There’s a good chance you use Spotify for your music streaming and podcast listening. There’s also a good chance you use the Spotify app on your Android phone. If so, you’ll soon notice that the app looks a bit different than usual.
How so? The app icon no longer has its distinctive black background. Gasp.
Previously, the Spotify app icon had the green Spotify logo surrounded by a black background. Now, the new app icon (spotted by Will Sattelberg of Android Police) is just the green Spotify logo — no black background to speak of.
While not a massive deal by any means, it certainly is an odd change. The black background is distinct and familiar, and helped the app stand out a bit more. The new background-less version certainly doesn’t look bad, but there is a “cheap” feeling to it. When I first saw it, I immediately thought it looked like a Spotify logo I’d find in a third-party icon pack. It’s not bad, per se — just slightly off.
On a slightly more serious note, it looks like this new app design is actually causing some potential issues. As reported by one user on the r/spotify subreddit, the new icon makes it look particularly out of place and awkward if you’re using Android’s themed icons feature.
The new Spotify app icon appears to have rolled out with app version 8.9.44.368. It also only appears to be live on Android right now and does not currently apply to the iOS app icon.
In short, it’s a big day for Spotify! Now, how’s Spotify Hi-Fi coming along?
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.
Apple's next cheaper iPhone could get a brand-new processor while keeping its most stubborn display compromise. Digital Chat Station tips the iPhone 18e for a 2027 release with a 2nm A20 chip and a 6.12-inch OLED screen still limited to 60Hz.
The rumored camera setup includes a single 48MP rear camera and a possible 24MP selfie camera. There's new hardware to consider, but buyers hoping Apple would extend that upgrade generosity to smoother scrolling could be disappointed.