iOS

Emtek, the licensed owners of the BlackBerry Messenger app, announced that the service will shut down on May 31 considering that users preferred using other messaging platforms. However, BlackBerry said that BBM Enterprise is now available for use by consumers and will be free for the first year for new users.

A new report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners has thrown light on the state of the US smartphone market in Q1. Apple had a tenuous dominance over the market, with the company's devices accounting for 36% of device activations in the first quarter of the year. Samsung is second with 34%.

Apple is not ready to make the jump to foldable designs for the time being, but luxury modification company Caviar from Russia might be able to inspire the Californian giant with its impressive iPhone Z concept. The Z-shaped folding pattern allows for quite a few interesting uses, including a laptop mode, a selfie mode, and a screen mode.

A new report from Counterpoint Research has found that, of all Apple smartphones, the iPhone XR did the best in the US market in the month of February 2019. Of those who bought this device, 20% of those already using iOS upgraded from the 7, whereas 32% more exchanged models older than this for the XR. Counterpoint also found that the XR was responsible for the greatest conversion from Android to this platform in February.

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered Google and Apple to remove the app TikTok from their respective stores. This ban has followed allegations that the service increases the risk of child abuse. TikTok can now appeal this ruling on dates set for about a week from today (April 17, 2019).

Apple is throwing US $500 million behind its upcoming Arcade gaming subscription service, according to a report by Financial Times. The service could be a big payoff for Apple; devs that release games via Arcade will be bound to a period of exclusivity before they can release their game on other non-mobile platforms. That means Arcade may be the only place gamers can access certain Indie titles, some of which may provide unique and fun experiences.

Google and Apple provide and maintain 2 of the largest app markets in the world. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets has decided to investigate them with regard to how third-party developers are treated on these platforms compared to their respective first-party counterparts.

A new report indicates that iOS 12's successor may gain a system-wide dark mode. In addition, this OS upgrade will lose the requirement for a profile in order to manage fonts. iPads may also get a version of Safari that defaults to desktop mode in iOS 13.

A new series by the New York Times investigating privacy has uncovered a Google database known internally as SensorVault. Police have been able to access the database to help identify suspects based on their movements recorded in SensorVault.

The iPhone SE has made another unexpected appearance on Apple’s online store. Several different-colored variants are listed and there is even a 128 GB version available. Prices for the diminutive iPhone SE start at US$249 and they are all categorized as “certified refurbished” as part of the clearance section of the website.

Skype for Mobile now offers the user an option to share their screen with a caller. This could enable people on a Skype call to share things such as slideshows, webpages, a homescreen and so on. The new function is found in the '...' menu on the mobile version of this app.

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, is one of the Korean studio Bluehole's biggest success stories. However, some state regulators seem not to like it as much as its millions of players do. Nepal is the latest country to ban the game, citing detrimental effects on children and teenagers.

A new study from Counterpoint Research has shed a little light on Samsung’s smartphone sales woes. Although still the number one smartphone maker in the world, its profits have taken a big hit with lower sales of its premium devices. Now we know where some of these customers are heading.

The new Disney+ streaming service will entail a mixture of old and new shows from all of the studios under its umbrella. This, therefore, includes Lucasfilm, 21st Century Fox, Pixar and Marvel. Therefore, Netflix may indeed forfeit several lucrative series-length titles as Disney parts company with it in 2019. This year should also see much more granular detail on what this new subscription has to offer.

iTunes, the unified account by which Apple apps and services are accessed on devices such as Macs, seems to have been around forever. However, it also appears that this is no longer the case. A 9to5Mac contributor has confirmed rumors that the new protocol Marzipan is being used to make new apps (e.g. Apple TV) that do not require this old system on macOS.

The action camera market is projected to be worth over $10 billion in 7 years. It has been found to be made up of the popular brands in this space, such as GoPro, Sony, Olympus, Garmin and others. This market is reportedly driven by increasing levels of disposable income and interest in relevant outdoor pursuits.

YouTube has amassed a 265 million-stong user based in the Indian market. Speaking at a recent Google conference, the service's CEO, Susan Wojcicki, projected that this number would grow further to 500 million by next year. The executive attributed this to the availability of 4G in this country.

With gross sales on PC and Xbox One of over US$1 billion, Black Desert can be definitely considered a successful MMORPG. Since other titles made the same move in the last years, it is not surprising that this game will launch for both iOS and Android devices later this year as Black Desert Mobile.

WhatsApp has nearly always been available on iOS, but not on iPads. However, as these tablets come with SIM-enabled variants, some users would probably like the option. The app's developers may now be working on a new beta that is optimized for these Apple slates.

Apple may be obliged to delay its adoption of 5G until 2020 at the earliest. This is due to its ongoing feud with Qualcomm, who, as it is claimed, will not sell the necessary hardware to the Cupertino company. More recently, Huawei has said it may sell its own modems to Apple.

Previously known internally as "Project Cognac," Snapchat's in-app gaming platform is now live as "Snap Games." The six launch titles are Bitmoji Party, Tiny Royale, Snake Squad, C.A.T.S. Drift Race, Zombie Rescue Squad, and Alphabear Hustle. There is no install required, as all these titles can be launched from the Chat bar.

Major Australian consumer electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi has extended its massive AU$320 discount on the 512GB variants of the iPhone Xs model until 1 June. The initial price cut was already unprecedented for current-generation flagship iPhone in Australia, but to see the deal extended till 1 June highlights just how much iPhone sales are stagnating.

Netflix has dropped something of a bomb on iOS users who like streaming its service over AirPlay. Effective immediately, Netflix will no longer support AirPlay, Apple’s proprietary steaming protocol, just as it goes mainstream on OEM TV sets from makers including Samsung and Sony.

MiLi is a company that integrates its Furniture Mate wireless-charging pad into any table-top. It aims this product at those in the service industry and also to those who want decor that can charge an increasing number of phones at home. MiLi also makes the Table Mate, a similar pad that can be attached to nearly any table.

The under-display fingerprint sensor built into the new Samsung Galaxy S10 is often perceived as the most secure. This is due to its state-of-the-art, ultrasonic nature that builds a 3D map of the user biometric in question. A Reddit user has claimed to have fooled it with a mock print made of resin.

The iPad Mini has been refreshed for 2019. Saying that, it does not have many new features, besides the A12 Bionic chip that is also found in the latest iPhones. This new little slate went through JerryRigEverything's tests, and was found to bend, but not flake apart like the iPad Pro 2018.

Duplex is the strikingly realistic voice-enabled arm of the Google Assistant. It can carry out tasks such as booking tables at restaurants for smartphone users in 43 US states. It had been restricted to doing so on Pixel-line phones only; however, an XDA contributor has claimed that it may now work on devices from other OEMs.

The ultimate demise of the AirPower charging mat appears to have been foretold by Apple insider Sonny Dickson several months ago. In the absence of any official word from Apple, other than it cancelled AirPower because it couldn’t “achieve our high standards,” it appears that Dickson’s is the most plausible explanation of what went wrong.

Gerard Williams III, the lead designer of Apple’s industry-leading custom A-series ARM-based chips has left the company according to a CNET report. The departure couldn’t have come at a worse time for Apple which has been reeling from negative publicity surrounding the termination of the high-profile AirPower charging mat device and an admission that its third-generation butterfly-mechanism based keyboards are also susceptible to failing.

The FlexPai by the start-up Royole can be thought of as the first flexible phone. This achievement has been rewarded by a Design Award from Red Dot. The company has also won a second such prize for another of its products: a flexible, portable keyboard.

A new video posted by YouTube channel PhoneBuff has pitted the Samsung Galaxy S10+ against the iPhone XS Max in a series of brutal drop tests. Although the flagship from the South Korean manufacturer is wrapped in Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6, it loses to the subjectively better durability performance of its iPhone rival.

Lyft has successfully completed its IPO in the US, and is trading on the Nasdaq platform as of today (March 29, 2019). It had been estimated to start at US$72 per share; however, this value is now closer to $88. This, then, is the most successful tech offering since Snap - but Uber is hot on its heels.

Despite Apple’s reputation for build quality and design it has been having a few quality issues of late, particularly with regard to its MacBook line. A search on Apple’s website has revealed all of the products in its lineup that are currently eligible for its “Exchange and Repair Extension” programs.

According to a pattern of online user reports, the smaller variant of the iPad Pro 2018 is afflicted by a bug that throws its touch-responses off when a glass screen protector is installed. This results in a host of ill effects, from ghost touches to diminished passcode-entering accuracy. However, iOS 12.2 reportedly includes a fix for these issues.

Facebook has announced that it is finally cracking down on white nationalism and white separatism on both Facebook and Instagram. The move follows live streaming of an attack on two New Zealand mosques which was also shared repeatedly on the social network via various groups.

Apple, as many will be aware, rarely if ever offers discounts on its products. However, in further confirmation that iPhone sales have cooled, major Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi has slashed an incredible AU$320 (US$226) off the price of the iPhone Xs 512 GB and iPhone Xs Max 512 GB models.

Apple Card brings together hardware, software, and services to deliver a complete financial management and payment experience focused on providing "a healthier financial life" to its customers. This solution comes with a rewards program called Daily Cash, no fees, low interest, a physical titanium card for payments at locations without Apple Pay support, and more.

Apple News just got a spinoff that includes 300 magazine subscriptions and is simply called News+. Available for US$9.99 a month (the first month is free), this service is also rolling out in Canada in both French and English. Australia and the UK will follow later this year as well.

Mozilla's Firefox for iOS has finally received an update with a set of features tailored for the iPad tablet, such as tab management, split-screen support, single-click private browsing, a comprehensive set of keyboard shortcuts (for those using an external keyboard with their iPad), and more.

Apple used to be the tech company that led consumer technology design unchallenged. After a week of rehashed designs masquerading as, in at least one instance, “all new” product launches, the company feels like it is asleep at the wheel under CEO Tim Cook.

Arrested Huawei CFO and daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, Meng Wanzhou, has had further embarrassment heaped on her. As if getting arrested in Canada at the request of the US government on espionage charges isn’t enough, it has now been revealed that when arrested, Meng was in possession of several Apple products instead of Huawei equivalents.

The first anniversary of PUBG for mobile devices comes with the Season 6 Royale Pass, parties on Spawn Island with fireworks and loot crates with special rewards, randomly spawned birthday cakes, dynamic weather on Erangel and Miramar, a new vehicle (a three-wheeled bus that replaces the Jeep, Dacia, and Mini Bus), and more.

Apple has just launched the new iPad Air and iPad mini tablets, and it seems one of them may have already been tested on Geekbench. Apparently, the integrated A12 Bionic chip scored an incredibly high multi-core score of 11,607, putting it way beyond the reach of even the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or the Exynos 9820 variants of Samsung’s Galaxy S10+.

Call of Duty Mobile is now official and should hit Android and iOS handsets later this year. Although there will not be a battle royale mode at launch, Activision has confirmed that this free-to-play title should offer this treat at some point in the future. Obviously, this "unique Call of Duty battle royale experience" will be accompanied by more content.

Over the past week or so, WhatsApp has taken to enforcing its strict anti-third-party policies. The company considers third-party versions of the messenger a security risk and is now banning users of such apps. GB WhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus are examples.

A mobile insurance and device company, Asurion, has announced its findings on a study about missing devices and cases in which their owners managed to get them back. The company reported that having a lockscreen showing a contact number resulted in 3 times the chances of recovering such a device. In addition, the use of a cross-platform browser is a good idea in case of phone loss.

The Cupertino-based company has now confirmed its latest launch event, which it will host in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park on March 25. The event will run from 10:00 Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) or 17:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Apple is expected to announce its streaming service to rival Amazon Prime Video and Netflix along with possibly a new iPad, AirPods and the long-delayed AirPower.

The 6T is the first OnePlus flagship to be sold through a US carrier: T-Mobile. These units are now receiving a notification for a new update that confers RCS messaging. This new form of messaging on Android brings expanded features and capabilities compared to the old one.