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Tag: ios

  • Google finally updates the Gmail for iOS app after three months

    Google finally updates the Gmail for iOS app after three months

    Google finally released an update for its Gmail for iOS app on Monday. As you might recall, many of Google’s iOS apps have not been updated for iOS and it is thought that this was done on purpose to avoid having to add App Privacy labels to its apps. Starting on December 8th, any app updated in the App Store has to include its App Privacy Label. Located near the end of each app’s App Store listing, the App Privacy Label shows the data that an app can collect including the data that can be linked to the user’s identity. In the case of Gmail, this data includes Purchases, Location, Contact Info, Contacts, User Content, Search History, Identifiers, Usage Data, Diagnostics, and Other Data.

    Google is reportedly being shy about having the App Privacy Label posted for its most popular iOS apps after seeing the criticism Facebook received for posting its longer than average App Privacy Label. Google denied all of this last month and said that it would be updating its iOS apps within weeks. But many of its iOS apps have gone without a recent update and the lack of an update for Gmail resulted in iPhone users being sent a warning earlier this month noting that their Gmail app is out of date. The message said, “You should update this app. The version you’re using doesn’t include the latest security features to keep you protected. Only continue if you understand this.”

    Before Monday, it had been about three months since the Gmail app for iOS had received an update; there are still some other Google apps that need to follow suit. But by bringing one of its most popular iOS apps up-to-date, Google has sent a message that says it is not afraid of the App Privacy Label and has started the process of updating its remaining iOS apps.

  • Time to update your Apple iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch

    Time to update your Apple iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch

    Apple today released several updates including iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, and watchOS 7.3. With the iPhone and iPad updates, the “Find My” app adds a feature called “Find My Items.” This allows users to find misplaced accessories made by third-party manufacturers who build this capability into their products. The only compatible device available at the moment is Belkin’s SoundForm Freedom true wireless earbuds.

    In addition, the update allows smaller QR codes to be read by the iPhone’s camera, the ability to put Bluetooth connections into categories and headphone type in order to prevent eardrums from getting blown out with audio notifications and delivers a notification when the camera on your iPhone 12 series model cannot be verified as a genuine Apple camera. It also uses the U1 chip in the iPhone 11 series and iPhone 12 series to determine the distance between your iPhone and HomePod mini to allow an improved transfer of music between devices.

    The update also exterminates several bugs including one that allowed image artifacts to appear on photos snapped with an iPhone 12 Pro model using HDR. Another bug fixed by the update prevented the Fitness+ widget from including updated Activity data. One issue that the new iOS 14.4 update solves is one in which the keyboard would appear with the wrong language in the Messages app. A pair of bugs that prevented word suggestions from appearing on the keyboard and delayed the results of typing on the keyboard are both gone after the installation of iOS 14.4.

    The latest iOS build also eliminates an issue that prevented phone calls from being answered on the Lock Screen when Switch Control in Accessibility was enabled. And lastly, iOS 14.4 gets rid of a bug that did not allow stories from CarPlay’s News app to resume after being placed on pause to hear spoken directions or a response from Siri. The update is available to compatible iPhone and iPad models and can be received by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It weighs in at 344.3MB.

    Apple also pointed out that the iOS and iPadOS updates include security patches that eliminated three zero-day security flaws. Apple believes that these flaws might have been exploited in the wild. A Kernel flaw might have allowed attackers to give permission for the affected phone to run certain apps. A WebKit flaw could have allowed the hackers to make an iPhone do just about anything. The watchOS update rid the device of a security flaw that could have elevated privileges on a unit under attack.

    Apple also released watchOS 7.3 today which includes a new Unity watch face based on the colors of the Pan-African flag (Black, Red, Green, and the Pan-African colors which includes the prior three hues and yellow). The shapes of the colors change throughout the day as you move thus creating a unique look. Apple Fitness+ subscribers will receive the “Time to Walk” feature that plays inspirational audio in the Workout app as you walk. The electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor that checks for abnormal heart rhythms on the Apple Watch Series 4 and later is good to go in Japan, Mayotte, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand following the update. Those with abnormal readings in those countries will receive a notification. And a bug that makes the Control Center and Notification Center unresponsive when Zoom is enabled will be exterminated.

    To update your Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap on My Watch > General > Software Update and Install. The timepiece needs to be on the charger for the update to take place and the watch needs to be in the range of your iPhone connected to a Wi-Fi signal.

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  • New app allows Apple’s iMessage to run on an Android phone

    New app allows Apple’s iMessage to run on an Android phone

    While there are Android users who are always putting down iOS for its notification system, Siri’s aggravating weak points, and for other issues, one thing that is off-limits for discussion is the iOS iMessage app. Even those who have updated to Google’s Rich Communication Service (RCS) based Message platform still would prefer Apple’s messaging system instead. A new app launching today called Beeper can make it happen. It isn’t a streamlined process as you will see. But it does deliver iMessage capabilities to Android users while at the same time creating a unified inbox that covers a number of messaging apps.

    For example, Beeper will create one in box with all of the unread messages from apps such as:

    • Whatsapp
    • Facebook Messenger
    • iMessage
    • Android Messages (SMS)
    • Telegram
    • Twitter
    • Slack
    • Hangouts
    • Instagram
    • Skype
    • IRC
    • Matrix
    • Discord
    • Signal
    • Beeper network

    All of the messages look the same since the idea is to use a single interface for all of your chats. And yes Virginia, Beeper says that it can connect with Apple’s iMessage even if you are using an Android phone. But for this to take place, you need to use an Apple device as a bridge. This can be done using one of two options. One method requires that you keep a Mac awake and continually connected to the internet. Using the Beeper Mac app, your Android phone can be connected to iMessage. With the other method, Beeper will send you a jailbroken iPhone 4s with the Beeper app installed to connect you with the iMessage app. “This is not a joke,” says Beeper’s website.

    Using Beeper will cost you $10 per month and with the last update received by the iPhone 4s taking place 17 months ago, you have to wonder how secure your iMessages will be. If you’re trying to figure out how Beeper got iMessage to work on Android and Windows, here is the response:

    “This was a tough one to figure out! Beeper has two ways of enabling Android, Windows and Linux users to use iMessage: we send each user a Jailbroken iPhone with the Beeper app installed which bridges to iMessage, or if they have a Mac that is always connected to the internet, they can install the Beeper Mac app which acts as a bridge. This is not a joke, it really works!”

  • HTC has reported revenue growth for the second consecutive month

    HTC has reported revenue growth for the second consecutive month

    It’s that time of the month when we review HTC’s latest revenue numbers and brace for disappointment. But in an unexpected twist, this time the Taiwan-based brand has positive news to report.

    For the last month of 2020, HTC reported NT$615 million ($21.96 million) in unaudited consolidated revenue. That’s a small increase of 1.02% versus the same period a year earlier, much better than the median decline of 42.03% experienced throughout 2020.

    The impact of the all-important annual holiday season was visible in HTC’s latest numbers too. In comparison to November, the company’s monthly sales numbers climbed a decent 10.68%.

    As a direct result of these results, December has become the second-consecutive month that HTC has posted both month-on-month and, more importantly, year-on-year growth.

    The last time HTC reported two consecutive months of year-on-year revenue growth was four years ago, specifically February and March 2017 before the launch of the flagship HTC U11.

    Whether or not these positive trends continue into 2021 will remain to be seen. But at the moment, it seems HTC is mostly focused on its lineup of VR products rather than the smartphone segment, despite the occasional launch.

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  • Google will bring Stadia gaming to iOS via a web app

    Google will bring Stadia gaming to iOS via a web app

    It seems that the Stadia conundrum on iOS continues. Although Stadia has an official app on the App Store, you can’t use it to play actual games without downloading them first. Google’s true game streaming service was first brought to iOS devices via a third-party app – the Stadium browser. It was then taken down by Apple for violating certain guidelines and then brought back again after the developer fixed the issue.

    Now there’s another development to the saga. Google announced that it plans on developing a web app that will allow iOS users to play Stadia games on their phones and tablets without the need to download them. The company will initiate “public iOS testing” in the following weeks and it will use a web app in order to bypass Apple’s guidelines stating that:

    “Games offered in a streaming game service subscription must be downloaded directly from the App Store, must be designed to avoid duplicate payment by a subscriber, and should not disadvantage non-subscriber customers.”

    Even though the Stadium browser is technically available on the App Store and it can run games with the native Stadia controller hooked up, it’d be nice to have something official from Google regarding iOS users. We have to wait and see how Apple will react to all this.

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  • Apple brings 100 new emoji and more to the iPhone with release of iOS 14.2

    Apple brings 100 new emoji and more to the iPhone with release of iOS 14.2

    Emoji fans using an iPhone should be happy to see that iOS 14.2 has been released. Why? Because the latest build of Apple’s mobile operating system features a large number of new emoji including a transgender pride flag, a dodo, a pinched finger emoji, an anatomical heart, lungs, a man feeding a baby, and more. You can see the entire list of new emoji that comes with iOS 14.2 by visiting the Emojipedia website.

    One of the fun new features for iOS 14.2 brings music discovery app Shazam to the Control Center. We first told you about this back in September when Apple dropped a public beta for iOS 14.2. Shazam is able to listen to a song playing in the background and fairly quickly, it will post the name of the tune, the artist who sings it, the lyrics, and more. The app was one of the first to be featured by Apple in a series of iconic ads for the brand new App Store that told us that whatever we are doing, “there’s an app for that.” Three years ago, Apple decided to purchase Shazam for $400 million.

    The update includes eight new wallpapers in both light and dark mode. Those with an iPhone 12 series handset can use the magnifier app to detect people nearby and measure their distance away by using the LiDAR depth sensor. The Time-of-Flight sensor computes how long it takes for a beam of infrared light to bounce off of a subject and return to the phone. With this data, more accurate depth measurements are computed allowing the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max to deliver enhanced AR capabilities and improved bokeh blurs on portraits. Speaking of the iPhone 12 series, iOS 14.2 adds support for the Leather Sleeve MagSafe accessory. Leather cases with MagSafe will be available to be pre-ordered starting today. The sleeves and the MagSafe Duo Charger. Both the leather sleeves and the MagSafe Duo Charger will be released at a later date, possibly not until 2021.

    The update to iOS 14.2 also helps provide optimized battery charging for the AirPods slowing the rate at which the wireless Bluetooth earbuds batteries age. Users will receive a notification whenever the audio levels on their headphones are too loud and could cause problems to users’ hearing. New AirPlay controls can stream entertainment throughout your home. And there are many more items on the changelist.

    The update also fixes a number of issues including one that keeps the iPhone screen black while viewing Netflix content, and one that makes the camera viewfinder appear black when the camera app is open. Some of the resolved issues revolve around widgets such as the weather widget that displays the temperature in Celsius even when it is set to Fahrenheit. One bug forces the Apple Watch app to unexpectedly close when opened and in some cases, Apple Pay won’t send or accept cash via Siri. One bug prevents devices from charging wirelessly.

    To update your iPhone go to Settings > General > Software Update. If the update is on your device, tap on Download and Install. As we said, iPadOS 14.2 is also available to be installed on a compatible iPad tablet, and to do so, use the same directions we told you for the iPhone. The new update to watchOS 7.1 contains “new features, improvements, and bug fixes.” To update your Apple timepiece, first, make sure that your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS. Make sure that your Apple Watch is updated to at least 50% and connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi. Keep your iPhone nearby your Apple Watch and the update will take place over several minutes to an hour. Thus, you might want to wait to update overnight.

    You can also try to update your Apple Watch using the iPhone:

    • Keep your Apple Watch on its charger until the update completes.
    • On your iPhone, open the Watch app, then tap the My Watch tab.
    • Tap General > Software Update.
    • Download the update. If asked for your iPhone passcode or Apple Watch passcode, enter it.
    • Wait for the progress wheel to appear on your Apple Watch. It could take from several minutes to an hour for the update to complete.

    If your Apple Watch is running watchOS 6 or higher, you can update your Apple Watch without using the iPhone. Follow these directions:

    • Make sure that your watch is connected to Wi-Fi.
    • On your watch, open the Settings app.
    • Tap General > Software Update.
    • Tap Install if a software update is available, then follow the onscreen instructions.

    Leave your Apple Watch on its charger while the update completes. Don’t restart your Apple Watch, and don’t quit the Watch app. When the update completes, your Apple Watch restarts on its own.

    Apple also released a special update that adds security updates to older iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch units. The update installs iOS 12.4.9 to iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation).

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  • Google Maps’ coolest new feature becomes more useful to Android and iOS users

    Google Maps’ coolest new feature becomes more useful to Android and iOS users

    Last year, Google Maps tested a beta version of what it calls AR Live Mode that uses augmented reality to layer the Maps UI over a real-time image from your phone’s front-facing camera. The result is the navigation for those-perhaps yourself-who enjoy getting around by walking around a city. The mode points out landmarks, how far they are from you, and how to get there. For example, if you’re walking through the Big Apple and happen to find yourself in Midtown Manhattan, you might see some information in AR Live Mode directing you to the Empire State Building.

    Google posted a blog today in which it says that the landmarks highlighted in Live View include well-known places, like local parks and tourist attractions. Besides the Empire State Building in New York, other noteworthy places include the Pantheon in Rome. 25 cities worldwide will soon have their Landmarks available to be viewed using Live View. Those cities include Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Dubai, Florence, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Kyoto, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Osaka, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, and Vienna.

    Live View can be accessed by tapping on the button of the same name when looking up a place on Google Maps. It now can be used on the transit tab if part of your journey includes walking. Google points out that this is useful when you exit a transit station but don’t know which way to go once out of the station.

    Google also announced today that the Live View feature that previously was added to Location Sharing for Pixel users will soon be available to all Android and iOS users worldwide. Google explained this in today’s blog by noting that if a friend has chosen to share their location, you can tap on his icon and then on Live View to see where and how far away he is. Overlaid arrows and other directions make it easy to figure out how to get to where your friend is.

    Lastly, in Live View, using Machine Learning and Google’s understanding of the world’s topography, Google can more accurately place a destination pin. In the accompanying images, you can see how much closer Lombard Street in San Francisco appears when using Live View.

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  • This is why iOS app developers are not happy with Apple

    This is why iOS app developers are not happy with Apple

    While Apple iPhone users were excited today about receiving the update to iOS 14, iOS developers were not; in fact, many were fuming. That’s because in announcing on Tuesday during the “Time Flies” event that iOS 14 would be unveiled today, Apple did not give its developers enough time to test their apps before releasing the next build of its mobile operating system.

    All the developers could do was send out tweets to alert users that the features they hoped to launch with the launch of iOS 14 would not yet be available. One example of this approach was seen in a tweet disseminated by podcast app Overcast (@OvercastFM) which read, “Sorry, my iOS 14 features aren’t ready yet. Since it’ll be a while before most of my customers use iOS 14, I spent the summer prioritizing bug fixes and my family’s pandemic/school logistics (we’re OK, just busy). Like you all, I’m just doing what I can this year. More soon. Since it’ll be a while before most of my customers use iOS 14, I spent the summer prioritizing bug fixes and my family’s pandemic/school logistics. Like you all, I’m just doing what I can this year. More soon.”

    Nintendo noted that its Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp game won’t work following the update to iOS 14, so the company told game players to hold off on updating to iOS 14 until it has time to update the game. How many iPhone users do you think will heed that suggestion.

    In addition, many third-party apps don’t have a widget yet because of Apple’s surprise release of iOS 14. As you might know, Apple is adding Android-style widgets to iOS 14. You can choose different sizes depending on where you want the widget to fit and how much information you want it to contain. As time goes on, more developers will create widgets for their apps. You can see which apps are offering them now by touching and holding the home screen until you see the “+” icon inside a circle on the upper left side of the screen. Tap on it, tap on a widget from the gallery, and then select the size you want.

    Have you installed iOS 14 on your iPhone yet? Go to Settings > General > Software Update if you have yet to do so.

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  • The world’s second largest smartphone market sees shipments drop in half during Q2

    The world’s second largest smartphone market sees shipments drop in half during Q2

    A double whammy negatively impacted the second-largest smartphone market in the world during the second quarter of the year. The global outbreak of coronavirus led to the shutdown of smartphone production in the country. And the demand for handsets dropped sharply as retailers both online and offline were not allowed to sell them. This was the case in India until the middle of May; that means that COVID-19 affected smartphone supply and demand in India for half of Q2.

    Xiaomi, with its value for money approach that is tailor-made for a developing country like India, remained the top smartphone manufacturer in the market during the second quarter. Even though shipments, at 5.3 million units, declined 48% year-over-year (the company shipped 10.3 million phones during the same quarter last year), Xiaomi’s market share barely declined from 31.3% during Q2 2019 to 30.9% during this year’s second quarter.

    Vivo was second during Q2 after delivering 3.7 million phones during the three months. Even with a 36% decline in the number of phones shipped, the manufacturer’s market share rose from 17.5% to 21.3% from April through June of this year. Samsung saw phone shipments in India declined by 60% on an annual basis as the number of phones it delivered dropped from 7.3 million to 2.9 million. Even the popular Galaxy A series couldn’t stop the bleeding as Sammy saw its slice of the Indian smartphone market decline from 22.1% to 16.8%.

    Oppo finished fourth for the quarter with a 27% decline in shipments from 3 million to 2.2 million, allowing the company to expand its market share from 9.2% to 12.9%. And in fifth place during the quarter was Realme. The latter shipped 1.7 million phones during the three months, one million or 35% fewer than during the same quarter last year. Realme owned 10% of the Indian smartphone market in Q2, which was up from the 8.1% share it had during Q2 of 2019.

    Canalys Analyst Madhumita Chaudhary said, “While vendors witnessed a crest in sales as soon as markets opened, production facilities struggled with staffing shortages on top of new regulations around manufacturing, resulting in lower production output. The fluidity of the lockdown situation across India has had a deep-rooted effect on vendors’ go-to-market strategies. Xiaomi and Vivo have undertaken an O2O (offline-to-online) strategy to support their massive offline network. Online channels, too, while seeing a positive effect of the pandemic on market share, have seen sales decline considerably.”

    What might negatively impact Chinese phone manufacturers like Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and Realme in India during the current quarter is a border skirmish between the two countries. 20 Indian soldiers were killed by the Chinese and India started holding up shipments from China into the country. Canalys says that 96% of all smartphones sold in India last year were made locally. Despite this, Canalys analyst Adwait Mardikar notes that the lure of lower pricing on phones from Chinese companies like Xiaomi will help those manufacturers sell their wares in India. He says, “Vendors are driving the message of ‘Made in India’ to consumers and are eager to position their brand as ‘India-first.’ Despite the sentiment, the effect on Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Realme is likely to be minimal, as alternatives by Samsung, Nokia, or even Apple are hardly price-competitive.” Canalys analyst Chaudhary says that manufacturers are hoping that new 5G handsets lead to increased sales. He noted that “The transition to 5G is the next big opportunity, and Jio’s announcement of readiness to deploy 5G, as soon as spectrum is made available, has provided a ray of hope to most vendors who have been beaten by the current pandemic.”

    Speaking of Apple, the company turned in the best performance out of India’s top 10 smartphone manufacturers with a 20% year-over-year decline in shipments. The number of iPhones delivered in India was slightly over 250,000 units. Even though pricing makes iPhones luxury items in China, another iPhone assembler is working on building a new plant in India joining Foxconn and Wistron. Bloomberg reports that Pegatron, the second-largest iPhone assembler in China after Foxconn, will eventually start producing iPhone models in India. Apple is looking to move up to 20% of iPhone production out of China to avoid the possibility of tariffs in the future as the tense relationship between the U.S. and China continues.

    Overall for the quarter, 17.3 million handsets were shipped in India down 48% from the 33 million that were delivered during the same quarter last year.

  • Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 13.6 with CarKey, bug fixes, and more

    Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 13.6 with CarKey, bug fixes, and more

    Even as the iOS 14 public beta remains in its early days, Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 13.6. With the update, users can decide to download iOS and iPadOS updates but not install them. Or, users can decide to download iOS and iPadOS updates and install them overnight. The devices taking advantage of the automatic software updates must be charging and connected to the internet via Wi-Fi to finish updating. You can customize this feature by going to Settings > General > Software Update > Customize Automatic Updates

    The update adds new categories in the health app for symptoms that come up in the Cycle Tracking and ECG apps. It also adds new symptoms including fever, chills, sore throat, or coughing, and allows iOS and iPadOS users to share these symptoms with third-party apps. The iOS 13.6 update also adds audio features to the Apple News+ subscription app for the iPhone and iPad. It also enables the CarKey feature for the iPhone. This allows you to control a compatible automobile using your handset. Apple just posted a new support page. The key is added to the iOS Wallet app and the feature will also work with the Apple Watch Series 5. CarKey is available for the iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR.

    Check out the support page to see how to set up the feature. If you use Express Mode you can put your iPhone near the car door to unlock it. And placing the iPhone near the car’s key reader will start the engine. If you turn off the Express Mode, you will have to authenticate every time you want to use your phone as a car key. Even if your iPhone battery needs to be charged, in ExpressMode it still will be able to run CarKey for up to five hours after it starts using power reserve. And you can share your digital keys with someone you trust by sending it to them via iMessage. The other party must have a compatible iPhone.

    The update also adds FaceTime to users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The country had banned the video chat app and even with today’s update, Apple failed to mention this in its support notes. The update also exterminates some bugs including one that drained users’ batteries after the iOS 13.5 and iOS 13.5.1 updates.

    Right now, the first Apple iOS 14 public beta is available for those who don’t mind taking a risk. Beta software is usually buggy and the battery life might suffer; as a result, you probably do not want to install the first public beta on your daily driver. The lure of new features this year is irresistible, however, and includes Android-style widgets, the App Library that separates apps by category and allows users to search for apps by name. It is the closest that iOS users have to an app drawer at the moment.

    With iOS 14, Siri’s UI no longer covers the entire screen and the digital assistant reportedly gets smarter. And incoming phone calls no longer hijack the entire screen and are greatly reduced to a small notification banner at the top of the screen. And App Clips allows an iPhone user to use a third-party app that he or she has yet to install. This is done by scanning a QR code or using an NFC signal to open only the necessary part of an app required to complete a task.

    If you feel tempted to install the iOS 14 public beta, keep in mind that the final version of the operating system will probably be ready in September. That is pnly a couple of months away.

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  • WhatsApp for iOS to make it trickier to share images and links with recent contacts

    WhatsApp for iOS to make it trickier to share images and links with recent contacts

    Recently, WhatsApp has been fighting misinformation in regards to the coronavirus pandemic and has therefore introduced some restrictions on its app. This time, however, a new update is supposedly going to further restrict the app, but not because of COVID-19-related reasons. The change is said to affect only the iOS version of the popular messaging app.

    WABetaInfo reports that a feature for easy sharing of images and links on iPhone devices is going to be removed in the latest WhatsApp beta version. The feature was introduced earlier this year and is referred to as share sheet integration, which allowed, after long-pressing on what you want to share, to select a person in a list of recently used WhatsApp contacts and share the item without opening the app first.

    Unfortunately, though, this simple-looking feature seems to be proving unstable and its removal seems not to be related to the fight against the coronavirus misinformation. Reportedly, a lot of users have been complaining from crashes when using the feature.

    You will still be able to share links and images to your WhatsApp contacts, but you will have to first tap on the WhatsApp icon, which will reportedly then open the app. Additionally, the feature could be returned to the app at a later stage if the app’s developers find a way to assure it’s more stable.

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  • Leak reveals that iOS 14 will include Android features that iPhone users have long wanted

    Leak reveals that iOS 14 will include Android features that iPhone users have long wanted

    In the long-running smartphone OS war known as iOS vs. Android, one of the biggest complaints about Apple’s mobile OS is that it is not as customizable as Android. But Twitter tipster @DongleBookPro has shared some screenshots allegedly showing some changes to iOS 14. These changes could be included in the next version of the software that could drop this coming September. Google gave its Pixel phones a huge advantage over iOS in this department by adding its Styles & wallpapers feature last year. This allows Pixel users to change the shape and color of the icons on their phone.

    Will iOS 14 brings more customization to iPhone users? It appears from the screenshots that iPhone users will be able to browse through default wallpaper separated into collections with choices like “Classic Stripes,” “Earth & Moon,” and “Flowers.” Another screenshot shows a “Home Screen Appearance” feature similar to the one found on the Apple Watch. Users will be able to create smart dynamic wallpaper for the home screen. But even more exciting for iPhone users is the possibility that Android-style widgets could be coming to the iPhone.

    Another feature on iOS 14 that is being called “Avocado” internally and is related to the SpringBoard app that controls the Home screen on iOS. If Apple decides to implement this on iOS 14, iPhone and iPad users will be able to select widgets from selected apps and add them to the Home screen, moving them around at will. And this would also suggest that at last iOS users will be able to move around app icons at will rather in a left to the right format. Otherwise, you would see app icons on the Home screen placed around widgets, some of which might take up a more significant portion of the screen than others.

    It’s not like Apple hasn’t listened to its customers-eventually. Remember, iOS 13 finally got rid of that clunky volume heads-up display (HUD) that covered much of the center of the screen. The point being, of course, that while iOS users might have been hoping for more app icon customization and Android-style widgets for some time, eventually the complaints do make it through to the ears of the appropriate people in Cupertino.

    Keep in mind though, that there is always the possibility that Apple will decide not to keep any of the aforementioned features in the final version of iOS 14. If that is the case, it simply could mean that Apple plans on offering all of this customization in a future version of the operating system. Speaking of iOS 14, we probably will see Apple introduce it online during its annual WWDC Developers Conference. Held every June in San Jose, Apple had no choice but to move the conference online after the coronavirus outbreak.

    With a redesign for the iPhone and the addition of 5G connectivity, this might be a good time for Apple to add some long-desired customization features to iOS. Still, some iOS users might not be terribly happy to see blank icon slots on their iPhone screens. On Android, this is quite common because when an app is uninstalled, it doesn’t call for a seismic shift with all of the remaining app icons. When an app is uninstalled on the iPhone, the remaining icons all move in order to prevent that one blank spot from appearing on the display. If Apple does add “Avocado” to iOS 14, blank spots just might be the price that users have to pay to get that customizable app icon grid that they have been jealously watching Android users mess around with with going back so many years.

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  • Zoom for iOS stops sharing information with Facebook after a new update

    Zoom for iOS stops sharing information with Facebook after a new update

    Last week, we reported that the popular video-conferencing app Zoom had a concerning privacy issue, when Vice’s Motherboard informed us that the app was sharing data with Facebook, even for people who didn’t have a Facebook account.

    Now, Motherboard brings to our attention that Zoom has removed the code from its iOS app that was sending data to Facebook and is now offering the new version of the code with an update. The app used Facebook’s software development kits (SDKs) on its backend and therefore it sent analytics data, mainly related to targeted ads, to Facebook, without notifying the app’s users in its privacy policy.

    However, Zoom’s CEO, Eric S. Yuan, apologized in a blog post about the concern raised by the situation. He stated that Zoom users’ privacy is extremely important to the company and that they have decided to remove Facebook’s SDK from the iOS app. Additionally, he said that the information, sent to Facebook, did not include names, notes, attendees or any meeting-related information, but data about devices’ OS and some technical specifications.

    He also provided the following list of example information that the SDK was sending to Facebook:

    • Application Bundle Identifier
    • Application Instance ID
    • Application Version
    • Device Carrier
    • iOS Advertiser ID
    • iOS Device CPU Cores
    • iOS Device Disk Space Available
    • iOS Device Disk Space Remaining
    • iOS Device Display Dimensions
    • iOS Device Model
    • iOS Language
    • iOS Timezone
    • iOS Version
    • IP Address

    The update is now available for download for Zoom for iOS from Apple’s App Store. With the new version, users will be able to log in using their Facebook account only through a browser, and not directly from the app. Previously, the in-app Facebook login was associated with the now removed Facebook SDKs.

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  • Apple drops iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 with some great features and bug fixes

    Apple drops iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 with some great features and bug fixes

    As expected, Apple today unveiled iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4. Both updates are full of new features for compatible iPhone, iPod touch and iPad models. One of the new features for all three devices is a revamped toolbar for the Mail app. The revision moves the delete icon away from the reply icon to prevent users from accidentally deleting an email they wanted to reply to.

    Also part of the update is iCloud file sharing which allows users to share iCloud Drive folders with others. Any file changes will immediately be seen by those who have access to view it. You can set this feature so that people that you don’t explicitly invite to share the folders with or allow access to, are blocked from viewing what is inside them. You can give some users permission to make changes and upload files while others you can limit to viewing and downloading files.

    A small change to the URL bar in Safari will allow someone to type a new web address instantly in the bar even when another URL is highlighted. Previously, the user would have to tap outside of the highlighted URL to tap in a new website address. The update adds nine new Memoji stickers and makes changes to the TV app affecting how the streaming service is affected (via Wi-Fi or cellular). Those without a plan offering unlimited data can select a Data Saver option that throttles the streaming rate to 600MB/hour.

    With iOS 13.4, Apple is allowing developers to offer universal purchase support. This will allow those sporting an Apple device to purchase one app and have it work on multiple Apple platforms including the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. The new update also includes a new Shortcuts Action for Shazam, and games recently played in Apple Arcade will now appear in the Arcade tab so that the user will be able to continue where he left off even when switching devices.

    CarPlay received a couple of changes including support for third-party navigation apps and in-call information will now appear on the CarPlay Dashboard. And while this will only be of interest to those who can read and write Arabic, the predictive keyboard on iOS devices will now support that language.

    In addition, the update exterminates several bugs including one in the Mail app that listed emails out of order. A bug that used excessive storage for Photos has been fixed as has a bug that showed cellular data as being off when in reality, it was on. And those whose camera viewfinder appeared as a black screen will be happy to know that Apple has taken care of this issue. A bug that prevented the Safari browser from inverting when Dark Mode and Smart Invert are enabled has been fixed, and there are several more issues that Apple has taken care of.

    The update to iPadOS 13.4 adds support for the Magic Keyboard Case on the 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro models (both the recently launched models and the 2018 versions). Installing the update will add iPad support for the Magic Mouse, Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad, Magic Trackpad 2, and for third-party wireless Bluetooth and USB mouse accessories. The addition of trackpad support will allow those who own a compatible iPad Pro to use Multi-Touch gestures to scroll, zoom in or out, make a “right-click,” tap to click and more.

    The update adds the iCloud Drive folder sharing and the new Memoji stickers. And yes, iPadOS 13.4 also has a list of bugs that the update exterminates.

    To update your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

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  • WhatsApp might launch self-destructing messages feature for individual accounts

    WhatsApp might launch self-destructing messages feature for individual accounts

    We already know that WhatsApp has been working on a self-destructing message feature. What we don’t know is when it will be made available to everyone and in what form. The self-destructing messages feature is quite common in apps like Snapchat and Telegram, but WhatsApp doesn’t yet include the functionality.

    However, we know that WhatsApp tested the feature since last October, but decided to limit it to groups chat. The good news is the latest version of WhatsApp beta reintroduces self-destruct messages for individual accounts.

    Unfortunately, since it’s still in the beta, WhatsApp might change its mind again and either limit its availability to a certain group of users or not release it at all. Well, the important thing WhatsApp has reconsidered its strategy and plans to bring it to all users, not just to some of them.

    Those of you who have access to WhatsApp beta for Android will find the new feature in the Settings menu of each chat. Make sure to tap Delete messages and choose how long new messages will last before they are deleted. You can select from several options: Off, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year.

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