It appears that Google still remembers Android desktop mode.

      Joe Maring / Digital Trends

      Did you know that Google’s Android has a desktop mode? It’s true, and you may hear more about it soon. This mode has received new features in Android 16 Beta 3, suggesting that Google might be working to enhance its functionality to resemble that of Windows or macOS on mobile devices.

      With Android Desktop Mode, select Android smartphones and tablets can present a desktop-like interface when connected to an external display, keyboard, and mouse. While this may seem like a beneficial tool, it must be said that Google has not prioritized it much in recent years.

      According to Android Authority, Android 16 Beta 3 introduces a feature in the developer options called “Enable desktop experience features.” This allows users to modify the desktop mode settings on a secondary display or use it concurrently on both the phone and the external screen.

      Currently, the external monitor capabilities in Android 15 are quite basic. The beta features, which are still inoperative, could greatly enhance its utility, although this remains speculative. Over the years, Google has been gradually aligning Android Desktop Mode more closely with Windows. For example, in 2024, the company added options for users to modify the display resolution and rotation for external monitors. Anticipated changes in Android 16 may soon make this area even more intriguing.

      The first developer version of Android 16 was unveiled in November, followed by the announcement of the initial beta version in January. The current Android 16 Beta 3 version aims to enhance accessibility, featuring improvements such as Auracast broadcast audio support and better text outlines for improved contrast. Android 16 is expected to be available for regular Android users later this year.

      Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer, focusing on mobile topics.

      Android 16’s latest beta promises deeper mobile photography controls.

      Google has begun rolling out the second beta update of Android 16 for compatible Pixel devices. Although there aren’t many new user-facing features included in this build, Google is implementing some framework modifications that will enhance the camera experience for users in the near future.

      The most significant change is the introduction of a new hybrid auto exposure system with the Camera2 API upgrade. Until now, users have only had access to basic controls in auto mode for taking photos and videos. For more advanced controls, users had to navigate the cluttered Pro mode.

      A native Android Apple TV app is now available in the Google Play store.

      Five years after the launch of the Apple TV app, a version has now been created for Android devices—developed entirely for native Android integration—and is available in the Google Play store, containing the same Apple TV+ functionality as the version in the Apple ecosystem. This new app enables users with Android OS 10 or later to finally subscribe to Apple TV+ on their Android phones and tablets to watch shows and movies like Severance, Silo, Killers of the Flower Moon, and CODA. Pricing will remain the same on Android as it is on Apple.

      This should facilitate seamless interactivity across platforms for features like Continue Watching, which tracks where you left off in a show or movie and allows you to resume at that point on any device. Users’ Watchlists will also be updated across devices, and since purchases are linked to the Apple account, all owned content will be accessible on any device using the new updated app. However, one feature missing at launch will be the ability to cast Apple TV content from your Android device.

      These dedicated Google Assistant car mics could be discontinued.

      If you use Google Assistant via JBL Link Drive or Anker Roav Bolt, we have some unfortunate news: the microphones may soon be turned off, according to code found in the Google app beta. The team at 9to5Google discovered code strings in an APK teardown revealing insights about the future of Google Assistant in vehicles.

      One string is titled "assistant_car_accessory_deprecation" and states: "By the way, Google Assistant on your car accessory will be discontinued in coming weeks. To continue using Assistant, please invoke queries either on your Mobile or via Android Auto." These accessories first launched in 2019, allowing drivers with older vehicles to use Google Assistant, meaning even the earliest adopters would have had them for only six years.