iPhone 7 to Feature Longer Earpiece Cutout, Relocated Ambient Light Sensor
Some minor changes are coming to the front of the iPhone 7 that will render protective LCD films made for other devices unusable on the new iPhone, reports Japanese site Mac Otakara.
According to the site, manufacturers of LCD films have stopped receiving orders as the iPhone 7 is expected to feature some front panel changes that will require new film designs.
Mockup of what the iPhone 7 could look like, without front panel changes taken into account
Recently, some manufacturers of LCD protection films on Alibaba.com have stopped receiving orders as iPhone 7 has its proximity sensor on the front changed to the dual specification in addition to the ambient light sensor on the side moving from the left side to the right while a slightly longer receiver.
Mac Otakara also reiterates rumors that the iPhone 7 Plus will feature a dual-lens camera while the iPhone 7 will feature a larger back camera, rendering existing iPhone 6s and 6s Plus cases unusable with the new devices
Though only small design tweaks are expected to be seen in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, there will be enough of a design shift to require accessory makers to create new products and to require iPhone buyers to purchase new products.
Schematics and blueprints suggest the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be largely the same dimensions as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s, but with relocated antenna bands, better water resistance, the removal of the headphone jack, and possibly some as of yet unknown reduction in thickness. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the iPhone 7 could be 1mm thinner than the iPhone 6s, but case leaks and other rumors suggest more a more modest change.
The Wall Street Journal yesterday called the changes set to be introduced in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus “subtle,” while Kuo has said the device will not have many “attractive selling points.” Apple is eschewing a major design revamp in 2016 in order to introduce more expansive changes in the 2017 iPhone, expected to see an all glass body with an edge-to-edge display.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: macotakara.jp
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How to make your Galaxy S7 feel more like stock Android – CNET
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Jason Cipriani/CNET
While Samsung has spent the last two years toning down the amount of changes it makes to Android with its proprietary TouchWiz interface, it can still be a little too much for some.
Whether you love Samsung’s hardware but hate the software, or you simply want a stock Android experience on the S7 or S7 Edge, it only takes a few minutes of your time to put Google’s Android design flair on your device.
Keep in mind, however, you won’t be able to replace every aspect of Samsung’s interface with a stock Android design, but you can get pretty close.
Material themes
Samsung’s Galaxy line has a Theme store where users can go to find themes that suit their personal tastes. Whether it’s a random robot theme, complete with robot-inspired app icons, wallpapers, sounds and fonts, or a theme that mimics Google’s Material Design the company uses in its own apps and on stock Android devices.
Open the Themes store on your Galaxy S7, and search for “Material.” There are a handful of Material-inspired themes available for free. Install each one, tap around and find one that works for you.
Google Now Launcher
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The easiest way to make your S7 feel more like a stock Android device is to install the Google Now Launcher.
Once you’ve installed the app, open it and follow the prompts to select the Google Now Launcher as your default Home screen app.
With Google’s launcher active, you can find quick access to Google Now by swiping to the right on the main home screen. You’ll also notice the app icons are a tad bigger, and the app drawer itself now scrolls vertically, instead of horizontally. Additionally, there’s the option to search through the app drawer at the top of the drawer.
More Information
Read the full CNET Review
Samsung Galaxy S7
The Bottom Line:
The fast, powerful, beautiful Galaxy S7 phone is 2016’s all-around phone to beat.
Read full review
CNET Editors’ Rating
4.5 stars
Outstanding
Priced at
$599.00
to $694.99
Reviewed: Mar 8, 2016
Google Apps
Stock Android is naturally full of Google’s own apps, whereas the Galaxy S7 is a mixed bag of Samsung and Google apps. Replace apps such as Samsung’s Calendar and web browser with Google’s offering. Here’s a list with Play store links of some apps you may want to install:
- Google Calendar
- Google Messenger
- Google Photos
- Google Clock
- Google Keyboard
- Google CalculatorGoogle Fit
For apps such as Calendar, Messenger and Photos you’ll need to set them as the default app. You can do that in Settings > Device > Applications.
With a few apps and tweaks, you can turn your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge into a device that closely mimics one of Google’s Nexus phones, rather than Samsung’s TouchWiz interface.
How to use multi-window mode on Samsung Galaxy S7
How do I use multi-window mode on Samsung Galaxy S7?
Although Android N will be bringing a split-screen functionality to all Android phones in the future, Samsung’s Galaxy series of phones have been able to use multi-window mode for years now. This multi-tasking feature is extremely useful for people who are tired of moving back and forth between apps.
- How to enable multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
- How to enable multi-window mode in from Recent menu on Galaxy S7
- How to enable multi-window mode from an app on Galaxy S7
- How to adjust the size of the multi-window mode windows on Galaxy S7
- How to invert the app windows’ positions in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
- How to drag and drop content in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
- How to minimize an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
- How to maximize an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
- How to close an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
How to enable multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
Not all apps are capable of using multi-window mode, so only multi-window-compatible apps will appear when you activate multi-window mode.
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
The app that you are currently in will always have a blue outline around the edges, so you shouldn’t lose track of where you are.
How to enable multi-window mode in from Recents menu on Galaxy S7
If you already have the app you want to use multi-window mode open, you can easily start a multi-window session from the Recents menu.
Press the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Tap the multi-window mode button on the app you want. It looks like to rectangles stack on top of each other. This button will only appear on apps that support multi-window mode.
Tap second app you want to use.
How to enable multi-window mode from an app on Galaxy S7.
If you are already in an app and want to start a multi-window session, you can do so with just a few taps provided the app you have open supports multi-window mode.
Launch any app from your Home screen or app drawer.
Press and hold the Recents key.
Tap on the second app you want to open.
How to adjust the size of the multi-window mode windows on Galaxy S7
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Press and hold the white circle in the middle of the two app windows.
Drag the white circle to the spot you want.
Let go.
How to invert the app windows’ positions in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
You can quickly invert the positions of both apps that are open in Multi-Window mode. Not only will they switch positions, but the windows will also switch sizes.
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Press the white circle in the middle of both apps
Press the invert positions button. It’s the furthest left button in the multi-window menu.
How to drag and drop content in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
Some apps — fair warning it’s a limited list— will allow you to drag and drop content between them when you have them in multi-window mode. If you try it with two apps that aren’t supported, your Galaxy S7 will let you know.
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Tap on the app window you want to drag and drop content from. The app you have selected will be surrounded by a blue border.
Tap the the white circle in the middle of the two app windows.
Tap on the drag and drop content button.
From here you can now drag the content on the app window you have selected to the other app window.
How to minimize an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Tap on the app window you want to minimize. The app you have selected will be surrounded by a blue border.
Tap the the white circle in the middle of the two app windows.
Tap on the minimize button. It’s the two arrows facing pointing towards each other in a box.
How to maximize an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Tap on the app window you want to maximize. The app you have selected will be surrounded by a blue border.
Tap the the white circle in the middle of the two app windows.
Tap on the maximize button. It’s the double-sided arrow in the box.
How to close an app in multi-window mode on Galaxy S7
Press and hold the Recents key. It’s the button to the left of your Home button.
Open the first app you want to use.
Open the second app you want to use. Note: you can’t open the same app twice.
Tap on the app window you want to maximize. The app you have selected will be surrounded by a blue border.
Tap the the white circle in the middle of the two app windows.
Tap on the close button. It looks like an X.
Best AT&T prepaid phones
Going prepaid with AT&T and in need of a phone? Check out our favorites.
Sure, you could pick up a prepaid phone straight from AT&T, but if you’ll always have more choice by bringing your own unlocked device. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best phones you can buy outright to use unlocked on the carrier.
- Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
- LG G5
- Nexus 6P
- HTC 10
- LG Nexus 5X
- iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
A popular pick (and rightfully so) is the Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. All that was awesome about the Galaxy S6 has been enhanced and Samsung keeps giving the people what they want.
The battery life in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge has been improved and extended considerably; in other words, bring on your busiest day and it will keep up with you. If your day involves rain or possible puddle or pool encounters, worry not; the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are waterproof. Take that, Mother Nature. The fingerprint sensor is conveniently tucked into the Home button and works like such a charm you’ll wonder how you’ve gone without one until now.
If you love photography with your Android phone, these are the phones you need to get your hands on. Photos turn out fabulously in just about any light and the Quad HD SuperAMOLED display on both phones keeps your pictures and streaming videos looking clear and sharp.
Need a little more convincing? Check out our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
See at AT&T
LG G5
For something completely different, have a look at the LG G5. The modular design is a new direction for LG and it makes the phone a unique offering in the world of Android.
You want a great camera? LG’s got a great camera – three, in fact. Of course, you have your front-facing camera for those necessary selfies, but you also get two rear-facing cameras: a 16-megapixel main camera (same as the G4) and an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera. The fingerprint sensor is built into the power button on the back of the phone and it boasts impressive accuracy.
The Snapdragon 820 processor will keep you happily multitasking all day and the 5.3-inch Quad HD quantum display keeps your video streaming and app gaming in top form. The feel isn’t as premium as the Galaxy S7 series, but that’s what you’ll trade for the G5’s modular capabilities. The “Friends” ecosystem of add-ons includes items like camera modules that attach to the phone when you remove the base.
Want to know what we think about the LG G5? Check out our review.
See at Amazon
Nexus 6P
The latest Nexus phone has lived up to all the hype, and a long-awaited and well-executed phone from Google could be right up your alley — even as we enter the latter half of the year. You can’t buy the Nexus 6P from a carrier, but you purchase it unlocked and bring it to AT&T.
The camera holds up well next to many current Android phones, offering 8 megapixels for the front-facing camera and 12.3 megapixels for the rear-facing one. It works in bright outdoor light or shadowy indoor environments and features laser-assisted autofocus for accurate focusing in the dark.
The 5.7-inch display and aluminum body look and feel modern, industrial, and comfortable in your hands. The fingerprint sensor uses Nexus Imprint and is located on the back of the phone, which is a departure from the way some manufacturers have been doing it, but 6P owners tend to like this feature having its own space away from the home screen or bezels. The nippy 810 Snapdragon processor and strong battery life round out the reasons the Nexus 6P is a good buy.
There’s more to learn. Check out our review of the Nexus 6P to see what we have to say.
See at Amazon
HTC 10
HTC is back in a big way with the HTC 10, an outstanding 2016 flagship phone for the company that’s been a little quiet lately. Although it’s not offered directly from AT&T, the unlocked HTC 10 is compatible with the network and can be purchased from another retailer.
Crazy about music? Say no more: the HTC 10 features BoomSound Hi-Fi that’s going to make all of your music sound stellar. The front-facing tweeter and bottom-facing woofer give you more volume than you could possibly need (with some help from Dolby, no less), and there’s a dedicated amp in the headphone jack so that you can rock out in crystal clarity. The capacitive fingerprint scanner doubles as the home key; the set up for scanning is straightforward, easy, and secure.
The HTC 10 comes with either 32GB or 64GB of storage that can be expanded upon with a microSD card, which can be used as adoptable storage, so you’ll never run out of space for photos or music. The 5.2-inch Quad HD display can be a little hard to see in bright sunlight, but the 10 makes up for this in other areas.
Need to know more? Get all the details on the HTC 10 from our review.
See at Amazon
LG Nexus 5X
For a solid mid-range phone, look no further than the LG Nexus 5X. You’ll need to purchase it unlocked from another retailer and opt for the bring-your-own-device prepaid plan.
A smaller and lighter offering compared to other phones, the 5.2-inch display is clear and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. The Snapdragon 808 Processor and dependable battery give you a full day of work and play without much to worry about in terms of bogging down the phone or searching for an outlet to charge up at. The phone is available in 16GB or 32GB, and for the price, you’ll be better investing in the 32GB model.
The camera is one of the phone’s best features, offering a 12.3-megapixel sensor for excellent color and detail capture. The phone also features Nexus Imprint fingerprint scanning, which sets up easily with six simple presses to the sensor.
See more on the LG Nexus 5X in our review.
See at Amazon
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
Yes, this is Android Central, but no, we’re not going to leave the iPhone off of the list when we’re talking about the best phones to use on AT&T. They have much to offer and are worth considering.
The iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display and the iPhone 6s Plus tops out at 5.5 inches. Shutterbugs will rejoice at the 12 megapixel camera for still photos and the 4K video capabilities, and they can bring those still shots to life with the Live Photos feature, which animates an image using a second and a half before and after the image was taken. 3D Touch sensors also recognize the pressure your fingertips put on the screen to easily open apps or preview content.
Touch ID keeps your iPhone secure and the storage capacity ranges from the standard 16GB up to as much as 128GB. Not too shabby, iPhone.
Thinking about making the leap to an iPhone? Check out iMore’s reviews of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.
See at AT&T
More, you say?
If you need to see more options before buying, have a look at some of the best unlocked phones and see how they stack up.
Grab a limited edition Android Namey McNameface t-shirt now!
Google is having a bit of fun in the latest Android N Developer Preview by trolling us with a Namey McNameface Easter egg. While we doubt the name is going to stick for the final version, it’s still a great name and would make for a heck of a shirt, huh? Especially since when Google announced that it would be seeking submissions for the name of the update, it specifically called out Namey McNameface as something that should not be submitted.
So, before Google announces the official name for the next version of Android, why not grab one of these limited edition t-shirts for your collection. There are a few options available for t-shirt styles, as well as a sweatshirt option if you want something to wear when it’s a bit cooler. This will instantly become a collectors edition as Google announces the real name, making it even cooler to have. You want to be a cool kid, right? If so, hit the link below and grab one for yourself now, as you only have until June 27 to get your order in!
See at TeeSpring
‘Resident Evil 7’ is going back to its horror roots
Capcom’s Resident Evil 7 brings some substantial revisions to the series. The seventh major installment takes the franchise into virtual reality, but that’s just the start of the changes you’ll see when it launches on PS4 early next year. The studio is taking the opportunity to rewrite the “survival horror” game concept it helped pioneer, stripping away a lot of schlocky Resident Evil tropes, enemies and characters. Both the demo and trailer show a more terse, psychological kind of horror game, something that several games (including Konami’s loudly canned P.T. teaser) are looking to tap into. Action appears to takes a back seat to exploration and plain weirdness. It’s a great conceit, but it’s still a work in progress. Series producer Masachika Kawata explained to Engadget what’s happened to Resident Evil — and the challenge of ensuring that those playing on PSVR can stomach it.
To start, this Resident Evil is a different kind of experience, regardless of whether you play it with or without PSVR; both versions are presented with a first-person view. “It offers a more detailed, visceral experience of the game environment,” Kawata said. “But comfort optimizations are an extra challenge.”
In the short demo (playable now on PS4 with a PS Plus subscription), the game starts with you inside an abandoned house. The goal is to get the hell out of there, which is mostly a matter of exploring and interacting with things inside the house. Without spoiling it, the demo doesn’t offer much (or anything) in the way of weapons, but that’s not to say you won’t be able to fight back. “[After switching perspective to first person], I like how the control system works with combat. While we haven’t shown that just yet — it’s coming,” Kawata said.
According to Kawata, the first-person view also offers a “more detailed, visceral experience of the game environment … although comfort optimizations are an extra challenge.” It makes sense: If I’m meant to be the character in a VR game, looking through her eyes, then shaking the camera or switching the perspective will make for an uncomfortable experience. Kawata explains: “Like climbing a ladder: In the PS4 version, the camera pans out to show the character climbing down. In VR, we’d fade out from the view from the start of the ladder and fade back in once you’ve moved. These are the kind of things we have to look into and support [for VR players].”
Those aren’t the only VR issues that Capcom needs to tackle. My colleague Jess Conditt went through the wringer while playing the PSVR teaser, which made her feel severely nauseous. (I also had to take off the PSVR headset before finishing the demo, as I felt similarly queasy. And we’re not alone.)
Kawata admits there’s work to be done here: “There’s a lot of variables in place when you play VR, including how [the player] literally feels at the time that you play it,” he said. “It’s something that we’re comprehensively looking into, especially at events like E3, which is an opportunity to gather feedback from gamers that try it out. We’re optimizing Resident Evil 7, to make it the most comfortable experience we can make it.”
Whatever the problem, it highlights an important fact: Good VR is fantastic, but there’s nothing worse than bad VR.
According to Kawata, “We’re aware that the main issue, the freedom of movement of the VR headset, can sometimes clash with the right stick that adjusts your view on the controller. That seems to be one of the issues — one that we’re working hard to resolve.”
It could be the camera system, or it could be the lower frame rates on the PSVR compared to the competition. Whatever the problem, it highlights an important fact: Good VR is fantastic, but there’s nothing worse than bad VR.
With everything that’s changed, is this a Resident Evil title only in name? Despite those aforementioned changes across the latest installment, the game isn’t a reboot: It continues the storyline from RE6, albeit in a different way. No zombies or shotguns? You should be OK: “You can be assured that the experience will very much be a Resident Evil one,” Kawata added.
Making a full game in VR was a challenge, he said. “It’s a lot of work but I really think we’re starting to see the results of all that now.” There’s still time, at least, for the team to work out those (literally) stomach-sinking VR issues: Resident Evil 7 launches Jan. 24th, 2017.
This interview has been translated from Japanese as well as edited and condensed.
Game studio claims it lost $450,000 to key resales
Game key resales are theoretically ideal for players — you can buy that must-have title at a discount from someone who wasn’t going to use it anyway. However, SpeedRunners developer TinyBuild would beg to differ. It’s accusing G2A of facilitating a black market in game keys that amounted to $450,000 in potential lost sales at retail prices. The studio maintains that G2A is refusing proper help (including compensation) after fraudsters bought keys from the TinyBuild store using stolen credit cards and posted them on G2A, making a tidy profit while TinyBuild made nothing. Supposedly, the only way to get help would be to forge a deal with G2A itself and undercut its own retail partners in order to compete with the bootleggers. Simply blacklisting a range of keys wasn’t an option, either.
G2A, to no one’s shock, sees things differently. It believes that TinyBuild made “unjustified demands” of its store. It also argues that it suspended shady key sales before TinyBuild even got in touch, and that the developer isn’t being entirely honest about its revenues — it’s using the peak prices as its model, not the sale prices that frequently appear. G2A is giving TinyBuild 3 days (until June 25th) to deliver a list of “suspicious” keys that it wants to investigate.
The truth might be somewhere in between these two positions. G2A wasn’t the one who bought keys through shady means, and it did take steps to keep things clean without being prompted. However, this does suggest that both sides may need screening that discourages fraud in the first place — it’s rare that someone honest will buy or sell game keys in those kinds of quantities.
Source: Gamasutra (1), (2), G2A
Warrantless data searches narrowly miss Senate approval
A Senate amendment that would have allowed the FBI to search a suspect’s phone and online records without a court order came very close to becoming a reality today. The legislation, introduced by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Richard Burr (R-NC) in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Orlando, missed the necessary 60 votes it needed to pass by just two votes.
The amendment in question was attached to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill earlier this week, Consumerist reports. And it would have allowed the FBI to use “National Security Letters” to demand that your internet or cellphone provider turn over certain account information including login history, call records and IP address. Unlike a court-ordered subpoena, which has to go through a judge first, a National Security Letter can be handed down from another government official.
While Senator McCain called the amendment a “no-brainer” and claimed it would prevent terrorists from “sneaking into this country,” his critics pointed out that it removes key checks and balances that insure citizens’ privacy and freedom.
“If this proposal passes,” privacy advocate and Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said during the debate, “FBI agents will be able to demand the records of what websites you look at online, who you email and chat with, and your text message logs, with no judicial oversight whatsoever. The reality is the FBI already has the power to demand these electronic records with a court order under the Patriot Act. In emergencies the FBI can even obtain the records right away and go to a judge after the fact. This isn’t about giving law-enforcement new tools, it’s about the FBI not wanting to do paperwork.”
The amendment received 58 votes in favor, with 38 Senators voting against. Earlier this month, however, the House of Representatives voted down legislation that would have prevented the government from requiring technology companies from building in weakened encryption and security backdoors into their products. That legislation, which had won approval of the House twice in the past, lost a great deal of momentum following the recent shootings in San Bernardino and Orlando.
Instagram adds a translation feature for text inside the app
On the heels of announcing it amassed 500 million users, Instagram is adding a new feature to help its global audience better understand each other. The filter-driven photo and video app will get a translation tool “in the coming month.” When it arrives, you’ll be able to tap a “See Translation” link to make sure you know exactly what a bio, caption or comment says. Instagram currently supports 24 languages, but it did explain that older comments and captions may not be privy to the update.
Other social networks, like Twitter, offer a similar translation method for keeping pace with users around the world. While Instagram specified the feature was rolling out, some of us here at Engadget are already seeing it inside the app, so you may not have to wait long to use it. Now you’ll really know exactly what someone thinks about your brunch pics.
In the coming month, you’ll see a translation button on feed stories and profile bios written in languages different from your own. The Instagram community has grown faster and become more global than we ever imagined. And we’re excited that you’ll soon be able to understand the full story of a moment, no matter what language you speak. To learn more about translation on Instagram, check out help.instagram.com.
A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on Jun 22, 2016 at 10:00am PDT
Source: Instagram (1), (2)
Democrats use Twitter to amplify House sit-in over gun control
Democrats are currently staging a sit-in at the House of Representatives to demand a vote on gun control legislation, and Republicans aren’t happy about it — they’re declaring recesses to shut off cameras (which are controlled by the House) and downplay the protest. The Dems aren’t letting that get in the way, though. They’ve gone into overdrive using Twitter, Periscope and Facebook Live to advertise the sit-in and draw attention to their cause. Even C-SPAN has turned to displaying tweets and live streams in the absence of TV broadcasts from the House floor.
You could argue that this switch to social channels was inevitable. Publicity is key here — the Dems weren’t about to protest in relative silence, even if news outlets were destined to have indirect coverage. However, the sit-in says a lot about the difficulty of trying to control the media in the internet era. There’s a real chance that the anti-TV ploy could backfire, putting the spotlight on a move that (right or wrong) might have otherwise gone ignored by many people.
C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras. Now showing a @periscopeco from @RepScottPeters. pic.twitter.com/L3JeHuSdL5
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 22, 2016
From Newtown to Charleston… how long will it take for Congress to act? #NOMORESILENCE #goodtrouble pic.twitter.com/uH4G5HCQc5
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 22, 2016
Via: Wired
Source: John Lewis, Scott Peters, CSPAN (Twitter)
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