Apple announced the latest operating system for their iPhones, iOS 17 during WWDC 2023 event. Now, after three months, the tech giant has finally rolled out the iOS 17 for end-users. You can download the iOS 17 update if your iPhone is equipped with the A12 Bionic chip or better. To update your phone to iOS 17 simply navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. Once you've got iOS 17 installed on your phone, here are some cool features that you can check out.
StandBy Mode
StandBy mode is a rather simple feature added to iOS 17 and it has the ability to turn your iPhone into a smart clock. If you put your smartphone horizontally on a Magsafe wireless charger, it could turn into a smart clock that will display time, calendar, alarms, and more.
Live Voicemail
Live Voicemail can provide you with someone’s voicemail in text. This will be the real-time transcription and the feature can also decline spam calls automatically.
Voicemails
Voicemails have also been added to FaceTime audio and video calls. So if you don’t want to pick up a call, the caller can simply send you a voicemail and you can also reply through voicemail.
Also read: 5 iOS 17 features that you won’t be able to use right now
Contact Poster
This one is a really cool feature. It allows users to make their own profiles with pictures, emojis, and more. This profile will display on both the caller’s and receiver’s iPhones, something like WhatsApp calling. The calling interface has also been changed.
AirDrop upgrades
The iOS 17 has added two new features to AirDrop; Namedrop and SharePlay. NameDrop will be used to share your contact details by just tapping both of the Apple devices. It can be used on iPhones and Apple Watches. SharePlay will also do the same but it will share files like pictures, videos, etc.
The Music App
The Music App now enables you to make a collaborative playlist with your loved ones. The Users can also use SharePlay in the Music App to pick their choice of songs playing in a car.
The Message App
The Message App has been upgraded with some cool things. Apple has added some more emojis in the iMessage App. Along with that, you can now transcribe any voice message sent to you through iMessage.
Also read: iOS 17 beta 2 lets you NameDrop contacts between iPhones: How it works
Autocorrect upgrade
There are some words that the system corrects automatically even though the words are correct. With iOS 17, you can now write whatever you want but it needs to be an actual word. Additionally, your iPhone will learn how you type to make typing easier.
Check In
I always forget to inform my family and friends when I leave from somewhere or reach somewhere. In those situations, the Check In feature could be quite useful. This will help you in informing your family or friends that you have reached your destination. If you stop moving during your journey, it will send your location, battery level, and cell service status to the other person.
Journal app
With the new iOS 17 update, you will be able to access the new Journal App. This app will allow users to store their memories in a more unique way. Using machine learning, the Journal App will suggest unique ways and ideas to help us cherish our memories. Just like we usually make journal entries, the Journal App will make you do the same thing but on an app this time. You can journal based on things such as photos, music, workouts, and a lot more.
During the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC 2023) in June, Apple announced watchOS 10 alongside many other software-related updates for the entirety of Apple's products. Rollout of the new software releases were meant to happen in a staggered manner and the watchOS 10 update has now become available to all. This means that Apple Watch users can download and install it onto their compatible smartwatches without having to be beta testers.
The new watchOS 10 update brings a new visual language to apps enabling users to see more information at a glance. These include a new Smart Stack to show relevant widgets right when they’re needed, new watch faces, and much more.
Also read: Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2: India price and new features
New visual design and Smart Stack
With watchOS 10, Apple Watch apps such as Weather, Stocks, Home, Maps, Messages, World Clock, and others, now utilise more of the Apple Watch display to showcase more information with each glance.
There is also a new Smart Stack containing widgets that display timely information that adapts to the user’s context. For example, at the beginning of the day, the Weather app will show the forecast, or, when travelling, the Smart Stack app will show boarding passes from Wallet.
Moreover, Control Center is now accessible using the side button, making it easy to quickly open it at any time, over any app.
New watch faces
The watchOS 10 update introduces five new watch faces: Snoopy, Palette, Solar Analog, Nike Globe, and Modular Ultra for Apple Watch Ultra.
Cycling
When a cycling workout session is started from the Apple Watch in watchOS 10, it will automatically show up as a Live Activity on the iPhone and, when tapped, will utilise the full screen. Workout Views, such as Heart Rate Zones, Elevation, Race Route, Custom Workouts, and a new Cycling Speed view, have been optimised for the display size of the iPhone, which can be mounted to a bike’s handlebars for convenient, easy viewing during a ride.
Also, with watchOS 10, the Apple Watch can now automatically connect to Bluetooth-enabled cycling accessories, such as power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors.
Compass
With the watchOS 10 update, the Compass app on Apple Watch automatically generates two new waypoints when available: A Last Cellular Connection Waypoint will tell the last place with cellular reception, which might be useful for checking messages or making a call. In case of emergencies, a Last Emergency Call Waypoint will estimate where on the route the device had the last connection to any available carrier’s network so that an emergency call could be made.
Mental Health
With the Mindfulness app in watchOS 10, users can log their momentary emotions and daily moods. Users can turn the Digital Crown to scroll through engaging, multidimensional shapes to choose how they are feeling, select what is having the biggest impact on them, and further describe their feelings.
In the Health app in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, users can see valuable insights to identify what might be contributing to their state of mind.
Support for Group FaceTime audio
With watchOS 10, users can now initiate playback of a FaceTime video message and view it directly on Apple Watch. Additionally, Group FaceTime audio is now supported on Apple Watch.
Availability
The new watchOS 10 update is available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later, and requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 17. “Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions,” Apple noted.
Apple has rolled out iOS 17 Public Beta which will be better suited for general folks who are not developers. This should have fewer bugs and be more comfortable to use. We have installed it on our iPhone 14 and now you can too. Let’s learn how to download iOS 17 Public Beta on your iPhone and try the new iOS features. We will also check out the India-specific features of this version.
Now some of you may be on iOS 17 developer beta and if you want to install the public beta, here’s how you do that:
How to switch from iOS 17 Developer Beta to Public Beta
1. Go to iOS Settings
2. Then General
3. Click on Software Update
4. Tap on Beta Updates and choose iOS 17 Public Beta. If Developer Beta is ticked, change that.
Once you select iOS 17 Public Beta, the download should show up. Press download now and install it once downloaded.
Also Read: Don't buy iPhone 14 online until iPhone 15 launch: Here's why
Once it’s installed, the device will reboot. Once it restarts, unlock the device and you now have iOS 17 Public Beta on your iPhone.
2 new India-specific iOS 17 features that you may want to try
1. Bi-lingual Siri in Hindi, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu, and Marathi. You have to set the Siri language to English (India) and now you can interact with it in English mixed with the aforementioned languages.
Also Read: iOS 17 beta 2 lets you NameDrop contacts between iPhones: How it works
2. Transliteration keyboard now supports Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, besides Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati. Go to iOS Settings > General > Keyboards > Keyboards (again) > Add New Keyboard. Now, say if I choose Malayalam, I will get an option to go with the standard Malayalam keyboard or Transliteration. Selecting the latter lets me type a Malayalam word in English and it will be automatically converted to Malayalam script.
Apple has rolled out iOS 17 Beta 2 update and a highlight feature of this iOS version is NameDrop. Yes, a feature that was missing from the previous version is available now in this update. Let’s see what it is and how it works.
What is NameDrop on iOS 17?
NameDrop lets you quickly and wirelessly transfer contacts between two iPhones by just bumping them together. Well, it is not just contact information you can share like this.
By bringing two iPhones (with iOS 17) together, you can AirDrop other file types too.
You don’t have to go through several menus and screens or open AirDrop to share photos, music, movies, etc.
Apple has added NameDrop to WatchOS 10 also and so Apple Watch users can also enjoy this convenience.
Also Read: Get iOS 17 early! Here's how to download the iOS 17 beta for free
NameDrop or the new AirDrop functionality works similarly to how Handoff transfers music seamlessly between iPhone and HomePod or how some Android smartphones let you swap files between them via NFC.
How NameDrop works
1. Ensure both iPhones are on iOS 17 and also have AirDrop enabled and visible to everyone.
2. Bring the iPhones closer and wait till the contact card appears on the receiving device. There is a nice animation to intimate the transfer.
Also Read: Can your iPhone get the iOS 17 update? Full list of iPhones supported below
The iPhones need not be unlocked. The transfer is quick and you will get a notification banner saying AirDrop Complete. Tapping on this banner takes you to the contact or the file you shared.
Realme India has pushed an update to Realme UI 4.0 that disables the contentious ‘Enhanced Intelligent Services’ setting by default. This cuts the automatic permission and the subsequent process of data collection and mining. Well, at least the concern Realme users have for the use of their data.
Following the backlash from the public and even a warning from the Indian government, Realme has rolled out an update dubbed RMX3741_13.1.0.524 (EX01). It’s a small update as the file size is just 20.93 MB.
Also Read: Realme C55 Review
It fixes the following issues:
1. Enhanced Intelligent Services will be off by default and it will be up to the user to enable it if they trust and want the performance enhancement claims made by this service. You have to pick between privacy and convenience.
2. It also tweaks the description text for this service. We believe it has removed the mention of the collection of call logs, messages, and calendar schedules. Realme had previously claimed it doesn’t collect these data even though the description said otherwise.
Also Read: Realme sets the record straight on data collection concerns for its phones
3. Besides that, the update claims to optimize system stability and power consumption of the camera scene.
So, you just have to go to the system settings and check if the update is available. If yes, download it and install it. You may have to restart the system once the update is installed.
iOS 17 comes with a lot of user-requested features. You can install iOS 17 Developer Beta for free and try most of these new iOS features now. However, there are still some that you can’t use right now. Apple hasn’t launched them with iOS 17 beta 1 and so you are likely to get them in later versions.
Here are the iOS 17 features yet to come on your iPhones:
1. Journal
Apple has sherlocked Day One and similar Dear Diary apps on the App Store with its new app called Journal. As the name suggests, this is a Journaling app for writing down your day-to-day life happenings, feelings, travel and special moments. You can find some time from your busy life to ponder, feel gratitude, relive past memories, jot down inspiring thoughts, etc in this digital journal.
Also Read: Get iOS 17 early! Here's how to download the iOS 17 beta for free
2. Namedrop
Sharing contacts with others would be way easier with Namedrop as you just have to bump two iPhones together. With both iPhones and Apple Watch updated to their respective latest software, you can choose the numbers and email addresses you want to share and transfer them by bringing the two devices closer.
3. Airdrop Share with Intention
Like sharing contacts, you will soon be able to transfer other file types like images and videos by simply bringing the two iPhones together.
Also Read: Buy Apple iPhone 13 at its lowest price ever with an alluring ₹10901 discount
4. AirPlay in Hotel Rooms
Apple will be partnering with leading hotel chains to allow you to easily AirPlay content to Hotel TVs via a QR code. This should allow you to consume content of your choice when you are staying in a hotel and you want to kill time. You won’t have to carry the Apple TV with you if you have been doing that till now.
5. Interactive widget support
Interactive widgets have been a big update for almost all Apple software platforms this year. However, only select first-party apps from Apple like Reminders, Apple Music and Apple Home, and third-party apps like Quizlet supports the feature right now. At the time of writing this, Spotify doesn’t feature interactive widgets on iOS 17 developer beta 1. Similarly, most apps don’t but we are positive that developers are likely to quickly bring this feature to their apps.
Google took another step forward with Android 14’s Beta 3 version towards a stable version of the developed operating system yesterday. The OS is expected to be released for pan OEM brands’ use by the end of this month or the next the latest. Currently, users with Google smartphones can install the Beta 3 version and check out the new features that the system has to offer.
Google has recently shifted to naming the systems in numerical order however, previously it had the systems named after sweet treats. However, an internal connection for sweet treat still continues and Android 14 is called ‘Upside Down Cake’
When will the stable Android 14 be released?
The operating system is speculated to release in Q3 like the previous versions have and a stable version of the operating system for OEMs will still take a long time. The beta 3 version has just reached Google phones so there is still for the OS to go pan devices.
With iOS17 being released recently, the focus on Android 14 has intensified. Having said that, here’s the list of some of the top features that the latest version of Android has to offer.
Also read: 3 key iPadOS 17 features that Android 14’s tablet version should also offer
Android 14: Upcoming Accessibility Features
Android is working towards making the user experience more holistic and efficient wherein the users can easily access the applications and features on the system. These are a few changes that you will experience in the Android 14 version.
Larger Fonts Get ready to have the biggest changes for the OS, literally, as the system will be giving the option to increase the font size to 200% topping Android 13’s 130%. The new version will also give the option of non-linear scaling where the text size which is already large won’t be affected.
Notification Flashes In addition, the latest Android version will also allow its users to enable notification flashes where the camera flash will go off when a notification is received on the device. The users can toggle the changes in the settings and can also change the colour of the flash light which seems interesting and customised.
Regional and Language Preferences The Android 14 will see developments in the language setting especially for gendered languages such as French and German. Basically, they are heavily structured on gender nouns which can often lead to bad transcription. Hence, the system will use Grammatical Inflection API to make the changes.
Moreover, the users can make changes around the device on the basis of the region they are living in. For instance, if you're from India living in the US, certain scales and time zones would not fit well for you. Hence, the system will align with your preferences of region and time.
Android 14: Upcoming Battery Features
The features that are seeing a few changes may not create a huge impact on the overall battery power however, will make certain changes that will have a better impact in hindsight.
Job scheduler and foreground services The major element that the system will be focusing on to have a battery efficiency is incorporating certain activities and tasks to ease out the background activities and downloading of large files. In addition, it will also enhance the internal broadcast system basically, bringing all the elements of the device on the same page to work seamlessly.
New permissions for battery efficiency The system will be bringing back a long lost feature 'screen time since last full charge’. This will be able to give you a better idea of how long your cell phone actually lasts on full capacity and then make changes to the system. The system will also allow scheduling exact alarms for applications which are not innate clocks and calendars. This feature might not necessarily create that big of an impact.
Android 14: Upcoming Cross-device Features
There haven’t been any major changes in the system for cross-device functionalities however, the system has worked on making the apps work more efficiently. And the changes will benefit the developers.
Build Preview The Android 14 system will enable the user to build apps by providing a preview of its device's cross-device SDK. This will help the developers put their apps together seamlessly.
Developer Focused Additions Google has been working on cross-device features for a long time now and now the system has received developer focused additions wearing the users can see changes in window size classes and sliding pane layouts making the apps adaptable to different screens.
Android 14: Upcoming Privacy Features
Google has been focusing on privacy features for all its software services with the recent removal of 32 extensions from Chrome. We can understand that the tech giant means business when it comes to the privacy of its users.
Blocking older apps Now this is where the system is stepping up and making grave changes to the operating cycle for the Android system. Google is working on blocking older applications, precisely apps built for the Lollipop APIs (Android 5.1).
The primary reason for taking this step is to make sure that no malware attacks the device as most of them target older applications. Now, the result of this change would be that the users won’t be able to use older games or any specific niche application in the Android 14 system. However, it goes without saying that this won’t be the case for users using Android 14 out-of-the-box.
Partial media and data sharing Previously, when an application on the Android cell phone would ask if you want to share any media and photos with the application you would have the options of choosing ‘yes’ or ‘no’. However, with Android 14 you can now choose to share a part of the media and this will enable the user to have more control on their media basically what should be shared with the application and what shouldn’t be.
In addition, the system will also inform you when the application makes any changes in their terms and policies once you have accepted them. For instance, if you accept the terms today and data sharing changes tomorrow you will receive a notification stating that there has been a change in the app’s terms.
Passkey and PIN Privacy Google is extensively working on malware for intent systems and dynamic code loading. Now the system also allows the user to use passkeys instead of passwords making the system more secure. There has also been change in the animation effects in the smartphone for PINs making them less evident and more tricker to identify for any sneak peekers.
Also read: 5 major ways Apple Safari’s privacy settings are better than Google Chrome browser
Android 14: Upcoming Customization/Cosmetic Features
There are multiple new features that can be expected when it comes to making your device customisable and these features will help the user reflect their preferences.
Custom Lock Screen and Wallpaper While previously the device has offered multiple options for custom widgets and wallpapers as well they have had their limitations. With the latest version you can play around the theme of the device and experiment to find the best option for yourself. You can change font style, size, colour, shortcuts and the wallpapers of course.
Audio and Image Features The system will provide new changes for audio with lossless audio feature when using wired headphones and will also develop on 10-bit HDR to retain more information form the sensor making the image more vibrant and have great contrast. The Camera2 and CameraX extensions will enhance the processing time with the new updates.
Wait there's more...
Cloned Apps You can now clone apps on your devices and run two accounts at the same time. Basically, if you have two SIMs and both run on WhatsApp you can install two WhatsApp icons which will run two different accounts. The same can be done with apps that do not provide an option for having two simultaneous accounts such as Instagram.
Satellite Connectivity In the last six months there have been multiple announcements for satellite communication functionality from Qualcomm, HUAWEI, and T-Mobile and there is a chance that Google will be bringing this technology with native satellite communication support with Android 14. This feature might not impact the Indian users but will definitely be helpful for the countries it will be releasing in as it will provide a two way communication array and multimedia formats.
App Pair Saves The system will create App Split screens for the apps the user uses quite frequently and provide the user the option of saving the App Pair and then creating a shortcut for the same so you can visit that pair again with ease.
Predictive Back Gesture Mishaal Rahman, journalist and a renowned coder, gave the information that the system will now show the user where the back gesture feature will be taking you visually and not just let you think where the UI is headed. This will truly help the user in having a better user experience with their devices.
Bloatware Finder This feature gives us a ray of hope that we no longer have to deal with unwanted and forced applications on our device. Google is working on the feature which is currently named as ‘Apps installed in the background’. The feature will let you uninstall the bloatware quickly when it is being downloaded secretly. The best example of bloatware would be the unwanted application when you insert a SIM card, Google is working towards the feature however, we do not know if it will come for Android 14 or the next threat.
Which Android 14 features do you find the most interesting and what else are you expecting from the OS now that iOS17 has come out? Let’s us know ateditor@digit.in
Realme 11 Pro 5G series phones were officially unveiled in India, and doing the honours was none other than Bollywood Ka Badshah, world famous actor Shahrukh Khan – at least in all the promos related to the Realme 11 Pro series.
During and after the launch of the new 5G smartphones from Realme, fans of SRK were busy commenting their opinions on Twitter. It can be said that this phone launch was made extra special by Shahrukh Khan’s name associated with it, as can be seen by some of the Twitter messages highlighted below which captures the excitement of fans of the Bollywood movie star.
Also read: Realme 11 Pro series launched in India: Here are 5 amazing features of the Realme 11 Pro Plus
Visitors who attend the live show in person couldn’t help but showing their love and affection for SRK as can be seen from these tweets below…
Team SRK Muzaffarnagar members at #Realme new mobile phone launch event in Delhi.#ShahRukhKhan #realmeXSRK pic.twitter.com/OxaxoY3c8S
— Team Shah Rukh Khan Fan Club (@teamsrkfc) June 8, 2023
Our Team members at #Realme new mobile phone #realme11ProSeries5G launch event in Delhi. @iamsrk @SRKCHENNAIFC#ShahRukhKhan #realmeXSRK #realme11ProSeries5G pic.twitter.com/L2UVmLz729
— SRK GHAZIABAD CFC (@SRKGhaziabadCFC) June 8, 2023
At the Realme 11 Pro 5G series launch, a brand new Shahrukh Khan advertisement was showcased, which got some reactions from SRK fans…
Some SRK fans who wanted to see their beloved movie start in the flesh and blood were slightly disappointed that he didn’t grace the Realme 11 Pro series launch event’s stage with his presence. But they were nevertheless happy that at least Shahrukh Khan sent a virtual message for them all.
SRK Was virtually present there, Same for us and Who buys tickets. Bs aise hi bola, chida nahi raha.#SuperstarMeetsSuperZoom #realme11ProSeries5G #TheNextLeap#200MPzoomToTheNextLevel #Realme #DareToLeap #Realme11Pro #Realme11Pro #Realme11ProPlus pic.twitter.com/KEcxx8OBQW
— Piyush Bhasarkar (@TechKard) June 8, 2023
It's great to see tech fans and Bollywood fans together at a Realme phone launch event, isn't it? Did you follow the Realme 11 Pro 5G series launch in India, and what do you think about the SRK discount offer? Let us know in the comments below…
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is taking place this week, and while the whole world is waiting for Apple’s mixed-reality headset to appear, iOS 17 is pretty much the focus of the entire developer focused event.
Quite a lot of iOS 17 features have been teased from various Apple analysts, updates that will enhance iPhone and other usability aspects related to Apple’s mobile operating system. We’ve put together three main things we feel Apple’s going to make announcements related to iOS 17:
1) Apple focus on extensive care of your health
Apple is looking into their user's health extensively and iOS 17 is heavy on how they are turning the iPhone into a multi-layered personal health and fitness tracker for every user. Apple is allegedly working on a journaling app which enables logging in thoughts and activities, which will further get analysed to get a hold on users’ daily habits.
NEW: Apple plans an AI-powered Health and Wellness digital coaching service for next year. Plus, the Health app is coming to the iPad this year alongside new features for mood and emotion tracking and vision condition management. https://t.co/V9n8pIgfCi
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) April 25, 2023
Apple is also adding a feature to the Health App which will have a mood tracker asking you day to day questions and then analyse your mood.
Also Read: Not one or two, but three new Macs may launch at WWDC 2023
2) Turn iPhone into smart home display
As per expectations, iOS 17 may also have some improvements related to screen functionality. Apple is working on some iPhone lock screen interface which might just work as a smart home display to control and pair with the likes of Google Next or Amazon Echo.
NEW: Apple is planning a new smart-display-like mode in iOS 17, a new interface for information and notifications when an iPhone is locked and in landscape mode, as a major new feature. It’s a potential precursor to a standalone Apple smart home hub. https://t.co/mgFsu4nQ6x
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 24, 2023
When you turn the phone horizontal, the interface will show "information such as calendar appointments, the weather and notifications."
3) Apple Wallet will get an update in iOS 17
Apple Wallet is expected to get an update but what the upgrade will be exactly still isn't clear. Does Apple want to push forward some financial aid to its devices perhaps? Jest aside, Apple’s Wallet app getting an upgrade during WWDC 2023 sounds like a plan.
The Apple Park Visitor Center is one of the only apple retail stores in the US to support contactless pay straight from an iPhone. Awesome to see in person! pic.twitter.com/GiFDiL56OO
— Michael (@NTFTWT) May 15, 2022
These are some of the very important features that we are definitely expecting to be featured in iOS 17. But again, these haven't been confirmed by Apple yet and we have to wait for WWDC 2023 for Apple to confirm it all.
Also Read: WWDC 23: Apple AR headset will launch to change the tech world forever
Google has changed the Android contact sync policy which could prove critical for you, especially if you aren’t aware of it. It changes the way Android used to handle your backed-up contacts on the cloud. Your Android contacts will disappear from your phone if you don’t pay heed.
Here’s what has changed:
New Android contacts sync policy
Earlier when you sign in to your Android device with your Google account, the contacts backed up to that account get automatically synced to the new device. All your entries in the Google Contacts appear in the contacts list on the new phone. Also even if you don’t have contacts sync enabled, the contacts would still appear on the device.
That has changed.
As per the recent May 2023 Google Play System changelog, "Turning off Google Contacts sync will now remove the previously synced contacts from your Android phone."
This will be in effect on all Android phones with the Google Play Services v23.20 update.
Now, by removal, Google means the contacts will vanish from the device, not from the cloud. So, as long as you have them in contacts.google.com, you need not worry as you can turn on Google Contacts sync on the device and the list gets populated quickly. Easy peasy!
However, technically adept regular folks, say your parents or elderly member in your family may not know how to turn on Google Contacts Sync if they ever accidentally toggle it off. When they see the contacts list has gone empty, they may panic.
So, here’s what you got to do to save your online backed-up contacts:
1. Go to Settings on your Android phone.
2. Then within Passwords & Accounts (Or simply Accounts in some devices), click on your Google account and then Account Sync.
3. You will see a list of things being synced or that can be synced to your Google account. Ensure the Contacts option is enabled or that the toggle next to it is turned on.
This will bring back your contacts on the device. That’s all.
Apple has released the stable and final iOS 16.2 update to the public. It comes with new iOS features like 5G support for iPhones, Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, and limitations for AirDrop, among other things. There are a few important new things to discuss here. Plus, we also brief you on the various bug fixes that this iOS update brings.
Top iOS 16.2 features: What’s new
Starting with the iOS 5G news:
1. 5G enabled for iPhones
Apple has announced that “Starting Tuesday, December 13, at 11.30 PM IST, 5G cellular support is being enabled for the powerful new iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone SE and iPhone 12 lineups. In order to use a 5G connection with Jio and Airtel on an iPhone 12 model or later, customers will need to update to iOS 16.2”.
So, if you have an iPhone 12 model or later, a 5G carrier connection, and you are living in an area with 5G coverage, enable 5G by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. If you meet the above criteria and still don’t see this particular screen of options, you will have to contact your telecom provider.
Suppose you get 5G on your iPhone, you will see a new 5G symbol on the status bar. The 5G icon could also come with 5G+, 5G UW, or 5G UC variations which denote you are getting a higher frequency of 5G.
Now, within the aforementioned, Cellular Data Options menu, you can choose between various Voice & Data options (5G Auto, 5G On, LTE) as well as various Data Modes (Allow More Data on 5G, Standard, and Low Data Mode).
2. Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
iOS 16.2 adds advanced data protection for iCloud which is a fancy name for end-to-end encryption for your backups on the iCloud.
Find out more details here.
3. 10-minute AirDrop Limitation
A neat security update is the new 10-minute AirDrop discoverable window for ‘Everyone’. This means if you have the ‘Everyone’ option enabled, it will be available for 10 minutes only and then get switched to the ‘Contacts Only’ option automatically. Read more about it here.
4. FreeForm
Upon installing iOS 16.2, you will find a new app icon added to the home screen as well as App Library. This is the new Freeform app that has been rolled out to macOS 13.1 and iPadOS 16.2. It’s a canvas app that lets you add files, images, stickies, etc and sketch with drawing tools — all in real-time and you can collaborate with others.
5. Other features and bug fixes
The list of other new iOS 16.2 features includes:
- Apple Sing (a Karaoke app),
- a pitch-black wallpaper-less Always-on Display mode for iPhone 14 series,
- improved crash detection for iPhone 14 lineup,
- Content-based search in Messages,
- the ability to temporarily Turn Off Hide IP Address setting for iCloud Private Relay,
- location-specific news articles in the Weather app,
- Rapid Security Response that lets Apple rollout security patches separate from the full-fledged OS updates.
- Apple has also fixed a memory execution issue in the WebKit that was resulting in malicious processing of web content and arbitrary code execution.
Xiaomi has released its latest mobile operating system, MIUI 14. MIUI 14 is based on Android 13 and has a redesigned user interface created using basic shapes such as circles and pills. It comes alongside the latest Xiaomi 13 series. Instead of being heavier than its predecessor, MIUI 14 is relatively lighter, thanks to Xiaomi's Project Razer, an initiative that aims to keep the latest OS as light as possible. Xiaomi has also adopted on-device data processing to maintain high user privacy standards.
Xiaomi MIUI 14 new features
As mentioned in the official press release, the "Xiaomi 13 series comes with the latest MIUI 14, which is centered around convenience and simplicity, showing refined details everywhere and bringing lost-lasting smooth operations." The latest operating system from Xiaomi optimises the system's space occupation and reduces the number of non-removable system apps to eight. The core improvements come with new widgets, better privacy protection, and new features.
MIUI 14 update schedule and eligible devices
Per the company, the MIUI 14 rollout will begin next year in January. The devices that will get the update in the first round include the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, Redmi K50, Redmi K50 Gaming Edition, Redmi K50 Extreme Edition, Redmi K50 Pro, and all the smartphones in the Xiaomi 12 series, including the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and Xiaomi 12S Ultra. On the other hand, the latest Xiaomi 13 series will ship with MIUI 14. In April 2023, the MIUI 14 update will be rolled out for Redmi Pad, Mi Pad 5 Pro, and Mi Pad 5.
The Realme 10 Pro series is right around the block and it will be coming with Realme UI 4.0. Both the phone line as well as the software version is already out in the Chinese market. Today, the brand’s chief Mr Madhav Sheth revealed that we will be getting the new Android 13-based Realme UI update with the Realme 10 Pro smartphones out of the box. He has classified Realme UI 4.0 improvements in 4 key areas viz. design, interaction, fluidity, and security.
We are officially rolling out realme UI 4.0 with our upcoming #realme10ProSeries5G . The new operating system aims to enhance 4 critical areas - design, interaction, fluidity, & security to ensure a seamless user experience. pic.twitter.com/CS4gqiEeq0
— Madhav Sheth (@MadhavSheth1) December 6, 2022 Realme UI 4.0 features
One of the new and noticeable UI elements would be Realme UI 4.0’s card-style layout, which arranges information across the interface in customizable ‘cards’.
Always-on-display on Realme UI 4.0 gets interactive music player controls which means you don’t have to unlock the phone lock screen to adjust the playback.
You can even personalize the AOD with your expression-based Bitmoji emojis.
So, that pretty much addresses the design and interaction aspects of Realme UI 4.0.
Now when we speak of fluidity, you get Dynamic Computing Engine for optimum resource allocation, Quantum Animation Engine 4.0 for a smoother UI, and the brand claims a 10% boost in performance whilst offering a 4.7% gain in terms of power efficiency.
As the name suggests, Auto Pixelate lets you automatically pixelate personal information on screenshots.
Lastly, for security, you have a Private Safe equipped with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
There are many more small yet ‘could-be-useful’ features sprinkled throughout the new Realme software. We’ll get to know them on December 8, which is when both the software and the phones carrying them will launch. So, stay tuned.
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The Galaxy A73 5G is one of the most popular phones from the company, and it has now been finally updated to OneUI 5.0 stable update by Samsung. This information comes courtesy of news reports that claim users in Malaysia have reportedly received an OTA update for the software version.
While the firmware is currently available only in Malaysia, it is expected to be made available to other countries very soon. The new Android 13-based interface comes with new lock-screen customizations, widget recommendations and Modes. This feature offers custom settings to the phone, depending on the part of the day. Apart from the new features, the update also contains the November security patch.
Samsung Galaxy A73 5G: Specifications
Talking about the specifications of the device, you get some really powerful hardware under the hood that's tasked to run Samsung's refined user interface. The Galaxy A73 5G comes with a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz sAMOLED+ panel with an Infinity-O cutout. Inside the punch hole is a 32MP selfie camera.
At the back, the phone comes with a 108MP main sensor (OIS), a 12MP ultrawide, a 5MP depth shooter, and a 5MP macro module. Underneath the hood, the phone comes with the Snapdragon 778G 5G, up to 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a 5000mAh battery.
There is support for 25W fast charging but the charger is sold separately. Speaking of which, there is no bundled earphones or even a 3.5mm jack for the same with the phone. It also comes with 5G, USB-C 2.0, up to 1TB micro-SD card slot, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and IP67 dust and water resistance.
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It seems like the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico are set to get their own EC charging standard as Tesla is opening up the gates to its technology, offering its proprietary connector as the North American Charging Standard.
Even though the company’s co-founder, Elon Musk, is caught up in Twitter business, and that could have some ramifications on Tesla, the latter’s new initiative could garner positive responses, especially from electric vehicle industry.
As stated in the release published on their official blog, Tesla gave their rationale behind this change. They wrote, “In pursuit of our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, today we are opening our EV connector design to the world. We invite charging network operators and vehicle manufacturers to put the Tesla charging connector and charge port, now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS), on their equipment and vehicles.”
The design files of the charging connector were also published for download as a part of this announcement. From the numbers published in the release, it was stated that the number of charging stations fitted with NACS, are much higher than the ones with CCS (Combined Charging System). The company also published images comparing the two chargers, illustrating the differences between what the chargers look like now, and what could they potentially look like if things go ahead!
This move could potentially put an end to the disparity between different charging connectors being fitted into the EVs being offered by several brands in the region. Additionally, if and when, Tesla moves to markets like India, this move could be seen as a great precedent by the auto manufacturers as we look to cut down on emissions and waste as a whole.
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Apple has rolled out iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1 updates to the respective devices. Now, many of us may have already updated and got the new features like Live Activities, battery percentage indicator on the iOS status bar, Clean Charging option, and more. However, there may be still some folks who haven’t updated their devices for whatever reason. Well, if you are one, we urge you to update your iPhones and iPads to the latest version, and mind you it is not just about the features but rather for security reasons.
Among other things, the new iOS and iPadOS updates bring fixes for a number of vulnerabilities, one of which is a zero-day exploit. Here’s all you need to know:
What is this Zero-day exploit all about?
According to Apple, an “anonymous researcher” pointed out the CVE-2022-42827 vulnerability that “may have been actively exploited”. This was apparently some sort of memory corruption flaw caused by an “out-of-bounds write,” and “arbitrary code with kernel privileges” may have been exploited as a result.
With this, Apple has fixed around 8-9 zero-day exploits so far this year.
Which devices could have been affected by this zero-day exploit?
The affected devices could include iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pros, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.
Why should you update to iOS 16.1?
So, the solution to this problem is that you need to update your iPhones and iPads to iOS 16.1 and iPad 16.1 update that was recently earlier this week. These updates also patch 19 other vulnerabilities and you also get to experience the new iOS 16.1 features.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Samsung has launched its new One UI 5 stable version via an official 2-minute video showcasing all the latest features the upgrade will offer its users. The One UI 5 will initially release for the Galaxy S22 series (at least the Exynos-powered versions of the phones). In addition, there is a long list of Galaxy phones working through the beta program and once their more or less bugs-free, they wlll get the One UI stable version.
The official introduction video is a 2-minute overview of what’s new in the latest version of Samsung’s custom user interface. The company has added many new customization features, many of which allow you to personalize your handset the way you want.
There are some notable UI improvements, like stacked widgets to save space on your home screen.
There is even a new taskbar for devices with a larger screen, like the Galaxy Fold Tablet. One UI 5 will also combine the Privacy and Security controls into a single screen with automatic warnings if something suspicious happens.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
The Cupertino firm’s new Ventura operating system for Macs has finally launched with plenty of notable changes. Apple released the stable version of macOS Ventura (13.1) for users worldwide. The compatible Macs can now download and update their devices. Let's see how to do that and also check out some of the features that you get with the new macOS version.
macOS Ventura features
Mail: Undo send, scheduled send, remind me, and follow up the option to stay on top of the mail. Improved search for more accurate and quick results. Continuity Camera: It will allow you to use the iPhone as a Mac webcam when you bring the iPhone close to your Mac and place it in a stand (iPhone XR and later). Safari and Passkeys: Shared Tab Groups to share a set of tabs with others and see the Tab. Passkeys will offer a more accessible and safer sign-in method. Messages: Editing a message, undoing send, and marking it as unread will improve your messaging experience. Stage Manager will automatically organize apps and windows, keeping your active app in the center and other open apps on the left side of your screen.
Apart from these, the update includes FaceTime Handoff support, allowing users to swiftly transfer ongoing calls from one Apple device to another; the iCloud Shared Photo Library, which would make picture sharing easy; new Weather and Clock apps; and much more.
To download macOS Ventura on your supported Mac, launch the System Preferences app, tap on Software Update, then click Download and Install.
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Microsoft is reportedly working on the successor to Windows 11 and it could be called Windows 12. Well, whatever it may be christened as, in the inner circles, it is believed to be known as the Next Valley update of Windows. Now even though the details around the next big Windows update are scanty, a recent spill by the company shows us fresh design elements which could very well be of Windows 12.
Here, have a look:
Is this Windows 12 aka Next Valley update?
An early UI exploration prototype for Windows Next Valley accidentally made a brief cameo during the Ignite keynote yesterday. Here's what I know about it: https://t.co/wbITbZ6215 pic.twitter.com/JEwL075ifR
— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) October 13, 2022
We got the first look at this new Windows UI during Microsoft's presentation at Ignite 2022 event.
The first thing we noticed was the floating taskbar which looks similar to a macOS dock. It appears different from the traditional Windows taskbar which itself has come a long way since the early days of Windows.
Next, we see the system icons like time and date at the top right corner. Meanwhile, the weather icon is present at the top left corner.
Last but not least, the search bar is also present in the top center bar.
All of these things put the new Windows design far from Windows 11 and closer to the macOS design language.
As per Zac Bowden from Windows Central, this new UI is “representative of the design goals that Microsoft is hoping to achieve with the next version of Windows.”
Now the reason we assume this to be Windows 12 is because of Mr. Bowden’s claim that Microsoft has dropped Windows 11 23H2 update and the company will be returning to a 3-year development cycle.
This forthcoming Windows update could offer a Windows 7-like refinement for Windows 11. Or so is being expected. Let's see.
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Microsoft has confirmed that there is a performance reduction when users copy large files from a remote computer to a computer with Windows 11 22H2 update. The company has said that the issue could also be present when copying files on a local drive. Let’s take a deep dive into what exactly has happened!
Decrease in copying performance: What happened
After the recent Windows 11 22H2 update, various users have reported a decrease in system performance, while trying to copy files within Windows. Ned Pyle, Manager of the Windows Server engineering group also confirmed that the issue is present and said that the experience might vary for different users. Microsoft said in an update log that “Copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish on Windows 11, version 22H2. You are more likely to experience this issue copying files to Windows 11, version 22H2 from a network share via Server Message Block (SMB) but local file copy might also be affected. Windows devices used by consumers in their homes or small offices are not likely to be affected by this issue.”
Decrease in copying performance: What you need to do
While there is no official solution for the problem, Microsoft says that they are working on a fix and it would be available in the next update. However, in case you’re facing this issue with your system, then you could perhaps try using a temporary workaround recommended by Microsoft.
The company has said that till the issue gets fixed, users can use file copy tools that do not use cache manager (buffered I/O). In simple words, users can use the robocopy and xcopy tools which are built-in command-line tools. Both commands have been listed below. :
