android

The curious rise of giant tablets on wheels

android, Features, lg, Monitors, Reviews, tablet, Tech, TVs / DJ Henderson / July 5, 2025

Not quite a TV, not your average tablet

Hands-on with KTC’s 32-inch Android tablet on a rolling pedestal, the A32Q7 Pro.

KTC’s MegPad 32-inch Android Tablet (A32Q7 Pro). Credit: Scharon Harding

Over the past few years, LG has set off a strange tech trend that’s been rolling onto devices sold across Amazon and other online electronics retailers.

In 2022, the company launched the StanbyME, which is essentially a $1,000 27-inch tablet running LG’s smart TV operating system (OS), webOS, but lacking a tuner. LG’s press release announcing the device described it as a “wireless private TV screen with a built-in battery” that is easily portable and ideal for watching shows and movies, in addition to “video conferencing with family and coworkers and viewing online lectures.”

Today, the StanbyME competes against a slew of similar devices, including some from Samsung, but mostly from smaller brands and running Android.

I’ve had one of these devices, the KTC MegPad 32-inch Android Tablet (A32Q7 Pro), rolling around my home for a few weeks, and I’m left curious about what’s driving the growth of StanbyME-like devices, which are noticeably niche and expensive. I’m also uncertain whether these hybrid devices have an ongoing place in a consumer tech world already inundated with big-screen TVs, small-screen tablets, and beloved laptops.

Hands-on

Unlike LG’s StanbyME, KTC’s device doesn’t run a smart TV OS. Instead, it’s a 32-inch Android 13 tablet. Still, KTC heavily markets the MegPad’s ability to serve as streaming hardware, and that’s one of the best uses I found for it.

A big ol’ tablet on wheels. Scharon Harding

Treating the MegPad like a smart TV on wheels meant I could have a living-room-like experience in more places throughout my home. I could watch TV in bed with a more visible screen set at a more comfortable distance than what I’d achieve with a laptop or tablet. It also meant flexibility. I don’t like having a permanent TV in my room (how would I ever get out of bed?), so I appreciated the ability to roll the MegPad out of my room or twist it so that the screen faced away from me.

The MegPad is also a diplomatic solution for homes with limited TVs or computers. This could be helpful for homes with kids with varied interests or in my home, where a speedy, 55-inch TV in the living room is the best screen available by far. I was able to let my partner take the big screen for gaming and still hang out nearby while streaming on the MegPad. I don’t have a central coffee table in my living room, but the mobile tablet enabled me to watch shows without a device weighing down my lap or making me connect a wireless speaker for better volume.

KTC’s device also has a helpful leg-up over LG’s StanbyME via its HDMI port, which makes the MegPad work like a regular monitor. Determining where to safely rest a device tethered to this mobile machine is something you’ll have to figure out on your own, though.

KTC MegPad 32-inch Android Tablet (A32Q7 Pro) — The port selection on the panel’s backside. Credit: Scharon Harding

Compared to the TV mounted on my living room wall, the MegPad is much easier to move from room to room, but it’s easy to overestimate how seamless transporting it is. Yes, it’s on a set of five 360-degree wheels, but the wheels don’t lock, and the device weighs 40.3 pounds, per its Amazon listing. That means I had to exert a decent amount of effort to move it over floor transition strips, across uneven floors, and from hardwood to carpet.

A fully rotating screen, however, makes up for some of my mobility complaints and diversifies the MegPad’s potential uses. Besides streaming, for example, the MegPad was great for watching yoga videos online, (which calls for viewing the screen from different heights and positions). It also proved to be an ideal setup for creating a large, print-out collage, which included a lot of dragging, dropping, and cropping of images.

Not a real TV

You can do a lot with a sizeable Android tablet. But with TV and movie watching being some of the most obvious uses, it’s important to note that neither the MegPad nor any of its rollable rivals are real TVs.

For one, there’s no tuner, though in the streaming world, that matters less to many of today’s TV viewers.

Further, the MegPad, like many StanbyME-like devices, uses Android 13, which doesn’t require paying vendor licensing fees like built-for smart TV OSes, such as Android TV/Google TV and webOS, would. There are some benefits to that, though.

To start, Android 13 doesn’t have the integrated ads that Android TV or the Google TV interface does. Google claims that the Google TV platform doesn’t use automatic content recognition (ACR), but as Consumer Reports has noted, Google collects “data from TVs that use its smart TV platform—and there’s no opting out of Google’s policies during setup if you want smart TV functionality.” Further, Google may combine that data with user data from third parties for advertising purposes. A spokesperson for KTC confirmed to me that the MegPad doesn’t use ACR.

As a tablet, the MegPad is compatible with more apps, many of which aren’t supported by Google TVs, like Google Sheets, Microsoft Word, Reddit, and Signal.

Android tablets are also more appropriate for storing documents, photos, and other files than smart TVs are. Although it’s likely less roomy than your PC, the MegPad has 128GB of internal storage.

But since this is an Android tablet and not a Google TV, there are no integrated channels and no live-TV-only option, which stops the device from collecting diagnostic information. Google TV would also include a more streaming-friendly user interface and the ability to watch content from different streaming providers without switching apps.

Further differing from LG’s StanbyME and real TVs, the MegPad doesn’t include a traditional remote. The tablet comes with a basic Bluetooth mouse, but due to the tablet’s portability, I frequently used the tablet without a flat surface within arm’s reach available for comfortable mouse control. The touchscreen is reliable, but gestures can be cumbersome on a tablet this large, and the display was often out of my hand’s reach.

The new portable TV?

With TVs getting larger and people turning to portable gadgets like phones and laptops for TV watching, true portable TVs have become a rarity. Demand for a small device dedicated to on-the-go TV viewing has dropped significantly since the last century. Meanwhile, fabs and supply chains are built around monitor and TV-sized displays, making it difficult to incorporate some of the most desirable display technologies, like OLED, into smaller-sized panels with competitive prices.

As a result, devices like the MegPad and Amazon’s Echo Show have become the new de facto stand-ins for portable TVs, even though they’re not true TV sets. Even LG’s StanbyME Go, a 27-inch webOS-powered display packed into a briefcase, is a far cry from what most of us would traditionally consider a portable TV.

LG StanByMe Go at a picnic — LG’s StanbyMe GO. Credit: LG

Again, these tablets have more versatility than the small, telescoping-antenna-equipped boxes you used to stick on your kitchen counter or hand to a hyper kid during road trips. But they also require a reliance on Big Tech software and all the privacy and ethical implications that come with that.

You don’t see many of these anymore. From left to right: Casio EV 570, Sony Watchman, and Casio EV 660. Credit: Richard Derk/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

KTC also sees the MegPad’s appeal as a pseudo-TV. The MegPad’s product page emphasizes users’ ability to “watch favorite shows/movies directly—no PC needed” and to “stream Netflix [and] YouTube… more effortlessly on your smart TV.” Its Amazon product page also promotes the keywords “portable TV,” “rolling TV,” “mobile TV,” and “standing TV.” This is all despite the MegPad not technically being a true TV.

“KTC defines the MegPad A32Q7Pro as a portable, smart, touchscreen monitor,” KTC’s spokesperson told me. “It combines key traits of a smart display and a large-screen tablet. While it shares some features with smart TVs, tablets, and monitors, it doesn’t fully belong to any single traditional category. It’s a hybrid device designed to bridge those use cases.”

Android tablets on wheels

Many devices like the MegPad represent a push for more Android-powered, non-Google devices that has been buoyed by a program that Google launched in 2022, the Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement (EDLA).

As explained by partners like BenQ, EDLA is a way for third parties to incorporate Google Mobile Services (GMS), which are Google’s most commonly used apps and APIs bundled for use across different types of devices. GMS apps include popular software like Google Drive, Gmail, the Google Play Store, and YouTube.

“Previously, GMS was only officially available for smartphones, tablets, TVs, and wearables. Under the new EDLA, the list of devices eligible for GMS certification has now been expanded to include enterprise solutions such as smart boards,” a blog from BenQ, which has EDLA-certified smart displays, reads.

Since 2022, (the year LG’s StanbyME launched), there has been an uptick in non-Google devices with this EDLA certification. One of the categories taking advantage of the newer program is tablets on wheels, like the MegPad and similar options from Kefeya, Apolosign, Innocn, and DuraPro.

Demonstrating the marketing value of EDLA certification, the MegPad’s product page reads: “Google EDLA certification provides secure, direct access to Google services and the Google Play Store with regular updates, offering greater stability and data protection than open app ecosystems with unverified apps.”

Most EDLA-certified devices seem to be interactive displays used for education. With EDLA certification, devices like the MegPad may also draw the attention of educators or even businesses. Meanwhile, Google is happy to hand out EDLA certifications, as they can drive Android adoption, giving Google more data and access to customers outside of the typical Android devices, such as phones. Products like the MegPad can also be easier to shop with (Google loves when people use its offerings to shop) than Android devices with smaller screens.

Who’s this for?

I’ve been fascinated by the MegPad and similar devices because they introduce a unique approach to streaming, web browsing, and productivity. But ultimately, they’re hard to recommend when there are other personal gadgets that are more affordable and often take up less space.

I had fun with the MegPad and appreciated the flexibility it offered, especially in my smaller NYC home. There are some specific use cases where products like this could excel, like if you want to bring a computer or screen into a room that doesn’t always need one. It was also helpful as an entertainment center for my father post-surgery, when he primarily had to lie on one side in bed.

Overall, the growing presence of devices like the MegPad underscores a confluence occurring between smart TVs, tablets, monitors, and smart displays. With software being forced into more types of displays, often in the interest of gathering more user data, it’s an interesting time to consider what you want from your next screen—be it computing power, a certain size, the omission or inclusion of web connectivity, and mobility.

It appears that the MegPad and similar tablets are trying to take advantage of the attention that LG garners when launching distinctive devices like its StanbyME line. Besides a StanbyME lookalike, Apolosign also makes a device similar to the StanbyME Go.

Apolosign's 27 — Apolosign’s PackGo is very similar to LG’s StanbyME Go. Credit: Apolosign

Three years after LG made TV-esque devices on wheels a talking point, more brands are trying to roll into the market. That includes LG’s best TV frenemy, Samsung, which has been using the form factor in limited geographies to drive sales of “smart monitors.”

Tech brands have ulterior motives for pushing this newer form factor that go beyond filling a gap in consumer gadgets. But if a large tablet or small smart display with wheels fits your needs, the options are there, and they should meet most expectations.

Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She’s been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Tom’s Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK.

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Provider of covert surveillance app spills passwords for 62,000 users

android, Apps, Biz & IT, privacy, Security, surveillance / Mike M. / July 4, 2025

The maker of a phone app that is advertised as providing a stealthy means for monitoring all activities on an Android device spilled email addresses, plain-text passwords, and other sensitive data belonging to 62,000 users, a researcher discovered recently.

A security flaw in the app, branded Catwatchful, allowed researcher Eric Daigle to download a trove of sensitive data, which belonged to account holders who used the covert app to monitor phones. The leak, made possible by a SQL injection vulnerability, allowed anyone who exploited it to access the accounts and all data stored in them.

Unstoppable

Catwatchful creators emphasize the app’s stealth and security. While the promoters claim the app is legal and intended for parents monitoring their children’s online activities, the emphasis on stealth has raised concerns that it’s being aimed at people with other agendas.

“Catwatchful is invisible,” a page promoting the app says. “It cannot be detected. It cannot be uninstalled. It cannot be stopped. It cannot be closed. Only you can access the information it collects.”

The promoters go on to say users “can monitor a phone without [owners] knowing with mobile phone monitoring software. The app is invisible and undetectable on the phone. It works in a hidden and stealth mode.”

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Android 16 review: Post-hype

android, android 16, Features, Google, Reviews, smartphones, Tech / 9u50fv / June 30, 2025

Competent, not captivating

The age of big, exciting Android updates is probably over.

Android 16 is currently only available for Pixel phones. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Google recently released Android 16, which brings a smattering of new features for Pixel phones, with promises of additional updates down the road. The numbering scheme has not been consistent over the years, and as a result, Android 16 is actually the 36th major release in a lineage that stretches back nearly two decades. In 2008, we didn’t fully understand how smartphones would work, so there was a lot of trial and error. In 2025, the formula has been explored every which way. Today’s smartphones run mature software, and that means less innovation in each yearly release. That trend is exemplified and amplified by Google’s approach to Android 16.

The latest release is perhaps the most humdrum version of the platform yet, but don’t weep for Google. The company has been working toward this goal for years: a world where the average phone buyer doesn’t need to worry about Android version numbers.

A little fun up front

When you install Android 16 on one of Google’s Pixel phones, you may need to check the settings to convince yourself that the update succeeded. Visually, the changes are so minuscule that you’ll only notice them if you’re obsessive about how Android works. For example, Google changed the style of icons in the overview screen and added a few more options to the overview app menus. There are a lot of these minor style tweaks; we expect more when Google releases Material 3 Expressive, but that’s still some way off.

There are some thoughtful UI changes, but again, they’re very minor and you may not even notice them at first. For instance, Google’s predictive back gesture, which allows the previous screen to peek out from behind the currently displayed one, now works with button navigation.

Apps targeting the new API (level 36) will now default to using edge-to-edge rendering, which removes the navigation background to make apps more immersive. Android apps have long neglected larger form factors because Google itself was neglecting those devices. Since the Android 12L release a few years ago, Google has been attempting to right that wrong. Foldable phones have suffered from many of the same issues with app scaling that tablets have, but all big-screen Android devices will soon benefit from adaptive apps. Previously, apps could completely ignore the existence of large screens and render a phone-shaped UI on a large screen.

Advanced Protection is a great addition to Android, even if it’s not the most riveting. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

In Android 16, apps will automatically adapt to larger screens, saving you from having to tinker with the forced aspect ratio tools built into Google and Samsung devices. Don’t confuse this with tablet-style interfaces, though. Just because an app fills the screen, it’s no guarantee that it will look good. Most of the apps we’ve run on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are still using stretched phone interfaces that waste space. Developers need to make adjustments to properly take advantage of larger screens. Will they? That’s yet another aspect of Android 16 that we hope will come later.

Security has been a focus in many recent Android updates. While not the most sexy improvement, the addition of Advanced Protection in Android 16 could keep many people from getting hit with malware, and it makes it harder for government entities to capture your data. This feature blocks insecure 2G connections, websites lacking HTTPS, and exploits over USB. It disables sideloading of apps, too, which might make some users wary. However, if you know someone who isn’t tech savvy, you should encourage them to enable Advanced Protection when (and if) they get access to Android 16. This is a great feature that Google should have added years ago.

The changes to notifications will probably make the biggest impact on your daily life. Whether you’re using Android or iOS, notification spam is getting out of hand. Every app seems to want our attention, and notifications can really pile up. Android 16 introduces a solid quality-of-life improvement by bundling notifications from each app. While notification bundles were an option before, they were primarily used for messaging, and not all developers bothered. Now, the notification shade is less overwhelming, and it’s easy to expand each block to triage individual items.

Google has also added a new category of notifications that can show progress, similar to a feature on the iPhone. The full notification will include a live updating bar that can tell you exactly when your Uber will show up, for example. These notifications will come first to delivery and rideshare apps, but none of them are working yet. You can get a preview of how these notifications will work with the Android 16 easter egg, which sends a little spaceship rocketing toward a distant planet.

The progress notifications will also have a large status bar chip with basic information visible at all times. Tapping on it will expand the full notification. However, this is also not implemented in the first release of Android 16. Yes, this is a recurring theme with Google’s new OS.

More fun still to come

You may notice that none of the things we’ve discussed in Android 16 are exactly riveting—better security features and cleaner notifications are nice to have, but this is hardly a groundbreaking update. It might have been more exciting were it not for the revamped release schedule, though. This Android 16 release isn’t even the Android 16. There will be a second Android 16 update later in the year, and some of the most interesting features aren’t arriving as part of either one.

Traditionally, Google has released new versions of Android in the fall, around the time new Pixel phones arrive. Android 15, for example, began its rollout in October 2024. Just eight months later, we’re on to Android 16. This is the first cycle in which Google will split its new version into two updates. Going forward, the bigger update will arrive in Q2, and the smaller one, which includes API and feature tweaks, will come at the end of the year.

Google has said the stylish but divisive Material 3 Expressive UI and the desktop windowing feature will come later. They’re currently in testing with the latest beta for Android 16 QPR1, which will become a Pixel Drop in September. It’s easy to imagine that with a single fall Android 16 release, both of these changes would have been included.

In the coming months, we expect to see some Google apps updated with support for Material 3, but the changes will be minimal unless you’re using a phone that runs Google’s Android theme. For all intents and purposes, that means a Pixel. Motorola has traditionally hewed closely to Google’s interface, while Samsung, OnePlus, and others forged their own paths. But even Moto has been diverging more as it focuses on AI. It’s possible that Google’s big UI shakeup will only affect Pixel users.

As for desktop windowing, that may have limited impact, too. On-device windowing will only be supported on tablets—even tablet-style foldables will be left out. We’ve asked Google to explain this decision and will report back if we get more details. Non-tablet devices will be able to project a desktop-style interface on an external display via USB video-out, but the feature won’t be available universally. Google tells Ars that it’s up to OEMs to support this feature. So even a phone that has video-out over USB may not have desktop windowing. Again, Pixels may be the best (or only) way to get Android’s new desktop mode.

The end of version numbers

There really isn’t much more to say about Android 16 as it currently exists. This update isn’t flashy, but it lays important groundwork for the future. The addition of Material 3 Expressive will add some of the gravitas we expect from major version bumps, but it’s important to remember that this is just Google’s take on Android—other companies have their own software interests, mostly revolving around AI. We’ll have to wait to see what Samsung, OnePlus, and others do with the first Android 16 release. The underlying software has been released in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), but it will be a few months before other OEMs have updates.

In some ways, boring updates are exactly what Google has long wanted from Android. Consider the era when Android updates were undeniably exciting—a time when the addition of screenshots could be a headlining feature (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) or when Google finally figured out how to keep runaway apps from killing your battery (Android 6.0 Marshmallow). But there was a problem with these big tentpole updates: Not everyone got them, and they were salty about it.

During the era of rapid software improvement, it took the better part of a year (or longer!) for a company like Samsung or LG to deploy new Android updates. Google would announce a laundry list of cool features, but only the tiny sliver of people using Nexus (and later Pixel) phones would see them. By the time a Samsung Galaxy user had the new version, it was time for Google to release another yearly update.

This “fragmentation” issue was a huge headache for Google, leading it to implement numerous platform changes over the years to take the pressure off its partners and app developers. There were simple tweaks like adding important apps, including Maps and the keyboard (later Gboard), to the Play Store so they could be updated regularly. On the technical side, initiatives like Project Mainline made the platform more modular so features could be added and improved outside of major updates. Google has also meticulously moved features into Play Services, which can deliver system-level changes without an over-the-air update (although there are drawbacks to that).

Android I/O sign — Android version numbers hardly matter anymore—it’s just Android. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The overarching story of Android has been a retreat from monolithic updates, and that means there’s less to get excited about when a new version appears. Rather than releasing a big update rife with changes, Google has shown a preference for rolling out features via the Play Store and Play Services to the entire Android ecosystem. Experiences like Play Protect anti-malware, Google Play Games, Google Cast, Find My Device, COVID-19 exposure alerts, Quick Share, and myriad more were released to almost all Google-certified Android devices without system updates.

As more features arrive in dribs and drabs via Play Services and Pixel Drops, the numbered version changes are less important. People used to complain about missing out on the tentpole updates, but it’s quieter when big features are decoupled from version numbers. And that’s where we are—Android 15 or Android 16—the number is no longer important. You won’t notice a real difference, but the upshot is that most phones get new features faster than they once did. That was the cost to fix fragmentation.

Boring updates aren’t just a function of rearranging features. Even if all the promised upgrades were here now, Android 16 would still barely move the needle. Phones are now mature products with established usage paradigms. It’s been almost 20 years since the age of touchscreen smartphones began, and we’ve figured out how these things should work. It’s not just Android updates settling into prosaic predictability—Apple is running low on paradigm shifts, too. The release of iOS 26 will add some minor improvements to a few apps, and the theme is getting more transparent with the controversial “Liquid Glass” UI. And that’s it.

Until there’s a marked change in form factors or capability, these flat glass slabs will look and work more or less as they do now (with a lot more AI slop, whether you like it or not). If you have a recent non-Pixel Android device, you’ll probably get Android 16 in the coming months, but it won’t change the way you use your phone.

Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he’s written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards.

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Android phones could soon warn you of “Stingrays” snooping on your communications

android, android 16, Google, smartphones, Tech / 9u50fv / June 28, 2025

Smartphones contain a treasure trove of personal data, which makes them a worthwhile target for hackers. However, law enforcement is not above snooping on cell phones, and their tactics are usually much harder to detect. Cell site simulators, often called Stingrays, can trick your phone into revealing private communications, but a change in Android 16 could allow phones to detect this spying.

Law enforcement organizations have massively expanded the use of Stingray devices because almost every person of interest today uses a cell phone at some point. These devices essentially trick phones into connecting to them like a normal cell tower, allowing the operator to track that device’s location. The fake towers can also shift a phone to less secure wireless technology to intercept calls and messages. There’s no indication this is happening on the suspect’s end, which is another reason these machines have become so popular with police.

However, while surveilling a target, Stingrays can collect data from other nearby phones. It’s not unreasonable to expect a modicum of privacy if you happen to be in the same general area, but sometimes police use Stingrays simply because they can. There’s also evidence that cell simulators have been deployed by mysterious groups outside law enforcement. In short, it’s a problem. Google has had plans to address this security issue for more than a year, but a lack of hardware support has slowed progress. Finally, in the coming months, we will see the first phones capable of detecting this malicious activity, and Android 16 is ready for it.

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Google’s spotty Find Hub network could get better thanks to a small setup tweak

android, bluetooth trackers, Google, Tech / Mike M. / June 26, 2025

Bluetooth trackers have existed for quite a while, but Apple made them worthwhile when it enlisted every iPhone to support AirTags. The tracking was so reliable that Apple had to add anti-stalking features. And although there are just as many Android phones out there, Google’s version of mobile device tracking, known as Find Hub, has been comparatively spotty. Now, Google is about to offer users a choice that could fix Bluetooth tracking on Android.

According to a report from Android Authority, Google is preparing to add a new screen to the Android setup process. This change, integrated with Play Services version 25.24, has yet to roll out widely, but it will allow anyone setting up an Android phone to choose a more effective method of tracking that will bolster Google’s network. This is included in the Play Services changelog as, “You can now configure Find Hub when setting up your phone, allowing the device to be located remotely.”

Trackable devices like AirTags and earbuds work by broadcasting a Bluetooth LE identifier, which phones in the area can see. Our always-online smartphones then report the approximate location of that signal, and with enough reports, the owner can pinpoint the tag. Perhaps wary of the privacy implications, Google rolled out its Find Hub network (previously Find My Device) with harsh restrictions on where device finding would work.

By default, Find Hub only works in busy areas where multiple phones can contribute to narrowing down the location. That’s suboptimal if you actually want to find things. The setting to allow finding in all areas is buried several menus deep in the system settings where no one is going to see it. Currently, the settings for Find Hub are under the security menu of your phone, but the patch may vary from one device to the next. For Pixels, it’s under Security > Device finders > Find Hub > Find your offline devices. Yeah, not exactly discoverable.

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Another one for the graveyard: Google to kill Instant Apps in December

android, Apps, Google, Tech / Mike M. / June 13, 2025

But that was then, and this is now. Today, an increasing number of mobile apps are functionally identical to the mobile websites they are intended to replace, and developer uptake of Instant Apps was minimal. Even in 2017, loading an app instead of a website had limited utility. As a result, most of us probably only encountered Instant Apps a handful of times in all the years it was an option for developers.

To use the feature, which was delivered to virtually all Android devices by Google Play Services, developers had to create a special “instant” version of their app that was under 15MB. The additional legwork to get an app in front of a subset of new users meant this was always going to be a steep climb, and Google struggles to incentivize developers to adopt new features. Plus, there’s no way to cram in generative AI! So it’s not a shock to see Google retiring the feature.

This feature is currently listed in the collection of Google services in your phone settings as “Google Play Instant.” Unfortunately, there aren’t many examples still available if you’re curious about what Instant Apps were like—the Finnish publisher Ilta-Sanomat is one of the few still offering it. Make sure the settings toggle for Instant Apps is on if you want a little dose of nostalgia.

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Google left months-old dark mode bug in Android 16, fix planned for next Pixel Drop

android, Google, smartphones, Tech / Shannon Garcia / June 12, 2025

Google’s Pixel phones got a big update this week with the release of Android 16 and a batch of Pixel Drop features. Pixels now have enhanced security, new contact features, and improved button navigation. However, some of the most interesting features, like desktop windowing and Material 3 Expressive, are coming later. Another thing that’s coming later, it seems, is a fix for an annoying bug Google introduced a few months back.

Google broke the system dark mode schedule in its March Pixel update and did not address it in time for Android 16. The company confirms a fix is coming, though.

The system-level dark theme arrives in Android 10 to offer a less eye-searing option, which is particularly handy in dark environments. It took a while for even Google’s apps to fully adopt this feature, but support is solid five years later. Google even offers a scheduling feature to switch between light and dark mode at custom times or based on sunrise/sunset. However, the scheduling feature was busted in the March update.

Currently, if you manually toggle dark mode on or off, schedules stop working. The only way to get them back is to set up your schedule again and then never toggle dark mode. Google initially marked this as “intended behavior,” but a more recent bug report was accepted as a valid issue.

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Adobe finally releases Photoshop for Android, and it’s free (for now)

adobe, Adobe Photoshop, android, Apps, Google, smartphones, Tech / Mike M. / June 3, 2025

Adobe has spent years releasing mobile apps that aren’t Photoshop, and now it’s finally giving people what they want. Yes, real Photoshop. After releasing a mobile version of Photoshop on iPhone earlier this year, the promised Android release has finally arrived. You can download it right now in beta, and it’s free to use for the duration of the beta period.

The mobile app includes a reasonably broad selection of tools from the desktop version of Adobe’s iconic image editor, including masks, clone stamp, layers, transformations, cropping, and an array of generative AI tools. The app looks rather barebones when you first start using it, but the toolbar surfaces features as you select areas and manipulate layers.

Depending on how you count, this is Adobe’s third attempt to do Photoshop on phones. So far, it appears to be the most comprehensive, though. It’s much more capable than Photoshop Express or the ancient Photoshop Touch app, which Adobe unpublished almost a decade ago. If you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of Photoshop, the new app comes with a robust collection of tutorials—just tap the light bulb icon to peruse them.

Photoshop on Android makes a big deal about Adobe’s generative AI features, which let you easily select subjects or backgrounds, remove objects, and insert new content based on a text prompt. This works about as well as the desktop version of Photoshop because it’s relying on the same cloud service to do the heavy lifting. This would have been impressive to see in a mobile app a year ago, but OEM features like Google’s Magic Editor have since become more widespread.

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Motorola Razr and Razr Ultra (2025) review: Cool as hell, but too much AI

android, Features, Foldables, Motorola, smartphones, Tech / Beth Washington / May 15, 2025

The new Razrs are sleek, capable, and overflowing with AI features.

Motorola’s 2025 Razr refresh includes its first Ultra model. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

For phone nerds who’ve been around the block a few times, the original Motorola Razr is undeniably iconic. The era of foldables has allowed Motorola to resurrect the Razr in an appropriately flexible form, and after a few generations of refinement, the 2025 Razrs are spectacular pieces of hardware. They look great, they’re fun to use, and they just about disappear in your pocket.

The new Razrs also have enormous foldable OLEDs, along with external displays that are just large enough to be useful. Moto has upped its design game, offering various Pantone shades with interesting materials and textures to make the phones more distinctive, but Motorola’s take on mobile AI could use some work, as could its long-term support policy. Still, these might be the coolest phones you can get right now.

An elegant tactile experience

Many phone buyers couldn’t care less about how a phone’s body looks or feels—they’ll just slap it in a case and never look at it again. Foldables tend not to fit as well in cases, so the physical design of the Razrs is important. The good news is that Motorola has refined the foldable formula with an updated hinge and some very interesting material choices.

Razr Ultra back — The Razr Ultra is available with a classy wood back. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The 2025 Razrs come in various colors, all of which have interesting material choices for the back panel. There are neat textured plastics, wood, vegan leather, and synthetic fabrics. We’ve got wood (Razr Ultra) and textured plastic (Razr) phones to test—they look and feel great. The Razr is very grippy, and the wooden Ultra looks ultra-stylish, though not quite as secure in the hand. The aluminum frames are also colored to match the back with a smooth matte finish. Motorola has gone to great lengths to make these phones feel unique without losing the premium vibe. It’s nice to see a phone maker do that without resorting to a standard glass sandwich body.

The buttons are firm and tactile, but we’re detecting just a bit of rattle in the power button. That’s also where you’ll find the fingerprint sensor. It’s reasonably quick and accurate, whether the phone is open or closed. The Razr Ultra also has an extra AI button on the opposite side, which is unnecessary, for reasons we’ll get to later. And no, you can’t remap it to something else.

Motorola Razr 2025 — The Razrs have a variety of neat material options. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The front of the flip on these phones features a big sheet of Gorilla Glass Ceramic, which is supposedly similar to Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass. That should help ward off scratches. The main camera sensors poke through this front OLED, which offers some interesting photographic options we’ll get to later. The Razr Ultra has a larger external display, clocking in at 4 inches. The cheaper Razr gets a smaller 3.6-inch front screen, but that’s still plenty of real estate, even with the camera lenses at the bottom.

Specs at a glance: 2025 Motorola Razrs
	Motorola Razr ($699.99)	Motorola Razr+ ($999.99)	Motorola Razr Ultra ($1,299.99)
SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 7400X	Snapdragon 8s Gen 3	Snapdragon 8 Elite
Memory	8GB	12GB	16GB
Storage	256GB	256GB	512GB, 1TB
Display	6.9″ foldable OLED (120 Hz, 2640 x 1080), 3.6″ external (90 Hz)	6.9″ foldable OLED (165 Hz, 2640 x 1080), 4″ external (120 Hz, 1272 x 1080)	7″ foldable OLED (165 Hz, 2992 x 1224), 4″ external (165 Hz)
Cameras	50 MP f/1.7 OIS primary; 13 MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 32 MP selfie	50 MP f/1.7 OIS primary; 50 MP 2x telephoto f/2.0, 32 MP selfie	50 MP f/1.8 OIS primary, 50 MP ultrawide + macro, f/2.0, 50 MP selfie
Software	Android 15	Android 15	Android 15
Battery	4,500 mAh, 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging	4,000 mAh, 45 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging	4,700 mAh, 68 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6e, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, sub-6 GHz 5G, USB-C 2.0	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, sub-6 GHz 5G, USB-C 2.0	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, sub-6 GHz 5G, USB-C 2.0
Measurements	Open: 73.99 x 171.30 x 7.25 mm; Closed: 73.99 x 88.08 x 15.85 mm; 188 g	Open: 73.99 x 171.42 x 7.09 mm; Closed: 73.99 x 88.09x 15.32 mm; 189 g	Open: 73.99 x 171.48 x 7.19 mm; Closed: 73.99 x 88.12 x 15.69 mm; 199 g

Motorola says the updated foldable hinge has been reinforced with titanium. This is the most likely point of failure for a flip phone, but the company’s last few Razrs already felt pretty robust. It’s good that Moto is still thinking about durability, though. The hinge is smooth, allowing you to leave the phone partially open, but there are magnets holding the two halves together with no gap when closed. The magnets also allow for a solid snap when you shut it. Hanging up on someone is so, so satisfying when you’re using a Razr flip phone.

Flip these phones open, and you get to the main event. The Razr has a 6.9-inch, 2640×1080 foldable OLED, and the Ultra steps up to 7 inches at an impressive 2992×1224. These phones have almost exactly the same dimensions, so the additional bit of Ultra screen comes from thinner bezels. Both phones are extremely tall when open, but they’re narrow enough to be usable in one hand. Just don’t count on reaching the top of the screen easily. While Motorola has not fully eliminated the display crease, it’s much smoother and less noticeable than it is on Samsung’s or Google’s foldables.

Motorola Razr Ultra — The Razr Ultra has a 7-inch foldable OLED. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The Razr can hit 3,000 nits of brightness, and the $1,300 Razr Ultra tops out at 4,500 nits. Both are bright enough to be usable outdoors, though the Ultra is noticeably brighter. However, both suffer from the standard foldable drawbacks of having a plastic screen. The top layer of the foldable screen is a non-removable plastic protector, which has very high reflectivity that makes it harder to see the display. That plastic layer also means you have to be careful not to poke or scratch the inner screen. It’s softer than your fingernails, so it’s not difficult to permanently damage the top layer.

Too much AI

Motorola’s big AI innovation for last year’s Razr was putting Gemini on the phone, making it one of the first to ship with Google’s generative AI system. This time around, it has AI features based on Gemini, Meta Llama, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. It’s hard to say exactly how much AI is worth having on a phone with the rapid pace of change, but Motorola has settled on the wrong amount. To be blunt, there’s too much AI. What is “too much” in this context? This animation should get the point across.

The Ask and Search bar appears throughout the UI, including as a floating Moto AI icon. It’s also in the app drawer and is integrated with the AI button on the Razr Ultra. You can use it to find settings and apps, but it’s also a full LLM (based on Copilot) for some reason. Gemini is a better experience if you’re looking for a chatbot, though.

Moto AI also includes a raft of other features, like Pay Attention, which can record and summarize conversations similar to the Google recorder app. However, unlike that app, the summarizing happens in the cloud instead of locally. That’s a possible privacy concern. You also get Perplexity integration, allowing you to instantly search based on your screen contents. In addition, the Perplexity app is preloaded with a free trial of the premium AI search service.

There’s so much AI baked into the experience that it can be difficult to keep all the capabilities straight, and there are some more concerning privacy pitfalls. Motorola’s Catch Me Up feature is a notification summarizer similar to a feature of Apple Intelligence. On the Ultra, this feature works locally with a Llama 3 model, but the less powerful Razr can’t do that. It sends your notifications to a remote server for processing when you use Catch Me Up. Motorola says data is “anonymous and secure” and it does not retain any user data, but you have to put a lot of trust in a faceless corporation to send it all your chat notifications.

Razr Ultra and Razr (2025) — The Razrs have additional functionality if you prop them up in “tent” or “stand” mode. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

If you can look past Motorola’s frenetic take on mobile AI, the version of Android 15 on the Razrs is generally good. There are a few too many pre-loaded apps and experiences, but it’s relatively simple to debloat these phones. It’s quick, doesn’t diverge too much from the standard Android experience, and avoids duplicative apps.

We appreciate the plethora of settings and features for the external display. It’s a much richer experience than you get with Samsung’s flip phones. For example, we like how easy it is to type out a reply in a messaging app without even opening the phone. In fact, you can run any app on the phone without opening it, even though many of them won’t work quite right on a smaller square display. Still, it can be useful for chat apps, email, and other text-based stuff. We also found it handy for using smart home devices like cameras and lights. There are also customizable panels for weather, calendar, and Google “Gamesnack” games.

Motorola promises three years of full OS updates and an additional year of security patches. This falls far short of the seven-year update commitment from Samsung and Google. For a cheaper phone like the Razr, four years of support might be fine, but it’s harder to justify that when the Razr Ultra costs as much as a Galaxy S25 Ultra.

One fast foldable, one not so much

Motorola is fond of saying the Razr Ultra is the fastest flip phone in the world, which is technically true. It has the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with 16GB of RAM, but we expect to see the Elite in Samsung’s 2025 foldables later this year. For now, though, the Razr Ultra stands alone. The $700 Razr runs a Mediatek Dimensity 7400X, which is a distinctly midrange processor with just 8GB of RAM.

Razr geekbench — The Razr Ultra gets close to the S25. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

In daily use, neither phone feels slow. Side by side, you can see the Razr is slower to open apps and unlock, and the scrolling exhibits occasional jank. However, it’s not what we’d call a slow phone. It’s fine for general smartphone tasks like messaging, browsing, and watching videos. You may have trouble with gaming, though. Simple games run well enough, but heavy 3D titles like Diablo Immortal are rough with the Dimensity 7400X.

The Razr Ultra is one of the fastest Android phones we’ve tested, thanks to the Snapdragon chip. You can play complex games and multitask to your heart’s content without fear of lag. It does run a little behind the Galaxy S25 series in benchmarks, but it thankfully doesn’t get as toasty as Samsung’s phones.

We never expect groundbreaking battery life from foldables. The hinge takes up space, which limits battery capacity. That said, Motorola did fairly well cramming a 4,700 mAh battery in the Razr Ultra and a 4,500 mAh cell in the Razr.

Based on our testing, both of these phones should last you all day. The large external displays can help by giving you just enough information that you don’t have to use the larger, more power-hungry foldable OLED. If you’re playing games or using the main display exclusively, you may find the Razrs just barely make it to bedtime. However, no matter what you do, these are not multi-day phones. The base model Razr will probably eke out a few more hours, even with its smaller battery, due to the lower-power MediaTek processor. The Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Razr Ultra really eats into the battery when you take advantage of its power.

While the battery life is just this side of acceptable, the Razr Ultra’s charging speed makes this less of a concern. This phone hits an impressive 68 W, which is faster than the flagship phones from Google, Samsung, and Apple. Just a few minutes plugged into a compatible USB-C charger and you’ve got enough power that you can head out the door without worry. Of course, the phone doesn’t come with a charger, but we’ve tested a few recent models, and they all hit the max wattage.

OK cameras with super selfies

Camera quality is another area where foldable phones tend to compromise. The $1,300 Razr Ultra has just two sensors—a 50 MP primary sensor and a 50 MP ultrawide lens. The $700 Razr has a slightly different (and less capable) 50 MP primary camera and a 13 MP ultrawide. There are also selfie cameras peeking through the main foldable OLED panels—50 MP for the Ultra and 32 MP for the base model.

Motorola Razr 2025 in hand — The cheaper Razr has a smaller external display, but it’s still large enough to be usable. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Motorola’s Razrs tend toward longer exposures compared to Pixels—they’re about on par with Samsung phones. That means capturing fast movement indoors is difficult, and you may miss your subject outside due to a perceptible increase in shutter lag compared to Google’s phones. Images from the base model Razr’s primary camera also tend to look a bit more overprocessed than they do on the Ultra, which leads to fuzzy details and halos in bright light.

Razr Ultra outdoors. Ryan Whitwam

That said, Motorola’s partnership with Pantone is doing some good. The colors in our photos are bright and accurate, capturing the vibe of the scene quite well. You can get some great photos of stationary or slowly moving subjects.

Razr 2025 indoor medium light. Ryan Whitwam

The 50 MP ultrawide camera on the Razr Ultra has a very wide field of view, but there’s little to no distortion at the edges. The colors are also consistent between the two sensors, but that’s not always the case for the budget Razr. Its ultrawide camera also lacks detail compared to the Ultra, which isn’t surprising considering the much lower resolution.

You should really only use the dedicated front-facing cameras for video chat. For selfies, you’ll get much better results by taking advantage of the Razr’s distinctive form factor. When closed, the Razrs let you take selfies with the main camera sensors, using the external display as the viewfinder. These are some of the best selfies you’ll get with a smartphone, and having the ultrawide sensor makes group shots excellent as well.

Flip phones are still fun

While we like these phones for what they are, they are objectively not the best value. Whether you’re looking at the Razr or the Razr Ultra, you can get more phone for the same money from other companies—more cameras, more battery, more updates—but those phones don’t fold in half. There’s definitely a cool-factor here. Flip phones are stylish, and they’re conveniently pocket-friendly in a world where giant phones barely fit in your pants. We also like the convenience and functionality of the external displays.

The Razr Ultra makes the usual foldable compromises, but it’s as capable a flip phone as you’ll find right now. It’s blazing fast, it has two big displays, and the materials are top-notch. However, $1,300 is a big ask.

Is the Ultra worth $500 more than the regular Razr? Probably not. Most of what makes the foldable Razrs worth using is present on the cheaper model. You still get the solid construction, cool materials, great selfies, and a useful (though slightly smaller) outer display. Yes, it’s a little slower, but it’s more than fast enough as long as you’re not a heavy gamer. Just be aware of the potential for Moto AI to beam your data to the cloud.

There is also the Razr+, which slots in between the models we have tested at $1,000. It’s faster than the base model and has the same large external display as the Ultra. This model could be the sweet spot if neither the base model nor the flagship does it for you.

The good

Sleek design with distinctive materials
Great performance from Razr Ultra
Useful external display
Big displays in a pocket-friendly package

The bad

Too much AI
Razr Ultra is very expensive
Only three years of OS updates, four years of security patches
Cameras trail the competition

Motorola Razr and Razr Ultra (2025) review: Cool as hell, but too much AI Read More »

“Google wanted that”: Nextcloud decries Android permissions as “gatekeeping”

android, app permissions, cloud platform, file syncing, Google, nextcloud, Tech / 9u50fv / May 14, 2025

Nextcloud is a host-your-own cloud platform that wants to help you “Regain control over your data.” It contains products that allow for video chat, file storage, collaborative editing, and other stuff that reads a lot like a DIY Google Workspace replacement.

It’s hard to offer that kind of full replacement, though, if your Android app can’t upload anything other than media files. Since mid-2024, Nextcloud claims, Google has refused to reinstate the access it needs for uploading and syncing other file types.

“To make it crystal clear: All of you as users have a worse Nextcloud Files client because Google wanted that,” reads a Nextcloud blog post from May 13, attributed to its team. “We understand and share your frustration, but there is nothing we can do.”

A notice in Nextcloud’s Android app regarding file uploads. Credit: Nextcloud

Ars has reached out to Google for comment and will update this post with any response. A representative for NextCloud told Ars late Tuesday that the company had no update on its Android app.

Nextcloud states that it has had read and write access to all file types since its first Android app. In September 2024, a Nextcloud Android update with “All files access” was “refused out of the blue,” with a request that the app use “a more privacy aware replacement,” Nextcloud claims. The firm states it has provided background and explanations but received “the same copy-and-paste answers or links to documentation” from Google.

“Google wanted that”: Nextcloud decries Android permissions as “gatekeeping” Read More »

Google introduces Advanced Protection mode for its most at-risk Android users

advanced protection mode, android, Biz & IT, Google, hacking, Security / Shannon Garcia / May 14, 2025

Google is adding a new security setting to Android to provide an extra layer of resistance against attacks that infect devices, tap calls traveling through insecure carrier networks, and deliver scams through messaging services.

On Tuesday, the company unveiled the Advanced Protection mode, most of which will be rolled out in the upcoming release of Android 16. The setting comes as mercenary malware sold by NSO Group and a cottage industry of other exploit sellers continues to thrive. These players provide attacks-as-a-service through end-to-end platforms that exploit zero-day vulnerabilities on targeted devices, infect them with advanced spyware, and then capture contacts, message histories, locations, and other sensitive information. Over the past decade, phones running fully updated versions of Android and iOS have routinely been hacked through these services.

A core suite of enhanced security features

Advanced Protection is Google’s latest answer to this type of attack. By flipping a single button in device settings, users can enable a host of protections that can thwart some of the most common techniques used in sophisticated hacks. In some cases, the protections hamper performance and capabilities of the device, so Google is recommending the new mode mainly for journalists, elected officials, and other groups who are most often targeted or have the most to lose when infected.

“With the release of Android 16, users who choose to activate Advanced Protection will gain immediate access to a core suite of enhanced security features,” Google’s product manager for Android Security, Il-Sung Lee, wrote. “Additional Advanced Protection features like Intrusion Logging, USB protection, the option to disable auto-reconnect to insecure networks, and integration with Scam Detection for Phone by Google will become available later this year.”

Google introduces Advanced Protection mode for its most at-risk Android users Read More »

Samsung reveals the super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge with a laughably small battery

android, samsung, smartphones, Tech / 9u50fv / May 13, 2025

While the body of the phone is just 5.8 mm thick, the camera modules stick out a few millimeters more, making the phone quite wobbly when you set it on a table. The cameras have to stick out to leave more space for the internals, which are pretty powerful. Inside, this phone is essentially unchanged from the other S25 phones, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, 12GB of RAM, and either 256 or 512GB of storage. The battery will be a problem, though.

S25 edge side with pencil — It is very, very thin. Credit: Samsung

While the S25+ sports a passable 4,900 mAh cell, the super-slim S25 Edge has just 3,900 mAh of juice. That is a problem because the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a flagship processor designed for speed. While it’s relatively efficient in low-power mode, it will devour the Edge’s battery in short order if you’re playing games or multitasking. A 20 percent reduction in battery life compared to the Galaxy S25+, which is a one-day phone, is a tough sell.

Most smartphone manufacturers could never justify making such a strange, niche device. This is Samsung showing off its engineering skills, and the S25 Edge does look neat. But the novelty of a super-slim phone will probably wear off when you have to start plugging it in to get a boost mid-afternoon. It doesn’t even charge very fast, topping out at a mere 25 W. And you’ll be paying $1,099 for the privilege, which slots the Edge between the S25+ ($1,000) and the S25 Ultra ($1,300).

If you want a phone that is thin at the expense of everything else, you can order the Galaxy S25 Edge from Samsung or Best Buy. It comes in black, icy blue, and silver colors and will ship on May 30.

Samsung reveals the super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge with a laughably small battery Read More »