Author: Mobile Syrup

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Mobile Syrup

U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Apple’s argument against Qualcomm

The next chapter in Apple and Qualcomm’s legal war has arrived.

Apple has reportedly lost its bid to cancel two of Qualcomm’s patents tied to smartphone modem technology. This was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has declined to consider Apple’s argument as the two companies already reached a settlement back in 2019.

This legal dispute started back in 2017 when the chip maker sued Apple for allegedly infringing on patents tied to the company’s new iPhones. Apple, at one point, utilized Qualcomm’s modem chips but moved to Intel. In 2019 the companies reached a settlement and stopped litigation.

Tied to fear of being sued by Qualcomm in the future because of the two patents, Apple sought more legal action as it didn’t want to be sued by Qualcomm again in 2025 when the settlement is set to expire.

The court has rejected Apple’s legal action multiple times, but unless Qualcomm does what Apple fears, the case will not be reopened.

Qualcomm says that the two patents at hand don’t relate to 5G technology. Further, Apple plans to replace Qualcomm’s modems with its own chips by the fall of 2024.

Via: 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Apple exec says iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island is an example of “Apple-like development”

In a recent interview, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, says that iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max’s ‘Dynamic Island’ is the first significant change to the iPhone’s user experience since the release of the iPhone X five years ago.

During the interview with Japanese magazine Axis (via MacRumors), which also features Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of human interface design, the executives discuss how the new display cut-out blurs the line between software and hardware, with Dye describing the Dynamic Island as an example of “Apple-like development.”

Dye emphasized that the Dynamic Island allows both the iPhone 14 Pro’s hardware and software to work together in tandem in a unique way:

“For one purpose, our hardware and software partners will come together in the same studio to solve the problem together. This new feature also made it possible to display alerts, notifications, and ongoing operations in real-time without seeing the boundary between hardware and software. I think it’s a good example of Apple-like development.”

Below is an excerpt from Federighi’s portion of the interview:

“It’s probably the first major operation change in five years since the iPhone X came out. Five years ago, we lost the home button with iPhone X. This has fundamentally reviewed various iPhone operation methods, such as how to unlock the lock screen, return to the Home Screen, and how to switch apps. This new feature has also changed the appearance of the iPhone, and it made me think again about how to run multiple apps, notifications, and how to manage the ongoing behavior in the background. It was a very exciting challenge for us to consolidate what is happening on our iPhone into this small interactive place.”

While I like the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island, it doesn’t do much beyond interacting with a few Apple-made apps. Hopefully, once the cut-out’s development API is in the hands of developers, more third-party apps will support the unique feature.

While only Apple’s ‘Pro’ devices feature the Dynamic Island this year, recent rumours point to the cut-out making its way to the tech giant’s entire iPhone 15 lineup.

You can find the entire interview on Axis’ website.

Source: Axis Via: MacRumors

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Mobile Syrup

Do Apple’s AirPods really have the best microphones?

Apple’s AirPods line has always had a reputation for featuring a decent microphone. However, as more companies like Google, Samsung and Beats (which is actually just Apple itself) continue to improve the mics in their buds, we decided to test several buds to see which option truly sounds the best.

For the test, we compared the mic featured in the following wireless earbuds:

You can watch the full video below or on our YouTube channel and listen for yourself. If you want to skip to the microphone test it begins at 2:07.

In the end, the AirPods Pro (2nd-Gen) sound the best to us, but regular AirPods and most of the earbuds were still passable. The quality changed a bit when we moved outside in the rain, but that’s likely a rare use case for a lot of people.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple TV+’s ‘Emancipation’ streams on December 9

Apple TV+ has revealed a teaser of Emancipation starring Will Smith. The film will premiere in theatres on December 2nd and streams on Apple TV+ on December 9th.

Emancipation is a historical action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by William Collage.

The film’s premise starts with the main character being whipped nearly to death and escaping from a Louisiana plantation and then being forced to outwit hunters before joining the Union Army. The movie is based on a true story.

It stars Smith, Ben Foster, Steven Ogg, Charmaine Bingwa, Mustafa Shakir and more. This is Smith’s first major theatrical release following him walking onstage during the Oscars and slapping comedian Chris Rock.

Source: Apple TV+

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel Watch Band early hands-on suggests $59 USD ($66 CAD) pricing

Previous leaks have indicated that the upcoming Pixel Watch will reportedly cost $349.99 in the U.S. (roughly $465 CAD). Now, courtesy of DroidLife, we have an idea about how much the watch’s “Active” band might cost.

Folks at DroidLife were able to get their hands on two bands from an unnamed mega-retailer who briefly had them up for sale. The bands are reportedly being called “Active” bands, and are shown in “Chalk” and “Lemongrass” colourways.

The “Active” band is reported to be the default band that the watch will ship with, and if you’re looking to add an additional band colour to your collection, you’ll have to spend $49 USD per band (roughly $66.82 CAD). Apple’s bands start at $59 each, so in Canada, the Pixel Watch “Active” band might also start at $59.

The watch band box says that they work “only with Google Pixel Watch,” which means the band uses a proprietary locking mechanism, and you won’t be able to use the band with your Apple Watch, Samsung Watch, Fitbit, etc.

There reportedly is a “band secure button” that needs to be pressed when attaching or detaching the band from the watch body by sliding it.

The band would reportedly be available in “Small” and “Large” sizes, with the former having 130mm to 175mm adjustments and the larger sporting 165mm to 210mm adjustments.

DroidLife describes the material used for the bands as a “very premium rubber,” with the quality on par with Apple’s watch bands, and better than Samsung’s Active bands.

Check out images of the bands, courtesy of DroidLife, below:

Image credit: DroidLife, Made By Google

Source: DroidLife

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Mobile Syrup

Modders have finally been able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 has been on the market for nearly two years, and the console has finally been jailbroken. Skilled modders have revealed the jailbreak online alongside its many limitations.

A modder that goes by the name SpecterDev publicly disclosed the jailbreak on GitHub, revealing that it’s an experimental IPV6 kernel exploit that also utilizes a WebKit vulnerability.

However, SpectreDev does note that there are some limitations. Preventing many from replicating this jailbreak, the PlayStation 5 must be running firmware version 4.03 or earlier. This version of the console’s firmware dates back to last October and was replaced by 4.50 in December. Because of this, most PS5s currently out there won’t be able to run this exploit.

Modders who are able to successfully jailbreak the PlayStation 5 are able to access the console’s debug menu. In addition, modders are able to install games from outside the PlayStation Store. However, sideloaded software isn’t able run.

Another modder known as Lance McDonald was also able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5. Afterwards, McDonald successfully installed the now delisted P.T. demo. However, the demo for Hideo Kojima’s cancelled Silent Hills wasn’t able to start. The jailbreak exploit enables read/write access but isn’t able to execute sideloaded files. This limitation means that the dream of playing P.T. on contemporary hardware is once again dead.

Seeing relatively new hardware being jailbroken is always an impressive feat. However, given the number of restrictions and limitations, it’s unlikely many people will want to go through the multistep process to get it up and running.

The modders also throw out a word of caution, emphasizing that the exploit works only roughly 30 percent of the time and requires multiple attempts.

The last major advancement in PlayStation 5 modding came last year after a modding group gained access to the PS5’s root key, allowing the console’s firmware to be decrypted.

As with any story regarding modding, it’s important to note that there is always a risk of the exploit bricking the console. Additionally, Sony could track down and ban the account of modders as well.

Source: @SpecterDev, @manfightdragon Via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

October 2022 patch is now hitting Pixel phones

Pixel users rejoice, it’s patch day. If you own a Pixel 4 or later, the October patch is on its way to your phone.

Below are all of the updates:

Audio

  • Fix for issue occasionally causing audible humming or noise artifacts during calls while using wired headsets
  • Fix for issue preventing device volume controls in media player notification to work under certain conditions

Connectivity

  • Fix for issue causing launcher crash when connecting to VPN in certain conditions

User Interface

  • Fix for issue causing compatibility issues with certain app widgets in Android 13
  • Fix for issue causing media player to display default icon for certain media apps
  • Fix for issue occasionally causing device crash when playing audio from local storage
  • Fix for issue occasionally causing empty Quick Settings tiles to display in notification shade
  • Fix for issue occasionally causing Work Profile toggle button to appear truncated in app drawer

Wi-Fi

  • Fix for issue occasionally preventing available Wi-Fi networks from displaying in network selection menu in certain apps

Fix for issue occasionally causing audible humming or noise artifacts during calls while using wired headsets for the Pixel 4, Pixel 5a.
Fix for issue preventing device volume controls in media player notification to work under certain conditions
Connectivity

  • Fix for issue causing launcher crash when connecting to VPN in certain conditions
    User Interface
  • Fix for issue causing compatibility issues with certain app widgets in Android 13
    Fix for issue causing media player to display default icon for certain media apps
    Fix for issue occasionally causing device crash when playing audio from local storage
    Fix for issue occasionally causing empty Quick Settings tiles to display in notification shade
    Fix for issue occasionally causing Work Profile toggle button to appear truncated in app drawer
    Wi-Fi
  • Fix for issue occasionally preventing available Wi-Fi networks from displaying in network selection menu in certain apps

Your device has to be running Android 13 to get the update. The rollout, like always, will take a few weeks before hitting everyone.

The patch also comes with security fixes fixing issues marked moderate to critical in severity.

This might be the last update for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, as October marks three years since the phone’s initial release. Google could opt to extend the lifespan of the phone, but it hasn’t done so in the past, so we’re not expecting anything different this time around.

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL will likely receive one final patch, but its timing is unclear. It probably won’t arrive for the next couple of months.

This patch is likely already included in the upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. Google will announce its 2022 flagships and more at its upcoming Made by Google event on October 6th.

Source: Google Support, Android

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Mobile Syrup

Apple CEO Tim Cook skeptical of metaverse, believes consumers struggle to define it

While many companies are investing in the metaverse, Apple CEO Tim Cook believes it’s a subject that raises skepticism.

Cook recently sat down for an interview with Dutch outlet Bright. During the discussion, Apple’s CEO suggests that although there are heavy investments in the metaverse by various companies, there’s room for pessimism. Cook believes the average consumers struggle to define what the metaverse is and believe many would struggle to spend longer periods inside of it.

“I always think it’s important that people understand what something is,” Cook said during the interview. “I always think it’s important that people understand what something is.” Additionally, Cook also discussed his beliefs about VR and the readiness the average consumer has to sit with a headset on. “[VR is] something you can really immerse yourself in,” Cook said. “And that can be used in a good way. But I don’t think you want to live your whole life that way. VR is for set periods, but not a way to communicate well.”

Cook’s comments come at an interesting time as Apple is reportedly developing a mixed reality headset. While there haven’t been official comments from Cook or other executives, the tech giant appears to have its own goals and investments within the AR/VR space.

Meanwhile, other major tech companies are doubling down on the metaverse. For example, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes so strongly in the concept that Facebook changes its name to Meta. The company is currently investing billions in the metaverse and is even partnering with luxury brands to produce digital goods.

While Apple’s AR/VR headset is expected to be announced in early 2023, there’s very little info on what sort of accompanying software the company is working on. Based on reports, Apple’s mixed reality headset may feature dual 4K screens and multiple 3D sensors. Reports claim the headset utilizes Apple’s M1 or M2 chip. The company looks to position it as a premium product within a $3,000 USD (roughly $3,736 CAD) price range.

Source: Bright Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter starts rolling out tweet editing to Blue subscribers in Canada

Twitter Blue subscribers in Canada and other regions will be able to edit tweets now that the feature is officially rolling out.

Twitter announced in September that Blue subscribers would get the ability to edit tweets. Moreover, Twitter indicated at the time that Canada would be among the first countries to get the feature. According to a tweet from the official Twitter Blue account, the capability is “now rolling out to Twitter Blue members in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.”

More specifically, tweet editing is part of ‘Blue Labs,’ which also includes other experimental Twitter features.

Twitter users with access to the feature can edit tweets up to five times within 30 minutes of posting. Edits can include correcting text, rearranging or tagging media, and more. Tweets that have been edited show a pencil icon as well as a timestamp indicating when the tweet was last edited. Moreover, you can tap/click the timestamp to view the edits.

To edit a tweet, tap the three-dot menu icon on that tweet and select ‘Edit tweet’ from the menu. Then make your edits and tap the ‘Update’ button to publish the change.

Twitter said that the edit tweets feature will expand to the U.S. “soon.” Unfortunately, the feature will likely remain exclusive for Blue subscribers.

In Canada, Twitter Blue costs $6.49/mo. While it does come with a bunch of additional features, tweet editing is arguably the only worthwhile benefit, and $6.49 is a steep ask for something that should be a part of the default Twitter experience.

Source: @Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

YouTube might soon hide 4K resolution behind a paywall

A few Reddit and Twitter users said they had to subscribe to YouTube Premium to watch videos in 4K (2160p) resolution.

First reported by MacRumours, the development comes soon after YouTube was found to be testing up to 10 unskippable ads for non-premium users.

The limitation doesn’t seem to be affecting all users. It is currently unknown if the 4K resolution paywall is country or device-specific, or if it’s just an internal test that YouTube is conducting which will never materialize. It’s worth noting that 1440p 2K resolutions remain unaffected.

Those who primarily use YouTube on their smartphone likely won’t feel the impact of this unless YouTube paywalls more common resolutions, like 1080p. On the other hand, those who use YouTube primarily on their 4K smart TVs are sure to be unhappy with the development.

YouTube Premium is priced at $11.99/month or $111.99/annually in Canada.

Image credit: u/MCL_Malone

Source: MacRumours