Introduced in August last year, Android Oreo has just about managed to reach 5.7 percent of devices on the market, a staggeringly low figure in comparison to that of its predecessor. Despite this, Google is pushing forward on its next iteration, rolling out Beta 3 of its impending Android P. …
Read More »ZTE continues partial operations in the United States
President Trump’s effort to lift the ban on Chinese mobile manufacturer ZTE is beginning to come into effect, as the United States is once again allowing the company to support its existing products. It seems that the US is taking baby steps with the handset maker, however, as ZTE is …
Read More »Study of over 17,000 apps didn’t find evidence of eavesdropping, but did uncover screen recording
We’ve all heard the stories of someone talking about cat food and then all sudden getting an adverts on Facebook for it. A group of academics must have had enough of it and decided to put these eavesdropping rumours to the test. Unfortunately for the conspiracy theorists out there, the …
Read More »Samsung phones reportedly sending photos to contacts without permission
It wasn’t too long ago that Samsung had to recall the Galaxy Note 7 after a huge number of reports surrounding battery failures and explosions. The company had a quiet 2017 free of these issues, but now this year, something new has come to light. Recently, the updated Samsung Messages …
Read More »OnePlus plans to pair with US carriers with upcoming 5G smartphone
The OnePlus 6 might be just over a month old, but the Chinese manufacturer is already talking about its successor. The tentatively titled OnePlus 7 and 7T will be one of, if not the first 5G smartphones available to the public, set to be revealed later this year. CEO Pete …
Read More »Microsoft’s foldable Andromeda handset leaks in email
Microsoft has been working on foldable devices for quite some time, with major patents being pushed through at the end of last year. The mysterious new device codenamed Andromeda reared its head last week thanks to a leak, supposedly creating an entirely “new and disruptive” category of handsets under the …
Read More »Apple is completely rebuilding Maps from the ground up
Back when iOS 7 launched, Apple made a big push to challenge Google with Apple Maps. Unfortunately for Apple, its first-party maps app fell short of what Google Maps could offer. Over the years, things have improved, but Apple is looking to challenge Google once again this year with a …
Read More »A bug is causing Samsung Messages to send pictures without user permission
While last year’s SMS-stopping bug caused quite the hassle for Samsung users, the latest Messages bug could see the app sending random photos to contacts without the user’s permission. Worse yet, those affected might not even realise what’s happened until approached about it by a recipient. So far, Samsung Galaxy …
Read More »RAMpage exploit can affect millions of Android devices, but the odds are stacked against it
This year certainly hasn't been short on security scares. We kicked off 2018 with Meltdown and Spectre, which affected a huge number of desktop CPUs and now on the smartphone side of things, we have RAMpage. Currently, RAMpage is thought to affect the vast majority of Android devices releases during …
Read More »Engineer reveals his “active damping” smartphone case
Choosing the correct case for your phone is a tricky proposition. Do you go for full protection, and give up the aesthetics of your expensive new phone, buy one with minimal protection, or just go nude? A German engineer is looking to make that decision easier, with his active-damping smartphone …
Read More »Google Duplex gets its first public trial
At Google I/O earlier this year, we got our first look at Google Duplex, the companies new AI calling service. It was met with both awe and criticism in terms of validity and ethics. Since then, Google has reworked a few things to address concerns, and is now pushing Duplex …
Read More »Apple and Samsung finally settle 7-year long patent suit
Apple and Samsung have been embroiled in a legal battle for over seven years, as the iPhone maker sought compensation for patent infringement. A court filing has now revealed that the lawsuit has finally been put to rest, as both companies have managed to reach an undisclosed settlement. Samsung launched …
Read More »Microsoft finally releases USB Type-C adaptor for Surface Pro
The Microsoft Surface Pro is a great little piece of kit, but it has several glaring omissions. The chief of which is the lack of USB Type-C or Thunderbolt 3 support. Back in 2017, Microsoft said it would be shipping a dongle out to add compatibility, but nothing materialised until …
Read More »Samsung could launch three Galaxy S10s, including one with a triple-lens rear camera
It seems three is the new de facto regarding smartphones, with manufacturers slowly buying into the idea that releasing three flagship smartphones is better than the current standard of two. Samsung is rumoured to be the latest in line to adopt the practice, combating Apple’s upcoming trio of iPhones with …
Read More »Edge for iOS and Android now has Adblock Plus built-in as browser hits five million downloads
People tend to make fun of Microsoft’s browsers, but it seems that Edge for iOS and Android are doing very well for themselves. The Android version of the browser has just hit five million total downloads. In addition, Microsoft is also integrating Adblock Plus directly into the browser. MSPowerUser reports …
Read More »Apple finally addresses MacBook Pro keyboard problems by offering free repairs
Apple’s latest line of MacBook and MacBook Pro models have received a lot of negative press since their release thanks to a flaw within its butterfly keyboard design. After exuberant repair costs and a petition 35,000+ people strong, Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, offering a free solution to those …
Read More »Google adds anti-tamper DRM to Android apps for easy verification with the Play Store
Android malware has been making the headlines lately, particularly with the swathe of fake Fortnite apps that were available for download. Google is looking to combat these fake apps by introducing anti-tamper DRM to apps downloaded from places other than the Play Store. Google announced this change via their Android …
Read More »OnePlus 6 Review
It's the latest flagship from OnePlus but it comes with a slight price hike. Is it still worth it?
Read More »WhatsApp to stop working on older iPhones and Android devices by 2020
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services currently available, especially in Europe, with almost half a billion users. Like with most software, support can only be kept up for so long on older devices before developers need to move on. With that in mind, WhatsApp has announced today …
Read More »Galaxy Note 9: Samsung’s still averse to the notch and 512GB variant might not come to the West
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 launch is creeping closer, but there’s still plenty to be revealed about the device expected to launch on August 9th. The latest leaks suggest that its 512GB storage model won’t be coming to the West, but Samsung will likely be joining Vivo and Oppo in forgoing …
Read More »Smartphone addiction may actually be socialisation addiction
The inability to look away from a smartphone screen has become the latest go-to example of how the world is slowly degrading to a state where no one wants to look at another human being or feel the warmth of sunlight on their skin. It's as heavily politicised a factoid …
Read More »Apple’s iOS antitrust case is now being handled by the US Supreme Court
Since 2011, iPhone users have been pursuing legal action against Apple for the supposed monopolisation of its App Store, causing customers to pay more than they should. After multiple delays, the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear Apple’s appeal in the Apple v. Pepper case, which will take place …
Read More »Android Messages can now be used across mobile and desktop
For a long time, if you wanted to text someone on Android you had to do it on your phone. All the while Apple users have been able to use iMessage across any device using macOS and iOS. That key difference in features is ending today, as Android Messages can now …
Read More »Facebook will put auto-playing video ads inside Messenger
Facebook Messenger users got their first taste of in-app advertisements around 18 months ago, when static adverts began popping up in the app between contacts. Now, Facebook is going to extreme lengths to monetise Messenger, with plans to place auto-playing video ads right in the app. In a statement sent …
Read More »Oppo’s Find X sports a notchless edge-to-edge display thanks to sliding camera mechanism
The divisive notch looks to be a short-lived trend among smartphones, as Oppo's Find X is the latest in the line of bezel-less smartphones to ditch the practice. Utilising a motorised camera array, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has managed to bless the Oppo Find X with a 93.8 percent uninterrupted …
Read More »Google tries its hand at another podcast app with Google Podcasts
In 2012, Google shut down Google Listen, the company's first attempt at a podcast app. It was a serviceable piece of software but it didn't really catch on at the time, leading to the app being taken offline. Now several years later, with a resurgence in podcast listening, Google is …
Read More »US Senate goes against Trump, voting in favour of reinstating ZTE ban
Last month, smartphone manufacturer accepted Donald Trump’s get out of jail free card, when the US president removed the trading ban imposed on the company as a personal favour to Chinese president Xi Jinping. Unfortunately for Trump, many in the US still oppose the decision with the Senate voting in …
Read More »Australian court fines Apple $6.6 million over ‘bricked’ iPhones and iPads
Back in 2016, many iPhone owners were hit by ‘Error 53‘, an issue in which many devices were rendered useless after a third-party repair, which in turn, disabled Touch ID. In 2017, Australia's consumer watchdog decided to tackle the issue, taking Apple to court and now, the case has resulted …
Read More »Next-gen Samsung flagships might use sound-emitting displays to forgo the divisive notch
While Vivo seems to have beaten Samsung to the punch by getting rid of the infamous notch, it seems that the South Korean manufacturer will also be opting for a bezel-less design with next year’s flagship. The tentatively titled Samsung Galaxy S10, along with various other branded handsets, will supposedly …
Read More »Samsung has plans to develop its own mobile GPU
Samsung already feels at home in the mobile market, dominating Android sales with its Galaxy line of smartphones, while lining releases with its Exynos processors anywhere outside of the US. Expanding on its in-house production, the South Korean company is now reportedly looking at producing its own mobile graphics. Qualcomm …
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