Mobile Devices - Page 61

LG has found it difficult in the last several years to compete in the high-end smartphone market as both Samsung and Apple have created devices that consumers want more. Details of a new mid-range LG smartphone called the LG Velvet 5G have now leaked, and the device appears to be an interesting mid-range smartphone.

What we know is that the LG Velvet 5G will measure 167.1 x 74 x 7.85mm and weigh 180 grams. One tidbit that hasn't surfaced in the leaks is precisely how large the screen will be. Considering the measurements, scuttlebutt suggests somewhere around the 6.7-inch mark.

Rumors suggest that the screen will have a 21:9 aspect ratio and use OLED technology. Resolution is expected to be somewhere around the same 2460 x 1080 offered in the LG V60 ThinQ. Power is listed in the leak as coming from a 4300mAh internal battery. The device is also said to be IP68 rated to survive water exposure. The chipset is said to be a Snapdragon 765, which supports 5G connectivity in all bands.

Today marks launch day for the all-new and highly anticipated iPhone SE. Those needing a new smartphone have been holding out for something that wouldn't break the bank will want to check out a deal that Visible has going right now. At Visible, the normal price for the 64 GB Apple iPhone SE 2020 is $384. Currently, some versions of the device appear to be sold out, which is not uncommon on launch day for an Apple device.

If you purchase the base version, it's currently available in white or red colors, and the $384 purchase price represents a slight $16 discount off the MSRP. The big savings comes in that when you purchase the phone and port number to Visible; you also get a $200 prepaid MasterCard. The prepaid card brings the total purchase price of the phone down to $184, which is a smoking deal.

If you want more storage, the $200 prepaid MasterCard deal is good on the 128 GB and 256 GB smartphones as well. The catch is that the 128 GB model is sold out. However, the 256 GB version is available in white or red for $528. That means you can get the biggest 256 GB version for a bit less than the regular MSRP for the 64 GB smartphone after the card.

Reports have surfaced indicating that Apple has a serious flaw in the Mail app that's on numerous iPhone and iPad devices. The bug was discovered by a security firm called ZecOps while investigating a sophisticated cyberattack against a client that took place in late 2019. During the investigation, ZecOps CEO Zuk Avraham said that he found evidence the vulnerability was exploited in at least six cybersecurity attacks. Apple has now acknowledged the vulnerability exists in software for email on both iPhone and iPad models.

An Apple spokesperson says that the company is working on a fix that will be rolled out in an update for the millions of devices sold globally. The research into the flaw was published this week, and Apple has made no comment so far. Avraham says the software was taking advantage of the flaw in iOS as far back as January 2018. The researcher claims to have been unable to determine who the hackers were.

The hack required victims to be sent what appeared to be a blank email through the Mail app that forced it to crash and reset. The crashed app opened the door for hackers to steal other data on the device like photos and contact details. The security firm claims that the vulnerability would allow the hackers to steal data from the iPhone device even if the iPhone is running recent versions of iOS.

Samsung's folding smartphone called the Galaxy Z Flip has a new killer app in the form of YouTube optimization specifically to take advantage of the smartphone's unique form factor. Samsung says that the development came out of a long and fruitful relationship between the two companies. YouTube has optimized its app to work with the Galaxy Z Flip to provide users of that smartphone with some unique ways to watch video.

The YouTube app update allows Galaxy Z Flip users to flip the top section of the screen up vertically and then place the smartphone on a table leaving the controls on the flat section of the smartphone. Essentially the app splits the device into a pair of four-inch screens. Users can watch videos on the upper half the screen while doing things like searching for videos on the bottom half, reading descriptions, writing comments, and other tasks.

The Flex mode-optimized YouTube app also adjusts itself to the screen no matter the aspect ratio of the video being watched. The app will change how the video is played the top half of the screen with square and vertical videos nearly filling the entire space. 16:9 aspect ratio videos will adjust to the center. Samsung says that it is working closely with the Android developer community to drive innovation for foldable devices. Samsung and Google engineers integrated the Android Support Library to make it easier to bring Flex mode to more third-party services.

Smartphone shoppers around the world wanting a new device have two new smartphones from OnePlus to check out. The new devices are the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, and they are available in Europe now and will land in the US later. Neither device is on the budget end of the smartphone realm, both are aimed at the flagship market.

The OnePlus 8 Pro will sell for $999 in the States for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version. The same phone with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage sells for $899. The OnePlus 8 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will sell for $699. Stepping up to the OnePlus 8 with 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage will cost $799. The Pro will come in onyx black, glacial green, or ultramarine blue with the latter only for the 12GB version. The standard OnePlus 8 will come in glacial green for the 8GB version or Interstellar Glow for the 12GB version.

Fans in the US will be able to get the OnePlus 8 with 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage on a 24-month payment plan at $33.33 per month or $799 one-time payment. The Pro version won't be offered on Verizon at this time. T-Mobile is also offering the OnePlus 8 starting on April 29 with pricing announced then. In the UK, both the standard and Pro versions are available with the cheapest OnePlus 8 offering the same hardware specifications as it will in the United States at 599 British pounds with the upper-level version selling for 699 British pounds.

When the Microsoft Surface Go launched back in 2018, it went directly at the iPad line with a tablet that could run the Windows operating system. Rumors continue to persist that a next-generation Surface Go is in the works, and it will come with some new features that, while not revolutionary, fans will undoubtedly appreciate. The big update according to the rumor, is that the new Surface Go will have a larger 10.5-inch screen.

That's not a massive change from the original version, which was 10-inches in size. However, it will mean that anyone using the first-generation Surface Go who wants to upgrade will need to buy a new keyboard. That will push the price of upgrading to the larger 10.5-inch screen of the next-generation Surface Go higher. The larger screen is also tipped to get a resolution bump to 1920 x 1280 compared to the 1800 x 1200 resolution the original tablet had.

Another feature the rumor suggests is that the tablet will have a 1.1GHz Core m3 processor as an option. The updated tablet is expected to launch in May, starting at the same $399 price as the original Go. A caveat is that at that starting price, rumors suggest that the hardware will be essentially the same inside the larger chassis as the original.

As cool as the 2020 line of iPad Pro tablets are, many tablet fans were disappointed that they lacked 5G capability. One of the key competitors to Apple and its range of smartphones and tablets is Samsung. Samsung already has 5G enabled smartphones on the market with the new Galaxy S20 series. A new rumor suggests that the next tablet from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S7 could come with 5G the capability that is missing in the iPad Pro line.

According to the rumor, the Galaxy Tab S7 will come with 5G capability that works globally. That is an important caveat because Samsung previously launched the Galaxy Tab S6 (pictured) that supported 5G only in Korea. The rumor claims that Samsung is gearing up to fight Apple directly in more ways than just adding 5G capability to the coming tablet.

The rumor suggests that the Galaxy Tab S7 will match Apple's iPad Pro screen offerings with 11-inch and 12.4-inch options. That will make the Samsung tablet about half an inch smaller in the larger version than the iPad Pro 12.9-inch. Samsung is also throwing in a value add with the report indicating that the S Pen stylus will be bundled with the tablet.

Over the last several months, it has been typical for software updates from various companies to be released that cause new problems. Last weekend, OnePlus released an update for its OxygenOS Beta 12 update for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro smartphones. The update included some new features and the April security patch.

Along with the new features and updated security, the update also had a bug that locked some users out of their handsets. The bug was severe enough and difficult enough to fix that OnePlus pulled the update to prevent any other handsets from being impacted. At this time, there's no indication of what exactly went wrong that caused people to be locked out of their handsets.

The changelog for the update included some system upgrades that optimized volume adjustment for a better user experience and added a missing recording icon to the call screen. The update added the Android security patch 2020.04 and fixed known issues and improve system stability. The update also added ringing duration info for missed calls and allowed users to switch their mobile data on phone calls supported using VoLTE.

A new rumor is going around that Motorola has a pair of new smartphones coming later this year for Android fans to enjoy. According to the rumor, the Motorola One Fusion series will include the Motorola One Fusion, which carries a codename Titan. The other device will be the Motorola One Fusion+, which carries the codename Liberty. Both the devices (not pictured) were tipped by well-known leaker Evan Blass.

According to Blass, both devices will land at the end of Q2, meaning they should turn up within the next couple of months. Other leaks have hinted at the hardware that would be found inside the Motorola One Fusion+ smartphone. The leak claims that the device will use a Snapdragon 675 processor paired up with 4GB to 6GB of RAM.

Storage is said to be 64GB or 128GB, and the smartphone is said to use a 12MP primary camera, support dual SIM cards, and lack NFC connectivity. Past reports have indicated that the smartphone will turn up in both India and the United States. The Motorola One line of smartphones has always been a mid-range segment making them affordable for people to buy. The smartphone world could use more mid-range devices with decent performance.

Apple moved to the USB-C port on the iPad Pro series, and fans loved the change. Apple typically uses its proprietary Lightning port to charge and sync its devices. The move to USB-C on the iPad Pro devices had many Apple fans anticipating the same change on the iPhone. However, when the iPhone 11 line landed, the devices still used Lightning to charge. Those hoping for USB-C with the iPhone 12 may be disappointed if a new leak is correct.

The iPhone 12 leak originated with Jon Prosser, a leaker who has a history of accuracy with things related to Apple. Prosser accurately predicted the rollout of the iPhone SE 2020 smartphone. He tweeted, "I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but no - there's absolutely not USB-C in iPhone 12." He continued, "Apple will go portless before they go USB-C."

It's a mystery as to why Apple would be willing to use USB-C on the iPad Pro line, but not on the iPhone line. Going portless may be a better option, particularly if Apple decides to bundle in a wireless charger. Fiddling behind the bed for wires when you're ready to go to sleep is a task that most everyone would be willing to give up.

Apple is renowned for having heavy security implementation on its devices, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to find an exploit.

A former security engineer named Ryan Pickren was the white-hat hacker who managed to find two security flaws in users' iPhones or MacBooks. The security flaws weren't small loopholes either and could have potentially allowed bad actors to gain access to the camera. According to the report, Pickren decided to "hammer the browser with obscure corner cases" and then focus on the camera security model, which he then admits was "pretty intense".

Pickren looked into the mobile Safari vulnerabilities and found seven separate vulnerabilities. Pickren linked three of the exploits together and managed to gain access to the iPhone camera. Pickren says that "A bug like this shows why users should never feel totally confident that their camera is secure. Regardless of operating system or manufacturer." Apple rewarded Pickren with $75,000 for locating these exploits.

The outright panic over COVID-19 coronavirus is shutting cities down and seeing retailers with empty shelves, schools and mass gatherings banned -- but what about your smartphone?

There are some tips on keeping your smartphone safe, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers your smartphone a "high-touch surface" and thus, makes it a hot spot for coronavirus. You need to clean your smartphone properly, so here is a quick guide on keeping what is most likely your most-used device clean.

Also, once you're done cleaning your smartphone -- wash your hands.

Iron Man and The Avengers star Robert Downey Jr. has been spotted with the unreleased OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone, but there's something important to remember: he's a brand ambassador for OnePlus. Robert Downey Jr. was recently deepfaked into Back to the Future with fellow MCU actor and Spider-Man, Tom Holland.

The actor recently "spotted" in a photo on a photographer's Instagram account, with the new OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone in his hand. But then a Robert Downey Jr. fanpage account re-posted the photo, which shows off the new OnePlus 8 Pro that the actor "accidentally" (in reality: paid endorsement) of the new smartphone.

We're expecting the OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone to rock a 6.5-inch display with a super-slick 120Hz refresh rate, new Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, and 5G connectivity. The rear-facing camera system, now thanks to the photo from Iron Man, shows a quad camera setup. We're expecting a high-end main sensor, telephoto lens and ultra-wide lens that will be joined by a Time-of-Flight sensor.

Apple has changed its App Store guidelines, granting apps the ability to send push notifications that contain advertising.

Originally, Apple banned apps from sending notifications to users that contained any form of advertising. Now, the company has altered its App Store guidelines, and now apps can send through push notifications that contain advertisements if the user agrees to it. Apple says that app developers can send marketing notifications when "customers have explicitly opted in to receive them."

This new change has opened the door for iPhone users to be spammed with advertisements from already downloaded apps. Apple doesn't specify if users will have to enable advertisement push notifications from already downloaded apps. An example of this could include Amazon sending push notifications for an upcoming sale. 9to5Mac also found that Apple has set its deadline for when 'Sign In with Apple' will be implemented. This feature is a replica of Google's single system sign-in that allows users to get into new apps quickly.

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S20 family of smartphones last month at its Unpacked 2020 event, with the new Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra all detailed and showed off to the world. But now? Now we have some teardown action:

The fine folks at iFixit have ripped apart (very carefully), Samsung's new flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphone. The teardown video is a nerds BFF, showing off the massive 108-megapixel camera sensor that just on its own is impressive -- it takes up twice the surface area of the 12-megapixel sensor inside of the iPhone 11 series from Apple.

Most of the space inside of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is used up by the required chips -- Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 865 processor and Snapdragon X55 5G modem, as well as the huge array of camera sensors, circuit boards, and more. Joined in that space being used is the huge 5000mAh battery, too.

Xiaomi has just unveiled the latest and greatest smartphone in its Black Shark family of smartphones, with the introduction of the new Black Shark 3 and Black Shark 3 gaming smartphones.

Inside, they are a powerhouse of mobile greatness -- packing Qualcomm's latest and greatest flagship Snapdragon 865 processor and up to 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 memory.

What the new Black Shark 3 Pro does differently to all other smartphones is that Xiaomi has included two physical pop-up shoulder buttons that are called "Master Buttons". In gaming situations, you can use the 2 x 21mm-wide buttons that raise up from the Black Shark 3 Pro by 1.5mm from the body of the smartphone itself.

Samsung's new Galaxy S20 Ultra has had some testing that I don't think I've ever seen before: a private investigator has used the Galaxy S20 Ultra's flagship 100X Space Zoom camera technology, and really put it to the test.

Michael McKeever, a private investigator, has used Samsung's new Glaaxy S20 Ultra and its 100X Space Zoom feature against the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max, Sony HDR-CX190, and a Nikon P100. McKeever has been a private investigator for 30 years, where his go-to for 125x zoom shots was the Nikon P100, but the new Galaxy S20 Ultra is providing some great pictures with 10-30x.

Samsung's new flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra easily beats Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max in this private investigator testing, as Apple only has 2x optical zoom with its latest flagship smartphone. If you want some great zoom goodness on a new smartphone, Samsung has your back and McKeever provides the goods with this different level of testing.

Walmart is teaming with Verizon to make some big changes to their stores, with the two companies to pack 5G services into two Walmart stores this year. Why? Digital health services.

The faster 5G speeds would allow for Walmart to push digital health services that would include in-store video chats with doctors, and real-time medical data. It would improve your in-store experience by auto-registering you when you arrive, pulling medical data from your file online, and informing staff to restock any products you grab when you're there.

It wouldn't only benefit Walmart and its digital health services push, but it would also be able to provide faster internet speeds to those in the store. I guess you'd be able to walk around on your smartphone with super-fast connection speeds, while it will double as super-fast internet for its digital health services push. Weird flex by Walmart, but alrighty.

LG Display has stopped production at one of its smartphone display factories in Gumi, South Korea -- after a bank worker near the facility itself was tested positive for coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The company is aiming at resuming production at its factory on March 3, but the company hasn't said how much this stop in production will hurt its output of smartphone displays. LG will have its own phones impacted by the temporary production halt, but LG doesn't just make displays for its own smartphones.

LG makes panels for some of Apple's current iPhones, so we might expect some ripples in iPhone supply because of it. Although, it's only a few days so we shouldn't expect too much from this, but it's yet another production issue that coronavirus, or COVID-19 is placing on the technology industry.

The director of Knives Out and The Last Jedi may have just dropped a spoiler for every mystery movie that has a 'bad guy' in it.

According to Rian Johnson, who spoke to Vanity Fair, Apple does allow directors to hook up their actors with iPhones to use in movies, but there's one rule. Johnson says, "Apple... they let you use iPhones in movies but - and this is very pivotal if you're ever watching a mystery movie - bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera."

Johnson joked about the information that he just revealed, saying that "Every single filmmaker that has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now". This isn't really that much of a surprise, Apple is known for their rules around how their products are shown off to the public, and as a company who wants their products shown off in the best light possible this rule makes sense.