Huawei just overtook Apple as the second-largest smartphone seller
Huawei is on the way up. According to a new report from Counterpoint Research, the company overtook Apple as the second-largest smartphone seller during the second quarter of 2018. Of course, it's likely that will change as Apple heads into another upgrade cycle and releases its new range of iPhones.
The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is cheaper than the Tab S4, with the same screen size
Along with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, the company also took the wraps off of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5, a tablet with a relatively low price and midrange specs. The device isn't available in the U.S. just yet, though Samsung says a U.S. announcement will be made some time in the future.
Exclusive: Turing’s next phone looks out of this world, and won’t arrive until 2020
Turing has had a rough history, but the company is eyeing a 2020 release for its third phone, called the Turing HubblePhone -- and it may well be the craziest phone we've ever seen. The device features two displays that wrap around it, as well as a huge camera sensor and a range of futuristic features.
Google Clock is getting music streaming support — here’s how to enable it
Google Clock is finally getting integration with music streaming services, meaning you can now wake up to your favorite tunes instead of those jarring alarm noises. Here's how to enable music streaming support in the Google Clock app. Note that for now, the feature only supports Spotify.
Mint Mobile makes it easier to try before you buy with money-back trial
Mint Mobile is making it a little easier for potential customers to try before they buy. The company has tweaked its seven-day trial offering to now give customers a money-back guarantee -- so customers that don't like Mint's service can get their $5 back at the end of that seven-day period.
Flagship Android phones top iPhone X in download speed, report claims
According to a new report, phones equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 have much faster download speeds than phones equipped with Intel's XMM 7480 modem, such as the iPhone X. That can impact everyone on a particular network -- the faster file is downloaded, the faster bandwidth is freed up for others.
Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and Facebook team up on new data transfer project
Some of the largest tech companies in the world have teamed up to make data portability a little easier. The initiative is called the Data Transfer Project, and the likes of Google, Twitter, Microsoft, and Facebook are all on board. There's no product to show off just yet, but the project could be groundbreaking.
Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6 will help your phone survive up to 15 drops before it shatters
Corning has finally taken the wraps off of the long-awaited Gorilla Glass 6 -- a glass that will be used to protect the next generation of smartphones and that Corning says will allow your phone to survive up to 15 drops before it breaks. No phones with the new glass have been announced just yet.
Best Gear VR apps and games
Whether you're looking for action games or immersive experiences, these are the best Gear VR apps and games you can download. If you own Samsung's Gear VR, you'll want to check these titles out for immersive action, puzzles, adventures, scares, and more. These virtual reality hits are sure to entertain.
To celebrate World Emoji Day, Google’s blobmoji are back as sticker packs
Google replaced the humble Blob Emoji, or blobmoji, as the standard in Android last year with Android 8.0 Oreo. Now, however, it's finally bringing it back -- sort of. Users can download blobmoji as sticker packs in Google's Gboard, and reports indicate the blobs will be coming to Android Messages too.
Best Buy is knocking $50 off the Apple Watch Series 3 for a short time
Been holding out on a better deal for the Apple Watch Series 3? Best Buy may have the deal for you. The company is selling the Apple Watch Series 3 for as much as $50 off -- meaning you can get the device for as little as $279. That's one of the cheapest prices we've seen for the device yet.
Apple patent hints at better gesture control on the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch already does things like shows you the time when you raise your wrist, but soon the gesture controls on the Apple Watch may get a whole lot better, if Apple's latest patent is anything to go by. The patent describes using light sensors to detect movements of the tissue under your skin.
8 months after its release, the iPhone 8 outsells the new Galaxy S9
Counterpoint has released a new report indicating that the iPhone 8 outsold the Samsung Galaxy S9 in May -- 8 months into the iPhone upgrade cycle. That's pretty good news for Apple, who managed to grab three of the top five spots. Other phones on the top 10 list include the Xiaomi Redmi 5A and Huawei P20 Lite.
T-Mobile rolls out better texting — but only to the Samsung Galaxy S7
T-Mobile may have supported RCS in some iteration since 2015, but the company is now finally adopting Universal Profile, which will bring smarter messaging features to those who communicate with non-T-Mobile customers too. So far, only the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge is getting support.
Patent hints at refined Apple Watch power-saving mode that kicks in by itself
Apple is working hard at improving the battery life of the Apple Watch, but doing so may not involve a bigger battery -- instead, the company may turn to refining and tweaking the power saving mode on the Apple Watch to automatically kick in when the watch reaches a certain battery level.
Niantic wants to make its augmented reality apps more realistic
Niantic's new Real World Platform leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to create more realistic augmented reality apps. It will tackle problems plaguing AR today. For example, the company is working on ways to create better depth maps, and cut down on latency to improve on social games.
Amazon is finally bringing Alexa voice control to the iPhone
Amazon Alexa may be your favorite digital assistant, but so far you haven't been able to control Alexa with your voice on the iPhone or iPad. Now, however, that's finally changing -- Amazon is bringing Alexa voice control to iOS, a feature that's been available on Android for some time now.
Android P gestures vs. iOS 12 gestures: What are the differences?
Both Android P and iOS 12 betas are now available, giving us a look at the new gesture controls in both new operating systems. But what are the major similarities in gestures between the new operating systems? And what are the differences? We put the Android P and iOS 12 betas head-to-head to find out.
Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more
Google has updated the highly popular Tilt Brush app with a slew of new features, including a set of new brushes that should help make creating realistic landscapes a whole lot easier. On top of that, the app is getting new sound effects, and a Beginner Mode that makes getting used to the app easier.
HMD Global is releasing the $159 Nokia 3.1 in the U.S. in early July
It looks like we're getting a bit of Nokia love in the U.S. HMD Global has announced that the midrange Nokia 3.1 will get released in the U.S. The phone features a MediaTek MT6750 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and more. The phone will cost $159 in the U.S., and be available from Amazon.
Google Measure app now works on any ARCore-capable phone
Google is updating Google Measure, its augmented reality app that allows users to measure real-world objects. The app is now compatible with any ARCore phone, including the likes of the Google Pixel 2, Samsung Galaxy S9, and more. Previously, it was only available on Project Tango devices.
Apple could implement one of the Google Pixel 2’s coolest features
According to a newly published patent, Apple could be working on implementing one of the most interesting features from the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The patent described a kind of "squeeze" feature that could activate certain functions on the phone. A slew of other Apple patents were also published.
Amid U.S. hurdles, Huawei may be banned from Australia’s 5G network
Huawei is facing plenty of hurdles in the U.S., buts its struggles may be moving to other countries too. A recent report notes that the company may be banned from taking part in the buildout of Australia's 5G network. The company already lost a contract for cables between Sydney and the Solomon Islands.