Let’s talk about the Galaxy S8 and weird usability issues

Seriously? They put the fingerprint scanner there???

The leak of the first live images of the Samsung Galaxy S8 has given us lots to talk about. Despite obvious family traits, the Galaxy S8 represents the biggest design overhaul since the GS6 — with a wacky new, math-defying aspect ratio (18.5:9!), no clicky home button, and talk of the new Bixby AI assistant getting its own special key on the side.

While I hesitate to pass judgment based on just a handful of leaks, there are a few real head-scratchers thrown into the mix too. First of all, that fingerprint sensor. It’s on the back of the phone — which is fine, plenty of other devices get by just fine with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. (Even behemoths like the 5.9-inch Huawei Mate 9.) But it’s way up top to the right of the camera lens. Consider that the smaller of these two has a 5.8-inch display, and the larger an enormous 6.2-inch screen. Even if, as rumored, the footprint isn’t considerably larger than current 5.1- to 5.5-inchers, that’s an awfully long way to reach — especially for left-handed folks. (Try it on a current phablet-sized phone, if you have one to hand.)

Iris recognition needs to be a whole lot better on the GS8 than it was on the Note 7.

My conspiracy theory — one shared by Daniel Bader on the most recent podcast — is that it’s up there to funnel GS8 owners towards the iris scanner surely lurking around the front. Samsung first brought us iris-scanning technology in the Note 7, and it wasn’t great. (In fact, it was pretty much useless.) Hopefully the implementation in the GS8 will be better.

The lack of any kind of home button also provides an impetus for Samsung to up its game when in terms of gesture support. Features like raise-to-wake, double-tap to wake and (possibly) some kind of sensor-driven hand gesture, a la Moto, become increasingly important when you can’t just press a big obvious button on the front.

Best case scenario: Samsung has all this stuff covered, in ways that won’t become clear until the presumed March 29 announcement. After all, the company isn’t stupid, and has been making top-tier smartphones for a very long time. Thus, it’s smart enough to work out any glaring usability issues, you’d hope.

Best case scenario: Samsung has all this stuff covered.

No organization is infallible, however, and it’s also possible that pressure to move to taller display with minimal bezels — already an emerging trend for phones in 2017 — has pushed Samsung into a corner. Even then, you’d think the established fingerprint scanner spot — right in the center, where it’s easy to hit — would be the obvious choice. Or perhaps the rumors are wrong, and the final GS8 design will feature the speculated in-display fingerprint scanner.

All of these things are possible, and it’s going to be an interesting run up to the Galaxy S8 launch season, with many questions to answer. Among them:

• How will the phone perform on “only” 4GB of RAM? The GS7 isn’t great at holding apps in memory with the same amount of RAM. But with the “Bixby” assistant running in the background too?
• On paper, the GS8’s (rumored) camera is identical to the GS7’s, but surely there are some under-the-hood and processing changes, and it’s these which increasingly make up the difference between a good camera from a great one.
• A bigger display with a smaller battery rarely results in barnstorming battery life. Sure, the GS8’s guts will be more efficient than ever, but it’ll be interesting to see how a more conservative battery capacity (post-Note 7 debacle) affects longevity.

But hey, at least we’ll always have the headphone jack!

Three enables app-free Wi-Fi calling, as long as you have a compatible phone

Three has begun rolling out a new Wi-Fi calling service to its customers, so long as they have a compatible smartphone. Wi-Fi calling is nothing new to Three, since it has been offering the function through the inTouch app, but the experience through that left a lot to be desired.

• Wi-Fi Calling: What is it and which devices support it?

The app-free function is available for Android and iOS smartphones and will allow you to still make phone calls and send text messages in areas where you don’t have phone signal, but do have a Wi-Fi signal. The London Underground for instance. You’ll need to make sure you have the latest phone software and carrier settings installed on your device, and when you have the function enabled, the carrier message in the top left of your screen will change to ‘Three WiFi Call’.

The feature is only compatible with certain phones though. Supported iOS devices include the iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6s, SE and 7, while supported Android devices include the LG G5, Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, with support for the S7 and S7 edge coming in mid-February.

• Best roaming plans: Which is the cheapest network for EU and abroad?

Anyone using one of these devices that previously used the inTouch app will be greeted with a pop up message telling them they can delete it.

The Morning After: Monday, January 30 2017

Welcome to Monday morning. Needles in eyes, strict immigration orders, and survival horror in virtual reality. Today has some bite.

Boss Sundar Pichai asked employees to fly back to the US ASAP.
Google recalls staff following Trump immigration order

The President’s executive order that bans almost all citizens from Iran, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the country is making tech execs move fast. Google’s Sundar Pichai told overseas employees to fly back to the US as soon as possible, or risk not being able to get back at all. The immigration order also saw companies like Apple and Microsoft rush to help employees stranded following the restrictions.

Surgeons were able to perform a difficult eye procedure with some robotic help.
Surgery bot makes highly precise eye injection possible

For the first time ever, a team of eye surgeons was able to inject a thrombolytic drug directly into a patient’s retinal vein to dissolve a blood clot. It was a success, despite the fact that the vein is as thin as human hair, thanks to a surgical robot developed by researchers from KU Leuven, a university in Belgium. The scientists created a robot that can help a surgeon insert the needle precisely and then hold it perfectly still. They also designed the tiny 0.03 millimeter needle necessary for injecting the drug into the tiny vein.

The newest ‘Resident Evil’ is scary-good, even outside of VR.
‘Resident Evil 7’ is the most terrifying VR game on the market

Resident Evil 7 is a very different kind of survival horror game. Capcom has moved the series to a first-person perspective, even adding a virtual reality component (at least on PS4) to make it all the more jumpy and scary. It’s also really, really good. Jessica Conditt (who came down with VR sickness when she played the demo last year), was won over by the final product.

Still looking for a wearable?
LG”s new smartwatches looks subtle and might be pretty cheap

LG’s Watch Style is the latest piece of the company’s hardware to leak ahead of any official fanfare. LGs rumored budget model is expected to launch in early February, but the images suggest it won’t at least look too cheap, thanks to some (faux) silver and rose color options, paired with matching leather straps. We’re expecting to hear more next month.

But wait, there’s more…

• Vinyl record production gets a much-needed tech upgrade
• The After Math: Shady deals
• Hybrid cars can save fuel through nature-like algorithms

UberEats now does breakfast in London

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. The alarm goes off and instinctively you roll over, hit the snooze button and close your eyes once more. Breakfast can wait. We’ve all made this sleep-deprived decision, only to skip brekkie entirely when we realise we’re running late for work. Unsurprisingly, there’s now an app for that. Starting tomorrow, Uber is offering a breakfast service through its UberEats app in London. So whereas before the service started at 11am, cutting off at 11pm, you can now make an order from 7am in the capital.

The app supports custom locations too, so if you’re really behind schedule you can ask for the bagels or croissants to meet you at the office instead. Uber has a bunch of partners on board, including PAUL, Bagel Factory and Crepeaffaire, so at least there’s some variety for the bankers and business folk who will no doubt become dependent on the service. It’s an expensive, but compelling offer, one that Uber needs if it’s to compete with Deliveroo, which just started a monthly subscription service in the city.

UK MPs launch inquiry into the impact of ‘fake news’

What is fake news? That’s a question that Facebook has been trying to answer for months, but it’s now becoming the subject of a UK parliamentary inquiry. The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee confirmed today that it will launch an investigation into the “growing phenomenon” of fake news in a bid to define exactly what it is, who is impacted by it and the threat it poses to democracy.

The Committee notes that the public has moved away from traditional sources of news, like newspapers and TV bulletins, and are now getting their updates via social media, where it can be hard to verify the source of the story and the veracity of its content. Facebook, Twitter and Google may be asked to play a more active role in addressing the spread of fake news, but the inquiry will also take into account whether their marketing tools are incentivising website owners to post misleading stories in order to boost advertising revenue.

“The growing phenomenon of fake news is a threat to democracy and undermines confidence in the media in general.” said Damian Collins MP, Chair of the Committee. “The Committee will be investigating these issues, as well as looking into the sources of fake news, what motivates people to spread it, and how it has been used around elections and other important political debates.”

In the lead-up to the US Election, Facebook was thrust into the spotlight over its handling of fake news. In August 2016, the company changed its trending news section, replacing human editors with an algorithm. The idea was to remove bias, but in reality it made easier for false stories to trend on the social network. The Committee says it will factor political outcomes in its inquiry, acknowledging that voters “were subjected to possibly unprecedented amounts of fake news” and that it may have had “a significant impact on democratic processes.”

The inquiry will run until March 3rd, after which it will share how the UK public differs to other countries in terms of accepting fake news and how other governments, like Germany, are tackling the epidemic.

Via: The Guardian

Source: Parliament.uk

Three finally rolls out app-free Wi-Fi calling in the UK

For years, Three has offered WiFi-enabled calls through an app called inTouch. While serviceable, the experience pales in comparison to the app-free versions offered by Vodafone and EE. After all, who wants an extra icon taking up your home screen or app drawer? Thankfully, Three now has a competitive service. If you’re using a compatible device (LG G5, Samsung S6 and S6 edge, iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6s, SE and 7), you no longer need the app to call someone over the internet. That means you can talk when you’re trapped in a pesky “notspot,” or even on the London Underground. Three says more devices will be added over time — Samsung’s (soon to be replaced) S7 and S7 edge will be compatible next month, for instance.

Google gives $4 million to pro-migrant causes

Google has revealed that it will donate up to $4 million to humanitarian causes in response to the president’s latest executive order. The search engine will hand the cash to four bodies: the ACLU, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee and the UN Refugee Agency. According to TechCrunch, half of that cash is coming from the company itself, with the rest being donated by employees.

The company has already issued a recall notice to many of its overseas employees, telling them to fly back as soon as possible. USA Today believes that Google has around 187 staff who may not be allowed back in the country as a result of the order.

Google cofounder Sergey Brin at SFO protest: “I’m here because I’m a refugee.” (Photo from Matt Kang/Forbes) pic.twitter.com/GwhsSwDPLT

— Ryan Mac (@RMac18) January 29, 2017

For Google, the issue isn’t just one of basic decency, since both co-founder Sergey Brin and CEO Sundar Pichai emigrated to the US. The company is one of many that has voiced vocal opposition to the immigration ban, with Lyft pledging $1 million to the ACLU.

Source: TechCrunch, USA Today

Apple Said to Be Removing Iranian iOS Apps From the App Store

Apple has allegedly begun removing iOS apps originating in Iran from the App Store, according to reports over the weekend. Tech news site Techrasa posted a story claiming that the biggest e-commerce service, Digikala, had its app removed from the store a few days ago (Via TechCrunch).

The removal appears to relate to international trade laws. No official App Store exists for Iran, so Iranian startups and developers often register their apps as being outside the country to get onto the store.

Apple has been allowing the Iranian apps onto the App Store since September 2016. Digikala runs the Shaparak payment system which is totally isolated from international systems, so in theory it would not contravene Apple’s terms and conditions. Several Iranian banks also offer iOS apps that are side-loaded onto phones, notes TechCrunch.

The Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury puts blocks on the Iranian market, which is home to 82 million people, 40 million of which use smartphones. According to Techrasa, Apple has sent the following to Iranian startups attempting to upload apps:

“Unfortunately, there is no App Store available for the territory of Iran. Additionally, apps facilitating transactions for businesses or entities based in Iran may not comply with the Iranian Transactions Sanctions Regulations (31CFR Part 560) when hosted on the App Store. For these reasons, we are unable to accept your application at this time. We encourage you to resubmit your application once international trade laws are revised to allow this functionality.”

It’s still not clear exactly what part of the regulations the apps have contravened. We’ll update this story if further details emerge in due course.

Tag: Iran
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Fitbit Expected to Announce Layoffs in Fourth Quarter Results

Fitbit is set to announce cuts of between 5 to 10 percent to its workforce later on Monday amid lower-than-expected fourth quarter results.

According to The Information, the job cuts are expected to affect between 80 and 160 people across multiple departments and save the company $200 million in costs. The Q4 results will be the second consecutive quarter in which Fitbit has missed its earnings guidance.

Fitbit is expected to blame the slowdown on a sluggish market, despite Market research data from September that showed a split in the wearables market, with Fitbit’s “basic wearables” gaining popularity, and “smart wearables” like the Apple Watch seeing stalled growth.

Despite a portion of the market stalling out, the overall wearable device market was said to have grown 26.1 percent in comparison to the year ago quarter, with Fitbit the leading brand. Additionally, Fitbit’s stock rose 7.4 percent on December 27, after reports that its app had become one of the most downloaded in the App Store on Christmas Day.

Fitbit’s recent acquisition of Pebble and Vector Watch – along with its rumored interest in Jawbone – suggested the company was increasingly aligning itself with software rather than relying solely on hardware sales, and the reported layoffs could be another part of that plan. Indeed, one source told The Information that Fitbit is aiming to develop its own App Store and open up devices to third-party developers.

Whether Fitbit is planning to launch a more traditional smartwatch with a dedicated app store as part of those plans remains unclear.

Tag: Fitbit
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This is our first proper look at one of Sony’s 2017 mid-range smartphones

Sony is expected to unveil five new smartphones at Mobile World Congress in February, two premium, two mid-range and a low-end one bringing up the rear. We’ve already seen a report from Japan that lays out the proposed specs of each, but now we have the first real leak of the lesser specced mid-range phone.

• Sony could go all out at MWC with five new smartphones

Going by the report from Japan, this is the Hinoki, but TechLover HD which has made the video, calls it the G3121. A brief look around the phone shows a USB Type-C port and what looks to be a 3.5mm headphone port. The G3121 follows a very similar design to the Xperia XA, which in 2016, actually sat between the flagship Z-seres and mid-range M-series. There are incredibly slim bezels on either side of the screen, but rather large ones at the top and bottom, although there appears to be a matte plastic material on the back, rather than glass on the XA.

Elsewhere the G3121 appears to follow the leaks from the Japanese report, including a 720p display as opposed to 1080p full HD and a rear camera with a single LED flash. That rear camera is expected to 16-megapixels (however the video says it will be 23MP) while the front-facing one should be 8MP. The G3121, along with the other mid-range phone, codenamed Keyaki, will run on a MediaTek Helio P20 processor, and this leaked version will get 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

The video gives a decent look at Sony’s UI, which looks remarkably familiar to Sony smartphones of old. It’s clean and simple to navigate, and appears to be running on Android 7.0 Nougat.

• Mobile World Congress 2017: Nokia, Sony, Huawei smartphones and more

Of course, nothing is certain until Sony reveals all at MWC, which is now less than a month away.