Now, you can place your Android device next to an iPhone to begin the transfer process, very much like how you switch between iPhones. Photos, texts, notes, apps, and even the phone number are transferred over. (Before, you needed to download specific apps to do this.)
iOS 26.3 also introduces a new privacy feature called Limit Precise Location, which limits “some information that cellular networks may use to determine your location.” Unfortunately, this feature is only available on Apple devices with Apple’s custom C1 or C1X modem: the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, or iPad Pro M5 Wi-Fi + Cellular. You also need a supported carrier, and right now in the US, that’s Boost Mobile. Expect wider adoption later this year, especially with the iPhone 18 series, as Apple is expected to inject them with its very own C2 modem.
The Android 17 Beta That Never Was
Google was supposed to launch the Android 17 beta—the next version of its mobile operating system—this week, but the company pulled the release without explanation. This launch marks a change, as Google typically releases developer betas first, then debuts public betas that everyone can join to test the software. But last year, Google introduced the “Android Canary” release channel to replace developer betas, giving devs faster access to test experimental features and platform changes.
Google says the public beta is “coming soon,” so when it does finally arrive (for Pixel phones first), what can you expect? There’s a mandatory requirement that apps must support resizing and windowed multi-tasking modes to improve the Android experience on larger screens (Aluminium OS, anyone?).
Outside of performance improvements, there’s a new application programming interface (API) that allows apps to access metadata from all the camera sensors, so hopefully, there’s less lag and stuttering when you launch the camera through a third-party app like Instagram. There’s also a new API that levels out audio across your apps. If you switch between apps and find that YouTube is playing much louder than Instagram, this API would mean the audio will be adjusted so they’re at the same loudness, provided developers take advantage.
Android 17 isn’t groundbreaking, but that’s in line with what Google has said as the company plans to deliver more frequent updates instead of one big update every year. As the beta progresses, expect to see more new features. It’s hard to say when the final version will be available, but it’ll likely land around the start of summer.
YouTube Arrives on the Apple Vision Pro
Two years after the Apple Vision Pro entered the market, the YouTube app is finally available on visionOS. That means you can watch standard 2D videos on a theaterlike screen in a virtual space, but you can also watch 3D, 180- or 360-degree videos and enjoy the more immersive experience in the “Spatial” tab. Up until now, AVP owners could only watch YouTube via the Safari browser on visionOS.
