Google may be set to integrate Bluetooth tracker detection into Android. With devices like Tile trackers and Apple AirTags becoming more popular, there have been instances of bad actors planting one on someone else and using it to follow their movements.
However, there are some issues with current detection methods on Android. Users would both need to be aware of the fact that Bluetooth trackers can be misused and have apps that can detect them installed on their device. The Apple and Tile apps also require users to scan for trackers manually, a process that can take around 10 minutes.
According to 9to5Google, the Android team has started work on a tracker detection feature in Play services. The most recent APK code includes references to Tile trackers and "ATag" (probably AirTags) and hints that Android users may be able to ring detected devices.
The feature is said to be in early development and it'll likely be some time before Google releases it publicly (if at all). Having automatic detection built into the OS, or even a manual scanner with a warning to all users about the potential for stalking, would surely help protect users from being tracked. Hopefully, we'll learn more about Google's tracker detection plans at I/O in May.
Apple technicians will decline to fix iPhones that had been reported as stolen or lost, according to MacRumors. The tech giant has reportedly sent out a memo to Apple Stores and authorized providers not to accept a device for repair if they get a notice on their internal MobileGenius or GSX systems that the phone had been marked as missing. Presumably, that means technicians will check a device's IMEI against the GSMA Device Registry when a customer brings it in for repair.
The GSMA registry is a global database where owners can register their devices' IMEI and designate a status for them, such as whether they'd been lost, stolen or were fraudulently obtained. This move expands Apple's existing policy to decline repairs for devices whose owners cannot disable the Find My iPhone feature. It could discourage more people from buying second-hand devices outside of official and authorized sources in case they unknowingly end up with a stolen unit. That said, users could just as easily go to a third-party repair shop that doesn't care where they got their devices from.
Apple's iPhones have become increasingly cost-prohibitive over the years, giving rise to a market for second-hand units. According to a recent Bloomberg report, though, the tech giant is working on a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware to make regular upgrades more accessible with monthly fees and no huge upfront costs.
A Dutch foundation has hit Apple with a lawsuit over the App Store’s developer fees, seeking €5.5 billion euro in damages for what it alleges is monopolistic behavior. In a press release, the Dutch Consumer Competition Claims Foundation stated it was filing a "collective claim" for damages, on behalf of any iPhone or iPad owners in the EU who have downloaded a paid app or made purchases within an app.
Suing Apple for its app store policies on behalf of consumers— instead of developers — might seem like an unusual move on the Dutch foundation’s part. Most of the scrutiny over the tech giant’s so-called “Apple tax” has focused on its deleterious impact on the profits of developers. Just this past January, Apple agreed to settle a class-action settlement by US developers for $100 million.
The Consumer Competition Claims Foundation alleges that Apple’s developer fees were passed on to consumers, in the form of higher prices. “App developers are forced to pass on to consumers the increased costs caused by Apple’s monopolistic practices and unfair terms,” wrote the foundation in its press release.
The foundation is asking EU consumers who purchased an app in Apple’s App Store or made an in-app purchase since September 2009 to join its complaint. The lawsuit is set to be filed in the Amsterdam District Court.
This isn’t the first time Apple is taking heat from Dutch authorities. Apple has yet to comply with a January order from Dutch regulators that requires the company to offer third-party payment options for dating app customers. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is fining Apple €5 million for every week it doesn’t follow through with the order. Dutch regulators have already fined Apple more than €50 million and counting.
But according to TechCrunch, there’s a sign of a potential compromise. Apple is working on an amended proposal of its dating app policy, which will be reviewed by ACM. But even if the two parties reach a consensus, Apple will soon have much larger battles to fight in the EU. The EU is working on finalizing the Digital Markets Act, which will (among a number of other anti-competitive measures) require companies like Apple and Google to allow alternatives for in-app payments.
No matter how advanced your smartphone camera is, shaky, wobbly shots can make your videos look amateurish. This is why stabilizing your smartphone — either with a mount or a tripod — is vital to good mobile filmmaking. But if you want a more stable tool for handheld shots and multiple options for customization, Moment’s new Mobile Filmmaker Cage with MagSafe may just do the trick. The videocage attaches quickly to your phone with MagSafe, and has multiple attachment points that allow you to mount mics, lights, handles and any other filmmaking accessories you need.
The most obvious perk of Moment’s Filmmaker Cage is it allows you to have more manual control over your smartphone. Your smartphone will remain steady as you grip the large, rectangular frame that surrounds it. There’s even the option to add extra handles for even more stability. If you’re sick of dangling cables, there’s also a handy cable management system that lets you tuck in those loose wires. And if you need to pack light and skip the tripod, rest assured that the Filmmaker Cage can stand upright on its own.
If you only use your smartphone to take videos of your cats, the Filmmaker Cage will be overkill. We’ve written about how the iPhone 13’s cinematic mode can mimic the focus capabilities of professional film cameras. While the wealth of stabilization and video editing features are unrivaled on the iPhone 13, it can only do so much. Smartphone filmmakers still rely on a number of tools to perfect their shooting, including mounts, lights, lenses and mics. If you fit into this category of professional filmmaker, or even a serious amateur filmmaker, the Filmmaker Cage may be a good investment.
Unfortunately, the Mobile Filmmaker Cage is only compatible with the iPhone 12 and 13, but older models can work if you use one of Moment’s MagSafe cases. If you’re an Android user, Moment does make cases, lenses and mounts for the latest Samsung and Pixel models. The Mobile Filmmaker Cage is available now on Moment’s site, for $99.
OnePlus began life as a startup making smartphones with high-end specs aimed at enthusiasts. Its first phones were barebones devices that maximized value for money, while still retaining a sense of identity (remember those sandstone backs?). That’s something that's not easy for any device, regardless of price. But now after 10 generations, it feels like the OnePlus we knew is gone, and it's probably not coming back.
Now, I don't mean to be all doom and gloom. It's only natural that companies evolve over time. Just look at Nintendo, which started out making Hanafuda cards more than 130 years ago, or Nokia, which can trace its roots back to a single pulp mill built way back in 1865. So while OnePlus hasn't been around nearly that long and its pivot isn't nearly as drastic, ahead of the company’s next flagship phone’s arrival in the US, now feels like a good time to examine how a once sorta plucky smartphone upstart turned into mainstream OEM.
Last year, OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau was promoted to chief product officer for both Oppo and OnePlus.
Carlo Allegri / reuters
Founded in 2013 by Carl Pei and Pete Lau, OnePlus started off as a subsidiary of BBK electronics alongside other well-known Chinese smartphone brands including Oppo, Vivo and, more recently, Realme. So right away there was a lot of shared DNA. But critically, even though OnePlus phones often had similar designs and specs compared to contemporary Oppo devices, the teams behind those phones were separate. (The old joke for years was that the latest Vivo phone would eventually become the next OnePlus device after a few months, but I digress.) This gave OnePlus the freedom to tweak things to suit its core audience: hardcore phone nerds, mostly in the US and western Europe before later expanding to India. Meanwhile, Oppo and Vivo focused more on the Chinese market and other regions in Asia.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, when a new OnePlus phone came out, it often launched first in the US. OnePlus phones also had features like its Alert Slider and OxygenOS that weren't available on phones from its sister companies. And as early as 2015, 60 to 70 percent of the company's sales came from overseas as growth in the west quickly outpaced gains in its home country. More recently in 2020, OnePlus sales in the US grew by 143 percent while practically every other phone maker saw shipments decline due to the pandemic and the silicon shortage that followed soon after. In contrast to Oppo and Vivo, OnePlus carved out its niche overseas, and in some ways, you could even think of OnePlus as a western company that just happened to be based in the east.
Here's a slide from OnePlus' recent roundtable during MWC 2022. For a company that started out making barebones phones for enthusiasts, this sort of product focus feels like it's coming from a completely different company.
OnePlus
But everything changed last year when OnePlus announced that it was officially merging with Oppo. So now, instead of being an independent company (albeit with the same parent in BBK), OnePlus is being positioned as a sub-brand for its sister company run by Lau, who will jointly oversee both companies while serving as chief product officer.
From a business standpoint, the merger makes a lot of sense. Rather than having redundant teams working on similar projects at different companies, combining OnePlus and Oppo helps streamline research and development while also boosting the scale at which the company can produce (and sell) devices. And it's a similar story for the OS powering these devices, because after years of independent development, OnePlus announced that OxygenOS and Oppo's ColorOS would transition to a shared codebase.
That means while OxygenOS will still be around, it's closer to being a tweaked and stripped-down skin of ColorOS designed to look OnePlus' old platform. But under the hood, they're the same. And if it wasn't for backlash from fans, Oppo probably would have shelved OnePlus' take on Android entirely in favor of Vivo's platform.
While OxygenOS and ColorOS will continue to exist, OnePlus' shift to a shared codebase means they are essentially the same platform with some differences and tweaks depending on your region.
OnePlus
Unfortunately, this change to the new codebase hasn't been smooth. During a recent roundtable that took place during MWC late last month, OnePlus' head of OS product Gary Chen admitted that the latest iteration of OxygenOS (version 12) "did not meet expectations." On top of that, when asked why the OnePlus 10 Pro launched first in China months before becoming available in other regions, Lau said the OP10 Pro's delayed availability wasn't caused by the ongoing global chip crunch, but instead because "software development takes longer for non-China countries." This is a very different approach to OnePlus' global sales strategy compared to the past. And lest we forget, there still aren't even any plans to make a non-pro OnePlus 10, which just seems odd after years of new phones landing in pairs.
Another important factor to consider is all the former employees who have left the company recently, most notably Carl Pei. Not long before the OnePlus/Oppo merger went down, Pei left the company he helped create to launch Nothing. According to Lau, "Pei's departure did not have an impact on the development of OnePlus." And while I understand the desire for a company to put on a stoic face during a major transition, allow me to reserve a bit of skepticism on that one.
Prior to his departure from the company last spring, Pei was often the most visible OnePlus employee, particularly for customers in the west.
Steve Jennings via Getty Images
Over the course of multiple generations, Pei was often the face of OnePlus, especially for customers in the west. He presented new flagship devices at launch events and regularly popped in to chat with customers or provide updates in the company's forums. And after launching its first product last year (the Ear1 earbuds), Nothing is about to become one of OnePlus' direct competitors now that the company is prepping to launch the Phone 1 sometime this summer. Without getting too deep into any interpersonal drama, I think it's pretty clear that Pei is still very much interested in making gadgets, just not at OnePlus.
The brain drain hasn't happened solely at the very top of the ladder either, with other longtime OnePlus execs like chief marketing officer Kyle Kiang having left the company last year in April. And then there are the countless numbers of OnePlus public relations, communication and support staff that have departed as well. Prior to 2020, I basically had the same two or three OnePlus contacts for five years running. And while my more recent contacts have been nothing short of professional, the amount of internal turnover I've seen feels very much like a changing of the guard.
Oppo
And then there are smaller moves like pushing Warp Charging to the back burner in favor of 150W SuperVooc charging, which is slated to arrive on an upcoming OnePlus phone sometime in 2022. Now, it's hard to get too upset about getting even faster charging tech, but this is yet another example of how the Oppo side of the company is seeping into OnePlus.
But perhaps most importantly is how OnePlus views itself. After shipping more than 11 million phones last year, OnePlus set new sales records in 2021. And while the company says it will continue to support its core markets in the US, India, Europe and China, the company also has aggressive plans to expand its markets later this year to Canada, Mexico and South America (a first for OnePlus). And in the future, OnePlus is eyeing North Africa and the Middle East as well. In short, while longtime enthusiasts probably won't be completely forgotten, 2022 feels like a massive push from OnePlus to become a truly mainstream name.
OnePlus has very agressive plans for expansion as the company looks to become a truly global name in 2022.
OnePlus
In some ways, OnePlus has kinda become the new LG, filling the void in the smartphone landscape left after Samsung's cross-country rival shuttered its mobile business. And while this might seem like selling out (which, remember, is exactly what companies are made to do), there are a number of positive things that have come about as part of the company's maturation. We're talking about stuff like wider retail availability and improved carrier support throughout the US, not to mention a growing ecosystem of gadgets that includes wireless earbuds, smartwatches and more.
There's also the company's partnership with Hasselblad to improve its mobile photography, which for OnePlus has consistently lagged behind what you get on phones from Apple, Samsung and Google. OnePlus has even improved the everyday durability of its handsets in recent years thanks to support for IP68 dust and water resistance — even if the company's unlocked models don't explicitly mention this in their specs. And thanks to the Nord series, OnePlus has a larger lineup of affordable devices than ever before.
OnePlus
So has OnePlus finally turned its back on its longtime customers? Maybe, maybe not. That really depends on what you're looking for in a phone. There's no question that the company's latest flagship devices are very different from what it used to make back in 2014. Heck for the first few year But at the same time, people's preferences and expectations about what makes a good handset have changed a lot during the last eight years too. In its quest for a worldwide presence, OnePlus left a lot of its past behind. And in its place, we're left with a global brand that ranks as the fourth-largest smartphone maker on the planet (and that’s not even counting Vivo) that's very hungry to climb even higher. So say goodbye to the old OnePlus and say hello to the rapidly expanding behemoth that's taken its place.
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman expects Apple will release its next-generation iPad Pro sometime this fall. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says he anticipates the new tablet will feature MagSafe inductive charging and Apple’s long-rumored but as yet unannounced M2 chip, corroborating a previous report from 9to5Mac.
As of the company’s most recent hardware event, the iPad Air and iPad Pro both feature M1 chips. Apple last updated the iPad Pro in 2021 to add 5G and Thunderbolt connectivity, and its first-generation Apple Silicon system-on-a-chip. The iPad Pro has more or less featured the same design since 2018 when the company refreshed the tablet to give its now-iconic edge-to-edge display. Since then, Apple has filtered out that design to most of its other tablets, including the iPad mini and the aforementioned iPad Air.
Details on the M2 remain sparse, but as of last April, it had reportedly gone into production. Most reports suggest the M2 will feature the same eight-core CPU layout as its predecessor while being faster and more efficient thanks to TSMC’s new 4-nanometer fabrication process.
It’s time to talk about all of those other new Apple gadgets. This week, Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Devindra to dive into Apple’s Studio Display, a nice looking 5K monitor that’s really only meant for the Mac faithful. Also, they discuss why the new iPad Air is a fabulous tablet, and explore what could be the best 5G laptop for RV nomads. Stay tuned to the end for a chat with Dan Erickson, the creator of the excellent Apple TV+ series Severance.
Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Snap buys brain interface company NextMind – 28:37
Apple acquired UK banking startup Credit Kudos – 33:27
The saga of the LA Tesla jump TikTok stunt – 40:23
Ask Engadget: The best setup for retiree trailer life – 44:54
Working on – 52:40
Pop culture picks – 55:58
Interview with Severance creator Dan Erickson – 1:02:44
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Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Nathan Ingraham Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artists: Luke Brooks
Google is working on a new Nest Hub with a removable tablet that's due to be released in 2022, according to a report from 9to5Google. The screen could be detached from the hub/speaker base, then presumably be used like any other tablet. The idea would make a lot of sense in terms of boosting Nest functionality, especially since Google recently made the 2nd-gen Nest screen more tablet-like with a new shortcut launcher for web apps and games.
It's not yet clear which operating system the device would run, as the 2nd-gen Nest Hub runs the lightweight Google Cast system, and the original Nest Hub was recently updated to Google's mysterious Fuchsia OS. However, a detachable tablet would likely have the most functionality with Android. As 9to5Google points out, Lenovo offers an Android tablet that docks to a speaker bar, runs Alexa and sells for $270.
The latest 2nd-gen Nest Hub ($100) and Nest Hub Max ($230) come with 7-inch and 10-inch screens, respectively. Both offer features like sleep tracking, media playback and, of course, control of connected home devices. The Nest Hub Max also comes with a camera that allows for video calls (Duo only) and lets you use it as a Nest camera. The new Nest Hub with a detachable tablet will reportedly launch in 2022, but until it's official, take this rumor with a megadose of salt.
GIF inventor Stephen Wilhite has died from COVID-19 at the age of 74, NPR has reported. He worked at CompuServe when he developed the Graphics Interchange Format, designed to allow photo transfers over slow modem connections, inventing the format in 1987 virtually on his own, according to his spouse.
With limitations like 256 colors per animation, the format could easily have died out long ago. However, it was designed by Wilhite to store multiple frames, making it easy to share animated snippets without the demands of a video format. After AOL purchased CompuServe and let the patent expire, the GIF renaissance began with artists and Tumblr users. And on and on it went.
Oh and it's "JIF" with a soft "G," according to Wilhite, which I consider the final word on the matter.
Bloomberg sources claim Apple is developing a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware. Akin to the iPhone upgrade program, you'd pay a monthly fee rather than an up-front cost or financed installments. The service may include regular upgrades and launch in either late 2022 or early 2023. Pricing is also unknown. Apple's current upgrade program requires $35 or more per month to get both yearly iPhone upgrades and continuous AppleCare+ coverage. Given that Apple’s top phones now circle above the $1,000 mark, it might make a lot of sense.
OnePlus' latest flagship phone will launch in Europe, North America and India on March 31st. The company promised that the OnePlus Pro 10 would arrive in those markets by the end of March, so that's right on schedule — if calling it a little close. It released the smartphone in China back in January. It’ll back a three-camera array, similar to last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro, and match its predecessor's screen size and resolution. However, there are some screen upgrades in the background and a larger battery on board as well. You’ll be able to pre-order the OnePlus Pro 10 from the OnePlus website and Amazon on March 31st at 10:20 AM ET, though pricing is still TBC. Expect a review from Engadget soon.
That's on top of ongoing sales for the iPad Air and iPad mini.
Amazon is selling the M1-based WiFi model with 128GB of storage for a new all-time low price of $950 after you attach an instant coupon at checkout. That’s $149 less than usual. The 512GB version is back to a best-ever $1,299 price (down from $1,399). It might be worth checking our other picks from Amazon, as there are discounts on other iPad sizes, too.
Following a large-scale virtual health study, Google has submitted Fitbit's passive heart rate monitoring algorithm for review by the US Food and Drug Administration. The study tested how accurately the device could detect atrial fibrillation, or irregular heart rhythms. The system uses photoplethysmography to passively track the blood flow in a user's wrist and determine if there are any concerning irregularities. Google said its algorithm correctly identified undiagnosed AFib 98 percent of the time. Fitbit's Sense Smartwatch was approved by the FDA in 2020 for its ability to assess AFib using built-in electrocardiogram technology. However, that method requires active input from the user.
It apparently targeted US news media, IT, crypto and fintech.
Google's Threat Analysis Group announced on Thursday it had discovered a pair of North Korean hacking groups leveraging a remote code execution exploit in the Chrome web browser. Google found evidence of their attacks going back as far as January 4th, 2022, though the Threat Analysis Group notes organizations outside the US could have been targeted as well.
One group targeted 250 people across 10 companies, making fraudulent job offers from the likes of Disney and Oracle, sent from accounts spoofed to look like they came from Indeed or ZipRecruiter. Clicking on the link would launch a hidden iframe that would trigger the exploit.
With an improved camera, boosted performance and excellent battery life, Apple's 2021 256GB 10.2-inch iPad is already a solid deal at the regular $479 price. However, you can now pick one up at Amazon in silver or space gray for $429, an all-time low and a full $20 less than the lowest price we've seen so far.
Sure, the 2021 iPad has rocked the same design for quite some time now, but that also means Apple has had a long time to polish and refine it. At the same time, there are some significant improvements. The wide-angle front camera works better for video calls, performance gets a big boost thanks to the A13 Bionic chip, and it delivers a solid 10-plus hours of battery life. It even has a headphone jack, and best of all, it's relatively cheap compared to other iPad models.
The drawbacks are the lack of a USB-C port, a rather stodgy design (those thick bezels) and no second-gen Pencil support — for that, you'll need an iPad Air, mini, or Pro. But most of us use an iPad for browsing the web, reading and watching video content. The 256GB model is a better choice than the 64GB version for things like that, so the $50 discount makes it an easy choice.
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