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Material is a weekly discussion about the Google and Android universe. Your intrepid hosts try to answer the question, “What holds up the digital world?” The answer, so far, is that it’s Google all the way down. Hosted by Andy Ihnatko and Florence Ion.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 18, 2025 • 1h 26min
534: Google Inserting Itself
Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows and Photoshop.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code material50off
Links and Show Notes:
Announcing Agent Payments Protocol (AP2)
Reddit Seeks to Strike Next AI Content Pact With Google, OpenAI
Google’s experimental Windows app is better than Microsoft’s built-in search
Search Labs
Nano Banana is coming to Adobe Photoshop
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Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 15min
533: You’re Eating a Part of Me
Our reactions to the Apple event and Samsung's "mean girls" spirit about it all. Andy's adventures with Gemini in Chrome and what Nova Launcher meant to the Android ecosystem.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
#BestPhonesForever
Google pulls ‘Daily Hub’ preview on Pixel 10 as it works on improvements
Nova Launcher, one of the most popular Android home screen replacements, is basically dead
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Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 4min
532: Major Drops
Andy is solo this week, discussing the latest ruling in the Google Search antitrust case. Plus, a major Material 3 Expressive drop arrived on Pixels.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
100x Zoom. Fail or Win?
Google can keep Chrome, but exclusive search deals must end
Google's statement on Sept 2025 Search DOJ decision
Material 3 Expressive updates and more in the latest Pixel Drop
Use AI to create your own Android bot with Androidify
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Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 11min
531: B-A-N-A-N-A-S
We have the new Google Pixel 10 in the building and Gemini has gone bananas.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting
Links and Show Notes:
Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year
Nano Banana: Image editing in Google Gemini gets a major upgrade
Apple Explores Using Google Gemini AI to Power Revamped Siri
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Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 18min
530: Celebrity Endorsements
Did you really think we'd talk about anything else but the Made By Google event?
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
Powerful and proactive: Pixel 10 phones are here
9 ways AI makes Pixel 10 our most helpful phone yet
Pixel Watch 4: Design upgrades, new fitness features and expanded AI
Meet Pixel Buds 2a
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Aug 14, 2025 • 1h 11min
529: I’m Feeling Lucky
What happens when "I'm feeling lucky" applies to Google Photos? And why is Perplexity offering to buy Google Chrome?
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code material50off
Links and Show Notes:
Perplexity Makes $34.5 Billion Offer for Google’s Chrome Browser
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Aug 8, 2025 • 1h 2min
528: I Dream of Genie
It's cool that Google is working on a way to let you spawn 3D map environments, but who is all this AI for?
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
Genie 3: A new frontier for world models
Create personal illustrated storybooks in the Gemini app
Andy's storybook
Flo's storybook
Google Pixel 10: Soon
Google's Linux Terminal plays a big part in turning Android into a true desktop OS
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Jul 31, 2025 • 1h
527: Making Adjustments
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Google Home outage, and why YouTube is clamping down on underage users.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
Google Home's voice control for lights flickers out
Extending our built-in protections to more teens on YouTube
r/degoogle: EU age verification app to ban any Android system not licensed by Google
Australia widens teen social media ban to YouTube, scraps exemption
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Jul 24, 2025 • 60min
526: Bananas
Google's Q2 2025 earnings report is bananas. No one is clicking on links fetched by AI.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
Someone Has Eaten Maurizio Cattelan’s $6.2 Million Banana—Again
Alphabet beats earnings expectations, raises spending forecast
Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results
Get the latest news about Google Gemini
Transform your photos into videos and remix your pics in Google Photos
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Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 1min
525: The Future First
Google's pivot away from ChromeOS has been greatly exaggerated.
This episode of Material is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes:
'I think you see the future first on Android' – Google's Android leader Sameer Samat
More advanced AI capabilities are coming to Search
Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and xAI granted up to $200 million for AI work from Defense Department
Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA
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