The YouTube PiP feature in Google Messages allowed users to see the preview of the thumbnail and play videos in a floating PiP window by tapping on the video link. This would negate the need to leave the Messages app and be pulled away from your active conversation, enabling chat and watch, simultaneously.

Unfortunately, for those who used this feature, the latest Google Messages Android beta highlights that all the codes and text strings, that enabled the YouTube PiP feature on Google Messages have now been removed. Reports also suggest that the YouTube player no longer works, and thumbnails appear broken even in the latest stable version of the Google Messages app.

This would not only disappoint those who are currently using Google Messages on their phones but also Samsung Galaxy users in the US. Recently, it was reported that Samsung Messages would no longer be the default messaging app on Galaxy devices in the US, and would be replaced with Google Messages.

Samsung explained that it decided to replace its messaging app with Google Messages to accelerate the adoption of Rich Communication Services (RCS) and offer a common and unified messaging platform for the Android mobile ecosystem. Unlike Samsung Messages, which relies on mobile carriers for RCS, Google Messages supports RCS regardless of carrier, making it a more appealing option for some users.

Let us know in the comments below if you can still use YouTube PiP in Google Messages or not.

Source: Android Authority

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Now, a fresh report confirms another important hardware feature of the phone, which is the modem. Reportedly, the Pixel 9 series is equipped with Samsung's Exynos Modem 5400, which is already being used in the Exynos variant of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus.

Google Tensor-powered Pixel phones, particularly the Pixel 6, have been criticized for their unreliable network connectivity and poor battery life. Although subsequent Pixel phones did improve on this front, the latest Pixel 9 is the one that brings a new and better modem to the table, suggesting better performance from the Pixel 9 series.

The Device Info HW app confirmed that the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are powered by the Exynos Modem 5400. The baseband section lists a "g5400c," which corresponds to the new Exynos Modem 5400. Notably, in the Pixel 7 Pro, the baseband section of the same app lists a "g5300c," which corresponds to the older Exynos Modem 5300.

Why is this new Exynos Modem 5400 so important? It is because it supports Release 17 connectivity, which enables satellite connectivity on the Pixel 9 phones. According to Samsung, the new modem also offers better battery life, and it even has better peak downlink speeds (14.79Gbps).

Purportedly, if we consider all the advanced features of the Exynos Modem 5400, the Pixel 9 series should offer better connectivity, better battery life, and faster speeds than previous Tensor-powered Pixel phones.

Source and image: Android Authority

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WhatsApp partnered with GIPHY to integrate its library into the platform, enabling users to share stickers with their loved ones without needing to leave the app. The GIPHY sticker library can be accessed by simply tapping the sticker icon.

For those who love expressing their thoughts and feelings using stickers, WhatsApp is now adding the custom sticker maker to its Android app. Using this built-in sticker maker, users can create, edit, and share custom stickers with anyone. The feature is already available on the iOS app, and now Android users will also be able to enjoy this amazing feature.

Users can use the built-in sticker maker to turn their photos into stickers, or crop, add text, or draw over the existing stickers. Once the sticker is created, it gets automatically saved in the sticker tray for easy access.

If you can't find the right sticker to express your emotions, WhatsApp has emphasized that you can take the help of the AI Stickers feature. Meta AI can create custom stickers, but the feature is only available for Android and iOS in the US. The messaging platform is also testing the AI Stickers feature in Spanish, and Bahasa Indonesia.

WhatsApp is also making it easier to organize the saved stickers. You can now move the selected stickers to the top, by simply tapping and holding a sticker to move or delete it. However, there is no freestyle arrangement option. You will also be able to discover new sticker packs from WhatsApp. The new update is gradually rolling out to WhatsApp users on Android.

But that's not all as WhatsApp has been spotted working on some new features in Android beta versions, such as 10 different Meta AI voices, a visibility feature for community groups, Meta AI voice messages, and more.

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In the latest WhatsApp Android beta version 2.2.4.17.19, the new feature lets users customize the chat theme for all conversations. Notably, users can choose their favorite colors for chat bubbles and backgrounds. This new chat theme feature aims to enhance the overall appeal and make chats more personalized.

The same feature is also in development for WhatsApp for iOS. According to WABetaInfo, although the chat theme feature is still under development, there is speculation that "there will be at least 10 chat themes to enrich the user experience."

It is alleged that this feature will be a default chat theme, meaning it will be applied to all chat conversations. However, in the future, WhatsApp could provide the option to manually override the theme for specific chats.

Once a new chat theme is applied, it will only affect individual users and will not alter how conversations appear to others. Once it goes live in a future update, the feature will be accessible via the app's settings.

WhatsApp is also working on a bunch of other features. Recently, in a WhatsApp Android beta version, an option to let users choose between 10 different voices for Meta AI was spotted under development. Notably, WhatsApp is also working on a new voice chat feature to communicate with Meta AI via voice messages.

The popular messaging platform is also developing a new double-tap message reaction feature that will let you react to a message simply by double-tapping it. This would make responding to messages faster. The Android app also has a visibility feature for community groups.

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Google’s new 45W charger is available for preorder today, with shipping expected as early as next week.

Image: Google

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However, since then, there has been no sign of the update coming to the Pixel 8 Pro. Thankfully, after ten months, the wait is finally over, as Google has officially announced that the Zoom Enhance feature is arriving for the Pixel 8 Pro.

Not only the Pixel 8 Pro but also the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are getting the AI Zoom Enhance feature. In an official blog post explaining the nine best features of the Pixel 9 cameras, Google announced Zoom Enhance is "rolling out to the Pixel 8 Pro starting today."

Zoom Enhance lets you go closer to the photos that you have already taken. So, if you have a picture in your Gallery from a past vacation, you can try the feature on it. We also have a little preview of how the Zoom Enhance feature would work on a Pixel device.

Tipster MilesAboveTech on X revealed that the feature is accessible from the Google Photos app inside the Tools menu. While the feature appears to work well, it raises the question of why Google didn't bring Zoom Enhance to the regular Pixel 8 and Pixel 9, as it doesn't seem to depend on the telephoto sensor.

If you own a Pixel 8 Pro, look out for this update, which seems to be a server-side push. Also, ensure that you are running the latest version of Google Photos.

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There are also many changes on the hardware side. One of the most notable improvements that previous Pixel phone owners will appreciate is the new fingerprint scanner on the Pixel 9 series. The good news is that the Pixel 9 series is equipped with the same ultrasonic fingerprint scanner used in the Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup.

In an official post on social media platform X, Qualcomm announced that the Pixel 9 series uses a 3D Sonic Gen 2 fingerprint sensor. The post reads, "Qualcomm partnered with @Google to create another reason to love the Google Pixel 9: The Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 fingerprint sensor."

Snapdragon's post on X reads:

Great news! The @Google Pixel 9 will feature @Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2, the world’s fastest ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. 👆⚡
Unlock your phone faster, whether your fingers are wet or dry, and stay secure with advanced anti-spoofing tech.

During the launch event, Google said that the fingerprint scanners on the Pixel 9 series are "50% faster" compared to those in previous Pixel devices.

It is important to note that Google is using Qualcomm Snapdragon's 3D Sonic Gen 2 ultrasonic fingerprint scanner only on the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold does not have this fingerprint scanner because it features a side-mounted scanner.

The Pixel 9 starts at $799, the Pixel 9 Pro at $899, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL at $1,099. Shipments start on August 22 for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro and on September 4 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold costs $1,799. Besides, Google has also officially discontinued the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and the original Pixel Fold.

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According to a report, Google has removed the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and the Pixel Fold, from the "Browse Phone" section on its official website (spotted by 9to5Google). However, the Pixel 7a is still listed with phones including the Pixel 8 series, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9 series, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

This shouldn't come as a surprise because the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold brings drastic upgrades over the Pixel Fold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers a bigger display, thinner bezels, an IPX8 rating, a new triple rear camera setup, and comes with Tensor G4 chipset. Additionally, the naming scheme suggests that Google has skipped eight generations of Pixel Folds to arrive at Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

As for the Pixel 7 series, which includes the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, both phones are now two years old. They were being sold alongside the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro for the past several months for a price tag of $599 and $899, but now, you can't purchase them, at least from the official website. The Pixel 7a still retails for $499, the same as the Pixel 8a (go for the Pixel 8a for obvious reasons). Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are also available for $699 and $999.

For those who were still awestruck by what Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro had to offer, you can get your hands on the phones at discounted prices from retailers such as Amazon. Notably, Amazon still shows stock available for the Pixel Fold at $1799 (256GB). But you should hurry as they may be available only till stocks last.

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Upon unboxing their Pixel 9 series phone, customers will see that their Pixel 9 series phones boot with Android 14 out of the box instead of Android 15. It seems like Android 15 is not ready and still requires some refinement before its stable release. Google has not explained why Android 15 isn't available on their new phones.

Notably, some Android 15 features have been backported to Android 14. For example, the tweaked screenshot UI in which the preview appears over the pill-shaped menu with rounded buttons. Then there is "Gemini Live" the new Gemini overlay floating over apps, and the Pixel Studio image generator.

However, features like "Private Space" haven't made it to Pixel 9 phones running Android 14, as it requires Android 15. All other Pixel AI features, including "Add Me" and "Reimagine" are available and running over Android 14.

Reportedly, it shouldn't take long for the Pixel 9 series phones to pick up the Android 15 update. It is speculated that the latest Android version could land on Pixel 9 phones sometime in October, purportedly in the form of "Pixel Drop." This means that Pixel 9 phones will miss out on one major Android update during its update cycle.

To prevent users from feeling disappointed, Google is offering a pretty good deal, i.e., Google One AI Premium Plan free for a year. This should help make up for the missing Android 15 features for those who purchased the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, or the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

This means users can access advanced AI features such as Gemini Advanced, Google Docs and Gmail integration, unlimited Magic Editor saves in Google Photos, access to expert support, device insurance, etc., plus 2TB of storage.

Source: 9To5Google

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The first one is Guided Frame, a feature designed to help users with blindness take great selfies. Guided Frame can give spoken suggestions on how to improve your frame by positioning your face, selecting the correct angle, or moving to a better-lit location. With the latest update, Guided Frame gets better object recognition, face filtering in group photos, and focus on subjects. In addition, you can launch Guided Frame from the Camera app without using Android's native TalkBack screen reader.

The next is Magnifier, a Pixel-exclusive app (available on the Pixel 5 and newer) that uses the camera to zoom in on objects around you. It can now search for specific words in your surroundings (for example, when checking the menu in a restaurant), select the best lens for particular scenarios, use picture-in-picture format, and work as a mirror with illumination for selfies.

Google's foldable phones, including the latest Pixel 9 Pro Fold, now have a so-called Live Transcribe mode, which lets owners set their foldable in a tabletop posture for better visibility and let everyone participate in the conversation while also seeing their transcriptions.

Finally, Live Caption and Live Transcribe features are now available in more languages. The latest additions include Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Turkish and Vietnamese for the Live Caption feature and 15 languages for Live Transcribe offline mode (over 120 languages in online mode), which comes in handy in areas with poor network coverage, such as subways, airplanes, and more.

You can check out more details about the latest AI-powered accessibility improvements in Pixel devices in a blog post on the official website.

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After several leaks over the past few months, Google today finally launched its latest foldable phone, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with an improved display, refined industrial design, a new processor, and more to make it a compelling foldable smartphone from Google.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a fluid-friction hinge and a Super Actua Flex display that is 80% brighter than the previous generation. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the flexible display. Also, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold now comes with an IPX8 rating for water resistance of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes of submersion.

Thanks to Google's new Tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold delivers improved performance and efficiency when compared to the previous-generation Pixel foldable device. With the built-in NPU, Pixel 9 Pro Fold users will be able to enjoy AI features, including Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, Circle to Search, Summarize, Gemini, Magic Editor, Best Take, Video Boost, Add Me, and Pro Controls.

Google has also packed the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with an ultra-thin, advanced triple rear camera system, which Google claims to be the best camera on any foldable phone. The ultrawide camera on this smartphone now supports Macro Focus, and the front cameras now support the Face Unlock feature.

Google has partnered with several game developers to bring optimized experiences for the large inner screen on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Minecraft and Candy Crush Soda Saga have made such optimizations, and more optimizations from other game developers, including NBA Infinite and League of Legends: Wild Rift, are coming later this year.

You can now pre-order the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Porcelain and Obsidian colors for $1799. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be available only in the following countries for now:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Japan
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Singapore
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom
• United States (except Puerto Rico)

The device will be shipped on September 4th, and you can pre-order it here.

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After tons of leaks, Google has finally revealed its new Pixel 9 family of smartphones. This time, there will be three models: the Google Pixel 9, the very similar Pixel 9 Pro, and the large Pixel 9 Pro XL.

In a blog post, Google confirmed the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will have 6.3-inch displays. However, the Pro model will support up to 3,000 nits of brightness compared to the 2,700 nits for the standard Pixel 9. Both phones have a 50 MP normal rear camera and a 48 MP ultrawide rear camera, and the Pixel 9 Pro will have an additional 48 MP telephoto camera. The Pixel 9 Pro XP has a larger 6.8 display but with the same three rear cameras as the smaller Pixel 9 Pro.

All three phones will include Google's new in-house Tensor G4 processor. Google's blog says:

Tensor G4 was designed with Google DeepMind and is optimized to run our most advanced AI models. It will be the first processor to run Gemini Nano with Multimodality — which helps your phone understand text, images and audio.

The standard Pixel 9 has 12GB of RAM, and the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL have 16 GB of RAM.

One big change is that these phones will not come with the next Android version, the upcoming Android 15, out of the box. They will launch with the current Android 14 but should get updated to Android 15 later this year. It will also get seven years of OS and security updates.

The Google Store has launched preorders for these new phones, with prices starting at $799 for the Pixel 9, $899 for the Pixel 9 Pro and $1,099 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Shipments start on August 22 for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro and on September 4 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google also announced the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold smartphone today.

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After multiple leaks, the Google Pixel Watch 3 is finally official. The company claims the watch is its "biggest leap forward" that features a bigger size, brighter displays, better performance, and some unique health features, such as loss of pulse detection.

Like the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch 3 is now available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Bezels are also thinner, so users get more screen real estate compared to the previous generation. But it is not just a bigger display—the Watch 3 can max out at 2,000 nits, which makes it the brightest smartwatch from Google to date. Besides cranking the brightness to eye-burning levels, the watch can dim itself all the way down to just 1 nit, providing a more comfortable experience in pitch-black environments.

One of the biggest changes in the Pixel Watch 3 is the loss of pulse, a feature that, as the name suggests, can detect when the heart suddenly stops beating. Upon detection, the watch will automatically call emergency services and send an automated message with important information, such as your location.

Google says that the feature uses the standard green light heart rate sensor to detect the pulse. If no pulse is detected, the watch turns on its infrared and red light sensors to look for additional signs of the pulse. Meanwhile, the motion sensor tries to detect movement, and then AI combines all the data to decide if the watch should trigger a check-in. If the user does not respond, the system initiates an emergency call using your phone or its built-in cellular connectivity.

Loss of pulse detection will be available in September in the United States and other countries in Europe.

Other changes in the Pixel Watch 3 include improved health, activity, and recovery insights, target load calculation, a new Morning Brief with a daily digest of health data, and more. In addition, runners can set goals for distance, time, pace of heart rate zone, intervals, and more. Finally, you can use the watch as a remote control for the Google TV Streamer, watch your camera feed in the Google Home app, create voice notes, find your watch using its new Ultra-Wideband chip, etc.

The Pixel Watch 3 is now available for preorder. Color options include Matte Black, Polished Silver, and Champagne Gold. The 45mm variant has an exclusive Matte Hazel finish. The 41mm starts at $349, while the bigger variant will set you back $399. The Pixel Watch 3 will be available on September 10.

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It seems like the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, alleged to debut in just a few hours, will supposedly be powered by the first Tensor audio chipset. According to tipster MysteryLupin on social media platform X, the Tensor A1 chip could purportedly power the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Notably, the Tensor A1 chipset is also rumored to double the ANC (Active Noise Cancelation) strength on the Pixel Buds Pro 2. ANC strength was a common complaint of the first Pixel Buds Pro users. It will be interesting to see how the Tensor A1 chipset could help achieve this. There is no clarity on what benefits the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will gain from using the Tensor A1 chip.

The leak also mentions that the earbuds will "seamlessly connect with your Pixel (Watch, Tablet, Phone)," which could be the Fast Pair feature that debuted with the previous Pixel Buds Pro. The battery life on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is tipped to be much lower than its predecessor.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 is said to offer 30 hours of battery life with the case and 8 hours for the earbuds themselves. For comparison, the Pixel Buds Pro offers 11 hours of battery life for the earbuds and 31 hours for the case. However, it remains to be seen whether the battery life mentioned by the tipster is with or without ANC.

Recently, a Reddit user claimed to have received a display unit of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 at their store. Earlier, a leak allegedly revealed the pricing of the upcoming earbuds, suggesting that this year Google could hike the price of the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

All of the details will be made official in a few hours and you can watch the event live by heading over to this direct Made By Google YouTube video link.

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“By the way,” Alexa sometimes says after responding to a command, followed by a random tidbit or suggestion you never asked for. Sound familiar?

To be fair, Alexa is just trying to be helpful with its “by the way” asides. Still, Amazon’s chatty voice assistant tends to butt in when it’s not wanted, making unnecessary announcements or overstaying its welcome with random digressions.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make Alexa pipe down. In some cases, all it takes is tapping a few toggles in the Alexa app. In others, a little hacking is involved.  

Either way, we’ll guide you through the process—and in return, you’ll get a little peace and quiet.

Turn off weather notifications

It’s always a good idea to keep abreast of dangerous weather conditions, particularly when it comes to heatwaves, flooding, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

But rip tides and wind advisories? That’s a little much—and besides, Alexa’s warnings might already be duplicating those you’re already getting from your phone or another app.

Here’s how to turn Alexa’s weather notifications off, or adjust how they’re delivered:

1. Open the Alexa app, then tap More, Settings, Notifications, then scroll all the way down to Weather.
2. Tap Severe Weather Alert, then tweak the options. You can choose whether Alexa tells you about severe weather alerts repeatedly or just once, as well as whether you also want mobile push notifications.  
3. Finally, you can choose a delivery method: either out-loud Alexa announcements, or just standard notifications on your Alexa devices.

Turn off Amazon shopping notifications

If you’re worried about porch pirates, you may well want to know the moment an Amazon delivery lands on your doorstep.  

That said, you might not want to hear every last detail about your incoming Amazon orders, such as when an Amazon package is out for delivery, whether your return made it back to the warehouse, or the status of a given “subscribe and save” item.

If you want to keep a lid of Alexa’s announcements about your Amazon shopping orders, here’s what you do.

1. Open the Alexa app, then tap More, Settings, Notifications, and finally Amazon Shopping.
2. Check out the various options and disable them as needed. For example, you can keep Alexa from announcing updates on items you’ve ordered or returned, or silence the “out for delivery” and “delivered” notifications.
3. You can also put the kibosh on updates about your “Subscribe & Save” orders, or cease deal and reorder recommendations.

Turn off “Always follow up” mode for reminders

Alexa can become quite the nag when it comes to reminders, bugging you repeatedly until they’re marked as completed.  

Now, perhaps you do want Alexa to stay on your case about tasks, chores, or anything else you need to be reminded about. But if Alexa’s repeated reminders about your reminders are driving you mad, give this a try.

1. Tap More, Settings, Reminders.
2. Scroll down and disable the Always follow-up option to keep Alexa from bugging you about reminders that haven’t been marked as completed.
3. While you’re at it, you can reduce the number of times Alexa announces a reminder (the range is between one and three times).

Turn on Brief Mode

Even during everyday interactions, Alexa can be overly chatty, starting from the moment you say the “Alexa” wake word and though the completion of a given voice command (“Your lights are off now”).

If you just want Alexa to do your bidding with a minimum of fuss, give this setting a shot.

1.     Tap More, Settings, Voice Responses.
2.     Enable Brief Mode.

Now, Alexa should be much quieter when obeying your commands, acknowledging the completion of most tasks with a simple beep.

Keep “by the way” at bay

So, if you thought Brief Mode would put a stop to Alexa’s “by the way” asides, think again.

Even with the Brief Mode setting enabled, “by the way” will still manage to crop up every so often, typically after you’ve asked Alexa to perform a task.

The bad news is that there’s no Alexa setting that reliably banishes the “by the way” digressions for good. The good news is that an Alexa hack discovered by Reddit users can help keep “by the way” at bay.

The hack (which, as noted, comes from Reddit, by way of AFTVnews) involves simply telling Alexa to “stop By the Way.” Easy—except Alexa will only stop the “by the ways” temporarily.

A more permanent solution is to create a routine that issues the “stop By the Way” command every day.

1. Tap More, Routines, then tap the “+” button in the top-right corner of the screen.  
2. Go ahead and name the routine (maybe “Stop by the way”), then add a triggering event, such as a given time each day (Schedule, At Time).
3. Then, add an action. For this, tap Custom, then type “stop by the way.”

Now Alexa will remind herself each day to stop “by the way,” and—hopefully—your “by the way” days should be over.

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India is expected to sell over 100 million smartphones in the second half of 2024. Techarc, a technology analytics, research, and consulting company, in its latest report, said that the total annual sales of smartphones for 2024 would be around 158 million. This would likely mean a 7-9 per cent increase in the volume of sales over previous years.

 The hike in sales is owing to the harmonisation of sales potential across all segments after the focus on lower-tier segments, routine replacement and upgrade cycle sale, AI innovations, form factors and CMF attracting a niche segment of early adopters.

“The big shift in the strategy of smartphone OEMs after the covid era will start showing its impact in the second half of 2024 and define the market dynamics for the next couple of years for the smartphone industry in India,” said Fasial Kawoosa, chief analyst and founder of Techarc.

Kawoosa added that post Covid-19, smartphone OEMs started prioritising premium market segments, driving value growth and turning the volume growth stagnant to negative. “Now, the OEMs are leveraging the technology waterfall and diversifying their portfolio across the customer segments they want to focus on. This is a big shift and will drive a balanced growth in value-volume measures of the market,” he explained.

Mid-term trends

Based on the report, the review of the mid-term smartphone market revealed some key trends. The first notable trend is that 5G has become a default expectation for consumers fuelling demand across all price segments. This demand was consistent even in areas where 5G was not yet accessible. Owing to this, nearly 80 per cent of smartphones sold in the second of the year are expected to be 5G-enabled with a significant push in the Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 segment.

AI and CMF (colour, material, finish) have emerged as key differentiators. However, these innovations are more likely to extend the life cycles of smartphones instead of boosting revenues. This is mainly because they considerably enhance software and hardware durability. Moreover, the foldable form factor seems to be finding resonance with Indian consumers. The form factor is gaining traction with over 1 million sales expected by the end of 2024. Witnessing the new-found growth in the segment, OEMs are encouraged to package foldable devices with unique features to enhance the overall appeal.

Moreover, the market is stabilising and no single sales channel is expected to dominate as both online and offline channels have struck an equilibrium. The top smartphone brands’ share is anticipated to decline, and this will make room for brands like Poco, Motorola, Nothing, etc. According to the report, this shift will likely yield a more diverse market where brands would be required to target specific consumer bases to succeed.

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Android smartphone owners have been able to download Microsoft's Phone Link app for some time. However, as reported by Android Authority, after Android 14 started to roll out to smartphones, owners of those phones discovered that if they wanted to stream an app to a Windows PC, they had to tap the “start now” button every time they wanted to accomplish this task.

Now, with the release of the One UI 6.1.1 update from Samsung, owners of the Flip6 and Fold6 can stream apps to their PC without having to tap on that button every single time. Android Authority says this was due to Microsoft moving its Link to Windows Service "to Android’s purpose-built implementation."

Having said that, you will still need to unlock the phone to stream an app, but the article admits that's likely because Microsoft put that in for security reasons.

One of the other features of One UI 6.1.1 blocks the sideloading of apps by default on those phones, although it's pretty easy to disable this feature.

As we mentioned the One UI 6.1.1 update is currently only available on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 phones. While it is expected that that same update will be released for older Samsung Galaxy phones sometime in the future, there have been recent online reports that claim the rollout for that update has been delayed indefinitely. The open beta for Samsung's One UI 7 update, based on Android 15, has been rumored to be delayed as well.

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Now Apple says there will be changes to comply with the DMA and address the findings of the European Commission, the EU's powerful antitrust regulator.

Brussels at the time said developers could only steer customers through a link in their app that redirected the user to a web page to conclude any contracts.

Regulators said Apple placed "several restrictions" meaning app developers could not communicate, promote offers and conclude contracts through the channel of their choice.

From the autumn, Apple said developers in the EU "can communicate and promote offers for purchases" wherever they want, for example, via an alternative app marketplace.

But in Thursday's announcement, Apple said the changes mean developers will have a new fee structure for customers linking out of an app for offers and content.

For instance, developers will have to pay a five-percent fee on sales of digital goods and services made on any platforms within a year of a user first installing an app with the ability to link out to a different channel such as a website.

Risk of fines

If the tech titans modify their platforms in accordance with EU rules, they can avoid large penalties. The DMA demands the EU wrap up any probe within a year of its start.

The commission told AFP it "will assess Apple's eventual changes to the compliance measures, also taking into account any feedback from the market, notably developers".

The charges against Apple came after the commission launched investigations in March into Apple, Facebook owner Meta and Google under the DMA.

Meta also faced formal accusations of violating the DMA in July.

The DMA gives big tech a list of what they can and can't do in business in a bid to increase competition in the digital sphere. For example, they must offer choice screens for web browsers and search engines to give users more options.

The law gives the EU the power to impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company's total global turnover. This can rise to up to 20 percent for repeat offenders.

Apple also faces daily penalties of up to five percent of its average daily worldwide turnover if found to be non-compliant.

Apple's total revenue in the year to September 2023 stood at $383 billion.

The Coalition for App Fairness, whose members include Swedish streaming giant Spotify and which has long called for Apple to open up its marketplace, dismissed the latest Apple announcement.

“With the introduction of yet another confusing, arbitrary, and expensive fee structure, Apple continues to evade compliance and make the digital landscape in Europe more complicated for developers and more costly for consumers," it said.

Battles with Apple

Apple is not the only company targeted by the DMA. Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance must also comply with the DMA.

Online travel giant Booking.com will need to later this year, while the commission is also evaluating whether tech billionaire Elon Musk's X should also face the rules.

Apple's App Store has been a source of contention with the EU, even before the DMA entered into force in March this year.

The EU slapped Apple with a 1.8-billion-euro ($2.0-billion) fine after similar findings in a probe launched in 2020 following a complaint from Spotify.

Apple has appealed against the fine.

The EU is also investigating Apple over changes previously made to comply with the DMA by allowing third-party app stores.

© 2024 AFP

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Google is set to launch the Pixel 9 series next week at the Made By Google event on August 13. A lot of information has already been leaked about the Pixel 9 series, leaving very little to uncover. Now, ahead of the official debut, the Weather app has been leaked, giving us an early taste of the Pixel 9 software.

Google was expected to preinstall a separate Weather app with enhanced features with the Pixel 9 . The Weather app was previously a part of the Clock app, but now, a separate app has emerged, which can be accessed from the app drawer.

The good part is that you don't need a Pixel 9 phone to use the Weather app. You can install the Weather app on your Android device running Android 14, right now. Please note that since this isn't the final version of the app, there may be some occasional crashes, but these can easily fixed by clearing the app's cache.

Interestingly, the Weather app doesn't have weather widgets but is available in the Google app. This app is also expected to be made available for older Pixel models in the future. When installed, the app shows an icon with a textured sun and cloud in a blue background.

Gallery: Pixel 9 Weather app

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you launch the app, you will be asked if you would like to receive weather notifications. The app will then ask you for location permission to provide real-time weather updates for your area. While viewing the weather for a city, all the cards except the Hourly forecast can be rearranged.

Tapping on your profile avatar lets you change the temperature units and theme (light or dark). Tipster Dylan Roussel suggests that the Weather app will introduce a feature called "AI Weather Summaries," which is expected to be some sort of a Weather Map.

You can get the Pixel 9 Weather app from APK Mirror and simply sideload the app to check out the features.

Source and images: Android Authority

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Google has uncovered a serious flaw in Android that hackers are already exploiting.

The company disclosed and patched the previously unknown "zero-day" flaw in this month’s security update for Android. The vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2024-36971, is particularly dangerous because it affects the mobile operating system’s kernel, the central brain to the software.

“There are indications that CVE-2024-36971 may be under limited, targeted exploitation,” Google warned in the security update.

By exploiting the flaw, a hacker can remotely execute code with system privileges, paving a way to  trigger an Android device into downloading and installing malware. Specifically, the flaw pertains to a kernel function called "__dst_negative_advice()," which wasn’t enforcing a synchronization mechanism called Read-Copy Update or RCU.  

The resulting bug can lead to a use-after-free vulnerability, where the operating system is re-accessing a memory location, even though the memory space has been freed up or deallocated. The effect can trigger memory corruption, crashes, or a way to manipulate a system to run unauthorized computer code. 

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Background

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in the United Kingdom, with depression and anxiety particularly prevalent among teenagers. Smartphone use has increased, and there is conflicting information concerning the relationship between screen time and anxiety and depression. Some claim mobile use is common among children and adolescents, while others believe it is maladaptive.

Most previous studies are cross-sectional, raising doubts regarding causality. Some longitudinal studies in Southeast Asia have found a complicated link between PSU and depression, with psychiatric issues increasing PSU. However, prior research discovered that psychosocial adjustments affected PSU rehabilitation or persistence.

About the study

In the present mixed methods, prospective cohort, and longitudinal study, researchers investigated whether smartphone usage is associated with poor psychiatric health outcomes. They also explored adolescent understanding of smartphone usage, related pros and cons, and the steps taken to curtail their use.

The researchers included 69 students aged between 13 and 16 years from two secondary schools to assess their mobile usage, sleep, and mood using semi-structured questionnaires at study initiation and after four weeks. They used the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) to assess PSU exposure and followed the participants between March 28 and June 3, 2022.

The primary study outcome was anxiety, ascertained using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7). GAD-7 scores below 5.0 indicated no anxiety, 5.0 to 9.0 denoted mild anxiety, 10 to 14 moderate anxiety, and ≥15 severe anxiety. Secondary study outcomes included changes in depressive symptoms based on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and insomnia severity, measured using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

PHQ9 scores below 5.0 indicated no depression, 5.0 to 9.0 denoted mild depression, 10 to 14 moderate depression, and ≥15 severe depression. ISI scores below 7 indicated non-significant insomnia, 8.0 to 14 subclinical insomnia, 15 to 21 moderate-intensity clinical insomnia, and 22 to 28 severe-intensity clinical insomnia. The researchers used linear regressions for analysis, adjusting for age and biological sex. They used Cronbach’s alpha values to assess the internal reliability between the study outcomes and performed a thematic analysis of free-text responses.

Results

The median participant age was 15 years; 44% were female, and 59% were white. The overall PSU prevalence was 15%, higher among females (17%) than males (11%). PSU group individuals used TikTok, Snapchat, and music-related applications the most, while the non-PSU group used YouTube, music applications, and TikTok more often.

Among PSU participants, 44% developed moderate-severe anxiety compared to 26% of those without PSU exposure. Among PSU-exposed individuals, 56% experienced depressive symptoms compared to 36% without PSU exposure, and 22% of PSU-exposed and 23% of non-exposed individuals reported sleep difficulties. The team found linear associations between PSU and changes in anxiety, depression, and insomnia, with increases of 10 in PSU over four weeks increasing anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties by 2.2, 1.4, and 2.1, respectively. There was good reliability between the primary and secondary study outcomes.

Among the participants, 90% tried to limit smartphone use, with 83% of the non-PSU group finding that putting their smartphones on silent was effective and 100% of the PSU group finding it somewhat effective. Seventy-two percent of non-PSU group individuals found turning off notifications effective, whereas 78% of PSU group individuals found it somewhat effective. Some found it arduous to control usage, using apps to set time limits, and some believed it should be an individual initiative.

The themes indicated mixed effects of smartphone use on relationships and mood, adverse effects on performance and productivity at school, and a wish to decrease smartphone use durations. While smartphone use facilitates communication with friends and family, especially those outside their local area, it could distance users from family, increase irritability, and affect social interactions.

Smartphones could distract students, reducing productivity and time for schoolwork. However, online educational resources could be beneficial. The effect of smartphone use on school performance varies by time spent using the device and prioritization of other tasks like exams. Smartphone use could improve mood by providing entertainment and reducing stress; however, adverse effects included self-comparison, cyberbullying, exposure to scary content, and suicidal thoughts. Prolonged smartphone use can increase stress, suggesting self-control and effective time management are crucial.

Conclusion

To conclude, based on the findings, increased mobile use could increase anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties among UK adolescents. While most recognize the consequences of excessive smartphone usage and manage it effectively, a few require assistance applying reduction techniques to control their utilization.

Journal reference:

Carter B. et al., ‘There’s more to life than staring at a small screen’: a mixed methods cohort study of problematic smartphone use and the relationship to anxiety, depression, and sleep in students aged 13–16 years old in the UK, BMJ Ment Health 2024;27:1–7. DOI:10.1136/bmjment-2024-301115 https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/27/1/e301115

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Securing our phones against every threat is one of the hardest parts of owning a smartphone. However, when it comes to protecting ourselves from malicious apps and software, it can be confusing for those who don’t know what they need to look out for.

I used to work as a phone engineer, and have used that knowledge to help phone owners protect their devices. However, the issue with apps is that knowing something is wrong often comes down to a sense of feeling built on a bedrock of knowledge, rather than something that you can just point out. If you have spent a lot of time with phones, you start to pick up on suspicious things.

Now, one important thing to note is that both the Play Store and Apple's App Store have their defenses in place, but with the rise of third-party app stores it is worth being aware of a few things that can help to protect you from malicious apps. So let's run through a few basic things you need to watch out for, and what you can do if you do happen to download a malicious app.

What kind of apps can be malicious

(Image credit: Getty Images)

There are more apps now than ever before, and most of them are perfectly safe. However, certain apps can hide malicious intent. Now, there is no tried and true method to know what apps could have a bug, but you can usually tell some of the more obvious.

First and foremost, anything that sells itself as a crypto app should put up a red flag. Cryptocurrency is certainly on the rise at the moment, and there is a huge issue when it comes to the individuals and “companies” that promote themselves as crypto-focused. Without a doubt, I would say to avoid most crypto apps, especially any that you don’t recognize from a trusted source. The same is true for any gambling apps, as these can drain your wallet in more ways than one.

It's also a good idea to be very wary of any low-effort game from companies you have never heard of. Now, it is true that smartphones have a large indie gaming market, but that doesn’t mean that all of them are safe to download. Usually, the best way to tell something is up is to check how many other games there are by the developer. For instance, if the game maker’s profile has twenty games that are exactly the same, then you can either guess that they are trying to make a quick buck, or that something shifty is going on.

Either way, you lose nothing by not downloading these apps regardless. It should also be mentioned that you should never download an app from an ad; instead search for said app in your phone's store, as this will also allow you to check the reviews, which is my next tip for avoiding malicious apps.

Trust real reviews, and the people who make them

One of the best methods when it comes to figuring out the safety of an app is to check the reviews. I know that might sound pretty obvious, but trust me there are still pitfalls to be aware of. Usually, users will make it clear if they have found issues with an app; however that isn't always the case and sometimes the developer will hide real reviews while posting fake ones.

So, the first thing to do when looking at a review section is to be on the lookout for anything that stands out as clearly fake, or like it came from a bot. Fake comments can be hard to spot sometimes, especially with the rise of AI, but there are still a few telltale signs. The first is that bot comments will have very strange grammar, or terrible spelling (at least more than the average person) the rhythm of the comment will also feel off, almost unnatural.

 If you are still unsure, then check the reviewer's profile and see if they have reviewed anything else. if there's only review, or they only review apps from this developer or they always say the same thing, then there is a good chance that they are bots, and as such the developer could be hiding something.

One of the best places to check reviews is from trusted media sources, for instance, any site or company that reviews apps. It is also worth keeping an eye out for any news stories or threads on social media about certain apps. For instance, Reddit has a thriving community of people who check apps. Some of the best are r/Android, r/Privacy and r/scams. However, you can often simply search for the app in question on Google.

(Image credit: McAfee)

Now, all of this is great, but the reality is that downloading apps is often more of a spur-of-the-moment thing. So, how do you know if you have downloaded a malicious app, and what to do about it? Firstly, there are a couple of very obvious things that can happen when your phone has a virus. Some of these include random pop-ups, your phone sometimes feeling very hot, random messages getting sent to your contacts, you start finding fraudulent charges on your accounts and fast battery drain.

There are several things you can do if you notice these things occurring. The first is to make sure that you don’t click any links or ads that pop up on your phone. Secondly, it is worth investing in a good antivirus program, as this will usually inform you of which apps to be aware of and which ones to delete. Finally, change any passwords you have but do not update them on the phone until you have run all the scans and removed any malicious software. We have a comprehensive list of the best antivirus programs that can help you find the best option for you.

Apps are a part of our lives, and understanding what to be aware of can be a challenge in itself. Hopefully, this guide will give you enough initial information to get started on and to avoid one of the worst situations in our modern world.

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You can’t always trust what you see on the internet, even when you’re on a reputable website. At least, not when advertising is involved. Hackers buy ads and use them to trick unsuspecting individuals into downloading malicious software. This ploy has come up again and again—and most recently, it targeted Google’s own products.

As reported by Bleeping Computer, Malwarebytes discovered use of Google’s sponsored search engine ads to spread shady downloads for Google Authenticator. The app generates two-factor authentication codes, a common method to bolster password security.

The format of Google’s text advertisements allow bad actors to display legitimate web addresses (like www.google.com), but direct users to fake sites with malware. Such software can be used for a number of purposes, including spying on users and stealing potentially sensitive information.

Google has since removed the phony Google Authenticator ad from its results. Similar malvertising campaigns have been previously discovered targeting AMD, Bitwarden, and KeePass users, among many other products and services.

You can read more about the technical details of how this advertisement spread its malware in Bleeping Computer, but to stay clear of sponsored ads, you can try these tips:

• Check for an ad label.

• Scroll down the list of search results. Text ads for legitimate websites usually appear again as normal search results, and often within the top five. Use the link that shows up further down the page.

• Click the three-dot icon next to a search result and check the identity of the website source.

• Install an ad-blocking extension like uBlock Origin, which will hide sponsored text ads.

• Use antivirus software that will block phony sites.

Incidentally, don’t underestimate how helpful a good antivirus program can be—these days, it can be the last thing that stands between you and online dangers out of your control.

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