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What’s new in Android’s December 2025 Google System Updates

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What’s new in Android’s December 2025 Google System Updates



The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.

The following first-party apps comprise the “Google System”:

To update, open the Settings app > tap your name at the very top for “Google services” (on Pixel) > All services tab > Privacy & security > System services.

A feature appearing in the changelog does not mean it’s widely available. Some capabilities take months to fully launch.

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Google Play services v25.50 (2025-12-22)

Account Management

  • [Phone] This update enables an API that renders a custom account selection UI within the Connected Account connection flow.
  • [Phone] With this update, you’ll get an improved Android Parental Supervision setup flow.
  • [Phone] With this feature, you’ll see recommendations in Google Settings to finish Play Store setup.
  • [Phone] You’ll get an improved UX for notifications about new Advanced Protection features.

Developer Services

  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Maps related processes in their apps.
  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Ads related processes in their apps.
  • [Phone] Introducing a way to provide feedback on automatic time and time zone performance within settings.

Security & Privacy

  • [Auto, PC, Phone, TV, Wear] Bug fixes for Security & Privacy related services.

Support

  • [Phone] With this update, you can now find information about new Android features.

Google Play Store v49.4 (2025-12-22)

  • [Phone] New feature that streamlines install for system services when initiated by a user.

Google Play services v25.49 (2025-12-15)

Developer Services

  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Account Management related processes in their apps.

Device Connectivity

  • [Phone] With this feature, you can get prompts to allow access for nearby devices.

Google Play Store v49.3 (2025-12-15)

  • [Phone] With the new Ask Play experience, you’ll get an improved chat interface that lets you talk to the Play Store like a personal assistant.
  • [Phone] You can now adjust controls for personalization and data collection directly in Play. You set what data is stored to your Google Account’s Play History and how Play uses it for personalization, with all controls available in the Play menu.
  • [Phone] This update shows personalized content from your installed Travel apps in the Play Store.

Google Play services v25.48 (2025-12-08)

Account Management

  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Account Management related processes in their apps.
  • [Phone, Wear] UI theme updates for user journeys related to supervision.

System Management

  • [Phone] This update adds Open Source license details for Pixel Audio services in GMS Core.

Wallet

  • [Phone] This update adds an improved UI layout for In-Person presentation.
  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Digital Wallet & Payments related processes in their apps.

Google Play Store v49.2 (2025-12-08)

  • [Phone] With updates to the Notification Center, you can have a more personalized and organized notifications experience.
  • [Phone] With a new verified badge, you can now easily identify brokerage apps in India that are registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
  • [Phone] With this update, Play Store dialog size now aligns with Google Material 3.

Google Play Store v49.1 (2025-12-01)

  • [Phone] New warning experience for apps that failed Play Protect verification.
  • [Phone] You can now resume watch, read, and listen content from your installed apps right from the Play Store.

December starts with a short entry, but two features previously announced in the changelog are more widely rolling out today:

Google Play services v25.47 (2025-12-01)

  • [Phone] Updates to system management services that improve Device Performance and Stability.

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Stoughton hit-and-run: Man killed on son’s birthday; suspect held on $100K bail

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Stoughton hit-and-run: Man killed on son’s birthday; suspect held on $100K bail



Over the weekend, Stoughton resident John G. Smith, 84, was killed in a hit-and-run crash with a suspect who was trying to evade police, authorities said previously. He died on the afternoon of Dec. 20 — his son’s birthday.

“I’m gonna have to deal with this — not just through this episode here — but every time I turn a year older,” Smith’s son, John Jensen, told reporters through tears outside Stoughton District Court on Monday.

Jensen and the news media were attending the arraignment of Jason Ortiz, a 26-year-old Brockton resident who faces seven counts in connection with the crash.

On Monday, Ortiz pleaded not guilty to the charges, including motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury and operation with a suspended license, according to court records.

The judge ordered him held on $100,000 cash bail.

Ortiz’s pickup truck collided with Smith’s sedan Saturday morning at the intersection of Pleasant and Prospect streets in Stoughton, authorities said previously. At the time, Ortiz was fleeing from Brockton police, who had tried to pull him over after dispatchers received a report that the truck was “driving erratically.”

Stoughton firefighters took Smith and a passenger — a 78-year-old Stoughton woman — to a hospital, authorities said. Smith died at the hospital later that day.

“He was a good man,” Jensen told reporters on Monday.

The passenger was Smith’s wife, Cindy, who was seriously injured in the crash, Boston 25 News reported.

After the collision, Ortiz and another man got out of the truck and ran from police, Stoughton police said previously. Stoughton officers quickly detained one of the men, and he was then transferred into Brockton police custody.

Authorities conducted an extensive search for Ortiz, using K-9 units and the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, Stoughton police said. Stoughton officers eventually arrested him at Halloran Park in Stoughton.

Ortiz’s license was suspended at the time of the crash due to an operating under the influence charge that was filed against him in October, Boston 25 News reported. That case is open and ongoing.

At Ortiz’s arraignment, the judge issued conditions for his release, including that he refrain from driving and have no contact with victims or witnesses in the case, the news station reported.

It is unclear if the passenger in Ortiz’s pickup truck is facing charges.



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Splat’s app uses AI to turn your photos into coloring pages for kids

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Splat’s app uses AI to turn your photos into coloring pages for kids


The team at Retro, a photo-sharing app for close friends and family, is experimenting with how generative AI can be put to more creative uses. To try out the latest, cutting-edge AI technologies, the team built a new app called Splat, which lets you turn any photo into a coloring book page for kids.

As any parent will tell you, kids love to color. And thanks to the web, there’s a seemingly infinite number of coloring book pages available for printing at home.

However, many of the websites hosting these pages are filled with ads and other clutter, making them difficult to navigate. Other times, the printable pages are only available for a small fee, which some parents don’t want to pay, given the disposable nature of much of kids’ scribbled-on art projects.

Screenshot

That inspired Retro’s team to develop an app for printing coloring book pages at home — from either your own photos or, those it provides in kid-friendly, educational categories, such as animals, space, flowers, fairy tales, robots, cars, and more.

To get started with Splat, you’ll take a picture or pick a photo from your Camera Roll. You can then choose what style of photo you’d like to color — such as anime, 3D movie, manga, cartoon, or comic. The app will then transform your picture using AI into either an on-screen or printable page for kids to color.

Instead of requiring a tedious sign-up process, the app will step you through customization options the first time you begin creating. Here, you’re prompted to choose your preferred app icon and check off the various categories your child likes. You can also choose if you want to let kids color the photo as a printable page or on-screen (great in a pinch when kids are bored, but you don’t want them sucked into a TV or game).

Image Credits:TechCrunch

You can try one generative AI project to get a feel for the app. It then costs either $4.99 per week or $49.99 per year to continue to generate new pictures. The weekly option allows for 25 pages per week, and the annual option provides 500 pages per year. The option to purchase or access the settings is blocked from small children by a pop-up that requires the parent’s birth year.

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In brief tests, the app worked as promised, and the generation time was brief, allowing you to quickly move from idea to printed art, ready for coloring, cutouts, or anything else your child wants to do.

Splat is one of several experiments that uses generative AI to help inspire kids’ creativity and imagination in new ways. Another, Stickerbox, offers printed AI-generated stickers for coloring, while Casio also launched a fluffy robotic pet called Moflin that uses AI to develop its personality over time.

Splat is available on Splat is available on iOS and Android.



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Paramount has an updated Warner Bros. Discovery bid

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Paramount has an updated Warner Bros. Discovery bid


Paramount Skydance isn’t giving up on obtaining Warner Bros. Discovery just yet. The company has amended its $108 billion offer to include Larry Ellison’s “irrevocable personal guarantee” equaling $40.4 billion. Ellison is the founder or Oracle and a backer of Skydance, created by his son David Ellison, Paramount Skydance’s CEO.

On December 17, WBD formally recommended shareholders reject Paramount’s offer. WBD had already accepted an $82.7 billion offer from Netflix, set to close some time next year following regulatory approval. “[The board] has unanimously determined that the tender offer launched by Paramount Skydance on December 8, 2025 is not in the best interests of WBD and its shareholders and does not meet the criteria of a ‘Superior Proposal’ under the terms of WBD’s merger agreement with Netflix announced on December 5, 2025,” WBD stated.

The Paramount deal included backing by sovereign wealth funds in places like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. But the Ellisons previously said that, if the other funders dropped out, they would “backstop the full amount of the bid.” That wasn’t enough of a guarantee for WBD.

Now, Paramount has returned with the irrevocable personal guarantee and an agreement that the senior Ellison won’t “revoke” or “adversely transfer” the Ellison family trust’s assets while the transaction is pending. WBD had stated that a personal guarantee was the only fix to Paramount’s inadequate offer.

Paramount might have taken this step, but not with a smile on its face: “None of these concerns, nor the demand for a personal guarantee, were raised by WBD or its advisors to Paramount in the 12-week period leading up to WBD agreeing to the inferior transaction with Netflix, Inc.,” the company stated about its updated offer.

“Our $30 per share, fully financed all-cash offer was on December 4th, and continues to be, the superior option to maximize value for WBD shareholders. Because of our commitment to investment and growth, our acquisition will be superior for all WBD stakeholders, as a catalyst for greater content production, greater theatrical output, and more consumer choice,” David Ellison stated. “We expect the board of directors of WBD to take the necessary steps to secure this value-enhancing transaction and preserve and strengthen an iconic Hollywood treasure for the future.”

Paramount’s updated offer also includes publishing the trust’s assets, more flexible transaction terms and an increase from $5 billion to $5.8 billion of its “regulatory reverse termination fee” — in line with Netflix’s.

Paramount’s offer will expire on January 21, 2026.



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iPhone Fold and future Galaxy to copy original Google Pixel Fold

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iPhone Fold and future Galaxy to copy original Google Pixel Fold


google pixel fold

After Google pivoted away from its stout book-like foldable form factor found in the original Pixel Fold, Apple’s coming iPhone Fold and a future Samsung foldable may just end up copying the same idea.

The original Pixel Fold launched in 2023 as a device that, while impressive for a first go, was a little underwhelming in the long run due to issues with overheating. But the form factor was relatively unique in the market at the time, with a small and wide outer display that opened to a wider internal canvas. It was the exact opposite of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold template of the time, which offered a very narrow outer display that produced a portrait-optimized inner display which, admittedly, is still better for apps. For its second and third generations, Google walked back its unique design for something more akin to Samsung’s route.

But it seems the market may given the “passport” style foldable another try.

ETNews reports that Apple’s upcoming iPhone Fold, whatever it may end up being called, will adopt a 4:3 aspect ratio for the inner display, matching that of the iPad. Samsung is also now working on a “wide fold” with the same inner display aspect ratio. Google’s original Pixel Fold had a 6:5 aspect, ratio, just a bit taller than 4:3, so it stands to reason that these form factors from Apple and Samsung would both look a lot like the original Pixel Fold both when opened and closed.

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The report (via @Jukanlosreve) goes on to detail that Apple would be using a 7.58-inch inner display and Samsung would have a 7.6-inch panel, with a 5.4-inch display on the outside of the Galaxy device. By comparison, the original Pixel Fold had a 5.8-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display.

Pixel Fold
Galaxy Z Fold 7

Meanwhile, Apple’s device is apparently still working on its “crease-free” design.

9to5Google’s Take

So why, after the entire Android market went all-in on taller foldable form factors, are we going back to the original Pixel Fold’s design?

I think it all comes down to the apps.

For years now, I’ve been arguing that Samsung’s original take on the Fold’s inner display aspect ratio is the right choice for apps right now. Many Android apps haven’t been updated for proper tablet support, and on a widescreen foldable display like that of the original Pixel Fold, that was a hindrance to the entire experience. It’s very much the reason why Google was right to change its design in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. But as Google has continually invested in bolstering Android’s tablet app selection, it might be the right time to give this forgotten form factor another shot.

That same reason, though, is why it’s an absolute no-brainer for Apple to be going down this route. The inner display of an iPhone Fold matching that of the iPad immediately unlocks an app library that Android foldables can currently only dream of, though I’d imagine some apps will need scaling updates – not that Apple ever has trouble getting developers on board with new ideas, even the bad ones.

More on Foldables:

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Alabama church to livestream funeral for Brown University shooting victim

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Alabama church to livestream funeral for Brown University shooting victim



On Monday, friends and family will be wearing Easter colors as they celebrate a “bright young life” taken too early in a shooting at Brown University.

Brown University sophomore Ella Cook was 19 years old and finishing her third semester studying French, math and economics when she was killed during a mass shooting on the school’s campus. First-year student Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov was also killed.

On Dec. 22, friends and family will be at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama for a funeral service and visitation starting at 11 a.m. The burial will be held privately for the family.

The funeral service will be live streamed online.

Ella Cook’s life

Cook was born July 18, 2006, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Anna and Richard Cook, according to her obituary. Prior to studying at Brown, she graduated from her hometown high school in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

Cook was a lifelong, active member of the Cathedral Church of the Advent (Episcopal) in Birmingham. The church’s reverend previously described her to AL.com as a “bright light” in the world.

“Not only did her personal faith shine out like a bright Christmas star, but she loved others as real people, not as objects,” her obituary reads.

Cook was known for wide array of interests, including playing piano, dancing, spending time in nature and traveling — especially to places in which French is spoken. She was particularly passionate about teaching both academic subjects and biblical studies and hoped to one day have children of her own.

“From Birmingham to Providence to wherever she traveled, Ella attracted an almost reverent circle of friends. That is because she was intentionally concerned for the best interests of others,” her obituary reads.

In a tribute to Brown’s two lost students, President Christine Paxson described Cook as “intellectually curious,” noting that the sophomore selected Brown for its Open Curriculum, which allows students extra freedom to choose their courses. During her time at the university, Cook became a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and vice president of the Republican Club of Brown University.

“As I learn more about the vitality she radiated, I wish so much that I had the opportunity to know her,” Paxson wrote.

Naturally soft-spoken, Cook was known for exuding a subtle, quiet form of leadership, her brother Hooker is quoted as saying in her obituary. Her sister Mary remembers her as “the best big sister ever” — “protective, responsible, and selfless.”

“Ella Cook lit up our world, and her reflected glory will be with her family and friends forever,” her obituary reads.

Honoring Ella Cook

In addition to her parents and two siblings, Cook leaves behind both her maternal and paternal grandparents, many other beloved family members and lots of cherished friends, according to her obituary. Her family asks that those looking to honor her memory donate to the children’s ministry at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, 2017 Sixth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL, 35203.

“Ella carried a kind of personal magic within her, from her quiet smile, to her consistent openness to new challenges and places, to her heartfelt Christian faith, to her kind encouragement of all whom she met who needed encouragement, to her persistent courage in following both heart and conscience,” her obituary reads.



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Waymo resumes service in San Francisco after robotaxis stall during blackout

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Waymo resumes service in San Francisco after robotaxis stall during blackout


Waymo suspended its robotaxi service in San Francisco on Saturday evening after a massive blackout appeared to leave many of its vehicles stalled on city streets.

Numerous photos and videos posted to social media captured Waymo robotaxis stalled at roads and intersections as human drivers were either stuck behind them or weaved around them.

Waymo said on Saturday that it had temporarily suspended service in the city due to the blackout. It wasn’t until late Sunday afternoon that Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch in a statement that the company was resuming service.

“Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions,” the spokesperson said. “While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.”

The Waymo spokesperson added that the company is “focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.”

The blackout also took down many of the city’s traffic lights and affected Muni mass transit, with San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie warning residents to stay off the roads unless they needed to travel.

Waymo said that although its self-driving systems are designed to treat non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops, the scale of Saturday’s blackout caused some robotaxis to remain stationary for longer than normal as they tried to assess the intersections. The company also said that the majority of active trips were completed successfully.

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The blackout appears to have been caused by a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric substation in the city. SFGate reports that around 120,000 PG&E customers were affected by the blackout, and while the majority of them had power restored by late Saturday, 35,000 customers were still without power on Sunday morning. PG&E’s website also showed thousands of San Francisco customers still affected at that time.

A letter from Tiger Global Management that leaked earlier this month said Waymo is now providing 450,000 robotaxi rides per week, nearly double the amount that the Alphabet-owned company disclosed in the spring.

This post has been updated with Waymo’s statement that service is resuming.



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The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for 2025 that will arrive by December 24

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The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for 2025 that will arrive by December 24


I’ve never been a huge fan of jigsaw puzzles, but the pieces of art the Magic Puzzle Company makes for you to assemble are a delight. For starters, each has gorgeous and distinctive artwork — while there are a variety of artists who’ve contributed to the company’s puzzle lineup, they all feel related, packed with color, whimsy and a bunch of secrets you’ll notice as you build. The puzzle pieces themselves are high-quality and solid, something that goes a long way towards making a puzzle fun to put together.

But my favorite part is the fact that once you finish the main puzzle, you’re not done. Each has sections that can slide around after you’re done, which opens up a new middle area to be filled in with a bonus section of pieces. This new addition seamlessly fits into the puzzle and expands on its story. It’s hard to describe, but it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in other puzzles. I’m pretty agnostic about my puzzle-makers, but I am itching to get my hands on more from the Magic Puzzle Company and explore their secrets. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor



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New Pixel December 2025 update fixes battery drain, touch issues

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New Pixel December 2025 update fixes battery drain, touch issues



Some Pixel owners today are getting a new December 2025 update today after installing the initial release (Android 16 QPR2) at the start of this month.

Update 12/19: Two days after the on-device update started rolling out, Google has released factory and OTA images for the Pixel 8 and newer. Every regional/carrier variant that saw a release earlier this month has received a corresponding new build.

  • BP4A.251205.006.E1: Global
  • BP4A.251205.006.C2: Japan
  • BP4A.251205.006.A4: EMEA

This suggests the update is intended for all users, especially when you factor in the Verizon release notes (Pixel 8-10):

  • Battery drain: Faster than normal battery depletion.
  • Touch unresponsive: Intermittent touch failures observed specifically on Pixel 10.
  • Cached content access: Inaccessibility of locally stored content (e.g., offline media, maps) after upgrading from Android 14 or earlier directly to Android 16.

However, Google does not appear to have fully rolled it out. All our unlocked devices have seen the update, but phones on Google Fi/T-Mobile haven’t received it yet.

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Original 12/17: This OTA comes in at around 25 MB, with reports from owners of the Pixel 8, 9, and 10 series.

However, this is not widely available as of Wednesday afternoon (PT), and it’s unclear if all users/carriers will receive this update. Compared to the last out-of-cycle update in October, this might be a more limited patch. Google has not posted any factory or OTA images yet.

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Man pleads guilty to killing woman in hit-and-run crash in Taunton from 2021

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Man pleads guilty to killing woman in hit-and-run crash in Taunton from 2021



A 46-year-old man pleaded guilty to charges Wednesday in connection with a 2021 hit-and-run crash in Taunton that took the life of a 59-year-old woman, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Taunton resident Roland Escobar pleaded guilty to manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death in the death of Taunton resident Lisa Rocha in Fall River Superior Court, the district attorney’s office said in a press release. He also pleaded guilty to two counts each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in property damage.

On Aug. 3, 2021, Escobar was driving his Chevrolet Traverse on Main Street in Taunton when he hit the back of the Kia in front of him twice around 4:35 p.m., the district attorney’s office said. As he sped away from the crash, he sideswiped several parked cars.

Escobar struck Rocha as she tried to get inside her car, which was parked outside 77 Main St., the district attorney’s office said. He then sped away from the scene and hit a Ford that was driving down Main Street.

Escobar sped away from that crash as well before rear-ending another vehicle near the Taunton Police Station on Summer Street, the district attorney’s office said. Officers found Escobar unconscious inside his SUV, which had rolled onto its side.

Escobar showed signs of an opiate overdose, and officers administered Narcan before taking him to Morton Hospital for treatment, the district attorney’s office said. His blood tested positive for fentanyl.

“This was a senseless killing of an innocent person who was just getting into her car parked on the street. This happened because the defendant was high on fentanyl and should not have been behind the wheel of a car. My heart goes out to the victim’s family,” Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said in the release.

A judge sentenced Escobar to nine to 12 years in state prison and three years probation with conditions of release, the district attorney’s office said.



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