According to the leaker, the base variant of the OnePlus 10R with 80W fast-charging support will cost Rs. 38,999(~$510), while the most premium model will set you back Rs. 44,999(~$588) in India. The base variant has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, while the premium model features 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and 150W fast-charging support. It will be available in Black and Green colors.

As per Brar, OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite will also be available in two variants—one that costs Rs. 17,999(~$235), and a slightly more expensive model is priced at Rs. 19,999(~$262). It reportedly has 128GB storage and 6GB/8GB RAM depending on which variant you buy. The Nord CE 2 Lite will be available in Blue and Black color options.

OnePlus Nord Buds, on the other hand, will be the company’s cheapest truly wireless earbuds to date. The new Nord Buds are expected to be priced at Rs. 2,999(~$39) and will come in Black and White color options.

OnePlus confirmed that it would launch these new devices on April 28. Of course, we will get to know more information about these new launches on that date. Meanwhile, you can check out the leaked specifications of these products below.

ONEPLUS 10R SPECIFICATIONS

Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 8100 chip, the OnePlus 10R will have a 120Hz high refresh rate technology and will be based on Android 12-based OxygenOS. It will also have the 80W SuperVOOC fast charging support. You can learn more about the 10R here.

ONEPLUS NORD BUDS SPECIFICATIONS

A 41mAh battery capacity, 480mAh charging case, and a physical button on the ear tips for play/pause, music change, and more controls are some of the exciting features of the Nord Buds. However, none of this is confirmed by the company, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Let us know in the comments section if you are excited about these new OnePlus devices.

OnePlus 10R, OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, OnePlus Buds prices leak days ahead of their launch

Now, Android Authority notes that Google has clarified in a policy update as well as a developer webinar that its Accessibility APIs cannot be used for call recording purposes. Recently, many developers had begun using these APIs to circumvent Google's policies against call recording; this will not be possible after May 11, which is when the policy change goes into effect.

This means that third-party apps in the Play Store that are used to record calls will no longer function since this is effectively the last nail in the coffin of this functionality. It is important to note that the change does not affect brands such as Google Pixel or Xiaomi which come with the native capability to record calls. Google explained that:

If the app is the default dialer on the phone and also pre-loaded, accessibility capability is not required to get access to the incoming audio stream, and hence, will not be in violation.

It will be interesting to see whether Google will start removing call recording apps in violation of its policies from the Play Store after May 11 or if they will simply stop functioning.

Source: Google via Android Authority

Google is killing off most call recording apps next month

One of the useful new features in the latest version of Microsoft Launcher is the ability to pin historical search queries to the top. This capability will come in handy when you have some important keywords that you search daily. You will now be able to pin those keywords to the top so that you don't have to type those words every time in the search bar.

The latest version of the Microsoft Launcher app also lets you enable More/Less footer for search history section. Here is the complete official changelog for the update:

• Enable long click to pin a historical search query to top.

• Enable More/Less footer for search history section.
• Known bugs were fixed and performance improvements were made.

The latest update takes the app to version 6.220304.0.1041800. If you are using Microsoft Launcher on Android, you can go to the Google Play Store to download the update.

As a reminder, Microsoft Launcher, along with Surface Duo OS, SwiftKey, Phone Link, and other Android projects, are now part of the new Android Microsoft Platform and Experiences (AMPX) division. Microsoft Launcher will hopefully play a key role in realizing Microsoft's goal of further integrating Android phones with Windows PCs than what's available through Phone Link.

Microsoft Launcher gets updated with historical search query pinning and more

In a Twitter thread from Esper senior technical editor Mishaal Rahman, we’ve been given our first look at what might just be the UI for Google’s Wallet revival, showing it to be the “comprehensive digital wallet,” that it was first rumoured and hyped up to be. 

Featuring digital spaces for debit or credit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards, and transit pass’, the revitalised Google Wallet reportedly won’t be doing away with Google Pay entirely, despite it already offering many of these features. Instead, according to Rahman, Google Pay will still be available inside of the Wallet app as the branding for Google’s contactless payments. 

Similarly to Google Pay, the new Google Wallet app includes an option within the settings to automatically add passes, tickets, offers, and cards found in your Gmail into the app, saving you from the hassle of sorting it all out yourself. 

Unfortunately for those who like the sound of ditching your physical wallet for a digital one, Google is still yet to confirm the existence of this Google Wallet revival, so there’s no word on exactly when it might release just yet.

Google Wallet’s revival looks more concrete as screenshots appear online

Odd issues have popped up following software updates Google’s released for its latest flagship phones frequently enough for us to look into why Android 12 has been so buggy for certain phones. Now some Pixel owners report that their phones are failing to complete a fairly basic task — ringing when there’s an incoming call.

Unlike the issue with notification vibrations suddenly changing without explanation, this isn’t something we’ve been able to confirm. However, posts on Reddit (via Android Central and Phone Arena) and Google’s support forums describe issues where some incoming calls seem to be silently rejected, sending the caller directly to voicemail.

Pixel 6 Pro is declining calls from contacts without me knowing from GooglePixel

Their call log indicates that an incoming call was “declined,” when in fact, the phone didn’t ring, and they all claim they don’t have any Do Not Disturb setting or other feature enabled that might block the calls. One commenter on PhoneArena said they had a similar problem that turned out to be due to Verizon’s spam filtering, but reports of the issues are consistent across carriers.

There doesn’t appear to be a confirmed way to fix the issue beyond Hail Mary suggestions of device resets for those dealing with the issue. Reports of issues are mainly coming from owners of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices, but a few owners of older Pixel phones all the way back to the 2XL have said they’ve seen the same thing.

Pixel 6 owners say their phones are automatically rejecting some incoming calls

1Password released an early access version of 1Password 8 for iOS on Wednesday, which brings a redesigned interface and new backend to iPhone and iPad users. The new version of the app, which 1Password says will eventually make its way to all its supported platforms, has been available in early access mode for Mac since August, and was released for Windows in November.

As a longtime user of 1Password 7, the redesign was immediately obvious when I opened the beta version of the app. As far as I can tell, almost every icon has been changed to be a little more fun and colorful, and the interface feels more modern now.

1Password 7

 

1Password 8

1Password 7 opened to a favorites screen with a few recently used passwords. Other than marking or unmarking logins as favorites, there wasn’t much you could do to customize the screen. This was always a little frustrating for me, because I basically never had any use for the screen, and would immediately bounce to search.

1Password 8, on the other hand, has a home screen that lets you access things like your vaults, categories, and lists of recently created or modified passwords. You can also change it to fit how you organize and access your passwords — if you’re a big user of categories, favorites, and tags, you can move those options to the top. If you dump everything into one folder, you can hide everything but “All Items”.

Some of the home screen items are collapsable lists. Image: 1Password

The old (well, current) version of the app would let you know if one of your passwords had been compromised, and could alert you if the login you were viewing had a reused password, but there wasn’t a single screen that let you manage your overall security. The new version of the iOS app adapts the desktop version’s Watchtower section for mobile, which also gives you an overall security score.

Watchtower brings 1Password’s full security checkup to the app. Image: 1Password

There’s been some controversy around 1Password 8, after the company announced that its Mac app’s user interface would be powered by Electron (the web browser tech behind apps like Slack, Evernote, and Discord) instead of native code like SwiftUI or AppKit. Some user s worried that the change would make the password manager more resource-intensive to run, or that it would feel less like a real Mac app. However you feel about that change, it’s not really a factor with this iOS app, which 1Password has said uses SwiftUI for the interface, and Rust for the core.

Of course, there are other reasons you may not want to use an early access version of a password manager. While it’s been okay for me so far, there will probably be a few bugs for testers to catch. If your phone’s password manager is absolutely critical to your work and / or life, it’s probably best to wait until an official release, especially since this update is a major change from the previous version. If you’re okay with increased odds of flakiness, though, and want to try the redesign for yourself as soon as possible, you can join the TestFlight using the link in 1Password’s blog post.

You can now try 1Password’s customizable redesign on your iPhone and iPad

Google has quietly released a free app for iOS to help you easily carry over data from an iPhone to an Android device, as reported by 9to5Google. The Switch To Android app works wirelessly, meaning you won’t have to worry about connecting the two phones with a cable.

“The Switch to Android app from Google helps you quickly and securely move your most important data types — photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events — to a brand new Android device without fussy cables,” according to the app’s description on the App Store. That list does not include messages, so it appears the app won’t be able to transfer those, though it will walk you through how to turn off iMessage so “you don’t miss text messages from friends and family.”

9to5Google says this is an unlisted app, and that does appear to be the case, as I can’t find it when searching the App Store on my iPhone. However, you can download it right now from this direct link. Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about when the app might officially become listed on the App Store.

If you want to get an idea of how the app will work in practice, check out 9to5Google’s hands-on video:

Apple has offered a similar app to help users migrate from Android to iPhone, called “Move to iOS,” since 2015.

Google has a secret iOS app to help you switch to Android

The Pixel 6a lands at the FCC with four different models

The Vivo X Fold is currently limited to China, but rumor has it that it will also make its debut in India at a later date. However, there is no timeline for when it will go Official outside China. The company made no announcement regarding its global availability either.

Vivo X Fold specifications

Vivo X Fold features a 6.53-inch outer AMOLED display and a folding 8.03-inch 1800x2200px LTPO2 inner AMOLED E5 display. Both the displays support a high refresh rate and HDR10+ with a screen refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

The foldable phone is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with 12GB of RAM. It is powered by a 4,600mAh battery that supports 66W wired charging, enough to fully charge the battery in just 37 minutes. The X Fold also supports up to 50W of wireless charging and 10W of reverse wireless charging.

As for the cameras, the Vivo X Fold has a quad-camera setup at the backside. The circular camera module consists of a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera with OIS in front of a 1/1.57-inch Samsung GN5 sensor and a 12MP f/2.4 2x (47mm) zoom camera 5x periscope zoom camera (with 60x digital zoom), and a 48MP f/2.2 114-degree ultrawide. The foldable smartphone also features the famous Zeiss camera branding.

Vivo’s first foldable phone has two ultrasonic fingerprint scanners and two selfie cameras to ensure that you can take selfies facing either display. Vivo X Fold will be available in Black, Blue, and Grey for CNY 8,999 (€1,300/$1,415).

Are you excited about the Vivo X Fold? If it launches outside of China, will you buy it? You can share your thoughts in the comments section.

Vivo launches its first foldable phone

Google Pixel 6a manages a single-core score of 1050 vs. a score of 1044 for the Pixel 6 on Geekbench 5. The multi-core score of Pixel 6a is 2833, while the regular Pixel 6 manages to get a score of 2758. In terms of performance, both smartphones appear to be similar.

The ‘a’ series Pixel handsets are cheaper than the original Pixel handsets, and the best thing is that you don’t miss out on any significant features if you get the former. Now, given the fact that the Pixel 6a performs equally well on Geekbench testing and will probably cost less than the regular Pixel 6 model, the former has the potential to create more appeal.

According to the Geekbench listing, Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a use the same SoC, but the latter uses 6GB of RAM. More RAM options are unlikely to be available for the Pixel 6a, but that should not be a concern for most users since the performance is on par with the regular Pixel 6.

GOOGLE PIXEL 6A RUMORED SPECIFICATIONS

Google Pixel 6a will reportedly feature a 6.2-inch flat OLED display with a single centered punch-hole camera. The 6a is also expected to have dual rear cameras and a single LED flash. Rumor has it that the Google Pixel 6a will use the same 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 sensor as the original Pixel 6.

The tipster hasn’t given us the complete information about the specs of the smartphone. For example, details related to cameras and processors are not known. But it’s being said that the company might use the Tensor GS101 chipset in the phone. It’s expected to be available in 6GB or 8GB of RAM with up to 128GB of storage.

Other features include a USB Type-C and an in-display fingerprint sensor.

According to rumors, the Google I/O event will start on May 11 and continue until the next day, May 12. However, Pixel 6a is said to be available from July 28 in most markets.

Google Pixel 6a benchmark scores show it’s equally as powerful as the Pixel 6

Google and iFixit have signed a deal that will ensure nearly every existent Pixel series of smartphones and all upcoming Pixel devices will have DIY (Do It Yourself) Repair Kits. iFixit.com will sell genuine Google parts individually and in kits later this year.

Google has confirmed it is supporting the Right to Repair movement and has teamed up with iFixit to launch a self-repair program for Pixel owners. iFixit announced in a separate blog post that they'll launch the Pixel self-repair program in Summer 2022. The Self-Repair program, as well as the components, will be available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and EU countries where Pixel devices are officially sold.

The program will offer key components such as batteries, cameras, and replacement display, as well as other parts that are generally needed to perform repairs on a Pixel smartphone. These components will be available individually. However, Pixel owners who haven’t performed DIY repairs should purchase these components as a part of the “Fix Kit”.

The Fix Kit for Google Pixel devices from iFixit will ship with all the tools necessary to safely perform a DIY repair. These kits will include a screwdriver, spudgers, and the iOpener. The iOpener is supposed to be a carefully calibrated heating device that is designed to apply heat directly and evenly to the phone components that are joined by adhesive.

The kit will also include a replacement pre-cut adhesive, which secures and re-waterproofs the phone, a set of six opening picks, the iFixit opening tool, suction handle, angled tweezers, a precision bit driver with an integrated SIM eject tool, and 4mm precision bits that are designed for a specific model.

Google has indicated that all future Pixel series smartphones will be automatically included in the Self-Repair program. Incidentally, the company already has partnerships with multiple repair providers, including uBreakiFix. Pixel smartphone owners who need to get their devices repaired can take their phones here to get them fixed.

In addition to supporting and promoting the Right to Repair movement, Google is also helping in prolonging the useable life of a Pixel smartphone by offering five years of security updates for the latest Pixel models. The program, however, starts with the Pixel 6 series.

iFixit has already partnered with Samsung and Steam. Although the company doesn’t have an agreement with Apple for iPhones, the latter is offering its own service.

Google Pixel smartphones will have DIY Repair Kits from iFixit and five years of updates

In this update, ProtonMail gives you the ability to switch between a light and dark mode, making it more comfortable to read your emails. To simplify things, the new conversation view groups emails with the same subject line so that you can read the initial email and all subsequent emails like a conversation. Of course, if you don’t like conversation view, you can disable it by going to the hamburger menu > Settings > Account settings > Conversation.

The company also stated that it’s working on a similar redesign for its ProtonMail app on Android. Right now, it’s available as beta software and the company is soliciting feedback through its support form. Once it’s happy with the new Android client, it will be made available for all users on Android devices.

In addition to the new iOS app, ProtonMail has launched an additional email domain that you can use to send and receive emails. The new proton.me domain is shorter so you’ll be able to create addresses that are easier to distribute. It was one of the most requested features in the company’s 2022 survey.

If you’d like to download the new app on your iPhone or iPad, just head to the App Store and do a search for ProtonMail.

ProtonMail for iOS receives its biggest ever redesign with dark mode and an intuitive UI

Apple is testing out a new subscription payment system for iOS devices that would let developers automatically charge a higher subscription-renewal price rather than ask for explicit acceptance, so long as the user is notified ahead of the renewal price increase and given the chance to cancel their subscription.

While this is a fairly common practice with subscription services, this isn't the way this is supposed to work on iOS. From Apple's developer documentation (opens in new tab):

"When you increase the price of a subscription, Apple informs affected subscribers via email and push notification and asks them to agree to the new price. On iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 and later, affected subscribers are also notified through a price consent sheet that automatically displays in your app... If they don’t agree, their subscription expires at the end of their current billing cycle."

The new payment system was first flagged by developer Max Seelemann on Twitter (opens in new tab) and later confirmed by TechCrunch (opens in new tab).

The issue appears to be limited to the Disney+ app for now and only seems to affect a limited number of users as part of a pilot test of a new iOS payment system.

Apple told TechRadar that the company is "piloting a new commerce feature we plan to launch very soon. The pilot includes developers across various app categories, organization sizes, and regions to help test an upcoming enhancement that we believe will be great for both developers and users, and we’ll have more details to share in the coming weeks."

It's not clear whether this system, if implemented, would be open to all developers on the iOS platform, or whether only a selection of developers would be granted the ability to auto-charge for a price increase.

Analysis: while it could be worse, this is still a terrible idea

One of the worst things about subscription-based models is that they require a lot of management and juggling on the part of the user. Who among us hasn't completely forgotten that some subscription charge was due on a certain date and only realized it once we suddenly had a lot less money in the bank than we thought we had?

This is especially problematic when you're dealing with an annual subscription, which is a large chunk of money and is much more likely to be forgotten by the user (making it more unlikely that it will be cancelled ahead of the renewal charge). Subscription services are a very appealing model for businesses for that reason, and a major headache for users.

Apple's current system is about as good as you can expect, all things considered. It can't save you from forgetting about a looming renewal and over-drafting your bank account as a result, but at least it requires you to explicitly accept a higher price after an 'introductory' rate expires and automatically cancels the subscription if you don't do anything. 

We would much rather see Apple stick with that system than let a company automatically bill users a higher rate if they don't take action on it. On the plus side, it appears that the renewal-price increase notification is very obvious and there is at least a link for users to review the subscription and cancel it if they so choose.  

There's no getting around the fact, though, that this could open the door for ne'er-do-well developers to take advantage of users by starting off at a very low price and then jacking it up considerably for the renewal. While most users would immediately move to cancel if they saw that kind of scammy behavior, even with the new notification system, there's going to be some small subset of users who misread, misunderstand, or just miss the notification and find themselves getting hit with a higher-than-expected charge out of the blue.

Given that potential nightmare scenario, it's likely that only certain large developers would be allowed to automatically charge you an increased price in this way, which raises a different problem. This would give bigger players in the industry special treatment that puts smaller, legitimate developers at a disadvantage, with no obvious benefit to the user.

Given Apple's generally good track record on user protections, this feels like a big step back and is disappointing to see. If the big fish in the App Store pond do get special privileges, we should stop pretending that Apple's platform is as fair as the company claims it is. 

Since this appears to be a small pilot test, we hope Apple comes to see how valuable its current subscription payment model is for its users and doesn't break what is already working well. 

Apple's test of a new iOS subscription payment system is a huge step back

Google is announcing a handful of updates to Google Maps, including one that will show toll prices before you start navigating to where you want to go.

“We look at factors like the cost of using a toll pass or other payment methods, what the day of the week it is, along with how much the toll is expected to cost at the specific time you’ll be crossing it,” Google said in a blog post. If a toll-free route is available, that will be shown as an option as well. The feature will begin rolling out on Android and iOS for “nearly 2,000” toll roads in the US, India, Indonesia, and Japan this month. The feature will come to more countries “soon.”

Google is also adding more detail to its navigation maps. “You’ll soon see traffic lights and stop signs along your route, along with enhanced details like building outlines and areas of interest,” the company says. In “select cities,” there will be additional added detail like “the shape and width of a road, including medians and islands.” These improved maps will begin rolling out in the “coming weeks” on Android, Android Auto, iOS, and Apple’s CarPlay software.

 You’ll soon be able to see traffic lights and stop signs while navigating. Image: Google

Google Maps users on Apple devices are getting some targeted updates as well. There will be a new widget for the iOS app that lets you access trips pinned to the Go tab, and it will be available in the coming weeks. The Google Maps Apple Watch app will also let you get directions to any of your Google Maps shortcuts — places like Home and Work — just by tapping the shortcut on your watch. (Previously, you needed to start those trips from the iOS app.) This feature will roll out starting in “a few weeks.”

Start a trip home right from your watch. Image: Google

Google Maps will start estimating tolls and display more details to help you find your way

It’s only been a couple of weeks since Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices started receiving Google’s March Pixel drop of new features, improvements, and fixes, and now the company has started the rollout of an April update (via 9to5Google).

According to Google, wireless charging updates and camera fixes for the Pixel 6 lineup should improve performance with certain (unspecified) accessories and crush bugs that could zoom in the front-facing camera preview with certain apps or pop up a green screen in the camera preview.

Tweaks that apply to all phones receiving the update (from the Pixel 3a to any devices released more recently) can address problems with live wallpapers, crashes during the use of picture-in-picture, and a problem that could black out the notification shade and Quick Settings. An accompanying security bulletin also details several security flaws addressed by this latest update and for other Android devices with a security patch level of April 5th or later.

There’s no note of a fix or change for Pixel 6 and 6 Pro owners who don’t appreciate the weakened haptic vibration effect that arrived for many devices with the March update. Even as reports on Reddit and its owner forum pile up, Google has not responded to my inquiries about that issue. However, on March 25th, Review Geek reported it’d received a statement from Google that said, “This was an update meant to take advantage of the more advanced Pixel 6 haptics capabilities, but we understand it is not an optimal experience for all users. We are continuously trying to provide a better long term solution in the future and will plan to address that feedback in an upcoming update.”

If you don’t have the update on your Pixel device yet, that’s because Google is rolling it out “over the next week in phases depending on carrier and device. Users will receive a notification once the OTA becomes available for their device.” If you can’t wait, Google has made OTA and factory images of the latest update available, which you can install using its Android Flash Tool by following our instructions here. Whether or not you want to do that may depend on your appetite for risk — the Android 12 update experience has been a rocky one so far.

Google’s April Pixel update includes wireless charging fixes for Pixel 6 phones

YouTube videos will now appear as a resizable sticker. Image by Snapchat

Snapchat is making it easier to share YouTube videos within your snap or story, letting you bypass the process of copying, pasting, and attaching the video as a link (via Android Police). The feature is available on both Android and iOS.

Now all you need to do is navigate to YouTube, hit the “Share” button, and then select “Snapchat.” Snapchat will open, and the video will automatically appear in your camera as its own sticker, showing the name, thumbnail, and creator of the video. After you take your picture or video, you can play around with the size of the sticker, rotate it, and place it anywhere on the screen. Anyone who views your snap or story can click on the link and view the video within the YouTube app or in their web browser.

If you ever tried to include a YouTube video before, you’ll probably recall having to copy the link from YouTube and then open Snapchat, where you’d have to take your photo or video, hit the paperclip icon, and paste the link in (or give Snapchat access to your clipboard). The video would appear as a resizeable banner, showing a small thumbnail along with the title of the video.

Snapchat’s new YouTube sticker (left) vs. a YouTube video added as a link in Snapchat (right). Screenshot: Snapchat

You can still add YouTube videos like this, but in my opinion, it just doesn't look as aesthetically pleasing as this YouTube-specific sticker. The new sticker gives you a clearer look at the video’s thumbnail, and actually shows you the name of the creator behind the video, whereas the plain old link format left that — sometimes crucial — piece of information out. Snapchat similarly made a sticker for Twitter in 2020, saving you from sending screenshots of tweets, or god forbid, taking a picture of a tweet on your computer screen.

Update April 2nd 6:48PM ET: Updated to add a screenshot to compare the YouTube sticker in Snapchat with a link to a YouTube video in Snapchat.

Snapchat now lets you share YouTube videos as a sticker in your snap

One of Alessandro Paluzzi’s Post Showing Twitter’s “Collaboration” Feature

Twitter always aims to improve its platform, and it works in silence only to reveal new features right in front of us after months of tests. Yet, sometimes, we get to see the secret projects the company is concocting, thanks to the curious techies out there. One recent example is the discovery of Twitter’s “Collaboration” feature by Alessandro Paluzzi, a mobile developer who searched it through the app’s code in December 2021. According to the information presented by Paluzzi, Collaboration will allow Twitter users to co-author a post by enlisting the names and handles of both users in the post.

The feature is already available on Instagram, but it can also be a handy tool for creators and influencers whose main platform is Twitter. From the looks of it, Twitter is planning to use Collaboration in the future to attract more influencers and businesses who want to make joint posts that will help them benefit each other’s interests. Paluzzi told TechCrunch that he found nothing in the code that would probably limit the use of the feature only to selected users. This means, in case it is publicly unveiled by Twitter, it would also allow other typical users to collaborate with each other, regardless of their reasons.

From the information shared by Paluzzi, it is said that there would be a particular button on the tweet composer screen that will enable the option for Twitter Collaboration. The person who wants to initiate the collaborative tweet will have to ask another user to “co-own” a tweet. It will work like a request that the receiver would have to approve. Once approved, the post will appear with the information of the two users, including their names and handles. It will also include the profile pictures of the two users partially laid over the other.

There are lots of speculations about the primary purpose of the Collaboration feature of Twitter, one of them – as said – is the company’s aspiration to make it a welcoming place for creators who want to make partnerships with brands and businesses. If that is true, Collaboration will join the other features of Twitter that are aimed to help content creators earn, such as Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces.

Twitter “Collaboration” to allow co-authoring of tweets

The new list of features is quite long so here they all are:

• Reply while you browse: Receive a new message while you’re browsing your feed? You can now reply without going to your inbox and losing your place. This new feature makes it that much easier and more convenient to chat while on the app.
• Quickly send to friends: We want to help people reshare interesting content without interrupting their Instagram experience. By tapping and holding the share button, you can effortlessly reshare posts to your closest friends.
• See who’s online: At the top of your inbox, you can see who’s free to chat at that moment, helping you find serendipitous opportunities to connect with friends.
• Play, pause, and re-play: Enabled by integrations with Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify coming soon, you can now share a 30-second preview of that song you just can’t get out of your head, and your friends can listen directly from the chat window.
• Send messages quietly: Send messages without notifying friends late at night or when they’re busy by adding “@silent” in your message. Now you can reach out without worrying about sending unwanted notifications.
• Keep it on the lo-fi: Feeling chill? Try the new lo-fi chat theme to make your conversations feel more personal.
• Create a poll with your squad: Deciding where to go to dinner or what time to meet up? We’re bringing one of Messenger’s most beloved group chat features to Instagram so you can create a poll directly in your group chat.

Meta said that with the new features it’s trying to help people connect in more seamless ways. It’s interesting to see polls added to make Instagram messaging more feature comparable with Messenger as Meta was planning to integrate Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp so that users could chat across services. This task should be made easier when the services have the same features.

Meta has not disclosed which countries will get the new features first so just be on the lookout for any updates through the Play Store or App Store. It also didn’t say when it will bring them to a global audience.

Instagram gets lots of new messaging features in a new update for a more seamless experience

iPhone and iPad owners have a new minor update for the iOS and iPadOS operating systems. The update doesn’t contain any new features, just bug fixes. Apple notes the update fixes the following issues:

• Braille devices may become unresponsive while navigating text or displaying an alert
• Made for iPhone heading devices may lose connection within some third-party app

The update may vary slightly in size, but some iPhone owners have indicated that it is about 300MB in size. Although the aforementioned bug fixes are welcome, Apple has also included a fix for the battery drain issue reported by some users following the release of iOS 15.4 earlier this month.

Apple’s official Twitter handle, Apple Support, had claimed that the battery drain experienced by users was "normal" after a software update. The Tweet mentioned that apps and features needed 48 hours “to adjust” after an update.

Apple has categorically mentioned the update fixes an issue where the “battery may drain more quickly than expected after updating to iOS 15.4.” While there is a “settling” time needed for system functions and apps after a major update, iOS 15.4.1 contradicts Apple’s own claims. The release notes for iOS 15.4.1 today confirm that the battery drain wasn’t normal at all.

The iOS 15.4.1 and iPadOS 15.4.1 updates are available on all eligible devices via the Over the Air (OTA) update in the Settings app. To grab the update, head over to Settings > General > Software Update.

Besides the abovementioned issues, the latest update also fixes an AppleAVD issue that could allow an application to “execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges”, reported MacRumors. Apple has indicated that an exploit based on this vulnerability may exist in the wild. Hence, iPhone and iPad users are strongly advised to update their devices as soon as possible.

Apple releases iOS 15.4.1 update to fix battery drain issues it had claimed were 'Normal'

As noted by Geekbench co-founder Jon Poole, Xiaomi appears to have been caught red-handed throttling, at least, their Mi 11 smartphone when the device is not running a dedicated benchmarking tool, such as Geekbench. 

In their testing, which Poole recounts on Twitter, Poole states that when a Xiaomi Mi 11 was running a version of Geekbench that had been disguised as the game Fortnite, the phone performed dramatically worse in testing, receiving scores that were 30% lower for single-core performance, and 15% lower for multi-core performance. 

As we noted when Samsung was caught throttling their Galaxy S22 devices through their Game Optimizing Service, this practice is often done by manufacturers to extend the life of the device throughout general use, while still providing blistering scores in dedicated benchmarking tests.

While extending the battery life of a phone is not always a bad thing, smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung and now Xiaomi, have, for some reason, decided to hide what they’re doing, rather than offering the feature as an optional toggle to users that they could use at their own discretion,

At the time of writing Xiaomi has yet to issue a statement commenting on these throttling allegations, so we will have to wait and see how they will resolve this matter if they mention it at all.

Xiaomi appears to be throttling performance on their phones

Vivo has confirmed on China’s social media site Weibo that Vivo X Fold will go official in China on April 11. The company hasn’t clarified whether the new foldable phone will be available outside China. The Chinese company will also launch Vivo Pad and Vivo X Note on the same day.

Rumors were flying that Vivo would launch two foldable phones this year. While there is no clarity from the company about whether it’ll launch two foldable phones, a few days ago, the company confirmed the existence of the Vivo X Fold. However, Vivo has today officially announced the launch date for the device.

Vivo’s sister company Oppo launched its first foldable phone a few months ago. Called Oppo Find N, Oppo’s foldable phone was successful due to its compact design and development of no creases on display. It received fairly good reviews on other parameters, including performance.

Vivo’s first phone may also see similar success. In fact, it likely will, according to leaker Ice universe. He recently claimed that Vivo X Fold would be a “near-perfect” foldable phone without disclosing much about what’s inside the device.

Image: Weibo

Vivo X Fold rumored specifications

According to rumors, Vivo’s new foldable phone display will be covered by Ultra-Thin Glass(UTG), like the Galaxy foldable devices. It’s also rumored to have an 8-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset will reportedly power the device. It’s said to pack a 4,600 mAh battery with 80W fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

At the official launch event, we will know whether rumors related to the specifications of the Vivo X Fold are true. Meanwhile, you can share your thoughts about the device in the comments section.

A new foldable phone is coming on April 11

Apple is reportedly planning to release an iPad Pro with the rumored M2 chip sometime between September and November of this year, according to Apple tracker Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter. Gurman expects Apple to issue a major update for the upcoming generation of iPad Pros, which will supposedly include support for MagSafe charging.

As Gurman points out, Apple last gave the iPad Pro a significant update in 2018, when Apple introduced a design with harder corners, an edge-to-edge display, and a USB-C connector. This update came about a year and a half after the release of the iPad Pro 10.5 in 2017.

Apple is on track to repeat the same pattern this year, as it launched the most recent generation of M1-equipped iPad Pros in May 2021. A rumored launch date between September and November 2022 means Apple will spend anywhere between one year and four months and one year and six months prepping the new model.

During Apple’s “Peek Performance” event earlier this month, the company showed off its newest iPad Air but left out an updated model of the iPad Pro. Last year, Gurman predicted the iPad Pro would come with wireless charging capabilities and a glass backing. A report from 9to5Mac corroborates this claim, but its sources say Apple may have abandoned the glass back design, potentially opting for an aluminum back with a glass Apple logo instead.

There hasn’t been much information about the rumored M2 chip either, as it still hasn’t been confirmed by Apple. Gurman thinks the chip’s CPU will be slightly faster than its predecessor and come with the same eight-core architecture. He also expects Apple to add the M2 to both the new iPad Pro, as well as to the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and 24-inch iMac that are rumored for release later this year. Predictions for an M2 chip powering the redesigned MacBook Air are split — Gurman says it will include the rumored chip, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks it will come with the M1.

Apple will reportedly release an iPad Pro with an M2 chip this fall

This may sound familiar, but there’s something wrong with the latest software update for Google’s Pixel 6 phones. As Google tweaks the version of Android it distributes to phones running its custom Tensor chip, there have been some odd issues, but instead of problems with Wi-Fi or a slow thumbprint scanner, this time, it’s affecting another key feature: notifications. They still pop up on the phone just as regularly, but for some reason, the strength of the vibration is now significantly weaker than it was before.

I’ve had my phone’s sounds set to silent for years, so any difference in the notification buzz is immediately an issue. It’s also noticeably softer for incoming calls, and some people have reported missing phone calls as a result.

Adjusting the phone’s strength slider seems to have no effect, which suggests the problem is a bug rather than something intentional. A poster on Reddit pointed out that people noticed the same thing during the Android 12.1 beta, but it appears to have made its way into the production release without a response or adjustment. Droid-Life noted that after a list of changes in the March Pixel update appeared on March 7th, Google added a line saying it includes “Fix for issue causing weaker haptic feedback in certain conditions” on March 8th.

Why did Google change that, and was it intentional? I don’t know, and despite requesting more information, the company has not responded. Everyone I’ve talked to with a Pixel 6 has noticed the change in their phones, from friends to other Verge staffers, while a number of posts on social media sites and comments suggest it’s affecting pretty much everyone with one of the devices.

At least a few folks have said they like the change, but if you’re not one of them, you may have to wait for another update or install another app that lets you adjust vibrations directly.

The latest Pixel 6 update turned notification vibrations way down

Scheduled to launch on the 31st of January at 7 am PT / 10 am ET / 3 pm BST, the OnePlus 10 Pro is mercifully now just a week away from launching in Europe, North America and India. Unfortunately, as usual, OnePlus is skipping a release in Australia so customers there will have to import the device if they want to get their hands on it. 

Having launched in China on the 11th of January 2022, we’ve known about the specs of the OnePlus 10 Pro for quite some time, which has made the wait for the device all the more agonising. 

Packed with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, up to 12GB of LPDDR5, a 5,000mAh battery, and up to 256GB of storage, the OnePlus 10 Pro offers a very compelling suite of specs that are more than capable of running whatever you’d want on the 6.7-inch 120Hz 1440p AMOLED display. 

The OnePlus 10 Pro also features an impressive camera suite which is made in conjunction with Hasselblad. On the 10 Pro, you can find a 48MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is finally launching globally later this month

Apple is reportedly working on selling iPhones and iPads themselves as part of a hardware subscription service, according to a new report from Bloomberg, whose author Mark Gurman writes the service could arrive next year.

The move would fit into Apple’s ongoing push towards subscription services as a whole. Over the past several years, Apple has increasingly been emphasizing recurring subscriptions like Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple News Plus, Apple Fitness Plus, and Apple Arcade as key new revenue streams for the company. Many of those services have already been bundled together into the company’s Apple One bundles, too.

We’ve already seen a similar shift on the hardware front: Apple added a monthly subscription model for its AppleCare extended warranties back in 2019. And Apple has offered its iPhone Upgrade Program — which allows customers to pay for the combined cost of AppleCare and an iPhone over 24 months and the option to trade in their device after 12 months of payments — since 2015. Both those programs already resemble a hardware subscription in many ways.

According to Bloomberg’s report, the monthly charge wouldn’t simply be the price of the device divided by 12 or 24 months, but rather be a still-undecided monthly cost, potentially with the option to upgrade to new hardware as its released. And like Apple’s other subscriptions, it would be tied to a user’s existing Apple ID account, with the possibility of bundling in AppleCare or Apple One services as well.

Right now, you can pay Apple monthly for its services, and you can pay it monthly for an iPhone — but they’re still separate fees and plans to manage.

It’s hard to imagine that Apple will simply be lending out devices on a monthly basis — will you really be able to just pay to “subscribe” an iPhone for a single month, like you can for Apple TV Plus to binge a season of Ted Lasso? Similarly, a world where Apple has customers invest months of capital to rent a device only to have them return it at the end of the process seems equally unlikely.

It’s possible that Apple is simply looking to cut out the middleman and expand its installment-based payment offerings to other products. The iPhone Upgrade Program effectively has customers take out an interest-free loan with Citizens One, which they then repay over the course of the 24-month plan. Apple also allows Apple Card customers to pay for Apple products over monthly installments without paying interest, but that too is only limited to a small subset of Apple customers. An Apple-based subscription service could eliminate those requirements, and allow Apple to expand it to other hardware products (like the iPad or its Mac computers) too.

But while details are still slim, one thing is clear: Apple’s subscription ambitions are still only just getting started.

Apple will reportedly sell the iPhone as a subscription service