Google today announced a new series of Googlebook laptops that will be built with Gemini at the core. Googlebooks will run software built on a foundation that combines Android and ChromeOS.


Google says the new laptops are designed for Gemini Intelligence for a more personalized and proactive experience.

Instead of a cursor, Googlebooks have a Magic Pointer that users can wiggle to activate Gemini. Gemini can then provide contextual suggestions and answers based on whatever the user is pointing to on the screen. Pointing at a date in an email sets up a meeting, and selecting two images allows them to be visualized together. There are ask, compare, and combine tools available with the Magic Pointer.

Create My Widget, a new Android feature, is coming to Googlebooks. Users can create custom widgets with a Gemini prompt. Gemini is able to search the internet and connect with Google apps like Gmail and Calendar to create a personalized dashboard that can be used for widget creation.


Since Googlebooks will run Android, it will be easier to switch between a Googlebook and an Android smartphone. Apps from a connected Android smartphone will be available on the Googlebook, with a feature set similar to Apple's iPhone Mirroring.

Quick Access will let users view, search, or insert files from a smartphone on the laptop, with no transfer needed.

Google says it is working with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to make the first Googlebooks. The machines will be built with "premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes." Each one will have a "glowbar" on the lid, making it clear that it's a Googlebook.

Google has not given insight into Googlebook pricing, but with the specific "premium" build language, they could be priced above the low-cost MacBook Neo that Apple recently came out with. It's also possible that Googlebooks will have MacBook Neo-level pricing to better compete with Apple's laptop in on pricing and build quality.

The first Googlebooks are set to launch this fall.
This article, "Google Unveils Googlebook, a New AI Laptop Built Around Gemini" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google today said it is introducing updated file sharing features that will make it easier for Android users to send files to iPhone users.


Quick Share is already compatible with Apple's AirDrop feature on select Android devices, but Google says the feature will expand to Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, and HONOR devices in 2026.

On Android devices that are not compatible with AirDrop, Quick Share can be used to generate a QR code that can instantly share content with iOS devices via the cloud.

The QR code sharing feature is rolling out to all Android devices starting today, and will be fully available within the next month. Google says it also plans to make Quick Share available in apps like WhatsApp in the near future.

Google says that it also worked with Apple to make it easier to switch from an iPhone to an Android device, capabilities the two companies had to implement under Europe's Digital Markets Act. While Apple implemented the feature in iOS 26.3, Google says it will be coming to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices in 2026.

The transfer process will allow eSIM, passwords, photos, messages, apps, contacts, and Home Screen layout to migrate wirelessly from an iPhone to an Android device. Google has also implemented similar tools for simplifying switching between an Android device and an iPhone.
This article, "Google Makes It Easier to Share Files Between Android and iPhone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Honor MagicPad 4 impresses with its stylish, thin design, excellent specs, and incredible value for money.

The Honor MagicPad 4 impresses with its stylish, thin design, excellent specs, and incredible value for money.

Google might soon let you more freely customize your Pixel's home screen, and there's also a bug-fixing update being rolled out.

The Samsung Galaxy A57 has a thin body, clean software, and a good-looking screen, making it great as an everyday phone. But it struggles with performance and photography.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is very likely to come in a new deep red color, claims a Chinese leaker, because the color is already being prototyped by Android phone makers.


In February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is testing a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Rumors of purple and brown finishes have also circulated, but Gurman believes those are just variants of the same red idea.

Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station has now thrown their weight behind the rumor. In a post shared over the weekend, the leaker said there was a high likelihood that Apple is testing the deep red finish, based on the fact that they have seen the same color in prototypes of next-generation Android phones by rival brands.

It's unclear if the leaker is suggesting that Android makers have inside knowledge of Apple's color plans and are aiming to match it, or that the color's appearance is a sign of shared trend forecasting. Both Apple and Android OEMs likely rely on global color forecasting agencies that track fashion trends, and if deep red is "on trend," several companies could end up adopting it independently. However, Android makers are also well known for copying Apple's design trends.

According to Instant Digital, another Weibo-based leaker, Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models won't come in black this year. If the rumor is true, it will be the second consecutive year Apple has ditched what was arguably its most classic color option for the Pro lineup. The premium devices are expected to arrive this September alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Color Likely as Android Rivals Prep Same Shade" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google is expanding its cross-platform file sharing feature to additional Android devices, allowing them to transfer files to an iPhone using the AirDrop protocol. AirDrop support for Quick Share is coming to the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold over the next few days.


Google announced Quick Share compatibility with AirDrop back in November, but the feature was initially limited to the newest Pixel 10 devices.

With AirDrop interoperability, Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 devices can transfer files to an ‌iPhone‌, iPad, or Mac, and it works the same way as Apple device to Apple device AirDrop transfers. No internet connection is required.

To accept files from a Pixel smartphone, Apple device users need to change their AirDrop visibility to "Everyone for 10 Minutes." With the setting enabled, a file coming from an Android user looks identical to an AirDrop file from an ‌iPhone‌, with the same notification and option to accept. Files are saved in the appropriate location, with a photo going to the Photos app or a document going to the Files app.

To receive files from an Apple user, the Pixel user will also need to turn on the Everyone for 10 minutes setting or enter into Receive mode on the Quick Share page. Files are saved in the Files app.

According to Google, Quick Share and AirDrop interoperability was designed with a multi-layered security approach to ensure a safe sharing experience regardless of platform. There's a secure sharing channel, built-in platform protections for Android and iOS, and a consent requirement before a file is received.

Connections between devices are direct and peer-to-peer, so data is not routed through a server. For file transfers in both directions, the Apple device or the Pixel device displays the other person's device name for verification purposes.
This article, "Android-to-iPhone AirDrop Transfers Now Supported on Pixel 9" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta.


Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android device to an ‌iPhone‌, while Google has an Android Switch app that can migrate data from an ‌iPhone‌ to an Android smartphone. The new method will apparently replace the existing apps, offering a transfer function when setting up a new ‌iPhone‌ or Android device.

The collaboration will apparently add "more functionality" and support for transferring data types that are not available to transfer with the current tools.

Both Apple and Google are facing regulatory pressure around the world, with multiple countries scrutinizing practices that might keep customers locked into a platform. Making it simpler for users to transition from one platform to another will be beneficial to both companies.
This article, "Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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