Google is making a policy change to Android backups that adjusts what counts toward your Google Account storage.
Google is now emailing Android users about this change with the subject “New Android Backup Storage Policy & Controls.” For existing users, the change takes effect in 45 days.
Previously, Android backups would only count images and videos uploaded to Google Photos and MMS data toward your Google Account storage of 15 GB (free) or more with Google One (paid).
Starting July 7, all data types in Android backup settings are included. That now covers SMS messages (the actual text), call history, and device settings.
On average, Google says this should increase your backup size by about 40 MB. Not a huge number, but if you’re already hovering near your storage limit, it’s something to watch.
New controls
As part of this launch, Google is giving Android users more control. Per-app backup controls are rolling out, along with on/off toggles for SMS & MMS messages, Call history, and Device settings.
To find these: Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data on Pixel devices.
If you’ve been waiting for a compact Android gaming tablet that doesn’t compromise on power, your wait is almost over.
The Redmagic Astra 2 — launched in China as the Redmagic Gaming Tablet 5 Pro — is now confirmed for global markets with US pricing. It’s a sequel to one of our favorite compact-but-powerful Android gaming tablets, and like the first generation, it has a 9-inch AMOLED display, a fingerprint sensor, and a ton of power under the hood.
What you’re getting
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with liquid cooling for sustained gaming performance
- 9.06-inch AMOLED display at up to 185Hz
- 8,300 mAh battery with 75W charging through both USB-C ports simultaneously
- Android 16 with Redmagic’s gaming skin on top
Pricing starts at $699 for the 12GB/256GB model and $799 for the 16GB/512GB model. That’s cheaper than Lenovo’s latest Legion Tab.
The initial release kicks off in “mid-August” for those who manage to snag an early bird voucher, with a wide global release later in the month.
In mid-May, Google announced Gemini 3.5 Flash at I/O 2026 and said the Pro version would arrive in June. On stage, Google said it was “showing great improvements.” That deadline has passed with no update on when to expect it.
According to Bloomberg, Google is “taking time to try to improve Gemini 3.5 Pro’s capabilities, particularly in coding.” In late June, Google updated the data being used to train Gemini in an attempt to improve coding skills, but “the results were disappointing.” That timeline suggests development saw a reset between I/O and the missed launch.
The coding challenge at Google
Today’s report also offers insight into Google’s internal AI coding landscape. As of April, “75% of all new code at Google is now AI-generated and approved by engineers, up from 50% last fall.” That’s a staggering jump in less than a year.
But it’s not without friction. Some engineers at Google hold a more purist stance, believing that all important code should be human-written to adhere to Google standards. Engineers internally are also facing AI capacity restraints with tools, and an effort to “unite the company’s internal artificial intelligence coding tools” is underway.
When we’ll see Gemini 3.5 Pro remains the open question.
