Category: Technology

What you need to know

• A rumor on social media suggests Samsung’s foldable lineup could double in size with six phones in 2027.
• The company is allegedly preparing a TriFold 2, a Galaxy Z Fold 9 Pro, and a “Galaxy Z Slide.”
• At CES 2025, Samsung Display showed off two slidable phone concepts: the “Slidable Flex Duet” and “Slidable Flex Solo.”

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Samsung’s latest wave of foldables was incredibly popular. Okay, the Fold 8 took everything by storm, but that might not stop the company from doubling up on its offerings next year.

A rumor on X from tipster TheGalox claims Samsung is preparing for its “biggest foldable lineup ever” in 2027 (via 9to5Google). To start things off, TheGalox claims the Galaxy Z TriFold 2 could start Samsung’s huge foldable stampede in 2027. This would succeed the original Z TriFold, which Samsung stopped producing after three months. Elsewhere, the tipster claims the foldables we typically expect could expand.

A Creative Twist on Photo Messaging

A photo captures an event but a handwritten note can add character. A birthday message, a doodle, and a signature can help turn an ordinary picture into something personal. Strokara combines these concepts in the form of an Android application designed to let users draw on pictures and present the process in the form of a re-watched animation.

In this review, the functionalities of the application are considered in the way they have been advertised by the company rather than personal tests.

The app Strokara is available on Google Play and allows the user to draw anything on any picture and play back the drawing process in the same order, and speed. In the description, the app is said to be inspired by Samsung’s Live Message but still be an independent application.

The appeal of the application is easy to understand. A prepared message will provide the user with everything at once while an animated one allows seeing the process of creation. For example, a birthday photo can come to life as a handwritten message gradually appears, while a holiday picture can be enhanced with a drawing that reveals itself stroke by stroke.

Drawing Tools That Express Personality

The complete toolkit consists of 23 brush styles, configurable stroke widths, a color wheel and 19 different fonts. The user can also insert emojis and shapes that can be resized, rotated, and moved. The image processing functions include cutting, rotating and flipping.

Flexibility in creativity is very important because different tasks require different approaches. A simple handwritten note may work well with a family photograph while a colorful variant will work well for a party invitation or a holiday card.

A simple composition will often produce the best results. It is good to use a couple of simple strokes and a few words for the animation. Too much decorative filling will make the photo difficult to see.

An Additional Reason to Use Your S Pen

Strokara allows finger-drawn illustrations, but the distinctive feature is that with the help of an S Pen users will access the pressure sensitivity feature.

This is what makes the app attractive for Galaxy users who would like to get additional creative use of their pen. Writing naturally fits into this context: the action itself will be shown to the audience.

Finger input also contributes to popularity of the idea, since one does not have to create a work of art for animated cards: even a small message written by hand or a simple outline can be warmer than a complicated art work.

Sharing and Privacy

It is easy to share the resulting creation through MP4 or GIF options, or, better to say, it is better to send them via a chat in a messenger instead of signing up for a new platform.

As stated by the developer, Strokara is capable of working offline, has no advertisements, does not require any subscription and doesn’t gather personal user information. The price is currently $2.99 according to listings in Google Play. This is what the developers say and nobody has verified their claims.

The Final Verdict

Strokara is based on a simple premise: to add a personal touch to photo messages, allowing viewers to watch sketches and handwritten messages take shape. Its target audience includes casual hobbyists, users who enjoy adding a personal touch to their messages, and S Pen fanatics seeking for something interesting to do.

The responsiveness of the app, export quality and user efficiency still need testing; however, judging by the features that are already advertised, Strokara offers an attractive idea of introducing some creativity to the common pictures.

What you need to know

• YouTube is reportedly planning to launch audiobooks for its Premium subscribers.
• Audiobooks could arrive for the platform’s ad-free $16 subscription plan in 2027 if this goes without a hitch for Google/YouTube.
• YouTube would run into competition with the likes of Spotify (audiobooks arrived in 2023) and Audible.

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Audiobook-enjoyers might have something to celebrate on YouTube. There are rumors that the platform is looking to enter a new market for its Premium subscribers.

A post by the Wall Street Journal (paywalled) highlighted rumors that YouTube Premium could soon offer audiobooks in one of its subscription plans (via GSMArena). Supposedly, Google has been “talking with publishers” about bringing audiobooks onto the platform in 2027.

For decades, the unwritten rule of venture capital was that a firm doesn’t back two companies that compete head-on. But speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt earlier this week, the partners of Benchmark readily acknowledged that the AI boom is straining that rule.

It’s been on the verge of snapping for some time. The towering AI labs OpenAI and Anthropic share dozens of the same investors at this point. Then, at the end of September, Factory, a startup that builds an AI agent to write software, said it was firing board observer and adviser Chris Degnan for “unethical conduct involving Cognition,” its direct rival and the maker of the Devin coding agent. Factory’s CEO alleged Degnan had discussed a job at Cognition while privy to Factory’s board-level discussions. Degnan said he had already resigned and denied sharing anything confidential. Soon after, he announced he was joining Cognition as chief revenue officer. Powerhouse investor Vinod Khosla sided with Degnan on X, blasting Factory’s CEO and calling the company “a struggling second tier competitor.” Khosla Ventures backs both companies.

Even Benchmark, a firm whose reputation rests on 10-to-15-year partnerships with founders at the earliest stage, said the old rule can no longer be counted on. Asked at Disrupt whether the pact against backing rivals still holds as portfolio companies expand into each other’s territory, its partners described the conflicts as a matter of necessity, not preference.

“The harsh reality of this world is every company is evolving very quickly,” said Eric Vishria. Companies pivot and change, he said, and “you are going to get conflicts, and that’s just the reality of the current dynamic.”

Vishria said Benchmark stays committed to each founder and keeps what it learns confidential, and he downplayed how much a VC could pass along anyway: “We are not product or technology experts.” Seemingly referring to the Factory-Cognition dispute, he said Benchmark has been fortunate not to land in “that type of insane direct conflict.” Exclusivity, he said, remains “really important” at the very early stage Benchmark favors. “But things are evolving. There’s no doubt about that.”

Chetan Puttagunta said AI is accelerating the problem. As the cost of building software “effectively goes to zero,” he said, founders are “incredibly ambitious.” Because they now see a “surface area” and want to claim all of it, he continued, “[i]t’s probably going to happen more, where you start to run into each other.”

He drew a line between a direct competitor at the outset, which he called “an easy answer,” and a portfolio company that expands into another’s turf over time. “That happens,” he said.

Peter Fenton called the issue “kryptonite” and the firm’s toughest problem. He described a spectrum of how investors relate to their companies. At one end is the co-founder, who would never work on a competing company. At the other is the public-market stock picker, who can own several rivals because he is merely allocating capital, not shaping any of them. Benchmark sits nearer the co-founder end, Fenton said, and treats transparency as a golden rule. “There shouldn’t be the surprise after the fact.” If a conflict does emerge, a founder should never feel shortchanged, he added.

Benchmark isn’t declaring the pact dead. At the same time, when a firm that built its name on loyalty says conflicts are coming, founders might rightly wonder who else will be this candid.

That “storage almost full” notification always seems to hit at the worst possible moment, usually right when you’re trying to snap a photo or download something important. The fastest way to free up space on Android is to check your storage breakdown first, then clear cached data and duplicate files before you delete a single photo or app. That single move often recovers several gigabytes without touching anything you actually want to keep.

Most people jump straight to deleting apps or photos when their phone says it’s full, and that’s usually the wrong first move. Cache files, duplicate images, and old downloads tend to eat up far more room than most users realize, and clearing those out first can solve the problem before you lose anything meaningful. This guide walks through the cleanup steps in the order that gets you the most space for the least effort, starting with quick wins and moving into deeper options like cloud storage and factory resets for when your phone still feels cramped afterward.

Start with the Fastest Storage Wins

The quickest way to reclaim Android storage is to look at exactly what’s taking up space before deleting anything. Your phone’s built-in storage manager and a free app called Files by Google can both surface large files and duplicate photos in a few taps, often revealing gigabytes of junk you didn’t know existed.

How Do You Check Storage on Android?

Open Settings > Storage (on Samsung phones, it’s under Battery and Device Care > Storage). You’ll see a color-coded bar showing how much space apps, photos, videos, and system files each use.

This breakdown tells you where to focus. If videos dominate the chart, deleting a handful of old app cache won’t move the needle much. If “Other Apps” or system data looks unusually large, that’s often where cached files and leftover data pile up unnoticed.

Use Files by Google to Find Large Files and Duplicates

Files by Google is a free app built specifically for this kind of cleanup. It scans your device for large files, duplicate photos, blurry screenshots, and unused apps, then presents them in one organized list.

The “Clean” tab inside the app groups these suggestions by category, so you can review and approve deletions in batches rather than hunting file by file. Many users recover multiple gigabytes in a single pass on a phone that hasn’t been cleaned in months.

Empty Trash to Reclaim Space You’ve Already Cleared

Deleted files don’t always disappear right away. Google Photos, Files by Google, and several file managers hold deleted items in a trash folder for 30 to 60 days before permanent removal.

Check the trash or recycle bin in each app you use for photos and files. If you’ve already deleted a batch of large videos, emptying trash manually finishes the job instead of waiting weeks for it to clear on its own.

Remove Apps and App Data Safely

Uninstalling apps you no longer open and clearing cached data from the ones you keep both free up space without risking your files or logins. The two approaches solve different problems: uninstalling removes dead weight entirely, while clearing cache trims bloat from apps you still rely on.

Uninstall Apps You No Longer Use

Go to Settings > Apps and sort by size to spot the biggest space hogs. Games, streaming apps, and social media apps tend to grow larger over time as they accumulate cached media and offline content.

Long-press any app icon and select Uninstall, or remove several at once from the Apps list. If you’re not ready to commit to deleting an app permanently, some phones support archiving it instead, which removes the bulk of its storage footprint while keeping your data intact for a quick reinstall later.

Clear Cache Without Erasing App Data

Cached data speeds up apps by storing temporary files locally, but it builds up fast and rarely needs to stick around. Tap into any app’s info page and select Storage & Cache, then tap Clear Cache.

This step is safe. Clearing cache never touches your saved logins, game progress, or app settings, only temporary files the app can regenerate on its own.

Review Media Stored by Messaging Apps

WhatsApp, Telegram, and similar messaging apps auto-save every photo and video sent to you, and that folder grows quietly in the background. Open each app’s storage settings to review and clear old media you don’t need saved locally.

Many messaging apps also let you disable auto-download for media going forward, which stops the problem from recurring.

Make Room for Photos, Videos, and Downloads

Photos and videos are usually the biggest storage consumers on any Android phone, and backing them up before deleting local copies protects your memories while freeing serious space. Google Photos, Google Drive, and a microSD card each offer a different way to offload files without losing them.

Back Up Photos Before Removing Local Copies

Google Photos includes a storage management tool that flags blurry photos, screenshots, and large videos as candidates for removal. Once your library is backed up, you can free up space directly from the app, which removes local copies while keeping everything accessible in the cloud.

Confirm your backup status before deleting anything. The app shows a clear indicator when every photo and video on your device has synced.

Delete Unneeded Videos and Downloads

Videos take up disproportionate space compared to photos, often several hundred megabytes each. Screen recordings, duplicate takes, and old downloaded files from browsers or social apps are common culprits worth a quick review.

Check your Downloads folder specifically. PDFs, installer files, and shared documents accumulate there and rarely get cleaned out manually.

Move Files to Cloud Storage or a microSD Card

Google Drive works well for documents, backups, and files you access occasionally rather than daily. A microSD card, if your phone supports one, gives you physical expandable storage for photos, videos, and even some apps.

Cloud storage suits people who switch devices often or want files accessible from a computer. A microSD card suits anyone who prefers to keep everything on the device itself without relying on an internet connection to retrieve files.

Clear Offline Downloads and Stubborn Storage

Offline maps, downloaded music, and saved videos from streaming apps quietly consume gigabytes that don’t show up in a typical cleanup pass. These files live inside their own apps rather than a general downloads folder, so they need to be managed one app at a time.

Remove Offline Maps You No Longer Need

Google Maps and Waze both let users download map regions for offline use, and these files can run several hundred megabytes per region. Open the app’s offline maps section and delete regions you’re no longer visiting.

This step matters if you downloaded maps for a trip months ago and forgot to remove them afterward.

Manage Downloaded Music and Video in Their Apps

Spotify and YouTube Music both store offline downloads that count against your phone’s storage separately from your regular music library. Check each app’s downloads or offline content settings and remove albums, playlists, or videos you’ve already listened to or watched.

Streaming apps rarely warn you how much space downloaded content occupies, so a quick check here often surfaces a gigabyte or more.

When Should You Consider a Factory Reset?

A factory reset makes sense only after every other cleanup step has failed to free meaningful space, since it erases everything on the device. Back up photos, contacts, and files completely before starting a factory data reset from Settings > System > Reset Options.

Consider this option if your phone runs painfully slow despite a mostly empty storage bar, which can signal deeper system issues that cleanup alone won’t fix.

Keep Space Available Without Losing What Matters

Freeing up Android storage works best as a repeatable routine rather than a one-time fix. Checking your storage breakdown, clearing cache, reviewing large files, and backing up photos on a regular basis prevents the “storage full” warning from returning every few months.

Set a reminder to run Files by Google once a month, and turn on automatic backup in Google Photos so new photos never pile up unprotected. Small, consistent habits like these keep your phone responsive without requiring a dramatic cleanup session every time storage runs low.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I quickly free up storage on Android?

Open Files by Google and use its Clean tab to find large files, duplicate photos, and unused apps in one pass. Clearing app cache from Settings > Storage adds a fast second win, since it removes temporary files without affecting your saved data.

What takes up the most storage on an Android phone?

Photos and videos typically account for the largest share of storage on most phones, followed by app data and cached files. Messaging apps like WhatsApp also contribute heavily through auto-saved media that accumulates without you noticing.

Is Files by Google a free storage cleanup app?

Yes, Files by Google is a free app published by Google that scans your device for large files, duplicates, and unused apps. It requires no subscription and works on most Android phones running a supported version of the operating system.

What should I delete when my phone storage is full?

Start with app cache, duplicate photos, and old downloads, since these rarely hold anything irreplaceable. Move to unused apps and offline downloads from music or map apps next, saving photo and video deletion for last once everything important is backed up.

Will clearing an app’s cache delete my photos or settings?

No, clearing an app’s cache only removes temporary files the app uses to load faster. Your login information, saved progress, photos, and app settings all remain untouched during this process.

What you need to know

• YouTube Music is labeling AI-generated songs to help listeners identify AI involvement.
• YouTube combines partner disclosures with AI detection tools to identify tracks, even when creators leave disclosure fields blank.
• YouTube plans to bring AI labels to its main video platform, extending transparency beyond music streaming.

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YouTube Music is rolling out new labels that tell listeners when generative AI played a big part in making a song. The labels will appear directly on the music player, providing users a more transparent idea of what they are listening to without having to sift through descriptions or wonder if a track was created by a human artist or an AI model.

The feature covers music created largely with AI, including songs where generative models contribute both the composition and vocals. Tap a label, and a menu appears with more information about the song’s AI participation. YouTube says the labels will eventually reach its main video platform as well.

A missing Android phone feels like an emergency, but Google’s Find Hub is the fastest way to locate a lost Android phone, since it’s built into every Android device and lets you see its location, ring it, lock it, or erase it from a web browser or another phone in minutes. It works whether your phone slipped between couch cushions at home or went missing somewhere across town.

The tool comes preinstalled and switched on by default for most Android phones, so there’s a good chance it’s already working for you without any setup. Knowing how to use it, and what to do when it can’t find your phone right away, makes the difference between a five-minute recovery and a stressful, drawn-out search.

How Do You Locate Your Phone with Google Find Hub?

You can locate your phone by signing into Find Hub with the same Google account that’s on your missing device. The service shows a live map with your phone’s approximate position, along with options to play a sound, lock the screen, or wipe the data if recovery looks unlikely.

Sign in at android.com/find or Use Another Phone

Open android.com/find in any browser and sign in with your Google account. If you have access to another Android phone, the Find Hub app gives you the same controls, and adding a guest account is possible if the second phone belongs to someone else.

Check the Map and the Time of the Location Update

The map pin shows where your phone last reported its position, along with a timestamp. A location from two minutes ago is far more useful than one from six hours ago, so glance at that detail first before you head out the door.

Make a Nearby Phone Ring

If you suspect the phone is somewhere in your home or car, the “Play Sound” option makes it ring at full volume for five minutes, even if it’s set to silent. This trick has saved more searches under couch cushions and car seats than any map ever could.

What If Your Phone Is Offline or Turned Off?

A phone with no signal or battery isn’t invisible; Find Hub can still show its last known location and, for some devices, keep tracking it for a short while after it powers down. The details depend on your phone model and what you enabled beforehand.

Check Its Last Known Location

Find Hub stores the most recent location your phone reported before it went dark. That last known location is often your best clue, especially if it places the phone at a specific address or business rather than a vague area.

Understand When Offline Finding Can Help

Android’s offline finding network uses nearby Android devices to detect your phone over Bluetooth, even without Wi-Fi or cellular service. On supported devices, including the Pixel 8 series, this network can keep reporting a location for several hours after the phone loses power, since a small reserve of battery keeps Bluetooth active briefly after shutdown.

Check Which Settings Must Be Enabled in Advance

Offline finding and location reporting need to be turned on before a phone goes missing. Check your device’s Find Hub settings now: location sharing, offline finding, and network participation should all be active so you’re not troubleshooting them during an actual emergency.

How Do You Protect a Lost or Stolen Phone?

Securing a lost phone matters more than finding it the instant it goes missing. Locking the screen and marking the device as lost through Find Hub blocks access to your apps, notifications, and payment cards right away, even before you know exactly where the phone is.

Lock It and Add a Contact Message

Marking your device as lost through Find Hub locks the screen and displays a custom message with an alternate phone number, so an honest finder can reach you without unlocking anything. This step also disables features like tap-to-pay so a thief can’t use stored cards.

Secure Your Accounts, Payments, and Mobile Service

Change passwords for your email and financial accounts, especially any that don’t use two-factor authentication tied to a separate device. Contact your mobile carrier too, since suspending service prevents unauthorized calls, texts, or data use on your line.

Erase It Only When Recovery Is Unlikely

A factory reset through Find Hub wipes personal data but also ends your ability to track the phone afterward. Save this step for situations where getting the phone back looks doubtful and protecting your data matters more than recovery.

What Else Can You Try If Find Hub Cannot Locate It?

Samsung owners have a second tool worth checking, and a bit of old-fashioned detective work still helps when Find Hub comes up empty. Between Samsung’s own Find app and your phone carrier’s records, there are a few more avenues before giving up.

Check Samsung’s Finding Tools If You Have a Galaxy Phone

Galaxy phones include Samsung Find, a separate service with its own map, ring, and lock features that sometimes picks up a location Find Hub misses. Sign in at Samsung’s Find website with your Samsung account to check it, since Samsung’s tool taps into a different device network alongside Google’s.

Retrace Your Steps and Contact Your Carrier

Think through your last few hours and check your Google Maps Timeline or location history for a trail of where you’ve been. If the phone still doesn’t turn up, call your carrier and report it lost or stolen, and have your IMEI number ready. Carriers can blacklist that IMEI so the phone becomes unusable on their network even if someone else tries to activate it.

Give Yourself the Best Chance of Getting It Back

A lost Android phone is usually recoverable when you act fast and have the right settings switched on ahead of time. Sign into Find Hub as soon as you notice it’s missing, check the timestamp on its last location, and use the ring feature if you think it’s close by.

If the phone appears offline, don’t assume it’s gone. The last known location and offline finding network still give you a real shot at tracking it down for hours after it loses power.

Lock the device and change your passwords before worrying about getting it back. Protecting your accounts and payment methods costs you nothing and takes only a couple of minutes, while a factory reset should wait until recovery looks unlikely. Keep your IMEI number written down somewhere separate from your phone, since your carrier will ask for it the moment you report a lost or stolen device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find my lost Android phone for free?

Yes, Find Hub is a free service included with every Google account on an Android device. There’s no subscription or app purchase required to locate, ring, lock, or erase your phone.

Can I find my Android phone using my Gmail account?

Yes, since your Gmail address is tied to the Google account that Find Hub uses to identify your device. Sign into android.com/find with that same Gmail account and password to see your phone’s location and available options.

Can I find my lost Android phone if it’s turned off?

You can often still see its last known location before it powered down. Supported phones, including the Pixel 8 series, can also report a location for several hours after shutdown through the offline finding network, provided that feature was enabled beforehand.

How do I locate my Android phone from another phone?

Open the Find Hub app on the other phone and sign in as a guest with your Google account, or use that phone’s browser to visit android.com/find. Either method shows the same map, ring, lock, and erase options you’d get on a computer.

How do I locate a lost Samsung Galaxy phone?

Try Google Find Hub first, then check Samsung Find as a second option, since Galaxy phones support both services. Sign into Samsung Find with your Samsung account for a map view, ring feature, and remote lock that works alongside Google’s tools.