It’s safe to suggest that the Amazon Kindle range is the industry’s leading e-reader. Even for those who aren’t too familiar with its maker, the Kindle name is often used as a blanket term for all digital book readers. This perhaps gave Amazon a sense of security in the market, but given its recent decisions, this dominance could come toppling down sooner rather than later.

At the end of August, Amazon rolled out an update to the Kindle Oasis that closed a Libby loophole that allowed extended borrowing. More importantly, it also strengthened the platform’s DRM, making it even tougher for users to back up their books to other devices. For some users, like my colleague Dhruv, this is the last straw.

Despite the US ban that cut it off from Google’s Android ecosystem, HUAWEI hasn’t stopped making smartphones. The company continues to release phones internationally across Europe and Asia, with the latest arrivals being the HUAWEI Nova 16s and Nova 16s Pro, unveiled at IFA 2026 in Munich.

These aren’t entirely new phones. The Nova 16s series rebrands the company’s Chinese-market Nova 16 lineup for international buyers, bringing some seriously capable hardware along for the ride.

Google’s got products to fill almost every consumer tech niche, from web search to smartphones to connected cameras to office software. For a long time, I liked that about the company; using Google’s services everywhere I could felt like a way to simplify my technological life. I’ve gotten a lot of value out of Google’s big, interconnected ecosystem over the years.

But as the company’s put its weight behind converting Search into a chatbot and adding Gemini-powered features I don’t use to every corner of every app and device, I’ve found myself wishing I wasn’t so invested in its products. I’ve stuck around mostly because of inertia: I’m used to Google, and it’s already got all my data, and moving to competing services seemed like a big undertaking.

Every year — or maybe every other year — we all have one thing in common: we shop for a new phone. Phone makers know that even when sales are in a slump, there will be millions of eyeballs looking at what’s out there and what the market has to offer. The flashier and “louder” a product or feature is, the more attention it grabs and the more sales it generates. Even if you didn’t buy a Samsung foldable, you might have bought another Galaxy phone you saw while shopping.

Sometimes though, it doesn’t work that way, and the lack of fanfare doesn’t drive all those eyeballs to a product or manufacturer. Fairphone is a great example, and what may well be the best phone out there and the one we should be buying is one that almost none of us will: the Fairphone Gen 6 Plus.

Xiaomi has officially shown off the Xiaomi 18 Fold at IFA 2026. The company gave us our first real-world look at the upcoming wide-screen foldable after weeks of leaks. The phone is being showcased at Xiaomi’s huge IFA booth alongside more than 380 products spanning smartphones, smart home devices, cars, AI, and other tech.

This is the first time Xiaomi has shown off a real Xiaomi 18 Fold, revealing a cherry red color. This follows weeks of leaks and the publication of official renders yesterday. A close look at the wide foldable reveals that it has a triple-camera setup. The text on the camera bar (see first image below) also suggests we’re looking at a focal range from 17mm to 80mm. So it’s possible that the new foldable has a ~3.3x telephoto camera.

The idea that active noise cancelation (ANC) is a premium earbud feature might soon not stand true. The feature, once reserved for expensive headphones and earbuds, is increasingly appearing on more affordable models. Accessory-maker Belkin is trying to push that trend further.

At IFA Berlin, the California-based company showed off three new additions to its audio portfolio, and they all have one thing in common: they offer ANC at relatively accessible price points. The three new additions are the SoundForm Isolate Buds, the SoundForm Dot, and the SoundForm Play ANC, and they’re designed for immersive listening, everyday value, and older kids, respectively.

There’s no shortage of affordable cleaning robots, but the best robot vacuums can get expensive once you start piling on the fancy features. Narwal’s latest robot vacuum aims to deliver some of those features for less.

The company only started selling the $1,099.99 Narwal Freo 20 last month, but it’s already back with a cheaper alternative. Unveiled at IFA 2026, the Freo 20 Edge drops the price to $799.99 while keeping several of its pricier siblings’ headline cleaning features.

While the IFA 2026 event isn’t particularly focused on smartphones and tablets, Belkin has just unveiled several products to charge them and help you keep track of your everyday belongings. Ranging from slimmer power banks and high-capacity portable chargers to cross-platform trackers and a magnetic ring stand, the company has a broad lineup of accessories coming your way this month.

Belkin wants its power banks to take up less space

Anker is in the middle of a pretty big identity change. The company is gradually bringing familiar names like Soundcore and Eufy under the Anker umbrella, and at IFA 2026, we’re getting an interesting look at what that future could involve. One of the more unusual products coming out of that shift is the Anker Soundcore SleepLab Pro. It’s essentially a bedside speaker that wants to help you sleep better, but unlike a smartwatch, smart ring, or dedicated sleep tracker, you don’t actually have to wear anything to bed.

That alone could make the SleepLab Pro interesting for anyone who likes tracking their sleep but hates sleeping with a watch strapped to their wrist. The speaker uses 60GHz radar to monitor your heart rate and breathing from your bedside, while also figuring out which of four sleep stages you’re in. You can simply get into bed as usual and let it do its thing in the background.

Ahead of the official start of IFA 2026, we’re seeing a bunch of news and product launches from brands. Alongside the announcement that Anker is consolidating its sub-brands under the “Anker” name, the company has introduced new home appliances.

Anker Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E35

Anker’s latest robot vacuum cleaner features its AeroTurbo 2.0 system and delivers up to 35,000Pa of suction power. That makes the Omni E35 the most powerful robot vacuum cleaner in Anker’s lineup.

It’s September, and if you follow tech even loosely, you know what that means: IFA is here, and like every year, Berlin is expected to be packed with consumer tech that gives us a clear look at where the industry is headed next. Charging accessory giant Anker has been a staple at the trade show for the last few years, and that’s not changing this time around. The accessory giant has given us an early look at what it’s been cooking, and among a host of upcoming releases, a few have caught our attention.

Anker MindBase

If you think your locked phone can prevent people from accessing your personal data, such as your photos, think again. A new flaw was recently discovered in WhatsApp that bypasses the usual lock screen restrictions and allows anyone to view all the photos saved in your phone’s gallery.

The flaw was shared by Jose Rodriguez on X, explaining how it works and showing it in action (via NotebookCheck). When you receive a WhatsApp video call on your locked Android phone, you can answer it without unlocking the phone. That’s expected behavior—no surprises there.

Claude Cowork can be really helpful for handling busywork, leaving you free to pursue the leisure activity of your choice. However, if you’re looking to max out your multitasking capabilities with Cowork, Anthropic’s latest Claude update might be exactly what you need.

The company announced in an X post that Claude can now use your computer in the background. This means when you hand off a task to Claude Cowork or Claude Code, you can continue using your computer without the AI trying to take over your cursor or keyboard.

Google Vids keeps getting new features every few months. It already supports Veo 3.1 for video generation, and the company even integrated it into Google Slides for easier video creation. Now, Google is adding another capability to Vids that could be both useful and entertaining.

Google announced today that Google Vids now supports converting PDF files, Google Docs files, and Word documents into well-polished video summaries. A new “Docs to Video” option in the File menu lets users choose a document from Google Drive or upload one from their computer.

Soon after giving the Google Home app an interactive AI Storytime feature, improved alarms, better song recognition, and an easier way to broadcast messages, Google is rolling out another round of improvements meant to upgrade Gemini for Home.

The Google Home app’s latest update is out now, bringing expanded voice controls to Gemini for Home, complete with smaller changes that should make managing automations less of a chore.

Google’s previous smartest AI model, Gemini 3.6 Flash, was released in late July. The tech giant wasted no time iterating on it, with Gemini 3.7 Flash launching just weeks after. Now, just three weeks later, the company is already introducing 3.7 Flash’s successor.

Google just announced Gemini 3.8 Flash, and this time around, the focus is on delivering next-generation intelligence for agentic workflows and cybersecurity with two different variants.

The first set of Googlebook devices is expected to arrive as soon as mid-September. While Google has yet to formally confirm the launch schedule, Acer, one of its hardware partners, recently teased its first Googlebook at IFA 2026, priming us for what’s coming.

Ahead of the Googlebook launch, we’ve discovered a set of features under the umbrella of “Device Intelligence.” As the name suggests, these features use AI to help you get the most out of the Android-powered laptop experience.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 8 is one of the most eye-catching foldables around, and there’s already a deal on it at Amazon. This clamshell phone keeps the pocket-friendly flip design Samsung is known for, while adding a slimmer profile, a 6.7-inch inner display, and a larger 4.1-inch FlexWindow on the outside.

See the deal at Amazon

Keeping hard floors clean can become a daily chore, especially when dust, pet hair, and sticky spots build up quickly. The Yeedi S14 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop is built for that kind of job, and there’s a solid Amazon deal on it right now.

See the deal at Amazon

Following years of developing Chrome OS, Google took a big leap with the introduction of Googlebook, a flagship laptop platform that the company says brings together the best aspects of Chrome OS and Android. Ahead of the first set of Googlebooks slated to arrive this fall, we’ve been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some of the platform’s features, including its camera app. One more Googlebook app has just appeared online, and this time it’s a useful utility tool.

Google appears to have inadvertently pushed the Play Store page for an app called “Look up” live ahead of time, although the screenshots and other details have since been scrubbed entirely. We’ve managed to get ahold of the app on a couple of our Pixel phones, though users can no longer directly install it from the Play Store listing (via 9to5Google).

Amazon has a strong deal on the highly rated Anker Prime Power Bank right now, dropping it to $259.99 from its $329.99 retail price. That saves you $70, and the full discount comes to 21% off the recommended retail price. Since this is a Lightning deal, it is the kind of offer that will disappear fast.

See the deal at Amazon

Amazon just knocked $300 off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, dropping it from its $2,099.99 RRP to $1,799.99. That is a 14% discount relative to the recommended retail price, and it is the first Amazon price drop we have seen for this recently launched foldable.

See the deal at Amazon

HUAWEI has launched three new smartwatch families and a new pair of wireless earbuds, with its latest wearables ranging from serious blood-pressure monitoring to ski tracking and a more conventional smartwatch experience.

HUAWEI Watch GT 7 series

The HUAWEI Watch GT 7 series stands out for sports enthusiasts. Available in 46mm and 41mm versions and eight colorways, including Yellow, Blue, and Pink, the GT 7 is positioned as the more accessible option. The GT 7 Pro, available in Yellow, Green, and Black, gets more interesting outdoor upgrades and a premium, scratch-resistant build featuring a nano-tech ceramic bezel and titanium-alloy middle frame.

Update, September 2, 2026 (11:45 AM ET): Users are already starting to see the new Collections tab go live.

Original article, September 2, 2026 (08:23 AM ET): Google Photos has undergone a wave of design changes over the past several months. We saw the app’s revamped bottom bar widely roll out to Android devices this July. Then last month, we found evidence in the Photos app suggesting users may soon be able to reorder items in the Collections tab. However, we couldn’t get the tool to appear back then. That’s changing today, as we can now provide a first glimpse of how it works.

While not mandatory, a Samsung account on your Galaxy smartphone or tablet helps synchronize your data across multiple apps and devices and enables additional cross-device experiences. It’s one of those aspects that you won’t truly miss until it’s gone. Some users are now finding this out the hard way.

User reports on Reddit and Samsung’s community forum over the past couple of days highlight an issue in which Samsung accounts are being randomly deactivated, reportedly for security reasons, although no specifics are provided (spotted via 9to5Google).

That’s exactly the problem YouTube is trying to solve with its latest update. The company is giving its TV and mobile apps a much tighter connection, effectively turning your phone into a companion for whatever is playing on the big screen. Better still, setup is minimal. Your phone and TV don’t even need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. As long as you’re signed into the same YouTube account on both devices, your phone can recognize what’s playing on the TV and automatically bring up a companion panel.

There’s no dearth of mobile game controllers on the market, including Razer’s own offerings. So why did the company launch yet another mobile controller? Well, because it addresses a couple of really important pain points that most mobile gamers associate with game controllers.

Razer showed off its new Prio mobile gaming controller in a YouTube video. At first glance, it might look relatively similar to most other controllers, but it’s not. For one, the Prio looks sleek when attached to a smartphone.

Google’s oldest Chromecast dongles started running into problems earlier this year, with some users unable to use them with certain apps. Things got worse when an update to the Google Home app left some owners unable to set up their older devices. After weeks of frustrations, Google has finally resolved the setup issue.

Google confirmed the fix in an update to a Reddit thread where users reported problems setting up older Chromecast and Google Home devices. The company says the issue is resolved and recommends that affected users update the Google Home app to version 4.26 and try setting up their device again.

It’s never a bad idea to slap a case on a brand-new smartphone, and this statement couldn’t be truer if you just purchased a Google Pixel 11 series handset.

Available in a suite of bright, playful colors and with that new HiLight LED on the Pro models, the Pixel 11 line is among the showiest Google has released in a while. Keeping them this way years into their seven-year software support windows will be key.

With the launch of the Pixel 11 series, Google recently introduced something on older Pixels that certainly upset many users. The My Pixel app, formerly Pixel Tips, has sent push notifications to these users advertising various offers for the new phones and the Pixel Watch 5, often without consent.

My colleague Zac wrote about his annoyance with this feature on his Pixel 10 series and noted that it could be a taste of things to come — additional advertising pushes for other Google products.

While the stable Android 17 QPR2 release is still a while away, Google has been steadily pushing out its cryptically named beta updates to supported Pixel phones. Earlier this week, I got the brilliantly named Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 update pushed to one of my Pixels. You can probably make out by now that I’m not a big fan of Google’s nomenclature of its beta releases, but what matters is what’s in it.

Before you get your hopes up, the latest update isn’t as big a release as QPR2 Beta 3, from what I can see, but there are still some nice little nuggets here that should appeal to many users. I’ve spent the last couple of days testing the update on a Pixel 10 Pro, and here are some features that stood out to me.

Foldable phones (especially the wide-screen ones) seem to be picking up steam, with special thanks to Apple’s imminent market entry with the iPhone Ultra and Samsung’s early success with the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8. Before these, HUAWEI has also been making a splash with its wide foldables, and now Xiaomi is all geared up to launch its own wide foldable next week in the form of the Xiaomi 18 Fold.

Xiaomi’s President of the mobile division, Mr. Lu Weibing, has shared official renders of the Xiaomi 18 Fold on Weibo and confirmed that the phone launches in China on September 7, 2026.

Acer is no stranger to handheld gaming, as its Windows handhelds have been around for a while. Now, the company has revealed its new Predator Atlas 7 handheld, along with a radical concept handheld.

Starting with the concept device, Acer has unveiled the Project DualPlay Mini handheld. This gadget looks like a large Windows handheld at first, complete with all the expected controls. However, the device opens like a laptop, revealing a large, backlit physical keyboard. The 8-inch screen also swivels inwards to complete the laptop/netbook transformation.

IFA 2026 is here, and that means we’re in store for a flurry of announcements over the next few days. Dell has already revealed its next batch of laptops and Alienware hardware. If you’re up for more laptop news, Acer is now giving us a look at the latest additions to the Swift series.

Acer Swift Blade 14

IFA 2026 is nearly here. Acer has already grabbed our attention with the Predator Atlas 7 gaming handheld, but that’s not the only hardware announcement to come from the electronics giant. On the heels of the annual consumer electronics expo in Berlin, Acer also revealed its latest addition to the Android tablet segment.

For those who follow Acer’s hardware launches closely, the manufacturer released the Iconia X14 at IFA last year along with the Iconia X12. This year’s IFA event adds a brand-new 16-inch model to the lineup, alongside the refreshed 14-inch variant. However, the company has skipped the Iconia X12 this time around. Both new tablets offer a metal chassis and will be available in a solitary Matte Black color, while retaining the kickstand.

ePaper displays have traditionally been associated with e-readers, but the technology is increasingly finding its way into larger displays designed for work and productivity. Acer is joining that trend at IFA 2026 with the new EP130K ePaper monitor, which is aimed at professionals, avid readers, and mobile users who spend long periods working on a screen.

The EP130K combines paper-like visuals with a glare-free viewing experience, making it particularly suited to reading and deep work. That paper-like experience is also one of the main reasons ePaper remains appealing for long reading sessions, where the distraction-free presentation can be preferable to a conventional display. The screen also supports touch input, so you can interact with content using a stylus or your finger for writing and drawing.

If you’re a big advocate of sustainability and right-to-repair, you’ve probably heard of Fairphone. The Dutch smartphone maker is famously known for offering sustainable materials, long software support, and user-replaceable components in its products.

The only problem is that its phones were limited mostly to Europe, but that changes with the latest Fairphone Gen 6 Plus. You can buy this in the US for $650, which gets you a decent mid-range phone with software support through 2033 and 12 user-replaceable parts.

A couple of months ago, we spotted Google Messages preparing a useful new trick for the age of AI: a way to tell you about where the photos, videos, and audio people send you actually came from. That feature is now available, and it could come in handy the next time something in your group chat looks too good to be true.

Google Messages now supports Content Credentials, which essentially give compatible media a digital history. Instead of leaving you to stare at a suspicious photo and wonder whether it was shot with a camera, heavily edited, or created with the help of AI, Messages can show you some of that information directly.

To say that I’ve been waiting for YouTube Premium Lite’s arrival in my country with bated breath is an understatement. For years, I wanted a version of YouTube Premium that removed ads but didn’t include extra bundled services like YouTube Music.

So, when I saw the pop-up to finally try the service appear in my YouTube app, I jumped at the opportunity. But after a month of using the subscription, I’m left with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Samsung is moving quickly to expand its One UI 9 beta program to older Galaxy devices. After opening the program to the Galaxy S25 series and confirming its 2025 foldables as the next devices in line, Samsung has now started rolling out the first One UI 9 beta to the Galaxy S24 series, bringing Android 17 to its 2024 flagship phones.

The rollout was first spotted in the US, where the Galaxy S24 series can now access the beta through the Samsung Members app. According to tipster Tarun Vats on X, the US version carries build S92xU1UEU6ZZHL.

Update, September 2, 2026 (03:32 AM ET): Google has confirmed to us that it is rolling out a fix for this issue.

Original article, August 31, 2026 (07:00 AM ET): Google Messages is getting some welcome attention with custom chat themes and selective text copying finally becoming available, but the app’s recent run of bugs is taking some shine off those additions. Besides broken RCS messaging and conversations turning into multiple threads, users are reporting a more worrying problem: Messages appears to be pulling old texts from unrelated conversations and attaching or sending them with new messages.

After weeks of concerning reports about Google Messages retrieving old texts from unrelated conversations and, in some cases, sending them to the wrong recipients, we finally have some clarity. Google has confirmed that it is aware of the issue and has begun rolling out a fix, which is expected to reach all users soon.

“We’re currently rolling out a fix that will reach everyone over the coming weeks. Please ensure you stay up to date with the most recent version of Google Messages,” a Google spokesperson told Android Authority.

Google has been working on several new features and improvements for Android Auto. While we wait for the big Android Auto redesign announced at I/O 2026, the company is working on other, more subtle changes throughout the experience, including a new icon. However, Google is working on a lot more.

You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

In the market for a laptop? Dell’s got a colorful new model that might be worth a look. At IFA this morning, Dell took the wraps off the 14s, a thin, trendy unit that looks like it might appeal to the MacBook Neo crowd.

Dell is pitching its new 14s as an affordable option for students, though the company hasn’t yet confirmed pricing. The Windows 11 laptop comes in four colors and features a 14-inch, 16:10 display packed into a body that’s just over half an inch thick and weighs under three pounds.

Perplexity has been releasing agentic AI tools in quick succession over the last few months, and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. After releasing Personal Computer in April and Portable Computer late last month, the company is now launching Hybrid Compute.

The company announced Hybrid Compute in a post on X, while also explaining how it works and who it’s for.

Google has been steadily improving Gemini to make it more useful. We’ve already spotted the company working on new features for Gemini on mobile, while also releasing new Gemini models such as Gemini 3.7 Flash. However, Google is now giving Gemini the ability to analyze videos in a more cost-effective and efficient manner.

Google announced today that it’s bringing agentic video understanding to the latest Gemini models: Gemini 3.7 Flash, 3.6 Flash, and 3.5 Flash-Lite. This new capability allows users to upload videos to Gemini and have the AI analyze them. It also reduces token usage by up to 88% and offers up to 7% better accuracy.

The ECOVACS Deebot X9 Pro Omni is a high-end robot vacuum-and-mop combo built for busy homes, especially ones with mixed floors, pets, and lots of day-to-day mess. It packs strong cleaning hardware and a highly automated dock, and right now there’s a solid deal on it at Amazon.

See the deal at Amazon

Google’s Find Hub lets you find various types of connected devices, from smartphones to earbuds to dedicated item trackers, all from a single interface. Starting this month, you’ll also be able to use Find Hub to remember the location of non-connected devices.

As part of the September Android Drop announced today, Find Hub is rolling out an option that’ll let users make a note of any object’s location. These notes appear inside Find Hub, and you’ll also be able to ask Gemini where you told it your stuff is.

One of the first and most interesting smart home announcements coming out of IFA this year isn’t another smart speaker, sensor, or connected appliance. It is something quite cool and easy to use.

Anthom, the company behind Homey, has announced a new device called the Homey Portal. It’s a €249 smart home controller with a small screen and a large dial that lets you control your smart home devices without reaching for your phone.

Upgrading an older TV for 4K streaming doesn’t have to cost much, and Amazon has a great deal on the newest Fire TV Stick 4K Select right now. It is down to $19.99 at Amazon, which is a big drop for anyone who wants better picture quality and modern streaming apps without buying a whole new TV.

See the deal at Amazon

Amazon just dropped the Baseus Mini Power Bank Fast Charging 67W to $29.99, down from its $69.99 recommended retail price. That’s a $40 saving and a 57% discount relative to the RRP, which is a big cut for a compact charger you can carry every day. This is also the best deal we have seen this year, since the previous year-to-date low was $37.99. With the price now even lower, it looks like a strong time to grab one before the deal changes.

See the deal at Amazon

Amazon just knocked $50 off the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro Smart Watch, dropping it from its $449.99 recommended retail price to $399.99. That is an 11% discount off the RRP, and it looks like a deal worth jumping on now, especially since price history suggests this is the first time it has been discounted on Amazon. For runners who have been waiting for a price cut on a more premium sports watch, this is a strong chance to save on a model built with training in mind.

See the deal at Amazon

Keeping up with the latest and greatest apps and games is a difficult task, but I’m here to help. Each month, I detail a list of the best new Android apps and games, and this month’s edition is packed with a selection of Android apps that solve common and strange digital problems.

Let’s jump right in. Here are the best new Android apps and games you should try in September 2026.