While Samsung has positioned the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE as an affordable offering, the $899.99 pricing may give you second thoughts. Moving on, the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features the folder-style cover display, something seen in Galaxy Z Flip5 and Flip6. The cover screen measures 3.4 inches, while the inner display measures 6.7 inches.

The phone is slim, measuring 14.9mm when folded and 6.9mm when unfolded. The Galaxy Z Flip7 FE weighs just 187 grams. It has flat frames, rounded corners, and thin bezels on the front. The Galaxy Z Flip7 FE comes in two colors: black and white.

At the front, it is equipped with a primary 50MP 2x optical zoom camera boosted by Samsung's ProVisual Engine for clearer and sharper selfies. There is a 12MP ultrawide camera as well, along with a 10MP camera on the inner display with all the Galaxy AI trickery as its elder sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip7.

Along with the Dual-View camera feature, the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE also comes with the Now Bar right on the cover screen. The phone is powered by the Exynos 2400 processor, and has a 4,000 mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features 8GB RAM and comes in 128GB and 256GB storage options. It runs Android 16, One UI 8 out of the box. It is available for pre-order on Samsung's official website and is expected to hit the stores by July 25, 2025.

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One of the highlights of the Flip7 is the new edge-to-edge cover display called FlexWindow. It is a 4.1-inch Super AMOLED display (1048 x 948) with 120Hz refresh rate, 2,600 nits peak brightness, and Vision Booster to improve outdoor visibility. The device's primary display, which is 6.9-inch 2520 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED 2X, also features the same 2,600 peak brightness and 120Hz adaptive refesh rate.

The clock displayed on FlexWindow can adapt and stretch to according to the user's wallpaper and keep the time display clear. Gemini Live is directly accessible through FlexWindow, allowing users to pull up details from Samsung Wallet, set reminders, and do other things hands-free.

Galaxy Z Flip7 is the thinnest of all Flip series smartphones Samsung has released until now, the company said in a press release. It measures 13.7mm when folded and weighs 188 grams. The Armor FlexHinge on the device is thinner than previous generations with a restructured design and high-strength materials for smoother folds and long-lasting durability.

Under the hood, Flip7 is powered by the Exynos 2500, which is based on 3nm process technology. It's combined with 12GB RAM and 256/512GB storage options. The device can deliver up to 31 hours of video play time on a single charge with its 4,300mAh battery.

It can be fueled up from zero to 50% capacity in about 30 minutes using a 25W adapter, and also supports Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 as well as Wireless Powershare. In the camera department, the Galaxy Z Flip7 features a dual camera setup on the rear: a 50MP Wide-angle Camera, and a 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera. For the front camera, the device comes with a 10MP shooter for selfies when in unfolded state.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 runs One UI 8 which is based on the Android 16 update. It supports Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, 5G, and comes with IP48 water resistence to handle submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. However, Samsung advises not using the device at beaches or pools.

Samsung is also bringing Dex to the Flip series for the first time. The desktop mode allows users to connect their smartphone to a compatible monitor or TV screen and get a PC-like experience for improved multitasking.

With a starting price tag of $1,099.99, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is now available for pre-order in the US, and will be up for sale on July 25. The device is available in Blue Shadow, Jet Black, Coral Red, and a Samsung.com-exlusive Mint color option. Samsung is currently offering a platter of perks and discounts, including a free storage upgrade to 512GB version and six months of Google AI Pro subscription.

Apart from that, Samsung has also announced the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE version of its foldable smartphone this year. Avalable in Black and White color options, the device features a 6.7-inch FHD+ display, 3.4-inch Super AMOLED Cover Screen, Exynos 2400, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, and 4,000 mAh battery capacity. It's available for pre-order with a starting price tag of $899.99.

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According to Samsung, the Galaxy Watch8 Series is the "thinnest, most comfortable Galaxy Watch ever." The new smartwatches bring better battery life, Wear OS 6, and smarter health features. The Galaxy Watch8 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, whereas the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is available in a 46mm size.

Speaking of specs, the Galaxy Watch8's display is protected by sapphire crystal glass and is made up of armor aluminum. The standard Watch8 is notably 11% thinner compared to its predecessor. The peak brightness on both the watches jumps from 2,000 nits to 3,000 nits, making it bright and visible in extreme sunlight.

The Galaxy Watch8 comes in graphite and silver colors. The 44mm variant features a 1.47-inch Super AMOLED 480x480 display, whereas the 40mm model features a 1.34-inch Super AMOLED 438x438 resolution display. Under the hood, both the Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic are powered by the Exynos W1000 processor.

The Galaxy Watch8 comes with a 2GB+32GB configuration, while the Galaxy Watch8 Classic comes with a 2GB+64GB configuration. The 40mm model features a 325 mAh battery, and the 44mm variant features a 435 mAh battery.

The most important thing about the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the rotating bezel that is making a comeback. It also features the Quick button, previously reserved for the Watch Ultra. The Galaxy Watch8 Classic will be available in white and black.

The Galaxy Watch8 Series packs a ton of health-centric sensors, including the Samsung BioActive sensor, temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, and light sensor. The Watch8 Classic comes with an extra 3D Hall sensor.

Using these sensors, the new smartwatches can offer Bedtime Guidance, suggesting optimal timing for sleep. Vascular Load monitors the stress levels during sleep. Then there is the Antioxidant Index that, for the first time, lets you measure carotenoid levels in five seconds, straight from your smartwatch.

Other features, such as Mindfulness Tracker, High Stress Alert, Energy Score, and Running Coach, also make up the health suite on these smartwatches. On the software side, both watches come with Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch on top, which brings a fresh UI and the support of Gemini AI for smart voice assistance.

The Galaxy Watch8 40mm costs $349.99, and the 44mm costs $379.99, while the Galaxy Watch8 Classic costs $499.99.

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Size and weight are a big upgrade area for Samsung's main foldable device this year. The Galaxy Z Fold7 is now significantly thinner, at just 8.9 mm when folded and 4.2 mm when unfolded. It is also lighter, only 215 grams, which is less than the non-foldable Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung reworked the internals of the phone with an improved hinge, which is now thinner, lighter, and more durable.

Samsung also increased the size of the cover display to 6.5 inches with a new 21:9 aspect ratio. The main display is 11% larger than the one in the Galaxy Z Fold6, and its brightness can reach a staggering 2,600 nits peak with Vision Booster under direct sunlight. The inner display is also stronger, thanks to a titanium plate layer and thicker ultra-thin glass.

The camera system has received a 200MP wide-angle camera for more details, a wider front-facing camera on the main display and a reworked ProVisual Engine for faster image processing.

The Galaxy Z Fold7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which delivers performance improvements of 41% in NPU, 38% in CPU, and 26% in GPU. Out of the box, the smartphone runs One UI 8 based on Android 16. It now has up to 16GB of RAM (12GB in the base configuration), 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB internal storage, and a 4,400 mAh dual battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is now available for preorder in four colors: Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack, and Mint (only available online), with a starting price of $1,999. Buyers will also get six months of free access to Google AI Pro, which includes access to Google's latest AI efforts (Gemini 2.5 Pro and Veo 3) and 2TB of cloud storage. The smartphone will be generally available on July 25, 2025.

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Key highlights include the introduction of a system-level architecture named Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP), upgrades to Knox Matrix, and the addition of quantum resistance to WiFi connectivity.

Keeping AI data secure

With AI tools taking an increasing role in day-to-day smartphone use, protecting user inputs has become more crucial.

To address this, Samsung is introducing KEEP, a system built to support the company's Personal Data Engine (PDE) and other AI features like ‘Now Brief’ (personalized daily updates), ‘Smart Suggestions,’ ‘Moments’ (photo memories), and ‘Smart Gallery Search’ (natural language photo retrieval).

KEEP is different from the existing ‘Secure Folder’, which is just a separate secure storage space. It is an architecture that creates isolated environments for each app to store sensitive data in encrypted state and keep it protected from unauthorized access by other processes.

Knox Matrix expansion

Knox Matrix, Samsung’s multi-device platform designed to protect and manage security across all connected Galaxy devices, will also receive significant upgrades in One UI 8.

First, when the system detects manipulation or identity forgery, Knox Matrix will automatically sign out of the Samsung Account, cutting off the attacker’s channel to access cloud-connected services, data, and pivot to other devices.

If such an event occurs, the user receives an alert across all their connected Galaxy devices.

Another important addition to Knox Matrix concerns the delivery of warnings to users when they have yet to apply the latest security updates on their devices.

Quantum WiFi

The release of One UI 8 also brings upgrades to Samsung’s ‘Secure WiFi,’ which will use the NIST-certified ML‑KEM scheme to offer post-quantum cryptographic resistance.

This strengthens the key-exchange process and protects encrypted connections from future quantum-based threats such as “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, which could expose sensitive user data in the future.

Secure WiFi also offers automatic strengthening when connecting to public hotspots, multi-point routing and packet encryption for anonymization, and security-related logging.

One UI 8 is expected to be released alongside Samsung’s upcoming launch of the widely anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 devices, but the update is also expected to reach older Galaxy models soon.

Users who want to take advantage of the new protections should upgrade to the new release and review their data privacy and security settings accordingly.

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This feature was previously noticed by WABetaInfo as being under development, but now it’s making its way to more users via the stable channel. Right now, WhatsApp comes with a decent selection of wallpapers and lets you choose from your gallery, but being able to create your own with Meta AI will give you endless choices.

To set an AI wallpaper when you have the feature, you’ll either go to the chat theme settings inside WhatsApp’s settings or access those settings for individual chats within the chats themselves. From there, you’ll see an option to “Create with AI”. From there, just type in a simple or imaginative text prompt and you’ll be shown various wallpapers based on your suggestion, then just preview and select your chosen wallpaper.

Just like every big tech company, Meta is trying its hardest to make you use Meta AI wherever you turn. You can already chat with it across its social media apps, and now it wants you to use the image creation capabilities to generate wallpapers.

Interestingly, this application of AI may be less offensive to people who don’t really like AI and the data collection policies that go along with it. Having it generate a wallpaper is a one-time event and it's just a very brief interaction with the AI, rather than a detailed conversation for Meta to suck up and train on. If you’re excited for this, be on the lookout in the coming weeks when Meta rolls it out to more users.

In other recent WhatsApp for iOS news, we reported yesterday that the company was working on threaded messages that will make it easier to keep track of replies in busy chats.

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Roland Quandt published a series of promo materials on his Bluesky, claiming he discovered those using public sources, which implies Samsung published those promo materials earlier than it should have. Whether intentional or not, we now have a detailed look at the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip7 FE, Galaxy Watch8, new Galaxy Watch Ultra, and even the Galaxy Watch8 Classic.

Gallery: Galaxy Z Fold7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung is making its main foldable smartphone thinner and lighter. Even though Samsung boasts "unrivalled immersive display" with bigger sizes (inside and out), it appears that the S-Pen support is going away, at least none of the published material mentions stylus support.

There is also a higher-resolution main camera and an upgraded main screen front camera, a newer processor, a new 16GB RAM option, more AI capabilities, and other upgrades.

Gallery: Galaxy Z Flip7

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Galaxy Z Flip7 is getting a big upgrade for its cover screen, now spanning from edge to edge and without big bezels. The smartphone itself is also slightly thinner when unfolded, has a larger battery (4,300 mAh), and, in a somewhat surprising move, has the Exynos 2500 processor. RAM has also been increased to 12GB, and the main camera boasts a 50MP sensor.

Gallery: Galaxy Z Flip7 FE

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is this year's budget-friendly foldable from Samsung. It has the same design as last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6, a 50MP main camera, the Exynos 2400 processor with 8GB of RAM, and a 4,000 mAh battery.

Gallery: Galaxy Watch8

 

 

 

 

 

The Galaxy Watch8 is getting an interesting design update, which now looks similar to the Galaxy Watch Ultra with its circle-in-squircle design. Like the Apple Watch Series 10 from last year, Samsung made the Watch8 significantly thinner. It also equipped the watch with a new antioxidant level sensor, which can measure your carotenoid levels and check how healthy your diet is.

Gallery: Galaxy Watch Ultra

 

 

 

 

Samsung plans to update the Galaxy Watch Ultra and bring back the Classic lineup with the Galaxy Watch8 Classic, with its iconic rotating bezels for a more intuitive scrolling.

Gallery: Galaxy Watch8 Classic

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interestingly, none of the materials above feature the rumored tri-fold smartphone from Samsung, which was leaked a few days ago. Perhaps, Samsung is keeping this one under tighter locks.

The Samsung Unpacked event kicks off on July 9, 2025, at 10 AM ET / 7 AM PT. You can watch it on the official Samsung website.

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With two days until the official launch, more details have leaked about the trio of foldable phones that Samsung is about to reveal. The latest leak details the screens, storage, batteries, and other core specs of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and the new Z Flip 7 FE.

The new information comes from WinFuture’s Roland Quandt, who claims to have obtained official Samsung promotional materials for the new phones, which will be officially revealed at a Galaxy Unpacked event this Wednesday, July 9th.

The Fold 7 is expected to be substantially thinner than its predecessors, and Quandt quoted marketing materials that say it will measure 4.2mm thick when unfolded and 8.9mm folded. That would make it the same thickness as the Oppo Find N5 and just 0.1mm thicker than Honor’s Magic V5. But at 216 grams, it would actually be the lightest book-style foldable phone yet.

It cuts the weight despite having bigger screens than the Fold 6 — 6.5 inches on the outside and 8 inches on the inside — and squeezing in the exact same battery capacity of 4,400mAh. As expected, it’ll be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, with either 256GB or 512GB of storage. This may vary by market, however, as Quandt previously reported on a 1TB version of the Fold 7, in line with what it offers for the current Fold 6. The only camera detail listed is a resolution of 200 megapixels, presumably for the main camera, and it will apparently launch in blue, black, and silver.

The smaller Flip 7 is just as interesting. Quandt claimed that it will have a substantially larger 4.1-inch cover screen, sharing an image that shows this will wrap right around the two camera lenses, just like on Motorola’s recent Razr flip phones. That design appeared over the weekend in an alleged hands-on video of the new Z Flip, and has been seen in renders since March.

The Flip 7 is also tipped to be substantially thinner than older models despite its bigger 4,300mAh battery, only a little smaller than the Fold 7’s. Storage options and colors are the same as the bigger phone, too, though the Flip sticks to a 50-megapixel main camera.

Image: Roland Quandt

Quandt also has a few details on the long-rumored Flip 7 FE, which is expected to be a cheaper take on the flip phone. It drops to 128GB and 256GB storage, along with a smaller 4,000mAh battery. It has the same screen sizes as the main Flip 7, suggesting that it will also use the wrap-around cover display design, though that contradicts earlier reports that it will reuse the Flip 6’s design. It’s apparently only launching in black and white versions.

Alongside leaks of the new phones, Quandt shared what appear to be official marketing images of the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic, which have apparently adopted the squircle body design that Samsung introduced in the Galaxy Watch Ultra. His latest leaks don’t mention the rumored Samsung trifold, which the company may tease this week but is unlikely to reveal in full.

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Sometimes it's because the app breaks one of Google's rules. Other times, the developer simply chooses not to upload it, maybe to avoid the Play Store's fees, or to keep the app open-source and free from restrictions.

So without further ado, here's my list of the top 5 Android apps I use every day that you won't find on the Play Store.

1. Metrolist

As you can probably tell from the icon above, this one is a music player, although a more accurate description would be an alternate YouTube Music frontend. It's called Metrolist, and it does pretty much everything you'd expect from a premium streaming app without the ads or extra fluff.

You can log in with your YouTube Music account to keep your playlists, library, and more in sync. There's also Discord Rich Presence support through KizzyRPC, so your friends can see what you're listening to, including the song and artist.

Since it uses InnerTube under the hood, the same internal API that powers the official YouTube Music app, you still get access to all the curated stuff like "Today's biggest hits", "All hits", your mixes, and everything else the platform usually offers. It supports background playback, offline downloads, and live lyrics that scroll in sync with the music.

The cool part is, you don't have to use an account at all. If you just want to browse and play music casually, that works too.

When it comes to search, you can look up individual tracks, artists, full albums, playlists, or even videos.

Recent versions added better Android Auto support, a more organized navigation bar, and faster loading times across the board. If you're looking for a lightweight but powerful music player that taps into YouTube Music without the annoying parts, Metrolist is one of the best options out there. You can grab the APK file here.

2. Chance

While I'm not a regular 4chan user, I do sometimes wander into the chaotic corners of boards like /g/, the platform's technology board. I've tried a few apps over the years, stuff like Omnichan and Clover, but most of them either looked outdated or felt clunky to use.

If you're like me, just looking for a decent mobile client to scroll through 4chan shitposts without feeling like you're using an app from 2012, Chance might be the one for you. It looks good, feels modern, and comes packed with features like media gallery view, swipe navigation, thread notifications, and more.

Although it's first and foremost a 4chan client, you can add other imageboards too. I don't really mess with that part, but it's nice to know it's there if you're into that. It also has a built-in CAPTCHA solver, which makes posting less annoying, and archive support so you can dig through deleted threads. Follow this link to download it for your device.

3. Revanced Manager

Revanced Manager is a handy app that lets you patch popular apps like YouTube to add extra features or remove annoying stuff. I use it to remove ads on the YouTube app, hide Shorts, bring back YouTube dislikes, add SponsorBlock to skip sponsors automatically, enable swipe gestures, and a bunch more.

It scans your phone for supported apps you already have installed and suggests patches that you can apply easily. This way, you don't have to hunt down APKs. You can also save your patched app for the future, so if you ever switch devices or reset your phone, you won't have to redo the whole process from scratch.

If this all sounds good, you can grab the APK file from the project's GitHub page.

4. YTDLnis

YTDLnis (yes, the name's a bit odd) is a media downloader for Android that wraps around yt-dlp, so it inherits all of yt-dlp's power while giving you a clean, touch-friendly interface. It's super straightforward to use. Just paste a YouTube link into the search bar at the top and you're good to go.

Because it's based on yt-dlp, it supports a massive number of sites, including YouTube, TikTok, Vimeo, SoundCloud, and more. Got a video with annoying sponsor segments? YTDLnis has SponsorBlock built in, so you can automatically cut those parts out during download. Want audio only? It handles that too. It even lets you embed subtitles, metadata, or split content by chapters. Check out the full list of supported websites here.

One of my favorite things about YTDLnis is how well it integrates with the YouTube app itself. Instead of copying the link, switching apps, and pasting manually, I can just hit a button while in YouTube and it handles the rest, like this:

To do this, you'll need a modified version of the YouTube app, which is where ReVanced Manager comes in. After installing the patched YouTube app, open it and navigate to Settings > ReVanced > Player > External downloads.

Enable Show external download button. Then, tap Downloader package name and enter com.deniscerri.ytdl.

Once that's done, restart the app. You should now see a download button in the video player that lets you send videos directly to YTDLnis.

If you're using the regular YouTube app, you can still use the Share option. It adds a few taps, but it works just as well. You can check out the releases here, and grab the most recent stable build.

5. Sync for Reddit

Back in the old days, when Reddit allowed third-party clients, Sync was my go-to. In my opinion, it was by far the best-looking Reddit client for Android, well designed and felt native to the platform. Much like how Apollo was the go-to third-party client for Reddit on iOS.

Ever since Reddit killed third-party clients, my usage of the platform, at least on mobile, has dropped significantly because I genuinely can't stand the official Reddit app.

Sync used to be available on the Play Store, but it was taken down during the great third party client purge. You can still get the last release APK from APKMirror, and when you install and open it, you'll see the following shutdown message:

Dear Sync users,

 

Unfortunately this will be the last update. Due to API changes Sync for Reddit will shutdown on June 30, 2023 and will no longer function.
But this isn't goodbye forever! I'm currently working on Sync for Lemmy to bring the same Sync look and feature set to Lemmy. I hope you will join us in this exciting new chapter.

 

It's been an honour and a privilege. Thank you all

 

Lj

No worries, it turns out there's still a way to "revive" the app. For this, you'd need Revanced Manager and the Sync for Reddit APK file. Now follow these steps to breath life into Sync.

1. Open your browser and go to https://old.reddit.com/prefs/apps.
2. Click the "Are you a developer? Create an app..." button.

   

3. Name it however you like and select Installed app as the type. For Redirect URI, use http://redditsync/auth (Sync for Reddit's required URI). Complete the CAPTCHA and click Create app.

   

4. After doing, that, you should see a section above the Create Application form, that contains details about your newly created app. Copy the client secret below the app name.

   

5. Now, make sure you've grabbed the latest Sync for Reddit APK from a trusted source (like APKMirror). Don't install it yet.
6. Open Revanced Manager and go to the Patcher tab.
7. Tap Select an app, then choose Storage and pick your downloaded Sync APK.
8. Now tap Selected patches, and make sure to check Spoof client
9. Tap the gear icon beside the Spoof client option, paste the client secret you copied earlier, and click Save.

   

10. Tap Done, then Patch. It will apply the patches, and when it's done, you install the patched APK. That's it. Sync is back!

    

If you'd rather not repeat this process on every Android device, you can save the patched app and reinstall it whenever you need to.

Do note that this method is not officially supported by the Sync developer. So, if you encounter any issues, your best bet is to check the Revanced and Reddit communities for help or troubleshooting tips.

That wraps up my list. Are there other apps you use every day that aren't available on the Play Store? Share them in the comments.

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If you're still using a pair of Surface Earbuds in 2025, five long years after they first debuted, you might want to make sure they're fully charged all of the time. I own three pairs of Surface Earbuds, all of which haven't been used in over a year, and none of them work anymore.

In their deep sleep, all three sets have forgotten how to be headphones. Two of them will no longer take a charge, meaning the earbuds won't receive power and the case can't handle pairing and syncing the earbuds to a device. One of my sets does still take a charge, but for whatever reason the left earbud no longer works.

Taking a quick look online, it seems I'm not the only one facing these issues. There are countless reports from people online complaining about their Surface Earbuds no longer showing signs of life, or showing a red blinking LED light which appears to translate to an error with charging.

If you've been daily driving your Surface Earbuds and exercising their batteries, yours will likely still work fine. But if you've had yours sat in a drawer for a handful of months or years, there's a high chance your earbuds will never wake from their sleep again. If you haven't used yours in a while, go and power them up to see if yours are okay.

I haven't used my Surface Earbuds in over a year because I moved on to better earbuds, but I recently had my Galaxy Buds Pro 3 stolen and needed a set of headphones in the interim. I thought the two pairs of $200 earbuds I bought a handful of years ago would suffice, but apparently not.

To complete my investigation, I went out and bought a brand-new, third set of Surface Earbuds on eBay for $70 to see if these devices really were killing themselves in their deep sleep. I unwrapped the product and plugged it in, and unfortunately the case also failed to take a charge, which confirms that if you leave these depleted for a long period of time, they'll eventually never wake up.

Let's be honest, battery life has long been a weak point for iPhones. No matter how efficient Apple's A-series chipsets are said to be, users often find their devices running out of juice quicker than expected. Much of the blame could be put on the relatively small battery sizes Apple has chosen over the years, especially when compared to the competition.

Many rival brands now give their large-screen devices, those with displays bigger than 6.5 inches, batteries of at least 5000mAh. In contrast, Apple's largest iPhones have lagged behind in this department, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max coming in at 4676mAh.

It seems like it is set to change with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, as a prominent leaker, Instant Digital, revealed that the battery of the iPhone 17 Pro Max will finally reach the 5000mAh mark. How big a change would it be? To put it in perspective, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's battery would be about 6.9% bigger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, 13.1% more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and 15.7% more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

If these rumors are accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may finally address one of the most common complaints about Apple's flagship devices, but then again, Apple would still be lagging as most of the brands, specially the Chinese ones have already moved to the battery limits of 6000mAh and some have even touched 7000mAh.

This rumor comes after the observation that Apple's struggles with AI may prompt it to transition Siri to either OpenAI or Anthropic's AI capabilities.

Image source: Digit.in

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Earlier this year, Intel announced that it was shutting down its excellent Unison app for Windows, which let users sync their smartphone with their PC to share files and data between devices seamlessly. The app was very similar to Microsoft's Phone Link, except it only worked on certain PCs powered by Intel.

Intel Unison was great as in many cases, it was more reliable than Windows Phone Link. It let you view your photos, transfer files, view notifications, and control your smartphone directly from your PC. It also did things Phone Link can't do, including letting you use your phone or tablet as an extended monitor for your Windows device.

Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, Intel announced that it would be shutting down Unison earlier this year. As of today, the app is no longer functional, instead displaying a message titled "All good things come to an end" and saying "It was a great run, but Intel Unison is now discontinued. Please consider other multi-device experiences."

Curiously, the Intel Unison website says Lenovo Aura PCs will retain service, which likely means the app still works if your device is built by Lenovo and came with Intel Unison pre-installed. It's unclear why Lenovo device retain access, but other devices do not.

For users who decide to keep this feature enabled, it will mean that Gemini can perform tasks like sending messages or making calls using these apps. The associated help page seems to be already live, and it outlines how to use the feature, plus what Gemini cannot do with WhatsApp if you have the two connected.

Google says Gemini won’t be able to read or summarize your WhatsApp messages; add or read images, GIFs, or memes in your messages; add or play audio or videos in your messages; or read or respond to WhatsApp notifications. A bit worryingly, Google follows up right after saying, “The Gemini mobile app may support some of these actions with help from Google Assistant or the Utilities app, even with WhatsApp disabled in Gemini.”

According to Tuta, you can limit Gemini’s access on your device by going to the Gemini app > Profile > Apps > Toggle off individual app extensions. You can also switch off Gemini Apps Activity by going to Gemini > Profile > Gemini Apps Activity > Turn off, but this may not be enough to prevent access to your WhatsApp after the update.

Even with Gemini App Activity switched off, Google may store your activity for 72 hours for security, safety, and user feedback.

This update by Google reflects a larger trend among big tech companies quietly changing their terms and opting users into new features automatically. Most recently, Meta rolled out its Meta AI in WhatsApp without a way to switch it off.

When Google does roll out the feature to Gemini, most people probably won’t realize the change occurred unless Google throws a big message up in Gemini. Even if Google does do that, disabling access to WhatsApp seems a bit confusing.

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Microsoft said that it shared previous guidance which explained how to exclude Android devices, but it seems some admins didn’t catch this as many devices were not excluded and have been signed out. It’s important to realize that this is not a bug, it’s a security feature. However, the move could have been better communicated.

To sign the devices back in, you can do so manually. However, if the devices are remote you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Login to the Entra ID portal (https://www.entra.microsoft.com), navigate to your conditional access policies and edit the Microsoft-managed Conditional Access policy called "Block device code flow", change the state from "On" to "Report-Only" or "Off". Once you've modified this policy, it will not activate again in your tenant.
2. Once the policy has been modified, reboot your Teams Android devices to force them to sign-in (you may need to reboot up to 3 times)
3. If rebooting the device fails, attempt to manually sign the device back in using valid Teams resource account credentials. If that also fails, you will need to factory reset the device to clear the invalid authentication state.
4. After restoring functionality, please ensure your devices are running the latest Teams application:

• Teams Rooms on Android (both the compute and the console): 1449/1.0.96.2025205603
• Teams Panel: 1449/1.0.97.2025086303
• Teams Phone: 1449/1.0.94.2025165302
• Teams Display: 1449/1.0.95.2024062804

By disabling the “Block device code flow” policy in step 1, it will change everything back to how it was before Microsoft decided to enable it to boost security. This will allow you to get those affected Android devices logged back in again. Also pay special attention to step 2 which says you might need to reboot your device three times.

Once you have your Android devices logged in again, it’s probably a good idea to follow Microsoft’s previous guidance and add these to an exclusion list before re-enabling the “Block device code flow” policy.

Microsoft recommends only allowing DCF where it’s absolutely necessary and then blocking it elsewhere. The best thing to do is to add your Teams Android device to the exclusion list - this will allow these devices to operate normally, while boosting overall security. If you’re an admin and have been impacted by this, be sure to take proactive measures to avoid disruptions in the future.

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Apple is reportedly developing a cheap MacBook that will be powered by an iPhone chip and is expected to debut sometime next year. If true, Apple may be about to introduce the most value for money laptop in the world, one that Windows laptops just won't be able to compete with.

Apple Silicon has been incredible for Apple and the Mac. Since 2020, Apple has single-handedly forced the rest of the PC industry to up their game when it comes to chip design. Even today, Apple is often one step ahead of the competition when it comes to silicon performance and efficiency.

Windows has been lucky so far, as Apple hasn't ever offered a laptop in the price bracket where most Windows users shop.

A lot of Windows laptops are midrange devices, costing anywhere between $600 and $800 for the most part. Anything more expensive, and those laptops start competing head-to-head with the MacBook Air.

Because of this, we haven't really seen any innovation in the midrange PC space in some time. Midrange Windows PCs are notorious for their plastic exteriors, lackluster displays, lower-than-ideal performance or efficiency, and overall less appealing form factor.

They're tools for people to get work done, and nobody pretends they're anything else.

Some of the categories that Opera gave examples of include recipes, shopping and gaming - so when you ask about things to do with these categories, and more, you will get enhanced answers. For example, instead of one recipe, you might get three different recipes, or various game suggestions and also hyperlinks to specific things you’re looking for.

For those who haven’t tried Aria AI yet, it’s baked directly into the browser for quick access. It can also summarize articles or act as a general assistant to help you find information or ask questions.

Aside from improvements to Aria AI, Opera for Android 90 introduces a new feature that allows users to add emoji to their bookmark folders. It has made this move to give users more personalization options and to make the organization more intuitive and visually appealing. It’s a pretty clever move because mobile devices have less screen space to fit full bookmark folder names, so having an emoji allows you to identify folders more easily.

To use the new feature, press on your profile icon, go to Bookmarks, then go to New folder/edit existing folder and set an emoji. To be clear, the emoji for the folder will be visible alongside the folder name, rather than as a replacement.

Finally, Opera VPN Pro has been upgraded with this release. It includes expanded server infrastructure to 48 locations (15 new countries) for more options and better performance. Opera has also integrated the Lightway protocol into its VPN for more efficiency, speed, and post-quantum protection. Opera VPN Pro is a premium feature that you have to pay for, but you can get a 7-day free trial.

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Laptop Mag is shutting down after nearly 35 years of providing consumers with in-depth information about laptops and other technology. In a staff meeting seen by The Verge, Faisal Alani, the global brand director at Laptop Mag owner Future PLC, said, “After careful consideration and a review of our long-term strategy, we’ve made the decision to close the Laptop Mag business effective today.”

Laptop Mag has evolved many times over the years. It started as a print publication in 1991, when Bedford Communications launched the Laptop Buyers Guide and Handbook. Laptop Mag was later acquired by TechMedia Network (which is now called Purch) in 2011 and transitioned to digital-only content in 2013. Future PLC, the publisher that owns brands like PC Gamer, Tom’s Guide, and TechRadar, acquired Purch — and Laptop Mag along with it.

“We are incredibly grateful for your dedication, talent, and contributions to Laptop Mag, and we are committed to supporting you throughout this transition,” Alani said. Laptop Mag’s shutdown follows the closure of long-running tech site AnandTech, which was also owned by Future PLC. It’s not clear whether Laptop Mag’s archives will be available following the shutdown. Future PLC declined to comment.

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Here's how it works. When you open an email, you will see a new toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

This bar holds several actions you can take, like Reply, Delete, and so on. Any commands that cannot fit are tucked away behind a "More options" button. To change the layout, you just tap that button. From there, you can tap More options (...) > Reorder, as shown in the following screenshot:

Then, from there, you just drag and drop the actions you want onto the main bar. Once you set it, the layout stays the same across all your accounts.

Now, it is not without its quirks. There are a couple of known issues, like the fact that your layout might change depending on your screen size or if you flip your phone horizontally. If your custom actions do not fit, they will get bumped to the overflow menu automatically. You will also see more grayed-out, disabled buttons than before. Microsoft says this is intentional so actions do not disappear from view entirely.

This update is currently rolling out to anyone running at least Build 4.2522.0 on Android or Build 4.2522 on iOS.

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Google recently released Android 16, which brings a smattering of new features for Pixel phones, with promises of additional updates down the road. The numbering scheme has not been consistent over the years, and as a result, Android 16 is actually the 36th major release in a lineage that stretches back nearly two decades. In 2008, we didn't fully understand how smartphones would work, so there was a lot of trial and error. In 2025, the formula has been explored every which way. Today's smartphones run mature software, and that means less innovation in each yearly release. That trend is exemplified and amplified by Google's approach to Android 16.

The latest release is perhaps the most humdrum version of the platform yet, but don't weep for Google. The company has been working toward this goal for years: a world where the average phone buyer doesn't need to worry about Android version numbers.

A little fun up front

When you install Android 16 on one of Google's Pixel phones, you may need to check the settings to convince yourself that the update succeeded. Visually, the changes are so minuscule that you'll only notice them if you're obsessive about how Android works. For example, Google changed the style of icons in the overview screen and added a few more options to the overview app menus. There are a lot of these minor style tweaks; we expect more when Google releases Material 3 Expressive, but that's still some way off.

There are some thoughtful UI changes, but again, they're very minor and you may not even notice them at first. For instance, Google's predictive back gesture, which allows the previous screen to peek out from behind the currently displayed one, now works with button navigation.

Apps targeting the new API (level 36) will now default to using edge-to-edge rendering, which removes the navigation background to make apps more immersive. Android apps have long neglected larger form factors because Google itself was neglecting those devices. Since the Android 12L release a few years ago, Google has been attempting to right that wrong. Foldable phones have suffered from many of the same issues with app scaling that tablets have, but all big-screen Android devices will soon benefit from adaptive apps. Previously, apps could completely ignore the existence of large screens and render a phone-shaped UI on a large screen.

Advanced Protection is a great addition to Android, even if it's not the most riveting.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

In Android 16, apps will automatically adapt to larger screens, saving you from having to tinker with the forced aspect ratio tools built into Google and Samsung devices. Don't confuse this with tablet-style interfaces, though. Just because an app fills the screen, it's no guarantee that it will look good. Most of the apps we've run on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are still using stretched phone interfaces that waste space. Developers need to make adjustments to properly take advantage of larger screens. Will they? That's yet another aspect of Android 16 that we hope will come later.

Security has been a focus in many recent Android updates. While not the most sexy improvement, the addition of Advanced Protection in Android 16 could keep many people from getting hit with malware, and it makes it harder for government entities to capture your data. This feature blocks insecure 2G connections, websites lacking HTTPS, and exploits over USB. It disables sideloading of apps, too, which might make some users wary. However, if you know someone who isn't tech savvy, you should encourage them to enable Advanced Protection when (and if) they get access to Android 16. This is a great feature that Google should have added years ago.

The changes to notifications will probably make the biggest impact on your daily life. Whether you're using Android or iOS, notification spam is getting out of hand. Every app seems to want our attention, and notifications can really pile up. Android 16 introduces a solid quality-of-life improvement by bundling notifications from each app. While notification bundles were an option before, they were primarily used for messaging, and not all developers bothered. Now, the notification shade is less overwhelming, and it's easy to expand each block to triage individual items.

Android 16's progress notifications are partially implemented in the first release.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Google has also added a new category of notifications that can show progress, similar to a feature on the iPhone. The full notification will include a live updating bar that can tell you exactly when your Uber will show up, for example. These notifications will come first to delivery and rideshare apps, but none of them are working yet. You can get a preview of how these notifications will work with the Android 16 easter egg, which sends a little spaceship rocketing toward a distant planet.

The progress notifications will also have a large status bar chip with basic information visible at all times. Tapping on it will expand the full notification. However, this is also not implemented in the first release of Android 16. Yes, this is a recurring theme with Google's new OS.

More fun still to come

You may notice that none of the things we've discussed in Android 16 are exactly riveting—better security features and cleaner notifications are nice to have, but this is hardly a groundbreaking update. It might have been more exciting were it not for the revamped release schedule, though. This Android 16 release isn't even the Android 16. There will be a second Android 16 update later in the year, and some of the most interesting features aren't arriving as part of either one.

Traditionally, Google has released new versions of Android in the fall, around the time new Pixel phones arrive. Android 15, for example, began its rollout in October 2024. Just eight months later, we're on to Android 16. This is the first cycle in which Google will split its new version into two updates. Going forward, the bigger update will arrive in Q2, and the smaller one, which includes API and feature tweaks, will come at the end of the year.

Google has said the stylish but divisive Material 3 Expressive UI and the desktop windowing feature will come later. They're currently in testing with the latest beta for Android 16 QPR1, which will become a Pixel Drop in September. It's easy to imagine that with a single fall Android 16 release, both of these changes would have been included.

In the coming months, we expect to see some Google apps updated with support for Material 3, but the changes will be minimal unless you're using a phone that runs Google's Android theme. For all intents and purposes, that means a Pixel. Motorola has traditionally hewed closely to Google's interface, while Samsung, OnePlus, and others forged their own paths. But even Moto has been diverging more as it focuses on AI. It's possible that Google's big UI shakeup will only affect Pixel users.

As for desktop windowing, that may have limited impact, too. On-device windowing will only be supported on tablets—even tablet-style foldables will be left out. We've asked Google to explain this decision and will report back if we get more details. Non-tablet devices will be able to project a desktop-style interface on an external display via USB video-out, but the feature won't be available universally. Google tells Ars that it's up to OEMs to support this feature. So even a phone that has video-out over USB may not have desktop windowing. Again, Pixels may be the best (or only) way to get Android's new desktop mode.

The end of version numbers

There really isn't much more to say about Android 16 as it currently exists. This update isn't flashy, but it lays important groundwork for the future. The addition of Material 3 Expressive will add some of the gravitas we expect from major version bumps, but it's important to remember that this is just Google's take on Android—other companies have their own software interests, mostly revolving around AI. We'll have to wait to see what Samsung, OnePlus, and others do with the first Android 16 release. The underlying software has been released in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), but it will be a few months before other OEMs have updates.

In some ways, boring updates are exactly what Google has long wanted from Android. Consider the era when Android updates were undeniably exciting—a time when the addition of screenshots could be a headlining feature (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) or when Google finally figured out how to keep runaway apps from killing your battery (Android 6.0 Marshmallow). But there was a problem with these big tentpole updates: Not everyone got them, and they were salty about it.

During the era of rapid software improvement, it took the better part of a year (or longer!) for a company like Samsung or LG to deploy new Android updates. Google would announce a laundry list of cool features, but only the tiny sliver of people using Nexus (and later Pixel) phones would see them. By the time a Samsung Galaxy user had the new version, it was time for Google to release another yearly update.

This "fragmentation" issue was a huge headache for Google, leading it to implement numerous platform changes over the years to take the pressure off its partners and app developers. There were simple tweaks like adding important apps, including Maps and the keyboard (later Gboard), to the Play Store so they could be updated regularly. On the technical side, initiatives like Project Mainline made the platform more modular so features could be added and improved outside of major updates. Google has also meticulously moved features into Play Services, which can deliver system-level changes without an over-the-air update (although there are drawbacks to that).

Android version numbers hardly matter anymore—it's just Android.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The overarching story of Android has been a retreat from monolithic updates, and that means there's less to get excited about when a new version appears. Rather than releasing a big update rife with changes, Google has shown a preference for rolling out features via the Play Store and Play Services to the entire Android ecosystem. Experiences like Play Protect anti-malware, Google Play Games, Google Cast, Find My Device, COVID-19 exposure alerts, Quick Share, and myriad more were released to almost all Google-certified Android devices without system updates.

As more features arrive in dribs and drabs via Play Services and Pixel Drops, the numbered version changes are less important. People used to complain about missing out on the tentpole updates, but it's quieter when big features are decoupled from version numbers. And that's where we are—Android 15 or Android 16—the number is no longer important. You won't notice a real difference, but the upshot is that most phones get new features faster than they once did. That was the cost to fix fragmentation.

Boring updates aren't just a function of rearranging features. Even if all the promised upgrades were here now, Android 16 would still barely move the needle. Phones are now mature products with established usage paradigms. It's been almost 20 years since the age of touchscreen smartphones began, and we've figured out how these things should work. It's not just Android updates settling into prosaic predictability—Apple is running low on paradigm shifts, too. The release of iOS 26 will add some minor improvements to a few apps, and the theme is getting more transparent with the controversial "Liquid Glass" UI. And that's it.

Until there's a marked change in form factors or capability, these flat glass slabs will look and work more or less as they do now (with a lot more AI slop, whether you like it or not). If you have a recent non-Pixel Android device, you'll probably get Android 16 in the coming months, but it won't change the way you use your phone.

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According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, customers should not expect Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone to be a "major twist." As Gurman explains, Apple doesn't want to push the envelope with its first foldable and intends to follow in the footsteps of other companies.

This means Apple will simply place a standard screen on the outside of the device, and users will need to fold it open to reveal the second screen. When the device is fully unfolded, it should resemble a small tablet.

Gurman says Apple is currently focused on launching a conventional foldable phone and has no plan for a flip model. Meanwhile, the main advantage of the foldable iPhone could be the "strength and reliability of the hinge, plus the lack of a crease in the inner display." Reports suggest that Apple aims to have an almost invisible crease in its upcoming foldable.

"Otherwise, it will just be an iOS variant of the kind of device Samsung has been pushing for years," Gurman added.

Korean sources have recently reported that Apple has ordered 5 million displays from Samsung for its upcoming foldable. It remains to be seen how customers would welcome the device, but Apple's foray into the foldable segment could force Samsung and Google to raise the bar for their following foldable devices.

Moreover, a recent leak by a Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that the device would have a 7.58-inch inner display and a dual 48MP rear camera. Additionally, the tipster notes that the body and hinges are made of titanium and durable composite materials, respectively.

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Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes in his weekly Power On newsletter that Apple didn’t announce two iOS 26 features at the WWDC event. The first feature is a live translation of conversations via AirPods, and the latter is the ability to sync your wireless network login information across devices at a hotel or gym.

Even though these features were already tipped to arrive in iOS 26, Apple held them from the event, presumably because they’re still not ready to ship. Apple appears to have learned from its experience with Apple Intelligence and aims to break the habit of unveiling new features before they are ready for release.

“Apple was careful not to announce anything that wasn’t close to shipping (either in the first version of iOS 26 or an update soon after). The company didn’t want to risk repeating WWDC 2024, where it announced several features — including some tentpole technology — that were ultimately delayed by months or have yet to arrive.”

The Live Translation on iOS 26 is currently integrated with popular apps like Messages, FaceTime, and Phone to help users break language barriers and communicate in different languages. The feature is now under development for AirPods, allowing users to hear real-time speech translations.

Moreover, the WiFi syncing feature allows you to sync your sign-in information across your entire Apple ecosystem, enabling you to connect to a public WiFi network with ease. This would eliminate the need to sign into a WiFi network separately on each device.

While these features haven’t arrived in iOS 26 yet, they’re more likely to be released later this year, in October or December.

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Seeing what's going on in the current times, it's evident that LG wasn't wrong in calling the smartphone market super competitive. Apple, which owns one of the two most popular mobile platforms, is struggling to keep up with the generative AI wave.

LG sold off its remaining inventory and shifted its focus to other businesses like EV components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, AI, B2B solutions, and mobility-related technologies such as 6G.

However, the former smartphone maker didn't leave its users high and dry by turning their devices into a paperweight. It promised three iterations of Android updates for premium devices released in 2019 and later, including G series, V series, VELVET, and Wing. Meanwhile, certain 2020 models, such as the LG Stylo and K series, only got two years of updates.

LG also announced that it will pull the plug on various services powering its defunct mobile device ecosystem on June 30, 2025 at 00:00 KST (Korea Standard Time). If you live in other parts of the world, this translates to June 29 at 11:00 am ET / 8:00 am PT / 16:00 pm BST / 3:00 pm GMT.

The company will shut down LG Electronics Mobile Phone Software Upgrade (FOTA), Update Center (Application Service) after this day, and the LG Bridge PC tool will also stop working. The desktop app lets you backup your data via USB and install software updates.

In other words, if you have any pending software upgrades for your LG smartphone, today is the last day to install them. "As we will no longer provide application updates, you will not be able to download default applications deleted upon initialization," the company cautioned.

LG said that will delete the personal information collected for the services immediately after the plug is pulled on them. "However, if we are required to store personal information according to the provisions of related laws and regulations and internal company policies, we will store it for the predetermined period set forth in the related laws and regulations and internal company policies," it added.

While it may not be as big as Samsung or Apple, LG has had its share of innovations in the smartphone market. The LG G3 was the first smartphone to launch with a QHD display and include laser autofocus in 2014. The LG G Flex and G Flex 2 made rounds on the web for their curved displays and flagship specifications.

There was also the LG Wing in 2020, sporting two screens that could swivel to become perpendicular to each other. It was fitted with dual compass sensors, dual acceleration sensors, and dual gyro sensors to power a camera feature called "Gimbal Mode," providing the functionality of a gimbal.

The South Korean giant is out from the smartphone market, but there were reports that LG could pair up with Samsung to develop an AI smartphone. LG has unveiled several other head-turning products like its new UltraFine monitor with the world's first 6K display or the 3-in-1 projector that doubles up as a Bluetooth speaker and LED mood lamp.

This story was originally published on April 29, 2025.

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Apple has introduced new App Store changes in the EU in an attempt to avoid being further penalized under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). On Thursday, the company announced a new tier system for its Store Services fee that’s applied to purchases made outside apps, and it will only give developers access to the full set of App Store features if they give Apple a larger commission.

Tier 1 of the Store Services fee will provide developers with only basic App Store features for a cheaper, 5 percent commission on in-app purchases, including app reviews, privacy nutrition labels, and access to Apple Support. This tier lacks many of the features developers benefit from on the App Store today, including automatic app updates, automatic app downloads, and other tools that could help developers promote their app.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, whose lawsuit against Apple resulted in a court order preventing Apple from taking a commission on purchases made outside the App Store in the US, has already called out limitations for developers who choose the cheaper tier.

For full access to the App Store features, developers will need to use Tier 2 of the Store Services fee, which comes with a 13 percent commission. Apps on the App Store will be on Tier 2 by default, but developers can move their apps to Tier 1.

Apple is also introducing a new fee: the Core Technology Commission. With the update, Apple will take a 5 percent commission on outside purchases made in apps distributed on the App Store. However, developers who signed on to Apple’s alternate business terms will continue to pay the Core Technology Fee (CTF), a €0.50 per download fee that applies to apps for each annual install over 1 million.

The iPhone maker says that on January 1st, 2026, it’s going to move to a “single business model” for developers in the EU. That means it’s going to transition the Core Technology Fee to the 5 percent Core Technology Commission on digital goods and services sold on the App Store and alternative marketplaces.

The changes come in response to the €500 million (about $570 million) penalty the EU served Apple with on April 23rd after ruling that its App Store “anti-steering” practices — which restrict how developers can direct users to make external purchases — violated DMA rules. Apple will face interest payments on the $570 million fine if it fails to pay it by next month. The EU also issued preliminary findings for a separate DMA probe into Apple’s Core Technology Fee and other restrictions for alternative iOS app stores, ruling that Apple failed to demonstrate they were “necessary and proportionate.”

Apple still plans on appealing the penalty. “The European Commission is requiring Apple to make a series of additional changes to the App Store,” the company said in a statement to 9to5Mac. “We disagree with this outcome and plan to appeal.” Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

The EU Commission will now assess the changes that Apple has proposed before making a final decision on additional non-compliance fines.

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Apple’s next-generation CarPlay is splitting the auto world down the middle. Several automakers are eagerly lining up to adopt the newly immersive CarPlay Ultra, which takes over more screens and includes embedded vehicle features like speedometers, heating and cooling, and radio functions. Others are flatly refusing to allow it, while the rest are taking a wait-and-see approach.

All this comes courtesy of a report in the Financial Times, which previews Apple’s rough road ahead as it pushes adoption for its splashy, more demanding phone projection system. As The Verge reported back in 2022, when Apple first revealed its more expansive CarPlay, most automakers were hesitant to commit to letting CarPlay gobble up all the screens in their cars. And unsurprisingly many are still wary of handing over too much real estate to the tech giant.

Here’s where each of the automakers currently stands on CarPlay Ultra:

We’re still missing some big ones, like Volkswagen and Toyota, two of the biggest automakers in the world. I’ve reached out to both and will update this post if I hear back.

CarPlay Ultra is a huge challenge for the auto industry. Multiple surveys show that customers love it, frequently use it over their car’s embedded systems, and would be less likely to buy a future vehicle that didn’t allow CarPlay. But automakers are spending huge sums of money on developing next-generation software systems that allow over-the-air updates and address their customers’ appetite for more digital services. And they’re reluctant to just let Apple slap their own software on top of that.

Sources tell the Financial Times that automakers are eager to set clear standards about data sharing with Apple before agreeing to allow CarPlay Ultra.

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The ability to change the position of the address bar in Google Chrome has started rolling out and will be available to all users over the coming weeks. You can long-press on the address bar and select the "Move address bar to bottom" option. Alternatively, you can also go to Settings > Address bar to customize it.

"Depending on the size of your hand and your device, one address bar position may feel more comfortable than the other," the company said in a blog post. "We designed this update to give you the flexibility to choose your preferred location — so you can browse with more ease."

The address bar is where you can type website names you want to visit. It's a crucial part of our browsing experience and also doubles as the search bar in Google Chrome. The browser's Android version has been around since 2012, and the address bar's top position has remained the default for most of its time.

Over the years, Google has enhanced the address bar with additional features, such as the ability to automatically hide when scrolling up on a web page, thereby offering more screen real estate.

A bottom-mounted address bar could be a better option for users with small hands or those who prefer to use their device with one hand. Interestingly, this is not the first time Chrome has had a bottom address bar, as Google briefly experimented with the feature in the past.

The bottom address bar even made its way to Chrome for iOS, where you can long-press the address bar to toggle between the two options or change it in the settings. It's hard to digest that it took Google so long to add a simple feature.

The defunct Windows Phone had this feature as far back as 2012, and Chrome's rival Safari added a Bottom layout option in 2021. Nonetheless, the latest update brings Chrome in line with other browsers that offer a bottom address bar on Android.

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Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years.

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