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Google is testing group calling in Duo
Google's upgrade strategy for Duo could include some highly sought-after features. Android Police sources say Google is testing a group calling feature in at least the Android version of its video chat app. It only supports seven people at once (no 32-person parties here), but it's relatively straightforward. You just have to create a group and then start a call with those people. If there's a limitation, it's that you can't add anyone into a group in mid-call.
Court tosses lawsuit over Google Photos' facial recognition
Google Photos users nervous about facial recognition on the service aren't going to be very happy. A Chicago judge has granted Google a motion dismissing a lawsuit accusing the company of violating Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act by gathering biometric data from photos without permission. The plaintiffs couldn't demonstrate that they'd suffered "concrete injuries" from the facial recognition system, according to the judge.
More popular apps are sending data to Facebook without asking
It's not just dating and health apps that might be violating your privacy when they send data to Facebook. A Privacy International study has determined that "at least" 20 out of 34 popular Android apps are transmitting sensitive information to Facebook without asking permission, including Kayak, MyFitnessPal, Skyscanner and TripAdvisor. This typically includes analytics data that sends on launch, including your unique Android ID, but can also include data that sends later. The travel search engine Kayak, for instance, apparently sends destination and flight search data, travel dates and whether or not kids might come along.
AT&T portable battery will charge both your Apple Watch and iPhone
Apple's AirPower charging mat may be a no-show, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck if you want a multi-device charger from a big-name brand. Entries at both the FCC and the Wireless Power Consortium have revealed that AT&T is working on the Power Drum, a portable wireless charger and battery bank meant to top up both an Apple Watch and a recent iPhone (or really, any Qi-compatible smartphone). While the concept isn't completely novel, it's very compact -- the biggest issue is the 3,000mAh battery, which could handle an overnight stay but not much more.
Android's stock texting app now includes anti-spam safeguards
Your Android phone's text messages could soon be relatively junk-free without needing help from carriers. Android Police has learned that Google is rolling out spam protection to the Messages app for at least some users. It's not clear just what the feature looks for, but Google is clearly aware of the potential privacy issues. While the company does have to transmit some message-related data to Google, it doesn't send any of the content itself.
Twitter security flaw uses text spoofing to hijack UK accounts
A Twitter security flaw gives hackers a way to post unauthorized tweets via text messaging, and British cybersecurity firm Insinia has proven its existence by hijacking some celebrities' accounts. The company was able to post tweets as other people without having to enter their passwords by spoofing their mobile numbers. It's easy to forget the feature if you have data and a smartphone, but Twitter still allows you to tweet via SMS. You simply have to link your digits to your account and then text what you want to post to a number Twitter designated for your country and carrier.
Bangladesh shuts off mobile internet ahead of election
The Bangladeshi government isn't just counting on Facebook and Twitter crackdowns to protect its December 30th parliamentary election. The country's Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has shut down 3G and 4G mobile data to "prevent rumors and propaganda" from skewing the vote. The measure took effect immediately and was poised to last through the end of election day.
Netflix kills in-app subscriptions on Apple hardware
New and returning Netflix subscribers with iOS devices will find themselves unable to sign up through the iOS app. The streaming platform has confirmed to VentureBeat that it no longer supports "iTunes as a method of payment for new members." It started testing the change in select markets back in August and rolled it out to everyone in the world in November. Those who want to pay for a subscription will now have to do so via the platform's website. That includes those who used to pay via iTunes if it's been a month since they canceled their subscription.
The Essential Phone is effectively discontinued
An already rough year for smartphone startup Essential appears to be ending on a sour note. Droid Life spotted that the company's flagship Essential Phone, also known as the PH-1, is out of stock and won't be coming back. The company has confirmed the handset won't be restocked, effectively discontinuing the device. Essential says it will instead focus its energy on its next product.
911 mobile services are gradually returning after CenturyLink outage
911 services are gradually coming back online in several states and cities following an outage. An outage at a CenturyLink data center affected 911 mobile calls in Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Missouri, Seattle, Salt Lake City and other locales.
Google adds challenges to Fit just in time for New Year's resolutions
It's almost January 1st and you are once again promising yourself that this will be the year you finally get into shape. This time around, Google is looking to help with new challenges in the recently redesigned Google Fit app. The 30-day long events task you with earning points by staying active and will keep you moving enough to meet your New Year's resolution.
Instagram accidentally made users' feeds scroll horizontally
If you opened up Instagram today and found that your timeline orientation was totally switched, you weren't alone. It appears that quite a few users had a timeline that moved left to right, where posts could be tapped through as they can be in stories. When the new timeline appeared, Instagram surfaced a notice that said, "Introducing a New Way to Move Through Posts," and told users to tap through to see their posts. However, it seems that this may have been another short test rather than a permanent change to Instagram's feed.
Fake Alexa setup app is topping Apple's App Store charts
If you received a new Alexa device over the holidays and are working on setting it up, be warned that a fake Alexa setup app has been making its way up Apple's App Store charts. The app is called "Setup for Amazon Alexa" and it's from a company called One World Software that, as 9to5Mac points out, has two other shady apps in the App Store as well. As of writing, the app was ranked at #75 in the "Top Free" apps list and #6 in the list of top utilities apps.
The Morning After: 'Doom' meets Roomba
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Our short holiday week isn't over yet -- we'll recap the exploding market for smart displays and explain what Doom has in common with your vacuum cleaner.
Classic puzzler 'Lemmings' returns as a free-to-play mobile game
It's been a long time since there was a Lemmings game on phones, but the clear-a-path game is back -- albeit with some catches. Sony and Sad Puppy have released the simply-titled Lemmings for Android and iOS (no, no PlayStation), offering that familiar experience of saving self-destructive creatures through their talents. The interface has logically been adapted to touchscreens, and Sad Puppy has gone so far as to design levels with vertical phone and tablet screens in mind. On the surface, at least, it's a dose of nostalgia for people who grew up on Psygnosis games, with a few modern twists like collectible "tribes" and online tournaments.
Android Pie rolling out now to OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T
The OnePlus 5 and 5T are finally getting Android Pie. The latest version of Google's operating system is being made available to the OnePlus handsets via an over-the-air update. The rollout started this morning and will make its way to most devices over the next couple days according to OnePlus.
Samsung's latest experiments include an ASMR recorder
CES is right around the corner, and that means Samsung is unveiling a new batch of C-Lab projects -- some stranger than others. Take aiMo, for instance. It's an ASMR recording tool that combines a phone with a case that simulates the human ear, right down to the shape. It looks silly, to say the least, but it promises both better spatial audio and more realistic sounds thanks to some AI sound rendering magic. In theory, you can produce top-notch tingling audio wherever you are, even when you're outside.
Honor's 'hole-punch' View 20 will get a Moschino edition
Honor's recent teaser event gave away pretty much all the secrets of its new View 20 smartphone: It has a 25-megapixel punch-hole front camera, a 48-megapixel rear camera plus "Link Turbo" function for automatically switching between WiFi and LTE -- or using both, even -- for optimal connectivity. Still, there was no word on the device's other features, appearance nor price; Honor clearly just wanted to announce its "hole screen" technology before Samsung and Huawei. Now that the competition have done their part, Honor has finally done a full unveiling of its View 20 in China earlier today, and it actually looks rather sharp.
Samsung is serving Galaxy S9 owners Android Pie for Christmas
Samsung has started rolling out Android Pie for Galaxy S9 and S9+ devices earlier than it said it would. The tech giant was originally planning to release the major OS upgrade in January, but according to Sammobile and Android Authority, it's now available in Germany. And, yes, it's the stable version of the mobile platform that's making its way to people, even non-beta users whose devices are still running Android Oreo.
China's WeChat is mimicking Snapchat Stories, too
Snap just can't catch a break from companies imitating its signature Stories feature in their apps. WeChat, the Chinese social app giant, has introduced a Time Capsule feature whose disappearing videos will seem uncannily familiar if you've used Snapchat... or Instagram, for that matter. You can't find them in a dedicated section, but the basic concept remains: you can record a short (15-second) clip that your friends and group chat participants can watch within 24 hours.
