All I Want For Christmas is Android XR

We wrap up 2024 for Android Faithful with a great interview with Shahram Izadi - VP & GM, AR/XR at Google about the new Android XR platform. That plus Huyen Tue Dao, Mishaal Rahman, Jason Howell and Ron Richards share their best and worst of Android for 2024. It's been a hell of year for Android, and we wouldn't want it any other way!

PROGRAMMING NOTE: This is our last episode of 2024. We'll be back on January 7, 2025. We thank you for enjoying our show this past year and hope you have a peaceful and delightful holidays and a happy new year! We'll see you in 2025, just in time for CES!

Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor.

INTERVIEW

• 00:00:45 - We sit down with Shahram Izadi - VP & GM, AR/XR at Google for an indepth discussion about Android XR and what we expect from the platform along with the news of Find My Device on Android XR

NEWS

• 00:41:42 - Google rolls out Gemini 2.0 as they enter the "Agentic Era"
• 00:47:29 - Project Astra opens up the waitlist for users to get access to the new platform
• 00:48:57 - Want Gemini on your Nest Home device?
• 00:52:12 - Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is coming in 2025 and the date has been leaked
• 00:54:30 - PATRON PICK: Google rolls out a redesign to Discover

HARDWARE

• 01:06:19 - Huge news as Google chooses a MediaTek modem for the Pixel 10

APPS

• 01:08:45 - The Epic Games store is coming pre-installed on millions of Android devices in Europe and Latin America
• 01:11:26 - YouTubeTV gets another price increase

BEST AND WORST OF 2024

• 01:18:08 - The Android Faithful share their best things from Android in 2024:

Ron: Google's insane pace of updates across Android and related platforms

Mishaal: Google's commitment to the future of the Android platform

Huyen: The Pixel 9 Series

Jason: Project Astra

• 01:26:54 - The Android Faithful share their worst things from Android in 2024:

Ron: The cancellation of the Pixel Tablet 2

Huyen: Continued overemphasis on jamming in AI-features

Mishaal: Uncertainty about the future of certain Google and Qualcomm products given litigation

Jason: The DOJ/Google Antitrust rulings might bring big changes to Play Services and more.

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