device Archives

AppWizard

August 28, 2026

AI Memory Crunch Causes Android To Tighten Data Usage Around its App Ecosystem

Google is adjusting its Android smartphone ecosystem to optimize app memory usage in response to increased demand for memory chips in AI. The initiative, titled ‘Elevating app quality: Reducing memory usage and improving device migration,’ aims to help developers manage hardware constraints and improve app quality through new onboarding standards. Google has outlined specific technical quality requirements and is implementing performance thresholds for dynamic memory usage and bitmap management. New tools will notify developers when their apps exceed these thresholds, and diagnostic tools with a memory limiter feature will be introduced later this year. Developers must comply with the new performance thresholds by February 2027, and by April 2027, all apps on the Play Store must implement the Zero Tap Sign-in feature for device migrations. Non-compliance may lead to reduced app visibility and publishing capabilities on Google Play.

AppWizard

August 28, 2026

Google clamps down on Android app RAM usage amid AI memory crisis — developers have until February 2027 to adapt to new memory-optimizing rules

Google has introduced new guidelines to improve memory management for Android applications due to a shortage of memory, requiring developers to reduce their apps' memory usage by February 2027. Smartphone manufacturers are responding to memory shortages by decreasing the memory in devices, with many entry-level smartphones now featuring only 4GB instead of the previous 6GB to 8GB. Microsoft is also optimizing Windows 11 for devices with 8GB of memory to ease the need for upgrades.

AppWizard

August 28, 2026

Google warns Android app developers to reduce memory usage, with new thresholds set to begin in February 2027.

Google Play is implementing two key requirements to improve app quality and user experience. 1. Reducing App Memory Usage: Google Play is setting broader memory limits to prevent excessive memory consumption by apps. Developers must adhere to specific performance thresholds, including: - Dynamic Memory Usage: Monitoring memory used for an app's private data storage. - Bitmap Memory Usage: Ensuring bitmaps are not retained longer than necessary. - Optimized DEX Code: Achieving a minimum of 25% coverage with optimization tools like R8. To assist developers, Google Play has introduced tools for monitoring memory usage and tracking crashes due to insufficient memory. Warnings will be issued if apps exceed the new thresholds. 2. Ensuring a Seamless Device Migration Experience: Starting in April 2027, all apps supporting user sign-in must use the Android Restore Credentials API for automatic restoration of sign-in states when switching devices. Game apps are currently exempt, but guidance will be provided for handling authentication in gaming applications in 2027.

Winsage

August 28, 2026

Microsoft rolls out fix for Windows 11 crashes, gaming issues

Microsoft has begun rolling out a permanent solution to a problem causing system crashes and gaming disruptions on Windows 11 devices, specifically related to game launch failures and freezing with "EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION" errors. The issue affects various games, including ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals, particularly on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and is linked to peripherals with built-in RGB lighting. The inpoutx64.sys driver has been identified as the cause of these complications. Microsoft is deploying a fix that disables this driver on affected devices, starting on August 26, 2026, and it may take up to 24 hours to reach all impacted devices. This driver block will also be included in the September 2026 Windows security updates. For enterprise-managed devices that do not automatically receive the fix, a temporary workaround involves disabling the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows Registry. Microsoft has stated that disabling this registry key should not lead to unintended behavior.

Winsage

August 28, 2026

Microsoft “Resolves” Windows 11 Crashing Games with a Registry Hack

Late last week, reports emerged about gameplay disruptions linked to the Windows 11 August update, causing issues like forced crashes, unexpected freezing, and device restarts. Microsoft identified the interaction between gaming applications and RGB peripherals as the cause. They released a workaround involving a registry modification to prevent the inpoutx64 driver from loading, which resolved the issue temporarily. This workaround specifically targets devices with the inpoutx64 driver enabled and the game ARC Raiders installed. Users can disable the driver by modifying the registry key HKEYLOCALMACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesinpoutx64, changing the Start value to 4, and restarting the computer. Microsoft is also working to block RGB peripherals for the game MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls and has addressed similar issues for THE FINALS. The driver block will be included in the September 2026 Windows security updates and future releases.

AppWizard

August 28, 2026

Did A New Google ‘Pulse’ App Just Appear On Your Android Phone? Here’s What It Does

A new app called Pulse has been released on the Play Store, quickly reaching over 10 million downloads. It is an existing Google system service that became more visible in the settings app following a recent update and has been in place since March. Pulse may collect information related to app performance but does not share data with third parties. It can be accessed on Pixel devices through Settings > Google services > All services > Privacy & security > System services. Disabling system services like Pulse could disrupt features, so it is advisable to keep it installed. Pulse helps monitor resource usage in Android, including battery drain, memory usage, and CPU activity, and is part of Google's efforts to track issues within the operating system. Google plans to implement stricter measures against apps that excessively consume resources.

Tech Optimizer

August 27, 2026

Scammers Impersonate Microsoft to Push Fake Security Scans and Refund Fraud

A network of fraudulent websites, branded as SysScan, has been discovered, which falsely claims to evaluate antivirus software effectiveness through deceptive security scans. These sites manipulate users into uninstalling legitimate antivirus products and disclosing sensitive personal and banking information. Eleven distinct domains associated with SysScan have been identified, all hosted on a single server. The fraudulent scans generate misleading results based on static findings rather than actual system assessments, and users are coerced into believing their computers are at risk. The scams misrepresent normal browser behaviors as security threats and instruct victims to uninstall their antivirus software, compromising their defenses. The operation targets both individual and business users, collecting extensive personal information and utilizing remote-access tools. The data submitted is sent to Telegram via its bot API. Users are advised to disconnect from the internet and secure their devices if they suspect they have been compromised. Indicators of compromise include specific IP addresses and domains associated with the scam.

Winsage

August 27, 2026

Windows 11 26H2 Goes Into Release Preview Channel

Microsoft has released Windows 11 version 26H2, build number 26300.9278, in the Release Preview Channel for Windows Insiders. This update focuses on extending the support cycle for users transitioning to 26H2. Microsoft has been rolling out support and updates since late 2024, activating essential features with each new release cycle. Enablement packages (eKBs) are crucial for the update mechanism, allowing users on versions 24H2 or 25H2 to upgrade to 26H2 with a simple eKB, while users on older branches like 22H2 and 23H2 will undergo a full feature update. Additionally, the KB5120996 update has been released for Windows 11 26H1, specifically for Windows-on-Arm devices, aligning with enhancements in the KB5120998 update for the 24H2 and 25H2 branches, which include taskbar and Start Menu customization and overall performance improvements.

AppWizard

August 27, 2026

Google tells Android app developers to cool it on memory use, or else

Google has announced new memory-usage restrictions for Android applications to address the ongoing RAM crisis. These restrictions require developers to comply with new memory constraints to ensure smoother operation across devices. The initiative coincides with the rollout of Android 17, which is being introduced on devices like the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL, both of which have less RAM than previous models. Developers must consider varying RAM configurations, ranging from 4GB to over 16GB. Applications that exceed the memory limits may experience reduced performance, slowdowns, or termination, and may face diminished visibility on the Google Play Store. These memory limits will take effect in February 2027, providing developers time to adjust their applications.

AppWizard

August 27, 2026

Google forces Android apps to use memory more wisely as RAMpocalypse rages

Starting in early 2027, Android apps on Google Play must meet new memory performance standards due to rising RAM prices and consumer demand for streamlined smartphones. Google is concerned about a potential "ecosystem-wide memory crisis" and aims to improve memory efficiency in app development. The new standards will be implemented in two phases: the first phase in February 2027 will set thresholds for undesirable behavior and code optimization, while the second phase in April 2027 will enhance device migration with a zero-tap credential restoration feature. Specific memory limits include: - For devices with 8 GB of RAM: foreground app usage capped at 2.25 GB, 1.5 GB for user-perceived services, and 1.5 GB for background processes. - Devices with more than 16 GB of RAM will be largely exempt from these restrictions. - Bitmap memory usage limited to 200 MB for user-perceived and background services, with a cached limit of 400 MB across all devices. - Gaming applications will have different memory requirements. The DEX code optimization mandate aims to improve memory utilization, app launch speed, and runtime performance. The zero-tap sign-in requirement in the second phase seeks to streamline device migration and enhance security, addressing risks associated with manual sign-ins.