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All New Android phones will now have at least 2GB RAM

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Sriram
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Image Credit:en.wikipedia.org

Android has been one of the most used operating systems globally, and due to this, Google is constantly trying to update and improve the OS to improve the performance on the device. However, sometimes the device configuration makes it very hard for the company to improve the performance by simply providing software updates. Therefore, Google has announced that from now on, every Android phone needs to have at least 2GB of RAM on the phone, and it will be a mandate globally.

The decision was expected as Android’s software requirement is constantly increasing, and so is the hardware requirement. Therefore, smartphones that cost less RAM will never work in the future. Also, since premium smartphones are coming up to 12GB of RAM, expecting at least 2GB RAM in an Android smartphone is easily possible. 

The decision will help make the Android ecosystem more easily accessible in terms of performance, especially for people using entry-level smartphones. Starting Q4 of 2020, every entry-level phone on Android, running the OS version 10 and 11, needs to have at least 2GB of RAM. However, smartphones with less than 2GB of RAM will only run Android Go as the operating system. Due to this, the company has also decided that the Android Go phones will have at least 1GB of RAM.

This mandatory change is going to bring a big improvement for people using entry-level smartphones. It will improve the performance on these smartphones and lead the user to try various other android features, which they were unable to use earlier. Users can also expect to see a lot more Android Go devices with up to 2GB RAM as well.  

Netflix might come with a new streaming plan in India

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Sriram
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Image Credit: Popsci.com

Netflix is one of the best and the most popular streaming apps in India, with more users on its platform than all others combined. Currently, Netflix works on India’s subscription plan, where the user has to pay a monthly amount based on the plan they have selected. It has recently been found that Netflix might be working on a new subscription plan, specifically for India, where the focus will be on smartphones and laptops. Currently, Netflix is the most widely used app on the mobile platform, adding the same for Laptop, will not only increase the user base but will also give the users a chance to upgrade their plan and view it on the bigger screen. 

The details reveal that the new plan will be called Mobile Plus, which will provide HD quality content to the user, with computers as permitted devices along with their smartphones. The plan’s expected price can be Rs349 per month, which seems to be cheaper than the lower quality basic tier.

The same details were spotted by AndroidPure (via TechCrunch), where the plan would provide a maximum streaming quality of 720p resolution. Although it does provide users with an additional option, it is still higher in cost when compared to the other streaming services in India.  Disney Plus Hotstar’s Premium tier comes in at Rs 299/month, which is lower than Netflix’s Mobile+ tier. 

Also, Amazon Prime Video is the lowest in price at Rs 129 per month compared to Netflix. Netflix has over 200 million users in the US, but they are still facing some fierce competition in the Indian Market. It will be interesting to see if Netflix comes up with the Mobile Plus plan at the same price or a discounted price for the long term. However, the company has to consider the price war if they are looking to attract new customers.

Google brings Google Lens to KaiOS

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Sriram
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Image Credit: Prixindia.com

Google Lens has been one of Google’s most interesting features, which is currently present in all Android and iOS devices. One can simply point the camera to a written text in a different language and translate it into their native language. Recently Google has announced bringing Google Lens to phones running KaiOS in India. The KiaOS phones were phones with keypad, for which Google introduced Assistant in 2017. There was a dedicated voice key provided as Voice assistant help in such phones. Now Google will also add a new Camera translate button, which will provide direct access to the Google Lens features. 

google lens assistant for kaios

The button will open the camera lens, where the user will be prompted to picture the text. Once the user confirms the cropped image, Google will automatically translate it into a language you understand. The translation feature for KaiOS also provides a lot of Indian languages to choose from, such as Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, or Tamil, with Kannada and Gujarati, many of which will be coming soon.

The feature of Google Lens is now made available for KaiOS, where the core functionality remains the same, but the interface and a lot of other elements have been customized for the OS. Google has already added many other features to phones running on KaiOS, such as voice-enabled typing, voice-enabled language change, and other features like Google Maps and Youtube. 

Google has also partnered with Jio in India to bring affordable smartphones in India, based on the Android platform. They are creating new features that will remove any kind of boundaries people are facing due to language. With many users still using phones with keypads, it is essential to add services like Google Lens so that language becomes more accessible to everyone.

CERT-In asks Google Chrome users to update the browser to avoid vulnerabilities

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Sriram
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Image Credit: ZDnet.com

Google Chrome is one of the best web browsers and has been very popular among users. However, the browser had its issues, which were also highlighted by CERT-In in the past. This time, CERT-In has asked the Google users to update their Chrome browser immediately to the latest version to prevent any hacking or similar problems. The update will help to avoid the use of user data through the browser.

If the users are using the version before Google Chrome version 84.0.4147.89, they need to update the browser immediately. It has been found that the older version of the Google Chrome browser had many vulnerabilities with high severity, which could lead to data leaks and issues with privacy. Not updating the browser can lead to remote attacks in executing arbitrary code, bypassing security restrictions, accessing sensitive information, conducting spoofing attacks, and denying services (DoS) on the target systems. 

As per CERT-In, the reason for these loopholes in Chrome is due to the heap buffer flow, side-channel information leakage, type confusion, and an inappropriate implementation in WebRTC, among others. They have also mentioned that the issues can be found in some of the Google Chrome extensions, which were caught capturing sensitive user data. The users are suggested to check the Google extensions page to check out if any of the installed extensions are marked as malicious. These extensions can take screenshots, save sensitive information, and capture passwords and other information using keystrokes. 

Xiaomi is going to release MIUI 12 update to 23 devices

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Sriram
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Image credit: notebookcheck.net

Xiaomi was working on a new update of MIUI 12 for a while and has released the name of 23 devices, which will receive the UI update in August 2020. The update will be sent on 17 Redmi smartphones, including the latest Redmi Note9 and eight series. The update will also be rolled out on the POCO F2 pro and POCO F1. Xiaomi provided the details of the update on the Indonesian version of the MIUI.com website.

MIUI 12 release schedule
miui.com

The updates are said to start rolling out in August and be available to all the selected smartphones in batches. The rollout of the update is expected to be global for all the Xiaomi devices. The most impressive thing is that the company has also added their older devices such as Redmi 6 to the update list, which is currently running Android 8.1. Below mentioned is the list of all the devices that will receive the update.

  • Mi 10
  • Mi Note 10
  • Mi Note 10 Pro
  • Mi 8 Lite
  • POCO F2 Pro
  • Pocophone F1
  • Redmi Note 9
  • Redmi Note 9 Pro
  • Redmi Note 8 Pro
  • Redmi Note 8
  • Redmi Note 7
  • Redmi Note 6 Pro
  • Redmi Note 5
  • Redmi 9
  • Redmi 8
  • Redmi 8A
  • Redmi 8A Pro
  • Redmi 7
  • Redmi 7A
  • Redmi 6A
  • Redmi 6
  • Redmi 6 Pro
  • Redmi S2

The update will bring along Xiaomi’s Super Wallpapers on two devices: Mi 10 and POCO F2 Pro. Xiaomi also states that it will be bringing animation icons to just the Mi 10, POCO F2 Pro, Pocophone F1, and Redmi Note 8 Pro. Apart from this, the update will also bring a lot of better graphics transitions and features to the UI. MIUI 12 is said to provide many new features to different devices, based on when they were released and configuration.

Sales hit the ground for US smartphone manufacturers in Q2

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Sriram
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Image Credit: Techcrunch.com

Many mobile device manufacturers have recently revealed their sales numbers for the quarter, and the result was not up to the expectation. The same drop was also noticed among the US smartphone manufacturers in Q2 with a huge drop in sales, especially for OnePlus and Motorola. The companies did expect to see a drop in sales amid the lockdown due to Pandemic and many economies’ slowdown. However, the actual drop in sales was away more than what was expected by the companies.

Every major smartphone company has taken a brutal hit and has suffered huge losses due to a lack of sales. Companies like OnePlus, Motorola, and LG have taken the worst hit during this period, while Apple and Samsung have also seen a major drop in their sales, but significantly less than others.

Total US Smartphone Sales

The data was provided by Counterpoint, showing a huge drop in sales of smartphones in the US from mid-March to April, as the country was going through lockdown, with every store closed. However, the company claims that smartphone sales have started increasing slowly since May and might be back on track in months.

The number seemed to be very bad for smartphone manufacturers in Q2 as Samsung saw 38% fewer activation of the smartphone, Apple numbers also went down 23%. However, the strongest hit was taken by LG, which was down by 35%, OnePlus with a drop of 60%, and Motorola with a decrease of 62%. The numbers were taken down the Q2 in a bad way.

However, the companies are very positive for the coming months as the business has started to gain pace again. The companies are all set to launch new devices to the market as business is returning to normal, and most of the online and offline stores are already open for business and sales.

OnePlus Nord is finally launched

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Sriram
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Image Credit:Droid-life.com

OnePlus Nord was finally launched yesterday through an AR event. After being teased for a long time and rumor surfacing about its specs, the device is finally available with all details. The OnePlus Nord is one of the first affordable smartphones offered by the company for its customers. However, the specs are very similar to a mid-range premium smartphone. The device comes with hole-punch display design and has a quad-camera setup on the rear. The device is one of the few devices that has been launched with support for 5G band connectivity and provides almost 300 optimization options to the user. 

The phone was launched yesterday in India at three different price ranges and configurations. It will start at Rs. 24,999 for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, Rs. 27,999 for 8GB + 128GB storage variant and Rs. 29,999 for 12GB + 256GB storage variant. The phone’s base variant will be sold in Gray Onyx color, whereas the other models will come in two different colors, called the Blue Marble and Gray Onyx. The device will be going on sale through the Amazon E-commerce platform and the OnePlus website, starting August 4. However, users who are planning to buy the base variant will have to wait until September. Only the 8GB and 12GB variant will be sold from August 4.

However, the company did mention that the device’s pre-booking will start from July 22 through OnePlus stores and on July 28 through Amazon. The sale of the device will also be clubbed with many offers such as Rs 6000 worth benefits from Jio and Rs. 2000 discount on American Express cards. Also, OnePlus Buds, which are the first truly wireless earbuds from the company and launched alongside the handset, will be sold.

A new hack can destroy your smartphone and fast charger

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Sriram
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Image Credit: Independent.co.uk

In the field of hacks and vulnerabilities that steal sensitive data from your phone and can even wreck them, a new hack has been discovered that can corrupt your fast charger and the smartphone. The vulnerability is called BadPower and can change the firmware on your fast chargers. BadPower hack corrupts the fast charger and stops the chip’s firmware and the charging device from “agreeing” on a set voltage for the charging process. The hack is not meant to be like malware or ransomware, where the device is kept as a hostage to get money from the user. It is meant to corrupt the fast charger and physically destroy the device.

Fast charging is one of the most exclusive features in today’s smartphones, which is a mandate in every smartphone brand. Due to this, every new smartphone is coming up with fast charging technology, making it prone to new kinds of attacks and vulnerabilities. BadPower was initially reported by ZDNet, where they mentioned that the hack will hamper the set voltage for chargers and will permanently damage the smartphone. Many devices can only accept 5 volts as the safety limit, while some can accept 20 volts. Therefore, increasing the voltage will make the device burst into flames. 

As per the researcher, 35 fast chargers that they checked, 18 were vulnerable to BadPower, out of which 11 could be corrupted via digital terminals. Adding additional fuses to the chargers that support lower voltage fast charging can help avoid any fire or blast on the phone due to BadPower. As per the researcher, there is currently no resolution for the issue, but they are working to find the workaround. Apart from that, companies will have to add more elements to the charger to avoid situations where the charger can damage the device.

Data leaked for over 20 million users by VPN services

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Sriram
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VPN (Virtual Private Network) is one of the most used services on the internet and is mostly used to access the websites of other regions that are generally not accessible. However, when someone uses these services, they give the app access to their IP address and other important and critical information. Recently, VPN services like UFO VPN, Rabbit VPN, Free VPN, and four other VPN services have been found to have leaked over 1TB of user information data. The information includes user logs, API access records without any authentication. The incident started from Hong-Kong based UFO VPN, where reports indicated that the company was involved in a data leak from the start of July. 

The company already leaked the user’s personal information like plain text passwords, VPN session secrets, IP addresses, connection timestamps, geo-tags, and device and OS characteristics. Although the company did not release any statement about the leak immediately, they announced the same in the next couple of weeks. They stated that no information had been leaked, and the issue has been resolved. However, it was found that the user information of both the free and paid customers was already leaked, affecting over 20 million online users. Following UFO VPN, six other VPN services were also found doing the same thing. The revealing information about the problem was that all the six VPN applications were connected to a common developer. 

These VPN services are Fast VPN, Free VPN, Super VPN, Flash VPN, Secure VPN, and Rabbit VPN. Although these apps claim that they do not record any user information, they leaked around 1.2TB of user information. These kinds of data leaks are harmful to the user as they become open to threats like phishing and fraud, blackmail, viral attack, hacking, doxing, and other cybercrimes. With such a leak, the users need to switch to other VPN services, if they use any one of the mentioned services.

OnePlus Nord will be launched using an AR-style event

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Sriram
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Amazon

Mobile users have been eagerly waiting for the new OnePlus Nord device, which is one of the company’s first budget-oriented devices. There have been many leaks about the looks and specs of the mobile phone. However, the company is now coming out with a unique and different way of releasing it in public. OnePlus is bringing out the world’s first AR launch in which the users will not just be able to watch the launch, but will also be able to spend virtual time with the smartphone. Mobile companies are avoiding any public gathering to launch their devices and are using the digital medium to launch their products. 

OnePlus has gone one step ahead and has offered a unique way to launch and experience their product. The AR launch of the device has started making a lot of noise even before its launch. The device was already popular for being a device with high-end features like premium smartphones and being lighter on the price tag. A lot has already been leaked about the smartphone in terms of specs, and the tech it will bring in the affordable price bracket. OnePlus Nord will be the most affordable device, yet; the company has developed that. OnePlus has been known for providing a premium quality experience to its users and integrating new experiences in their smartphone devices. 

They have now extended this experience to the launch events and have started a new way of launching the events virtually, which can be seen as something other companies will surely adopt in the future. The smartphone will be launched on July 21 at 7:30 pm IST, and only those who grab the invite for the event will view the AR launch event. The user also needs to download the OnePlus Nord AR app and use the accept and scan feature to attend the event along with the invite.

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