YouTube Playback Speed Now Reaches 4x for Premium Users.

YouTube is significantly boosting the appeal of its Premium subscription by rolling out a major expansion of video playback speed controls. Paying subscribers can now watch videos at up to 4x speed, a massive leap from the previous 2x limit, and the feature is officially expanding across more devices.

What began as an experiment on mobile is now a standard perk for YouTube Premium members on Android, iOS, and the web, catering directly to power users who consume lengthy tutorials, podcasts, and video essays.

4x Speed and Precise Controls.

Premium subscribers can now accelerate their viewing to an unprecedented 4x speed. This allows a typical hour-long video to be consumed in just 15 minutes, drastically improving content efficiency.

The update also introduces a greater degree of control for video playback. Users are no longer limited to the standard 0.25x increments; they can now fine-tune the speed in 0.05 increments for a more personalized viewing experience.

Feature Parity Across Devices.

Crucially, this speed boost is no longer confined to the mobile app. YouTube has confirmed that the expanded playback options are now available to all Premium members on all major platforms: Android, iOS, and the web browser interface.

This universal rollout ensures a consistent, high-speed viewing experience, whether you are on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

More Premium Perks Rolling Out.

The playback speed upgrade is part of a broader package of enhancements for the subscription service.

YouTube Premium members can now access high-quality audio streaming at 256kbps on both the main YouTube app and the YouTube Music app on mobile, a feature previously limited to the dedicated music app.

Additionally, the "Jump Ahead" feature, which uses AI to allow viewers to skip directly to key moments, is also expanding its reach to Smart TVs and gaming consoles, streamlining navigation on the biggest screens.

Xiaomi Unveils Massive Android 16-Based HyperOS 3 Rollout Schedule.

Xiaomi has officially revealed a comprehensive and aggressive rollout plan for its Android 16-based user interface, HyperOS 3. The company's new software skin is set to begin hitting devices globally as early as October, prioritizing its latest flagship and T-series models before expanding to dozens of other devices in 2026.

This update represents a major move for Xiaomi, bringing a complete redesign and a host of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) features while running on the latest Android 16 foundation.

Rollout Starts with Flagships and T-Series.

The initial deployment of HyperOS 3 is scheduled for October/November 2025, focusing on the newest and most powerful devices in Xiaomi’s and POCO’s lineups.

The first devices slated to receive the OTA update include the recently launched Xiaomi 15T Pro, Xiaomi 15T, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the base Xiaomi 15 model. The rollout will also immediately target popular mid-range flagships like the POCO F7 series and the Redmi Note 14 Pro models.

AI and UI Upgrades are Key Features.

Beyond the jump to Android 16, HyperOS 3 introduces several headline features. The most visually striking is "HyperIsland," Xiaomi's version of a dynamic notification area that provides real-time information and live activity tracking.

The update also heavily leverages HyperAI, a suite of AI tools that includes smart screen recognition, AI writing assistance with tone modification, and enhanced voice transcription capabilities. Furthermore, users will see new visual customizations, including AI Dynamic Wallpapers and an updated home screen design.

The Schedule Extends into 2026.

The second phase of the rollout, scheduled for November/December 2025, will bring the update to the premium Xiaomi 14 series (including the Ultra and Pro models), alongside the popular POCO F6 and X6 series.

📣 Rollout plan for #XiaomiHyperOS3 begins this October!
The new version will gradually be introduced across our ecosystem, with Xiaomi 15T Series users being the very first to experience it.
Stay tuned for more updates on the release schedule.#ReleaseSchedule #Rolloutplan pic.twitter.com/5HawewYUDq

— Xiaomi HyperOS (@XiaomiHyperOS_) September 24, 2025

Finally, the broad final phase, spanning December 2025 through March 2026, will cover older flagships like the Xiaomi 13 series, as well as a large number of Redmi Note 13 series devices and various Xiaomi and Redmi tablets. This long-term schedule is a strong commitment to providing the latest software across a wide-ranging portfolio.

From Garage to Global Brain: Google Celebrates 27 Years of Organizing the World's Information.

On September 27, 2025, the global technology community pauses to mark a significant milestone: Google's 27th birthday. What began as a research project in a Stanford University dorm room has exploded into the most powerful engine for accessing information the world has ever seen, continually shaping the future of technology and digital life.

To celebrate its 27th anniversary, Google treated users to a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a special Google Doodle that revived its very first logo from 1998. The retro design, featuring the original wordmark, served as a powerful reminder of the company's humble beginnings and the extraordinary journey of innovation that followed.

The Birthday Paradox: Why September 27th?

For those who track tech history, Google's birthday is often a source of confusion. The company was officially incorporated on September 4, 1998. Other key dates in its founding include:

• September 15, 1997: The domain name google.com was registered.
• August 1998: The company received its first major investment.

However, since the mid-2000s, Google has consistently chosen September 27th as its symbolic date of celebration. This tradition is generally believed to have started when the company aligned its birthday celebration with a Doodle it posted on this date, commemorating a major milestone in the growth of its search index and its rapid ascent as the dominant search engine.

Regardless of the official paperwork date, September 27th is the day Google chooses to reflect on its mission: to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.

A Story of Exponential Growth.

Google’s origin story is a Silicon Valley legend. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, then Ph.D. students at Stanford, developed an algorithm called PageRank that went beyond simply counting keywords, analyzing the links between websites to determine their relevance and importance. This insight was the bedrock of a better search engine, initially called "BackRub," before being famously renamed "Google," a misspelling of the mathematical term "googol" (1 followed by 100 zeros), signifying their ambition to handle a massive, infinite amount of information.

From their first office in a friend's garage in Menlo Park, California, the company quickly scaled.

Key Milestones in Google's Journey:

• 2000: Launch of AdWords (now Google Ads), creating the financial engine for its future growth.
• 2004: Launch of Gmail, offering an unheard-of amount of free storage, and the company's Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• 2005: Launch of Google Maps and Google Earth.
• 2006: Acquisition of YouTube, which became the world’s leading video platform.
• 2008: Launch of the Android operating system and the Chrome web browser.
• 2015: Restructuring into the holding company Alphabet Inc., with Google as its largest subsidiary.

The Future is AI: Google at 27

Today, under the leadership of CEO Sundar Pichai, Google is no longer just a search company. It is a global powerhouse with a sprawling ecosystem that touches nearly every aspect of digital life, from cloud computing (Google Cloud) and hardware (Pixel, Nest) to self-driving technology (Waymo).

As it steps into its 27th year, the company’s focus has sharpened into a single, transformative area: Artificial Intelligence. The introduction of large language models and multimodal AI, such as the Gemini platform, is its current flagship initiative, aiming to redefine not just search, but the entire interaction between people and technology. This latest wave of innovation is positioned as the next frontier in fulfilling its founding mission, moving beyond organizing static web pages to providing dynamic, intelligent, and personalized information.

Google's 27th birthday is more than a celebration of a search engine; it’s a moment to appreciate a company that fundamentally changed the world’s access to knowledge and continues to drive the biggest advancements in the technology landscape. As the company looks back at its first logo, it simultaneously looks forward to the next generation of AI-powered tools that will carry its legacy into the next quarter-century.

Google Rolls Out Major Quick Share Redesign, Transforming Android File Transfer.

Google is finally delivering a major overhaul to its cross-platform file-sharing tool, Quick Share. The long-awaited redesign, which shifts the utility from a simple bottom sheet to a full-screen, tabbed interface, is now widely rolling out to Android devices via a server-side update.

This significant UI update aligns with Google’s Material 3 design language, giving Quick Share a clean, guided experience that feels more like a dedicated application than a system utility. The goal is to make sharing files between Android phones, Chromebooks, and Windows PCs as seamless as possible.

Two Tabs for Two Clear Functions.

The core of the redesign is a two-tab structure at the bottom: Send and Receive. When a user opens Quick Share, the Receive tab is the default view, prominently displaying the device name and status.

This "Receive" mode now temporarily makes the device visible, making it far easier to accept spontaneous file transfers without needing to manually adjust visibility settings every time. A new live progress indicator also provides clear visual feedback during the transfer process.

Faster Sending and Better File Management.

The Send tab also sees substantial improvements, elevating the entire workflow. It now includes a built-in file picker that allows users to select and preview multiple files of different types directly within the Quick Share interface.

Available nearby devices and the user's own linked devices are displayed in an organized grid layout. For quick, one-off connections, the new interface also prominently features a QR code option, allowing for near-instant pairing without needing to manually change visibility settings.

This update completes the standardization process that began when Google merged its Nearby Share with Samsung’s Quick Share brand. The new full-screen UI is a major quality-of-life upgrade, ensuring Android users finally have a cohesive and friction-free sharing tool to rival other platforms.

YouTube Finally Grants Viewers the Power to Hide End-Screen Clutter.

Following years of user frustration over final-second distractions, YouTube is rolling out a small but highly significant quality-of-life update: a dedicated "Hide" button for end-screen pop-ups. The new feature gives viewers control over the recommended videos and promotional elements that often clutter the last five to twenty seconds of a clip.

The change, which has moved from an extended experiment to a broad rollout, is a direct response to widespread community feedback. Many viewers complained that the on-screen graphics and video suggestions broke immersion, particularly during educational or highly cinematic content.

How the New 'Hide' Button Works

Using the new feature is straightforward: when the end-screen elements begin to appear on a video, users will see a new "Hide" button in the top-right corner of the video player. Tapping this button will instantly dismiss all pop-ups, allowing the viewer to finish watching the video cleanly.

It is important to note that this is a per-video control, not a global setting. If a user wishes to hide the end screen on a subsequent video, they will need to tap the "Hide" button again. YouTube stated this design choice offers control without completely undermining a creator's promotional strategy.

Minimal Impact on Creators, Major Win for Users

YouTube claims that its internal testing showed the introduction of the hide option resulted in a negligible dip in engagement, with less than a 1.5% decrease in views derived from end-screen clicks. This minimal impact allowed the platform to prioritize viewer experience over strict engagement metrics.

In an additional cleanup effort, YouTube is also simplifying the desktop interface by removing the redundant "Subscribe" button that previously appeared when hovering over a video’s channel watermark. These changes reflect a growing effort by the platform to streamline the viewing process and reduce UI friction.

Also Read:

• YouTube Widely Pushes AI Age Verification, Sparking Privacy Concerns.
• YouTube Rolls Out Limited Video Downloads to Free Users.

Meta and Ray-Ban Launch Smart Glasses with Display and EMG Wristband.

Meta is doubling down on its vision for the future of augmented reality with the introduction of its most advanced consumer glasses yet. The company has officially announced the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, a new device that introduces a crucial feature missing from its predecessors: a built-in, full-color display.

The new glasses, priced at $799, are designed to blend seamlessly into everyday life. The high-resolution display is integrated into the right lens and remains hidden until it’s needed, providing discreet access to notifications, maps, and other visual information.

Complementing the glasses is the Meta Neural Band, an electromyography (EMG) wristband that serves as a revolutionary new input method. The band reads tiny electrical signals from the muscles in a user's wrist, translating subtle finger movements into commands for the glasses without a camera or physical controller.

This allows for a new level of hands-free interaction, enabling users to scroll through menus by sliding a thumb, select items with a simple pinch, and even control media volume by twisting their wrist. This technology, which Meta has been developing for years under the codename Project Aria, is a core part of its vision for the future of human-computer interaction.

Alongside the new display glasses, Meta also unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard, a sports-focused smart glass that integrates with fitness platforms like Garmin and Strava. Both the new Ray-Bans and Oakley glasses are powered by Meta AI, allowing users to ask questions, get translations, and perform tasks with simple voice commands, further solidifying the company's commitment to contextual, on-the-go AI.

With the Ray-Ban Display glasses available in the US starting September 30, Meta is making a bold statement in the competitive smart glasses market. The combination of a subtle display and the breakthrough EMG wristband is an important step toward creating a truly intuitive and integrated augmented reality experience for a mainstream audience.

Samsung Unveils 'Moohan' XR Headset, Pushing Android into Mixed Reality.

The extended reality (XR) space is heating up, and Samsung is making its move. At Qualcomm's annual Snapdragon Summit, the company unveiled its highly anticipated mixed reality headset, known internally by the codename "Project Moohan." The device is the first to be built on Google's new Android XR platform, positioning it as a direct competitor to Apple's Vision Pro.

The unveiling signals a powerful new partnership between three industry giants: Samsung for hardware, Qualcomm for its XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, and Google for the foundational Android XR operating system. This strategic alliance aims to create a robust and open ecosystem that can challenge the walled gardens of Apple and Meta.

An XR Headset Designed for the Future of AI.

Powered by Qualcomm's most advanced XR chipset, the "Moohan" headset is built to handle the demanding processing required for on-device AI. It leverages deep integration with Google's Gemini AI, allowing the device to understand the user's real-world context through its cameras and microphones.

Reports suggest the headset will feature high-resolution micro-OLED displays and a suite of sensors for eye and hand tracking. Unlike the Apple Vision Pro, the "Moohan" is rumored to focus more heavily on voice as a primary input method, making it a truly hands-free experience.

Targeting the Prosumer Market.

While official pricing has not been disclosed, industry analysts speculate that Samsung's offering will be priced to undercut Apple's Vision Pro, likely falling between $1,800 and $2,900. This places it squarely in the prosumer category, offering a premium experience that goes beyond casual gaming but remains more accessible than the Vision Pro's entry price.

With an expected launch in late 2025, the "Moohan" headset is more than just a new gadget; it's the first tangible product from a unified Android XR ecosystem. It marks a critical step for Samsung and its partners in establishing a dominant presence in the nascent but rapidly growing mixed reality market.