Android, coming soon to a desktop near you
Ever wanted to turn your Android smartphone into a desktop? If you own a Samsung smartphone, you already can – assuming you’ve got an external display handy to make use of the device’s DeX mode. But what about the rest? Google appears to be developing just that, if the latest updates to the Android 16 beta are anything to go by.
The new ‘Android Desktop Mode’ feature, initially spotted by Android Authority back in March, buried deep under developer settings, didn’t function. Fast forward to today, and the feature is operational, but with a wholly in-development feel. By manually enabling the feature on a Google Pixel 8 device, Android Authority managed to show off Google’s Desktop Mode in action.
The result is pretty much what you’d expect. The Android device tries its best to accurately mimic a more traditional computer OS, offering a Windows-like app drawer, floating app windows that can be dragged and dropped at will, but with the added benefit of displaying the Android taskbar you’re familiar with.
It’s an interesting idea, one that could gain a lot of traction by the time it’s ready for general consumption, especially if implemented correctly. Android Authority warns that the feature is unlikely to launch alongside the Android 16 stable release, rather turning up as part of a future quarterly release of Android 16.
Hey… where’s Siri?
Siri has long been a staple of the Apple name, a smart assistant that’ll eventually be kitted out with artificial intelligence (AI) features. In a spot of turbulence, brought on by regulatory pressures from the EU, the Big Fruit Company may be forced to allow European users to use a different third-party assistant as their default option.
That’s just one of the troubles Apple is currently facing, as reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett and citing “a person with knowledge of the matter,” revealing the many ineptitudes of the Big Fruit Company’s AI ambitions.
Apple is reportedly already working on implementing the change across all its devices, specifically for those users under the EU’s umbrella, and will allow users to put Amazon Alexa or Google’s in-house assistant in the driving seat. Don’t get your hopes up to see the change anywhere else, however. Not until any other regulatory bodies have their say, at least.
Nintendo’s got some bad news about the Switch 2
There has been a cloud of confusion surrounding the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 ever since it was fully unveiled back in April, particularly regarding the console’s support of VRR (variable refresh rate). In a now-deleted statement on Nintendo’s website, the company confirmed the console would support VRR, importantly with no discernible limitations.
Just weeks before the console’s official launch, the company has now come clean, confirming to Nintendo Life that the Switch 2 does support VRR, but only in handheld mode:
“Nintendo Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode only. The incorrect information was initially published on the Nintendo Switch 2 website, and we apologise for the error,” Nintendo said.
The news will surely come as a disappointment to many, especially considering Nintendo’s affirmations that the Switch 2 will be a console to rival the efforts of Microsoft and Sony, despite missing one of the more sought-after features those consoles can boast. It’s possible Nintendo might add the functionality somewhere down the line, but don’t get your hopes up. Switch owners are still waiting on custom themes, a whole eight years later.
Redemption for the Switch 2
If you’re one of those people who are more interested in buying a Nintendo Switch 2 just to play some old games rather than something new Nintendo has cooked up (guilty), you’re in luck. A new rumour floating about the internet suggests that Rockstar is working on a Switch 2 port for its most recent title, Red Dead Redemption 2.
That’s according to Gamereactor, which heard from sources close to Rockstar that the Red Dead Redemption 2 Switch port is real, and could be arriving as soon as this year. It’s a no-brainer for the Grand Theft Auto developer, whose open-world Wild West GOTY-winner has so far missed out on the entire Switch fanbase, not counting the Switch 1 port for the original Red Dead Redemption.
Better yet, the port is seemingly poised to arrive alongside (or shortly after) the long-anticipated next-gen “upgrade patch” that’ll finally give PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners improved graphics and performance modes, though it’s still unclear whether Rockstar will offer the update for free or charge a small fee to get the update.
What with the recent GTA VI delay, now set to arrive in May 2026, and the news of a GTA IV port coming to next-gen consoles – also due sometime in 2025 if the rumours are right – it’s shaping up to be a busy few months for Rockstar.
