Author: Mobile Syrup

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Apple issues statement to developers, clarifying decision to remove older apps without updates

Barcelona, Spain – June 7, 2018: Logo of Apple Inc. on a Apple store. Apple is the multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California and sells consumer electronics products.

Apple is clarifying its decision to begin removing “outdated” apps from the App Store. The criteria surrounding this decision stem from the iPhone maker’s new policy. It requires developers to provide updates to their software every three years.

Following developer complaints last week, Apple now states in a press release that this is all a part of the app Store Improvements policy. Moving forward, the company now requires developers to provide consistent updates within a three-year window and hit a minimal download threshold. Failure to do so results in Apple issuing a notice that their software will be removed from the App Store.

“As part of the App Store Improvements process, developers of apps that have not been updated within the last three years and fail to meet a minimal download threshold — meaning the app has not been downloaded at all or extremely few times during a rolling 12 month period — receive an email notifying them that their app has been identified for possible removal from the App Store.”

A handful of developers came forward last week after receiving a notice regarding their app. Moitivoto developer Robert Kabwe received Apple’s App Store Improvement Notice, stating the game has “not been updated in a significant amount of time.” Likewise, Emilia Lazer-Walker reported receiving the same.

Both developers express their personal frustrations. In both cases, the developers believe their apps and games are in a finished state. Kabwe believes his game is “fully functioning” and has been for the last three years.

Of course, this also brings the conversation of software and game preservation into the fold. Apple confirms that any user who has already purchased a removed app will experience no interruptions. Though, if an app or game is in a working and complete state, users should be able to theoretically purchase and install it for years down the road. Additionally, Apple hasn’t clarified its threshold when claiming an “app has not been downloaded at all or extremely few times.”

At the time the first reports came through, Apple warned developers that they had 30 days to submit an update. Though, Apple now states that developers will be given up to 90 days to update their apps.

This new policy puts additional pressure on developers. Smaller indie teams may not have the time or budget to invest in additional updates to completed projects.

Image credit: Apple

Source: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Custom Doctor Strange-themed Xbox Series S and controllers are up for winning

Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to release in Canada on May 6th, and to mark the occasion, Xbox and Marvel have come out with a limited-edition custom drop of the Xbox Series S console and Xbox controllers.

“The customized Xbox Series S console features Gargantos, the giant, green, one-eyed octopus from another dimension who is one of the film’s most dangerous villains,” says Xbox, whereas the four different controllers are modelled after the upcoming movie’s main characters, namely Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Wong (Benedict Wong), and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).

Unfortunately, the custom console and controllers won’t go on sale, and the only way to procure them is by entering a contest.

Xbox wants you to follow its Twitter account and retweet the Tweet embedded below along with the hashtag #DoctorStrangeXboxSweepstakes. Way to grow an “organic” following.

To be eligible to win, you need to be a legal resident of any of the Xbox Console-supported countries or regions, and be older than 18. Read all other rules here.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox

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Mobile Syrup

That leaked Skull and Bones gameplay video is real

It seems Skull and Bones still exists.

Since its reveal back in 2017, not much information about the Ubisoft pirate title has appeared, though it’s clear the game has undergone a troubled development cycle. It’s also important to note that developer Ubisoft Singapore is under investigation for issues tied to workplace harassment, discriminatory pay and more.

As first reported by Kotaku, a recent video leaked via Reddit user ‘Wesam_L’ offers the best look at the pirate title yet. Based on the leaked footage, Skull and Bones seems to borrow elements from Ubisoft live-service titles like The Division 2, and 2013 third-person pirate action game, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

In the leaked video, a voiceover outlines how the game’s “infamy” system works. This stat is increased by taking down fellow pirates, uncovering treasure and completing contracts. Some contracts seem to be multiplayer-focused and can be played with other human players.

The video also outlines how the player will upgrade their ship with scavenged materials throughout the game and states that ensuring your crew has food, water and ammo prevents mutiny. There also seem to be segments where the player leaves their ship and visits pirate encampments and towns. It’s believed that previous versions of Skull and Bones didn’t allow players to leave their ship.

The footage has since been removed from Reddit.

Ubisoft confirmed to Kotaku that the leaked footage of Skull and Bones is legitimate. The official Skull and Bones Twitter account also tweeted a brief clip of the title following the footage’s leak (its first tweet since September 2020).

A source that spoke to Kotaku says that Ubisoft plans to release Skull and Bones by the end of 2022.

As a fan of all things pirates and boats, I’m cautiously optimistic for Skull and Bones. Based on what I saw in the brief video, it seems like the pirate game I’ve always wanted. However, given the title’s tumultuous development cycle, there’s a strong possibility that it won’t end up being a game worth playing.

Image credit: @skullnbonesgame (Screenshot)

Source: Kotaku, Reddit (Wesam_L)

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Mobile Syrup

Save on smartwatches with the Top Deals at Best Buy Canada

This week’s top deals at Best Buy Canada look at little different than your typical week. While we’ve collected deals on the usual phone chargers, TVs, and laptops, the real highlight this week is the wide selection of watches.

Our pick for the deal of the week isn’t actually a smart device. It’s the Bulova Archive LED Computron Digital Watch. It may not track your calorie intake or your heart rate, but it’s a beautiful timepiece that $165 off its regular price.

You can check out our full list of deals below:

Smart home

Einova Charging Stone 10W Wireless Charging Pad: $49.99 (save $20)

TVs

Sony BRAVIA XR A80J 65″ 4K UHD HDR OLED Smart Google TV (XR65A80J): $2499.99 (save $100)

PCs and laptops

Acer Nitro 50 Gaming PC (Ryzen R7-5700G/1TB HDD/512GB SSD/16GB RAM/RTX 3060Ti/Windows 11): $1799.99 (save $500)

Sony SRS-XB43 EXTRA BASS Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker: $249.99 (save $100)

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop (Intel Core i3-1115G4/256GB SSD/8GB RAM/Win 11 S): $569.99 (save $130)

Acer Nitro 5 15.6″ Laptop (Intel Ci5-10300H/512GB SSD/8GB RAM/GeForce GTX 1650/Windows 11): $1799.99 (save $500)

Headphones and speakers

Sony WHXB900N Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones: $179.99 (save $170)

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 In-Ear Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Headphones: $119.99 (save $50)

Drones

DJI Air 2S Quadcopter Drone Fly More Combo with Camera & Smart Controller: $2189.99 (save $210)

Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 10.5″ 32GB Android Tablet with Unisoc 618 8-Core Processor: $289.99 (save $40)

Watches

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor: $249.99 (save $80)

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor: $249.99 (save $80)

Fitbit Inspire 2 Fitness Tracker with 24/7 Heart Rate: $89.99 (save $40)

Garmin Venu SQ Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor: $$219.99 (save $60)

Withings ScanWatch 38mm Hybrid Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor & Oximeter: $322.99 (save $57)

Fossil Gen 6 42mm Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor: $279.99 (save $180)

Bulova Archive LED Computron 31mm Digital Fashion Watch: $229.99 (save $165)

Citizen Star Wars 33mm Men’s Casual Watch: $349.99 (save $175)

And that’s it for this week’s top deals! If there are any items you’re keeping your eye on at Best Buy, let us know down in the comments.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that help fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Mobile Syrup

Large telecom companies want the CRTC to find another way to pay for next-generation 9-1-1

Telecom companies associated with the roll-out of next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services are asking the commission not to use money dedicated to other telecommunications services as a funding source, according to reporting from Cartt.ca.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been working to figure out how to fund NG9-1-1 for some time, which comes with a $55 million price tag.

As the publication reports, telecom companies will pass the cost of the service to customers. But the cost larger telecom companies will be passing on is a lot less than the smaller companies.

The CRTC wants to use the National Contribution Fund (NCF) to alleviate cost concerns and asked companies to provide feedback. The money in the fund comes from service providers and partially pays for video relay services for customers with speech and hearing impediments.

Large telcos

In a submission, Telus said the CRTC should not access the funding through the NCF. In a second submission, the company said the commission should reclassify smaller operators as originating network providers (ONPs). Doing so will eliminate the current problem as they won’t have the tasks, and costs, associated with being an NG9-1-1 service provider.

SaskTel also advised against the CRTC dipping into the NCF as doing so could lead to problems given the lack of guidelines and oversight. However, the company said if the CRTC uses the NCF, the money should specifically be used to address “the large costs of subscribers experienced by very small providers.”

Bell proposed an option to have the NCF cover some costs of the service managed by the smaller players, and the rest come from customers.

Shaw and Rogers both stated the NCF shouldn’t be used to fund the process as it could complicate the situation. Québecor also voiced against the funding option.

The smaller players

As Cartt.ca reports, the Public Interest Advocacy Center (PIAC) said the NG9-1-1 networks should receive full funding from the NCF.

Partially funding the program would be “complicating the overall funding process but could also lead to significant cost disparities with respect to the remaining costs in different regions, resulting in end-users residing in remote and/or rural regions paying much more for the same service.”

Via: Cartt.ca

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Mobile Syrup

Ontario is getting 50 new EV chargers

Ontario is getting 50 new EV chargers, thanks to an investment from the Government of Canada and Alectra Energy Services.

The Level 2 chargers will be installed in the municipalities of St. Catharines, Barrie and Markham by spring. 

The project costs $960,000. The government is financing $250,000 through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. Alectra Energy Services is contributing more than $710,000.

“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play,” Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, said. “Investing in more EV chargers…will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals.”

Last week Ottawa announced an extension of its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program. Now available until March 2025, the program incentivizes Canadians to purchase EVs.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Natural Resources Canada

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Mobile Syrup

Google expands options to remove personal information from search results

On request, Google will now remove personal information, including addresses and phone numbers, that show up in search results.

According to a blog post, the tech giant is expanding its existing request process that features removing identifiable information used in cases of doxxing and fraud. That information included banking details, credit card numbers, and social security numbers.

The expanded policy also allows other personal information to be removed, such as email addresses and log-in credentials.

Google will evaluate all requests to ensure it doesn’t limit widely helpful information, such as details available in news articles. The tech giant also won’t remove information if it’s a part of the public record on government websites or other official sources.

But Google removing the information doesn’t mean it’ll be erased from the internet. Users will have to contact the hosting website directly to request removal.

“Maximizing access to information while empowering people to be in control of their sensitive, personally identifiable information is a critical balance to strike,” Michelle Chang, Google’s global policy lead for search, wrote in the blog post.

More information on the requirements to have information removed and how to start the process is available on Google’s support page.

Source: Google

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Mobile Syrup

Canada’s Information Commissioner says the CRTC broke disclosure rules

Canada’s Information Commissioner has ruled the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broke disclosure laws when dealing with information requests from TekSavvy.

The internet service provider filed three requests in June 2021, looking into meetings Chair Ian Scott took with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw and Telus.

The Commission took eight months to respond to the requests, which TekSavvy says were only “partially fulfilled” in February. Under the Access to Information Act, federal institutions have 30 days to respond to requests. Institutions often impose extensions for a variety of reasons.

But if institutions fail to respond within the 30 days or the agreed-upon extended timeline, it equates to refusing to grant access to the requested information.

The party seeking the information can ask the federal court to review the process and examine if the institution was correct in refusing access.

The Information Commissioner’s office found all three delays were related to “an extended period of time needed to review the responsive records as well as additional time required to seek clarification from a third party consultation.”

According to a blog post on TekSavvy’s website, the request on Bell focused on a December 2019 meeting between Scott’s CEO Mirko Bibic.

The two met days after the telecom giant filed an application with the CRTC to overturn a ruling that would have lowered internet prices for Canadians.

Organizations, including TekSavvy and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, have stated Scott should remove himself from decisions surrounding internet decisions because the meeting exhibited personal bias. The CRTC denied the recusal request.

Scott has since stated the meeting was appropriate, and he broke no rules.

MobileSyrup has asked the CRTC for comment and will provide an update once available.

Image credit: screenshot/CRTC

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New PlayStation Plus’ classic games are starting to leak

The release of Sony’s new PlayStation Plus on June 22nd is fast approaching.

While we finally know how much the service will cost in Canada, it remains unclear what retro titles will make their way to the higher tiers of the subscription service. However, thanks to Reddit user ‘the_andshrew‘ uncovering a PSN leak that even includes game thumbnails, we have an idea of what titles are coming to the new PlayStation Plus’ various subscription tiers.

Most of the titles that have appeared so far come from publisher Bandai Namco, including Tekken 2 and Mr. Driller for the PS2 and Ridge Racer for the PSP. PSOne titles Worms Armageddon and Worms World Party also leaked recently.

PlayStation Plus’ $21.99/month ‘Premium’ tier includes access to roughly 340 additional titles across the PSOne, PS2, PS3 and PSP, while the $17.99/month ‘Extra’ tier only offers access to a library of roughly 400 PS4 and PS5 titles.

It’s unclear when Sony plans to reveal the official list of titles included in the refreshed PlayStation Plus that aims to better compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, but an announcement will likely appear in the next few weeks.

Source: Reddit (the_andshrew) Via: Eurogamer, Gematsu

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Mobile Syrup

Here are the free games hitting Xbox Games with Gold in May 2022

Xbox has announced the four games that will be offered at no additional cost to Xbox Live Gold subscribers in May.

It’s important to note that Xbox 360 titles offered through Games with Gold can be played on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The Series X/S can also play all of the Xbox One and Xbox 360 games that are made available through the program.

In Canada, an Xbox Live Gold subscription costs $11.99 for one month or $29.99/three months.

Additionally, Xbox Live Gold is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is priced at $16.99/month and also offers Game Pass and PC Game Pass, Cloud Gaming (mobile streaming) and EA Play.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox