Developers can now test their apps on real Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip devices with Samsung’s Remote Test Lab

The life of an Android developer involves much more than just coding. After you actually finish developing features for an initial release or an update, you need to make sure your app runs well on the devices your users are going to actually use. With Android, there are tons of devices with different hardware from different manufacturers, lots of different form factors, and all kinds of custom Android software to deal with. Because of this, testing your apps on stock Android through the Android Emulator in Android Studio rarely suffices.

Samsung phones have a radically different flavor of Android than Google’s software, and as such, it’s best you have access to a physical device to properly test your apps on Samsung’s software. This can get expensive if you want to use Samsung’s flagship phones for testing, but it’s kind of something you need to do given how many millions of them are sold around the world. Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup is running the company’s latest One UI 2.1 release based on Android 10 while the Galaxy Z Flip is an entirely different form factor that you need to account for. If you want to buy both devices to test on, you’re looking to spend nearly $2,500.

If you just want to test your apps on these devices, though, there’s an alternative to actually buying them. This alternative is called the Remote Test Lab (RTL). Basically, Samsung has a bunch of actual smartphones connected to the cloud that developers can control using RTL, essentially letting them test their apps on physical hardware without needing to own them. This means you can test your app on the Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, or Galaxy Z Flip without needing to spend thousands of dollars on actual devices.

All you need is a reliable Internet connection, a free Samsung Developers account, Java Runtime Environment 7 or later with Java Web Start installed, and that’s it. You’ll be able to run your app on the remote device of your choice in real-time. You can install APK files on the device, make screen captures and recordings, and run test automation scripts. You can even choose what language you want to test the device in, and if you have a partner, you can share your screen so you can do testing together. There are some limitations to the service, including the fact that audio, additional peripherals, multi-touch, and camera are not supported. Samsung gives developers 20 credits each day, which allows you to test for a maximum of 5 hours a day. With this free service, Samsung is making it easier for app developers to test their apps and updates on One UI easily and painlessly.

Once you’ve finished developing your new application, considering posting it to our forums for feedback from users.

Galaxy S20 Forums ||| Galaxy S20+ Forums ||| Galaxy S20 Ultra Forums ||| Galaxy Z Flip Forums

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Source: Samsung

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OnePlus will finally bring an Always on Display mode to OxygenOS

We’ve been familiar with the concept of always-on displays since Samsung made it widespread in 2016 with the launch of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Many smartphone manufacturers, including Google, Huawei, and Xiaomi among many others, have caught up with Samsung on this trend, but one company that has held out thus far is OnePlus. N OnePlus device sports an always-on display feature despite having featured AMOLED panels for years. This is, however, set to change in a future OxygenOS update.

In case you’re not familiar with this feature, Always on Display is a feature that typically shows information such as the date/time, battery percentage, and notification icons on the display while the phone is idle. Despite being “always on,” OEMs manage to reduce battery life consumption by using AMOLED displays (which can light up just a few pixels at a time to display information while the rest of the screen remains turned off) and reducing the refresh rate of the display considerably. They also prevent screen burn-in by shifting the content a few pixels once in a while.

OnePlus has, however, held off from implementing the feature so far, citing battery life concerns, despite being a feature users have requested for years (and one that they implemented themselves very briefly, and then removed, on the OnePlus 6). Finally, though, in response to the top-rated request in the new OnePlus IDEAS forum, OnePlus will be implementing an AOD in OxygenOS.

The top IDEA is Always-On Display. We hear you, and our OS Product team has replied: it's on our roadmap.

— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 27, 2020

We don’t know whether this feature will be coming exclusively to the upcoming flagships the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro or if it will be rolled out as an update to current devices. If it is, though, then it would likely come to the OnePlus 7/7T lineup (and their respective Pro variants) and maybe the OnePlus 6/6T. There’s also a glimmer of hope for the OnePlus 5/5T, although chances are slimmer for these devices since the upcoming OxygenOS 10 update, based on Android 10, is set to be the last major one for them, and they will likely only get security updates from that point onwards. We also don’t know yet what this feature will look like or what kind of information will be displayed.

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Source: OnePlus

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[Update 4: Group Size Increased to 12] Group video calling in Google Duo goes live globally

Update 4 (3/27/20 @ 3:30 PM ET): Google Duo now supports group video calls with up to 12 participants.

Update 3 (5/23/19 @ 3:50 PM ET): Google Duo group video calling with up to 8 people is now rolling out globally, plus some new features.

Update 2 (5/21/19 @ 9:00 AM ET): Group size limit increased to 8 people.

Update 1 (5/8/19 @ 1:20 PM ET): Group video calling in Google Duo is now rolling out in the US, Canada, and India.

Google was at the disadvantage of being late when it launched Allo and Duo to compete against the much older existing heavyweights. As a result, Google Allo, the online messaging service collapsed under the pressure of giants like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram, but Google Duo has sustained the pressure for delivering video calling as its primary feature – an experience similar to Apple’s Facetime. To make up to its competitors, Duo has been added with additional features like audio calling, 30-second-long video messages, support for web browsers and tablets. Meanwhile, another new functionality making its way to the app is Group video calling, which was spotted late last year and is now live in select regions.

Di bulan Ramadan nanti mau video call lancar rame – rame sama teman dan keluarga?

Good news!! #GoogleDUO sekarang bisa group call sampai dengan 4 orang loh. Yuk, cobain langsung Google DUO di Android kamu! pic.twitter.com/Yo7nQg6FdX

— Google Indonesia (@Google_IDN) April 24, 2019

Google Indonesia tweeted out the good news that Duo will now support group video calling in the preparation of the upcoming month of Ramadan but we’re yet to come across any report of the new feature being available in any other country. For now, Duo allows a maximum of four participants just like WhatsApp, which is decent for a start, if not as good as Facebook Messenger or Facetime.

From the teaser shared by Google, it looks like users can only add members before the call and not during it. There’s a dedicated button for ending calls and another for creating new groups, but we’re not sure if creating a new group will cut the existing call or just put it on hold – even though former is more likely.

We’ll be obliged to inform you once we spot the Duo’s group video calling in other regions of the world. Earlier previews of the features suggested the upcoming functionality will allow users to group to seven people and even save these groups. Meanwhile, we can also expect audio-based conference calling will also be supported but similar functionality via Google Home devices might take a little longer.

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Update 1: Rolling out in US, Canada, and India

Google Duo group calling was originally only available in Indonesia. The rollout has been very slow, but we’re finally getting it in more countries. It’s now available in the US, Canada, and India. Simply swipe down to create a group, which can be up to 3 other people. The number of people that can be in a group call should be increasing soon.

Source: 9to5Google

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Update 2: Limit increased to 8 people per group

Confirming the above-mentioned leak by Android Police, the limit for group calling is now being increased to eight from four previously. This means that users will now be able to add up to seven others in a group audio or video call. The update was shared by Justin Uberti, Google engineer and the lead for Google Duo.

We can confirm that the feature is now available to users in India. Meanwhile, we also expect Google to roll the feature in currently left out regions, soon.

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Update 3: Rolling out globally + New Features

It only took a couple of days for Google to finish rolling out 8-member group calling to the rest of the world. They’ve also announced a few new features as well. Data Saving mode is available in Indonesia, India, and Brazil. It works with WiFi and mobile networks and it will also save data the person you’re calling. Video messages now have customization options that include text, emojis, and drawing. These features will be rolling out in the next few days.

Source: Google

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Update 4: Group Size Increased to 12

We are grateful that Duo is helping users see their loved ones all around the world. We recognize group calling is particularly critical right now. We have increased group calling from 8 participants to 12 effective today. More to come. #AllInThisTogether #COVID19

— Sanaz (@sanazahari) March 27, 2020

After expanding group calling to 8 people last May, Google is now bumping the Duo video call limit to 12 people. Video calling is very important right now as a large portion of the population is working from home. This change is effective starting today, as announced by Sanaz Ahari, Sr. Director of Product & Design at Google.

Google Duo - High Quality Video Calls (Free, Google Play) →

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Realme 3 Pro/XT and Realme 5 Pro/X Android 10 kernel source code now available

Realme devices have been competing for the mid-range crown against Xiaomi for quite a while now, and one area where Realme is trying to catch up with Xiaomi on is the former’s developer-friendliness. ColorOS (or, well, Realme UI, which is still based on ColorOS for the most part) is not everyone’s cup of tea on either OPPO or Realme phones, and some people might even dislike it more than Xiaomi’s MIUI, another heavily-customized OEM skin. For the most part, though, Realme devices have a vast selection of AOSP-based custom ROMs to choose from, made possible by kernel source drops from Realme. The company also likes to promote the development community from its side by sending some devices over to developers.

Now, the company is updating these sources for the latest Android 10 releases. The Realme 3 Pro and the Realme XT have received a unified kernel source for their Android 10 release, which were recently released as an OTA update just a couple of months back. Both devices are pretty similar in their internals, sporting Snapdragon 71x processors, and they received Android 10 around the same timeframe, so it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that they are running unified software based on this. Oddly enough, though, neither of these phones had unified kernel sources when these were first released last year, corresponding to their Android Pie release.

Realme 3 Pro/XT Kernel Sources | Realme 3 Pro XDA Forum | Realme XT XDA Forum

In the same fashion, the Realme 5 Pro (which was also marketed as the Realme Q in China) and the Realme X have also received unified kernel sources. Again, both phones received their Android 10 update right around the same time, so this makes sense when looking at it that way.

Realme 5 Pro/X Kernel Sources | Realme 5 Pro/Q XDA Forum | Realme X XDA Forum

All 4 of these phones have received their fair share of custom ROMs so far, and the fact that we have unified kernel sources opens up the possibility of unified custom ROMs and kernels as well, which should take some weight off some developers’ shoulders.

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Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G announced with Snapdragon 765G and 48MP camera

Earlier today, Xiaomi announced the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. These are the company’s latest flagship devices with high-end specifications such as the Snapdragon 865 SoC, 108MP cameras, and 90Hz displays. The company also announced a more affordable phone, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G. Let’s take a look at what this device has to offer.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G Specifications

Specifications	Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G
Dimensions & Weight	Dimensions: n/a 192 g
Display	6.57-inch AMOLED
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
RAM & Storage	RAM: n/a 64/128GB storage
Battery	4160mAh, 20W fast charging
Fingerprint	In-display
Rear Cameras	48MP 3 other cameras
Front Camera	16MP
Android Version	Android 10
Colors	White, Gray, Blue/Green

As you can see from the chart above, Xiaomi did not share all of the specifications for the Mi 10 Lite 5G today. What we do know about the device is pretty compelling. Like the Nokia 8.3 5G announced earlier this month, the device features the Snapdragon 765G with 5G connectivity. Xiaomi is also including the company’s LiquidCool system to help with performance.

In terms of display, we know it’s 6.57-inches, AMOLED, and has a waterdrop notch. Xiaomi did not share the resolution or refresh rate of the display. Speaking of the notch, the Mi 10 Lite 5G has a 16MP selfie camera and there is an in-display fingerprint scanner as well. As this is a budget device, it’s most likely an optical scanner.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G has a quad-camera setup on the back, but we only know the details of the main shooter. The primary camera is 48MP and it’s joined by three other cameras with unknown specifications. We assume there will some combination of a wide-angle camera, telephoto camera, macro lens, or depth sensor. Some of the features of the cameras can be seen in the graphic below.

Lastly, Xiaomi says there will be 64GB and 128GB storage options. The battery is 4,160mAh and it supports 20W fast charging. The color options will be white, gray, and a blue/green gradient. The last, and maybe most important, detail that was announced was the price. Xiaomi will be offering the Mi 10 Lite 5G for just €349 ($387) starting on April 7th and 15th in parts of Europe.

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Realme X50 5G bootloader unlock tool and kernel source code are now available

With the launch of the Snapdragon 765/G SoC, Qualcomm helped Android phone makers foray into the affordable 5G smartphone space. Several Chinese OEMs decided to incorporate this chipset into their phones, and we already have a number of mid-range 5G phones on the market, such as the Redmi K30 5G and the ZTE Axon 11. Realme, one of 2019’s biggest success stories, also launched its first 5G phone, the Realme X50 5G, based on the same silicon. To promote third-party development for the device, Realme is now allowing bootloader unlocking and has released the kernel source code for the Realme X50 5G.

Similar to other Realme phones, the bootloader on the Realme X50 5G can be unlocked using a unique device-specific unlock tool (aka In-Depth Test) released by Realme on their forums. The process completely wipes the device as well as disables subsequent OTA updates. It is, however, possible to relock the bootloader by connecting the phone to your PC via the bootloader interface and executing the typical fastboot flashing lock command. If you want to check out the detailed step-by-step bootloader unlocking guide, head over to the following thread on their forums.

Realme X50 5G Bootloader Unlocking Instructions (In Chinese)

Realme has also released the kernel sources for this device, which will come in handy for aftermarket developers cooking custom recoveries, kernels, and ROMs. The company is known for publishing broken source code, though, so tinkerers may face some difficulties in working with the tree.

Realme X50 5G Kernel Sources

It is worth mentioning that the Realme X50 5G is available only in China. Although a broad scale release was speculated about a while ago, the company presented a beefier Realme X50 Pro 5G (our impressions) to the global audience. Nevertheless, the non-Pro variant is receiving steady software updates on top of the Android 10-powered Realme UI, and the release of the kernel source and the bootloader unlocker app should help kickstart development on the device.

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NVIDIA will announce new games for GeForce NOW every week

Streaming services are surging in popularity thanks to most people staying at home due to COVID-19. While video streaming services are getting the most attention, cloud gaming is also on the up and up since it’s become difficult to go out and buy new gaming hardware. If you don’t own a modern gaming console or a decent gaming PC but you have a stable and fast Internet connection, cloud game streaming is definitely worth a try. Services like Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud, and NVIDIA GeForce NOW are leading the cloud gaming pack, and out of these three, GeForce NOW has been around the longest. It is also unique in that you don’t have to purchase games for the platform itself – NVIDIA plugs into your existing Steam game library, although not every game is supported.

The current list of supported games is already pretty sizeable and vastly exceeds the Google Stadia library for now, but NVIDIA wants to assure you that new content will keep coming to your door pretty frequently. How frequently, exactly? According to NVIDIA, as frequently as every Thursday, so that’s a weekly basis right there. The first set of new games for this weekly scheme includes Control from Remedy Entertainment, a challenging sci-fi game, Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, and several more.

• Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead
• Control
• Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
• Dungeons 3
• Headsnatchers
• IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
• Jagged Alliance 2 – Wildfire
• The Guild 3

We’re glad to see NVIDIA announce a consistent release schedule, and we hope that each week brings exciting new games to the cloud gaming platform. You can get started with GeForce NOW on Windows, macOS, SHIELD TV, and Android smartphones. The service will be coming to Chromebooks later this year. It is currently available in two tiers: Free (with a 1-hour session length limitation) and Founders (with RTX support, up to 6 hours of playtime each session, and priority access).

NVIDIA GeForce NOW (Free, Google Play) →

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