An Instagram iPad App, a New Motorola Razr, and Gemini’s Latest—Here’s Your Gear News of the Week Leave a comment

An iPad Instagram app is perhaps on the horizon. Based on The Information, a Meta worker claims the long-asked-for app is lastly in improvement, fueled by Meta’s need to ramp up person exercise on Instagram as a complete.

Proper now, Instagram is accessible on the iPad, however it’s the iPhone model and is designed for smaller, narrower shows—so it doesn’t take up the total display screen. Photographs and Reels keep the identical side ratio, leading to a clumsy expertise.

However the horrible person interface hasn’t been sufficient for Instagram chief Adam Mosseri to green-light a model designed for the iPad. Nonetheless, Mosseri hasn’t been quiet on the subject—regardless of previous pleas, he’s taken to posting on X a number of instances over the previous couple of years to clarify that there’s not a sufficiently big group to make an Instagram iPad app a precedence. However as TikTok’s future stays unclear, Mosseri may need modified his tune.

Because the report outlines, Instagram is utilizing the looming ban as a chance to drive extra customers to its app. Earlier than the short-lived ban in January, Instagram launched an replace centered solely on enhancements to Reels—its short-form video function—to steer customers from TikTok to its app. The corporate prolonged the utmost size of movies, modified the profile grid to an oblong format (particularly a 4:5 side ratio), and launched a brand new video app referred to as Edits (just like CapCut from TikTok’s mum or dad firm, ByteDance).

Instagram hasn’t confirmed the iPad app’s improvement, and so we do not have a launch window. The TikTok ban has been extended for another 75 days, so preserve your eyes peeled on the App Retailer. —Brenda Stolyar

A New Razr Is on the Manner

Motorola has given us a date for the launch of the subsequent Razr: April 24. This folding flip telephone follows on the success of the Razr and Razr+ from 2024, and whereas the teaser video exhibits us a silhouette of a telephone that appears equivalent (in a number of colours), the phrases “AI” flash on the display screen on the finish. Motorola’s Moto AI has been in beta since late 2024—it is an AI companion that may keep in mind issues about you, summarize notifications, and transcribe and summarize recordings. Possibly it will lastly come out of beta with the Razr 2025?

The Razr is not the one telephone Motorola introduced this week. There is a new Moto G Stylus 2025, which retains the $399 value of its predecessor. It stays the one smartphone that comes with a stylus underneath $500, and Motorola is placing somewhat extra emphasis on it this time round. You’ll flip primary sketches into AI-generated artwork, write down math issues and have them convert to textual content with the answer in tow, and you may even use it with Google’s Circle to Search.

The Moto G Stylus can also be IP68 waterproof now, is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, and nonetheless includes a headphone jack, OLED 120-Hz display screen, and wi-fi charging. It launches on April 17 for $399.

Nothing’s Subsequent CMF Telephone Is Virtually Right here

Final yr, the CMF Telephone 1 blew me away with its stellar efficiency and design—it outperformed a number of telephones that value more cash, all whereas wanting much more trendy. CMF is Nothing’s sub-brand that focuses on reasonably priced tech, and we’re about to get a successor to the Telephone 1 on the finish of the month.

A teaser was posted on Nothing’s Community forum, with video glimpses of the CMF Telephone 2 Professional. The main focus appears to be on the telephone’s construct, with Nothing stating, “Extremely-slim. Extremely-light. Extremely-sleek.” Nothing additionally highlighted a brand new end that is textured. We’ll have the ability to glean extra particulars on April 28 at 9 am ET, the place Nothing may even take the wraps off three new wi-fi earbuds: CMF Buds 2, Buds 2a, and Buds 2 Plus.

Google’s Gemini Dwell Will get a Video Improve

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

Received a Google Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy S25? In case you’re on Google’s Gemini Superior subscription, you now have a brand new perk: digital camera sharing with Gemini Dwell. Rolling out this week, this function supposedly lets you will have a free-flowing dialog with Gemini when it is in Gemini Dwell mode together with your telephone digital camera open. Gemini will have the ability to see all the pieces you present it. Meaning you’ll be able to ask it for a product’s title by simply pointing the digital camera at it, or ask for inspiration or concepts on learn how to redecorate your workplace.