Samsung’s Galaxy phones are finally getting the latest Android update, with the February 2023 update rolling out.
First noticed by SamMobile, Samsung is rolling out the February 2023 update to the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The update, with firmware version N98xBXXS5GWB1, is currently available to customers in Switzerland.
Samsung has not released details of what is included in the update, but it probably includes all the usual security fixes and improvements.
SamMobile believes the update will start rolling out in other European countries within the next few days, especially now that Samsung has the Galaxy S23 launch event behind it.
Google’s engineers are reportedly working on an iOS version of Chrome that will use Chrome’s Blink rendering engine instead of iOS WebKit.
Apple’s current App Store rules dictate that all web browsers must use the same WebKit rendering engine that Safari uses. This means there is very little true choice among iOS web browsers, with the only real difference being the front-end features.
According to The Register, Google’s engineers are working on a version of Chrome for iOS that uses Blink, not WebKit.
Despite how it looks, Google insists that it’s not trying to flaunt Apple’s rules and that the new browser is for internal use only.
“This is an experimental prototype that we are developing as part of an open source project with the goal to understand certain aspects of performance on iOS,” a spokesperson told The Register. “It will not be available to users and we’ll continue to abide by Apple’s policies.”
Despite Google’s response, it’s also possible the company is preparing for a future where Apple is forced to allow third-party browsing engines. The Open Web Advocacy group is trying to pressure Apple to open up iOS browser options, and regulators have taken note of Apple’s stance as a possible antitrust issue.
If Apple is ever forced to ease its restrictions, Google will already have a head start on releasing a full-fledged Chrome browser for iOS.
Cincinnati policeman Darryl Tyus has been fired for using an AirTag to stalk his ex, believed to be a sheriff’s deputy.
AirTags have “become the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers,” resulting in a class-action lawsuit against Apple. The company has tried to address concerns, although it’s unclear how effective the attempts have been.
According to AppleInsider, the latest AirTag controversy comes courtesy of Darrly Tyus. Tyus had served on the Cincinnati Police Department for 15 years before using an AirTag to stalk his ex, who is believed to be a Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy. It’s unclear which came first, the breakup or the stalking.
“What Darryl Tyus did by knowingly stalking a women, causing her to feel threatened and fear for her life, is the exact behavior our officers are sworn to prevent,” said Police Chief Teresa Theetge. “For the Cincinnati Police Department, the community’s trust is the foundation of what gives us the authority to perform our daily duties.”
“Tyus not only broke that trust, but he broke the law that he took an honorable oath to enforce,” she continued.
Apple clearly has a problem with its AirTags and only time will tell if the company is able to effectively combat stalkers. In the meantime, Google evidently thinks copying Apple is a good idea, with plans to launch its own AirTag rival.
The Biden administration is taking aim at Apple and Google’s mobile app stores, representing perhaps one of the biggest challenge they have yet faced.
Apple and Google control the two largest mobile app ecosystems and have increasingly come under legal and regulatory pressure for their duopoly. Some countries have even begun to pass legislation requiring the two companies to allow third-party apps and stores.
In what could be one of the biggest challenges to that duopoly, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is calling for changes to make the mobile app landscape more competitive.
Mobile apps have become an essential tool for participation in much of daily life. Two companies – Apple and Google – act as gatekeepers over the apps that people and businesses rely on, NTIA found in its “Competition in the Mobile Application Ecosystem” report.
The companies’ policies have the potential to harm consumers by inflating prices and reducing innovation.
NTIA’s report and recommendations are part of the Biden administration’s push to promote innovation and competition, and to level the economic playing field. NTIA is the president’s principal advisor on telecommunications and Internet policy.
“From finding directions to chatting with loved ones, apps are a critical tool for consumers and an essential part of doing business online,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. “It is more important than ever that the market for mobile apps remains competitive. NTIA’s recommendations will make the app ecosystem more fair and innovative for everyone.”
“This report identifies important ways we can promote competition and innovation in the app market, which will benefit consumers, startups, and small businesses,” said Bharat Ramamurti, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council.
Despite talk of reigning in Big Tech and fostering more competition, the US has made little real progress. The NTIA’s report could be the first step toward major change in the mobile market.
Rumors of the demise of Meta’s dual-camera smartwatch may be greatly exaggerated, with a new leak suggesting the project is very much alive.
Reports surfaced that Meta (then Facebook) had been working on their own version of a smartwatch for roughly two years. The watch had two cameras, with one of them being pressed against the wrist, which could be used once the watch was taken off. In mid-2022, however, new reports indicated that Meta had abandoned the project.
Leaker Kuba Wojciechowski says the project is very much alive, and has been contacted by an anonymous source that provided details and pictures.
I have recently been contacted by an anonymous source that has provided me with new information as well as a few photos of a new iteration of the watch. pic.twitter.com/6BeAH9qIky
While many will no doubt love the idea of a smartwatch and camera that’s tightly integrated with their Facebook and Instagram accounts, many others will see this as a nightmare scenario. Given Meta’s long history of privacy abuses, it’s hard to image the potential for even more abuses with a device like this.
Fairphone 4 owners are finally getting a major update, with Android 12 coming to the device on February 1.
The Fairphone is a different kind of smartphone, one manufactured with sustainability in mind. When the Fairphone 4 was launched in 2021, the device came pre-loaded with Android 11, but is now on the verge of receiving an update to Android 12.
We are preparing for a staggered rollout, starting with most regions on Wednesday, February 1st.
The eagle-eyed among you noticed I wrote “most regions”. The current performance in some regions (Switzerland and France) does not meet our quality standards, so the Android 12 upgrade will be delayed for some Operators there. We hope to release it to everyone in the near future.
The company assures users staying on Android 11 that they won’t be left without security updates:
In order to keep Andrdoid 11 users up-to-date with security, we have prepared a maintenance release with a new security patch. Users won’t be left behind or without security. This will be pushed out shortly.
The latest Pixel Buds A-Series firmware has an unexpected side effect, killing multi-device pairing.
The Pixel Buds A-Series can be paired with multiple devices, even if they cannot simultaneously connect to multiple devices. Even so, it’s relatively easy to switch to another paired device and takes much less time than going through the pairing process all over again.
Unfortunately, according to a Reddit thread, it appears the latest firmware update breaks that multi-device pairing, leaving the earbuds able to connect only to the last device. For example, when a user goes to connect to a second, previously paired device, the earbuds will no longer connect. Instead, the user has to re-pair the earbuds with the second device, and then go through the process all over again when trying to connect to the first paired device.
User TenderFlipper was the first to describe the issue:
This update seems to have broken the ability to pair with multiple devices. I realize that the A series can only connect with one device at a time, but in the past it’s been perfectly happy being paired with both my phone and notebook.
After the update, it’s only able to be used by the last device which was paired. In other words, if I pair my notebook then my phone loses the ability to connect. If I then follow up by re-pairing my phone, then the notebook can no longer. Repeat ad nauseam (I’ve tried quite a few times at this point).
So far there has been no acknowledgement of the issue from Google, so one can only hope it’s a bug that will be addressed soon. Given that the Pro version of the earbuds has the ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously, hopefully the latest firmware’s behavior is not an intentional attempt to further differentiate the two models.
Apple may be preparing to turn the tablet market on its head again with plans to introduce a foldable iPad in 2024.
The iPad is the most popular tablet — by a wide margin — but has failed to dethrone the personal computer like many originally predicted. Much of this failure has been attributed to the software running on the iPad, software that never truly takes advantage of the device’s hardware. Nonetheless, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is poised to make a radical change to the iPad’s design that could help make it more competitive.
Thus, I’m taking a cautious approach to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a YoY decline of 10-15%. Nevertheless, I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix.
A foldable iPad could be a game-changer for Apple and open the door for the company to address criticisms aimed at the device. With a foldable form factor, Apple may be more inclined to bring more powerful computer-like software to the iPad.
Interestingly, there are already rumors that Apple is prepping a slimmed-down version of macOS for the iPad. If true, Apple will likely make the foldable iPad a requirement.
Google is updating its policies regarding Android APIs, with plans to block outdated apps in Android 14.
Outdated and abandoned apps are a big problem for both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store. In fact, recent research shows that some 32% of Android apps are abandoned. Unfortunately, outdated software poses a significant security risk, opening up an attack vector for bad actors to abuse.
Google is looking to address the problem with changes to how Android 14 handles apps. According to 9to5Google, Android 14 will not install apps that use outdated APIs, or are designed for older versions of Android. An exception will be made for apps a user previously downloaded and have not yet been updated to use the latest APIs.
Every new Android version introduces changes that bring security and performance improvements and enhance the Android user experience. Some of these changes only apply to apps that explicitly declare support through their targetSdkVersion manifest attribute (also known as the target API level).
Configuring your app to target a recent API level ensures that users can benefit from these improvements, while your app can still run on older Android versions. Targeting a recent API level also allows your app to take advantage of the platform’s latest features to delight your users.
While it’s no secret Apple and Google copy each other’s best features, it comes as something of a surprise that Google is working on an AirTag competitor.
Apple’s AirTag has been one of the company’s most controversial products, being called “the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers,” with at least two stalking cases involving AirTags ending in murder. The company is currently facing a class-action lawsuit over the diminutive trackers.
Despite the controversy, Google apparently wants in on the action, and is reportedly planning to launch its own smart tracker, codenamed “grogu,” according to developer and leaker Kuba Wojciechowski.
Google is working on a smart tracker similar to Apple's AirTag, codename "grogu" – report 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/8K6KO7tfzj
Of course, one of the things that makes AirTag work as well as it does is Apple’s Find My network, which uses the installed base of Apple devices help pinpoint a device’s location.
According to Android Police, Google appears to be working on its own version of the Find My network, which would be a pivotal component to the success of an AirTag competitor.
Aside from the implications of yet another tracker that can be easily abused by stalkers, there’s also the inherent privacy concerns surrounding Google — of all companies — building yet more tracking technology. The company already hoovers up vast quantities of data, making the prospect of the company being able to collect even more tracking data less than appealing.
While following Apple’s lead is often a lucrative business, one can’t help but question the wisdom of Google following it in this specific direction, especially given the myriad of lawsuits Google regularly faces over privacy.
Microsoft is making a major change to its Surface Duo line, ditching the dual-screen design in favor of a foldable screen.
Microsoft first unveiled the Surface Duo line in late 2019, surprising users with both its operating system and its design. The phone ran Android rather than some tablet-centric version of Windows and featured a dual-screen design. The dual screens were Microsoft’s attempt to avoid some of the pitfalls of early foldable designs, such as creases and breakage.
Fast-forward three years, and Microsoft is ready to throw in the towel on dual-screen designs and embrace foldable screens, according to Windows Central. What’s more, the decision to make the switch appears to come after a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 design had already been approved.
There are likely multiple factors that led to the decision, not the least of which is the mixed reviews the Surface Duo 2 received. In addition, foldable screen tech has come a long way in the last three years and has largely resolved the limitations of early generations.
If the report is true and Microsoft embraces foldable designs, it could easily help the company make major inroads into the mobile phone market. For many users, having an Android phone designed from the ground up to run Microsoft’s suite of applications could be the holy grail of mobile phones.
Apple appears to be expanding its goal of bringing device components in-house, with reports it plans to use its own displays in devices.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is looking to reduce its reliance on Samsung and LG for its device displays. The company is eyeing the Apple Watch as the first candidate for a change to its own displays, possibly as early as 2024. Eventually, Apple could use its own displays in other devices as well, including the iPhone.
If the report is correct, the move is simply the latest in an effort by Apple to bring more of its component design in-house. The company famously ditched Intel in favor of its own custom silicon and is now working to replace both Broadcom and Qualcomm for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connectivity.
Apple has always been a fan of ‘controlling the whole widget,’ as Steve Jobs described it. Controlling the entire stack, both software and hardware, gives Apple a major advantage over competitors and is largely responsible for the industry-leading performance its phones, tablets, and computers now offer.
Apple has released a report on the App Store, revealing the company has paid developers $320 billion.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, penned a blog post revealing a number of insights into the App Store. First launched in 2008, the App Store is the primary way to distribute software on iOS and iPadOS.
According to Cue, the App Store sees some 650 million visitors in 175 regions per week. What’s more, the App Store helps drive some “900 million paid subscriptions across Apple services.” Most impressive, Cue says developers have been paid $320 billion over the life of the App Store.
Credit: Apple
“It’s remarkable how much great content is at our fingertips; that’s a testament to the extraordinary work of creators worldwide. Never before have we enjoyed instant access to more cinematic original series, more engaging films, more global music, more creative apps, more essential journalism, and more immersive games and sports — no matter where you are, across all your favorite devices,” Cue writes.
The executive says there’s still much more still to come.
“And believe me: There’s much more to come,” Cue adds. “Moments to anticipate, enjoy, and reflect upon. Moments that will have us jumping up with excitement or at the edge of our seats, or that make us want to get up and dance. Moments that can create lasting memories and bring us closer to one another.”
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has offered his latest report on Apple and its good news for MacBook fans.
According to Kuo, Apple could finally release a MacBook with an OLED display as early as late 2024.
(5/6) Compared to mini-LED, laptops that use OLEDs have the advantage of being thinner and lighter and offering more diverse form factor design options, like folding, so it has caused Apple to plan to ship the OLED MacBook by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
Kuo has a solid track record predicting Apple’s next moves. If he is correct about Apple’s OLED plans, it could help the company reinvent the popular MacBook yet again.
Apple is continuing with its goal to bring its modems in-house, reportedly planning to replace both Broadcom and Qualcomm.
Apple has been working to end its dependence on Qualcomm and Broadcom, duplicating the success it’s had replacing Intel chips with its own custom silicon. The company was rumored to be planning on replacing Qualcomm and using its own baseband chip in the 2024 iPhone SE 4, but the latest report indicates Apple has scrapped the iPhone SE 4 altogether.
According to a new report by Bloomberg, via The Verge, Apple plans to begin using its own in-house chip to replace the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip it currently sources from Broadcom. The company still hopes to also replace Qualcomm’s modem with one of its own.
It seems Apple is shooting for 2025 as the year it replaces Broadcom, and Qualcomm told The Verge it expects to lose most of Apple’s business in 2025 as well.
“For Apple product revenue, we now expect to have the vast majority of share of 5G modems for the 2023 iPhone launch, up from our previous 20% assumption. Beyond this, there are no changes to our planning assumption, and we are assuming minimal contribution from Apple product revenues in fiscal ‘25.”
France’s CNIL has fined Apple $8.5 million for collecting iPhone user data without obtaining prior consent.
Apple has tried to position itself as a privacy-first company, often highlighting the difference between it and Google or Meta. A major part of that marketing is making the case that Apple doesn’t want, need, or care about user data. Unfortunately, the reality isn’t quite matching up to the hype.
The CNIL has fined Apple for collecting data from iPhone users that it then used for targeted ads, all without obtaining prior consent from the users. According to the regulatory agency, the Cupertino company did not get “the consent of French iPhone users (iOS version 14.6) before depositing and/or writing identifiers used for advertising purposes on their terminals.”
What’s more, the CNIL says Apple make it unnecessarily difficult for individuals to deactivate the data collection, especially since the option was not available during initial setup.
The fine is unusual for Apple, given the company’s well-cultivated reputation, but it does illustrate a growing disparity between Apple’s image and reality. Apple has previously been accused of being the primary beneficiary of its privacy crackdown, while other companies have been significantly harmed.
Similarly, Apple has been accused of turning a blind eye to companies that have used loopholes to bypass the iOS App Tracking Transparency feature, continuing to track users against their wishes.
If Apple wants to continue to maintain its reputation as a privacy-first company, it clearly has work to do in order to live up to its own marketing hype.
Google and Spotify are working together to improve the Android audio experience, integrating the streaming service with Android’s media player.
Spotify is the top streaming service, offering a wide array of content and features. Google clearly wants to tap into Spotify’s popularity and features, using it to improve the Android 13 media experience.
“With Android 13, we introduced a refreshed media player on your Android phone’s lock screen and notification section that allows you to quickly select which compatible Bluetooth or Chromecast built-in devices to play your content on (currently available with YouTube and YouTube Music),” writes Sandeep Chivukula, Director of Product Management, Android. “This year, we’re working closely with Spotify to enable their users to easily switch playback between any Spotify Connect device from Android’s media player.”
The integration will extend to better notifications that will help users easily transition from one device to another as they listen to their music.
“We’re also developing a way for your audio content to move with you throughout your day,” adds Chivukula. “Through notifications on your devices, you’ll be able to tap to start listening to a podcast in the car, continue on your phone and headphones and finish on your TV at home. As you move your physical location, you’ll see these media notifications on your phone or other devices asking if you’d like to transfer the audio over to a nearby device. We are working with Spotify and YouTube Music to use these notifications to help users enjoy the content they are streaming, on the most optimal device available to them.””
“What the pandemic and the current health situation has done is that it has created yet another inflection point for everything being digital,” says Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen. “The importance of digital in the marketplace is going to be sustainable for decades. You’re not going to put the genie back in the bottle as it relates to engaging digitally and creating content digitally.”
Digital Transformation Is A $120 Billion Opportunity
It was a good quarter all around. All of our businesses performed exceedingly well. On the Creative Cloud and the Document Cloud, not only did we have a great acquisition. in other words, new customers adopting the platform, but we really focused on engagement and demonstrating the value of our products to our customers. Even our retention levels came back to pre-COVID levels which we believe is a really good sign.
What’s happening in the world is the businesses that we’re in, namely creativity and enabling people to tell their story, what’s happening with documents and accelerating document productivity, and what’s happening associated with every single enterprise needing to engage with their customers digitally, when you add all of this up we think it’s over a $120 billion of an addressable market opportunity for Adobe.
Pandemic Was Inflection Point For Everything Being Digital
What the pandemic and the current health situation has done is that it has created yet another inflection point for everything being digital. What we will have to continue to monitor is what happens in the spending environment. But as it relates to the overall need for the kinds of solutions that Adobe provides as well as the importance of digital in the marketplace I think that’s going to be sustainable for decades. You’re not going to put the genie back in the bottle as it relates to engaging digitally and creating content digitally.
We believe that we’re in this third phase of what is happening in the enterprise. Traditionally, businesses first focused on automating the back office, and then they focused on automating the front office for knowledge workers. It’s absolutely clear that the biggest imperative that exists in the enterprise today is how do you engage with customers? This is a category that we call Customer Experience Management.
Customer Insight Is Key To Your Digital Transformation
If you’re an enterprise today and you’re thinking about digital transformation, what’s top of that stack in terms of where you have to invest is to make sure that you have insight into what your customers are doing. How are they engaging with you? What’s the profile? How do you deliver the personalized experience?
We really believe that what you’re seeing in the enterprise spend environment is that the companies that are focused on this next generation of delivering customer engagement, the customer experiences, and the insight associated with how to take the most advantage of that data, they’re going to be the secular winners moving forward.
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen: Pandemic Was Inflection Point For Everything Being Digital
The majority of Apple iPhone users will have to pay significantly more for battery replacements on iPhone 13 and older models.
First noticed by 9to5Mac, Apple made the announcement on a support page. According to the outlet, the price for out-of-warranty battery replacements for all iPhone models, aside from the iPhone 14, will increase by $20.
From now until the end of February, Apple will perform battery replacements for $69. Beginning March 1, however, the price will be $89.
India has become the second major political jurisdiction to require USB-C charging for all smartphones.
The European Union adopted legislation to mandate USB-C in October in an effort to make things easier on consumers and reduce e-waste. India has now followed suit, according to Business Standard, requiring USB-C charging ports by March 2025.
As part of the new rules, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has established quality standards manufacturers will need to meet.
“BIS has notified standards for type C chargers and the government will come up with two common types of charging ports for mobiles and wearable electronic devices,” said Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
“There is a broad consensus among the industry and government that the use of USB type C charging ports can be made mandatory after six months of the European Union’s rolling out of standards for USB charging ports in 2024 as electronic manufacturers have a global integrated supply chain,” Singh told Business Standard.
The news is a welcome development for smartphone users and should go a long way toward ensuring a more streamlined experience across mobile platforms.
TSMC is preparing to mass produce its next generation 3nm chips, which will be used in Apple’s Macs and iPhones.
TSMC is the world’s leading chipmaker and the primary one Apple relies on. The company has a significant technological lead over its rivals and is already moving to 3nm chips.
According to DigiTimes, the company is preparing to mass produce the new chips, which Apple will use in its next-gen devices. The outlet reports that TSCM will hold a ceremony on December 29, at Fab 18, to launch production of the new chip.
Apple already has a significant lead, in both performance and battery life, in its mobile devices. Moving to the 3nm semiconductors will only help widen that lead even more.
