Xiaomi shows off 3rd gen under-display camera technology, mass production in 2021

Android OEMs have been working on under-screen camera tech for the last couple of years, and we’ve seen working prototypes from Samsung Display, OPPO, and Xiaomi in the past. The technology is finally mature enough to make its way to consumers, and Chinese OEM ZTE has already confirmed that the upcoming ZTE Axon 20 5G will feature an under-screen camera. Just a few days after ZTE’s announcement, Xiaomi has now released a video showcasing its third-gen under-display camera tech, and the company has confirmed that it will go into mass production next year.

Xiaomi first unveiled its under-screen camera tech back in June last year, alongside a similar solution from rival OPPO. However, earlier this year, Xiaomi explained that its under-screen camera tech was far from achieving mass production. The company seems to have overcome all hurdles over the last couple of months, as its latest iteration looks quite promising. As you can see in the attached video, Xiaomi’s third-gen under-screen camera tech will help the company finally achieve the bezel-less look without using any moving parts.

We’re proud to present the latest masterpiece from our Xiaomi engineers: 3rd Generation Under-Display Camera Technology! True full-screen displays are just around the corner! We’re planning on putting this into mass production next year. Stay tuned! #InnovationForEveryone pic.twitter.com/DrKeL8wZUg

— Shou Zi Chew (@ShouZiChew) August 28, 2020

In a blog post regarding the matter, Xiaomi explains that with its third-gen under-screen camera technology, the company has “greatly improved the full-screen effect through self-developed pixel arrangement, and through the optimization of the camera algorithm, allowing it to show the same performance as conventional cameras.” The new pixel arrangement used in Xiaomi’s latest solution lets the screen pass light through the gap between sub-pixels, allowing every single pixel to retain a complete RGB sub-pixel layout without sacrificing pixel density.

When compared with solutions from other manufacturers, Xiaomi’s under-screen camera tech makes use of double the number of horizontal and vertical pixels. This helps the company achieve the same pixel density above the camera as the rest of the display. Therefore, the area of the display above the embedded camera has the same brightness levels, color gamut, and color accuracy as the rest of the display.

Xiaomi’s 3rd Generation #UnderDisplayCamera Technology

TRUE full-screen display

Mass production in 2021

for the #InnovationForEveryone https://t.co/0wwWIyzKle

— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) August 28, 2020

The third-gen under-screen camera solution also adopts a unique circuit design that helps the company hide more components under the RGB sub-pixels, which further increases the light transmitted from the under-screen camera area. Xiaomi also claims that its optimization algorithm allows the under-screen camera to offer the same experience as a traditional front camera. In a separate tweet on the matter, Xiaomi has revealed that its third-gen under-screen camera solution will be ready for mass production in 2021, and we expect to see devices featuring the new technology next year.

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Source: Xiaomi

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One UI 2.5 ported to multiple Samsung Galaxy phones with the Exynos 7870

Samsung rolled out One UI 2.1 based on Android 10 for several Exynos 7870-powered devices earlier this year in April. However, the update didn’t include the One UI 2.1-specific software features that were introduced with the company’s flagship Galaxy S20 series. This prompted XDA Recognized Developer Astrako to release a generic Android 10 ROM for Exynos 7870-powered devices called H-ROM with the new One UI 2.1 features. With the Galaxy Note 20 series launch earlier this month, Samsung released One UI 2.5 with more new features and the software is scheduled to make its way to many of the company’s older flagships. However, Galaxy devices featuring the Exynos 7870 chipset have been left out once again. Thankfully, Astrako has now released a One UI 2.5-based port of H-ROM for these devices.

The latest version of H-ROM is compatible with seven Exynos 7870-powered Samsung Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy A3 (2017) and different variants of the Galaxy J5, Galaxy J6, and Galaxy J7. The base of the ROM is taken from the Galaxy Note 20 (SM-N980F) and it ships with a modified CSC from the Galaxy Note 20 that enables features like native call recording.

The ROM includes Android security patches for August 2020 and it’s completely devoid of bloatware and Samsung’s security software. There are some known bugs for each device, which can be found in their respective forum threads linked below. For those of you who want root access after installing H-ROM, the developer advises opting for the Canary version of Magisk as flashing the stable release on the current version of the ROM results in a bootloop.

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Download H-ROM based on One UI 2.5

You can download the H-ROM for your compatible Exynos 7870-powered device from the links below. To flash the ROM on your device, you can follow the instructions provided in the linked discussion threads. Here are the model-specific threads for the latest version of H-ROM:

H-ROM for Samsung Exynos 7870 Devices: Google Drive || Mega

Device and XDA Forum Link	Model Number	H-ROM Discussion Thread
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)	A320X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime	G610X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J5	J530X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J6	J600X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J7 Core	J710X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J7	J710X	Click here
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)	J730X	Click here

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Google Duo is coming soon to Android TV in beta

Google Duo has served as a great way to video chat on smartphones since its launch in 2016, and it’s soon about to make its big-screen debut. Alongside the recent launch of Google Meet on Chromecast, Google on Thursday teased the upcoming launch of Google Duo on Android TV.

“In an effort to bring the video calling experience to more parts of your home, Google Duo is rolling out a Beta on Android TV in the coming weeks,” Google said in a blog post.

If your TV has a camera, you can easily initiate a chat with an individual or group. If your TV doesn’t have a camera, you can use a USB camera. This will be a great new addition as folks can lounge on their couch while chatting with friends and family on a larger display.

The arrival of Duo on Android TV will come shortly after the service became available on the Google Nest Hub Max.

Google is reportedly in the planning stages to integrate some of Duo’s features into Meet, which is rumored to act as the search giant’s primary video calling and conferencing software. Even if the company plans to eventually merge the two services, it’s nice to see Google continue to iterate on Duo with new features and new platform launches.

Once Google launches the Android TV app for Duo, we’ll update this article. Until then, you can always download the latest version of Duo from the Google Play Store listing embedded below.

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

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PSA: A Firebase Cloud Messaging exploit is likely behind strange push notifications from Microsoft Teams and Hangouts

It seems we can’t go a day without another significant security flaw popping up somewhere in some software or service. This week seems to be the time for Firebase Cloud Messaging to run up against an easily-exploitable vulnerability.

Firebase Cloud Messaging is a framework by Google to help make delivering notifications through apps on almost any platform easier. With some simple configuration of both your app and a server, you can send general or targeted push notifications out to your users within minutes. Most Android apps that deliver push notifications likely use Firebase Cloud Messaging (or the legacy Google Cloud Messaging) to do so. That includes apps from single hobbyist developers to apps from giant corporations like Microsoft and, of course, Google.

The Exploit

And that’s where this exploit comes in. If you use apps like Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts, you may have recently noticed random notifications coming in, like the ones in the following screenshot. These are from people taking advantage of improper configurations of Firebase Cloud Messaging.

Screenshot from /u/ToTooThenThan on Reddit.

I won’t get into too much detail here, but this issue isn’t really Google’s fault. In order to securely send push notifications, Google requires that the server that’s actually sending them also send a key to validate that they’re genuine. This key is only supposed to be in your Firebase console and on your server.

But the affected apps, for whatever reason, also have the key built into them. It’s not used, but it’s there, in plaintext, for anyone to see and use. Somewhat ironically, Google Hangouts and Google Play Music seem to be vulnerable to this exploit, as well as Microsoft Teams. So it’s sort of Google’s fault, but also not really.

And it can be used for pretty nefarious purposes. While it seems most “implementations” of this vulnerability have only been used to send weird text to people, it is possible for an attacker to execute a phishing scam. The text of the notification could be something like, “Your session has expired. Please tap here to sign in again,” with a URL that gets launched when you tap it. That URL could end up being a site styled to look like, say, Microsoft’s login page. But instead of logging into Microsoft, you’re giving someone your login.

What Should Users Do?

Nothing. There’s not much you, as a user, can do to stop these notifications. You can block the channels they come in on (or block notifications from the app altogether), but you can’t filter out the illegitimate notifications, since, as far as Firebase knows, they are legitimate.

What you can do, though, is be careful. If you get a notification that seems to be asking for your login details—or any other personal information for that matter—don’t tap on it. Instead, open the app directly. If the notification was real, the app will indicate that. Otherwise, it was likely a phishing attempt. If you do tap a notification, immediately close any website that opens up.

And finally, if you’ve already put your password in somewhere through a notification, change it immediately, deauthorize all logged-in devices (if applicable), and enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t already.

What Should Developers Do?

If you’ve implemented Firebase Cloud Messaging into your apps, check the configuration files to make sure your server keys aren’t in there. If they are, invalidate them immediately, create new ones, and reconfigure your server.

Again, this isn’t a very technical article, so you’ll want to visit the links below for more information on mitigation.

Google and Microsoft Responses

A Google spokesperson told The Daily Swig that the issue was “specifically related to developers including API keys in their code for services that should not be included, which could then be exploited,” rather than the Firebase Cloud Messaging service itself being compromised. “In cases where Google is able to identify that a server key is used, we attempt to alert the developers so they can fix their app,” the spokesperson added.

Microsoft issued the following statement on Twitter:

We’ve isolated the source of the issue and applied a mitigation. We’ve confirmed that no further unexpected notifications are being sent to users’ Android devices. Additional details can be found in the admin center under TM221041.

— Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) August 27, 2020

Further Reading

Here are a couple of articles that go into much more detail about what this exploit is, how it works, and how you can make sure you aren’t vulnerable. If you’re an app developer, or you’re just interested in checking out how this works, take a look.

• Firebase Cloud Messaging Service Takeover: A small research that led to 30k$+ in bounties
• Google Firebase messaging vulnerability allowed attackers to send push notifications to app users

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Amazon’s new Halo fitness tracker can detect your emotions from your voice and 3D scan your body to measure body fat

Amazon is getting into wearables, but its new device, called Halo, is far from a traditional fitness tracker. In fact, Amazon Halo doesn’t have a screen at all.

The online giant’s new wristband prioritizes health more than anything, with features such as activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and more. What makes Halo unique is its ability to track a wearer’s emotional state by listening to the tone of their voice, and also estimate a user’s body fat percentage by taking a three-dimensional render of their body.

It’s a departure from today’s most popular wearables, which offer general activity tracking features and also provide smartphone notifications for things like messages and phone calls. Also a departure from traditional wearables is Halo’s lack of GPS, Wi-Fi, and a cellular radio. It does, however, feature water resistance up to 5ATM and a battery that should last a week.

Amazon Halo also features an accelerometer, temperature sensor, heart rate monitor, two microphones, and an LED indicator light. These microphones are strictly for the voice tone feature and not for invoking Alexa, which isn’t supported. These microphones can be turned off with the press of a button.

The voice tone feature is particularly interesting. Amazon says Halo will pick up on the pitch, intensity, rhythm, and tempo of your voice, and then return insights into your emotional state. With a “notable moments” section in the smartphone app, you’ll see what you were like during an interview, conversation with mom, etc. According to Amazon, Halo won’t listen to your voice all the time, and when it does, no audio is uploaded to Amazon servers; humans are also not involved in any step of the way. Audio is sent to your phone via Bluetooth, and all analysis is handled there.

The 3D body scan feature is handled differently. When a user does create a 3D scan, pictures will be uploaded to Amazon’s servers but are deleted once a 3D scan is created. Amazon will employ machine learning models to analyze the scan and calculate your body fat percentage.

Amazon is hoping these features will be educational and motivational, providing users with information about how different levels of body fat can increase their risk for certain health problems. Users have to be 18 years or older to use the body scan feature, although users can be as young as 13 to use Halo.

Images: Amazon. Retrieved via: The Verge

Amazon Halo retails for $99 and ties into a service that costs $3.99 per month. This subscription will feature body composition, tone of voice analysis, sleep and activity tracking, and challenges designed to improve a wearer’s health, whether it be through things like meditation or exercise. As an introductory price, Halo will be available for $64 and come with six months of complimentary service.

At launch, Amazon Halo will offer a variety of bands and also a variety of sizes. Halo comes in small, medium, and large, so you can find a fit that works for you. Amazon Halo is currently available in early access in Black + Onyx, Blush + Rose Gold, and Winter + Silver. The product can only ship to addresses in the United States.

Amazon Halo Technical Details

Subscription	$99.99 device price with six month free subscription. After six months, your subscription will automatically renew at $3.99/month plus applicable tax. See terms of service to learn more.
Battery life	Up to 7 days (Tone disabled), up to 2 days (Tone enabled). Fully charges from 0% in less than 90 minutes. Battery life varies based on device settings and usage.
Water resistance	Swimproof; water resistant to 50M (5 atm). Learn more about water resistance.
Halo band/sensor colors	Black/Onyx, Winter/Silver, and Blush/Rose Gold
Band sizes	Fabric: Small (135-155 mm circumference), Medium (145-180mm circumference), Large (170-220 mm circumference), Sport: Small/Medium (130-180 mm circumference), Medium/Large (160-230 mm circumference)
Band material	Fabric: a woven blend of polyester, nylon, and spandex, Sport: high-performance silicone

Weight	Capsule: 18g, Band: 5.2g (S), 5.4g (M), 6.0g (L)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, Serial Port Profile for Bluetooth connectivity to Android phones and iPod Accessory Protocol for Bluetooth connectivity to iPhones.
Audio	2 built-in microphones for Tone analysis
Warranty	1-year limited warranty. Use of Amazon Halo is subject to Amazon’s Conditions of Use and the terms found here.
Included in box	Sensor, band, USB charging clip, and Quick Start Guide
Generation	1st Generation – 2020 Release
Bands	Interchangeable and available in a variety of colors and materials
Requirements	Active Amazon.com account, compatible mobile device, and the Halo app

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OnePlus may be making a smartwatch called the OnePlus Watch

Earlier this year, OnePlus launched the OnePlus Nord, the brand’s first mid-range smartphone since the 2015 OnePlus X. The launch of the Nord signaled a shift in strategy for OnePlus; the company is arguably returning to its roots by making affordable smartphones once again. But smartphones aren’t the only tech products that OnePlus is now making. The company has diversified its product portfolio, with offerings in the smart TV market under the OnePlus TV line. Now, it seems that OnePlus may be ready to enter a new market: smartwatches. Apparently, the company may be making a smartwatch called the OnePlus Watch.

The other day, a device with the marketing name “OnePlus Watch” appeared on the website of Indonesia’s IMDA regulatory body. The device is listed as a “Wearable Watch” with model name W301GB as per the listing, but the listing doesn’t reveal any more information, such as the specifications, software, or design. Most likely, it’ll run Google’s Wear OS and feature a Snapdragon Wear system-on-chip, potentially the recently-announced Snapdragon Wear 4100.

This is not the first time that we’ve heard of OnePlus potentially launching a smartwatch. Back in 2016, OnePlus actually confirmed that the company was developing a smartwatch. “We had completed the design but we still decided to scrap it. We have to be focused,” said OnePlus CEO Pete Lau during the 2016 Converge tech conference held in Hong Kong. Like Google, OnePlus didn’t want to enter the smartwatch market with a half-baked product, so they have apparently bided their time until they’re comfortable enough with where wearable tech has progressed in the industry.

We’ve heard something similar when they talked about waiting to bring wireless charging to OnePlus phones and when they talked about releasing truly wireless earbuds. Perhaps OnePlus now thinks that Wear OS and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear platforms are mature enough to base a new product on, or they’ve advanced their own tech to the point where a OnePlus-branded smartwatch is ready for primetime. Notably, OPPO, OnePlus’s sister company under the BBK Electronics umbrella, recently launched its own smartwatch in China and in India, so that could be the impetus for the development of a OnePlus Watch. Interestingly, the “supplier” listed in the IMDA certification is “SINOPPEL DEVICE PTE. LTD,” which is a business that was formerly registered as “SINGAPORE OPPO ELECTRONICS PTE. LTD.”

A potential OnePlus Watch could be launched right alongside OnePlus’ late-year releases, which potentially includes the OnePlus 8T series and an even more affordable Nord device, and released to the market roughly around the same timeframe. This is just a blind guess, though, as there’s no evidence or credible rumor about the launch timeframe. We reached out to OnePlus for comment on this rumor and will update this article if/when we hear back.

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Google Assistant’s Snapshot feature now shows more reminders and recommendations

Google Assistant’s helpful Snapshot feature is expanding to add new reminders and recommendations to keep you on task, according to a new blog post by Google.

When the Google Assistant Snapshot feature launched a few years ago, it featured information cards for your upcoming schedule, your daily commute time, and your recent online orders, among other things. With expanded reminders support, you’ll now see upcoming birthdays and holidays. When a birthday card pops up in your Snapshot, you can tap on the card to see suggestions for things like calling, texting, or even singing a personalized birthday song.

Snapshot will also improve and expand upon its recommendations. Before, users would see more general recommendations for things like Google searches and streaming a playlist. Using your personal data, the new Snapshot will now recommend recipes, podcasts, and nearby restaurants that deliver.

As always, your Snapshot feed will dynamically change throughout the day based on what time it is and your interactions with Assistant. (You don’t want to get breakfast recipes during dinner time, and vice versa, for example.)

 

In addition to new reminders and recommendations, Google said users can easily see their Snapshot by saying, “Hey Google, show me my day.” Users can also see their Snapshot by activating Google Assistant and tapping on the icon in the bottom left corner. You can see the new Snapshot features now in the Google Assistant app for iOS and Android.

Google Assistant - Get things done, hands-free (Free, Google Play) →

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