WhatsApp tests widget to show Status updates on Android home screen

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new home screen widget for Android that could make checking status updates quicker. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the upcoming feature will allow users to see which contacts have recently shared a status update directly from their phones’s home screen, without needing to open the app.

The feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.18.5. Although still under development, the widget is expected to work similarly to the status widget initially introduced on iOS.

What the new widget may offer

According to the report, WhatsApp is developing a new Home Screen widget designed to provide quicker access to recent status updates. At present, users need to open WhatsApp and navigate to the Updates tab to check statuses, while some updates may also appear through profile rings in the Chats tab. However, both methods still require opening the app first.

The upcoming widget is expected to allow users to view and access recent status activity directly from their Home Screen. It could prove particularly useful for people who frequently engage with WhatsApp Status updates.

The widget is expected to display a limited number of contacts, likely up to three at a time, who have recently posted a status. The report also suggested the widget will include a shortcut for creating status updates. Users may be able to tap the shortcut and instantly open the interface to upload a new status without navigating through the app.

Prioritising relevant contacts

As per the report, WhatsApp will use its existing ranking system to decide which contacts appear in the widget. The system reportedly prioritises people users interact with the most, including frequently messaged contacts and pinned chats. The algorithm may also highlight status updates that are close to expiring, making the widget more useful for keeping up with recent activity. Since the ranking process happens locally on the device, the feature is expected to remain privacy-friendly.

Similar to the iOS implementation

WhatsApp had previously introduced a status widget for iOS with compact and larger layouts that display updates from one or multiple contacts.

The Android version appears to follow a similar approach, bringing quicker access to status updates directly from the Home Screen. Users can already add existing WhatsApp widgets to their smartphone Home Screen for quicker access to chats and app functions. Widgets can also be repositioned or removed at any time depending on user preference.

How to add WhatsApp widgets on an iPhone

Tap and hold an empty area on the Home Screen until the apps start moving.

Tap Edit and then select Add Widget.

Search for WhatsApp using the search bar.

Select WhatsApp and swipe through the available widget options.

Tap Add Widget to place it on the Home Screen.

Drag and adjust the widget’s position as needed.

How to remove a WhatsApp widget

Tap and hold the WhatsApp widget on the Home Screen.

Select Remove Widget and confirm by tapping Remove.

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Google tests autonomous AI agent as industry shifts beyond chatbots: Report

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

Google is reportedly testing a new AI agent called Remy internally, signalling how the broader artificial intelligence industry is rapidly moving beyond conversational chatbots toward autonomous systems capable of handling real-world tasks. According to a report by Business Insider, Remy is being positioned as an always available personal agent for work, education and day-to-day activities, with the ability to proactively complete tasks on behalf of users.

The tool is reportedly being tested by Google employees through a staff-only version of the Gemini app and is designed to integrate deeply with Google’s ecosystem of services. Unlike conventional AI assistants that mainly answer prompts or generate content, Remy is expected to monitor information, learn user preferences over time and autonomously handle complex multi-step tasks.

Google’s Remy: What to expect

According to the report, Remy is capable of monitoring information that matters to users, proactively handling complex tasks and learning user preferences through deep integration with Google services. Employees familiar with the project reportedly said that the tool is currently in internal testing.

Business Insider in its report calls Remy comparable to OpenClaw, an AI agent that gained significant attention earlier this year for autonomously replying to messages, conducting research and navigating applications.

The report stated that Remy is currently classified internally as a “dogfooding” project, a term commonly used in the tech industry when employees test products before a wider rollout. There is currently no word on when or whether the AI agent could become publicly available, but Google may throw a surprise by previewing it at its upcoming I/O, which is set to kick off from May 19.

The rise of agentic AI

The development reflects a wider shift underway across the AI industry, where companies are increasingly focusing on “agentic AI” systems designed to act rather than simply respond. As AI models become more capable and reliable, tech firms are now racing to build assistants that can independently interact with apps, websites and digital services with minimal human input.

Google itself has already started rolling out “Agent Mode” features within Gemini in select regions and subscription tiers. Earlier, the company said it was expanding agentic AI capabilities across Chrome, Search and the Gemini app.

The company explained that Gemini could eventually help users search apartment listings on platforms such as Zillow, adjust filters, access listings through integrations and even schedule property tours on the user’s behalf.

OpenAI’s reported AI-first smartphone

The push toward autonomous AI is not limited to software assistants. OpenAI is also reportedly exploring AI-first hardware experiences. According to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is accelerating development of an AI-focused smartphone that could fundamentally change how users interact with devices.

The reported device is expected to rely heavily on AI agents capable of executing tasks in the background instead of requiring users to manually navigate applications. Users may simply describe what they want done, while the AI system handles execution autonomously. The phone is also expected to combine on-device and cloud-based AI processing for faster and more context-aware interactions.

Anthropic and autonomous coding tools

Meanwhile, companies such as Anthropic are also expanding autonomous AI features. Anthropic’s Claude platform has increasingly focused on coding and task-execution capabilities that allow AI systems to perform actions with reduced human oversight, particularly in software development workflows.

The broader industry trend suggests that the next phase of artificial intelligence may revolve less around asking chatbots questions and more around delegating tasks to systems that can independently act, coordinate services and manage digital workflows on behalf of users.

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Adobe plugs AI in Acrobat to turn boring PDFs into workspaces: What's new

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

Adobe has introduced AI-powered features for Acrobat that change how people create, share, and interact with PDFs. The company has launched a new productivity agent along with upgraded PDF Spaces tools that allow users to turn regular PDFs into shareable AI-powered workspaces with summaries, audio overviews, and customised AI assistants.

As part of Adobe’s broader push into AI productivity tools, the update allows users to combine PDFs, notes, links, and documents into one interactive workspace for research, collaboration, and content creation.

The new features are now available through Acrobat AI plans and the recently launched Acrobat Express Studio.

What is Adobe’s productivity agent?

According to Adobe, the new productivity agent combines Acrobat’s document intelligence with AI tools to help users understand and organise information more easily. It can generate text, presentations, podcasts, social posts, and even edit PDFs through conversational prompts.

Adobe noted that the productivity agent is part of a larger AI strategy focused on changing how people work.

The tool is designed to work with Adobe’s own AI systems as well as third-party AI agents, helping users manage documents, data, and tasks more efficiently across different platforms and workflows.

The agent works inside PDF Spaces, an AI-powered workspace where users can combine PDFs, notes, and web links into one place for research, collaboration, and content creation.

New sharing tools in PDF Spaces

With the latest update, users can create shareable experiences instead of simply sending PDF files.

Adobe noted that the system can automatically generate titles, summaries, and audio overviews for shared documents.

Users can also rearrange files, add context, and customise an AI assistant that answers questions related to the shared content.

Additionally, the company stated that shared PDF Spaces can update automatically when documents are changed, ensuring recipients always access the latest information.

The platform also allows users to:

Create a personalised space: Combine PDFs, documents, links, and notes in one place. The AI agent organises the workspace automatically, while users can add context, structure, and multimedia content. Shared spaces also update automatically whenever files are changed.

Customise an AI assistant: Users can tailor the AI assistant based on their audience and goals, allowing it to answer questions, provide suggestions, and guide recipients through the content.

Generate audio overviews: The platform can automatically create audio summaries to help recipients quickly understand the shared information before exploring it in detail.

Add branding elements: Users can include logos and colour themes to create a more polished and professional-looking experience.

Track engagement insights: Adobe also provides interaction insights, helping users understand how recipients engage with the shared content and when follow-ups may be needed.

Availability

The new productivity agent, along with the sharing and publishing features, is now available through Adobe Acrobat AI plans, including Acrobat Studio and the new Acrobat Express offering.

Adobe said shared PDF Spaces can also be viewed by anyone without requiring an account.

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US Supreme Court rejects Apple's stay request in Epic Games lawsuit

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Wednesday Apple’s request to temporarily block a judicial order that found the iPhone maker in violation of sweeping court-mandated changes to its lucrative App Store as part of an antitrust lawsuit by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games.

Justice Elena Kagan, on behalf of the court, declined to pause a ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that deemed Apple in contempt in the Epic lawsuit contesting App Store fees.

The Supreme Court’s action means Apple will return to U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, to quarrel over what commission the company can lawfully charge for certain app-related transactions. Apple’s bid at the Supreme Court had been aimed at staving off returning to the trial court while it pursued its legal challenge before the justices.

Epic Games Chief Executive Tim Sweeney said in a statement that “the Supreme Court has considered Apple’s delaying motion and found it unworthy.”

Apple did not immediately provide a comment. Apple and Epic have clashed for years over the rules governing Apple’s App Store. The contempt ruling and the scope of Apple’s court-ordered obligations are the latest issues in the dispute to reach the Supreme Court. Apple has said the 9th Circuit decision would affect how millions of app purchases are made.

Epic Games won the contempt order last year as part of litigation it brought in 2020 seeking to loosen Apple’s control over transactions in applications that use the company’s iOS operating system and its restrictions on how apps are distributed to consumers.

Apple mostly defeated Epic’s lawsuit, but was required in the judge’s 2021 injunction to let developers include links in their apps directing users to non-Apple payment methods.

Apple allowed the links but adopted new restrictions, including a 27 per cent commission on developers for purchases made on payment systems outside the App Store within seven days of clicking a link. Apple charges developers a 30 per cent commission for purchases within the App Store.

Epic argued that the new 27 per cent commission flouted the earlier injunction. In 2025, the judge found Apple in civil contempt for violating the injunction.

The 9th Circuit in December upheld the judge’s contempt finding but allowed Apple to make new arguments about what commission it should be allowed to charge for digital goods bought in apps distributed through the App Store but paid for using third-party payment systems.

In the district court, Sweeney said, Apple must now disclose the costs involved in reviewing apps that use competing payment systems so developers can be billed accordingly.

Apple has denied violating the judge’s order and has argued that the injunction should not be applied to millions of developers beyond Epic Games.

“Regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States,” Apple told the Supreme Court in a filing.

Epic has argued that Apple should not be allowed to sidestep the judge’s original injunction, saying this would “give Apple more time to continue unfairly profiting at the expense of consumers and app developers.”

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Google offers changes to Search spam policy to avert EU antitrust fine

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

2 min read Last Updated : May 07 2026 | 10:13 AM IST

Alphabet’s Google has offered to change its spam policy criticised by publishers, according to a European Commission document seen by Reuters, in a move that may help it stave off an EU antitrust fine.

The U.S. tech giant found itself in EU regulators’ crosshairs after publishers complained about its site reputation abuse policy. It targets the practice of publishing third-party pages on a site in an attempt to abuse search rankings by taking advantage of the host site’s ranking signals, commonly referred to as parasite SEO.

That prompted the European Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, to open an investigation in November under the Digital Markets Act, which aims to rein in the power of Big Tech.

Google has proposed changes to comply with the DMA, the document said, giving interested parties until next week to offer feedback.

The EU watchdog has said that its monitoring showed that Google’s spam policy demotes news media and other publishers’ websites and content in Google search results when those websites include content from commercial partners.

It said the policy directly impacts a common and legitimate way for publishers to monetise their websites and content.

DMA breaches can cost companies fines of up to 10 per cent of their global annual turnover.

The Commission declined to comment. Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Bloomberg was the first to report on Google’s proposal.

First Published: May 07 2026 | 10:13 AM IST

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India, Japan boost tech ties with pacts on medical devices, quantum science

by Hansraj Agrawal | May 7, 2026 | Technology

India and Japan strengthened their strategic partnership in science and technology with the exchange of key agreements in the fields of healthcare innovation and emerging technologies during a high-level bilateral meeting in the national capital.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Science & Technology, on Tuesday, the meeting took place in the presence of Japan’s Minister for Science and Technology Policy and Minister of State for Space Policy, Kimi Onoda and Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh.

The discussion expanded cooperation across critical and frontier technologies, with the exchange of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of health and medical devices between the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST).

A Letter of Intent (LoI) on cooperation in Quantum Science and Technology was also signed between Japan’s Cabinet Office and India’s DST, marking a significant step toward collaboration in next-generation technologies such as quantum computing and secure communication systems.

Speaking at the meeting, Singh said India and Japan share a “natural synergy in science and technology”, noting that Japan’s advanced capabilities and India’s talent pool create strong potential for joint innovation. He added that the partnership has entered a “new phase” following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan in 2025.

The Japanese minister appreciated India’s rapid economic growth and innovation ecosystem, particularly the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors.

She also highlighted Japan’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and quantum technologies, expressing confidence in deeper collaboration between the two countries.

Both sides discussed strengthening cooperation under India’s National Quantum Mission, including quantum computing, communication, sensing, and materials research, and also explored expanding researcher exchange programmes, joint innovation platforms, and industry internships.

In the healthcare sector, the two countries agreed to enhance collaboration through joint research projects, capacity-building initiatives, and funding support mechanisms to accelerate the development of medical technologies.

The engagement also reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Japan to advancing science and technology cooperation as part of a broader vision for a free, open, and innovation-driven Indo-Pacific region.

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