FTC Targeting Qualcomm for Forcing Apple to Use its Modems
The United States Federal Trade Commission today filed a complaint against Qualcomm, accusing the company of violating the FTC Act by using anticompetitive tactics to remain the dominant supplier of baseband processors (aka LTE chips) for smartphones.
According to the FTC, Qualcomm uses its position and its portfolio of patents to impose “onerous and anticompetitive supply and licensing terms on cell phone manufacturers,” negatively impacting its competitors.
The complaint specifically addresses a deal with Apple in which Qualcomm required Apple to exclusively use its modems from 2011 to 2016 in exchange for lower patent royalties.
Qualcomm precluded Apple from sourcing baseband processors from Qualcomm’s competitors from 2011 to 2016. Qualcomm recognized that any competitor that won Apple’s business would become stronger, and used exclusivity to prevent Apple from working with and improving the effectiveness of Qualcomm’s competitors.
Up until 2016, Apple only used Qualcomm modems in its line of iPhones, deviating from the norm with the iPhone 7. Both Intel and Qualcomm modems were adopted for the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, leading to some compatibility and performance discrepancies.
Qualcomm is also accused of refusing to license its standard-essential patents to competing suppliers and implementing a “no license, no chips” tax policy where it supplies its baseband processors only when manufacturers agree to Qualcomm’s preferred licensing terms, causing smartphone makers to pay higher royalties to Qualcomm when a competitor’s modem chips are used.
The FTC has asked the court to order Qualcomm to put a stop to its anticompetitive conduct and take action to “restore competitive conditions.”
Tags: FTC, Qualcomm
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Google Contributor is well and truly dead; successor yet to be revealed
Contributor accounts have been shut down, and refunds have been issued. It’s done.
To quote our previous story about Google Contributor, “this whole thing sounds really weird.” After announcing back in December that its pay-to-remove-ads product would be replaced with something new come January, Google swiftly and abruptly shut down the service in a less-than-graceful manor. Now, it’s completely dead.
It started with the Google Contributor website simply being killed at the start of the year, with the URL sending you to a generic 404 page. This was while Contributor accounts, all of which had recurring subscriptions, were left to still be charged with no management of the account. Today, Contributor subscribers received a simple email (above) indicating that their subscription was cancelled, the remainder of their balance was to be refunded and their account was closed.
A swift (and kind of messy) shutdown, indeed.
Despite claiming that Contributor would be replaced with something entirely new, we haven’t heard a peep. At this point it seems as though whatever may replace Contributor will more than likely have a new name, otherwise this whole process of shutting everything down would seem like a bit of unnecessary work. But then again, perhaps that’s a bit of foreshadowing that nothing, in fact, will replace Contributor.
The email indicating that all of our accounts had been closed and our subscriptions canceled didn’t offer any sort of reprieve, unfortunately. A simple “thanks again” from the Contributor team was all that was offered. I guess I’ll wait a while and hold out hope that Google will once again offer me a subscription service to remove ads while supporting sites that I visit.
OnePlus confirms Nougat update uses proper kernel, will remove confusing debug warning
After some confusion, OnePlus says there’s nothing to worry about in its kernel.
A few tidbits of information swirled yesterday about the Nougat update for the OnePlus 3 and 3T in regards to what kernel it was using. Looking at logs, some users had found messages indicating that the OxygenOS 4.0.1 build was using a debug kernel in what would otherwise be completely release-level software. With a debug kernel, unknowing consumers would be vulnerable to various attacks, as there would theoretically be no checks against modifying the system folder of the phone.
Thankfully, OnePlus has confirmed to Android Central that this messaging was an error, and the OxygenOS software is indeed running a proper release kernel to match the consumer-ready software running on the phone. The debug message found by some users had been triggered instead by the use of common Systrace tools, which gathers performance information about the system — the kernel, in fact, is a proper release version and not a debug kernel.
This is the case for both OxygenOS 4.0.0 and 4.0.1 builds, and OnePlus says that it plans to remove the debug information and warning generated by the Systrace tools so there isn’t any future confusion. Without deeper analysis we have to take OnePlus at its word here, so right now we can call this a bit of sloppy log management rather than a detrimental kernel development issue.
OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3
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- OnePlus 3T vs. OnePlus 3: What’s the difference?
- OnePlus 3T specs
- Latest OnePlus 3 news
- Discuss OnePlus 3T and 3 in the forums
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Thinking about a Pixel 2: How to improve the best Android phone
What do we want from the Google Pixel 2?
We’re well into the new year (happy 2017!) and we’ve just done an audit of our favorite Android phones, and yes, the Google Pixel still sits atop the list.
Despite much haranguing from a small minority, and a few notable issues people continue to encounter along the way, Google has quite a smash hit on its hands — critically, if not financially.
But that doesn’t mean the Pixel is perfect. Far from it. There are many things we thought immediately needed to be changed, and have since lengthened that list, from waterproofing to wider carrier availability. Here are the things we think the Google Pixel 2 — or whatever it’s going to be called — needs when it inevitably debuts later this year.
Waterproofing
Waterproofing is the most obvious feature manufacturers can’t afford to overlook in 2017.
The most obvious one is a feature manufacturers can’t afford to overlook in 2017. With the Samsung Galaxy line well established as the IP68 mainstay, and Sony not far behind with its admittedly less acclaimed lineup, Google has to appeal to the mainstream by waterproofing its 2017 flagship. There were just too many times in recent months where I would have preferred to be able to be more cavalier about taking the Pixel out in the rain or snow — or even using it near a sink — without worrying about death through mainboard corrosion.
To be fair, though, I’ve exposed both my Pixel and Pixel XL to what would be considered a fair amount of water — swiping through Spotify in the rain, or accidentally getting knocked into a snow bank by my puppy — with no immediate consequences, but frequent exposure to the elements may, over time, cause problems, and will almost certainly void my warranty.
More carrier support
I know, this may seem counterintuitive, but the Pixel is being held back by being a Verizon exclusive. In Canada, the Pixel is sold through nearly every carrier and is a much more easy-to-spot phone as a result. Being available through AT&T and T-Mobile would almost certainly put the Pixel 2 in better standing to compete with the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8, and there is no question that Google has certainly earned the right to have a successful product launch in the U.S.
Despite what we once feared, Verizon hasn’t completely undermined the Pixel’s frequent update promise, nor has it sullied the foundation of openness that the Nexus line laid so many years ago. But the Verizon model is bootloader locked, and it comes with bloatware, which are compromises Google must be willing to make to get its device(s) in the hands of more people.
It seems counter-intuitive, but we need the carriers to be on board still.
The Pixel, for better or worse (depending on who’s reading) is a mainstream phone with an extremely populist approach to Android, and it deserves to be purchased by anyone on any carrier. Financing plans allow people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a $649 Pixel or $769 Pixel XL to walk out of a store with a phone, a plan, and a smile. Carrier stores are also places people can go when they have questions or problems.
As generous as Google’s interest-free financing options are, and as ubiquitous as its 24/7 support line may be, there are still inherent advantages to being able to buy a phone from a carrier, and I’d love to see more of that, please.
Better battery life on the Baby Pixel
This has been a constant source of frustration for me since I began using the Pixel, left it for the Pixel XL, went back to the Pixel, and gave up and settled with the XL.
The Pixel’s 2770 mAh battery isn’t big enough to comfortably get me through the whole day without having to top up at least once — and not for just a few minutes, either — in the day. Normally I can, and it’s not a problem, but I shouldn’t have to, and it’s something that I think Google can solve for this year with …
A slightly bigger Baby Pixel
Five inches seems to be the sweet spot for a lot of people, but given that 2017 appears to be the year of the No Bezel Smartphone, hear me out: it shouldn’t be too difficult for Google to do a couple of things to make the smaller Pixel slightly larger — a couple of millimeters taller and wider, or ever-so-slightly thicker, to increase the battery size to, say, 3200 mAh, in addition to increasing the size of the display to 5.2 inches.
After using the Huawei Mate 9, I have no problem losing some pixel density by sticking with 1080p — if the display is good.
After using the Huawei Mate 9 for a while now, I have no problem losing a small amount of pixel density by maintaining a 1080p resolution on a display that would be four percent or so larger — as long as the AMOLED panel itself is of high quality, properly calibrated and ideally DCI-3P compliant — because Nougat’s excellent display scaling makes it easy to fit more on the screen at once, even at lower resolutions.
A more inspired design with smaller bezels
The Pixel is many things, most great, but the phone’s design is not universally lauded. Insofar as most devices today are slabs of metal and glass with rounded corners, the Pixel hits all the right marks, and yet there is something perfunctory about it, especially given HTC’s prowess in actually designing and building its own products.
If it’s true that the Pixel’s design and production was rushed to meet the demands of a holiday release, the emphasis on utility over beauty may be been a worthy trade-off, but given that Google has its own in-house team of hardware engineers, I’d love to see them take some chances with the Pixequel.
In particular, I’d love to see a Pixel 2 with slimmer bezels, allowing the now-larger base Pixel pack a larger screen (as above) into the same size or only slightly bigger chassis. And getting rid of that glass on the back entirely wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.
A camera bump
We’re not talking a Galaxy S6-level wart, but something a bit more reasonable.
This one sounds weird, but hear us out: Should Google insist on stepping around cellular attenuation by affixing glass to the top half of the Pixel 2 as it did on the original, we’d prefer the camera to have a camera bump — a slightly-protruding lens covered by sapphire glass, much like the Galaxy devices do today. We’re not talking a Galaxy S6-level rear wart, but more like its sequel, the Galaxy S7, which blended better into the chassis and wasn’t nearly as unsightly.
The benefits would be twofold: first, a slight camera bump allows for a larger sensor, which would reinforce the Pixel’s lead in the camera department. It would also give Google more room to install real optical image stabilization, something that, despite the Pixel’s excellent electronic stabilization, I would prefer to see in all high-end phones. Such a move would also prevent the glass from getting as scratched as ours has become in the four months since the phone’s release. It’s quite shocking, actually.
A 64GB option and a lower starting price
Friend of the site (and editor at Android Police), David Ruddock, said that 64GB should be the base storage option for the next Pixel. I disagree.
Instead, what I’d like to see is a 64GB model filling in for the standard $649 price, and a $599 or even $549 starting price for the 32GB option. Google shot itself in the foot a little separating the $649 Pixel from the $499 Nexus 6P, and I think it would do them a lot of good bringing down cost of ownership for people who generally store things in the cloud and don’t need a huge amount of local space.
I’ve been using a 32GB Pixel for the past two months and haven’t run into any storage issues because I offload my photos to Google Photos every few days and I don’t download a lot of large apps and games. I’m sure many people are in the same boat as me and would instead prefer to spend a bit less upfront for what is the best Android phone you can buy today.
Your choices
None of my desires for a Pixel 2 are particularly out there, nor are they looking at technologies that may or may not take off in 2017. I mean, sure, I guess I’d like to see an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that lives under the display, the same thing rumored to debut in the Galaxy S8. And I would certainly like to see more attention paid to building out the Pixel’s first-party accessory lineup, which does not really compare well to the much more popular Galaxy series. But to me neither of these overshadow the fundamentals.
What would you like to see in the next Google Pixel? Let us know in the comments!
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
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Google, LG to unveil new Android Wear 2.0 watches at Feb 9 event
The first watches to run on Android Wear 2.0: the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style.
Google and LG have teamed up to produce two new smartwatches, the first to run on the new Android Wear 2.0 platform, according to a new report from VentureBeat. We previously reported that Google was planning to launch Android Wear 2.0 on February 9, and now we know that event will also include the official unveiling of the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style.
Photo credit: Android Police
The Watch Sport is 14.2-millimeters thick with a slightly larger watch face and will be available in titanium and dark blue. The Watch Style is slightly slimmer at 10.8-millimeters thick and, as the name suggests, is available in more stylish color options — titanium, silver and rose gold — with the option of swapping out straps for accessorizing.
Both watches feature circular touchscreen watch faces with a side button for navigation purposes, dust and water resistance — IP68 for the Watch Sport and IP67 for the Watch Style — Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and 4GB of internal storage.
But it’s the internal specs where the added bulk of the Watch Sport becomes clear. The Watch Sport has 768MB of RAM (to the Watch Style’s 512MB) and also includes cellular connectivity with both 3G and LTE data along with GPS and NFC radios — easily making it the superior option.
And of course, since both will be running Android Wear 2.0, we’ll get our first look at Google Assistant integration on a wearable, as well as see Google Play Store access on the wrist and standalone smartwatch apps.
Android Wear 2.0 will be the new standard for future Android timepieces, and will be pushed out as an upgrade to some legacy models.
The Moto 360 (2015) has officially exited the Google Store
Tossing out the old to make room for the new.
With Google’s smartwatches making headway in the rumor mill, it’s likely this won’t surprise you: the second-gen Moto 360 is no longer available in the Google Store.
The Moto 360 was one of the first worthy Android Wear smartwatches for the mainstream by virtue of its pleasantly circular watch face. It was then followed up with a second-generation device that was equally as attractive and came in color variations that suited almost everyone. Since there are still plenty of users out there donning the device, they will see Android Wear 2.0 quite soon. But if you were thinking of buying one, you can hit another retailer like Amazon. Or wait for Google to release its own line of circular smartwatches.
Google’s two LG-made Android Wear 2.0 watches revealed, coming 9 Feb
New information has surfaced on Google’s upcoming pair of Android Wear 2.0 watches, including the name of the manufacturer.
According to Venture Beat’s Evan Blass, a usually reliable leaker, Google will unveil its much-rumoured smartwatches on 9 February — at the very same event that’s expected to launch Android Wear 2.0, a long-overdue update to the wearable platform. Blass said Google will begin selling the two watches in the US the next day. He also shared some details about what we can expect in terms of features.
- Android Wear 2.0: What’s new in the major software update for watches?
First of all, in a partnership described as Nexus-style, LG will make the first devices “powered by Android Wear 2.0”. Called the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style, it’s not yet clear if these are the same watches that recently passed through the US Federal Communications Commission. However, they will apparently debut at Google’s event and will be available from 10 February, with a wider rollout in March.
- Best smartwatches to look forward to in 2017
The watches will likely be on display at LG’s booth at Mobile World Congress at the end of February. Keep in mind Android Police first revealed the existence of these watches last year and published the above mock-up. Blass has now leaked their specs, claiming Watch Sport is 14.2mm thick, will be offered in titanium and dark blue, and features a 1.38-inch (480×480) face, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, 430mAh battery, and a heart-rate sensor.
The Watch Style is 10.8mm thick and will be offered in titanium, silver, and rose gold. It has a 1.2-inch (360×360) face, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, and a 240mAh battery. Both watches will have a circular, plastic OLED touchscreen, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. However, the Sport model will exclusively be available with cellular connectivity (both 3G and LTE data), a heart-rate sensor, GPS, and NFC.
- Are these Google’s upcoming Android Wear smartwatches?
They’ll also both feature a digital crown button for navigation purposes, as well as Android Wear 2.0 pre-loaded, iOS compatibility, Google Assistant integration, and water and dust resistance (IP68 and IP67 for the Sport and Style, respectively).
Mark Zuckerberg defends Oculus in court against VR rival
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was grilled in court this morning over the creation of the Oculus Rift VR headset, as part of a $2 billion lawsuit brought by ZeniMax Media. ZeniMax — the owner of Bethesda Softworks, id Software and other video game studios — says Oculus chief technology officer John Carmack stole ZeniMax’s intellectual property when he left the company in 2013. Essentially, ZeniMax argues that it owns the technological foundation behind the Oculus Rift VR headset.
Zuckerberg purchased Oculus in 2014 in a deal estimated to be worth $2.3 billion — and as he made clear on the stand this morning, he disagrees entirely with ZeniMax’s claims.
Lawyer, incredulously: “Your plan was to begin legal diligence on Friday, and sign the deal on monday.”
Zuckerberg: “Yep.”
— ಠ_ಠ (@MikeIsaac) January 17, 2017
The New York Times technology reporter Mike Isaac and Gizmodo reporter William Turton have been live-tweeting the Facebook-ZeniMax trial, where Zuckerberg was first on the stand today. According to their tweets, Zuckerberg was questioned about a letter ZeniMax sent to Facebook two weeks after closing the Oculus deal, outlining the company’s legal concerns over potential stolen tech.
Zuckerberg apparently brushed off the letter.
“It is pretty common when you announce a big deal or do something that all kinds of people just kind of come out of the woodwork and claim that they own some portion of the deal,” Zuckerberg said, according to Isaac. “Like most people in the court, I’ve never even heard of ZeniMax before. I know that our legal team would look into this and examine this, but they aren’t going to take a lot of my time on something they don’t think is credible.”
ZM lawyer: “If I steal a bike, paint it and put a bell on it, does that make it my bike?” Zuck scoffs, “no.”
— William Turton (@WilliamTurton) January 17, 2017
Details about Facebook’s purchase of Oculus are coming out in the trial, as well. Zuckerberg apparently moved through the acquisition process quickly, planning to vet Oculus on a Friday and sign the deal the following Monday. Plus, there are some financial nuggets here: Facebook paid “about $2 billion” to buy Oculus as a company, plus it threw down an additional $700 million to retain key employees and set aside $300 million for milestones.
Zuckerberg also shared his thoughts on the promises of VR in general. “We want to get closer to this kind of perfect representation, so you can capture a moment you had,” Zuckerberg said, according to Isaac.
Zuckerberg additionally lamented the closed nature of Google’s and Apple’s operating systems, reportedly saying, “We have not been able to build and design some of the best experiences that we want for our community.”
The Facebook-ZeniMax trial is expected to last three weeks. Already, Zuckerberg is joined in the courtroom by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, Oculus PC VR leader Brendan Iribe and Oculus CTO (or legendary co-creator of Doom) John Carmack. Luckey’s tie is apparently bright pink, if anyone is wondering.
Source: @MikeIsaac, @WilliamTurton
Burner’s virtual phone lines add automatic robocall blocking
When it debuted in 2012, Burner’s virtual phone number app promised to help privacy-minded folks shield their private digits with temporary phone numbers while adding a few useful cloud-based integrations at the same time. Today, Burner announced a new integration with Nomorobo — the winner of the FTC’s Robocall Challenge — to eliminate another major phone-related headache: Rachel from Card Services.
The Burner and Nomorobo partnership adds the latter’s call-blocking features and “massive” blacklist of known telemarketers to prevent those calls from ever reaching your phone. (Or, in this case, your temporary Burner number.) Incoming calls are checked against Nomorobo’s database and then automatically screened. Although you can blissfully ignore those calls if you like, the Burner app places them in a “Filtered Calls” section of your call history so you can review them later. Incorrectly filtered calls can be whitelisted and moved to the Inbox just like checking your email spam folder.
Burner users with a Premium $4.99 monthly subscription can add Nomorobo’s services to their account simply by updating to the latest version of the app. Nomorobo will be enabled by default in both the iOS and Android versions.
Source: Burner
AIVAnet 