WhatsApp expands the Liquid Glass design to its video player

9to5mac.com Oct 8, 2026

WhatsApp expands the Liquid Glass design to its video player

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 8, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

WhatsApp has extended its Liquid Glass visual overhaul to the app’s video player, completing the redesign across most interface elements. The translucent, glass‑like progress bar now floats at the top of the screen, with rounded corners and a background that switches from white in light mode to dark in dark mode. The bottom control bar has also been refreshed to match the new aesthetic. The rollout follows a staggered release that began with limited testing in October 2025, an official May 2026 launch, and subsequent expansion to iPad in June and Mac in July. Although some users still see the legacy UI, the video player was one of the last components to receive the update, according to WABetaInfo recently now.

💡 Why It Matters

· Unifying the video player with the Liquid Glass theme eliminates a visual outlier, strengthening Meta’s drive for a seamless, cross‑platform user experience.

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Decoding the Camera Icons in Google Maps: A Complete Guide

Google Maps uses three distinct camera icons to convey different information to users. A red camera appears on the map to mark general tourist attractions such as scenic viewpoints, visitor centers, and local points of interest, opening a panel with hours, accessibility, parking and visitor photos when tapped. An orange camera shows up only during active driving navigation to indicate speed‑camera locations, providing a brief alert without detailed data. A third camera icon resides in the search bar, representing Google Lens functionality that lets users identify objects and landmarks through their phone’s camera. Understanding these variations helps users avoid confusion, locate amenities like gas stations or grocery stores, and comply with traffic regulations while traveling.

💡 Recognizing each camera symbol lets travelers extract precise, context‑specific guidance—whether planning a sightseeing stop or staying legally aware of speed enforcement—thereby turning a visual cue into actionable navigation.

9to5google.com · Oct 7

Claude launches Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides integration with sidebar and more

Anthropic has released a public‑beta add‑on that embeds Claude into Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides via a sidebar. The integration lets users correct spelling, rewrite text, and restyle sections in Docs without altering formatting; generate formulas or tables in Sheets; and create or update slides in Slides using existing layouts. Users can preview edits before they are applied and can also link Google Workspace files directly into Claude conversations. The add‑on is available to paid Claude subscribers through the Google Workspace marketplace.

💡 By enabling Claude inside Google’s core productivity tools, Anthropic expands its AI reach beyond its own ecosystem, offering a competitive alternative for users who prefer Claude over Gemini.

androidpolice.com · Oct 6

Google Docs finally gets the file support we’ve been waiting for

Google has added native support for Markdown files to Google Docs, a feature long requested by users on Reddit and other forums. The update, announced on the Google Workspace Updates site, allows .md and .markdown files to be opened, edited, and saved directly within Docs without conversion tools. The change is expected to streamline collaboration for developers and writers who rely on Markdown for lightweight formatting. Google Docs remains less dominant than Microsoft Word in enterprise settings, but the new capability broadens its appeal to a wider user base.

💡 By integrating Markdown, Google Docs now meets a critical need for developers and technical writers, reducing the friction of switching between editors and enhancing collaborative workflows.

9to5google.com · Oct 6

Googlebook gets Luminar photo editing app with ‘Continue On’ support

Googlebook has launched its first major app, Luminar, a photo‑editing tool that now supports the new OS. The rebuilt app meets Googlebook’s Tier 1 quality standards, adding keyboard shortcuts, resizable windows, drag‑and‑drop, and “Continue On” functionality that lets users start edits on mobile and finish on a Googlebook. Luminar is available through the Play Store, with a 12‑month free trial followed by a one‑time purchase for premium features. The release marks a significant expansion of Googlebook’s app ecosystem.

💡 By enabling seamless cross‑device editing, Luminar demonstrates Googlebook’s commitment to a robust, desktop‑grade experience, potentially reshaping how users approach mobile photography workflows.

sundayguardianlive.com · Oct 4

The dangers of ‘Max’: Why you should be concerned about such apps

Russian authorities have launched MAX, a state‑backed “super‑app” created by Kremlin‑linked VK and pre‑installed on all new devices sold in the country. Marketed as a domestic counterpart to China’s WeChat, MAX bundles messaging, banking, government services, shopping, payments and digital identity into a single platform. Independent cybersecurity analyses allege the app contains hidden code that can capture screenshots, access device data and monitor users’ financial transactions and communications, providing unprecedented surveillance capabilities. The Russian government, which has tightened control over media and internet access since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, denies the accusations, claiming the app complies with law and is secure. Critics warn that the convenience of MAX may come at the cost of widespread privacy erosion for Russian citizens.

💡 MAX could transform everyday digital interactions into a state‑run data collection network, giving the Kremlin real‑time insight into the personal and financial lives of millions.

windowslatest.com · Oct 4

Windows 11’s WinUI lacks a 26-year-old scroll shortcut even Electron has, and…

Microsoft’s longtime Windows engineer Raymond Chen recently discovered that a hidden scrollbar shortcut—holding Shift while clicking the scrollbar to jump directly to a location—has been supported in Windows since the Windows 2000 era. The shortcut, also available through a “Scroll Here” context‑menu option, is still functional in legacy Win32, WPF and Chromium‑based Electron apps, but is absent from WinUI, the XAML framework used for modern Windows 11 applications. Chen noted the inconsistency after testing several apps and found a GitHub bug report flagging the issue for Notepad. WinUI’s custom scroll controls lack both the context menu and Shift‑click behavior, and the backlog item remains unassigned despite recent promises at Build 2026 to address fundamental UI bugs. Developers hope the fix arrives soon officially.

💡 Without the Shift‑click shortcut, WinUI apps force users to waste time scrolling page by page, undermining the efficiency gains promised by Windows 11’s modern UI.