Huawei's Honor 6X is officially getting Nougat and EMUI 5.0 next month

Huawei's Honor 6X disappointingly launched running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and the company's old EMUI 4.1 skin on top of that. So naturally, ever since its introduction we've been wondering when it will finally receive the update to Android 7.0 Nougat and EMUI 5.0. At its international launch event at CES last month, the Chinese company only said that the 6X would get Nougat at some time during the second quarter of the year. Then a purported time frame leak from China talked about the Honor 6X tasting Nougat in May, which is right in the middle of Q2. However, we have some unexpectedly...

Google Assistant will arrive on on the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X soon, rumor says

One of the unique selling points for Google's Pixel and Pixel XL has so far been the integrated Google Assistant. The more conversational virtual assistant offers a more polished experience when talking to it compared to past iterations that weren't called Assistant. Despite that, the Assistant's capabilities are still more limited in certain areas than what Google Now used to provide, but that doesn't mean people don't want it on their non-Pixel Android devices. The LG G6 may be the first such smartphone to get the Google Assistant built-in, but apparently it won't be the last. A new...

HTC One M9 is now receiving Android Nougat in Europe, Turkey, and South Africa

The HTC 10 has had its fair share of problems regarding the update to Android Nougat in Europe, with the rollout starting, then being halted, then starting again only for it to be paused once more last month. At the moment it's still in that state, unfortunately. There is however some good news out of HTC for that region today, as the company has announced that the Nougat update for the One M9 is now going out. This is headed to devices that were purchased from mainland Europe, Turkey, and South Africa, with more countries and regions to follow soon. As you may know, unlocked units...

Outlook for iOS now supports add-ins, they're coming to Android soon

Microsoft's mobile apps for Outlook have turned two years old, and the company is celebrating by adding some new functionality to them. Starting with the latest version, Outlook for iOS now supports add-ins (which is what Microsoft likes to call extensions). Add-ins have been working on the web and in the Outlook apps for Windows and Mac for a while now, and they're finally coming to your mobile device. For the moment, only if it runs iOS, but the Android version of Outlook is said to be graced with the add-ins "soon". If you have the newest Outlook version on your iPhone or iPad,...

YouTube for iOS gets lockscreen controls for Chromecast

Google has released an update for the iOS version of the YouTube app which brings a useful feature for Chromecast users. Users who cast YouTube videos from their iOS device to their Chromecast, smart TVs, game consoles, etc. will now be able to control playback from the lockscreen as well as the Control Center. Previously, the only way to control playback on YouTube while casting on iOS was through the app itself. This update should let you do it while being in other apps or even when the phone is locked. Furthermore, you will also be able to control playback from an Apple Watch if...

Viber introduces Secret Messages

Messaging platform Viber introduced a new feature called Secret Messages. It allows you to set a self-destruct timer for your messages. It works pretty simple - you take a photo and if you think it shouldn't stay forever, you tap on the clock and decide how many seconds should the picture be alive. It sounds a lot like Snapchat - once the other person sees the picture, it's gone forever. There's no backsies or several previews like in Instagram Stories or Messenger's My Day. When you post the picture at first it's blurry to you and the other side and when it's opened and previewed...

You could soon be able to delete a WhatsApp text

WhatsApp is testing a few features on Android (possibly on other platforms too) to let you cancel a text that hasn't been received yet, share your real-time location with chat friends and even a Snapchat-like disappearing post. According to beta testers a new Revoke option will let you cancel the sending of a message if it hasn't been received or has been delivered but the other person hasn't looked at it yet. WhatsApp features in testing The other feature in testing is real-time location sharing. We've already reported on it a few days ago. If enabled you'll be able to share...

Teardown shows the Honor 6X' internals, in a controlled fashion this time

The popular midrange Huawei Honor 6X was subjected to a torture test yesterday, and it's fair to say that it failed - a scratch-prone display is one thing, but the fact that the handset pretty much snapped in two when bent by hand raises some valid durability concerns. If you want to be able to keep using your Honor 6X after finding out what's inside, this here teardown will help you with that task. A set of guitar picks and a couple of screwdrivers will go a long way towards achieving that goal. The teardown reveals the step by step procedure for disassembly and names key components....

Motorola delays Nougat update in Germany

Some bad news for Motorola owners were delivered by the German branch of the company. Two of the Moto handsets face delays on their Nougat updates. The company successfully launched the Moto Z upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat two days ago. Not two days later it said that Moto X update will have to wait until May. Moto X Play, Moto X Style and Moto X Force were all in the waiting line but it appears some last-minute issues have pushed back the rollout. Leider verzögert sich das Rollout des Android 7 Updates für die Moto X Serie voraussichtlich bis Mai. Wir bitten um eure Geduld.—...

Pokemon Go breezes past $1 billion in revenue, but the future may be bleak

From zero to a billion in less than seven months - Pokemon Go just became the fastest game to reach $1 billion in revenue. It was at $950 million in mid-January. And Pokemon is still expanding - just a week ago it landed in South Korea. The news of reaching the "billion with a B" milestone comes from analyst firm Sensor Tower (the previous report was by App Annie). The monster-collecting game easily outpaced the popular Clash Royale ($550M in seven months). Still, profits may be tapering off - according to the analysts, Go is now making only (only.) $1.5 to $2.5 million a day, way...

Smartwatch shipments up 1% in 2016, Apple Watch with a strong lead

Market analysts from Strategy Analytics have published a report detailing the state of the smartwatch market, and the numbers in there will surprise you. Not really, though. The total number of smartwatches shipped in the entire 2016 has grown to 21.1 million, though 'grown' is only technically correct - the figure represents a barely detectable 1.4% increase over the previous year's 20.8 million units. The firm's analysis estimates that Apple has shipped 11.6 million Apple Watches in 2016, or 55% of the total number of units. Samsung's a distant second with 2.4 million units...

Xiaomi Mi 5c photographed, it fits Snapdragon 625 inside a premium body

Xiaomi likes to upgrade its flagship with an "s" version and then put out a more affordable "c" version. With the Mi 5s out of the way, the spotlight will soon turn to the Xiaomi Mi 5c. The 3C certification from China gives us all the juicy details, but the photos help too. The 5c has a metal back like the 5s, but without the brushed finish. The phone still looks mightily attractive and will cost less than the already very affordable flagship it mimics. Xiaomi Mi 5c photographed in the wild You get a power-efficient 14nm Snapdragon 625 with 3GB of RAM and 64GB storage, running...

Apple developing low-power ARM chip for the Mac

Apple is currently working on an ARM-powered chipset for its Mac, according to sources at Bloomberg, The new chipset will run alongside the existing Intel processors to handle low-power tasks. According to Bloomberg, the new chipset will handle tasks such as Power Nap, a feature of macOS that allows the computer to perform tasks such as checking for emails and software updates when the computer is sleeping. Relegating these tasks to the new chipset will provide more savings on the power front. Last year Apple announced the new MacBook Pro with TouchBar, which features the...

AT&T to deploy 5G evolution networks in two cities

AT&T announced it will start rolling out 5G networks, the company announced at an event in San Francisco. The carrier is calling the network "5G Evolution" and says speeds will top 400 Mbps, which is way less than the 1Gbps that real 5G should deliver, but is still faster than regular LTE. The company also says that 5G connectivity is going to reach 1Gbps in theoretical top speeds, which will put mobile connection on par with fiber internet. It calls its network Indigo because the idea is to use software advancements to make existing hardware more capable and costs of upgrades...

Android 7.1.2 beta adds swipe down gesture to Nexus 5X fingerprint reader

Android Nougat 7.1.2 has been out for a few days now and is already seeding to most compatible devices. The Nexus 5X is still on the waiting list for the beta, but it should be coming shortly as well. Android 7.1.2 beta The update itself was thought to be rather small and light, however, the Nexus 5X did receive an unexpected new feature that the Nexus 6P will likely get too. It is the convenient swipe gesture for the fingerprint reader. Just like on a Pixel, it can now be used to bring down the notification shade, without having to reach all the way up to the top edge of the...

LG trademarks 'G6 Compact', 'G6 Lite' and others

LG has filed trademark applications for the names LG G6 Compact, G6 Lite and a number of others. This isn't that unusual - last year we had the G5 ‘Lite', later redubbed LG G5 SE. The ‘Compact' model is a bit of a surprise, though. LG did make the V34, a V20 mini of sorts, but that was exclusive to Japan so don't count on worldwide availability. Still, unlike the SE model, this brought the full power of the flagship into a compact form factor, something the Android world desperately needs. The company also filed for several other names - G6 Hybrid, G6 Fit, G6 Sense, G6 Young, G6...

Tizen 4.0 incoming with support for Microsoft's .NET

Samsung's Tizen OS is heading towards Version 4.0 and it will debut .NET integration. This will enable more developers to jump on the platform since it can bring over developers from the Microsoft camp (.NET is a Microsoft technology similar to Java and was used in Windows, both desktop and mobile). Tizen 4.0 Preview 3 will launch next month and a near-final version should come out in September. This will support both ARM and x86 processors. .NET Standard 2.0 with Xamarin.Forms 2.5.0 (or higher) can be used (this is a GUI toolkit that works on anything from a Mac to a Tizen...

Motorola Moto G5 to go on sale right after MWC

The Motorola Moto G5 has already cleared the US FCC and is expected to be made official at this year MWC along with the Moto G5 Plus. And now we learn its market launch could happen shortly after the unveiling. Popular tipster Roland Quandt revealed this information on Twitter: Motorola Moto G5 will be in retail shortly after MWC launch it seems - this coming from a UK retailer. http://pic.twitter.com/Dcg3tVDDn1— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 1, 2017 The tweet also contained an image revealing gold and grey color options for the device, as well as its memory configuration: 2GB RAM...

Samsung Gear IconX drops to $145 in US

If are in the market for wireless headphones, you probably know the Gear IconX. The pulse meter-enabled headphones are currently going for $145 in the US. Amazon has the accessory listed on its website for that price, whichtranslates into a discount of around $55 as the tech giant is officially selling the headphones for $199.99 in the US. No information on when the deal ends. Source

Samsung Galaxy TabPro S2 appears in Bluetooth SIG docs

A Samsung device carrying a model number of SM-W727V was recently spotted on the website of the WiFi Alliance. Reports said the device is the successor to the company's first Windows 10-powered hybrid tablet, the Galaxy TabPro S. Now, the same device has been certified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), indicating an imminent launch. Rumors say the device is powered by latest Intel Core M series processor and sports a 12-inch Super AMOLED (2160×1440 pixel resolution) display. It is expected to be made official during this year's MWC, where the Galaxy Tab S3 is confirmed...

Verizon rolling January security patch to Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note5

Verizon has started pushing out a new update to Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge+, S6 edge, and Note5 units on its network. Arriving as build version G920VVRS4CQA3, G928VVRS3BQA1, G925VVRS4CQA3, and N920VVRS3BQA1, respectively, the update brings Android security fixes for January. No other changes are included in the update - at least that's what the respective software update pages on the carrier's website say. As is usually the case with OTA roll outs, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your device. You can manually check for the update by heading to your...

Mysterious Sony Xperia smartphone receives Bluetooth certification

A mysterious Sony smartphone has received Bluetooth certification from the Bluetooth SIG. Dated January 31, the listing doesn't reveal much about the device, except that it carries the model number of PRO20161112 and features Bluetooth 4.1. There's no information on the device's pricing, as well as whether or not it will be made official during this year's MWC. Speaking of MWC, the Japanese company is rumored to unveil as many as 5 smartphones at the event, including a Snapdragon 835 flagship with 4K screen. Source

Sony updates Xperia X, XZ, X Performance, and X Compact with February security patch

Sony has already pushed Google's February security bulletin to its Xperia X family of devices and the first day of the month is barely over. The Xperia X, XZ, X Compact, and X Performance are all getting the latest security patches from Google. Sony Xperia XZ The Xperia X and X Compact are getting build number 24.2.A.0.311 while the Xperia XZ and X Performance are getting build number 39.2.A.0.417. Sony has been on top of its update game when it comes to its leading smartphone models. We hope other manufacturers would see Sony as an example when it comes to software...

Nougat update for Moto Z Play units in Germany has been delayed till next month

A few days ago, Motorola Germany announced in a tweet that the Nougat update for the company's Moto Z family of devices is now available in the country. So it was reasonable to assume that the update has started hitting all three phones in the series, including the Moto Z, Moto Z Force, and Moto Z Play. However, turns out that's not the case, as the Moto Z Play hasn't started receiving the update. This is despite the company promising a few weeks back that the device will be updated to Nougat towards January end. Motorola Germany has now revealed that the update has been delayed, and...

New Samsung Galaxy A (2017) series phones launching in Indonesia this week

The new Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017), A5 (2017), and A7 (2017) smartphones, that were made official early last month and went on sale a couple of weeks later, will be available to purchase in Indonesia this week. This was revealed by Samsung's Indonesian subsidiary on its social media channels. There's currently no word on how much the devices will cost in the country. The handsets were first launched in Russia where they carry a price tag of RUB 22,990 (around $386), RUB 27,990 (around $470), and RUB 32,990 (around $555), respectively. Source