Morning Tidings

Tag: Android

  • WhatsApp to Get Message Reactions on iPhone and Android Soon

    New Delhi, Feb 3: Few months ago, WhatsApp had started developing iMessage-like reactions for its app and now the company seems almost ready to release this feature.

    WABetaInfo has shared some screenshots of WhatsApp reactions, giving us an early preview of what the feature might look like once it goes live.

    WhatsApp users will see a row of emoji just above the message. It’s unclear whether users will have to long-press on a message or there will be a dedicated button next to the message to add a reaction. WhatsApp Unlimited Backup on Google Drive May End Soon: Report.

    According to the report, the message reactions will come with end-to-end encryptions, but for now, very little information is available.

    WhatsApp is also working on a new feature that would allow group admins on WhatsApp to delete messages for other members of the group as well.

    A user will see the ‘This was deleted by an admin’ message whenever any admin deletes a particular message.

    “If you are a group admin, you will be able to delete any message for everyone in your groups, in a future update of WhatsApp beta for Android,” WABetaInfo said in a tweet recently.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Feb 03, 2022 09:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • YouTube’s Video Player Gets New Interface on Android & iOS

    San Francisco: Google-owned video streaming giant YouTube is rolling out a new interface for its mobile app’s full-screen player, which should make it easier to like or dislike a video and view comments. The old version hid most of those features behind a swipe-up gesture on the “more videos” section, where the new version puts them front and center, relegating related videos to a button in the corner, reports The Verge. Here’s How You Can Bring Back Dislike Count to YouTube Videos.

    The change only shows up when users are watching in full screen — the app looks largely the same when users are watching a video in portrait mode. Doing so, however, used to come with the upside of having easy access to the share button and other controls. Now, users are getting that when watching in landscape view as well, the report said.

    Users are also now able to easily access the mode that lets them see comments alongside the video while in the landscape. Before the new UI, users had to tap on the comment section while in portrait mode to open it up, then switch into full-screen mode. Now, they can pull them up by tapping the comment button. The new UI is coming to both iOS and Android and started rolling out Monday, according to Google spokesperson Allison Toh.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Feb 03, 2022 08:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Google Hits Back at Deceptive Android Location Tracking Lawsuit in the US

    San Francisco: Google has hit back at a lawsuit in the US against the company for alleged ‘deceptive’ Android location tracking, saying such suits mischaracterise and inaccurately describe the settings and controls the company provides users over location data. Google Reportedly Working on AR Headset Codenamed ‘Project Iris’.

    Earlier, the attorneys general of three states and the District of Columbia sued the tech giant, alleging that Google pushed Android users with “repeated nudging, misleading pressure tactics, and evasive and deceptive descriptions” to share more information either “inadvertently or out of frustration.”

    The lawsuit builds on a 2020 complaint filed by the Arizona Attorney General over location data collection. According to Google, a court in Arizona on Tuesday made a significant legal ruling against the Arizona Attorney General.

    “The AG is somehow claiming this as a big victory but in reality, a judge rejected his central argument. Unfortunately, just before today’s decision, four other state attorneys general rushed to file similar lawsuits making similarly inaccurate and outdated claims,” the company said in a blog post late on Tuesday.

    Google said that all smartphones use location data — it’s integral to how they work. Two years ago, Google updated its data retention practices.

    “For our part, location makes Google products work better for you — it’s what helps you navigate around a traffic jam, helps you find your phone when you’ve misplaced it, and lets you find a pizza shop in your neighbourhood instead of suggesting one in a different state,” said the company.

    “In addition to turning Location History and Web & App Activity off, you can choose to automatically auto-delete them after a set period of time (3 months, 18 months or 36 months). (For new users, the default is to auto-delete them after 18 months),” said the company.

    Google said that it will continue to focus on providing simple, easy-to-understand privacy settings to its users, and “will not be distracted from this work by meritless lawsuits that mischaracterise our efforts”.

    The fresh lawsuit claims that Google’s settings “purport to give consumers control over the location data that Google collects and uses. But Google’s misleading, ambiguous, and incomplete descriptions of these settings all but guarantee that consumers will not understand when their location is collected and retained by Google or for what purposes.”

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 27, 2022 08:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Microsoft Surface Duo Gets Android 11 Update

    San Francisco: Tech giant Microsoft has finally begun rolling out Android 11 to the Surface Duo. The newer operating system is the main draw, of course, but you will also find a host of Surface Duo-specific improvements, reports Engadget. Microsoft Disables Series of Commands in Excel 4.0 To Protect Users From Hackers.

    Users can now play Xbox Game Pass cloud titles using an on-screen controller, for a start. OneDrive also has an “enhanced” dual-screen interface for viewing and editing photos. There are revised app drawer and folder designs with better drag-and-drop support, while the Microsoft feed and Start widgets have received updates.

    Users can have the Surface Duo automatically span particular apps across both screens, and set preferences for answering phone calls when the device is folded, the report said. And if users prefer handwritten memos, they can click the top button on a paired Slim Pen 2 to open One Note, it added.

    Microsoft Surface Duo features two 5.6-inch OLED (1,350×1,800 pixels) displays with a 4:3 aspect ratio that join together to provide an 8.1-inch PixelSense Fusion display with 2,700 x 1,800 pixels resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the Surface Duo has an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC, paired with 6GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 25, 2022 03:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Google Sued for Deceptive Collection of Location Data on Android Devices

    San Francisco: Google has now been sued in the US for ‘deceptive’ collection of location data on Android devices. The attorneys general of three states and the District of Columbia have sued the tech giant, alleging that Google pushed Android users with “repeated nudging, misleading pressure tactics, and evasive and deceptive descriptions” to share more information either “inadvertently or out of frustration.” Google Cloud To Open New Office in Pune Later This Year.

    “Google falsely led consumers to believe that changing their account and device settings would allow customers to protect their privacy and control what personal data the company could access,” DC Attorney General Karl Racine said in a statement.

    “The truth is that contrary to Google’s representations it continues to systematically surveil customers and profit from customer data,” Racine added.

    The lawsuit builds on a 2020 complaint filed by the Arizona Attorney General over location data collection, reports The Verge.

    The fresh lawsuit claims that Google’s settings “purport to give consumers control over the location data that Google collects and uses. But Google’s misleading, ambiguous, and incomplete descriptions of these settings all but guarantee that consumers will not understand when their location is collected and retained by Google or for what purposes.”

    In a statement, Google said: “The attorneys general are bringing a case based on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions about our settings”.

    Meanwhile, Google has moved to court against an antitrust lawsuit in the US that alleged Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg were involved in a secret ad collusion plot.

    Led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the lawsuit which was filed last week alleged that Zuckerberg and Pichai “personally approved a secret deal that gave the social network a leg up in the search giant’s online advertising auctions”. Google said that the allegation that we somehow “colluded” with Facebook Audience Network (FAN) through our Open Bidding agreement is “simply not true”.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 25, 2022 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Google Reportedly Introduces Beta of Android Games to Windows PCs

    San Francisco: Tech giant Google is reportedly launching a limited beta of its app to bring Android games to Windows PCs. According to The Verge, Google Play Games will be available in beta in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, allowing Windows PC owners to play popular Android games like Mobile Legends, Summoners War, State of Survival and Three Kingdoms Tactics. Google’s First Foldable Phone To Be Reportedly Called ‘Pixel Notepad’.

    Players in these countries will be able to sign up to access the beta and access Google’s standalone app on Windows PCs. The tech giant is promising “seamless gameplay sessions between a phone, tablet, Chromebook and Windows PC”, suggesting that you’ll be able to easily resume games between multiple devices.

    “Players can easily browse, download, and play their favourite mobile games on their PCs while taking advantage of larger screens with mouse and keyboard inputs,” Arjun Dayal, group product manager for Google Play Games was quoted as saying. “No more losing your progress or achievements when switching between devices; it just works with your Google Play Games profile,” he added.

    Google Play Games will also include Play Points that can be earned while playing Android games on PCs. The company only announced its plans to bring Android games to PCs a month ago, but it’s still not clear what technology the company is using to get Android games running on Windows PCs. The Google Play Games app will be a native Windows app that will not involve game streaming, though and Google is opening up a developer site today that should start to provide more information for game developers.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 20, 2022 03:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • WhatsApp Reportedly Starts Beta Testing of In-App Support for Android & iOS

    Meta-owned WhatsApp has started beta testing of its upcoming feature called ‘In-app Support’ for Android and iOS platforms. This information has been shared by WABetaInfo on its official website. The In-app Support will allow users to contact and receive support via a WhatsApp chat. In March 2021, a similar feature was introduced for some beta testers but was discontinued later. Now, beta testers are again able to see the option of getting support via in-app chat. WhatsApp Payments Announces Cashback of Rs 51, Here’s How You Can Avail.

    According to WABetaInfo, every time a beta tester contacts WhatsApp Settings > Help > Contact Us, the instant messaging platform will respond with a message “We will respond to you in a WhatsApp chat”. It is worth noting that WhatsApp will send a message via its verified account which carries a green verified checkmark. The tipster has also shared a screenshot of the same on its official website.

    WABetaInfo also reveals that When you contact WhatsApp, some information is shared in order to understand what’s wrong with your WhatsApp account. This information includes your phone number, network information (if you are connected to WhatsApp by using LTE, 3G, 5G, Wi-Fi) and your OS version.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 19, 2022 01:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Nokia G50 Starts Receiving Android 12 Update

    New Delhi, Jan 2: Finnish mobile phone manufacturer HMD, the parent company of Nokia, has started rolling out Android 12 update for its latest Nokia G50 smartphones.

    The Nokia G50’s Android 12 update requires a download of 2.09GB. It has version number V2.160 and comes with the November 2021 Android security patch, reports GSMArena.

    Apart from Nokia G50, the Android 12 stable update is also available for Nokia X20 and Nokia X10. iQOO 9 Series Launch Set for January 5, 2022; iQOO 9 Pro Teased on Weibo.

    Nokia G50 offers a display of a 6.82-inch HD+ screen of 1640x720p resolution with a waterdrop notch.

    The Nokia G50 smartphone comes powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor. On the storage front, the device offers 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

    Nokia G50 has a triple-camera setup on the back. The primary camera is a 48MP sensor. There is also a 5MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, users get an 8MP sensor.

    The device is backed by a 5000mAh battery and comes with 18W fast charging support.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Jan 02, 2022 11:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Google’s Android (Go Edition) Acquires Over 200 Million Daily Users

    San Francisco: The lightweight version of the full-featured OS Android (Go edition), which Google announced in 2017, has reached over 200 million daily users. The company also said that with the recent release of Android 12 (Go edition), it is creating a faster, smarter and more privacy-friendly experience than ever before. Android 12 OS Now Available For Pixel Smartphones: Report.

    “We are also making these phones more accessible by improving features for multilingual users and introducing new ones that keep data costs in mind,” Charmaine D’Silva, Group Product Manager, Android, said in a blogpost.

    “Apps on your Android 12 (Go edition) device will launch up to 30 per cent faster and with smoother animation — meaning they will open instantly, with no more waiting on a blank screen,” D’Silva added.

    “To do this, we are adding a new privacy dashboard. You will see a snapshot of which apps are accessing particular types of sensitive data, like the microphone and revoke permissions if needed,” the company said. “And the new privacy indicator on your status bar will tell you when your apps are specifically accessing your microphone or camera,” it added.

    The company said they have also created the SplashScreen API so all developers can provide a consistently smooth experience when users launch their apps. Android 12 (Go edition) will automatically save battery life and storage by hibernating apps that have not been used for extended periods of time — which is particularly helpful for devices with limited storage capacity.

    Meanwhile, the updated Files Go app will allow you to recover files within 30 days, so users can confidently delete unnecessary files to free up space in the meantime. Android 12 (Go edition) will give users more transparency around apps that are accessing their data and more controls to decide how much private information your apps can access.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Dec 15, 2021 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).

  • Google Reportedly Planning To Bring Android Games to Windows PCs in 2022

    San Francisco: Tech giant Google is reportedly planning to bring Android games to Windows PCs next year. According to The Verge, “a Google Play Games app will be available in 2022, built by Google to allow games from Google Play to run on Windows laptops, tablets, and PCs”. Google Play’s Best of 2021: Check Best Apps, Best Games, Top Selling Books & More Here.

    “Starting in 2022, players will be able to experience their favourite Google Play games on more devices: seamlessly switching between a phone, tablet, Chromebook, and soon, Windows PCs,” Greg Hartrell, Google’s product director of games on Android and Google Play was quoted as saying by the website.

    “This Google built product brings the best of Google Play Games to more laptops and desktops, and we are thrilled to expand our platform for players to enjoy their favourite Android games even more,” Hartrell added. “This will be a native Windows app distributed by Google, which will support Windows 10 and up,” Hartrell said. “It will not involve game streaming,” Hartrell added.

    Google spokesperson Alex Garcia-Kummert told The Verge that “the company has built this app on its own, which means Google has not partnered with Microsoft, BlueStacks, or others here. The upcoming app will also allow players to resume games on a desktop PC, after playing them on a phone, tablet, or Chromebook”.

    For now, Google is simply teasing the app during The Game Awards tonight, with a promised release window of sometime next year, the report said. It is not yet clear what technology Google is using to emulate Android apps on Windows, but games will run locally instead of streaming from the cloud, it added.

    According to the report, Google’s app won’t rely on any special integration with Windows 11, and the company will also distribute the app itself. Google’s announcement comes months after Microsoft started testing Android apps on Windows 11 PCs.

    (The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Dec 10, 2021 01:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).