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YouTube v12.44 Update Brings Pinch-to-Zoom in Videos to More Devices with 18:9 Displays
YouTube has been updated to version 12.44, which brings the pinch-to-zoom capability for more devices with 18:9 aspect ratio displays. Read on to know more!
In 2011, we saw the first HD displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Since then, 16:9 had grown to become the standard for display aspect ratios on Android. However, things changed this year, as multiple smartphone manufacturers launched displays with taller display aspect ratios. Xiaomi started it all with the 17:9 aspect ratio display of the 2016 Mi Mix, but it was Samsung and LG who popularized 18:9 and even taller aspect ratio displays on Android with the Galaxy S8/S8+ and the LG G6 respectively.
New Android Vulnerability Tricks Users Into Recording Their Screen
A new Android vulnerability discovered by MWR InfoSecurity details how apps can trick users to record their screens without their knowledge.
Android is on billions of devices worldwide, and new vulnerabilities are discovered every day. Now, an exploit discovered by MWR InfoSecurity details how applications in Android versions between 5.0 and 7.1 can trick users into recording screen contents without their knowledge.
Google Details the Tamper-Resistant Hardware Security Module on the Pixel 2
In a blog post, Google has detailed how the Pixel 2's tamper-resistant hardware security module delivers "enterprise-grade security". Read on to know more!
With each new version of Android, Google has increased its focus on security. Android 5.1 Lollipop added Factory Reset Protection as an anti-theft measure. Then, the company made encryption mandatory for high-performing devices since Android 6.0 Marshmallow. In Nougat, Google made the switch over to File-Based Encryption. Now, Google has detailed the Pixel 2's tamper-resistant hardware security module, which delivers "enterprise-grade security", according to the company.
MIUI 9 Global Now Available for Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Mi 6, Mi Mix and More
MIUI 9 Global is now available for the Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Mi 6, Mi Mix, Mi 5, and the Mi 5s Plus. It brings split screen and other features to the devices.
Xiaomi announced the global version of MIUI 9 on November 2 at an event in New Delhi, India, alongside the Redmi Y1. (Before the announcement, some users started receiving the update on the Mi 6, the Mi Mix 2, and the Mi Max 2.) On the same day, Xiaomi launched the MIUI 9 Beta Stable update for the Redmi Note 4, and shortly after, the ROM rolled out to all users. Now, Xiaomi is upgrading a few of the other flagships in its sprawling portfolio.
How to Unlock Bootloader and Root the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
XDA Recognized Developer / Recognized Contributor nathanchance has posted guides on how to unlock, flash and root the Google Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL.
Many enthusiasts expected that achieving root on the first-generation Google Pixel would be just as easy as rooting Google's Nexus devices, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Android Nougat's A/B partition system created a lot of headache for developers in the beginning, and the Pixel's incompatibility with the most common exploits only added to challenge. Needless to say, there was reason to worry about Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. But luckily, development seems to be moving along just fine.
MIUI 9 Global Stable Update Released for Redmi Note 4 Snapdragon Variant
Xiaomi has released the MIUI 9 Global Stable update for the Redmi Note 4 Snapdragon variant. The ROM is available for flashing via recovery or fastboot.
Xiaomi announced the newest version of MIUI back in July along with the release in China of the Mi 5X, and then went on to release multiple MIUI 9 Global Beta ROMs for many devices. After months of beta testing for the Global version, the Chinese OEM announced the stable version of MIUI 9 on November 2 alongside the release of the Redmi Y1. Xiaomi stated that the roll-out would be a staged one; the first few devices to get the update would be the Redmi Note 4, the Mi Mix 2, the Mi Max 2, and the Redmi Y1; and every other Xiaomi device released since 2012 would get the update in December.
Codeweavers CrossOver for ChromeOS is Now in Open Beta, Lets You Run Windows Apps
Codeweavers has released an open beta version of CrossOver for ChromeOS. CrossOver will let you run Windows apps on ChromeOS. Read on to know more!
ChromeOS has had incredible success in some markets in the US, but for power users, it has still not become a credible Windows competitor. Although many Chromebooks are bestsellers across popular retailers, one of the major complaints users have is that they are not able to run Windows apps on a Chromebook. While users can install Linux via crouton, they are out of luck when it comes to installing Windows in order to run any Windows app.
Google's Files Go Smart File Manager has been Accidentally Leaked
Google Files Go, a smart file manager by the company, has been accidentally leaked. The app was uploaded to the Play Store for a brief period.
One feature which stock Android has always lacked is proper, fleshed-out file manager. OEMs have made it a point to include custom file managers in their ROMs, but with Android 4.4 KitKat, the Documents provider gained basic file management capabilities. However, the functionality was never upgraded into a full file manager.
Google Play Store Now Shows App Sizes on the Home Screen to Indian Users
The Google Play Store now shows app sizes on the home screen to Indian users. The app sizes are written with a maximum of one decimal. Read on to know more!
The Google Play Store has come as a long way since it launched back in 2012 as the overhaul to the Android Market. The app, now in its 8.x version, features a user-intuitive design which mostly follows Google's Material Design guidelines. Although there are still significant performance issues in terms of smoothness when using the Play Store on almost any Android device, Google has made progress in other areas. In terms of user-friendliness, Google has, over the past few years, made several changes to the UI to make it easier to discover and install apps. However, there was still plenty of room for improvement.
Google Pixel 2 XL Charging Speed is Functionally Capped at 10.5W
A new report by Nathan K. shows that charging speed on the Google Pixel 2 XL is functionally capped at 10.5W, despite being rated for up to 18W. Read on!
For a long time, it seemed to consumers that as battery capacity increased in smartphones, charge time would naturally increase as well. To solve the problem, many companies worked on various methods of quicker charging. Over the years, we have seen the rise of various standards such as USB Power Delivery, Qualcomm Quick Charge, Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charge, Huawei's SuperCharge and OnePlus's Dash Charging just to name a few.
New Bixby Update Completely Kills the Bixby Button When It's Disabled
A new update now arriving for Galaxy S8/S8+ users changes the behaviour of disabling the Bixby button. The button is completely killed if it is disabled.
At this point, the saga of Bixby has gone on for a while. To recap, Bixby was launched alongside the Galaxy S8 and S8+ on March 29, 2017. The virtual assistant was given great prominence, to the extent that there was a dedicated hardware button to access it on the Galaxy S8/S8+ (and which was also later included with the Galaxy Note 8). Samsung heavily promoted the assistant, but at that time, major features such as Bixby Voice weren't even ready and the enthusiast community was immediately interested in being able to remap or disable the button.
Android 8.1 Bug will Brick Devices if Users Forget their Lock Screen Password After Factory Reset
A Reddit user has discovered that Android 8.1 will permanently brick devices if users forget their lock screen password, as the device asks for it on reset.
Google recently released the first system images for Android 8.1 Developer Preview 1 for the Nexus 5X and 6P, as well as first and second-generation Pixel devices. The update includes major fixes and improvements as well as some small under the hood changes.
Android 8.1 Lets Users Restore Data After Initial Device Setup
Android 8.1 has added an option to restore data backed up in Google Drive after the initial setup process. The option appears as a banner in the Settings.
In Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google added the option to backup app data, device settings, call history and SMS messages to Google Drive, thus significantly removing one of the major pain points which had existed in Android for years. To restore app data, users had been relying on solutions which required root such as Titanium Backup. To restore call history and SMS messages, users had to rely on different apps as well, and so on. The feature addition in Marshmallow was a much-needed move, as it increased convenience for users and allowed them to change devices without having to lose their data or go out of their way to restore it.
Android 8.1 Adds Status Bar Icon that tells you if Factory Reset Protection is on
Android 8.1 now has a new status bar icon shown on the start screen which lets users know whether the factory reset protection feature is on or not.
Factory Reset Protection was first included in Android 5.1 Lollipop, which was released in March 2015. It is intended to be an anti-theft feature as it closes a loophole which existed on most Android devices before the feature was included.
Google to Add a New Color Mode to the Pixel 2 XL, Doubles Warranty for Pixel 2/2 XL Owners
Google will bring a new saturated colour mode to the Pixel 2 XL via a software update. Also, Google has doubled warranty for all Pixel 2/2 XL owners.
Last year, the first-generation Google Pixel and the Pixel XL used AMOLED displays from Samsung. At that time, Google targeted a NTSC colour gamut and Android had no colour management, so all colours looked saturated by default. although the company did provide a sRGB mode in the Developer Options. With this year's second-generation Pixel 2 phones, Google has chosen different OLED panels for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. While the Pixel 2 uses a Full HD Samsung AMOLED display which is very similar to that of the 2016 Pixel, the Pixel 2 XL uses LG's new WQHD+ (2880x1440) 18:9 aspect ratio P-OLED display.
Google Chrome for Android Now Allows Users to View Saved Passwords
Google Chrome for Android now allows users to view their saved passwords, a feature previously restricted to the desktop version of Chrome.
One of the prominent features missing in Google Chrome for Android was the ability to view saved passwords. This has been a feature in the desktop version of Chrome for quite a while, but hasn't been a part of the Android app until now. Luckily, that's no longer the case as Google has addressed this limitation by introducing the ability in Chrome 62.
Huawei's One-Handed Mode Feature Nearly Made its Way to AOSP
Huawei attempted to add one-handed mode to AOSP, but it was never merged because of conflicts. LineageOS solved the problems to add it to the custom ROM.
There was a time when a 4.7-inch display size was thought to be too big. The original Samsung Galaxy Note was launched in 2011 and many consumers were skeptical about the usefulness of a 'gigantic' 5.3-inch device. Today, 5.5-inch displays are common even in the budget price bracket, and flagships with 5-inch displays are hard to find.
Sony Offers a Fix for Camera Distortion in Xperia XZ Premium via Oreo Update
Sony has offered a fix for the camera distortion issue affecting the Xperia XZ Premium and other recent Sony flagships, via an option in the Oreo update.
Sony's camera quality in its Xperia phones traditionally hasn't been as mindblowing as some customers would expect. The Japanese electronics manufacturer uses its in-house sensors for smartphones, which should, in theory, help the company enjoy vertical integration and achieve a competitive advantage. However, in practice, this hasn't been the case. The cameras on flagship Xperia phones have arguably been let down by Sony's poor image processing, while competitors manage to get the most out of Sony sensors. This has been the case since the release of the Xperia Z in 2013, and even though Sony moved to 20MP resolution with the Xperia Z1 and then again to 23MP with the Xperia Z5 in 2015, the improvements in image quality weren't major, and the cameras were outclassed by its competition.
Google Prompt is Now the Primary Choice for 2-Step Authentication
Google has now made Google Prompt the primary choice for new users of 2-factor authentication instead of SMS-based verification.
Two-step authentication for Google accounts has been a feature for quite a few years now. Traditionally, this has used SMS-based verification to authenticate your sign-in attempt. This has worked well and provided a layer of security above and beyond that of a password, but it has always been a bit cumbersome to use, as it involves typing a six-digit code received via SMS. To rectify this inconvenience, Google began inviting users in July to use Google prompt as their 2-Step verification method, instead of SMS.
Why Glass is Replacing Aluminium and Plastic in Flagship Smartphones, and Why it Shouldn't
In this editorial we explore why glass is a poorer choice than aluminium and plastic for the construction of flagship smartphones.
Smartphone design trends come and go, but one trend which has been persistent for the past few years has been the transition to premium materials used in the construction of smartphones. While there was a time when it seemed like every single Android phone was made of plastic, design paradigms have slowly but steadily changed since 2013.