Todd Haselton | The Verge

You can actually multitask on an iPad now and it’s the best new feature in 15 years

2025-07-24T13:14:21-04:00

I’ve gone back and forth over the years on whether or not I can actually work from an iPad. The answer has always been: sort of. I can write on an iPad. I can edit on an iPad. So, I guess I’ve always been able to “work” from an iPad. But with a Magic Keyboard and an iPad running the iPadOS 26 beta, I can work like I would right on my MacBook or Surface Pro, using a bunch of windows plastered all over the place.

The first public beta for iPadOS 26 dropped today. You can download and install it yourself on most recent iPads — just know it might be buggy until the final release this fall. Still, I’ve been using the beta for most work tasks for the better part of a week, and aside from a few pain points, it’s what I’ve always wanted from an iPad. It just took Apple 15 years to get here.

iPadOS 26 finally gives us real windows, not Split View or Slide Over or Stage Manager or whatever other multitasking attempts Apple has tried to “differentiate the iPad from the Mac” or make it a “touch first” experience. I have Slack open in one window and Safari open in another, and this Google Doc that I’m writing right now in another. Spotify is somewhere in the background. I could launch YouTube TV if I want to be naughty about it. I opened about 10 apps before I stopped trying to open more. (Sometimes they open in another space, but this feels like a bug.)

This is real multitasking and, for the most part, it’s like how I work on a MacBook Air or a Surface Pro. Apps can be placed on top of one another or moved around the screen and dropped exactly where I want them. There’s even a real arrow for a cursor! No more moving a silly little dot around the screen.

When you open an app, each launches into a full-sized window. The familiar red, yellow, and green buttons to close, minimize, or maximize the window are there in the top left corner. I drag the corner in or out to resize the window. Each app also has a brand new menu bar along the top, so you can view or change all the app’s settings. In its simplest sense, it allows you to select File > Print, for example, if you’re in a document. In Apple Music, you can choose File > New Playlist, or manage your controls and create new stations. It’s very much like using apps on a Mac.

There’s also a new Files app that makes it easier to access all the files saved on your iPad, or in iCloud, so you can quickly open documents you have saved on other computers. And you can add files or folders to your dock. It’s not perfect; I wish I could see drives or save to the desktop like on a Mac, but it’s fine.

This all works so well that Apple has wiped out any remaining excuses for not bringing a touchscreen to the Mac. Those little red, yellow and green buttons get larger whenever I go to tap them, so I can use the cursor or my finger to minimize windows, or resize them or move things around. If I touch the bottom of the screen, all the apps slide away and I can see the icons and widgets on my desktop.

There are still reasons I turn to my MacBook Air, though. Unless I’m connected to a monitor, the 11-inch screen on my iPad Pro is a little tiny if I need to dig around in a big spreadsheet or if I really want to keep a bunch of apps open at full size. Resizing works most of the time, but I can’t always see all the chats that I want in Slack unless I make it bigger, and even then it ends up mostly hidden behind other apps because of the limited screen real estate. I don’t have a 13-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air to test on, but I imagine that helps a bit.

Also, while I love having all the apps I use available here — X, Bluesky, Safari, Chrome, Slack, Spotify, whatever — the desktop versions can still be better and easier to use than the iPad versions. Take Google Docs for example: it’s bad on the iPad. For whatever reason I can’t use my cursor to select a bunch of text properly, and instead have to touch the screen. There’s also a bug where I can control the mouse but can’t type for a little bit. I use the Grammarly plugin to catch silly mistakes in my writing, but it works through a keyboard plugin on the iPad that isn’t as effective as the browser extension on a Mac or PC. My grammar is be damned.

The iPad still won’t cut it for everyone. There are a lot of professional apps for Macs that just aren’t built for the iPad. And some people need Macs for the additional horsepower you can get from the more powerful chips. But for folks who can mostly work in a bunch of windows? This is what’s up.

There’s this little test I like to do when I think about whether or not a new gadget will work for me. I think to myself whether, over a long weekend or on a trip somewhere, I’ll be able to jump on and do a work task if I have to. Most of the time I’ll bring my MacBook Air or Surface Pro along just in case it’s something I can’t do from my phone. (The Galaxy Z Fold and Pixel Fold have passed this test, for what it’s worth.) I’ll usually bring my iPad along, too, because I bring my iPad everywhere. With iPadOS 26, I don’t need to carry my MacBook Air anymore.

I love Microsoft’s new 12-inch Surface Pro and it’s $685 for Prime Day

2025-07-08T16:12:45-04:00

Microsoft’s new 12-inch Surface Pro is awesome, and at $115 off at Best Buy, it’s a fantastic deal to jump on during Amazon Prime Day. Both Amazon and Microsoft are selling it for $699.99. No matter where you buy it, you can use the discount to cover most of the cost of the $150 keyboard, which anyone who’s interested int he Surface Pro should probably buy.

Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch

Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

Microsoft rounded off the edges on the new 12-inch Surface Pro. You can think of it as a smaller, refined version of the Snapdragon X Plus Surface Pro from last year. If you haven’t used a Surface Pro before, this one feels more like a larger iPad to use than previous models, just with a full version of Windows 11 installed. And, for me, that OS means I’ll be able to do real work from pretty much anywhere. That’s not always true with applications on my M4 iPad Pro, though that should improve a bit once the multitasking updates arrive in iPadOS 26.

The Verge’s Tom Warren reviewed the 12-inch Surface Pro in June. Like me, he also digs its fanless design, great battery life, and sturdier keyboard. I agree with him that Microsoft still needs to improve its software experience for tablet mode; I still pick up my iPad when I need to do tablet stuff, not the Surface Pro. It’s just the better device when I want a screen to read the news, browse the web, or text friends using dedicated tablet apps. But, for everything else, Microsoft’s latest tablet suits my needs.

Google I/O’s Android Show: all the news from the I/O pre-show

2025-05-13T14:11:03-04:00

Google did something a bit different this year. Instead of talking about Android during the I/O developer conference, which kicks off on May 20th, it hosted an extra show a week early dedicated to its mobile software.

The big announcement was the official reveal of Material 3 Expressive, the bouncy, colorful user interface that leaked recently, and which will be rolling out to both Android and Wear OS. Speaking of smartwatches, they’ll be getting Gemini support, as will TVs, cars, and XR headsets.

There was even a bit of love for the Find My Device network, which got a rebrand to Find Hub and some long overdue support for UWB, and a surprise appearance from a familiar face.

8BitDo’s wired Ultimate C Controller for Xbox and PC is just $20 right now

2025-05-02T15:24:26-04:00

The 8BitDo Ultimate C Wired Controller for Xbox and PC is on sale at Amazon for $19.61 (44 percent off), its lowest price to date. But the sale is only for the dark green model. The dark gray and orange alternatives are only available for $31.49 (10 percent off) at checkout. Don’t get mad at me! I’m just trying to save you money while Microsoft is out here increasing the prices of everything, including its controllers.

8BitDo Ultimate C Wired Controller for Xbox

8BitDo’s wired Ultimate C Controller packs plenty of features for the price, including drift-free Hall effect sticks, a 3.5mm audio jack, and slick RBG lighting around both joysticks.

Where to Buy:

~~$34.99~~ $19.61 at Amazon

The 8BitDo Ultimate features Hall effect joysticks and triggers, which means there aren’t any moving parts inside that might degrade over time. So, they should last a bit longer than the default controller that comes with your Xbox. Other features include four sets of vibration motors, RGB lighting around the joysticks (I, for one, am a big fan of glowing lights), and customizable button mapping with support for different game profiles.

A wired joystick probably isn’t for everyone, but it can make some things easier. If you’re moving from an Xbox to PC, or even an Android phone, for example, you can just plug and play without needing to re-pair a Bluetooth connection. And you don’t have to worry about your batteries dying mid-match.

Apple sure has had a rough 2025

2025-05-01T08:36:45-04:00

It’s been a rough start to 2025 for the world’s most valuable company.

Apple now faces three huge headwinds against its business: President Trump’s tariffs and whatever impact those might have on shipments from Asia; the possibility that it could lose its lucrative deal with Google to serve as the default search engine; and a court ruling on Wednesday evening that blew up its control of the App Store.

Any of these could hit Apple’s bottom line hard, but combined, they could be a brutal blow to a company investors have, until this year anyway, flocked to for its stability.

Here’s what’s going on.

The tariff problem

Apple stock had its biggest drop in five years on April 3rd after Trump announced his sweeping tariff plan. Shares have recovered a bit as those taxes have… remained unclear. But they’ll likely impact product sales or eat into Apple’s famous profit margins.

We may not have to wait too long for the first insight into the company’s thinking.

Apple’s set to report its fiscal second-quarter earnings after markets close on Thursday, when we’ll hear from CEO Tim Cook and the company’s new chief financial officer Kevan Parekh, about how Trump’s tariffs could impact the company’s hardware business. Long story short: the taxes could mean higher prices for goods and dampen demand for iPhones, Macs, and iPads.

I say could because nobody knows for sure. First, the Trump administration was set to impose 54 percent tariffs on China (and others on India and Vietnam). Then it bumped ‘em up to a cumulative 104 percent, and then it bumped them even more to a grand total of 145 percent. But then it gave Apple a reprieve and said electronics fall under separate semiconductor taxes coming in May or June.

We don’t know how high those will be yet. Apple reportedly shipped 600 tons of iPhones from India to the US in hopes of getting ahead of their impact.

Smart move, given that’s the company’s largest business line, but that may only tide it over so long. New iPhones usually launch in September.

Billions at stake from Google

Then there’s the software side of the business. And that’s facing two speed bumps. Let’s talk about the first.

We’re currently in the remedies stage of Google’s search antitrust trial after judge Amit Mehta ruled last year that Google has a monopoly in search and advertising. One piece of information that surfaced back in May: Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to be the default search engine in Safari, reportedly up from $18 billion in 2021.

That revenue, about 5 percent of Apple’s net sales in 2022, is under scrutiny right now. The US Department of Justice wants Google to do several things to end its monopoly. It really wants Google to sell Chrome, for example. But it also hopes to stop Google from paying its way to the default search engine in places like Safari.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai was asked about the arrangement on Wednesday, and according to my colleague David Pierce, who was in the room, argued that Google should be allowed to pay for that right, so long as it isn’t exclusive.

Judge Mehta gets to make the $20 billion+ decision.

The Wednesday night whammy

Meanwhile, another judge just blew a hole in the App Store.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Wednesday evening that, effective immediately, Apple can no longer charge fees on any purchases made outside the App Store.

Rogers accused the company and an executive of lying under oath and found that Apple had “willfully” failed to comply with her order and instead chose to “maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this Court’s Injunction.”

The court said that Apple made it harder and more expensive for developers to link from apps to their own websites for payments.

Developers who charge for things in their apps, like subscriptions or in-game items, now have an incentive to link out of the App Store. The fees are gone, and the court ruled Apple can’t “restrict developers style, formatting, or placement of links for purchases outside an app,” limit “use of buttons or other calls to action,” or plaster any sort of scary message other than they’re “going to a third-party site.”

Apple said it will fight the ruling. “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal,” Apple senior director of corporate communications Olivia Dalton told The Verge.

What’s next?

Look, I’m not saying Apple’s dead in the water here. It’s still a titan, and Cook is a supply chain wizard. There’s probably no better person to be at the helm as the company faces tariffs. I just can’t think of a tougher start the year for Apple in recent memory. Add it all up, and by the end of 2025, you have new costs from tariffs and potentially massively reduced revenues from regulators. The company needs to build something new that can go past the iPhone and all of the revenue from developers it’s brought in, and it probably needs to do it sooner rather than later.

Google announces a special Android event ahead of I/O

2025-04-28T16:47:38-04:00

The Android Show: Google I/O Edition

Google just announced that it will host a separate event ahead of I/O to discuss updates coming to Android. The Android Show: I/O Edition will land on YouTube and the Android website on May 13th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET and will feature Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat. That’s a full week ahead of Google I/O, which kicks off on May 20th.

It’s not terribly surprising, given that the company has spent less time talking about Android at I/O. And it’s probably a big hint that we’re going to hear a lot more about Gemini and Google’s other AI efforts throughout the developer conference. Maybe we’ll even get an update on its Project Astra.

“We’ll be sharing news now to get you ready for I/O where we’ll have even more special announcements and surprises in store,” Samat said. The company noted that Android will still have a presence at I/O in keynotes and developer technical sessions.

While Android was once the highlight of Google I/O — back when the company unveiled new statues for the new dessert flavor name picked for the next-generation of Android — that’s changed in the past few years. Last year, Google talked about redesigning Search around AI, and how Gemini would integrate across Android phones and services like Docs, Gmail, Calendar.

And, yeah, Android was still discussed, but it wasn’t the big topic we’re used to. Google instead unveiled some of the new features in the Android 15 beta, like AI-powered scam call detection, Circle to Search, and Theft Detection Lock.

WD’s 2TB SSD for Xbox is $50 off and the M4 MacBook Air is just $899

2025-04-25T13:11:46-04:00

Maybe, like me, you bought the Xbox Series S with 512GB of storage and realized, after installing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, that you don’t have much (or any) space left for any other games. And maybe, like me, you had to hunt for another drive so you could install other games to play.

If you’re still in that boat, you might want to consider Western Digital’s 2TB WD_Black NVMe solid state drive. It’s currently on sale at Amazon for an all-time low of $179.99 ($50 off), or about 22 percent off the standard price, and will provide you with plenty of additional storage to work with. To put the price in perspective, it’s only $30 more than the 1TB version, which isn’t on sale. WD is also one of two manufacturers I’m aware of that make these easy plug-in cards — the other is Seagate.

WD_Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox

Western Digital’s storage expansion cards for Xbox Series X / S consoles are speedy, plug-and-play cards that match the performance of the consoles’ onboard SSDs. They offer a slightly lower-cost alternative to Seagate’s expansion cards, which were the only game in town for years.

Where to Buy:

~~$229.99~~ $179.99 at Amazon (2TB)

There’s no fiddling around with screws or anything to get it to work, either. Just pop it into the back of your Xbox Series S / X, and bam, you’re good to go. Plug and play at its finest, baby.

But let’s pivot to another good deal real quick.

Apple MacBook Air 13 (2025, M4)

Where to Buy:

Amazon and B&H Photo are also selling Apple’s brand-new M4 MacBook Air, which just launched in March, starting at $899 (its best price to date). That’s $100 off Apple’s starting price of $999, which itself is already $100 cheaper than the entry-level price of the M3 model last year.

And, with the M4, you get 256GB of starting storage instead of 128GB, which is probably fine for most folks who don’t need a lot of local storage. Like me, for example. I’m using an M2 MacBook Air for work, and I only have 82GB used.

The latest M4 model also has a better 12-megapixel Center Stage camera that will follow your face around while you’re on camera (better said: it’ll keep you in frame) and 16GB of RAM. The design is unchanged from last year, which means you’re still getting just a MagSafe charger and two USB-C ports. But the update to M4 allows you to add two external monitors while also leaving the display open, for a total of three running screens. Good for multitasking.

It’s a MacBook Air. It’s the best MacBook for most people. You really can’t go wrong here.

Apple has its biggest stock drop in five years because of Trump’s tariffs

2025-04-03T10:38:12-04:00

Shares of Apple, Amazon, and other tech stocks are getting walloped on Thursday as the markets digest the impact of President Donald Trump’s new round of tariffs announced on Wednesday evening.

Shares of Apple were down about 9 percent on Thursday morning, which would mark the biggest drop in about five years if it holds until the close, according to CNBC. Amazon shares dropped about 7 percent.

Both companies rely heavily on imports from other countries, like China, on which Trump plans to impose a 54 percent tariff beginning April 9th. Apple also manufactures some products in countries like Vietnam, on which a 46 percent tariff was announced.

The tariffs, if they aren’t walked back, could mean increased prices on electronics for consumers or slimmer margins for companies like Apple and Amazon if they choose to eat some of the costs. Apple has typically had a gross margin, the amount of cash it gets to keep after it sells stuff, of around 38 percent, though it has been higher. Wall Street is likely concerned about lower demand if Apple has to increase the price of Macs, iPhones, iPads, and other products.

Other big tech companies were impacted as well. Shares of Nvidia were down more than 4 percent on Thursday morning while Tesla stock was also down about 4 percent, giving up most of its Wednesday gains. Shares of Meta are down about 7 percent.

Aura digital photo frames will continue to auto-sync with Google Photos after all

2025-03-24T12:10:33-04:00

We reported earlier this month that, due to changes Google is making to how apps access Google Photo libraries, digital photo frames from companies like Aura and Cozyla would no longer be able to auto-sync with those albums. But Aura has now confirmed to The Verge that its frames will continue to work with Google Photos.

“We are working with Google to maintain auto-add for Google Photos on Aura,” company spokesperson Jenisse Curry said. “While we previously announced that this feature will be removed, it will now continue.”

Curry added that syncing will continue as usual for now and that owners of its frames won’t need to take any additional action, but that the company will “share additional information when ready.”

Aura’s cloud-connected frames allow you and others to view shared photos. As with Google’s Nest displays, for example, you could gift an Aura photo frame to a grandparent and then automatically sync Google Photo albums of your kids so that your parents can always see fresh pictures of their grandchildren.

Sync was initially set to end on March 17th. While Aura would continue to show photos that had already been sent to the frame, auto-sync would turn off and users would have to send new pictures from the Google Photos app manually.

The Google Photos API change was announced in September and will prevent apps from accessing your entire photo library. It’s still set to go into effect on March 31st, which suggests that Aura will have instructions on how to continue auto-sync around that time.

“We’re always looking for ways to update our APIs to improve user privacy, and we have APIs specifically designed for digital photo frames and a program to help our partners update their products,” Google spokesperson Colin Smith told The Verge earlier this month.

A Cozyla spokesperson wasn’t immediately available to comment on whether the company will also continue to support auto-sync.

There’s a big sale on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL right now

2025-03-19T16:26:49-04:00

This deal caught my eye last night. Google is knocking $200 off its flagship Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, which means the smaller model now starts at $799, or the same price as the regular Pixel 9. That’s a no-brainer right there. Or, you can head to Best Buy where it starts at $749 ($250 off), an all-time low. You pick.

Google Pixel 9 Pro (128GB)

The Pixel 9 Pro is available in a smaller size than Google’s previous pro-grade phones. It has the latest Tensor processor, a 6.3-inch OLED screen, a triple-camera setup like previous models, and a new 42-megapixel front camera. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

The Pixel 9 Pro starts with the same-size 6.3-inch screen as the Pixel 9 but has a sharper and brighter screen, a nicer polished metal frame, and more RAM, which helps allow things to feel smooth and may even futureproof you a little bit with memory-hungry Gemini AI. It also has an added 48-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x zoom and up to 30x digital zoom, compared to the 8x digital zoom on the Pixel 9. That’s a bit of a spec drop on you but the gist is this: it’s a nicer and better phone for the same price, and it’s the one you should buy.

“But wait!” you say. “What about the new Pixel 9A Google just announced?” Yeah, that’s appealing, but it isn’t for sale yet because Google says it’s fixing a hardware issue that recently cropped up. We haven’t had a chance to review it yet, but my quick take is the extra $300 is worth it for the better screen, camera, and extra RAM.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (128GB)

The Pixel 9 Pro XL, the largest slab version of the new Pixel, features a larger 6.8-inch OLED display than the Pixel 8 Pro it’s replacing. Otherwise, it’s similar to the smaller Pixel 9 Pro, only with the addition of faster 45W wired charging. Read our review.

Where to Buy:

More deals to know about

Amazon’s eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system is 27% off, down to $399.99. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are great if you live in a big house and can’t get a signal in certain dead zones. Or, conversely, if you’re like me and live in a really old house with plaster walls that make it hard for signals to travel through. I place one on each level and the signal carries well through the wood floors to give me full-house coverage. This is the exact system I use and it seems to work well.

You might need a case if you’re buying the Pixel 9 Pro above. Casetify is offering 20 percent off if you buy two products and use promo code SpringSale25 before March 26th. I don’t think anyone needs two cases but maybe get one for yourself and hang on to one for Mother’s Day (that’s on May 11th, thank me later.) Or buy a case for something else, like your MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, or Samsung Galaxy Buds. There are a lot of cool designs to pick from, but know this: the deal doesn’t apply to anything “newly released” or “licensed accessories from brand partners.”

The Dreame X30 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo is on sale for $799 (for Prime members), down from its $1,099.98 starting price. The current Dreame X40 Ultra is our top pick for best robot vacuum and mop hybrid, replacing the version that’s on sale. Our robot reviewer says it’s a “great buy if you can get it on sale” and that it “does everything the X40 Ultra does, just with lower suction power (8,300Pa) and no flexi-arm.” Who needs arms, anyway?