Google is making big changes for its next Pixel 10 smartphone, set to launch with the Tensor G5 chip. Unlike before, where Google teamed up with Samsung to build its Tensor chips, this time they’re partnering with TSMC, a different chip-making company. To pull this off, Google is mixing some ready-made parts with its own designs, including a brand-new, fully custom camera processor (ISP).

In the past, Tensor chips were a blend of Google’s ideas and Samsung’s parts, built using Samsung’s tech alongside its Exynos chips. But with Tensor G5, Google is stepping away from Samsung and turning to TSMC. This shift means swapping out some pieces of the chip for new ones that fit TSMC’s process. According to a report from Android Authority, Google will keep some of its own upgraded designs—like the ones for AI tasks, sound, and memory—but it’s replacing other bits with off-the-shelf options.

Here’s what’s changing: the graphics part will switch from Arm Mali to Imagination Technologies DXT, the video system will move to Chips&Media WAVE677DV, and the display controller will now use VeriSilicon DC9000. The biggest highlight, though, is the camera processor. Google is ditching the Samsung version it tweaked before and building its own from scratch. This isn’t new for Google—they’ve made custom camera chips like the “Pixel Visual Core” for the Pixel 2 back in 2017 and the “Pixel Neural Core” for the Pixel 4, before switching gears with Tensor in 2021.

Other swaps include a new MediaTek modem instead of Samsung’s and different controllers for things like storage and power. For most people using the Pixel 10, these changes might not stand out day-to-day. Still, it’ll be worth watching to see if the new camera processor or other parts bring better photos, smoother performance, or maybe even some unexpected hiccups. Google’s move to TSMC and its own camera tech shows it’s aiming to take more control over what makes its Pixels tick.

Android phones come with a handy tool to record what’s on your screen. Normally, this works great for the phone itself, but if you hook your phone up to a bigger screen—like a monitor—it’s been tricky to capture what’s happening there. The built-in recorder just didn’t support external displays. Good news, though: Android 16 is bringing a fix for that.

I tried this out by plugging my Pixel phone, running Android 16 Beta 3, into a monitor. When I opened the screen recorder, I spotted a new choice in the menu: “Capture HDMI Display.” It wasn’t there when I unplugged the monitor—then it just showed the usual “Record one app” or “Record phone screen” options.

This new “Capture HDMI Display” feature let me record whatever was on the monitor, not the phone’s own screen. The video saved just like a regular phone recording, though the file name included a little tag with the monitor’s ID. It’s a small difference, but it helps you know which screen you captured. Still, there are a couple of catches.

For one, this only works with Android’s own recorder. If I used a third-party app to mirror my screen or tried casting it with the Cast option, the “Capture HDMI Display” choice disappeared. That’s a bummer because some apps could really use this trick. I hope Google opens it up more later.

This ties into something Android 15 started—taking screenshots of external screens. Since that update, the phone saves a separate picture for each connected display, tagged with its ID. Google’s also cooking up a Desktop View mode, so letting apps record or share external screens could make that even better.

In short, Android 16’s new feature is a step forward. It’s not perfect yet—third-party apps can’t join in, and I couldn’t trigger tools like Gemini or Circle to Search on the monitor. But for anyone who uses a bigger screen with their phone, it’s a nice upgrade worth trying out.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, just made its biggest purchase ever by snapping up Wiz, a New York cybersecurity company, for $32 billion. Wiz will join Google Cloud to strengthen its defenses. This comes after a failed attempt last year to buy Wiz for $23 billion.

Wiz, started in Israel, helps big names like Microsoft and Amazon keep their cloud systems safe. It was worth $12 billion in May 2024, jumping to $16 billion later that year when it offered shares to employees. The company had been gearing up for its first public stock sale before this deal. If approved, this purchase will top Google’s $12.5 billion buy of Motorola Mobility in 2012.

Wiz’s CEO, Assaf Rappaport, said in a blog, “Joining Google Cloud will speed up our work and help us create new solutions faster than we could alone.” Last year’s deal didn’t happen because Wiz’s team feared it might break competition rules, according to the Financial Times. This time, Alphabet and Wiz hope U.S. regulators, including the new Federal Trade Commission head Andrew Ferguson, will go easy. Still, Ferguson plans to keep a close eye on big tech, including an ongoing check on Microsoft.

To ease concerns, Google promises Wiz’s tools will still work on rival clouds like Amazon, Microsoft, and Oracle. Rappaport stressed, “Wiz must stay available to all cloud users.” Google Cloud will also sell other security options alongside Wiz’s offerings.

At a health event in New York, Google shared plans for new “open” AI tools called TxGemma to help discover drugs. Set to launch this month via Google’s Health AI program, these tools can read the regular text and understand chemicals and proteins. Google’s health chief, Karen DeSalvo, said, “Making new drugs takes time and money, so we’re teaming up with researchers to speed things up. TxGemma can answer questions to guess how safe or effective new treatments might be.”

Google also rolled out health upgrades for Search and Android, like better answers for health questions and new ways to manage medical records. These moves show Google’s push to grow in healthcare and secure its cloud services.

Source/Via/Via