Phone manufacturer OnePlus was also developing its flavor of the Operating System based on Android 14, named OxygenOS 14. It announced in a blog post the stable release of OxygenOS 14 scheduled for September 25, in line with Google's launch of Android 14.

According to an insider, the source code release that was supposed to take place on September 5th has been delayed by a month to October 4th, 2023, which coincides with the Pixel 8 launch event. The Pixel 8 will be Google's latest installment of its phone lineup with exclusive features, including an Audio Magic Eraser and ultra-wideband (UWB) chip for better device location tracking.

This seems to be a last-minute decision as the OnePlus announcement was made only a few days prior, and OEMs were anticipating the public source code release by now. It is unprecedented for an OEM to launch an OS before Google's source code release. The unusual move by Google is also a first for the search giant, as the release date was planned in advance, according to the leaker.

OnePlus in its blog post, says, "Like clockwork, OnePlus strives to be among the first to adapt the new flavor of a major Android release to its OS". Ironically, it might be the first to launch the OS unless the date is postponed in light of the incident. We can expect to see an updated post from OnePlus about the push of the launch date. OxygenOS 14 is coming with a new proprietary performance platform named the Trinity Engine, which can achieve greater efficiency, according to OnePlus.

Google may have made this move to launch Android 14 AOSP and its new Pixel device on the same day. Rahman says OEMs are being made aware that security vulnerability patches for the latest version of Android will be published on October 4, 2023. Whether OnePlus will proceed with its pre-scheduled release date and publish OxygenOS 14 with vulnerabilities or wait for Google to launch first, remains a question.

Source: X

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The first of these incorporates AI straight into your home screen with the Assistant At a Glance widget which utilizes AI power to refresh regularly through highly precise weather updates, live travel updates, and upcoming event reminders when necessary.

The next update comes to the accessibility features of Android, with Image Q&A on Lookout utilizing AI to generate more detailed descriptions of images for users who are blind or low-vision. When users open images, they can type or use voice to ask follow-up questions to learn more about the content of the image. Lookout is also being updated to support 11 new languages including Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

Next comes an update to Google Wallet, with the ability to import passes using the camera to digitize passes that have a barcode or a QR code and add them straight to the Wallet app such as gym or library cards. It will upload the image taken of the pass and store it in the Wallet app so it is ready to be used.

Android Auto is also getting updates thanks to Webex by Cisco and Zoom, with users being able to start and join conference calls by audio only, and browse meeting schedules directly from the car display. Active calls via both these platforms are managed directly through Android Auto so that it's easy to mute the microphone and end the call when needed.

The final updates come to Personal Routines with activity and sleep data from either Fitbit or Google Fit being available to add to a routine. To start Google recommends adding hours slept and sleep start time to the Good Morning routine, which will recap sleep stats in the morning alongside other routine items.

Even though Google directly references updates to devices, it hasn't said that these features are exclusive to its Pixel phones, and are likely to come to other Android-powered devices in the future as well.

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That’s Android with a capital A, sir.

Image: Google

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In case you aren't aware, Apple normally releases a new major version of iOS and iPadOS on the same day. This usually occurs sometime in mid-September. The company broke the tradition last year when it released iOS 16 in September 2022, followed by iPadOS 16 in October. That month-long delay came as a surprise to many users. While it was not officially announced by the company, reputable sources had confirmed that the delay in shipping the iPadOS update was largely due to the introduction of Stage Manager. The multitasking feature, which was also released for macOS 13 Ventura, was found to be particularly buggy in beta versions of iPadOS 16.

This was the reason why Apple had pushed back its release date, to allow its developers to sort out the issues related to Stage Manager. The release was met with ridicule from users, who criticized the company for making the feature exclusive to M1 iPads. Apple responded quickly to the complaints by adding support for Stage Manager in iPad Pro 3rd and 4th gen models.

Such issues shouldn't affect iPadOS 17. According to reports from users, beta versions of the new software have offered a much better experience than its predecessor did. Apple is bringing the Health app to iPad. The new version of the operating system will allow users to open PDFs natively, and edit text fields in documents, which can be useful for filling up forms. The Notes app can be used to annotate PDFs. Stage Manager, Spotlight and the Freeform app are also gaining some quality-of-life improvements.

Apple recently released the eighth beta version of iPadOS 17, iOS 17 and watchOS 10. The new versions were released in quick succession to the 6th and 7th beta versions of its iPhone and iPad software without any major hiccups. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is considering the eight beta version of iOS 17 as the final build, i.e. the one which will be released to the stable channel. The Cupertino company is also planning to release iPadOS 17 simultaneously.

Both versions of the operating systems are expected to be launched on September 12th, during the iPhone 15 series launch event. That said, Apple is not expected to release any new iPads during the event. We can however expect the Apple Watch Series 9 to debut along with the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple will likely roll out iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to users a week after they are announced, i.e. sometime between September 12th and 20th. The release would coincide with the availability of the new iPhone 15 lineup, which is said to start shipping around a week after the launch date, i.e. it may be available from September 19th. Rumors indicate that Apple will refresh its iPad lineup next year, with a major focus on OLED screens. Meanwhile, the company is said to be prepping its first M3 Macs, which could be announced in October.

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The Channels feature is yet to receive a global rollout and it's only available in a limited number of regions, including Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Malaysia, and Ukraine. So, users in these regions can try out the new advanced filters for channels. As per WABetaInfo, it might take a while for the new additions to reach all eligible users as the rollout is still going on.

For instance, users can view all the channels available globally or filter them to a specific country. WABetaInfo notes that the instant messaging app has replaced the filter button on the channels screen with new tabs to filter the Most Active, New, and Popular WhatsApp Channels.

Some of these filters were already available in the previous versions of the app, but now they have become more accessible. WhatsApp introduced Channels in June this year as a sub-part of the Updates tab in the app. The community feature allows admins to have one-way communication with their followers in the form of text, images, videos, etc.

However, neither admins nor users who follow their channels are able to see each other's respective phone numbers. WhatsApp Channels are discoverable through a searchable directory but admins have the option to hide their channel and share links privately.

Apart from that, WhatsApp Beta users on Android can get their hands on the multi-account feature. WhatsApp is finally allowing users to have more than one account on the same device. It's also working on a new verification method where people use their email addresses to authenticate account logins on the app.

This comes after WhatsApp introduced the ability to use a single account on multiple (up to four) smartphones. WhatsApp has also launched a new native macOS app that comes with support for group calling.

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Apple wanted to launch a 14-inch iPad

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman writes in his Power On newsletter that Apple wanted to launch its biggest iPad in 2023. The company had been working on the device since 2021. This isn't exactly shocking news. As MacRumors notes, we saw a similar rumor about a year ago, when 3 leakers, Gurman, Majin Bu and Ross Young, had on separate occasions mentioned that Apple was developing a 14.1-inch iPad Pro. They had claimed that the tablet in question would have MiniLEDs and ProMotion display.

(iPad Pro 12.9-inch image used for reference)

In fact, there was a third leak, via The Information's Wayne Ma, who had said that Apple was working on a 16-inch iPad. Display manufacturers, BOE and LG, were even said to be working on 15-inch OLED displays for iPads. The leakers had expected Apple to announce the devices in 2023, but Young had later told that the company had shelved the plans for the 14-inch tablet.

So, what happened? Gurman says that Apple had faced some hurdles in making the move from LCD to OLED. The transition is expected to be expensive, and it would incur considerably higher costs for larger screen sizes. The next-gen iPad Pro models are expected to come with a 13-inch screen. It is unclear whether the Cupertino would launch a bigger tablet in the future.

Is a 14-inch iPad too big? Apple's current lineup of iPads include a 10.9-inch and a 12.9-inch model. The latter is already close to the MacBook Air 13-inch, if you were to compare the sizes of the screens. But taking it to 14.1-inches or 16 would mean that it would be in direct competition with the MacBook lineup. What's the point here? The device would be too bulky to be used comfortably because of its size, and the fact it has a touch screen. If you had to place it on a desk to use it, you might as well use a laptop.

As I mentioned recently, the problem with iPad sales performing poorly isn't related to the devices' hardware. The tablets are powerful, at least the iPad Pro models which have an Apple Silicon chip are. But these devices are crippled by iPadOS and its weak app ecosystem. Apple needs to ditch iPadOS, and let these devices run on macOS. Increasing the size of the display does not solve this problem. A big screen device such as the iPad 14.1-inch Pro could also be quite expensive, which may also be unappealing to buyers.

Apple's next-gen Magic Keyboard could have an Aluminium top case

Gurman says that Apple's redesigned Magic Keyboard, which we reported about a week ago, will have a premium look and materials. The keyboard's top case will be aluminium, similar to recent MacBooks. The move from Silicone to metal will reduce bending, tearing issues while providing a sturdy experience. However, the cover material on the upcoming Magic Keyboard is expected to be made of Silicone. The keyboard will have a single USB-C port, and a larger trackpad. This could cause the price of the accessory to go up from its current tag of $299.

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Frequent and reliable leaker Revengus has said on X that the rumored OLED iPad Pro could have up to 4TB of storage. If this is true, it would be a significant upgrade from the current model, which maxes out at 2TB. A storage upgrade on the 2022 iPad Pro costs over $1,100 if you go from 128GB to 2TB, so it's likely that the 4TB model of the OLED iPad Pro would be even more expensive.

The 4TB storage variant of the iPad Pro might not make sense to most users, but it could be a good option for those who do demanding tasks like video editing.

The upcoming iPad Pro could also bring other hardware upgrades. Mark Gurman, a reliable Apple analyst, has said that the new tablets will be the first big update since the ones launched in 2018. The new iPads will be the first to bring OLED displays. They will be released in an 11-inch version and a slightly larger 13-inch edition, according to Gurman.

The upcoming iPad Pro tablets might be powered by Apple's M3 chip and will also have an optional Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad than the current version. This will make the tablets more laptop-like and suitable for tasks like video editing and graphic design, said Gurman.

The rumored M3 chips are expected to be based on TSMC's 3nm process node, which would make them more powerful and efficient than the current M2 chips. These chips might deliver up to 20% faster CPU performance and up to 30% faster GPU performance.

(Via Wccftech)

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It was no normal gadget. And its launch has sparked hushed concern in Washington that U.S. sanctions have failed to prevent China from making a key technological advance. Such a development would seem to fulfill warnings from U.S. chipmakers that sanctions wouldn’t stop China, but would spur it to redouble efforts to build alternatives to U.S. technology.

Huawei Technologies Co.’s new smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, represents a new high-water mark in China’s technological capabilities, with an advanced chip inside that was both designed and manufactured in China despite onerous U.S. export controls intended to prevent China from making this technical jump. Those sanctions were first imposed by the Trump administration and continued under President Biden.

The timing of the phone announcement on Monday, while Raimondo was in Beijing, appeared to be a show of defiance. Chinese state media declared it showed the U.S. that trade war was a “failure.”

Paul Triolo, the technology policy lead at the Washington-based business consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group, called the new phone “a major blow to all of Huawei’s former technology suppliers, mostly U.S. companies.”

“The major geopolitical significance,” he said, “has been to show that it is possible to completely design [without] U.S. technology and still produce a product that may not be quite as good as cutting edge Western models, but is still quite capable.”

Biden administration officials declined to comment.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, center, leaves after a news conference at the Boeing Shanghai Aviation Service Co., in Shanghai on Aug. 30. (Andy Wong/AFP/Getty Images

How powerful the new chip design is remains an open question. Unusually, Huawei revealed little about key aspects of the phone in its announcement, such as whether it was 5G-enabled or what process was used to produce it. In a statement, Huawei simply touted the phone as making breakthroughs in “satellite communications.”

China’s official broadcaster, CGTN, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, called the phone Huawei’s “first higher-end processor” since U.S. sanctions were imposed and said the chip it contains was made by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., a company partially owned by the Chinese government.

One person told The Washington Post that the Mate 60 Pro has a 5G chip. Speed tests posted by early buyers of the phone online suggest its performance is similar to top-of-the-line 5G phones. In July, Reuters reported Huawei’s imminent return to the 5G phone market, citing three technology research firms speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Nikkei Asia has reported, citing sources, that SMIC would be using what’s known as the “7-nanometer process” to make the chips for Huawei, the most advanced level in China. This would be on par with the process used for the chips inside Apple’s iPhones launched in 2018. Apple’s latest iPhone chips were made by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, using what is known as the four-nanometer process. A nanometer is a measure of chip size, with the fewer nanometers in the process, the better. A piece of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.

U.S. sanctions were intended to slow China’s progress in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and big data by cutting off its ability to buy or build advanced semiconductors, which are the brains of these systems. The unveiling of a domestically produced seven-nanometer chip suggests that has not happened.

Industry experts cautioned that it’s still too early to tell how competitive China’s chipmaking operations will become. But what is clear is that China is still in the game.

“This shows that Chinese companies like Huawei still have plenty of capability to innovate,” said Chris Miller, a professor at Tufts University and author of the book “Chip War.” “I think it will also probably intensify debate in Washington on whether restrictions are to be tightened.”

A Huawei Technologies Co. Mate 60 Pro smartphone. Chinese state media jumped aboard a groundswell of national pride surrounding Huawei’s latest smartphone, portraying the gadget as a technological marvel that delivered a much-needed victory over U.S. sanctions. (Justin Chin/Bloomberg News)

Few stakeholders have yet to voice opinions publicly, as industry groups seek to confirm more details and evaluate their stances. But there is no doubt the new Huawei phone has sparked discussions of what comes next. “There is a lot of activity,” said Craig Allen, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, a nonprofit group that promotes trade between the United States and China.

Opinions differ as to how the U.S. government should react.

“This development will almost certainly prompt much stronger calls for further tightening of export control licensing for U.S. suppliers of Huawei, who continue to be able to ship commodity semiconductors that are not used for 5G applications,” Triolo said.

On the other hand, he added, “U.S. semiconductor companies would prefer to be able to continue to ship commodity semiconductors to Huawei and other Chinese end users, to maintain market share and stave off the designing [without] U.S. technology from Chinese supply chains more broadly.”

Washington faced a similar quandary of how to hobble the Soviet Union’s technological development during the Cold War. Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said Huawei’s breakthrough was evocative of what happened with Global Positioning System technology, now commonly known as GPS. The U.S. Defense Department developed the technology and restricted its export, wary of it in the hands of rivals. But the export restrictions pushed Moscow and other governments to develop their own versions, Shih said.

“So it went from a situation where the U.S. really dominated that technology and everyone would come to the U.S. to buy it, to now there are all these different alternatives,” he said. “And you have to wonder if the same thing is happening now with Huawei.”

China’s race to build an advanced homegrown chip began in May 2019, when, amid the Trump administration’s trade war with China, the Commerce Department put Huawei on its “Entity List,” prohibiting U.S. companies from doing business with it. Some wondered if it was a “death penalty” for Huawei, with the company choked from obtaining key components.

Huawei had long been in the crosshairs of Washington as the sharpest tip of China’s tech industry. Since 2012, Huawei has been the world’s largest supplier of the equipment needed to operate the global internet, a position it has maintained despite U.S. sanctions. Huawei files more patent applications than any other company in China, and a constellation of Chinese start-ups rely on Huawei’s AI algorithms to build their own applications for face and voice recognition, pattern identification and other purposes.

Huawei’s business lines include geopolitically sensitive products including mobile base stations that provide nations with cell coverage, video-surveillance gear for police and submarine cable systems, which all require chips as their brains.

In the wake of the sanctions, Ren Zhengfei, Huawei’s charismatic founder who got his start in China’s army engineering corps, rallied Huawei’s staff for an all-out fight for the survival of their company. They stockpiled chips from overseas suppliers, predicting that Washington might close loopholes in the sanctions. This indeed came to pass. Washington plugged the loopholes one by one, including sanctioning SMIC, the only factory in China potentially capable of manufacturing advanced chips for Huawei — and pushing for suppliers of specialized chipmaking gear to halt sales to China more broadly.

A Huawei store in Shanghai (Alex Plavevski/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Since then, Huawei has hunkered down into survival mode, drawing on its stockpiled chips as it raced to secure a domestic chipmaking solution.

SMIC has striven to make cutting-edge chips since its founding in 2000, but the dream had long seemed pie-in-the-sky. Each generation of chips reflects a new frontier in just how microscopically small humans can draw precise designs into a sheet of silicon. By the time SMIC caught up to one generation, industry leaders had raced further ahead based on new breakthroughs by the world’s brightest physicists and technicians.

“It’s hard to catch up because chips are the most complex manufactured good humans have ever produced,” Miller said. “There’s nothing more complicated that humans make … this is really hard stuff.”

Miller says a considerable gap remains between SMIC’s capabilities and those of TSMC, the industry leader that produces the newest chips for companies like Apple. It also remains unclear if SMIC can produce advanced chips at a scale and cost that will make its products globally competitive.

Shih said that regardless of if SMIC can reach the cutting edge, the foundry will certainly be able to produce older-generation chips at scale, possibly pushing down prices of chips worldwide. “We will see price pressure and commoditization pressure,” he said.

U.S. companies like Intel and Qualcomm have already lost significant sales in China, the world’s second-largest economy, due to the U.S. sanctions, crimping their research and development budgets. U.S. executives fear this could weigh on their long-term strength, in an industry where only a few of the strongest, fastest companies tend to survive.

“It starts a downward spiral in ability, to not be competitive with the rest of the world,” said an industry executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Since the U.S. chip sanctions began, Beijing has flexed what muscles it can to prevent more of the global chip industry from falling under Washington’s sway. For instance, Intel recently announced it will have to pay $353 million in termination fees to Israel’s Tower Semiconductor after failing to acquire Chinese regulatory approval for the acquisition.

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With WhatsApp Beta 2.23.18.21 onwards, users on Android can expect to see a new interface with an "Add account" plus button. This feature was limited to selected beta testers, as reported previously for version 2.23.17.8. Besides adding the ability to use the same account on multiple phones, the broader introduction of this feature will make the app more like Messenger by Meta.

Another upcoming feature is who can add members to the communities on WhatsApp. Community owners can expect to toggle between everyone and only community admins for permission to add new members. This setting can be found on the community settings page.

Community admins will also be able to edit announcements made in the chats. The edit option will be available for up to 15 minutes after an announcement is made. In group chats, admins can select how far new members can see previous conversations upon joining. The recent history-sharing toggle will allow admins to let new users see chat history up to 24 hours before joining.

WhatsApp is moving away from phone number-only login to a multi-login approach. It is adding email an option to verify email addresses as an alternative channel to receive verification codes. It comes as a response to many users complaining about not being able to receive OTP (one-time passwords) over SMS. Eligible beta testers can try out this new feature available under account settings.

Are you confused as to why WhatsApp photo quality is disappointing? WhatsApp now features a persistent HD button above eligible high-quality photos in the selection screen before sending. When an image is higher than the standard size of 1200x1600 pixels, it will show an HD button to select the original quality for sending. This feature is now widely available for all users.

WhatsApp users on Android can expect to see a refreshed Material Design 3-inspired UI on their devices. This new interface shows the account icon on the top right corner, accompanied by the search, camera, and settings buttons.

This new addition of the profile picture can indicate the accommodation of the multi-account approach WhatsApp is working on. We see a similar layout on other apps supporting multiple accounts. To try out the on-test features, ensure you are on your platform's latest beta version of the app. You can update your app to the newest version from your device's App Store or Play Store.

Via: WABetaInfo

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Yes they can, so if you’ve been having an affair or doing something dodgy at work, beware! Messages are laid out on the SIM card as data files. When you move messages around or delete them, the data actually stays put. All you’re doing is telling the phone to point at the files in different ways. Deleting a message from the inbox, for instance, just tells the phone not to point to it any more when it’s listing the contents of that folder.

Even when you ‘permanently’ clear messages, you’re simply getting the phone to stop listing it in the deleted items folder. You can’t recover such texts on the phone itself, but there are plenty of commercially available software packages you can buy that allow your PC to read data directly from a SIM card. Some of the more advanced tools figure out the file structure on the card, thus allowing those long-hidden deleted messages to be resurrected.

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The iPhone 15 series is just around the corner, with it very likely to launch at the Apple September event on Tuesday, September 12.

At this point, we’re fairly confident that we know some – if not all – all of the key iPhone 15 upgrades set to be announced on that date, but the bulk of Apple fans’ excitement has (understandably) been directed towards the company’s next best iPhones, namely the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, on the other hand, are expected to miss out on several Pro-level features – and one omission, in particular, has sparked debate among longtime iPhone users.

Long story short, rumors suggest that both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be stuck with a static 60Hz refresh rate. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to inherit the adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate technology (dubbed ProMotion) of their respective predecessors, but many expectant iPhone fans were hoping that Apple might make this Pro-level feature available to every model in the iPhone 15 line.

Suffice to say, these fans are not happy. “I really hope this iPhone 15 rumor isn't true, you deserve better,” TechRadar’s Senior Phones Editor, Alex Walker-Todd, wrote back in September 2022, while Managing Editor for Mobile Computing, Roland Moore-Coyler, echoed a similar sentiment in August this year: “Please, Apple – don’t do this to the iPhone 15.”

Unsurprisingly, the ire has raged online, too. A recent X post from @TheGalox_ reads, “Nothing justifies the 60hz display on the upcoming iPhone 15” – but, interestingly, several responses to that post have sought to demonstrate Apple’s point of view on the matter.

“People don’t care… it’s that simple,” one user replied, while another wrote: “The vast majority of people don't notice a difference and it gives them limited/no benefit [...] Why build something that isn't a massive benefit to people, but will add a large cost?” 

“That’s not the point,” a third user wrote in response. “It’s a standard feature to have above 60Hz. At least 90Hz.”

“… except market share of iPhone in the USA is 59%, and so therefore [a 90Hz refresh rate] isn’t a standard feature,” replied another.

And you know what, the Apple defenders have raised a point worth remembering here. Apple is a business – a hugely successful one at that – and a business has no obligation to bring its products in line with others on the market just because it has the ability to do so. 

Apple introduced its ProMotion display technology on the iPhone 13 Pro (Image credit: TechRadar)

Apple has always sought to maintain a significant technological gap between its standard and Pro-branded devices, and this approach has yielded fruit and then some over the last decade. 

Sure, adding an adaptive refresh rate to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would certainly make those products more attractive to consumers. But if those consumers are so desperate for such a high refresh rate, then the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are ready and waiting to enter their online baskets (indeed, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is tipped to outsell other iPhone 15 models by huge margin this year).

From Apple’s perspective, keeping the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus locked at 60Hz is a good business decision. Yes, 120hz refresh rates might well be the standard for top-end smartphones these days, but Apple clearly sees no value in demoting the ‘ProMotion’ moniker to ‘Motion’ – for now, anyway.

At present, most of the content consumed by the average mobile consumer – think texting, Instagram, Netflix and so on – is delivered in 30 fps, much less 60 fps. The average iPhone owner isn’t crying out for a better refresh rate because, by and large, the average iPhone owner doesn’t know what a better refresh rate looks like (the promise of better iPhone 15 battery life, for instance, is much more immediately appealing).

Once they do, Apple will surely be more inclined to bring its iPhones in line with other devices from rival manufacturers. But for now, don’t expect Tim Cook to damage Apple’s bottom line for the sake of moving the mobile industry forward.

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The event will be held starting at 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. Eastern time) on that date. The announcement was accompanied by a version of Apple's logo that looks like it's made up of particles that are slowly breaking up by an unseen force.

Since this is Apple's September press event, the company is highly expected to reveal its latest iPhone 15 models on September 12. There's already been a lot of unconfirmed reports and leaks about the iPhone 15 and its specs.

One of the biggest rumored changes is that the iPhone 15 will have a standard USB-C port at the bottom for charging the smartphone. This is likely due to Apple being forced to comply with new European Union (EU) regulations that make the USB-C port the only one that can be put for charging any new smartphones.

There are also rumored that Apple could allow for as much as 2TB of onboard storage as an option in the new iPhone 15 models.

The event is also expected to reveal the new Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatches, along with a new version of the Ultra edition of the smartwatch. Like the iPhone 15 models, the new Apple Watch 9 versions are expected to include a faster processor, but aside from that, it's expected to be only a minor upgrade.

In June at Apple's WWDC developers conference, the company revealed its Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset. It's possible we could get a development update on that device on September 12 as well. The Vision Pro is supposed to debut in early 2024, with a price starting at $3,499.

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However, recent updates have brought about a frustrating issue: some users have reported that Android Auto disappeared from their devices or is not working as expected.

Android Auto disappeared for some users

The issue seems to be widespread, affecting various devices and car models. Reports indicate that the July 2023 update caused Android Auto to fail to load in multiple cars, indicating that the problem isn't isolated to a specific manufacturer.

Possible causes behind the Android Auto disappeared case are:

• Update glitches: One primary reason for the disappearance of Android Auto could be glitches within recent updates. Users have voiced concerns about the app vanishing or failing to function after updating their devices
• Software compatibility: Compatibility issues between the Android Auto app and various Android devices might also play a role in this problem. The intricacies of different Android versions and device configurations can lead to unexpected bugs
• Third-party apps: Conflicts with other apps installed on the device could interfere with Android Auto's operation, leading to its disappearance from the app list

Possible fixes

The complex interplay between software updates, compatibility, and third-party apps can contribute to these issues.

However, by following the troubleshooting steps below and staying updated with app versions, users can hopefully restore Android Auto's seamless integration with their vehicles.

Here is what you can do if your Android Auto disappeared too:

• Check app permissions
• Clear app cache
• Update apps
• Restart and reconnect

Check app permissions

Ensure that Android Auto has the necessary permissions to function correctly. This includes permissions to access your phone, contacts, and other relevant data.

Clear app cache

Clearing the cache of the Android Auto app might resolve some minor glitches that are causing it to disappear or malfunction.

To do so:

1. Open your device's Settings
2. Scroll down and select Apps
3. Find and tap on the Android Auto app from the list
4. Inside the app's details page, tap on Storage
5. Choose Clear Cache to remove the cached data associated with Android Auto

Clearing the app cache can help resolve issues related to app performance and unexpected behavior and ultimately be the remedy for the Android Auto disappeared issue.

Update apps

Keeping both the Android Auto app and your device's operating system up-to-date can address compatibility issues.

You may download the latest version of the Android Auto using the link here.

Restart and reconnect

Sometimes, a simple restart of your device and your car's infotainment system can resolve connection and functionality issues.

If the solutions in our guide didn't work for you, don't worry because this problem affects many people and the Android Auto Team stated in a blog post that they are working on a fix.

Featured image credit: Google.

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According to Gurman, the iPad Pro tablets will get the first major upgrade since the ones that launched in 2018. Back then, Apple launched an 11-inch version in the same body as the older 10.50-inch model, and it also released a 12.9-inch model in a smaller body.

Gurman claims, via his unnamed Apple sources, that the new iPad Pro models will launch sometime in 2024, and will be the first with OLED displays. They will be released in an 11-inch version once again and a slightly larger 13-inch edition, according to Gurman.

He adds that the new iPad Pro tablets will have Apple's M3 processor inside. Apple will also reportedly release an optional Magic Keyboard, that will make the tablets look and feel more like using a laptop. It will also have a larger trackpad than the current edition, according to Gurman.

Apple would like to see its iPad sales go up, and apparently, they believe refreshing the iPad Pro models will help do just that. The company's iPad sales were perhaps the worst part of Apple's recent quarterly financial results.

It recorded $5.791 billion in iPad revenues from the last quarter, which is well below the $7.224 billion that the division brought in a year ago. As we have mentioned before, Apple no longer offers any specific numbers in terms of unit sales.

Meanwhile, Gurman now believes Apple will officially reveal the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Series 6, among other hardware and software products, at a press event on Tuesday, September 12. Sales of those devices should kick off later that month.

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An alleged image of the iPhone 15 USB-C port.

Image: Majin Bu

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According to reliable leaker Ice Universe, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to come with a huge 6.8-inch screen with 3120x1440 resolution and an eye blinding peak brightness of 2500nit. If true, this would represent a staggering 40% jump in the peak brightness compared to the Galaxy S23 which maxes out at 1750nits.

The Galaxy S24 series, like its predecessors, will feature an OLED panel, giving users the best experience possible. While the leak did not go in-depth about the panel, Samsung is rumored to use the M13 panel which is expected to be thinner and power efficient.

Not only that, but there is another leak that surfaced recently confirming another major shift from Samsung with regards to the Galaxy S24 series. According to leaker Digital Chat Station over at Weibo, Samsung is expected to ditch the curved display in favor of flat display.

This would be a major change for Samsung as it will be the first time in almost a decade that the company will have no flagship with a curved display. In case you forgot, 2014 was the last time Samsung had a year without a flagship with curved screen. Since then, the Korean giant had at least one S or Note series phone with a curved display, starting with the Galaxy S6 Edge.

[Translated from Chinese] Next, the straight screen and the curved screen in the Android flagship array to compete, it is rumored that the Samsung S24 series is all straight, a certain big factory makes the curve like straight, the new flagship of the Juchang is also the main push, straight screen enthusiasts choose more.

While there is no official word on when Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S24 series, a safe bet would be Q1 of 2024, given the company's history. Furthermore, there is chance that Samsung may drop the Plus model from the Galaxy S24 lineup and instead go with Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra.

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This comes as no surprise, considering Apple's consistent commitment to innovation in chip design and production. The company's remarkable track record in delivering cutting-edge silicon has elevated them to the forefront of technological advancements.

Apple's unwavering dedication to delivering the best of the chip technology is once again evident as they actively engage in the development of A19 and M5 chips.

Wait a minute, the M3 isn't out yet

Why are we talking about m5 when even Apple's M3 chip is expected at the end of the year? Well, the recent disclosure from the reputable leaker @_orangera1n brings to light an intriguing image that features a series of CHIP tags.

These tags are essentially unique identifiers for different chip models used across Apple's wide array of products. Their purpose encompasses various functions, including preventing the installation of incompatible firmware onto incorrect hardware.

While the origin of these tags remains undisclosed by Orangera1n, it seems that the compilation of these tags stems from a script shared via The Apple Wiki.

The CHIP tags themselves are neatly categorized into two distinct ranges. Notably, around half of the CPIDs commence with the prefix 0x8, signifying the A-series chips. In contrast, the remaining half bears the 0x6 prefix, which is indicative of the M-series Apple Silicon chips.

Note: These codes do not provide specific technical details or features of the chips. Instead, they offer confirmation of the existence of unnamed chips that are presently under development within Apple's research and development ecosystem.

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NameDrop, StandBy, and Contact Poster. These aren't rad band names, but some of the top new features coming to your iPhone next month. Apple debuted iOS 17, the new version of its mobile operating system, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) alongside new hardware and new versions of iPadOS and MacOS. Wondering what's new? Can your iPhone even download iOS 17? We break it all down below, along with all the top features of iPadOS 17. 

Updated August 2023: We added instructions on how to install the public beta.

Is Your iPhone or iPad Compatible?

With iOS 17, Apple is ending software support for the following devices: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. If you have an iPhone XR and iPhone XS or newer (including the second- and third-gen iPhone SE), you can download and run iOS 17. If you're unsure what model iPhone you have, head to the Settings app and tap on General > About and look at the Model Name. This still doesn't mean every feature is available, as some require more modern processors.

It’s a little more complicated for iPads since the naming scheme is counted by generation rather than by name. Here are the generations that will receive iPadOS 17. You can figure out which model you have by following the directions here.

• iPad: Sixth-gen and later
• iPad Mini: Fifth-gen and later
• iPad Air: Third-gen and later
• iPad Pro: Second-gen and later

When Will iOS and iPadOS 17 Arrive?

Apple's new mobile operating system versions are currently in public beta. This means anyone can download them and give 'em a go. You'll want to be cautious though, as the software will be buggy. These beta updates will continue, and the final version of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is expected to launch in September right after the annual iPhone event.

How to Download the Public Betas

As we warned earlier, public betas come with their fair share of bugs and glitches. If that doesn't worry you, then here's how to download them on your devices.

Before installing the public betas on your iPhone or iPad, we strongly recommend backing up your devices. You can do this via iCloud—go to Settings, tap on your name at the top, and select iCloud. Then, tap on iCloud Backup, toggle it on, and tap Back Up Now to start a new backup. On the previous iCloud page, you also have the option to toggle off certain apps that you don't want to include in the backup. Don't have enough iCloud storage, or want to use another method? Check out our How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad guide for alternative options. 

Once that's out of the way, you're officially ready to install the public beta. First, head to the Apple Beta Software Program site on your respective device. If this is your first time downloading the beta software, you'll need to tap the Sign Up button and fill in your information. If you already have an account, sign in with your Apple ID. (It should be the same Apple ID that's signed into your iPhone or iPad.) 

Downloading the public beta varies depending on what version of iOS 16 and/or iPadOS 16 your devices are currently running. If it's iOS 16.4/iPadOS 16.4 or later, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and tap iOS 17 Public Beta or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Then press the Back button and tap Update Now.

If it's iOS 16.3/iPadOS 16.3 or earlier, you'll need to go to beta.apple.com/profile and download the configuration profile on your device. You should also make sure your devices are connected to Wi-Fi and plugged into a charger. Once you receive a notification that the profile is done downloading, head to Settings, tap the profile, and follow the onscreen instructions to begin the installation process. Then, go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap Download and Install.

Top iOS 17 Features

Below we've listed many of the top features in the new version of the operating system, and we'll continue to add notable changes as the beta progresses. For the full list of changes, you can read Apple's website.

Fresh Contact Posters

Contact Posters are like pretty business cards but for when you're calling someone already in your address book. You can customize the screen that will pop up when anyone gets your call (if they have an iPhone) with a photo or Memoji of yourself, and throw in a custom font and colour. These will work with third-party calling apps and will also pop up in your Contacts app and other areas where you share your information, such as NameDrop.

AirDrop and NameDrop

What's NameDrop? It's an AirDrop feature that lets you put two iPhones next to each other to share contact information with the other person. You can choose on the screen what emails and phone numbers you want to share. (It's very reminiscent of Bump and Android Beam, both of which are now defunct.)  Bringing two iPhones together won't just trigger NameDrop though. You can also use this action to share content or start SharePlay activities together, like listening to the same music.  

AirDrop is also getting a big upgrade. Now, if someone is sharing high-res media with you and it's going to take some time, you don't need to stand next to them and wait for the transfer to complete. You can step away and the files will be sent over the internet. Apple specifies that this feature will be “coming later this year,” so it may launch a little after iOS 17 rolls out.

Live Voicemail

Google may have Call Screen on its Pixel phones that shows a live transcription of a call before you answer it, but iPhones are getting a similar feature that's less about avoiding spam or robocalls and more aimed at voicemails. When someone leaves you a voicemail, you'll be able to see it being transcribed on your screen in real time. You can then choose to answer the call immediately if it's important.

Messages and FaceTime Upgrades

Photograph: Apple

There are a number of nice small tweaks coming to the Messages app. First, you'll be able to check in with a friend or family member when you arrive at a destination. If you dilly-dally for some reason on the way to this destination, the system will try to check in with you, and if you don't respond, it will share location data, battery level, and cell service status with your loved one. Apple says this data is end-to-end encrypted.  

Your iMessage apps are no longer going to clutter up the top of the keyboard but now live inside a little “+” icon. Tap it to expand them, and it'll sort the list by the apps you use the most. You can swipe up to see the rest of your iMessage apps. And when you join a chat with dozens of new messages, you can tap on a new “catch-up arrow” to jump all the way to the first new message. You can also swipe to the right on any message to send a reply. 

When someone shares their location with you in iMessage, you'll now be able to see this directly in the conversation without having to leave the app. If they send an audio message, you'll see the transcription immediately under it, which is handy if you can't listen to it immediately.

As for FaceTime, you'll be able to leave a video or audio message for anyone who doesn't answer your call (about time!). FaceTime is now also making its way to Apple TV, and you can use your iPhone as a camera. During the call itself, you can create augmented reality “reactions,” like confetti, hearts, or fireworks, with certain hand gestures. You know, in case the person is bored with your normal reactions.

Sticker Mania

Apple is placing a big emphasis on Stickers in iOS 17, so much so that they're now built into the emoji keyboard, making them more accessible in third-party apps. Last year's iOS 16 brought the ability to cut out a subject from any image you capture by just tapping and holding it, and now you can turn these into your own stickers for big meme potential. You can add effects to these stickers and even create “Live Stickers” with Live Photos. Make embarrassing stickers of friends on demand. Truly, we're in the best timeline.

iPhone on StandBy

Google Pixel phones have a feature that turns them into a smart display when placed on one of Google's own wireless chargers, but Apple is going even further with StandBy. This enables any iPhone, when placed in landscape mode while charging, to turn into a more useful display. You can have it show the clock (you can choose from different clock designs), photos from your library, or interactive widgets. If you specifically place it on a MagSafe charger, your iPhone will remember your preferred view. If you have an iPhone 14 Pro with the Always on Display, this feature will always be on, but if not, you'll have to tap the screen.

A New Journal App

Photograph: Apple

iOS 17 comes with a brand-new app! It's called Journal, and as the name suggests, it tries to get you to write down your thoughts and memories. You can add photos, audio recordings, and music to your journal entries and even make goals. Apple says Journal uses on-device machine learning to suggest moments to write about too.

Better Autocorrect

Do you late hate Apple's autocorrect? You're not alone, but the company is finally making it better. Autocorrect now uses a “transformer language mode” for better word prediction. It'll correct more types of grammatical mistakes than ever before, and you'll even see predictive text recommendations as you type, just like what you'll find using Gmail's Smart Compose. These improvements also extend to voice dictation, which uses a new speech recognition model that purportedly makes it more accurate.

New Communication Safety Features

Apple's Communication Safety feature, which helps prevent kids from seeing nude images in iMessage, is expanding its reach in iOS 17. Now, it'll bring these protections to other services and apps in iOS, from AirDrop and Contact Posters to FaceTime messages. It works with video content too. Adults can also take advantage of the feature, as it can blur sensitive videos and photos and let you choose whether to view them. Apple maintains that all image and video processing for these protective features happens on your device, and nothing is sent back to Apple. 

Other New Changes

There are quite a number of small improvements worth noting: 

• Adaptive Audio: If you have the second-generation AirPods Pro, there's a new listening mode called Adaptive Audio. This is a blend of Apple's Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation, so you can block out annoying sounds but hear important ones. If you start speaking, Conversation Awareness will automatically lower the media volume, reduce background noise, and enhances the voices in front of you. Also new is the ability to tap the stem of the AirPods Pro (first and second generation), AirPods (3rd gen), or the Digital Crown on AirPods Max during a call to mute and unmute. 
• CarPlay gets SharePlay: On a road trip? If the car has CarPlay and everyone inside has an iPhone, anyone can control and contribute to the playlist. 
• Hotel AirPlay: Apple is bringing AirPlay to hotel rooms. You can just scan a QR code from the TV to share videos, photos, and music from your device to the big screen. Apple says it's starting with brands from IHG Hotels & Resorts. 
• Offline maps: Google Maps has had it for years, but Apple has finally caught up. You can now save an area of a map to your device and use it when you don't have an internet connection, including turn-by-turn navigation. 
• Accessibility updates: There's a new feature called Assistive Access, which adds a customizable interface to make the iPhone easier to use for people with cognitive disabilities. Live Speech offers up a way for people that can't speak to have their words spoken in person or on the phone. Personal Voice lets people “at risk of speech loss” create a voice that's similar to theirs. And then there's Point and Speak, which helps blind people and those with low vision read text on physical objects by pointing the phone at the item. 
• Visual lookup: When you tap on a subject in a photo to lift it out (to create a Sticker or paste it anywhere else), you can also press Look Up to get more information about it. This works in paused video frames too.  
• Simpler Siri: You no longer have to say “Hey Siri" to trigger the voice assistant; just say “Siri." Similarly, you no longer have to keep saying it when making back-to-back commands. Just add another command. 
• Health app updates: Apple is letting you log your daily moods in the Health app, with access to depression and anxiety assessments typically found in clinics (and other resources). Also, if you are using Apple's Screen Time feature for your kids, there's now a Screen Distance tool that will use the TrueDepth camera to encourage children to move further away if they are holding the phone closer than 12 inches from their face for an extended period of time. Apple says this can help lower the risk of myopia and reduce digital eyestrain in adults. Additionally, the Health app is finally available on the iPad. 
• Family of AirTags: You can share your AirTag with up to five people, and everyone will be able to keep track of the item in the Find My app. 
• Fur friends in Photos: The People album in the Photos app is now the People and Pets album because it can finally identify your furry friends. No, it won't show photos of just any cats and dogs, but will smartly know your pet.

Top iPadOS 17 Features

As usual, iPadOS 17 will have many of the same exact features we went over in iOS 17, but there are a few exclusive tablet-specific updates too. For the full list, check out Apple's preview page.

Lock Screen Changes

Google's new Pixel Tablet turns a standard tablet into a smart display, and Apple is thinking along the same lines with some of its lock screen changes in iPadOS 17. You can customize a whole lot more on the lock screen now from new wallpapers to Live Photo wallpapers, and even add Live Activities so you can monitor certain events like timers, scores of a game, and the status of your Uber Eats order. Finally, you can add interactive widgets on the lock screen so you can do more without having to unlock the screen and launch an app.

Enhanced AutoFill for PDFs

If you're frequently working in PDFs, Apple harped on how much easier it is to input information not just in iPadOS 17, but iOS 17 as well. The software now uses machine learning to identify the fields in a PDF so you can quickly add details, and the Notes app now lets you organize, read, annotate, and collaborate in PDFs too.

Safari Updates

There are a few changes to Safari in iPadOS 17, and this is another one that also affects iOS 17. In Safari, you can now create work and personal profiles (and more) to keep your browsing separate, segmenting your history, cookies, Tab Groups, and Favorites. Using Apple's Private Browsing feature? Now you can lock the tabs with Face ID or Touch ID, instead of closing them out completely in case you have to step away from your machine. 

If you save your passwords and passkey with Safari, you can now create a group of people to share certain accounts with. You can remove someone from the group at any time, and the passwords stay up to date. Speaking of, if you receive a one-time verification code in Mail, it'll automatically get filled in Safari so you don't have to go hunting for the email.

Stage Manager

Apple's Stage Manager feature from iOS 16 is getting a few refinements. You get more flexibility in moving and resizing windows to customize your app layouts exactly the way you want them to look. Stage Manager also now supports built-in cameras on external displays.

Freeform

Freeform, the collaborative whiteboard appApple debuted last year, is getting a few new tools. (This applies to Freeform on all Apple platforms, including iOS 17.) The new tools are a watercolour brush, calligraphy pen, highlighter, variable-width pen, and ruler. You can also now draw any shape and the software will perfect it, so you don't have to be embarrassed about your circles. 

Freeform is also getting a feature called Follow Along, which lets you track what area of the whiteboard your collaborators are working on. The screen will show you what they are looking at as they move through the canvas. Handy for really big whiteboards!

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Google's latest blog post is all about extolling the virtues of ART, the Android runtime, and its new ability to be updated independently of the OS. ART is the engine that powers Android and is responsible for compiling Java and Kotlin into bytecode and executing it. Updates to ART have let Google improve the speed of apps, even without a full OS update. With the rollout of the Android 13 version of ART, Google said it has seen "real-world app start-up improvements of up to 30% on some devices."

 

ART officially became a modular part of the OS (an APEX module) in Android 12, allowing it to be updated via the Play Store instead of a system update. With the current Android distribution numbers, that means about 31 percent of users (or 600 million users) regularly get a better, faster app engine. While many components have been slowly moved into an APEX module, Google said ART is the biggest one, with "an order of magnitude more APIs than any other APEX module." Google has started versioning ART like it's a major software project, and with Android 14 will come "ART 14." The newest version of the runtime won't be limited to Android 14, though—it and most of its improvements will roll out to older OSes, too, so it's possible to run ART 14 on your neglected Android 12 phone.

 

As for ART 13, Google provided the above chart to show when the new update rolled out and the effect it has had on average app startup time. Google detailed some of the ART 13 changes with the release of Android 13, saying that "ART [13] makes switching to and from native code much faster, with JNI calls now up to 2.5x faster." ART "also performs more byte-code verification at install time, avoiding the expense of verification at runtime and keeping app startup times fast," Google said. The result is a 30 percent startup time boost for some devices.

 

Google said the ART 14 update will jump Android from OpenJDK 11 to OpenJDK 17 "along with new compiler and runtime optimizations that improve performance while reducing code size." It should be out on Android 14 sometime next month, kicking off a Play Store rollout process.

 

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Mozilla introduced pull-to-refresh relatively late in the browser's lifetime. Introduced in Firefox 112 for Android, it allows Firefox users to swipe from the top of the browser screen to the bottom to reload the active webpage.

Most mobile browsers support pull-to-refresh as an alternative to activating a reload button or selecting the address bar to load a site again. One of the main reasons why pull-to-refresh is popular is that mobile browsers usually lack a dedicated reload button in the main interface.

While it is usually found in the menu, accessing it requires having to click on menu and then on reload. It is a quicker option that has established itself as a standard in mobile browsing.

Mozilla announced the change on its bug tracking website. There, the organization reveals that it has made the decision to turn the pull-to-refresh feature off for new installations of the mobile browser.

The number of bugs that Mozilla has received regarding the feature is the prime reason for disabling it by default for new users. A link to the bugs is not accessible to the public, which means that no additional information on the bugs is available at the time.

Mozilla plans to change the default state of the feature in a future release, once bugs have been addressed.

Enable Pull to refresh in Firefox for Android

Firefox for Android continues to support pull-to-refresh in the meantime. Firefox users may enable or disable the feature in the following way:

1. Open Firefox for Android.
2. Select Menu (three-dots) > Settings.
3. Open Customize.
4. Toggle Pull to refresh to turn it on or off.

The change takes effect immediately. You can verify this by swiping down from the top on the active webpage in the mobile browser. If turned on, the page should get reloaded. If turned off, the page should not be reloaded.

Mozilla made an important announcement regarding Firefox for Android this month. The web browser will no longer limit extensions support to a small selection going forward in the stable version.

Now You: do you use pull-to-refresh on mobile? (via Sören Hentzschel)

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As spotted by X (Twitter) user Neïl Rahmouni and further detailed by Mishaal Rahman, Google Messages could soon let you send emergency SOS messages through satellite connectivity (via Android Authority). Google has apparently begun adding the user interface (UI) components required to initiate emergency SOS messages via satellite within its Messages app.

Rahman notes in their X post:

Although the emergency SOS activity in the Messages app is currently a placeholder, it should be of no surprise that Google is adding this feature, given that they've already said they're working to enable satellite support in Android 14. Plus, Google Messages is the default messaging app on many Android phones from different brands, so it needs to support this feature so that a separate messaging app won't have to be built for phones that support satellite connectivity.

Satellite connectivity can be a helpful feature for Android users. Apple’s Emergency SOS has already proved to be a lifesaver. Just this month, a family was rescued from wildfires in Maui thanks to the iPhone's Emergency SOS via Satellite.

There is currently no news on when the emergency feature will start rolling out to Google Messages. While the search giant has announced that the satellite connectivity feature will be supported by Android 14, it may not be available on all phones. As Mishaal Rahmaan reported earlier, the feature will depend on the modem hardware in the device you are using.

As of now, Apple and Huawei are leading companies in terms of satellite connectivity on phones. In fact, Huawei beat Apple by launching this feature a week earlier with the Mate 50 and Mate 50 Pro phones (Via The Verge).

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What is new in the Surface Pro X Wi-Fi August 2023 firmware update?

• Addresses 3rd party application performance.

Here is the list of new drivers:

Here is extra information about the release:

What is new in the Surface Pro X SQ1 and SQ2 August 2023 firmware update?

• Addresses 3rd party application performance.

• Improves Wi-Fi reliability.

   

Here is the list of new drivers:

Here is extra information about the release:

Microsoft replaced the Surface Pro X device family with the Surface Pro 9 lineup in October 2022, which now includes optional ARM configurations with 5G connectivity. Still, you can buy the Surface Pro X with the SQ2 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD for $1,499 on Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate when you purchase through links on our site, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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The option, visible when a photo is selected prior to sharing, allows users to select either "Standard Quality" which is the default option, or the new "HD Quality" option preserving far more of the image's original resolution.

The option to share in HD cannot be set as default and needs to be selected each time that an image is sent to ensure that users still have "quick and reliable access" to image sharing.

Any user who receives an image in HD quality will see the thumbnail preview has a small 'HD' icon in the lower left corner, which will also alert users on limited data connections or in areas of poorer reception to wait to download or choose to receive the standard quality instead and then upgrade it to HD later on.

Mark Zuckerberg also went on to state that all photos sent, even those with the HD option selected, are covered by WhatsApp's existing end-to-end encryption.

These photos aren't necessarily the original resolution of the photo, but they are compressed far less than the existing Standard Quality option that WhatsApp has historically used.

The most recent version of the app available on both the App Store and the Google Play Store contains the update, however, users will have to wait for the option to hit their devices as it will be rolling out in waves over the coming days.

Zuckerberg also stated in the announcement that the ability to share HD videos will be coming but didn't specify a release date.

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As spotted in an updated entry on the YouTube test features and experiments page, these stickers will be interactive, allowing viewers to tap on them to answer questions, vote on polls, or react to other content.

“Creator questions can be customized (example: “What song should I dance to next?) and viewers can reply via comments. Audience responses are visible to other viewers who can see them when reading comments posted on the Short where the sticker was used,” the update reads.

The new feature of tappable stickers on YouTube Shorts is currently being tested with a small group of creators. It is expected to be available to all creators in the coming weeks. However, Google has said that these stickers are not yet tappable on desktops or TVs.

Recently, the prominent video-sharing platform also revealed upcoming features including automated identification of key concepts in educational videos and an AI-summarizer tool. 

In the former, machine learning identifies vital topics in a video and provides additional details through images and concise text. As for the latter, AI-generated summaries will be visible on watch and search pages.

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