News Weekly: Massive Pixel 10 leak, March update chaos, OnePlus ditching its Alert Slider, and more
News Weekly
News Weekly is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week’s top stories so you can catch up on the latest tech news.
This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week’s most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week, we dive into a massive Pixel 10 leak that showed off all three models, Pixel users are scrambling after the latest March update, OnePlus has decided to ditch the alert slider, Android 16 Beta 3 arrives, and Google Assistant makes way for Gemini later this year. Ready to dive in?
Massive Pixel 10 trio leak
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You’d think it’s too early for Pixel 10 leaks, but it looks like it isn’t. CAD renders of the alleged Pixel 10 trio surfaced online with so much clarity that we thought it was the real deal. The renders were shared by tipster OnLeaks, revealing all the design and hardware of the device.
According to the tipster, not much could change in the next-gen Pixel. That said, it seems like the base model renders add an extra lens, giving it a triple camera array. Meanwhile, the other two models will stick to the same design with no significant hardware changes. However, the devices could obviously see some internal and software upgrades, including the new and powerful Tensor G5 chip.
We are hoping to catch a glimpse of the next flagship at the Google I/O event. While we wait, here’s a look at what we’d wish to see with the Pixel 10 series.
Pixel March update chaos
Multiple bugs after March feature update from r/GooglePixel
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Google Pixel users were left scrambling to find solutions after their devices started acting up following the latest update. Several people, fuming, took to Reddit to see if they weren’t the only ones dealing with this.
They say issues like a “random brightness drop” after watching a video on their Pixel 8 Pro. According to the post, their Pixel 8 Pro’s display would flicker, and they’d suffer an “abrupt brightness drop” roughly “every 10 seconds.” This occurred every time they streamed something on Netflix or Prime Video. This included anyone who had a Pixel 7 series to the latest Pixel 9. While the company is still working on a fix, here’s a possible workaround you could try out in case you’re someone with a faulty Pixel.
“The Pixel team is actively looking into reports from some Pixel users about changes to haptic intensity. To adjust your vibration settings, you can go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Vibration & haptics.”
OnePlus to get rid of the Alert Slider
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OnePlus’s CEO announced this week that the company plans to replace the long-standing alert slider with a new customizable button.
According to Pete Lau, the new button is designed to be more personalized, which is also not just smart but also “incredibly intuitive” and “future-ready.” He also reassures users that they will still be able to use it just like an Alert Slider if they want to switch sound profiles on their OnePlus handsets.
The company notes that it will consider user’s feedback/ideas while rethinking what this button could do. However, Android Central’s Nick Sutrich isn’t so happy about this, stating, “The simplicity of the alert slider is what makes it so perfect, and replacing the alert slider is simply the wrong thing to do.”
If you’re someone who resonates with what Nick feels, head to the post on the OnePlus Community and put your two cents in.
Android 16 Beta 3 is here
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Google officially dropped a new beta version of the upcoming Android 16 update today (Mar. 13), which is set to debut in June. In a press release, the company said that Android 16 Beta 3 has reached the “Platform Stability” stage and that this will be available to all enrolled users, including those with Pixels.
This beta version is bringing a new accessibility tool for those with low vision. To help these users, the OS will outline text and change the background color of the text box, making the text pop and increasing legibility. Next is “Local Network Protection,” which will essentially act as a gatekeeper for home devices. It will seek permission when an app tries to access/connect to devices like printers, smart TVs, or any other gadget that shares your Wi-Fi or Data — giving more control to the user.
Along with the above features, Google is finally bringing “Auracast” support to Pixels, which allows audio to be broadcast from one source to several others. This also offers additional accessibility as it’s compatible with hearing aids and earbuds.
It’s time to say “Bye, Google Assistant”
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Google Assistant has been around since 2016, and we’ve all gotten used to saying “Hey, Google” for a better part of a decade now. However, today, the company announced that it will be upgrading the Assistant with Gemini.
This switch is something that has been on the cards for a while now. Recent rumors even indicated a new wake word in the works, so it feels like we did see this coming.
In a Keyword post, the company stated that it will be upgrading Google Assistant with Gemini, “offering a new kind of help only possible with the power of AI.” The upgrade is said to take personalization to a whole new level since Gemini will be able to interact with other apps on the phone to understand the user’s choices better.
Google added that this switch to Gemini will happen “in the coming months.” By the end of this year, people will not be able to download Google Assistant from app stores as it will be discontinued.
More stories this week
Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:
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