If you’ve been keeping up with our Pixel chronicles this week, you’ll know it’s been busy. We’ve had the Pixel 10 join the Android 16 beta program, selective Zoned UFS 4.0 (ZUFS) storage support, and even Gemini flexing at TIFF and London Fashion Week. Then we dug into the September OTA for Pixel 10 (small stability fixes), the quirky $7 rope wrist strap, GPU bottleneck concerns, signs of region-specific call recording, and Gboard’s new Writing Tools test.
Not to be left out, the Pixel Watch and At a Glance widget have been experimenting with high-contrast tweaks and scam detection that might soon expand into chat apps like WhatsApp and Instagram. That same day, Google opened its 27th birthday promos with Pixel 10 Pro deals, Pixel Watch trade-in boosts, and Pixel Buds discounts, all while Pixel 7 owners kept reporting swollen batteries.
And earlier in the week, we also spotted big-picture moves: emergency livestreaming features hidden in Play Services code, Pixel Care Plus expanding with $0 deductible repairs, Pixel 10a rumors hinting at Tensor G4 + UFS 3.1 cuts, and a no-data-wipe OTA path for beta testers finally arriving.
With that groundwork, let’s dive into the new batch of Pixel-flavored developments.
Pixel’s navigation bar is finally flippable
File this under things Pixel users have been yelling into the void about for years: Google is finally letting you flip the order of the three-button navigation bar.
Samsung fans moving to Pixel have always struggled with the reversed layout. Samsung sticks with “Recents–Home–Back” while Pixel insists on “Back–Home–Recents.” Sure, gestures exist, but some folks just want buttons, thank you very much.
Buried inside Android 16 QPR2 Beta 2, there’s now evidence of a new “Button navigation” page in settings. A little cog icon next to “3-button navigation” will let you pick the order: keep Google’s default or mirror Samsung’s way.
While there’s no guarantee it’ll make the December stable release, one more beta cycle remains, and hope is alive.
Pixel Fold is catching up to Samsung in Europe
Samsung is celebrating a record-breaking launch with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 selling over 250,000 units in just four weeks across Western Europe. It’s the fastest-selling foldable there — ever.
But the headline for Pixel fans? Counterpoint Research says Google is “hot on Samsung’s heels with impressive device launches in August.” The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is making waves, giving Samsung’s dominance some much-needed pressure.
HONOR is also lurking with its ultra-thin Magic V5, and Apple is expected to crash the foldable party in 2026.
Europe’s foldable market is heating up fast. Samsung may be enjoying its Fold 7 victory lap, but Google and HONOR are sprinting up behind it. My two cents: Google has the hardware chops now, but it desperately needs to level up its marketing game in Europe. Samsung’s ad blitz is everywhere, while Pixels still feel like a best-kept secret.
Pixel deals: Moonstone Buds Pro 2 hit new all-time low
Google recently unleashed new colorways for its flagship Pixel Buds Pro 2 to match the Pixel 10 Pro lineup, and now the Moonstone edition is already hitting record-low pricing.
Amazon has dropped the Moonstone Pixel Buds Pro 2 to $179 shipped (regularly $229), a straight $50 discount and the lowest price we’ve seen so far. This isn’t just Amazon doing its thing. The official Google Store is now matching the $179 deal across all available colors. That means Hazel, Peony, and Porcelain are down too, while the Wintergreen variant is officially retired.
Fun fact: those older shades did dip to $160.50 during July’s Prime Day, but this is the first-ever drop for Moonstone since launch. So if you’re eyeing the fresh look, this week’s the time to pull the trigger.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 highlights:
- 11 mm drivers + spatial audio with head tracking for bass you feel and treble that doesn’t slice your ears off.
- Gemini-ready with Tensor chip, delivering immersive, premium sound.
- Silent Seal 2.0 ANC cancels up to twice as much noise as before.
- Twist-to-adjust fit for either all-day comfort or workout stability.
Basically, they’re designed to stay in your ears and in your head.
From long-awaited button flips to actual competition in Europe’s foldable wars to earbuds that just hit their best-ever price, the Pixel story keeps delivering. Google may still be the scrappy underdog compared to Samsung, but between new features, growing market share, and deals that make your wallet twitch, it feels like Pixel’s finally learned how to keep the buzz alive week after week.
At this pace, every week feels like a Pixel week. And honestly, we’re not complaining.
Hillary Keverenge
2445 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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