News
FCC Proposes Mandate for Phone Unlocking After 60 Days
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has proposed that the Commission require mobile providers to unlock customers' mobile phones 60 days after the device is activated. (Unlocking would let customers take their phone and use it with any other compatible network.) The FCC is seeking comment on the proposal, including "whether an unlocking requirement should be applied to existing contracts or future contacts", and "the impact ... in connection with service providers' incentives to offer discounted phones for postpaid and prepaid service plans".
Apple Loosens Some Repair Restrictions
Apple has quietly issued a new paper revealing plans to make it easier to repair iPhones and improve functionality when using third-party parts. Currently, when an iPhone detects that a third-party part has been installed, it disables certain features that require calibration. This includes True Tone — which auto-adusts white balance on the display — and battery health metrics. Those restrictions will be lifted starting later this year. Instead, a small warning will be displayed. Apple will also stop requiring a device serial number when purchasing parts via Apple's Self Service Repair store. The changes come as a wave of new "Right To Repair" laws are being passed in multiple US states and countries abroad.
Verizon Refreshes Brand, Adds Perks
Verizon today launched a new logo for the company. The new logo trades a red checkmark for a soft yellow glow in the "v" of the wordmark. The company is also expanding its smartphone trade-in program and rolling our new ticket-access perks. "Verizon Access" is a new program for all Verizon customers offerings exclusive event ticket pre-sales and free giveaways. This includes "thousands of tickets to concerts and music festivals" as well as soccer and football games, and red carpet movie premieres.
Hands On with the Motorola razr and razr+ (2024)
Motorola has a refreshed pair of razr foldables for 2024 and they come with a solid set of upgrades over last year's models. Most notably, the $700 model now has a full-size outer display, making it look much more like a premium foldable while offering considerable functionality. There are plenty of other upgrades to talk about, and there's a lot of unique software to explore. And what are they like to hold and use in person? We'll cover it all in this hands-on report with our first impressions of both phones.
Motorola Upgrades its razr Foldables Across the Board
Motorola has revealed its new razr and razr+ foldable phones for 2024. While the price points are unchanged at $700 and $1,000, both models get important upgrades. The most obvious and important is that the cheaper model now has the same large (3.6-inch) OLED touch display on the outside as last year's plus model, offering extensive functionality while closed. Both models also get the same new and improved main camera with 50 megapixel resolution and OIS, and much better waterproofing (IPx8 to withstand full immersion). Both also share a new hinge design that's 30% smaller while offering better reliability, stability, dust resistance, and "crease" resistance. Both have Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the outer display and a similar 6000-series aluminum frame. Both have a 6.9-inch flexible main display inside with FHD+ resolution, and HDR10+. Other features in common include Google Gemini AI pre-installed, 256 GB of storage, 15-watt wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.4, and a 32 megapixel internal camera.
- The razr (2024) has a 3.6-inch outer touch display and both displays have 120 Hz refresh. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chip and 8 GB of RAM. The battery is 4,200 mAh and it fast-charges at up to 30 watts. The second camera remains a 13-megapixel wide-angle one. Wi-Fi is version 6E. Color options include grey, sand, and orange. (Grey will be most common in the US.) The back is a smooth "vegan suede" texture.
- The razr+ (2024) has an even larger 4-inch outer display and both displays have up to 165 Hz refresh. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip and 12 GB of RAM. Both the RAM and storage are faster than on the base model (LPDDR5x and UFS 4.0). The battery is 4,000 mAh (larger than last year), it fast-charges at up to 45 watts, and the wireless charging is two-way. The second camera is a 2x telephoto instead of wide-angle, with 50 megapixel resolution but no OIS. Wi-Fi 7 is supported. Color options include blue, green, peach, and pink. (Blue will be most common in the US, with a vertical "racing stripe" of smoother texture in the "vegan leather".)
iOS 18 Brings Fast Pairing to 3rd-Party Wireless Accessories
Apple has quietly introduced a way for third-party wireless accessory makers to implement a new pairing process on iPhone and iPad that's as fast and easy as the one Apple uses for its own AirPods. This "AccessorySetupKit" API is new in iOS 18, currently available in beta for developers. Once users have the manufacturer's app installed, pairing can be as simple as turning on the accessory and bringing it near the phone. A pop-up automatically appears on the phone, and one tap can complete the process, without having to open an app or go into Bluetooth settings. Apple has recently come under government scrutiny in multiple parts of the world for abusing its market position and platform control.
AT&T Raises Prices on Most Old Plans
AT&T is raising prices on most of its older service plans by up to $10 per line per month starting this August. This includes most legacy "Unlimited" plans, as well as Mobile Share, FamilyTalk, and Nation plans. Unlimited plans will get a $10/month hike for a single line, or an extra $20/month (total) for family plans. Some plans get additional high-speed data as part of the deal. "AT&T Unlimited Choice, Choice II, Choice Enhanced, Unlimited &More, and Unlimited Value plans will now include 75GB of high-speed data and 30GB of hotspot data. AT&T Unlimited Plus, Plus Enhanced, Unlimited &More Premium, and AT&T Unlimited (with TV) plans will now include 100GB of high-speed data and 60GB of hotspot data." Mobile Share plans gain access to 5G, but also see a price hike. Plans with 6 GB or more of data will see a $10 hike, while plans with less data get a $5 hike. FamilyTalk and Nation plans that are currently $45/month (before taxes and fees) or less will see an increase of $5. More expensive plans will see a $10 bump. These plans will not gain any new benefits. All of these changes go into effect August 2024. Verizon and T-Mobile have also raised rates on older plans in the past year, and AT&T has already done two small increases before this.
Major Battery Maker Makes Big Advance in Solid-State Batteries
TDK claims to have made a rechargeable solid-state battery with an energy density 100 times that of existing solid-state batteries, bringing the technology much closer to production for a wider range of consumer devices. TDK is positioning these new batteries for use in wireless earphones, hearing aids, and smartwatches. Solid-state batteries are safer than today's lithium-ion batteries, and can be soldered directly to a circuit board like any other electronic component, helping to reduce overall device size. TDK plans to offer samples of the prototype battery to customers next year, with mass production to follow. TDK is a major battery supplier to Apple and other phone makers.
Chrome Adds "Listen to this page"
Google's Chrome web browser for Android has quietly added a new feature that will read a web page aloud. On pages where it makes sense, the main options menu now has a "Listen to this page" option. This brings up a basic audio playback interface at the bottom, which can be expanded to show more options. A scroll bar lets you skip around. Two buttons let you skip 10 seconds back or ahead. You can also choose from several different voices and set playback speed from 0.5x to 4x. By default, it highlights what it's reading and auto-scrolls so you can follow along visually, but this can be disabled.
Light Phone Gets a Complete Redesign with Third Edition
The new Light Phone III offers significant upgrades over the Light Phone II, while maintaining the same concept of an un-smartphone without internet, social media, news, or email. The compact, metal-framed design has a simple black & white interface on a larger, matte OLED display. There's a 50 megapixel camera with a two-stage shutter button. A spinning navigation wheel graces the side, while the power button on top includes a fingerprint reader. The 1,800 mAh battery is replaceable. It's rated IP54 for basic water protection. The proprietary software includes: alarm, timer, calculator, calendar, directory, directions, voice memo, and a simple music / podcast player. It does not currently support streaming music, third-party messaging, nor rideshare hailing. The Light Phone III also includes NFC and front-camera hardware for "potential" future updates that would enable video calling and/or a tap-to-pay digital wallet. It's powered by a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, enabling 5G. The single unlocked model available globally has excellent support for 4G networks in the US and decent support for 5G in the US. The company currently plans to ship the Light Phone III in January 2025. It can be pre-ordered now for $399, a 50% discount.
FCC, Navy Expand Commercial Access to 3.5 GHz Band
The FCC, US Navy, and NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) this week announced new rules for the 3.5 GHz band, also known as block A of band 77, band 77-A, or the 3.45 GHz band. The new rules dramatically expand the "unencumbered service area" where wireless carriers can freely use this band for commercial 5G service. The US Navy maintains priority access to this band along coastlines and around federal facilities throughout the country, via a dynamic spectrum sharing system. However the geographic area where this system is required is being reduced by an area covering 72 million people. This mid-band spectrum is ideal for good 5G service. AT&T is one of the largest users of this band. States most affected by this change include Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Samsung Reveals Galaxy Watch FE
The new Samsung Galaxy Watch FE promises to be a more affordable Wear OS smartwatch, starting at $200. Samsung emphasizes the health features, which include Samsung's "BioActive" sensor that measures heart activity two ways as well as skin impedance. The Galaxy Watch FE includes tracking for over 100 different workouts, sleep tracking, ECG, and detection of abnormal heart conditions. It also works with Samsung's Find My Phone feature, can control a Galaxy smartphone camera remotely, and includes Samsung Wallet for tap payments and digital ID. The round face is 40mm, with an always-on AMOLED display protected by Sapphire Crystal glass. It's powered by a Samsung Exynos W920 chip and 247 mAh battery. It charges wirelessly. It has Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, and GPS. It will be available with or without 4G LTE. The aluminum case is rated IP68 for water and 5ATM for immersion. It comes in black, silver, or pink gold. A "one click" band design makes it easier to change bands quickly. The Bluetooth-only model goes on sale in the US June 24. Samsung plans to launch the LTE model in October.
Hands On with the TCL 50 XE NXTPAPER 5G
TCL has been showing off prototype phones with its "NXTPAPER" matte-display technology for a while now, but now one is actually going on sale in the US. The TCL 50 XE 5G comes in two flavors: with or without the NXTPAPER display. The display is the only difference, so this hands-on also applies to the TCL 50 XE 5G. The model with the regular display was just launched on Verizon Prepaid, while the NXTPAPER version is sold unlocked by TCL. So, what's the phone like in person? What's the NXTPAPER display like? Read on for our impressions.
Boost Celero5G SC is Just $110
Boost Mobile today launched the Celero5G SC, a more-affordable model in Boost's own Celero5G lineup that retails for just $110. Compared to the standard Celero5G (2024), the SC has less memory and lacks NFC or a dedicated wide-angle camera. It does have a fingerprint reader, large battery, and large 6.6-inch display with 90 Hz refresh. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset, the same as in the new TCL 50 XE 5G that also launched this week on Verizon Prepaid. The Celero5G SC is available in black or white.
New York State Launches Mobile ID App
New York is newest US state to offer an official, standards-compliant mobile ID (MiD). The new New York Mobile ID app is available for both Android and iOS. The dedicated app is required for both setup and use; New York's solution is not yet compatible with Apple Wallet nor Google Wallet. During setup, the user scans both their physical ID card and face. The app can then display a personalized QR code any time identity and/or age need to be verified. The code is scanned by the person requesting verification using any standard-compliant verification app. They then choose what information to request, the ID holder gives permission on their device, then the requested information (and that info only) is transmitted wirelessly and automatically verified with the NY DMV. The ID holder does not need to hand over their phone at any time. The verifying device must have an internet connection, but the device of the ID holder can be offline. The TSA currently accepts mobile ID at 28 airports, including all terminals of JFK and LaGuardia in New York City. Businesses that need to check ID can start accepting mobile ID at any time, but verification apps are not yet in widespread use. New York's app is similar to that of California, Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, and Virginia. States with mobile IDs that can also be added to mobile wallets are currently: Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, and Maryland.
New Update for Pixel Phones Brings TV-Out, Dead Phone Finding
Google has released its June Feature Drop, a software update for Pixel devices that adds several new features. The Pixel 8 series phones (including 8a) gains support for external monitors with video-out over USB-C. The new, Bluetooth-based Find My Device network can now locate a Pixel 8 series phone even if it's battery has been "dead" for up to one day. The Phone app now has an option for reverse phone number search in the call log. (This is available for most Pixel devices.) The camera app now lets you manually choose a specific lens instead of just a zoom level. Finally, Google is expanding its new Gemini Nano AI model to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, although it must be manually enabled in Developer Settings. On Pixel Watch 2, the update bring Car Crash Detection, which can automatically call for help if it detects a crash and you're unresponsive.
Verizon Prepaid Intros Another 5G Phone Under $100
The TCL 50 XE 5G is now available on Verizon Prepaid, the second 5G phone available from Verizon Prepaid for under $100, following the Motorola moto g 5G (2024). The 50 XE has a 6.6-inch display with 90 Hz refresh, 5,010 mAh battery, 18-watt fast charging (charger included), 50 megapixel camera, NFC, and a fingerprint reader. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage (expandable). TCL will also be offering the 50 XE 5G unlocked in the US in a NXTPAPER edition with its unique matte display technology. Verizon Prepaid also recently added the TCL 50 LE, a 4G entry-level phone for just $80.
Nokia Makes First Phone Call with Spatial Audio
Nokia has conducted the first successful test of Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), a new technology that brings 3D spatial sound to mobile phone calls. IVAS is a new industry-standard codec that will be part of the next 3GPP 5G Advanced standard. Nokia was one of 13 companies that helped develop IVAS. While IVAS is designed to work across many device types, Nokia was particularly involved in "the development of a smartphone specific format for the IVAS standard." The call was made on a public 5G network.
Apple Intelligence Promises Personalized AI, Requires iPhone 15 Pro
Apple today launched Apple Intelligence, its big generative AI effort. Apple Intelligence focuses on personalized on-device AI, but also includes a limited cloud component for more advanced requests, and the option to use OpenAI's ChatGPT for certain types of requests. The on-device component maintains a private "semantic index" of your data like your recent messages, calendar, contacts, and more. This allows Siri to answer new kinds of requests more intelligently, using the context of that data and what's on your screen at the moment. Siri also now maintains conversational context across multiple requests, and can be queried via text instead of voice. New system-wide Writing Tools work across all apps. They can proofread, summarize, and rewrite. Any selected text can be rewritten in any style of your choice. New options offer to summarize long emails or messaging threads for you. Genmoji uses on-device generative AI to create any new emoji you can cream up. More advanced image generation is available via Image Playground, available in Messages and other Apple apps, some third-party apps, and as its own standalone app. Image Playground lets you create a small image based on any prompt. If the image includes a person, you can ask it to make them look like someone specific in your contacts. It will not generate photorealistic images, though, offering only "animation", "illustration", and "sketch" styles. Apple is also introducing a "Cleanup Tool" in Photos that can remove unwanted objects from photos using generative fill, much like Google's Magic Eraser. A new Priority Notifications feature uses the semantic index to understand and highlight which notifications are actually important, and a Reduce Interruptions option hides all non-Priority notifications. When a request cannot be handled on-device, Apple Intelligence sends only the necessary info to Apple's own "Private Cloud Compute" servers for processing, where Apple promises your data is not saved or logged. Apple Intelligence is free to use. Basic use of ChatGPT is also free, and you can link a paid OpenAI account to Apple Intelligence so you can access more advanced ChatGPT features right from Siri. The ChatGPT integration is multimodal, offering both text and images as input and output. Apple says it's working to integrate other models besides ChatGPT. On phones, Apple Intelligence requires the A17 Pro chip, which means it will only work on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, not the standard iPhone 15, nor any older models. It will also be available on tablets and computers using any M-series chip
iOS 18 Overhauls Home Screen, Messaging, Photos
Apple just announced iOS 18 for iPhones. The update will bring a slew of new features, with the biggest changes coming to home screen icons, messaging, and the Photos app. You'll now be able to put app icons anywhere, even at the bottom of the screen. Icons also have a special dark mode appearance, and a monochrome appearance that lets you customize them all to the color of your choice. Other new features let you lock or hide specific apps (and their data) so they're unavailable when you hand your phone to someone else. Finally, there's a new option for extra-large app icons. A major new service is Messages by Satellite, which lets you communicate via iMessage or SMS over a satellite connection even in non-emergency situations. Like Apple's existing SOS service, it requires that you point your phone at a certain part of the sky, which it guides you through. This feature offers end-to-end encryption. As promised, Messages now supports RCS for rich messaging compatibility with Android phones. iMessage will also now let you Tapback with any emoji, and apply formatting and animations ("Text effects") to your text. Finally, Messages will now let you schedule messages to be sent automatically at a later time. The Photos app gets a complete redesign, with a single home screen that shows the photos grid in the upper half and Collections below that. New automatic Collections include Recent Day and Trips, as well as People and Pets to group photos by who's in them. The grid has date tools and filters. Maps gains topographical maps, including offline hiking maps. Tap to Cash lets you send money to someone else just be tapping your phones together. Apple Wallet also gains enhanced event tickets that automatically include venue info, including maps. The Mail app gains new automatic Categorization. A new Game Mode minimizes background activity for better performance, and improves audio latency. Control Center also gets a major upgrade with third-party Controls, multiple pages of controls, and the ability to re-arrange and even resize controls. Third-party Controls can be assigned to lock screen shortcuts or the physical action button on iPhones that have one. A new feature of macOS called iPhone Mirroring lets you wirelessly view and use your iPhone from your Mac. It also integrates your iPhone notifications with your Mac notifications. Apple also introduced whole new password manager called Passwords, that's available for iOS and many other platforms. A beta version of iOS 18 will be available to developers today. Apple promises a public beta next month, and the final version this fall.
RCS Messaging to 911 Coming to Android
Google is working on the ability to communicate with 911 dispatchers via RCS in its Google Messages app. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the industry standard for rich messaging (similar to iMessage, but open). Texting 911 via SMS/MMS is already an option in some areas. RCS bring additional capabilities, such as sharing high-resolution photos and videos, delivery confirmation, and typing notifications. It also enables Android Emergency Location Service, which can automatically send info like precise location, language settings, and opt-in medical info. Google is working with RapidSOS to enable this feature for specific emergency call centers starting this winter, starting with areas that don't even support texting to 911 yet.
Hands On with the T-Mobile REVVL 7 and REVVL 7 Pro
Carrier-branded phones are nothing new, but T-Mobile's line of REVVL phones is one of the most simple, consistent, and long-running such efforts in the US. Most years, we get two phones: an entry-level model and a step-up model; this year is no different. We checked out the T-Mobile REVVL 7 5G and T-Mobile REVVL 7 Pro 5G for a day and have some first impressions to share. Read on to find out what these phones are like in person.
T-Mobile Picks up the New Motorola Edge
Motorola has taken the wraps off the 2024 edition of its mid-range Edge phone. True to its name, this year's model has an "endless edge" design with a 6.6-inch pOLED display that curves at the sides. Other key specs include 144 Hz display refresh, Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, IP68 water rating, and a 50 megapixel camera with a Sony Lytia 700C sensor and OIS. The 5,000 mAh battery can fast-charge at up to 68 watts, or 15 watts wireless. There's also a 13 megapixel wide-angle camera, 32 megapixel front camera, and a customizable shortcut button on the side. The back is "vegan leather" in Midnight Blue. It will be carried by T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Spectrum, Consumer Cellular, Straight Talk, Total By Verizon, and Visible. Motorola will also sell it unlocked for $550 starting June 20th.
You Can Now Edit Messages on Android
The Google Messages app has been updated to support editing messages after they've been sent in RCS chats. The feature is supported in both group and one-on-one threads. Editing is only allowed for 15 minutes. To use the feature, press and hold on the message you wish to edit. Apple's iMessage has supported message editing since 2022, when Apple also introduced message un-sending and the ability to mark messages unread.
New Tech Locates Cell Phones of Lost Hikers
A Spanish company has developed a new product that search and rescue teams can use to locate people in distress in remote areas dramatically faster than previous methods. Lifeseeker mimics a cellular tower to connect to cell phones carried the people who may need rescue, even where there is no cellular service. The product can be mounted to a helicopter, plane, or drone. In as little as a minute of flying around, the person's location can be pinpointed. It works even at night, in low visibility, and from as far as 20 miles away. A recent test in Colorado found two people in just over two minutes. Lifeseeker can also send messages to phones, giving instructions or sending broadcast alerts.
Google Launches a Smartwatch for Kids
The Fitbit Ace LTE is a new kids smartwatch from Google with a focus on exercise and movement. Like most smartwatches for kids, it lets parents keep in touch with their kids via voice and text, and a companion app (Android and iOS) for parents lets them track real-time location and manage allowed contacts. When kids move and exercise more, they unlock time to play games built in to the watch. Physical activity is also reflected in the "Noodle" activity ring on the home screen, and customizable "Eejie" virtual pets. Parents can also view physical activity data in the app, as well as set a schedule for "School Time" mode. Different wrist bands unlock new content. Google promises to continue releasing new games and bands. A future update will add a Tap To Pay feature "so kids have safe and easy access to pocket money." The watch is water resistant up to 50 meters and has a battery that lasts more than 16 hours. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and a rubber bumper is included. The Fitbit Ace LTE only works with a special service plan from Google that runs $10/month. Paying annually gets you a free collectible wrist band, and signing up for an annual plan before the end of August gets you 50% off service. The watch itself goes on sale June 5th and costs $230.
Arm Announces Most Efficient Processors Cores for Phones to Date
Arm has revealed a new, more efficient set of processor core designs intended for the chips that power smartphones and similar devices. This year's release is more tightly optimized for Android than ever, with new Android software libraries that accelerate AI tasks running on Arm CPUs. This new "Kleidi" software is optimized for computer vision as well as general AI, including generative AI. Kleidi works not only on current Arm CPUs, but older designs and future ones as well. The new hardware and software together is a solution that Arm calls "CSS (Compute SubSystems) for Client". The hardware is Armv9.2, a collection of prime, big, and little CPU cores that chip makers can mix as they wish, plus GPU for graphics. The new Cortex-X925 prime core delivers 36% better single-threaded performance and 41% better AI performance (time to first token, compared to Cortex-X4). The new Cortex-A725 "big" core offers 35% better "performance efficiency" compared to last year's A720. The new Cortex-A725 "little" core offers 15% better power efficiency compared. The new Immortalis-G925 GPU has 37% better general performance and 52% better ray tracing performance, compared to last year's G720. All of these designs are optimized for the latest 3nm manufacturing processes (both FinFET and GAA). For the first time, Arm is also offering optimized 3nm chip layouts using these cores, potentially accelerating time to market. Arm expects chips using these designs to reach the market by the end of this year.
Verizon Taps AST for Satellite Coverage
Verizon is finally joining AT&T and T-Mobile in making plans to offer satellite coverage for existing phones in cellular "dead zones" across the whole US. Verizon will join AT&T in using AST SpaceMobile, a company that has already conducted a series of successful tests of this technology with its test satellite and AT&T. AST is preparing its initial batch of five commercial satellites for launch starting later this year. Verizon will use band 5 for satellite service. Band 5 is a low-frequency band at 850 MHz, and was the very first band to be used for commercial cellular service in the US. AT&T made a firm commitment to AST earlier this month. T-Mobile will use a similar system from SpaceX that uses new Starlink satellites. All three offerings will work with existing phones without modifications, thanks to new satellites being launched with massive antenna arrays.
Samsung's Next Galaxy Watch Will Have More Fitness Smarts
Samsung has announced multiple new health features coming to the next Galaxy Watch lineup via its One UI 6 Watch software, available later this year. Samsung refers to these features as Galaxy AI on Galaxy Watch. Sleep tracking will be more detailed and more precise. A new Energy Score combines metrics like sleep, activity, and heart rate to provide "a better understanding of users' daily condition". Running mode will now include Aerobic Threshold / Anaerobic Threshold Heart Rate Zone Metrics. A new Race mode helps runners and cyclists train for a race. Finally, a Workout Routine mode lets users combine a set of exercises for a personalized workout.
T-Mobile Snaps Up US Cellular Customers
As reported earlier this month, regional wireless carrier US Cellular is being sold for parts. T-Mobile has reached an agreement to take on US Cellular's wireless customers and stores, as well as "certain specified spectrum assets", for $4.4 billion. Current US Cellular customers will become T-Mobile customers. The spectrum will help T-Mobile improve the coverage and capacity of its network, particularly in rural areas. The deal also includes a long-term lease for space on at least 2,100 towers. Previous reporting points to Verizon negotiating to acquire the majority of US Cellular's spectrum assets.
iFixit Ends Samsung Repair Collaboration
iFixit is ending its collaboration with Samsung on Galaxy device self-repair guides and parts. iFixit blames Samsung, saying it "consistently faced obstacles that made us doubt Samsung's commitment to making repair more accessible." As an example, for battery or display replacements — some of the most common repairs — Samsung would only sell a costly part with both the display and battery, pre-glued together. iFixit will continue to provide repair info and parts for Samsung devices, just not in collaboration with Samsung. iFixit continues to work directly with several other manufacturers.
T-Mobile Raising Prices on Existing Plans
T-Mobile is increasing the price for existing customers on many of its legacy plans next month. Customers on the newest Go5G plans and some older high-end plans are not affected, but customers on many older plans will see an increase of up to $5/month for each phone line, and/or $2/month for each "connected device". Some customers report seeing an increase only for connected devices, not voice lines. The new rates go into effect on bills issued starting June 5th. T-Mobile sent text message notifications to affected customers this morning. As part of its merger with Sprint, T-Mobile was committed to not raise prices for three years; that commitment expired last year. T-Mobile says this is its first price hike in a decade. AT&T and Verizon have also recently raised their rates.
The First HMD-Branded Phone for the US Now Available
The HMD Vibe is now available to buy unlocked. HMD is selling it directly on its web site. HMD has long made Nokia-branded phones, but is now branching out to offer its own brand as well as others. For $150, the HMD Vibe offers a 6.56" HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh, 13 megapixel camera, 4,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 680 chip, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB of storage (expandable). It will also be sold by TracFone.
Google Maps Gains Bluetooth Auracast Info
Google is adding an indicator for Bluetooth Auracast to Maps listings. Now places like theaters, gyms, places of worship, and auditoriums will be able to advertise that they offer Bluetooth Auracast wireless broadcast audio. Auracast is for everyone, but is particularly useful for those in need of hearing assistance, as it works directly with newer Bluetooth hearing aids. Businesses must update their own profile in Maps to add this information.
AT&T Commits to Space-Based Coverage for Dead Zones
After a series of successful tests, AT&T has signed a firm contract with AST SpaceMobile to provide space-based cellular service in all parts of the US where its terrestrial network does not reach. AST's solution involves launching huge new satellites that can connect directly to existing, off-the-shelf cell phones. T-Mobile is working with SpaceX on a similar system. (Most other services providing satellite connectivity for phones require special support in new phones.) AST conducted a series of tests in 2023 with its test satellite successfully proving voice calls, 4G data, and 5G data. The initial commercial network will consist of five new satellites in low-earth orbit, which will be delivered to SpaceX this summer for launch.
Eye Tracking Coming to iPhones
Apple has announced several new accessibility features coming to iOS and iPadOS later this year. Eye Tracking will let you control your iPhone using just eye movements. Dwell Control will let users activate elements and access "additional functions such as physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures solely with their eyes." Eye Tracking uses the front-facing camera and on-device machine learning. Another feature called Vocal Shortcuts will let users "assign custom utterances that Siri can understand to launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks." Finally, Music Haptics lets users who are deaf or hard of hearing experience music via taps, textures, and refined vibrations generated by the iPhone's Taptic Engine. The feature will work in Apple Music and third-party apps can support it with a new API.
Google Turbo-Charges Anti-Theft Features in Android
Google is adding a lengthy list of new features to Android intended to protect against phone theft in various ways. Three new features help lock your screen if it was stolen while unlocked:
- First, AI will monitor sensors for motion associated with theft, such as the phone being snatched from a hand and quickly moving away. The screen will automatically lock.
- Separately, Offline Device Lock looks for extended periods of network disconnection, which thieves sometimes use to prevent remote locking/wiping. This will automatically lock the screen.
- Another feature allows you to manually lock your screen remotely, from any device, even if you've forgotten your Google account password. (It uses your phone number and a security question.)
- After a factory reset, a device can only be set up anew after providing device or Google account credentials from before the reset. (This is intended to deter thieves who try to resell stolen phones.)
- Private Space lets you put banking and other sensitive apps behind a lock that requires its own separate PIN.
- Since thieves often start by trying to disable Find My Device or extend the screen timeout, these settings now require authentication.
- Finally, copying a feature recently implemented by Apple in iOS, an optional "enhanced authentication" setting requires biometric authentication (not PIN) "for accessing and changing critical Google account and device settings, like changing your PIN, disabling theft protection or accessing Passkeys, from an untrusted location."
Sony Updates its Flagship Xperia 1 to Mark 6
Sony has launched its newest flagship phone, the Xperia 1 VI. The new model is based heavily on the Xperia 1 V it replaces, with a nearly-identical outer design. One key improvement is the telephoto camera, which now has a range of 85–170 mm, for variable true optical zoom of up to 7.1x. (The 1 V offered 85–125 mm.) The telephoto camera also now doubles as a macro camera. The camera app has been updated to be more user-friendly, without removing features. As expected, the processor has been updated to the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from Qualcomm. Sony has also made the Bravia-powered display 1.5x brighter, although resolution takes a hit, moving to the more-common FHD+ instead of 4K as before. Other specs remain mostly the same as on the Xperia 1 V, with an emphasis on advanced photography and high-end audio features. Color options are: Black, Platinum Silver, and Khaki Green. Pricing is also unchanged at £1299/€1399. Although Sony does not have plans to sell this model in the US, the 1 VI does have decent support for US 4G network frequency bands. Sony also launched the more-affordable Xperia 10 VI today, which does not support US networks.
Google Shows Off New AI in Android
Today at its annual I/O developer's conference, Google unveiled new AI features across its platforms and apps. In the Gmail mobile app, a new feature will let you summarize an email or thread with one tap. A Q&A feature will let you search your emails using AI prompts with structured results. Finally, Contextual Smart Reply suggests one-tap options for complete reply emails based on the context of past emails. The Gemini AI chatbot app will soon gain a "Live" feature that lets you have a real-time voice conversation with Google's Gemini AI model. Later in the year, this will be enhanced to take both video and voice as real-time inputs. Google is also making Gemini available as a floating pop-up window that can take whatever is on the screen as an input, much like Circle To Search, which is also gaining smarter AI-powered results. An experimental new feature has private, on-device AI (Gemini Nano) listening to your phone calls so it can intervene if it detects a malicious scam call.
Metro Launches new REVVL Phones with Unique Perks Attached
T-Mobile today announced the REVVL 7 series of T-Mobile-branded phones exclusively for T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. T-Mobile also announced some slightly unusual perks exclusive to the REVVL series on Metro. First is no activation fees when activating a REVVL 7 5G or REVVL 7 Pro 5G (other brands incur a $25 activation fee). Metro is also introducing a lifetime limited warranty that covers "mechanical or electrical" issues for as long as you have the phone and maintain an account in good standing. Finally, Metro will give you a free charger for a new REVVL upon request. The REVVL 7 5G has a 6.58-inch LCD display with FHD+ resolution, Snapdragon 6 processor, 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage (expandable), 50 megapixel main camera, 5,000 mAh battery, and 15W charging. It also has a headset jack, NFC, fingerprint reader, and an 8 megapixel front camera. It will come in Arctic Gray (silver). The step-up REVVL 7 Pro 5G has all of that plus support for overseas networks, a larger 6.78 AMOLED display, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, OIS on the main camera, 25W fast charging, wireless charging (15W), a 16-megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi 6E, and USB 3.0. It will come in Azurite Blue (navy). The phones can be had for free for new customers or in some cases when trading in. Full retail price is $200 for the REVVL 7 5G and $250 for the REVVL 7 Pro 5G. They will be available on both T-Mobile and Metro starting May 23.
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