Category: Google

Expanding interoperability, Android supports OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI, allowing users to securely share digital credentials across apps.

What you need to know

• Android now natively supports OpenID standards for digital credential presentation and issuance.
• Users can securely store and send cryptographically verifiable digital documents across different apps.
• This update enables wider use of digital credentials for various purposes, including account recovery and identity verification on different platforms.

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Google recently expanded its Digital ID access through its Wallet app for residents in the U.K. And to further expand the interoperability across different apps that store digital identities, the search giant is aiming to support open standards via various identity providers and services through the Android operating system.

Last week, through anAndroid Developers blog post, the company has announced that, “Android, via Credential Manager’s DigitalCredential API, now natively supports OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI for digital credential presentation and issuance respectively.”

As the search giant further explains, the Digital Credentials are cryptographically verifiable documents. They can include documents like driver’s licenses, passports, or national IDs. And, throughAndroid appsand with the help of the respective app developers, more can be incorporated and submitted digitally like education certifications, insurance policies, permits, for example in the near future.

Currently, the supported digital documents can be stored in “credential holders” apps like Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet. Some apps like banking or airline apps would, however, sometimes require the digital document for verification, which is not necessarily stored in the respective banking app.

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(Image credit: Google)

Since Android supports secure sharing between devices through CTAP protocols. Users will be able to store multiple credentials across apps and choose which one to pick using OpenID4VP requests from websites or Android Credential Manager API.

The process involves verifier sending an OpenID4VP request to the Digital Credential API, prompting the user to select a credential. The user here only chooses a credential, not a digital wallet app. Android then redirects the request to the digital wallet app holding the credential to complete the action. The app can further perform additional due diligence before releasing the credential.

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Per the recent Google Wallet announcement, soon users can use digital credentials to recover “Amazon accounts, access online health services with CVS and MyChart by Epic, and verify profiles or identity on platforms like Uber and Bumble.”

Next to Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet and 1Password will also be able to hold people’s digital credentials as digital wallets and support OpenID standards through Android’s Credential Manager API.

The feature first rolled out abroad last year, and now it’s rolling out for U.S. users.

(Image credit: Google)

What you need to know

• Google’s pollen tracker for the Pixel Weather app is beginning to rollout for U.S. cities.
• The feature first launched in the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Italy last year, and expanded to Japan in 2025.
• The pollen tracker appears at the bottom of the city view but can be expanded and customized.

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Google is rolling out aPixel Weather appupdate that adds a pollen tracker for U.S. users, as reported by9to5Google. The tracker features intuitive charts that show daily pollen levels on a scale of 0 to 4. It also breaks down individual pollen levels for grasses, trees, and weeds.

The pollen tracker was first announced as part of theOctober 2024 Pixel Feature Drop, but was limited to users in the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, and Italy. It was subsequently added for users in Japan with theMarch 2025 Pixel Feature Drop, and is now appearing on Pixel phones in the U.S. following a server-side push.

By default, the pollen tracker will appear in a pill near the bottom of the Pixel Weather page for your location. The page can be customized, so it’s possible to move the pollen tracker higher up on the page for easy access.

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Users are seeing the pollen tracker appear inversion 1.0.20250315of the Pixel Weather app, which was last updated April 10, again indicating that this is a server-side rollout.

Tapping the pill opens a more detailed view of the pollen tracker, which will show a five-day view. It still show grass, tree, and weed pollen information, but also provides seasonality and cross reaction pollen data.

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The server-side rollout is not complete, so it may take some time for the pollen tracker to appear for U.S. cities on all Pixel devices. 9to5Google notes that users can preview the pollen tracker by adding a city in one of the previously-supported countries, like United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, or Italy.

Your eligibility depends on region and warranty

(Image credit: Google)

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• Google is offering repairs or payment for Pixel 7a users affected by a serious battery issue
• Some Pixel 7a users have reported battery swelling severe enough to warp the phone chassis
• Eligibility depends on region and warranty status

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Googlehas stepped up to remedy a major battery swelling issue with somePixel 7asmartphones, meaning affected users can now claim a free repair or partial refund.

Under theExtended Repair Program for Pixel 7a, users can seek repair or repayment from Google directly.

Recent reports have highlighted the battery expansion issue, which Google describes as including “visible swelling of the device”, the “phone cover bulging or separating from the device”, or the battery “draining significantly faster than usual”.

As we previously covered, swollen batteries present a danger to health and home, as they can be an unpredictable fire risk if left unattended – be sure to check out our guide onhow to dispose of an inflated phone batteryfor more information.

As9to5Googlereports, Google is offering walk-in repairs at centres in the following countries:

• US
• UK
• India
• Germany
• Japan
• Singapore

Additionally, Google is providing a mail-in repair service in the US and India only.

Google is also offering partial refunds to affected Pixel 7a users, depending on territory and warranty coverage: none of the following options are available in the US or India.

In other territories, those still covered by their Pixel 7a’s warranty can claim $456 from Google – that’s cash, not store credit.

And users in said territories who are out of their Pixel 7a’s warranty period can claim either $300 towards another Pixel phone, or $200 in cash.

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It’s worth noting that if your Pixel 7a handset exhibits other forms of damage, such as exposure to sharp objects, liquid damage, or damage caused by excessive force, Google may refuse to issue a battery replacement.

The officialExtended Repair Programpage also notes that Google may charge an additional fee if the phone exhibits out-of-warranty damage like a cracked screen – which we’d guess is because screens typically need to be removed to access the internal components of a smartphone.

The kind of repair program that Google is running isn’t unheard of – some may even call it expected with an issue as serious as battery inflation – but it’s still good to see Google doing the right thing here.

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Head to Google’s official registration page to get your repair or refund claim started, and be sure to let us know how you get on in the comments below.

The company is offering a few updates and tips for navigating a travel-filled summer.

(Image credit: Google)

What you need to know

• Google highlighted a series of updates for AI and apps that might help users travel this summer.
• AI Overviews will soon help users build itineraries for traveling to new places with activities that can span several days.
• The company also detailed trending international and domestic places users have been searching for in Flights in 2025.

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Get ready for the weekend with a few updates for Google’s AI and apps that will prepare you for a summer full of traveling.

In a press release, the company detailed the start of these updates forits AI Overviews in Search. Google says “starting this week,” users can begin receiving “trip ideas” for cities, as well as “distinct” regions and entire countries. To get started, Google gives the following example: “create an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature.”

The company’s AI software in Search will return a map for users to browse. Additionally, you’ll find photos and reviews from others who’ve visited the area and engaged in activities similar to what you’re interested in. The AI Overview will also break down what activities it thinks you could partake in throughout your stay in a given region/country.

This feature will soon rollout for English-based user queries in the U.S. on mobile and desktop. What’s more, Google says users can export their AI-generated itinerary to share with others — which could be helpful if you’re traveling with people.

Alternatively, Google says you could even leverage Gemini for some travel plan assistance. Users can ask the AI model for cheap hotels or “affordable activities” to do in a given country and see what it returns. Moreover, it highlights the ability toutilize its Gems feature, which lets users tailor Gemini to their specific needs.

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(Image credit: Google)

Traveling Cities with Google

(Image credit: Google)

With a place in mind, the company says users will soon find the ability to “track prices”for hotelsafter finding a plane through Google Flights. A new option to track prices for your chosen destination and planned stay will soon appear. Google recommends users tap the “price-tracking toggle” within the search filters in Hotels to receive email notifications if/when things change.

Hotel price tracking is said to begin rolling out “globally this week” on mobile and desktop.

Once you’ve arrived, Google Maps might be your best friend in that wonderous new place if you’ve been doing a bit of research. The post highlights a new Maps feature called “screenshot.” If enabled, Maps will leverage its Gemini capabilities to scour through your saved screenshots so you can review and save any useful ones into a comprehensive list. That list of places can then be shared with others with whom you may be traveling.

This new Gemini-backed screenshot feature in Maps is rolling out “this week” in the U.S. for iOS users first. Google says Android support is “coming soon.”

Lastly, the company highlights Google Lens’ usefulness when out in the world. If you spot a landmark or cool piece of artwork, users can open the app, point at it, and submit a query about it. Google says users shouldreceive an AI Overviewpacked with information about it, with links to more should you be curious. AI Overviews in Lens is also expanding to more languages, such as Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish “in most countries where AI Overviews is available.”

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Google’s Traveling Trends

(Image credit: Google)

Elsewhere, Google is trying to help folks decide where they might travel this year with a glimpse into some trending destinations in 2025. When looking internationally, many trends in Google Flights lean toward the Island of Curacao, Osaka (Japan), St. Lucia (Caribbean Island), Tokyo, and more. However, domestically, folks are interested in going to San Juan, Puerto Rico the most, followed by Billings, Montana.

Hopping into Google Search shows people are looking for information on “island vacation outfits” and “wide leg linen pants.”

While that Billings, Montana result might be a shock after Puerto Rico, Google says it could be because users are interested in “easy access” to the outdoors. Montana is trending alongside Juneau, Alaska, and Bangor, Maine. What’s more, users are searching for “cabins” as part of a romantic getaway this year, too.

As a side note, Google’s analytics show people are looking for ways to get the most space out of their bags while traveling. “Vacuum bags” and “compression packing cubes” have topped the charts recently.