Eric Migicovsky, the creator of Pebble who's reviving the e-paper smartwatch with a new company called Core Devices, shared that the first new smartwatches are coming next month. The Core 2 Duo watch is on track to ship to pre-order customers in July and the pricier Core Time 2 is still on track to launch this year.
The $149 Core 2 Duo is "near mass production" according to Migicovsky, and should land in the hands of all pre-order customers during July or August. If you pre-ordered, you'll be able to confirm your order and shipping details later in June. Migicovsky says he's also aiming to have "working engineering samples" of the $225 Core Time 2 "within the next month."
Both the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 carry over the basic functionality of Migicovsky's original Pebble smartwatch, using either black and white or color e-paper displays, with health tracking, access to notifications and the ability to use the back catalog of classic Pebble watch faces and apps. The major difference between the two watches is that the Core Time 2 has a slightly larger screen, a metal frame and a built-in heart rate monitor.
Core Devices is also opening up a beta program to test early watch hardware and its new Android and iOS companion app for syncing notifications and watch faces. You can sign-up to join the beta test via a Google Form and interestingly, Migicovsky writes that the new app will also be compatible with older Pebble hardware like the Pebble Time Steel and Round or the Pebble 2.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-spiritual-sequel-to-the-pebble-smartwatch-is-on-track-to-ship-in-july-182014025.html?src=rss
Google’s AI Overviews do not save me time. For one, I work for a tech blog and am therefore professionally curious as to whether or not the generated answers are correct, so I spend a few ticks figuring that out. (Answer: Sometimes, but not always!)
Then things get existential as I contemplate how long a self-cannibalizing system can sustain itself — if the AI gives answers pulled from websites that survive on visits from readers, what happens when no one visits those sites because AI cribbed the answer? Will I still get to write for websites if websites die from traffic starvation? It’s a lot to think about when all I want is TSA’s latest lithium-ion battery regulations.
Curiously (and unhelpfully) the first result when you Google “How to turn off AI Overviews in Chrome” doesn’t actually answer the question. The entry, from Google Support, discusses turning the feature off back when AI Overviews were experimental and handled through Google Labs. Navigate a little further down that page and you’ll see:
Note: Turning off “AI Overviews and more” in Search Labs will not disable all AI Overviews in Search. AI Overviews are part of Google Search like other features, such as knowledge panels, and can’t be turned off.
Thankfully, I work with intelligent people and one of them supplied me with a simple method of ensuring each search performed in a Chrome browser bypasses the AI Overview and uses results from the Web tab only. Here’s how you too can avoid wasted time (and energy) so you can search like it's 2024.
How to turn off AI Overviews in Chrome on desktop
Click the three dots in the upper right corner of your Chrome browser
Go to Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and search
Under Site search, click the Add button
Enter Name: Google/Web
Enter Shortcut: https://www.google.com/
Enter URL: {google:baseURL}search?udm=14&q=%s
Click Add
Google / Engadget
Then, (hat tip to Tom’s Hardware for helping me figure this bit out) set the search type to default by clicking the three dots next to the shortcut you just created and clicking Make default.
Now, go Google “the best laptop power banks” and click on the Engadget entry (usually one to four results down) and spend a few moments looking at the ads (and the picture of my desk) before you move on so I can still have a job in 2026.
Other methods for turning off AI Overviews in Google Chrome
In that same Tom’s Hardware article, Avram Piltch links to the extension he built, which is a super easy way to hide the AI Overviews from sight. It’ll still generate the response, you just won’t see it. I prefer the Web method above, to avoid any unnecessary machine processing on my behalf, but the extension is easier and keeps you on the familiar “All” search results tab with knowledge panels, video results and the like.
To turn off the AI Overview for Chrome on your phone, I’ll direct you to the fine folks at tenbluelinks. Just open the link in your phone’s browser and follow the steps for Android or iOS.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/how-to-turn-off-googles-ai-overviews-in-web-searches-170009873.html?src=rss
Spotify is rolling out a new feature that lets Premium subscribers remotely download playlists to additional devices. For instance, a user could initiate a download on an iPhone for an iPad or for a backup phone ahead of a trip.
That's all fine and good, and useful in limited circumstances. The big news here, however, is that this functionality also works with smartwatches, with integration for Wear OS devices and Apple Watch models. Nothing ruins a good walk or run like forgetting to download a playlist, so this lets people square that away whenever they think of it, even when the secondary device is out of reach.
Spotify is also introducing a new "Manage Downloads" button to assist with the aforementioned feature. This button accompanies playlists and provides a list of devices in which a particular batch of songs has been downloaded. That way folks can be sure they aren't reaching Spotify's five-device limit the company places on downloads.
This stuff is rolling out right now for users across the globe. It could take a few weeks to reach everyone. A version of this tool has previously been available for Apple Watch users, but this is the first time something like this will be available to those in the Wear OS ecosystem.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/spotify-is-adding-the-ability-to-remotely-download-playlists-to-secondary-devices-162154743.html?src=rss
Dead smartphones aren’t so smart. If you travel, stay away from home for extended periods of time or simply forget to charge your phone occasionally, it might be wise to keep a portable charger in your bag. Over the past few years, I’ve tested over fifty different models to find the best power banks for different life situations. I looked at price, capacity, design and wattage to pick the candidates, then used each one to charge up a slew of different devices to see how they compare. This guide also includes info on what to look for in a battery as well the latest regulations on flying with a power bank. Here are the best portable chargers you can buy right now.
Editor’s note: Anker recently issued a recall on its PowerCore 10000 power bank (model A1263) due to fire risk. The recall pertains to units sold in the US through Amazon, Newegg and eBay between June 2016 and December 2022. If you have one of these batteries, you can contact Anker for a replacement or equivalent gift card. None of the batteries we currently recommend in this guide are part of the recall, and we haven’t recommended that model in previous iterations.
Nearly every rechargeable power bank you can buy (and most portable devices) contain a lithium-ion battery. These beat other current battery types in terms of size-to-charge capacity, and have even increased in energy density by eight fold in the past 14 years. They also don’t suffer from a memory effect (where a battery's lifespan deteriorates due to partial charges).
Flying with portable batteries
You may have heard about lithium ion batteries overheating and catching fire — a recent Hong Kong flight was grounded after just such a thing happened in an overhead bin. Current restrictions implemented by the TSA still allow external batteries rated at 100Wh or less (which all of our recommendations are) to fly with you, but only in your carry-on luggage — they can’t be checked.
Recently, Southwest Airlines was the first in the industry to take that rule one step further. Now, flyers on that airline must keep power banks in clear view when using them to recharge a device. If the portable charger isn’t actively in use, however, it can stay in your carry-on bag in the overhead bin.
Capacity
Power bank manufacturers almost always list a battery’s capacity in milliamp hours, or mAh. Smaller batteries with a 5,000mAh capacity make good phone chargers and can fill a smartphone to between 50 and 75 percent. Larger batteries that can recharge laptops and tablets, or give phones multiple charges, can exceed 25,000mAh and we have a separate guide that covers that entire category.
Unsurprisingly, the prices on most batteries goes up as mAh capacity increases, and since batteries are physical storage units, size and weight go up with capacity as well. If you want more power, be prepared to spend more and carry around a heavier brick.
You might think that a 10,000mAh power bank could charge a 5,000mAh phone to 100 percent twice, but that’s not the case. In addition to simple energy loss through heat dissipation, factors like voltage conversion also bring down the amount of juice that makes it into your phone. Most manufacturers list how many charges a battery can give a certain smartphone. In our tests, 10,000mAh of battery pack capacity translated to roughly 5,800mAh of device charge. 20,000mAh chargers delivered around 11,250mAh to a device, and 25,000mAh banks translated to about 16,200mAh of charge. That’s an average efficiency rate of around 60 percent.
Wireless
More manufacturers are making power banks with wireless charging. Not hassling with cables is nice, but it’s important to note that wireless charging is less efficient than plugging in your phone. Outside of MagSafe options, wireless portable chargers historically didn’t make the cut for our top picks for this guide for that reason. The Qi2 wireless charging standard arrived last year and improves performance for wireless charging, including for portable banks. Currently, iPhones are the only handsets that support the new tech, but as it’s an open standard, expect Google, Samsung and others to adopt it for future phones. In my testing, I’ve noticed an uptick in the performance of non-Qi2-enabled batteries as well, so you'll now see wireless options on this list.
Ports
Since Apple ditched the Lightning cable and adopted USB-C, we’re getting closer to a standard for charging connections — and all of our picks have at least one such port. But plenty of other devices use older interfaces, like USB-A and microUSB ports, plus Lightning for older iPhones. You can find cables with just about any combination of those connections, so when you’re picking out a battery, just check that one end of your preferred cord will fit.
Most battery packs have more than one charging port, which gives you different charging options. You’ll typically see at least one port labeled “in/out,” which means you can use it to both charge the bank and charge your gadget. While USB-A output ports can power up cell phones and other small devices, they can’t charge larger devices. Plus, they aren’t as fast as USB-C ports overall. That’s something to keep in mind when you’re deciding which ports and charging cables to use to connect your phone to the pack.
There’s even more variation among USB-C ports themselves, with different ports on the same device supporting different power transfer rates. What that means in practical terms is an iPhone will charge just fine plugged into a power bank’s 18W port. But to properly charge, say, a MacBook or similar laptop, it’ll need the extra juice supplied by a 100W port (which larger power banks can offer). Power banks with more than one port can also charge multiple devices at the same time, but speeds and the overall charge delivered will be lower.
You’ll also want to consider your charging cable. For anything larger than a smartphone (and to access fast-charging capabilities) you’ll want to use USB-C ports and cables. But not all cables are created equal, even when they have the same USB-C plugs on the end. If you want power delivery from a 100W USB-C power bank port, you’ll need a 100W-rated USB-C cable. Luckily, power banks capable of delivering 100W tend to include a compatible cable. For any devices that don’t, we’ve tried and liked Anker’s 100W USB-C cable. For smaller devices, we used this 60W cable from Nimble and we don’t recommend bothering with cables under 60W. For around $20, higher-capacity charging cables will make sure you’re not wasting time with connections that limit your potential power transfer.
Design
For the most part, these rechargeable batteries have a squared-off, brick-like design, though many nod towards aesthetics with attractive finishes and detailing. While that doesn’t affect how they perform, it’s a consideration for something you’ll interact with regularly. Some portable power stations include extra features like MagSafe compatibility, a built-in wall plug or even a kickstand. Nearly all have some sort of indicator to let you know how much available charge your power bank has left, usually expressed with lighted pips near the power button. Some of the newer banks take that a step further with an LED display indicating remaining battery percentage.
How we test best power banks
Before we even put our hands on a battery pack, we did extensive research. We considered brands Engadget reviewers and staff have tried over the years and we checked out customer ratings on retail sites like Amazon and Best Buy. Then we get our hanHere’s the full list of power banks we've tested, which range from small wireless banks to large, multi-device batteries.
We're continuously updating this guide as companies release new products and we test them. We remove some products as we find picks that are more worthy of the best portable charger designation. We also add updated specs and prices where necessary.
For testing, I used each battery with some combination of an iPhone 15, an iPhone 14 Plus, an iPhone 11, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Galaxy S23 Ultra, a 5th-gen iPad Air and an M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro. I charged one phone battery at a time, even though some packs are capable of multiple-device charging. I charged the phones and tablets from between zero and five percent until they were 100 percent full (or until the power bank was dead), and didn’t use the phones or tablets while they charged other than to power them on and enter the unlock code. In the case of the MacBook, I used it while it was charging (it’s my work computer).
I used the charging cable included with each power bank to charge the Galaxy S22 Ultra, MacBook Pro and the iPad Air. For the iPhones, I used the USB-C to Lighting cable that Apple provides. In the case of the lower-capacity power banks that didn’t include a cord or included one with USB-C to USB-A connectors, I used this 60W-rated USB-C to USB-C cable.
For reference, here are the battery capacities of each device we used for testing:
I noted the times for each charge and the number of charges each bank provided. I also paid attention to things like ease of use and overall design.
Other power banks we tested
Anker Prime 20,000 mAh power bank
Anker’s Prime bank was our previous pick for the best premium power bank, but I thought it worked best with the expensive (yet very convenient) base. Considering it also doesn’t have any built-in cables, we decided to bump the Prime battery from its position and replace it with the Anker Retractable Cable Laptop Bank. There’s still plenty to like about the Prime battery: it’s solid, attractive and tells you just how much charge it has left with its onboard display. When you add the optional base, you not only get a convenient drop-and-go way to recharge, it also acts as a charging hub with three additional USB ports.
EcoFlow Rapid magnetic power bank
I was curious to try out the first power bank from EcoFlow, a company that primarily makes larger power stations and whole-home backup batteries. The first offering in the brand’s Rapid series is a Qi2-enabled magnetic charger with a 5,000mAh capacity. It looks quite nice with shiny silver accents and soft-touch grey plastic on the MagSafe-compatible front. There’s a little pull-out leg that sturdily displays your phone as it charges and the attached USB-C cable lets you refill devices directly, then tucks out of the way when it’s not in use. But it didn’t outperform our top pick in the MagSafe category, in terms of both charging speeds and the amount of charge delivered.
Baseus Blade 2
The Blade 2 from Baseus has a unique, flat shape that’s just a little wider than an ereader — which may make it easier to slip into a low profile laptop bag. It charged a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra considerably faster than any other battery bank we tried, getting it from four percent to full in just over an hour. It then filled the phone back to 62 percent from dead on a second charge in about a half an hour. But $100 is a lot for a standard power bank that holds fewer than two full charges. But if you can find the Blade 2 on sale, snap it up.
Anker MagGo (6.6K)
Anker’s 6.6k MagGo is pretty similar to our top pick for a MagSafe-compatible battery pack. It supports the Qi2 charging standard and props up your iPhone so you can use it or enable StandBy mode while powering up. This one even lets you set the viewing angle from 30 to 65 degrees. It was speedy in getting an iPhone 15 up to 50 percent in about 40 minutes. But for the added bulk, it doesn’t have as much capacity as the 10K MagGo, holding just enough juice for a single full charge plus about 5 percent. But it is $20 cheaper, which may be key for some.
Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Mini
The Mophie snap+ Powerstation Mini is terribly well-built. It feels premium with a rubberized contact point for the MagSafe charging pad and a stand that runs the entire width of the bank itself, making it extra sturdy. It’s compact, too, but only carries a 5,000mAh capacity, which gets you a partial charge on most newer or larger phones. Our current MagSafe/iPhone pick has double the capacity, a stand and a digital display — for just $20 more than the Powerstation Mini.
Power bank FAQs
What's the difference between a portable power bank and a portable charger?
A slew of terms are used to describe power banks, including portable batteries, portable chargers, external battery packs and even, somewhat confusingly, USB chargers, which is what wall chargers are often called. They all mean the same thing: a lithium ion battery that stores a charge so you can refill a smartphone, tablet, earbuds, console controller, ereader, laptop, or just about any other device with its own built-in, rechargeable battery.
There’s little difference between the terms, so the specs you’ll want to pay attention to are capacity (expressed in mAh), size and weight so you can find the right balance between recharging what you need and portability.
Power stations, on the other hand, are distinct. These are bigger units (often around the size of a car battery) that can be used to charge multiple devices multiple times, but notably, they can’t be taken on airplanes.
Does fast charging actually ruin your battery?
Not exactly. The real enemy of a battery’s longevity is heat. The faster you charge a battery, the more heat is generated. Modern phones have features that keep the battery cool while charging, like physical heat shields and heat sinks, as well as software features that slow down processes that generate too much heat. Phone manufacturers are keen to promote a phone’s fast-charging abilities, so they had to figure out ways to make faster charging work.
While there aren’t long-term studies on what fast charging does to a phone, a study on EV batteries (which use the same general concept of charged lithium ions flowing from one side of the battery to the other, absorbing or releasing a usable charge) showed a very slight decrease in capacity over time with only fast charging — though what actually made a larger difference was how hot the battery itself was, due to ambient temperatures, when it was charged.
In short, fast charging could be slightly harder on your battery than normal charging. But the safeguards most smartphones have make that difference fairly negligible. To really ensure you’re taking the best care of your battery, limiting heat exposure overall is one of the best things you can do.
Can you use a power bank for all your devices?
That depends on the size of the bank and the size of your device’s battery. A small 5,000mAh battery isn’t strong enough to charge laptops, but a portable charger with a 20,000mAh capacity will give your computer a partial refill. You also have to consider port compatibility. If your device has a USB port, you’ll be able to easily find a cable to connect it to a battery. If your device has a more unique port, such as a DC port, you won’t be able to use a battery. Devices with an AC cable and plug can be charged, and sometimes powered (such as in the case of a printer or speaker), by larger laptop batteries with AC ports.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-power-bank-143048526.html?src=rss
Now's a good time to pick up a new pair of AirPods while the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $169 on Amazon. This is close to their record-low price and a 32-percent discount.
For those enmeshed in the Apple ecosystem, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better pair of wireless earbuds. These buds quickly pair with iPhones, iPads and Macs and switch seamlessly between them when you're multitasking. ANC is solid and Apple's transparency mode is one of the best we've tried.
They also sound great, thanks to a new amplifier, driver and transducer, in addition to updated algorithms. We found that they offered a "massively improved" experience over the first-gen version of these earbuds. Music even sounds better at lower levels here, which is something we noticed in our official review.
The battery life is just average, with six hours of listening per charge and 30 hours with the case. The major downside with these earbuds is the price. No matter how you slice it, $249 is a whole lot of money. Luckily, today's sale alleviates some of that sticker shock. If you're looking to spend even less, you can get the AirPods 4 earbuds (without ANC) for only $99 right now.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-on-sale-for-169-right-now-154646693.html?src=rss
Robot vacuums can save you a ton of time by automating a regular chore you'd otherwise have to do manually. But you may sometimes want a handheld or cordless vacuum to quickly clean up small messes, or debris in hard-to-reach places. Buying each type of vacuum is one way to get the best of all world, but there's another option, too.
Eufy released the E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum earlier this year and it comes with a robot vacuum and a cordless option. Plus, right now, it's on sale for $380, down from $650 — a 42 percent discount. It's one of our favorite robot vacuums on the market, especially with such a steep price cut.
We gave Eufy's E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum an 80 in our review largely thanks to its versatility. We also found that the robot vacuum performed well and that the self-emptying base held quite a lot for its petite size. The Eufy Clean app has also come a long way and offers great options like manual control. While having two vacuum options is great, we did find that most of the stick vacuums cleaning modes have weak suction.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/eufys-3-in-1-robot-vacuum-drops-to-a-record-low-price-141019479.html?src=rss
iOS 26 has introduced a new feature that will help CarPlay take better advantage of the shape of your vehicle's display, Apple announced at WWDC 2025. When enabled, the new Smart Display Zoom will shrink down elements on the screen to fit an extra row of app icons.
"Vehicle screens come in many shapes and sizes," CarPlay engineer Olivia Hess explained in a developer video spotted by MacRumors. "In iOS 26, some screen configurations allow drivers to adjust their display scale with Smart Display Zoom configurable within Settings in CarPlay. When Smart Display Zoom is enabled, your CarPlay app will be automatically resized to the new display scale."
Apple
Though the change is relatively small, it should make CarPlay less of a hassle to use if you have a lot of apps. The feature is only available in a developer beta for now, but will appear in a public beta next month and in the final iOS 26 release by September this year.
CarPlay is receiving other updates as part of the iOS 26 update. It will feature a more compact view for incoming calls so the display doesn't obfuscate directions. Tapbacks (i.e. emoji responses) and pinned conversations are coming to Messages in CarPlay, and widgets and Live Activities can be reflected on the infotainment system. These updates will be present in CarPlay Ultra too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ios-26-will-fit-carplay-to-better-match-the-shape-of-your-cars-screen-120036182.html?src=rss
You forget how much of a hit, how much of a turnaround, the Nintendo Switch turned out to be. After the major wobble (and baffling form factor) of the Wii U, Nintendo came back with a hybrid console that would replace and fuse its handheld and home console lineages. The console had no right being as playable (and enjoyable) as it was.
Now, finally, its successor has landed. And for once, Nintendo’s calling its new console a sequel. Nintendo took the best features from the original and upgraded nearly all of them.
The major upgrades in hardware include a bigger 7.9-inch LCD screen, a more mature design that feels more solid and significantly upgraded performance and power. The only major drawback is battery life. Nintendo says it should provide between 2 and 6.5 hours of runtime on a single charge, but that depends on how resource-intensive your games are.
According to Sam Rutherford’s review testing: “In Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 lasted two hours and 23 minutes, which is on the lower end of Nintendo’s official estimate. Meanwhile, in the NS2 edition of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the console fared a bit better with a time of 2:56.” Compared to the OLED Switch’s battery life, it’s a reduction, but it’s also equivalent to other high-powered handhelds, like the ROG Ally X and Steam Deck.
If you’re struggling to find a good present for Father’s Day, MasterClass has discounted its subscriptions by up to 50 percent. I grabbed a similar deal for myself, unfortunately only 40 percent off, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the solid interface and how many courses are available. Many course videos can even be downloaded for viewing offline.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has been teasing this news since April, but now it’s official: You might actually be able to buy the company’s next flagship phone. The Nothing Phone 3 will be available to purchase from Amazon or directly from the company. Until now, only the Phone 2 has made it to general sale in the US. For the other models (including the very impressive Phone 3a), users would have to buy a unit via a beta program, which has no after-sale support. Any caveats? Well, there will be no carrier discount. The Phone 3 will support 4G and 5G with AT&T and T-Mobile. While there’s no explicit support for Verizon, the Phone 2 worked well with its network, so that’ll probably be the case with the third phone.
How much? There’s no official US price yet. Pei recently said it would cost £800 in the UK at launch, which would translate to around $1,080 in US dollars.
Infinite Machine made waves with its retro-futuristic P1 electric bike, and now it’s back with the Olto. Its new e-bike boasts 40 miles of range and a top speed of 33 mph, with a 20 mph limit while riding in the bike lane.
Just like the P1, the Olto e-bike looks both futuristic and retro, (like a transformer that turns into a vape.) What’s notable is it can carry two riders at the same time, and you can add accessories, like child carriers.
If you’ve upgraded your phone recently, there’s a good chance it supports wireless charging. Battery life can be one of the first things to deteriorate as your phone ages, so you’ll need quick and easy ways to power up wherever you are. You may not always be able to have a cable on your person, but investing in a wireless phone charger (or a few) can make it more convenient to plop your phone down and know it’ll have more juice when you pick it back up again.
While you’re not going to get the same charging speed with a wireless charger that you would with a power cable, the convenience of a power source like this is undeniable. Stick a wireless charger on your bedside, on your desk at work, in your kitchen or wherever you spend a good chunk of your time and you’ll have a reliable way to power up your phone, sans bulky, messy cables. Needless to say, there are a ton of options out there with different charging capabilities (including multi-device wireless chargers) and price ranges. Below, we’ve collected the best wireless chargers we’ve tested to make your search a little easier.
While it’s tempting to buy a wireless charging pad optimized for the specific phone you have now, resist that urge. Instead, think about the types of devices (phones included) that you could see yourself using in the near future. If you’re sure you’ll use iPhones for a long time, an Apple MagSafe-compatible charger will be faster and more convenient. If you use Android phones or think you might switch sides, however, you’ll want a more universal design. If you have other accessories like wireless earbuds or a smartwatch that supports wireless charging, maybe you’d be better off with a multi-device wireless charger.
Where and how will you use your charger?
Odds are that you have a specific use case in mind for your charger. You may want it by your bedside for a quick charge in the morning, or on your desk for at-a-glance notifications. You might even keep it in your bag for convenient travel charging instead of bulky power banks. Think about where you want to use this accessory and what you want to do with the device(s) it charges while it’s powering up. For example, a wireless charging pad might be better for bedside use if you just want to be able to drop your phone down at the end of a long day and know it’ll be powered up in the morning. However, a stand will be better if you have an iPhone and want to make use of the Standby feature during the nighttime hours.
For a desk wireless charger, a stand lets you more easily glance at phone notifications throughout the day. For traveling, undoubtedly, a puck-style charging pad is best since it will take up much less space in your bag than a stand would. Many power banks also include wireless charging pads built in, so one of those might make even more sense for those who are always on the go.
Wireless charging performance
Although wireless charging is usually slower than its wired equivalent, speed and wattage are still important considerations. A fast charger can supply enough power for a long night out in the time it takes to change outfits.
In general, a 15W charger is more than quick enough for most situations, and you’ll need a MagSafe-compatible charger to extract that level of performance from an iPhone. With that said, even the slower 7.5W and 10W chargers are fast enough for an overnight power-up. If anything, you’ll want to worry more about support for cases. While many models can deliver power through a reasonably thick case (typically 3mm to 5mm), you’ll occasionally run into examples that only work with naked phones.
There are some proprietary chargers that smash the 15W barrier if you have the right phone. Apple’s latest MagSafe charging pad can provide up to 25W of wireless power to compatible iPhones when paired with a 30W or 35W adapter — the latter being another component you’ll have to get right to make sure the whole equation works as fast as it possibly can.
Quality and box contents
Pay attention to what’s included in the box. Some wireless chargers don’t include power adapters, and others may even ask you to reuse your phone’s USB-C charging cable. What may seem to be a bargain may prove expensive if you have to buy extras just to use it properly. As mentioned above, you’ll want to make sure all of the components needed to use the wireless charger can provide the level of power you need — you’re only as strong (or in this case, fast) as your weakest link.
Fit and finish is also worth considering. You’re likely going to use your wireless charger every day, so even small differences in quality could make the difference between joy and frustration. If your charger doesn’t use MagSafe-compatible tech, textured surfaces like fabric or rubberized plastic are more likely to keep your phone in place. The base should be grippy or weighty enough that the charger won’t slide around. Also double check that the wireless charger you’re considering can support phones outfitted with cases — the specifications are usually listed in the charger’s description or specs.
You’ll also want to think about the minor conveniences. Status lights are useful for indicating correct phone placement, but an overly bright light can be distracting. Ideally, the light dims or shuts off after a certain period of time. And while we caution against lips and trays that limit compatibility, you may still want some barriers to prevent your device falling off its perch on the charging station.
Wireless chargers FAQs
Do wireless chargers work if you have a phone case?
Many wireless chargers do work if you leave the case on your phone. Generally, a case up to 3mm thick should be compatible with most wireless chargers. However, you should check the manufacturer’s guide to ensure a case is supported.
How do I know if my phone supports wireless charging?
Checking the phone’s specification should tell you if your phone is compatible with wireless charging. You might see words like “Qi wireless charging” or “wireless charging compatible.”
Do cords charge your phone faster?
Most often, wired charging will be faster than wireless charging. However, wired charging also depends on what the charging cable’s speed is and how much power it’s designed to carry. A quick-charging cable that can transmit up to 120W of power is going to be faster than a wireless charger.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-wireless-charger-140036359.html?src=rss
Google Cloud experienced outages today that led to disruptions for many online services. Reports of issues for Google products and others began around 2 PM ET. The company was able to restore function to its own apps, but several other businesses have continued to experience problems for some users.
In an update at 4:16PM ET, Google said, "We have identified the root cause and applied appropriate mitigations. Our infrastructure has recovered in all regions except us-central1. Google Cloud products that rely on the affected infrastructure are seeing recovery in multiple locations. Our engineers are aware of the customers still experiencing issues on us-central1 and multi-region/us and are actively working on full recovery. We do not have an ETA for full recovery."
Screenshot from DownDetector at about 3:25PM ET
Spotify, Discord, Snapchat, Etsy, UPS and OpenAI all experienced a high volume of reports on DownDetector, with some informing users of disruptions. Even the Pokemon Trading Card Game and Pokemon Go weren't spared issues. Snapchat acknowledged the ongoing issues on its support page. OpenAI has posted that users may have trouble logging in due to "issues affecting multiple external internet providers." AWS also experienced a higher-than-usual volume of reports on DownDetector during the outage, but Amazon clarified in a statement to Engadget that it has no broad service issues and noted that its AWS Health Dashboard is a better indicator of its current status than DownDetector.
Almost all services have now returned to normal operation. By 5PM ET, Spotify's main page loaded for our editors and reports of outages on DownDetector had fallen back to close to their baseline. Other platforms like Snapchat and Discord also seemed to be functioning normally for us. Google said at the time that its products were coming back online across multiple regions and that it expected the recovery to be complete "in less than an hour." However, as of 7:13PM ET, the company noted that several Google Cloud components were still experiencing "residual impact." Google Cloud Dataflow, Vertex AI Online Prediction and Personalized Service Health are all still somewhat affected, and the company did not provide a timeline for when everything will be back to normal. At 9:18PM ET, all issues were resolved.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-cloud-outages-spotify-discord-snapchat-and-more-were-down-for-hours-193156868.html?src=rss
After several years, Google has released a major update to the iOS version of its Snapseed photo editor. Version 3.0 is the program offers a complete redesign of both the iPhone and iPad apps. All of the images that have been edited with the tool are displayed in a grid. Navigation has been rearranged into three tabs, with a new Faves section for the photo tools that you want to quickly use on the regular. It boasts more than 25 different tools and filters for altering photos, including some newly added film filters. Snapseed also has a refreshed its logo with a more streamlined look.
Google acquired Snapseed all the way back in 2012. The new take on the app is a surprise, since Snapseed hadn't received any major updates on iOS since 2021. One thing has not changed: the app is still free and has no advertisements. For now, the listing for Snapseed in Google Play is still a version from last year; it's unclear if or when 3.0 will arrive on Android.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-completely-remade-its-snapseed-ios-photo-editor-222003395.html?src=rss
The new version of Siri that was demoed alongside Apple Intelligence might not be released until Spring 2026, Bloomberg reports. Apple officially delayed Siri's release to some time "in the coming year" back in March.
The new Siri could be included in a planned iOS 26.4 update next year, which Bloomberg writes will likely arrive in March. Apple announced the smarter and more personal version of Siri at WWDC 2024 over a year ago now, and nearly two years before this hypothetical Spring 2026 release date. The company could demo the updated AI assistant again at its iPhone event in the fall or even release the new Siri early, but timing reportedly remains up in the air.
Apple's proposed update to Siri is supposed to give the company's aging voice assistant the authority to take action inside of apps and understand the content and context of your screen. The company's demos showed off Siri referencing emails for flight information and embedding photos in documents, all on its own, as evidence of how much more capable the assistant could be.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple executives attribute the delay of the new Siri to it simply not being up to the company's standards. Internally, Bloomberg writes that there's also disagreement between Apple's marketing and engineering teams as to who is really at fault. The company shouldn't have hyped up the new Siri at WWDC 2024 or built an ad campaign around features that might not ship (Apple's pulled its Siri ads in March). But the engineering team may have been misleading as to how ready the assistant really was.
As testament to how careful Apple is being now, its focus on AI at WWDC 2025 was far more muted. The closest the company got to touching on some of the magic of the new Siri was the updated version of Spotlight that's coming in macOS 26, which can leverage the same App Intents framework Siri is supposed to use to perform select actions in apps, like sending a text in Messages without having to open the app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-ai-infused-siri-may-not-show-up-until-spring-2026-221212681.html?src=rss
We've been covering all the news Apple announced at WWDC 2025, but possibly the most exciting element coming to iOS 26 wasn't discussed on stage. The next update to the operating system will let people set custom snooze times. MacRumors reported that iOS 26 will offer anywhere from one to 15 minute snoozes that users can select when setting the alarm.
For years, Apple has kept the snooze timing locked at nine minutes. If you wanted to doze at a different interval, you'd need to set separate alarms or use a different app than the iPhone's built-in Clock. It was an odd choice for Apple to not allow personal preferences on this aspect of its smartphones, so anyone who's been frustrated by the nine-minute restriction will have a little extra treat to look forward to in the mornings when iOS 26 becomes publicly available this fall. And since there's been some recent research showing that snoozing may not be a terrible thing, we can take full advantage with zero guilt.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-will-at-long-last-let-you-customize-snooze-times-on-alarms-in-ios-26-190001600.html?src=rss
The Nothing Phone 3 is getting an official release for US customers. The handset will be available to purchase from Amazon or directly from the company, according to a report by TechCrunch. Nothing CEO Carl Pei has been teasing this news since April, but now it's official.
Canadians will also be able to get in on the retail action, as Nothing has inked a deal with Best Buy to sell the new handset in the region. The phone goes on sale next month.
The company has produced eight handsets since forming back in 2020, but only the Phone 2 has made it to general sale in the US. For the other models, users would have to buy a unit via a beta program and there was no after-sale support. So this is good news for North Americans who are tired of Samsung and Apple.
“The smartphone market in the US is dominated by two players, but a lot of people are hungry for something different,” Pei told TechCrunch. "This is the right product, and the right moment, to start scaling in North America."
The downside here? The phone will only be available from Amazon and Nothing, so there will be no option to purchase from a carrier for a discount. However, it'll support 4G and 5G with AT&T and T-Mobile. There's no explicit support for Verizon, but the Phone 2 worked well with its network and the same thing will likely be true here.
There's no official US price yet. Pei recently said that it would cost £800 in England at launch, which would translate to around $1,080 in US dollars. This is far and away the most expensive handset the company has ever released, as it has primarily been known for mid-tier offerings. Pei says the higher cost accounts for "premium materials, major performance upgrades and software that really levels things up."
We don't have actual specs yet, but a recent leak certainly points to the kind of leveled up experience Pei was talking about. A reliable leaker suggested that it'll include a "flagship Snapdragon chipset" from Qualcomm and a new camera system with a triple-lens module on the rear. The battery is also reportedly on the larger side, with indications it'll likely exceed the 5,000 mAh mark. The Nothing Phone 2 shipped with a 4,700 mAh battery.
That's not the only product the company is bringing stateside. It's making some over-ear headphones that will be available to purchase for US and Canadian residents.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-nothing-phone-3-will-be-available-in-the-us-via-amazon-184534970.html?src=rss
Razer has announced its latest lineup of Kishi mobile gaming controllers, capable of housing your phone, small tablet and, in the most comically extreme case, a full-size iPad.
The Kishi V3 Pro XL is seemingly designed for people who like to play games on the largest possible mobile canvas, but don’t want to rely on touch controls or just pair a wireless pad. The two sides of the controller stretch out so wide that the V3 Pro XL is able to accommodate a 13-inch iPad Air or Pro, or compatible Android slate of similar proportions, morphing the tablet into a handheld console that makes the Switch 2 look decidedly miniature in comparison.
Take away the "XL" bit and the supersized controller offers the same functionality as the standard Kishi V3 Pro, which is built for USB-C phones and tablets up to 8 inches. Both controllers feature precise anti-drift TMR thumbsticks with swappable caps, dual mouse click-back buttons and claw grip bumpers, as well as Razer’s Sensa HD haptics (not currently supported on iOS). Wired and remote play is possible on PC via the Razer Nexus launcher, and you get USB-C passthrough charging built in. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack too if you prefer wired audio.
Razer
Rounding out the refreshed lineup is the Kishi V3, which is designed for iPhone and Android handsets. Many of the Pro features trickle down to the streamlined option, including the full-size TMR sticks (without the swappable caps) and back buttons. The USB-C “island” design of the controller makes it widely compatible with cases, so you don’t need to yank yours off every time you want to play a game.
Whatever model you pick up, Razer will give you up to six free months of Apple Arcade, normally priced at $7 per month. Will that soften the blow of the prices for these controllers? Not really. The Kishi V3 costs $100, the V3 Pro is $150, and the V3 Pro XL comes in at a whopping $200, which seems extremely high for a controller add-on for your massive tablet. But if you’ve been looking for a controller for that very specific use case, Razer has you covered.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/razers-new-kishi-v3-controllers-can-fit-up-to-a-13-inch-ipad-170317228.html?src=rss
Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote gave fans a good look into what their iPhones, iPads and Mac computers will look like come this fall when the new software updates come out. Key to the changes is Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, which will bring UI tweaks to all of its operating systems later this year. The redesign focuses on streamlining things and boosting productivity while giving most elements a semi-translucent look. As to be expected Apple Intelligence features are baked into all of the forthcoming software updates, and users can expect to see updated widgets, a few overhauled apps and more. Here's everything Apple announced at WWDC 2025 this year.
Liquid Glass design and new software names
Apple
As was expected, Apple revealed a new visual design language coming to all of its operating systems dubbed Liquid Glass. It called this new system its "broadest" design update yet, and it features semi-translucent features like redesigned widgets, notifications and more. Apple is billing it as more dynamic than the previous design language, and a way to bring even more consistency across all operating systems including iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
In addition to the redesign, Apple is revamping the names of all of its operating systems. Instead of iOS 19, for example, we’ll have iOS 26 coming out this fall. iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and others will follow suit, marking the first time Apple has given its software updates year identifiers instead of arbitrary generation numbers.
iOS 26
Apple
The changes coming to iOS 26 are subtle, but they give it a clean look and feel, with lots of overlapping elements, rounded corners and more. Apple said the design is inspired by visionOS, the operating system that powers Vision Pro headsets. App icons have a slightly different look, while toolbars and text inputs have see-through appearances. Folks will be happy to know that things are largely the same — you shouldn't have an issue identifying key apps like the Phone, Messages or FaceTime.
Phone app
Speaking of the Phone app, it's getting the biggest redesign since its launch with the original iPhone all those years ago. It puts scrolling front and center, allowing you to scroll through key contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. A translucent bar at the bottom of the screen gives you quick access to additional contacts and the keypad. Hold Assist, a new feature, will mute hold music but keep you on a call until someone picks up on the other line.
Apple
Messages
Messages is getting a few new features as well, including the ability to change the entire message background color for group messages and polls among group chat members. New screening features includes "unknown senders," which sequesters those pesky spam messages to a separate space in Messages, so you can keep your most important conversations in the forefront and ignore those that don't matter.
Apple Intelligence features are spread throughout all of the software updates, and in Messages, there are some related to Genmoji. In iOS 26, you'll be able to combine two existing emoji to create an entirely new, custom Genmoji, and you can even use ChatGPT to create Genmoji as well.
Live translate is coming to Messages, too, automatically translating messages as you type and delivering them to the receiver in their preferred language. Similarly functioning live captions will be available in FaceTime, and Apple Music will get live translation and live pronunciation features to help listeners enjoy music in other languages. The Call Translation API will be available to third-party developers to use in their communication apps as well.
Maps and Wallet
Apple Maps will gain the ability to learn your routine and suggest alternative routes based on traffic. It will also log your "visited places": cities, landmarks and business that you've been to, making it easier for you to find places you want to revisit again.
Separately, the Wallet app will support Digital ID, which lets you create a digital ID that's different from your driver's license and passport and can be used to verify your identity in some locations. You'll also be able to add updated boarding passes to Wallet when you're flying.
Games app
iOS 26 will feature a dedicated Games app as well. It will feature a Library tab, where you can find all of the games you've ever downloaded for iOS, and a dedicated Apple Arcade tab for all of the titles included in that service. Challenges is a new feature will let you compete against friends in supported games, including supported single-player games that developers.
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence is getting baked into iOS 26's interface a bit more, allowing you to visually search for anything that pops up on your iPhone screen. For example, if there's an image of a jacket you like on your social media feed, you can take a screenshot and use the new Visual Intelligence image search feature to search for similar jackets across the web and other apps. You can highlight certain areas of your screenshot to refine the search further.
watchOS 26
Apple
In addition to the Liquid-Glass visual overhaul, watchOS 26 will bring Workout Buddy to your wrist. The new feature will analyze your fitness history and identify insights in real time as you're working out. It takes shape as a sort of audio coach that can inform you of things like the distance you've run, average pacing and those compares to previous runs you've completed. New Apple Music integration can choose playlists for you as well, based on the type of workout you're doing.
Smart Stack on Apple Watch is getting an update as well, prioritizing the information that matters most to you depending on your routine. For example, when you walk into your gym, a Smart Stack hint will appear on your watch that will quickly take you to the workout app so you can dive right into your training session.
macOS Tahoe
Apple
The next version of Apple's desktop operating system is dubbed macOS Tahoe, keeping the classic California naming scheme the company has been using for a long time. Liquid Glass design language is at the forefront here, but long-time Mac users will find most things look quite familiar, just with a semi-translucent, rounded edge now. Users will have the option to make custom backgrounds, change the color of their desktop folders and even add emoji to them.
iOS' Phone app will be available on macOS Tahoe, improving the calling capabilities of Mac computers. With it, you can more easily access your contacts and voicemail messages, and it will support all of the new features the new Phone app in iOS 26 will, including things like Hold Assist.
Intelligent actions are coming to the Shortcuts app, which integrates Apple Intelligence into the existing Shortcuts program. This lets you access Apple Intelligence models on-device, creating your own Shortcuts with AI capabilities. In a similar vein, Spotlight will be more powerful in macOS Tahoe, allowing you to call upon and execute multi-step Shortcuts and actions directly from Spotlight search, without navigating to other apps. You can also use Spotlight to access your clipboard history in the latest software update, too.
iPadOS 26
iPadOS 26 will feature a Liquid Glass redesign along with most of the new features detailed for iOS 26, including the revamped Phone and Games apps. Unique for the iPad, though, is a new menu bar and windowing feature that makes the tablet's UI look and feel a lot more like macOS. That means it should improve multitasking, something iPad power-users have wanted for a long time. You can resize windows, snap them to different corners or swipe them away temporarily to get a glimpse of your home screen. Apple claims the window system is designed to work just as well with touch input (either via fingers or a stylus) or trackpads on compatible accessories.
The Files app on iPad will feature an updated list view and the same custom color options you'll find on the new macOS Tahoe. You'll also be able to choose which programs or apps you want to open certain files, so for example, you can opt to open an image in Photoshop rather than the default option. Speaking of, a new Preview app is coming to iPads in the new software update. A mainstay on macOS, this app will bring native PDF management, annotation and editing to Apple's tablets.
iPadOS 26 will bring a number of new features for podcasters and the like, including the ability to record "studio quality" vocals with AirPods. Users will also be able to press and hold their AirPods to start and stop the recordings they're making on their iPads. In addition, a new local capture feature will integrate with video conferencing apps to let users record their video on iPads for things like remote group podcasts.
visionOS 26
Apple
The next software update coming to Vision Pro systems will include new Apple Intelligence features, spatial experiences and more. Spatial widgets are coming to visionOS 26, allowing you to put, say, a calendar widget somewhere in your Vision Pro field of view and it will stay in that place even as you move around. Native and third-party apps can support spatial widgets, and they'll all be available in the new Widgets visionOS app.
Spatial scenes is a new feature that uses AI to bring your photos to life in front of your eyes while using Vision Pro. Spatial scenes also extend to photos you'll see while browsing, so for example, those travel photos you see while researching your next vacation will look even more lifelike using spatial scenes.
Arguably the most exciting visionOS news is that it will allow the Vision Pro headset to be used with PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers. This will make Vision Pro more of a contender in the gaming space, since lack of compatible controllers was a big factor holding it back. In addition, the new software update will bring eye-scrolling to the Vision Pro, which will allow users to scroll documents, apps, webpages and more just by using their eyes.
tvOS 26
Apple
The new Liquid Glass design language brings more cinematic film and TV art to the Apple TV app in tvOS 26. A new Profiles feature in Apple TV+ lets you customize your viewing experience with your own tastes, and each member of your household can have their own profile. Elsewhere, Apple Music on Apple TV is getting a karaoke-esque feature that lets you sing along to your favorite songs using your iPhone as the microphone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/wwdc-2025-ios-26-new-liquid-glass-design-and-everything-else-apple-announced-171718769.html?src=rss
Microsoft has begun rolling out a major update for Copilot. Starting today, Windows 10 and 11 users in the US can try out the assistant's Vision feature. The tool allows you to share up to two apps with Copilot, so that you can then chat about what it sees. "[Copilot Vision] acts as your second set of eyes, able to analyze content, help when you’re lost, provide insights, and answer your questions as you go," Microsoft says.
Additionally, with its new Highlights functionality, Copilot can even show you how to complete a specific task within an app. To try out Copilot Vision, open the Copilot app on your computer, click the glasses icon in the composer window and then select the browser or apps you want to share. You can stop sharing at any time by pressing "Stop" or "X" within the prompt dialogue. Microsoft says Windows users in non-European countries can look forward to the feature rolling out to their computers soon.
Microsoft began testing Copilot Vision with Copilot Pro subscribers in October. Following the contentious launch of Copilot's Recall feature, the company took a more careful approach with Vision by making it something testers had to manually activate and limited to a select list of websites. Now the company is expanding the available functionality before rolling it out to other markets.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsofts-copilot-vision-ai-helper-is-now-available-on-windows-in-the-us-160034369.html?src=rss
Proton VPN stands out for two main reasons: it's one of the only virtual private networks (VPNs) to include a free plan with no data limits, and it's one of the few services majority-owned by a nonprofit. It's the best VPN in both of those categories, and it makes a strong case for being the best overall.
Even if you don't care about the work of the Proton Foundation, Proton VPN is a service worth using. It's easy to install and manage, runs like the wind and meets high standards for security and privacy. It has more IP locations in Africa than any of its competitors. It's even looking toward the future by working toward full IPv6 support.
In short, Proton VPN gets our enthusiastic recommendation, especially for torrenting (which it supports on almost every server). It's not perfect — the apps for Apple systems lag behind their Windows and Android counterparts, and the free servers can be noticeably sluggish — but the cons pale in comparison to the pros. We'll get into it all below.
The table summarizes what we found while reviewing Proton VPN, both good and bad. Keep it open in a tab while you comparison shop for a VPN.
Category
Notes
Installation and UI
Windows has the best interface, but all apps are smooth
Android users get unique preset protocols
Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox can be used for split tunneling on Mac and iOS
Speed
Retains 88 percent of download speeds and 98 percent of upload speeds
Global latency average stays under 300 ms, with 52 ms on the fastest server
Security
No DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks on any servers
Full IPv6 support is available on Android, Linux and browser extensions; Mac, Windows and iOS still block IPv6 to prevent leaks
WireShark test showed active packet encryption
Pricing
Best plan costs $81.36 for two years ($3.39 per month)
Free plan includes unlimited data and critical security features, but you can't choose your server
Bundles
Proton Unlimited saves money if you want two or more Proton products
Privacy policy
General Proton policy prevents collection of IP addresses unless a user has violated the terms of service (such as by using a Proton VPN server to abuse another site)
No third parties are allowed to handle personally identifiable information
Confirmed by Securitum audit in 2024
Virtual location change
Unblocked Netflix repeatedly in all five testing locations, with new content proving a successful location change
A free server in Romania got into Netflix but had trouble loading the library
Server network
154 locations in 117 countries
More servers in Africa than any other VPN, plus many others across the globe
About two-thirds of server locations are virtual
Features
NetShield can block just malware, or all malware, ads and trackers
Kill switch on all platformsSplit tunneling on Windows, Android and browser extensions only
Secure Core servers route VPN through two locations, one of which is physically secured in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland
Almost all paid servers are P2P-enabled
Tor over VPN servers in six countries let you access dark web sites from any browser
Profiles saves time when you repeatedly need specific connection settings
Customer support
Most articles in the online help center, while well-written, are invisible unless you use the search function
Live chat is only for paying customers, and is unavailable from midnight to 9 AM CET
Background check
Launched in 2017 by the same company that developed ProtonMail
Majority owned by the Proton Foundation, whose board includes the company founders and can resist takeover attempts
While ProtonMail has worked with Swiss authorities in the past, Proton VPN is not governed by the same laws that compelled this
Claims of a vulnerability in WireGuard's memory don't hold water
Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN
This section explains how it feels to run Proton VPN on the various platforms it supports. As a rule, it's not difficult. Proton VPN has more features than ExpressVPN, and a couple of them might trip up new users, but you'd have to really scrounge to find an actual inconvenience to complain about.
Windows
Proton VPN installs easily on Windows — you'll need to grant it permission to make changes, but that's it. Once you've signed in on the app, you'll reach one of the best interfaces we've tried on a VPN. The server network is immediately visible as both a list and map, and the location search bar, connect button and major features are all laid out around the same window.
Proton VPN's app for Windows.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
It's honestly amazing how much you can reach from the launch window without anything feeling cluttered. They even squeezed in keyboard shortcuts for the search field. We also love that settings open in the same window, since dealing with both the main VPN app and a separate preferences panel can get annoying. Our only real gripe is that there should be an easier way to adjust the size of the map.
Mac
The desktop app for Mac isn't quite as deftly laid out as the Windows app. You can reach most of the important features from the main window, including Profiles, NetShield, Secure Core servers and the kill switch. However, there's no longer a way to filter out a list of the P2P or Tor servers, except by digging through the Profile controls. On the plus side, you can adjust the size of the map, so it's now a viable alternative to the server list.
Proton VPN's dark mode interface on macOS.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The other preferences are hidden in the menu bar — go to Proton VPN > Settings to reach them. They're laid out in four tabs, and shouldn't take more than a minute to go through at setup.
Android
The Android app takes the same design cues as the Windows app, and works as well. Four tabs along the bottom switch between the home screen, the country list, Profiles and all other settings. You can search the list of countries by tapping the magnifying glass at the top-right. In another nice touch, tapping the dots by any virtual location will tell you where the server is physically located.
Proton VPN's Android client.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Android users get some nifty exclusive Profiles, including "anti-censorship," which automatically connects to the fastest country except for the one you're in. The Settings tab is a single menu with subheadings and no unnecessary complication.
iOS
Proton VPN for iPhone and iPad looks almost the same as it does on Windows and Android, but with some of the same drawbacks found on Mac. The server list is more cluttered, and once again there's no easy way to sift out the P2P and Tor locations.
Proton VPN's app for iPhone and iPad.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The Settings tab puts all the feature descriptions in the open, which makes it look denser than it is. But these are minor quibbles — this is still a VPN that's very easy to activate and forget about.
Browser extensions
Proton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These serve as de facto split tunneling, as connecting through the extension protects only browser traffic; everything else goes unprotected. You can split the tunnel further by setting the VPN to not work on certain URLs (unlike the other apps, you don't need to know the IPs of those sites).
Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator
We used Ookla's Speedtest app to determine how much Proton VPN drags on a user's latency, measured in milliseconds (ms), and download and upload speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Together, these three stats show whether a VPN will noticeably slow down your internet, especially during demanding tasks.
We had high hopes for Proton here because of its VPN Accelerator technology, which runs VPN communications across several parallel tracks to process everything faster. It didn't disappoint — for the most part. Although download speeds didn't reach the heights we saw from ExpressVPN, Proton VPN's browsing performance still looks excellent nearly across the board.
Proton VPN barely makes a dent in your download speeds.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
To choose our locations for the test, we checked Proton VPN's list of smart routing servers, which use servers in one country to simulate IP addresses in another. Almost all the smart routing servers are based in five cities: Miami, London, Marseille, Bucharest and Singapore. We ran these tests on a Mac using the automatic protocol setting.
Server Location
Latency (ms)
Increase factor
Download speed (Mbps)
Percentage drop
Upload speed (Mbps)
Percentage drop
Portland, OR, USA (unprotected)
16
--
58.93
--
5.82
--
San Jose, CA, USA (best server)
52
3.3x
55.82
5
5.58
4
Miami, FL, USA
160
10x
54.33
8
5.49
6
London, UK
332
20.8x
52.55
11
5.72
2
Marseille, France
309
19.3x
45.42
23
5.59
4
Bucharest, Romania
408
25.5x
52.51
11
5.57
4
Singapore, Singapore
394
24.6x
52.26
11
5.50
5
Average
276
17.3x
52.15
12
5.58
4
Proton VPN looks very good in that table. Its average download speed was 88 percent of our unprotected speeds. To put that in perspective, if you started with 30 Mbps down (about half what we get) and connected to any Proton VPN server, you'd almost certainly still have a fast enough connection to stream in 4K.
Note the "almost" — Proton VPN did drop noticeably on its French server in Marseille. It's not uncommon for one of a VPN's data centers to have trouble while the others work fine, and you can usually fix the problem by just disconnecting and reconnecting. Just note that while drops to about 75 percent of your download speed are rare, they're not inconceivable.
Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols
When we talk about VPN security, we're really talking about reliability. Can this VPN establish an encrypted tunnel and transmit all your information through it, every time, without leaks or failures? With Proton VPN, we're happy to say the answer is yes; we probed its security and found no cracks to speak of. Read the section below for specifics.
Proton VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Stealth
Proton VPN uses four VPN protocols to communicate between your devices, its servers and the internet. Three of them (WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2) are common choices with no serious flaws as long as they're implemented thoughtfully. The fourth, Stealth, is an obfuscation protocol you should only use if the other three are blocked.
The protocol selection screen on Proton VPN's Android app.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
OpenVPN is the most secure option. Without getting too technical, OpenVPN encrypts its backend functions as well as the data itself, which leaves it with no obvious vulnerabilities. It can also communicate using the same ports as common HTTPS traffic, so it's hard to block.
WireGuard is more efficient than OpenVPN, both in its source code and the cryptography it uses. It normally requires an exchange of fixed IP addresses, but the Proton VPN implementation overwrites those IPs with randomized addresses, cutting the security risk.
IKEv2 is a safe choice that's occasionally faster than either OpenVPN or WireGuard. You probably won't use it unless it happens to come up while you've set the protocol to Smart. As such, it's on the way to being phased out of Proton VPN.
Stealth is unique to Proton VPN, though its function is not. It's got the same architecture as WireGuard, but adds another TLS tunnel to evade network blocks that catch VPN traffic. That extra encryption slows it down, so we don't recommend using it unless the other three protocols don't work.
The first option on the app, called "Smart," is not a protocol — it means your VPN client selects the protocol that will give you the best speeds on your current server. Since all four protocols are safe, there's no downside to using the Smart setting most of the time.
Leak test
We used AirVPN's IP leak tool to check all four of Proton VPN's protocols for DNS and WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN uses its own DNS servers to reduce the risk of sending unencrypted requests, but since leaks are still possible, we tested using a simple method: checking our visible IP address before and after connecting to the VPN.
Despite testing several locations over three days, we never saw our real IP address show up on the tool. This held true even outside the Secure Core server list, where data centers might have been managed by third parties. It's not perfect proof, but it's a very good sign that Proton VPN enforces a consistent security regime on all its servers.
Proton VPN successfully masked our real IP address, even on a virtual location in Angola.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
We also used BrowserLeaks to check for WebRTC leaks. These are mainly an issue on the browser side, but a VPN is doubly important if your browser happens to be leaking. We enabled WebRTC on our browser and tested the same set of Proton VPN servers without springing any WebRTC leaks.
Proton VPN and IPv6
Proton is working on making its entire VPN compatible with IPv6 addresses. If a VPN that's only configured for IPv4 has to resolve an IPv6 address, it can cause a leak — that's why most VPNs, even the best ones, block IPv6 altogether. That said, the whole internet will run on IPv6 one day, so it's nice to see Proton VPN leading the pack.
So far, IPv6 is automatically enabled on Proton VPN's Linux apps and browser extensions, and can be optionally activated on its Android app. The Proton VPN apps for all other platforms still block IPv6 traffic, but this should hopefully change soon.
Encryption test
Even if a VPN's protocol choices are solid, it's possible for individual implementations of those protocols to fail. We used WireShark, a packet inspector app, to test whether Proton VPN's encryption worked no matter what settings were in place. We're happy to say we never saw plaintext once.
How much does Proton VPN cost?
To get full access to Proton VPN, you'll need a Plus subscription, which costs $9.99 per month. You can knock off half that price by subscribing for a full year and paying a lump sum of $59.88, working out to $4.99 per month. A Plus account with Proton VPN also gives you free access to every other Proton app.
You can also pay $107.76 in advance to subscribe for two years, an average of $4.49 per month — perhaps more convenient, but it doesn't save you much. The one-year plan is the best value, though it's also nice that you don't have to pay through the nose for only one month. There's a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all plans.
Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market right now. No other VPN backed by as much experience and good judgment has a free plan with no data limits. Instead of capping how much data you can use per month, Proton VPN restricts which servers free users can access, limiting them to five countries: the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania.
The frustrating part is that you can't choose which of these servers you use; Proton VPN just auto-connects to whichever one is the least burdened. A Proton representative told us that this change goes along with improvements to the selection algorithm, better load balancing and the addition of the Poland and Romania locations. It is also possible to try for a better connection by clicking "change server."
The fact remains, though, that a free Proton VPN plan is useless for unblocking content in specific locations — but this may be by design. The free plan seems more aimed toward privacy and anonymity than streaming, and the placement of the free locations near Russia and China reflects that. Free Proton VPN plans don't sacrifice any essential security features.
Proton VPN side apps and bundles
Proton VPN's main bundle is Proton Unlimited, which gets you all six Proton products in one package: VPN, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. This costs $12.99 for a month, $119.88 for a year ($9.99 per month) and $191.76 for two years ($7.99 per month). We won't be going in-depth on any of them in this review, but here's a quick rundown of each.
Proton Mail: An end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton can still see a Mail user's real IP address, but can't read any of their messages.
Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage. As with Mail, Proton can identify users, but can't read any of the content they store.
Proton Calendar: An encrypted scheduling app with events and reminders.
Proton Wallet: A self-custody wallet for storing Bitcoin unconnected to any exchange.
Proton Pass: A password manager that generates, stores and autofills passwords for online accounts.
Even if you only need two of the six, Proton Unlimited saves you money. Separate monthly subscriptions to Proton VPN and Proton Mail would cost a total of $14.98, so you've already knocked off $2 per month. That increases if you're able to commit to a year in advance.
Proton tracks user activity on its product websites using its own marketing tools; the data set collected does not include IP addresses. It retains an email address connected to each user's account, but it's not allowed to connect IP addresses (and thus identities and locations) to those emails unless the user breaches the terms of service.
You may rightly ask how Proton would know a user is abusing one of their services if they don't keep activity logs. The answer is that logs aren't needed; most forms of abuse can be detected in other ways and observed in real time. For example, if someone used a Proton VPN server to launch a DDoS attack, the team could inspect that server and find the hacker while the attack was still ongoing.
The policy goes on to list the five third-party data processors Proton uses (Zendesk, PayPal, Chargebee, Atlassian and Stripe), none of whom are allowed to store customer activity data. Proton cautions that it will share what data it does have in response to unblockable requests from the Swiss government, but not "until all legal or other remedies have been exhausted." This is standard for a VPN that wants to remain in business, and the transparency report shows the company does indeed fight court orders when it can.
Proton VPN privacy policy
Proton's VPN-specific privacy policy is quite short. It states that Proton cannot log user activities or identifiable characteristics of devices connected to the VPN, cannot throttle internet connections and must extend full privacy and security to free users.
In one sense, a privacy policy requires you to take the VPN provider at their word, but it's dangerous for a company to make promises they don't intend to keep. The policy is legally binding, and breaking it is grounds for a lawsuit. Proton VPN's succinct no-logs policy is therefore a great sign. It's also been confirmed several times by a third-party audit, most recently in July 2024.
Can Proton VPN change your virtual location?
Testing a VPN's ability to mask a user's location isn't complex — all you need is a streaming subscription. We connected to five test locations and tried to unblock Netflix with each one. If we managed to access the site, and saw different shows than those on the American library, we concluded that the location had masked us successfully.
Server location
Unblocked Netflix?
Library changed?
Canada
Y
Y
Romania
Y
Y
Ghana
Y
Y
Japan
Y
Y
New Zealand
Y
Y
Proton VPN passed the test every time in all five locations. The only hiccup came in Romania, which we chose because it's one of the free locations. The app connected us to a free server, which was too slow to load Netflix; when we chose a paid server, the problem disappeared.
Proton VPN changed our virtual location so we saw the Japanese Netflix library.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Investigating Proton VPN's server network
Proton VPN's free plan includes servers in five locations: the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States and Japan. When you connect as a free user, you'll be automatically connected to whichever location is fastest.
A paid plan opens up the full network of 154 servers in 117 countries and territories. The menu includes a huge selection of African locations, more than any VPN we've tested in some time. The Middle East, along with central and southern Asia, are also well represented, and U.S. users will find 20 different locations to choose from.
Proton VPN lets you know which of its locations are virtual.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Keep in mind that about two-thirds of these server locations are virtual, meaning they're not physically located where they claim to be. This includes all the African servers except South Africa and Nigeria; all the South American servers except Brazil, Colombia and Argentina; and all the Middle Eastern servers except Turkey, Israel and the UAE. A majority of the locations in Asia are also virtual, including South Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
To be clear, virtual locations can hide your IP address just as well as physical ones. It's only a problem if you're expecting the kind of performance, particularly in terms of latency, that you get from a nearby server. Luckily, Proton VPN gives you fast enough download and upload speeds that distance shouldn't be a problem.
None
Countries
Virtual Locations
Cities
North America
6
3
25
South America
7
4
7
Europe
42
6
51
Africa
25
23
26
Middle East
13
10
14
Asia
22
16
25
Oceania
2
0
6
TOTAL
117
62
154
Features of Proton VPN
Proton VPN has a number of extra features that go beyond standard VPN functionality. We've already mentioned the Stealth protocol and IPv6 support. In this section, we'll cover an additional five features that might be of interest.
NetShield ad blocker
Proton VPN's built-in ad blocker is known as NetShield. It's available on the main UI page, and has two settings: one that blocks only malware sites, and one that blocks sites connected with malware, ads and trackers. The stronger feature is on by default.
The Netshield page on Proton VPN's iOS app.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
NetShield works by checking any DNS requests against a database of web servers known to host malware, inject ads or attach cross-site trackers to your browsing session. The DNS-blocking approach means it's not capable of blocking ads served from the same domain that hosts them — so no blocking YouTube video ads. On the positive side, it means NetShield works across your entire device, not just on your browser.
NetShield also displays a running total of how many of each form of interference it's blocked. It catches most banner ads, but since you can't customize the blocklist in any way, it's best when combined with another browser-level ad blocker.
Secure Core servers
Here's an interesting one. Secure Core is a form of a common feature known as double VPN or multi-hop VPN, in which a connection runs through two VPN servers before being decrypted. If one server fails or gets compromised, the other server keeps your connection private.
Secure Core servers add a second node to your VPN connection.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Proton VPN takes this a step further. When you activate Secure Core, your connection will still end at your chosen server location — but before that, it will travel through a designated server in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland. A few touches make Secure Core servers more reliable than the average VPN node:
All three countries are safe jurisdictions, with consumer-friendly privacy laws and courts sympathetic to privacy claims.
Secure Core data centers are locked down physically; for example, the Iceland location is a refitted military base, and the Sweden location is literally underground.
Proton owns and operates all Secure Core locations itself, with no rentals or third-party managers.
Almost no other VPNs pay as much attention to physical security as Proton VPN does with this feature. The second hop makes Secure Core connections slower on average, but it's worth it if you have something especially sensitive to do online.
Kill switch
Proton VPN includes a kill switch, a standard feature. When active, a kill switch cuts off your internet whenever your connection to the VPN drops. This means you're never in danger of leaking your real identity or location, even for a second. It also protects you against the TunnelVision exploit, which requires the hacker to make a fake VPN server.
Split tunneling
Split tunneling is included on the Windows and Android apps, but users on other devices can access it through the browser extension. With split tunneling, some apps or websites get online through the VPN, while others stay unprotected.
Split tunneling with Proton VPN on Android.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Proton VPN allows split tunneling by both app and IP address. This grants you a precise level of control over your split, as long as you know the IP of each website you're placing on the list (you can find that out using DNS checker).
Torrenting servers and port forwarding
Proton VPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. It restricts torrenting to P2P servers, but nearly every server on the list is a P2P server — only Secure Core servers and some free servers don't permit torrenting. Combine that with the fact that it maintains 96 percent of your upload speeds on average, and you should have few problems using a torrenting client.
Proton VPN's list of P2P servers.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
It also has some support for port forwarding, which can improve torrenting speed. Windows and Linux users can enable it with a simple toggle, which provides an active port number for configuring private servers. Mac users can set up port forwarding through manual OpenVPN or WireGuard configurations.
Tor over VPN
A handful of Proton VPN servers route you directly to the Tor network after encrypting your connection. While connected to one of these Tor over VPN servers, which are marked with TOR in their names and an onion symbol, you'll be able to open .onion links on a normal browser.
This is more than just convenient — Tor over VPN is the safest way to access the dark web. With the VPN as an intermediary, you're never connecting to Tor with your own IP address, so malicious node operators can't see your real identity. For maximum privacy, use Tor Browser to create your Proton VPN account, so you're never exposed at any point in the process.
Proton VPN has Tor servers in six countries (the U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Hong Kong). Each just has one Tor server, except the United States, which gets two. Tor over VPN is supported on all platforms, but it won't work on Mac or iOS unless you have the kill switch enabled.
Profiles
A "profile" on Proton VPN is a group of pre-established settings you can use to quickly configure the VPN for a particular task. Two profiles are available from the start: Fastest, which connects to the fastest server, and Random, which always connects to a different server. You can create more profiles by toggling four settings:
Feature: The type of server used. Choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P or Tor over VPN.
Country: The country to which the profile connects.
Server: A server within that country. You can also select "fastest" or "random."
Protocol: Which VPN protocol the profile will use. "Smart" can be selected.
As an example, say you want to watch a TV series that's only available on Netflix in Canada. You could create a profile called "Netflix Canada" that connects to the fastest Canadian server with just one click. We'd call profiles situationally useful, but they can save a lot of time if you regularly perform the same action on your VPN.
Proton VPN customer support options
We went to Proton VPN's FAQ pages with two questions that came up while researching other sections: which of Proton VPN's servers are managed by third parties, and why do certain server locations (like Marseilles) run slow despite the app showing a light load?
You can access the help center through any of Proton VPN's apps, or by going directly to the website. Articles appear to be organized into six categories. Oddly, clicking any category button only shows you a handful of the articles in that section — for example, the Troubleshooting category looks like it only has five articles. If you type "troubleshooting" into the search bar, though, you'll see dozens pop up. There are even some sections, like Billing, that don't appear on the main page at all.
It has the feel of a website update that wasn't adequately brought in line with the bulk of the support content. Until Proton fixes it, just use the search bar for everything. The articles themselves are well-written, give or take some stilted English.
Getting quick help
We couldn't find written answers to our questions about ownership and server load, so we turned to live chat. Free users should keep in mind that live chat support is only available on paid accounts, but there's a fairly active subreddit at r/protonvpn where Proton staff frequently post.
Live chat is not intuitively located on protonvpn.com. We finally found it by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the main page, only to be told nobody was online to help at the moment — live chat is only accessible from 9 AM to midnight Central European Time (CET). We submitted our question about the Marseille servers as an email ticket instead.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
This part was easy, at least, as the form helpfully populated our system information. We also got a prompt response within 24 hours. We ended the interaction there, as we weren't able to reproduce the sluggish behavior on the French server locations, but it's nice to know the team will answer quickly.
Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG
Proton VPN launched in 2017, but its team's experience goes back much farther. The founders of its parent company, Proton AG, met while working at CERN in Switzerland, and the company remains under Swiss jurisdiction.
Their first product, Proton Mail, went live in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and claims to have 100 million users today. Proton VPN was Proton AG's second project. Like Proton Mail, it consists of a free plan supplemented by paid upgrades.
Since then, Proton has introduced several more products: Proton Calendar in 2020, Proton Drive cloud storage in 2022 and the Proton Pass password manager in 2023, each designed around using end-to-end encryption to make user data inaccessible.
The Proton Foundation
Proton announced in 2024 that the majority of its shares had been acquired by the Proton Foundation, a nonprofit whose only purpose is to control Proton stock. Among other benefits, this prevents it from being purchased by anyone who disagrees with its mission. To sell to an objectionable parent company, the entire board of trustees would have to agree, which feels unlikely based on Proton's track record.
Throughout Proton's history, we only found two incidents serious enough to comment on, and only one of them concerned Proton VPN. We'll cover them both below.
ProtonMail law enforcement collaboration allegations
On the page that hosts its annual transparency report, Proton states openly that it "may be legally compelled to disclose certain user information to Swiss authorities" (see the Privacy Policy section of this article for more on precisely what information that describes). In 2021, the company admitted it had given Swiss police (acting on a French warrant) a ProtonMail user's IP address and device logs. The police arrested the user, a French environmental activist.
While that's unnerving for privacy-minded users, there are some important contextual issues to consider. Most importantly, ProtonMail is not governed by the same policy as Proton VPN. At the time the case unfolded, Swiss law obliged all email companies to comply with court orders from Swiss authorities to hand over data. VPNs aren't subject to those retention requirements.
Today, Swiss email companies have been reclassified so they're also exempt from data retention requirements, thanks in part to a policy change Proton fought for. A representative from Proton confirmed that "under Swiss law, we are not obligated to save any user connection logs." It's also reassuring that, despite complying with the subpoena, Proton wasn't able to turn over the contents of any emails.
Alleged WireGuard memory vulnerability
In January 2025, researchers at Venak Security alleged that Proton VPN lacks memory protection for keys generated under the WireGuard protocol, which might let hackers scrape the keys and decrypt intercepted communications. Proton responded to Venak in a blog post, which a Proton representative confirmed remains their official response to the allegations.
In short: the Venak article only demonstrates that it's possible to view public keys, not private ones. This isn't much of a bombshell, given that "public" is right there in the name. But asymmetric encryption — the kind used by VPN protocols like WireGuard — requires both keys to decrypt any messages. Even if a hacker were able to get ahold of a private key, they likely wouldn't be able to use it for anything. WireGuard incorporates perfect forward secrecy by default, changing session keys often enough that any given key is obsolete by the time it's stolen.
Final verdict
In short, we're prepared to recommend Proton VPN to almost anybody. Whether you're mainly concerned with security, streaming or something else, chances are good that you'll be satisfied. The only serious downsides are that the long-term plans are overpriced and that it's hard to get live tech support if you live outside of Europe.
It's also our unqualified pick for the best free VPN, but with the caveat that it's a bad choice for anyone who needs to choose specific server locations. If all you care about is staying hidden from your ISP and advertisers, Proton should be your first choice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/proton-vpn-review-2025-a-nonprofit-service-with-premium-performance-153046073.html?src=rss
Google has released Android 16 to the masses, as it's now available for compatible handsets. The company says new devices will come preloaded with the OS in "the coming months." As usual, it's first coming to Google's own Pixel phones.
The update includes several notable features. The biggest one might be live updates in notifications. This means that stuff like ride-shares and food deliveries will get a progress bar directly in the notification, so folks won't have to constantly open and close the app to wonder why a burrito seems to be stuck four blocks away.
Google
Also, notifications from the same app will now be automatically grouped together to reduce clutter and pings. There's now support for LE audio hearing aids, with a native control option. Users can also switch to the phone's microphone when using one of these hearing devices for clearer audio in noisy places.
Google has tied all of its security features together, so users can now be protected from "online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and more in just a tap." This includes new scam detection features that were previewed back in May.
Google
Shutterbugs are getting a fairly robust suite of new features, including automatic night mode scene detection, hybrid auto exposure and more precise color temperature adjustments. UltraHDR images have been improved, with support for HEIC encoding, and Android 16 offers integration with the high-end Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec.
Google
The company is finally bringing desktop windowing to Android, but it's not ready just yet. That feature will be available to general users later in the year, but Android 16 QPR 3 Beta 2 is currently previewing the feature.
There's also a neat Android ecosystem update with some nifty features. This includes upgraded RCS group chats, with custom icons and the ability to mute threads. Google Photos now offers an AI-enhanced image editor that will recommend suggested edits. Emoji Kitchen is receiving new sticker combinations and Wear OS devices can now pay for transit fares without having to open a dedicated app.
Google
Finally, Google has offered details on the Pixel Drop for June. New features include a Pixel VIPs widget that displays information on preferred contacts and more expressive captions on videos.
Update, June 10, 2PM ET: Well, we jumped the gun on that a little bit. Android 16 should now be available, as previously (and incorrectly) stated. We regret the error.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-16-is-out-complete-with-new-features-for-pixel-phones-including-live-notification-updates-170006935.html?src=rss
Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9 introduced a slew of new changes coming to iPhone's operating system this fall. That includes a numbering change: iOS 18 is skipping to iOS 26, as opposed to introducing iOS 19. Plus, there was a laundry list of actual usability changes shown off, as well as the new Liquid Glass design (think Windows Vista, but arguably more toughtful), which looks to be Apple's largest visual update in years. But the biggest question we're all wondering: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26?
Last year, Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that's not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won't be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.
We'll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what's coming with the latest OS and more, check out everything announced at Apple's WWDC event.
These three iPhones won't be compatible with iOS 26
Unlike last year, several iPhone models won't be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party:
iPhone XR
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhones compatible with iOS 26
While we don't yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple's site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you're in the clear:
iPhone SE (second generation or later)
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
What if I don't want to buy a new iPhone?
If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn't supported by iOS 26, that's fine. However, you'll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won't be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.
When will iOS 26 become available?
Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at that iPhone 17 event, expected in early September.
iOS 26 features we're excited about
Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive.
Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.
Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.
Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you're meeting at this weekend.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-is-releasing-ios-26-this-fall-heres-the-full-list-of-compatible-iphones-191854795.html?src=rss
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