Spotify is raising prices for . The company just said that Premium subscribers throughout the world will be receiving an email within the next month that outlines the increase.
It hasn’t announced which countries will be impacted, but did say that the areas include South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. That’s most of the world.
The company didn’t provide specific details regarding the price increase, but did post a sample email in a blog post that showed an uptick of around $1 per month. The email notes an increase from €10.99 to €11.99 in an unspecified country. In American dollars, the new cost shakes out to around $13.90. The price for American consumers is still $12 per month.
Spotify
Spotify announced this news after a disappointing earnings report in which it missed revenue expectations. This caused the stock to and for CEO Daniel Ek to announce that he’s “unhappy” with the company’s current performance.
The Verge and found that some countries have already experienced a recent price increase. The new subscription cost has already been applied to users in Spain, Italy and Portugal.
Ek has been branching away from the music and podcast streaming business in recent months. He recently in a defense startup called Helsing.
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Massive $500 price drop hits unlocked Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold at Amazon today, more from $399
As we ramp to the big Google Pixel 10 showcase and official reveal later this month, deals on the current-generation gear are in full force. Alongside the ongoing Pixel Watch 3 discounts and the new Amazon all-time low we featured over the weekend on the Pixel 9a at $100 off, the flagship Pixel 9 smartphones are also seeing some solid discounts and one of the more notable of the bunch is the 512GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold at $500 off via Amazon.
While perhaps a more niche option, folks looking to land what is, at least for now, the latest and greatest in Google foldable smartphone tech can do so with a giant price drop courtesy of Amazon.
This is a regularly $1,919 configuration with the 2x storage capacity. It dropped to $1,519 for Prime Day at the top of last month but Amazon is now offering brand new unlocked units down at $1,419 shipped.
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Previous to day, this model almost never ever dropped below $1,619 at Amazon. Today’s offer is, in fact, only the second time we have ever seen it with a straight up $500 price drop on Amazon and the first time was way back in March (that deal only last for a few hours too).
Amazon now offering unlocked Pixel 9/Pro models at $200 off, 9 Pro Fold 512GB $500 off
As expected ahead of this month’s official Pixel 10 reveal event, deals are starting to land across the soon-to-be previous-generation Pixel 9 lineup. Folks not looking to pay something much closer to full price for the new 10 models (we will, of course, be doing our best to uncover some savings opportunities there), can save hundreds on a brand-new unlocked Pixel 9 right now courtesy of Amazon. Details below.
Google Pixel 9 deals:
As you can see from the list above, there are now deals live across the lineup, from the most affordable 2025 9a right through to the higher-end 9 Pro Fold.
We already highlighted the $100 price drop now live on the 9a – this deal lands to undercut this year’s Prime Day price for the lowest we have tracked on Amazon.
While the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro models are not quite as low as we tracked for Prime Day early last month, there are still some solid $200 price drops live here with plenty of color options across most storage capacity tiers.
The new 10 series is slated for an official launch in just over two week’s time now, so folks interested in Google’s latest and greatest will want to hold off until then. But chances are you’re going to be paying a whole lot more for those than the deals we have on tap for the Pixel 9 lineup here right now. The 9a isn’t likely to get replaced until next year if the last generational cycle is any indication, and the flagship models in the lineup will remain compelling Android handsets experiences even after the 10 arrives, especially if you can land one at a discount like we have here today.
Lenovo’s 2025 Legion Tab Gen 3 is like Android’s iPad Mini, and it’s now down to its lowest price at $418
As part of its Back to School sale, Lenovo is offering its 2025 Legion Tab Gen 3 for $417.99 shipped. Don’t forget to enter promo code EXTRAFIVE during checkout to see the discounted price. This tablet originally launched at $500 earlier this year, but its price quickly jumped up to $550 shortly after its release. Today’s deal as part of the brand’s ongoing Back to School sale shaves $132 off its usual going rate, marking the lowest price we have tracked for it outside the brand’s EDU and other offers targeted at teachers, health professionals, and more. This is among the best Android tablets you can buy right now in this price range, and you can learn more about it in detail below.
The Legion Tab Gen 3 model discounted today, as highlighted in our launch coverage, is the brand’s first Android gaming tablet to land on the US market. It sports an 8.8-inch 2.5K LCD panel with 2560×1600 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support, and more. Under the hood, the Legion Tab is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. It also features a 6,550mAh battery with two USB-C ports and 45W charging, as well as several other notable highlights, including a compact form factor similar to Apple’s iPad Mini, an included glass screen protector, and more. Be sure to check out our hands-on review to learn more about this tablet in detail.
Folks looking for offers on tablets can also check out our exclusive offer on the 13-inch M2 iPad Air model that drops it down to $650. You get the Wi-Fi + cellular model for this price, which typically goes for $949.
Today’s accessories and charging deals:
Unlocked Motorola Razr+ 2025 hits Amazon low today at $150 off the list price
Today’s deal is the second-best price we have tracked, having only ever been beaten out by a one-day offer at Best Buy for $50 less a couple months back now.
The latest Razr+ lands right down the middle of the 2025 releases, both in terms of price and performance while remaining largely unchanged from last year’s model – it carries a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as well as a 6.9-inch 165Hz inner display and a 4-inch panel on the outside, just with the new IP48 dust and water resistance in place.
Get a closer look at how the new 2025 Razr and Razr+ stack up in our launch coverage from April right here. And you’ll find additional details on the latest discounts we have been tracking on the other models below:
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A Framingham man was summoned in connection with driving fast on a dirt bike on a New Hampshire trail, when he was thrown off the bike, hurt and hospitalized, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said on Monday.
hospitalized after he was thrown off a dirt bike while riding along a trail in Berlin, New Hampshire on Saturday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said.
At around 10:50 a.m., Jacob Shapiro, 23, was with three other people while they rode the Yamaha Connector Trail in Berlin, Fish and Game said in a statement released on Monday. Shapiro lost control of his bike after he struck a bumpy ledge along a straightened part of the trail and he was thrown off.
Shapiro’s friends provided aid, and one called 911 for help, the statement read.
Berlin police, firefighters and a Berlin Fire Department ambulance, along with Fish and Game conservation officers, responded by using a UTV to get to Shapiro, the department stated. An ambulance took Shapiro to Androscoggin Valley Hospital for treatment.
An investigation into the crash found that the “primary factor in the crash to have been associated with excessive speed for the existing trail conditions,” the department stated. Shapiro was summoned for operating an off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) at an unreasonable speed.
“Conservation officers would like to use this incident to remind OHRV enthusiasts to always operate cautiously throughout the varying terrain present on OHRV trails, especially in the dusty trail conditions currently present,” the department’s statement concluded.
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Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation has agreed to buy Blade Air Mobility’s helicopter ride-share business for as much as $125 million.
Joby is buying the Blade brand and the company’s passenger business, which includes operations in the United States and Europe. Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal will continue to lead the business, which will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Joby.
Blade’s medical division, which transports organs, isn’t included in the transaction and will remain a separate company.
The deal gives Joby instant access to a network of 12 terminals in key markets like New York City — notably, a dedicated lounge as well as terminal bases at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty Airport, the West Side of Manhattan, the East Side of Manhattan, and Wall Street.
Blade, founded in 2014, doesn’t own a fleet of aircraft. Instead, the company has developed a digital network that allows passengers to book private rides on helicopters across several short-hop routes. The service has grown in popularity as well-heeled customers seek out ways to avoid traffic on their commutes from the suburbs into Manhattan, or to The Hamptons for weekends and holidays. The company, which also offers access to routes from Nice, France, to Monaco and Saint-Tropez, flew more than 50,000 passengers in 2024.
Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt described the deal as a “strategically important” acquisition that will support its launch of its commercial operations in Dubai and subsequent global rollout. The company said it will integrate its software, which is designed to manage air taxi operations, into Blade’s passenger service.
Joby, founded in 2009 by Bevirt, has been working for more than a decade to develop, certify and produce an electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial taxi service in cities. (The company is also pursuing a separate defense-related business.) Eventually, the branded Blade service will use electric air taxis, not helicopters in its service, according to the companies.
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Toyota-backed Joby went public in 2021 through a merger with Reinvent Technology Partners, a special purpose acquisition company backed by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus.
Under terms of the agreement, Joby is holding back $35 million of the purchase price, which will be released if Blade hits certain performance milestones and retains certain key employees.
The Switch 2 Pro controller is the best controller Nintendo has ever made – and that’s saying something. It’s incredibly comfortable to hold, its joysticks are buttery smooth, and all of its buttons are wonderfully responsive. Nintendo even made it customizable this time with rear buttons that can easily be mapped inside of any game.
The only downside? The Switch 2 Pro Controller costs $85, which seems a bit egregious when you can get an excellent controller like 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 wireless gamepad for $60. As good as the competition is, though, you won’t find anything that can be easily configured directly from within the Switch 2’s user interface.
Despite the high cost, the Switch 2 Pro controller seriously elevated my Mario Kart World experience. My hands often feel cramped when I play that game with the Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 controllers for too long. But there’s none of that with the Switch 2 Pro controller. I was able to race for an hour without any discomfort, and I also noticed that it was easier for me to pull off the game’s tricky jump maneuvers and rail sliding.
The Switch 2 Pro controller is also seriously helpful with fighting games, thanks to its smooth and accurate directional pad. It acquits itself to most genres easily, though it would have been nice to see analog triggers for more precise control in serious racing games. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter
As we near the launch of Pixel 10, I’m getting some déjà vu with Google’s new devices, as the company has been pushing forward with its flagship phones for the betterment of the entire Android ecosystem, rather than just its own benefit. Sound familiar?
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Back before we had the Google Pixel lineup, each year would deliver a new Nexus phone. Google produced these devices for a handful of reasons. It started largely as a way for Google to provide a device for developers to make Android apps on, but it morphed into being the place where Google would help break in new ideas for Android as a whole. Essentially, these devices would set the standard. Some examples that come straight to mind include Nexus phones being among the first to adopt USB-C, standardize fingerprint sensors, introduce new features like Seamless Updates, and help bring computational photography into the limelight.
When Google moved over to Pixel as its device, the goalposts shifted a bit.
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Pixel wasn’t aimed at developers or meant to be a poster child for features, it was meant to be a device for consumers, a device that provided the experience that Google wanted to deliver through every element. In many ways, the series has let the goals of Nexus live on, but it’s clear that Google has been pretty happy doing its own thing (see Tensor) while allowing its partners to take the wheel, so to say. More recently, though, it really seems like Google is once again trying to set the standard for Android, and doing so through Pixel.
The first instance of this came with the Pixel 8 series. The bombshell announcement of Google promising “at least” 7 years of both security and major Android OS upgrades was important. Not only was Google setting itself apart, but it was outdoing Apple. In the time since, we’ve seen the entire Android industry make moves around this new standard. Samsung matched Google’s policy (almost immediately, no less), and many other brands have stepped up to deliver far longer update policies than they used to. There are still plenty of brands with underwhelming software support, but Google’s move did a lot of good for Android as a whole.
I’m hoping Pixel 10 is the next step in that regard.
The Qi2 standard has been messy, to say the least, with only a single Android phone having adopted the standard – 2024’s HMD Skyline – but even HMD seems to care a little less about its phones nowadays. Samsung half-heartedly adopted Qi2, but the “Qi2 Ready” program is mainly an excuse to skip building magnets directly into a device. It’s a good thing to exist, definitely. So many case makers were already throwing magnets into their cases, and “Qi2 Ready” gives that some standardization (though it’s not marketed well at all). But on the other hands, it lets Android manufacturers ignore and/or weaken a standard that brings a hallmark feature of modern iPhones to the masses, and a feature that people clearly enjoy.
Google is stepping up to the plate with Pixel 10 and properly adding Qi2 support, or at least that’s what recent leaks spell out. That’s a big deal. For customers, because Google seems like it’s building out a whole ecosystem in “Pixelsnap” as our team discusses on the latest Pixelated episode, but also for Android as a whole.
With a major name in this industry – if a small one by sales numbers – adopting proper Qi2 support, every Android manufacturer now has a real reason to add support. It’s no longer about matching/copying the iPhone, it’s about keeping up with their direct competition.
The update situation matters far more in the broad scheme of things, but the arrival of Qi2 continues on a similar effort.
What do you think?
This Week’s Top Stories
Of course, there were more Pixel leaks
Pixel 10 prices, Pixel Watch 4 details, the first look at Pixel Buds 2a, this week has had it all. Are there any mysteries left?
Android Auto and Google Phone get a splash of Material
Google has started widely rolling out updates this week that deliver new Material updates for Android Auto and the Phone app on Pixel. In the car, you’ll see a splash of color that matches your phone while, on Phone, a full Material 3 Expressive redesign has arrived, at least for beta users.
One person found unconsciousness and unresponsive after a car crash on I-93 south in Medford early Sunday morning, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Around 5:50 a.m., state troopers responded to a crash on the highway in which one person was ejected from the vehicle, Massachusetts State Police said in an email. Three people were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital following the crash.
Collision and crime scene detectives are investigating the crash. No further information has been released.
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This team — reportedly called Answers, Knowledge, and Information — is working to build an “answer engine” that can respond to questions using information from across the web. This could be a standalone app or provide search capabilities in Siri, Safari, and other Apple products.
Gurman also notes that Apple is advertising for jobs with this team, specifically looking for applicants who have experience with search algorithms and engine development.
The official channel is continuing its with another classic: Pokémon the Movie 2000. The entire movie is available to watch now for free, for a limited time. It follows Pokémon: The First Movie, which was temporarily released on the channel in July, and next up will be Pokémon 3: The Movie. I have distinct memories of seeing these movies in theaters, so the nostalgia is hitting pretty hard right about now.
In case you need a little refresher on where the second Pokémon movie picks up:
In the Orange Islands, far south of Kanto, a Trainer named Lawrence is on a sinister quest: catching Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, the three Legendary bird Pokémon, in an attempt to awaken Lugia, guardian of the sea! When Ash and friends arrive, the islanders ask him to gather three elemental orbs from different islands—and when the weather across the world goes out of control, this task takes on a new importance, as the capture of the Legendary trio has thrown the environment out of balance! With Lugia’s help, can Ash be the “chosen one” that everyone turns to?
It’s not clear how long the movie will stay up on the YouTube channel — The First Movie has already been taken down after its brief run — so if you’re interested, you should probably get to it sooner rather than later.
Like most Google apps, Messages A/B tests many features. However, it takes the RCS/SMS client a rather long time to actually launch these capabilities in stable even after they are announced. From various reports, Google itself, and devices we’ve checked, this is the current state of Messages.
Update 8/3:
Still rolling out (beta)
These are Messages features that Google announced or have been spotted in the wild by beta users.
[New] M3E contact details page
A small tweak sees the Call, Video, Contact info, and Search buttons become pills. In comparison, the previous circles were under-sized.
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[New] Wear OS app redesign
Ahead of the big Wear OS 6 redesign on the Pixel Watch, Google Messages is getting modernized. The changes are subtle, with the homescreen barely changing save for the bolder “Start chat” at the top. There’s also a new keypad.
The conversation view sees the bulk of updates with emoji, microphone, and keyboard now pills placed inside a container. The suggested replies (Yes, No, OK) are grouped together instead of being standalone buttons. This redesign is using the new read receipts.
MLS encryption
Universal Profile 3.0 adds support for the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol that makes possible cross-platform (Android-iOS) RCS that is end-to-end encrypted (E2EE).
You can check whether this is live for a conversation by long-pressing on a message and opening the redesigned Details page. The portion relevant to MLS is the “Encryption Protocol” section. Value “0” is the existing E2EE, while value “1” is the upcoming approach.
Standalone gallery
Google is addressing a complaint about the fullscreen camera and gallery redesign introduced in June by letting users access the latter separately. You can open the ‘plus’ menu for a new “Gallery” grid that takes up the entire screen. “Camera” opens the existing combined interface.
The shortcut at the end of the text box will presumably remain unchanged as the default.
Material 3 Expressive redesign
The chat interface is now its own container with rounded corners at the top. Google has removed the bubbly backgrounds for solid colors. The ‘plus’ menu is its own container with larger pills that lack any background color.
Old vs. new
The Emoji, GIFs, Stickers, and Photomoji pickers make use of connected button groups, with that row and the search bar flipped. As such, you don’t have back-to-back text fields.
The “Search messages” page has been redesigned with heavy use of containers.
That’s also the case in the “New chat” contacts list.
Google has revamped how images appear in a thread, with photos sent at the same time now grouped together. The fullscreen image viewer has also been redesigned with a blurred background and preview of the last and next image, while you can react from the new bottom row.
Finally, the Settings page also gets Material 3 Expressive.
Sensitive Content Warnings
This safety feature blurs images “that may contain nudity” with the ability to delete them before viewing. It also reminds “users of the risks of sending nude imagery and preventing accidental shares” before they send or forward something that may contain nudity.
Sensitive Content Warnings work on-device (via Android System SafetyCore), with no “classified content or results” sent to Google. Those over 18 can optionally enable it from Messages Settings > Protection & Safety > Manage sensitive content warnings.
Read receipts redesign
Following the last redesign in early 2023, another revamp places read receipts in a circle at the bottom-right corner of message bubbles (and images).You swipe left to see all timestamps and the end-to-end encryption status, while you swipe left to reply/quote a message. This started rolling out in August 2024, with more people receiving it in November.
Ellipsis
Sending
Single check with ring
Sent
Double check with ring
Delivered
Double check solid circle
Read
In January 2025, Google tweaked the design to make the circular background white. In no longer matching the bubble color, the read receipts stand out a great deal more.
L-R: Current, redesign, latest
Dual SIM RCS support
More than one SIM card will appear as “Connected” in Settings > RCS chats. This will aid international RCS adoption. It started rolling out in January 2024 but was later pulled, with more reports this August. As of late October, many more people — including in the US and physical + eSIM — are getting it.
As of January 2025, more people are seeing dual SIM RCS enabled.
Coming soon
Key Verifier
At The Android Show in May, Google announced Key Verifier to “help protect you from scammers who try to impersonate someone you know” in Google Messages. This tool lets you “verify the identity of the other party through public encryption keys.” Contact keys take the form of a scannable QR code that will be available in the Google Contacts app.
For example, if an attacker gains access to a friend’s phone number and uses it on another device to send you a message – which can happen as a result of a SIM swap attack – their contact’s verification status will be marked as no longer verified in the Google Contacts app, suggesting your friend’s account may be compromised or has been changed.
Google says “Key Verifier will launch later this summer in Google Messages on Android 10+ devices.”
Recent launches (stable)
[New] Details page redesign
Instead of a pop-up, Details is now a fullscreen page. To access, long-press on a text/chat > three-dot overflow menu > View details. Making use of Material 3 Expressive’s containers, it starts with a nice large preview of the message. Next is a “Status” section that makes use of the read receipts even if they don’t appear anywhere else in the app. “From” rounds things out.
Old vs. new
Custom group chat icons
Instead of seeing up to four small circular profile pics of contacts in group chats, Google Messages will let you set a custom image. Open Group details or tap the top bar of the conversation, then hit the camera icon in the corner to upload.
Delete for everyone: Messages may still be seen by others on older app versions
Delete for me
Snooze notifications
You can now “Snooze chat” for: 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or Always. To do so, long-press on a conversation from the main list for the new alarm clock icon or find it in the contacts Details page. The conversation will be grayed out with the clock icon underneath the time/date, while you also get a banner inside the chat where you’ll find “Stop snooze.”
RCS status in ‘New chat’ contacts list
The “New conversation” page becomes the “New chat” — which is more closely aligned with RCS terminology — list. Contacts with RCS get a badge at the right, while their name and number feature Dynamic Color theming instead of just being black/white (SMS).
Gallery + camera redesign with ‘Original quality’ sending
Google Messages has merged the camera viewfinder and gallery. The old image picker was more compact and kept you in the conversation. When taking a photo or video, you’ll always see 3-6 recent shots. Swiping up reveals more (with “Folders” at the bottom), while you can “Write a caption” before sending.
With this redesign, Google is rolling out the ability to send pictures and videos in “Original quality.” There are two media quality options when sending:
“HD” Optimize for chat: Send quality media faster, uses less data
“HD+” Original quality: Sends at full media resolution
This has been in testing since November, and is now widely available.
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