News: Mobile News

Samsung phones running One UI 6.1.1 block sideloading by default, here's how to fix it

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:17:35 +0000

Samsung introduced the Android 14-based One UI 6.1.1 update with the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Galaxy Z Fold6 at the second Unpacked event of the year. Samsung Galaxy phones offer two app stores, the Google Play Store and the Galaxy Store, to download apps.

One UI 6.1.1 brings a lot of new features for Samsung Galaxy phones. It also enhances the security features on the device, and one of the security features blocks sideloading of apps by default. Notably, with the One UI 6.1.1 update, Samsung has improved the Auto Blocker feature that helps improve the privacy and security of Galaxy phones.

Since there are risks involved in installing apps downloaded from unknown sources, the advanced Auto Blocker feature introduced with One UI 6.1.1 also blocks sideloading of apps by default. The Google Play Store already blocks app installation from sources other than Google, and now the Auto Blocker feature adds another layer of restriction.

So, if you aren't a tech-savvy person, then installing apps that your friend sent you or the ones you downloaded from third-party sources could be a problem if you have a Samsung Galaxy phone running One UI 6.1.1. The Auto Blocker feature isn't new and was introduced with the One UI 6.0 update. However, it was an optional feature.

Now, the new One UI 6.1.1 Auto Blocker feature takes things a bit further and blocks the installation of apps even if the sources were granted the REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission.

Thankfully, here's how you can disable the One UI 6.1.1 Auto Blocker in One UI 6.1.1:

Launch Settings.
Scroll down and select Security and Privacy.
Scroll down again, and tap on Auto Blocker.
Tap on the toggle to turn off Auto Blocker. Do note that you will be asked to authenticate yourself before the feature turns off.

After you have turned off the Auto Blocker feature, you can start sideloading apps without any restrictions, provided that you have also turned off Google Play Store's app blocking feature as well.

Besides, this won't bother those who are transferring their data using the Smart Switch from their old Galaxy phone to a new Galaxy phone running One UI 6.1.1, because the default Auto Blocker setting will be carried over to the new phone from your old device.

This means you may not be affected by One UI 6.1.1 new behavior, since in older phones the Auto Blocker feature was not turned on by default.

Do note that this issue could arise on these Samsung Galaxy devices since they are eligible to receive the One UI 6.1.1 update.

Source and images: Android Authority

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Report: Apple beginning serious work on a foldable iPhone

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:16:42 +0000

There are also several new details about the iPhone 16, 17, and SE.

After years of rumors and speculation, Apple is moving ahead to produce its first foldable iPhone, according to two anonymous sources who spoke with tech publication The Information.

The sources say that Apple has begun discussing specific component requirements with suppliers and offered several new details about both the foldable device and the upcoming iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and revamped iPhone SE.

The foldable phone would arrive no sooner than 2026, as it takes about two years to go through the process of manufacturing a new iPhone model. It's also still possible that Apple will abandon its plans in the future.

When the foldable iPhone does arrive, it will reportedly have a clamshell design similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Codenamed "V68," the device would be much thinner when opened up than current iPhones, as Apple's goal is to make sure the foldable device is not too thick when closed.

Apple has invested design effort into solving the problem of the screen crease that appears on foldable phones that tends to worsen each time the device is folded. There are still barriers for the new device, though; the Information's sources note that "Apple's designers also have struggled to come up with enough compelling features that would make consumers want one, especially given its high retail cost compared to nonfoldable phones."

Other iPhone plans

In the course of describing plans for the foldable iPhone, The Information's sources also shared several details about other upcoming iPhone models, including the next iPhone SE refresh and the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 lines.

Codenamed V59, the iPhone SE is expected to be "ramping up mass production" for the next version in October, meaning the phone could begin shipping to consumers just a few months after that.

The iPhone 16 lineup is said to include a new internal graphite plate to alleviate the heat issues we encountered with the iPhone 15 models. Matching other recent reports, the iPhone 16 will also include a new button by its bottom-right corner that will be used for taking pictures and videos. The button will be touch- and pressure-sensitive, allowing for tweaking zoom levels and focus.

The two "smaller" iPhone 16 models (presumably the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, but not the iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16 Pro Max) will feature an easier path to replacing batteries.

The report also suggests the entire iPhone 16 line will get the powerful optical zoom function previously reserved for more expensive phones in the iPhone 15 line.

The details don't end with 2024, either. 2025's lineup is said to include a significantly thinner iPhone, as well as an adjustable aperture on the camera. The new camera aperture feature would allow users to achieve a real bokeh effect in their photos instead of relying on machine learning, which can sometimes make mistakes in faking it.

All this new information on upcoming iPhones suggests that Apple is continuing to seek modest, iterative improvements to the devices, with a sustained emphasis on camera functionality. There's no evidence there will be a radical overhaul of the iPhone's features or design in the next two years, apart from the reduction in thickness.

Hardware innovation hasn't been a main focus for the iPhone for a few years now. Apple has instead been working on new product categories, like the Vision Pro headset and the oft-rumored HomePod-with-a-screen.

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Samsung may use MediaTek chipset starting with the Galaxy Tab S10 series

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 20:04:13 +0000

It seems like Samsung has narrowed down the product with which it will start using the MediaTek processor. Notably, after the US variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, the global variant of the Galaxy Tab S10+ (model number SM-X926B) has been spotted in the Geekbench listing.

The interesting part is that both the US and global Galaxy Tab S10+ models were spotted on Geekbench with a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset. Earlier, it was reported that Samsung is working closely with MediaTek and could include its processors in one of its Galaxy products.

This means that the Galaxy Tab S10 series, which includes the Galaxy Tab S10, Galaxy Tab S10+, and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, will come with a MediaTek chipset under the hood. According to the Geekbench listing, the global variant of the Galaxy Tab S10+ uses a chipset with the codename GTS10U, which matches the codename of the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ SoC.

The Dimensity 9300+ chipset is fabricated on TSMC's 4nm process. In the listing, the Galaxy Tab S10+, powered by the Dimensity 9300+ paired with 12GB of RAM and Android 14, managed a single-core score of 2,141 and a multi-core score of 5,533.

MediaTek launched the Dimensity 9300+ to compete with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. It contains an Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU with HDR gaming and ray tracing support. Furthermore, it comes with a built-in 5G modem with mmWave and sub-6GHz support.

Samsung Foundry is reportedly facing yield and performance issues with the Exynos chipset, which is why they have turned their heads toward MediaTek chips. We have already seen high-quality renders of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and it follows the previous design tradition.

It was earlier reported that Samsung could launch the Galaxy Tab S10 series sometime at the end of this year by a Samsung South Africa representative, which was later tipped to launch as soon as October.

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AT&T failed to test disastrous update that kicked all devices off network

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 20:02:57 +0000

AT&T caused outage that blocked 92 million calls, 25,000 attempts to reach 911.

A government investigation has revealed more detail on the impact and causes of a recent AT&T outage that happened immediately after a botched network update. The nationwide outage on February 22, 2024, blocked over 92 million phone calls, including over 25,000 attempts to reach 911.

As described in more detail later in this article, the FCC criticized AT&T for not following best practices, which dictate "that network changes must be thoroughly tested, reviewed, and approved" before implementation. It took over 12 hours for AT&T to fully restore service.

"All voice and 5G data services for AT&T wireless customers were unavailable, affecting more than 125 million devices, blocking more than 92 million voice calls, and preventing more than 25,000 calls to 911 call centers," the Federal Communications Commission said yesterday. The outage affected all 50 states as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

The outage also cut off service to public safety users on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), the FCC report said. "Voice and 5G data services were also unavailable to users from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and other wireless customers who were roaming on AT&T Mobility's network," the FCC said.

An incorrect process

AT&T previously acknowledged that the mobile outage was caused by a botched update related to a network expansion. The "outage was caused by the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network, not a cyber attack," AT&T said.

The FCC report said the nationwide outage began three minutes after "AT&T Mobility implemented a network change with an equipment configuration error." This configuration error caused the AT&T network "to enter 'protect mode' to prevent impact to other services, disconnecting all devices from the network, and prompting a loss of voice and 5G data service for all wireless users."

While the network change was rolled back within two hours, full service restoration "took at least 12 hours because AT&T Mobility's device registration systems were overwhelmed with the high volume of requests for re-registration onto the network," the FCC found.

Outage reveals deeper problems at AT&T

Although a configuration error was the immediate cause of the outage, the FCC investigation revealed various problems in AT&T's processes that increased the likelihood of an outage and made recovery more difficult than it should have been. The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau analyzed network outage reports and written responses submitted by AT&T and interviewed AT&T employees. The bureau's report said:

The Bureau finds that the extensive scope and duration of this outage was the result of several factors, all attributable to AT&T Mobility, including a configuration error, a lack of adherence to AT&T Mobility's internal procedures, a lack of peer review, a failure to adequately test after installation, inadequate laboratory testing, insufficient safeguards and controls to ensure approval of changes affecting the core network, a lack of controls to mitigate the effects of the outage once it began, and a variety of system issues that prolonged the outage once the configuration error had been remedied.

At 2:42 am CST on February 22, an AT&T "employee placed a new network element into its production network during a routine night maintenance window in order to expand network functionality and capacity," the FCC said. The configuration "did not conform to AT&T's established network element design and installment procedures, which require peer review."

An adequate peer review should have prevented the network change from being approved and from being loaded onto the network, but this peer review did not take place, the FCC said. The configuration error was made by one employee, and the misconfigured network element was loaded onto the network by a second employee.

"The fact that the network change was loaded onto the AT&T Mobility network indicates that AT&T Mobility had insufficient oversight and controls in place to ensure that approval had occurred prior to loading," the FCC said.

AT&T faces possible punishment

AT&T issued a statement saying it has "implemented changes to prevent what happened in February from occurring again. We fell short of the standards that we hold ourselves to, and we regret that we failed to meet the expectations of our customers and the public safety community."

AT&T could eventually face some kind of punishment. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau referred the matter to the FCC Enforcement Bureau for potential violations of FCC rules.

Verizon Wireless last month agreed to pay a $1,050,000 fine and implement a compliance plan because of a December 2022 outage in six states that lasted one hour and 44 minutes. The Verizon outage was similarly caused by a botched update, and the FCC investigation revealed systemic problems that made the company prone to such outages.

All 911 attempts failed

Once the AT&T configuration error was introduced, "downstream network elements propagated the error further into the network," the FCC said. "This triggered an automated response that shut down all network connections to prevent the traffic from propagating further into the network. The shutdown isolated all voice and 5G data processing elements from the wireless towers and switching elements, preventing these services from being available."

The AT&T network disconnected all devices from voice and 5G data services "at 2:45 am, just three minutes after the misconfigured network element was placed into production." When voice services were disconnected, no 911 calls from AT&T devices could be routed to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), the FCC said:

All such attempted 911 calls therefore failed preventing more than 25,000 calls to PSAPs or 911 call centers. This includes devices that were in SOS mode while attached to AT&T towers. When a device is in SOS mode, it cannot register to the network, but in most instances the device can still reach 911. However, all voice services on the AT&T Mobility network were unavailable during the outage, including calls to 911 made by phones in SOS mode that were attempted over the AT&T Mobility network. AT&T customers whose devices in SOS mode attached to other carriers could complete 911 calls through those networks.

AT&T prioritized the restoration of FirstNet service over commercial and residential users, and FirstNet infrastructure was restored by 5 am. "Restoring service to commercial and residential users took several more hours as AT&T Mobility continued to observe congestion as high volumes of AT&T Mobility user devices attempted to register on the AT&T Mobility network. This forced some devices to revert back to SOS mode," the FCC said.

Fixes

AT&T has been working on changes to prevent future outages. Within two days of the February outage, it implemented new technical controls, the FCC said.

"This included scanning the network for any network elements lacking the controls that would have prevented the outage, and promptly putting those controls in place. AT&T has engaged in ongoing forensic work and implemented additional enhancements to promote network robustness and resilience," the FCC said. AT&T also "implemented additional steps for peer review and adopted procedures to ensure that maintenance work cannot take place without confirmation that required peer reviews have been completed."

The FCC said it will issue a public notice to service providers reminding them of the importance of following best practices. The public notice will be based on analysis of the AT&T outage and other recent outages.

"Sound network management practices of critical infrastructure and AT&T Mobility's own processes demand that only approved network changes that are developed pursuant to internal procedures and industry best practices, should be loaded onto the production network. It should not be possible to load changes that fail to meet those criteria," the FCC said.

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This iOS 18 feature claims to reduce motion sickness, here's how to use it

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 02:34:22 +0000

A new accessibility feature Apple is baking into the iOS 18 update can help reduce motion sickness in a moving vehicle. Vehicle Motion Cues was announced earlier this year for iPhone and iPad alongside Eye Tracking and is available in the iOS 18 developer and public beta releases to try out.

Apple’s next major iOS update will be available for supported iPhone models with many features, including home screen dark mode, flashlight customizations, improved Wi-Fi sharing, hide/lock apps, Passwords app, and a new Apps section.

Now, let's see how you can turn on and use Vehicle Motion Cues on your iPhone. Since the feature is available on iPadOS 18, you can expect similar steps to enable it on your iPad.

Note: If you plan to install the iOS 18 Developer Beta or Public Beta on your device, it's recommended that you back up all your data and proceed with caution. Pre-release versions of Apple software may contain bugs and unexpected problems that can harm your data or affect the normal working of your device.

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility.
Tap on Motion > Vehicle Motion Cues.
Turn on the toggle button that says, “Vehicle Motion Cues."
You can also enable the other toggle button to trigger motion cues when your car starts moving.

After enabling the feature, your iPhone will display animated dots along the edges of the screen to help reduce motion sickness when you’re in a moving car. The dots don’t interfere with the content you view on your phone and change according to the vehicle's movement.

Apple notes “motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can prevent some users from comfortably using iPhone or iPad while riding in a moving vehicle.”

The feature uses the built-in sensors on your iPhone or iPad to figure out that you’re in a moving vehicle and may need to see vehicle motion cues. For instance, the dots move side to side when your car takes a turn and move forward/back when it changes speed.

You can find more controls related to the feature in the Control Center:

Go to the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen.
Tap on the "+" button in the top-left corner > tap on the “Add a control” option.
Use the search bar to find “Vehicle Motion Cues.”
You can use this control to enable the feature permanently or only trigger it in a moving vehicle.

In other words, you can see how Vehicle Motion Cues works on your device without being in a moving car. Note that the dots are optimized for facing forward in a moving vehicle, so your experience might differ if you’re facing the direction opposite your car’s path.

So, this is how you can use Vehicle Motion Cues on iOS 18. However, keep in mind that the feature can change over time as further beta versions are released, and the actual implementation in the stable version of iOS 18 may look or work differently.

What do you think about Vehicle Motion Cues? Tell us in the comments.

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Check out this spaceship-themed easter egg in Android 15

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:34:01 +0000

You can play a hidden Landroid-based minigame on Android 14 and Android 15. The game is available as an easter egg, which lets you land on different planets. Now, a fresh report by software engineer Dylan Roussel (via 9To5Google) suggests that there is a hidden spaceship-themed easter egg in Android 15.

Notably, there is a new Landroid screensaver based on the Landroid easter egg minigame. It can be accessed by navigating to Settings > About phone > Android version. You need to tap on the Android version multiple times and then tap and hold the Android 15 logo for a few seconds in order to launch the game.

The spaceship-themed screensaver will be visible by tapping Settings > Display and Touch > Screen saver on your phone running Android 15. If you own a Pixel tablet, then you need to navigate to Settings > Hub mode > Screen saver.

The screensaver shows a spaceship that navigates through different planets, lands, and plants a flag. It then restarts from the beginning, with indicators at the top-left and bottom showing the live status. Everything moves very fast in the screensaver.

The screensaver looks great on a Pixel tablet because it continues to show the Google Home Device controls, along with the Cast status visible in the top-right corner. Recently, multiple strings of text were found inside the latest Android 15 Beta 4 update that suggest Google could update its satellite connectivity feature as Pixel Satellite SOS.

It could reportedly be offered for free for the first two years on Pixel 9 series devices. Multiple Samsung apps were also spotted with early signs of the satellite communication feature under development.

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Google shares 22 reasons to buy the Pixel 9 Pro in a teaser video

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 07:55:17 +0000

Leaks and rumors have already shared what to expect from the Made by Google event scheduled for August 13, where Google will debut the Pixel 9 series. Recently, real-world images of the Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, were revealed, courtesy of Taiwan's NCC certification.

Later, Google itself shared official promo videos of the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, giving us a peek into the design of both devices. Then, it was also revealed that on pre-ordering the Google Pixel 9 Pro, limited users will get their hands on an exclusive collectible. The Google Pixel 9 is also rumored to pack upgraded cameras, but not the main sensor.

Now, Google is continuing with its promo efforts to highlight the features and functionality of the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro, especially Gemini AI. Now, in a YouTube Short video, Google has shared a teaser promo that tells you "22 reasons you should say goodbye to your phone and hello to #Pixel9 Pro."

The clip finishes off quickly, and Google wants you to pause and read the reasons, one by one, to abandon your current phone and switch over to the Pixel 9 Pro. We've managed to pause the video 22 times, and here is a list of the 22 reasons that Google has mentioned in the video:

Wishing your photo had more scenery
Forgetting the movie your friend recommended
Forgetting the show your friend recommended
Phone calls where you can barely hear the other person
Concert videos that look too far away
Your toddler looking everywhere except the camera
Scrubbing videos for answers
The sky not being right
The same old memes
Lost in translation
Forgetting what restaurant your friend liked
Awkward photo requests to strangers
Mom never being in the pic
Photobombers
Gatekeeping
So many emails. So little time.
Screening calls yourself
Half the fam looking at the camera
Not capturing the right moment
Spending hours on hold
Blurry photos
Writers’ block

Surely, Google is talking about the various AI features such as Magic Eraser when the video says "The sky not being right" or "Photobombers", Image generation feature when the video says "Wishing your photo had more scenery," the powers of Gemini AI when the video says "So many emails. So little time" or "Writer's block."

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Gboard may soon let you switch to a different keyboard font

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 19:15:11 +0000

Gboard is arguably one of the most popular keyboard apps for Android. Google has added multiple customization features to Gboard since its debut, and now it seems like Google is working on a new feature that would enhance the user experience.

According to a new APK Teardown post by Android Authority, Google is working on a new customization feature for its Gboard app. This feature would allow users to switch to a different font. Notably, Gboard users will be able to switch from Google's default font to the system font.

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The new customization feature was spotted in the latest Gboard beta app for Android version 14.4.06.646482735. The beta includes some evidence that shows a new Font setting in the keyboard Preferences menu.

As per the shared screenshots, the new Font settings let you switch from Google's default font for Gboard to the system's default font. This means that you can also load a third-party font as your system font and switch over to it in Gboard. Notably, this would make the UI look more consistent.

Gallery: Gboard font switcher

Interestingly, the Gboard font setting doesn't let you switch to a different custom font directly from the settings. You need to first make that custom font your device's default font in order to switch over to it within the Gboard app.

Since only a few OEMs, such as Samsung and OnePlus, offer the ability to change the default system font in their Android skins, the feature won't be of much use on other brand devices that don't support font switching.

The Gboard font-switching feature is currently under development and hasn't been rolled out to beta users as of yet. Moreover, any feature found in the APK Teardown post doesn't necessarily mean that it will see the light of day. Google may or may not roll out the feature in a future update for Gboard.

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Here's our first real-world look at the Google Pixel 9 series, including Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 19:04:29 +0000

It seems like Google is following its tradition of not keeping anything under wraps this year as well because, thanks to all the leaks and rumors, we know almost everything about the upcoming Pixel 9 series.

Now, ahead of their official debut, all models of the Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, have popped up at Taiwan's NCC certification, which is equivalent to FCC (via Android Authority).

The NCC regulatory authority revealed multiple images of the Pixel 9 series and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The images give us our first real-world look at the devices and also give us a peek into their battery sizes, charging speeds, cameras, and even internals.

The four Pixel 9 series models were spotted at the NCC: the Pixel 9 with GUR25, the Pixel 9 Pro with GEC77, the Pixel 9 Pro XL with GZC4K, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with GGH2X model numbers. Here are all the details about each one of the Pixel devices, one by one:

Pixel 9

Model number: GUR25
Battery capacity: 4,558mAh
Charging speed: 24.12W

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 NCC

Pixel 9 Pro

Model number: GEC77
Battery capacity: 4,558mAh
Charging speed: 25.20W

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 Pro NCC

Pixel 9 Pro XL

Model number: GZC4K
Battery capacity: 4,942mAh
Charging speed: 32.67W

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL NCC

Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Model number: GGH2X
Battery capacity: 4,560mAh
Charging speed: 20.25W

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold NCC

The new camera module on the back of the Pixel 9 series phones corroborates a previous design leak. Moreover, the new camera module on the back of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also evident. Interestingly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with a corner hole-punch camera in the inside display, reminiscent of the Pixel 4a.

Google will debut the Pixel 9 series at the Pixel Hardware event on August 13. The Pixel 9 series is expected to pack an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and also be equipped with Samsung's M14 OLED displays, which are better than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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The Google Pixel 9 series may come with upgraded cameras, but not the main sensor

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 19:02:25 +0000

Google is all set to debut the Pixel 9 series at the Pixel Hardware event scheduled for August 13. The Pixel 9 series, which includes the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL, has leaked multiple times. Recently, their FCC and Canada's REL certifications confirmed their monikers.

The Pixel 9 has been spotted a couple of times in pink color, showcasing the phone's design from every angle and corroborating a previous design leak. Recently, the European pricing, along with all the different color options of the Pixel 9 series, was leaked. Now, some inside scoop about the cameras on the Pixel 9 series has popped up on the internet, thanks to Android Authority.

According to the report, Google will retain the main camera of the Pixel 8 series on the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Notably, the upcoming Pixel 9 series is rumored to retain the 50MP Samsung GNK lens with ƒ/1.68 aperture, 82° FOV, and 1.2 μm pixel width.

However, the ultrawide, telephoto, and selfie cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are purported to feature the new 50MP Sony IMX858 camera. This would result in better photos, especially better selfies, as big sensors are generally used for rear cameras.

Since the Pixel 9 doesn't feature a telephoto camera, it will be using the 50MP Sony IMX858 camera for its ultrawide camera. Moreover, Google is expected to use the same selfie sensor, i.e., the Samsung 3J1 lens, as last year, but with autofocus.

One more interesting change this year could be expected from the Pixel Camera app. As per the report, the Pixel Camera app supports 8K video recording at 30fps. However, it isn't clear if the Pixel 9 series will support this feature or whether it will be available at launch or not.

Image source: PixoPhone on YouTube

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OnePlus Nord 4 launched with 100W fast charging and Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 18:44:25 +0000

OnePlus unveiled the latest member of its Nord series at the Summer Launch Event hosted in Milan, Italy. The company launched the OnePlus Nord 4 in the mid-tier segment, alongside OnePlus Pad 2, Nord Buds Pro 3, and Watch 2r.

The Android smartphone has a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 SoC, 16/32GB RAM, and 256/512GB UFS 4.0 storage option. OnePlus claims Nord 4 is the only 5G smartphone with a metal unibody (7.9mm) in the markets where it operates.

The device has a 120Hz 6.74-inch AMOLED display (2772 x 1240) with 2150 nits of peak brightness and Ultra HDR support. Its 5,500mAh battery can fuel up from zero to 100% in 28 minutes with the 100W SUPERVOOC adapter and a quick five-minute charge can give 5 hours of Netflix streaming time.

In the camera department, Nord 4 has a 50MP Sony sensor with an 8MP Sony ultra-wide, Dual LED flash, and 4K60 video recording. It has a 16MP fixed focus camera on the front that can record video up to 1080p30.

Nord 4 comes with dual nano SIM support, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and GPS among various connectivity options. The device can double up as an infrared remote to control devices, however, its USB-C port is limited to USB 2.0.

The cherry on the cake is six years of software and security updates for the Nord 4. OnePlus also promised that the device will continue to operate at peak battery capacity for up to four years.

Much like other brands, OnePlus has also stuffed its suite of AI features unsurprisingly called OnePlus Intelligence. Its AI features can write text summaries for meetings and webpages, and generate captions for photos. There is an AI Eraser tool to remove unwanted people from photos and an AI Smart Cutout to lasso objects from images to create stickers or save them on the device.

OnePlus Nord 4 is available for pre-order in the Europe and UK with a starting price of €499/£429 for the 12GB/256GB configuration; its open sale will start on August 8 at 11 AM CEST. Meanwhile, the device will also arrive in India with a starting price of INR 29,999 for an 8GB/128GB configuration.

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OnePlus takes on iPad and Galaxy Tab with the new OnePlus Pad 2

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 18:42:08 +0000

Today, OnePlus launched the OnePlus Pad 2, a new premium Android tablet with an affordable price tag compared to the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S series. The new OnePlus Pad 2 is a huge upgrade from its predecessor.

This tablet is now powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Thanks to its 12.1-inch 3K display with 303 PPI, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 900 nits peak brightness, you can enjoy content in ultra-bright, vivid detail. The OnePlus Pad 2 comes with a 9510mAh battery that delivers over 40 days of standby and 12 hours of YouTube video streaming.

With SUPERVOOC fast-charging technology, you can fully charge the tablet in just over 80 minutes. Despite the large battery size, the OnePlus Pad 2 is just 6.49mm thin and weighs 584 grams. In terms of connectivity, the OnePlus Pad 2 supports Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n, and dual-band Wi-Fi. It also supports Bluetooth BR/EDR/BLE and Bluetooth 5.4.

OnePlus has packed six upgraded speakers to deliver an enhanced sound experience when consuming content on this tablet. To complete the tablet experience, the OnePlus Pad 2 also comes with an optional stylus and keyboard.

The OnePlus Stylo 2 replicates the feel of writing on paper with a near-instant response and subtle vibration feedback. The new OnePlus Smart Keyboard, magnetically connected or detached, delivers a seamless typing experience.

OnePlus has also included several new software experiences to elevate the OnePlus Pad 2 tablet experience:

Create a compelling personalized soundscape with precisely positioned, crystal-clear audio sources in a virtual hemisphere.
Multitask like a pro by seamlessly dragging and dropping files between apps.
Switch between a two-left and one-right or a one-left and two-right layout.
Fine-tune your visuals with granular controls and enjoy a full-screen experience like no other.
Scan any document for auto-corrected, smoothly generated PDF files with one tap.
Effortlessly edit photos with AI Smart Cutout.
Secure One-Touch Transmission turbocharges large file transfers from your phone to your tablet.
Video and Image Sync lets you shoot raw with your phone and edit on your tablet.

Pricing and Availability:

India - 39,999 INR - August 1st
UK and Europe - 549 Euros/499 GBP - August 1st (Pre-order starts today)
North America - 549 USD - July 30th (Pre-order starts today)

Source: OnePlus

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After initially rejecting it, Apple has approved the first PC emulator for iOS

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 07:31:37 +0000

UTM SE can run ‘run classic software and old-school games’ for Windows, Mac OS 9, and Linux on your iPhone

Apple has approved UTM SE, an app for emulating a computer to run classic software and games, weeks after the company rejected it and barred it from being notarized for third-party app stores in the European Union. The app is now available for free for iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS.

After Apple rejected the app in June, the developer said it wasn’t going to keep trying because the app was “a subpar experience.” Today, UTM thanked the AltStore team for helping it and credited another developer “whose QEMU TCTI implementation was pivotal for this JIT-less build.”

UTM SE doesn’t include any virtual machines, but does help you find them.

Screenshot: UTM SE

As with other emulators on the App Store, you can’t do much with UTM SE out of the box. It doesn’t come with any operating systems, though the app does link to UTM’s site, which has guides for Windows XP through Windows 11 emulation, as well as downloads of pre-built virtual Linux machines. Mac OS 9.2.1 and DOS are listed in one screenshot from the UTM SE App Store page.

Here’s the App Store description for UTM SE:

UTM SE is a PC emulator that allows you to run classic software and old-school games.

* Supports both VGA mode for graphics and terminal mode for text-only operating systems

* Emulates x86, PPC, and RISC-V architectures

* Run pre-built machines or create your own configuration from scratch

* Built from QEMU, a powerful and widely used emulator

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Google Pixel 9 series, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold certifications confirm their monikers

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 20:16:26 +0000

At the Pixel Hardware event on August 13, Google is all set to launch the Pixel 9 series. The Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL, have been leaked multiple times, giving us a good look at what to expect from this year's Pixel phones.

The pink Pixel 9 was leaked a couple of times, showcasing the design of the phone, which corroborates a previous design leak. Recently, the European pricing of the Google Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, has been leaked along with rumored color options.

Now, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold have been spotted on multiple certification websites. Notably, as per MySmartPrice, all the Pixel 9 series devices, i.e., Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, were spotted on the FCC and Canada's REL certification websites.

According to the REL certification, the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro were spotted with Hardware Version Identification Numbers (HVIN) GUR25 and GEC77. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold were spotted with the GZC4K and GGH2X Hardware Version Identification Numbers (HVIN).

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 series REL certification

Moreover, the Google Pixel 9 (GUR25), Pixel 9 Pro XL (GZC4K), Pixel 9 Pro Fold (GGH2X), and Pixel 9 Pro (GEC77) were spotted on the FCC certification website. The certification also revealed that the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold would support 2.4GHz, 5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, UWB, 5G, and thread radio connectivity. The thread connectivity allows smartphones to control smart home devices.

Gallery: Google Pixel 9 series FCC certification

Besides, the FCC certification of the Google Pixel 9 (GUR25) reveals that the phone measures 152.8 x 72 mm in length and width. It is also claimed that the Pixel 9 will support dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity, 5G, UWB, and NFC connectivity options.

One of the interesting things revealed by the FCC and REL certifications is that this year's Pixel 9 series, is expected to consist of four devices: the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It is also rumored that the Google Pixel 9 series will come with Samsung's M14 OLED display, which is even better than Samsung's own Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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European pricing of Pixel 9 series and Pixel 9 Pro Fold along with color options leaked

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 20:15:08 +0000

Google is all set to launch the entire Pixel 9 series, which includes the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL at the Pixel Hardware event scheduled for August 13. The Pixel 9 smartphone has been leaked a couple of times in pink color, giving us a good look at what to expect from the upcoming Pixel smartphone.

The leaked hands-on video corroborates a previous design leak, showcasing the new camera module, that isn't attached to the body of the phone like Pixel's predecessors.

Now, a fresh leak has popped up, courtesy of French online publication Dealabs, which gives us a peek into the alleged European pricing of the Pixel 9 series and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Not only the price, but the report has also leaked the different color options that the Pixel 9 series is speculated to offer.

According to the leak, the Google Pixel 9 will allegedly be available in two storage variants, 128GB and 256GB, priced at €899 (roughly $981) and €999 (approximately $1,091), respectively. The vanilla Pixel 9 smartphone is speculated to be available in Obsidian (Volcanic Black), Porcelain (Porcelain), Cosmo, and Mojito color options.

There are also rumors that the Pixel 9 Pro will be available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel (Sage Green), and Pink color schemes. The leak suggests that the 128GB variant could cost €1,099 (approximately $1,200), while the 256GB variant could cost €1,199 (roughly $1,309). The 512GB variant of the Pixel 9 Pro is expected to cost €1,329 (roughly $1,451) and is rumored to be available only in Obsidian and Hazel color schemes.

The base model of the Pixel 9 Pro XL is rumored to cost €1,199 (roughly $1,309), and the 256GB variant could come with a price tag of €1,299 (roughly $1,218). The phone is speculated to launch in Pink, Obsidian, Porcelain, and Haze.

The 512GB variant could rock a price tag of €1,429 (approximately $1,560) and is expected to be available in Obsidian, Porcelain, and Hazel. Google is rumored to launch the Pixel 9 Pro XL in a 1TB variant as well, with a price tag of €1,689 (roughly $1,844).

Google is expected to also launch the next Pixel foldable phone, purportedly called the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The phone is rumored to be launched in 256GB and 512GB storage variants, costing €1,899 (roughly $2,063) and $2,029 (approximately $2,215), respectively. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is rumored to be launched in Obsidian and Porcelain color options.

These are leaked European prices, and even if they turn out to be true, the US pricing will be different once the devices go official.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 foldable smartphones get officially revealed

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 19:59:26 +0000

It's not really a huge shock, but Samsung has now officially revealed the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 foldable smartphones. It happened as part of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event today.

In a press release, Samsung announced that the Galaxy Z Fold6 will have a main 7.6-inch 2,160 x 1,856 resolution Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. When folded, the cover screen will have a 6.3-inch 2,376 x 9,68 Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, again with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Inside, the phone will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor. The phone will have 12GB of RAM and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. It will also have a 4,400mAh dual battery with support for wired and wireless charging.

The camera will include a 10MP sensor for the cover display when folded and a 4MP under-display camera when unfolded. It will have three rear cameras: a main 50MP wide-angle sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 50MP telephoto camera.

Samsung added:

The perfectly symmetrical design with straight edge provides an aesthetically sleek finish while a new cover screen ratio on Galaxy Z Fold6 provides a more natural bar-type viewing experience. Along with design refinements, the new Galaxy Z series is engineered to provide even more durability, offering you greater peace of mind. The dual rail hinge structure is further supported by a strengthened folding edge, better distributing the shock of external impacts.

The price for the phone starts at $1,899.99 with Silver Shadow, Pink, and Navy color choices. Preorders start today, and it will go on sale on July 26.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 will have a 6.70-inch main display with a 2,640 x 1,080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. When folded, the 3.4-inch 720 x 748 display will have a 60Hz refresh rate. The phone will also have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor. It will have 12GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB storage options. It will also have a 4,000mAh dual battery. There's a 10MP front camera, a 50MP main rear camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide sensor.

The Galaxy Z Flip6 will begin preorders on July 10, starting at $1,099.99, with Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, and Mint color options.

If you preorder these phones at Samsung.com, you can get additional color choices of Craft Black and Purity White for both phones, plus a Peach color option for the Galaxy Z Flip6.

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OnePlus takes a step towards 7000mAh battery for mid-range phones

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 19:04:01 +0000

OnePlus introduced the OnePlus 12 earlier this year with a 5,400mAh battery, which is a good size battery for a modern-day flagship. However, the company took it a notch above by introducing the OnePlus Ace 3 Pro in China with a 6,100mAh battery.

Recently, a report popped up by a leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, saying that OnePlus is working on a 6,500mAh battery. The battery was tipped to be included in one of the upcoming OnePlus flagship devices. While no specific device name was put forward, it was assumed to be the OnePlus 13 or the OnePlus Ace 4, which is due for launch sometime next year.

Cut to now, another leak from Digital Chat Station has surfaced on Weibo suggesting that OnePlus and OPPO have gone beyond the 6,500mAh battery and are currently working on a battery with capacity heading towards the 7,000mAh mark.

image via Digital Chat Station

One of the interesting things that the tipster mentioned was that OnePlus and OPPO are speculated to be developing a 7,000mAh battery for a mid-range phone. In the case of OnePlus, if we talk about a mid-range phone, then the alleged 7,000mAh battery could fit inside one of the Nord-lineup of phones.

On the other hand, speaking of OPPO, the alleged 7,000mAh battery could be installed inside one of the brand's A-series smartphones. But these are just speculations, and the companies could introduce a new lineup with a big battery.

Notably, this won't be the first time a phone comes with a 7,000mAh battery. There are a few mainstream phones that have packed such a large battery earlier, such as the Samsung Galaxy F62 and Galaxy M51.

Besides, there have been some niche brands that have launched smartphones with 10,000mAh or even 2 2,000mAh batteries but with a chunky design. However, OnePlus has recently introduced its "Glacier Battery" technology in the OnePlus Ace 3 Pro.

The "Glacier Battery" technology is silicon-based batteries that have higher density and allow for greater capacity to be fitted in a smaller battery. This is the reason the Ace 3 Pro is 9mm thick and weighs just about 207 grams. So, with OnePlus' technology, the mid-range phone with a 7,000mAh battery won't bring a dramatic increase in size and weight.

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Alleged Google Pixel 3 models spotted on FCC with Ultra-Wideband and 5GHz Wi-Fi

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 06:56:17 +0000

Google has officially announced that it will hold the "Made by Google 2024" hardware event on August 13. Here, the company has already teased the launch of the Pixel 9 series. The Pixel 9 series has in fact, already allegedly leaked in the color pink, not once but twice, giving us a good look at the standard model of the upcoming Pixel 9 series.

It is also rumored that the Google Pixel 9 would feature Samsung's latest M14 OLED panel, even better than Samsung's own Galaxy S24 series. Moreover, it is also claimed to be the same panel the upcoming Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will come equipped with.

Since Google has broken the tradition of launching Pixel smartphones in October, by announcing the launch in August, there is speculation that we may also see the Pixel Watch 3 debut alongside the smartphones.

Last month, renders of the alleged Pixel Watch 3 appeared online, giving us a good look at what we can expect from Google this year. Now, a bunch of Google devices, purported to be Google Pixel Watch 3 models have been spotted on the FCC certification website.

It is assumed that the Google devices spotted on the FCC website are different variants and sizes of the upcoming Google Pixel 3 smartwatch. The listing not only hints at the imminent launch of the device but also gives us a peek into the stepped-up connectivity features.

According to the FCC listings, four alleged Google Pixel Watch 3 models have appeared with model numbers GBDU9, GRY0E, GG3HH, and GGE4J. Out of the four, two have LTE connectivity, whereas the other two are expected to be Wi-Fi/Bluetooth models.

Gallery: Google Pixel Watch 3 FCC listing

One of the interesting things that stands out in the FCC documents of these alleged Pixel Watch 3 devices is the addition of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) to all four models. Moreover, there is the inclusion of 5GHz and 2.5GHz Wi-Fi as well, which isn't a common sighting in a smartwatch. On the LTE models, the listing suggests 802.11ax, speculated to be at least Wi-Fi 6.

The model numbers GBDU9 and GRYoE are expected to be the LTE and Wi-Fi models, with UWB support. This could help unlock fancy cars and NFC for payments. Moreover, the GG3HH and GGE4J are purported to be the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth models that have 802.11ax Wi-Fi along with UWB and NFC. There is still no clarity on which variants are big and small models of the Pixel Watch 3.

Source and images: 9To5Google

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Fresh leak gives us a peek into the specifications of the upcoming OnePlus Pad 2

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 19:01:47 +0000

The saturated Android tablet market is soon going to get one more product, which could make things exciting again. OnePlus is all set to officially launch a new tablet at an event on July 16. The tablet is the OnePlus Pad 2, the successor to the OnePlus Pad launched in 2023.

Thanks to tipster Ishan Agarwal on X, we have an inside scoop on the specifications of the upcoming OnePlus Pad 2. According to the tipster, the global version of the OnePlus Pad 2 is allegedly the rebranded OnePlus Pad Pro, which was recently unveiled in China.

As per the information provided by the tipster, the OnePlus Pad 2 is tipped to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. The display on the tablet would allegedly measure 12.1 inches 144Hz IPS LCD and have 3000x2120 pixel resolution with Dolby Vision and a peak brightness of 900 nits.

The OnePlus Pad is rumored to come in two configurations: 8GB RAM/128GB storage and 12GB RAM/256GB storage. The audio quality on the device is expected to be good, as the OnePlus Pad 2 is rumored to pack six speakers.

Under the hood, the OnePlus Pad 2 is purported to be juiced by a 9,510mAh battery that would support 67W SUPERVOOC fast charging. Speaking of cameras, the OnePlus Pad 2 is speculated to pack a 13MP primary camera and an 8MP front camera for selfies.

The big news is that OnePlus has leaped from using a MediaTek chipset to a Snapdragon SoC inside its upcoming tablet. OnePlus is already marketing the OnePlus Pad 2 as the "most powerful Android tablet," strongly suggesting that better optimization of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. If the leak is true, then the OnePlus Pad 2 is going to be the first Android tablet powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.

The tipster further added that OnePlus could also launch the OnePlus Stylo 2 stylus pen, Smart Keyboard, and Folio Case alongside the OnePlus Pad 2 tablet in India. All these accessories are also expected to launch in the US as well.

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Dear. Android — Leave. The. Power. Button. Alone.

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 03:25:58 +0000

Enough is enough.

I bought my first almost-smartphone — a Nokia 6610 — in 2002, and even back then, mobile phones had a wonderful, intuitive, simple technology to engage or disengage with them called a power button. When my Nokia was off, I pressed the power button for a few seconds to turn it on. When it was on, I pressed the power button for a few seconds to turn it off. Such an easy-to-learn, easy-to-replicate behavior! Every piece of electronics I’ve had before that Nokia exhibited the same intuitive power button behavior, so I didn’t have to be a genius to figure out what the button does.

Fast forward a couple of decades and the beautifully elegant and simple behavior of the power button is under assault. Suddenly, this reliable on/off shortcut is no longer just that; it’s a button to call up a voice assistant, start a contactless payment, control a smart home, or I don’t know what else.

That’s because, in a rush to move to touchscreens and display-based electronics, every company has let go of the simplicity of buttons. Later on, when they realized that tactile feedback wasn’t a half-bad idea, they noticed that one of the few consistent physical buttons remaining in their hardware is the power one. And so the assault on the most basic and straightforward button started, forcing it to become much more and confuse everyone in the process.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed an Android phone or iPhone, pressed and held the power button expecting it to shut down or restart, only to be greeted by some pop-up, weird menu, or some other on-screen element that is definitely not a power menu. In my frustration, I start attempting different combos: power plus volume up, power plus volume down, power for five seconds, lighting a candle and praying to the tech gods, starting a ceremonial rain dance, and sacrificing a lamb and/or my fictional first-born, only in hopes that something will shut off the darn phone.

Why do I need to learn a new shortcut to turn off my phone when the power button is, literally, right there?

Now, to be fair, I am not your average one-phone-every-few-years kind of user who rarely, if ever, turns off or restarts their phone. If I were, I’d get annoyed by this madness once or twice, search for a solution, and use it for a few years — no fuss.

But in my daily life as a tech reviewer, I come across multiple smartphones and brands, whether I’m reviewing them or troubleshooting the phones of friends and family members. I have to apply updates, reboot to double-check if a glitch is a temporary bug or a permanent issue, restart to force an updated Google app to show me a new server-side UI change, and so on. I also get asked tech questions over the phone or WhatsApp a lot. And like any tech expert worth their salt, I often have to use the “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” trick, only to be met with, “But it doesn’t turn off!”

Well, friend, it does, it really does, but give me a second to figure out how to turn off your phone because that function is obfuscated and was taken away so you never, ever shut it down unless you really set your mind to it. Otherwise, the power button does not power off your phone, even if, confusingly, it does power it on.

I know I’m clearly getting triggered by this. Right now, I have seven phones on my desk from six different brands; not to mention the few others in the drawer next to me. And each one of these has a different and weird fetish for the power button and power off menu.

Phone	Default power button behavior	Can you change it?	Settings menu to change it	Bypass with a shortcut?	Other ways to turn off your phone
Google Pixel	Google Assistant / Gemini	Yes, revert back to the power menu	System > Gestures > Press & hold power button	Power + volume up	Ask Assistant, notification drop-down
Samsung Galaxy	Bixby	Yes, revert back to the power menu	Advanced features > Side button > Press and hold	Power + volume down for 2 seconds	Ask Bixby, notification drop-down
Nothing Phone	Google Assistant / Gemini	Yes, revert back to the power menu	System > Gestures > Press & hold power button	Power + volume up	Notification drop-down
HONOR	Google Assistant / Gemini	No, only disable Assistant	Accessibility features > Shortcuts & gestures > Google Assistant > Wake with Power button	Power button for 5 seconds	—
realme	Google Assistant / Gemini	Yes, revert back to the power menu	Additional settings > Power button > Press and hold the Power button	Power + volume up	—
Apple iPhone	Siri	No, only disable Siri	Siri & Search > Press Side Button For Siri	Power + any volume key for 2 seconds	Settings > General > Shut Down

Google’s Pixels launch Assistant — or Gemini if you’re avant-gardiste enough — when I press and hold the power button. To turn off the phone, I either ask Assistant (oh, the inefficiency!), drop down the notification shade to access the power menu, learn a shortcut combo of the power and volume button, or dig into settings to change the default behavior. It doesn’t help that the last few Android versions have all attempted to do something unorthodox with the Power menu, from opening smart home controls to launching Google Wallet.

Samsung’s Galaxy phones wake up Bixby with the power button by default. Once again, I have to resort to telling Bixby to turn off the phone, dropping down the notification shade to see the power button, learning a different shortcut to bypass this, or going into another setting menu to change the default behavior.

Modern iPhones — the ones without the home button — also commandeered the power button for Siri. Worse yet, I can’t bring back the power menu function to the power button (the same is true for HONOR phones); I can only disable access to Siri. To turn my iPhone off, I have to find the Shut Down menu in settings or learn another key shortcut combo with the power and volume buttons.

Turning off my phone shouldn't be this complicated.

Some phones with a stock-like skin, like the Nothing Phone for example, generally behave like Pixels. However, Assistant can’t seem to be able to trigger the shut down on its own; it only tells me how to do it instead.

Both realme and HONOR phones have taken away the power menu icon from the notification drop-down, for some reason. realme resorts to the same shortcut bypass as Pixel phones, though. And, while HONOR uses a simpler bypass to turn off the phone — the tried-and-true press and hold of the power button — it does require you to keep pressing for five seconds, which is way longer than the usual two seconds. I’ve often attempted to shut down my HONOR phone and failed, only to remember that I have to keep pressing and pressing.

And obviously, every one of these companies hides the setting to revert or disable its weird behavior in a different menu under a different name. Some will call it a side button, others a power button; some will put it in gestures, others in accessibility, others in advanced or additional menus. It’s maddening madness.

All of this to say: Please, for the love of tech and troubleshooting, stop mucking about with this very simple, very straightforward, very reliable button. Let it do its thing: turn on the phone, turn off the phone, turn on the display, turn off the display. If you want to add a double-press shortcut to launch the camera or another app, fine. But nothing else. Thanks.

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The upcoming flagship from OnePlus may feature the biggest battery of all its phones

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 06:54:13 +0000

OnePlus phones are known to offer decent-sized batteries. The OnePlus 12, which debuted earlier this year, was equipped with a 5,400mAh battery. While this was significant on a flagship phone, OnePlus took this a notch further by introducing a 6,100mAh battery in its OnePlus Ace 3 Pro, launched in China.

It seems like OnePlus doesn't want to stop at 6,100mAh. According to the latest leak coming from China via tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, an upcoming flagship from OnePlus could rock a 6,500mAh battery. Although the post doesn't mention any specific OnePlus device name, the best bet could be the upcoming OnePlus 13 or OnePlus Ace 4, which could launch sometime next year.

image via Digital Chat Station

If this leak comes true, then it would be the biggest battery cell of all OnePlus phones. The recently launched OnePlus Ace 3 Pro features a 6,100mAh battery, the highest battery capacity of any OnePlus so far. It comes with a "Glacier battery," which is said to offer high charging speeds, longer life, and a more stable voltage supply by using silicon-carbon anode technology.

This advanced battery technology allows the cell to retain charge for nearly two days and also supports high-speed fast charging. One of the best things about this Glacier battery is that even though it offers high capacity, the size of the battery is smaller than the batteries found inside modern phones.

Even though the tipster hasn't mentioned which type of battery technology will be used in the upcoming flagship to accommodate a 6,500mAh battery, the best bet lies with a more advanced version of OnePlus's Glacier battery technology.

The tipster further noted in the post that the upcoming models could allegedly include a micro-curved 1.5K or 2K display. A previous leak claimed that the display on the OnePlus 13 could allegedly be of the same size as the OnePlus 12. The leak also showed off the purported design of the camera module of the alleged OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R.

At the moment, we would suggest you take any piece of information with a pinch of salt since nothing has been officially confirmed.

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Vivaldi 6.8 for iOS [and iPadOS] is out with tab improved ad blocker and new personalization

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 21:50:57 +0000

Vivaldi has announced a big update for its browser on iOS. Version 6.8 has landed with a bunch of useful improvements, such as new customization options, better ad-blocking capabilities, tab management improvements, and more.

The latest update to Vivaldi brings new ways for you to personalize the browser, with a customizable button in the address bar and easier Start Page customization. We have also made several improvements to our Ad Blocker and enabled Bookmark nickname matching.

With Vivaldi 6.8 on iOS, users can check out a new user interface for inactive tabs. It is now easier to spot inactive tabs and specify when the browser should turn a tab into an inactive one. By default, the period is set to 21 days, but you can set a custom value. All inactive tabs are now available in a folder above your tabs.

Vivaldi also allows you to open bookmarks, history, and reading list items in the background to stay on the current screen. Hold a link and select "Open in New Background Tab." Speaking of bookmarks, you can now assign nicknames to your favorites. To give a bookmark a nickname, go to the bookmarks UI, tap and hold a bookmark, tap edit, and then assign a nickname. Bookmark nicknames will appear in the drop-down menu when you enter a website address.

New customization options in Vivaldi 6.8 for iOS include the ability to create Speed Dial groups and specify how they appear on the home page. Finally, Vivaldi for iOS now features an improved and more efficient ad blocker.

You can find the complete list of changes in Vivaldi 6.8 in a blog post on the official website.

As an online publication, Neowin also relies on ads for operating costs, and if you use an ad blocker, we'd appreciate being whitelisted. In addition, we have an ad-free subscription for $28 a year, which is another way to show support!

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Report: Google Pixel 9 series to get ultrasonic fingerprint sensor

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 21:49:19 +0000

Google's upcoming Pixel 9 lineup will get an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor as one of the hardware upgrades, reports leaker and Android Authority contributor Kamila Wojciechowska citing a source familiar with the matter.

The under-display optical fingerprint sensor currently used in Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro isn't known to be the fastest on the market, as per the leaker. Meanwhile, the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology is already used in Samsung's Galaxy S24 series.

Ultrasonic sensors have an edge over optical ones as they are more responsive and quickly unlock the device when the finger placed is over the sensor. They are less affected by wet and dirty fingers, and unlike optical sensors, they don't emit bright light in the dark making them comfortable to use at night.

Users have long requested an upgraded fingerprint sensor for Pixel devices. According to the leaker, the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor will arrive on Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The next-generation Pixel Fold (also known as Pixel 9 Pro Fold) will retain the capacitive fingerprint sensor in its power button.

This adds to the features and changes rumored to arrive on the Pixel 9 series. It is reported that Pixel 9 will pack Samsung's M14 OLED display to deliver improved brightness and longevity. Pixel 9 allegedly went on unofficial sale in Algeria and leaked benchmarks suggest modest performance improvement over Pixel 8.

The cherry on the cake was a bunch of leaked images showcasing the upcoming devices from different angles, revealing a pill-shaped camera cutout at the back. A leaked hands-on video appeared recently, showing Pixel 9 in pink color.

Google has made it official that the Pixel 9 series will debut next month at its 'Made By Google' event, where the company is also expected to launch the Pixel Watch 3.

Source: Android Authority

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WhatsApp starts testing channel forwarding with the latest Android beta

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 21:47:02 +0000

WhatsApp is working to give channel owners and admins some extra powers in a future update. WABetaInfo reports that the instant messaging platform started rolling out the channel forwarding feature to some beta testers running WhatsApp beta for Android v2.24.14.15.

The feature is said to be in development for a couple of months now and lets channel owners forward messages, photos, videos, and GIFs to their channels. On top of that, channel owners can share media from other apps, such as file explorer or photo library, directly to their channels.

The website notes that the upcoming feature helps channel owners get rid of the extra work of downloading media on their devices and manually uploading it to their channels. They can directly share media from personal chats and save some time. The feature will roll out to more beta users in the coming days.

Image via WABetaInfo

It has been a year since WhatsApp Channels was introduced in June to have one-way communication and share updates with followers. In the following months, WhatsApp added some advanced filters to improve user experience and launched the feature globally.

WhatsApp continued to upgrade the feature by adding voice updates, polls, and up to 16 channel admins. If you want you can follow a channel on WhatsApp or create your own, you can do so by going to the Updates tab.

Speaking of which, the Meta-owned company is also working on a way to rank your Status updates, which are also displayed in the Updates tab. In addition, it's testing a redesigned version of Status updates feature.

While you can react to or forward an update shared on a WhatsApp channel, you can not respond to them or send messages to channel admins. Unlike WhatsApp Groups, other users on a channel can't see your name or activity, and admins can only see your profile picture depending on your privacy settings.

Source: WABetaInfo

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Unofficial app for installing Windows 11 on Surface Duo lands in the Microsoft Store

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 21:46:10 +0000

Last month, developers who made it possible to install Windows 11 on the Surface Duo released the WOA Device Manager app, a new program that makes it easier to swap Android with Windows 11 on Microsoft's ill-fated dual-screen smartphones. Now, the app is available for free in the Microsoft Store, giving enthusiasts an easier and more convenient method to get the application for tinkering with the Surface Duo and the Surface Duo 2.

The WOA Device Manager provides assistance with installing, updating, and managing Windows on Android smartphones. It works with Microsoft's Android smartphone duo, allowing you to perform full-flash updates (FFU), service drivers, boot into different modes, unlock the bootloader and more. It also has a user-friendly interface that aligns with Windows 11's design principles.

Although replacing Android with Windows 11 on the Surface Duo is now easier, the process is still not for the faint of heart. If you are willing to risk it and try something new on your dual-screen Android smartphone from Microsoft, remember to back everything up before proceeding.

In case you missed it, the WOA Device Manager app recently received an update with the following improvements:

Many bug fixes and improvements

Added an update notification banner if the app is outdated

Added the ability to service drivers (update, reinstall) on the attached device

Added an overlay that lets you know when the device is in mass storage which driver letter is active

You can now shift click on the switch to windows button in order to specify a custom uefi image if needed

You can also shift click on the service drivers button to pick a custom driver package

You can track the progress of the project's development in its Telegram channel. The WOA Device Manager app is available in the Microsoft Store via this link. Alternatively, get it from GitHub.

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News: Mobile News

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Pixel 9 Pro Fold

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 foldable smartphones get officially revealed

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Fresh leak gives us a peek into the specifications of the upcoming OnePlus Pad 2

Dear. Android — Leave. The. Power. Button. Alone.

Why do I need to learn a new shortcut to turn off my phone when the power button is, literally, right there?

Turning off my phone shouldn't be this complicated.

The upcoming flagship from OnePlus may feature the biggest battery of all its phones

Vivaldi 6.8 for iOS [and iPadOS] is out with tab improved ad blocker and new personalization

Report: Google Pixel 9 series to get ultrasonic fingerprint sensor

WhatsApp starts testing channel forwarding with the latest Android beta

Unofficial app for installing Windows 11 on Surface Duo lands in the Microsoft Store