Droid Life

Blog

  • Google Shows Off Pixel 10a Because It’s Done With Leaks

    Google Shows Off Pixel 10a Because It’s Done With Leaks

    The Pixel 10a will launch February 18, and that’s official news from Google.

    As the leaks continue to pile up, Google has done something it often ends up doing because it can’t keep anything secret – it just out-of-nowhere announced the Pixel 10a. Yes, the Pixel 10a is official, although we don’t have all of the details for it yet.

    Pixel 10a Official Color

    In a short teaser on YouTube with an accompanying Google Store sign-up page (here), Google says the Pixel 10a is coming February 18. You’ll be able to pre-order then. The teaser also suggests the Pixel 10a is “a phone with more in store,” which could be a message related to everything in the world thinking there isn’t a single upgrade in this phone over the Pixel 9a.

    Will there be some sort of magical secret upgrade that we just don’t know about? I have my doubts, but let’s hear what Google has to say.

  • Google Pixel Watch Update Schedule: When Do Updates Stop?

    Google Pixel Watch Update Schedule: When Do Updates Stop?

    We closely follow the schedule of Google Pixel device updates, letting you know quicker than anyone when those updates are rolling out and when your Pixel device might stop receiving them. While the majority of our focus there over the years has been on Pixel phones, we thought a special place for Pixel Watch updates might come in hand as Google’s line of smartwatches inches towards its first end-of-life moment.

    Unlike Pixel phones, the Pixel Watch line doesn’t receive 7 years of updates and instead is limited to just 3 years. That 3-year countdown kicks off “when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US,” so depending on your watch, you may have years of support left or the end may be very near.

    For the original Pixel Watch, Google set October 2025 as the end of the line. They have not yet confirmed that the Pixel Watch 1 is done, but they did just issue an October update that could be its last. For the rest of the Pixel Watch line-up (2, 3, and 4), we still have months or years to go before they are cut off.

    Pixel Watch update schedule

    • Pixel Watch 4: October 2028
    • Pixel Watch 3: October 2027
    • Pixel Watch 2: October 2026
    • Pixel Watch 1: October 2025

    To update your Pixel Watch, you can head into the watch, open Settings>System>System updates to see if a build is available. You can also try this old tapping trick to force an update to download and install.

  • Here’s the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Olympic Edition That Samsung is Gifting Every Athlete

    Here’s the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Olympic Edition That Samsung is Gifting Every Athlete

    One of the sweet perks of being an Olympian is the swag. Swag this year for the Winter Olympics in Italy includes a free Galaxy Z Flip 7 Olympic Edition, which we must say looks pretty sharp. And for the price of free? We doubt any athletes will complain.

    Samsung says a total of nearly 3,800 athletes (both Olympians and Paralympians) representing about 90 countries will receive the device. Inside, the company has baked in some software goods, such as a Winter Games–themed wallpaper created specifically for Milano Cortina 2026, a Galaxy Athlete Card for exchanging profiles and following other athletes, pre-installed fitness applications, and more.

    The only silly part is the introduction of the Victory Selfie for the Winter Games.

    The Olympic Edition will be incorporated into official podium moments via the Victory Selfie, which is making its Winter Olympics debut at Milano Cortina 2026. For the first time, it will expand to team sport competitions at Olympic Games so that all participating athletes can document their moment of victory through their own lens.

    We’re sure Samsung is likely paying a pretty penny for that, but hey, free phones for athletes so that’s cool.

    We wish the absolute best to all of the athletes this year. USA!

    // Samsung

  • Google Gets Search, AI Mode Ready for Winter Olympics

    Google Gets Search, AI Mode Ready for Winter Olympics

    Winter Olympics are set to begin shortly, and with that, Google is preparing its Google Search platform and AI Mode (Gemini) ready with a suite of features to ensure you don’t miss any of the action from Italy.

    Google is making it very easy to track upcoming events, results, as well as medal counts. And if you’re attempting to watch events live, Google will also display prominently where viewers can do so from the US. “When you search for a country, sport, athlete or the Games in general, you’ll see up-to-the-minute schedules, results, medal counts, video highlights and recaps from official broadcasters,” Google detailed. Google also hints at hidden surprises throughout Search for those who go looking.

    With AI Mode, powered by Gemini, users can ask questions about the Games. For example, what’s up with the brooms in curling? How is figure skating judged? Any sort of Olympics-related question you might have, Gemini is prepared to answer.

    And for anyone who might be attending the Games in person, Google highlights Google Maps and Waze, with updated road closures and transit schedules directly inside of the apps. Google is trying to make your trip just a tad bit less stressful, which seems nice.

    USA! USA!

    // Google

  • 2026 February Pixel Update Available for Your Pixel Phone

    2026 February Pixel Update Available for Your Pixel Phone

    Google Pixel February 2026 update now available for download on the Pixel 7a up through the Pixel 10 series.

    The February Pixel update is now available for your Pixel devices. Google pushed the update this morning with several builds that are specific to a variety of regions as well as some carriers. If you own a Pixel 7a, Pixel 8 series, Pixel 9 series, Pixel 10 series, or the original Pixel Fold or Pixel Tablet, you have an update available.

    This fresh update for Pixel devices is minor, according to the changelog. In fact, Google didn’t even list any bug fixes and instead simply said it “addresses all security issues in this month’s Pixel Update Bulletin.” While the January Pixel update fixed a number of issues, Google must be saving up its energy for the March update that should be a quarterly build.

    Below, you’ll find the build numbers that are specific to you. Factory image and OTA files should already be available if you’d like to manually update or you can simply check for over-the-air updates starting now.

    Wondering where updates are for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro? We believe Google has moved them to a quarterly update schedule. For the full recap on those devices, read this post.

    Global
      • Pixel 7a:                 BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel Tablet:          BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel Fold:             BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 8:                   BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 8 Pro:            BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 8a:                 BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 9:                   BP4A.260205.002
      • Pixel 9 Pro:            BP4A.260205.002
      • Pixel 9 Pro XL:       BP4A.260205.002
      • Pixel 9 Pro Fold:    BP4A.260205.002
      • Pixel 9a:                  BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 10:                  BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 10 Pro:           BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 10 Pro XL:      BP4A.260205.001
      • Pixel 10 Pro Fold:   BP4A.260205.001
    EMEA
      • Pixel 9:                     BP4A.260205.002.A1
      • Pixel 9 Pro:              BP4A.260205.002.A1
      • Pixel 9 Pro XL:        BP4A.260205.002.A1
      • Pixel 9 Pro Fold:     BP4A.260205.002.A1
      • Pixel 10:                   BP4A.260205.001.A1
      • Pixel 10 Pro:            BP4A.260205.001.A1
      • Pixel 10 Pro XL:      BP4A.260205.001.A1
      • Pixel 10 Pro Fold:   BP4A.260205.001.A1
    Japan
      • Pixel 9a:                  BP4A.260205.001.C1
      • Pixel 10:                  BP4A.260205.001.C1
      • Pixel 10 Pro:           BP4A.260205.001.C1
      • Pixel 10 Pro XL:      BP4A.260205.001.C1
      • Pixel 10 Pro Fold:   BP4A.260205.001.C1
    Verizon
      • Pixel 9a:                  BP4A.260205.001.B1

    Again, Google (and its carrier partners like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T) will begin pushing these updates over-the-air shortly (Settings>System>Software updates>System update), but if you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, you will soon find each factory image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go.

  • Galaxy S22 Reaches Final Year of Updates With Change to Quarterly Schedule

    Galaxy S22 Reaches Final Year of Updates With Change to Quarterly Schedule

    The Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra are in their final year of updates, now only receiving security patches on a quarterly schedule as of February 2026.

    When the Galaxy S22 series was introduced in 2022, Samsung promised 4 years of OS updates and a full 5 years of security updates. We’ve reached the 4-year mark on that support, so Samsung did the expected and has reduced the update cadence for the S22 models to quarterly. For those new to Samsung updates, they almost always drop phones from monthly security updates to quarterly in their final year of updates.

    The switch happened last night, just as they were removing the Galaxy S21 series from update support. That’s right, as the Galaxy S22 series dropped to quarterly updates, the Galaxy S21 has been officially cutoff as it reached the 5-year update mark.

    Owners of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22, now is the time to start considering what may be your next phone. While you still have a handful of updates ahead of you, these will only come every few months and will lack meaningful new features. Your phones are basically on life support going forward.

    If you need a deal, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is $250 off at the moment.

  • More Victories for T-Mobile in Latest Speedtest Report

    More Victories for T-Mobile in Latest Speedtest Report

    A Speedtest Connectivity report that compiled data from July through December, 2025 has been published by Ookla. The results? More of the same, which is a single carrier taking home nearly all of the awards, similar to what we may see from the Oscars this year. If you follow these specific reports, you’ll know that it’s T-Mobile who has been cleaning up quite nicely.

    From the report for 2H 2025, we can gather that not much has changed. T-Mobile has been named Best Mobile Network overall, plus has been granted Best 5G Network among the big three. T-Mobile recorded a median 5G download speed of 309Mbps and upload speed of 14Mbps. By comparison, Verizon came in second with a median download speed of 214Mbps.

    While T-Mobile can claim best overall network and best 5G network, which is going to provide plenty of fuel to the company’s marketing team, Verizon was awarded Best Mobile Coverage by a healthy margin. Verizon walked away with a coverage score of 30%, while T-Mobile came in at 23.9%. Digging into how Ookla scores that, its fine print states that the company’s Coverage Score, “reflects the spatial extent of a providers verified coverage.”

    Consumer Sentiment also seems like an important category. T-Mobile ranked highest at 3.7 stars out of 5, while Verizon brought in 3.2 stars and AT&T came in lowest at 2.9 stars. Looking over all of the different categories (there are eight in total), AT&T walked away with no wins with exception to its Fiber network. AT&T Fiber was the “Best and Fastest ISP” in the US during 2H 2025, according to Ookla.

    For the full report, follow the link below.

    // Ookla

  • Samsung Galaxy 21 is Done Receiving Updates

    Samsung Galaxy 21 is Done Receiving Updates

    Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series has received its final updates and is no longer scheduled to receive further updates as of February 2026.

    In a move that was not unexpected, Samsung has pulled the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra from its currently-supported list of devices. With this removal, Samsung is saying that it no longer has plans to issue updates to the Galaxy S21 series as of February 3, 2026.

    We knew this was coming because Samsung dropped the Galaxy S21 series to a quarterly update schedule last year. Typically, when we see devices drop from monthly to quarterly updates, they have 1 year remaining of support. We’ve now reached that point.

    The Galaxy S21 series originally launched in January 2021, so this puts us at a full 5 years of support. Do keep in mind that Samsung originally only promised 4 years of security patches, but later extended it to 5 years and then met that commitment. Samsung did continue updating these phones until the very last minute too. We saw new builds arrive days ago with the January security patch on Verizon.