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jeudi 31 octobre 2019

Download an Android 10 custom ROM for the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2, Nokia 6.1/6.1 Plus, Nokia 7 Plus, Moto G5 Plus, and HTC One M9

Back in September, Google released the Android 10 source code and that kickstarted the custom ROM development here on XDA. Since then, we’ve seen several devices receive Android 10 based custom ROMs, including the Xiaomi Redmi 2, Moto G2015, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, HTC 10, HTC One M8, etc. Most recently, the OnePlus 3/3T, Xiaomi Mi Pad 4, Mi 6X, Huawei P Smart 2018, Galaxy A70 and Xperia XA2 Ultra received their first Android 10 based ROMs. And now, six more devices have joined the list. These include the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2, Nokia 6.1, 6.1 Plus, Nokia 7 Plus, Moto G5 Plus, and the HTC One M9.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2

One of the most popular budget devices from Asus — the ZenFone Max Pro M2 — has now received a build of SuperiorOS Phoenix based on Android 10. The AOSP-based custom ROM offers a near-stock Android experience with just the essential customization options. The ROM seems to be a stable release, however, some users have reported network issues, so I wouldn’t recommend it using on your daily driver.

SuperiorOS Phoenix for the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 XDA Forums

Nokia 6.1

HMD Global’s Nokia is known for offering a clean stock Android experience on its devices and the stock ROM on the Nokia 6.1 is no different. But if you want to experience Android like you would on a Pixel device, you can now flash the unofficial Pixel experience ROM on your phone. The Android 10 based custom ROM includes all Google apps and Pixel goodies like the Pixel launcher, wallpapers, icons, fonts, and boot animation.

Pixel Experience ROM for the Nokia 6.1

Nokia 6.1 XDA Forums

Nokia 6.1 Plus

The Nokia 6.1 Plus, or the Nokia X6 in some markets, has also received an unofficial build of the Pixel Experience ROM. Much like the build for the Nokia 6.1, this Android 10 build features all Google apps and Pixel exclusive features. While the custom ROM had some issues on its initial release, the developer has already gone ahead and addressed these issues. Flash the Pixel Experience ROM on your device by following the link below.

Pixel Experience ROM for the Nokia 6.1 Plus

Nokia 6.1 Plus XDA Forums

Nokia 7 Plus

Much like the Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus, the Nokia 7 Plus has received its first taste of Android 10 with the Pixel Experience ROM. As with the other two builds, this AOSP based custom ROM packs in all Google apps and Pixel exclusive features, including the launcher, wallpapers, icons, fonts, and boot animation. But before you go ahead and flash it on your phone, do note that you might encounter issues using Bluetooth headsets with this build.

Pixel Experience ROM for the Nokia 7 Plus

Nokia 7 Plus XDA Forums

Moto G5 Plus

The Moto G5 Plus, which is arguably the most popular device in the Moto G series, has also been upgraded to Android 10. If you still have a G5 Plus lying around, you can now flash the ArrowOS official beta based on Android 10 on your phone. The AOSP/CAF based ROM offers a clean stock Android experience, but it still has a couple of bugs that need to be ironed out. Try it out on your Moto G5 Plus by following the link below.

ArrowOS for the Moto G5 Plus

Moto G5 Plus XDA Forums

HTC One M9

It’s great to see that development for the HTC One M9, which was released back in 2015, is still on full swing. The device has now received an unofficial build of LineageOS 17.0, adding on to the vast number of devices to receive LineageOS builds based on Android 10. The current release works wonderfully, for the most part, but you won’t be able to use the FM radio if you flash it in its current state. Give your HTC One M9 a new lease of life with LineageOS 17.0 by following the link below.

LineageOS 17.0 for the HTC One M9

HTC One M9 XDA Forums

The post Download an Android 10 custom ROM for the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2, Nokia 6.1/6.1 Plus, Nokia 7 Plus, Moto G5 Plus, and HTC One M9 appeared first on xda-developers.



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Q3 2019 Earnings Report: See how major smartphone OEMs are performing

Smartphones are essential drivers of innovation in today’s world. But at the end of the day, smartphones are still business, and OEMs innovate in this field to make money. Smartphone OEMs like Google, Samsung, Huawei, LG, and Sony have posted their Earnings Reports for Q3 2019, giving us insight on how profitably and comfortably the companies stand in the smartphone business. Other OEMs like Xiaomi and Realme have also witnessed good growth, according to separate reports.

Samsung

Starting off with the most prolific Android OEM over the years, Samsung’s IT and Mobile Communications Business posted consolidated revenue of KRW 29.25 trillion ($25 billion) and operating profit of KRW 2.92 trillion ($2.5 billion) for Q3 2019. These figures are impressive as revenue for Q3 2018 was KRW 24.91 trillion ($21.3 billion) while operating profits last year were at KRW 2.22 trillion ($1.9 billion), indicating a good 31% increase in profits. This improvement in earnings were thanks to robust shipments of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, a better product mix and higher profitability in the mass-market segment. The Galaxy Note 10 specifically exceeded the performance of the Note 9, presenting double-digit growth in volume. Samsung also reduced its costs by completing the A-series lineup transition, which further improved profitability.

Other contributors to the good quarterly results were the expansion of its 5G smartphone lineup, the launch of the Galaxy Fold which represented the launch of a new form factor,

For the fourth quarter, Samsung expects mobile demands to decline YoY because of seasonal effects and “global economic uncertainties”. Still, mass-market smartphones like the A-series are expected to maintain their solid sales momentum. Profitability will be taking a dip though, as marketing costs are expected to increase for the next quarter. For 2020, Samsung forecasts increased consumer demand for 5G devices, while foldable products will also see new additions.

Alphabet/Google

Google’s parent company Alphabet announced revenues of $40.5 billion for Q3 2019, up 20% from the $33.7 billion reported for Q3 2018. Operating income for the parent company is $9.17 billion, up 23% from $8.62 billion last year, while net income stood at $7.06 billion, which is 30% lower from the $9.19 billion from last year.

I am extremely pleased with the progress we made across the board in the third quarter, from our recent advancements in search and quantum computing to our strong revenue growth driven by mobile search, YouTube and Cloud. We’re focused on providing the most helpful services to our users and partners, and we see many opportunities ahead.

Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google

Huawei

Huawei’s Q3 2019 business report does not contain as many figures, so we need to rely on other reports to figure out how the company is performing. According to Counterpoint Research’s latest report pertaining only to the Chinese market, Huawei sold 41.5 million smartphones in Q3 2019 in China alone, representing a whopping 63% YoY growth from the 25.5 million units sold last year in the same quarter. All other major smartphone players in China ended up with lower sales, indicating the confidence the Chinese market has in Huawei.

According to Canalys’s report with respect to the global smartphone market, Huawei’s growth momentum in China was echoed on the global level too, despite the trade ban. Huawei shipped 66.8 million smartphones in Q3 2019, a 29% growth over the 51.9 million smartphones shipped in Q2 2018.

The trade ban has a lot of repercussions for Huawei globally, but at least in its home market, the company continues to reign supreme. One can only wonder how everyone else’s financial results would look like if Huawei had been allowed to march forward without any impediments.

LG

LG recorded “record-breaking” third quarter revenues and operating profit, but those pertain to the entire gamut of LG’s business. On the mobile front, LG reported sales of KRW 1.52 trillion ($1.27 Billion), and an operating loss of KRW 161.2 billion ($135 million). The operating loss actually has come down YoY because of production efficiencies and cost improvements.

To provide some scale, LG’s smartphone division’s total revenues are lower than Samsung’s smartphone divisions’s operating profits.

Sony

Sony’s mobile division is struggling, which is a fact that does not surprise a lot of people. The mobile division posted operating revenue of JPY 78 billion ($719 Million) for Q3 2019, down from Q3 2018’s JPY 115 billion ($1.06 billion). We were unable to spot the figures for operating profit/loss for the mobile division by itself, but it’s everyone’s guess that the picture will not be rosy.

Xiaomi

We can adjudge Xiaomi’s performance thanks to Counterpoint Research’s latest report on the Indian market. While of course, this does not compare to the business earnings reports that we presented for other smartphone OEMs, it does give a fair idea of the position of the company in one of its key markets.

Xiaomi managed to record its highest ever shipments in Q3 2019 in terms of numbers, even though it’s market share came down YoY. This is because India as a market witnessed an expansion of 10% YoY. Xiaomi ended up selling more than 8.5 million smartphones in the Diwali sale period in India itself, with mass-market devices like the Redmi 7A, Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi Note 7S being the best performing smartphones for the brand in the context of sales.

Realme

If you see Xiaomi’s share in the Indian market declining, credit for the same goes to Realme as it continued to eat into Xiaomi’s business. Realme’s share in the Indian market grew from just 3% in Q3 2018 to 16% in Q3 2019, coming in at the cost of dipping shares of Samsung and other smaller players.

According to a separate report from Counterpoint, Realme has registered over 800% growth YoY in the global smartphone market, jumping from the 47th spot in Q3 2018 to becoming the 7th largest brand in terms of global shipment in Q3 2019. India and Indonesia form the most important markets for Realme as they contribute to more than 80% of its global shipments. The brand has expanded rapidly across more than 20 countries, and is looking to expand further in other South East Asian markets.


Sources: Samsung Newsroom, Alphabet, Huawei Press, Counterpoint Research [(1), (2), (3)], Canalys Newsroom, LG Newsroom, Sony Investor Relations

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Fingerface Xposed Module enables the Pixel 4’s Face Unlock in any app

The Google Pixel 4 may not be the first Android smartphone with secure facial recognition hardware (it’s preceded by the OPPO Find X and Huawei Mate 20 Pro), but it is the first Android device with a face unlock implementation that’s recognized secure under Android’s BiometricPrompt API. That means the Pixel 4 is the first Android smartphone that lets you use your face to not only unlock the phone but also authenticate apps or payments. However, app developers have to update their apps to use BiometricPrompt, so it’s going to take some time for every banking and password manager app to support the new Face Unlock. Since the Pixel 4 doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner, apps that use the old API will simply fall back to asking you for manual password entry. Fortunately, there’s a way around that, provided you’re willing to root your Pixel 4 with Magisk and install the Xposed Framework.

XDA Junior Member SemonCat developed an Xposed Module called “Fingerface” that proxies the old fingerprint API to instead call the new BiometricPrompt API. That means that whenever an app using the old fingerprint API requests you to scan your fingerprint, the new BiometricPrompt dialog will appear to let you scan your face instead. It’s a simple, albeit crude, workaround, but it beats having to manually type your long passwords into all of your apps.

Here’s a quick screen recording from the developer that shows an app (in this case, Magisk Manager) asking for fingerprint authentication, but instead receiving facial authentication:

In my view, this is a great demonstration of the power of the Xposed Framework. Xposed lets Modules hook into the methods of other apps to execute their own methods before, during, or in place of the original methods. That’s exactly what this Module is doing; FingerFaces always returns “true” when PackageManager checks to see if the device supports fingerprint hardware, and it also hooks into the (now deprecated) FingerprintManager API used by apps to instead call BiometricPrompt in its authenticate method. It won’t be easy to translate this hack into a Magisk Module because it’ll involve per-device and per-build modules that replace the framework, but the developer says he’s working on it.

I should note that installing this mod on the Google Pixel 4 currently isn’t easy. First of all, there’s no TWRP support for the Pixel 4 just yet, so you’ll have to manually install Magisk. That means you have to download the factory image, extract the boot image, patch the boot image using the latest Magisk Manager, and then fastboot flash the patched boot image. To install Xposed, you’ll then have to install the Riru Core Magisk Module and then EdXposed, the unofficial successor to the Xposed Framework. Instructions on how to do that can be found here. Finally, you can then install the Fingerface module.

Some might scoff at this mod over security concerns, but the Module is open source and from a quick glance, it seems to only do what it’s supposed to do. Furthermore, the existence of this mod has no implication on the security of Android 10 or the Pixel 4 itself since it requires the user to manually gain root access after unlocking the bootloader. Lastly, this mod, like most other mods on our forum, is intended to be used by those who value convenience and more features despite the added risk of having an unlocked bootloader and root access.

If you’re interested in this mod, you can download it from the Google Play Store link embedded below. It costs $0.99 if you get it from the Play Store, but since the app is open source, you can also just compile it yourself. Visit the XDA forum thread if you have any questions or feedback about this app. For any app developers that read this, Google published a blog post on implementing the Biometric API through the AndroidX Biometric Library. Update your apps so users won’t have to use this dirty hack!

Fingerface - FaceID backward compatible ($0.99, Google Play) →

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Zone Launcher lets you access your apps from any screen with one swipe

Launcher is a commonly used phrase within the Android community that refers to the Home Screen and the application that lets us launch the other apps and games we have installed. Custom launchers are available in the Play Store that can replace your current launcher and offer unique features, customization options, and more. Zone Launcher from XDA Junior Member BialyApps, is a bit different in that it is there to supplement your current Home Screen solution and give you an additional way to quickly launch certain applications.

Right off the bat, we can see how this works with Zone Launcher. The typical way to open an application is to exit your current one and find it from the Home Screen or the Application Drawer. Zone Launcher works like Pie Controls or Samsung Edge and gives you quick access to applications and games from any application and any screen within Android. The developer describes the user experience as a “one swipe launcher” as you can bring up the UI with a swipe in from the side and then slide your finger/thumb over to an icon.

Once you lift your finger or thumb up from the screen after this gesture it will launch the application of the icon you were launch touching. There’s a lot more here though, including. . .

  • Single swipe gesture for all app interactions.
  • Launch any app from a customized hidden spot.
  • Arrange your favorite apps and shortcuts into different colored Zones.
  • Launch any of the installed apps (not only favorites) using a custom alphabetical index with the same single swipe gesture.
  • Supports launching apps, shortcuts or action buttons (as WIFI, Torch, Split screen … etc).
  • Customize every single aspect of the app from colors, backgrounds & icons.
  • Supports icons packs.
  • Background blurring and opacity change effects.
  • Easy to learn and use.
  • Small memory usage.

. . .and, even more, features in the works for an upcoming update. . .

  • Add a context menu option.
  • Add more action buttons.
  • Maybe consider an option for displaying widgets.
  • Fix some bugs and performance-related issues.

Zone Launcher - One Swipe Edge Launcher & Drawer (Free+, Google Play) →


Check out Zone Launcher in our Apps and Games forum

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Make Android 10’s Hidden Desktop Mode more useful on the OnePlus 7/7T and Essential Phone

One of the most talked-about features prior to the release of Android 10 was desktop mode. When we first heard that Google’s next major Android OS would natively support desktop mode, we were hoping it would be something akin to Samsung DeX or Huawei Easy Projection. Sadly, it was anything but. Google built a barebones launcher for external displays so developers can test what their apps might look like on large displays, but they didn’t even bother adding display out support on the Pixel 4. Sadly, this means that Android 10’s hidden desktop mode is unusable on the latest Pixel smartphone, but if you have the Essential Phone, OnePlus 7/7 Pro, OnePlus 7T/7T Pro, or any other phone with video output over USB-C, then there’s a way to make it more useful.

First, here are some requirements that you have to meet:

Requirements:

  1. Your Android smartphone must be running Android 10.
  2. Your Android smartphone needs to support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Here’s a partial list of phones with support. If you have a smartphone with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, then your smartphone should support DisplayPort Alt Mode unless the phone vendor deliberately disabled it. Google disabled it on the Pixel 4, for example.
  3. You need a USB 3.1 Type-C to HDMI adapter. I bought this one off of Amazon. You’ll also need a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard if you want a more pleasant experience.

Next, here’s how to set it up:

  1. Enable Developer Options on your phone. Go to Settings > About phone and tap on “build number” 7 times.
  2. Go to Settings > Developer options and scroll down until you reach the “APPS” section. Turn on “enable freeform windows” and “force desktop mode.”
  3. Reboot your phone.
  4. Install this APK. It’s a customized version of the popular Lawnchair launcher with TaskBar integrated into it. This APK was made by XDA Senior Member farmerbb as a proof-of-concept to show custom launcher developers how they can add desktop mode support*.
  5. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Default apps and set Lawnchair as the default launcher.
  6. Plug your phone into your monitor/TV using the adapter.
  7. In a few seconds, you should see the custom Android 10 desktop interface appear on the screen. You’ll have to grant TaskBar permission to “display over other apps” as requested in order to show the bottom bar. If you also want TaskBar to show your recent apps in the bottom bar, you should also grant it the “usage access” permission as requested.

I would wager that everything looks way too big on your monitor/TV right now. That’s because the default DPI for desktop mode in Android 10 is 320, which makes everything look huge. Also, the navigation bar/Android 10 gestural navigation pill probably looks unsightly on your display. There’s a way to fix this, but it requires a one-time trick that isn’t user-friendly to do.

  1. Disconnect your phone from your monitor/TV and connect it to your PC.
  2. Download and install ADB on your PC.
  3. Follow these instructions to enable wireless ADB.
  4. Once you have ADB access wirelessly, it’s time to re-connect your phone to your monitor/TV.
  5. On your PC, run the following ADB shell command:
    adb shell dumpsys display
  6. In your terminal/command prompt window, you should see a huge wall of text. Scroll up until you see the part of the output that lists the “Logical Displays.” This will list the display information for all currently detected displays, including the built-in one on your phone as well as the externally connected one. For example, “Display 0” is the built-in display on my OnePlus 7 Pro while “Display 3” is the Vizio TV that I connected the OnePlus 7 Pro to. You’ll want the display ID value for your external display, which in my case is ‘3’. Note that this value can change when you re-connect your smartphone to a particular monitor/TV, but any display UI changes we’re going to make in the next step(s) will be remembered!
  7. On your PC, you’ll want to run the following ADB shell commands:
    adb shell wm density [DENSITY] -d [ID]
    adb shell wm overscan 0,0,0,[OVERSCAN] -d [ID]
    adb shell wm size [RESOLUTION] -d [ID]

    where [DENSITY] is a positive integer value, [OVERSCAN] is a negative integer value, [RESOLUTION] is the display resolution in widthxheight format, and [ID] is the display ID for your external monitor/TV. For example, I used the following commands to achieve the UI seen above:

    adb shell wm density 120 -d 3
    adb shell wm overscan 0,0,0,-125 -d 3
    adb shell wm size 1920x1080 -d 3
  8. We’re using the WindowManagerShellCommand to tweak the density to make UI elements appear smaller, overscan to hide the navigation bar, and/or resolution to match that of the external display. Play around with these values until you get something you’re comfortable with.

That’s it! Enjoy desktop mode on your Android 10 smartphone. We’re not sure why Google disabled DisplayPort Alt Mode functionality on the Pixel 4, so we reached out for comment and will update you if we hear back.


If you’re a custom launcher developer interested in integrating TaskBar into your launcher, you can find the instructions here.

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Everything announced at Samsung Developer Conference 2019

For the past few years, Samsung has been hosting its Samsung Developer Conference in the Fall. This is the time for the company to announce all the software, and sometimes hardware, that it’s pushing for developers to work with. Last year was all about One UI and Bixby. This year was all about Bixby Capsules, foldables, and One UI 2.0.

One UI 2.0

Samsung considers One UI 1.0 to have been a huge success. They claim customer loyalty has increased over 15% for the Galaxy S10 series, which Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy thinks is because of One UI. With One UI being such a success, Samsung wanted to focus more on One UI 2.0. One UI 2.0 is all about natural interactions and visible comfort, along with helping you focus more on the content on your display. Samsung is, again, doing this by shifting their “focus” block towards the bottom of the display while keeping the “viewing area” at the top. They are essentially refining their UI to make usability and ease of use better. Samsung is also making One UI feel more alive by animating some system icons just to add a little personality to the UI.

Samsung Blockchain SDK

At SDC, Samsung also announced its new Blockchain SDK. This allows developers to easily integrate with Samsung’s hardware wallet built into their newest devices. Using the SDK, developers can create apps that create or access blockchain accounts on the device. The SDK also allows for developers to accept cryptocurrencies like Etherium as a form of payment in the apps. This is a very simple description of what Samsung has opened up with its new Blockchain SDK. I highly recommend reading more about the Blockchain SDK on Samsung’s developer website.

Samsung SmartThings Rules API

SmartThings is Samsung’s IoT platform used for smart security cameras, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, and more. At SDC, Samsung announced the new Rules API. This allows for developers to set up complete automations using the Samsung SmartThings Cloud. According to Samsung this “[means] that the number of services and products available to users with automation built into their capabilities is set to expand.” There isn’t much information on this new Rules API besides the fact it can run even if the internet goes out. Samsung will likely announce more information about the new Rules API and SmartThings updates soon.

Bixby

While this isn’t one of the major announcements of SDC, Samsung has a new capsule in Bixby to show off the power of Bixby. It is called Bixby Home Advisor. It allows you to ask Bixby for help with any problems you might have in your home. You can ask for a plumber, for example. Bixby will then come up with a list of issues or appliances you might need help with, find the closest and highest rated professional, and let you request a quote. All off this happens very quickly and all through Bixby using Bixby Capsules. Bixby Capsules are available for any developer to make for any Samsung device with Bixby.

Another minor change is to Bixby Home on the default One UI Home launcher. Samsung will be replacing Bixby Home with a new page called Samsung Daily. It is essentially the same thing but it has a new icon and slightly different design. This will likely be rolling out with One UI 2.0 or One UI 2.1 on the Galaxy S11 rumored to launch in February.

Image from our friends at SamMobile

Samsung Galaxy Book Ion and Galaxy Book Flex

While SDC is mostly about Samsung’s software, there is still some hardware to show off. Samsung announced two new laptops: Samsung Galaxy Book Ion and Galaxy Book Flex. These new laptops are both powered by the latest 10th generation Intel Ice Lake and Comet Lake processors. Both laptops come with Samsung QLED displays at 1080p. These are the same type of great displays you can find on Samsung’s TVs. They come with a new outdoors mode which allows for the display to get to a very bright 600 nits, almost 200 nits brighter than the latest MacBook Pro and Surface Book 2. They are both very thin with the Galaxy Book Flex and Ion coming in at 13mm to 15mm. The Galaxy Book Flex is pretty light coming in at a minimum of 1.15kg (2.5lbs) and a maximum of 1.57kg (3.5lbs) while the Galaxy Book Ion comes in at a minimum of 0.97kg (2.13lbs) and a maximum of 1.15kg (2.78lbs.)

Something new Samsung did with the Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion is incorporate Wireless PowerShare into the trackpad. Essentially, the trackpad can wirelessly charge your phone, earbuds, or watch. The Galaxy Book Flex comes with an S Pen as well. This is the same S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Note 10, so it has all the same Air Actions. These laptops are scheduled to launch in early 2020. Samsung has yet to announce any prices for these laptops.

Galaxy Fold 2 Teaser

Just like last year, Samsung has teased the new Galaxy Fold 2, codenamed “bloom,” at SDC. This year they showed a 24 second video with the display folding shut. It is a clamshell design with a centered hole punch. This is very likely to launch in early 2020 with a 6.7-inch display that folds into a square, as Bloomberg reported last month. The model number is rumored to be SM-F700F and come with 256GBs of storage. Software development on this device started earlier this month. We have an entire article about this new tease, so if you want to know a little more about that, I recommend checking it out.

Galaxy Home Mini

At SDC, Samsung showed off the Galaxy Home Mini. This is their smaller Bixby speaker. We don’t know much about this speaker beside the fact it exists and Samsung is showing it off. Samsung has also started a beta program in South Korea, seeding these devices to users to test them out in their homes. There is also the larger Galaxy Home, but Samsung hasn’t updated us on any new information about that device in nearly 14 months.

Samsung announced a lot of new products and software at SDC 2019. As a developer website and forum, we love to see everything Samsung is announcing at their developer conference. It’s great to see companies open up development on their platform to more and more people.

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WhatsApp for Android now supports fingerprint unlock

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging platform on the planet, which means people are using it for all sorts of purposes. In August, WhatsApp started working on a feature for people who wish to put the app behind an extra layer of security. Now, Fingerprint Unlock is ready for primetime and available in the latest stable build.

Fingerprint Unlock was first introduced in beta build version 2.19.221. The feature allows WhatsApp to require a fingerprint before it can be opened. It uses the same fingerprint that you use to unlock your phone. So if someone is able to get into your phone through other methods, at least they won’t be able to open the app and go through your private conversations.

whatsapp fingerprint unlock

The feature comes with a number of options as well. You can set WhatsApp to automatically lock immediately upon closing, after 1 minute, or after 30 minutes. This is handy if you don’t want to be scanning your fingerprint every single time you open the app. There is also the option to still content to be displayed in notifications if you don’t need to totally lock down the app. To set it up, got to Settings > Account > Privacy > Fingerprint lock.

WhatsApp Messenger (Free, Google Play) →


Source: WhatsApp

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Google is testing a completely revamped Assistant Feed

Google has offered its users a number of ways to interact with its virtual assistant. Some prefer to use the voice command hot words to bring it up while others will launch the service from the navigation bar/gesture. However, few seem to access it using the Google application. There’s an Updates tab in the Google application that brings up what some would describe as the Google Assistant hub or feed. As of right now, this UI gives you quick access to certain commonly used features of the assistant but someone on Twitter seems to have received a revamped design that may be in testing.

So here we have the two screenshots that Twitter user Eduardo Pratti uploaded late last night. There isn’t any mention of an application update so what we’re likely seeing here is an A/B server-side test that Google is currently working on. The current UI of the Updates tab in the Google application has a lot of focus on offering you suggested actions within each section of cards. However, this redesign that we’re seeing has cleaned up the interface a lot and highlights the actual content rather than suggested actions.

In the reply to his own tweet, Eduardo then uploaded a video showing how these cards are animated with this new redesign. You’ll notice that these cards shown in the new Google Assistant updates feed have an arrow down icon on the right side. This is similar to what we have now which will either give you more context for the card or even giving you some suggested actions specific to that card.

This is quite a big change for the Assistant Feed within the Google application. I’m personally not a heavy user of this tab in the first place but I do like how the new UI has cleaned things up. This looks to be a very small A/B test that may never make it out to more people than those who have it right now. But we’d like to hear what you think of the user interface in testing.


Via: 9to5 Google

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The Nokia 7.2 could be the first HMD Global phone to ship with an unlockable bootloader

If there’s one thing that hasn’t sit well with our users regarding Nokia/HMD Global devices, is how developer-unfriendly these phones are. After all, these phones are not bootloader unlockable. Without bootloader unlock, most mods, including rooting and custom ROMs, become simply impossible to achieve, closing a lot of doors for power users interested in modding their devices. Nokia’s constant reluctance to allow bootloader unlocking, as well as broken promises to allow it in the past, has not helped its cause either, but the Finnish company may be looking into reversing course in this stance. The Nokia 7.2 was recently launched as one of HMD Global’s most competent midrange devices, but it’s also apparently the first phone to ship with an unlockable bootloader.

Indeed, the device’s bootloader can be unlocked very straightforwardly without going through any weird hoops and workarounds by enabling OEM unlocking in developer settings and unlocking it through fastboot just like you would unlock any other phone out there. Once the bootloader is unlocked, users are free to do whatever they want with their phones, including, but not limited to, installing a custom recovery like TWRP, rooting, and flashing custom ROMs (either in the form of GSIs or device-specific ROMs). Previously, Nokia users were mostly out of luck when it came to unlocking their phones’ bootloaders, and as such, were forced to remain completely stock.

Have in mind, however, that there is a possibility that this is just a massive accident or mistake on HMD Global’s part, and that they didn’t mean to ship the phone with an unlockable bootloader. This is something that can be easily fixed with a software update if they wanted to. As such, if you bought a Nokia 7.2 and you want to mod it, then go ahead and unlock your phone as soon as possible, and avoid taking any over-the-air updates until HMD Global actually speaks out on this.

How to unlock the Nokia 7.2 bootloader


Source: Techmesto

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AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen: Continued Look Via Ryzen 5 3600X/3400G

AMD’s Next Horizon Gaming event, leading up to E3 2019, had given us a lot of information on the third generation of Ryzen. During the middle of testing for the 3900X and 3700X review, we received another package – this time containing the Ryzen 5 3600X and Ryzen 5 3400G. How would these fare compared to our previous third-gen Ryzen results?

We also wanted to take a look at certain models over each generation and see how they have improved during these three years. To assist in analyzing that, we broke out the previous 6-core, 12-thread samples and the initial generation of Ryzen-G.

Note: The Ryzen 5 3400G and Ryzen 5 3600X used in this review were provided by AMD for review purposes. A full list of components and sources are included in the article.

Unboxing/Initial Thoughts – Ryzen 5 3400G & Ryzen 5 3600X

Since we received most of the new components with the initial review, these processors came alone. The packaging is similar to the ones from before, and in this case, it makes sense to keep it simple. Since Ryzen-G follows one year behind in architecture, the 3400G continues to feature both Vega graphics and Zen+ processor architectures. It will be another year before it moves to Zen 2 and RDNA graphics architectures. The 3600X, however, is based on Zen 2 and offers a chance to see how well it performs at lower core and thread counts.

Testing Setup

Since we are keeping the same testing setup from the original batch of tests, there is not much more that needs to be included. The original Ryzen 5 2400G that I used in our 2018 review was left behind in Japan. Thankfully we were able to obtain another thanks to Shannon Robb. Shannon has offered support to XDA in some of our more ambitious projects and efforts for several years. We greatly appreciate that support.

As we have done with previous reviews, we will identify each component and how it was acquired. The list is almost identical to the previous review since we’re only swapping out CPUs in the tests conducted for this review.

Test Bench/Case (All Self-Purchased)

Power Supply (All Self-Purchased)

Motherboard

Processor (All provided by Intel/AMD, One Replacement by Other)

Memory 

GPU (All Self-Purchased)

M.2 NVMe Storage (All Self-Purchased)

  • Samsung MZ-VLW512A (2 identical parts)

Cooling

Additional Components (Self-Purchased)

Testing Methodology & Gen/Gen Comparisons

Tests remain conducted using methodology made publicly available. We set up and tested this on the first AMD processor, then tried to clone it for Intel testing. This did not provide reliable results so we instead wiped and re-created using the same process.

A file is available in Google Drive to view more of the notes. It also has been expanded to include side-by-side comparisons of the three generations at 6 and 8 core counts. Ryzen-G, following one year behind, has a similar comparison but only for the two generations it has been available. We’re not sure how many are interested in these breakdowns, so we’re doing this as a test. We hope that readers will let us know what they think and if they should be included in future reviews.

  • Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
  • NVIDIA Drivers – latest nvidia-### available in standard PPAs
  • AMD Drivers – AMDGPU (open source version)

The test results from our review of the Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen 9 3900X are used as the base for this review. We are avoiding updates to the test environment, for now, to limit the variables in our test cases.

Test Results

Benchmark Notes: Phoronix Test Suite’s CPU suite offers a plethora of tests and not all are included in this review. The full list of tests and results are available here, with the exception of our LineageOS build times. Those will be included later in the article. The color scheme for benchmarks continues to follow XDA’s traditional color scheme.

Chart Notes: As the number of test results increases, it has become necessary to change the formatting of the chart. At the same time, we believe we can still hold to XDA’s preferred colors while still identifying notable groups. Readers will notice several changes in this article and you should expect to see those changes reflected in future CPU test results.

CPU test result charts are now set as a bar chart. Intel remains in blue while AMD remains in red. HEDT remains yellow with a blue/red pattern to indicate Intel/AMD. Ryzen-G is indicated by a checkerboard effect. All colors remain the standard coloring used by XDA. Sorting is done manually and ordered in a manner that should easily allow readers to quickly identify what they want to find in those charts.

FFTW

The 2700X and 9900K results still show as the only outliers in the trend. Stock seems to do well and overclocking seems to add more benefits, except with the two noted in the 3700X/3900X review.

GZip Compression

Out of the new results, we see very few differences in the trend. The 2600X jump between stock and overclock is unusual compared to our other entries, but it still follows the normal trend.

SciMark 2 (Java)

All of the new results follow the trend with little exception. If anything, these results only highlight how the 2700X was an outlier.

John The Ripper

We actually found an irregularity in the 3400G results where it was significantly higher than it should have been. After some further review, we found that the data results exported were incorrect and were corrected using the raw data results from Phoronix Test Suite. The 2400G is odd in that overclocking did not produce as much of an improvement as the general trend.

C-Ray

The results of this test begin to show where Ryzen-G struggles in some cases to its more hearty siblings. The core and thread count really seems to make a difference here, and 4 cores really do seem to begin the bottleneck. This is also reflected in the 7700K since it has the same core and thread count.

This helps identify a trend of more cores and threads weighing more heavily on results than speeds unless something else is affecting that. We believe this is the case of the 9900K at 5 GHz, likely throttled due to temperature limits. Overclocking does continue to improve it except for the 2600X, the notable outlier in the new results.

Benchmarks: Build Performance

Build Test: LLVM

Continuing to display the LLVM build times we see that, once again, cores and threads really matter here. Since the 7700K outpaces both Ryzen-G models, it’s clear that the core and thread counts alone aren’t influencing the build time. But that’s a staggering jump between 4 and 6 cores on the AMD side, one that repeats elsewhere.

Build Test: LineageOS lineage-16.0 marlin

Out of the new results, we see that Ryzen-G is, unfortunately, performing as well as we believe it should. Realistically I’m not sure most consumers looking to build AOSP from source would be choosing a Ryzen-G APU for their builds. So while this may look unusual, it may not be a viable concern.

The other item of note on the Ryzen-G builds was a significant increase in RAM use. At some points, the utilization was very close to 100%, and we believed that there may be a bottleneck. We borrowed a 32 GB RAM kit to test this theory. The RAM utilization remained high, but the overall build time results were within the margin of error of the original results.

Improvements in Ryzen Over Each Generation

With Ryzen now being 3 years old, we thought readers may be interested in some information on how each generation has improved in performance. We included a full breakdown of each test by CPU in the Google Drive posting of our results. Ryzen does seem to gather some impressive improvements over each generation, and core/thread counts do seem to be a part of the factor of just how much improvement is seen.

For the 8-core, 16-thread variant, the second generation of Ryzen provided as high as a 30% performance increase over its predecessor. The third generation saw similar results against the second, and as much as 92% over the first generation. Building LineageOS did increase between 35-42% on average, which is certainly noteworthy if that machine is built specifically for cases such as this.

The 6-core, 12-thread versions see similar increases but not as high as the 8 core results. LineageOS does see roughly an increase of 28% on third-generation Ryzen compared to the first. Ryzen-G, appearing to now be limited in performance by its core and thread count, sees improvements of about 5-10% over its previous generation. It will be very interesting to see how it does next year with the Zen 2 architecture. The biggest beneficiary is likely to be the 16-core, 32-thread count CPU as it moves into the mainstream AM4 socket⁠—provided that the power needed to run the Ryzen 9 3950X can be properly tamed.

Final Thoughts

AMD Ryzen continues its own trend of offering competitive solutions at each price point. The 3600X continues to offer a great entry for those who want more cores and threads. It’s a great middle point for those who may want to step up from an older architecture. For many of these consumers, the additional savings in a CPU can be reinvested elsewhere. Gamers may want to opt for a more powerful graphics card or faster storage. Once there, the AM4 socket certainly offers a hearty buffet of CPU upgrades should they decide to go for more in the future.

Once we get back down into 4 cores, Ryzen with integrated Vega graphics makes it hard to recommend a version without graphics. It’s a very competitive solution against the Intel Core i3, with both offering similar thread and core counts as well as integrated graphics. If one just needs to do the basics⁠—web browsing, media playback, and basic productivity apps⁠—there’s little argument to go beyond this. It may not be the fastest at some tasks, but those who need to do such demanding tasks are probably not in this customer segment. For those who want intermittent use, it will still get the job done, though it may take it a bit more time to do so.

All in all, it’s still good news for consumers. As long as consumers know what they intend to use the system for and set a budget in advance, they’ll know where to easily begin in the search for a system that meets their needs. So long as consumers have a wealth of choices at every possible price point, the hardest decisions may not include whether to buy or build a new PC… but instead what comes inside that PC. It’s still a doorway to knowledge, and we all do better by removing barriers to knowledge as much as possible.

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Here’s your first look at the new foldable Motorola Razr

Motorola (and Lenovo) have been working on a foldable Razr phone for a while now. We’ve been tracking the device since last year and it has slowly become more of a reality. Back in May, the company used a fan-made render to show off the concept, but we’ve yet to see any images of the real thing. That finally changes today.

Evan Blass (@evleaks) has shared the first image of the Motorola Razr (stylized as “razr”) foldable phone. We can now see why Motorola used the fan-made renders because the real device looks very similar. At first glance, you may think this is simply an original Razr flip phone. It has the same chin on the bottom and a raised Motorola logo under the outside display. But if you look closely you can see there’s no archaic number pad here. This is a full touchscreen folded vertically.

motorola razr

This image matches up with the outlines we saw back in March. The chin appears to house a small button or fingerprint sensor (or both). The outside display is not lit up in this image, but it is expected to have a small 600 x 800 secondary display. Other than that, we can’t see a ton of details. The remarkable thing is just how much it looks like the original Razr.

We previously exclusively reported on the specifications of the device, which include the sdm670 platform (meaning either the Snapdragon 670 or the Snapdragon 710), 4/6GB of RAM, and a tall 6.2-inch OLED display inside. Motorola is expected to reveal the device at an event on November 13th. How excited are you about this phone? Have the vertical folding wars begun?


Source: @evleaks

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Upgrade Your PS4 with this 2TB Hybrid Hard Drive Kit and 16GB Flash Drive for $99

Once you start purchasing digital downloads for your PS4, storage space can quickly become a problem. Even a 500GB hard drive won’t be enough for committed gamers. The Fantom Drives PS4 Hard Drive Upgrade Kit offers a simple solution. The kit contains a Seagate Firecuda 2TB hybrid drive, offering masses of space and speedy performance. You also get a 16GB flash drive and some useful accessories. Right now, you can pick up the whole bundle for just $99 via the XDA Developers Depot.

You might think that 2TB is a little over the top. But when you consider that Read Dead Redemption 2 takes up 98GB alone, this upgrade seems pretty essential.

The Seagate Firecuda SSHD range of drives combines the speed of SSDs with the capacity of traditional hard drives. This 2TB model has a huge 128MB cache, and it’s really easy to install. The kit provides a screwdriver, an aluminum enclosure, and a quickstart guide to help you get the job done.

In addition, you get a soft carry pouch for your drive, a micro USB 3.0 cable, and a 16GB flash drive for offline updates and storing game files. 

The kit is worth $140, but you can get it now for just $99.

 
Fantom Drives PS4 Hard Drive Upgrade Kit with 2 TB Ultra Speed Seagate Firecuda Gaming SSHD – $99

See Deal

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