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

Instagram says it’s giving users more control over their feeds. Image: Instagram

Instagram announced on Wednesday that it’s adding two new modes that change how the main feed works, bringing back the much-awaited reverse-chronological view. The company calls the two new modes “Following” and “Favorites,” and says they’re designed to “give you more choice and control over what you see” while using the app (that is, let you avoid things like suggested posts and algorithmic sorting based on who and what the app thinks you like).

Instagram’s description for the “Following” feed is truly something to behold: “See the latest posts from accounts that you follow, in the order they were posted.” And to that, I say yes. That’s exactly what I want every social network to be!

Instagram also details the Favorites mode in its announcement — basically, you’ll be able to star up to 50 accounts, and posts from them will show up higher in your main feed. You’ll also be able to view those posts in a separate “Favorites” feed, which Instagram says starts with the most recent posts.

Instagram spokesperson Seine Kim told The Verge in an email that “your Favorites list is private to you and will not be visible to anyone else,” which will hopefully keep it from becoming a social battleground like Myspace’s top eight feature.

Of course, everything has a price. In the press release announcing the change, Instagram head Adam Mosseri writes: “Over time, we’re going to add more recommendations to your feed based on your interests.” To me, that sounds like the main, default feed is going to start having more and more content from people I’m not following (which is exactly the complaint that a lot of people have had with the current version of the feed).

As long as the Following feed stays in place, though, that should be bearable. If I have to do a few more taps to get to what I want, it is what it is — just as long as that lovely chronological feed doesn’t go away (though if it does we might see the same outcry that happened when Twitter made its chronological feed harder to access).

These modes have been in the works for a while: Adam Mosseri talked about it a few times last year, and some users have gotten to test it. Instagram even teased that it was coming on Twitter yesterday. Now, though, it should finally be on its way to everyone. To get to either of the alternative feeds, tap on the Instagram logo in the top left corner when you're in the home tab, and bask in the chronological bliss.

Instagram’s new chronological mode is exactly what a feed should be

According to the news source WABetaInfo, Whatsapp is finally launching the much-awaited feature, message reactions, for testers enrolled in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.8.3. Currently, similar to other social media platforms like Messenger, Instagram, and Twitter, the update is offering six reactions including Like, Love, Laugh, Surprised, Sad, and Thanks for its users.

Now, users will be able to use the latest feature once they install WhatsApp beta for the Android 2.22.8.3 update. As it appears to be a "small test so only certain beta testers are able to react to messages, but everyone is now able to see message reactions." For those who are unable to react to messages, you might get this ability when the future beta updates get this feature.

To enhance the user experience, WhatsApp constantly brings improvements and updates with new features that allow users to have more meaningful conversations. So, apart from message reactions, WhatsApp is also committed to delivering emoji shortcuts for its desktop users.

Assuming you are already enrolled in the WhatsApp beta, you can see if you are among the "certain beta testers," by installing the update, or wait for the next beta update if you aren't included in this group. To find out when WhatsApp will be launching the feature for non beta testers, we'll have to wait for that announcement.

Source and Image via: WABetaInfo

Message reactions for seamless conversations arrive in WhatsApp beta

The latest version of the Outlook app on Android lets you select text easily and use pen gestures to format. According to Microsoft, the ability to use pen gestures to format text would let users edit text efficiently. However, the update doesn’t offer much except the new pen gesture support.

You can check out the full official changelog below.

Changelog

Microsoft is currently working on a plethora of new features for its Outlook email clients. A couple of months ago, we reported Microsoft was working to add printing support to Outlook for Android. The printing support will be available in a future update.

Microsoft Outlook already supports nifty features like Play My emails, FAQ experience in the app, built-in support for iCS attachments, the ability to create an Outlook email account, and more. Microsoft will continue to add useful features like these to Outlook through app updates, thereby making the app better.

You can go to the Google Play Store and search for the app.

Microsoft Outlook for Android gets updated with a new feature

Microsoft is now rolling out the Android March 2022 security patches to the Surface Duo devices via a firmware update. The update carries software version number 2022.113.26 and offers more than the security patches.

Alongside the March 2022 update, the latest firmware update also offers device stability improvements. Overall, the update should improve the overall user experience.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the March 2022 security patches are already available for the Duo 2 devices. However, the March 2022 update for Duo 2 doesn’t include device stability improvements.

As stated by Microsoft, the new March 2022 update is rolling out in phases, meaning not all Duo users will get the update on the same day. However, the update will eventually be available to all Duo owners in the next few days, as promised by Microsoft.

Meanwhile, you can read the full official changelog of the March 2022 update below.

If you haven’t received the update yet, you can manually check whether you received it on your device by going to the Settings. It is worth noting that the update is currently rolling out to the unlocked variants of the Surface Duo.

For those who already received the update on their unlocked Duo devices, you can share your experience with the update in the comments section.

Surface Duo gets March 2022 security patches with the latest update

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are finally getting this month’s sizeable feature drop, as Google spokesperson Matt Flegal confirmed to The Verge that the rollout will begin today. Google previously rolled out the update to the Pixel 3A and 5A on March 7th but decided to push back the update for Pixel 6 devices to address bug fixes, according to Android Police.

March’s feature drop brings improved night photography in Snapchat, custom stickers, support for YouTube watch parties in Google Duo, as well as a new Live Caption feature you can use to communicate without even talking during phone calls. We go over these features in greater detail in our post about the update’s initial rollout.

The update also brings a number of bug fixes, including “general improvements” for the fingerprint sensor’s stability and performance, as well as battery and thermal performance on the Pixel 6 phones. There’s also the promised fix for an issue causing Wi-Fi to randomly disconnect — a bug that was introduced in February’s update. Google is also rolling out support for Verizon’s 5G C-Band on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, which will give users access to the ultra-wideband frequencies that the carrier lit up in January.

It’s not that surprising that Google decided to delay this update for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and I don’t blame the company for being extra careful. So far, Google’s track record with pushing updates to its flagship phones has been... a bit troubling. Last year, Google paused a highly anticipated December update for Pixel 6 devices after users reported issues with dropped calls and rolled out an amended version of the update that went live in January. And of course, there was the aforementioned February update that didn’t go over well for everyone either.

Here’s hoping that this update won’t screw up anything new this time.

Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro phones start to get the delayed March feature drop

Google appears to be finally bringing the ability to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history to its Android app. Former XDA Developers editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman said he was tipped about the feature seemingly rolling out, and a Verge editor has spotted the feature on their phone. We’ve asked Google if it can share any details about the rollout, but to check and see if you have it, open Google’s Android app, tap your profile picture, and look for the “Delete last 15 min” option.

This feature has taken some time to make its way to the Android app. Google first announced the feature at Google I/O in May, and it came to Google’s iOS app in July. At that time, Google said it would arrive on the Android version of the app later in 2021, but for some reason, the company seemingly missed that deadline. It’s unclear if Google plans to bring the feature to desktop — in its May announcement post, the company didn’t specify which platforms it would be available on, and in July, Google only said that the feature was coming to the iOS and Android apps. Google didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Google also offers a tool to automatically delete things in your search history that are three, 18, or 36 months old.

Google’s Android app will finally let you delete the last 15 minutes of your search history

In a recent blog post announcing the second developer preview of Android 13, Google VP of engineering David Burke explained that in order to “help users focus on the notifications that are most important to them […] apps targeting Android 13 will need to request the notification permission from the user before posting notifications.”

While Android 13 is still a while away from release, this feature is definitely one to look forward to from the latest iteration of Android, as it should dramatically help reduce the pointless push messages that clutter up your notification bar once you haven’t used an app in too long. 

Alongside this notification prevention tool, Android 13 is also set to launch with a variety of other privacy tools in order to keep your device more secure. These tools include a photo picker to only share some of your media library and new ‘runtime permissions for nearby Wi-Fi devices’, which should stop you from giving away your precise location so much.

Alongside these privacy changes, Android 13’s second developer preview will also see the introduction of Bluetooth LE Audio, which can transmit audio at lower bitrates in higher quality. As a result, Bluetooth LE Audio should reduce energy consumption by your devices, increasing overall battery life.

Android 13 may finally do away with annoying notifications

Unlike the February 2022 firmware update that brought bug fixes and performance improvements, the March 2022 release contains nothing but security patches. In the official release notes available on the Microsoft Support website, the company says today's update "addresses scenarios outlined in the Android Security Bulletin for March 2022" and has no device-specific improvements.

The March 2022 firmware update for the Surface Duo 2 requires approximately 220MB of free space. And no, this release does not upgrade Android 11 to Android 12. However, Google recently confirmed that the Surface Duo 2 would get Android 12L alongside other dual-screen and foldable Android smartphones.

Note that today's firmware update for the Surface Duo 2 is not available on the original Surface Duo. Microsoft released the March 2022 update for the Surface Duo 1 two weeks earlier. The latest firmware improved Your Phone and Surface Slim Pen 2 support, plus it carried various stability enhancements and other critical bug fixes.

Surface Duo 2 receives March 2022 firmware update

As part of its Ukraine-centric efforts, Microsoft has added the ability to translate Skype calls to and from the Ukrainian language. The feature was rolled out by Skype Insiders a few days ago and is now available for non-Insiders.

Aside from that, the update also includes support for translated conversations calls to mobiles and landlines. As mentioned above, the new version of Skype also offers bug fixes and performance improvements.

You can read the full official changelog below to know more about what’s new.

Skype for Android 8.82.0.403 Changelog

What's new?
- Support for more languages in Translated Conversations i.e. Ukranian
- Support for Translated Conversations calls to mobile and landlines
- Bug fixes and improvements

Visit https://go.skype.com/whatsnew for more details.

The new Skype update comes with version number 8.82.0.403 and is now available for Android users. If you haven’t got it yet, you should wait for a few more days for it to arrive. Meanwhile, you can download the Skype app on your Android smartphone from the below link, or go to Google Play Store and search for the Skype app.

Skype for Android gets new features with latest update