All posts tagged: Android

Heads-up of seconds in Venezuela: How Android smartphones turned into a network of earthquake alerts system

Heads-up of seconds in Venezuela: How Android smartphones turned into a network of earthquake alerts system

A Google official confirmed to HT that the company’s Android Earthquake Alerts System detected the initial seismic activity in Venezuela and sent warning notifications to users seconds before the earthquakes struck the South American country on Wednesday evening. The official did not specify how many users received the alerts. People assist in taking down a wall during rescue efforts, in the aftermath of earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela (Reuters) The system, built into most Android phones, has been used to detect and warn of earthquakes in dozens of countries since 2020. A peer-reviewed assessment of its performance, funded by Google and published in the journal Science, has found that it can detect and warn of earthquakes at a scale comparable to established national seismic networks. Here’s how the system works: How an earthquake is detected Android relies on two detection methods. In California, Oregon and Washington, Google partnered with the US ShakeAlert system, which uses a network of 1,675 ground sensors to determine an earthquake’s location and size before passing a signal to Android. Elsewhere, …

Android 17 Is Live on Pixel, but Samsung and Other Android Users Still Have to Wait

Android 17 Is Live on Pixel, but Samsung and Other Android Users Still Have to Wait

Android 17 is now rolling out to supported Pixel devices, but Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, Motorola, and other Android users should not expect the same update timeline. Google’s Android 17 launch combines three moving parts: core platform features, Pixel-only additions from the June Pixel Drop, and features scheduled for later release. For non-Pixel users and IT teams, the update cycle now shifts to each device maker’s roadmap, beta program, and enterprise testing process. Pixel gets Android 17 first Google lists Android 17 over-the-air updates and downloads for Pixel 6 and newer devices, including Pixel Fold models and Pixel Tablet. Supported Pixel users can update through device settings, while developers and testers can use Google’s system images when they need more control over installation. For most non-Pixel users, the stable update remains a manufacturer-by-manufacturer wait. Google says Android 17 will reach other eligible Android devices throughout 2026, while select partner devices from brands including HONOR, iQOO, Lenovo, OnePlus, OPPO, realme, Sharp, vivo, and Xiaomi can test Android 17 beta builds through separate OEM channels. Pixel coverage …

Google Adds New Android Controls for WhatsApp Backups, Password Transfers

Google Adds New Android Controls for WhatsApp Backups, Password Transfers

Google’s June Android updates give users more control over WhatsApp backups, app checks, and saved passwords without requiring a full operating system upgrade. The June 2026 Google system updates added WhatsApp backup management in device settings, extra Play Protect checks for unverified apps, Find Hub setup options, and password and passkey transfers through Google Password Manager. Those changes affect mobile security, account recovery, app trust, and device management across Android fleets, which may not all run the same OS version. System updates touch more than phones According to 9to5Google, Google’s monthly system release notes covered updates to Google Play services, Google Play Store, and Google Play system updates across Android phones and tablets, Wear OS, Google and Android TV, Android Auto, and PCs. Google said in its official support documentation, “Google system services updates make your Android devices more secure and reliable and give you new and useful features.” The most visible phone update in Google Play services v26.23 is a new option to manage WhatsApp backups through device settings. “With this update, you can now manage your …

Google Reportedly Wants Android App Code From Play Store Developers

Google Reportedly Wants Android App Code From Play Store Developers

A source-code offer can look like easy money until developers read the license. Google is reportedly offering to pay select Android developers for access to app source code, according to 404 Media. For Play Store developers, including those across APAC markets, the offer raises questions about intellectual property, security, privacy, and how submitted code could be used in AI-related products or tools. What the reported Google offer says 404 Media reported on June 2, 2026, that Google emailed some Android app developers with apps on the Play Store about a “confidential content offer pilot.” The reported email invited developers to share “the code powering” their apps, including active production codebases and archived projects such as prototypes or discontinued side projects. According to the reported email, the license would be non-exclusive, developers would keep their intellectual property, and the code would help improve Google’s developer tools and products. The AI connection comes from the Google page about AI partnerships linked in the email, which says Google is exploring paid arrangements involving non-public content to improve AI …

Microsoft 365 Android Apps Had a Token Flaw IT Teams Should Check Now

Microsoft 365 Android Apps Had a Token Flaw IT Teams Should Check Now

A debug flag left active in production code allowed another installed app on the same Android device to request Microsoft account tokens from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Loop, and Microsoft 365 Copilot for Android without user interaction, according to research Enclave publicly disclosed on June 2, 2026. Microsoft patched the flaws and issued CVEs on May 12, 2026, but the technical details became public on June 2, when Enclave published its research and SecurityWeek reported on the findings. Microsoft Teams was not affected, and no in-the-wild exploitation has been publicly confirmed, but the disclosure gives IT teams a fresh reason to verify Android app updates and review Microsoft 365 mobile app governance. How the Android token flaw worked Microsoft 365 apps on Android share authentication tokens so users do not have to sign in again when moving from Word to Excel or PowerPoint. That handoff should stay within trusted Microsoft apps. The issue also comes as Microsoft is expanding its Android-based enterprise ambitions with Project Solara, making mobile trust boundaries more important for IT …

Malicious WhatsApp, Slack Alerts Could Have Exposed Millions of Android Users

Malicious WhatsApp, Slack Alerts Could Have Exposed Millions of Android Users

A routine phone notification could have become an attack path for Google Gemini on Android, according to new research from SafeBreach. The now-mitigated issue involved crafted alerts from WhatsApp, Slack, SMS, Signal, Instagram, and Messenger. SafeBreach said the alerts could influence how Gemini handled notification text, alter spoken responses, impersonate trusted contacts, trigger connected tools, and poison long-term memory. Google addressed the issue with server-side content-classifier improvements. Researchers found no evidence of real-world exploitation. Researchers found a notification-based prompt injection path SafeBreach Labs said its researchers found the issue while testing Gemini’s Android Utilities feature, which can read and respond to phone notifications. The flaw affected how Gemini processed untrusted notification text from messaging and social apps. The research was published on June 3 by Or Yair, security research team lead at SafeBreach. It followed the company’s earlier “Invitation Is All You Need” work, which showed how malicious Google Calendar invites could manipulate Gemini. “The main purpose of Fake Context Alignment is to create a dual illusion: presenting a legitimate authorization scenario to Gemini’s behind-the-scenes …

Google Patches Android Zero-Day Vulnerability in June 2026 Security Update

Google Patches Android Zero-Day Vulnerability in June 2026 Security Update

Google’s June 2026 Android security release addresses dozens of vulnerabilities across the operating system, including one flaw that the company says may already be under attack in the real world. According to Google’s June Android Security Bulletin, the most severe issue fixed this month is a critical vulnerability in the Android Framework component that could allow remote privilege escalation without requiring user interaction. “The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in the Framework component that could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation,” Google said in the bulletin. The actively abused flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-48595, sits inside the Android Framework, the layer of APIs and system services that apps communicate with directly. Google noted there are indications the vulnerability may be involved in “limited, targeted exploitation.” The bug affects devices running Android 14, Android 15, Android 16, and Android 16 QPR2. The vulnerability is an elevation-of-privilege flaw within Android’s Framework component that could give attackers access to a compromised …

Apple confirms big Messages upgrade: RCS encryption is finally coming to your iPhone

Apple confirms big Messages upgrade: RCS encryption is finally coming to your iPhone

Apple first brought support for RCS in its Messages app with the roll out of iOS 18 back in September 2024. However, this feature came with a critical loophole – it didn’t support end-to-end encryption, which is considered the gold standard for safeguarding communications in the digital world. Now, almost two years after introducing the feature, Apple is finally about to close this loophole with the release of iOS 26.5. RCS messages arrived on iPhones in 2024. (Apple) Shweta Ganjoo is a Chief Content Producer at HT Tech. She has over 10 years of experience covering technology, during which time she has focused on consumer tech devices, AI, social media, gadgets, and tech policy, delivering authoritative and reader-focused insights across India’s fast-evolving digital ecosystem. She began her career in the early 2010s, building a strong foundation in digital-first reporting as India’s tech landscape rapidly expanded. Over the years, she has worked with leading media organizations including India Today Tech, Indian Express Group, and Techlusive, where she played a key role in scaling editorial content and …

Your Android phone could soon place orders and book rides for you without touching the phone| Technology News

Your Android phone could soon place orders and book rides for you without touching the phone| Technology News

Google is moving closer to giving its Gemini assistant the ability to handle tasks directly on Android phones, according to new details found in a beta version of the Google app. The feature, described as “screen automation,” aims to allow Gemini to interact with certain apps on behalf of users, including placing orders or booking rides. Google is testing a Gemini feature that could let Android users complete tasks directly within apps. (Pexels) Evidence of this upcoming capability appears in version 17.4 beta of the Google app, 9to5Google reported. The information surfaced through an APK teardown, a process that examines app code to identify features that may appear in future updates. While such findings do not confirm public release plans, they often signal directions the company is testing internally. Also read: Airtel is giving select prepaid users 6 months of Apple Music for free: Here’s how How screen automation may work According to 9to5Google, the beta includes references to a feature called “Get tasks done with Gemini.” Google has internally named this function “bonobo.” Text …

Miss BlackBerry? Clicks Communicator revives physical keyboards on Android | Technology News

Miss BlackBerry? Clicks Communicator revives physical keyboards on Android | Technology News

A few weeks ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, Clicks, the company best known for popularising QWERTY keyboards for iPhones, has unveiled its first Android smartphone, one that strongly resembles a classic BlackBerry. Called the Clicks Communicator, the device is aimed at “communication, not consumption” and is designed to work as a secondary phone, primarily for messaging. On the hardware front, the Clicks Communicator features a compact 4-inch OLED display, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot that supports storage expansion of up to 2TB. The phone runs Android 16 out of the box and comes with a dedicated side button dubbed the “Prompt key,” which can be used to convert voice to text, start voice recordings, or transcribe meetings. The physical keyboard also doubles up as a touch-sensitive keypad that lets you scroll through inbox, messages and web pages and also features a fingerprint sensor embedded in the space button. Clicks has also included a notification LED that can be customised to light up for certain contacts and applications. The …