More iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Pro Details in New Leaks

Ever since the iPhone 6, we've been hearing that Apple is looking to launch a its 4-inch iPhone, now thought to be called the iPhone SE. It is also expected to launch its flagship models, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Pro this year. We have also witnessed leaks and rumours hinting their specifications and design.

The latest set of leaks and rumours making rounds on the Internet have now indicated that the smaller iPhone SE will come with high-resolution video recording ability. A separate leaked image shows the rumoured iPhone 7 Pro handset's dual rear camera setup and the redesigned antennas, corroborating with the previous rumours.

Since Apple will be holding its special Spring event within a week, let us first talk about the rumoured iPhone SE. The 4-inch iPhone handset, which is said to launch on March 21 is tipped to feature 4K resolution video recording capabilities. The Cupertino-based tech firm is planning to tout the imaging prowess of the handset in an upcoming promotional video featuring 4K resolution scene
shot completely with the device's camera, a tipster told Apple Insider
.



The tipster added that although it is unknown when Apple plans to showcase the promotional video, the person did see company employees filming on location in New York last week. If the rumours are any indication, it would put the camera of the 4-inch iPhone at par with others in the same segment. The alleged handset was also seen in a video recently indicating that it might sport the same design like that of the iPhone 6 and later models. However, everything is just a rumour for now until Apple confirms it on March 21.
Coming to the two flagship models, rumoured to be called the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Pro, the former smartphone's alleged rear panel and chassis has leaked in images with one of them coming from Foxconn. Foxconn, for those unaware, is one of the major smartphone component manufacturer for Apple.

The image (seen above) from Foxconn (via Phonearena) shows the bottom half of the alleged chassis of the iPhone 7. The panel is seen with a redesigned antenna, something that has already been rumoured before. There are no horizontal antenna lines but the antenna bands are still visible running along the edges.
The second image (seen above) shows the full rear panel of the iPhone 7 Pro model. The panel is seen featuring a dual rear camera setup as rumoured previously, along with the redesigned antenna lines like mentioned above for the iPhone 7. The dual cameras are seen placed together inside a slightly raised capsule-like casing. Also visible is a three-dot smart connector at the bottom, which we last saw with iPad Pro tablet for connecting the Smart Keyboard. Unfortunately, the image does not show if there will be a 3.5mm headphone jack or not.

Meizu Pro 6 to Be Exclusively Powered by MediaTek Helio X25

 

There has been buzz around the upcoming Meizu Pro 6 flagship smartphone which is said to sport a massive 6GB of RAM. Now, a new report says that Meizu has opted for MediaTek's all-new Helio X25 chipset for the its Pro 6 flagship.

Gizchina reports that MediaTek at an event in China announced that the new Helio X25 was co-developed with Meizu and will be exclusive to the Pro 6 flagship initially. The exact clock speed has not been revealed but the Helio X25 chipset is likely to be an upgraded version of the Helio X20 deca-core processor.

To recall, MediaTek announced the Helio X20 processor last year and claimed it to be the 'world's first mobile processor with tri-cluster CPU architecture' and featuring 10-cores.

The tri-cluster CPU architecture consists of three processor clusters, with the company claiming that each is designed to more efficiently handle different types of workloads. The MediaTek Helio X20 packs one cluster of two ARM Cortex-A72 cores (clocked at 2.5GHz for extreme performance), and two clusters of four ARM Cortex-A53 cores (one cluster clocked at 2GHz for medium loads, one clocked at 1.4GHz for light activities).

The current report also contradicts an earlier report that said Meizu will use Samsung-made Exynos chips for its Pro 6 flagship.

Based on preliminary leaks, Meizu's upcoming flagship smartphone is likely to feature 6GB of RAM alongside a large 128GB of inbuilt storage. Rumours point to a second version of the Pro 6 as well featuring 4GB of RAM with 64GB of inbuilt storage.

Apple v FBI timeline

 

Apple and the Department of Justice are fighting over an order from a federal magistrate in California that the company must help the FBI try to get into Riverside gunman Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone by disabling a feature that would lock investigators out if they made 10 unsuccessful tries to determine the correct password.
The timeline so far:

Feb. 16   Federal magistrate Sheri Pym in California orders Apple to help the FBI try to get into Farook's iPhone by disabling a feature that would lock investigators out if they made 10 unsuccessful tries to determine the correct password.
That same day, Apple CEO Tim Cook publishes an 1,100 word response on Apple’s website, calling the request “chilling,” and “an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand,” he wrote.

Feb. 17 Privacy supports hold a rally outside the downtown San Francisco Apple store to support the company and protest against the FBI. Later in the week, rivals Google, Facebook and Twitter say they supported Apple.

Feb. 19. The Department of Justice escalates the battle with a filing that attempted to force Apple to comply with the FBI request. “Apple’s current refusal to comply with the court’s order, despite the technical feasibility of doing so, instead appears to be based on its concern for its business model and public brand marketing strategy,” the department says.
Later in the day, Apple spoke to reporters, saying the Apple ID on the phone had been changed less than 24 hours after government took possession of the device. Had that not happened, a backup of information the government was seeking may have been possible. Apple also said it had been working with the government since the initial requests came in, recommending four different ways to recover the data without building the backdoor.

Feb. 21 In comments posted on the FBI site, Director James Comey says the San Bernardino litigation "isn't about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice. Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That's what this is. The American people should expect nothing less from the FBI."

Feb. 23 Rallies held nationwide in support of Apple draw small but ardent crowds.

Feb. 25 Apple files its opposition to the court order, called an application for relief. In a call with reporters, Apple calls the software the FBI wanted it to write "government OS." The company's legal arguments were based on a rejection of a 1977 Supreme Court decision, United States v. New York Telephone. That case in turn used the All Writs Act of 1789 which gives a judge the right to order something be done even when there's no clear Congressional mandate to follow such an order.

Feb 26 Tech companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter say they will file friend of the court (amicus) briefs in support of Apple.

March 2 Apple files an appeal against the order.

March 3 A group of 17 tech companies that included the industry's biggest names file court statements backing Apple. A second coalition that grouped 15 mature tech companies with younger start-ups — including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Cisco, Microsoft, Mozilla, Snapchat, Box, Slack and Yahoo — also file in support of Apple, along with AT&T, Intel, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and 46 technologists, researchers and cryptographers.

March 10 The Justice Department files its response to Apple's appeal.

March 15  Apple responds to the government's filing. It charged that the government was attempting to force it to assist the federal government based on non-existent authority asserted by the Justice Department and that "The Founders would be appalled.''
The Future Experts expect the case to go to the Supreme Court.

Android N Features: What's New and Improved

 

Google surprised everyone on Wednesday by releasing the Android N Developer Preview significantly earlier than expected. The Android N Developer preview offers a look at new features which will be available in the next Android build including multi-window support, brand new notification shade, notification enhancements, and more.

Google however stresses that "Android N is still in active development." Dave Burke, VP of Engineering (Android), in a blog post announced the availability of developer preview and said the motive of releasing a "work in progress" build earlier in the development cycle was to give Google more time to "incorporate developer feedback."
Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Android, Chromecast, and Chrome OS at Google, in a Medium post confirmed that the company plans to "hand off" the final Android N release to device makers this summer, anticipated to be after Google I/O 2016 - which kicks off May 22. Additionally, Google is offering enthusiasts the chance to stay up-to-date with the latest pre-release builds of Android through the new Android Beta Program, which will deliver updates over-the-air.
Lockheimer said that starting Wednesday, the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, General Mobile 4G Android One, Nexus Player, Nexus 9, and Pixel C devices can update to the developer preview of N via an OTA by visiting the Android Beta Program site and enrolling themselves. Alternatively, users can flash the Android N Developer Preview factory images for the aforementioned eligible devices.
For developers, Google is also offering a $150 discount on Pixel C tablet to try out the new features on a tablet. Burke in his post added that the initial preview release is intended only for developers and is not for daily use or consumer use. The company will be updating the Android N Developer Preview system images often "during the Developer Preview program". Burke adds that as the final build release will near, Google will invite consumers to try the new Android N.
Notably, the official developer site has a timeline fixed for the Android N release and it says that the N Developer Preview will run from March 9 until the final Android N public build will be released to AOSP and OEMs, which is planned for Q3 2016.

As expected, Google will not be revealing the Android N name for now. "We're nut tellin' you yet," said Lockheimer. The SVP is almost definitely hinting at N standing for Nutella, the popular hazelnut spread, though of course, he could be purposely misdirecting users. Here are biggest changes to Android that Google has introduced with Android N.
Multi-window support
With Android N, Google is adding a much-requested multitasking feature into the OS - multi-window support. The new feature will allow users to pop open two apps on the screen at once and run them side-by-side or one-above-the-other in split screen mode. The company has also added resize option for apps which can be done by dragging the divider between them. Apart from the multi-window support, Google says that users on Android TV devices will be able to put apps in picture-in-picture mode, which will allow them to continue showing content while the user browses or interacts with other apps.

Notification enhancementsGoogle has also redesigned notifications in Android N build which will include template updates, bundled notifications, direct reply, and custom view.
With notification template update, the hero image and avatar will get more emphasis while the bundled notifications will allow system group messages together. The direct reply will allow users to communicate with apps in real-time such as responding to an SMS or text message directly within the notification pane. Google says that two new APIs has been enabled to leverage system decorations for custom views in notifications.

The Quick Settings panel has also received some tweaks that Google says makes it even "more useful and convenient." In Android N, more room has been added for additional Quick Settings tiles. Further, users will be able to control over what Quick Settings tiles should appear and where they are displayed. For changing the tiles, users can just move or add tiles just by dragging and dropping them.
Revamped DozeGoogle introduced Doze, a system mode that saved battery when the device is idle, in Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Now in Android N, Google has improved the feature to save battery while on the go. The company says that with new restrictions to apps it can save battery when carrying the devices in their pockets.
"A short time after the screen turns off while the device is on battery, Doze restricts network access and defers jobs and syncs," adds Google. It points out that on turning the screen on or plugging in the device will bring the device out of Doze automatically.
Background optimisationsIn Android N, Google has introduced Project Svelte which is an effort to optimise the way apps run in the background. The new project is focused on keep a check on background processing that needlessly consume RAM (and battery) and affect system performance for other apps.
Android N's Data SaverGoogle has introduced an all-new Data Saver mode, which will help reduce cellular data use by apps. With the new Data Saver mode, users will get more control over how apps use cellular data. Once the Data Saver mode is enabled in Settings, the system will block background data and will also signal apps to use less data "wherever possible." Users will also get an option to select specific apps to run in the background and use data even when Data Saver mode is enabled.

Number-blockingOne of the notable additions in Android N is native support for number-blocking in the platform. Google says that the new feature will apply to the default messaging app, the default phone app, and third-party provider apps can also read from and write to the blocked-number list. The company stresses that the list will not be accessed by other apps. With number-blocking added to Android N as native feature, developers can take advantage of the support across a wide range of devices. One of the biggest advantages of having the number-blocking feature in system is that blocked numbers will persist across resets and devices through the Backup & Restore feature. The company also introduced Call screening feature in Android N which will allow the default phone app to screen incoming calls.
Multi-locale support, more languages

Google in Android N will let users select multiple locales in Settings for supporting better bilingual use-cases. Apart from multi-locale support, the Android N also expands the languages available to users. Android N will offer over 25 variants each for commonly used languages such as English, Spanish, French, and Arabic while also adds partial support for over 100 new languages.
Some of the accessibility enhancements introduced with Android N includes Vision Settings directly on the Welcome screen for new device setup. The new feature will make it easier for users to configure accessibility features on their devices

 Direct boot
With Direct boot addition, Android N will improve device startup times and will allow registered apps to have limited functionality even after an unexpected reboot.
Google gives an example of a device which is encrypted and reboots while the user is sleeping, the feature will still make sure that the registered alarms, messages and incoming calls continue notify the user as normal.

"Direct boot takes advantage of file based encryption in Android N to enable fine grained encryption policies for both system and app data," adds Google.
Other new features in Android N
Some of the other changes introduced in Android N include a redesigned user interface for system Settings, which now includes a hamburger button on the left side of the screen for quickly jumping to a different option without hitting back to main menu; Android N also adds framework interfaces and platform support for OpenGL ES 3.2; new app switching feature with recent button which also doubles for split-screen option, and Night mode is now available in Android N.

Google Asking Users What 'Android N' Should Be Called

 Google has started asking people what Android N should be named via its Google Opinion Rewards app. The move is in line with what Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed in December during his India visit, saying the company may use an online poll.
Android Police reports that the Google Opinion Rewards Android app is now letting people answer few questions and win Play Store credits in return. For those unaware, the Google Opinion Rewards is an app created by Google Consumer Surveys and let's people answer quick surveys and earn Google Play credits.

The first question the app asks people is about the food that comes to mind that starts with letter "N" and the second question lists some names of "tasty treats" starting with letter N. Some the treats listed include nachos, noodles, nougat, Neapolitan ice cream, and Nori.

It's worth noting that the questions are not available to all users and regions as the app is not available in India.
Considering Google had last year confused people with a video that claimed to have included possible names of Android M. We can expect to see more of such campaigns from Google I/O 2016 - which kicks off May 22.

In separate news, Google is reportedly internally referring to its next Android version as New York Cheesecake or NYC. Android Police spotted the codename first and adds that the "nyc" naming showed up in the AOSP repository a few times. To place this in context, Google had for past Android versions used "klp" name in repository for KitKat, "lmp" for Lollipop, and "mnc" for Marshmallow, using different dessert names like Key Lime Pie internally to ostensibly misdirect speculation.
Google last week released its latest Android N Developer Preview and also introduced the Android Beta Program offering enthusiasts the chance to stay up-to-date with the latest pre-release builds of Android. Apart from the release, Google also looked determined to "hand off" the final Android N release to device makers by summer.

This New Apple Watch Band Can Tell if You're About to Get a Stroke

The Apple Watch already offers a range of health-centric features, and it is about to become even more capable. AliveCor has unveiled the Kardia Band for the Apple Watch that can detect abnormal heartbeats and warn you of an impending stroke.
Being touted as first-of-its-kind, medically-approved wristband, Kardia Band can detect any abnormal rhythm in the heart of the wearer, and instantly notify them if the beats signal a stroke possibility. The data can also be quickly shared with the wearer's doctor. The Kardia Band will be priced at around EUR 200 (roughly Rs. 15,000), and will go on sale in about two months.
A wearer will be able to tap on a sensor on the Kardia Band strap, and take an ECG reading. The Kardia Band app, which is available for Android and iPhone, works in conjunction with Apple's Health app.
"My patients significantly benefit from knowing if their ECG is normal and when they are having an AF episode," said Dr Richard Bogle, a consultant cardiologist at St Helier hospital in Surrey. "With a more complete view of what is happening with my patients between appointments, we can make better decisions."
"Kardia Band for Apple Watch represents both the future of proactive heart health and the introduction of the wearable med-tech category," said Vic Gundotra, the firm's chief executive. "These combined technologies give us the ability to deliver personal reports that provide analysis, insights and actionable advice for the patient and their doctor."
We expect many new Apple Watch bands to be unveiled at Apple's upcoming event scheduled for March 21. The company is also expected to unveil a 4-inch iPhone SE, and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

First CM13 Snapshot Builds Based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow Released

The CyanogenMod community in November last year released nightly CM13 builds based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow for select handsets. The company on Tuesday announced unveiled the first Snapshot build of CM13, based on Android 6.0.1 (r17) Marshmallow, marking the company's first non-nightly release for CM13.

The build is available for several smartphones including the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 5, Nexus 4, OnePlus One, Moto E (2015), Oppo Find 7 and 7s, Oppo R7 Plus, Xiaomi Mi 4, LG G2, Android One devices, Nexus 7 (2013) Wi-Fi and 4G versions, Nexus 9, Nexus 10 and more.
CyanogenMod has given four different update scenarios for different devices and CM build versions. It has also mentioned CM13.0 nightly users not to flash the non-nighty build as they are already on newer codebase (Android 6.0.1_r22). Flashing the non-nightly build would result in device crashes.
For readers that are unaware, nightly builds are not stable builds, and are generated/ compiled every 24 hours by developers. The builds are experimental, and while they usually contain brand new features, are usually very unstable. Snapshots builds are more stable, sufficient for general use, but not as stable as release candidate or stable builds.
The Android 6.0.1 (r17) Marshmallow-based CM13 build brings several changes including fingerprint support for accessing protected content, changes under Settings application, and more. The Settings app specially has seen numerous changes in the new build. Sections such as Status bar, Lockscreen, Sim Cards, Memory, Navigation Drawer and more have seen changes in layout and options. The complete changelog can be seen on the company's website.
Cyanogen last month announced 'Mod,' a platform that will enable app developers to integrate their apps more directly into its Cyanogen OS operating system. The company also launched a similar program for OEM and MNO partners. The software company that aims to take "Android's future away from Google's hands" said it is making many APIs available to app developers that will allow them to better leverage and position their apps on its commercial Android operating system, Cyanogen OS.