Apple released iOS 16 to the public earlier this month. Since then, the company has been working on the upcoming minor release. That’s to smoothen out glitches and make tweaks based on mass user feedback. Yesterday, the Cupertino firm seeded iOS 16.1 beta 2 to registered developers. While beta 1 included more exciting changes, beta 2 certainly includes a welcome addition. Users on the latest beta build can subscribe to and use Apple Fitness Plus without needing a Watch. This makes the paid service accessible to more users — particularly ones not interested in an Apple Watch.
Apple mentioned during its Far Out event that Watch-less iPhone users would be able to subscribe to Fitness Plus later this fall. This promise has now come to fruition in iOS 16.1 beta 2. The main iOS 16.0 release already introduces the Fitness app to those who don’t use an Apple Watch. Of course, the fitness tracking features in it are limited to what your iPhone can collect. If you’re running the latest beta, you can now visit the Fitness Plus tab in the dedicated app to start your subscription.
Apple Fitness Plus costs $9.99 per month in the U.S. It’s available in a handful of countries, and the company uploads new workout videos on a regular basis. Watch users get the advantage of having workout metric displayed during the session. These include the live heart rate and other relevant data. Those who subscribe without pairing an Apple Watch will obviously miss out on certain metrics.
Will you be subscribing to Apple Fitness Plus without a Watch? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.
Before LG pulled out of the smartphone market, the company was working on a unique rollable smartphone. It first teased the device during the LG Wing launch event in September 2020 and then showcased a working prototype at CES 2021. While the company officially confirmed that the LG Rollable would make it to the market in 2021, we all know how that turned out.
Although the LG Rollable never made it to the market, we’ve already seen it out in the wild. That’s probably because the company allegedly sold the device to its employees. Earlier this year, the phone appeared in a short hands-on video showcasing its rollable display mechanism. Now, a South Korean YouTube channel has published an in-depth video giving us our best look at LG’s canceled rollable so far.
The video starts by showcasing the unique retail packaging for the LG Rollable, which slides open like the device’s display. On the inside, you get the device, some paperwork, a charging brick, and a USB cable.
Credit: BullsLab
We then get to see the device in all its glory and learn all about its hardware specifications. According to the video, the LG Rollable packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 SoC, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a 4,500mAh battery. The device features a 6.8-inch flexible POLED display on the front that expands into a larger 7.4-inch screen.
Credit: BullsLab
On the back, the LG Rollable features a dual camera setup consisting of a 64MP primary camera with OIS and a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera. It also sports a circular fingerprint scanner right underneath the rear-facing camera modules.
Credit: BullsLab
Interestingly, the LG Rollable doesn’t feature a traditional power button or volume rocker. Instead, the device features touch-sensitive controls on the left edge to help users turn on the display and adjust the volume.
The video then goes on to showcase the LG Rollable’s display, which you can expand and contract seamlessly with a two-finger swipe gesture. As the phone transitions, its UI automatically adjusts to the changing form factor. The UI transition looks quite smooth, even in apps like YouTube.
Credit: BullsLab
While having a rollable display means that the phone doesn’t have a crease like Samsung’s foldables, the rollable part of the display does seem to have a few wrinkles. In addition, the rollable section is not as structurally sound as the rest of the display, and it easily flexes when pressed. While LG could’ve addressed that in subsequent releases, the company will not be releasing a new smartphone anytime soon.
Other OEMs are, however, working on similar smartphones, and you can expect to get your hands on a device with a rollable display in the future. Until then, check out the full video to see the canceled LG Rollable.
Along with the launch of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, Apple also delivered iOS 16. Although you won’t gain access to the Dynamic Island just by updating your phone to the latest version of iOS, you will be able to take advantage of other features such as Lock Screen customizations, iMessage enhancements, notification updates and more. In addition, there also some minor updates like enabling haptic feedback support for the keyboard on your iPhone. That’s right, after all these years, actually being able to feel the keystrokes under your thumbs, what a divine sensation. That is, until you’re informed that the feature might actually have the ability to cause additional battery drain for you device.
It probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise, but according to Apple’s public support document showing how to enable haptic and sounds for the iPhone’s keyboard, there is a small disclaimer on the bottom that states, “Turning on keyboard haptics might affect the battery life of your iPhone.” I think for the most part, this is expected right? If you increase the use of Apple’s Taptic Engine, the device that creates the vibrating effects for your phone, this action will most likely affect the battery. Of course, Apple can’t provide a definitive number when it comes to battery depletion, but let’s just use common sense and say the more haptics you use, the more likely you’ll feel the impact.
If you’re someone that wants to maximize battery life, you can just simply turn off the feature. If you’ve been using an iPhone up until now, you’re just going back to the old ways prior to the iOS 16 update. Of course, there is always a chance that Apple will improve the battery life on the iPhone, allowing you to once again experiment with the haptic keyboard.
A new update, v44, is rolling out to Meta Quest owners. The update will feature new advanced video settings that are meant to empower and give creators more flexibility with their content. However, the new settings won’t be available by default, and creators will need to pop into the experimental settings to enable it.
Once the new experimental settings are enabled, creators will gain access to a wide variety of features that has to do with recording footage from their VR headset. One common problem with VR footage is that it captures the user’s movements. So if the user is bobbing or shaking their head, this will also show up in video. Now, creators will be able to access an image stabilization mode that will offer different degrees of stabilization. While this is a great idea, in practice, it might not be such a good thing, as more stabilization is added, the less field of view the footage will have.
Furthermore, users will now also be able to choose their desired aspect ratio, shooting either 16:9 horizontal, 9:16 vertical videos, and in a 1:1 aspect ratio as well. In addition, frame rates can now be chosen, but as a warning, higher frame rates will effect app performance. Those looking to get the best quality videos from their VR sessions will be happy to know that Meta has added a way to set the compression quality for videos with different bit rates, with a higher bit rate having higher quality but an increased file size.
Meta is also introducing new parental supervision tools that will block teens from accessing developer mode. This will prevent any unauthorized apps from being installed on the Quest headset. Furthermore, the Quest will improve on the App Unlock feature that was added in the v40 update. Going forward, parents will now to be able to lock multiple apps using a single PIN. In addition, parents will also be able to lock or filter apps based on the rating categories.
The v44 update is currently rolling out to Quest and Quest 2 headsets. If interested in experiencing VR, you can purchase the Quest 2 starting at $399.99.
Apple’s new iPhones are officially here which means it’s time to pick up some new phones and some cool cases to go with them. Yes, it’s a shame to cover the beautiful colors and finish of the new iPhone 14 with a case, but we think it’s better to be safe than sorry. No matter how tough Apple says its new iPhones are, they’re still prone to scratches, dents, or even cracks when they get scuffed or dropped. We’ve managed to round up some of the best iPhone 14 cases on the market so you can keep your new phone protected at all times.
We’ve included multiple categories in this post to make it easier for you to find the right case that suits your needs, so be sure to explore all the available options.
Top iPhone 14 cases
We have more options further down in the article, but we’d like to reiterate some of our top choices for iPhone 14 cases. These are the cases that we would consider as our top purchase options.
The Spigen Mag Armor is a magnet-integrated shock absorption TPU case for the iPhone 14. It comes with raised lips to protect the display and the camera too, which is great.
The ESR Classic kickstand case is a minimal case that's perfect for those who want to use their phone hands-free. It comes with a built-in camera ring stand with which you can easily set it up on a surface.
The iBlason Armorbox, as you can see, is a full-body rugged case that's meant to protect your iPhone 14 from all sides. It comes with a built-in screen protector, a kickstand, and even a holster clip.
Many of us in the team have personally used the Spigen Armor lineup for its balanced approach to protection, added bulk, and overall style. The MagSafe compatibility ensures you retain access to all MagSafe accessories for your phone. If you want a clear case option, ESR Classic Kickstand is good for its smart integration of the kickstand without adding any unnecessary bulk to your overall setup. The Armorbox release from iBlason is a new lineup, and it packs in a lot of bells and whistles into your phone case, if maximum utility is the need of the hour for you.
iPhone 14 clear cases
Our selection of clear cases are perfect for those who want to add some basic protection to their phone and still be able to show off the colors and cool finishes.
The iBlason Ares is one of the best clear cases you can buy for the iPhone 14. This particular case is available in a bunch of different colors and it also comes with a built-in screen protector.
The Spigen Liquid Crystal is a clear TPU case with a thin and light form-factor. It's a simple clear case with no bells and whistles, but it gets the job done by adding basic protection.
The SUPCASE UB Style clear case comes with a TPU bumper to protect your phone against drops and bumps. It also has elevated bezels to protect the display and the camera lens at the back.
The Speck Gemshell grip comes in three colors including a clear option that lets you show off your phone's color. It comes with raised ridges at the back, offering you a good grip on the phone.
MagSafe, for those of you who don’t know, is Apple’s proprietary standard of wireless power transfer and accessory attachment. The MagSafe compatible cases mentioned in this particular collection come with built-in magnets to seamlessly interact with MagSafe accessories.
The Caseology Parallax Mag case comes with integrated magnets and is compatible with all MagSafe accessories. It comes with a 3D Hexa Cube design for a unique look and feel, and it's also certified with military-grade protection.
The Spigen Mag Armor is a magnet-integrated shock absorption TPU case for the iPhone 14. It comes with raised lips to protect the display and the camera too, which is great.
The OtterBox DEFENDER XT CLEAR is a relatively thin clear case that offers military standard protection for the iPhone 14. It also comes with built-in magnets to interact with MagSafe accessories.
If you don’t want to add too much bulk to your device in the name of protection, then you should consider buying one of the thin cases mentioned below:
The Ringke Air Slim is one of the thinnest cases you can buy for the iPhone 14. It's a TPU case that also lets you show off the color of your shiny new device.
The Spigen Thin fit is perhaps one of the most popular cases on the market. This particular case doesn't add too much bulk to the device and it's available in a bunch of different colors too.
This iPhone 14 case from totallee is a simple thin case that's made out of Polypropylene material. It doesn't add too much bulk to your phone and it's also available in a bunch of different colors to choose from.
Rugged cases are perfect for those who have an active lifestyle. If you’re looking for something a little bit more protective than the basic silicone and thin cases, then consider buying one of the options mentioned below:
The SUPCASE UB Pro is one of the best heavy-duty rugged cases on the market. It comes with a built-in screen protector, a detachable swiveling belt clip, and a kickstand that makes it a very versatile case for the iPhone 14.
The iBlason Armorbox, as you can see, is a full-body rugged case that's meant to protect your iPhone 14 from all sides. It comes with a built-in screen protector, a kickstand, and even a holster clip.
The Elago Armor is one of the cleanest and most minimal-looking rugged cases on the market. It comes with a shockproof hard bumper and an air layer inside to protect your iPhone 14 drops and bumps.
Urban Armor Gear is known for its rugged smartphone cases, so we had to add its protective case for the iPhone 14 to this list. It's a relatively slim and lightweight shockproof and drop-proof case that's available in a bunch of different colors.
Kickstand cases come with a built-in contraption that lets you set up a phone on the desk or any other flat surface and use it hands-free. There’s no shortage of kickstand cases on the market, but we’ve picked some of the best options out there.
The ESR Classic kickstand case is a minimal case that's perfect for those who want to use their phone hands-free. It comes with a built-in camera ring stand with which you can easily set it up on a surface.
If you're looking to buy a simple rugged case that doesn't add too much bulk to your phone, then this Poetic case is a great option. It also comes with a kickstand with which you can set the phone on a surface.
The Spigen Ultra Hybrid S is a simple clear TPU case that comes with an integrated metal kickstand. It also has raised lips to protect the display and the camera lens.
Wallet cases are extremely popular on the market right now and rightfully so. They add a little bit of bulk to your device but they protect your phone and also let you store things like your credit cards, some cash, and more.
Raptic Urban Folio is an excellent option to consider if you want a wallet case for your iPhone 14. It comes with a double magnetic clasp to create a secure enclosure for your phone, cards, and more.
The Simtect wallet for the iPhone 14 is a full-fledged zipper wallet that you can carry around. It comes with a leather strap and looks like a fashion accessory.
The Caseology Nano Pop is a leather card wallet that can magnetically attach to one of the MagSafe compatible cases that we've mentioned above. It's available in a bunch of different colors and works well with all MagSafe-compatible iPhones.
This particular TORRO case is made out of genuine leather and it comes with space to store your cards. It also doubles up as a kickstand case, which is a neat addition.
Stylish cases are worth considering if you want to add a touch of style or color to your smartphone. The iPhone 14 is available in a bunch of fun colors, but you can always cover it up with a stylish case if you don’t like the finish on your device.
The CYRILL Cecile Mag comes with a beautiful floral design to nicely compliment the color of your device. It's also MagSafe compatible, meaning it'll work with all the official MagSafe accessories out there.
The CYRILL Classic Charm Mag is one of the stylish cases out there for the iPhone 14. It's made out of premium vegan leather, comes with a built-in strap, and it's MagSafe-compatible too.
The Case Mate Twinkle, as you can see, is a stylish case that's sure to turn some heads. You can get this particular case with other finishes too if you don't like this Stardust look.
Apple always brings new cases to go along with its new iPhones and it’s no different this year. The iPhone 14 has a bunch of official cases from Apple that you may want to check out before exploring other options. These cases tend to be a bit more expensive than a lot of other options mentioned in this collection, but they’re amongst the best you can find on the market.
The official leather case from Apple is one of the best cases you can buy for the new iPhone 14. It comes in a bunch of different colors and is also MagSafe-compatible, which is great.
Apple's official Silicone case for the iPhone 14 is made out of a soft-touch material that looks very clean and minimal. It's available in a bunch of different colors and is MagSafe-compatible.
Apple's Clear case for the iPhone 14 is a simple transparent case that's designed to showcase the color of your device. This one is also MagSafe-compatible, so it'll work with all the MagSafe accessories.
We’ve highlighted a lot of great cases, but we’ll continue to keep an eye on the market for new listings. In the meantime, you can also take a look at our collection of the best chargers and accessories to see if you can grab something to further improve your overall experience.
Apple's new iPhone 14 is now up for grabs from various retailers and carriers like AT&T. The regular iPhone 14 may not be the most exciting iPhone this year, but it's the default and a reliable option for most users.
Apple’s new iPhone 14 may not be the most exciting iPhone on the market right now, but it’s a reliable phone that’ll set you up well for many years to come. It’s not as expensive as the Pro models but you can always get some good deals for it online to bring down the price further.
So which iPhone 14 case are you planning to buy? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.
Google’s long-rumored Pixel Watch is finally official, and it’s coming this fall alongside the new Pixel 7 series phones. The company unveiled the Pixel Watch during the I/O Developer keynote on May 11, giving us our first official look at the watch that someone left at a restaurant earlier this year. The Pixel Watch is arriving after years of supposed leaks, rumors, delays, and cancellations. So without any further buildup, let’s put together everything we know about the Google Pixel Watch in one place to see how it’s shaping up.
Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that we’re also including leaks and rumors in this article in addition to the official info that’s already out there. Not everything that you’re about to read is official unless mentioned otherwise. We’ll add more details to this page over time as we get closer to the launch day, so keep your eyes peeled.
Word on the street is that the Pixel Watch will retail for a starting price of $349.99. The cellular model is said to carry a $399.99 price tag, putting it in the same league as some other popular smartwatches on the market including the Apple Watch Series 8, the Galaxy Watch 5, and more. There’s no official confirmation on this just yet, so we’ll have to wait for the announcement to see if that will be the case. Google also appears to be cooking as many as three Pixel Watch models with different connectivity options. According to the FCC website, one of the models offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, while the others have LTE support as well.
Google has confirmed that it’s hosting an event in New York on October 6 to showcase its new hardware. It makes complete sense to bring both the watch and the new phones to the market together, so we expect the Pixel Watch to go on sale alongside the Pixel smartphones. However, it remains to be seen if the Pixel Watch will be available to purchase in all major markets worldwide. Google has a habit of limiting its Pixel phones to only a handful of markets, although that could change with the Pixel Watch.
Google Pixel Watch: Specifications
We didn’t get to hear a whole lot about the Pixel Watch in terms of the specs. Google is saving those details for the launch later in the fall. Some early reports suggest that the Pixel Watch may pack the Exynos 9110, a relatively old chipset, along with 1.5GB of memory and 32GB of storage. The Exynos 9110 is built on a 10nm process, packing two Cortex-A53 cores. It’s more efficient than Qualcomm’s latest chipset for wearables, which means it could pair nicely with the rumored 300 mAh battery. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus, however, isn’t exactly a benchmark for comparison.
The Pixel Watch needs to be better than Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 or even the rumored Galaxy Watch 5, which is expected to launch sometime before Google’s offering. The Galaxy Watch 5 is said to pack at minimum, an Exynos W920, which is likely to beat the Exynos 9110. All this is just speculation for now, and it’s best to reserve our judgments for later. It is worth mentioning that the FCC listing says the Pixel Watch will have a USB-C charging cable. It’s said to come with the same magnetic charging puck that we have seen on the Galaxy Watch 4 and other watches, with a USB-C port on the other end of the cable. As for the battery life, it looks like the Pixel Watch will have single-day battery life. It’s an estimate that Google is said to have made internally, although it remains to be seen whether or not it accounts for an always-on display and sleep tracking feature.
Google didn’t tell us much about the Watch during the I/O 2022 keynote. It’s probably for the best because the watch itself isn’t going to ship before the fall. We’ll update this section with a fully fleshed-out specifications table once we have enough information to fill it up.
Google Pixel Watch: Design
Google has already given us our first official look at its upcoming smartwatch during the I/O 2022 keynote, leaving nothing about the design to our imagination. There have also been numerous leaks leading up to the keynote, so it’s safe to assume that we have a very good idea of what the Pixel Watch looks like. It has a circular face that almost looks like it’s floating above the bands. Google calls it a “domed” design on its website. You can also see a button on the right side of the device along with the crown for navigating through the UI.
In terms of the color options, it looks like the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth model will be available in a Black case/Obsidian band, Silver/Chalk, and Gold/Hazel combinations. The LTE models, on the other hand, are said to be available in Black/Obsidian, Silver/Charcoal, and Gold/Hazel combinations. Google hasn’t revealed if it’s using aluminum or steel, but we may see both options. We suspect the Pixel Watch also uses proprietary bands, meaning you might not be able to use standard watch bands. The bands we’ve so far in the renders appear to be using high-quality rubber material, but we expect Google to actively release new ones for the watch.
As you can probably tell, the round display of the watch seems to have big bezels. You can see them only in some of the renders because Google has done a pretty good job of masking them by using a clock face with dark background in almost all of its press renders. Here’s a GIF image in which you can gauge the size of those bezels. Google didn’t tell us the size of the display, nor about the different sizes of the Pixel Watch.
Google Pixel Watch: Software
According to Google’s Rick Osterloh, the Pixel Watch will come with an improved UI. It’s likely to have fluid animations and support a smarter way to interact with incoming notifications. Notably, the Pixel Watch will also have support for Google Assistant with which you’ll be able to get things done with your voice. It remains to be seen how helpful Google Assistant will be. An LTE-enabled version of the Pixel Watch was also shown running Google Maps on the stage during the keynote. We expect a lot of similar features to take advantage of the LTE connection to help you manage things better when you’re out and about without your phone.
A lot of the Wear OS features supported by the Pixel Watch are still under the wraps but we expect to learn more about them in the coming weeks and months, leading up to the official release. We suggest you take a look at our Wear OS 3 review to learn more about the features in detail, although the Pixel Watch experience could be fairly different from Samsung’s approach on the Galaxy Watch 4 series.
Google’s Pixel Watch is also expected to have a strong footing in the health and fitness department. We don’t know much about the sensors at play here, but Google says this is going to be a great wearable for fitness tracking. This could be the watch that brings Fitbit’s class-leading tracking features to the mainstream market. We’ll also see the new Health Connect API playing a huge role in creating a vast ecosystem of products that work in tandem to bring rich experiences.
Google Pixel Watch: Wishlist
We’ve been hearing about Google’s first smartwatch ever since it rebranded Android Wear to Wear OS, so it’s safe to say that our expectations are set. Here’s our wishlist for the Google Pixel Watch:
Long-lasting battery
This one’s certainly on top of our Pixel Watch wishlist for some obvious reasons. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, for instance, can last you more than a day on a single charge. We expect the Pixel Watch to offer something along those lines or possibly even better. Being able to use the watch for more than a day with all the useful features would be great. We doubt if the rumored 300 mAh battery will be enough to pull it off, though. Continuing on the topic of battery, it would also be nice to have support for a universal charging method. We hope it uses Qi wireless charging and is also compatible with the Pixel Stand accessory.
Assistant voice typing
Google has confirmed that the Pixel Watch will be getting the Google Assistant when it comes out later this year. More than that, we want to see the Assistant voice typing feature on the Pixel Watch. Voice dictation is better — and smarter — than ever on the Pixel 6 and it works flawlessly. Having that killer feature would make the Pixel Watch that much better for responding to messages and emails without having to reach the phone. It could very well be the main reason why many would purchase the watch.
Sizable onboard storage
If you are someone who likes to download music, podcasts, and a lot of apps on your watch, then you’d probably need more storage than an average user. The Pixel Watch will likely have 32GB of onboard storage, which we think should be enough for all your needs. It’s higher than the Galaxy Watch 4’s 16GB of onboard storage and we think it should be enough to store large playlists of high-quality content, and other apps too.
Pixel feature drops for the Watch
There’s no doubt the Pixel Watch will have a ton of awesome features at launch. But we won’t stand against the idea of getting feature drops for the Pixel Watch, like the Pixel phones. Regular OTA updates with new features will certainly make the Pixel Watch better than the barrage of wearables out there. It may sound like wishful thinking considering this is Google’s first smartwatch, but the company also seems to have taken its sweet time to bring this watch to the market.
Google Pixel Watch “Sports Edition”?
The Pixel Watch is likely to have a lot of fitness tracking features. This is where we expect Google to turn to Fitbit’s expertise to deliver a quality health and fitness-focused smartwatch. But how about a dedicated sports edition watch for fitness enthusiasts? Perhaps a variant with a different strap design and more tracking features.
Well, that brings us to the end of our wishlist and also this article, for now. As we mentioned earlier, we’ll continue to update this page with fresh information as they become available to us. In the meantime, be sure to let us know what you’re looking forward to the most about the upcoming Pixel Watch. Also, drop a line in the comments below if you have an interesting addition to the Pixel Watch wishlist.
Apple has announced that it will be jacking up prices of apps and in-app purchases on the App Store in certain regions starting next month. The price increase will affect users in Chile, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, Vietnam, and “all territories that use the euro currency.”
In a notice to app developers, Apple revealed that the price change would go into effect as early as October 5, and the company will adopt a new price tier chart for all paid apps and in-app purchases on the platform. However, auto-renewable subscriptions will continue at the current prices.
While Apple has not provided any reasoning for this change, some speculate that it could be related to the recent drop in the exchange rate of local currencies against the dollar.
In Vietnam, the price change also takes new tax regulations into account. The company notes that the price increase reflects “new regulations for Apple to collect and remit applicable taxes, being value added tax (VAT) and corporate income tax (CIT) at 5% rates respectively.”
Apple has also shared an updated price tier chart for all affected regions, which details the price increase in all countries that use the Euro as the currency. As per the chart, apps and in-app purchases previously priced at €0.99 will cost €1.19 following the change. The highest tier, which previously cost €999, will increase to €1,199.
As mentioned earlier, the price change will not affect auto-renewable subscriptions, and developers will have the option to keep subscription prices the same for current subscribers. However, developers can increase the subscription prices at any time in App Store Connect.
It’s worth mentioning that Apple is also planning to introduce new ads to the App Store later this year. As per recent reports, the company plans to implement new ad placements by the holiday season.
