Google introduced the Android App Bundle format in May of 2018 at I/O as part of its modern development push. The AAB standard will become the default for new applications published to the Play Store this August.
To bring these benefits to more users and focus on modern Android distribution that benefits all developers, Google Play will start requiring new apps to be published with the…
Asus ZenFone 8 series starts at $599 w/ Pixel 5 size, Snapdragon 888 [Update: Now available]
June 30, 2021
With LG calling it quits, there’s room for smaller brands to make an impact on the smartphone market. Asus today unveiled its latest attempt at the mainstream smartphone market with the ZenFone 8 series, a pair of flagship-tier smartphones with affordable prices and a…
Google requiring Chrome Web Store devs to enable 2FA, combine repetitive extensions, more
June 30, 2021
Google today announced the latest set of policy changes to limit extensions abuse and improve security of the Chrome Web Store. This includes requiring 2FA for Chrome Web Store developers and cracking down on deceptive installations.
Similar to the Play Console for Android…
Android updates are a point of contention for many devices, but Samsung has been stepping up in a big way across the board. Now, the company has confirmed that Galaxy Enterprise devices will get a whopping five years of security updates, putting them at the top of the class for Android.
Samsung previously announced in 2019 that it would provide four years of security updates to Enterprise…
Android TV has a new budget champion in the incredibly affordable $30 Walmart “onn” box, but details on what HDR formats the device supports have been unknown to date. Now, we’ve got answers.
The listing for Walmart’s Android TV box touts 4K support but is absent…
Google Chrome to offer ‘HTTPS-Only Mode’
June 30, 2021
For years now, Google has been one of the biggest proponents of using a more secure HTTPS connection everywhere possible. Google’s latest optional push, “HTTPS-Only Mode,” would make older HTTP websites inaccessible in Chrome.
HTTPS was once a marker of a website’s…
With Chat serving as a key part of the integrated Gmail experience, Google lets users quickly specify their activity status. In addition to the existing availability options, you’re now able to set a custom status in Gmail and Chat on the web.
This month’s announcement that the Gmail web client was getting a navigation redesign was accompanied by a revamp of “Rooms” into “Spaces.” As…
Carrier caught injecting ‘SMS AD’ into Google verification code message [Update: Comment]
June 30, 2021
SMS is widely regarded as an insecure form of two-factor authentication, and another example of this has just emerged. A carrier looks to be injecting ads into the Google verification code used to sign in to services like Gmail.
Update 6/29: Google issued the following…
Samsung’s AMD partnership allegedly beats even Apple in GPU performance in leaked benchmark
June 30, 2021
It’s no secret that the chips in Apple’s iPhones far outclass even the best Android options, but the gap may be closing in at least one area. According to a new leak, the Samsung Exynos chip that packs an AMD GPU is making big strides when it comes to GPU performance.
Following the web rollout, the Google Meet redesign is now coming to dedicated video calling hardware, like Chromebases. This is meant to ensure a consistent experience and workflow across all platforms.
On all-in-one touchscreens running Chrome OS, the experience is nearly identical to the web. It starts with a streamlined, always-visible bottom bar where all key controls are now located.
