We love our Android flagships, and in many ways, they are better than Apple’s flagship iPhone. However, consumers around the world do not necessarily agree. Consumers have overwhelmingly chosen iPhones when it comes to voting with their wallets, as seven of the top 10 best smartphones globally were all iPhones.

According to Counterpoint‘s latest report, the top seven best sellers in December 2023 were all iPhones, primarily spread across the iPhone 14 series and iPhone 15 series, with the iPhone 13 also scoring a seat. The top 10 smartphones in all of 2023 captured a combined market share of 20%, up from 19% in 2022.

If you’ve ever interacted with the Linux command line, you’re likely familiar with the sudo command, short for “super user do.” This command allows you to execute actions with elevated privileges, essentially running it as root. This is necessary for system administration tasks inaccessible to regular users without the required privileges. As an administrator, you can configure sudo to be accessible only to you, preventing others from using it.

Excitingly, Microsoft has recently announced the introduction of sudo for Windows. This isn’t a third-party addition; it’s built directly into the Windows operating system. At the time of writing, you’ll need an insider build starting with build 26052 to access this feature. Over time, this will gradually roll out to the beta channel and eventually to mainstream users. The version of Windows you’ll need to enable this feature will depend on when you’re reading this article.

Qualcomm switched to a clean naming scheme a few years ago, using numbers like 4, 6, 7, and 8 to indicate the positioning of the SoC lineup and a generational suffix to indicate yearly releases. This clean naming scheme worked for a while, but the company is back on track to cluttering it with more confusing placements. A new leak suggests that Qualcomm is working on a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, and from the looks of it, it won’t be better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 used on high-end Android flagships.

Leaker Digital Chat Station has shared the clock speeds of an upcoming Qualcomm SoC with the codename SM8635 and tentative marketing name Snapdragon 8s Gen 3.

Nothing revealed chipset details regarding the upcoming Nothing Phone 2a yesterday, confirming a Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC. The company also claimed that the new handset will be more powerful and efficient than the Nothing Phone 1.

Now, company co-founder Carl Pei has elaborated on these claims in an interview with Digital Trends.

The iPhone 15 series has been one of the bigger changes to the iPhone in recent years, even though the phones may appear to have improved only incrementally. Plenty of small changes have added to a better year-on-year upgrade experience, and surprisingly, more are being found. Apple has just updated its guidance on the battery health of the iPhone 15, and it claims the battery on these phones can last twice as long before deteriorating.

Apple’s support document on battery health was recently updated to state that the batteries of the iPhone 15 models are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions. In comparison, the batteries of iPhone 14 and previous models are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions.

Samsung announced a variety of Galaxy AI features alongside the Galaxy S24 series. Now, the company is making it easier to activate these features if you use its venerable Bixby assistant.

Samsung confirmed that you can now use Bixby to activate these brand-new Galaxy AI features. The manufacturer’s voice assistant supports the activation of Note Assist, Call Assist, Transcript Assist, Browsing Assist, and Interpreter.

Google is adding a small but handy new feature to Android TV devices in the US. Over the next few weeks, the Google TV interface will show a quick access row to help users discover new TV shows and movies to watch in a faster way.

Google introduced the Gemini Android app recently. It gives Android users an option to switch from Google Assistant to Gemini and make it the default AI helper on their phones. However, it looks like Google is getting ready to phase out Assistant completely and replace it entirely with Gemini.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 series with several AI smarts on board. All the AI capabilities of the phone come under the Galaxy AI umbrella. We already know that Samsung plans to extend Galaxy AI support to older phones, but the company just confirmed that it’s now looking to add Galaxy AI smarts to its wearables.

Although Telegram is a niche messaging service in the US and Canada, it’s absolutely gigantic worldwide, with over 104 million users in India alone. If you’re new to the service, stats like that can be a little intimidating — but they shouldn’t be, at least not on their own. Here’s what you need to know about Telegram’s security, including how to stay safe day-to-day.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

As the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Apple has once again fallen victim to a repair scam where fake handsets were switched with real models, like the iPhone 15.

According to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office, two residents of Maryland — both Chinese nationals — were found guilty by a federal jury in the District of Columbia of attempting to defraud Apple. Haotian Sun, 33, and Pengfei Xue, 33, were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud, which comes with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

We’ve all been there: a beloved phone takes an unexpected dip in the pool, the sink, or even the dreaded toilet. In a moment of panic, we turn to the age-old “phone-in-rice” trick because that’s the best water damage prevention technique, right? Well, brace yourself for a splash of reality because that trusty method might be doing more harm than good.

Macworld has unearthed a 2024 support document from Apple that explicitly advises against the rice-drying method, cautioning that it could potentially worsen the damage to iPhones. The official support page states that “doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” In fact, this revelation reinforces findings from previous research, which have debunked the efficacy of rice in drying out water-damaged phones.

Another day, another class action lawsuit for the tech giant known as Google. The latest legal problem for Google alleges the company knew the Pixel 6 Pro had a defect that caused it to become too hot to hold.

According to Law360, plaintiff Jennifer Hyatt filed a class action lawsuit against Google over the Pixel 6 Pro. The lawsuit claims that Hyatt went through “numerous” replacement Pixel 6 Pros only to discover that each one had an overheating defect. Hyatt believes this was not just some coincidence.

Update, February 20, 2024 (02:50 PM ET): We’ve updated this PlayStation 5 Pro rumor hub with more speculation that it could launch this year.

Original article: On November 15, 2013, Sony launched the PlayStation 4. Three years later, almost to the day, Sony launched an upgraded version known as the PlayStation 4 Pro. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 launched on November 12, 2020. If you do the math, that means it’s been over three years since we saw the PS5 console launch. Does that mean we can expect a Sony PS5 Pro to launch soon?

As Google continues to find ways to put AI into everything it does, it’s a little surprising we haven’t seen more AI features in the Play Store. But that could soon change as Google appears to be testing a new AI-powered summary feature in the marketplace.

According to Android expert AssembleDebug on X (formerly Twitter), Google is in the midst of testing an AI feature called “App Highlights.” It appears the purpose of App Highlights is to highlight key aspects of an app to provide a quick summary of what it is about.

Last week, Google announced the rollout of Android 15 Developer Preview 1 (DP1). However, that initial rollout has been cut short as the tech giant has “temporarily disabled downloads.”

On the Android Developers website, Google announced that it is briefly halting downloads of Android 15 DP1. According to the Mountain View-based firm, the reason is linked to a known issue with sideloading OTA images. It appears that when sideloading the DP1 build, this sometimes triggers a “Device is corrupted” message after the download is completed.

The Galaxy S24 family has landed with super-long update support and Galaxy AI in tow. The Galaxy S24 Ultra might get the lion’s share of attention in Samsung’s marketing, but you would do well to remember Samsung’s oft-forgotten middle child before buying a new smartphone. It has much more screen real estate than the baby S24, but it’s not as heavy or expensive as the monstrous S24 Ultra, offering a competent middle ground. Sure, it’s missing some Ultra-tier features like the S Pen and dual telephoto camera lenses, but the Galaxy S24 Plus has a lot to offer the right buyer.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review: At a glance

As companies like Samsung and Google go all-in on AI for smartphones, OPPO is following suit. The firm plans to start working on new generative AI tools and eventually bring them to its Reno 11 series later this year.

Today, OPPO announced it is taking a serious step into generative AI with the creation of a dedicated AI center. According to the press release, this AI department will focus on the research and development of AI and its applications to deliver user-centric AI features and products.

You expect the first deal on a new laptop to be modest, but that’s not Amazon’s approach on the new ASUS Vivobook 16. Despite only launching late last year, the impressive machine today got a massive 25% price drop on Amazon, reducing the price to only $599.99.

ASUS Vivobook 16 for $599.99 ($200 off)

OnePlus recently began teasing its next smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 2, aiming to compete against other top smartwatches. The company has now practically announced the new smartwatch, revealing its design in official renders alongside several key details.

The OnePlus Watch 2 will launch on February 26, 2024, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. OnePlus is claiming the “best-ever battery life” with up to 100 hours offered through a full Smart Mode. The Watch 2 claims to come with a design that “epitomizes both elegance and durability,” using a stainless steel chassis and a sapphire crystal watch face.

Walmart is already a significant player in the TV business, offering its cheap in-house Onn TVs and its own TV boxes. Now, the company has stepped up its game in a big way as it’s just announced the acquisition of TV brand Vizio.

Walmart announced the acquisition of Vizio in a joint press release, confirming that this was a deal worth $2.3 billion.

ASUS has been sticking to a smaller phone for its Zenfone lineup in recent years, but the company is expected to depart from its current conventions this year. Leaks have revealed much about the Zenfone 11 Ultra and how it could be a rebranded ROG Phone 8 Pro. Now, ASUS has officially confirmed that the Zenfone 11 Ultra is launching globally on March 14.

Update: February 21, 2024 (1:30 AM ET): We originally reported that the Google app’s strings suggest Circle to Search won’t work without Google as your default search engine. Now, 9to5Google has verified that changing to a different search engine has no effect on the feature.

Garmin is launching two new fitness watches today — the Forerunner 165 and Forerunner 165 Music. The two new wearables succeed Garmin’s uber-popular Forerunner 55 running watch that launched back in 2019. Needless to say, Garmin’s budget-friendly lineup was long due for a refresh.

We don’t think about the SIM inside our phone that often, but it inarguably has some of the most critical connectivity functions to serve. Without a SIM, your phone will not connect to a network, and you will be left without 4G, 5G, calling and texting features. That’s one reason why many people prefer using dual-SIM phones, as they can stay connected through the second network if the first one goes down. If that has been your concern, a new SIM tech lets you use one SIM card to pack in two SIMs so that you retain always-on connectivity.

CSL Group has announced the new “rSIM” tech, short for Resilient SIM. rSIM claims to use patented tech to check its own network connectivity and switch providers automatically if and when disruptions happen. rSIM stores two independent mobile operator profiles on a single SIM card, so you always have a backup telecom connection with you. Deutsche Telekom IoT and Tele2 IoT have been announced as rSIM’s first connectivity partners.

Nothing is continuing its drip-feed of Nothing Phone 2a spec disclosures in the run-up to its March 5 launch. Now, the smartphone brand has revealed the new phone’s processor.

Nothing confirmed in a YouTube video that the Nothing Phone 2a will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor. This is the first Nothing phone with a MediaTek chipset, following in the footsteps of the Snapdragon 778G Plus and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 in the Nothing Phone 1 and 2 respectively.

One of the biggest mysteries regarding the upcoming Nothing Phone 2a is what the phone will look like. A trusted source recently published purportedly leaked renders but later confirmed they were inaccurate. Now, the same source has posted what they claim are accurate Nothing Phone 2a renders.

Veteran leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer and SmartPrix posted new Nothing Phone 2a renders, and we get a decidedly different design compared to the previously posted images. Check the gallery below, showing an apparent Dark Gray model.

With the number of people using WhatsApp daily, it’s no surprise that some bad actors find ways to take undue advantage of the platform. Profile photo abuse is one of the most common annoyances, wherein people download your profile photo for nefarious reasons. The platform has taken plenty of steps to make this difficult, and a new report suggests it could soon add a final nail to this coffin and solve the problem for good.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is rolling out a new privacy feature to beta testers. This feature blocks screenshots of profile photos.

The term x86-64v3 is once again a discussion point for Linux users, sparking curiosity and questions about its relevance to the platform. But what is it, why does it matter to Linux, and what is all the fuss about? Find out everything you need to know about x86-64v3 below.

A brief overview of microarchitecture history

The story of the x86 instruction set began about 39 years ago with the introduction of the Intel 80386, commonly referred to as the 386. This was a pivotal moment in the history of modern desktop and server computing. Launched in 1985, the 386 was Intel’s first 32-bit processor and was equipped with a full memory management unit, enabling it to run operating systems that utilize virtual memory. However, the evolution of x86 technology didn’t stop at the 386. Over time, this older chip, its microarchitecture, and its instructions were phased out. Debian Linux discontinued 386 support in 2005 and completely removed it in 2007. The Linux kernel followed suit in 2012, despite Linux’s original development on 386 and 486 machines.

Samsung teased its long-rumored Galaxy Ring at the Galaxy S24 series launch last month. Now, it looks like we’ve got more information about the upcoming wearable.

ET News (h/t: Revegnus on X) reports that the Galaxy Ring is scheduled to launch at an Unpacked event in the second half of July. This event will presumably see the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 revealed too.

Android 14 was publicly launched with the Pixel 8 series back in October 2023. We’re a few months into the new year, and Google has begun testing the next version of Android with the release of Android 15 Developer Preview 1 for Pixel devices. This is the first available update for Android 15 and is intended for developer use. Still, it gives us a good look at what to expect in the next major release to the Android platform.

Update: February 20, 2024 (3:05 AM ET): We’ve updated our Galaxy Ring hub with information about a possible launch window and reported features.

Google announced Assistant AI summaries for Android Auto alongside the launch of the Galaxy s24 series. The feature utilizes Google Assistant to automatically summarize long messages or group chats while you’re driving without having to reach for your phone.

Android 15 is the next big update for the smartphone platform, and we’re slowly getting more information on the changes it brings. One of the more important changes that Android 15 could bring is the ability for the system to pin Android’s WebView to memory, consequently speeding up apps that rely on WebView for functioning.

Before understanding the change, we need to understand what WebView is and why it is important. WebView, also known as the Android System WebView, is the part of the Android OS that many apps tap into to display a webpage. Apps that want to display a webpage do not need to build a full internet browser, as they can call upon the Android System WebView to display web content.

Rumors regarding a foldable iPhone have been around for a while now, but it looks like we might have a potential launch window for Apple’s first foldable phone.

When it comes to keeping information under wraps, Samsung hasn’t exactly done its best with the Galaxy Fit 3. On the last day of January, the company accidentally published the official Galaxy Fit 3 product page, only to take it down moments later. Now marketing materials for the device have leaked and it gives us a complete picture of what to expect.

The folks over at The Tech Lookout appear to have got their hands on marketing and training material for the Galaxy Fit 3. That material appears to give us the full specifications for the upcoming fitness tracker.

According to the images, the Galaxy Fit 3 may have a 1.6-inch AMOLED display panel with a resolution and pixel density of 256 x 402 pixels and 302 PPI. The device is said to weigh 36.8g and measure at 42.9 x 28.8 x 9.9mm. In comparison, the Galaxy Fit 2 weighed 21g and had a 1.1-inch display with a 126 x 294 resolution.

It appears you can also expect 16MB RAM and 256MB storage, a 208 mAh battery, an aluminum body, and an IP68 rating with 5ATM of water resistance. Samsung may have also fit in two additional sensors: a barometer and a light sensor. The materials mention three colorways as well, including gray, silver, and pink gold.

The leak from January 31 revealed quite a few features already, like 13 days of battery life, over 100 workouts, fall detection, and more. These materials from today’s leak — which can be seen below — mention many of the same features we previously heard about. However, this new leak also provides the talking points Samsung may have been planning to use when announcing the device.

Despite all of this information we now have about the Galaxy Fit 3, we’re still waiting on a price and release date. The sudden influx of leaks suggests that an announcement may not be far off.

While Samsung has made many great smartwatches in recent history, it’s been three years since Samsung launched a dedicated fitness tracker. Recently, a flurry of rumors suggests this is about to change with the upcoming launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3. Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Fit 3 rumors, as well as what we’d like to see this time around.

Will there be a Samsung Galaxy Fit 3?

Samsung has yet to confirm the existence of the Galaxy Fit 3 officially, but that didn’t stop the company from accidentally leaking a bunch of information about it through the Samsung Gulf website on January 31, 2024. Needless to say, we can safely say there will be a new Fit in 2024.

The first rumors about this wearable started in late 2023 and have heated up significantly in 2024. At this point, we know what it looks like, a lot of the expected hardware, and a few other details. The Galaxy Fit 3 is inevitably coming soon, but what’s less clear is Samsung’s exact launch window.

What is the most likely Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 release date?

• Samsung Galaxy Fit — February 20, 2019
• Samsung  Galaxy Fit 2 — September 3, 2020

The recent increase in leaks makes it clear the Galaxy Fit 3 release date isn’t far off, but there’s really no chatter around the actual date. Looking back at the past two models shows no clear history. Still, it is worth noting the original Samsung Galaxy Fit did arrive in late February of 2019, so it’s certainly possible Samsung could target a similar time frame here, perhaps for around Mobile World Congress. We predict the Galaxy Fit 3 will be here no later than the end of Spring, but again, that’s just speculation for now.

What rumored specs and features could the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 have?

While we don’t know what the official Galaxy Fit 3 specs will look like, we have a fairly accurate idea. Pretty much all the major specs details come from the Samsung-initiated leak mentioned earlier in this guide.

Design and colors

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is an attractive fitness tracker with a sizable 1.6-inch 256 x 402 AMOLED, an improvement over the Fit 2’s 1.1-inch 126 x 294 AMOLED display. It also weighs 18.5g without the straps, or 36.8g if they are attached. That makes the Fit 3 a bit heavier than its predecessor at 11.3g without the straps, and 21g with them.

As you’d expect, the Fit 3 is designed to handle the elements with a 5ATM/IP68 rating that should be able to not only handle inclement weather but is also perfect for tracking your swims.

The straps get a major upgrade for the Fit 3, ditching the old wrap-around style of bands with quick-release straps that are easy to detach and swap out. Lastly, it comes in three case colors: black, rose gold, and silver.

What’s on the inside?

We know more about the hardware than just its display. In fact, the entire spec sheet has leaked. Let’s start with some of the confirmed sensors. You can expect an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a heart rate sensor. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the Galaxy Fit 3 will offer more premium features like built-in GPS and oxygen sensors.

The Galaxy Fit 3 has a 208mAh battery that can last up to 13 days. It’s worth noting the Fit 2 claimed to offer up to 21 days of life with 15 typical, so current rumors indicate the Fit 3 is a slight step down here. As a consolation, it can at least be charged extremely quickly going from zero to 65% in just 30 minutes.

The battery hit might be unfortunate, but it’s important to understand the Fit 2 was much less powerful, which might have helped with battery life but also led to occasional performance issues. The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is not only guaranteed to have a much faster processor, but it also has much more RAM at 16MB versus just 2MB on the original. The storage has also jumped from 32MB to 256 MB. As you’d expect, a lot of the communications standards have also improved, such as the move from Bluetooth 5.1 to 5.3.

Special features and software

The Galaxy Fit 3 is expected to run a custom OS, which is a similar story to its predecessor. It’s unclear if the new OS will just be a modified upgrade or a more significant overhaul. That said, the original had a decent interface that was only hindered by its weak hardware. In other words, we can expect something at least as good, if not much better.

We might not know much about the new OS and software underneath, but we can tell you it isn’t expected to support third-party apps and will offer a pretty minimalist experience sticking to relatively basic apps like Calendar, Weather World Clock, and Samsung Health. Of course, you can also expect a host of new health and fitness software features, including the ability to track over a hundred types of workouts ranging from walking or running to biking and swimming.

Other health and safety features include a new 5-click shortcut to send an SOS message or display medical information for first responders, sleep tracking, snore detection, and fall detection with SOS notification alerts. That’s not all, as rumors also suggest it will feature over a hundred watch faces, a Find My Phone feature, and basic smartphone notifications for messaging and calls. There’s even supposedly a camera control function.

What might the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 price be?

• Samsung Galaxy Fit — $99.99
• Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 — $59

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is likely to be priced somewhere around $100 or less, at least if history is any indicator. After all, the original Fit model was priced at $99.99 and the second iteration was even $40 cheaper. While it might seem like a foregone conclusion that the Fit 3 would be priced similarly to its predecessor, it’s important to consider that it has been three years and our economy has changed significantly.

On one hand, the Galaxy Fit 3 could opt for a conservative approach by introducing a price hike, aligning with the Fitbit Inspire 3 at approximately $100. That’s the safe route, though. Pricing it below this threshold could position the Fit 3 as a compelling alternative to the Fitbit Inspire series and introduce serious competition to the budget fitness tracker market, which is largely dominated by Xiaomi and HUAWEI.

Should you wait for the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3?

It’s unclear exactly when the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 will launch but I can tell you I wouldn’t recommend the aging Fit 2 ($60 at Amazon) at this point. This leaves us with just a few alternatives. You could spend more and get a smartwatch with fitness-tracking capabilities but there aren’t nearly as many options for true fitness-tracking bands.

For those who want a fitness band, you can either go with a Fitbit tracker like the Inspire 3 ( ) or Charge 6 ( ), or you can save money and go with a budget tracker like the Xiaomi Mi Band 8 ( ) or HUAWEI Band 8 ( ). Or you could just wait!

Generally, with these types of rumor roundups and wishlists for future products, I always say it’s not worth the wait, but the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is a rare exception. Depending on its price tag, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 could prove to be in a sweet spot between expensive trackers and budget offerings. At least until we know more, I would say the only reason to get a fitness tracking device now is if you are fine with getting a more full-featured smartwatch instead.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: What I want to see

While we already know a lot about the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3, there’s at least a few things that remain clear around the actual sensor accuracy, companion apps, and more. Here’s my wishlist for just a few things I’d like to see:

Better heart rate accuracy

Pricing at under $69 back in 2020 pretty much ensured the Fit 2 was going to perform less than great when it came to sensor accuracy, just as we’ve seen from HUAWEI and Xiaomi budget fitness trackers. I’d like to see the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 do better here.

Making its heart rate sensor a major focus could help set the Fit 3 apart from other trackers in the $100 or less range, considering how rare accurate heart rate sensors are in the budget segment.

Better companion app experience

The Fit 2 tracker’s integrated UI was quite good but the companion app experience wasn’t nearly as seamless. For starters, it required two different apps. For Android users, you needed the Galaxy Wearable mobile app and Samsung Health, while iOS users needed the Samsung Galaxy Fit app alongside Samsung Health.

Here’s hoping Samsung has either integrated its Fit 3 companion features into Samsung Health completely or it has a stand-alone app and bypasses Samsung’s health suite altogether. The former seems more likely, and preferable, but the main point is Samsung needs a flawless, easy-to-use companion experience that rivals Fitbit. This not only will help it attract former Fitbit users but also help the Fit 3 compare favorably to the jumbled app experience most other cheap trackers offer.

Combining the points above with a $75 price tag

I’ve already spoken a bit about the pricing above and how it’s likely the Fit 3 will price somewhere between $69 and $100. I feel that hitting around the $75 mark could be the perfect sweet spot here. This would make the Samsung Fit 3 seem like a great cheaper alternative to Fitbits, and yet its brand power could entice budget shoppers to go above the typical $40 to $65 range most budget trackers fall within.

Furthermore, combining this price range with the improved heart rate sensor and a better app experience would easily land budget trackers in serious trouble. Most of the cheap trackers have weak sensors and confusing app experiences, which would make the Fit 3 feel like a fresh breath of air.

If you’re a stickler for tab organization, then you’re probably a fan of Chrome’s “Tab Group” feature. While the feature has been around on both desktop and Android for quite some time, the mobile version is getting an ability previously only available on desktop.

It appears Google is starting to roll out single tab groups to the Canary version of Chrome for Android. The feature first appeared in the early build version of the mobile browser back in January, but it was grayed out at the time. In the most recent Canary build, however, the feature is now functional and can be enabled through an experimental flag, according to @Leopeva64 on X (formerly Twitter).

Once enabled, users can group a single tab by tapping on the three vertical dots. When the drop-down menu appears, you’ll see the “Group tab” option. Selecting the Group tab option will allow the user to pick the tab they want to group, rename the tab group, and more.

The feature is currently only available in Chrome Canary, which means it is still in the early stages. As such, the feature is only meant to be used by developers who are testing out new features for Chrome for Android. It’s unclear when Google could bring it to the stable version of the mobile browser.

It’s essential to protect your online accounts so they don’t fall into the hands of hackers, which is why you should use a passkey or enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible. While some forms of 2FA are more secure than others, some platforms only support the most basic methods, wherein your one-time passwords (OTPs) are sent via email or text. These methods are convenient since they don’t require additional setup, but they are also less secure since they’re easier to intercept. Fortunately, Android 15 might be adding a new feature that prevents your OTPs from being read by malicious Android apps.

While digging through the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 update, I discovered the addition of a new permission named RECEIVE_SENSITIVE_NOTIFICATIONS. This permission has a protectionLevel of role|signature, which means it can only be granted to applications with the requisite role or to applications that the OEM signs. While the exact role that grants this permission hasn’t been defined yet, it’s likely that Google doesn’t intend to open this permission up to third-party apps.

<permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SENSITIVE_NOTIFICATIONS" android:protectionLevel="role|signature"/>

As for why I believe that, it’s because this permission is tied to a new, in-development platform feature that aims to redact sensitive notifications from untrusted apps that implement a NotificationListenerService. This is an API that lets apps read or take action on all notifications. Users need to manually grant apps permission in Settings before the NotificationListenerService API becomes available, though.

Given how powerful this permission and API are, it’s no surprise that Google would want to limit the kind of data that apps can get from them. We don’t know precisely what constitutes an “untrusted” app, but it’s likely any apps that don’t hold the new RECEIVE_SENSITIVE_NOTIFICATIONS permission. This permission would probably only apply to select system apps.

We also don’t know exactly what kinds of notifications Google thinks are “sensitive,” but we have reason to believe they’re referring to notifications with 2FA codes. While digging through the source code for Android 14, we discovered a new flag called OTP_REDACTION that is used to gate “the redaction of OTP notifications on the lock screen.” This flag is currently unused in Android 14, though, as it’s likely something that Google intends to release with Android 15.

With the addition of the OTP_REDACTION flag and the RECEIVE_SENSITIVE_NOTIFICATIONS permission, Android will have three ways to protect users from leaking their 2FA codes to third parties. The OTP_REDACTION flag suggests that Android will stop users from leaking their 2FA codes on the lock screen, while the RECEIVE_SENSITIVE_NOTIFICATIONS permission suggests that Android will stop untrusted apps from reading notifications with 2FA codes. Finally, an existing feature from Android 13 blocks users from enabling an app’s notification listener service if it was installed from an untrusted source.

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

10 years ago to the day, Facebook announced that it was purchasing WhatsApp for $19.6 billion — that’s billion, with a B. The news rocked the online world for several reasons, not the least of which being Facebook’s iffy privacy and data handling reputation, plus its propensity to use ads anywhere, which contradicted with WhatsApp’s core principles and what everyone had loved about it so far.

The online media and communities weren’t clement about that purchase either, criticizing the sale, scrutinizing Facebook’s promises, and generally being pessimistic about WhatsApp’s future. As a WhatsApp user myself and a forced Facebook user (my friend created my profile before we graduated college so we could all keep in touch, and I barely used it), I felt conflicted by all of it. I wanted to move away from WhatsApp right then, but I also had all of my friends and family on it. Even some businesses too. I was sure not everyone would be as bothered as I was by the ownership transfer and, even if I could convince my close ones, I couldn’t convince an entire nation and culture.

Using WhatsApp for the first few months after that purchase felt 'dirty.'

Using WhatsApp for the first few months after that purchase felt “dirty,” but the sale slowly faded into the back of my mind. Every few months, something would come up that would remind me of Facebook’s involvement with WhatsApp, I’d feel icky again, and then just learn to ignore it. Even when WhatsApp changed its policies, I clicked on “Agree,” with all the resentment and resignation of the world.

Then WhatsApp’s co-founders left Facebook, and Cambridge Analytica happened, followed by many other Facebook scandals. With a bit of distance, and knowing I objectively didn’t like where things were at but was still sticking around on WhatsApp, I slowly realized that my relationship with the service transcends any other relationship I have with other apps and messaging apps on my phone.

My relationship with WhatsApp transcends any other app on my phone; it is engrained in my real life.

WhatsApp isn’t just WhatsApp to me, it’s the way I communicate with everyone I love. It has photos and voice notes from my dead grandma, my early flirtations with my now-husband, and every high and low I went through during those hellish 2019-2021 years while my country’s economy collapsed, COVID happened, half of Beirut blew up, I shut down my pharmacy, and I moved to France. WhatsApp was, whether I wanted to or not, engrained in every aspect of my real life. You can’t fabricate an emotion like that with an app.

With time, too, I noticed that WhatsApp didn’t get worse — at least not as bad as other social networks and messengers did. Until this very day, the service is still, mostly, ad-free, unlike the scourge of Instagram (Facebook’s other big social purchase). There’s no algorithmic feed either. You control your contacts, who can reach out to you, who sees you and your photos, which WhatsApp communities, channels, and businesses you communicate with, which groups can invite you in, and so on. You get end-to-end encryption across multiple devices too. All in all, 10 years later, it feels like WhatsApp has escaped the worst of Facebook.

10 years later, it feels like WhatsApp has escaped the worst of Facebook.

And in a way, Facebook itself has recently been on a bit of a redemption arc. Oh, I’m not even remotely convinced it’s all in good faith, but it was fun to see people rooting for Threads over X, for example, or falling for the Meta Quest 3 over the Apple Vision Pro. Look how far we’ve fallen that we’re choosing the least bad of two very bad options. But I digress.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that despite everything that felt iffy, 10 years ago, about this deal, it didn’t turn out as bad as we had all collectively imagined back in 2014.

Today, Telegram and Signal are right there, but they play that supporting actor role in my life, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash if I lost access to them this very instant. WhatsApp on the other hand? It’s how I talk to my parents and aunt back home and that, my friends, says it all.

Apple isn’t known for its generosity when it comes to discounts, so a major price drop on the latest iPad is always going to catch our eye. We spotted that various configurations of the 10th Gen 10.9-inch iPad are at unbeaten deal prices right now, reducing the asking price by as much as 22%.

Apple iPad (10th Gen, 256GB, Wi-Fi) for $499 ($100 off)

Meizu isn’t as well known as Samsung or Google, but it has been competing in the Android smartphone space for over a decade now. But it looks like that run is about to end as the company plans to shift its focus to AI.

Yesterday, Meizu released an announcement video to reveal that it will stop working on “traditional smartphone projects.” Instead of making Android smartphones, the firm says it is going “all in on AI.”

In the video, Meizu shows it is not working on a follow-up to the 20 series that was released last year. According to GSMArena, the Chinese electronics maker does not clarify if it will completely stop making smartphones. However, it does reference devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1.

As for its Android skin, known as Flyme OS, it appears the company wants to modify it and put it on AI terminal devices — like infotainment systems for vehicles made by its parent company. It’s said this new mobile OS will come out this year along with some new hardware.

Despite the pivot away from traditional smartphones, Meizu claims it will continue supporting its smartphones in China. However, there’s no word on if it will continue to support smartphones sold overseas.

Update: February 19, 2024 (1:17 PM ET): We have updated our iPhone 16 series rumor hub to include information on potential colorways for the iPhone 16 Pro.

Apple’s iPhone 15 series is still fairly new right now, but the leaks landscape is far more evolved than what it used to be till a few years back, and thanks to that, we already have a number of iPhone 16 rumors and leaks going around.

Apple made some significant changes to the 2023 iPhone lineup, including the addition of USB-C, the mute-switch-replacing Action Button, Titanium bodies instead of Stainless Steel, Dynamic Island on the non-Pro iPhones, a periscope camera for the Pro Max model, and more. If you’ve been following Apple long enough, you’d know that most of these new features from the iPhone 15 series would most certainly be coming to iPhone 16 models. What’s exclusive to the Pros today would likely trickle down to the non-Pro variants next year. It’s just how Apple does things. With all that and the leaks that we have at hand, here’s what you can expect from the iPhone 16 lineup.

Will there be an iPhone 16 series?

Amazon just slashed the price of the Anker Nano 67W Charging Station by 30%, which might interest anyone struggling for power outlet space. The 6-in-1 charging solution is one of the latest and best-rated docks in the Anker repertoire, so the chance to pick it up for under $50 is well worth a look.

Anker Nano Charging Station for $45.99 ($20 off)

Last year, Wyze got in some hot water after smart home owners reported they were briefly able to see video feeds from cameras they didn’t own. A week ago, the issue popped up again with co-founder David Crosby stating that at least dozens were affected. We’re now finding out that the number of people affected is far greater than what was initially reported.

Wyze customers were sent an email to explain a recent outage and a subsequent security issue. In the email, the company blames its web hosting provider — AWS — for the outage that prevented users from accessing live cameras or Events. It appears the security issue occurred as Wyze attempted to bring its services back online.

Wyze claims a “third-party caching client library” was the cause of the breach:

The incident was caused by a third-party caching client library that was recently integrated into our system. This client library received unprecedented load conditions caused by devices coming back online all at once. As a result of increased demand, it mixed up device ID and user ID mapping and connected some data to incorrect accounts.

The security issue in question allowed some users to see into the homes of other people. Reportedly, an estimated 13,000 users were allowed to see thumbnails of other homes. On top of that, Wyze says 1,504 people who tapped on those thumbnails were able to view video taken from those homes.

On it’s part, Wyze says it “immediately removed access to the Events tab and started an investigation.” The company adds that to prevent the problem from happening again, it has tacked on “a new layer of verification” for Event Videos. In addition, Wyze says it has “modified our system to bypass caching for checks on user-device relationships until we identify new client libraries that are thoroughly stress tested for extreme events like we experienced on Friday.”

Although the company has owned up to the mistake, that hasn’t stopped users from flocking to Reddit to voice their frustrations.

Amazfit might bring less prestige than the likes of Apple and Samsung, but you know that you’re getting bang for your buck. The 2023 Amazfit GTR Mini was already highly affordable at its $120 retail price, but Amazon now has a record sale on the sleek smartwatch. It’s 25% off for the first time ever.

Amazfit GTR Mini for $89.99 ($30 off)

The OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R, for example, have full band support for all three major US carriers. However, the OnePlus 12 apparently has allowlist status with Verizon, while the 12R does not appear to enjoy that same status, as we’re learning today. This would mean that, for now, the OnePlus 12R will not work on the Verizon network, even though it has the proper band support.

We discovered this through a user on the XDA-Developer forums. This user bought some OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R phones for family members and was miffed to find the OnePlus 12s worked fine on Verizon, but the 12Rs didn’t. According to this user’s investigation, a Verizon “VP” confirmed to them that the 12 is allowlisted on the network, but the 12R isn’t. We reached out to OnePlus to find out the scoop, and sure enough, the company confirmed that the 12R is facing connection issues at Verizon. It didn’t confirm or deny the allowlist theory, but something is definitely broken.

Thankfully, OnePlus is currently working with Verizon to rectify this. Here’s a statement from OnePlus, per a company spokesperson:

The OnePlus 12R is able to work with all major carriers and on all major 5G networks in the US, including Verizon. We are currently investigating unexpected cases that users may be having with Verizon’s network, and are working with the carrier to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the company didn’t give us any specifics on how long this might take. Theoretically, Verizon just needs to “switch on” support for the 12R, which isn’t too tricky. When this might happen, though, is anyone’s guess.

For now, if you are a Verizon subscriber and looking at the 12R, we’d advise you to wait or buy the OnePlus 12 ( ) instead, as that will work with Big Red straight out of the box.

Also, for the record, this connectivity issue shouldn’t affect using the 12R on T-Mobile or AT&T. This is a Verizon-specific problem.

Snapchat remains a popular app for younger smartphone users, with the company recently announcing that it has 800 million monthly active users. The company is predictably working to add more features to the app, and we’ve now uncovered the existence of a so-called Tiny Snaps feature.

The beta version of Snapchat (version 12.75.0.34) contains several strings referencing a feature called Tiny Snaps. Check out the strings below.

<string name="plus_subscribe_card_tiny_snaps_subtitle">Send bite sized Snaps alongside your Chats.</string>
<string name="plus_subscribe_card_tiny_snaps_title">Tiny Snaps</string>
<string name="plus_tiny_snaps_alert_description">Tap on the camera icon after you begin typing to take a Tiny Snap.</string>

We’re not 100% sure what Tiny Snaps are, but the strings note that these are “bite-sized Snaps” that are sent while chatting to someone on the platform.

The third string also mentions tapping the camera icon after you start typing, suggesting that the Snap will be recorded while you type. It’s unclear if the Tiny Snap is sent when you send the message.

In other words, it seems like Tiny Snaps are meant to capture your reaction as you type a message. We’re guessing that the app might let you record via the rear camera too, but this is just speculation.

Android users have a lot of smartwatch options, but there’s always room for more competition. OnePlus has been rumored to launch a new smartwatch at MWC 2024, presumably called the OnePlus Watch 2, and the company has finally begun teasing the product.

OnePlus has posted a teaser image in the OnePlus community (h/t 1NormalUsername), asking users to wrongly guess what the product is. You can see the teaser image above, and it’s definitely not subtle in indicating what it is.

If you need some more help figuring it out, here is the same image, edited to bring out a few key details:

The teaser image flatly aligns with the leaked renders of the OnePlus Watch 2. The button housing, especially, is unmissable. You can check out the renders that leaked last year, showing off the protruding edge on the right side of the device.

Obviously, the official teaser image has more polish and character than the leaked renders. But the leaked renders give us a good look at the device, which is expected to be showcased at MWC 2024, scheduled to be held at the end of this month.

Leaker Max Jambor alludes that the OnePlus Watch 2 could be launched on February 26, 2024.

The original OnePlus Watch that launched in 2021 was a more simplistic fitness tracker with a large display rather than a proper smartwatch, as it lacked a smart OS with an app store. It ran on a proprietary OS that is comparable to RTOS. With the OnePlus Watch 2, OnePlus is expected to use Wear OS for a proper smartwatch experience that compares against the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and the Pixel Watch 2, presuming it sells in the same markets. The watch is expected to come with the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, so it is already shaping up to be a decent competitor.