Google Maps Removes Media Playback Controls in Android.

Key Takeaway

• Google Maps has removed in-app media playback controls on Android, frustrating users who relied on them during navigation.
• The change follows the shutdown of Assistant Driving Mode, while iOS users still retain the media control feature.

Google has recently removed a much-loved feature from its Android Maps app: media playback controls for platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music. Originally introduced after the discontinuation of Assistant Driving Mode, this feature allowed users to access play, pause, skip, and browse functions directly within the navigation interface via a compact bottom sheet.

Users could view album art, track names, and artist info at a glance, and switch tracks without leaving Maps. A dedicated “Browse” button provided quick access to song suggestions, while a persistent shortcut to open their default music app made the experience seamless. However, this also partially obscured the “Report” button beneath it, though the underlying functionality remained accessible.

As of versions 25.28 (stable) and the newer 25.29 beta, Android users have noticed that the “Show media playback controls” toggle under Settings → Navigation has vanished. The prior “Default media app” option is also gone. It's unclear whether this disappearance is intentional or an oversight, but it starkly contrasts with iOS, where the toggle remains intact.

Community reports suggest this removal is frustrating for many users, particularly those using non-default audio apps. On forums like Google's own support thread and third-party sites, users report a fragmented experience—where third-party media control support had already been inconsistent—and express hope for Google's reconsideration.

Why It Matters

This change highlights a broader trend driven by Google’s transition from Assistant Driving Mode to the Gemini ecosystem. In February 2024, Google officially shuttered Assistant Driving Mode after gradually stripping away its features; by April 2025, media and voice controls were entirely removed from Maps. Without proper in‑app media controls, users now find themselves repeatedly switching between Maps and their music apps—a disruption from the fluid, hands‑free experience that once existed.

With in‑map media access disappearing, users have grown more vocal about the need for seamless integrations, especially when driving, where safety and convenience are paramount. Google has yet to comment on whether this media toggle removal is a bug or a permanent design shift.

What’s Next?

For now, Android users relying on Spotify or other music services during navigation must manually open their apps to control playback. If the toggle removal is unintended, it could soon return in an upcoming update, given the strong user backlash and safety implications. Meanwhile, iOS users will continue enjoying the feature uninterrupted.

YouTube Launches A/B Testing for Video Titles in Studio.

Key Takeaway

• YouTube now allows creators to A/B test video titles in Studio to optimize engagement and click-through rates.
• The new “Test & compare” tool lets users experiment with multiple title variants, using watch time data to pick the best one.

YouTube is rolling out a thoughtful update to YouTube Studio, empowering creators with the ability to A/B test video titles separately from thumbnails. This enhancement builds on YouTube’s existing thumbnail testing and aims to boost content performance through data-driven choices.

In a recent announcement, YouTube confirmed that a subset of creators now has access to the “Test & compare” tool, which allows them to experiment with multiple title variants for a single video. The platform will present these versions to different audience segments, tracking metrics like watch time to identify the most compelling title before fully committing to one.

This update is significant because more engaging titles can substantially increase click-through rates (CTR) and overall viewer retention. Social Media Today highlights that creators, particularly top-tier channels with dedicated teams, spend hours crafting and refining both titles and thumbnails. YouTube’s built-in testing mechanism means creators can now validate their instincts with actionable data.

Historically, YouTube released its thumbnail A/B testing feature in 2023 and later expanded it to more creators in 2024. With this title testing rollout, creators gain a more holistic optimization suite to maximize their videos’ reach and growth.

As A/B title testing becomes more widely available, YouTube promises to integrate analytics directly into Studio, giving creators real-time insights into which titles resonate best. The company aims to refine the feature further before a broader launch for all users.

Google Files Lawsuit Over BadBox 2.0 Android Botnet Infecting Over 10 Million Devices.

Key Takeaway

• Google sues alleged BadBox 2.0 operators over a global Android botnet that infected over 10 million uncertified devices.
• The botnet was used for ad fraud and residential proxy schemes, prompting Google to update Play Protect and pursue legal action.

Google has taken legal action, filing a lawsuit in federal court in New York against 25 unnamed individuals, believed to be Chinese nationals, accused of operating the BadBox 2.0 botnet—a malicious network that has compromised more than 10 million uncertified Android-based devices globally.

According to the complaint, the botnet targets a range of off-brand hardware—TV streaming boxes, tablets, digital projectors, and car infotainment systems—which run on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and lack protections like Google Play Protect. Devices were infected either through supply chain malware (preinstalled before purchase) or via malicious apps downloaded after setup. Once compromised, these devices connect to a remote command-and-control (C2) server, effectively becoming part of a vast criminal network.

The attackers monetized the compromised devices through several illicit schemes:

• Selling access as residential proxies, enabling account takeovers, DDoS attacks, and other crimes

• Ad fraud—generating millions of fake ad impressions and clicks using hidden browsers and deceptive “evil twin” apps that mimic legitimate ones.

Google argues the botnet has damaged its reputation and financial bottom line by causing it to pay for fake ad traffic and divert resources to combat the fraud.

Google’s Response & Legal Aims

To counter this threat, Google has:

• Updated Google Play Protect to detect and block BadBox-related apps, even if they’re sideloaded.

• Filed the lawsuit seeking an injunction and damages, and legal authority to dismantle the botnet infrastructure, including disabling command servers and disrupting proxy access.

Despite involvement from the FBI, extraditing suspects from China remains improbable due to limited international cooperation.

What Users Should Know

• If you’re using cheap, uncertified Android devices, especially those sold without Google certification, consider upgrading or installing trusted security software.

• Watch for suspicious preinstalled apps or ask if the device is certified with Google Play Protect.

• Regularly scan using Play Protect or reputable security tools, ensuring any infected apps are promptly removed.

Perplexity CEO Dares Google to Choose Between Ads and AI Innovation

Key Takeaway:

• Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas urges Google to choose between protecting ad revenue or embracing AI-driven browsing innovation.
• As Perplexity’s Comet browser pushes AI-first features, a new browser war looms, challenging Google’s traditional business model.

In a candid Reddit AMA, Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas criticized Google's reluctance to fully embrace AI agents in web browsing. He believes Google faces a critical choice: either commit to supporting autonomous AI features that reduce ad clicks or maintain its ad-driven model and suffer short-term losses to stay competitive.

Srinivas argues that Google’s deeply entrenched advertising structure and bureaucratic layers are impeding innovation, especially as Comet, a new browser from Perplexity, pushes AI agents that summarize content, automate workflows, and offer improved privacy. He described Google as a “giant bureaucratic organisation” constrained by its need to protect ad revenue.

Comet, currently in beta, integrates AI tools directly within a Chromium-based browser, allowing real-time browsing, summarization, and task automation via its “sidecar” assistant. Srinivas warned that large tech firms will likely imitate Comet’s features, but cautioned that Google must choose between innovation and preservation of its existing monetization model.

Industry experts are watching closely as a new "AI browser war" unfolds. While Google may eventually incorporate ideas from Comet, such as Project Mariner, Srinivas remains confident that Perplexity's nimble approach and user-first subscription model give it a competitive edge.

Google Sets Launch Date for Pixel 10 Series.

Google Pixel

Key Takeaway:

• Google will unveil the Pixel 10 series and new hardware at its “Made by Google” event on August 20 in New York City.
• The event is expected to showcase the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, Pixel Buds 2a, and deeper Gemini AI integration.

Google has officially confirmed that its highly anticipated “Made by Google” event will take place on August 20, 2025, in New York City. The event, scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT, will also be streamed live on YouTube, giving fans around the globe front-row access to the launch of Google’s latest Pixel hardware lineup.

All eyes are on the upcoming Pixel 10 series, which is expected to include the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and a refreshed Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The new foldable model is rumored to come with IP-rated dust protection, a feature missing from earlier versions. Google is also set to debut its next-gen Tensor G5 chip, promising faster AI performance and power efficiency across all devices.

In addition to smartphones, Google is widely expected to unveil the Pixel Watch 4, which may come in two sizes with larger batteries and the latest Wear OS 6. Fans of audio accessories can also look forward to the new Pixel Buds 2a, along with a new range of Pixel Snap accessories, including wireless chargers, smart stands, and protective cases.

A major focus of the event will likely be the deeper integration of Gemini AI into Pixel devices. Google is expected to demonstrate how Gemini enhances real-time tasks, voice interactions, photo editing, and personal productivity across mobile, wearables, and smart accessories.

This year’s event marks Google’s return to hosting its Pixel showcase in New York City, which has historically been a prime location for its fall launches. With competition heating up from Samsung, Apple, and others, the August 20 reveal is strategically timed to grab attention ahead of the back-to-school and holiday seasons.

With major upgrades in hardware, AI capabilities, and ecosystem expansion, the Pixel 10 series launch could mark one of Google’s biggest hardware moments to date.

OpenAI Expands Infrastructure with Google Cloud to Power ChatGPT.

Key Takeaway

• OpenAI has partnered with Google Cloud to boost computing power for ChatGPT amid rising infrastructure demands.
• The move marks a shift to a multi-cloud strategy, reducing dependence on Microsoft Azure and enhancing global scalability.

OpenAI has entered into a major cloud partnership with Google Cloud to meet the rising computational demands of its AI models, including ChatGPT. This move, finalized in May 2025, reflects OpenAI’s ongoing strategy to diversify its cloud infrastructure and avoid overreliance on a single provider.

Historically, OpenAI has leaned heavily on Microsoft Azure, thanks to Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar investment and deep integration with OpenAI’s services. However, with the explosive growth of generative AI and increasing demands for high-performance GPUs, OpenAI has been aggressively expanding its cloud partnerships. The addition of Google Cloud now places the company in a “multi-cloud” model, also involving Oracle and CoreWeave, which recently secured a $12 billion agreement with OpenAI.

By tapping into Google’s global data center network—spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia—OpenAI gains greater flexibility to manage the heavy compute workloads needed for training and running its large language models. Google, for its part, strengthens its cloud business by onboarding one of the world’s leading AI developers as a client, which not only enhances its credibility but also diversifies its cloud clientele beyond traditional enterprise workloads.

This deal marks a significant step in the ongoing arms race among tech giants to dominate cloud-based AI infrastructure. OpenAI’s multi-cloud strategy ensures resilience, scalability, and availability for its services across different regions and use cases. It also allows the company to better respond to surges in demand for ChatGPT and its API-based offerings, which serve millions of users and enterprise clients daily.

The partnership underscores a broader shift in the tech industry, where high-performance computing for AI is becoming a core battleground. For OpenAI, spreading its workload across multiple providers could mitigate risks, lower costs, and boost its capacity to innovate and iterate at speed.

Google’s AI Can Now Make Phone Calls on Your Behalf

Key Takeaway

• Google's Gemini AI can now call local businesses for users directly through Search to gather information or book services.
• The feature uses Duplex technology and is available in the U.S., with opt-out options for businesses and premium access for AI Pro users.

Google has taken a major step forward in AI-powered assistance by rolling out a new feature in the U.S. that allows its Gemini AI to make phone calls to local businesses directly through Google Search. This tool, first tested earlier this year, lets users request information like pricing, hours of operation, and service availability without ever picking up the phone.

When someone searches for services such as pet grooming, auto repair, or dry cleaning, they may now see an option labeled “Ask for Me.” If selected, Gemini will use Google’s Duplex voice technology to place a call to the business. The AI introduces itself as calling on the user’s behalf, asks relevant questions, and then returns the response to the user via text or email.

This move transforms the search experience into a more active and intelligent assistant. Users can now delegate simple but time-consuming tasks like making inquiries or scheduling appointments. It’s part of Google’s broader strategy to make AI more agent-like, capable of taking real-world actions on behalf of users.

Credit: Google

Businesses that don’t want to participate in this feature can opt out using their Google Business Profile settings. For users, the functionality is available across the U.S., but those subscribed to Google’s AI Pro and AI Ultra plans benefit from more usage credits and access to advanced Gemini models like Gemini 2.5 Pro. These premium tiers also include features like Deep Search, which can generate in-depth research reports on complex topics using AI reasoning.

As AI integration deepens in everyday apps, this feature showcases a new phase of interaction, where digital tools not only inform but also act on our behalf. Google’s move reflects the future of AI as not just a search engine assistant, but a personal concierge for real-world tasks.

Google’s Discover Feed Gets AI Summaries, Alarming Publishers.

Google has quietly introduced AI-generated summaries into its Discover feed on the Google Search app, a move that’s already sparking alarm across the publishing industry. With this update, users in the U.S. using Android and iOS devices will now see short, three-line summaries instead of traditional article headlines and source names when browsing trending topics in categories like entertainment and sports.

How does it work?

The summaries are produced by Google’s in-house artificial intelligence models and combine information from multiple sources. These summaries appear at the top of the Discover cards, with a small overlay of icons that indicate how many sources were used to generate the content. Tapping on the icons opens a list of original sources, which users can then click on to read the full articles. A subtle “See more” link expands the summary, and each summary is accompanied by a disclaimer that states: “Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.”

While this change might improve user convenience by offering quick insights without needing to click through, it is generating strong backlash from digital publishers. Industry experts warn that AI summaries could accelerate the existing trend of "zero-click" behavior, where users find their answers directly on Google's platform and no longer visit the actual news sites. Publishers argue that this could deal yet another blow to traffic volumes that are already declining due to previous algorithm changes and the growing prominence of AI-powered search features.

Why Publishers Are Concerned.

Recent data supports these concerns. According to analytics firm Similarweb, traffic to news sites from Google Search has sharply decreased, falling from over 2.3 billion visits in August 2024 to under 1.7 billion by May 2025. During that same period, the number of searches ending without a single click rose from 56% to 69%. Several digital media outlets, including BuzzFeed News, Laptop Mag, and Giant Freakin Robot, have either shut down or significantly downsized in recent months, loss of referral traffic cited as a contributing factor.

Independent publishers in Europe have gone a step further by filing an antitrust complaint with the European Commission, alleging that Google’s AI-driven tools undermine competition and fail to offer publishers meaningful options to opt out of AI training or display. Similar complaints are also under consideration by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, putting regulatory pressure on Google to reconsider how it integrates AI into search and content feeds.

Despite mounting criticism, Google maintains that AI summaries help users explore a broader range of content and that its platforms still drive billions of clicks to publishers every day. The company also introduced monetization tools like Offerwall, which allows publishers to generate revenue through subscriptions, micropayments, and newsletter signups. However, many industry voices argue that such measures are insufficient to counteract the loss of direct web traffic.

As the rollout continues, media companies are grappling with how to adapt. Some are testing their own AI tools to produce summary-style content in a format optimized for visibility within Google's evolving ecosystem. Outlets like Yahoo, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal have started experimenting with article highlights and bullet-point takeaways to compete within the AI-influenced landscape. Still, concerns remain that even these efforts may not be enough to recover lost visibility and revenue.

In the coming months, Google is expected to expand the AI summary feature to cover additional content categories and possibly introduce it in international markets. Meanwhile, publishers and regulators alike are closely watching how this move will affect the future of digital journalism, news distribution, and the broader internet economy. The tension between technological advancement and fair access to digital audiences continues to intensify, with the stakes higher than ever.

Google to Merge ChromeOS Into Android.

Google has officially confirmed it is merging Chrome OS into Android, ending years of speculation and signaling a major shift in its operating system strategy. During a recent interview, Sameer Samat, President of Google’s Android Ecosystem, revealed that Android will become the unified foundation across devices from smartphones to laptops and foldables.

Why Is Google Merging ChromeOS with Android?

Instead of maintaining two separate systems, Google is converging Chrome OS’s capabilities—such as desktop UI, Linux app support, multi‑window handling, and external display compatibility—into Android. Chrome OS has already been built on a shared Linux kernel with Android. This progression reinforces that integration, moving it beyond mere coexistence toward a singular platform.

By anchoring both laptops and tablets on Android, Google aims to:

• Unify its engineering efforts, avoiding redundant work on separate systems.
• Offer users a seamless ecosystem across all device categories.
• Push advanced AI like Gemini consistently across the board.

Advantages for Users and Developers

For users, this means:

• A more cohesive experience—same platform, same app behavior—across phones, tablets, and laptops.
• Access to a richer app ecosystem, combining mobile, web, Linux, and Chrome‑based tools.

Developers gain:

• A unified Android codebase to build and optimize apps for multiple form factors.

• Reduced fragmentation and clearer guidelines for multi‑device compatibility.

Unknown Challenges.

As promising as the merger sounds, it raises key questions:

1. Security & Updates: Chrome OS offers robust automatic updates and long-term support (up to 10 years for newer devices). It's unclear how this will translate into Android’s typically less predictable update cycle.

2. User Experience: Users worry that applications suited for Chrome OS desktops may not feel native in an Android environment, especially given concerns about Android launchers and interface adaptations.

3. Legacy Hardware: Older Chromebooks may not meet new Android‑based system requirements and could be phased out.

Timeline

Google has not provided a firm release date, but industry insiders expect:

• Developer previews late 2025, testing Android’s desktop-first features on laptops and tablets.

• A broader rollout by 2026, possibly featuring new “Pixel Laptop” hardware as a showcase device.

Meanwhile, Android is evolving with Android 16, which emphasizes large‑screen enhancements, windowed mode support, external display compatibility, and AI integration through Gemini.

Google’s decision to merge Chrome OS and Android marks a key turning point. By consolidating these systems, the company aims to simplify development, enhance cross-device consistency, and accelerate AI advances. Nevertheless, users and developers must watch closely how transition effects update reliability, desktop usability, and support for older hardware.