… Sonos' Android app now supports Android media playback controls It's finally here Pretty much every popular playback app in the Android ecosystem has playback controls in the notification shade and lockscreen. …
Rahul Naskar May 14, 2026, 3:01 AM EDT I have eight years of experience covering Android, with a focus on apps, features, and platform updates. I love looking at even the minute changes in apps and software updates that most people would scroll past, and sharing my opinion unabashedly. …
… The app offers the option to change interaction behavior to make music controls easier to access one-handed. I can also filter certain apps entirely, so the floating window only appears for some notifications. …
… The right side will house controls specific to the app, like playback speed controls in a podcast app. Some users may find the shift of playback controls to the left a bit jarring, especially in right-hand-drive cars. …
… They offered more granular controls than Google's implementation. I remember tweaking the system accent colors, icons, fonts, and even the look of individual apps. …
… For example, if Google Maps is open full screen, the taskbar includes media playback controls. If Spotify or a podcast app is open, the taskbar can show upcoming navigation directions. That ended up being far more practical than constantly switching between apps manually. …
… Support for other banking apps are expected to follow in the coming year. More app monitoring, better location controls, and theft controls Google is also adding new controls to make it harder for thieves to harvest data from your phone if it's stolen. …
… There's just enough room for some player controls and an option to open the playing app. So split-screen is better, right? I would argue not. What happens when you tap your map to make some changes? …
Rahul Naskar Mar 19, 2026, 9:30 AM EDT I have eight years of experience covering Android, with a focus on apps, features, and platform updates. I love looking at even the minute changes in apps and software updates that most people would scroll past, and sharing my opinion unabashedly. …
… How private is Gemini when it controls your apps? …