The Mac and the iPad are different devices that do different things. This has been the line from Apple executives, from its initial introduction to the advent of touchscreen PCs to just last month when Apple’s Craig Federighi talked to us about iPadOS 26’s new multitasking features.

But it sometimes feels like this internal commitment to keeping the devices separate has held the iPad back as its hardware has become more capable. A mouse cursor? Sure, we’ll add it, after a few years of insisting on keyboard-and-finger interactions, but we’ll make it round and imprecise instead of pointy because the iPad is Different. Windowed multitasking? Sure, we’ll give you a version of it, but you can’t do whatever you want with the windows, and we’ll tie it to a weird new interface for grouping them, because the iPad is Different.

I respect the desire not to take the path of least resistance here, which would be to imitate the Mac by default without trying to do anything new. And it’s not like you could just move macOS elements over totally unchanged; having a touch-first user interface and touch-first apps means the iPad’s system needs to work well with both touch and a keyboard-and-mouse/trackpad setup. It needs to work well in landscape and portrait modes.

But different for different’s sake isn’t good either! I’m not saying that the classic windowed multitasking model, as pioneered in macOS and Windows, is the pinnacle of UI design, but it has persisted both because it works well and because it’s what a lot of people are used to.

The iPadOS 26 update, which officially enters its public beta period today ahead of the official release this fall, introduces a new multitasking system, built on the foundation laid by Stage Manager but with much less reticence to borrow macOS ideas where they make sense.

There are still things I’d like to see improve, and iPadOS itself still isn’t going to replace macOS for the class of developers and power users who want a Terminal window and less-fettered access to external accessories and filesystems and the ability to run whatever code they want. But this finally feels close to an interface that feels right for the iPad while still being consistent and familiar for people coming from macOS, Windows, ChromeOS, or any other traditional desktop operating system.

Testing hardware

Apple made the decision to bring its new multitasking interface to all iPads that can run iPadOS 26, the product of "behind-the-scenes optimizations" that Apple's Craig Federighi mentioned to Ars at WWDC.

This means that iPads of all sizes and ages are going to be able to run this stuff, from a top-of-the-line M4 iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM to a slowly dying 2019 iPad Air 3 with an Apple A12 Bionic and 3GB of RAM. We’ve tested the extremes, and also a semi-representative swath of models in the middle:

• An Apple-provided 13-inch M4 iPad Pro with 1TB of storage—the 1TB and 2TB models also get a silent bump from 8GB to 16GB of RAM. I used this with Apple's first-party Magic Keyboard accessory.
• An 11-inch iPad Air with an M1 processor, aka the fifth-generation Air. The iPad models with the M1 are 3 to 4 years old at this point, but they also have at least 8GB of RAM and already support Stage Manager (and run macOS!), so they should be well-suited to handle all the new stuff. I used this with a Logitech Folio Touch keyboard case.
• An Apple-provided A16 iPad. This is the cheapest, slowest iPad Apple currently sells (outside of its refurbished store). It’s also a modern iPad with a decent processor and 6GB of RAM that didn’t support any form of Stage Manager before. The question here is: does iPadOS 26 make this feel more like a cost-efficient basic beginner laptop? I used this with a Logitech-provided Combo Touch keyboard case.
• A 10th-generation iPad with an Apple A14 chip and 4GB of RAM. The 4th-generation iPad Air from 2020 uses practically identical hardware, and most versions of the 2018 iPad Pros (the first with FaceID and the edge-to-edge redesign) shipped with 4GB of RAM as well. Some of these models already ran Stage Manager, if only just barely; can they keep up with the new multitasking system too?
• A third-generation iPad Air with an Apple A12 Bionic chip and 3GB of RAM. This is the slowest hardware that will run the operating system, and the obvious question is whether the update makes these older tablets feel new again, or if it just makes them feel their age.

The impressions here are mostly based on my experience with Developer Beta 3 and Developer Beta 4; the first public beta should be near-identical to Developer Beta 4.

We’re not doing in-depth performance analysis at this point because this is still early, rough beta software, and Apple does a fair amount of performance optimization later in the cycle as things near release. But we can definitely say that different iPad owners are going to have… a wide range of possible experiences with the new OS.

We also won’t be diving too deep into the Liquid Glass aesthetic as part of this preview. It’s still in a state of flux, with things like icons and cursors and translucency levels shifting from beta to beta and bugs still occasionally making it difficult to know what’s intentional and what isn’t. So it feels best to reserve most of our judgement for the “final” iteration that Apple ships in the fall.

What happened to Split View, Slide Over, and Stage Manager?

The iPad’s default multitasking modes, Split View and Slide Over, date back to 2015’s iOS 9, though subsequent iOS and iPadOS updates did add tweaks and new functionality.

Both were still included in iPadOS even after the introduction of Stage Manager, but both Split View and Slide Over have been removed in iPadOS 26; the names have been removed entirely from the Settings app, and the gestures that used to activate them no longer do anything.

I didn’t mind Split View or Slide Over, once I had committed to memory the series of touchscreen swipes and drags necessary for using them. But they always felt like half-measures, something designed around 2014-era iPad hardware limitations. But that also meant they were lightweight and simple enough to be functional on little 8- and 10-inch screens. They survived the introduction of Stage Manager; it’s too bad Slide Over and Split View have been fully removed instead of left in as one of several possible multitasking modes.

Stage Manager is still available in the Multitasking & Gestures section of the Settings app—as in macOS, it's there to be enabled if you like it or prefer it. And Apple has actually expanded it to every iPad that runs iPadOS 26, bringing it to a swath of lower-end iPads and iPad Airs that couldn’t use it before. Stage Manager was previously restricted to 2018 and 2020 iPad Pros, or iPad Airs and Pros with M-series processors inside.

But those older and slower iPads can still only use Stage Manager on a single screen—either on the iPad’s built-in display or mirrored on an external monitor.

True multi-monitor extended desktop support is still only supported on iPad Airs and Pros with an Apple M1, M2, M3, or M4 inside, either because of RAM limits or because those chips are the only ones that properly support external displays.

How it all works: Setup

Apple puts the new multitasking front and center during setup for both new iPads and upgrade installs of iPadOS 26. On most iPads, a new screen toward the end of setup asks you if you’d like to enable the new windowed multitasking mode or turn it off entirely, sticking to the iPad’s traditional big-iPhone, one-full-screen-app-at-a-time interface.

You can reverse this choice later in the Multitasking & Gestures area of the Settings app; this is the same place where you could turn off the old Split View and Slide Over modes, too. But making this decision an on or off toggle that you need to deal with right from the start helps to resolve the inherent tension between the people who want an iPad as a big content-consumption screen and the people who want to use one as a replacement for a more traditional computer.

The old 2019 iPad Air was offered this screen in early betas of iPadOS 26, but in the public beta build it was not shown. As Apple promised, windowed multitasking is available on these iPads, but the default setting is to turn all multitasking off entirely. More on why that might be the case in a bit.

When windowed multitasking is enabled, all full-screen iPad apps pick up a small curved handle in the lower-right corner that you can tap or click and drag to begin resizing a window. You don’t need to use the handle—tapping/clicking the top area of an app will also make it into a draggable window, and you can resize a window by clicking and dragging any corner or edge—but it’s a clear visual indicator telling you what you need to touch to turn an app into a window, rather than making you swipe in from the edge of the screen or drag something up from the Dock.

The experience won’t be totally alien to those who have used Stage Manager, which used a similar lower-right handle to drag and resize windows and where windows you had put in a group could be resized. But the old Stage Manager system did leave a lot of padding all the way around the screen where windows couldn’t exist, and windows would still “snap” to an Apple-supported size rather than being freely resizable.

To start, windows in iPadOS 26 are more flexible, and they can be resized more precisely. Apps still have a minimum height and width, and if you’re arranging them to fill the whole screen, they will subtly snap to leave a bit of a buffer between them, which can be tapped or clicked and dragged to resize both windows at once. But they do run all the way to the edge of the screen, they’re allowed to overlap, and you can arrange them pretty much however you want otherwise—you can even let them hang over the edge of the screen if you want to.

App windows will still sometimes subtly move or snap to invisible boundaries, but generally only when it’s clear that the user is trying to do something intentional. If it’s clear you’re trying to move or resize an app all the way into the corner of the screen, for example, iPadOS will nudge your window into position rather than making you get it pixel-perfect.

If you position two windows next to each other, and you try to resize them so they’re touching along any of their edges, iPadOS will leave a small gap with a draggable area in between so that you can resize both windows at once, sort of like the way resizing apps in Split View mode used to work. Even while next to each other like this, your active window casts a subtle shadow on the inactive window, making it clear which one is ready to receive input.

Overall the new system tries (and largely succeeds) in striking a balance, allowing users to have freely resizable and overlapping windows while still accounting for the occasional imprecision of finger-based input.

The biggest thing that feels like it needs more work is the transition between portrait and landscape modes, which is elegant and well-considered sometimes and just messy other times. Split your screen into even thirds in landscape modes, and iPadOS will hide the middle one when you flip to portrait mode, splitting the screen halfway between the left and right windows instead.

But other times, windows would be rearranged seemingly at random, with unused space and weird gaps that require you to fuss around and move all your windows around again. In general the multitasking interface seems to assume you’ll be using your tablet mostly one way or the other. Especially with a keyboard attached, you’ll almost always be using landscape modes, rendering the occasionally messy transitions moot. But the rest of the interface does a good enough job balancing traditional windows with the realities of the iPad hardware and iPadOS as a platform, so it’s worth calling out the places where it still feels unpolished.

I’ll also say that on the 10- and 11-inch iPad hardware, in typical day-to-day use, I do often find myself reverting to the same basic layout I would have used in the Split View and Slide Over days—one messaging-focused app taking up about a quarter of the screen, and Safari or some writing app I’m actively working in taking up the remaining three-quarters of the space. The screens on these devices are small enough that you just can’t fit a huge number of overlapping windows in a useful way; newer iPad Airs and Pros have the “more space” display zoom option, at least, and you’ll want to turn that on if your eyes can handle it to reclaim a tiny bit more usable real estate.

I haven't tested iPadOS 26 on any kind of iPad mini, but beyond summoning and dismissing the occasional floating iMessage or Slack window, it's hard to imagine that overlapping windows would be of much use on such a small display.

That being said, even on these screens, iPadOS 26 feels like an improvement specifically because it implements a more traditional, more recognizable windowing system, with fewer persnickety restrictions and less reliance on hard-to-explain edge swipes and other touchscreen interactions.

A proliferation of windows and a new windowing system mean users will need more ways to tame all of them. Apple’s solution for all of this is, again, a combination of a couple of macOS ideas and some stuff that the iPad was doing already.

When you’re using windowed apps, going to the Home Screen (with a swipe on the screen or the trackpad, a press of the Home button, the command-H keyboard shortcut, or any other method you can think of) shoves your windows to an inactive area on the side of the screen, where they can be seen but don’t get in the way of anything. Tapping the area where these windows have been shoved to brings them back to the foreground, while performing the Home action again minimizes all of them. Even if you minimize them, they’ll generally remember their last sizing and positioning when you open them next.

For a better high-level view, either swiping up slowly from the bottom of the screen or swiping up on a trackpad slowly with three fingers will shift you into Exposé. Exposé’s default view shows you every window you’ve got open on your current screen, whether it’s hidden under another one or not, and you can scroll to the left to see the typical iPadOS app switcher for hopping to other open-but-minimized apps or windows.

App Exposé, which shows you all the open windows from a single particular app, is also available when you long-press an app’s icon and then tap Show All Windows. The same long-press will also show you text labels for each of your app’s open windows, the same behavior you get when you long-press or right-click an icon in the macOS dock.

Apple has been loosening its restrictions on the traditional “one app = one window” model for years now, but the company’s design guidelines now explicitly encourage developers to support opening multiple app windows when opening new files. The example Apple Design Team member Rene Lee uses in this video is for apps that might open a certain type of file from the Files app; previously, opening a new file should have discarded the current contents of that app window and opened the new file. Now, Apple encourages developers to leave the old window alone and just open a new one.

One macOS dock behavior that’s not replicated here: minimizing app windows doesn’t send anything to the dock to be maximized later. All window management is handled by either using Exposé or App Exposé, the multitasking switcher, or by tapping or long-pressing the app’s icon in the dock. This does help to keep the iPadOS dock a bit tidier, an important thing to consider for 10- to 11-inch screens used by the vast majority of iPads. But it occasionally makes it more difficult or time-consuming to hunt down a specific window that you’re looking for.

The new multitasking interface works fine with touch input, but the changes were clearly made with keyboard-and-mouse/trackpad users' requests in mind. To that end, Apple has totally revamped the iPadOS mouse pointer.

Most obviously, the new pointer is... pointed at the end instead of round, to make it crystal clear what the pointer is pointing to. Apple says that the new pointer in iPadOS 26 has been changed to always track user input 1:1 at all times, and that the pointer "will no longer magnetize or rubber-band to any target." And unlike the old pointer, the new one stays visible at all times, rather than melting into app icons or buttons as you hover over them. These buttons and icons can still wobble and shift as you move the pointer around on them, and there’s a glassy little highlight that appears under the pointer sometimes to show you what controls you’re interacting with. But the pointer no longer vanishes entirely as you move it from object to object.

The pointer dynamically changes shape based on what it can currently do, like the pointer on a Mac or a Windows PC. Hover near the edge or corner of a window, and the cursor will shift into two pointing arrows to indicate that the window can be resized. Hover over text, and the pointer becomes a cursor that shows you exactly where in the word or sentence you’re currently pointing. It will also shift from a darker gray to a lighter gray based on the color of whatever it’s hovering over, to maximize visibility.

None of this is particularly innovative or magical, since Apple is mostly just replicating the way that the mouse pointer has worked on its other platform for decades (later betas have even implemented the macOS feature where you can shake the cursor quickly to make it larger, something I’ll take a little credit for since I brought it up in multiple briefings at WWDC before Apple had added it).

But the pointer is softer and more playful in a way that complements iPadOS. Its edges are gently rounded, without the hard contrast-y outline of the macOS pointer. And as in older iPadOS versions, it subtly animates as it changes shapes, rather than changing directly from one shape to another as it does on macOS.

If you want a more contrast-y pointer, there's an option to add an outline to it available in the Accessibility settings. Users can adjust both the color and the thickness of the border, mirroring similar accessibility options available in macOS.

Windows get a tiny version of the familiar macOS stoplight buttons in the top-left corner. When maximized, 

these buttons appear and vanish along with the menu bar.

Andrew Cunningham

 

Hover with the pointer or tap the icons, and they'll expand so you can interact with them more easily.

Andrew Cunningham

 

Long-press anywhere in this area to see some automated tiling options for your app window.

Andrew Cunningham

 

Each window gets three control buttons—red, yellow, and green—in the style of the Mac “stoplight” buttons. When you’re working with windows, these buttons are in the window’s upper-left corner; for full-screen apps, they’re kept to the left of the menu bar, and they appear and disappear as the bar does. In both cases, when you’re not interacting with them, these buttons shrink to reduce the amount of screen they use, but they expand when you tap or hover over them.

These buttons make windows do what you’d expect them to do, based on the equivalent functionality in macOS, but they do function subtly differently on iPadOS.

• Clicking the green stoplight toggles back and forth between Full Screen mode and your app window’s last size and position.
• Clicking the yellow stoplight dismisses a window to the standard Exposé app picker, rather than minimizing the actual app window to the Dock as in macOS.
• Clicking the red stoplight actually fully closes the app window and the app itself without adding it to the Exposé interface. That’s actually more like Windows and less like macOS, which has always closed the window but left the app itself open and in memory. There’s no separate Quit command in iPadOS, and Command-Q on a keyboard doesn’t do anything.
• Long-press anywhere on the Stoplight area to see a handful of options for automatically tiling windows.

All iPadOS windows get stoplight buttons for “free,” at least the ones that already supported Stage Manager. But behavior can be a bit flaky on third-party apps that haven’t specifically been updated for iPadOS 26. The positioning of the stoplight buttons can overlap or conflict with other buttons built in to the apps themselves, making them trickier to hover over and click on. For users, this problem should mostly take care of itself, as developers use current Xcode versions to build new versions of their apps that fit in with the new Liquid Glass aesthetic.

In addition to the stoplight buttons, all iPad apps now pick up a menu bar that looks and works a lot like the equivalent feature in macOS, though again with some iPadOS-specific changes and quirks.

The menu bar doesn’t exist at the system level as it does in macOS; when you’re sitting on the home screen without apps open, there’s no Finder-equivalent menu bar available for general use. Rather, each app gets its own distinct menu bar, populated with a mix of system-provided functions and keyboard shortcuts (Copy, Paste, window controls, a link to the app’s Settings page in the Settings app) plus whatever else the developer has decided to add.

Menus are populated with a combination of system-provided items and custom commands.

Andrew Cunningham

 

Longer ones can dynamically shrink and grow a bit depending on what you're interacting with.

Andrew Cunningham

 

You only see a menu bar if you move your cursor to the top-middle of the screen with an app in focus, or if you slowly slide you finger down the top-middle of the screen (which does sometimes conflict with the gesture used to pull down the Notification Center, and sometimes also resulted in me accidentally resizing app windows when I didn’t mean to), or if you press Globe + M on a connected keyboard.

Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines page for the menu bar has been updated to incorporate some iPad-specific guidance, mainly detailing the ways it’s different from the macOS menu bar and how developers should try to conserve space in it.

Like the stoplight buttons, the menu bar is also something that app developers can get “for free” if they’re already keeping up with iPadOS features. Hold down the Command key on a keyboard connected to a recent iPad, and you’ll see a list of keyboard shortcuts grouped under different subheadings. You can no longer do this to see keyboard shortcuts in iPadOS 26. But any items or keyboard shortcuts your app puts into one of these menus are moved to the menu bar on iPadOS 26. (Apple does want developers to assign each menu action its own icon, both in iPadOS and in macOS Tahoe, but menu bars work fine without them, too.)

The iPadOS 26 update doesn't add true multi-monitor support, but everything that makes the new windowing system more versatile than the old one also makes the operating system feel more usable on multiple screens.

As before, true extended display support is restricted to iPad Air and Pro models with an M1, M2, M3, or M4 chip inside. Other iPads with A-series chips can still only mirror their display to an external monitor, though that can still be sort of useful if you have a USB-C monitor with a keyboard or something attached to it.

The new windowing system still treats both screens as their own distinct “space.” For example, opening up App Exposé with a trackpad gesture while the cursor is parked on the iPad’s screen won’t also show you Exposé for apps you have open on your external display, or vice versa. Extended Mac displays have their own full-screen apps and desktop spaces, too, of course, but the OS still treats them as two pieces of a larger unified desktop environment, whereas iPadOS still treats them as their own little autonomous zones.

The dock can be summoned on either display, and clicking an icon opens the app on that display. If that app is already open on the other screen, even if it’s an app like Mail or Safari that can technically spawn multiple independent windows, the default behavior is for the open window to fly over to the other screen, sometimes totally reloading its state in the process.

Although it uses the same chips as Macs, iPadOS imposes some limitations on what you can tweak in a multi-monitor setup. You aren’t given direct resolution or refresh rate controls; only the option to change the display zoom level is available for each individual display. There’s no such thing as portrait mode for an external monitor, even though the iPad itself clearly understands both portrait and landscape mode. And while you can rearrange desktops, you can only choose to put the iPad’s screen above, below, to the left, or to the right of the external display; there’s no fine-grained scooting of displays allowed to make your cursor evenly glide across multiple screens as there is in macOS.

You may also run into some weird iPadOS-related artifacts. Sometimes you’ll see a touch keyboard briefly spring up on a non-touch external monitor for an instant before disappearing. Full-screen or tiled apps have rounded corners, even though the cursor and floating windows can go all the way into the square corners of a screen. Apps have touchscreen-oriented bottom-of-the-window controls that make sense on the iPad’s screen but mostly just get in the way on an external display.

I generally think that anyone who knows they need external display support is also the kind of person who will be more comfortable with a Mac than an iPad. The external display support is more flexible—both the number of them you can connect, and the number of extra settings you’re allowed to access (including more fine-grained arrangement of multiple screens). But for people who have gone all-in on an iPad as their primary computer, this still feels like an improvement over the Stage Manager system, and it’s certainly better than Split View and Slide Over for external screens.

Longer-running background tasks

Multitasking isn’t just about moving windows around. It’s also about what your computer can do in the background for you as you walk away to do something else or switch away to another app. In iPadOS 26, Continuous Background Tasks expand the number of things your iPad can chew on while you focus on other things.

Available in iPadOS 26 and iOS 26, Continuous Background Tasks are things like long video encodes or file transfers—user-initiated workloads that can take a long time and benefit from a lot of processing power but shouldn’t need to lock up your entire device for the duration of the operation.

Apple still imposes relatively strict limits on these tasks. A Continuous Background Task must be initiated manually by the user by pushing a button or some other interaction. And the app must be doing a clearly defined task with a defined endpoint, rather than an open-ended task that’s running continuously. Apple specifically does not want Continuous Background Tasks to be used for open-ended, continuously running software like anti-virus scanners or system agents, one major difference that remains between iPadOS and macOS.

In the betas, the easiest way to see Continuous Background Tasks in action is to start a long file transfer in the Files app. Starting one of these operations summons a notification-like status message and progress bar in the upper middle of the screen, showing you exactly how the task is progressing.

When the progress bar has been dismissed, you can still tell your iPad is doing something in the background because of a small blue bar that appears in the upper-right of your screen next to the network and battery status icons; clicking this blue bar at any time will show you the progress meter. Otherwise, you won’t see the full progress dialogue again until the task has fully completed.

I do think there’s enough space here for the blue bar itself to track your background task’s progress for you, like the small  icon that shows you the progress of downloads in most browsers—filling the blue bar with a different shade of blue from left to right as an operation proceeded would provide clear at-a-glance info. But it’s possible that these icons aren’t allowed to animate for performance or battery reasons.

Apple says iPadOS can still “terminate a continuous background task abruptly depending on run-time conditions,” like when your device is busy executing something else in the foreground or is running out of RAM. When suspending these tasks, Apple says “the system prioritizes the termination of tasks that reflect minimal or no progress.” Even on a resource-constrained iPad Air 3, the OS didn’t automatically cancel any file operations during regular use. But it does leave room for uncertainty in iPadOS that doesn’t exist in macOS.

Better audio/video recording controls

Perhaps recognizing that all the people with the strongest opinions about the iPad’s multitasking feature set are prolific podcasters, Apple has added some features to iPadOS 26 that’s meant to improve the experience of recording audio and video on the device.

For starters, Apple has added an input selection menu in the Sound settings, allowing users to select the iPad’s internal microphone, a headset microphone, or an external webcam or USB microphone. Using external mics was possible with the iPad before, but this gives power users more control and helps podcasters avoid a major occupational hazard: accidentally recording your show using the built-in mic instead of the good one. This preference can be set system-wide and also per-app, and you can opt to use Apple’s voice isolation algorithms to control for background noise or echo.

The update also allows people to record their side of a video call locally—both the audio and the video. For remotely recorded podcasts, having each person on the call record their end of it locally and then mixing them all together later makes editing easier (you can isolate noises or other issues on one person’s track without having to edit around someone else talking) and makes for a higher-quality end product. This can’t be used to record an entire video call, presumably for privacy reasons.

Will these features be useful for anybody other than “Apple writers and YouTubers who want to record podcasts about how they’re recording podcasts on their iPads”? Maybe, maybe not! But they are thoughtful additions for people using iPads for this kind of work.

Performance on old hardware

Lest I sound overly rosy, let me be clear about where my iPadOS 26 experience hasn’t been as good, or where it has felt more like a wash compared to the iPadOS 18 status quo.

While multitasking mode is available on old iPads with as little as 3GB of RAM, for example—the 3rd-gen iPad Air pairs 3GB of RAM with an Apple A12 chip, and the 8th- and 9th-gen iPads shipped with 3GB as well—the multitasking experience has honestly been pretty poor. This is, I suspect, why Apple stopped offering my iPad Air the multitasking experience as part of the first-time setup process in the public beta build, after offering it in earlier developer betas. (It's still there in the settings, the tablet just defaults to all full-screen apps all the time).

You’ll spend more time waiting for the contents of windows to redraw as you resize. And any kind of task that involves loading modern webpages in Safari quickly bogs down. Swapping between multiple tabs is an exercise in frustration. Even trying to scroll down, click a link, or enter text involves unwelcome stuttering or pausing, things that weren't noticeable on the M1 Air or even the A16 iPad.

Some of that reflects the early nature of the software. Performance and stability on newer and older hardware alike has improved a ton over the course of the first developer betas and will surely improve more in the handful of additional beta builds that Apple will issue between now and the initial public release of the software this fall. It's too early to make any kind of predictions about how iPadOS 26 treats old tablets.

But at a certain point you are just running up against the limits of the hardware. Apple has always been a bit stingy with RAM in iDevices, even more so a few years ago, and especially in lower-end devices (Apple Intelligence and its apparent 8GB RAM requirement have been a bit of an equalizer here). There’s only so much you can do to optimize your way around a hardware limitation.

Even the 10th-generation iPad, with its two-generation-newer A14 chip and 4GB of RAM, does an appreciably better job of staying responsive. Safari tabs still reload more frequently than I'd like, and the pause while those tabs become usable again is sometimes longer than I'd like it to be. It still feels slower and hitchier than iPadOS 18.5 on the same hardware. But in my testing with the third developer beta, an A14/4GB tablet never really feels just plain-old locked up the way that the A12/3GB iPad does. This suggests that the 4th-gen Air and 2018 iPad Pros should also be in decent shape. Hopefully, Apple can improve things more between now and the final release; we’ll wait to pass judgment until then. Beta testers on weaker hardware should just know what they're getting into.

iPadOS is still iPadOS

Most of the changes to iPadOS 26’s multitasking mode are for the better, and they represent a major step forward for anyone who has been asking for more versatile multi-window multitasking on the iPad. The iPad doesn’t feel quite Mac-like, but it does finally feel like Apple took some of the better parts of Split View and Stage Manager and blended them with some Mac-flavored elements to make something that feels at home in iPadOS while adding something closer to the desktop-like flexibility power users have been asking for.

Even with better multitasking, there are still underlying limitations to iPadOS relative to macOS that would make it hard for me to totally leave my Mac behind on my next work trip. In the US especially, there are still strict limits on the code you can run—it needs to come from the App Store, and it needs to follow Apple’s rules. These rules have been chipped away at by a combination of regulations and pressure from developers and users, but we’re still a far cry from having a big “let me run anything” switch a la macOS or even Android.

In day-to-day use I feel this the most acutely in the lack of support for browser engines other than the iPadOS version of WebKit, which still acts a little weird with heavy web apps like Google Docs/Sheets relative to the desktop version of Safari or Chromium-based browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. I don’t like that you need to be running something Chromium-based to guarantee the best possible compatibility across the widest possible collection of websites, but it’s where we are right now, and I feel the lack of a “real” Chromium browser on the iPad more than I feel the lack of my other macOS apps.

Other complaints get a bit more technical and esoteric and farther away from things that regular people probably care about. It might bother me that I don’t have a Terminal window or that there’s not a Disk Utility equivalent (the Files app allows for basic reformatting of existing disk volumes, but that’s it). A version of Homebrew that worked on the iPad? A version of Xcode and its tools that worked on the iPad? I’d use all of it if it existed, but it doesn’t.

My other sticking point is the continued unpredictability of when your iPad is going to decide to jettison apps or browser tabs from memory, forcing a reload when you swap back to them. This has mostly been fine for me, and I’m still willing to chalk some flakiness up to beta-software blues. But I’ve occasionally lost paragraphs of this piece in the web-based WordPress CMS we use, as tabs have been booted for memory before the software’s auto-saving function could kick in. The less RAM you have, the more often you’ll encounter it. But even on a Mac with 8GB of RAM, a robust and time-tested virtual memory system means you just don’t need to think about this kind of thing all that much.

Having shifted to using iPads as my main computers for a couple of weeks, my overall impression is positive; my existing tablet hardware has gotten a big upgrade in usability and usefulness without totally throwing out the touch-friendly UI and the relative simplicity that have always been the iPad’s main selling points. A visible handle in the corner of each app/window makes it easier to activate multitasking mode when you want to and more difficult to activate it by mistake, and the traditional macOS stoplight buttons make it easy to close, minimize, or maximize a window that you want gone. Also helpful is the ability to click a notification that comes in and have a small app window appear over top of whatever you’re working on, the exact size and shape that you meant it to be, that can be minimized with a quick keyboard shortcut or button press when you’re done with it. I realize I’m just describing the way that macOS and Windows have worked for decades, but it’s neat to be able to do it on an iPad without also having to learn some new multitasking interface that feels like it’s reinventing the wheel for no reason (as Stage Manager sometimes did).

If you install the public beta, you’ll probably run into some instability and some performance issues on older devices (multi-monitor mode in particular made apps pretty crash-happy in Developer Beta 3, and I even had it hard-crash to the home screen a couple of times, though hopefully the slightly newer public beta builds will be better on this front). Swapping between Apple’s built-in apps and third-party ones that don’t yet support the Liquid Glass UI can be jarring. But especially if you already own a keyboard and mouse/trackpad that you use with your iPad, it’s worth installing the OS early just to give it a try for yourself.

The last couple iPadOS releases have been content to tinker around the edges of the multitasking experience. But the iPadOS 26 beta is the rare update that’s actually kind of exciting to install.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Friday 25 July 2025 at 11:55 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Google is readying its next set of hardware announcements, and has already confirmed that the Pixel 10 series is launching next month. We even know what one of the phones looks like, thanks to the official image up above.

But beyond the few tidbits Google has shared officially, there’s an awful lot more we think we know about the Pixel 10 line thanks to leaks, from which phones are arriving — likely the 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold — to camera changes, chipset upgrades, and maybe even some long overdue Qi2 support.

Let’s start with some stone-cold facts. We know that the Pixel 10 line will be announced at a Made by Google event in New York on August 20th, where the company will show off “the latest on our Pixel phones, watches, buds, and more.”

We also know that one of the phones in the lineup will look like the image above, including that blue-gray finish. Color aside, that phone looks almost identical to the Pixel 9 Pro, right down to the flash and temperature sensor inside the camera bar, confirming that Google isn’t changing its design language.

That’s all Google has said for certain, but here’s everything else we’re expecting to see at the launch next month.

The biggest surprise this year appears to be a move to upgrade the base Pixel 10 to a triple rear camera, including a telephoto lens for the first time, bringing it in line with the three Pro models.

But before you get too excited, know that there are some downsides. To offset the added cost — and perhaps to give you a reason to consider the upgrade to the Pro — Google will reportedly downgrade the Pixel 10’s other cameras.

Android Authority reports that Google is using smaller sensors for the Pixel 10’s main camera and ultrawide than the Pixel 9 had, meaning the cameras will capture less light. In fact, it will apparently use the same sensors it did on the Pixel 9A. That means that unless Google has made improvements elsewhere, the Pixel 10’s main and ultrawide cameras will be worse than on the 9, but offset by the addition of the telephoto lens. At least the selfie camera should remain unchanged.

It also means the triple cameras on the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL — which will apparently be unchanged from the 9 Pro models — will be superior to the 10 across the board. The 10 Pro Fold camera will be comparable to the 10’s, using the same sensors for its main and telephoto shooters, and similarly specced ones for the selfie and ultrawide. That represents a very slight upgrade to the main camera in the Fold, but the base 10 is the only model getting a real camera overhaul.

Google may also be making unexpected decisions about the phones’ colors, going by allegedly official renders leaked by Android Headlines.

The Pixel 10 colors look especially bright this year.

Image: Android Headlines

 

While the 10 Pro is even more muted than usual. 

Image: Android Headlines

 

The 10 Pro XL comes in the same set as the Pro. 

Image: Android Headlines

 

While the 10 Pro Fold makes the odd choice of omitting black entirely.

Image: Android Headlines

On the base Pixel 10 that means brighter colors than ever (and confirmation of that triple camera). The site reports that the phone will come in “Obsidian,” Google’s standard black finish, along with a vibrant blue called “Indigo,” a paler shade called “Frost,” and an almost fluorescent green dubbed “Limoncello.”

By contrast, the Pro models look muted. The 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL come in the same “Obsidian” black, plus the returning “Porcelain” white, a soft green called “Jade,” and a gray-blue called “Moonstone.” You might recognize that shade from Google’s official image up at the top.

Stranger are the colors for the 10 Pro Fold. Android Headlines reports that it only comes in two variants, but unlike last year those aren’t black and white. Instead, the Fold will apparently only be available in “Moonstone” and “Jade,” making it the rare phone to not launch in black at all.

For more confirmation of those colors, another leaked image from the Play Store shows the full Pixel 10 lineup together, with the three Pro models all in “Moonstone” and the regular 10 in “Indigo.”

Seeing them together really highlights how bright the base model is compared to the Pros.

Image: Android Authority

This week the Wireless Power Consortium announced Qi2 25W, a faster version of the magnetic wireless charging standard, and promised support from “major Android smartphones.” We think that means the Pixel 10 line.

Google hasn’t supported Qi2 on its previous Pixels, but there are two good reasons to think that might be about to change. The first is the size of the new handsets. Android Headlines claims to have the official dimensions and weights of all four phones, and each is heavier than the previous generation, and all but the XL are thicker too.

There are a few possible explanations. One is that the phones will simply have bigger batteries, which several reports have suggested. But Google could also be making space for the magnets required to enable Qi2 support.

The second reason to expect Qi2 is that Android Authority reported in June that Google is preparing an ecosystem of magnetic Qi2 accessories under the “Pixelsnap” brand, including two chargers and a stand.

The risk is that instead of full Qi2 support, the Pixel 10 phones are only Qi2 Ready. That’s the certification recent Samsung flagships have, for phones that support Qi2 charging but don’t contain the magnets, requiring a magnetic case for full functionality.

With another Android Headlines report claiming that Google’s Pixel 10 cases will include magnets, some have taken that to mean Google’s phones won’t be magnetic themselves, but don’t be so sure — Apple’s MagSafe iPhone cases include their own magnets to supplement the ones in the phones, and Google could be doing the same here.

Boring, I know — every phone, every year, has a chipset upgrade. But we are expecting more from Google this time around.

Android Authority has repeatedly reported that for the new Tensor G5 chip Google is moving manufacturing from Samsung to TSMC, using the same 3nm N3E process Apple uses for the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro chip. Together with some tweaks to the core layout, that’s expected to produce a significant boost in processing power, closing the gap between Pixels and the competition.

Android Authority reports that Google is developing several new AI imaging features, though some may be for next year’s Pixel 11. “Speak-to-Tweak” should be a voice-based photo editing tool, while “Sketch-to-Image” will be the Pixel version of a feature already seen on Samsung phones.

The same site has separately reported that the Pixel 10 will have a new virtual assistant called “Pixel Sense,” once rumored to be called “Pixie.” Pixel Sense will use information from other Google apps to complete tasks across your phone, make predictive suggestions to help you before you ask, and better learn your tastes from all that data. Impressively, that will all be processed on-device.

It sounds like a more powerful version of the multimodal actions Google added to Gemini in January, but going by the name it will remain a Pixel exclusive.

The Pixel 10 software will look a little different to before.

Image: Google

These AI features will arrive alongside Android updates we’ve known about since Google I/O, like the big Material 3 Expressive redesign and a desktop mode based on Samsung’s DeX.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Friday 25 July 2025 at 2:18 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

However, things about next year's Galaxy S26 lineup are already heating up. A recent rumor suggested that the S26 Edge would replace the "Plus" model from the lineup. Then it was tipped that Samsung could pack a big battery and the fastest charging speed in the company's history.

While earlier reports didn't reveal the exact numbers, a reliable tipster, IceUniverse, has spilled those specific details. In a series of posts on Weibo (Chinese social media platform), the tipster revealed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a 5,000 mAh battery and 60W fast charging support.

While the 5,000 mAh number may not excite you enough, the 60W fast charging support is a welcome move, if this turns out to be true.

Furthermore, it was also revealed that the Galaxy S26 series will come equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset for Galaxy with a frequency of 4.74GHz, manufactured by TSMC. If accurate, it will surpass Galaxy S25 Ultra's 4.47GHz.

Next up, IceUniverse shared what he claims to be "accurate information about the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra," that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be much thinner than this year's S25 Ultra, measuring less than 8mm. Plus, the screen is expected to get bigger, with the body length and width also increased, all while shedding some grams of weight.

For context, the Galaxy S25 Ultra measures 8.2mm, so based on the leaked information, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could go below 8mm. Also, the S25 Ultra weighs 218 grams, meaning the Galaxy S26 Ultra could go below 210 grams, though specific details weren't mentioned.

Images via IceUniverse on Weibo

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Friday 25 July 2025 at 2:17 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has announced the official launch of faster Qi2 25W wireless charging, with the first devices already certified and “several hundred” yet to come. Most excitingly, it promises that alongside iPhone support, several “major Android smartphones” will finally be adopting the standard.

We’ve known that faster Qi2 charging was coming, up from the prior 15W limit, with accessory brands including Anker, Ugreen, and Baseus securing early certification, and some even announcing power banks and chargers. Until now we’d only known the tech by its version number, Qi2.2, but the WPC has confirmed it will be known at Qi2 25W instead.

The WPC has confirmed that iPhones will support Qi2 25W, though not which models. The iPhone 16 series currently offers 15W Qi2 charging speeds but 25W over MagSafe. Since the magnetic Qi2 standard is based in part on Apple’s MagSafe designs, it stands to reason that the 16 series might receive an update to the new standard, and presumably the upcoming iPhone 17 models will offer support too.

The group also says that “major Android smartphones will join the Qi2 ecosystem for the first time with this launch,” though again offers no specifics. To date only a single Android phone has fully supported Qi2, the HMD Skyline. A handful of Samsung’s flagships, including the recent Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, are certified “Qi2 Ready,” which means they support 15W Qi2 charging but don’t themselves include the magnetic ring needed for the full speeds, requiring owners to buy a magnetic Qi2 case for full functionality. We’ve asked the WPC for comment on whether the upcoming Android support will be full Qi2, or only Qi2 Ready.

“The momentum building behind the next stage in the evolution of the Qi standard is incredible,” said Fady Mishriki, chair of the WPC’s board of directors. “Consumers will be delighted when they experience Qi2 25W as it delivers nearly 70% more power than the original Qi2. The number of devices in the Qi2 25W certification queue for launch is unprecedented, as is the quality and breadth of our members’ product designs.”

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 24 July 2025 at 4:22 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Microsoft is rolling out an update for the Link To Windows app on Android that has added the ability to remotely lock your Windows 11 PC using your phone. This is handy for when you step away for brief moment, only to realize you might be away from your PC longer than you thought.

Instead of having to trek all the way back to lock your PC, you can now just pull out your phone, open the Link To Windows app, and hit the new "Lock PC" button. Once pressed, your PC will automatically lock itself without you needing to touch it. Notably, the lock PC button will also disconnect your phone from Windows Phone Link until you log back in. This feature requires Link To Windows version 1.25071.165 or newer, though it doesn't appear to be showing for everyone yet.

Windows itself has featured a dynamic lock feature for years, which lets the OS automatically lock when you step away from your PC based on whether your phone stays connected via Bluetooth. This new feature doesn't require Bluetooth, and can be initiated manually.

It comes as part of a redesigned Link To Windows app that places all of its core functions in one convenient place. The app now lets you view your most recently shared files and photos, as well as recent text copied to your clipboard if you have clipboard sync enabled.

This year's Galaxy S25 Edge is thin, measures just 5.8mm, comes with a 200MP primary camera, and a 3,900 mAh battery. But now, it appears that Samsung is going to make the Edge model more exciting, as, according to a fresh leak by prominent leaker IceUniverse, next year's Galaxy S26 Edge is going to be a device to look forward to.

Firstly, the Galaxy S26 Edge will pack a larger battery compared to the Galaxy S25 Edge. Unfortunately, the leaker did not give any numbers. Secondly, the S26 Edge will shed even more thickness and be slimmer compared to the Galaxy S25 Edge. Again, no specific details, but could come close to 5.5mm (or even slimmer). Apple is expected to introduce its slim iPhone, the iPhone 17 Air, this year. It is expected to measure just 5.5mm thick but come with a disappointing 2,900 mAh battery.

IceUniverse says that the larger battery size and slimmer profile will come thanks to the new battery technology. Although the leaker did not specify which technology, earlier rumors suggest Samsung may adopt silicon-carbon batteries that will help the company fit bigger batteries inside the Galaxy S26 lineup.

Silicon-carbon batteries are more compact and allow for higher energy storage. Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi, VIVO and ZTE are already using this technology and offering phones with batteries ranging between 6,000-7,000 mAh. Also, if Samsung jumps to silicon-carbon batteries, you can expect a really big battery inside the ultra-slim Galaxy S26 Edge.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 24 July 2025 at 4:19 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Apple and Google face new rules governing how they run their smartphone software and app stores in the UK, as Britain’s antitrust agency looks to impose new European-style controls on the Big Tech companies.

The proposed interventions could trim fees of up to 30 percent that Apple and Google charge for digital transactions through their mobile app stores, as well as prevent them from designing their systems to favor their own apps and services.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority on Wednesday said it expected to designate the two Silicon Valley groups with “strategic market status” under the UK’s new digital markets regime, allowing the agency to impose conduct rules on the companies.

A final decision on this designation will be made in October, after which it will begin consulting on potential interventions.

Sarah Cardell, CMA chief executive, said the agency’s investigation had “identified opportunities for more innovation and choice” on smartphones.

These include allowing developers to direct customers to pay or subscribe to digital services outside the app stores and ensuring greater “interoperability” between Apple’s services and those of third parties, for instance in digital wallets and smartwatches.

The CMA will also examine smartphone-based artificial intelligence services, such as Apple’s Siri voice assistant and Google’s Gemini, “to ensure a level playing field in this rapidly advancing sector.”

However, the agency will delay until next year a key decision on whether to require Apple to allow apps to be distributed without going through its App Store at all, prompting criticism from some developer campaign groups.

Tim Sweeney, head of Fortnite developer Epic Games, which has had a long-running dispute with Apple over its payments system, said the CMA’s planned interventions were “surprisingly weak” and called the delayed decision on alternative app stores a “missed opportunity.”

“The targeted and proportionate actions we have set out today would enable UK app developers to remain at the forefront of global innovation while ensuring UK consumers receive a world-class experience,” Cardell said. “Time is of the essence: as competition agencies and courts globally take action in these markets, it’s essential the UK doesn’t fall behind.”

Google and Apple oppose the outlined changes, arguing they could threaten user security and delay the launch of new products and services in the UK.

“We’re concerned the rules the UK is now considering would undermine the privacy and security protections that our users have come to expect, hamper our ability to innovate, and force us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors,” Apple said. “We will continue to engage with the regulator to make sure they fully understand these risks.”

Oliver Bethell, Google’s senior director for competition, said the CMA’s move was “both disappointing and unwarranted” and that it was “crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate, and does not become a roadblock to growth in the UK.”

Apple has repeatedly clashed with Brussels over the implementation of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, making changes to its platform after the European Commission accused the iPhone maker of failing to comply with its “online gatekeeper” rules.

The DMA also requires Apple to open up iOS features and data to its rivals and has demanded changes to its App Store, such as allowing users to install apps from outside its store.

The CMA said it was taking a different approach to the EU by being more “tailored” and iterative than the DMA’s blanket rules.

Last month, Google’s search services were the first Big Tech product to be targeted under the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which was passed last year.

If a company’s products or services are designated as having “strategic market status,” it can last for a five-year period. Companies can be fined up to 10 percent of global turnover for breaching conduct rules.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 24 July 2025 at 4:19 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Google might replace the upcoming Pixel Pro Fold’s white and black models with two new color options. Leaked renders shared by Android Headlines show the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in a light green “Jade” and a silvery blue “Moonstone” — with no black or white option at all.

Since the launch of Google’s first foldable in 2023, the company has sold the device and its Pixel 9 Pro Fold successor in either Obsidian (black) or Porcelain (white). The Pixel 10 Pro Fold could shake up these neutral tones for something a little more colorful, and I have to say that I’m liking the look of the pistachio green.

Recent rumors suggest that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will mainly offer just a spec bump, featuring a slightly larger 6.4-inch cover display, a bigger battery, and a new 1TB storage option. Android Headlines also previously reported that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold could be completely dustproof, which would be a first for foldable phones.

Google will likely show off the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, along with the Pixel 10 that it already teased, during its Made by Google event on August 20th.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 24 July 2025 at 4:18 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Compared to rival Android brands, Samsung still lags behind. While other brands are offering fast charging speeds of up to 240W (Realme GT 5), the Korean brand remains stuck at 45W fast charging with its latest Galaxy S25 Ultra. That might change with next year's Galaxy S26 Ultra.

According to prominent leaker IceUniverse of X (formerly Twitter) says that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature the fastest charging speeds in the company's history. While the leaker didn't specifically mentioned an exact number, it is expected to exceed the current 45W limit, if this leak turns out to be true.

Samsung has been cautious, particularly following the Galaxy Note7 fiasco. The company has been delaying any upgrades to fast charging speeds ever since. However, it appears that Samsung is now ready to step things up, though it still won't be including a charging brick inside the box, citing environmental concerns.

It is not certain if Samsung is also considering debuting a high-capacity battery with the Galaxy S26 Ultra or not. The current flagship, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, comes with a 5,000 mAh battery. The leaker, who has a solid track record claims the information is "100% confirmed."

Still, this should be taken with a huge grain of salt, as we are months away from launch.

Let us know in the comments below if you are excited about this development, and whether you would prefer Samsung to include a charging brick inside the box instead of just increasing the charging speed.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 24 July 2025 at 4:16 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

So, before you download and install any APK, make sure you take these important steps. That way, you can enjoy APKs while keeping your device and data safe.

Update and back up your device

Before installing, double-check that your device has the latest system update. System updates typically include fixes for vulnerabilities that bad APKs could exploit. And while features and design changes are usually great, these patches are what really matter. Outdated devices are typically more vulnerable to security threats, particularly when you're getting apps outside the Play Store.

In addition, make sure to back up your important data. Harmful APKs can corrupt data, trigger factory resets, or even lock you out of your phone. Having a backup in place ensures you can restore your files quickly if things go awry after installing an APK.

Verify the source and file integrity

Where you grab your APK from can make all the difference security-wise, so make sure to download it from a safe source. There are several safe sites, such as APKMirror, APKPure, and F-Droid, that have verified APKs and scan files before sharing them. Do not download APKs from random links on social media, unknown forums, or messaging apps (e.g., Telegram channels) where fake or bad apps are ubiquitous.

That being said, even when using reputable sites, it's a good practice to check the file hash/checksum. A trusted APK website will usually display the SHA-256 or MD5 hash of a file.

You can also calculate the APK's hash on your device using a free tool. Apps such as HashCalc, Checksum Calculator, or Hash Droid allow you to select the APK file and instantly compute the SHA-256 checksum.

When the hash is generated, just compare it to the value on the original app website. If they do not match, delete the APK immediately. It may have been tampered with.

Scan the APK for malware

Once you have downloaded the APK from a reliable source, the next step is to check for any hidden threats. Sometimes, even valid APKs can have malicious code embedded inside them. One easy way to check is by uploading the APK to VirusTotal, a free online service that scans files using multiple antivirus engines, before installing it.

It will quickly analyze the APK and show if any security vendors have flagged it as suspicious or harmful. You'll see a simple summary with green checks for safe results or red warnings if threats are found. Another helpful option is Koodous, a community-based platform that checks Android Apps and flags any harmful behavior or activity.

Check the app and install permissions

It's important to know what permissions an apk needs before grabbing it. You can quickly check this using a tool like Exodus Privacy or ClassyShark3xodus, which shows you any unusual permissions or hidden trackers inside the app.

You should also limit install permissions on your phone. Only allow your browser or file manager to install unknown apps when needed, and disable it right afterward. This stops other apps from installing anything in the background and protects your device.

Use a secondary device or emulator

If you’re getting APKs from unknown or questionable sources, it’s advisable not to install them on your main device. As a precaution, consider using a secondary device—ideally one that isn't connected to your personal accounts.

You can also run the APK on an emulator like Bluestacks or the Android Studio Emulator to test it in a controlled environment. This isolates any potential threats from your main device and keeps your data safe.

While these steps might take a few extra minutes, they can save you from the frustrations of malware, scams, or loss of privacy. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to third-party app installations.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Wednesday 23 July 2025 at 2:13 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Over the next few weeks, T-Mobile is expanding support for the L4S standard, which stands for “Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput.” The technology helps high-priority internet packets move along with fewer delays, to make video calls and cloud games feel smoother and reduce annoying hitches.

Users won’t need a special phone or plan to take advantage of the benefits from L4S. “This is network-driven,” T-Mobile CTO John Saw tells The Verge.

L4S is already deployed in “many cities” on T-Mobile’s 5G Advanced network, but the company is “actively expanding” the coverage, company spokesperson Anushka Bishen says. Saw says T-Mobile is the first wireless network in the US to implement L4S.

The L4S standard helps devices manage congestion with internet packets so that you’re less likely to hit a pause if that congestion leads to buffering and latency, which can still become a problem even on higher bandwidth connections like upgraded 5G networks. With L4S, packets get an indicator that will get marked if they experience congestion, and devices can read those packets to make adjustments to hopefully reduce that congestion and maybe even eliminate it.

Saw used a car analogy to help explain it: “In the olden days, you used reactive braking when traffic slows down. L4S is more like dynamic cruise control, where the car actually automatically slows down and speeds up without you having to jump in.” If you want to read more, my former colleague Mitchell Clark has a detailed explainer of how it’s supposed to help.

For users, this means that applications that support L4S should experience less latency. In a blog post, Saw highlights how L4S can benefit things like Nvidia’s GeForce Now and Apple’s FaceTime calls. Both Nvidia and Apple also worked with Comcast during its trials of L4S, and Comcast started rolling out L4S to some cities earlier this year.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Tuesday 22 July 2025 at 4:37 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Looking at the phone, the first thing you'd notice is probably how similar it looks to the Pixel 9 at a glance. It keeps the same general camera bar design that has defined the lineup since the days of the Pixel 6. As Android Headlines notes, the single piece of glass covering the camera array is now larger, stretching further across the bar to make room for an extra lens. Here's what they look like side by side.

That extra lens is, of course, a telephoto meant for the base Pixel 10 (finally). The leak suggests all Pixel 10 models will feature smaller camera sensors this year, perhaps to better separate the standard models from the Pro lineup. The setup is rumored to be a 48MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10.8MP telephoto.

As for the colors, we have Obsidian, Indigo, Frost, and Limoncello. That last one is named after the Italian drink, a sweet lemon liqueur. Frost is basically a very light, almost icy, blue.

At the announcement event, Google is expected to put a heavy focus on software and AI. We are hearing a lot about new AI features, including something called "Pixel Sense," which is designed to be a proactive on-device assistant. A quick side note: Microsoft has its own "PixelSense" trademark for its Surface displays, so it'll be interesting to see if it lets Google use the name without a fight.

As for the hardware specs, rumors and leaks have it that a new Tensor G5 chip will power the phone, paired with a potential 4,970mAh battery and a 120Hz display. For more details, you can check out our dedicated piece on everything we know so far about the upcoming Pixel series.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Tuesday 22 July 2025 at 4:36 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

A new report says that a successor to the current iPad Pro lineup will offer a more powerful Apple M5 processor and more cameras on the front. While Apple experimented with a dual-camera setup on the back of the recent iPad Pros (this was killed in the M4 generation), the front of every iPad has always had a single camera, minus the original one, of course, which had none. With the M5 iPad Pro, Apple is rumored to double the number of front-facing cameras for a rather odd reason.

No, Apple is not using a dual-camera setup for depth of field effects or a wider angle. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the logic is much simpler: satisfy fans of the portrait orientation. The problem is that in the 2024 iPad Pro, Apple moved the front-facing camera to the longer side of the tablet, where it makes much more sense for FaceTime calls, selfies, and everything else. However, that makes the iPad a bit awkward to use when in portrait mode, especially when it comes to FaceID. Now, it appears that Apple wants to make both camps happy by adding another front-facing camera to the shorter side of the screen.

There is no information on whether we will see just one more front-facing camera or the entire FaceID module. Given Apple's nature of blaming users for some of its device shortcomings (the infamous "you are holding it wrong" line), it is quite interesting to see Apple addressing a seemingly minor concern with such an overkill solution.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Monday 21 July 2025 at 12:31 pm AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple's next iOS 27 update will prioritize new features for the rumored foldable iPhone. The development of iOS 27 is starting soon, and Apple wants to put a lot of focus on the folding experience.

With the first foldable iPhone, Apple is entering a well-developed market, and the company is not expected to bring major innovations, unlike the original Apple Vision Pro. Apple is reportedly focusing on a design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold7 with an inward-folding display. Still, the first iPhone is rumored to feature some notable improvements for the inner display crease and the hinge.

Foldable phones are becoming increasingly popular in China, and Apple can no longer ignore the market. Offering an expensive foldable iPhone will help the company boost revenue and reignite interest in its main product. There are plenty of users who are interested in giving a book-like foldable a try, but having Android as the only platform choice is a big turn-off for many. With Apple joining the party, the form factor will become much more interesting to many users.

Still, those users will have to make sure their pockets are plenty deep. The first foldable iPhone is not expected to cost less than $2,000, so the sticker shock of the original iPhone X from 2017 and Apple Vision Pro from 2023 is coming next year.

Source: Bloomberg

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Monday 21 July 2025 at 12:30 pm AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

The new Pixel lineup includes Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Over the past few months, swirling rumors have been circulating about the upcoming Pixel phones and their alleged specs. However, it appears that the Pixel 10 series won't be a massive leap over the previous generation, with Google sticking to standard upgrades this time around.

Here's a roundup of all the rumors we've heard about the Pixel 10 series so far.

That same familiar design we've seen time and again

Some sharp-eyed people in Vancouver, Canada, spotted a Pixel 10 model while Google was filming an ad. From the looks of it, the design isn't a massive change from the Pixel 9 series.

It still features the same camera bump, although Google may trim the corners slightly to make the phone easier to hold. Other leaks also confirm that the Pixel 10 is not a massive departure from the current generation.

As for the supposed colors, a leaker on X says the Pixel 10 series will take the following shades:

• Pixel 10: Obsidian, Frost, Lemongrass, Indigo
• Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL: Obsidian, Porcelain, Moonstone, Jade
• Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Moonstone, Jade

Google's most powerful chip is on the way

All Pixel 10 phones could feature the Tensor G5 chip, manufactured using TSMC's N3E process. The leaked benchmarks suggest that Tensor G5 is Google's most powerful chip to date, boasting a staggering 36 percent performance leap over G4. The upcoming chip is also expected to be heavily optimized for on-device AI tasks.

The Tensor G5 is expected to be available with 16GB of RAM and storage options of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB across the lineup.

As for the screen size, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the only model that might stretch a bit, from the current 6.3-inch to 6.4 inches for the cover display, while the inner display remains at 8 inches. Additionally, the screen brightness on the Pixel 10 series might increase to 3,000 nits.

The new Pixel Fold might also feature a larger battery, at 5,015mAh. We hope Google has listened to the complaints from Pixel 9 users about poor battery life and extended the battery capacity in the other Pixel 10 phones.

An upgraded camera with more touch of AI

According to Android Authority, the vanilla Pixel 10 features a main 50MP Samsung GN8 camera sensor, as well as a 13MP Sony IMX712 ultrawide lens and an 11MP Samsung 3J1 telephoto lens. The selfie camera also houses an 11MP Samsung 3J1 sensor.

The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor, and three 48MP sensors for ultrawide, telephoto, and selfie.

As for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, leaks suggest we should expect a 48MP primary camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP 5x telephoto lens. The setup shows no sign of upgrades compared to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The camera software is also expected to get a slew of AI-driven features.

Most AI-focused Pixel devices are on the way

With Google prioritizing AI, it is clear that the upcoming Pixel 10 series will likely be the most AI-focused Pixel lineup yet. The phones launch with Android 16 out of the box and some Pixel-exclusive features such as Pixel Sense, which serves as an on-device assistant and is capable of reading data from a wide range of apps.

Some models might get a price hike

There have been conflicting rumors about the price of the Pixel 10 series. AndroidHeadlines claims that only the Pixel 10 Pro XL will get a price hike, while the Fold variants' prices might surprisingly drop. Meanwhile, leaker Roland Quandt suggests that the entire Pixel 10 lineup may become more expensive.

What do you think about the Pixel 10 series phones? If you're a former Pixel owner, are you planning for an upgrade? Let us know.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Sunday 20 July 2025 at 6:39 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

According to a latest tip received by MacRumors, Apple may finally introduce anti-reflective displays on this year's iPhone 17 Pro models. In addition to being anti-reflective, the new display is also said to be more scratch-resistant. Notably, this advanced display will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The source claims that Apple suppliers have achieved high yield on the anti-reflective glass technology and are heading for mass production. For obvious reasons, the standard iPhone 17 and the slim iPhone 17 Air are expected to miss out on this newly upgraded display.

This will be yet another feature Apple can highlight and brag about during the iPhone 17 launch event. As for competition, Samsung has already been offering anti-reflective displays for two years, first with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and now with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Ultra's display reduced reflection by up to 75% compared to a standard glass display, which was also found to be true in real-world testing.

Another interesting rumor about the display is that Apple could use a Low-Dielectric TEE technology display on iPhone 17 Pro models. This will help the phone reduce battery consumption. The selfie cameras are also expected to get upgraded to 24MP across all models, and the regular iPhone 17 model is also tipped to feature the A19 chipset this year instead of last year's A18 processor though it may come with 8GB of RAM.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Friday 18 July 2025 at 4:36 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

The Galaxy G Fold could feature a G-style folding design, as opposed to the S-style folding design of the world's first tri-folding phone, the Huawei Mate XT. It is rumored to feature a 10-inch internal display and is tipped not to include any under-display camera.

Design cues of the Galaxy G Fold were spotted in the latest One UI 8 beta build, giving us a glimpse at how the triple-screen foldable from the South Korean giant would fold. The device looks similar to the now-launched Galaxy Z Fold7 but with an additional fold.

Now, a fresh leak courtesy of reliable leaker IceUniverse on Weibo suggests that you may not have to wait till 2026 to hold the Galaxy G Fold. According to the leaker, Samsung may launch its tri-folding phone as early as October.

IceUniverse also revealed that Huawei could launch the second iteration of its tri-folding phone in September, just before Samsung. While these aren't the official launch window, strategy-wise, Huawei's early launch of its second-generation tri-folding phone could be an attempt to dampen the buzz around the Galaxy G Fold.

Aside from this, Samsung Galaxy G Fold could feature a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 200MP primary camera, and also feature a titanium backplate to not only reduce the thickness of the foldable but also improve upon its durability.

Let us know in the comments below if you are excited about Samsung's tri-folding phone and if you would buy one or not.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Friday 18 July 2025 at 4:35 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Pixel fans can expect to see plenty of new devices, such as the standard Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, the budget-friendly Pixel 10, and the flagship Pixel 10 Pro Fold, whose detailed specs, including IP68 dust and water protection, leaked several days ago. New Pixel smartphones will be powered by the fifth-generation Google Tensor chip built with a 3nm process.

The Pixel 10 series is likely to retain its current design and form factor, with Google focusing on better internals and improved cameras. The standard Pixel 10 Pro, for one, will debut with three cameras on the back instead of just two like in the Pixel 9 Pro. Also, expect to see plenty of new AI features crammed inside these smartphones, such as video editing AI tools and more.

Besides new phones, Google is rumored to unveil the fourth-generation Pixel Watch, which, in stark contrast to what Apple did to the Apple Watch Series 10 and Samsung did to the Galaxy Watch8, is expected to be thicker to offer significantly improved battery life. New WearOS should bring additional software optimizations for better battery life, a struggling point for previous-gen Pixel Watch models. There are also rumors about new Pixel Buds, but exact details remain scarce.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Posted Thursday 17 July 2025 at 5:12 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

However, there was some disappointing news for the base iPhone 17. First, it was reported that it could still miss out on the ProMotion display. Meaning, the base iPhone 17 won't get a display that refreshes from 24Hz to 120Hz, and it will be exclusive to the Pro models.

Another rumor claimed that Apple may continue using last year's A18 chipset on the base iPhone 17. Analyst Jeff Pu suggested that the base model would not only be sticking with the A18 chip but would also retain 8GB of RAM.

Fast forward to now, Jeff Pu has refuted his previous claims and now says that the iPhone 17 will get an A19 chipset. This will be the same as the iPhone 17 Air, Apple's slim model that is expected to replace the "Plus" model.

While Pu reversed his statement about the processor, he reiterated that the base iPhone 17 will continue to feature 8GB RAM. Here's what Pu said (via 9to5Mac);

We now expect the iPhone 17 model to be equipped with A19 (vs. earlier expectation of A18). 12GB DRAM LPDDR5X for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, 12GB LPDDR5 for iPhone 17 Air, and 8GB LPDDR5 for iPhone 17.

While there's no clarity about the iPhone 17 Air, Ming Chi-Kuo has previously claimed that only Pro models will feature 12GB RAM. The base iPhone 17 is also expected to feature in-house Wi-Fi chips. Moreover, this year, Apple is rumored to increase the prices of this year's models, an effect of President Trump's tariffs.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

According to AndroidHeadlines, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's cover display measures 6.4 inches, which is slightly larger than the previous 6.3-inch display found on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The inner display is also expected to keep its 8-inch size and 120Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, the peak brightness of the cover display in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will reportedly increase to 3,000 nits, representing a 10 percent boost over its predecessor. Google also aims to reduce the bezel of the cover display and the hinge.

Additionally, with a 48MP primary camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP 5x telephoto lens, the camera setup might remain unchanged, although Google may improve the imaging quality using AI enhancements. Both displays also sport a 10MP selfie camera.

As for the battery, the folks at AndroidHeadlines say the Pixel 10 Pro Fold features a 5,015mAh capacity battery, which appears to be a significant improvement over the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 4,650mAh battery. It's also 9 percent larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 7's battery at 4,400mAh.

For the hardware part, you'll likely get a 3nm Tensor G5 processor accompanied by 16GB of RAM and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, and a newly added 1TB option.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is said to be the first foldable to have an IP68 rating. The rating indicates that the device is both water- and dust-proof.

The tipster Arsène Lupin on X already reported that the Pixel 10 series will be unveiled on August 13, 2025. This aligns with Google's release date for the Pixel 9 series last year.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Apple is also said to upgrade the selfie cameras on the entire iPhone 17 lineup, and bump them from 12MP to 24MP. The Pro devices are expected to get Pro features such as a big battery and simultaneous video recording from the front and back cameras. However, its display may still be behind the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

While we wait for the official confirmation, a reliable leaker, Sonny Dickson, has shared images of the camera rings of the entire iPhone 17 series. Interestingly, the main attention is grabbed by the camera rings for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models, as there is a mention of a new orange color.

According to the leak, the iPhone 17 Pro models will come in five colors: black, gray, silver, dark blue, and orange. While the black, gray, and silver colors could be the existing Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, and White Titanium as the iPhone 16 Pro models, the presence of the dark blue color suggests that Apple could reintroduce the iPhone 15 Pro's Blue Titanium color.

As for the orange camera ring, it closely resembles a copper-like finish and might be the signature color of this year's iPhone 17 Pro models. Of course, these images are coming from a leaker, and however reliable they may be, you should take them with a pinch of salt until it is officially confirmed.

Do let us know in the comments below, are you digging the new orange color on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max?

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Samsung was reportedly eyeing to replace the "Plus" model from the S-series with the Edge model. The reason? The "Plus" model was the weakest performer of the lot, even though it is more feature-loaded than the "Edge."

Now, another report by The Elec has popped up online, adding more weight to this purported strategy. The Galaxy S26 series is roughly six months away from launch, and reportedly, the Korean tech giant has started working on three S26 models: the standard Galaxy S26, the slim Galaxy S26 Edge, and the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The news outlet also spilled the beans about the display sizes of the upcoming models. Notably, the Galaxy S26 could feature a 6.27-inch display, the S26 Edge a 6.66-inch display, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra may come with a 6.89-inch panel. All models of the S26 series are expected to feature rounded corners, similar to previous models.

The display sizes also reveal that the base Galaxy S26 could come with a slightly larger display than the S25 (6.2-inch). With premium models now close to 7-inches, base models are also following the same trend and are no longer a compact offering.

But that's not all. Trusted news source WinFuture has revealed camera details about the top-of-the-line S26 Ultra. According to the source, it will feature a 200MP main camera and a 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. On the other hand, the Galaxy S26 Edge will feature a 50MP ultrawide camera, in line with this year's Galaxy S25 Edge.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

When the feature rolls out more widely, it will be accessible via the chat attachment menu, similar to how you can create polls. The open-ended questions build upon the multiple choice polls feature, this opens up more possibilities for content creators and brands who want more detailed responses from their communities.

The new Questions feature will allow admins to write and share a question which followers can respond to directly. Admins will be able to view all the submitted responses to the question and if they delete a question they’ll also clear all the associated replies, so this is something to be careful of when a question expires; don’t delete it otherwise you’ll lose the replies.

The ability to ask communities questions will be quite powerful for channels because typically they are one-way broadcasts from owners to followers. When followers respond to these questions, other followers will not be able to see the responses.

In recent years, Meta has been pushing the privacy credentials of WhatsApp. While many users find it hard to believe considering Meta is an advertising giant, it does actually take measures to keep chats encrypted. In line with this, the new Questions feature will ensure follower privacy by only allowing admins to read responses. Other followers won’t be able to see or respond to question answers, letting users say what they really think and eliminating the possibility of arguments.

If you are a Channel admin on WhatsApp, let us know in the comments how you plan to use this feature when it launches.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

In a conversation with CNN, the COO of Samsung's mobile experience division, Woo-joon Choi, said that Samsung could introduce devices like smart earrings and necklaces, as it looks toward the future of AI-powered tech. This shows a smarter shift of the South Korean giant to create gadgets that are smarter and helpful, and eliminates the need to pull out smartphones.

Choi stated:

"We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn’t carry, (that) you don’t need to carry. So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings and sometimes (a) necklace."

The idea is to build on the massive success of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, which are smart enough to handle complex tasks and conversations. Tech companies have been exploring new types of gadgets to allow users to interact with them hands-free and more naturally, without having to interact with a device's screen.

Samsung is already developing the Galaxy XR headset codenamed "Project Moohan," which is expected to debut in September. Additionally, the company is also said to be developing XR smart glasses.

When asked whether Samsung is actively looking to develop earrings or other smart jewelry, Choi responded, "looking at all kinds of possibilities. What do you wear? Glasses, earrings… necklaces, watches and rings, something like those."

It should be noted that possibilities don't directly translate into an end product. Samsung, like many tech companies, may not turn such ideas into an actual product. Whatever the case may be, let us know your thoughts on whether you would like to wear smart jewelry like a necklace or earrings.

Image by mesamong via Depositphotos

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

The new Canary channel also aims to overcome the Developer Preview model limitations such as manual flashing and discontinuation after the Beta started. Google said the old model created a gap where features that were promising but not yet ready for Beta had no official channel for feedback.

Perhaps the biggest change is that developers will have a specific channel for development build and they’ll benefit from continuous over-the-air updates without needing to manually flash all the time.

The Canary channel, which gives you a rolling stream of the latest platform builds over-the-air, is available for supported Pixel devices. Developers that use these builds will have the opportunity to try out and provide input on new features and planned behavior changes at the earliest stage. It should go without saying but features that show up in Canary builds may not make it into the next stable Android releases.

To get started on the Canary channel, developers need to use the Android Flash Tool to get the Canary build onto a supported Pixel device. After the device is on the Canary channel, it will get OTA updates for the latest Canary builds as soon as they’re available. To exit the Canary channel, you just have to flash the Beta or Public build on your device. This will wipe your data partition.

For developers creating applications, the Android Emulator in Android Studio (Canary channel) will carry these builds in the SDK Manager, so they can be run on your computer. Developers will be able to target Canary releases like any other platform SDK version.

If you run into any issues with the new Canary experience, you can report bugs via the Google Issue Tracker.

Image via Depositphotos.com

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of June): 2,864

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend