Android’s open nature democratizes mobile tech, empowering billions with affordable smartphones, while Apple’s premium focus creates a digital divide. Without #Android, many would lack access to vital communication tools. Android holds ~70% of the global market share.

Google's SafetyCore: Your Phone's New AI Bouncer (with a Side of Truth)

Auto-generated description: A smartphone screen displays the Google Play Store page for the Android System SafetyCore app, showing options to uninstall, details about its availability on more devices, user ratings, and the option to join the beta program.

So there has been a lot of online chatter about Google’s newly released app called Android System SafetyCore that’s being downloaded on a lot Android devices. Mostly Android 9+ devices. And there’s been a lot of misinformation about it so I figured I’d provide more correct information on the web about it. In short, it’s like having a bouncer for your phone. You can read the entire blog post from Google about it on their Security Blog, but I’ll try to explain in less detail. In short, Google lists the following new protections:

  1. Enhances detection protects you from package delivery and job scams.
  2. Intelligent warnings alert you about potentially dangerous links.
  3. Controls to turn off messages from unknown international senders.
  4. Sensitive Content Warnings give you control over seeing and sending images that may contain nudity.
  5. More confirmation about who you’re messaging.

So this bouncer uses AI to spot shady stuff like spam, scams, malware, and even those NSFW pics (yikes!) in your messages and apps. The best part? It does all this without snitching to Google or anyone else. Think of it like a super-smart security guard who can spot trouble without calling the cops. By not snitching to Google or anyone else or calling the cops, it’s not sending your information to anyone. ANYONE.

Now, some people have been mistakenly thinking, “Isn’t this like that client-side scanning thing Apple tried to pull?” Nah, not even close. That was all about scanning your pics and reporting potentially illegal stuff, which was a major privacy no-no.

Android’s SafetyCore is different. It keeps everything on your phone and doesn’t share anything with anyone. It’s more like Apple’s Communication Safety feature in iMessage, which warns kids about sensitive content but doesn’t share anything with Apple.

Unfortunately, like I said, there’s been some misinformation floating around about SafetyCore, with some folks calling it “spyware.” But that’s simply not true. As the privacy-focused folks at GrapheneOS put it:

The app doesn’t provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else. It provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc. This allows apps to check content locally without sharing it with a service and mark it with warnings for users.

The GrapheneOS team are experts in this field, and they clearly state that SafetyCore doesn’t share your data. So, you can rest assured that your privacy is protected.

The GrapheneOS team does wish Google would make the whole thing open source, which would increase transparency and trust. I agree with this too, but here’s the thing: apps have been able to do this AI security stuff for a while now, but they usually send your data to their servers. SafetyCore keeps everything local, which is a big win for privacy.

Okay, so circling back to that “not snitching to the cops” part: SafetyCore isn’t about reporting illegal stuff to the authorities. It’s simply about giving your phone the ability to spot potentially harmful stuff and give you a heads up. Remember that and take that how you will.

So, there you have it! The TL;DR is Google’s Android System SafetyCore seems like a pretty sweet deal for boosting your phone’s security and privacy. Don’t let the misinformation scare you away from a potentially useful tool. It’ll be interesting to see how it evolves and how other apps start using it.

Should I try out the OnePlus Watch 3?

Many people are talking about the OnePlus Watch 3 being impressive with its “6 day battery life”. I’ve been enjoying my Pixel Watch 3, but perhaps I could do a comparison.

What do you think?

What do you use for RSS?

I’ve been using Twine - RSS Reader for a little over 6 months now and have been loving it. Especially since it uses the proper Material UI on Android.

I most likely won’t be able to go to Google I/O this year since it falls right on the weekend of our anniversary. As much as I’d love to nerd out with the Android community at the Shoreline like last year, but I’d rather lay out on vacation with my wife 😎🌴🍹

The Price of Late Refinement: How Android's Early Hardware Struggles Still Impact the Ecosystem

I had a good conversation with Ankit Gupta on Threads where he brought up something interesting:

One of the major issues Android faced early on while trying to compete with iPhone/iOS was build quality of Android phones. After a few years, Google finally decided to step up and partnered with some OEMs to manufacture their Nexus phones; even bought Motorola. Overall, I would argue that Google is still paying the price of not having good hardware manufacturers for Android at the get go. The conversation started here but was really led by Google potentially doing the same thing with their self-driving technology with Waymo and not partnering with the right partners or better yet making their own car like Tesla and Rivian.

Google’s initial approach with Android seems to stem from a lack of hardware experience at a time when hardware was the primary focus. Google represents the progression and evolution of Microsoft’s focus on software. However, in today’s information age, if Google had focused on hardware earlier and failed, would their brand recognition and hardware be stronger today? I think so. Nevertheless, I’m unsure if Android would have achieved its current scale with numerous OEMs if Google had solely controlled everything and prioritized its own hardware.

It’s obviously a game of what-ifs, but maybe in an alternative universe, Google started the Pixel line before even the inception of Nexus. Which would not only help with the brand recognition in the long run, but would cause Steve Jobs to really pop a blood vessel.

Happy Valentine’s Day 💌

And shout-out to the Android users who are in relationships ‘customized’ just for you two. You all found the perfect match, just like your personalized home screen. 😀

Breaking Out of Basic

I’m Finally Embracing Colorful Tech

For years, I’ve been a creature of habit when it comes to my tech. Black phone, black watch, maybe a black case if I was feeling wild. It’s not that I dislike black – it’s classic, sleek, and goes with everything. But lately, I’ve been feeling…bored. Like my tech accessories are starting to look as dull as my winter wardrobe.

Two hands are holding a black and a white Google Pixel phone on a white countertop.

Then, something happened. I was hanging out with my friend Rob, and we were admiring his white Pixel 9 Pro. Side-by-side with my black one, it looked so fresh and modern! Suddenly, I had a pang of phone envy. Unfortunately, I’m locked into my Verizon plan, so a spontaneous phone swap was out of the question. But it got me thinking…why do I always choose black?

I realized it’s partly about convenience. Black matches everything, so I never have to worry about clashing colors. But it’s also about playing it safe. Choosing a colorful phone feels like a commitment, like I’m stuck with that color forever. What if I get tired of it? What if it doesn’t match my outfits? But you know what? I’m ready to take a risk. I’m tired of blending in with the crowd. I want my tech to reflect my personality, my mood, my vibe. And that means embracing color!

I’m starting small. I’m thinking of getting a few different watch bands in fun colors. It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference! I can swap them out depending on my mood, or even match them to what I’m wearing. Maybe a bright green band for days I need a little extra energy, or a cool blue one for when I want to feel calm and focused. And speaking of outfits, I realized I already incorporate color into my wardrobe for special occasions. If I’m going to a Suns game, I’ll piece together some orange. If I’m cheering on the Lakers, it’s all about the purple and gold. So why not do the same with my tech? A yellow phone case to match a purple shirt? A lime green watch band to complement my Suns gear? It’s all about having fun and expressing myself!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Michael, you’re still rocking a black phone!” And you’re right. I’ve still got payments to make on my Pixel 9 Pro. But that doesn’t mean I can’t start planning for the future. I’m already eyeing those new Samsung Galaxy colors, and the next time I upgrade my Pixel, I’m definitely going for something outside of black or white.

In the meantime, I’ll be experimenting with colorful cases. It’s the perfect way to dip my toes into the world of color without taking the plunge. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get a white one, like Rob’s!

Android 16 Beta 2 is officially out!

The Rob Saga continues 😁

View on Threads