XDA: septembre 2017

samedi 30 septembre 2017

HMD Global CTO on Locked Bootloaders: “We will Unlock One Model at the Time, What Device would you Unlock First?”

HMD Global caused a small uproar in the enthusiast community when they first revealed that there won’t be any official bootloader unlock method for the Nokia 8. This seriously affected the Nokia 8’s viability as an alternative to competitors like the OnePlus 5, at least within the enthusiast community, as the lack of official support for bootloader unlocking would greatly limit the device’s customization potential.

The company then had to respond to the increasing complaints by reassuring users that they were reassessing the situation. they stated they’d consider an official bootloader unlocking solution, and this helped ease some of the complaints or requests sent their way.

It seems Nokia is still indecisive on whether they want the Nokia 8 to be unlocked officially or not, as HMD Global’s Chief Technology Officer Mikko Jaakkola has now commented that HMD Global “would unlock one Nokia model at the (sic) time”. He then proceeded to ask users which device they would like to unlock first.

We would unlock one model at the time. What device would you unlock first?

— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 29, 2017

Taken literally, Mr. Jaakkola’s statement would indicate that Nokia would first unlock one device, and continue from there. However, Mr. Jaakkola’s statement could also be understood to mean a gradual release of official bootloader unlocking tools for Nokia’s existing portfolio, with priority being given to one single device first.

Mr. Jaakkola is also inviting users to share what they would like to do with a bootloader unlocked device, and further reaffirming that unlocking the bootloader is in their backlog of things to do (although the used hashtag #firstthingsfirst indicates that bootloader unlocking is not for HMD Global currently).

Unlocking bootloader is indeed in our backlog #firstthingsfirst. Please, share what you would like to do with and/or how to customize unlocked-bootloader device #whatdevicetounlockfirst

— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 28, 2017

There’s still many questions all of us would like to see answered. Which devices are being considered for the bootloader unlock? Will unlocking the bootloader be restricted to one device? How low is it on Nokia’s priority list? Following this, will Nokia also provide kernel sources for its devices in a timely manner as well?

Despite all that, it’s nice to see that a company that’s largely steering an old beloved brand back into relevance is also open to feedback, and is considering the requests of enthusiasts.

What are your thoughts on HMD Global’s latest statement? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Twitter – MikkolJaakkola

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HMD Global CTO on Locked Bootloaders: “We will Unlock One Model at the Time, What Device would you Unlock First?”

HMD Global caused a small uproar in the enthusiast community when they first revealed that there won't be any official bootloader unlock method for the Nokia 8. This seriously affected the Nokia 8's viability as an alternative to competitors like the OnePlus 5, at least within the enthusiast community, as the lack of official support for bootloader unlocking would greatly limit the device's customization potential.

The company then had to respond to the increasing complaints by reassuring users that they were reassessing the situation. they stated they'd consider an official bootloader unlocking solution, and this helped ease some of the complaints or requests sent their way.

It seems Nokia is still indecisive on whether they want the Nokia 8 to be unlocked officially or not, as HMD Global's Chief Technology Officer Mikko Jaakkola has now commented that HMD Global "would unlock one Nokia model at the (sic) time". He then proceeded to ask users which device they would like to unlock first.

We would unlock one model at the time. What device would you unlock first?

— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 29, 2017

Taken literally, Mr. Jaakkola's statement would indicate that Nokia would first unlock one device, and continue from there. However, Mr. Jaakkola's statement could also be understood to mean a gradual release of official bootloader unlocking tools for Nokia's existing portfolio, with priority being given to one single device first.

Unlocking bootloader is indeed in our backlog #firstthingsfirst. Please, share what you would like to do with and/or how to customize unlocked-bootloader device #whatdevicetounlockfirst

— Mikko Jaakkola (@MikkoLJaakkola) September 28, 2017

There's still many questions all of us would like to see answered. Which devices are being considered for the bootloader unlock? Will unlocking the bootloader be restricted to one device? How low is it on Nokia's priority list? Following this, will Nokia also provide kernel sources for its devices in a timely manner as well?

Despite all that, it's nice to see that a company that's largely steering an old beloved brand back into relevance is also open to feedback, and is considering the requests of enthusiasts.

What are your thoughts on HMD Global's latest statement? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Twitter – MikkolJaakkola

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Google Reportedly Retooling User Security with Optional USB Security Keys

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., plans to implement the Advanced Protection Program next month according to a report from Bloomberg. This is a system designed to fully replace two factor authentication and is seen as much more secure. It is specifically going to be marketed at those with security concerns, such as corporate executives and politicians. This comes in the wake of John Podesta, Hilary Clinton’s 2016 campaign chairman, being hacked (phished) and having his Gmail-provided emails leaked during the last US presidential campaign.

Said to improve on existing security measures, Google will be releasing a security USB for use with accounts. Google has already released similar software for a USB Security Key 2014. It is designed to replace the standard method of two factor authentication.

Accounts with these security features will require a USBs to be plugged in to log in running Google’s USB security software as well as a second physical key for greater protection. As part of the package, Google will block access to a user’s personal information, including emails and Google Drive, from all third party applications. The plan for Google is to upgrade the device periodically to introduce new security features and continue to protect user information.

This news comes during a time where security should be at the forefront of many of our minds. Google has started to send out emails when users may be the aim of a state sponsored attack, along with information if someone is attempting to phish them. It is fair to say however that for 99% of use cases a two factor authentication SMS code is enough security. It is highly unlikely people will be able to get access to your phone if you are being hacked online. Still it’s great to see Google stepping up their security and putting the needs of their users first.

Source: Bloomberg

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Google Reportedly Retooling User Security with Optional USB Security Keys

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., plans to implement the Advanced Protection Program next month according to a report from Bloomberg. This is a system designed to fully replace two factor authentication and is seen as much more secure. It is specifically going to be marketed at those with security concerns, such as corporate executives and politicians. This comes in the wake of John Podesta, Hilary Clinton's 2016 campaign chairman, being hacked (phished) and having his Gmail-provided emails leaked during the last US presidential campaign.

Accounts with these security features will require a USBs to be plugged in to log in running Google's USB security software as well as a second physical key for greater protection. As part of the package, Google will block access to a user's personal information, including emails and Google Drive, from all third party applications. The plan for Google is to upgrade the device periodically to introduce new security features and continue to protect user information.

This news comes during a time where security should be at the forefront of many of our minds. Google has started to send out emails when users may be the aim of a state sponsored attack, along with information if someone is attempting to phish them. It is fair to say however that for 99% of use cases a two factor authentication SMS code is enough security. It is highly unlikely people will be able to get access to your phone if you are being hacked online. Still it's great to see Google stepping up their security and putting the needs of their users first.

Source: Bloomberg

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Upcoming Huawei Mate 10 May Feature a Samsung DeX-like Interface

Integrating a desktop interface in our mobile devices has been attempted many times in the past. Back in 2011, Motorola released a lapdock for their Motorola Atrix device, which turned it into a laptop in order to improve your workflow. With Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft introduced Continuum, which allowed any Windows 10 mobile device to plug into a monitor and boot an incomplete desktop version of Windows 10, eerily similar to the actual PC version, which also included things like full Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Office support. And earlier this year, Samsung introduced their DeX interface, which allows S8 and Note 8 users to boot into a desktop interface using a dedicated dock. However, there's apparently another major player looking to get into this growing market: Huawei and their flagship device, the Huawei Mate 10.

As the Huawei Mate 10 announcement nears, more details about said device surface. Thanks to a report from French technology site FrAndroid, we now know that Huawei may debut a DeX-like desktop interface with their Mate 10 flagship phone. Just like Samsung DeX, said interface would work using a proprietary dock aided by the DisplayPort, which would seamlessly convert the Huawei Mate 10 into a desktop computer easily. However, unlike Samsung's solution, the Mate 10 would apparently also work with existing docks and lapdocks, like the Andromium Superbook and the Miraxess Mirabook, in an effort by Huawei to maximize compatibility. Miraxess CEO Yanis Anteur also reportedly told Gearburn that the Huawei flagships coming in October would have a DeX-like feature, and that they'd be compatible with the Mirabook.

Of course, we should note that at the moment this is nothing more than a rumor supported by one statement, as no leaks or pictures have actually surfaced regarding said desktop interface, so take everything with a grain of salt. But, seeing that Huawei is now the second most popular smartphone brand in the world after surpassing Apple earlier this month, this move (together with Samsung's DeX) should make more and more manufacturers implement a desktop interface in their flagship phones during the coming months/years.

Having desktop interface support in your device is immensely useful: instead of having to deal with watered down applications and mobile versions for your programs and websites of choice, you can access more desktop-friendly versions of these programs without carrying around a computer, improving your workflow considerably on the go. While a possible Huawei implementation is sure to put more pressure on other OEMs, we still remain to see if it will be widely adopted at long last, or if it will remain as a gimmick like the Motorola Atrix and Microsoft's Continuum.

The phone will be announced on October 16th, and if this does end up being true, then we'll get more details about this supposed desktop interface.

Source:
FrAndroid

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The Sprint-Exclusive LG V30+ is Launching on October 13th With Leasing Deal

The LG V30 is a phone that has managed to turn quite some heads during these past weeks. It drops the gimmicks and includes top of the line specifications, a 6″ 18:9 FullVision POLED display with smaller bezels than the LG G6, improved camera hardware and audio capabilities, and more. And with the LG V30 announcement last month, we also got to know the LG V30+, which, just like the LG G6 and the LG G6+, is pretty much a slightly beefed up version of the V30. Sprint has officially announced that they will be the sole carrier selling the LG V30+ in the United States, at least at launch.

The phone will be launching on October 13th exclusively through Sprint. This means that you will be able to pick up the latest and greatest from LG in Sprint stores or at the Sprint website. And being the only carrier selling the phone at launch, they are also celebrating the LG V30+ launch with a deal.

For a limited time, new and upgrading Sprint users who get the phone through the Sprint Flex lease program (which offers the V30+ for $38 per month) will get a second leased V30+ completely free. Additionally, as a result of a Daydream partnership with Google, V30+ users will get a free Daydream View headset with their device.

The LG V30+ is pretty much identical to the LG V30, but it includes twice the on board storage of the V30, at 128GB instead of 64GB. Unlike the LG G6+, though, it doesn't include a RAM bump, and the LG V30+ stays with the stock 4 GB of RAM. It also includes a pair of wired LG Quad Play earbuds in the box, which provides a superior audio experience accompanied by the V30's Quad DAC. If you're interested in grabbing an LG V30+, you can hop on your nearest Sprint store or order it online starting on October 13th.

Source: Sprint

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The Sprint-Exclusive LG V30+ is Launching on October 13th With Leasing Deal

The LG V30+ is pretty much identical to the LG V30, but it includes twice the on board storage of the V30, at 128GB instead of 64GB. Unlike the LG G6+, though, it doesn’t include a RAM bump, and the LG V30+ stays with the stock 4 GB of RAM. It also includes a pair of wired LG Quad Play earbuds in the box, which provides a superior audio experience accompanied by the V30’s Quad DAC. If you’re interested in grabbing an LG V30+, you can hop on your nearest Sprint store or order it online starting on October 13th.

Source: Sprint

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vendredi 29 septembre 2017

Magisk Module to Allow Location Mocking, Screenshots in Any App, and Disabling System Signature Verification

Magisk is a systemless root and module host for Android devices. With the use of Magisk, users can modify their Android /system partition without breaking SafetyNet. This is because Magisk makes its changes in the RAM without overwriting actual system files, meaning build.prop edits and more are possible. A Magisk module is just a /system modification prepackaged in a flashable zip which installs its data to a Magisk.img file in the data partition.

Some of the achievements we have seen with Magisk have been pretty amazing, and one of the latest released on our forums allows you to hide that mock location is enabled from your apps (hello Pokémon Go players), take screenshots in DRM protected apps, and disable signature checking for installed applications. All of this comes courtesy of XDA Recognised Developer fOmey.

To be more specific, this will allow you to spoof your location with applications such as FlyGPS and apps won't be able to tell, you can take screenshots of applications such as Netflix and you can install modified system applications over the pre-installed ones.

How it works is pretty simple, you install the application and it will detect your device and take your services.jar. It will then download the latest Magisk module template, modify a copy of your services.jar file to apply the changes and then create a Magisk module. This can then be flashed in your recovery.

If you have any interest in the above features, then take a look! Avid Pokémon Go players may enjoy it (or detest it, if you're against that kind of thing), but the ability to screenshot specific apps may be nice for even just making wallpapers of nice scenes in movies or TV shows at ease. All you need is Magisk, so go try it out now below!

Check out this Magisk Module on our forums!

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Magisk Module to Allow Location Mocking, Screenshots in Any App, and Disabling System Signature Verification

To be more specific, this will allow you to spoof your location with applications such as FlyGPS and apps won’t be able to tell, you can take screenshots of applications such as Netflix and you can install modified system applications over the pre-installed ones.

If you have any interest in the above features, then take a look! Avid Pokémon Go players may enjoy it (or detest it, if you’re against that kind of thing), but the ability to screenshot specific apps may be nice for even just making wallpapers of nice scenes in movies or TV shows at ease. All you need is Magisk, so go try it out now below!

Check out this Magisk Module on our forums!

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Amazon Quietly Announces Fire OS 6 for the Amazon Fire TV Gen 3 Based on Android Nougat

If you are unfamiliar with Amazon Fire TV, they are devices used to provide a smart TV experience based on Android, coming preloaded with applications and support for all major streaming services. The applications which are installed are just Android applications, as the devices themselves run on Android (albeit lacking in Google Apps). The Amazon Fire TV Gen 3 was only announced a few days ago and will be launching with Fire OS 6 based on Android Nougat.

We don't know the specs of the new device, but we do know it is launching with 4K and Alexa support. Previous devices had decent mid-range SoCs at the time of launch, so we expect no different from the third generation of Amazon's TV boxes. Now we have learned that these new boxes will also be launching with Fire OS 6, based on Android Nougat.

Launched quietly, it's no wonder that Amazon isn't touting their new release for everyone to see. On the same page, we are told that "At this time, the previous Fire TV devices will not uplevel to Fire OS 6." which may indicate Amazon's knowledge of the backlash they may receive from an admittedly small part of the overall consumer base of this technology. It's not really a big deal, but some of the TV-specific features would certainly be nice.

What's interesting to note is that Amazon specifically mentions that they will be implementing Android Nougat's new TV-specific features, including the following:

Picture in Picture (PiP): Allow users to pin a video to a corner of the screen while navigating to other areas in your app.
Content Recording: Lets users record content on their TV, similar to a DVR.
Time-shifting APIs: Lets users pause, rewind, or fast-forward live content.

It's important to note again, you can't use Google services on Amazon Fire devices. This means no Google Play store or any other such apps on your Amazon Fire TV. Other than that, Fire OS 6 is basically just Android Nougat but for Amazon's newest generation of TV products.

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Amazon Quietly Announces Fire OS 6 for the Amazon Fire TV Gen 3 Based on Android Nougat

We don’t know the specs of the new device, but we do know it is launching with 4K and Alexa support. Previous devices had decent mid-range SoCs at the time of launch, so we expect no different from the third generation of Amazon’s TV boxes. Now we have learned that these new boxes will also be launching with Fire OS 6, based on Android Nougat.

Launched quietly, it’s no wonder that Amazon isn’t touting their new release for everyone to see. On the same page, we are told that “At this time, the previous Fire TV devices will not uplevel to Fire OS 6.” which may indicate Amazon’s knowledge of the backlash they may receive from an admittedly small part of the overall consumer base of this technology. It’s not really a big deal, but some of the TV-specific features would certainly be nice.

What’s interesting to note is that Amazon specifically mentions that they will be implementing Android Nougat’s new TV-specific features, including the following:

Picture in Picture (PiP): Allow users to pin a video to a corner of the screen while navigating to other areas in your app.
Content Recording: Lets users record content on their TV, similar to a DVR.
Time-shifting APIs: Lets users pause, rewind, or fast-forward live content.

It’s important to note again, you can’t use Google services on Amazon Fire devices. This means no Google Play store or any other such apps on your Amazon Fire TV. Other than that, Fire OS 6 is basically just Android Nougat but for Amazon’s newest generation of TV products.

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What’s a Feature From Your Device That You Wish Every Phone Had?

A big advantage Android has for enthusiasts is that we get to try out different flavors of Android. If you are savvy enough, you can even build and add in the features that you want to see in a custom ROM for your own smartphone or tablet. Most people on XDA will try out a number of ROMs that are available for their particular device instead, getting to experience tons of extra functionality in addition to (or instead of) what their device’s manufacturer offers out of the box.

A lot of great features are also largely implemented through applications, as Android provides many options for developers that allow them to set up new ways to navigate the user interface, automate actions or programmatically change device settings, and even build overlays to enable new interfaces and shortcuts. Android offers a lot of freedom to application and ROM developers, and to OEMs as well given they are even able to implement new hardware features for their releases. So with all of this in mind, we ask you:

What features do you love on your smartphone that you wish every ROM had? Why is the feature useful to you, and why should it be included in other ROMs? What kinds of UX improvements does your device or ROM of choice provide that are invaluable to you?

Join the discussion in the comments!

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What’s a Feature From Your Device That You Wish Every Phone Had?

What features do you love on your smartphone that you wish every ROM had? Why is the feature useful to you, and why should it be included in other ROMs? What kinds of UX improvements does your device or ROM of choice provide that are invaluable to you?

Join the discussion in the comments!

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HTC Sense Home Update will Include a Pixel Launcher Style App Drawer

Smartphone OEMs like to use software to differentiate themselves from the competition. This results in OEM ROMs attempting to have a different style and feature set compared to devices from other companies. HTC has Sense, with their own HTC Sense Home launcher. Right now, this functions like a normal launcher where you have your commonly used apps on a page and then a button to open the home screen. However, a new video shows that an upcoming update will add in the swipe up gesture to open up the application drawer.

When leaks of the Pixel Launcher were first making headlines, many people within the community got paranoid that Google was doing away with the application drawer entirely. This was because the application drawer button was no longer there and they weren’t privy to the idea that swiping up on the home screen was the idea to open up the app drawer. Since then, we’ve seen some custom launchers add in this feature so the user can replace that app drawer button with a useful application icon.

We’ve even seen OnePlus transition to this app drawer style, as well as Samsung, and now a new leak suggests HTC will be doing something similar. XDA Recognized Contributor LlabTooFeR is known for their HTC custom ROM as well as the HTC leaks they’re able to provide to the community. Earlier today on Twitter, they uploaded a video of what is said to be an upcoming update to the HTC Sense Home launcher for eligible HTC smartphones.

Upcoming Sense Home update. Now it's more like Pixel Launcher behavior. http://pic.twitter.com/euQ0bBZECE

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) September 29, 2017

The video that we see shows a swipe up gesture expanding the application drawer just like we see in the Pixel Launcher. Interestingly though, is this version still has the application drawer icon so it’s possible that either this is an unfinished version of the launcher, or that the app drawer and/or swipe up gesture is included as options so the end user can mix and match how they have it setup. The end of the video also shows that app shortcuts also function just as you would expect

Source: @LlabTooFeR

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HTC Sense Home Update will Include a Pixel Launcher Style App Drawer

When leaks of the Pixel Launcher were first making headlines, many people within the community got paranoid that Google was doing away with the application drawer entirely. This was because the application drawer button was no longer there and they weren't privy to the idea that swiping up on the home screen was the idea to open up the app drawer. Since then, we've seen some custom launchers add in this feature so the user can replace that app drawer button with a useful application icon.

We've even seen OnePlus transition to this app drawer style, as well as Samsung, and now a new leak suggests HTC will be doing something similar. XDA Recognized Contributor LlabTooFeR is known for their HTC custom ROM as well as the HTC leaks they're able to provide to the community. Earlier today on Twitter, they uploaded a video of what is said to be an upcoming update to the HTC Sense Home launcher for eligible HTC smartphones.

Upcoming Sense Home update. Now it's more like Pixel Launcher behavior. http://pic.twitter.com/euQ0bBZECE

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) September 29, 2017

The video that we see shows a swipe up gesture expanding the application drawer just like we see in the Pixel Launcher. Interestingly though, is this version still has the application drawer icon so it's possible that either this is an unfinished version of the launcher, or that the app drawer and/or swipe up gesture is included as options so the end user can mix and match how they have it setup. The end of the video also shows that app shortcuts also function just as you would expect

Source: @LlabTooFeR

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Huawei Mate 10 May Debut “Object Recognition” & “Makeup” Camera Modes

While much of the tech press’ attention is focused on Google’s upcoming October 4th reveal of the Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2XL, Huawei is set to unveil the next big thing in the Mate lineup: the Huawei Mate 10. Thanks to previous leaks we have a good idea of its specifications and what it may look like, but apart from some generic teasers and theoretical capabilities of its HiSilicon Kirin 970 SoC we don’t have many details about its software. Huawei, like Samsung and Xiaomi, is known for packing their devices with a plethora of different features in a software flavor known as EMUI. The Huawei Mate 10 will be no different as we believe that device will debut two new camera mode features: “makeup” and “object recognition.”

Hints of these features can be found on the system firmware of existing Huawei devices such as the Huawei Mate 9, but these features are disabled in the camera app. This is true even for devices running the latest public release of EMUI—version 5.1. But we have reason to believe that these features will be enabled in the Huawei Mate 10 as we have obtained access to a pre-release system firmware of the device.

Unfortunately, we cannot confirm if these features are indeed enabled on a live production device, and Huawei’s framework modifications make it exceedingly difficult to analyze their APK files. Nonetheless, we were able to dig into the release, and given what is already known about the upcoming Mate 10 we are fairly confident in our findings.

Object Recognition

With the rising popularity of smartphone assistants powered by machine learning, it seems that every company is attempting to create their own version with distinct features enabled by natural language processing and computer vision. There’s Samsung Bixby and the soon-to-be-launched Google Lens, but it’s evident from Huawei’s (rather overdramatic) marketing that they are going all in on AI as well.

Delivering the ultimate experience, going beyond smart, using the transformative power of #AI. Welcome to intelligent. #HuaweiMate10 http://pic.twitter.com/u9yD1mhdYy

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 29, 2017

But marketing aside, how exactly would Huawei use AI to make your life better? Through more features, of course! And it appears that object recognition in the camera app will be an added mode that users can select.

As you can see above, the user is prompted to select an area of interest in the viewfinder. The Mate 10’s AI would then determine what kind of object the user is focusing on. We dug around in the system firmware and potentially found a list of categories that the object recognition feature uses:

stage
beach
bluesky
sunset
food
flower
greenplant
snow
night
text
cat
dog
other

These categories were located in a file called IC_conv_112x112_synset_words.txt under the ImageClassification folder (a directory not present in the system firmware of the Mate 9 or P10). Interestingly, the folder containing this particular file is called “caffe”, which most likely refers to the open source deep learning developed by Berkeley AI Research. You may have heard of Caffe2, which is an evolution of Caffe and is supported on newer Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs.

Given Huawei’s increased marketing of the Mate 10’s AI capabilities, it makes perfect sense for them to debut this new object recognition feature. We just hope that, if it does happen, their live demonstration doesn’t mess up.

Makeup

Like the “beauty” feature found on many smartphones sold in China, this makeup feature is presumably designed to allow users to change their complexion prior to taking a picture. We aren’t quite sure why this feature isn’t already enabled on existing devices, but it’s possible that it just wasn’t ready by the time that the Huawei Mate 10 or Huawei P10 were set to be released.

We will be doing more digging over the coming days to bring you more information about the upcoming Huawei Mate 10’s software. Stay up to date with the latest news on the XDA Portal by downloading the XDA Labs app.

The firmware was discovered by FunkyHuawei.club, a service which lets you install pre-release Huawei firmwares, and recover bricked devices.

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Huawei Mate 10 May Debut “Object Recognition” & “Makeup” Camera Modes

While much of the tech press' attention is focused on Google's upcoming October 4th reveal of the Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2XL, Huawei is set to unveil the next big thing in the Mate lineup: the Huawei Mate 10. Thanks to previous leaks we have a good idea of its specifications and what it may look like, but apart from some generic teasers and theoretical capabilities of its HiSilicon Kirin 970 SoC we don't have many details about its software. Huawei, like Samsung and Xiaomi, is known for packing their devices with a plethora of different features in a software flavor known as EMUI. The Huawei Mate 10 will be no different as we believe that device will debut two new camera mode features: "makeup" and "object recognition."

Unfortunately, we cannot confirm if these features are indeed enabled on a live production device, and Huawei's framework modifications make it exceedingly difficult to analyze their APK files. Nonetheless, we were able to dig into the release, and given what is already known about the upcoming Mate 10 we are fairly confident in our findings.

Object Recognition

With the rising popularity of smartphone assistants powered by machine learning, it seems that every company is attempting to create their own version with distinct features enabled by natural language processing and computer vision. There's Samsung Bixby and the soon-to-be-launched Google Lens, but it's evident from Huawei's (rather overdramatic) marketing that they are going all in on AI as well.

Delivering the ultimate experience, going beyond smart, using the transformative power of #AI. Welcome to intelligent. #HuaweiMate10 http://pic.twitter.com/u9yD1mhdYy

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 29, 2017

As you can see above, the user is prompted to select an area of interest in the viewfinder. The Mate 10's AI would then determine what kind of object the user is focusing on. We dug around in the system firmware and potentially found a list of categories that the object recognition feature uses:

stage
beach
bluesky
sunset
food
flower
greenplant
snow
night
text
cat
dog
other

These categories were located in a file called IC_conv_112x112_synset_words.txt under the ImageClassification folder (a directory not present in the system firmware of the Mate 9 or P10). Interestingly, the folder containing this particular file is called "caffe", which most likely refers to the open source deep learning developed by Berkeley AI Research. You may have heard of Caffe2, which is an evolution of Caffe and is supported on newer Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs.

Given Huawei's increased marketing of the Mate 10's AI capabilities, it makes perfect sense for them to debut this new object recognition feature. We just hope that, if it does happen, their live demonstration doesn't mess up.

Makeup

Like the "beauty" feature found on many smartphones sold in China, this makeup feature is presumably designed to allow users to change their complexion prior to taking a picture. We aren't quite sure why this feature isn't already enabled on existing devices, but it's possible that it just wasn't ready by the time that the Huawei Mate 10 or Huawei P10 were set to be released.

We will be doing more digging over the coming days to bring you more information about the upcoming Huawei Mate 10's software. Stay up to date with the latest news on the XDA Portal by downloading the XDA Labs app.

The firmware was discovered by FunkyHuawei.club, a service which lets you install pre-release Huawei firmwares, and recover bricked devices.

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LG has Dropped the LG G3, G4, G4 Stylus, CK, and Stylo from Monthly Security Update List

Every month Google will gather up all of the Android security fixes for AOSP and make them available so that OEMs can implement them in their ROMs. These go out a month in advance so that all of the companies have enough time to implement them before they are disclosed to the public. Companies like LG and Samsung add in so many features to their OEM ROMs that they sometimes introduce their own bugs and security holes into the software they’re pushing out to their devices, prompting them to release specialized patches too.

This has resulted in these companies offering a security bulletin page for their own devices: LG, Samsung, BlackBerry and other smartphone OEMs have thus stepped up to provide secure software to their customers, informing us their device-specific changes. This also results in smartphone OEMs deciding which smartphones are eligible for these new security updates as well. Companies like Google promise 24 months of major version updates and 36 months of security updates, for example, and we would expect most other manufacturers (particularly the bigger names in the industry) to offer similar coverage.

OEMs like Samsung and LG tend to offer long-lasting security patch support, but only for their flagship devices. There are cases in which low-end or mid-range devices are also added to the list, but it’s generally handled as a case by case basis and, sadly, it’s not something that is guaranteed. LG has given us a list of which smartphones they are providing these security updates for, and the September update looks to have removed some devices from this list.

They have dropped G3, G4, G4 Stylus, CK and G Stylo… no more security updates for those devices. https://t.co/SjEqQJkgkL

— autoprime (@utoprime) September 29, 2017

As of this latest update, LG is providing security updates for the LG G5, LG G6, LG V10, LG V20, LG V30, LG Q6, LG Q8, LG X300, LG X400, LG X500 and the LG X cam. As mentioned though, this list of devices changed with this update and no longer includes the LG G3, LG G4, LG G4 Stylus, LG Ck and the LG G Stylo. So if you own a smartphone listed in this second group of devices then you should not expect official security updates from LG anymore.

Via: utoprime Source: LG Security Bulletins

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LG has Dropped the LG G3, G4, G4 Stylus, CK, and Stylo from Monthly Security Update List

Every month Google will gather up all of the Android security fixes for AOSP and make them available so that OEMs can implement them in their ROMs. These go out a month in advance so that all of the companies have enough time to implement them before they are disclosed to the public. Companies like LG and Samsung add in so many features to their OEM ROMs that they sometimes introduce their own bugs and security holes into the software they're pushing out to their devices, prompting them to release specialized patches too.

OEMs like Samsung and LG tend to offer long-lasting security patch support, but only for their flagship devices. There are cases in which low-end or mid-range devices are also added to the list, but it's generally handled as a case by case basis and, sadly, it's not something that is guaranteed. LG has given us a list of which smartphones they are providing these security updates for, and the September update looks to have removed some devices from this list.

They have dropped G3, G4, G4 Stylus, CK and G Stylo… no more security updates for those devices. https://t.co/SjEqQJkgkL

— autoprime (@utoprime) September 29, 2017

Via: utoprime Source: LG Security Bulletins

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Google to Separate its EU Shopping Unit From the Company

Google has been under fire with the European Commission about antitrust violations for years now. The company's biggest two complaints right now deal with Android and the way they require OEMs to pre-install their applications while the other pertains to its Google Shopping comparison division. The company filed for an appeal for this investigation earlier this month and has been working on some terms that both them and the EU will agree with.

It seems that the company is likely more worried about the Android investigation as they are quickly trying to resolve the Google Shopping one. The New York Times reports that this move "frees Google up to battle European regulators over claims that the company uses its Android operating system to dominate online search." Which certainly makes sense too, and even a company as big as Google will only have so many attorneys working for them, and having two big investigations going on at the same time makes them split their resources.

So after the appeal, the company proposed that they would make an auction for the shopping comparison feature on its search engine. This way, it would force Google to bid against competitors in order to gain that prominent position on the page. Google is now taking this idea one step further and saying they will completely separate its European shopping unit from the company So while it would create a stand-alone unit for its shopping service, the unit itself will still remain part of its overall business.

The change here is that it will operate separately and will be subject to regular monitoring by the European Commission. These proposed changes are going into effect today so the company does not face any additional fines from the European Commission. As a result, about a dozen shopping sites from other companies now have the potential to become more visible and accessible.

Source: The New York Times

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Google to Separate its EU Shopping Unit From the Company

Google has been under fire with the European Commission about antitrust violations for years now. The company’s biggest two complaints right now deal with Android and the way they require OEMs to pre-install their applications while the other pertains to its Google Shopping comparison division. The company filed for an appeal for this investigation earlier this month and has been working on some terms that both them and the EU will agree with.

It seems that the company is likely more worried about the Android investigation as they are quickly trying to resolve the Google Shopping one. The New York Times reports that this move “frees Google up to battle European regulators over claims that the company uses its Android operating system to dominate online search.” Which certainly makes sense too, and even a company as big as Google will only have so many attorneys working for them, and having two big investigations going on at the same time makes them split their resources.

Source: The New York Times

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Google is Making a Smart Hub Screen in 2018, Similar to the Amazon Echo Show

Recently, Amazon has announced a slew of new devices, which include a new streaming device (the Amazon Fire TV Gen 3), a new, smaller smart hub screen device (the Amazon Echo Spot) and a lot more. It's pretty clear that Amazon wants to be in every single corner of your home, and they want you to be able to control everything in your home, using only your voice with Alexa doing the rest. But there's another major player out there looking to take over your house: Google. They want to extend their Google Assistant much further than Android phones, and after confirming that they were going to roll out the Assistant to Android TV devices, we now have information that Google is building a smart hub screen device.

The device, which is codenamed Manhattan, looks to directly take on Amazon's Echo Show device. It will come with the Assistant, which will probably be the most publicized aspect of the device, as well as support for YouTube, which was controversially pulled from the Echo Show due to "a violation of their terms of service". Google Photos support and video calling with Duo and Hangouts are also coming with this device. It will apparently run Android, making things way easier for developers to make third-party apps for the Manhattan device.

It was originally slated to be launched in mid-2018, however, the launch of the Amazon Echo Show put some internal pressure to get it launched in 2017 in order to regain some market share from Amazon. As we said earlier, Google has pulled YouTube completely from the Manhattan device's direct competitor, the Echo Show, and it wouldn't be all that surprising to see Google changing their terms of service just to make YouTube exclusive for their own device as well. This is obviously just pure speculation based on current events and could be completely wrong. But if it's true, then that would mean that the device is indeed coming very soon, and we might even hear from it on Google's October 4th event. Because of the sheer lack of leaks on said Manhattan device, though, then you shouldn't get your hopes up too high, as a 2018 launch is much more likely than a 2017 launch.

Whenever it launches, it's pretty clear that Google is serious about turning its Google Assistant into the main voice operating system of your life, going much further than your Android phone or your Google Home device. We expect to hear more about this Manhattan device very soon.

Source: TechCrunch

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Google is Making a Smart Hub Screen in 2018, Similar to the Amazon Echo Show

Recently, Amazon has announced a slew of new devices, which include a new streaming device (the Amazon Fire TV Gen 3), a new, smaller smart hub screen device (the Amazon Echo Spot) and a lot more. It’s pretty clear that Amazon wants to be in every single corner of your home, and they want you to be able to control everything in your home, using only your voice with Alexa doing the rest. But there’s another major player out there looking to take over your house: Google. They want to extend their Google Assistant much further than Android phones, and after confirming that they were going to roll out the Assistant to Android TV devices, we now have information that Google is building a smart hub screen device.

The device, which is codenamed Manhattan, looks to directly take on Amazon’s Echo Show device. It will come with the Assistant, which will probably be the most publicized aspect of the device, as well as support for YouTube, which was controversially pulled from the Echo Show due to “a violation of their terms of service”. Google Photos support and video calling with Duo and Hangouts are also coming with this device. It will apparently run Android, making things way easier for developers to make third-party apps for the Manhattan device.

It was originally slated to be launched in mid-2018, however, the launch of the Amazon Echo Show put some internal pressure to get it launched in 2017 in order to regain some market share from Amazon. As we said earlier, Google has pulled YouTube completely from the Manhattan device’s direct competitor, the Echo Show, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Google changing their terms of service just to make YouTube exclusive for their own device as well. This is obviously just pure speculation based on current events and could be completely wrong. But if it’s true, then that would mean that the device is indeed coming very soon, and we might even hear from it on Google’s October 4th event. Because of the sheer lack of leaks on said Manhattan device, though, then you shouldn’t get your hopes up too high, as a 2018 launch is much more likely than a 2017 launch.

Whenever it launches, it’s pretty clear that Google is serious about turning its Google Assistant into the main voice operating system of your life, going much further than your Android phone or your Google Home device. We expect to hear more about this Manhattan device very soon.

Source: TechCrunch

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jeudi 28 septembre 2017

Google Camera HDR+ Port Updated with RAW Support, HDR Customization, and Major Bug Fixes

Just over a month ago, we saw a Ukrainian developer known as B-S-G bring the Google Camera app with working HDR+ to many non-Google devices. A while after the initial release, the port was updated with support for Zero Shutter Lag (ZSL) as well as greater compatibility for the OnePlus 3/3T and other Snapdragon 820 devices. Now there is a new, massive release of Google Camera HDR+ with RAW support, full HDR+ customisation and stability fixes!

The latest updates have added so much that it feels like a new application! If you face issues or want to try tweaking the application to get better quality photos, you can, and there are many combinations for you to play around with. I will be providing some photos and the options I used to take them, so if you find my photos satisfactory then you can copy them!

All of the photos below were taken on the OnePlus 3 using automatic HDR+, not the forced option. Forcing HDR+ uses a stronger algorithm which cannot make use of Zero Shutter Lag (ZSL) and can sometimes even lead to unnatural results. Note that I am not a professional photographer, and some of these photos could have come out a lot better. Overall I am extremely happy with the results, especially over the stock camera processing. I have been testing this for a while, and overall stability and speed have massively improved.

RAW Support with Google Camera HDR+

The application now has an option under experimental settings to enable RAW capture while also saving the processed JPEG file! This allows users to enjoy the benefits of HDR+ and also salvage a picture if the processing screws up.

Google Camera HDR Port Raw Capture

Configuring HDR+ Settings

Another brand new feature in the recent ports is the ability to actually select your processing modes. Rather than having separate APKs with different algorithms, you can now select them within the application. Many combinations will crash, but we have a perfectly working one for you to get going!

Install the application and navigate to settings. Simply installing the application doesn't work anymore, as you need to choose your own HDR+ algorithm. Once there, you will be faced with a plethora of options. These options allow you to customize the HDR+ algorithm to your liking.

You can play around with those as much as you want! They're just an initial guideline for you to get going with HDR+. There are so many options to choose from that if you had issues with previous builds, you can try a few combinations to see what works and what doesn't.

Installing Google Camera HDR+ Port

If you are upgrading from a previous version of the application, you will need to clear your data. This is likely because the application settings for processing have changed how they're saved in newer versions.

Device Compatibility with Google Camera HDR+

Some devices confirmed to work so far:

LG G6
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3T
OnePlus 5
Samsung Galaxy S8 (Snapdragon)
Xiaomi Mi5S
LG V20
Essential Phone (with massive improvements to camera quality)

What's more, other devices (with Camera2 API enabled, such as the Nokia 6 and Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4) may work too! As far as we can tell, this camera port relies on the Hexagon 680 DSP on a Snapdragon SoC for image processing, which is why this port does not work on other SoCs such as Kirin, Exynos, and MediaTek.

Sadly the port does not work on the ZTE Axon 7 and is unlikely to ever work with it so long as there's no Camera2 API support available for the device. Other Snapdragon 820+ devices should work fine though.

The port still works on Xiaomi devices, especially the Xiaomi Mi5s which the port was originally targeted towards. Regardless of the SoC in your Xiaomi phone, give it a try and let us know how it goes!

And many other devices are rumored to work too, so honestly, give it a try at the following link!

Download Google Camera Port with HDR+, ZSL, and RAW Capture

Google Camera HDR+ Port Optimised for Snapdragon 820/821 Devices

XDA-Member Ivanich has continued work on his modification of the above Google Camera port to further optimise it for Snapdragon 820 and Snapdragon 821 devices such as the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. The changes listed below are the same as before but just updated for the new B-S-G releases. The steps for configuring it are the same as above.

Added 60fps capture, thanks to Amir Z http://ift.tt/2wiiLWF
Fixed dark video issue in video mode
And disabled burst which caused camera force close's on these devices

Again, the changes above are taken from the previous article, as they are the same.

Download Google Camera Port Optimized for Snapdragon 820/821 devices

For now it seems the port is largely finished. With a plethora of options and almost complete stability, it's hard to think of anything else that's truly needed. Stay tuned to XDA, as there may still be more changes in store for the Google Camera HDR+ Port! If you find something that's not covered in this article (such as compatibility with a specific device we haven't mentioned) then leave us a comment below!

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Google Camera HDR+ Port Updated with RAW Support, HDR Customization, and Major Bug Fixes

RAW Support with Google Camera HDR+

Google Camera HDR Port Raw Capture

Configuring HDR+ Settings

Install the application and navigate to settings. Simply installing the application doesn’t work anymore, as you need to choose your own HDR+ algorithm. Once there, you will be faced with a plethora of options. These options allow you to customize the HDR+ algorithm to your liking.

You can play around with those as much as you want! They’re just an initial guideline for you to get going with HDR+. There are so many options to choose from that if you had issues with previous builds, you can try a few combinations to see what works and what doesn’t.

Installing Google Camera HDR+ Port

Device Compatibility with Google Camera HDR+

Some devices confirmed to work so far:

LG G6
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3T
OnePlus 5
Samsung Galaxy S8 (Snapdragon)
Xiaomi Mi5S
LG V20
Essential Phone (with massive improvements to camera quality)

What’s more, other devices (with Camera2 API enabled, such as the Nokia 6 and Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4) may work too! As far as we can tell, this camera port relies on the Hexagon 680 DSP on a Snapdragon SoC for image processing, which is why this port does not work on other SoCs such as Kirin, Exynos, and MediaTek.

Sadly the port does not work on the ZTE Axon 7 and is unlikely to ever work with it so long as there’s no Camera2 API support available for the device. Other Snapdragon 820+ devices should work fine though.

And many other devices are rumored to work too, so honestly, give it a try at the following link!

Download Google Camera Port with HDR+, ZSL, and RAW Capture

Google Camera HDR+ Port Optimised for Snapdragon 820/821 Devices

Added 60fps capture, thanks to Amir Z http://ift.tt/2wiiLWF
Fixed dark video issue in video mode
And disabled burst which caused camera force close’s on these devices

Again, the changes above are taken from the previous article, as they are the same.

Download Google Camera Port Optimized for Snapdragon 820/821 devices

For now it seems the port is largely finished. With a plethora of options and almost complete stability, it’s hard to think of anything else that’s truly needed. Stay tuned to XDA, as there may still be more changes in store for the Google Camera HDR+ Port! If you find something that’s not covered in this article (such as compatibility with a specific device we haven’t mentioned) then leave us a comment below!

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T-Mobile is Rumored to Sell the Galaxy S8 Active in the Future

Samsung's Galaxy S series has been the main flagship series of the company for years now. They understood that some need a more rugged smartphone with high-end specs though, so they partnered with AT&T for their Galaxy S Active series. Until now, the Galaxy S Active lineup has been exclusive to AT&T but a new rumor says that T-Mobile will begin selling the Galaxy S8 Active. There have also been other rumors that suggest there could be a universal model sold as well.

Every year we have the a new Galaxy S smartphone from Samsung that's more than capable of handling the average customer's needs. However, a few months later they typically end up announcing an Active variant of that device with a more rugged design, bigger battery and some new hardware/software features. We first heard about the Galaxy S8 Active back in April of this year as it was said to carry the codename "Cruiser".

A few months later some hands-on images of the device were leaked and then we saw the Galaxy S8 Active officially launched by AT&T in August of this year. We assumed that would be the end of the story since this is how things have been since the inception of the Galaxy S Active series. Granted, Sprint did sell a rebranded version of the Galaxy S5 Active as the S5 Sport, but that was a different story. Now, marketing material received by Evan Blass at VentureBeat says that the Galaxy S8 Active will come to T-Mobile with the model number SM-G892T.

The T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S8 Active is said to be available in the same Meteor Gray and Titanium Gold that we see with AT&T, but they were unable to reveal any details about a release date. The assumption is that it could be months away since we have yet to see anything from the FCC or the Bluetooth SIG. The rumor also talks about how there have been other rumors suggesting another version of the device with the model number SM-G892U could be released to a wider audience in the future.

Source: VentureBeat

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T-Mobile is Rumored to Sell the Galaxy S8 Active in the Future

Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been the main flagship series of the company for years now. They understood that some need a more rugged smartphone with high-end specs though, so they partnered with AT&T for their Galaxy S Active series. Until now, the Galaxy S Active lineup has been exclusive to AT&T but a new rumor says that T-Mobile will begin selling the Galaxy S8 Active. There have also been other rumors that suggest there could be a universal model sold as well.

Every year we have the a new Galaxy S smartphone from Samsung that’s more than capable of handling the average customer’s needs. However, a few months later they typically end up announcing an Active variant of that device with a more rugged design, bigger battery and some new hardware/software features. We first heard about the Galaxy S8 Active back in April of this year as it was said to carry the codename “Cruiser”.

Source: VentureBeat

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MediaTek MT6739 Launches in India, along with the Helio P23

The MediaTek MT6739 has made its debut at the India Mobile Congress 2017, New Delhi in India for entry-level and mid-level 4G handsets. Its notable new features include dual camera photography support, and a WorldMode LTE.Cat 4 modem. This System on Chip (SoC) is specifically built for the growing Indian 4G market. Along with this, the Taiwanese company has pledged to bring its flagship Helio P23 to the growing Indian flagship market.

Currently MediaTek devices are in a few devices in India, most notably some Xiaomi phones. The Xiaomi Redmi series is known for having two versions, a Snapdragon version and a MediaTek version. The MediaTek versions are usually slightly cheaper, but Snapdragon devices tend to have a large amount of custom ROMs on our forums as they are typically a much more open platform to develop for.

MediaTek MT6739

First, let's deal with the specs.

CPU: 4x ARM Cortex-A53 up to 1.5GHz
Memory: LPDDR3 (Up to 3GB, 667MHz)
Storage: eMMC 5.1
Camera: 13MP, dual camera supported
Video Decoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264/HEVC
Video Encoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Graphics: IMG PowerVR GE8100 up to 570MHz
Display: 1440 x 720
Modem: 4G LTE Cat. 4 DL / Cat. 5 UL (FDD/TDD), CDMA2000, L+G, L+W/L+L DSDS, eMBMS, HPUE, 600MHz band supported
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, FM, GPS+Glonass / GPS+Beidou

The MT6739 is a 64-Bit ARM Cortex-A53 operating up to 1.5GHz. As can be seen from the specs above, the SoC is obviously for use in low-end, entry-level devices. The aim for MediaTek is to create powerful processors at affordable prices for sale in Indian devices. As we can see, it is clearly an entry-level processor with some pretty weak specifications, but that's exactly the aim given it's meant to be affordable.

MediaTek Helio P23

This is an older, mid-level processor that has not come to India in Indian mid-level phones quite yet.

CPU: 8x ARM Cortex-A53 up to 2.3GHz.
Memory: LPDDR3 (Single Channel) or LPDDR4x (LPDDR3: 933MHz; LPDDR4X: 1500MHz, LPDDR3 up to 4GB; LPDDR4X: 6GB)
Storage: eMMC 5.1
Camera: Up to 24MP, dual camera support.
Video Decoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Video Encoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Graphics: ARM Mali-G71 MP2 up to 770MHz
Display: 2160 x 1080
Modem: LTE Cat. 7/13 modem with support for 300Mbps down and 150Mbps up
Connectivity: multi-GNSS options (GPS/GLONASS or GPS/BeiDou), Bluetooth, FM radio and 802.11n Wi-Fi

With 64-Bit support, 8 ARM-53 Cores clocked at 2.3GHz, this is a more mid-range chip from MediaTek with some additional strengths over the MT6739.

It's great to see an investment from MediaTek into the Indian phone market, decreasing costs and increasing competition within the market. As Xiaomi and competitors continue to grow in India, it may be that soon we will see devices come with either of these SoCs. Xiaomi's MediaTek devices usually use the Helio X series, MediaTek's flagship chips. Giving more options to manufacturers can only be a good thing.

Press Release from MediaTek

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MediaTek MT6739 Launches in India, along with the Helio P23

MediaTek MT6739

First, let’s deal with the specs.

CPU: 4x ARM Cortex-A53 up to 1.5GHz
Memory: LPDDR3 (Up to 3GB, 667MHz)
Storage: eMMC 5.1
Camera: 13MP, dual camera supported
Video Decoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264/HEVC
Video Encoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Graphics: IMG PowerVR GE8100 up to 570MHz
Display: 1440 x 720
Modem: 4G LTE Cat. 4 DL / Cat. 5 UL (FDD/TDD), CDMA2000, L+G, L+W/L+L DSDS, eMBMS, HPUE, 600MHz band supported
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, FM, GPS+Glonass / GPS+Beidou

The MT6739 is a 64-Bit ARM Cortex-A53 operating up to 1.5GHz. As can be seen from the specs above, the SoC is obviously for use in low-end, entry-level devices. The aim for MediaTek is to create powerful processors at affordable prices for sale in Indian devices. As we can see, it is clearly an entry-level processor with some pretty weak specifications, but that’s exactly the aim given it’s meant to be affordable.

MediaTek Helio P23

This is an older, mid-level processor that has not come to India in Indian mid-level phones quite yet.

CPU: 8x ARM Cortex-A53 up to 2.3GHz.
Memory: LPDDR3 (Single Channel) or LPDDR4x (LPDDR3: 933MHz; LPDDR4X: 1500MHz, LPDDR3 up to 4GB; LPDDR4X: 6GB)
Storage: eMMC 5.1
Camera: Up to 24MP, dual camera support.
Video Decoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Video Encoding: 1080p @ 30FPS, H.264
Graphics: ARM Mali-G71 MP2 up to 770MHz
Display: 2160 x 1080
Modem: LTE Cat. 7/13 modem with support for 300Mbps down and 150Mbps up
Connectivity: multi-GNSS options (GPS/GLONASS or GPS/BeiDou), Bluetooth, FM radio and 802.11n Wi-Fi

With 64-Bit support, 8 ARM-53 Cores clocked at 2.3GHz, this is a more mid-range chip from MediaTek with some additional strengths over the MT6739.

It’s great to see an investment from MediaTek into the Indian phone market, decreasing costs and increasing competition within the market. As Xiaomi and competitors continue to grow in India, it may be that soon we will see devices come with either of these SoCs. Xiaomi’s MediaTek devices usually use the Helio X series, MediaTek’s flagship chips. Giving more options to manufacturers can only be a good thing.

Press Release from MediaTek

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Google Brings Family Link to All Parents in the United States

Google has done a great job at getting Android into the hands of your average smartphone customer. From there, they needed to work on expanding this outreach to those who may not be able to just walk out and purchase a new smartphone. Back in March of this year they introduced a new program for kids called Family Link. It was originally available to only those who were given an invitation, but today the company is making it available to all parents in the United States.

When Google announced Family Link earlier this year, it sparked the interest of a lot of people because it's something that Android has needed for a long time. We're in an age when people joke about smartphones and tablets being given to kids when they're born. Where we used to have complaints about parents letting their kids watch too much TV, we're now seeing children spending a lot of time with a smartphone or tablet in their hands. This can be worrisome to some parents since they generally have unfettered access to the internet, and the content found in the Play Store.

So Google introduced Family Link as a way for parents to let their children use a smartphone or tablet, while being able to limit the type and amount of content they can access. Family Link comes with all sorts of features including being able to be notified about pending application downloads, a way to see and limit the amount of time they're using the device, and a way to actually remotely lock the device via your own smartphone or tablet.

Today's announcement means that any parent in the United States can use Family Link without an invitation. Sadly, we're still at a point where Google is unable to roll this feature out worldwide at this time. This could be because they want to use the U.S. as a trial market and see how that goes, but it could also mean that Google needs to get around regulatory hurdles in other countries too. This could put them in a spot where they decide to either delay the launch until other countries are allowed to use it, or test it out in a market that it can be released in quickly.

Source: The Keyword

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