Tag: Android

  • Google Pixel 3a, 3a XL To Get The Android Q Beta In June

    Google Pixel 3a, 3a XL To Get The Android Q Beta In June

    Google launched its latest smartphones, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL on the 7th of May at the Google I/O 2019 developer conference. The devices are the watered down variants of the company’s flagship offerings, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The newest smartphones boast of similar software and camera experience as their elder siblings albeit with a few compromises in the hardware department. It was also believed earlier that Google, who announced the latest Android Q Beta at the same event; will make it available for the Pixel 3a series as soon as its elder siblings. However, the company has announced that will not be the case; and the smartphones will get the update by the month of June.

    Pixel 3a Android Q Beta

    The Android Q Beta update can be installed on any Pixel smartphone or one from 21 different OEMs by signing in to the Android Beta Program. It was expected that the Pixel 3a series; soon after its launch will support the said software update, but as mentioned above that is not the case. Notably, the latest devices feature the March security patch; which may be surprising considering Google released the May security update a week ago. The company claims the handset will be directly updated to the June security patch via an Over The Air (OTA) update next month.

    Also read: NASA To Crash A Spacecraft Into An Asteroid In 2022

    Despite being mentioned on the website that the Pixel 3a series will be supported for Android Q Beta in June; some reports of the smartphone owners already installing the update has surfaced. This is seen as an oversight on Google’s part and expected to be fixed shortly. The news of the new devices not supporting the latest software update; nor being on the latest security patch is a big deal as Pixel handsets are known for the software experience and always staying up to date. It may create a decrease of trust amongst buyers of the company’s hardware in the future. 

  • Here Are All The Major Android Skins Currently Available

    Here Are All The Major Android Skins Currently Available

    One of the best things about Google’s Android OS is how diverse and customisable it is. With every new smartphone manufacturer, there is a different flavour of Android available. It often differs on features, looks and sometimes by overall performance too. But with so many different Android skins present, it can get confusing to differentiate between them. To make you understand better, we have compiled a list of all major Android skins that are currently available in the market.

    Stock Android / Pixel UI

    Stock Android is the OS in its purest form, without any customisation or bloatware. After the arrival of the Google Pixel, the definition of Stock Android has changed, as it offers a little customisation on its own. But the closest a skin is to the Pixel devices, the more stock it is considered. The advantage of having a stock Android skin is that the device will be work smoothly for a longer period as it is without any bloat or unnecessary software. Devices with stock skin are also believed to get faster system updates, but that is completely dependent on the smartphone OEMs.

    Android One

    Xiaomi Mi A2

    Android One was earlier launched to cater to devices with humble specifications to run Android OS better and to increase the life span of the devices. The certification has since expanded to mid-range devices like the Xiaomi Mi A2 and flagship smartphones like the Nokia 9 PureView. Devices running Android One software have a clean, bloatware free UI with the promise of software updates for two years. It is considered to be the next best thing after Pixel UI.

    OxygenOS By OnePlus

    Argued by many as better skin than Stock Android, OxygenOS found on OnePlus devices is known for its fast animations and a UI that is close to stock. Although it has a few customisations up its sleeve, most of them are useful, nifty additions to the vanilla Android experience. Devices with OxygenOS has been also known to get faster updates and longer software support. This makes it one of the most sought after skins in the Android world.

    OneUI By Samsung

    Taking charge from Samsung’s infamous ExperienceUI, OneUI is a refreshing take on the company’s vision for an Android skin. The Android skin was announced last year and has lately made its way into current Samsung devices like the Galaxy S10. It focusses on better one-handed usage and easy accessibility. The company has been notoriously late in providing a software update to its devices. But with no history to OneUI and updates, it will be interesting to see how Samsung takes it forward.

    EMUI By Huawei

    Largely inspired by Apple’s iOS software for iPhones and iPads, EMUI is an Android skin developed by the Chinese electronics giant Huawei. There are a lot of customisations available in the skin and it offers a substantial amount of bloatware. But, the aggressive RAM and Battery management of EMUI is considered one of the best in the industry; and improves the usability of its devices by a fair margin. However, Huawei is not very quick with updates and a heavy skin like EMUI only bogs it down from proving them faster.

    MIUI By Xiaomi

    One of the more easily recognisable Android skins, Xiaomi’s MIUI is another lookalike of iOS. The skin lacks any app drawer support and has a tonne of bloatware. It is though, heavily customisable and has a lot of features for everyone. The battery management is also considered excellent on MIUI. However, it is infamous for advertisements inside the UI and has been continuously criticised for the same. 

    ZenUI By Asus

    One of the lesser known Android Skins, ZenUI is seen in most Asus smartphones. It offers a lot of customisations and not a lot of bloatware. The UI is also very clean and doesn’t differ much from Stock Android. It is one of the better skins in the market although the software updates on Asus devices are not as frequent.

    LG UX

    LG G7+ThinQ

    LG devices have had great hardware and specifications but have been constantly criticised for their software. The LG UX is the main culprit behind it. It draws close inspiration to iOS and while it does offer an app launcher, the UI itself is cluttered and confusing. The software updates on LG devices have also been increasingly sparse in recent times.  

    Sony Xperia UI

    Sony Xperia XZ2

    The Xperia UI was known as Sony Timescape when it was launched. It has been since made closer to stock Android, and provides a clean and smooth experience with minimal bloatware. The battery management on the Xperia UI is one of the best in the market and the software update on Sony flagships has also been consistent. While the Android skin is one of the best out there, it is bogged down by the company’s underwhelming devices.

    ColorOS By OPPO

    Also read: Twitter Camera Makes Sharing Photos And Videos Easier

    ColorOS by OPPO is another Android skin trying to imitate Apple’s iOS. It is a substantially heavy skin and is seen on OPPO and Realme devices. While it offers a lot of features and customisations, the UI is cluttered and can get confusing at times. The Android skin is also not the one to get fast software updates. With the advent of the latest ColorOS 6.0, the company has finally added an application drawer that was highly requested by the consumers.

  • Google Will Require Android Apps To Support Android Pie In 2019

    Google Will Require Android Apps To Support Android Pie In 2019

    Google’s operating system Android has been really popular because of the millions of apps available on the platform. What also helps its case is the level of customisation Android devices offer. This includes the ability to sideload apps from third party sources. But, some of these sources have been known to spread spyware through bypassing the app permissions as they support older Android’s Application Programming Interface(API). Google in a bid to counter the problem, has announced that all the new apps submitted to the Play Store in the year 2019 will have to support the latest API level 28, that is Android 9 Pie.

    What Does This Mean?

    According to Google, over 150,000 applications have added support for runtime permissions in 2018. Shockingly, the feature was introduced back in 2016 with Android Marshmallow, which had the API level 23. This meant that these apps were capable of bypassing permissions altogether, creating a security risk. Google tackled this by mandating all new apps to support API level 26, which was in Android 8.0 Oreo. Updates to the existing apps also had to support the same API.

    Google is updating these restrictions up a notch by mandating the app developers to update these apps to the latest API. Google Play Protect which was launched in 2017 is a security suite integrated into the Play Store. This service will be used to warn users of the apps not supporting the latest API. Here are the new timelines for the developers:

    • August 2019: New apps will be required to target API level 28 (Android 9 Pie).
    • November 2019: Updates to existing apps on the Play Store will be required to target API level 28(Android 9 Pie).
    • By 2020: The target API level will increase annually.

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    Android will also use the Google Play Protect to warn the users if the app they are about to sideload targets to an API level older than Android Oreo (API level 26). It has also gotten the major Chinese application markets to comply with the new API levels on their app stores. These are from companies like Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, Alibaba, and Baidu.

    Also read: Samsung Will Finally Allow Users To Remap The Bixby Button

    Google has said that 95% of the spyware target API level 22 (Android 5 Lollipop) or older, which creates a host of security issues. Notably, the Android platform gets monthly security patches, but some devices take a long time to be updated because of their respective OEMs. This leaves these devices vulnerable to new security threats. Therefore, this move is expected to make Android more secure.

  • iOS 12 Now On 50% iPhones and iPads

    iOS 12 Now On 50% iPhones and iPads

    Apple has revealed that 50% of users are now running iOS 12 on their devices. This is a comparatively good number as opposed to the iOS 11 which had seen a slow start and lesser acceptance. Apple also adds that on only counting the devices launched in the last four years, the number shoots up to 53%.

    Also Read: New Apple iPad Pro And Apple Pencil 2 Set To Launch

    While iOS 12 is running on 50% of the devices, iOS 11 takes the second place with 39% share of all the devices. This is a much faster adoption rate as compared to many of the previous versions of iOS. The ribs because the latest version offers an improvement in performance for older devices, which makes them faster than before. This is seen on the iPhone 6 Plus, for example.  After the update, apps launch upto 40% quicker and the keyboard appears over 50% faster on the iPhone 6 Plus. Along with this, animations are smoother and more responsive, along with scrolling in apps or entering the multitask view.

    iOS 12 does bring along a few minor bugs which were a topic of discussion for many. The ‘charge gate’ and ‘beauty gate’ issue was a problem but a fix was provided by the iOS 12.1 update. However, a few issues have popped up due to the update. Apparently, devices are now sending iMessages to the wrong people, cellular reception is poor and some users are not able to receive calls. Additionally users are also complaining about the lack of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Users are also reporting increasing battery drain with the iOS 12.1 update.

    2018 Apple iPhone new iphoneHowever, iOS 12 is being widely accepted by all its users and is available for almost all the devices released in the past few years. The Android OS on the other hand, is not doing so well in this sphere. As per last months reports, only 0.1 percent of Android Devices are running the latest Android 9 Pie. This means that over 99% of Android devices do not run the latest version of the OS. Only 19.2 percent of the devices are running Android Oreo. The slow spread of Android maybe due to the large number of devices present in the market. Additionally, manufactures continue to launch smartphones that are not running the latest variant of Android.

  • It’s Official : Android 9 Is Android Pie : Top 10 Features

    It’s Official : Android 9 Is Android Pie : Top 10 Features

    It was in the year 2007 when Google officially introduced the Android ecosystem to the world. The first commercially available Android smartphone, the HTC Dream released in the September 2008. The smartphone was available globally from 2009 and ran on the version 1.5 (Cupcake) of the OS. Google has followed an alphabetical order of naming convention with each new version of Android. Starting with the first version, Android Cupcake (1.5) debuting with the HTC Dream in 2009, with Donut (1.6) to follow, in the same year. Android has evolved not only in terms of versions but also in terms of its varieties. The latest version of the OS available for all the smartphones is Android 8.0 (Oreo). However, Google has announced the latest version, Android 9 and its official name is Android Pie.

    Also Read: Dual SIM Apple iPhone With A 6.1-inch Display Is Launching But You Can’t Have It

    Our previous speculation was that Android 9 might roll out as the Android Pistachio. However, Google usually uses sweet treats or desserts to name its Android versions. Thus, it makes a lot more sense for Google to call Android 9, Android Pie. Although its official now, Android Pie was already available as a beta preview for many smartphones. In the list of manufacturers who signed up for the beta program, OnePlus, Nokia, and Xiaomi are some of the top brands. This time around, the new version of the OS is bringing some major changes to the way it works. 

    Features
    1. Gesture-Based Navigation

    Image: iPhone X Recent Apps VS Pixel 2 Recent Apps On Android Pie

    With Android 9, the OS has changed aesthetically, along with several major feature additions. The most noticeable of them all is the new gesture-based navigation. Although turned off by default, the gesture-based navigation system allows for a new way to interact with Android. In Android Pie, a simple swipe to the left or right will allow users to switch between the recently opened apps. While swiping up would reveal all the opened apps along with a few suggested apps with the OS thinks the user frequently opens. 

    2. App Slices

    This new Android Pie feature seems very familiar to users who have had experience with Google’s Instant Apps. Instant Apps was Google’s way of allowing users to access an app without needing to download it. However, in the case of Slices, the similar idea of Instant Apps targets a whole different set of problems. For instance, if a user searches for Hawaii on Google, then the OS might show them photos from the time when he or she visited Hawaii.

    3. Indoor User Positioning

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    In previous Android versions, if a user sitting inside a building wants to locate himself on the map, then his or her estimated location using GPS was shown. With Android 9, Googles uses Wi-Fi for indoor positioning with an accuracy of up to 1 or 2 meters.

    4.  Support For Notches

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    With Android 9, users will get content in an edge-to-edge format which also supports the presence of the notch. Android Pie will allow developers to build apps in such a way that their app supports the cut-outs on a smartphone’s display.

    5. Intuitive Notifications

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    Google has been focussing on integrating AI deeply with its OS. It is with Android 9 that users see some of the AI functionalities in the foreground. For instance, on Android Pie, a predicted response will be ready for certain message notifications which you receive. You can either choose to respond to the message with the suggested text or write your own directly from the notification tray.

    6. Adaptive Battery & Adaptive Brightness

    Another AI-dependent feature which Google has introduced with Android 9 is the Adaptive Battery and Adaptive Brightness. With this feature, the OS will understand the smartphone user’s device usage behaviour and adjust the battery settings accordingly. This adjustment is also dependent on the time of the day or the user’s location.

    7. Digital Wellbeing

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    Android Pie or Android 9 will monitor the user’s daily smartphone usage. Google is calling this feature the “Digital Wellbeing” which will provide an analytical report of the time the user has spent on the device and the number of times the device was unlocked.

    8. The Material Theme

    Along with the new feature, Google has also introduced some subtle changes to the UI with Android 9. In this version of the OS, the most noticeable changes are with the notification tray icons, which are more rounded than the ones on Android Oreo. The materialistic theme also translates to the way the recent apps are shown. One could say Android Pie takes subtle hints from Apple’s iOS.

    9. Rotation Toggle

    Android Pie Android 9 Google

    The rotation toggle is a nifty feature in the Android 9 which tackles the problem of accidental screen rotation. When you turn off auto rotation on the smartphone, an extra icon will appear in the navigation bar, which upon clicking, will change the orientation of the smartphone’s display. This is especially useful for the lazy users who like to use their smartphones in bed.

    10. A Total Of 157 New Emojis

    With a more gender-neutral approach, Android Pie will bring a total of 157 new emojis to the platform. Some of these emojis include lobsters and alpacas.

    Android P is the ninth installation of Google’s Android OS. Many devices including the OnePlus 6 have already received a Developer Preview of the Android P. This new version brings subtle UI changes like the redesigned notification panel when triggered by the volume rockers. The new update also brings better battery optimization, dark and light theme modes, and the ability to toggle between multiple wallpapers. The Android Pie update will initially be available on the Pixel devices first with other manufacturers who signed up for the Beta program to follow. It is safe to say that with every new version, the Android ecosystem keeps evolving, and the trend will continue until either Google runs out of letters in the Alphabet or Android is discontinued.

    Have something to add? Leave a Comment Below!

     

  • Leaks Suggest Android P Could Be Called Android Pistachio

    Leaks Suggest Android P Could Be Called Android Pistachio

    Leaks have revealed the name of Android P and the fans are going nuts (pun intended). The leak was first posted on a Polish website. The website shared screenshots of a conversation between a Huawei representative and a customer. The customer was inquiring about the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Huawei P9 Lite.

    Android Pistachio
    Huawei Live Chat Screenshot

    Though it is highly unlikely for Google to reveal the official name for its Android P. This news still steers the thought process and speculation to a new direction. Other rumors about the name suggest that the name could be Android Pistachio Ice-cream.

    Android Pistachio
    Android P

    Android usually uses names of sweet treats or desserts. For Google to use a “nutty” name will be quite surprising. In this case, the name Pistachio Ice-cream would make more sense. From Cupcake to the to Oreo the names have always been based on a candy or dessert. One should keep in mind that during its testing phase Android 8.0 was just called Android O.

    There is again a catch to Android Pistachio Ice-cream as the name “Ice-cream Sandwich” has already been used. This naming convention could sound redundant which further creates a doubt about the entire leak.

    Must Read: Only 1% Android Smartphones Are Running Android 8 Oreo

    Android P is the ninth installation of Google’s Android OS. Many devices including the OnePlus 6 have already received a Developer Preview of the Android P. This new version brings subtle UI changes like the redesigned notification panel when triggered by the volume rockers. The new update also brings better battery optimization, dark and light theme modes, and the ability to toggle between multiple wallpapers.

    Pistachio tastes quite good but, whether Google names Android P after “these nuts”, remains to be seen. With the official announcement about a month or so away, we will monitor this thread closely so stay tuned to iGyaan for any further updates.

  • 76% iOS Devices Are On iOS 11 While Only 4.1% Android Devices Are On Android 8 Oreo

    76% iOS Devices Are On iOS 11 While Only 4.1% Android Devices Are On Android 8 Oreo

    The debate of Android vs iOS might never reach a conclusion. However, there is one area where Android has to always accept defeat, and that is OS adoption rate. Thanks to so many Android OEMs and their own custom skins, new versions of Android are very slow to reach to a majority of Android devices. iPhones on the other hand, are only made by Apple, which means the adoption rate of iOS is extremely high. And new data proves just that.

    As of April 16th, 2018, Android 8.1 Oreo, the latest version of Android is only available on 0.5% Android devices. Android 8.0 Oreo, which was launched in August 2017, is only available 4.1% of devices. Astonishingly, the most predominant Android version is Android 6 Marshmallow, with a 26% adoption rate. Android 7.0 Nougat is a close second at 23%.

    While on the iOS side of things, as of April 22nd, 2018, iOS 11 is running on 75% of the iOS devices. It is worth noting that this also includes iPads as well since they also run iOS. Apple’s latest iOS version, iOS 11 had a rocky start to life with a lot of bugs pailing its initial phase. However, constant updates to fix various bugs has made iOS 11 a much better upgrade to iOS 10, as we noted in our iPhone X review.

    You may also like: Why Are New Android Phones Launching With Old Android OS?

    Project Treble is Google’s effort at reducing the time it takes for OEMs to receive the new OS and optimise it for its devices and then push out the update. A few months ago, Android received a new Vendor Interface, which is largely what Project Treble is about. The VI’s aim is to separate the “Vendor Implementation” (that is, “the device-specific, lower-level software written in large part by the silicon manufacturers”), from the Android OS framework.

    The new VI is supposed to sit between the Android OS framework and Vendor Implementation. And the new VI will be validated by a Vendor Test Suite (VTS), which is analogous to the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) that Google has been using for API testing of apps. The VTS ensures forward-compatibility of the VI.

    Time will tell whether Google’s efforts will be of any fruition. Right now, however, iOS is way ahead of Android OS in the race of OS adoption.

  • Apple Music For Android Gets A UI Update

    Apple Music For Android Gets A UI Update

    Apple Music is the second most popular music streaming service in the world after Spotify. The subscription plan is priced at Rs 120 per month or Rs 1,200 per year in India. The music streaming service has about 45 million songs in its library. The company also offers free three months trial, by accepting debit/credit card details. One has to sign up using Apple ID, which can then be used on multiple Android or iOS devices. However, one can stream only on one device at a time.

    Apple Music is free to download from Google Play Store. However, it needs an Apple ID and subscription to access the content. However, it is worth noting that Apple Music is only compatible with Android devices running Android 4.3 or newer version.

    Now, Apple has silently updated the Apple Music for Android OS. After the latest update, the Apple Music on Android looks much cleaner and similar to the iOS counterpart. Similarly, the update also fixes some of the stability issues, which now offers a more fluid music playback experience.

    The music video feature was available on the Android OS from 2016. However, the UI experience was not at par with its iOS counterpart. With this update, Apple has unified the UI of Apple Music on Android and iOS devices. This gives Apple an edge over YouTube which still lacks background playback capability. However, with Android 8 Oreo’s Picture-In-Picture mode, YouTube videos can be played while performing other functions. This, however, is still not possible on iOS.

    New features on Apple Music for Android version 2.4
    • Option to watch music videos in full screen or now playing window
    • Watching music video while browsing the library
    • Listening to a music video in the background, while surfing third-party application
    • Adding your favourite music video to a playlist and watch them subsequently

     

  • Florence Game Coming Soon To Android

    Florence Game Coming Soon To Android

    Annapurna Studios is all set to launch it’s critically acclaimed Florence Android OS. The novel-like game is already available on iOS for US$ 2.99. The game is based on the romantic situations of the lead character Florence Yeoh. The app was originally released for iPhones and iPads on Valentine’s day. In fact, the game has received a positive response from users as well as reviewers.

     The studio behind “Florence”

    Florence

    Florence is the first gaming title from the Monument Valley designer Ken Wong’s Mountain studio. The concept has been brought to the mobile platform by Annapurna Interactive. In fact, this is the company that is behind the trending iOS titles like Flower and the puzzle game, Gorogoa. So, the company might launch the Android versions of these as well.

    The game has webcomic-like visuals which look really impressive. In fact, it looks similar to old-school oil paintings. The game is all about discovering yourself by solving simple puzzles. If you are looking for a game with a narrative screenplay, then this could be the game that you can consider.

    As of now, the company has not announced any launch date or pricing. However, it will be a paid app, just like the iOS counterpart.

  • Android 8.0 Oreo : What Phone Makes The List

    Android 8.0 Oreo : What Phone Makes The List

    Google officially launched its latest Android OS, 8.0 Oreo during an event that ‘eclipsed’ the Solar Eclipse on August 21. Developers have had access to a preview version of Google’s latest mobile operating system since mid-March, with updated versions releasing in May, June, and July.

    The new OS comes with a lot of new features and under the hood upgrades for better user experience. Highlights of new features in Android 8.0 Oreo

    • A new picture-in-picture feature allows users to continue operating the device without interruptions for things like watching a video.
    • Users can now organise notifications into custom channels and modify the alerts for the entire channel.
    • An auto fill framework in the operating system makes the repeated filling of forms easy for the user.
    • Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) can specify a look and feel for the UI by choosing between various icon shapes by using Adaptive Icons
    • Smart sharing feature allows the operating system to guess the context of a photo, and pick the best application to hand the image over to.
    • There are also background execution limits, which ensures that applications running in the background don’t use up a lot of system resources.

    A lot of you must be wondering whether your Android device will be updated to 8.0 Oreo or not. Let’s find out

    Google Devices

    This is a no-brainer. If you own the Nexus 5X, 6P or the Google Pixel or the Pixel XL, an Android O update isn’t far away. Google Pixel  2 and Pixel XL 2 will be the first devices running Android 8.0 Oreo when they’re launched and an update to the Nexus devices and previous gen Pixel smartphones will follow soon.

    Samsung

    Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 8 running Android 7.1.1 Nougat and promised an update to Android Oreo in the coming months. This suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ may also receive an update before the mid-2018 launch of the Galaxy S9. Samsung’s mid-range devices may also receive an Android Oreo update but later next year.

    HTC

    HTC has officially announced that the HTC 10, U Ultra and the new flagship U11 will receive the Android Oreo update in the coming months.

    OnePlus

    Carl Pei has announced that Oneplus 5, 3T and 3 will all receive Android 8.0 Oreo update. However, it was also announced that this update will be the last Android OS update for last year’s OnePlus 3 and 3T.

    Motorola

    Moto Z2 Force, Z2 Play, G5S, G5S Plus, G5 and G5 Plus are all in line to receive an upgrade to Android 8.0 Oreo keeping up with Lenovo-owned Motorola’s promise.

    Lenovo

    Lenovo recently dropped its custom VibePure UI for pure Android skin and promised that the K8 Note and other K Note devices will receive the Android Oreo update. The timeline though is not confirmed.

    LG

    LG is on the verge of launching its late 2017 flagship, the LG V30 on August 31. The phone will most likely run Android 7.1 Nougat and will be updated to Android Oreo later on. Along with the LG V30, LG G6, LG V20, and V10 might also receive the update in the coming months.

     

  • WhatsApp Coloured Text Status Now Rolling Out to Android and iPhone

    WhatsApp Coloured Text Status Now Rolling Out to Android and iPhone

    WhatsApp has added a new feature to its ranks, quite similar to Facebook’s colourful status update. Apparently, now you can change our WhatsApp status update to suit your mood. The Users will now be able to update their statuses with more than just images or videos, and use colourful meme-like text posts.

    The new feature which is rolling out to Android and iOS devices, lets you write a snippet of text, choose a background color, and customize the font. This feature is specifically for WhatsApp’s Snapchat Stories clone. The Snapchat-like status update which disappears in 24 hours, was first introduced in February. Last month, Facebook announced that WhatsApp status feature has hit 250 million daily users, exceeding the Snap’s main product.

    Much like Facebook, the new WhatsApp update allows you to link out to other websites from within a text post. Seems like Facebook is handing down similar upgrades to its messaging app, which the social networking website acquired for 19 Billion dollars in 2014.

    Though WhatsApp has confirmed the new colourful text update, all may not be able to use the new feature as it has been remotely activated, and full-fledged rollout is still awaited.

    For iPhone users, the pen icon appears next to the camera icon in the new Status bar. For Android users, the floating pen icon shows up at the bottom of the Status tab, above the camera icon.

     The option to type a status, choose a font, emoji, and the background colour as well shows up by clicking on the pen icon. After writing the status and making necessary changes, press the green arrow key to send the text status. The status will then be published on WhatsApp for all your contacts to see. As usual, you can control who sees your status and know who viewed it by clicking on the ‘eye’ icon at the bottom of the screen.

  • Android Oreo Is What Google Wants to Call Android O 8.0

    Android Oreo Is What Google Wants to Call Android O 8.0

    After a lot of speculation surrounding the official name for the next Android OS, it seems that Google itself may have just spilled the (jelly) beans on the name of Android O, and it’s not Oatmeal Cookie, it’s Oreo.

    Google put out a teaser on Google+ to promote the August 21 event where the Android O and its official name will be unveiled. The teaser video for the launch reveal was named ‘GoogleOreo_Teaser_0817_noDroids (1).mp4‘. If that doesn’t confirm the name, we don’t know what will.

    But, in an attempt to right the wrong, Google took down the teaser and uploaded it again with the name ‘OctopusTeaser.mp4′, which just reassured what we have all been speculating. Google’s decision to go with Oreo makes sense since the famous cookies are known worldwide.

    Android 8.0 brings new features such as Notification Dots, Autofill, Smart text selection and Picture-In-Picture. Google has also said to improve the security and increased the booting speed in the new OS. Notification Dots show the notification of an app after a long press.

    A small notification bar pops up at the top right corner of the app and shows the notification of the particular app. The Autofill feature helps in filling forms inside an app. Smart Selection feature is a machine learning based features that select only important text to be copied. Android O also comes with a multitude of back-end improvements such as better battery management algorithms, app optimisations, audio enhancements like improved Bluetooth audio and more.

    As is with every Google launch event, it will be live streamed to the world and there is a lot of mention of the ‘eclipse’ on the launch website. The website and the teaser s in-line with the rumours that Google is planning a spectacle this time around rather than “hey. this is the official name of Android 8.0.” The reveal event is scheduled for 21 August in New York, which coincides with the Solar Eclipse and from the looks of it, Google will take full advantage of it.

  • Facebook Extends Tor Support to Android Facebook App

    Facebook Extends Tor Support to Android Facebook App

    Facebook has revealed that it’s Android app now offers Tor support to users concerned about keeping their social networking activity private. While this functionality has for some time now allowed Facebook users to directly access its site via Tor’s browser on personal computers,  this support for Tor on the Android app will be welcomed by users who majorly use facebook through their phones.

    tor-structure

    This step is expected to give users a relatively easy way to encrypt their Facebook viewing on the road. The user along with Facebook Android app will need to download the Orbot proxy app to make it work with Tor.

    The Tor access support will take some time before all users can take advantage of it. For now, Facebook is looking at gathering as much feedback on the app as possible. The whole idea still requires a lot of polishing, but nonetheless, it’s worth a try if you’re  paranoid about privacy when it comes to Facebook. Also, just in case you were wondering, Facebook does not intend to extend this Tor support functionality for its iOS users anytime soon.

  • Android 6.0.1 to Bring Quick Launch to Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9

    Android 6.0.1 to Bring Quick Launch to Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9

    Users of Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9 are going to get the camera quick launch option with the Android 6.0.1 update. Among new emoticons, this is another feature users will now be able to enjoy with the update.

    Double pressing the power button would immediately launch the camera, as is possible with devices like 5X and 6P that run on stock Android. This sounds like a cool, short way to get to the camera.Google Nexus 6 15

    However because the feature is tied down with the power button, it might sometimes cause the device to go to sleep, or ask the user for a security password before launching the camera if there is extra security on the lockscreen.

    Google is sure to smoothen out these glitches as the update starts rolling. Let’s see where it goes from there.

  • Apple Music has Come to Android But With Glitches

    Apple Music has Come to Android But With Glitches

    Apple Music has finally arrived on Android. The newest music streaming app is the third Apple app to make its way to Android – the first to being Move to iOS and BeatPill+. Apple Music is something many Android users have been waiting for. It is one of Apple’s better launches this year and one that has pleased music lovers all over.

    Apple Music 01

    The Android app looks similar to Apple Music on iOS with only some differences that are particular to Android. The design is pretty much the same and all the Apple Music options are there including Beats Radio. True to Android the app has a left slide-out menu that features the For You, New, Radio, Connect, Playlists and My Music tabs. The For You section is packed with albums and curated playlists based on your taste. The suggestions look just like the iOS.

    But those are just the pros to the story. The Android beta version of the Apple Music comes with a host of bugs and glitches that are quite putting off.

    The app is far from working smoothly at the moment. Saved playlists and album artworks take a long time to load properly even with fast network connectivity, and you’re left with black spaces and a white background that makes the overall app a dull affair.

    Apple Music 01

    Downloading multiple songs or a playlist seem to fail occasionally while single downloads work fine. Since it’s still in beta stage one expects the app to come with some issues. The updated version will look to smooth things out.

    Furthermore, the app does not sync with your music folder, which one would have preferred since Android users tend to use their phones like an MP3 player, storing music files for years. Thus, the My Music page will only show songs purchased from iTunes and songs saved from Apple Music. Google Play Music allows streaming as well as downloaded music files so Android users may just stick with that.

    Apple Music

    Apple Music has a massive library of music and one can pretty much find anything in there. For users in India, this means that there is now a great alternative for popular music streaming apps like Saavn, Wynk and Gaana. To download the Apple Music for Android, head on over to the Google Play Store and try it out. As mentioned above, the app has a 3-month free trial after which you’ll have to pay to stay on.

     

iGyaan Network
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.