18 steps to a safer phone

And an indispensable new app resource  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Android Intelligence](#) [Android Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [Esper logo](=)​ All right — two important things you should know (or maybe just bring back to the front of your brawny brain) before reading any further: - Yes, Android security matters, and it's something you should absolutely spend some time thinking about. - No, it isn't the landmine-laden hellscape most major media coverage would lead you to believe, and you don't need to waltz around worrying about the latest big, scary phone-eating boogeyman. In fact, all you really need is 20 minutes per year to go over some super-simple, basic stuff — and then you can breathe easy and ignore all the oversensationalized hullabaloo from there on out. By the time you're finished with this issue, you'll have your roadmap. And you'll know your phone is in tip-top shape — no ifs, ands, or buts about it. [JR Raphael, Author] JR Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute 15 seconds ⌚ Just for Funsies: 15 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] 1. The end of Assistant could be upon us ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Google's upcoming Pixel 9 devices are leaking left and right this week — and among the most interesting and least noticed revelations is a pretty strong hint about the future of Google Assistant. 🔎 KNOW MORE: It's lookin' like the Pixel 9 lineup will ship with the newer generative-AI-powered Gemini chatbot present and enabled by default and Assistant nowhere to be found. Combined with other recent signs, it sure seems like this could be the beginning of the end of the Assistant era. 📌 READ MORE: [This sweet new column o' mine](=) dives deep into the significance of this shift and why it might not be a good thing for you. Cast your vote... ​[How often do you use Google Assistant these days?](​ --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Play Store is morphing into an app activity hub ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: That simple-seeming Play Store app on your favorite Android phone is about to offer a whole lot more beyond just basic downloads and updates. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Google's gearin' up to exponentially expand the Play Store's purpose to get us to spend more time within its virtual walls. The most notable new addition is an upcoming Collections feature that shows feeds of recent and relevant content from your already-installed apps. 📌 READ MORE: Peek at [Google's complete announcement]( for all the ins and outs of what's on the way. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Samsung's finally phasing out its Messages app ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Samsung has announced it'll no longer preload its Samsung Messages app on new Galaxy devices — pushing people to the standard Google-made Messages app by default instead. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Samsung has long loved doubling up on standard Android services, typically for its own business benefit and at the expense of an optimal user experience. With Messages, though, its app won't be able to provide the same level of seamless iOS iMessage compatibility as Google's equivalent — and that seems to have forced the company's hand. 📌 READ MORE: Check out the news for yourself in [this short 'n' sweet summary](=). SPONSORED MESSAGE The A-to-Z guide on Mobile Device Management 📕 Sports teams have their playbooks. Grandmas have their cookbooks. And IT managers who deal with devices have the [MDM Buyer’s Guide.](=)​ [Golden Girls cooking and dancing](=)​ Whether you’re buying your very first device, or optimizing your company’s current fleet, this FREE manual covers every stage of the process: - Finding gaps in your current fleet setup - Evaluating vendors and comparing solutions - How to advocate for your preferred MDM - Tips for post-deployment optimization (And Esper is giving away this critical information for free.) ➜ [Download the no-cost MDM Buyer’s Guide today and optimize your fleet.](=) [LEARN TODAY’S TOP DEVICE STRATEGIES ➜](=) ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Give yourself an annual Android security checkup This may sound blasphemous, but I promise you it's true: Android security is not something you should spend your days worrying about. That runs counter to almost everything you read in major tech media articles, I know. But those stories are unwittingly shaped by extremely effective marketing campaigns and a foundational misunderstanding of how exactly Android works. ➜ So hear this: With a handful of level-headed steps and a pinch of common sense, your phone will be fine. And you can tune out all the noise telling you otherwise. ⌚ All you need is 20 minutes, once a year, to check up on your basics and make sure everything's in spectacular shape. 📌 Follow [these 18 simple steps](=), and prepare to say so long to the overhyped Android malware monster once and for all. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Clean up your apps the easier way One of the steps in my Android security checkup is to go through your list of installed apps and remove anything you aren't actively using. It's a smart thing to do every so often, both in terms of security — as it shuts down unnecessary windows into different areas of your device and data — and in terms of performance and efficiency, as it eliminates unnecessary clutter and drains on your system resources. ➜ Typically, uninstalling Android apps is a bit of a chore. But with a new tool I ran into, you can easily uninstall multiple apps at once in bulk, without all the endless back-and-forth clicking and menu-surfacing that's usually required. ⌚ It'll take you all of two minutes to do. 📌 I've got [all the info you need right here](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Check out a fun new song search system Android's long sported the ability to help you identify a song via Google Assistant — but with Assistant slowly fading into the background, that feature isn't as universally accessible as it once was. ➜ Google's got a new way to tap into that same wizard-like superpower, though, and once you know where to look for it, it couldn't be much easier to use. ⌚ In fact, you'll need only 20 seconds to track it down and try it out. ✅ Just [open up YouTube Music]() on your phone, then: - Tap the search icon in the app's upper-right corner. - Look for the newly added song search icon in the upper-right corner of the search screen that comes up next. [A screenshot showing the YouTube Music search box with a song search icon (a series of vertical lines) to its right] ​ - Tap that bad boy and prepare to be amazed. It'll identify any song that's playing around you — or any song you sing or hum yourself. Pretty nifty, no?! ​ SPONSORED MESSAGE [AI generated person](=) Learn AI in 5 minutes a day ​[AI Tool Report](=) is teaching people how to save time and earn more with AI. Subscribe for F-R-E-E to learn how to automate tasks and save hours every week! [Subscribe with one click!]() [] [And Just for Funsies...] I've gotta admit it: I love me a good old-fashioned Google search Easter egg. Google's got a hefty history of hiding silly little treasures within certain sorts of results — and this week, it's taking the habit to a whole new place with a surprise snuck into the snazzy Android Circle to Search system. If [your phone supports Circle to Search](=), try doing a search for the movie "Deadpool 3." Then press and hold your finger onto the very bottom-center area of your screen to summon the Circle to Search genie and circle the name of the movie anywhere you see it. I won't ruin the surprise for you, but let's just say you should keep your eyes open for a friendly, familiar face. On to August — and everything after Whew! This summer sure is flyin' by... By next Friday, we'll be at the start of a whole new month — a month when Google will show off its latest Pixel goodies along with its freshly focused vision for the future of Android itself. And there'll be plenty more tech-scented surprises soon after. Exciting times are ahead, my fellow Android-appreciating animal. I'll see ya back here next week. --------------------------------------------------------------- 📊 Last week's poll results: In our previous issue, I asked which version of Android your current phone is running right now. - 68% of you said you're running the current Android 14 update... - 10% are still way back on 2020's Android 11 or earlier (!)... - 9% are on Android 13... - 4% on Android 12... - 4% on the Android 15 beta... - And 5% of folks said they weren't even sure what Android version they had. [An image of an Android robot shrugging and saying: "What — like you've never forgotten your age?!"] ​ 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up](=) [Thumbs Down]( Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications or unsubscribe entirely. New here and not yet subscribed? Take two seconds to [sign up for our newsletters](): Android Intelligence, Windows Intelligence, or Cool Tools (or all three!). Hungry for even more? [Learn about becoming an Intelligence Insider](=) to gain access to our one-of-a-kind community, power-packed advanced resources, on-demand help desk, and tons of free apps and services. Independent journalism relies on you. 🤝 An [Intelligence Insider membership](=) is the best way to support my work and keep this newsletter sustainable. Not ready for a membership? 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