Android News

Why does Brussels have Google’s Android in its sights?

2016-04-19T23:14:00.001-07:00

The EU is poised to open a new front in its showdown with Google as early as Wednesday by announcing formal charges in relation to the company’s mobile operating system, Android. The case would represent a fresh chapter in Brussels’ efforts to combat the alleged abuses of US technology companies, and has already drawn comparisons with its clash with Microsoft a decade ago.

Has the EU not already charged Google with anti-competitive behaviour?

Yes, this would be a second charge sheet, known as a statement of objections. The first accused Google of abusing its dominance of online search to promote its own shopping services unfairly. Google denies the charge and the case is ongoing.

How dominant is Android as the operating system on smartphones?

Very. More than 80 per cent of smartphones globally use Android’s open-source system, which can be used free of charge by anyone. By contrast Apple’s own iOS operating system, used in the iPhone and iPad, represents only about 13 per cent of the market, according to data from Gartner.

Google Says Android Is More Secure Than Ever

2016-04-19T23:08:00.001-07:00

Despite concerns that Android is susceptible to some scary security issues, Google argues its mobile operating system has never been better.

The company on Tuesday released its Android Security 2015 Annual Report, which shows that as long as users were downloading apps from the company’s Google Play marketplace, they were unlikely to have faced much trouble. In fact, Google’s GOOGL -1.61% report shows that “potentially harmful apps,” or PHAs, “were installed on fewer than 0.15% of devices that only get apps from Google Play.”

Google broke down its findings by the potentially harmful application. The company said that installs of apps that collected data were down more than 40% to 0.08% of all Google Play downloads. Spyware app installs decreased by 60% to 0.02% of installs, and “hostile downloaders,” which download malicious apps on a user’s device without their permission, were down 50% to 0.01% of installs.

Read more...

420 Million Android Devices Don't Get Security Updates, Google Reports

2016-04-19T07:39:00.013-07:00

Google GOOGL +17.18% bust out the data to prove doubters wrong about the quality of Android security. But, according to its second-ever yearly Android security report, issued Tuesday, as many as 420 million active devices are not supported by its patches, leaving a large number open to possible attack.

According to Google’s data, nearly 30 per cent of all active Android phones and tablets (of which there are 1.4 billion at last count) are on a version that do not receive patches. Anyone running an Android version below 4.4.4 does not currently receive security updates from the tech titan. Google, for obvious reasons, recommends users run the most up-to-date operating system.

But there’s some good news: even the most high-profile vulnerabilities don’t seem to have been exploited by hackers. Despite the widespread concern around the Stagefright vulnerabilities, which affected nearly 1 billion phones, no successful exploits were ever reported.

Read more...

Europe’s antitrust chief scrutinizing Google’s Android contracts

2016-04-18T04:40:00.002-07:00

Google will be concerned the European Commission’s antitrust commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, is not letting up the pressure in an ongoing probe of its Android mobile OS.

In a speech today at a conference in the Netherlands, Vestager said her department is now “closely” examining Google’s contracts with mobile makers and carriers — with specific concerns focused on the requirements the company places on mobile partners to pre-load its apps on devices.

“Our concern is that, by requiring phone makers and operators to pre-load a set of Google apps, rather than letting them decide for themselves which apps to load, Google might have cut off one of the main ways that new apps can reach customers,” she said.

Read more...

Lenovo A7000 Receiving Android 6.0 Marshmallow Update

2016-04-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

It’s been more than a year since Lenovo A7000, a mid-range smartphone, made its debut in India. At that time, the device shipped with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop operating system onboard, but Lenovo promised that, at some point, it would provide a Marshmallow upgrade.
Earlier this week, the Chinese company has kicked off the rollout of Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for Lenovo A7000. Although the smartphone was launched in many countries since last year, the update is only available in India for the time being.

According to the official changelog, the update optimizes the logic of the SD card. This means that if you previously switched the default storage device, after upgrading to Marshmallow, the data and application stored on your SD card may be lost, so you should definitely back up any important data.

Read more...

Android N will support pressure-sensitive screens

2016-04-17T23:33:00.001-07:00

Android N is going to make it easier for device makers to create their own version of 3D Touch pressure-sensitive screens on their devices. Hopefully, when it's officially released, Google will figure out what to call the feature — because Apple 3D Touch is obviously Apple branding, and "support for pressure-sensitive screens" is an awful thing to have to write over and over again.

So how do we know? Well, support for "Launcher shortcuts" is probably the most exciting new thing in the latest beta for the upcoming Android N operating system, which was released last week. It allows developers to "define shortcuts which users can expose in the launcher to help them perform actions quicker." Which is a fairly technical way of describing what people can do now with an iPhone 6S in its launcher: get a pop-up menu that lets you jump directly into a more specific part of your app.

Read more...

Android N preview 2 lets you change the pitch of Google’s text-to-speech voice

2016-04-17T04:25:00.001-07:00

The second developer preview of Android N, the next big release of Google’s mobile operating system, comes with a neat update to the settings for Google’s core text-to-speech engine. There are now sliders that allow you to fine-tune the speech rate and pitch of the voice.

They let you make the recently improved Google voice speak more slowly or quickly, at a squeaky high pitch or at a firm low pitch. The update should be particularly welcome to visually impaired users who rely heavily on audio output features, such as the TalkBack accessibility feature. But this voice element is also present in things like Google search.

Read more...

Oracle and Google head into retrial over Java in Android

2016-04-17T04:23:00.001-07:00

It seems that despite a lengthy meeting to settle the ongoing lawsuit between Google and Oracle concerning the use of certain part of Oracle’s software in Android, the two companies were unable to reach an agreement in the copyright lawsuit.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Oracle CEO Safra Catz, together with other executives from both companies, met on Friday to try and reach and agreement to settle the lawsuit that Oracle filed originally in 2012. Google strongly disagrees that it owes Oracle upward of $8 billion for allegedly infringing copyright by using certain parts of Oracle’s programming language Java in Android.

Read more...

Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update now rolling out to Samsung Galaxy Note 4; What about Android N?

2016-04-09T05:07:00.002-07:00

Android 6.0.1 M update is now rolling out to Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
The electronics manufacturer Samsung has begun to roll out the Android 6.0.1 M update for the users of Galaxy Note 4. According to reports, the new update is currently rolling out in the US regions, Turkey, Poland and India in the form of an OTA update.

The update weighs in at 1.3GB and comes with the April Android security patch that was recently released by the search giant Google.

Reports also suggest that some of the features of Samsung Galaxy Note 5 have been included in the Samsung Galaxy Note 4's update.

The more granular app permission controls and Doze standby power-saving feature are some of the updates. It is not known whether the tech company included the ability to adopt MicroSD cards as internal storage or not.

Read more...

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Getting Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Update

2016-04-09T05:04:00.002-07:00

Users from the US, India and Poland have reported that the Exynos-powered version of the Note 4 has been upgraded to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and even a guy from Turkey has shown some screenshots of the N910C model with the Screen off memo feature that was released for the Note 5.

SamMobile and Dutch Samsung blog, GalaxyClub, have reported that Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow started rolling out to the Samsung Note 4 N910C variant with an Exynos chipset. The installation file has a size of 1.3GB and contains the April Android security patch, which was released a few days ago by Google.

This new update comes with Doze, the standby power-saving feature, Google Now on Tap, better app permissions, but it isn’t known yet if the option to use the MicroSD card as internal storage is available, considering that the Note 4 has 32GB of memory, which can be expanded up to 128GB.

Read more...

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S5 starts receiving update to Android 6.0

2016-04-09T05:01:00.001-07:00

Sprint subscribers rockin' the Samsung Galaxy S5 should be happy. Their phone is in the process of receiving the update to Android 6.0. And that means that the device will receive Doze. For those of you who have been dozing, or dosing, this is a feature designed to increase battery life on your handset. This is accomplished by shutting down all apps running in the background once the device has been inactive for a spell.

Other new features include users being asked to approve or deny app permissions on a feature-by-feature basis, and Google Now On Tap. The latter uses the content on your screen to offer contextual search results. The new version of the software is G900PVPU3CPCA, and it includes the latest Google and Samsung Security patches and also kills bugs dead.

Read more...

How to secure Android: 14 top tips for securing your phone or tablet

2016-04-06T05:54:00.001-07:00

Securing your Android phone or tablet is more involved than adding a PIN lock (although you should certainly do that). Here we run through 14 ways you can keep Android secure, from dealing with app permissions to locking down apps, dealing with Android viruses and tracking down a stolen phone.

Securing your Android phone or Android tablet is more involved than adding a PIN lock (although you should certainly do that). Here we run through 14 ways you can keep Android secure, from dealing with app permissions to locking down apps, dealing with Android viruses and tracking down a stolen phone.

Read more...

10 little-known features that can make your Android taste even sweeter

2016-04-06T05:50:00.003-07:00

You may be making the most of your Android phone, but there is much more within your easy reach that can help you make your smartphone experience even better. And this doesn’t require you to put in much effort or install additional apps (in most cases). It only needs bringing to light some useful features sitting deep inside your Android device.

While some of you may be already aware of these tools, there may be many for whom this could be a revelation. These features are easy to use and can be enabled with just a few taps.

If you have more to add to this list, tell us in the comments below.

Read more...

Nexus April Android 6.0.1 Update: 5 Things to Know

2016-04-04T22:27:00.003-07:00

As expected and right on time, today Google released its monthly Nexus Android update. Back in October when Android 6.0 and the Nexus 6P debuted, Google promised to delivery monthly updates as a part of a new security program for Android. February and March were both quick, and now April is here already with loads of important updates.

After Google, Samsung, HTC, and other manufacturers promised to do the same, and Samsung even released the April patch for the Galaxy S7 today as well. Starting today, April 4th, the April update is headed to all Nexus smartphones and tablets. Details are available on the Nexus security bulletin regarding what changes have been made, and updated factory images for users have been released at the same time.

Read more...

Google’s Nexus security update for April fixes 8 critical Android bugs

2016-04-04T22:25:00.001-07:00

Google is releasing the monthly security update for its Nexus Android devices today and with it, it is also announcing a list of the security vulnerabilities it has patched in this release. This month, the update includes patches for eight critical bugs, including one that affects the infamous libstagefright library, which has already seen its fair share of well-publicized vulnerabilities.

Google notified its partners about all the issues in this new bulletin two weeks ago and for them (and anybody else who is interested), source code patches will be made available through the Android Open Source Project in the next two days.

Google notes that the most severe of this month’s issues would have allowed remote code execution on an affected device “through multiple methods such as email, web browsing, and MMS when processing media files.”

Read more...

Apple Music now has its own Android widget

2016-03-25T02:04:00.001-07:00

Home screen widgets still don't exist on iOS, but that's not stopping Apple from taking advantage of Android's unique strengths. Today the company updated its Apple Music app with a new widget that can be dropped onto your phone or tablet's home screen. It's pretty basic (most music app widgets are, to be fair), offering controls for pause, skip, and going back to the last track. There's also a heart, so you can help influence Apple Music's future picks based on your tastes. Apple's is the top widget in the above image, with Spotify's Android widget below.

Read more...

Android 6.0: The 5 best new features in Marshmallow

2015-10-01T02:12:00.002-07:00

Google’s big fall event is behind us, and we have some great new hardware to show for it. The new Nexus 5X is the hotly anticipated follow-up to 2013’s Nexus 5, and it’s everything Android fans were hoping for. Then the larger Nexus 6P offers an all-aluminum body, a 2K display and solid performance for a surprisingly affordable price. Bold phones are set to begin shipping next month, and fans of the “pure Android” experience can’t wait.

Of course, Google also spent some time on software during Tuesday’s press conference, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow is set to begin rolling out next week.

Android fans with recent Nexus devices like the Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet will be able to update their devices to Android 6.0 beginning early next week. Google hasn’t set an official date that the Marshmallow rollout will begin, but a number of reports have pinpointed October 5th as the day Google’s latest software will begin hitting devices.

If you don’t have a Nexus phone or tablet, the wait will be a bit longer. What will you be missing while your manufacturer works to update its devices to Android 6.0 in the coming months? Below, we’ll go through the five best new features coming to smartphones and tablets with Marshmallow.

Read more...

Apple's Victorious iPhone 6S Can Cripple Android

2015-09-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

Anyone looking at Apple’s event on September 9th will have seen the near-future of smartphones being defined by Tim Cook. Apple may not be winning the market share battle against its Android powered competitors but the presentation of the technology and the decisions behind their adoption in Apple’s latest hardware will echo through the market.

Because of Apple’s position in the media, the ideas that were on stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium will influence smartphone hardware and software for the next few years, no matter where they originated. The public will expect their smartphones to do the things that Tim Cook and his team talked about. And there lies the trap for Android. To follow Apple’s lead will take time, energy, and resources to play catch-up to Cupertino. To not follow Apple’s lead risks stagnation and irrelevance in the market place.

Read more...

Did Huawei just reveal that Android smartwatches will pair with iPhones?

2015-08-29T02:37:00.002-07:00

Wear iOS Android getting support could be the shot in the arm Google's SmartWatch platform needs.

Did spill the beans about Amazon just a major Android update Wear? Huawei's Long-awaited SmartWatch briefly Went up for preorders on Amazon on price and other details Friday was taken down Eventually all before.

Theo listing, the Huawei Watch has a 1.4-inch screen round, comes in four color and band combinations other, starting at $ 349.99 and going up to $ 799.99 for a gaudy gold version. It's running Android Wear, Google's SmartWatch operating system compatible with smartphones running nên Android or iOS or nhất.

Wait a minute. Android does not work with iOS Wear. It only works with smartphones running Android. There are workarounds, but at the moment, if you're one of the Millions with an iPhone, Huwaei Watch - and other android smartwatches wear - Easily sync the phone with your Flickr Flickr Flickr.

Huawei_iOS_Screenshot

So jump the gun on a major announcement Huawei did? Reports from earlier this year Google was close to mà indicated in an Android app creates Wear That would pair devices with iPhones, Google Now cards gồm, voice search, and notifications. Several new Android devices Wear is hitting shelves before holiday season will, and cross-platform support would be a headline feature.

It's cũng thể The Huawei has built The workaround to support riêng mà watch Into iOS, would give it an edge mà over other android models wear. Pebble's work with iOS and Android smartwatches all, considering it's a manageable challenge.

Read more ...

iPhone owners eat more healthily than Android owners, study says

2015-08-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

I had feared that the Apple vs. Android rivalry was dying.

I had worried that there was a peculiar detente between the two parties.

Perhaps it's got something to do with their diets. Perhaps fans of Apple's iOS mobile software have suddenly turned healthy, even in their attitudes towards people who prefer devices that run Google's Android software.

I wonder this after reading a report from food delivery site Eat24. The company's boffins culled data from its Android and iPhone apps over the last three months and unearthed some contrasting results.

Before they even consider their food, 27 percent of those using the Eat24 iPhone apps click on the "healthy" tab. Only 17 percent of Android users do the same.

What does this tell us? That Apple users are more self-conscious about their figures and entrails? That Android users mainly live in the south?

Read more...

Android update roundup: Verizon pushes Android 5.1 and Stagefright fix to HTC One M9

2015-08-21T21:06:00.004-07:00

The Verizon HTC One M9 got a double gift this week: a bump up to Android 5.1 and a patch for the Stagefright vulnerability. It joins another batch of devices to get some relief from this major Android headache.

Each week, we compile all the major software updates to hit the ecosystem, including phones and tablets on U.S. carriers, unlocked phones, Android Wear smartwatches, and Android TV devices. Making sure your device is running the latest available software is a good housekeeping practice, ensuring you have the latest features with fewer bugs and gaping security holes (like Stagefright!).

Verizon

HTC One M9: When it rains it pours for the HTC One M9. The company’s Mo Versi took to Twitter to announce that Android 5.1, a Stagefright fix, and support for more LTE bands are coming in an over-the-air update. While the device already supports all of Verizon’s bands, the new additions connect to overseas networks.

Galaxy S4: Samsung hasn’t forgotten about its flagship from two generations back. A Verizon update is out that patches Stagefright and performs several other bug fixes.

Read more...

Blackberry's first Android phone rumoured to come in August

2015-06-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, there were rumours that the Blackberry's first Android-powered smartphone - codenamed Venice - might arrive in November. However, a new report is suggesting that the Venice might not run Android at all.

As per the report, the Canadian company's debut Android phone will instead be called Prague. Aimed at emerging markets, it will be a low-end, all-touch device, with form factor similar to that of the BlackBerry Z3 (shown in the image above). The handset is expected to be released in August this year, the report notes.

Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by the company, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Apple vs. Android: Does The Technology We Use Influence The Way We Travel?

2015-06-13T08:26:00.001-07:00

When it comes to phones and tablets, there are die-hard Apple users and those who swear by Android. But do their differing tastes in technology influence other parts of their lives? To find out, hotel search trivago.com analyzed travel differences between Apple and Android users in the U.S. who have searched for hotels via the trivago app over the past year.

Apple users spend 24% more on hotels than Android users

On average, an American Apple user is willing to spend $32 more per night on accommodation than an Android user. The average price selected by travelers using iPhones and iPads is $166 per night. For Android users, the average price for a searched hotel is $134 per night, a difference of 24%.

Read more...

Here’s what Microsoft Cortana will look like on iPhone and Android

2015-05-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

Microsoft quietly confirmed today what Cortana will look like on iOS and Android devices later this year in a YouTube video introducing the “phone companion” app.

Cortana on both Android and iOS will look similar to their Windows counterparts and can answer the same queries across devices. On Android, you’ll also see integration with the operating system for reminders and other alerts.

A companion app on Windows 10 PCs will offer to help users install Cortana on their devices.

Cortana on iOS and Android can’t do things that are possible on Windows Phone, however, like toggle settings.

Read more...

Factory reset FAILS in 500 MEEELLION Android phones

2015-05-22T09:34:00.002-07:00

Cambridge University boffins Laurent Simon and Ross Anderson say half a billion Android phones could have data recovered and Google accounts compromised thanks to flaws in the default wiping feature.

The gaffe allows tokens for Google and Facebook among others to be recovered in 80 percent of cases. Encryption keys can also be recovered and can with some brute-force password guessing allow attackers to access previously wiped data.

Those keys, along with a host of data including SMS, photos, and videos, can be recovered because the factory reset process in Android 4.3 Jellybean and below is flawed, the pair say in the paper Security Analysis of Android Factory Resets (PDF).

Here's the gist of it:

We estimate that up to 500 million devices may not properly sanitise their data partition where credentials and other sensitive data are stored, and up to 630 million may not properly sanitise the internal SD card where multimedia files are generally saved.
We found we could recover Google credentials on all devices presenting a flawed factory reset. Full-disk encryption has the potential to mitigate the problem, but we found that a flawed factory reset leaves behind enough data for the encryption key to be recovered.

Read more...