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Mobile Syrup

Xbox plans mobile gaming store to compete with Apple and Google

Xbox is hoping to build its own mobile gaming marketplace independent from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.

The company detailed these plans in a filing to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding its pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Xbox says it would leverage Activision Blizzard’s extensive catalogue to help develop an ‘Xbox Mobile Platform,’ a market in which it “currently has no meaningful presence.” For that reason, Microsoft says it aims to tap Activision Blizzard’s “much needed expertise” in mobile, particularly through massively popular titles like Call of Duty Mobile and Clash of Clans.

“Building on Activision Blizzard’s existing communities of gamers, Xbox will seek to scale the Xbox Store to mobile, attracting gamers to a new Xbox Mobile Platform,” wrote Microsoft in the filing. “Shifting consumers away from the Google Play Store and App Store on mobile devices will, however, require a major shift in consumer behavior. Microsoft hopes that by offering well-known and popular content, gamers will be more inclined to try something new.”

Part of that, Microsoft says, involves laying out a set of principles that would allow developers to run their own app stores within the Xbox Mobile Platform and offer their own payment systems for in-app purchases. This is a significant departure from the App Store, whose strict policies against third-party payment methods are the centre of the major ongoing legal dispute between Apple and Fortnite maker Epic.

Not having to fork over a significant cut of in-app purchases to Apple would certainly be enticing to developers, although it’s unclear exactly how this system would work. For now, though, Microsoft says it hopes to bring these principles to the Xbox Store on consoles.

Microsoft is making these arguments as it seeks to get the deal acquisition in the UK. So far, Sony has been actively attempting to prevent it, arguing that Microsoft owning major franchises like Call of Duty would be anti-competitive and take many players away from PlayStation. Microsoft, in turn, is making the case that it would still release games like Call of Duty on PlayStation for a number of years while also offering them through streaming platforms that require neither an Xbox nor PlayStation console. Now, it’s also trying to argue that it would use Activision Blizzard to create a new mobile marketplace that would increase competition, not reduce it.

It remains to be seen if and when the acquisition will be approved by all of the necessary regulators around the world.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: CMA Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel 7 series fails to install Google Play System update

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are having an issue downloading a new Google Play system update.

While the Pixel 7 series is running the current Android security patch, they are apparently on the July 1st Google Play system update. Because this is so old, the Security Hub will prompt an ‘update this device’ notification.

Some users will get the Google Play System update available screen, which appeared with a 7.6KB update size. “Latest security update from Google. Update now to keep safe and improve device stability.”

After you tap the “Download & Install” option, it will bring you to a new screen, briefly. Then, it returns you to the update available screen that now reads “Failed to update,” and with a “Try again later” message. If you try repeating the process or rebooting your Pixel 7, the outcome won’t change.

The Pixel 7 Pro and the smaller Pixel 7 both have this issue, according to 9to5Google, but it’s worth noting that I haven’t experienced this on my device.

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google to reportedly focus on hardware in bid to protect itself from Apple, U.S. regulators

Google CEO Sundar Pichai is betting on investing in Google’s devices as the best way to protect the company in a changing market.

Sources shared the details with The Information in the wake of developments that saw the iPhone take shares from Samsung, powered by Android. Antitrust regulators in the U.S. are also looking into Google’s deal with Apple that makes it the default search engine on Safari.

The publication reports Google is reportedly cutting back on investments in third-party hardware. Product development and software engineering staff have moved to work on Google-branded devices.

Google’s reported strategy change could explain the rash of developments and new products the company put forward, including its first smartwatch, the Google Pixel Watch, and the Pixel 7 series.

Source: The Information

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel 7 series requires fingerprint for Google Wallet

Google’s latest Pixel 7 series has brought back face unlock, but thanks to face unlock sporting a lower security class than fingerprint, some Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users are experiencing unexpectedly declined payments.

Typically when paying with Google Wallet, all your phone requires is that it’s unlocked. That’s not the case with the Pixel 7 series if you use face unlock, however.

 

Google says that the Pixel 7’s face unlock is rated as a class 1 biometric system. To use payment apps like Google Wallet, a class 3 biometric system like your fingerprint is required, so it appears that unlocking the phone with your face causes transactions to decline.

I mentioned this in my Pixel 7 Pro review, but I didn’t check to see what happens if I tried paying without my fingerprint.

When you’re about to pay, the app should prompt the user to use the fingerprint scanner, or explain why there’s an error, but that’s not the case.

Hopefully, Google pushes out an update for this issue, and either prompts people to use their fingerprint or at least explains why the payment didn’t go through.

Source: 9to5Google, @MaxWeinbach

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s Pixel Watch has me excited about Wear OS again

Earlier this week, reviews for Google’s new Pixel products dropped, including for the long-rumoured Pixel Watch. In general, the response has been mixed. Reviewers seem to like the smartwatch’s design, but have quibbles with the software, Fitbit integration, performance and battery life.

As I said in my Pixel Watch review, there’s a lot of pressure on Google to get it right. On the one hand, there’s the Pixel hardware aspect — having a good smartwatch can help bring together the Pixel ecosystem in a way that few other tech companies (outside of Apple and Samsung) have managed to do.

However, the more important part in my eyes is the pressure to get Wear OS right. Whether or not the Pixel Watch succeeds, Wear OS will have a much wider impact on the non-Apple Watch smartwatch market because, frankly, there aren’t any other real players.

There’s Fitbit, but aside from now being part of Google, the company’s fitness trackers-turned-smartwatches haven’t really been that smart (and worse, have gotten less smart as Google strips away features for the Pixel Watch).

Likewise, Withing’s wearables — as much as I like them — are just fitness trackers that can also show some incoming notifications. Garmin has options, but I’d argue they’re at their best in the niche extreme fitness world. And I’m sure Samsung could go back to Tizen if Wear OS doesn’t work out, but did anyone actually like Tizen?

Suffice it to say that Wear OS needs to succeed.

Promises, promisesWith the Pixel Watch, Google has shown renewed interest in Wear OS. There was the Wear OS 3 update, which breathed new life into the stagnant wearable operating system. Plus, with its own skin the game, Google will likely develop new features for wearables on a regular basis.

But anyone familiar with Google will be skeptical. The company’s penchant for shuttering projects hangs over it like a miasma. That hasn’t stopped Google from working to dispel fears that its renewed interest in Wear OS might be fleeting. On multiple occasions, Google folks have reiterated commitments to both the Pixel Watch and Wear OS, even going so far as to promise annual updates. That will hopefully prevent Wear OS from stagnating again.

From left to right: LG G Watch, Pixel Watch, Fossil Gen 6

Earlier this year I tried out a Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch and was surprised to find Wear OS 2 had not meaningfully progressed since I had last used it (which happened to be on an LG G Watch in the mid-2010s when it was still called Android Wear). The Pixel Watch and Wear OS 3 are much, much better, although still not perfect. In some areas, Google’s still playing catch-up with the competition.

Still, this improvement gives me some hope for the future of Wear OS. The wearable operating system is closer than ever to the competition. At this point, I’m less worried about whether Google will stick with Wear OS than I am about the company’s ability to make Wear OS a viable option for wearable makers. If Google can do it, Android’s wearable options might finally rival the Apple Watch.

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Mobile Syrup

Some Pixel 7 Pro users report encountering scrolling issues with display

As has been the case for the last few years, Google’s latest Pixel flagship seems to be experiencing issues now that it’s in the hands of users. We recently learned that the phone’s display draws more power than it should, and now some users are encountering a display scrolling issue.

According to several Reddit posts, scrolling seems inconsistent with the Pixel 7 Pro, causing the device’s display to randomly shift unexpectedly and, in some cases, not scroll at all.

Android Police’s editors have also run into this issue. They believe that the Pixel 7 Pro’s display is susceptible to quick and minor movements.

There’s a possibility that the Pixel 7 Pro’s 120Hz refresh rate display might be to blame. It’s worth noting that the issue primarily affects the Pixel 7 Pro, with only some Pixel 7 users complaining about the problem. This could be tied to the Pixel 7 only featuring a 90Hz display. Some users have reported that the issue improves after installing and downloading the Pixel 7 Pro’s initial system update.

For what it’s worth, I haven’t run into this problem with the Pixel 7 Pro, and Jon Lamont hasn’t encountered it with the Pixel 7.

Have you encountered this issue with the Pixel 7 Pro? Let us know in the comment section below. For more on Google’s Pixel 7 Pro, check out my review of the handset.

Source: Reddit (abbertard) Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Google updates mobile search results, adds new ‘Sponsored’ tag

Google is rolling out yet another design refresh for mobile search results. However, this time around, the company is putting a larger ‘Sponsored’ tag on paid results, ditching the ‘Ad’ tag that’s been on results for a long time.

The new ‘Sponsored’ tag is larger and displayed more prominently, which should help people tell apart paid and unpaid search results. The tag appears above the paid result in bold font.

GIF credit: Google

As pointed out by other publications, including The Verge and TechCrunch, the change appears to be something of a course correction for Google. The search giant was widely criticized for changes to how it displays paid search results that some said made it difficult to spot paid results.

Those interested in seeing how Google’s paid results have changed over the years should check out the tweet below from the company’s Ads liaison, Ginny Marvin:

Along with the changes to paid search results, Google is updating how results look on mobile. First, each result now lists the website’s name first, and the favicon is larger and easier to see. These changes aren’t huge, but hopefully should make search results easier to read.

Finally, Google says it plans to test a similar experience for desktop search results “soon.”

You can learn more about Google’s search results updates here.

Source: Google Via: The Verge, TechCrunch

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s archiving app feature gets leaked online

It looks like someone has been able to activate Google’s upcoming Android archiving tool ahead of its official release.

Google announced its upcoming archiving feature earlier this year and claimed it can help users free up around 60 percent of storage for apps without requiring you to completely delete the app.

Fast-forward to now, and @AssembleDebug has uncovered the feature and was able to activate it before its official launch. The Google Play Store will allow users to select between uninstalling an app or the new ‘Archive’ option.

@AssembleDebug uses the Google News app as an example. The app typically takes up 32MB of space, but when it’s archived, it only uses 1.4MB. And if you choose to re-download it, all of your data should still be attached.

The archived app will appear on your home screen, but it includes a cloud icon, indicating the app is not fully installed. Then when you click on the app, you’ll be brought to the download page so you can reinstall it.

At this moment, there’s no official release date for this feature.

Source: @AssembleDebug Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro: Camera Battle (Video)

MobileSyrup’s Brad Bennett and I decided to pit the Pixel 7 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro against each other in a head-to-head battle to see which device offers the better camera experience.

Obviously, like beauty, deciding what smartphone offers the better camera array is near impossible because it depends on your personal opinion, but below are a few facts about both smartphones’ cameras.

First, we started with the zoom prowess of both devices.

While there’s no definitive winner, the Pixel 7 Pro has the edge over the iPhone 14 Pro. Google’s flagship smartphone features a 5x zoom optical lens, while the iPhone 14 Pro only offers 3x zoom.

Following our zoom tests, we also tested the primary lens and ultra-wide lenses. Both handsets also use the ultra-wide lens for macro mode.

The iPhone 14 Pro uses a 12-megapixel camera for its primary shooter, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro uses a 50-megapixel sensor. Both devices snap great shots, so take a look at the video above to decide which you prefer.

When we switch gears to video, it’s obvious to me that the iPhone 14 Pro’s ‘Cinematic Blur’ is much better than what’s available on the Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone 14 Pro’s Cinematic mode offers 4K resolution, you can adjust the effect, and it looks more like an actual movie. The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, struggles with focusing on the subject, and the blur is overdramatic and processed.

Let us know in the comments below which photos and videos look best to you. To learn more about both handsets, check out our Pixel 7 Pro and our iPhone 14 Pro reviews.

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Mobile Syrup

Google plans annual update cadence for Wear OS

Google is back in the smartwatch game, but understandably people are still skeptical, given the company’s penchant for killing off projects (pour one out for Stadia).

However, Google has been hitting the streets to tell people it’s committed to Wear OS. The company’s senior vice president of hardware, Rick Osterloh, told The Verge in an interview that Google had long-term plans for the Pixel Watch. And earlier this week, the company confirmed to Wired that it was planning an annual update cadence for Wear OS.

Google’s director of product management for Wear OS, Björn Kilburn, told Wired in a virtual interview that:

“Our goal is, from a platform perspective, for us to release a new version of Wear generally every year in a similar fashion to mobile, partly because we need to support mobile. If new functionalities added in Android are critical for watches and hearables, then we’ve got to find a way to get it into the watch.”

In other words, those with Wear OS devices can expect yearly updates just like smartphone owners get yearly Android updates. There will also be quarterly updates with “new experiences” through the year, just like with Android.

Moreover, Kilburn said that Wear OS 3 would move towards a smartphone-like update model where manufacturers are responsible for pushing over-the-air updates to wearables. That may come as bad news for some, given it risks fragmenting the Wear OS ecosystem much like Android smartphones. On the other hand, it may enable wearable makers to extend support — Wired notes that Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 will get four years of updates. Google’s Pixel Watch, on the other hand, will get three years of software updates.

Finally, Kilburn said that Google was “absolutely committed” to Wear OS, pointing to the number of refreshed apps, the company’s collaboration with Samsung, and the Pixel Watch as evidence.

If you’re interested in reading the rest of Kilburn’s thoughts about Wear OS, the Pixel Watch, and more, check out the full interview here.

Source: Wired