Granted, not all desktop extensions worked in the classic mobile Firefox browser, but thousands worked. Mozilla added a handful of extensions to the illustrious list over the years, but failed to realize the full potential until today. The organization did hint at the possibility of unlocking the extensions system in late 2022.

Now comes the announcement from Mozilla that it has made the decision to unlock Firefox for Android's extensions system. Instead of giving users the choice of a few dozen extensions, Mozilla plans to give all extension developers the option to create and release extensions for Firefox for the Android operating system.

The organization explains that it used the years to strengthen Firefox for Android's functionality and "build the infrastructure necessary to support an open extension ecosystem on Firefox for Android". It also claims that it used the time to understand "the unique needs of mobile browser users".

The change will land in Firefox for Android before the end of the year according to Mozilla's announcement. Mozilla suggests that developers start optimizing their extensions for Firefox for Android in the coming months.

Developers should consider transitioning extensions from using persistent backgrounds to non-persistent Event pages, as this improves the stability of extensions in Firefox for Android. Mozilla reveals further that it has switched on multi-process support in Firefox for Android Nightly, and that this means that extensions won't be hosted in the main Firefox process going forward.

Android's process management may shut down resource-intensive processes, and that is a danger for browser extensions and the reason why Mozilla is suggesting that developers switch to non-persistent Event pages.

Mozilla provides guidelines and support, and a good place to start is the blog post on the Mozilla website, as it contains a list of suggestions and links to resources.

Closing Words

Mozilla expects that the introduction of full add-ons support will increase the attractiveness of Firefox for Android. The change adds a unique feature to Firefox for Android, at least when compared to the other major browsers available for the operating system.

It is too early to tell if this could help rejuvenate Firefox for Android and help it increase its usage share on the platform. There are still other restrictions in place, such as blocked access to about:config, that is limiting the mobile browser.

All in all though, it is a welcome change as it gives Firefox users on Android numerous possibilities to change how they use the browser.

Now You: with extensions support coming, will you give Firefox for Android another chance?

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The previous Android 14 Beta 4 update packed 34 fixes, 9 targeted for Pixels. This update patches the battery drainage during video playback and background Wi-Fi scanning. The build number for Beta 5 is UPB5.230623.003, and Google Play Services is 23.18.18. The complete list of fixes is as follows:

• Fixed an issue where after unlocking a device using a PIN, TalkBack provides incorrect audio.
• Fixed an issue where Wi-Fi scanning was consuming too much battery.
• Fixed an issue where some pictures would glitch with extra shadow blocks.
• Fixed an issue where in some cases, the fingerprint sensor icon wouldn't appear as expected.
• Fixed an issue where voice-over Wi-Fi wasn't enabled by default.
• Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold devices where the device loses antenna ranging session information and cannot recover it.
• Fixed an issue where an extraneous white bar would appear in some apps.
• Fixed a background colour issue with the UI used to add a shortcut to the home screen.
• Fixed a launcher issue that was causing frequent crashes and other quality issues.
• Fixed an issue on Pixel tablets where user interaction during the transition from screen saver to low-light clock causes a SysUI crash.
• Fixed a Pixel Fold issue where tapping would fail to wake the device.
• Fixed a Pixel Fold issue where the system buttons would have inconsistent positions after folding and unfolding.
• Fixed an issue causing SysUI crashes when removing an app pair in landscape.
• Fixed an issue the launcher doesn't fully render after setup.
• Fixed an issue where the system displayed an incorrect mobile connection type.
• Fixed an issue where navigating back to exit an app leads to users no longer being able to open the app.
• Fixed an issue where wallpaper previews were sometimes blank.
• Fixed an issue where the system theme changes from yellow to pink after rebooting.
• Fixed an overscroll issue with ScrollView.
• Fixed an issue where certain colour palettes were difficult to see when the lock screen was activated.
• Fixed an issue where users couldn't enable battery sharing if a work profile existed on the device.
• Fixed an issue where a tablet screen inappropriately turned off when docked.
• Fixed an issue where the device policy manager was preventing notifications from appearing.
• Fixed an issue where group notifications couldn't be expanded.
• Fixed an issue where the lockscreen didn't correctly display the clock.
• Fixed various camera issues that were causing crashes and reductions in quality.
• Fixed an issue with power consumption during video playback.
• Fixed a Weather clock rendering issue.
• Fixed an issue where the lock screen customization preview didn't match the end result.
• Fixed an issue that was causing the wallpaper selection screen to crash.
• Fixed an issue where Pixel devices weren't connecting with some routers.
• Fixed a toast search result issue where the colour was too similar with the background colour.
• Fixed an issue where tapping a notification before using facial unlock does not open the notification.
• Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold where two clocks were displayed at the same time when in widescreen.
• Fixed an issue where widgets would overlap and stack incorrectly.
• Fixed an issue where closing the PiP window doesn't stop YouTube playback.
• Fixed an issue with switching call audio sources.
• Fixed an issue where after unlocking a device, only the background appears.
• Fixed an issue with dragging folders to remove them.

Some behavior changes and new features in Android 14 existed for a long time in iOS. It will now allow users to grant partial access to their gallery just like iOS, with three options in the permissions pop-up:

• Select photos and videos: New in Android 14. The user selects the specific photos and videos that they want to make available to your app.
• Allow all: The user grants full-library access to all photos and videos on the device.
• Don't allow: The user denies all access.

Another change to the Android system will put all memory booster apps out of business. Apps can now close only their own background processes, meaning memory booster apps won't be able to close other apps in one press of a button.

Android will manage memory automatically and close processes when deemed necessary. According to the Android Developers blog post,

If your app kills other apps unnecessarily, it can reduce system performance and increase battery consumption by requiring full restarts of those apps later, which takes significantly more resources than resuming an existing cached app.

A complete list of behavioral changes can be found here. Android 14 Beta 5 is supported on Pixel 4a onwards. If you're a new beta tester, back up your data before flashing. The download files are available on the Android website here.

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The feature was first spotted in testing for WhatsApp Business beta users last month. Now, some non-business users have reported seeing the feature in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.23.17.8.

Users with multi-account support access will see an arrow next to the QR code in WhatsApp's settings. Tapping on this arrow brings up a card showing the accounts currently logged in and an option to add another account.

This new capability will allow WhatsApp users much more flexibility in managing their personal and work accounts. Currently, users can only be logged into one WhatsApp account at a time on an Android device.

The multi-account feature is still limited to select beta testers and is not yet widely available. Unless you are already a beta tester for WhatsApp's Android app, you are out of luck for now when it comes to trying the latest beta version. The beta program on Google Play has reached maximum capacity, so new users cannot sign up to participate now.

WhatsApp has been actively developing new features in recent months, including animated avatars, an alternative to voice calls, silencing unknown callers, and more.

On the other hand, WhatsApp introduced two new video calling features this week- screen sharing and Landscape Mode support. With the screen sharing option, WhatsApp users can now share their phone or computer screen with other participants during a video call. This allows for sharing documents, and photos, planning vacations together, online shopping and more.

The multi-account support is expected to roll out more widely once testing is complete. For now, it provides a glimpse into the future of a more flexible WhatsApp experience on Android.

Source and image: WABetaInfo

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Update August 10th, 12:17PM ET: Samsung told The Verge under embargo that the One UI 6 beta would launch on Thursday, but it isn’t live yet. Our original story follows; we will update with more details and timing information once it’s available.

 

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Samsung is launching its beta program for One UI 6, its version of Android that’s based on Android 14. Key features for this next revision are a simplified design and more customization options.

 

On the design front, “many elements have been tweaked to create a more modern look and feel,” according to a press release from Samsung. That includes a new default font and new emoji you can use from the Samsung Keyboard. The company has also updated the look of the Quick Panel so that you can more easily get to commonly-used features.

 

Two screenshots showing what you can expect in Samsung’s One UI 6.

Image: Samsung

 

As for customization, One UI 6 will let you choose specific lock screens that are tied to certain Modes and Routines, which sounds a lot like what you can do with the iPhone’s lock screens and Focus modes.

 

Unfortunately, the One UI 6 beta will only be available on the Galaxy S23 lineup to start — if you’re about to pick up one of Samsung’s latest foldables, you’re out of luck for now. But if you’ve got an S23 phone and you’re in the US, Germany, or South Korea, you can check out the One UI 6 beta beginning Thursday.

 

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The new "Proofread with Gboard" feature will leverage generative AI to analyze the user's writing and suggest spelling, grammar, punctuation, and more corrections. It aims to provide an advanced proofreading experience compared to traditional spellcheck. This feature is currently limited to US English.

The Gboard keyboard on Android phones displays a 'Fix it' option above the keyboard after you finish typing a sentence. This offers suggestions to correct grammatical errors or other issues in the sentence you just typed. The keyboard is replaced with different proposed revisions to your sentence by tapping the option with the highlighted changes.

For example, if you incorrectly type "What are wrong with gboard?", Gboard may suggest fixes like "What is wrong with Gboard?" or "What's wrong with Gboard?". These options have thumbs-up/down buttons, and it asks for feedback on whether the suggestions are helpful. Watch the example here:

Another AI-powered capability in development is "Emogen", which allows users to generate custom emoji stickers by describing them with text prompts. The AI will then attempt to create stickers matching the descriptions. This offers more flexibility than Gboard's existing Emoji Kitchen, which is limited to mixing and matching existing emojis.

There are also signs that Google may add a tone suggestions feature that recommends changes to make text more formal, informal or match other tones. This would be similar to Bing Chat's Tone Selector options.

Along with AI upgrades, Gboard is getting new stylus support for handwriting, gestures and improved text input on large screens. As the name implies, users can handwrite directly into text fields instead of converting to text first.

Recently, Google Search got a built-in grammar checker. The search engine has added a grammar checker that allows you to find mistakes by typing sentences into the search bar.

These features are still in early testing and not widely available yet. Nevertheless, they demonstrate Google's interest in greatly expanding Gboard's capabilities using AI.

Via: 9to5Google

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According to the leaker, URedditor, the A17 Bionic will have 6 CPU and 6 GPU cores clocked at 3.7 GHz. This would be a slight bump up from the A16's 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. The A17 is also rumored to support 6GB of LPDDR5 DRAM, the same amount as the A16.

In February, a market research firm TrendForce said all 2023 iPhone models will get 8GB RAM. However, the latest leak indicates the iPhone 15 Pro may stick with 6GB like the iPhone 14 Pro.

The more significant upgrade will likely come from the A17 built on TSMC's new 3nm process. The A16 used a 4nm process, so the shrinkage to 3nm should improve efficiency. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently estimated that the 3nm process will reduce power consumption by up to 35%.

Based on the leaked specs, the A17 appears to be an incremental upgrade over the A16, with modest performance and efficiency gains expected from the 3nm process.

On the other hand, more significant changes are rumored for 2024 and beyond. The A18 chip in 2024 may be the first to use TSMC's next-generation 2nm process. Apple is also designing its modem chips to replace Qualcomm's eventually.

Also, last week a leaker said that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could have a new 2TB storage tier. The claim was echoed on Weibo, adding that Apple may also bump the base capacity from 128GB to 256GB on the Pro models.

As with all leaks, take these A17 details with a grain of salt until Apple confirms them on stage. But the specs show what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro's processor and capabilities.

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The native translation is easy to use on both Android and iOS. If you receive a message in a language that's different from your "Google.com Mail display language" in your account settings, you'll notice a new banner saying "Translate to," which you can tap to make the translation happen.

To see the original message again, tap on "Show original." If you want Gmail to automatically translate messages in a specific language in the future, tap on "Automatically translate" for that language.

Google writes in the Workspace Update blog:

For years, our users have conveniently translated emails in Gmail on the web to over 100 languages. Starting today, we’re excited to announce a native translation integration within the Gmail mobile app that will enable you to seamlessly communicate in a wide range of languages.

In case you get an email in a language that Gmail didn't catch, you can translate it manually. Just tap the three dots icon in the top-right corner and find the option there. And if you don't want Gmail to keep translating a particular language, just tap the ‘x’ on the banner and then pick “Don’t translate [language] again.”

Translations in Gmail for Android will start rolling out today, while the feature will make it to iOS from August 21. It is available to all Google Workspace users and users with personal Google Accounts.

Recently, Google also gave Gmail a new scheduling feature and the ability to set working locations for specific parts of the day. And just a few months ago, the Mountain View giant released Help Me Write, its AI email drafting tool, for both Android and iOS devices.

Via 9to5Google

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Android 14 will allow consumers and enterprises to turn off support for 2G on their devices or a managed device fleet and disable support for null-cipher (unencrypted) cellular connectivity at the modem level.

"Android is the first mobile operating system to introduce advanced cellular security mitigations for both consumers and enterprises," reads Google's announcement

"Android 14 introduces support for IT administrators to disable 2G support in their managed device fleet [and] also introduces a feature that disables support for null-ciphered cellular connectivity."

Enterprise Stingray protection

Google's announcement highlights the risks of false base stations and "Stingray" attacks that can intercept users' data, voice, and SMS by eavesdropping on network traffic.

Stingrays are cell-site simulators that mimic cell towers to trick in-range devices to connect to them. This allows for intercepting sensitive personal data such as call metadata, SMS and voice call content, data usage and browsing history, and device IMSI.

Stingray attacks have been largely mitigated in 4G. However, since downgrading connections to 2G remains possible, rogue cell stations can still perform these powerful man-in-the-middle attacks.

Google first offered the option to turn off 2G connectivity on Android 12 by going through 'Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → Allow 2G'. 

In Android 13, that option is to be found on 'Settings → Network & Internet → SIMs → [select SIM] → Allow 2G.'

Starting in Android 14, those managing device fleets, such as government agencies, enterprise entities, or other organizations, can restrict 2G connectivity downgrades on all devices under their control.

This option is added on top of over 200 controls available in Android Enterprise, including the ability to disable WiFi, Bluetooth, and data signaling over USB.

Stingray attacks have become more common over the past couple of years, with law enforcement and surveillance firms utilizing them to spy on cell phones, so this feature comes as a welcome addition to enterprise security.

Blocking unencrypted networks

While all IP-based user traffic on Android is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that any interceptions won't result in data breaches, Google warns that certain communication types, such as circuit-switched voice calls and SMS messages, can still be exposed on cellular networks.

The exposed data is typically protected by the cellular link layer cipher, which the users have no control or visibility over, so its strength and reliability are doubtful.

Moreover, recent reports have shown that null ciphers (no encryption) are not uncommon in commercial networks, exposing the mentioned data in cleartext and easily readable form to those who can intercept it.

To mitigate this risk, Android 14 introduces a feature that allows users to turn off support for null-cipher connections at the modem level for devices that adopt the latest radio hardware abstraction layer (HAL).

Like in the 2G disabling feature, emergency calls can still downgrade to null-cipher connections to avoid jeopardizing users' safety.

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The most obvious change in the schematics is the switch to a USB-C port on the bottom, replacing the iconic Lightning. This aligns with rumors that Apple will transition to USB-C on the iPhone 15 series to comply with new European Union (EU) regulations.

In case you missed it, the EU has adopted new rules requiring all smartphones sold in the bloc to have user-replaceable batteries by 2027. The new rules are part of a broader effort to reduce electronic waste and promote repairability. Images of the iPhone 15's USB-C connector also appeared online today.

Additionally, the schematics show a revised left-side button arrangement, with a new round "action" button potentially replacing the mute switch. The volume buttons remain in their usual place. We previously reported that the Action button will have more work on the device than just powering it off. For instance, it will replace the job of the volume button in the Camera app.

The overall dimensions of the iPhone 15 Pro look to be slightly larger than the iPhone 14 Pro, with the leak pointing to a depth of 8.2mm versus 7.9mm on the current model.

Other details from the schematics include a camera array that is a bit wider but less tall compared to the iPhone 14 Pro's, coming in at 38 x 37.5mm. The familiar wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto camera lenses remain. The schematics suggest smoother, more rounded edges and slimmer bezels around the display.

While leaked schematics should always be taken with a grain of salt, these are consistent with previous rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro. The larger size, USB-C port, updated buttons, and other changes shown here would represent the most significant iPhone redesign in several years.

Source

The images were posted by two different leakers, @lipilipsi and @John011235, on Twitter X. They give a close view of USB-C ports purportedly attached to the respective PCB (Printed Circuit Board) components of iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Reports of Apple planning to adopt USB-C started flowing in around the time the European Union announced December 28, 2024, as the final deadline to enforce USB-C as the common charging port. However, rumors suggest Apple might limit the charging speeds when using non-MFi (Made For iPhone) USB-C cables.

The iPhone-maker is also expected to put different USB versions across its models. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, while the iPhone 15 Pro models could get "at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3," their siblings iPhone 15 and 15 Plus might settle for Lightning/USB 2.0 speeds.

Not just iPhone, USB-C is likely to trickle down to Apple's accessories as well. Earlier this year, leaker ShrimpApplePro tweeted that USB-C EarPods and MFi-enabled charging cables were in mass production.

Apart from that, the Pro models of the upcoming iPhone series could also get a new storage tier, pushing the maximum storage limit to 2TB. However, Apple which is reportedly facing delays due to production issues might bump the price of its flagship iPhones this year.

Via: MacRumors

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Messenger first enabled SMS support in 2012 but discontinued it a year later. In 2016, Facebook reintroduced SMS capabilities, keeping text messaging separate from Messenger's internet-based chats. SMS threads in the app used a distinct purple theme compared to the default blue, with Facebook marketing the SMS experience as an improved version.

Meta has not detailed explained the change, saying only that "you will no longer be able to use Messenger to send and receive SMS messages sent from your mobile network." However, the removal of SMS support may reflect a shift in strategy as Messenger highlights its advanced features for encrypted messaging and social communication.

If you use Messenger as your default SMS messaging app for your Android device, please note you will no longer be able to use Messenger to send and receive SMS messages sent by your cellular network when you update your app after September 28, 2023

The SMS phase-out appears to be tied to an upcoming update to Messenger, likely in late September. Once users install the updated version from the Google Play Store, SMS will no longer work.

While Meta's messaging app will lose SMS, Android phones will still be able to send and receive text messages through the default messaging app provided by the operating system. Third-party SMS apps are now less popular due to not having access to RCS features. You know more about it here.

Meanwhile, Google established its messaging app as the default on Android. Carriers and device manufacturers have standardized mainly on Google's Messages app for SMS/RCS messaging.

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What is new in the Surface Laptop 4 August 2023 firmware update?

• This update improves wireless stability.

Here is the list of new drivers:

Here is extra information about the release:

Microsoft replaced the Surface Laptop 4 with the Surface Laptop 5 in October 2022. However, the fourth-generation Surface Laptop is still available on the Microsoft Store with significant discounts. Minor performance differences between the two models make the Surface Laptop 4 a better choice for those who need a high-quality computer for less money.

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BleepingComputer has been observing this behavior over the past few weeks at random on Android devices, and we are able to identify the cause of the problem.

Here's how you can still read your favorite stories, and even workaround the bug that has occasionally bothered some users in the past.

Google News (or Discover) stories not found

Every now and then you may tap on a story served by Google Discover or Google News Showcase on an Android device. Except, the story takes you to Google's clunky "Error 404 (Not Found)!!1" page.

This happens in some cases, even though the story is otherwise live on the news outlet:

Further, we noticed that the story publisher had not changed the original URL of the story at any point for an error like this to have occurred.

BleepingComputer has observed this behavior with the Google app on Android devices at random, which makes it hard to reproduce.

Other users seem to have also noticed the glitch:

In fact, none of the links shared by these users on social media or with their friends (such as via WhatsApp) will work—these lead to 404 pages, even though the stories they meant to take you to, are up.

Why does the issue occur?

When you tap on a story served by Google News feed, the URL it's taking you to looks like this (taking the Liverpool Echo story above as an example):

This link is functional and can be tested by copying-pasting it in a web browser. It should take you to the page shown below:

The first part of the URL, that uses Google Play's play.google.com domain, is essentially a "redirect" service taking you to the desired news story.

The bits at the end following a question mark are a long string of GET parameters, that we have discarded from the view, as these serve no functional purposes with regards to the redirect and are purportedly being used for tracking and analytics.

The problem arises when multiple Google accounts are signed onto a device.

Whenever, multiple Google (think Gmail) accounts are logged in on a device, the URLs for Google services get "rewritten" with an account identifier.

For example, Gmail Desktop users may have noticed the mail.google.com/mail/ URL turning into mail.google.com/mail/u/0/ when they are using multiple Gmail accounts simultaneously (the '/u/0' part denotes which account is currently in the user's view).

Similarly, the URLs for these news stories, in some cases, get rewritten with an account identifier:

And this causes the redirect service to break, showing you a 404 (Not Found) page for the story instead of Google Play's servers honoring or ignoring the account identifier parameter ("/u/...").

We submitted bug reports to Google, via the "Send Feedback" button on multiple occasions that we witnessed the issue but it remains unclear if that has helped with the remediation of the issue.

What can you do?

We tried clearing the cache for both Google and Google News apps on Android device, but the error would recur on random occasions.

Going to the Google Play store and ensuring we had the latest version of each apps (and tapping "update" when not) appeared to yield minimal improvement and did not completely eradicate the issue.

A workaround we have identified is, for Google News/Discover stories that show a 404 page, users can simply return to their news feed screen.

You can then tap on the three-dots next to a story, on the bottom right corner, and select "About this source & topic."

This will now show you the story as an organic search result on Google Search that can proceed to normally.

Of course, a longer workaround would involve using Google Search to type and look up the story's headline.

A bug like this might not occur frequently and be hard to reproduce, but given other users who have reported experiencing it, BleepingComputer is sharing this information in hopes that it makes your Google News journey a tad smoother.

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The Pixel Watch 2 is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip rather than the Exynos 9110 chip used in the first Pixel Watch. This should provide improved performance and battery life.

Speaking of battery, the Pixel Watch 2 will have a 306 mAh battery, a slight increase over the 294 mAh battery in the original. However, optimizations to the watch's software and hardware are expected to enable over 24 hours of battery life with always-on display enabled.

Other hardware changes include a switch to a Samsung OLED display panel, though the screen size remains 1.2 inches with 384 x 384 resolution. The watch case will be made from a lighter aluminum material.

On the feature side, the Pixel Watch 2 will add an ultra-wideband (UWB) chip. This can enable enhanced digital car key and device-to-device communication experiences, like quickly transferring music from the watch to the Pixel Tablet. It is worth noting that the Apple Watch Series 8 already comes with Apple's U1 UWB chip for precision locating.

The watch will ship with Android 13-based Wear OS 4. This platform update will enable seamless over-the-air updates for a more refined software update process.

We also reported that in May, the next smartwatch from Google will launch alongside the company's following major smartphones, the Pixel 8 series. Usually, that happens sometime in early October.

The original Pixel Watch had a starting price of $349. Although the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is priced at $300, Google is expected to keep the original price.

While the overall design and size appear mostly unchanged, the Pixel Watch 2's upgrades should improve the smartwatch experience. More details are likely to emerge as we get closer to the expected launch later this year.

Source: Android Authority

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The stacked CIS design allows the camera to capture more light, widen the dynamic range, and perform better in low-light conditions. Apple is already expected to use a stacked sensor design for the 48MP wide camera of two standard iPhone models, namely the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Sony, which is supplying the high-end sensors, bumped its production capacity by 100-120% to meet Apple's demand.

However, this comes at the cost of high-end CIS supply for Android brands. Kuo said that rival manufacturer Will Semi is likely to benefit from the situation as "Sony’s high-end CIS capacity will continue to be tight in 2024." As a result, Will Semi will obtain more orders for high-end CIS from Chinese smartphone brands.

The iPhone 16 series is expected to release sometime in the second half of 2024. While there are hopes of an under-display Face ID system, rumors suggest iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will be fitted with bigger screens. The claim was supported by multiple sources and there are speculations that the additional space will be used for features like a periscope camera.

A recent report from Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan suggests iPhone 15's launch might get delayed until the fourth quarter. The iPhone 15 Pro models which are expected to feature solid-state buttons might come with a price hike.

Apple revealed its latest financial numbers as part of the Q3 2023 earnings results. The iPhone maker saw a slight dip in overall revenue but said its Services revenue reached an "all-time revenue record," adding that the number of paid subscriptions has crossed 1 billion. The company also saw customers save over $10 billion in its Apple Card high-yield savings account.

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The tech giant typically holds its iPhone launch event on a Tuesday or Wednesday in mid-September. The new report claims that carriers have told employees not to take time off on September 13 because of a "significant smartphone announcement." Apple has not officially confirmed the date.

If Apple follows its usual schedule, pre-orders for the iPhone 15 lineup will likely begin on September 15, with retail availability starting on September 22. Last year, the iPhone 14 went up for pre-order on September 9 and hit stores on September 16.

At the September event, Apple is anticipated to announce four new iPhone 15 models, including the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Previously, we reported that Apple is said to be considering raising the price of its upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. The unnamed sources claim that despite an expected decline in the smartphone market, Apple aims to increase revenue by raising prices on its high-end iPhone models.

The lower-end iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are rumored to gain several features previously exclusive to the Pro line, like the Dynamic Island and 48MP camera. And the iPhone 15 Pro may use a combination of the Power button + Action button to turn off the device or force restart it.

While Apple has managed to avoid major launch delays in recent years, some iPhone 15 models could see a later retail release date than usual due to reported supply chain issues and manufacturing challenges this year. Analysts remain divided on how much supply constraints might impact the new iPhones.

Source: 9to5Mac

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Twitter (X) currently allows users to subscribe to other users' accounts through its iOS app. These subscriptions utilize Apple's in-app purchase system, so Apple takes a 30% cut of the revenue as per App Store guidelines.

On the other hand, Twitter did not take any revenue from these subscriptions for the first 12 months. After 12 months, Twitter would begin taking 10% of the subscription revenue.

Under Musk's leadership, Twitter changed its revenue share model for subscriptions. Now, Twitter will not take any cut of subscription revenue until the total payout for a user exceeds $100,000. Once that threshold is crossed, Twitter will take 10% of subscription revenue, but it will still not take any revenue for the first 12 months of a subscription.

Musk believes that Apple should only take a cut of the revenue that creators pay to Twitter rather than the full 30% of subscription fees.

Many X users supported App Store reform in response to Musk's tweet. Some argued that Apple's 30% commission is too high and that the company should take a smaller cut, especially for subscription-based services.

Musk's latest call for App Store commission rules comes as Apple faces growing scrutiny over its fees and policies. Companies like Epic Games and Spotify have challenged Apple's grip over app distribution, and regulators in Japan and the UK have pressed Apple to relax restrictions.

While Apple has made minor concessions, such as allowing certain apps to link to external payment sites, many experts believe more significant changes are needed. It remains to be seen if Cook and Apple will bend to Musk's demands.

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The iOS concept is created by Parker Ortolani who has designed various Apple concepts in the past. Ortolani wrote in an X post that his concept design is inspired by the new iMessage app picker on iOS 17 beta. One way the concept differs from the existing Control Center is it includes colourful icons as well as the names of various controls.

In addition to system controls, you can also add actions from third-party apps such as checking the forecast on a weather app or talking to ChatGPT via its iPhone app. It also offers support for iPhone 15 Pro's rumored action button or side button which can be used to open the Control Center.

Also, the concept saves some hard work by allowing users to rearrange the controls without making a visit to the Settings app. You can tap and hold to modify the list of controls or pin your favorites at the top.

Apple introduced Control Center for the first time with the release of iOS 7 back in 2013. It received a major overhaul in 2017 with the release of iOS 11 and iPhone X. Following the update, a down swipe from the top-right corner of the screen is required on Face ID-enabled iPhones to open the control center.

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For a bit of background, Apple said it had fixed an issue related to Screen Time in iOS 16.5, which came out in May. The Wall Street Journal found, however, that the bug has not actually been fixed, even in the latest iOS 17 beta.

The news outlet said that the specific feature that was affected was Downtime. It’s a feature that lets parents choose the hours their kids can use their Apple devices. Due to the bug, the times parents were scheduling were reverting to previous settings, and in some cases, there were no restrictions at all.

In a pretty vague response, an Apple spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal that:

‘We are aware that some users may be experiencing an issue where Screen Time settings are unexpectedly reset. We take these reports very seriously and we have been, and will continue, making updates to improve the situation.’

It’s unclear if this means the fix will be deployed with the next version of iOS or some later version. The problem seems to be widespread and affecting many parents, so they’ll be hoping it’s deployed sooner rather than later.

One workaround that parents can use while they wait for Apple to fix the issue is to set screen limits directly on their children’s devices. While it can be a hassle to set up the feature on multiple devices, the settings you choose should stick.

Do you use these features on your kid’s devices? Have you noticed any problems recently? Due to the settings being reverted silently, you may have missed entirely that this was happening.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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What is new in the Surface Laptop 5 July 2023 firmware update?

• This update enables support for new docking accessories.
• This update enables the automatic download of Intel® Connectivity Performance Suite (ICPS) application on Surface Laptop 5 consumer devices running Windows 11 and have a hard disk capacity greater than 256 GB. ICPS is a software solution that improves PC networking performance by creating a personalized network experience based on each user's unique situation.

Here is the list of new drivers:

Here is extra information about the release:

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The Elon Musk-owned company couldn't rename its iOS app until today because Apple doesn't allow developers to use single-character app names, according to former Twitter engineer Erik Berlin and Next founder Nick Sheriff. However, X Corp was able to change the app's logo and screenshots on the App Store last week.

X version 10.0 is now available to download on the iOS App Store. There is no word on whether Apple made an exception for X Corp or changed its rules on the character limit. It's not only the name that was changed, but its tagline on the product page has been changed from "Let's talk." to "Blaze your glory!"

Meanwhile, there was an existing app named X that was already living on the App Store and its name has been changed to Note, TechCrunch reports. The paid app was supposedly using Unicode to dodge Apple's rules and make its name appear as a single character.

Twitter's rebranding last week wasn't a cakewalk as it triggered suspicious website warnings on Microsoft's Edge browser. The new X logo has been a part of discussions due to its similarities with the Xbox logo and the fact that Microsoft and Meta hold some important trademarks.

While Elon Musk backtracked on his decision to ditch the light theme, users have made attempts to resurrect the bluebird using a Chrome extension and on Android with the help of some third-party apps.

Speaking more about renaming, X Corp's $8/mo subscription Twitter Blue is now called X Blue. While the company is yet to rename TweetDeck, Elon Must hinted that the app might be called XPro in the future.

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Smartwatches, at least the ones we are familiar with now, are still a fairly recent type of product and only came into prominence in the last decade or so. However, well before those devices were released, and even before the rise of smartphones, Microsoft tried to launch the technology behind a series of smartwatches (and later, other smart devices) that actually were a bit ahead of its time.

The technology was called Microsoft SPOT, which stood for Smart Personal Objects Technology. Microsoft first announced SPOT in January 2003 at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. The company developed the tech as a way to transmit information to specially-made wristwatches. Here's how Microsoft described the tech:

Microsoft’s DirectBand is a set of innovative technologies enabling transmission of Web-based information to smart objects. DirectBand includes a custom radio receiver, a wide area network based on FM subcarrier technology and new radio protocols created to meet the unique communication requirements of smart objects.

Yes, this technology used old-fashioned FM radio signals to transmit its info. While it could be used for many devices, Microsoft decided to concentrate on wristwatches as the first way SPOT could be used.

It worked with National Semiconductor to create a chip that would be inside SPOT watches. The company said.

This chipset consists of an application chip with an ARM7 CPU, ROM and SRAM, and a tiny, sensitive 100MHz RF receiver chip.

Microsoft launched its MSN Direct online service to send info to these SPOT devices. For $60 a year, you could get personalized news, weather, stock reports, sports scores, messages from MSN Messenger, Outlook calendar updates, and more.

At CES 2003, Microsoft announced that Citizen, Fossil, and Suunto would launch wristwatches with the SPOT technology. The plan was to put them on sale in the fall of 2003 for the holiday shopping season. However, delays kept the first SPOT watches from going on sale until early 2004.

Other watch companies also joined the SPOT party, in particular Swatch, which at the time was an extremely popular brand with teens and young adults.

The technology even branched out into other devices. The oddest one was a coffee maker from Melitta, which connect to MSN Direct to show you a graphic that gave you the current weather forecast on a small screen. We are still not sure what marketing genius came up with this one.

However, the SPOT watches were never a big seller. One problem was that they were bulky and didn't look as slick as many other higher-end watches at the time. That $60 annual fee to get the connected features was a big issue for many people.

Another big problem was that you couldn't transfer any data from your SPOT watch to other devices. The DirectBand service was also limited to "more than 100 of the largest population centers in North America", according to Microsoft, and it never expanded to other countries.

However, the biggest problem was that, in just a few years, the smartphone revolution was going to start. With the launch of Apple's iPhone, followed by similar devices from other companies, anyone could get more info from them for the price of a mobile cellular connection.

By 2008, SPOT devices had stopped being made, and the MSN Direct service shut down at the end of 2011. The truth is Microsoft SPOT had some good ideas, but the implementation of those ideas and its technology got quickly superseded by the rise of the smartphone.

It might be interesting to see if Microsoft could create a true smartwatch that could rival those from Samsung, Apple, Google, and others.

We would be remiss if we didn't show you this extended commercial for MSN Direct and Microsoft's SPOT tech that "helped" to launch the service in 2004.

We won't say anything more other than it has Spike Lee in it for some reason. Be prepared to cringe a lot. Again, who were the marketing folks that came up with this one?

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Turns out, Apple's App Store can't accept the new name for Twitter's iOS app because of minimum character requirements.

Twitter still Twitter on App Store

This week, both Google Play and Apple's App Store pushed updated versions of the Twitter app respectively for Android and iOS users.

The latest app version bears the 'X' logo, and in some cases, Twitter's new name.

BleepingComputer observed, for example, that Google Play store page for the Android app now bears the name 'X' not Twitter:

The app, however, still shows up as "Twitter" among installed apps on an Android, and the application package (APK) ID remains com.twitter.android internally:

This is in stark contrast to the latest version of Twitter's iOS app, which unfortunately couldn't be renamed to 'X' on the App Store—and it's got to to with the minimum number of characters an iOS app name must have.

"On iOS, the situation is distinct as Apple does not permit any app to have a single character as their app name," data scientist and Next founder, Nick Sheriff pointed out.

"Twitter was able to change the logo of their iOS app but not the name, since Apple requires app names to be at least 2 characters," mocked San Francisco-based Erik Berlin.

While iOS app names "can be up to 30 characters long," they must be at least 2 characters in length, failing which the app name will be rejected by Apple:

Some Apple users report seeing the 'X' app on their iPhone or iPad device after fetching the latest update, but the name restriction remains in effect on the App Store.

"What about X and a space, either before or after?" software developer Yusuf Alp suggested a potential workaround in response to Berlin's post.

"He already has a company called SpaceX," chuckled Berlin.

Twitter's rushed and inconsistent rebranding seems to be causing issues in other areas—legal and technical, as well.

The app's icon change to 'X' triggered security alerts for Microsoft Edge users this week, as BleepingComputer first reported.

Internet content filters in some regions, like Indonesia, also started blocking the 'x.com' website, mistaking it for adult content.

Update, July 29th, 1:17 PM ET: Credited Sheriff who had originally tweeted about the App Store name restriction.

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Using Google Maps to navigate on your Android phone just got a lot quicker, thanks to an update that Google has sneakily rolled out to your device.

Now when you boot up the app and tap the microphone icon in the search bar, you’ll be greeted by a new “faster way” to search on Maps. Just say where you want to go and a new and improved Google Assistant will be able to speedily get up directions. It may also be a little more helpful too as in our tests when we specifically asked for the fastest way to get from A to B it would automatically suggest the mode of transport that was the quickest.

Voice controls on Google Maps weren’t terrible before but they were sluggish, and it sometimes felt just as quick to type out the directions you needed. Plus, if the app misheard you you’d have to sit and wait for what felt like an eternity for it to get up the wrong directions, only for you to then correct it so you can sit through the process all over again.

Thanks to the new and improved Google Assistant implementation using your voice to ask Google Maps for directions feels a lot quicker. Best of all, as you speak you’ll see a large readout of everything you said, making it easier to spot if Google mishears or misunderstands you so you can correct it before it wastes time looking for directions you don’t need.

(Image credit: Future)

No new app install required 

What’s more, there will be a list of category options onscreen you can tap instead of speaking – and they’ll instantly boot up a list of nearby services that match the description you tapped. They feel a bit superfluous as the categories are available on the main Google Maps screen, but they don’t get in the way so we’re not going to complain too much.

We’ve been testing the improved feature out and found it to be a fair bit faster than it was before. And maybe it’s just us, but it feels like using our phone’s Google Assistant to get directions in Google Maps is faster too.

The update should have already been rolled out to your phone, even if you don’t remember updating Google Maps recently. That's because this is a server-side update on Google’s end, so there’s no new app version for you to install before you can benefit from a faster search.

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3G networks will be shut off in Singapore next July, giving a one-year roadmap for 1% of the mobile phone population to make the switch to newer generations.  

It marks an end to a 20-year infrastructure that largely has been replaced by 4G and 5G, according to local regulator Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). 5G was commercially launched last year, with subscriptions now accounting for 15% of the total mobile subscriber base. Together with 4G, the two networks support almost 99% of mobile subscribers in the country. 

All three local mobile operators -- M1, Singtel, and StarHub -- will retire their 3G services, including messaging and data, by July 31 next year. When the shutdown is complete, it will free up spectrum to improve 5G services, IMDA said. 

Countries such as Australia and the UK also are slated to retire their 3G services by next year, while others such as Taiwan, Malaysia, and the US already have done so. 

Singapore's mobile operators will have to ensure a smooth migration for their 3G subscribers, including enterprise customers, before shutting down their networks, IMDA said. These should include giving users the option to convert their plans to 4G on equal or better service terms. They also must be provided mobile phone options at different price points, the industry regulator said. 

Business customers should be provided support to transition to 4G or alternative services with the least disruption. 

From February next year, retailers also must no longer sell 3G mobile phones or 4G models that require 3G networks for voice calls. The only exception here is for devices tagged for export. 

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the three local operators said they had been running various initiatives urging their 3G subscribers to transition to 4G and 5G networks. Further measures will be taken in the coming months to notify these customers of the move and provide help to those needing assistance migrating, the telcos said. 

These subscribers include those who are on 3G-only devices or early 4G models as well as customers who still are using 3G-only SIM cards. 

5G is projected to support 41% of mobile connections in Asia-Pacific by 2030, up from 4% this year, according to GSMA's Mobile Economy APAC 2023 report, which was released this week. The region will be home to 1.4 billion 5G subscribers by end-2030, with adoption fueled by falling device prices and rapid network expansion across several markets. 

While mature markets such as Australia, Singapore, and South Korea are leading global 5G mobile innovation, other regional markets still face barriers that impact mobile access and adoption. 

Mobile internet services remain out of reach for 47% of the population in Asia-Pacific, which lag behind other global markets such as China and Latin America, the GSMA report noted. It cited poor digital skills, particularly among older populations, device and service affordability, as well as online safety concerns as some factors hindering adoption. 

Total mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific will grow by 400 million to hit 2.11 billion by 2030. Mobile penetration will climb to 70%, though, this figure is lower than the global average of 73%, according to GSMA. 

The mobile industry contributed $810 billion to the Asia-Pacific economy last year, with this number projected to reach $990 billion by 2030. 5G alone will add more than $133 billion to the region's economy in 2030.

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