HiTechEdge

Tag: Android

  • Xbox Controller Firmware Update Improves Connectivity

    Xbox Controller Firmware Update Improves Connectivity

    Microsoft is rolling out a firmware update for Xbox controllers that improves connectivity.

    Xbox controllers are used for a variety of devices, not just the Xbox. The controllers are popular with gamers on Windows 10, iOS and Android. Microsoft’s latest update is designed to improve controller connectivity.

    “These controllers now support Bluetooth Low Energy, which delivers better compatibility across devices and allows for better pairing experiences,” the company announced on its blog. “You will be able to play wirelessly on Windows 10 PCs, iOS 15+, and Android devices with Bluetooth Low Energy for remote play from your console or cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on the go. After installing the firmware update, these controllers will remember one Bluetooth host (e.g., smartphone) and one Xbox Wireless host (e.g., Xbox console), so you can quickly and seamlessly switch between previously connected devices with a simple double tap of the pair button.”

    The new firmware is available for Bluetooth-enabled Xbox One controllers, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controllers.

  • Google’s Pixel 6 Won’t Include a Charging Brick

    Google’s Pixel 6 Won’t Include a Charging Brick

    Google is on the verge of releasing the Pixel 6, but reports indicate the phone will not ship with a charging brick.

    The Pixel 6 is Google’s highly anticipated next version of its flagship line of smartphones. Following the lead of Apple and Samsung, Google appears poised to sell the phone without the customary charging brick, according to The Verge.

    While some users may be put off by not having a charging brick included, Google’s decision is not all that surprising. Device manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce costs, as well as cut down on electronic waste. In the meantime, after years of smartphones and tablets saturating the market, most users have more charging bricks than they can use.

    Either way, Google won’t be the last company to take this route.

  • Samsung Will Remove Ads From Its Stock Apps

    Samsung Will Remove Ads From Its Stock Apps

    Samsung has finally decided to stop putting ads in its stock Android apps…something it should never have been doing in the first place.

    Samsung is one of the biggest Android smartphone makers and is considered a high-end smartphone manufacturer that competes head-to-head with the likes of Apple. Despite that, and despite prices upwards of $1,000, Samsung seemed to think it was a good idea to include ads that were, as The Verge described, the“kind of ad that’s normally at the bottom of a crappy, overloaded website.”

    It’s truly amazing that a company charging a premium for its devices would think bombarding its users with ads is an acceptable business model. Fortunately, Samsung has seen the light and informed The Verge it plans to stop.

    “Samsung has made a decision to cease the advertisement on proprietary apps including Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Theme,” the company said in a statement to The Verge. “The update will be ready by later this year.”

    “Our priority is to deliver innovative mobile experiences for our consumers based on their needs and wants,” the company continued. “We value feedback from our users and continue our commitment to provide them with the best possible experience from our Galaxy products and services.”

  • Google’s Privacy Labels Will Be Required By April 2022

    Google’s Privacy Labels Will Be Required By April 2022

    Android developers will be required to provide a privacy label for their apps by April 2022, bringing a new level of transparency to the platform.

    Apple rocked the mobile development world when it required app developers to disclose what information they gathered and tracked from their users. Meanwhile, Android users have had no comparable feature, leaving them in the dark about what and how much of their data is being collected by apps.

    Google is taking steps to address that, signaling in May it intended to bring its own version of privacy labels to the Play Store. According to CNET, those labels will be required by April 2022.

    The announcement is good news for Android users who are interested in protecting their privacy.

  • Android 12 Supports Google Play Instant

    Android 12 Supports Google Play Instant

    Google has announced that Android 12 now supports Google Play Instant, a feature that allows users to run apps before they’ve finished downloading.

    Virtually every mobile user has experienced trying to downloading a large app or game and having to wait on a slow data connection before running it. Google hopes to address that with Google Play Instant, a new feature that lets apps and games run before they’re completely downloaded.

    Developers can start implementing the feature immediately, as long as they’re using the Android Studio 3.3 beta release.

    With Google Play Instant, people can use an app or game without installing it first. Increase engagement with your Android app or gain more installs by surfacing your instant app across the Play Store and Google Play Games app.

    Developers can get started here.

  • Google Play Services Ending Support for Android Jelly Bean

    Google Play Services Ending Support for Android Jelly Bean

    Google has announced that Google Play Services will stop supporting Android Jelly Bean after August 2021.

    Android Jelly Bean was originally released in 2012, making it some nine years old. As such, Jelly Bean only accounts for less than 1% of the installed Android user base.

    Google is now preparing to discontinue Play Services support for the older version of Android, with the last update being version 21.30.99 of the Services APK, scheduled for the end of August.

    While no one likes to see support for their OS being dropped, it’s not surprising Google is ending support for Jelly Bean after nearly a decade.

  • Windows 11 Will Allow Sideloading Android Apps

    Windows 11 Will Allow Sideloading Android Apps

    A Microsoft engineer has confirmed that Windows 11 will support sideloading Android APKs.

    Microsoft made headlines when it announced its upcoming Windows 11 would support Android apps via the Microsoft Store. Given the large catalog of apps, however, it’s unlikely all Android apps will be available in the Microsoft Store. This led some to wonder if Microsoft would allow sideloading via other sources.

    It appears the company will, at least according to one Microsoft engineer.

    Obviously, nothing is written in stone, especially since Miguel is a developer and not a Microsoft spokesperson. Nonetheless, it’s an encouraging development (pun intended) for Android and Windows users.

  • Latest Google App Crashing on Android Devices

    Latest Google App Crashing on Android Devices

    The Google app appears to be crashing on multiple devices following the latest update, impacting Google Pixel, Samsung and Motorola phones.

    The latest version of the Google app for Android is 12.23.16.23. Unfortunately, some users started experiencing problems immediately after updating, according to 9to5Google. In addition, the Podcasts and Lens apps are also crashing post-update.

    It seems that updating to the 12.24 beta of the Google app resolves the issue. While beta software should usually not be run on a production device, in this case, it may be the best option for users looking to restore stability and functionality.

    Users experiencing the problem can get the beta here, or via the Play Store listing.

  • App Store Ecosystem Hit $643 Billion in 2020

    App Store Ecosystem Hit $643 Billion in 2020

    A new study has shown just how much the App Store ecosystem has grown, coming in at $643 billion in 2020, a 24% increase.

    While Apple’s iOS platform may lag behind Google’s Android, in terms of market share, it receives the lion’s share of money spent on mobile apps. According to an independent study by the Analysis Group, App Store sales grew 24% year over year in 2020, reaching a whopping $643 billion.

    Even more impressive, the number of small developers — defined as less than 1 million downloads and less than $1 million in earnings per year — has increased 40% since 2015. In fact, small developers now make up more than 90 percent of the App Store’s ecosystem.

    “Developers on the App Store prove every day that there is no more innovative, resilient, or dynamic marketplace on earth than the app economy,” says Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The apps we’ve relied on through the pandemic have been life-changing in so many ways — from groceries delivered to our homes, to teaching tools for parents and educators, to an imaginative and ever-expanding universe of games and entertainment. The result isn’t just incredible apps for users: it’s jobs, it’s opportunity, and it’s untold innovation that will power global economies for many years to come.”

    The study is an important validation of the App Store at a time when Apple is locked in a high-stakes legal fight with Epic over the very future of that ecosystem.

  • Huawei Will Release HarmonyOS June 2

    Huawei Will Release HarmonyOS June 2

    Huawei is preparing to release its HarmonyOS for smartphones, in an effort to end its dependence on Google.

    The Trump administration banned Huawei, restricting its access to Google’s Android updates, as well as Google’s apps. As a result, the company has had to look for alternatives, such as striking a deal with TomTom to replace Google Maps.

    While Huawei had been working on HarmonyOS before it was banned, being cut off from Google’s services raised the stakes even more. Since Android is open source, Huawei is using Android as the basis for HarmonyOS.

    Huawei is now planning on releasing HarmonyOS on June 2, although it remains to be seen if it will impress or disappoint. It doesn’t bode well for the company that early information indicated HarmonyOS was based on Android 10, whereas Google is already working on Android 12.

    https://youtu.be/NKBXq1q6chQ