Google today made the final release of Android 12 source code available after a long beta-testing period, but it’s important to note that it still won’t roll out to the Pixels or other devices just yet. The new update will land first on older Pixels in the coming weeks, though it’ll look best on the Google Pixel 6 when that releases later this month. This update comes with a large design overhaul known as Material You, and a bundle of privacy and security tweaks.
The biggest change is the company’s new Material You design language. When the update rolls out, Pixel owners will find that their phone’s interface will become a lot more attuned to their wallpaper choices thanks to Google’s dynamic color theming system. These colors will apply to parts of the user interface, from the notification center and lock screen to even icons on the home screen and inside of apps that have been updated to support it. The company has also debuted new widgets to match Apple’s after letting Android’s widget system stagnate for a while. Several parts of the interface have also been redesigned to be larger and bubblier than they were on Android 11.
Responding to complaints made in previous years about a slow uptake of new design changes, Google has also revamped most of its Android apps — from consumer-focused ones like Messages, Duo and Photos to the Google Workspace Apps — to make use of the new Material You interface. On a hardware level, Google has designed the Pixel 6 to showcase Material You, both with its choice of colors and its two-toned, mostly pastel-colored design language. The release of Android 12 also means that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro release date is imminent. In fact, we’ve already seen it in the wild, with Google showcasing it in its NYC flagship store, and there have also been rather comprehensive leaks, so no real surprises are expected here.
If you’re not a Pixel owner, Android 12 will come a little less quick and change a little less drastically. Google calls out Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi as ones to watch. Samsung has debuted One UI 4.o as a beta for a selection of its Galaxy phones, with the changes being focused more on the new privacy and security features Google’s added rather than the new design. You’ll still get some of the larger icons and broad design changes, but none of the dynamic color that Google positions as the selling point for Android 12. Oppo has also debuted Color OS 12, and while the operating system does feature a redesign, it’s not quite the same as what Google’s offering. OnePlus has also confirmed that it will still release Oxygen OS 12 despite the ongoing integration with Color OS 12.
Google has noted that Material You will be exclusive to Pixels at the start, with some reports saying that Android 12.1 will be what brings Material You over to non-Pixel phones. In the meantime, if you do have a Pixel 3, 3Xl, 3a, 4a Xl, 4, 4Xl, 4a, 4a 5G, 5, or 5a, you can download Android 12 with Material You when it’s available for your device.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.