Android Faithful

We've got Android on our mind as Android 17 takes a major step forward and Jason Howell, Florence Ion and Ron Richards wrap up the month of March with an array of phones and Android related news to gear up for a busy few weeks leading up to Google I/O.Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:05:48 - NEWSThe first step in Google's new sideloading solution kicks off as Developer Verification opens upApple hires an Ex-Google Exec to lead AI MarketingHave you dreamt of that killer VR/AR App? Now you can vibe code it for Android XRPATRON PICK: The unbelievable has happened as Swift now supports Android with the new Swift for Android SDK00:32:07 - HARDWAREOur first glimpse at CAD Render leaks of the Google Pixel 11 show some interesting changes to the camera islandPhysical keyboards are IN as the Unihertz Titan Elite 2 skyrockets to success on KickstarterLots of activity with Google TV as Wal-Mart's ONN brand readies a new Stick device and a new Set Top Box and Xiaomi launches a new stick device without 4K support00:54:52 - APPSThe Android 17 Beta 3 has been released and its full of very cool features!More Android Auto goodness including background audio from YouTube support!Looking for a secure alternative to Google Workspace? Proton has you covered!

We're tending to the Android garden now that Spring has arrived with the return of Jason Howell who joins Ron Richards and Florence Ion for a show packed with leaks and drama plus a rare rugged Ulefone spotted in the wild!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:09:10 - NEWSAn update from Google on the Sideloading Drama that comes with a 24 hour waiting period and set of steps to enable it!GrapheneOS takes a stand against age verification requirements for operating systemsSome staggering numbers about phone trade-ins and what they say about Android phone ownersPATRON PICK: A leak reveals how budget phones may react to the RAM shortage00:39:25 - HARDWAREFlo wraps up the reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with a rundown of the AI Features and a deep dive on the CameraWe're stunned, yet not surprised, by reports that Amazon is, yet again, developing a smartphoneMore reports of OnePlus' demise? Where there's smoke, there's often fire, this is getting weird!Oooh check out the REDMAGIC 11 Air Trace Edition Gaming Phone!00:59:10 - APPSThe March Canary update for Android is out and it's got a bunch of neat stuff!Android Auto is evolving and Google shares how it's expanding within the vehicleGoogle Messages is getting three features that everyone agrees are good: Mentions, Trash Folder and Live Location Sharing!01:10:20 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKSergei writes in with his wish for Google Maps features for EV drivers

We're super excited to present a special edition of Android Faithful, welcoming back friend of the show and VP Product, Android Developer Experience at Google, Matthew McCullough who joins Huyen Tue Dao and Ron Richards to go behind the scenes on the making of the new Android Bench and the AI LLM Rankings recently made available to Android Developers. Matthew was kind enough to give us some time out of his day to give us the inside scoop on what went into the effort, exactly how and why Gemini came out on top of the LLM rankings and a provide a glimpse of what's to come!

It's a special GREEN day for Android and we celebrate it with the triumphant return of Huyen Tue Dao as she joins Florence Ion and Ron Richards to dive headfirst into the green dyed waters of Android news this week!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:05:10 - NEWSGoogle went to SF for GDC and brought news for gamers and game developersLookout! There's a new top phone manufacturer in town of foldables and its...Motorola!Things got real weird in the OnePlus Community app in the US, but they're back to normalPATRON PICK: That was quick! Samsung is done selling the Galaxy Trifold!00:34:40 - HARDWAREFlo's got some more review notes of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and news on the Perplexity hot word and people are getting headaches from the display?There's a leak of the Motorola Razr 2026 and it sure is Pantone Purple!We get a great update on the status of the Google Find My Hub network 00:56:40 - APPSA massive, immersive update to Google Maps has arrived and people are freaking out!New scam protections rollout to Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram by Meta and Instagram is shutting down End-to-End encryption on Direct MessagesGoogle rolls out Transit mode for Pixel devices and it's pretty darn cool.01:11:51 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKSean writes in with another suggestion of a phone with an SD Card expansion slotTharanga from Melbourne, Australia shows off HIS Unihertz phoneJoey checks in with an update on his new Pebble watch and how little he's had to charge it

It's the post Mobile World Congress hangover, which is the perfect time for hands-on reviews with two of the hottest phones you can get right now and Florence Ion and Jason Howell have got 'em! Oh and Ron Richards is back to hear all about it!Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor00:05:55 - NEWSGoodbye revenue share! Google drops their cut from the Google Play store and makes other changes sooner then they had to, but why!?!?!Google is ranking AIs and giving developers more tools with their new Android BenchQuick! Check your Google Play Perks, you may have $400 off on a new Pixel 10 ProPATRON PICK: Google Play begins shaming apps that are battery hogs00:33:18 - HARDWAREAre you ready for the Google Pixel 10A hands-on review? Cause it' s a good one!How about our impressions of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?Nothing unveiled the Nothing Phone (4A) Pro and the Nothing Headphone (a) and they're both pretty rad!The first glimpses of the OnePlus 15T have emerged and they're intriguing! Unfortunately, OnePlus and Oppo are raising prices on everything due to market conditionsThe physical keyboard revolution continues with the daring Unihertz Titan 2 Elite!01:03:54 - APPSWant a different news app? Check out Particle AI, now with a feature to turn news articles into audio podcasts01:14:01 - COMMUNITY FEEDBACKIan from the UK has a suggestion for an icon to link to a file on Google DriveRobert is curious if MicroSD cards could be a solution to the RAM price increase crisis?

Jason and Flo are joined by Juan Bagnell to mostly discuss this year's biggest Mobile World Congress hardware announcements, but they couldn't help but start with the junk in Google's trunk.Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor0:04:12 - NEWSMarch 2026 Feature Drop: Pixel 10 ‘Comfort’ view, custom AI icons, At a Glance ‘My commute,’ & moreOh great, here comes 6GQualcomm and Other Industry Leaders Commit to 6G Trajectory Towards Commercialization Starting from 2029 OnwardsQualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite is the biggest smartwatch chip upgrade in 3 yearsSamsung hits pause on next-gen Edge, Z TriFold phones, but is optimistic about the S PenPATRON PICK: Motorola has a tiny new black box at MWC that wants to kill Android Auto cables0:33:22 - HARDWAREI tried Honor's ultra-thin foldable phone at MWC 2026, and it's almost too powerfulA closer look at Honor’s Robot PhoneHonor’s new MagicPad 4 is the world’s thinnest Android tabletOppo teases the Find N6’s crease-less display ahead of rumored March launchTecno revives modular Android devices with new concept phone1:00:48 - MORE HARDWARELenovo is working on a foldable that could be both your handheld and desktopThe Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagshipMotorola confirms GrapheneOS support for a future phone, bringing over featuresXiaomi launches 17 Ultra smartphone, an AirTag clone, and an ultra-slim power bank1:21:37 - FEEDBACKPaul wants to know how to add a shortcut to files on the homescreenDavid just noticed some questions appear when he blocks a call in Google Phone Dialer