Dubbed an "Ad break," this feature forces ads from different brands on the screen for a couple of seconds, restricting users from scrolling through the app.

"Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing," the feature's prompt reads.

The platform is only testing this feature for a handful of people, as none of Android Central's staff has experienced these disruptions on the app. 

Until now, Instagram has shown ads in between posts or stories that users can simply scroll past. However, according to this Reddit thread, this unskippable ad situation has only been getting on users' nerves. 

“Ad Break” ie. unskippable ads now on Instagram from r/Instagram

One user stated that these ads are definitely a business decision and that they would leave the platform if this continued. 

"I hate this new "feature" so much - it is so in your face and to me, feels like a terrible business decision. The whole platform is already basically "soft ads" that generate revenue based on people being on there for ages, consuming content without thinking too much about it all and now they're forcing users to stop scrolling and drawing attention to the fact they're on an app designed to sell them things."

As a workaround, the user said they "simply close the app as soon as an ad break pops up, and if this continues, I'll be unsubscribing." 

While other users on the same thread stated that they would "100% be quitting/uninstalling the app."

One good thing that could come out of this "Ad-break" is that it would give users a break from going down the Instagram rabbit hole for hours, leading to unwanted procrastination. 

Instagram first introduced ads on its feed, back in 2022, but it remains unclear when the social media company will roll out these ad breaks to more users. However, unskippable ads hint at an oncoming premium subscription for the app—where users would have to shell out more money to skip them.

Android Central has reached out to Meta about this, and they didn't get back to us in time for publication. We will update this article once we have more information.

I'm also really good at researching data about everything — that's a big part of our job here at Android Central — and I love to help people (another big part of our job!). If you have questions about your tech, I'd love to talk about them. 

Email me at askjerryac@gmail.com, and I'll try to get things sorted out. You can remain anonymous if you like, and we promise we're not sharing anything we don't cover here.

I look forward to hearing from you!

What's up with all the different location settings on my phone?

Caleb asks:

I just bought a Pixel 8 and am a little confused at the location settings screen. What is Google Location Accuracy? Do i need to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning? I just want to make sure my phone can tell a 911 operator where it is if i ever need to call.

It's been a while since i had a new phone so I want to make sure I get everything right. Thanks!

I'll be honest, this is something that I haven't looked at in a while and I can see why you might have questions — it's a mess! I'm going to assume an Android update made the changes and put all the options out there, and in typical Google fashion, there isn't much to explain them.

The good news first: making sure emergency services can locate you is now easier than ever because there's a single dedicated option for it.

The bad news is that some of this may be changing again as part of the changes expected to come with Google's Find My Device network. In the meantime, let's take a look at how it works today.

On your Pixel phone, it's called Emergency Location Service for your Android device. It should be labeled as something similar on another brand and every phone with Android 12 or higher and Google Services support should have a setting for it.

If you tap to open the settings choice, you can toggle it on or off. When it's on, any time you call or text an emergency number, anything that helps get a more precise location for you can be turned on. That location data is forwarded to an "authorized emergency partner" who will tell emergency services where you are located.

Note that this means a trusted (by Google) third party gets the data, uses it to get your actual location, and then sends it to emergency services. The operator you're calling isn't (and probably can't) interpret the data themselves.

Like me, you sound curious about how this works with Google Location Accuracy, Wi-Fi scanning, and Bluetooth scanning. ELS will turn these things on, then turn Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth on to use them if needed. The documentation doesn't say it will turn them off afterward, though, and I can't test that without actually trying it; I can't just call 911 and say "I wanna test something." I assume it doesn't turn them off and you should do that manually if you don't want them enabled. Either way, it's the last thing you should worry about if there is an emergency.

But what are those services? There is documentation about that and I climbed into that rabbit hole because this is the sort of thing l love learning about!

Google Location Accuracy: When Google Location Accuracy is off, your phone uses GPS radios and local sensors like the accelerometer or barometer to determine your location. When turned on, Wi-Fi and your mobile data network are used in tandem with GPS and sensor data.

This can be set on a per-app basis, too. If you use an app that requests location, choose precise to use Google Location Accuracy, or approximate to disable it.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning: When these settings are enabled, your phone will periodically scan for existing Wi-Fi access points or Bluetooth devices. Many APs and Bluetooth beacons are in known locations so scanning for them could tell an app you're 50 feet away from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, for example.

You don't need to connect to anything because your distance away from a known access point or Bluetooth beacon can be determined by signal strength alone.

When your phone uses all these methods to determine its location, it can be done much faster and more accurately than with GPS alone. GPS and sensors are still helpful, but knowing you're close to something like a known Wi-Fi AP narrows things down quickly.

Which should I choose?

I can't tell you what you might want to do when it comes to your location, how it's tracked, and who you share it with. You should do what feels most comfortable to you and not listen to anyone on the internet who says you have to do something. I can tell you what I do, and why though.

I value my privacy and do not want my location shared with just any person or company. Having said that, I leave everything enabled. 

This is because of Android granular Location permission. When an apps wants to use your location you have a few choices — you can tell it no, never. You can tell it only when I want to use this app, and you can tell it to only use an approximate location.

I think this is where someone can be more choosy about sharing their data. Leaving everything enabled means I can get a fast and precise location if and when I need it, but only if and when I need it. the Lowe's app can pound sand and I'll enter my location manually.

You'll find people who think differently, and you should listen to what they are saying, too. The most important thing is that you know almost every app or website out there wants to try and track your location and you have ways to limit who can do it and how.

In any case, we should all leave Emergency Location Service turned on in case we need it. Better safe than sorry.

• Last week, Google News and Verizon joined a growing list of critical services that have faced widespread outages in 2024.
• Both services are back up and running, but the Verizon outage specifically left users unable to communicate for hours. 
• These issues call the reliability of websites and messaging services into question, but satellite connectivity might be able to help.

It doesn’t feel like it, but we’re almost halfway through 2024. So far, it hasn’t been a great year for critical digital infrastructure services. Carriers like AT&T and Verizon suffered major outages, Google News went down briefly, and iMessage became unavailable too at various points this year. Service outages are inevitable, but we’ve seen some big ones that could have had massive consequences. 

Most recently, Google News/Discover and Verizon had service outages late last week in unrelated incidents. In the grand scheme of things, Google News becoming unavailable for a few hours probably isn’t that big of a deal. The same can’t be said for the other service outages we’ve seen so far this year. Verizon’s problem caused thousands of users across multiple states to lose connectivity from the evening of Thursday, May 30, through midday on Friday, May 31.

In a statement to USA Today, the company explained the situation. ”Some customers, primarily in Midwestern and Western states, experienced a service interruption for several hours yesterday,” a Verizon spokesperson said on May 31. “Our engineers worked quickly to solve the issue, and service was restored at 3 a.m. CT. Any customers still experiencing issues should power cycle their phones.”

Verizon’s support team replied to multiple user complaints on social media and said that most outages are resolved within 48 hours. The company took far less time to fix the problem this time, but it shouldn’t downplay the scariness of the situation. Simply being unable to connect with others for a few minutes, let alone hours, could have disastrous consequences. This is especially true in Midwestern and Western states, where the Verizon outage occurred since people are more likely to live in rural areas where a cell phone could be their only way to get help in an emergency.

Verizon was the carrier affected last week, but something like this could happen to any of the cellular carriers. In fact, AT&T suffered from a worse incident in February, when over 73,000 users lost service. Throw the iMessage outage into the mix—although it is less severe because SMS and MMS messaging can be used as a fallback—and you have a scary pattern developing. 

It’s a reminder that the messaging services and cellular networks we rely on daily, and the ones that are used in life-or-death situations, are far from invincible. Still, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Android 15 is all but confirmed to support satellite messaging, and it could be the solution to 2024’s outage problem.

Why are so many services facing outages?

First, it’s important to note that we don’t know all the details behind the major outages that have occurred this year. AT&T said its February service issue stemmed from the “application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network, not a cyber attack.” While Verizon acknowledged last week’s outage, it only referred to it as a “service interruption” and did not provide further information.

Apple’s iMessage service went down on May 16 between 5:39 PM ET and 6:35 PM ET, according to the company’s services status page. Apple didn’t give up much either, only saying that “some users were affected” and that “users were unable to use this service.” 

Similarly, the Google News outage last week was fixed rather quickly, but Google didn’t say what went wrong. 

This string of outages likely happened over the span of a few months by mere coincidence. They are all independent incidents, and outages do happen on occasion. However, given the importance of these services, it’s more alarming that they have all suffered major problems at various points throughout 2024. 

How satellite messaging in Android 15 can help

It’s quite frightening to think that, if you were in need of assistance during a Verizon or AT&T outage, your means of connecting to first responders or family members could be restricted. That’s where satellite messaging might come in. Android 15 will add the feature, letting users on supported plans message anyone over satellite. This functionality won’t do anything to stop outages from occurring, but it could give users another way to reach people in the event a cellular network or messaging service suffers an outage. 

We don’t know all the details of how Android 15 will integrate satellite messaging, but based on what we do know about how other phones and devices use satellite connectivity, it’s likely that satellite messaging will help in the event a service goes down. Satellite services use direct-to-cell connections, meaning that they work outside a carrier’s typical network of towers. T-Mobile, for example, is said to be partnering with Starlink to provide satellite messaging. So, if the T-Mobile network has an outage, it’s possible that users could still communicate using Starlink satellites. 

Apple’s implementation of Emergency SOS via Satellite is further evidence of how satellite messaging could come in handy in an emergency. This iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 feature lets these phones connect to Globalstar’s satellite network, completely bypassing your carrier’s network. If an iPhone 14 or 15 user loses their cellular connectivity due to an outage, they can still use Emergency SOS via Satellite to contact help.

Android 15’s version of the feature could be even more useful. By all accounts, Android users will be able to use satellite messaging anytime Wi-Fi or cellular is unavailable, not just in an emergency. That would make it more helpful in the case of a network outage.

Satellite could be the future of connectivity, beyond just messaging

If anything, these service outages should emphasize satellite as the future of connectivity. Starlink is doing some amazing things, and it extends far beyond satellite messaging on Android 15. It has brought high-speed internet virtually anywhere on earth — and in the sky, by way of planes, as well as the sea, via ships. It’ll only get better from here, and it could make massive outages a thing of the past. 

Once upon a time, there was this thing called AI. It started as a bit of code that could amalgamate information from one source so it could be manipulated to do useful things. As it grew, people writing that sort of code realized that there was potential to do even more useful things with it so dedicated computers were designed and built to be programmed to crunch the code even faster. 

Then, someone — call him Jeff — decided that everything needed more AI. Jeff might have been drunk or high that day. Jeff pitched his idea to the "right" person, and AI transformed from something useful into something stupid. And you can't get away from it.

I know I'm biased. After all, I have to look at tech all day, every day to make my living because my lifelong dream of being a professional slacker isn't going to pay my bills. I also know that I'm not alone and a lot of people are getting sick and tired of AI this and AI that every time they look at a screen.

I'm also not some Luddite or an old man yelling at the clouds. At least not this time. There are some valid concerns about AI and how it's taken over every facet of our tech lives. Dammit, Jeff, this is all your fault.

AI will make us lazier and stupider if we let it

AI doing things like monitoring apps that use too much of your phone's battery is great. AI that makes it easy to fix a picture you took so that Grandpa looks awake or one of the kids isn't digging in the mud is fine and convenient. AI trying to actively teach you something could be good... but it's not.

That's because AI isn't intelligent (regardless of the label on the tin) and can't really learn anything. AI, at every level, is just a computer program that spits out the information it was programmed to spit out. Google has given us plenty of proof with the mess that is AI Search (and admits it), and anyone who asks ChatGPT about drying towels knows zero critical thinking is involved. Is cramming it into every new phone or laptop really such a good idea?

It's comical in a way, and laughing at the dumb shit a company worth billions is willing to spit out is fun. Those programming uber-nerd types make the same mistakes we do because they are people; humans aren't perfect. But those errors aren't the problem.

Those arise when the errors sound plausible and correct enough that we believe them. AI leans heavily on plagiarizing copying things someone else has already said. Since people aren't perfect and can make mistakes, sometimes AI is going to be wrong, but it sounds like it's right. Unless we can fact-check everything some conversational AI bot tells us, we aren't going to know. 

Do you want to take the time to fact-check everything Microsoft CoPilot or Google Gemini tells you? Nope. Neither do I. If I'm doing that, I could skip the bot and look it up myself. Relying on a bot that may or may not be right is lazy, and companies want us to do more of it.

Don't get me started on people who purposefully use AI to spread bad information. Every time some politician or stupid "action group" uses AI to make an image where people have 11 fingers across three arms and try to pass it off as proof of something, a kitten dies. Those are bad, evil people, and AI helps them become badder and more evil.

So what can we do about it?

Unless you are willing to throw away everything you own that has a screen, you will be inundated by stupid AI. Eventually, AI should get better, but nobody is going to slow down and wait for it. Doing the right things isn't as profitable as telling us how AI will "disrupt" some sectors, and company X is going to be at the forefront. AI is a tech buzzword that isn't going away anytime soon.

You have all the tools to combat the insanity; you only have to use them. Think critically. Know that there is a high likelihood that anything AI tells you is wrong. Know that the Facebook group your uncle is in will be more than willing to spread doctored AI-generated images. Know that now, more than ever, much of what you see is a lie, and you'll quickly learn how to sort fact from fiction.

It's not up to us to fix this mess. I hope the companies who have pushed this at us are willing to do it, but we can only depend on them to do the profitable thing.

In the meantime feel free to think less of every tech company willing to be so bad at it.

How Gabb is building a safe tech ecosystem for kids

Gabb, founded in 2018, has been making internet-free phones for kids ages 5 and 15. The company says it has taken a leadership role in providing research and education and developing solutions that empower parents with the tools to keep their children safe. It creates devices and apps that consider the age factor and the 'coolness' aspect of the gadgets it creates.

"While still protecting (kids) from gaming addictions, dangers of predators, bullies, exposure to explicit language or inappropriate language and images," Brandon Jeppson, Gabb's director of marketing, told me in an email.

Regarding smartphones, the brand's latest Gabb phone and Gabb Phone 3 Pro have no internet connectivity, but they do provide the essential apps needed for each stage of development from grade school through high school. For instance, Gabb's teen-friendly phone is compatible with third-party apps like Kahoot, Duolingo, Gabb Maps, etc., which parents can enable if they feel their teens are ready.

These phones also come equipped with kid-safe messaging through Gabb Messenger, which constantly monitors texts and notifies parents if their kids are exposed to inappropriate content, opening up necessary conversations in families. Parents can also request that the company add certain apps that they feel are necessary in school or in public settings.

"Unlike other tech solutions, Gabb has kids as our first thought, not as an afterthought," Jeppson added.

After delving into music, Gabb highlights how parents wanted a platform that stages safe music options with no explicit content that their kids may accidentally encounter, so the company created a Gabb Music + subscription.

"Gabb Music doesn't just bleep out lyrics; instead, every explicit song and innuendo has been filtered out entirely using industry-leading tools and proprietary technology," said Gabb CEO Nate Randle.

The result is a curated music library that the whole family can listen to. Kids can search for songs and artists, create their own playlists, and download them on the go, much like on other music streaming apps like Spotify or YouTube Music.

Gabb's watches offer benefits similar to those of its phones. The latest Gabb Watch 3 allows calling and texting pre-approved contacts, ensuring kids stay connected with their families. These wearables also have an inbuilt GPS tracking system and an SOS button that provides an added layer of security when kids are away from home.

The need for safe havens

If you handed a toddler a smartphone today, you’d be surprised how they’d probably unlock your phone and start launching apps that interest them—which could lead them into a path of screen addictions when they’re supposed to be learning life skills.

Parents are constantly debating the right age to give their children a phone due to the increased psychological risks. A global study of nearly 28,000 young adults showed a strong correlation between the age children receive their first smartphone and their mental health. It states, "the later the age at which these young adults first got a phone or tablet that they could carry with them in childhood, the better their mental well-being."

In today's vastly connected world, with access to smartphones and the internet, teens are bound to stumble upon inappropriate content and be subject to bullying, which, in turn, impacts their self-worth and ability to relate to others in a positive way. While most social media apps have age restrictions, bypassing those walls and getting through is equally easy.

Another study highlights how 8 to 10-year-olds spend almost eight hours a day with various media, and older children and teenagers spend around 11 hours with media, leaving them susceptible to unwanted content or even social media predators.

That's where companies like Gabb come in, providing essential tools for parental control and age-appropriate functionality. Gabb says it tries to create an environment for kids to safely switch to other devices when they are adults while striving to remain relevant in today's AI-powered world. 

That said, Gabb isn't the only company making kids-safe tech. Recently, Google announced the new Fitbit Ace LTE, a kids-only smartwatch that aims to promote a more healthy and active lifestyle. The wearable is not all about step-tracking— it also comes with "games" and other ways to get kids into the habit of staying active. The Ace LTE also offers calling, messaging, and location sharing.

"We believe the new appearance of other competitors is a validation of the growing interest in our mission to empower parents and kids to connect safely in a digital world," Jeppson added.

Despite other entrants into the market, Gabb feels that it has had a substantial head start on the competition and has established a loyal, growing customer base. 

"We also continue to see a strong response from parents to Tech in Steps (aligning products with developmental stages) and the kid-first approach to helping kids and teens safely connect to family and friends."

• Google originally said Gemini Nano wouldn't come to the Pixel 8 due to "hardware limitations, but reversed course in March. 
• Now, it is preparing to release Gemini Nano with the June update for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, and it has already appeared in an update to Android AICore.
• Although the company figured out a way to get Gemini Nano on the entire Pixel 8 series, it wasn't a smooth process. 

One thing that became clear at Google I/O is that Google wants to make AI one of Android's main focuses. There are a handful of Android features that are already available on existing phones with cloud processing, and more are coming with Android 15. However, on-device AI processing is the end goal, and Gemini Nano is the key. Moving crucial AI processes on-device can improve speed and security, among other benefits. That's why the Google Pixel 8 Pro and the entire Samsung Galaxy S24 shipped with at least a few on-device AI features. 

Google caused a stir when it explained that the Pixel 8 would not get Gemini Nano, the company's smallest AI model designed for mobile use. At the time, it said that there were "hardware limitations" that prevented the Pixel 8 from running Gemini Nano well. Since both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are powered by the Tensor G3 system-on-a-chip, that may have been perplexing to some. It also came on the heels of Google touting a seven-year software update promise for the Pixel 8 series. 

Eventually, Google reversed course, saying in March that Gemini Nano would come to the Pixel 8 as an opt-in feature. That's now right around the corner as Google prepares the June update for Pixels. This update could come as soon as next week and will bring Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. However, ahead of this move, Google is updating Android AICore to add a toggle specifically for generative AI features on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. 

Originally, the AICore settings page for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a had an option called Enable AICore Persistent, which allows "AICore to carve out memory and run persistently." This has been replaced by a new toggle, as one user running version 0.release.pixel8.636144055 of AICore told Mishaal Rahman. The updated toggle is Enable on-device GenAI Features, and will "enable GenAI features that will run through AICore, using Gemini."

The toggle is disabled by default, and this aligns with Google's prior comments that Gemini Nano would come to the remaining Pixel 8 devices as an optional setting. Although this AICore setting doesn't specifically mention Gemini Nano, it's a huge sign that the model is being readied for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, as promised. Right now, it isn't clear whether the Enable on-device GenAI Features toggle is showing up for Pixel 8a users as well or if it's limited to the Pixel 8 for now. 

While it's great that Google seems to have figured out how to support Gemini Nano throughout the entire Pixel 8 series, the rocky road that led us here might foreshadow more troubles as smartphones age. 

Why didn't Google give Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a at launch?

Google didn't specifically elaborate on what "hardware limitation" prevented the Pixel 8 from running Gemini Nano, but it isn't hard to figure out the issue. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro use the Tensor G3 SoC for processing, and the main hardware difference is the amount of RAM. The Pixel 8 Pro has 12GB of RAM, while the regular Pixel 8 (and later the budget Pixel 8a) only has 8GB. Since artificial intelligence features demand a lot of memory, this is likely the reason Google was wary of giving Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8. 

However, the base-model Galaxy S24 also has 8GB of RAM, and it still has on-device AI features. One of those is Magic Compose in Google Messages, which uses the Galaxy S24's on-device compute. Of course, the Galaxy S24 uses a different SoC, but it's still an example of a base-model flagship being able to make use of the latest AI features. Now that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a are getting Gemini Nano, it'll make those phones more equivalent to the Pixel 8 Pro in AI performance. 

What it means for the future of Pixel 8 series updates

It's difficult to completely fault Google for the delay in bringing Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8. If the phone wasn't able to use Gemini Nano without inhibiting performance, letting these devices have it anyway would create a worse experience. Giving users the choice of whether to use Gemini Nano or not following the June update is the best of both scenarios. 

However, the drawn-out process of bringing Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 once again brings up the central question of this year's launch: why would Google promise seven years of updates? Gemini Nano is the smallest Gemini model ever created, and it'll likely remain the smallest Gemini model forever. AI models are becoming bigger — not smaller — and it's almost a certainty that the next iteration of Gemini Nano will be larger. If the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a could barely run Gemini Nano, the hopes of these devices running newer AI models and gaining future on-device features seem slim.

That's the problem with the seven-year promise for software updates, especially on the Pixel 8a and Pixel 8. The viability of using a phone for seven years and still getting a great experience the entire way is still pretty unproven on Android. You could make the case that the Pixel 8 didn't get the entire experience in year one, so that doesn't bode well for what year seven might look like.

• Google's Head of Search, Liz Reid, spoke about the problems that went wrong with the AI Overviews.
• Reid stated that the AI bot ended up taking "nonsensical" and "satirical" queries a little too seriously, and ended up pulling an internet troll's answer to fill the void.
• Moving forward, Reid says Google will implement a limit on the amount of "user-generated" content its AI takes and detection systems for "nonsensical" questions.

Following a truly odd experience with Google's AI Overview results last week, the company's Head of Search, Liz Reid, is trying to clear the air.

In the Keyword post, Reid touched on the strange and down-right false answers that Google's AI-powered Search results provided users. Reid stated that while some of the odd responses users posted on social media were false screenshots, others truly occurred. The answers people received were attributed to "queries that people don’t commonly do" — and therein lay the problem.

It's because of this problem that Google is going back into the kitchen and taking a hard look at how its AI interprets "nonsensical" and "satirical" queries.

Reid used one example that popped up everywhere: "How many rocks should I eat?" While no one in their right mind would do such a thing, the AI doesn't really know that. It's simply fulfilling a query. The company's Search lead stated that since there isn't much data on the internet to "seriously contemplate" such a question, it's turned into an "information gap."

So, what happened is that the AI did its best to answer the question and ended up pulling an internet troll's answer to an outrageous question. Reid added that the AI also pulled sarcastic information from forum sites (think Reddit) about using glue to stick cheese on a pizza.

Google is working on fixing its AI Overviews on a broad scale rather than condensing the issues down to a singular, random query. Reid informs that the company has started building better detection systems for those nonsensical queries and "limited the inclusion of satire and humor content." Another parameter includes a limit on how much "user-generated" content the AI takes into consideration.

For health and important news stories, Google remains adamant about not displaying AI Overviews to preserve the facts and authenticity of available information.

Google Search's AI pulls information from all across the internet, which can be a problem when there are trolls and shitposters around. Hopefully, with the company reiterating its encouragement of user feedback, these problems will slowly begin to reduce. We may not be at a point where it's completely zero but, hopefully, more facts start going around than fiction.

Moreover, this problem with AI Overviews came a couple of weeks after the company rolled them out to everyone. During I/O 2024, Google stated that its overviews would arrive to U.S. folks on May 14, alongside some query adjustment settings. Typically, these overviews are a quick snippet, providing a user with the most important bits of information in a bite-sized piece.

Additionally, these AI Overviews provide links so users can do a little fact-checking to verify the bot's answer.

• An APK deep dive showed that Netflix could roll out an HDR streaming toggle for users on Android.
• The toggle would let users swap between HDR streaming or SDR if they choose, however, this is still experimental.
• HDR has been known to demand more power from a phone, draining its battery quicker and taking up more bandwidth.

There are whispers that Netflix might have started developing an HDR toggle for its streaming services on Android, and it could be a good thing.

As spotted during an APK deep dive by Android Authority, beta 3.5 based on the latest 8.117 version of the Netflix app shows signs of an HDR toggle. A few strings in the app's code state "Android Allow SDR/HDR Streaming Selection sic." Another string in the code mentions a "switch button" so users can quickly hop between HDR streaming or the lower SDR option.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) bolsters a streamed video by giving the user brighter colors, increasing its overall quality. The other option, SDR, stands for "Standard" dynamic range, which offers a "lower" quality compared to the former. Google offers HDR streaming on YouTube and explains as much on its support page.

The publication also notes that HDR can be quite consuming for devices that support it because of its hunger for power. HDR can drain a device's battery much faster due to its demands while also consuming more data. The post cites an interview between Pocket-Lint and a Dolby executive who stated that HDR consumes "5% to 10% more data" than SDR streaming.

The executive added that this number is "negligible," so it's not that big of a deal.

Elsewhere, the publication reiterated a problem it noticed with the Galaxy S24 Ultra's HDR playback where it would dim the display, causing an unenjoyable experience.

For now, the existence of an HDR toggle for the app on Android is "experimental." Things can go either way, so we'll have to play it by ear from here on out.

While we wait for what comes next, Netflix detailed its plans for 2024, which, surprise (not really), includes another price hike. Earlier this year, the streaming platform seemingly saw the end-user as the catalyst behind its ongoing investments. While the company said that a reason behind a price hike could deal with "inflation or higher data center costs," its plans for entertainment were also a factor.

Even if users don't actively engage or care about certain pieces of entertainment, a price hike will still hit, regardless.

• Threads has pushed a change to its desktop UI that wastes a lot of space in the app's view.
• The feed is still centered, however, users can only change the type of feed in a drop-down menu nestled above it.
• The remainder of Threads' UI is thrown off to the left side, mirroring the likes of Instagram on computers.

Threads has pushed an update to its user interface on the desktop and is giving us Instagram vibes.

Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich spotted the change earlier this morning (May 31) and made note of the sheer Instagram callbacks. For one, Threads on PCs now looks like it's designed purely for the vertical screen, such as Android smartphones. Sutrich noted the increased amount of wasted space surrounding the Threads feed, which can be changed from "For You" to "Following" and more.

Users can quickly rediscover content they've "liked" or "saved" through that drop-down menu.

The feed is still centered, however, those feed settings are now the only piece of UI remaining at the top in a drop-down menu. Other options, like Home, Search, Activity, and your profile are now off to the far left side vertically.

The new post button is nestled on the bottom right of the screen.

Threads has also implemented some slight color alterations, with the primary feed becoming a little lighter than the background in light and dark mode.

Instagram has looked like this for a while now on desktop, with its primary feed centered, stories on top, and other UI elements tossed to the left side. While Instagram's version offers a lot of space, it's taken down a bit due to its written-out feature names and a box of suggested profiles on the right.

The old Threads view was much more confined, featuring everything one would need in the center of their screen on a PC.

Additionally, there's a chance Threads is trying to appease foldables and other tablet UI devices with this change. How Instagram's desktop UI functions for such devices fits perfectly, so maybe we should've seen this coming. Threads' new UI for computers seems widely available now.

In other news, Threads rolled out a feature that allowed users to limit who could quote their posts on the platform earlier in May. After posting, the owner can select a few options: Anyone, Profiles you follow, and Mentioned Only. What's more, X (formerly Twitter) users will recognize this.

Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, stated the change is designed to let users "restrict others who look to demean or troll them, a safe space to share thoughts..."

• Spotify's Android app icon is updated to a borderless design, reverting to its classic look from five years ago.
• Previously, the icon had a green logo on a black background to support adaptive icons.
• The change affects devices with circular icons, filling the entire space with the Spotify logo.

Spotify is giving its Android app a facelift by ditching the border around its icon, going back to its classic look from five years ago.

Before this, the Spotify icon had a green logo on a black background. Now, thanks to Will Sattelberg of Android Police, we know the new icon is just the green Spotify logo with no black background.

Originally, the Spotify Android app featured a simple circle with the Spotify logo, just like the desktop version. But in 2019, the company added a black border to support adaptive icons that could change shape.

For devices with circular icons, the new design fills the entire space with the Spotify logo. It works with both unthemed and themed icons, although the themed ones don’t blend as well with other icons.

Interestingly, this change only affects devices with circular icons. If you have a Samsung Galaxy or another device with differently shaped icons, the black border will come back.

Android Police points out that on phones supporting icon shape changes, the change just zooms in on the icon, resulting in some ugly black outlines on non-circular shapes. Samsung phones, in particular, get an extra-thick border.

This isn’t a huge deal, but it’s definitely a curious change. The black background was distinctive and helped the app stand out. The new borderless version looks a bit strange, especially on phones without circular icons.

The updated Spotify icon comes with app version 8.9.44.368 and is currently only available on Android, with no changes for the iOS app icon yet.