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vendredi 2 septembre 2022

AirPods Pro 2: What we know so far about the upcoming Apple earbuds

Apple’s family of AirPods has become popular amongst newer iPhone and iPad users. Considering that these devices lack a headphone jack, several people have resorted to the company’s wireless solution. Through AirPods, users get to take advantage of continuity features, such as switching the audio source from their iPhone to their new Mac automatically. To cater to different budgets and needs, the company has an entry-level model, in addition to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max — for those looking for more advanced features. The Pro model has been around for years, and Apple reportedly will be releasing the AirPods Pro 2 very soon. Here’s everything we know about them so far.

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AirPods Pro 2: Release Date

Apple Far out iPhone event 2022

For the past few months, rumors have pointed at a late 2022 AirPods Pro 2 release. The company launched the first-gen model back in October 2019. So there is a possibility that Apple will give the second-gen upgrade some stage time during its Far Out iPhone event. The keynote will be taking place on September 7, and we expect the company to reveal the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8. If the AirPods Pro 2 don’t make an appearance during this particular event, then Apple may reveal them later this year through a Newsroom post or during the Mac/iPad event.

AirPods Pro 2: Pricing

AirPods Pro open case with tree background

AirPods Pro

Apple currently sells the AirPods Pro for $249. Rumors point to the discontinuation of the first-gen model when the 2nd gen debuts. This makes us believe that the pricing won’t see a significant change. If Apple introduces a notably more expensive price tag while killing the original product, users on a tight budget (who are looking for ANC-enabled AirPods) will run out of options.

Design

Mahmoud wearing AirPods Pro

AirPods Pro

We had been hearing about a stemless redesign for the AirPods Pro 2. However, recent leaks suggest that Apple will retain the current design — for the most part at least. These upcoming earbuds will allegedly feature a stem that is similar to that of the first-gen model. The charging case, though, might get tweaked to include speaker grilles. Those would allow users to play a louder sound when pinging the device through the Find My app. The charging port will still likely depend on the Lightning standard, though.

Features

AirPods Pro closed case next to MacBook Air M1 and iPad Air 5

The current AirPods Pro model comes packed with plenty of offerings. These include ANC and Dolby Atmos playback support, in addition to water resistance, Find My support, and more. We expect the AirPods Pro 2 to include all of these features and more. Leaks make us believe that the second-gen model will replace the proximity sensor with a skin detector for a more accurate auto pause/play. That’s in addition to potential fitness tracking and body temperature monitoring feature. In the audio quality department, Apple could be switching to Bluetooth 5.2, supporting lossless playback, and improving ANC.


With the AirPods Pro 2 potentially launching as soon as September 7, we can only sit tight and wait for the company to officially reveal them. While the rumors make them appear as a minor upgrade, the company could still have a few tricks up its sleeve. Ultimately, we can’t judge or evaluate an unreleased product — as the puzzle is still missing some of its pieces.

Do you plan on buying the AirPods Pro 2? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post AirPods Pro 2: What we know so far about the upcoming Apple earbuds appeared first on XDA.



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Galaxy Watch 4 series finally receives stable One UI Watch 4.5

Samsung launched its latest Wear OS smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, with One UI Watch 4.5 based on Wear OS 3.5. Shortly after the launch, the company started testing the update for the Galaxy Watch 4 series, bringing several new features to the older smartwatches. After rolling out six One UI Watch 4.5 beta updates for the Galaxy Watch 4 lineup, Samsung is now finally rolling it out on the stable channel.

Samsung officially announced the end of the One UI Watch Beta program yesterday and confirmed that it wouldn’t release any further beta updates. Although the Samsung Community forum post highlighting this change did not mention a stable rollout, Galaxy Watch 4 users have already started receiving the stable update (firmware version GVH2).

One UI Watch 4.5 stable rollout screenshot.

Credit: u/JeffTechnically

Samsung will likely roll it out incrementally, so you should receive it on your Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic in the next few days. In case you missed our previous One UI Watch 4.5 coverage, here’s a quick refresher of all the new features in the release.

New features in One UI Watch 4.5 for the Galaxy Watch 4 series

One UI Watch 4.5 includes a new QWERTY keyboard with swipe input support, which is a major step up from the T-9 keyboard that Samsung originally shipped with the watches. This means you no longer have to install the Gboard app on your smartwatch for a better typing experience. The new QWERTY keyboard also offers dictation and handwriting input support, which should come in handy when you don’t feel like swiping on the watch’s screen to send a quick reply.

Along with the new QWERTY keyboard, One UI Watch 4.5 also brings dual-SIM support to the older Wear OS smartwatches. With dual-SIM support, you can set a preferred SIM on your Galaxy smartphone, and it will automatically sync with your Galaxy Watch 4. You will also have the option to view the current SIM on the watch itself and choose between the two while making phone calls from the watch.

Furthermore, One UI Watch 4.5 also brings better watch face customizability to the Galaxy Watch 4 series. Thanks to this, you can add your favorite watch face in various color combinations with different complications to the favorites list for easier access.

Lastly, the update includes a few accessibility features that will let you adjust the hue and contrast, reduce transparency and blur effects, and switch off all animations. In addition, the new accessibility features will give you access to new sound balance settings and touch interaction settings.

Have you received the One UI Watch 4.5 update on your Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic? Which new features do you like the most? Let us know in the comments section below.


Source: Samsung Community, Reddit

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Samsung Android 13 Tracker: Here are all the official One UI 5.0 beta builds to download and install

Software updates can be one of the most important things when it comes to a device. As Android 13 is nearing its stable release, the time is ripe for the smartphone makers to give a new coat of paint to their custom skins. Samsung, being one of the top-tier OEMs, is also busy shaping up the fifth iteration of its One UI software on top of the new version of Android. As is often the case, keeping track of the rollout event of a major update like One UI 5 is a hard job, so we’re here to make things easier for you.

Samsung has yet to announce an official list of eligible Galaxy devices to get the Android 13 update, but it’s expected that current-gen flagships will receive their stable OTAs before the end of the year. The Korean OEM has already kicked off the One UI 5.0 beta program for the Galaxy S22 series, and the company will likely bring a handful of other devices into the beta phase, including older flagships and even some mid-rangers, before the eventual stable release.

One UI 5.0 Open Beta Hands On: New features for your Samsung Galaxy phone

This article will serve as the central repository of download links for all Samsung devices that have received their official Android 13 updates in the form of One UI 5.0, including both the public beta and the stable builds.

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List of Samsung phones that have received Android 13

None of the Galaxy devices participated in Google’s Android 13 Developer Preview program. Therefore, we will solely follow Samsung’s nomenclature of build descriptions in the index below for the sake of simplicity.

Samsung conducts its public beta initiative through the Samsung Members app. With time, the OEM might expand the beta program to more regions. Thus, Galaxy device owners are advised to check the beta schedule for their region by opening the app and heading to the “Notices” section. However, rest assured that if you try to sideload the One UI 5.0 build for Galaxy S22 distributed in Germany on your European device from another region, you should still be able to use your phone in your respective European language, as it’s essentially a unified EUX build.

Here are the devices that have received at least one Android 13 build with One UI 5.0 to date. Note that the devices are sorted alphabetically according to their retail name.

  1. Samsung Galaxy S21 (o1s/o1q) — Added on 08/30/2022
  2. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (t2s/t2q) — Added on 08/30/2022
  3. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (p3s/p3q) — Added on 08/30/2022
  4. Samsung Galaxy S22 (r0s/r0q) — Added on 08/05/2022
  5. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus (g0s/g0q) — Added on 08/05/2022
  6. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (b0s/b0q) — Added on 08/05/2022

You can find download links for the One UI 5.0 public beta and stable releases below. These builds are first sorted by device names, and then according to their regions/SoC variants and the release chronology.

Notably, you can’t cross-flash a firmware that is intended for a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC-based Samsung Galaxy model (e.g. the USA variant) on its Exynos-powered counterpart (e.g. the European variant) or vice-versa.

1. Samsung Galaxy S21 (o1s/o1q)

Samsung Galaxy S21 in White

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
UK For SM-G991B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG) September 2, 2022
South Korea For SM-G991N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG)
  • CVH7 to ZVHG
August 30, 2022

2. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (t2s/t2q)

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus in violet

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
UK For SM-G996B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG) September 2, 2022
South Korea For SM-G996N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG)
  • CVH7 to ZVHG
August 30, 2022

3. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (p3s/p3q)

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra in Black with S Pen

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
UK For SM-G998B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG) September 2, 2022
South Korea For SM-G998N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHG)
  • CVH7 to ZVHG
August 30, 2022

4. Samsung Galaxy S22 (r0s/r0q)Photo of the Galaxy S22 on a table

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
Germany For SM-S901B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
UK For SM-S901B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
India For SM-S901E
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK)
  • AVG6 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
South Korea For SM-S901N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
USA For the T-Mobile variant (SM-S901U)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4)
  • AVG6 to ZVH4
August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
USA For the unlocked variant (SM-S901U1)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022

5. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus (g0s/g0q)

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus against tree

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
Germany For SM-S906B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4)
  • AVG6 to ZVH4
August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
UK For SM-S906B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
India For SM-S906E
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK)
  • AVG6 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
South Korea For SM-S906N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4)
  • AVG6 to ZVH4
August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
USA For the T-Mobile variant (SM-S906U)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4)
  • AVG6 to ZVH4
August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
USA For the unlocked variant (SM-S906U1)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4)
  • AVF7 to ZVH4
August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022

6. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (b0s/b0q)

S pen features being shown off the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Sr. No. Channel, Build Number, and Region Recovery ROM Odin ROM Added On/Status Last Updated
Germany For SM-S908B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
UK For SM-S908B
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK)
  • AVG6 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022
India For SM-S908E
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
South Korea For SM-S908N
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 5, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
USA For the T-Mobile variant (SM-S908U)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK) August 25, 2022
USA For the unlocked variant (SM-S908U1)
1.1 One UI 5.0 Beta 1 (ZVH4) August 8, 2022
1.2 One UI 5.0 Beta 2 (ZVHK)
  • ZVH4 to ZVHK
August 25, 2022

Flashing Instructions for One UI 5.0

We have a dedicated flashing guide for Samsung Galaxy users so that they can easily sideload OTA packages or install the official One UI firmware from scratch. Take a look at the following tutorial — especially the Sideloading through recovery section — to get a clear idea of how to install the One UI 5.0 OTA ZIP files.

How to update your Samsung Galaxy smartphone and install official firmware

In case you want to revert back to the stable channel, you need to download the non-beta firmware for your model and perform a clean flash using Odin. The concept of a downgrade ROM isn’t applicable here.

Note that the above is more of a generic set of flashing instructions that should generally be applicable to any Samsung Galaxy device out there. However, there is a possibility that there is a variation that is unique to your device (such as a carrier model), so we strongly advise visiting your device forums for device-specific instructions.

The post Samsung Android 13 Tracker: Here are all the official One UI 5.0 beta builds to download and install appeared first on XDA.



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Android Beam will be removed permanently with the release of Android 14

After making its debut a little over a decade ago, Android Beam may finally be laid to rest with the release of Android 14. It was only a matter of time before the feature would be removed, as it had already been deprecated with Android 10. While this might not be a big deal, there are underlying issues with this move, mainly having to do with Google and its relationship with Android.

For those unfamiliar, Android Beam allowed users to connect two devices to start a data transfer easily. The feature would be initiated by touching two devices that had both NFC and Android 4.0. Once the process was initialized, files could be transferred over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This process could also be used to transfer smaller items like browser pages, contact information, map information, and more. The best part of this feature was that you did not have to set up a connection in advance. As long as you had NFC and Android Beam enabled, the process would work seamlessly with supported devices.

With data transfers still in their infancy when Android Beam was introduced, this was a simple and elegant solution when wanting to share files or data with someone. But it didn’t really catch any traction and as time passed, better technologies emerged that made it easier to send files and data to other devices, making Android Beam obsolete.

So how could this relic from the past affect those in the present? For starters, removing this feature isn’t too much of an issue because there are alternatives in many forms, with Google’s Nearby Share getting the traction that Android Beam never received. But with its removal, Google has taken something away from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and “replaced” it with a closed source proprietary alternative.

Android has and most likely always will be open source. But over time, Google has slowly created an ecosystem on top of AOSP with its Google Mobile Services (GMS) and Google Play Services. Unfortunately, these have become necessities for most, and it is proprietary, with nearly all manufacturers complying with Google’s terms to have these services available on their products. So while Android is an open source project, it seems even more closed off than ever as we inch towards newer versions of Android.


Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter)

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Bose will use Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoCs on future wireless audio devices

Bose is gearing up to launch new TWS earbuds as part of its QuietComfort Earbuds range. While the company hasn’t made any official announcements, we recently got our first look at the upcoming QuietComfort Earbuds II. Shortly after we covered the leak, Bose sent out invites for a September 7 launch event. We suspect that the company could unveil the QuietComfort Earbuds II at the event, and it could pack Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoC.

At the ongoing IFA trade show in Berlin, Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon announced that future wireless audio devices from Bose will pack the chipmaker’s S5 Audio SoCs. Although Amon didn’t specifically name the QuietComfort Earbuds II, the timing leads us to believe that the upcoming TWS earbuds could be the first to launch with the S5 Audio SoC. It makes sense for Bose to adopt the platform for its next-gen TWS earbuds, as it has an ultra-small form factor and offers extremely low-power performance with a wide range of features.

The Qualcomm S5 Audio chip features a quad-core processor with a dual-core 32-bit processor application subsystem and a dual-core 240MHz programmable DSP audio subsystem. The chip packs a Bluetooth 5.3 radio with Bluetooth LE Audio, Google Fast Pair support, wake-word and button activation for digital assistants, and Qualcomm Adaptive ANC for an enhanced noise canceling experience. In addition, the chipset features support for three microphones with Qualcomm’s clear voice capture (cVc) technology. It even supports Qualcomm’s aptX Audio, aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, and aptX Adaptive technologies.

It’s a perfect fit for the QuietComfort Earbuds II, which will reportedly offer some of these features. However, we’ll have to wait a few days for Bose’s launch event to confirm whether it comes with the Qualcomm S5 Audio chip or not.

Are you looking forward to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II? What features do you expect to see on the TWS earbuds? Let us know in the comments section below.

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jeudi 1 septembre 2022

Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan goes live in Colombia and Ireland

Microsoft recently began testing a service tier, allowing users to share the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with friends and family members. While the test was only made available to Xbox Insiders, Microsoft has now made the program available to those that are currently living in Colombia or Ireland.

So what are the details? The Xbox Friends and Family plan can be shared with up to four people. For now, the only criteria seems to be that the primary account holder and those that share the account must reside in the same region. This isn’t a significant restriction, and things could change as more regions become eligible for the shared plan. Users participating in the shared plan will get their own separate accounts and Xbox profiles. That means each individual in the plan can access their own stats, achievements, game saves, and more. Also, sharing an account doesn’t mean you always have to play together, with each user being able to play when they want and how they want.  This means users aren’t restricted to just playing on a console and can also connect to the service using a PC, a compatible mobile device, or through the web.

Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family members will have access to all perks associated with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account like having access to hundreds of games, guaranteed day one access to Xbox Game Studios titles, membership discounts, and free access to EA Play. Current Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account holders that are interested can head to the online Microsoft Store to join the Friends & Family program. The program is currently part of a pilot and is only available to those in Colombia and Ireland. In Colombia, the monthly price will be 49,900 Colombian pesos (roughly $11.20 with conversion), and in Ireland, it will cost €21.99 (roughly $21.90 with conversion).


Source: Xbox Ireland, Xbox Colombia 
Via: Brads Sams (Twitter)

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Google Kids Space receives a much-needed feature with the latest Google Play system update

Google has updated its Google Play system update support page to highlight all the changes included in the September 2022 release. The latest update brings a few Google Kids Space improvements, along with a host of Play Store optimizations and bug fixes.

With the latest release, users can hide recommended apps during the Google Kids Space onboarding process and install Google Kids Space on a tablet’s secondary user during device setup. The latter will make it easier for users to share their Android tablets with kids.

In addition, the September 2022 update brings improvements to account syncing and account recovery for Android Auto, phones, TVs, and Wear OS. Although not explicitly mentioned on the support page, these account syncing and account recovery improvements could include support for backing up Wear OS smartwatch data to make switching to a new phone a more seamless process.

Along with the aforementioned changes, the Google Play system update for September 2022 includes further improvements for the Play Store’s Play-as-you-download feature, optimizations for faster and more reliable download and installation, new features for the Play Pass and Play Points programs, and more. Check out the full changelog reproduced below for a complete list of the changes:

  • Account Management
    • [Phone] Allows users to hide recommended apps during the Google Kids Space onboarding flow.
    • [Auto, Phone, TV, Wear] Improvements to account syncing and account recovery.
    • [Phone] Ability to install Google Kids Space on a tablet’s secondary user during device setup.
  • Google Play Store
    • Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times.
    • New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.
    • Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.
    • New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs.
    • Enhancements to Google Play Billing.
    • Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe.
    • Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility.

All the changes listed under the Account Management section in the section above will roll out with Google Play Services v35.22 starting today. The Google Play Store updates, on the other hand, will roll out with Google Play Store v31.1.


Source: Google Play system updates support page

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