Android - page 9

iPhone supplier sees increasing Face ID orders ahead of new devices

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Face ID attention awareness
Face ID can now recognize a second person.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

One of Apple’s manufacturing partners is enjoying a sizable boost in revenue off the back of increased orders for Face ID components.

Lumentum’s vertical-cavity-surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), a key component of the flood illuminator and dot projector inside iPhone X, is in high demand as Apple prepares its next-generation iPhone and iPad lineups for a fall debut.

A device called Palm brings back a once-promising name

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Palm
The Palm name will return to the smartphone market, according to federal documents.
Photo: desmorider - http://flic.kr/p/7KY6dt

Palm, once considered a darling of innovation, disappeared from hands thanks to a series of ill-fated mergers and game-changing smartphones, including the iPhone.

Now Palm, or least the name, is poised for a comeback with an Android smartphone later this year.

Google Pixel 3 XL leaks out in early unboxing photos

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Google Pixel 3 XL leak
Meet Google’s competitor to iPhone X Plus.
Photo: Mobiltelefon.ru

Google’s upcoming Pixel 3 XL, which will arrive this fall to do battle with Apple’s larger iPhone, has leaked out early in a series of unboxing photos.

The images give us our best look yet at the device and its packaging, and they confirm some of its specifications. The most notable change this year is a new edge-to-edge display with a notch that’s noticeably fatter than iPhone X’s.

Android Pie spotlights Google’s broken upgrade system

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Android 9 Pie is now available to a handful of people who own the right devices. Everyone else gets to wait.
Android 9 Pie is now available to a handful of people who own the right devices. Everyone else gets to wait.
Photo: Google

Google released Android 9 (Pie) to the public today, which should completely thrill the tiny percentage of Android users who can install it. For many, the wait for an upgrade will be months. For others, buying a new device is the only option to access this version.

Contrast this with iOS, which is always available to virtually everyone who wants it on the day it’s released.

Google’s new Pixel 3 will fight iPhone from October

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Pixel 2
Prepare for new Pixels right after iPhone X Plus.
Photo: Google

Google is gearing up to deliver its next-generation Pixel 3 smartphones in October, a leaked marketing ad confirms.

The devices are expected to fight the iPhone with even larger edge-to-edge displays and new features. And just like the iPhone X, the Pixel 3 could make its way into the hands of YouTube content creators before it reaches other reviewers.

Fortnite leak confirms Android users’ worst fears

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Fortnite Wingman Starter Pack
Yes, you'll need a Samsung to play Fortnite for Android.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite Battle Royale will be exclusive to Samsung devices when it finally comes to Android, a new leak has confirmed.

The upcoming Galaxy Note 9 or a second Samsung device will be required to play the game initially. Even if you happen to obtain the Fortnite package for Android, it won’t run on your handset until Samsung’s exclusive deal comes to an end.

It’s not yet clear exactly how long that will last.

Blade Shadow puts a Windows 10 PC on your iPhone or iPad

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Blade Shadow on Mac
A powerful PC without the PC.
Photo: Blade

Shadow, the service that puts streams a powerful Windows 10 PC to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, is expanding across the U.S.

You can use it to play games, run desktop applications, and lots more — without forking out for a powerful desktop of your own. All you need is a monthly subscription and an internet connection.

Samsung takes on iPad Pro with Galaxy Tab S4

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The Galaxy Tab S4 is clearly designed to take on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
The Galaxy Tab S4 is clearly designed to take on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. So we compared the two.
Screenshot: Samsung

Samsung just unveiled the first high-end Android tablet in years: With a 10.5-inch screen and a $649.99 price, the Galaxy Tab S4 takes aim squarely at the iPad Pro. As with Apple’s tablet, there’s an optional keyboard ($150) to turn this Android model into a 2-in-1 laptop.

We compare the two to highlight the differences.

Sorry, Android. You can’t have more than two notches

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Apple Watch
The iPhone X screen cutout could be renamed the Android notch because so many devices running Google's OS are including one. Enough that new rules prevent overuse.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The “notch” in the iPhone X drew heavy criticism when this device was first announced, but makers of Android phones have been quick to embrace it. So quick that Google felt compelled to step in and limit the number of screen cutouts allowed.

Phone designers were apparently going overboard if Google had prevent them from putting in three or more.

The biggest takeaways from Apple’s dominant Q3 earnings results

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Apple is made of money.
Apple is made of money.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple beat Wall Street’s expectations today with its Q3 2018 earnings report. Even though iPhone sales were barely up 1% the company still posted better-than-expected revenues as sales of Apple Watch, services and AirPods picked up the slack leading to Apple’s best Q3 results ever.

Prices of Apple shares skyrocketed closer to the illustrious $204 mark that will make the iPhone-maker the first ever trillion dollar company once the results posted and Tim Cook seemed extremely confident and relaxed on his call with investors this afternoon. While the rest of tech stocks are starting to sink, Apple is as steady ever.

WhatsApp brings group video calling to Android and iOS

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WhatsApp group calls
Enjoy group calls on WhatsApp today.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s new group video calling feature is now available to users on Android and iOS.

Users can chat with up to three others simultaneously, regardless of their location. WhatsApp says the feature has been designed to work even over unreliable network connections, so you have no excuse not to stay in touch.

Fortnite is coming to Android soon, but your phone won’t support it

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Fortnite iOS 14
Everyone should welcome skill-based matchmaking.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Epic Games is finally bringing Fortnite to Android this summer following its launch on iOS back in March. But don’t get too excited just yet.

New reports claim the game will be exclusive to one Samsung handset that isn’t even out yet. There’s a chance your existing device won’t support it at launch.

iPhone gobbles up 8 of 10 top-selling smartphone spots for Q2

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iPhone X
iPhone X sales are still booming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone absolutely dominated its Android competition in the United States during the second quarter or 2018.

According to the latest data from the folks at Kantar, iPhones took 8 of the top 10 spots in smartphone sales, helping iOS gain market share at Samsung and LG’s expense.

Huawei on track to steal iPhone’s crown in 2019

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Huawei
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei is on the rise.
Photo: AndroidCentral

Apple’s biggest competitor in China could soon supplant it as the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world in terms of units shipped.

Huawei says it’s on track to ship 200 million phones by the end of 2018 after setting a blistering pace of 100 million units shipped as of July 18. That won’t be quite enough to top the number of iPhones Apple sold last year, but 2019 could be Huawei’s biggest year ever.

Nokia’s iPhone X clone is amazingly affordable

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Nokia X5 iPhone X clone
The Nokia X5 looks like an iPhone X, but is nowhere near as expensive.
Photo: HMD Global

Just like every other smartphone maker, Nokia now offers its own iPhone X clone.

The Nokia X5 gives buyers a 5.86-inch edge-to-edge display and impressive specifications at an amazingly affordable price tag. There’s just one problem for now.

iPhone vs. Android could be ruining your dating life

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Florence
50% of women say old phones are a turn off.
Photo: Annapurna Interactive

Do you find it hard to score a hot date? Well, using an Android phone could be one of the reasons your dating life is in the trash.

A recent survey of U.S. singles found that 70 percent of eligible people prefer to date an iPhone owner over an Android user. Many of those surveyed said the iPhone is a more sophisticated and high-quality option. For them, Samsung puts off the wrong vibe.

Google slapped with $5 billion fine for Android tactics

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Android P has a similar swipe-based navigation system as the iPhone X, and it supports screen cutouts.
Google's been sneaky, the EU claims.
Photo: Google

Update: The European Commission has confirmed the fine, while also ordering Google make changes to rectify the problem.

Google is bracing itself to be hit with a 4.3 billion euro ($5 billion) fine as a result of its Android operating system strategy, the BBC reports.

The European Commission’s action will mark the conclusion of a three-year investigation into Android’s strategy, which unfairly strengths Google’s dominance as a search engine. The fine will be formally announced later today.

iPhone gains on Android in U.S. smartphone activations

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Samsung
Apple and Samsung are the only ones dominating the market.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple gained ground on its Android competition in the U.S. last quarter when it comes to smartphone activations.

The iPhone accounted for 36 percent of total smartphone activations from April to June, an increase from 30 percent from the same quarter last year. Best of all, Apple’s gains meant Samsung lost market share.

Microsoft may be building a ‘Movies & TV’ app for Android and iOS

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Watching a movie on iPad
Microsoft hopes it will boost Microsoft Store downloads.
Photo: Apple

Microsoft is developing a “Movies & TV” app for Android and iOS in an effort to boost downloads from the Microsoft Store, according to a new report.

Customers can enjoy content purchased from Microsoft only on Windows platforms for now. The company hopes that by supporting new platforms, it will encourage more people to use its store over competitors like iTunes.

HTC is falling to pieces thanks to Apple

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HTC Dream was the first Android phone.
HTC Dream was the first Android phone. But now its maker could be out of business in a year.
Photo: T-Mobile

HTC, once among Apple’s top rivals in the smartphone market, is laying off a quarter of its workforce. This is just the latest step in the slow collapse of the Taiwanese company.

This isn’t the result of some terrible misstep. There just doesn’t appear to be room in the current phone market for anyone but Apple, Samsung, and China-based phone-makers.