Google can’t seem to escape its antitrust battles, not only are they under investigation by the European Commission but Russia also had a bone to pick with the search provider over pre-installed Android apps. Now, Google has been hit by a $6.75 million fine in Russia, for requiring pre-installed apps …
Read More »Cyanogen Android ROM failures lead to job losses
It would seem that trouble is brewing over at Cyanogen, who have reportedly cut jobs from the Android ROM section of the business after failing to gain mainstream popularity through partnerships with the likes of OnePlus and Microsoft. There is also word of Cyanogen shifting its focus from its OS …
Read More »OnePlus 3 is the first to launch invite-free
Following on from many, many leaks, OnePlus officially announce the OnePlus 3 smartphone today. Previously OnePlus has launched new handsets with an invite system designed to help control stock and demand but that won't be the case this year as the OnePlus 3 will be available to purchase directly with …
Read More »Apple reportedly bringing iMessage to Android
Apple made its first step into the Android app world with Apple Music last year, bringing its new Spotify competitor to the rival mobile platform. Now, it looks like Apple might be expanding even more of its services to Android, as reports this week are saying that iMessage may end …
Read More »Chrome OS will soon get Android Apps and Play Store access
While there has been talk over the last few months of Google merging Chrome OS and Android, the actual story for the time being is a little different. Chrome OS and Android are going to remain as separate entities but Google's desktop operating system will soon gain the ability to …
Read More »Google rumoured to announce Android VR Headset next week
Google has been experimenting with virtual reality for a while now with its Cardboard headset and VR theatre mode for the YouTube mobile app. However, rumour has it that the company is looking to take a bigger step into the market with an Android VR headset, to take on Samsung …
Read More »FCC and FTC investigating how mobile security patches are released
The FCC and the FTC in the US have launched investigations in to how companies release their mobile security patches. The investigation is said to centre around how some companies review their security updates and then release them via OTA, while also looking in to the lack of consistency amongst …
Read More »Judge rules Amazon at fault for child in-app purchases
We have all heard horror stories of children being left with smartphones or tablets and running up insane charges on in-app purchases. This issue has been brought to the attention of the likes of Apple, Google and Amazon plenty of times in the past and it took a while for …
Read More »Microsoft and Google agree to try to stop battling in the court room
One of the more frustrating aspects of the tech world is the amount of lawsuits and legal complaints flying left and right between large companies. However, Google and Microsoft have agreed to make an effort to start to try to settle their differences outside of the court room going forward …
Read More »EU issues formal antitrust complaint against Android
Earlier this week we got news that the European Commission was in the final stages of its Android antitrust investigation, taking on formal complaints from companies that feel that Google has abused its market position with the Android OS. The process went quicker than expected as the commission has notified …
Read More »Someone got Counter-Strike running on a Android smartphone
You can do a lot with smart devices these days and while it is always interesting to see Minecraft or Half-Life running on a smartwatch, it is obviously not particularly playable. However, you can play Counter-Strike 1.6 now on an Android smartphone, with all of the necessary controls and everything. …
Read More »European Commission’s Android antitrust probe turns to complaining businesses
It has been a while since the European Commission first launched its anti-trust investigation against Google's Android OS and now, the commission is ready to hear the formal complaints from businesses claiming foul play. The companies that initially complained about Google's hold on the market with Android now have 24 …
Read More »Google may have a plan to send latest Android to non-Nexus devices
When it comes to Android, Google has lost the reigns a bit over the years with many OEMs and networks tinkering with Google's software and slowing down the update process quite a bit. As a result of this, you have typically required a Google Nexus smartphone to ensure that you …
Read More »Google warns of Android root access security flaw
Google has issued a warning to Android users this week after it discovered a bug present in the software that could allow hackers to gain root access to your smartphone through a certain application. The flaw itself isn't particularly new and was originally discovered two years ago in the Linux …
Read More »Android’s Stagefright bug returns with new exploit
Google has been battling the Stagefright bug for a while now on Android and while it seemed to dip back into the shadows for a while, it seems to have jumped back into the spotlight this week thanks to a new exploit. According to security firm, Northbit, a new attack …
Read More »HTC could be set to make Nexus phones for next three years
Google has often switched between different smartphone makers on an almost yearly basis for its Nexus devices. However, this year that could change, we have already been hearing rumours that HTC is set to make this year's Nexus flagship but the company could be on board for the next two …
Read More »Google to issue Nexus 5X update to fix performance issues
Back when the Nexus 5X first launched, some users had issues when it came to performance, with slowdown, lag and crashing issues popping up. Fixing these problems could also require rebooting the phone entirely, which is odd since Nexus devices are supposed to run Android better than most. Fortunately for …
Read More »Two leakers have shown off the HTC 10 ahead of announcement
HTC is preparing its flagship smartphone for 2016 at the moment and while we don't know when it will be announced, we do know what it looks like and what its specifications should be on launch thanks to two high-profile, trusted leakers on Twitter today. For starters, HTC is changing …
Read More »Microsoft is killing off its Android to Windows 10 App porting tool
Early last year, Microsoft announced Project Astoria, a tool designed to allow developers to easily port their Android apps over to Windows 10, a similar tool known as Project Islandwood was also announced for porting iOS apps to Windows 10. Now almost a year later, Microsoft has announced that it …
Read More »Nvidia reinstates Shield tablet Marshmallow update
Update: Nvidia has begun rolling out the Android Marshmallow update to Shield tablet owners once again. The update was pulled earlier this month due to a bug causing WiFi to periodically disconnect for some owners. At the time, some troubleshooting instructions were offered to help but now the proper fixes should all …
Read More »New Android SMS malware surfaces
A new virus has begun doing the rounds on Android smartphones here in Europe. It is called the Mazar virus and it spreads to devices via text messages but once installed, it can forward all of your web traffic through a proxy and allow attackers to get a hold of …
Read More »Samsung Galaxy Note 6 to come with 6GB of RAM
While the Galaxy S7 is set to be announced this week, that doesn't mean that we should forget about what's ahead. This week, rumors surrounding the Galaxy Note 6 began to circulate, suggesting that it might just be the first smartphone in the world to pack in a massive 6GB …
Read More »Kodi to take legal action to combat links to piracy
Kodi is a pretty well-known media player, used by millions across the world to view content. However, it also doubles as a popular tool for piracy, with many third-party packs available that grant access to streaming sites, torrent trackers as well as streams to live TV channels like Sky Sports. …
Read More »Android 6.0 Marshmallow now rolling out to Galaxy S6
Just ahead of the announcement of the Galaxy S7 this month, Samsung has begun rolling out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OTA update for those using the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge. The update has officially landed in the UK this week and while it is currently limited to two …
Read More »Microsoft set to buy SwiftKey for around $250 million
SwiftKey, one of the most popular third-party keyboard apps for both Android and iOS smartphones, is set to be acquired by Microsoft the company has confirmed. Reports currently put the buyout figure at around $250 million, this acquisition would also mean that future Windows smartphones could come with SwiftKey pre-installed. …
Read More »Google still planning to begin building its own Nexus phones
Back in November last year, word began to spread that Google was considering building its own Nexus smartphones going forward and while some rumours point towards HTC building the 2016 Nexus devices, Google may take the reins next year in a move to challenge Apple more directly in the high-end …
Read More »Google wants lawyer that leaked financial numbers to face sanctions
Google is fighting off a lawsuit from Oracle right now and recently, some interesting bits of information came to light as a direct result. One of Oracle's lawyers made information regarding Android and Google's financial deal with Apple public and as you can imagine- Google isn't too happy about that. …
Read More »Google now allows app installations from search on Android
Google has given Android users a way to bypass the Play Store by allowing you to install an app directly from the Google Search results page. This feature began rolling out this week, so from now on when you Google search for an app, you will see an install icon …
Read More »Google paid Apple $1 billion to remain default search on iOS
Back at the end of 2014, Apple was considering dropping Google as its default search engine provider for Safari on iOS. The company was even meeting up with the heads behind Yahoo and Bing at the time to strike a new deal but in the end, Google won out and …
Read More »Nvidia launches Android Marshmallow update for Shield tablet
Following last month's re-launch of the Nvidia Shield tablet, the company has begun to update its gamer-centric tablet to the latest version of Android, making it one of the first tablets around to support Android 6.0 Marshmallow. This is good news for owners of the tablet, as Nvidia is still …
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