing anything here.”

Gemini has grown into a very successful AI tool for consumers. Personally, I use it almost every day. It comes as no shock that Google would eventually want to monetize it more. Would that get more folks to pay for the service? So long as the ads don’t influence answers, we’ll say that it was only a matter of time.

Do you have an opinion on ads inside the Gemini app?

// Business Insider

Read the original post: Google Eyes Ads Inside Gemini App