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OneDrive could get some of that Google Photos magic
The app's beta points to an upcoming Magic Erase feature
Generative AI is no longer the buzzword it was in late 2022, as tech companies, both big and small, continue to build their products with some form of generative AI in mind. Unsurprisingly, giant corporations like Google and Microsoft also want to have a significant chunk of the AI pie and have already integrated the tech into their productivity suites — Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. We've known since last year that Microsoft is readying generative AI chops for OneDrive, but its wider implementation has now been pushed to April. In a sign of things to come, a recent beta of the OneDrive app for Android contains strings mentioning a Google Photos-esque "Magic Erase" feature.
OneDrive looks set to get its AI upgrade soon
Leak shows the Microsoft 365 Copilot integration in OneDrive
The AI battle keeps heating up, and both Google and Microsoft have launched their generative AI products that integrate deeply with their respective office suites. Microsoft’s Copilot has been a part of Office 365 apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for a while now. It now looks like the company is bringing similar AI capabilities to its cloud storage service, OneDrive.
Google Drive vs. OneDrive: Which cloud storage platform is better
Learn the stark differences between OneDrive and Google Drive
Google Drive and OneDrive are the best cloud storage platforms to upload and share your files. Google Drive is preinstalled on all Android phones and top tablets, while OneDrive has a neat integration with the Windows 11 desktop OS. Although the fundamentals remain the same, Google Drive and OneDrive differ on several factors. Let's compare Google Drive to OneDrive based on platform availability, user interface, sharing, price, and features and pick the perfect option for your needs.
When we were looking at alternatives to Google Photos last month, Microsoft's OneDrive was a no-brainer option for those already paying for Microsoft 365. However, as Manuel noted in his deep dive, the service lacked any editing tools, making it cumbersome to perform even simple actions like cropping. Fortunately, that's changing as the company is now rolling out a suite of editing tools for the Web and Android (version 6.0+).
Could Microsoft OneDrive be your Google Photos replacement?
It's far from great compared to Photos, but it can serve as storage for your images if you need it to
Google Photos will get rid of its free storage tier starting June 1, which is when the company will flip a switch and any new image uploaded will count against your Google account storage. While we argue that Photos will still be well worth the money, many people are starting to look for better or cheaper alternatives, and Microsoft OneDrive could be one. After all, Microsoft provides its office apps with 1TB of storage at an attractive price. But the question is: Does it come close to Photos in any capacity?
For most Android users, Microsoft's cloud storage will always play second fiddle to Google Drive. But those who are heavily invested in Office 365 or the Windows platform in general still want a good cloud storage app, and today the Android version of OneDrive is a little better. The latest update adds compatibility with the Chromecast and other casting devices.
OneDrive for Android updated with new homepage and 8K video playback
It can also play Samsung Motion Photos
Microsoft's online storage solution is a popular alternative to Google Drive and more expensive solutions like Dropbox. To enhance its usability, the app is often updated with new features or interface improvements. Its latest version comes with a new, more convenient homepage, as well as support for 8K video and Samsung Motion Photos playback.
Storing things in the digital cloud is great, but what happens when the sun comes out? This fiction is becoming a reality for many Samsung Cloud users, as the company continues shutting down its cloud storage services to make room for a more monetarily beneficial deal with Microsoft. Samsung is now giving users a timetable for making the switch before everything gets deleted next year.
Microsoft is adding a dark mode for OneDrive on the web
This will bring the web version in line with the design of the mobile apps
Dark mode is becoming more of a necessity these days with most apps and operating systems supporting it (looking at you, ChromeOS). Microsoft started testing a dark mode in its OneDrive Android app last year, and it made it into the stable release a few months back. Now the company has unveiled that dark mode for OneDrive on the web is on its way.
Samsung is rolling out its phone-as-a-subscription Samsung Access service here in the US. Starting as low as $37 a month for the baby S20 model, Samsung Access includes the phone, Samsung Premium Care device protection, 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage, and access to Microsoft 365 Personal. Although there's a pile of terms and conditions associated with it, the service also lets you upgrade your phone every nine months — or earlier, if you'd like to pay more.
Microsoft OneDrive adds face unlock support on the Pixel 4
Keep your files protected without sacrificing ease of access
More and more apps are adopting Android 10's official biometrics API, which means they now support both fingerprint authentication and face unlock, and will adapt to your phone. The latest one to join the fray is Microsoft's One Drive.
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Dark mode is definitely the feature your software needs to have these days, and what better timing than releasing it in time for Halloween? Microsoft's OneDrive is the company's latest app to get the treatment, following in Outlook's footsteps.
Once upon a time, you could view and edit Google Docs files from a single Drive app, but Google later split them up into multiple editing applications. Microsoft is now doing the reverse: it's combining the Android versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into one app to rule them all.
During Unpacked 2019, Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella made a surprise appearance on stage to declare his company's promise to integrate some of its software savvy with Samsung's hardware prowess. Mere months later, one of Samsung's core services, Samsung Cloud, showed its first signs of collapse when its free tier of storage options dropped from 15GB to a measly 5GB. On this Halloween, it appears Samsung is preparing the coffin for its cloud service with Microsoft's OneDrive primed to be its successor.
When it comes to storing files on the cloud, there’s a variety of options you can pick from. The most common names on the market include Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Although the first already passed one billion downloads last year, Microsoft’s solution just exceeded the same threshold, confirming the app’s popularity.
You can pretty much stick a file manager interface onto any app you want. But when it comes to actual personal storage apps, be it local or in the cloud, developers could always go further by installing an enhanced-security enclave — where particularly sensitive files can be stored and accessed only through further authentication. Microsoft recently decided to give OneDrive customers such an extra layer, branding it as their own "Personal Vault."
Fans of third-party cloud storage providers will be excited when Chrome OS 75 finally reaches the Stable Channel. The update will deliver an optional flag which enables storage services other than Drive to finally integrate into the Files app in Chrome OS via Android apps — though not all third-party storage solutions are compatible.
After years of rumors and speculation, Microsoft released Android versions of its primary Office applications back in 2015. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for Android have undergone many changes since then, like the addition of phone support and closer feature parity to the desktop and web apps.
Given that fingerprint sensors have been on almost every non-budget phone for several years now, it's no surprise that a vast majority of secure apps offer fingerprint authentication. After all, who wants to type out a bunch of characters when you could just touch the back of your phone? Microsoft's OneDrive app is the latest to join the club, and we've got the APK if you need it.
Microsoft pushed out an update to its OneDrive Android app, bringing the version up to 5.7. It adds the ability to restore recently-deleted files in case you accidentally sent them to the trash. It also comes with full Oreo compatibility, which notably includes notification channels and background battery optimization support.