Items tagged with android 11
If you're a fan of LG's smartphones, it was probably heartbreaking news to learn last week that the company announced plans to exit the business. LG cited an "incredibly competitive mobile phone sector" for its decision, which was compounded by the fact that the division has been a money loser for six straight years. The company would later confirm that it will provide up to three major Android OS updates. It then added the caveat, "future updates will depend on Google's distribution schedule as well as other factors such as device performance and compatibility." Well, LG has now updated its Korean-language support website with a rundown of which specific devices will receive Android updates...
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Google's Pixel 5 has been around since October 2020 and has seen regular updates via Pixel Feature Drops and monthly security updates. So, when the Android Pixel Security Update landed this month, we assumed that it would just be another run-of-the-mill release. However, a curious addition in the release notes hinted at something big for Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 smartphones, both of which use the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC. Specifically, Google explains that the update includes "Performance optimizations for certain graphics-intensive apps and games." We decided to test this out for ourselves and updated our Pixel 5 review sample to run a few benchmarks. In the back of our minds, we...
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If you're using Google's official phone calling app -- and that probably means most of you Android users out there -- there's a rather alarming and potentially dangerous bug that users are reporting. The Phone app is an essential piece of software on your Android smartphone, as it handles incoming/outgoing calls, gives you access to visual voicemail, and handles spam filtering (among other things). But happens when the Phone app can't even handle one of its most basic functions like answering calls? That's what is happening to several Android users that raced to the app's Google Play page to raise their concerns. The main problem seems to be that users can't answer any call no matter...
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Motorola used to be on the ball when it came to major Android OS updates, and would push them out in rapid fashion across its entire lineup of smartphones. For Motorola, it was a relatively simple process -- at least from those on the outside looking in -- as the company typically didn't make too many major modifications to the Android OS and kept things clean. Instead, Motorola usually just added handy Smart Actions and small UI flourishes to improve the user experience. However, in recent years, Motorola has abandoned its previously envious update strategy and has left many users of recent smartphones out of the loop with new Android OS updates. This week, Motorola gave the appearance that...
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We've been made privy of leaked specs for the upcoming OnePlus 9 family of flagship smartphones, and have even seen a few renders of the alleged devices. But over the weekend, the first real life images of the OnePlus 9 have leaked to the internet, which give us a nice all-around view of what OnePlus has in store for customers. We'll start in front, because there don't appears to be many changes at all here. You'll still find a single hole punch cutout in the display that is home to the selfie camera. We also see minimal bezels all around, which has become a design staple of most Android flagships these days. Speaking of the display, it's rumored that the OnePlus 9 has a 6.55-inch flat...
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Since its release, Android has had some issues pop up which have hamstrung early adopters. Earlier in October, we saw performance dings on Pixel devices once they were upgraded to the new Android version. Now, some Android 11 users are reporting that they are not able to take screenshots anymore. Their device says that “Taking screenshots isn't allowed by the app or your organization,” even if there is no G Suite account on the device. However, it appears that an easy fix to this annoying problem has been discovered by Pixel Phone Help forum user Wes Morgan. If you recently updated to Android 11 and found that screen shots were not working, do not fret as you are not alone. In one...
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After a relatively quiet first year of existence, it seems like you can barely swing a cat without running into a new operating system distribution for the Raspberry Pi 4. Raspbian Buster has been around since the beginning, but last weekend Canonical announced a version of Ubuntu 20.10 Groovy Gorilla desktop for the most popular single-board computer. Now, Android developers have gotten in on the act with the first builds of the OmniROM Android 11 custom ROM for Raspberry Pi. A mobile operating system might seem a little weird for a small desktop platform, but we'd be remiss if we didn't remember that the Raspberry Pi 4 is more than just a small computer. With the right add-on hardware, like...
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Don’t let the Pixel 4a 5G’s name fool you into thinking this device is the same as the Pixel 4a that was released back in August, with the sole addition of 5G support. Although the branding may be somewhat quizzical, the Pixel 4a 5G is a completely new device, with a larger form factor (it’s actually bigger than the Pixel 5), newer processing platform, additional rear camera, and a few other bells and whistles. The new Pixel 4a 5G does look nearly identical to the “older” Pixel 4a, but that is by design. Google has embraced an overall aesthetic with its Pixel devices that’s distinctly similar across all its devices from the last couple of generations. Depending...
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When Google releases a new iteration of its popular Android operating system, we expect to see the typical generation-over-generation features and security enhancements that make the experience more powerful and capable. Also, if we’re lucky, we might even expect see some performance gains from time to time as Google's mobile OS is optimized to fully harness the increasingly more powerful mobile platforms that are being shoehorned into evermore sophisticated smartphone designs. But what we weren’t expecting with the release of Android 11, however, is what appears to be a notable regression in performance compared to Android 10. This realization isn’t something that we sought...
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We’re roughly a week away from when Google is set to unveil its new Pixel 5 flagship, and the lesser Pixel 4a (5G). However, unlike previous years, Google is not using a top-of-the-line Qualcomm SoC for its flagship, which means that we won’t see the Snapdragon 865 or Snapdragon 865+. The folks over at WinFuture have managed to not only grab confirmed specs for the upcoming Pixel 5, but they also have obtained new renders of the smartphone. The star of the show of course will be Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 765G SoC, which will come with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The inclusion of the Snapdragon 765G also means that the Google 5 is technically capable...
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Typically, OnePlus devices get a refresh in the form of a new device with a “T” attached to the model. OnePlus has announced this routine is happening again this year with the launch of the OnePlus 8T coming October 14th at 10AM EST. According to the founder and CEO of OnePlus, Pete Lau, "OnePlus is always looking for opportunities to bring the latest technology to our tech-savvy users as soon as we feel it meets our high standards.” According to Lau, they are “raising the bar” again and introducing some new features for a OnePlus device. Earlier in September, we received some leaks about the OnePlus 8T. The main feature and step-up from the OnePlus 8 would be the...
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Android 11 is being released today and it is turning the feature set “up to 11.” This new Android version has a focus of three themes: people, controls, and privacy. This update is dropping for Pixel devices from the Pixel 2 onward. As mentioned, the three themes are the most important talking points of the update. The first point, people, is all about improving conversations and discussion flow while multitasking. Notifications for conversations pop up in a dedicated space in the notifications shade. Bubbles are a new feature which allow conversation “shortcuts” to be placed on screen for easy access back to the conversation. Finally, they have consolidated keyboard...
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Earlier this year, OnePlus introduced its newest lineup of flagship smartphones: the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8T. Both smartphones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC with 5G connectivity, with prices starting at $699 for the less feature-packed OnePlus 8 (you can read the HotHardware review of both smartphones here). As is usually the case with OnePlus, however, the company releases a flagship “refresh” in the latter half of each year, and this year we’re looking at the incoming OnePlus 8T. The OnePlus 8T will reportedly share its dimensions with the OnePlus 8 (pictured above), including its 6.55-inch AMOLED display. However, the display will be receiving...
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In the Smart TV space, Roku has established itself as the global leader with a wide range of supported apps, affordable dongles that can be attached to any TV, and deep penetration with top-selling TV brands like TCL. However, Google’s Android TV platform has been around for a few years and is looking to take some of the sting out of Roku and to a certain extent, Amazon’s Fire TV platform. Google announced today that the number of monthly active users for Android TV have skyrocketed by 80 percent during the last year. The company says that it’s currently working with 7 out of the top 10 Smart TV OEMs to ensure that consumers are able to experience Android...
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It is said you learn something new every day, and for me, I just learned there is a World Emoji Day. I also learned that World Emoji Day is today, July 17 (so now I do not have to fret if I learning nothing at all new tomorrow). To celebrate the occasion, Google announced it will be adding all 117 new emojis from the Emoji 13.0 update to Android 11, while Apple is likely to do the same with iOS 14 (the company previewed 13 of them). That's a lot of emojis. They are also varied, with everything from a pinching finger to ninjas and brides, and everything in between. There will also be a wide assortment of cute animals, of course, along with foods, drinks, activities, toys, and the list goes on...
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A lot of Android fans have been wondering when the next iteration of the mobile operating system, Android 11, will exit beta and officially launch. Google recently published a video for the "Hey Google" Smart Home Summit, and in that video was a precise date for the launch of Android 11: September 8th. The date was tipped in an official "Checklist for September 8 Android 11 launch." That checklist instructed developers to tell users about the Android 11 launch and update marketing assets to include Android controls along with sending an email to users and a notification from the app. The slide also instructs the developers to ensure that it's easy to link their devices to Google and to improve...
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Microsoft is seemingly in a race to get the Surface Duo out the door before Samsung announces its equally intriguing Galaxy Fold 2. Now we're seeing even more evidence that the launch is imminent. Surface Duo assets have already shown up in Microsoft's Your Phone app according to Zac Bowden. The fact that Microsoft would put this unreleased phone in its production app shows that the wait won't be much longer. Looks like Your Phone already has the assets to differentiate between normal Android phones and Surface Duo pic.twitter.com/BBnKenOF1E— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) June 20, 2020 Windows Latest is separately reporting that the Surface Duo, which will launch with Android 10 installed,...
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Android fans who want to try the next big release for the operating system can currently enroll in the Android 11 Beta program if you're using a Pixel smartphone. Google says the Android Beta for Pixel program offers a simple way to try pre-release versions of Android to check out new features. The program also allows users to provide feedback to Google about the operating system before its launch. Once users register their device, they will automatically receive updates from the latest beta version of the OS. Supported devices for the Android Beta for Pixel program include: Pixel 2 Pixel 2 XL Pixel 3 Pixel 3 XL Pixel 3a Pixel 3a XL Pixel 4 Pixel 4 XL Google points out that users on eligible...
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Had the Coronavirus pandemic never occurred, Google would be getting ready to release its Android 11 Beta 1 release tomorrow, as originally planned. That's not going to happen—the launch event has been postponed without a followup date, so for the time being, the Android 11 Preview 4 build is the latest one. Well, for most people. Pixel 4 owners are apparently the exception. As spotted by XDA-Developers, the Android 11 Beta 1 build (RPB1.200504.018) has found its way to some Pixel 4 phones as a 736MB download, and with it comes a glimpse of some upcoming features, changes, and improvements that Google is currently working on for the final release. One of the improvements involves the Quick...
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Are you ready for a new version of Android? Ready or not, it's right around the corner, at least in public beta form. Google plans to launch the Android 11 public beta on June 3, 2020, with a livestream announcing the details. Normally this is something that would be rolled out during Google I/O, but that event was cancelled this year because of COVID-19. "Join us as we unveil new features packed inside the next release, Android 11, as well as updates for developers to help them get the most out of modern Android development," Google states on its Android 11 developers landing page. That's also the place to go (hit the link in the Via field below) to jot your name and email address if you would...
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Google has announced that Android 11 Developer Preview 2 is now available to download and install. Google doesn't want consumers installing the new version of the operating system, so it's making it available for developers only by manual download/flash. Developer Preview 2 will work on Google's first-party Pixel 2, 3, 3a, or 4 smartphones. Google is offering the operating system via the Android Flash Tool to make installing a bit easier. Those who are running Developer Preview 1 or 1.1 can update to Developer Preview 2 via an over-the-air update. As for what's changed in the new developer preview, it adds a new 5G state API to quickly check whether the user is currently on a 5G New Radio or...
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We'd bet that many Android users who have been using wireless charging have, at some point, sat their device on the charging pad only to realize later it didn't charge. Often the issue with not charging comes down to having the smartphone misaligned on the pad. Most devices must be aligned just right for wireless charging, and the current version of Android doesn't tell you if the alignment is off. However, Android 11 is adding a message to warn of a wireless charging misalignment. A new Android 11 feature will put an error message on the screen that says, "realign phone to charge wirelessly." It's unclear if this warning will come to all Android devices running the software update. Reports indicate...
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