Tag: Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google is reportedly working on an unknown high-end Pixel smartphone

Google might be working on the heavily rumoured Pixel ‘Ultra’ high-end smartphone.

9to5Google has spotted bits of coding pertaining to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but in addition to those, the publication also found codenames for the Pixel 7a and, possibly, the Pixel foldable. Lastly, there seems to be another fifth Pixel device of which 9to5 is unsure.

This unknown fifth device would sport a display that’s capable of a 120Hz refresh rate and features a 1440 x 3120-pixel resolution. The device’s screen also measures 71x155mm, which seems to be shorter and thinner than the Pixel 6 Pro, but this does not include the bezel, so it’s hard to be sure. Finally, it sports Google’s Tensor chipset.

It’s unclear what exactly is this device, but it features similar specs to the 6 Pro and 7 Pro flagship Google handsets. With that in mind, the handset is obviously flagship-level, and the only other way it can fit in Google’s lineup is if it’s a smartphone that’s even better than the company’s current lineup.

However, an ‘Ultra pixel’ smartphone has been rumoured for half a decade at this point, so I wouldn’t put much weight behind any leaks that would suggest the possibility of this handset.

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro expected to use similar display to predecessor

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have been spotted in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), revealing new details about Google’s upcoming flagships.

According to the AOSP, the Pixel 7 will sport a 1080 x 2400-pixel resolution display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The 7 Pro, on the other hand, features a 1440 x 3120 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is pretty much the same display specs as the Pixel 6 series last year.

The Pixel 7 is set to be slightly smaller — 1mm narrower and 2mm shorter — than the Pixel 6. Additionally, the Pixel 7 Pro is expected to feature the same size screen as the Pixel 6 Pro. However, it will gain native 1080p mode for its screen, which should help conserve power. The phone will then use “DDIC scaling” to convert to 1440p.

The Pixel 7 Pro could actually feature a slight hardware improvement, as it uses an ‘S6E3HC4’ display, a newer model than last year’s. However, there’s no specific indication that the screen has significantly improved.

Google will unveil the Pixel 7 series in the fall alongside the Pixel Watch.

Image Credit: Google  

Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Phones with Android 13 at launch will reportedly feature Huawei technology

Google is reportedly planning on including the Enhanced Read-Only File System (EROFS) in Android 13 with system created by Huawei engineer Xiang Gao.

The feature offers a benefit over other existing file systems as well as space-saving compression and speed, and it’ll lead to faster updates and less storage space being used, according to Esper.

Huawei developed EROFS to be included in the Linux kernel, which is at the base of Android. Back in 2019, the U.S blocked Huawei from using American services, including Google, which is why we haven’t seen an Android-powered Huawei handset in several years. Most compression systems also take performance hits, but the EROFS system fixes this.

With Google working with EROFS, it means that devices that launch with Android 13 and have Google services built-in will have these services. This should include most of the flagship Android devices that launch next year in Canada.

That said, until U.S. sanctions lift on Huawei, we still won’t see a device sporting Android 13.

Source: Android Authority, Esper

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Mobile Syrup

Google reportedly delays Pixel Fold for a second time

My most anticipated phone of the year, Google’s Pixel Fold, is now rumoured to be delayed.

South Korean outlet The Elec claims that the foldable’s release has been postponed again, citing several sources. The Elec’s sources say the delay is because the device isn’t up to Google’s standards yet.

Google’s foldable was expected to launch in Q4 2022, likely alongside the previously revealed Pixel 7 and the Pixel Watch. The device was initially expected to sport a 7.57-inch main display with ultra-thin glass (made by Samsung) and a 5.78-inch secondary screen.

While I want to see Google’s foldable Pixel, many things can go wrong with a foldable, including hinges not working, large creases, and more.

With this in mind, Google should take its time with its first foldable before potentially making a lot of mistakes (remember Samsung’s first Fold?).

Source: The Elec, Android Authority

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Mobile Syrup

YouTube’s ‘most replayed’ experimental feature is now rolling out for all users

Watching the core parts of a YouTube video is about to become a lot easier.

The YouTube mobile app and web player will now highlight the “most replayed” parts of YouTube videos, allowing users to get to the crux of the content directly.

According to YouTube, it will add a graph to videos that depict what parts of it are most replayed by other users, which will be helpful when you need to scour through a long video that lacks timestamps or chapter markers.

“If the graph is high, then that part of the video has been replayed often. You can use the graph to quickly find and watch those moments,” reads YouTube’s blog post about the feature.

The feature was recently available exclusively to YouTube Premium users as an experiment but is now rolling out widely for all users on the platform.

While the feature is surely helpful for the viewers, it will definitely hamper watch time statistics for the creators, and considering that a new creator needs at least 4,000 hours of watch time before monetization can kick-in, new creators will likely have to grind harder.

The “most replayed” feature comes alongside a bunch of other updates to YouTube, including auto-generated chapters, which would now show up on smart TVs and consoles running the YouTube app, and a new loop feature that allows you to put an individual video on endless repeat.

Additionally, in its blog post, YouTube also talked about a new experimental feature that will be available to Premium users in the near future. It will let subscribers “seek to the exact moment in a video” that they are looking for. While the feature isn’t available yet, keep an eye on youtube.com/new to know when it is rolling out.

Learn more about all the new YouTube features here.

Image credit: YouTube

Source: YouTube

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Mobile Syrup

Android 12 QPR3 beta is breaking Pixel Launcher app search for some users

Google recently started rolling out the Android 12 QPR3 beta to Pixel 4 phones and newer ahead of its official June Feature Drop. And while the update is supposed to include new features, it also brought a bug that breaks the Pixel Launcher’s ability to search for installed apps.

According to 9to5Google, the issue causes applications not to appear when searched from the Pixel Launcher’s app drawer. Even when you type an app’s full name, it will fail to bring it up. Currently, the only apps that sport shortcuts that match your query can be found with search.

Oddly, the Settings and Pixel Tips app both work fine, and you can still search within them.

At the moment, there’s no permanent solution, but rebooting your smartphone seems to fix the issue temporarily.

Further, the problem doesn’t seem limited to those on the Android 12 QPR3 beta, as some on the stable version of Android 12 are experiencing the issues, reports 9to5.

Hopefully, this problem will be fixed before the official QPR3 stable release next month.

Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google opens new Bay View HQ in California after years of internal development

Google is opening the doors of its brand new Bay View HQ in Silicon Valley. Google first broke ground on its California-based headquarters in 2017. It’s also the first Google campus developed by the company.

The Bay View HQ is an “all-electric, net water positive campus” and is the largest geothermal installation in North America. The company’s in-house engineers and developers brainstormed what “Googlers” need from their workplace. The campus has space that buffers sound and spaces focusing on team-building as well. The upper floor of the campus is broken into small “neighbourhoods” separated by courtyards.

The Bay View campus integrates biophilic design principles like natural daylight and outdoor views. This is to help with the health and the wellbeing of staff. Clerestory windows also shine direct light onto desks when needed.

Typical offices use 20-30 percent outdoor air in their air system, ut Bay View HQ is comprised of 100 percent outside air. It also uses vetted and environmentally sound products across its carpets, tiles, paints, etc. Google uses Living Building Challenge Red List as a framework.

Google’s Artist In Residence program is using the work of local artists around the courtyard. Each piece of work relates to the Bay Area’s ecology and assists with navigation in the building.

The operations of the Bay View HQ build on Google’s commitment to being carbon-free by 2030. “We prioritized renewable energy and maximized the solar potential of our buildings,” the company says in a blog post. Google is also on track to have the campus be the largest project certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). Additionally, it is targeting a Water Petal certification, meaning the site is net-positive with all non-potable water demands being met using the recycled water generated on-site. This work goes towards Google’s goal of replenishing 120 percent of the water the company consumes by 2030.

Finally, energy-conscious efforts made by Google include the Bay View HQs two kitchens serving seven cafes. Each is equipped with electric equipment. The campus includes 17.3 acres of high-value natural areas. Additionally, the water retention ponds provide nature restorations and sea-level rise protection.

Image credit: Google

Source: Google Via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

Google Pixel Buds Pro reportedly sports 2.5W Qi wireless charging

It looks like the Google Pixel Buds Pro have been certified for Qi charging, according to the Wireless Power Consortium.

We now know that the case will sport up to 2.5W Qi wireless charging, which is the same as the second generation Pixel Buds from 2020. To compare, the AirPods Pro case only accepts 1.7W charging, whereas the WF-1000XM4 earbuds only accept 5W charging.

The listing also revealed that the earbuds case carries the model number GPX4H. Additionally, it sports an image with three angles of the Pixel Buds Pro case.

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro launch on July 28th and will cost $259.99 CAD.

Source: 9to5Google, Wireless Power Consortium 

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Mobile Syrup

Google is hiding nearly 900,000 un-updated apps from the Play Store

Google is removing nearly 900,000 old apps as part of its new policy changes. The new policy change looks at abandoned apps that haven’t received an update in two years.

According to CNET, which credits the analyst firm Pixalate, this amounts to nearly 869,000 apps in the Play Store.

Apple recently made a similar move.

“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.” The company included in a press release.

Apple developers were pretty upset about the situation last month, and I’m sure Android developers are also not very happy about the situation.

According to CNET, apps will be hidden from view on the Play Store and won’t appear in search results. Including apps on the App Store, this is a removal of 1.5 million apps.

Source: CNET

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Mobile Syrup

What do you want to see in Google’s Pixel 7 Pro?

In a surprising turn of events, Google revealed the rear of the Pixel 7 Pro during its I/O 2022 keynote on Wednesday.

As a big fan of the Pixel line, I was ecstatic to catch a glimpse of the device so early but other than colour variants, Android 13 and Tensor processor 2, we don’t know very much about the Pixel 7 series.

With this in mind, let’s get to this week’s community question: what do you want to see featured in Google’s Pixel 7 Pro?

Below are some of the specs I hope make their way into Google’s flagship:

  • At least 12GB of RAM — this is probably likely since the Pixel 6 Pro featured 12GB of RAM
  • 120Hz refresh rate display with 240hz touch sensing rate
  • Starts at 256GB of storage
  • 6.7-inch display with a resolution of around 1,440 x 3,200 pixels.
  • Face unlock in combination with an in-display fingerprint scanner
  • 5,500mAh battery with charging speeds up to 45W
  • I’d personally like to see ‘Active Edge’ make a reappearance, but I know I’m in the one percent of people who care about that
  • Up to 10x optical zoom
  • High-level in-display camera, but only if it’s good
  • Thinner bezels
  • Loud stereo speakers

Let us know in the comments below what you want to see from the Pixel 7 Pro.

Image credit: Google