Recent News from Engadget

Google Play used AI to help block 1.75 million bad apps in 2025

Google has announced that with the help of AI, it blocked 1.75 million apps that violated its policies in 2025, significantly down from 2.36 million in 2024. The lower numbers this year, it said, are because its “AI-powered, multi-layer protections” are deterring bad actors from even trying to publish bad apps. Google said it now […]

The best cheap Android phones to buy in 2026

Getting a solid Android phone doesn’t necessitate spending a small fortune. The best budget models strike a great balance between price and performance, giving you smooth everyday use without cutting too many corners. Whether you’re scrolling social media, streaming your favorite shows or snapping photos of a night out, there’s an affordable Android phone that […]

Apple inks deal for IMAX screenings of live Formula 1 races

Formula 1 has been receiving star treatment from Apple for awhile, and now the racing series will literally be getting even bigger. Apple is partnering with IMAX to show five races from the 2026 season. The Miami Grand Prix on May 3, the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, the British Grand Prix on July […]

Meta’s metaverse is going mobile-first

Meta is formally sectioning off Horizon Worlds, the closest thing it has to a metaverse, from its Quest VR platform, according to a new blog post from Samantha Ryan, Meta’s VP of Content, Reality Labs. While the decision runs counter to Meta’s original plan to own an immersive virtual world that could serve as the […]

Slay the Spire 2 will enter early access on March 5

Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access next month. This sequel to the hugely popular 2019 roguelike deckbuilder hits early access on Steam beginning March 5, 2026. Along with releasing the teaser trailer above, developer Mega Crit shared some details about its goals for this phase ahead of the game’s official release.”Slay the […]

Sony is shutting down the studio behind the Demon’s Souls remake

Sony is closing Bluepoint Games, the studio behind the Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls remakes, Bloomberg reports. Bluepoint’s last major project was God of War: Ragnarok from 2022, which it co-developed with Sony Santa Monica. According to Bloomberg, Sony decided to shut down the studio following “a recent business review.” Around 70 employees will […]

Meta is shuttering Messenger’s standalone website, which is a thing that exists

Meta is shutting down the standalone Messenger website, according to a company help page. The website will disappear in April, though web users will still be able to send and receive messages within Facebook. “After messenger.com goes away, you will be automatically redirected to use facebook.com/messages for messaging on a computer,” the help page reads. […]

Here are my favorite things from Toy Fair 2026

Toy Fair 2026 just wrapped earlier this week and while I would have liked to spend even more time there, I have my own kids (and all their toys and trinkets) to look after. That said, there were a ton of cool new products on display at the Javits Center in New York City that […]

Ring could be planning to expand Search Party feature beyond dogs

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff has indicated that the company’s controversial Search Party feature might not always be just for lost dogs, according to emails obtained by 404 Media. A creepy surveillance tool being used to surveil. Who could have predicted that? “I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, […]

YouTube is bringing the Gemini-powered ‘Ask’ button to TVs

YouTube’s “Ask” button is making its way to the living room. The Gemini-powered feature is now rolling out as an experiment on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices. 9to5Google first spotted a Google support page announcing the change.Like on mobile devices and desktop, the feature is essentially a Gemini chatbot trained on each video’s […]