Gear News of the Week: Google Rolls Out Another Android Update, and the Sony A7 V Lands
Google has just released a fresh batch of Android updates, following a June release of Android 16 that already packed a bunch of new features. The latest package expands customization, strengthens parental controls, and polishes smart notifications for easier management and better overall use.
New customization options let you craft custom icon shapes, build cohesive themes, and even extend dark mode to apps that don’t include their own dark theme. The revised parental controls provide more control over screen time, downtime, app usage, and rewards on kids’ devices. AI-powered notification summaries offer a concise TL;DR for long messages or group chats, and related notifications are now grouped with silenced lower-priority alerts like promotions.
There are also useful accessibility improvements. Expressive Captions now carry emotion tags and are expanding to English-language YouTube videos as well as other Android apps. AutoClick can be configured for mouse users to reduce strain, while Guided Frame provides more descriptive framing for what the Pixel camera sees. You can also launch Voice Access using a voice command to Gemini. Fast Pair for hearing aids is expanding (now supporting Demant, with Starkey support arriving in early 2026), and enhanced voice dictation with TalkBack is on the way. These features first arrive on Pixel devices and will later roll out to third-party devices.
Google isn’t forgetting older Android versions, either. Non-16-specific features include Emoji Kitchen stickers, the ability to leave and report Google Messages group chats, a Circle to Search scam-check feature, and pinned tabs in Chrome—mirroring desktop behavior. A standout for me is the Call Reason feature, which lets you flag a call to a saved contact as “urgent.” —Simon Hill
The Long-Awaited Sony A7 V Arrives
Sony has unveiled the A7 V, the latest upgrade in its prosumer full-frame Alpha 7 line. The new model sports a 33-megapixel partially stacked CMOS sensor and the BIONZ XR2 processor, which brings an AI processing unit into the heart of the system. Improvements to in-body image stabilization are significant, with up to 7.5 stops of stabilization. The camera also offers 16 stops of dynamic range, 30 fps shooting with full autofocus, and Sony’s acclaimed AI-powered subject and eye detection.
On the video side, there are notable enhancements, including 7K oversampled 4K/60‑fps full-frame recording and 4K/120‑fps in Super 35‑mm mode (APS-C). Open-gate recording remains exclusive to higher-end flagship models like the A1.
After spending a few days with the A7 V, the standout feature is the autofocus, which is by far the most accurate system encountered at this price point. The 7.5-stop IBIS also delivers impressive low-light stability. Availability is set for late December, with a $2,899 price tag. Preorders are open at Adorama and B&H Photo. —Scott Gilbertson
Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold: A Phone That Turns into a 10-Inch Tablet
Samsung is pushing folding tech further with the Galaxy Z TriFold, a foldable that unfolds into a 10-inch tablet-sized display. Unlike most current foldables that switch from a phone to a smaller tablet, the TriFold features two hinges to yield a full 10-inch panel that remains incredibly slim when folded, thanks to a profile of just 3.9 mm (camera module excluded).
Under the hood is top-tier hardware: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy, a 200‑MP camera, and a 5,600‑mAh three-cell battery—the largest battery Samsung has fitted in a folding phone to date. It also supports 45W fast charging, with either 512 GB or 1 TB of storage and a generous 16 GB of RAM. The real spectacle is the 10-inch AMOLED display, boasting a resolution of 2160 × 1584, up to 1,600 nits peak brightness, and a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate.
The TriFold has been teased all year and will be the first of its kind to hit the US market. The Huawei Mate X previously teased a similar concept but never released in the US. A 10-inch screen in a pocketable device is ideal for movie watching or multitasking (Samsung even supports three apps side-by-side), but the phone is notably thick when closed (about 12.9 mm, camera module excluded) and heavy (roughly 309 grams). Expect a steep price—likely around $3,000—and a US release in Q1 2026. —Simon Hill
Kobo Introduces a Remote Page-Turner for E‑Readers
A handy accessory for avid readers, a Bluetooth page-turner lets you flip pages with a click rather than swiping or tapping the screen. Such remotes are popular for dedicated readers who use stands or mounts to prop up their device. Until now, these page turners were mostly third‑party options, but Kobo has released the Kobo Remote to fill the gap. It pairs with any Kobo e‑reader that supports Bluetooth and is designed for long battery life, which is crucial for a device used frequently in one sitting. It’s a fun gift for Kobo fans, and it raises the question: where is Amazon’s Kindle version? Hopefully more brands will follow suit next year. —Nena Farrell
Alexa+ Adds a New Streaming Trick
The next generation of voice assistants is all about richer conversation, and Amazon’s Alexa+ takes a step forward with a new jump-to-scene feature for Fire TVs. This lets you request a specific scene from a show or movie, and Alexa+ will immediately start playing from that exact moment. Describe the scene you want—such as “the scene in Mamma Mia where Sophie sings ‘Honey, Honey’” or “the card scene in Love Actually”—and Alexa+ will locate it. Amazon says this will work with thousands of Prime Video titles and across all compatible Fire TV devices, including the newer Fire TV Sticks and Fire TV Cube models. —Nena Farrell
