Tech news

Starting this week, Google Play Pass subscribers are getting a bunch of new games that they can enjoy while on the move. http://dlvr.it/S4n8YW

Apple may have the money and the expertise needed to insulate itself from crises like the chip shortage but an incident at TSMC shows planning can only go so far. http://dlvr.it/S4mnYK

Thanks to strong performances across the US, Europe, India, and China, OnePlus impressively managed to improve its H1 global smartphone sales by 257 percent between 2020 and 2021. http://dlvr.it/S4mnWy

Apple's iPhone accounted for 41% of smartphone revenue in Q2 2021, a new record for the quarter. Samsung followed in second place and Xiaomi landed in third. http://dlvr.it/S4k3Q9

Verizon has launched a new set of plans exclusively for mobile hotspot devices, with more options and more data than previously available. Verizon previously offered the same two plans for all "connected devices", from mobile hotspots to smartwatches, topping out at $30/month for 30 GB of full-speed data. The new plans offer up to 150 GB of full-speed data. The entry-level Essential plan is mostly similar to the old Unlimited plan, offering 15 GB of full-speed data for $20/month. Like the old plan, access to "Ultra Wideband" mmWave 5G is not included, and video streaming is limited to 720p. The new Plus plan offers 50 GB of full-speed data for $40/month. mmWave 5G is included, and customers can stream 4K video when using the mmWave 5G network. The Pro plan steps up to 100 GB of full-speed data for $60/month, while the Premium plan offers 150 GB for $80. The Essential and Plus plans are only offered as an add-on to an existing Verizon account, while the Pro and Premi...

As T-Mobile continues to expand its 5G network, PCMag reports that the company has updated its coverage maps to differentiate between its faster "Ultra Capacity" 5G and its slower but more widely-available "Extended Range" 5G. T-Mobile's 5G Ultra Capacity network uses a mid-band frequency (2.5 GHz, AKA band 41, which was inherited from Sprint) that offers faster data speeds than most sub-6 GHz 5G, and much better coverage than mmWave 5G. T-Mobile this week announced that this faster mid-band network now covers 165 million people nationwide, up from 150 million just weeks ago. T-Mobile expects to reach 200 million people by the end of the year. T-Mobile also plans to increase the bandwidth allocated to its 5G Ultra Capacity network, from 60–80 MHz now, to 100 MHz by the end of the year, further improving capacity and data speeds. Verizon and AT&T won't be able to offer mid-band 5G service until they deploy C-Band spectrum that was recently auctioned off b...

We just recently lost Mr White on Twitter, a prominent Apple prototype leaker, and now it becomes clear why as more cease and desist letters are sent by Apple. http://dlvr.it/S4fRNq

Apple releases iOS 15 public beta 4 which erases controversial changes made to Safari in previous versions of the iOS 15 Public Beta. It appears that Apple will not go ahead and move the browser's URL status bar to the bottom of the screen. http://dlvr.it/S4dvQw

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G has leaked yet again, this time in "official hi-res marketing renders" showcasing every detail and angle of the foldable phone's black model. http://dlvr.it/S4dvQH

Surprisingly and silently, OnePlus has changed the type of RAM in some newer OnePlus 8T and 9R units. http://dlvr.it/S4ZnyK

Starting today, Waze users will be greeted by a new wave of information that will make it easier to choose the right route for them before they even leave the house. http://dlvr.it/S4ZFN3

ZTE today announced the Axon 30, a more affordable sibling to the already-announced Axon 30 Ultra flagship phone. The Axon 30 is launching today in China, with a global version coming soon. The phone is notable for having a selfie camera completely hidden under the display. 7 layers of highly transparent materials and 3 special processing technologies are used to make the camera area of the display more light-transmissive, and thus sufficiently transparent to the camera. The AMOLED display also features 120 Hz refresh, 360 Hz touch sampling rate, full HD resolution, and 10-bit color depth. The Axon 30 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870G chipset. ZTE's "memory fusion technology" allows free storage space to "expand the running memory by up to 5GB". The rear cameras include a 64 megapixel main camera, wide-angle camera, and macro camera. The phone has a 4,200 mAh battery and 55-watt fast charging. Pricing and launch date for the global version are yet to be...

Here's what makes me excited for the upcoming Z Fold 3 as a folding phone user. Might get you excited as well! http://dlvr.it/S4WCrG

Best Buy is undercutting Amazon with its hot new deal on the latter's second-gen Echo Buds, normally priced at $120 and up and currently sold for as little as 80 bucks a pair. http://dlvr.it/S4Vgfj

Nokia's new XR20 is a $550 5G phone with a design rugged enough to carry case-free. The "life-proof" body can withstand 6-foot drops, an hour underwater, washing with soap and water, and extreme temperatures. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, Corning's newest and most durable display glass. The phone also offers "two-day" battery life with fast wired (18W) and wireless (15W) charging. It has excellent support for all US frequency bands in 4G, and good support for US bands in 5G, including the forthcoming C-band, but not T-Mobile's band 71. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chip with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage (expandable). The main camera is 48 megapixel with Zeiss optics, accompanied by a 13 megapixel wide-angle camera. Other features include NFC, headset jack, Wi-Fi 6, stereo speakers, and USB 3.0. As an X-series phone, it comes with Nokia's promise of three major OS updates plus four years of security updates. It will ...

Xiaomi has been at the forefront of smartphone innovation in the past couple of years. From ultra-fast charging to waterfall displays, and display-equipped camera bumps, Xiaomi has it all. So today we’re making a list of the best Xiaomi phones you can get in 2021. http://dlvr.it/S4RfPt

SamMobile sources have revealed the model numbers of the three phones from the yet-unannounced flagship S22 series. http://dlvr.it/S4R7L6

Epic Games, in an amended complaint to its lawsuit against Google, says that as an advertising company, Google has no incentive to sell more handsets than Apple. http://dlvr.it/S4R7J3

Surprise! No surprises. http://dlvr.it/S4NnDS

An AirDrop photo showing an airgun was sent to passengers on board a UAL flight from San Francisco to Orlando. Officials were do disturbed that they halted the flight, re-screened the passengers and kicked off the teenager responsible for the scare. http://dlvr.it/S4NSqZ

An AirDrop photo showing an airgun was sent to passengers on board a UAL flight from San Francisco to Orlando. Officials were do disturbed that they halted the flight, re-screened the passengers and kicked off the teenager responsible for the scare. http://dlvr.it/S4NSnS

Google, in Android 12 beta 3, has decided to replace some of the customizable features found in Pixel Themes that allows a user to create his own icon shapes, fonts, and colors for apps. http://dlvr.it/S4KwTw

Google, in Android 12 beta 3, has decided to replace some of the customizable features found in Pixel Themes that allows a user to create his own icon shapes, fonts, and colors for apps. http://dlvr.it/S4KwTB

Netflix has notified investors that it's "in the early stages" of expanding into games, starting with games for phones. Games will be "included in members’ Netflix subscription at no additional cost". http://dlvr.it/S4Jy1x

The popular emulator app iDOS 2's developers have 14 days to submit an App Store-compliant update of their app. If they fail to do so, the app will be removed. Reportedly, the app breached App Store's guidelines about executable code. http://dlvr.it/S4GfTg

The new version of WhatsApp for iPhone users is now available for download from the App Store. It brings a more convenient calling interface and archived chat messages staying archived even when new message is received. http://dlvr.it/S4GfTD

Motorola has started selling its new moto g100 online in the US. This mid-range 5G phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chip with 8 GB of RAM. It also sports a display with 90 Hz refresh and HDR10, 64 megapixel main camera, 16 megapixel wide/macro camera, and dual front cameras. Although Motorola is marketing the g100 as compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T, its support for both networks is incomplete. It does not support band 71 for either 4G or 5G, limiting 4G and 5G coverage with T-Mobile. It does not support 5G at all with AT&T, and its 4G support does not include bands 14, 29, or 30, which limits potential 4G data speeds. Motorola is offering the moto g100 unlocked on its web site for $500, which is listed as "$100 off" the usual price of $600. http://dlvr.it/S4FWDw

Remember that Wi-Fi symbol bug that can permanently disable Wi-Fi connectivity on your iPhone or iPad? The iOS and iPadOS 14.7 updates released this week by Apple can patch this bug. http://dlvr.it/S4C6zj

Apple released iPadOS 14.7 today, right after dropping iOS 14.7 earlier this week. The latest version of iPadOS includes improvements to the Podcasts app and some bug fixes. http://dlvr.it/S4C6yz

Instagram's new tool, Sensitive Content Control, is now live. It allows you to control the amount of potentially sensitive content you see in your 'Explore' section. http://dlvr.it/S4B03V

Apple has a grand total of five 5G-enabled handsets in the pipeline for 2022, including an A15-powered iPhone SE 3, as well as the long overdue AirPods 3 for September 2021. http://dlvr.it/S47cSw

The long-awaited Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Unpacked event is finally official - here's how to watch it and what foldable phones, watches and earbuds to expect. http://dlvr.it/S47cRl

Messages by Google will come pre-loaded and be the default messaging app on all Verizon Android devices starting next year. T-Mobile made a similar announcement in March, as did AT&T earlier this month. That means all three top-tier mobile networks in the US have now standardized on Messages by Google as the default app for RCS. RCS is the industry standard for enhanced messaging, designed to replace SMS. RCS offers features like read receipts, higher-quality photos and videos, and end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations. Verizon is also working to enable RCS interoperability across all carrier networks, but has not yet committed to a timeline for that. Verizon continues to offer and improve its own messaging app, Message+, even though it will no longer be the default messaging app starting next year. Customers using Message+ will get "full access to RCS capabilities by the end of the year". Verizon is also teaming with Google "to provide a robust business...

iOS 14.7 has brought an unforeseen bug, preventing many iPhones from unlocking paired Apple Watches. http://dlvr.it/S445RM

DISH will be paying AT&T more than $5 billion over 10 years to gain access to its 5G network and show them T-Mobile 'anticompetitive' robber barons. http://dlvr.it/S445Pj

Dish has struck a 10-year deal to use AT&T's network to provide service for Dish's mobile customers. Dish's mobile brands include Boost Mobile, Ting, and Republic Wireless. Until now Dish has relied on T-Mobile's network, an arrangement put in place when Sprint sold Boost to Dish as a condition of Sprint's merger with T-Mobile. Dish's deal with T-Mobile was for seven years, giving Dish time to build its own 5G network. That the new deal with AT&T spans ten years calls into question Dish's commitment to fully building out its own network. http://dlvr.it/S430Sb

Huawei will officially hold its summer event n July 29, where we will finally know all about the new flagship P50 series. http://dlvr.it/S40dM2

Remember the hack that disabled Wi-Fi connectivity on iPhone handsets using a strange name made of characters. The attack is now more dangerous since it can now be used with a legit network name to lure iPhone users. http://dlvr.it/S40dJj

It's been 10 years since Google stopped working with Samsung on manufacturing Nexus devices. http://dlvr.it/S3zZX1

A leaked image reveals a promotion made by Samsung Russia confirming that the next unpacked event will take place on August 11th with a focus on foldables. http://dlvr.it/S3xzjN

Deja vu! Apple is accused by the Spanish Consumer Organization of throttling the iPhone 12 and several other iPhone models via certain iOS updates. The organization asked Apple to find a way to compensate consumers. http://dlvr.it/S3xzhn

The Sony Xperia 1 III, which was announced earlier this year and is yet to go on sale, will only get one OS update. http://dlvr.it/S3x6lw

An app that finds fake Amazon reviews and counterfeit product listings, Fakespot, has been removed from the Apple App Store following complaints against the app made by Amazon. http://dlvr.it/S3vNR1

Some Instagram users are seeing a banner that promotes parent company Facebook. The goal is to get Instagram users to spend more time on Facebook and avail themselves of features only available on Facebook. http://dlvr.it/S3vNPv

Verizon has entered into a multi-year, $8.3 billion deal with Ericsson to expand Verizon's 5G network. The deal covers new mid-band coverage in the C band, as well as continued build-out of existing low-band and mmWave networks. The C band should offer a better balance of data speeds and coverage than most frequency bands currently in use for 5G. The deal with Ericsson includes Massive MIMO technology, which uses an array of 32–64 antennas to improve network capacity. Verizon has told investors it plans to spend $10 billion over the next three years to deploy 5G in the C band. Verizon spent $45 billion for its C band licenses, far more than any other company in that auction. http://dlvr.it/S3tNrM

Thanks to the change in U.S. export rules announced last year, foundries using American technology are not allowed to ship to Huawei. As a result, the company could run out of Kirin 9000 5G chips during the production of the P50 Pro. http://dlvr.it/S3qy0w

Google Search for iOS is adding a new feature that allows users to delete the last 15 minutes of search requests from their Google account. http://dlvr.it/S3qy0Y

Amazon has launched Kindle Vella, a twist on e-books that offers a serialized storytelling format designed to be mobile-first. Available first for iOS and the web, Vella offers "episodes" that are 600 – 5,000 words long, ideal for reading on a phone in short periods of time. Users can "follow" their favorite stories and be notified when new episodes are available, much like podcasts. The first few episodes of every story are free, after which users can buy episodes using "tokens". Users who have purchased tokens can "Fave" one story each week, which is used to recommend the best stories to other users. The service also offers Thumbs Up (likes) and tagging for topics and genres. Thousands of stories containing tens of thousands of episodes are already available, with new episodes being published regularly. http://dlvr.it/S3pm3D

A Geekbench listing has apparently confirmed Galaxy Z Flip 3's core specs. http://dlvr.it/S3mDWq

A new leak points to big plans in store for the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 12—some are even calling it a possible flagship killer. http://dlvr.it/S3mDW2

AT&T today shared an update on the expansion of its 5G network, and shared plans for its 5G network going forward. The company's sub-6 GHz 5G network now covers 250 million people nationwide. AT&T "5G+" — its brand for mmWave 5G — now covers parts of 38 cities and 20 venues (stadiums and arenas). The company plans to expand that mmWave network to 40 cities + 40 venues by the end of this year. mmWave offers much faster data speeds than sub-6 GHz 5G, but with very limited coverage. Finally, the company plans to start deploying C-Band 5G before the end of this year, expanding to cover 70–75 million people by the end of 2022, and 200 million by the end of 2023. C-Band is a new frequency band recently auctioned off by the FCC that allows a better balance of data speeds and coverage compared to existing bands. AT&T purchased licenses for 80 MHz of this spectrum, and will start deploying the first 40 MHz this year. http://dlvr.it/S3l2Ql