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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Apple Maps and Apple Music are getting these new features in iOS 18

    Apple Maps and Apple Music are getting these new features in iOS 18

    It almost felt as though Apple Music wasn’t invited to WWDC yesterday, and the app may look the same following the update to iOS 18. However, Apple Music will have a couple of new features that will kick in once you install iOS 18 on your iPhone. One new feature, called Music Haptics, uses the Taptic Engine on an iPhone to produce taps and vibrations that will match the song being played on Apple Music.

    This new feature is actually more important than you might think since it will help those who are deaf or have difficulty hearing “feel the music.” And that is why the feature will be found under the accessibility settings in iOS 18. After installing the latter, go to Settings > Accessibility > Music Haptics and toggle on the feature. You’ll also be able to test out Music Haptics.

    The other new feature allows those without an Apple Music subscription to have control over the music heard on a SharePlay session. Instead of requiring SharePlay users to have an Apple Music subscription, users can share control of music sourced from a HomePod, Apple TV, or any Bluetooth-enabled speaker. As Apple itself notes on its iOS 18 Services preview page, “Participants do not need to have an Apple Music subscription to contribute to what’s playing.”

    What changes are coming to the always-improving Apple Maps app in iOS 18? Suppose we told you that hikes and custom walking maps will be available. According to Apple, users will be able to browse through thousands of hikes found in U.S. national parks. These can be filtered by length, elevation, and route type and can be saved for those times when you’re offline. With just a few taps, users will be able to create a custom walking route whether it’s a local exercise route or a full-day walking tour in a city you’ve never been to before.

    With the all-new Places Library, you can save your national park hikes, custom walking routes, and other places and you’ll be able to add personal notes about each one. This way you can remind yourself about certain aspects of these routes that might be important to remember. And helping Apple Maps create these hikes and walking maps will be the app’s new ability to show topographic maps. These maps show the ups and downs of an area’s terrain in 3D shown on a 2D map.

    Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, said about Apple iPhone users, “We’re excited to give them even more to love about our services, like the ability to explore national parks with hikes in Apple Maps…and enjoy music with loved ones through SharePlay in Apple Music.”

    As you know, the iOS 18 developer beta is available now and the public beta will be available next month. The stable final version of iOS 18 will be available this September.

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  • WhatsApp testing the ability to pin up to two channels

    WhatsApp testing the ability to pin up to two channels

    WhatsApp, the global chat app owned by Meta, is ever-changing and evolving by adding new user features. Lately, it was found that WhatsApp was enhancing its user experience with a new feature currently being tested in the Android Beta version 2.24.13.3. Select beta testers are now able to pin up to two of their favorite channels to the top of their channels list, making it easier to stay connected and informed with the content they value most.

    Before, users had to scroll through their entire channels list to find their most frequently visited ones. However, this newest update has been reported to address this issue by allowing users to select and pin up to two channels to the top, making them easily accessible whenever they open the updates tab.

    In addition to pinning, users can now perform bulk actions on multiple channels simultaneously, such as muting, marking as read, or even pinning them together. This streamlined functionality is a welcome addition for users managing numerous channels, where taking these actions could become time-consuming.

    Users can easily access their favorite channels without scrolling through their entire list by pinning their favorite channels, especially when there is more than one. This not only saves time but also improves the overall navigation experience within the app. This enhanced accessibility encourages users to stay more informed and engaged with their preferred channels, as they are more likely to see and interact with the latest updates, which would be more visible if they are pinned.

    The new multiple pinning feature is currently available to a limited number of beta testers who have installed the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store. However, it is expected that WhatsApp will gradually roll it out to more users in the coming days, offering users a new way of organizing their WhatsApp channels.

  • Air India Express flight attendant arrested for concealing 1kg of gold in rectum

    Air India Express flight attendant arrested for concealing 1kg of gold in rectum

    An Air India Express air hostess was detained for allegedly smuggling 960 grams (2.1 lbs) of gold by concealing it in her rectum.

    The 26-year-old flight attendant, identified as Surabhi Khatun, was detained on May 28 upon landing at Kannur Airport in Kerala, India, according to a source from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)

    This marks the first instance in India where an airline crew member has been arrested for smuggling gold through rectal concealment.

    A comprehensive investigation has been launched, with initial evidence indicating Surabhi Khatun’s involvement in multiple gold smuggling activities.

    DRI officials have also questioned several other cabin crew members suspected of connections to a gold smuggling ring operating in Kerala.

    Earlier, the Customs Preventive Commissionerate in Kerala arrested another Air India Express cabin crew member, Shafi, for smuggling 1.45 kg of gold at Kochi airport last March.

    Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, operates over 380 daily flights, connecting 32 domestic and 14 international airports with a fleet of 74 aircraft.

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  • Star Alliance commemorates 10 years at Heathrow Terminal 2

    Star Alliance commemorates 10 years at Heathrow Terminal 2

    Together with its member airlines, Star Alliance is delighted to complete a decade of excellence at Terminal 2 – its home at Heathrow. The Queen’s Terminal has served as the base for 23 Star Alliance member airlines, facilitating smooth transfers and operations for over 15 million passengers every year, representing nearly 20% of the available seat capacity from the airport.

    In celebration of the occasion, Theo Panagiotoulias, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer said: “Heathrow stands as a vital hub for our member airlines. With our collective offerings at the shared terminal, we’re proud to facilitate seamless experiences for thousands of passengers daily. On behalf of our member airlines, I extend gratitude to Heathrow for its decade-long support, enabling superior traveller experiences every day and for years to come.”

    Under the “Move Under One Roof” strategic initiative, Star Alliance consolidated its member airlines at a single location in 2014, establishing a true alliance hub. This initiative enables passengers to easily connect between Star Alliance member airlines, significantly streamlining airport operations and enhancing the experience.

    Ross Baker, Chief Customer Officer, Heathrow said, “Heathrow is delighted to celebrate a decade of delivering excellent service to passengers travelling through Terminal 2, previously voted ‘Best Terminal in the World’ at the World Sky Awards by Skytrax. In collaboration with our partner airlines, including Star Alliance and its member airlines, we have seen almost 73 million passengers travel through Terminal 2’s doors and enjoy the world-class retail and food and beverage options available. Reaching this landmark is an opportunity for us to enjoy looking back on a decade of achievements, while also looking ahead to the next ten years as we continue to create an extraordinary airport that is fit for the future.”

    Customers are welcomed by the prominent Star Alliance branding positioned above the airline check-in counters at Departures in T2. Together with member airlines, Star Alliance provides facilities for a seamless airport experience, including:

    • Gold Track Security: A benefit that offers faster security access via dedicated lanes for Star Alliance Gold status customers, regardless of the cabin they travel in.
    • Baggage Tracking: A service that allows passengers to know where their bags are as they move on the journey. Each day at London Heathrow, over 85,000 bags on Star Alliance member airline flights are scanned for the customers’ peace of mind.
    • Star Connection Centre: A service designed to expedite passengers with tight connections by providing fast-track access through the airport. The Heathrow Star Connection Centre takes pride in expediting over 1000 passengers and 750 bags monthly, saving costs for member airlines and enhancing travellers’ experience.
    • Complimentary Heathrow Express Upgrade: Star Alliance Gold status customers enjoy exclusive and free upgrades to the Business First cabin on Heathrow Express between the airport and Paddington station. Starting June 2024, this offer extends to one companion travelling with the Gold status customer.

    From Terminal 2, 23 Star Alliance airlines – Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines and United – currently offer 124 flights a day to 44 destinations in 23 countries.

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  • Report reveals that Siri will never be the same once iOS 18 is released

    Report reveals that Siri will never be the same once iOS 18 is released

    Siri, as we know her, is never going to be the same once iOS 18 starts rolling out in September. And this Monday Apple will preview the changes it is making to its Virtual Digital Assistant and we are there for it. Hey, it’s not like Siri doesn’t work but she’s like the friend you knew in school who had the intelligence to be anything she wanted to be but never lived up to her potential.

    AppleInsider was able to discover everything that Siri will be able to do starting in iOS 18. According to the report, the native apps that will get the new Siri features include:

    • Books
    • Calendar
    • Camera
    • Contacts
    • Files
    • Freeform
    • Generative Playground (internal)
    • Keynote
    • Mail
    • Magnifier
    • News
    • Notes
    • Photos
    • Reminders
    • Safari
    • Stocks
    • System Settings
    • Voice Memos

    Inside these apps, Siri will be able to help you toggle switches and you’ll be able to make changes to an app using your voice instead of using your fingers. For example, in the Camera app Siri will be able to toggle on video recording, open up a specific photography mode including photo, portrait, video, slow motion, set a timer, and flip from the back camera array to the front-facing camera.

    Inside the Mail app, Siri will not only be able to place your email into categories like Commerce, News, Promotions, Social, Transactions, and Other, but she will also compose an email, un-send an email, reply to all recipients of an email, create smart replies to emails, summarize emails and more. The Smart Replies will be written by Apple’s on-device Large Language Model (LLM) although more complex responses will be handled by cloud-based servers.

    The Notes app is also benefiting greatly from Siri’s AI infusion and it will store audio recordings, transcriptions of said recordings, and even better yet, a summarization of the recording. Apple is also adding Math Notes which will allow the user to add complex math equations and graphs to a note.

    With the Photos app, you’ll be able to ask Siri to show you photos of certain individuals, pets, places, landmarks, and more. You can also request that Siri rotate a photo, rename an album, make copies, move photos to albums, hide photos with certain people, places, and things from a specific time, add filters to photos, and more.

    With Safari, the new AI-powered Siri will deliver summaries of the content on the screen, create and open tabs, and possibly feature “Web Eraser” which will remove text, images, and even ad banners on a website. Remembering which content you selected to erase on other sites, Safari would remove them from other webpages as well. Complaints from media organizations might force Apple to remove this feature before iOS 18 is released.

    It would be great if Apple used the new AI-laden Siri to pick stocks that are 100% certain to move higher, but alas, Siri will be limited to helping you create your watchlist and she will show you the latest business news. Other interesting non-AI upgrades include one that will allow users to add a note in Apple Maps to specific locations. For example, you could write a note to remind yourself not to order a specific entree at a certain restaurant because you got food poisoning the last time you ordered it. The notes would only appear for the person who wrote them.

    Another upgrade not related to AI has to do with a new calculator app for iOS that will, for the first time, work on the iPad. Called Project GreyParrot, it will include a sidebar showing the history of the current calculations and an improved method to convert unit measurements.

    The festivities start Monday, June 10th, starting at 10 am PDT/1 pm EDT. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting for Apple to make some changes to Siri for years. Monday should be a very exciting day.

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  • WhatsApp beta tests smarter status update ranking

    WhatsApp beta tests smarter status update ranking

    WhatsApp, the popular Meta-owned messaging, never seems to rest on its laurels. Always testing new features, the company recently revamped the status updates tray in their Android beta, giving it a sleek new look with bigger thumbnails and a more modern layout. But the changes don’t stop there – WhatsApp appears to be doubling down on enhancing the status update experience, with a particular focus on making sure you see updates from the people you care about most.

    A new feature currently being tested in the Android beta, dubbed “ranked status updates,” aims to prioritize updates from your most important contacts. This means that instead of seeing updates in strictly chronological order, WhatsApp will intelligently reorder them. This is based on several factors, including how often you interact with each contact, whether they’re pinned to the top of your chats, and how recently you’ve messaged them.

    Even status updates that are about to expire will get a boost, ensuring you don’t miss out on those fleeting moments. Notably, official WhatsApp updates will remain at the top of the list, guaranteeing you never miss important announcements from the app itself.

    Keen-eyed users may notice the absence of timestamps on status updates. This is a deliberate design choice, as WhatsApp shifts its focus from displaying the newest updates to showcasing the most relevant ones. Reportedly, all the data used for ranking updates remains on your device, so your privacy is not compromised.

    However, this new feature isn’t without its quirks. If you reinstall WhatsApp or link a new device, the ranking system essentially resets, meaning it will take some time for the app to relearn your preferences. Additionally, if you use WhatsApp on multiple devices, the order of status updates may vary slightly due to differences in synced chat histories.

    As of now, the ranked status updates feature is only available to a limited number of beta testers. But if it proves successful, it’s likely to be rolled out to a wider audience in the near future. So keep an eye on those WhatsApp updates – your status feed could soon become a whole lot more personalized and engaging.

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  • WhatsApp might soon start asking you for your birth year

    WhatsApp might soon start asking you for your birth year

    A new change is coming to WhatsApp due to certain U.S. states passing age verification laws. The changes are aimed at protecting children online, and different laws and legislation bills are currently in progress.

    Now, Meta is getting WhatsApp ready for these changes. In a recent beta version for Android (v.2.24.12.25) of the app, WABetaInfo discovered code that is meant to make WhatsApp ask you for your birth year. The prompt warns that the year cannot be changed later, and you need to provide it to continue using WhatsApp.

    For now, this feature is not available to the public. Although there’s no official reason given for this feature, it’s most likely connected to the laws that are currently in the works in the U.S.

    It seems that Meta will not be showing your birth year within WhatsApp, and this prompt seems to only be for compliance with local laws.

    It’s probable this prompt will appear to you if you live in a state with age verification laws (or you’re visiting).

    These are currently the US states where verification laws have been passed:

    • Alabama
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Idaho
    • Indiana
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Nebraska
    • Oklahoma
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee

    This means when this update rolls out publicly, you’ll probably see the prompt if you live in one of them. Of course, as with anything currently in beta, we don’t know exactly when this feature will be officially released. However, it’s probably going to be sooner rather than later so that WhatsApp can be compliant with the legislation.

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  • Google Maps users will have to decide when they want Google to auto-delete Timeline data

    Google Maps users will have to decide when they want Google to auto-delete Timeline data

    Google is changing how it keeps your Google Maps location data. Once backed up using cloud-based servers, this information will now be stored on-device instead. An email sent by Google to Maps users says that they have until December 1st to save all of their old journeys on their devices before this data is deleted. Keep in mind that Google is changing the name of the feature you might know as Location History to Timeline.

    Timeline (formerly Location History) is a personal map that allows you to remember routes and trips you’ve taken and places that you’ve visited in the past so that you can visit them again. Instead of having all of this data connected to your Google account, it will be stored on your iOS or Android phone. This means that you will no longer be able to view your Timeline from the web starting in December. Moving this data on-device is supposed to improve the privacy of the information since it won’t be stores in the cloud.

    But as we noted, if you use Google Maps, you will have a decision to make. You have until December 1st to decide how long you want to keep your Timeline data on your phone. You can choose to keep all data on-device until you delete it yourself, or select to have the data automatically deleted after 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months. If you fail to make a decision by December, Google will move the first 90 days of your travel history to the first device you sign into Google with. Any data older than 90 days will be deleted.

    You can decide when you want Timeline data removed from your device automatically by opening the Google Maps app and tapping on the profile icon on the right side of the search bar on the top of the screen. Next, tap on Your timeline followed by the three-dot menu icon on the upper right of the display. From the pop-up menu that appears at the bottom of the screen, choose About timeline. Under the section marked Your choices, tap the link that says Go to settings.

    You’ll be sent to a page titled Activity controls. Look for the Auto-delete line that says underneath Choose an auto-delete option. There is a small arrow on the right side. Tap it and you’ll have two choices. One says Don’t auto-delete activity. Tap on that if you don’t want Google to automatically delete your Timeline data from your phone. Or, you can select the other option which says Auto-delete activity and choose to have Timeline data older than 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months deleted automatically. Tap the one you want and Google will automatically remove your Timeline data older than the choice you made.

    No matter what you select, Google allows you to delete any Timeline data from your phone manually.

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  • Google in hot water yet again over data collection and privacy concerns

    Google in hot water yet again over data collection and privacy concerns

    A newly uncovered internal database has shed light on Google’s questionable data collection practices, raising concerns about the tech giant’s commitment to user privacy. The database, spanning from 2013 to 2018, reveals a wide range of incidents where personal data was collected and stored across various Google apps and products, including Waze, YouTube, and AdWords.

    While Google claims to prioritize transparency, the leaked database reportedly paints a different picture. Reports within the database, ranked by priority, detail instances of data collection that were often not publicly disclosed. Some incidents involved sensitive information, such as the recording of children’s voices through Gboard’s microphone and the gathering of license plate information through Street View.

    Although Google maintains that these incidents were resolved, the sheer number and variety of reports raise concerns about the company’s ability to safeguard user data. The leaked database, obtained by 404 Media, highlights the potential risks associated with Google’s vast data collection practices.

    Among the examples of data inappropriately collected or leaked were payment information for employees through travel agency software Sabre, addresses and trips taken through Waze’s carpool feature, and Docs files mistakenly made public.

    In response to the 404 Media report, Google stated that the reports were over six years old and had been reviewed and resolved. However, the company’s confirmation of “aspects” of the dataset suggests that there may be some truth to the allegations.

    This is not the first time Google has faced scrutiny over its data practices. Recent leaks of Google Search API documents, obtained by the same company, have also raised questions about the company’s transparency regarding its search operations. While potentially taking months to fully analyze, Google has not disputed the authenticity of that particular leak when questioned.

    These revelations add to a growing list of privacy concerns surrounding Google’s data collection practices, and it looks like Google has some damage control due ahead. As users become increasingly aware of this leaked material, it remains to be seen how this will impact the company’s reputation and future operations.

  • Thai Airways returns to Brussels Airport in December 2024

    Thai Airways returns to Brussels Airport in December 2024

    As of December 1st, Thai Airways will again offer daily direct passenger flights between Brussels Airport and Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. This important destination, offered before the covid pandemic, is an important addition to Brussels Airport’s intercontinental network. As a Star Alliance airline, Thai Airways strengthens Brussels Airport’s role as a European hub. Thailand remains an important tourist destination that is now once again directly accessible to Belgian passengers.

    After a four-year hiatus in the wake of the covid pandemic, Brussels Airport may once again welcome Thai Airways. This Star Alliance airline was already operating at Brussels Airport until before the covid pandemic and now chooses Brussels Airport again as their hub within the Benelux.

    “It is great news to welcome Thai Airways back to Brussels Airport. This daily direct connection to Bangkok strengthens our position as a European hub and offers our passengers even more travel options to Asia. For Thai passengers too, our airport offers an ideal gateway to the rest of Europe. We look forward to a great collaboration,” says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.

    As from 1 December 2024, Thai Airways will immediately start with a daily flight to Bangkok. The route will be flown with a Boeing 787-8, one of the most efficient aircraft on the market both in terms of emissions and noise.

    For Brussels Airport, this offers an important addition to its intercontinental network as a major destination, both for tourism as for business travel. As a Star Alliance airline, Thai Airways is also strengthening its Star Alliance hub at Brussels Airport with home carrier Brussels Airlines. This will reconnect Thai Airways directly to the heart of Europe, with all its European and international institutions and the network offered by their Star Alliance partners at Brussels Airport to the rest of Europe and beyond.

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  • Text effects coming to Messages in iOS 18 might be able to format individual words

    Text effects coming to Messages in iOS 18 might be able to format individual words

    You know how, when you text another iPhone user the word “Congratulations,” both you and the recipient see confetti fall from the top of the screen? Text “Happy Birthday” to another iPhone user and balloons float up from the bottom of the screen. Because any messaging between iOS users and Android users, at least until later this year, is done via SMS, Android users don’t see these effects. Once iOS supports RCS, we could see the Google Messages app show these effects to Android users.

    Now, according to unnamed multiple sources cited by MacRumors, Apple is working on a new feature for iOS 18 that will create effects with the actual texted word instead of an image that represents what the word means. For example, this feature might allow you to format a word you text by adding underlining, bold, and italics to it. And again, once the iPhone supports RCS like Apple said it would before the end of this year, the new effects would also appear on an Android device.

    RCS, aka Rich Communication Services, is a platform found on certain Android messaging apps like Google Messages that delivers features similar to those found on iMessage. Such features include the ability to view high-resolution images, receive read receipts, see typing indicators, and have messages protected by end-to-end encryption. Right now, whenever an iOS user texts an Android user, the messages are sent via old-school SMS so none of these features are available.

    But wait, iPhone owners. There’s more. MacRumors says that the iOS Messages app in iOS 18 will also offer autocompletion powered by the only two letters in the alphabet that mean anything this year, AI. This feature might not be limited to the Messages app and could also be used by Siri to complete queries being typed to the virtual digital assistant.

    We should learn more on June 10th during the WWDC 2024 Keynote which will begin at 10 am PDT/1 pm EDT.

  • WhatsApp is currently testing a feature that makes sharing between Channels easier

    WhatsApp is currently testing a feature that makes sharing between Channels easier

    WhatsApp is one of those social apps that you can expect to be constantly evolving, and the latest beta update for Android (version 2.24.12.9) is no exception. Available through the Google Play Beta Program, this update offers a sneak peek into several features aimed at making content sharing on WhatsApp Channels smoother and more efficient.

    Building on recent updates that simplified forwarding channel updates, WhatsApp is now exploring ways to make it easier for channel owners to share a wider variety of content directly from their personal chats. This means users will soon be able to forward messages, photos, videos, and GIFs directly to their channels without the time-consuming workaround of saving and uploading content separately.

    WhatsApp is also working on expanding this functionality to allow users to share content from other apps directly to their channels. While these features are not yet available in the current beta version, they promise to speed up content creation for channel owners and make it easier for them to keep their followers engaged with fresh and relevant updates.

    This latest beta update aligns with WhatsApp’s ongoing commitment to enhancing channel user experience. By simplifying the process of sharing content from both personal chats and external apps, WhatsApp is making it easier for channel owners to deliver timely and entertaining updates with minimal effort.

    While the full rollout of these features is still to be determined, the beta update indicates WhatsApp intends to roll this potential very soon. However, as with any beta version, these features may undergo further refinement before being made available to the wider user base. That said, this feature’s potential benefits for both channel owners and followers is clear. By streamlining the sharing process, WhatsApp is aiming to make channels an even more valuable tool for the app’s large user base.

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  • WhatsApp working on enhancing the drawing editor with an upcoming color chooser feature

    WhatsApp working on enhancing the drawing editor with an upcoming color chooser feature

    WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, continuously tests potential features to improve user experience. In a recent beta update for Android (version 2.24.12.6) available on the Google Play Store, we get a sneak peek into an exciting new feature that’s set to enhance the app’s photo and video editing capabilities.

    This latest feature builds upon a previous update (2.24.10.23) that introduced a redesigned drawing editor. This revamp focused on user-friendliness by relocating the brush and color tools to a bottom bar for easier access, particularly on larger screens. Now, WhatsApp is taking another step forward by working on a color chooser tool that will be integrated into the drawing editor in a future update.

    As noted by WABetaInfo, a reliable source for WhatsApp updates while still in beta, this innovative tool will empower users to select a specific color directly from the image they are editing. This means that users will no longer be constrained by the current selection of 24 preset colors. Instead, they can tap into the full spectrum of colors within the image, enabling precise color matching and coordination.

    The potential benefits of this feature could be great. Imagine perfectly matching the color of a flower in a photo to the text you overlay on it, or seamlessly blending the colors of a sunset into a drawing. This level of customization will unlock new creative possibilities for users, allowing them to craft visually stunning and personalized content.

    The color chooser feature is particularly exciting for WhatsApp users who use the status feature to share visual updates with their friends. With this tool, users can create more polished and aesthetically pleasing status updates that truly reflect their individual style. Whether it’s adding a splash of color to a selfie or creating a themed status with perfectly coordinated elements, the color chooser will give users the tools to express themselves visually.

    While the color chooser is still under development and not yet available to the general public, it is expected to roll out in the future app update.

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  • Mondelēz opens regional snacks research lab in Singapore

    Mondelēz opens regional snacks research lab in Singapore

    Mondelēz International has inaugurated its US$5 million regional biscuit and baked snacks lab and innovation kitchen in Singapore that will serve its Australasian, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa businesses.

    Chan Ih-Ming, EVP of the Singapore Economic Development Board, opened the facility. Mondelēz says it reaffirms its commitment to innovation and product development across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

    The lab and innovation kitchen expands on the capabilities of the food manufacturer’s existing Singapore Technical Centre established in 2006.

    In 2018, the company expanded the centre to focus on gum and candy innovation and product development.

    “This expansion further enhances the capabilities of our Singapore Technical Centre and reaffirms our commitment and contribution to the country, which serves as the headquarters for our Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa business,” said Deepak Iyer, EVP and president of Mondelēz International AMEA.

    “The establishment of the biscuit and baked snacks lab and innovation kitchen marks a significant step in Mondelēz’s commitment to mindful snacking, including developing products that encourage portion balance and mindful indulgence whilst exploring flavour innovation and different product formats.”

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  • Google Home working on a new smart home widget for your device’s home screen

    Google Home working on a new smart home widget for your device’s home screen

    Google is set to make controlling your smart home a whole lot easier with a new “Favorites” widget for the Google Home app on Android. This has been a bit of a secret weapon for Google, teased back in October 2023 and even spotted at I/O 2024. Now, thanks to some digging around in the app’s code by 9to5Google, we have a clearer picture of what to expect.

    The “Favorites” widget aims to streamline your smart home experience by placing your most-used controls right on your home screen. Whether you’re constantly adjusting the thermostat, turning lights on and off, or triggering complex routines, this widget promises to put those commands just a tap away.

    A peek under the hood of version 3.18 of the Android app reveals a sleek and user-friendly design for the widget. It will seamlessly integrate with the existing “Favorites” tab in the Google Home app, allowing for easy synchronization of your preferred controls. Alternatively, you can opt for a standalone widget and personalize it with a unique set of commands

    As you can see in the screenshots above, the widget itself boasts a clean and simple layout reminiscent of the tile-based interface we’re familiar with in the Google Home app. You’ll find handy features like dynamic color theming to match your phone’s aesthetic and a refresh button to ensure you’re always seeing the latest status of your devices. Plus, if you’re truly committed to the smart home life, you can even stretch the widget to occupy your entire home screen.

    This new widget is just one example of how Google is continually enhancing the Google Home app to provide a more convenient and intuitive smart home experience. While we don’t yet have an official release date for the “Favorites” widget, it’s certainly something to look forward to.

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