One is creating a "Registered App Stores program" that, if operators choose to participate, will see Google facilitate "more simplified installation flow" for Android apps. The search and ads giant has positioned this as leveling the playing field for app store operators, by reducing the number of hoops users need to jump through to shop for apps on stores other than Google's own Play store.
Thanks to the way Google's for years now been deconstructing Android and pulling OS-level pieces out of the operating system itself - so they exist as regular ol' apps and can consequently be updated quickly, frequently, and in a way that reaches everyone instantly, regardless of what phone or carrier they're using - even Android phones from eight years ago get updates numerous times a year that are all virtually equivalent to an entire iOS operating system rollout.
"We believe that gamers want to find new content that is personalized to them," said the VP of Samsung Games Services. He continued: "We want to bring content to users and make it immediately available for them to play. We have instant plays where, through our cloud streaming technology, we can take Android-native games and put them in the cloud, so that when users want to try them, they don't have to go through the friction of downloading them first."
At a press briefing attended by at Google's Taipei office, Eric Kay, Android's Vice President of Engineering, confirmed that AirDrop interoperability will expand in 2026. "We spent a lot of time and energy to make sure that we could build something that was compatible not only with iPhone but iPads and MacBooks," he said. "Now that we've proven it out, we're working with our partners to expand it into the rest of the ecosystem, and you should see some exciting announcements coming very soon."
The new feature, called Digital Home Key, will live inside Samsung Wallet and is powered by the Aliro smart home standard. The new standard uses near-field communication (NFC) for its tap-to-unlock technology. It also supports ultra-wideband (UWB), giving users the ability to unlock their door as they approach and without pulling out their phone.
Samsung's Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57 are now listed in the Google Play Console, a sure sign that their official launch is very near. The listings confirm that the Galaxy A37 is powered by Samsung's Exynos 1480 SoC, paired with 6GB of RAM in one variant (though more will undoubtedly be offered). The phone will run Android 16 out of the box, unsurprisingly. Here it is in the official image revealed by the listing.