Feds will test nationwide phone emergency alert system on Wednesday

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Feds test nationwide phone emergency alert system
Your iPhone will get an emergency alert Wednesday that looks a lot like this.
Photo: FCC/FEMA

iPhones and Androids in the United States will receive an emergency alert Wednesday, but it’s not anything to worry about. It will come from a couple of U.S. government agencies testing the Wireless Emergency Alerts system.

This isn’t the first time the system has been tested — the feds are required to check that the system works every few years.

In short, just ignore it. Also ignore the crazy conspiracy theories surrounding the test.

Apple TV app could be on the way to Android

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Apple TV app could be on the way to Android
Android users may soon have an Apple TV application.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Android users could soon find it easier to watch Apple TV+ shows and films. A reliable tipster says an Android version of the Apple TV application is in development.

It would be a win-win for both Android and Apple.

Mobile gaming rakes in far more money than PC and console

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PUBG Mobile
Revenue from iPhone and Android games like 'PUBG Mobile' dwarfs traditional gaming.
Photo: PUBG

Games played on iPhone and Android represents 61% of the overall gaming market, according to two market analysis firms. And mobile’s lead over PC and console gaming is growing.

The total gaming market is set to hit $222 billion in 2022. For comparison, global film revenue for 2019 (the last pre-pandemic year) was $42.5 billion.

iPhone owners are pickier about apps than Android users

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iPhone owners are pickier about apps than Android users
iPhone users have higher standards for third-party software than Android users.
Image: Cult of Mac

Third-party iPhone apps scored significantly lower than their Android counterparts, according to an analysis of user reviews of 4,400 top mobile apps.

This does not necessarily mean that Android offers better third-party software, though. iPhone users simply expect more from their apps.

“The data shows iOS users are more critical of mobile apps than Android users are,” said David Kravets, senior content marketing manager for unitQ, the company that did the research, in an interview with Cult of Mac.

And after going through nearly 122 million reviews, unitQ analysts say there’s “lots of room for improvement” in mobile software.

iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
iPhone shipments increased in Q1 2022. Android did not.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The global market for Android phones shrank considerably in the first quarter of 2022, even as iPhone shipments rose.

Shipments from every major Android maker declined, from Samsung on down. Their combined drops were enough to reduce world smartphone shipments in Q1 by around 10%.

Samsung copies one of iPhone’s biggest advantages

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Apple vs Samsung
Samsung promises more years of Android updates. Not as many as Apple offers iOS updates, though.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Debates over the relative merits of iOS versus Android can go on forever, but there’s always been one area where Apple was way ahead: offering years of operating system upgrades.

Not anymore. Samsung committed itself Wednesday to releasing four generations of Android OS updates for its high-end smartphones. And for its tablets, too.

Apple’s Tracker Detect app helps Android users spot AirTag spies

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Apple Tracker Detect for Android
Worried AirTags are spying on you? Find them with Tracker Detect.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple on Monday rolled out a brand-new Android app that allows users to identify unexpected AirTags nearby. Tracker Detect can also recognize other Find My-compatible devices from third-party companies.

The app also makes it possible for those who do not own an iPhone or iPad to scan a tracker they have discovered and learn more about it — or disable it so that it can no longer report their location.

iMessage reactions now appear as emoji on Android

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iMessage reaction
But only inside the Google Messages app.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iMessage reactions now appear as emoji inside the latest version of the Google Messages app on Android.

Prior to this release, Android users saw somewhat lengthy template messages when they received an iMessage reaction from a contact using an iPhone. This change offers a cleaner, much more streamlined experience.

Apple makes it harder for creeps to use AirTags for stalking

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Apple AirTag finally jumped from rumor to reality.
It’s getting easier to find a hidden AirTag being used to stalk someone.
Photo: Apple

Apple moved to address many of the privacy concerns raised after the release of AirTags. The item trackers launched with anti-stalking features, but a new firmware update is tightening them up further.

AirTags will start more quickly warning people if they’re being used to follow someone. And an Android app that can detect these trackers is in development.

Fleeceware apps scam $400 million out of unsuspecting users

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Fleeceware tricks people into paying enourmous subscription fees.
Don’t get fleeced.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Skitterphoto/Pexels CC

Applications that trick users into paying huge subscription fees raked in over $400 million from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, according to research done by Avast.

The so-called “fleeceware” takes advantage of a weakness in both app stores: deleting an application tied to a subscription doesn’t cancel the subscription.

After mocking Apple, Samsung stops including chargers with phones

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No Samsung charger for you!
Samsung buyers could soon wave goodbye to a free wireless charger and headphones.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Samsung is copying Apple again. The Galaxy S21 series reportedly will not come with a wall charger or a pair of headphones when the new top-tier handset debuts in January.

This despite Samsung mocking Apple in October for leaving these accessories out of the iPhone 12 box.

Fortnite offers discounts on in-app purchases made directly to Epic Games [Updated]

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Fortnite discounts are here to stay.
The Fortnite Mega Drop brings permanent discounts to in-app purchases. But not for everyone.
Photo: Epic Games

Epic Games launched the Fortnite Mega Drop on Thursday. This offers up to 20% discounts on in-app purchases made on iPhone, iPad or Android, as long as these are direct payments — not ones that go through the App Store or Google Play.

And V-Bucks or real-money purchases made on Mac, PC and other platforms are also discounted by up to 20%.

Update: Apple responded by expelling Fortnite from the App Store.

7 features Apple should steal from Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
There are some features in the new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that Apple should put in the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Samsung’s newly unveiled Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will have to take on the iPhone 12 Pro Max after Apple launches it this autumn.

Samsung’s top-tier handset offers seven features iOS fans should hope will show up in Apple’s next flagship iPhone. But the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra also has some real problems.

Samsung might follow Apple by not including a charger with handsets

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Does everyone really need a Samsung charger in 2020?
A free Samsung charger with every phone might soon be a thing of the past.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung is reportedly considering not bundling a wall charger with future phones. This comes after reports that archrival Apple is considering the same move for the iPhone 12.

The goal is allegedly the same for both companies: reducing production costs. Taking the charger out of the box would also make shipping cheaper.

Comcast finally adds Chromecast support to Xfinity iOS app

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Chromecast and iPad
Google’s Chromecast just became more useful for Xfinity subscribers.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Comcast on Tuesday made it much easier for Xfinity subscribers to watch cable channels on any TV. That’s because the Xfinity Stream app got support for Google’s Chromecast player at long last.

This allows users to stream live content or recorded shows to this inexpensive video player.

Google Maps spotlights nearby delivery and take-out restaurants

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Google Maps adds Takeout and Delivery buttons
Tap on the Delivery or Takeout buttons in Google Maps to see open eateries that are closeby.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A pair of easy-to-see buttons have been added at the top of the Google Maps iPhone and Android apps to help users find restaurants in their area that offer takeout and delivery service. These point people toward nearby eateries still offering service during the coronavirus crisis.

FCC forces carriers to crack down on fake caller IDs

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Spam call
The FCC ordered phone companies to block calls made with fake caller ID info.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The FCC on Tuesday gave wireless carriers until next summer to implement a system designed to prevent caller ID spoofing. The goal is blocking phone scammers from using fake caller ID information to convince call recipients that they are talking to someone trustworthy or from their local area.

Missile Command: Recharged is a blast from the past [Review]

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Missile Command: Recharged reminds up we used to think this was going to happen any day.
Missile Command: Recharged updates a fast-paced 1980s classic.
Photo: Atari

Emerging from the dark and noisy arcades of the 1980s is a updated version of a classic. Atari’s Missile Command: Recharged for iPhone and iPad is nearly identical to the original with only a few tweaks for a new generation.

And to double down on the nostalgia, an augmented reality mode projects your gameplay onto a virtual arcade cabinet.

Verizon gives subscribers 15GB of free wireless data during COVID-19 crisis

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Verizon
Verizon offers free wireless data to help its customers work from home or attend classes remotely.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhones and Androids on Verizon’s cellular wireless network will get an additional 15GB of mobile data for free. The goal is to help this company’s subscribers keep in touch while working or schooling from home during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Earlier this month, rival T-Mobile went even farther by temporarily removing all data caps on customers who don’t already have an unlimited plan.

Samsung Rising charts company’s ruthless quest to ‘beat Apple’ [Q&A]

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Geoffrey Cain goes deep on one of Apple's biggest rivals in his new book, Samsung Rising.
Geoffrey Cain goes deep on one of Apple's biggest rivals in his new book, Samsung Rising.
Photo: Marion Ettlinger

Apple vs. Samsung is the modern Apple vs. Microsoft — a battle between seemingly unstoppable tech titans. In his new book, Samsung Rising, author Geoffrey Cain charts the surprising story of the South Korean electronics giant. He also reveals how a burning desire to beat Apple drove Samsung’s successful strategies.

Cain, a former reporter for Time and Fast Company, based his book on more than 400 interviews. Over the years, he spoke with top Samsung and Apple executives to gain an insider’s perspective on the battle between the two companies. In this exclusive interview with Cult of Mac, he serves up surprising insight into a tech rivalry for the ages.

Samsung cleans Galaxy smartphones for free to help fight COVID-19

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Samsung-Galaxy
No water required.
Photo: Samsung

Apple’s updated gadget cleaning guidelines give you the tips you need to keep your iPhone clean during the COVID-19 pandemic. But if you bought a Galaxy smartphone instead, Samsung will clean it for you.

The South Korean company on Thursday launched the Galaxy Sanitizing Service — a free program that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) light to rid your handset of germs and bacteria.