‘Open banking’ data will help Brits compare and switch accounts
Just as Ofcom is making it easy to switch broadband and mobile providers to inspire us to hunt for the best deals, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) wants us to be similarly proactive about our bank accounts. Having completed a lengthy probe into retail banking, the CMA believes the secret to a more competitive industry lies in our data, and the sharing of it.
As it stands, less than 5 percent of personal and business customers move to a different bank each year. And that probably won’t surprise you — I know I set up my first account decades ago and have never had the slightest inclination to look elsewhere. The CMA hopes to stop this kind of apathy with what it calls “Open Banking,” which it’s requiring all relevant institutions to get on board with by early 2018.
The idea is to force all banks to share our financial data (via an open standard) with each other and trusted third parties — all securely and only with our consent, of course. Company-agnostic apps and services being fed this data would then allow us to easily move money between different accounts across different banks — in order to dodge overdraft charges on one particular account, for example.
With all kinds of information (including quality of service/satisfaction metrics) being pulled into a single platform, consumers would also be able to shop around for the best bank accounts, loans and other financial products.
The goal isn’t just to create better comparison apps or simplify money management somewhat — having an open data standard is supposed to result in smarter, more personalised financial advice. The kind fledgling, digital-first banks like Atom, Mondo and B are building reputations on, albeit a few years later and with no particular allegiance.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: The Competition and Markets Authority
Google Inbox finally lets you attach files from Drive
It’s been almost two years since Google launched Inbox, its vision for a smarter way to keep your email under control. The company has added plenty of features since launch, but there are still a few things left that you can only do in traditional Gmail. Today, Google’s cutting down that list a bit by adding the ability to directly attach any files stored in your Google Drive to new emails in Inbox. It’s been years since that feature was added to Gmail, and it’s pretty handy if you’re deep in Google’s ecosystem, so we’re glad to finally see it show up in Inbox.
Inbox has always tried to collect the different pieces of your digital life that come in through email (things like shipping notifications, calendar updates, reminders and so forth), and today Google’s also adding a few new integrations. Now, notifications from Trello and GitHub that come into your Inbox will automatically show you a summary of their contents by default, so you can see exactly what changes have been made without even opening the email. It’s displayed in the same style as newsletters from places like Medium, which also are displayed with a preview of their contents.

The last bit of info Inbox can now pull are the various Google alerts you may have set up. Those emails you get with your updates can be displayed in that newsletter style that is spreading quickly throughout Inbox. You’ll see a preview of the contents from your inbox, and if you tap the email it’ll start with an auto-generated summary of the items inside. You can tap or click on those specific items to get the full story, or just scroll down to read the full email.

There’s one more small update rolling out today that should be a blessing for long-time Inbox users: It’s now way easier to put emails directly into the trash instead of the archive. If you hover over a message in your inbox on the web, a trash can icon is prominently displayed next to the “done” and “snooze” options. Previously you had to select a message first to get the trash icon to appear. It’s a little change, but if you’d rather send more messages to the trash than into your archive, it’s very nice to see. All of these updates should roll out today for Inbox users on the web, and they should be present in the Android and iOS apps as well.
Source: Google
RIP Basis Peak: The best wearable you’ve never heard of
If you don’t already own a Basis Peak, then you’ll probably never get the opportunity to see one up close and personal. The wearable has barely registered in market share metrics, but has suddenly made a name for itself after being recalled. Which is a shame, because history is likely to remember it as that watch that caught fire and burned its owners. That would be an enormous disservice to a gadget that’s one of the most seriously underrated wearables on the market.
There were plenty of things to love about the Peak, but king of them all was its extraordinarily good battery life. Most devices with a built-in optical heart rate monitor require regular trips back to the charging cradle, but Peak lasted for four or five days at a time. That longevity meant that you could wear it for almost an entire working week — day and night — without worrying.
It wasn’t the prettiest device; a rectangular slab with a wide 1.25-inch touchscreen that simply sat on your wrist. But then again, I always appreciated its stripped down and spartan look. And, save for the bezel and logo, it had no flourishes of any kind. It may have looked more comfortable in a gym than under a suit cuff, but its lack of pretension meant it didn’t draw attention to itself at a formal occasion.
I’m not immune to the Peak’s flaws, the biggest one being its terrible, horrible, no good, very bad companion app.
Then there was the user interface which, like Snapchat, relied upon a series of hidden swipes and gestures that you had to figure out on your own. For instance, a double tap closed you out of whatever function you were in while a swipe up the right side of the display activated the backlight. Aside from one morning when I was late to work after forgetting the backlight command and thinking I had hours left in bed, that process of discovery was fun, rather than arduous.
So #Intel is recalling all #BasisPeak and shutting down sync servers.. Big deal, never heard about these watches in the first place. #flop
— romain (@_refocus) August 5, 2016
Another great thing about the Basis Peak was that, for the rest of the time, it simply got out of your way. Plenty of full-blooded smartwatches want to replicate the experience of using your smartphone on your wrist. But that’s a terrible idea in practice; there are lots of things you can do on an inch-wide display that you probably shouldn’t. Since the Peak was a gussied-up fitness tracker, it offered the bare essentials, but when time and battery life are so precious, doing fewer things very well is crucial.
The Peak knew when you began and finished your workouts without you telling it. It could track your steps and monitor your heart rate once it detected activity. For example, if you were walking, the device would automatically switch to pedometer mode and tell you your step count, time and distance. Similarly, you could leave it on the HRM screen to check if you were on the cusp of a heart attack when you’d overexerted yourself at the gym.
I’m not immune to the Peak’s flaws, the biggest one being its terrible, horrible, no good, very bad companion app. Seriously, it’s one of the worst fitness device apps I’ve ever used, making Basis the spiritual opposite of Jawbone, which produces brilliant apps and garbage hardware. I’d often opine to colleagues (who struggled to share my love of all things wearable) that Intel should buy Jawbone just for its app. Basis’ offering was simply that bad.

Basis’ software issue was simple: rather than focusing on letting users draw conclusions on the macro level, it was obsessed with minutiae. Every element of your day was broken apart, making it useless to actually analyze your motion over a week. Plus, it was ugly as sin, slow and generally unfriendly — and perhaps, fire risk aside, one of the biggest things that held the device back from being a winner.
I’m also worried that Intel might decide that the bad PR has tarnished the Basis brand to the point where it’s not worth saving. When the recall was announced, Basis revealed that the Peak’s online services would be shut on December 31st, 2016, giving customers only five months to migrate their data. When I contacted some Intel reps to ask about Basis’ long term future, the wave of “no comment” responses felt ominous. This is speculation, but perhaps Intel would prefer partnerships — such as with Tag Heuer — to be the future of its wearables strategy.
Intel
2014: buys Basis fitness tracker/watch maker
2016: recalls all Basis Peak watches for safety reasons
Still in consumer electronics!— Kontra (@counternotions) August 4, 2016
Which is a shame, because the demise of the Peak is a sad day for everyone who may not want something as flashy or demanding as an Apple Watch or Android Wear device. With its long battery life, subtle UI and continuous HRM, its spiritual successor is the Pebble 2+Heart Rate, although that doesn’t launch until September. The Basis Peak was a great device, notwithstanding its apparent propensity to explode. I, for one, hope that the team that created it gets the time and backing to get a do-over.
LG’s V20 smartphone may be as modular as the G5
Just a few days ago, LG revealed that it will introduce its first Android Nougat phone in San Francisco on September 6th. The V20 is said to come with similar dual-screen, dual-selfie camera features as its predecessor, the V10. And now, thanks to OnLeaks and Android Authority, we’re getting a first look at purported renders of the device. Most notably, the 5.7-inch V20 appears to have a modular design, based on a button placement reminiscent to that of LG’s newly minted G5.
As Android Authority points out, there appears to be a bottom lip as well, which could be a removable piece to make room for different kind of accessories. That said, the publication says its sources haven’t confirmed if the V20 is actually modular, so hold off on making any final judgements for now. Either way, we’ll likely find out more details about the handset in the weeks leading to its official announcement.

Source: OnLeaks/Android Authority
The best portable dishwasher
By Liam McCabe
This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.
If you can’t install a dishwasher, get the Danby DDW1801MWP. This portable 18-incher hooks up to your kitchen sink when you need it and rolls away on wheels when you don’t. We’ll be honest: You won’t find many portable dishwashers to choose from. But the Danby is actually a good appliance, not just some consolation prize for people who can’t install a built-in dishwasher.
Who should get this
If you can install a built-in dishwasher, do so. (We have a buying guide for those, too.) Over time, it’ll require less effort than rolling around a 120-pound machine before every wash cycle.
But sometimes a traditional built-in dishwasher is out of the question. Older, smaller kitchens don’t always have the right layout. Or maybe you rent your home and the landlord won’t pay to have a dishwasher installed.
Portable dishwashers are an alternative to built-in units. They’re on wheels, so you can roll them in and out of storage as needed, and rather than using a dedicated water line, you hook them up to a faucet and drain into the sink below. (You may also need an attachment for your faucet for the hose to fit properly.) Most models are 18 inches wide, though there are a few standard 24-inch models out there. Apart from those differences, they work like a regular built-in dishwasher.
How we picked
We’ve spent more than 70 hours researching dishwashers over two years, including eight hours looking at portable dishwashers. Although we did most of our fact-finding to pick the best built-in dishwashers, most of the same principles apply to portables, too.
Our expert sources that helped us figure out what makes a great dishwasher include Keith Barry, editor in chief of Reviewed.com’s appliance sites, who has overseen more than 100 dishwasher reviews during his tenure; Julie Warner, marketing manager at Warners’ Stellian, an appliance-sales powerhouse in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota; and Chris Zeisler, an expert at RepairClinic.com with a few decades of field experience repairing machines.
We weren’t able to test any models for this guide, and none of the appliance testing houses have bothered to review any of them, either. We relied mainly on user reviews, comments, and other testimonials to narrow in on the best portable dishwasher.
Our pick

The Danby DDW1801MWP rolls up when you need it and disappears when you don’t. Photo: courtesy of Home Depot.
The 18-inch Danby DDW1801MWP is the portable dishwasher you should buy. It’s a much better appliance than you might expect for the price, and even though it’s the cheapest dishwasher on wheels, we’d recommend it even if it cost hundreds more. It has all the specs you’d find in a decent $600 built-in dishwasher, including Energy Star compliance for lower energy bills and more efficient water usage and a stainless steel tub for long-term durability, quieter operation, and faster drying.
As of summer 2016, the DDW1801MWP is a new model, so it doesn’t have many user reviews at the time of this writing. But it’s a very similar machine to its predecessor, the DDW1899WP-1, which was our top pick in this guide before Danby discontinued it. We looked through the spec sheets and contacted Danby, and we spotted only two differences: The newer DDW1801MWP uses about 5 percent less energy and has a “glass wash” instead of a detergent-free “rinse cycle.” So we think it’s fair to rely on user testimonials about the older model to point out the strengths of this new one while we wait for reviews specific to the DDW1801MWP to become available.
Sweethome editor Ganda Suthivarakom owned an older version of this dishwasher and said that “a full load of dinner party dishes would come out sparkling clean.” The review of the DDW1899WP-1 by Rin76 at HomeDepot.com sums up the sentiments: “It’s a great little dishwasher for 2 people! It cleans everything really thoroughly, even stuck on dishes. It is perfect for our situation (couple in an apartment). It’s counter height, so it adds valuable counter space in our small kitchen. It is also really easy to use and hook up!” Just be sure to brush up on the best ways to use a modern dishwasher.
This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
New policy demands 20 percent of federal code be open source
For years, the Obama Administration has been pushing for greater transparency and parity between federal agencies and the general public. After months of negotiations and discussions, the Office of Management and Budget is easing open federal computer code for inspection. The OMB revealed its finalized requirements for the Federal Source Code policy on Monday, which demand federal projects make at least 20 percent of their computer code open source. What’s more, agencies will be expected to share all internally-developed code with one another.
The OMB plans to test this new policy during a two-year pilot program. Should the release of this code be deemed more valuable than whatever issues and unforeseen pitfalls arise from its being made public, the OMB may decide to increase the open-source requirements. In fact, until just recently, the OMB was pushing to make all federally created code to be open source. This data will be made available on Code.gov, a clearinghouse site that should launch in the next couple of months.
While this is certainly a commendable first step by the Obama Administration towards openness and transparency, two key positions of the president’s 2012 platform, much more remains to be done. These new rules don’t apply to privately developed code, even if it’s used by the government. For example, Wiscon’s use of the COMPAS sentencing software were recently deemed constitutional — at least, not a violation of a defendant’s due process rights — despite nobody outside the company knowing how the proprietary algorithms actually work.
Source: Federal Times
Apple Partners With South Korean Company to Develop Hollow Batteries for ‘Project Titan’ Car Project
Last year, it was reported that Apple has poached Samsung engineers to develop battery technologies for its widely rumored electric vehicle, and now another unnamed South Korean company may be involved with the project.
Korean site ETNews now reports that a small Korean battery company, which comprises 20 or so employees described as “expert technologists in batteries,” has been tapped to co-develop batteries for the so-called Apple Car.
Apple is planning to independently develop its own batteries for electric vehicles based on the Korean company’s patented hollow battery technology, according to the report. They are described as cylindrical lithium-ion secondary batteries with a thickness of two fingers and uniquely hollow centers.
Because batteries create most heat from the center due to chemical reactions, this company has created batteries where air flow and cooling are smooth in the center of batteries and this can minimize installation of separate cooling device or a device that prevents over-heating. They are also advantageous in high output. By utilizing this space, it is easy to design parallel connection, which is to expand battery capacity, in these batteries.
The report does not disclose the company’s name due to its recently signed non-disclosure agreement with Apple.
MacRumors went searching and uncovered a European Patent Office patent application for a hollow type secondary battery filed by Korean company Orange Power. According to its website, the company has 25 employees in R&D, and 33 total, which together with the patent application suggests it could be Apple’s secretive partner. At this point, however, it remains purely speculation.
Apple recently appointed Bob Mansfield, a longtime senior executive at the company, to oversee development of the electric vehicle, said to be codenamed “Project Titan” internally. He is believed to lead a team of hundreds of engineers from the likes of Tesla, Ford, GM, battery company A123 Systems, and elsewhere. The vehicle could be street-ready between 2019 and 2021, according to various reports.
Apple Granted Patent for ‘Articulated Vehicle’
TTC streetcars in Toronto, Canada are articulated vehicles (Photo: Tom Ryaboi)
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today granted Apple with a patent, transferred from BAE Systems, for an invention titled “steering device for articulated vehicle.” U.S. Patent No. 9,409,599, filed in July 2015, describes various steering devices for an articulated vehicle, such as a pivoting bus or transport truck. While vehicle-related, the patent’s relation to Apple’s electric vehicle is questionable.
Related Roundup: Apple Car
Tags: etnews.com, South Korea
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Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of macOS Sierra to Developers
Apple today released the fifth beta of macOS Sierra, the newest operating system designed for the Mac, to developers. macOS Sierra beta 5 comes one week after the release of the fourth beta and approximately two months after the software was first unveiled at Apple’s 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Developers can download today’s beta update through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Apple Developer Center.
macOS Sierra is a major update that brings Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to conduct voice searches to quickly find files, look up information, and more. New Continuity features offer an “Auto Unlock” option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch and a “Universal Clipboard” for copying text on one Apple device and pasting it on another.
Deeper iCloud integration allows files stored on the desktop or the Documents folder of a Mac to be accessed on all of a user’s devices, and Photos features deep learning algorithms for improved facial, object, and scene recognition. There’s also a Memories feature for displaying photo collections, and Messages has rich links, bigger emoji, and “Tapback” response options.
Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, optimized storage, and revamped emoji are also available.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
During the beta testing period, Apple tweaks and refine the features introduced in macOS Sierra to prepare it for public release. In macOS Sierra beta 4, Apple introduced new emoji promoting gender equality and introduced a new look for many existing emoji with new textures and design tweaks. Any changes found in the fifth beta will be listed below.
macOS Sierra is currently available to developers and public beta testers, and it will see a wider public release this fall. For full details on all of the new features included in macOS Sierra, make sure to check out our macOS Sierra roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Will my phone get updated to Android Nougat?

Jerry looks into his crystal ball and asks: Will your phone get an Android 7.0 update?
It’s time for a new version of Android, and that means I also get to make my yearly predictions about updates. Fun times!
Now, to be sure, unless a manufacturer has already committed to updating an existing phone, these are simply (mostly) educated guesses. We base them on a company’s track record, the capabilities of the phone itself, and the number of phones a company makes. It’s sort of like a blogger version of reading tea leaves and calling the bookmakers. And it’s fun. Even when we get it wrong it’s fun.
Since we’re here because we are interested in Android, and most of us like to have a little fun, let’s jump right in and answer the million dollar question — will my phone get updated to Android 7 Nougat?
Nexus phones

We’ll start with the easy ones. Nexus phones aren’t actually built by Google, but they are built to Google’s specifications and they have absolute control over all of the software. They also aren’t afraid to disappoint and tell us which phones are getting updated, and which phones are not.
- The Nexus 6 will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Nexus 5X will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Nexus 6P will be updated to Android Nougat.
- Android One models will be updated to Android Nougat.
- On the non-phone side, the Nexus 9 will be updated to Android Nougat. The same goes for the Nexus Player.
This means the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7 2013 aren’t getting updated. Nobody who is still using either is happy about it, but Google has made it clear that they support phones with new platform updates for a minimum of two years, and provide security and bug fixes for phones as long as they are able.The good news is that both the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7 2013 are super easy to drop a custom Android 7 ROM on, and we’ll see them shortly after Google puts out the source code for the new update. #420ROOTIT.
Samsung phones

Android’s elephant in the room, Samsung sells about as many Android phones as everyone else combined. A lot of those phones are ones nobody expects to be updated, and a good many of them are models none of us knows a lot about. These phones and the low-end models from other companies are the new flip phone. A lot of people buy them because they are cheap, and they look good compared to a phone with a tiny screen and a number pad. We’re not going to go there, and if any of those phones get updated we’re happy and surprised.
- The Galaxy Note 7 will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will be upgraded to Android Nougat.
- The Galaxy Note 5 will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+ will all be updated to Android Nougat.
Every other model is still a big old question mark. I think some of them, based on things like existing stock, the number of units sold and ease (price) of securing parts if they have to make more of them will get an Android 7 update. Others, with very similar hardware and software, won’t. This isn’t some sort of conspiracy thing where Samsung is trying to force you to buy a new phone. It’s a business decision that we don’t like. Supporting the phones they sell with bug and security fixes for two years is another story for another article.
The real question is when. Looking at Samsung’s track record from last year, I’ll say the Note 7 and Galaxy S7 series will get the Android 7 update in February 2017. The Note 5 and the S6 series will get shortly after. Samsung will eventually give a good timetable about it, and it will be wrong just like the rest of the timetables that nobody likes to commit to. Software be hard, y’all. Do it right Samsung, and I’d be happy to see you get things ready faster than my predictions.
LG

Just like last year LG is scrambling to be able to get into the comments and say FIRST! We already know that the LG V20 will be running Android 7.0 and we get to see it on September 6. While not technically an update, we’ll let it slide. The good news is that this all means LG has had access to the Android 7 code for a while now (all manufacturers have) and the updates for existing phones should follow on the heels of the V20 release. Right? Probably not.
- The LG G5 will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The LG G4 will be updated to … just kidding.
No, really. The LG G4 and LG V10 might get updated, and they could be made better with Android 7, but each has a strike against it. The G4 seems like one of those phones LG wishes they could take back. It has a beautiful screen and seems very capable, but the components were plagued with hardware problems and the software just wasn’t ready. If you have a G4 that the mainboard hasn’t taken a ride in that long black Cadillac (yet) and can put up with the quirks of LG’s software and occasional glitches, I hope they can update it to Nougat and fix some of the issues for you. The phone deserves it. But I’m not holding my breath.
The V10’s problem is its limited release. The unlocked international versions aside — which don’t have complete LTE support in North America — the rest are mostly carrier phones. That means your carrier gets to decide if they want to fuss with updating it. Bloatware be hard, y’all. With an updated V model coming shortly, will LG and the carriers want to spend the time or money to update the V10?
I don’t think so.
Like Samsung, some of LG’s other more inexpensive phones will surprise us with an update. We’re not about to guess which ones in which countries.
Motorola slash Lenovo

While we can guess about the update situation from Motorola, one thing we know for sure is that they aren’t going to make the same mistake as last time and promise updates they aren’t 100% sure they will be delivering. A lot of factors went into that decision, but the end result is the same no matter the reason — customers were understandably pissed off, and it looked like Motorola lied to us. It’s not the first time a company has made this mistake (and it won’t be the last) but it’s recent and we still taste the sourness.
- The Moto Z (all variants) will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Moto G4 will be updated to Android Nougat.
- The Moto X Play and Moto X Style will be updated to Android Nougat.
Lenovo is going to be looking forward, and models released before they bought Motorola are mostly done for. The good news is that Lenovo should be able to pump out the updates in short order if they want to do so. We could see the update cycle starting before Christmas.
HTC

HTC has already announced that the HTC 10, the HTC One A9 and the HTC One M9 will be getting Android N. Good. All three of these phones should be good for another year with the new software.
We can’t say with 100% certainty that HTC will be making two beautiful Nexus phones for 2016 (nodding head they totally are), but if they are (they totally are) that means they’ve had plenty of time to play with the code and see any hurdles that might come into play when updating older hardware. A head start can be important, and HTC should start rolling out the updates within 60 days of the code dropping.
I’ll pull a shocker and say that the A9 gets it first. You guys will remind me if (when) I’m wrong. It’s basically a Nexus when it comes to the software (I’m sure that wasn’t an accident) so there isn’t a lot of malarky necessary to get it up and running. Svelte and the new Doze should make the A9 great again.
HTC’s higher end Desire models should see an update, but of course some won’t. We know HTC wants to differentiate themselves by being great with updates. Sometimes they are.
Huawei

Huawei had a pretty decent beta build for the Huawei P9 leak out recently. We know they are working on it already. They’ve also started to tone down EMUI which should make building the new version even easier. And easier on our eyes. #OO
- I’m going to say that the Mate 8 and the P8 also get an update to Android 7.0. Don’t make me regret it, Huawei. Baby needs a new pair of shoes. Or something.
- The Honor 5X will be updated to Android Nougat.
Huawei is thirsty for the number one spot. That’s a tough nut to crack, but they could easily grab the number two spot (by devices sold) and keep trying throughout 2017. They also know how to filter the feedback from the Android die-hards (that’d be you and me) to alter what they do and how they do it. Getting updates out quickly for their best models is a part of that. It makes you and me happy and we say nice things online and recommend them to others.
Since it’s prediction season here’s a free one — Huawei’s fierce competition will make Samsung change parts of their business model. Expect faster updates, more refined features and more generic hardware from the Korean giant. We’re already seeing it. Nobody adapts like Samsung.
Honorable mentions

With about 13,000 different models of Android phone out in the wild, we can’t cover everything. But there are some phones we have to mention by name even if we aren’t writing a flowery paragraph or two about them.
- The OnePlus 3 will get updated to Android Nougat, but not nearly as fast as some users would like. The OP3’s target audience is broader than their previous models, but nerds still buy them. Nerds want Nougat.
- The NVIDIA Shield TV will be upgraded to Android Nougat fairly quickly, but the Shield Tablet will take a backseat to a new thing and take longer.
- The Axon 7 should get the update, but not very soon. ZTE struggles to meet their aspirations in the update department, but at leats they have them.
- Sony will continue have beta builds available for some of their recent models. They will be pretty decent after a few tweaks. But it will take forever to see a final version drop.
- Xiaomi will focus on new models running Android 7.0 and take six to eight months to update any existing phones.
- Pokemon Go will be updated to take advantage of Android 7.0’s battery and data saving features. Bam. It had to be done.
Finally, one thing is certain when talking about all of this — there will be bugs. No matter how long it takes or how much testing is done, there will be bugs. Some of us will enjoy finding fixes for them (everything is broken on some level to people like us) while others will be unhappy and vocal about the issues. Like every year on every platform, it’s going to be a fun ride.
Android Nougat

Android N (currently in Developer Preview status) is now Android Nougat! It’s the 12th nicknamed version of Android and will be released to the public in the fall of 2016. Here’s everything you need to know so far!
- What’s new in Android Nougat
- All Android Nougat news
- Should you use the Android N Dev Preview?
- About the Android Beta Program
- Join the Discussion
LG’s V20 could be another modular phone
It looks like LG’s not done with modular phones — even after the shaky reception to the G5 — as revealed by new render leak.
LG may be set to continue its modular experiment if freshly leaked renders of the upcoming V20 are any indicator. The CAD renders of the phone, given by Steve Hemmerstoffer (a.k.a @onleaks) to Android Authority show a design that’s largely a mash-up of G5 and V10 elements.

A bigger, boxier G5 with a secondary ticker display.
If the renders are accurate — and Hemmerstoffer has a decent track record here — then we’re looking at a more angular handset than the G5, but with a similar dual-lens camera setup around the back, a larger display (estimated around the 5.6 to 5.7-inch mark) and secondary ticker display, along with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. But the real surprise? It’s looking increasingly likely that the V20 will be LG’s second modular phone.
The renders show a G5-style release switch on the bottom right side of the phone, and what appears to be a clean join between the bottom section of the phone and the body. It sure looks like we’re in for another LG phone with swappable modules.





MORE: Imagining a phablet-class LG V20
A modular V20 may seem a surprise after the decidedly lackluster performance of the G5, but then again the V20 would’ve been far along in development by the time sales of that phone began. Regardless, we can probably all agree that LG needs some more compelling modular options if it’s to compete with Samsung’s almighty Note 7.
Interestingly, the renders only appear to show one front-facing selfie camera, as opposed to the duo of lenses on the V10. The phone is also purported to be exactly as thick as the G5, measuring 7.7mm through, except for the 8.8mm-thick camera bump. All things being equal, that should mean we’ll get a bigger battery than the 3,000mAh capacity shared by the G5 and V10, but other specs remain unclear.
The LG V20, recently announced as the first phone running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, will be officially unveiled at an event in San Francisco on Sept. 6.
MORE: Let’s talk about the LG V20 being the first phone with Nougat



