Apex Launcher is back and better than ever, but you should wait a while before switching

Apex Launcher isn’t back just yet, but that hasn’t stopped people from saying that it is.

Apex Launcher announced its comeback weeks ago with a May arrival date. Lo, it is May, and and Apex Launcher beta has pushed out for the testers to enjoy. But I’d hold off for a little while.

Hey, I’m as ready for another customization-heavy launcher to join the ranks of Nova Launcher and Action Launcher as anyone else, but after playing with the new beta, I can tell you it’s not there yet.

Now, I refuse to make a bunch of hasty conclusions about Apex’s resurgence until it makes its way to the stable release, or at least makes it through a few more beta updates, but so far, things look a lot like they did back in 2015. There’s a few new-ish card styles and animations, but the majority of Apex looks and acts like it did before, right down to the way it cuts off icons when your grid gets too big.

Long story short, it’s still more old Apex than new Apex. Until that new Apex is a little more visible, unless you’re really into betas and giving feedback to launcher developers, I’d sit tight. If you want to take part in the Beta, you’ll need to join the Apex Launcher Google+ community and then opt-in to the beta before downloading Apex Launcher from Google Play.

Google revises app review process following phishing attacks

In the wake of the Google Docs phishing debacle last week, Google has added a few new safeguards to better protect us from these types of attacks. The Gmail app for Android scans for suspect links and Google has tightened up its policies on third party authentication to help keep phishing scams from even getting to you. Today, the company has come out with more guidelines and systems at the developer level that should help prevent even more of these kinds of attacks.

Google already has a policy requiring that web app names must be unique to any single application. The company plans to update its publishing process, assessment systems and user-facing consent pages to “better detect spoofed or misleading application identities.” In addition, if a web app requests user data, it may undergo a manual review, much like Apple requires for all of its mobile apps. Google hopes to process these reviews within three to seven business days, and developers can request a review to allow access to a testing version of their app before it is officially approved.

Google also points developers to a blog post explaining their responsibilities when requesting user data. While that may be a good idea for scrupulous app makers, it isn’t going to deter those who want to steal such data. Adding a human review to the updated automated systems within Google’s process could be a much better first step.

Source: Google

iPhone 8 Predicted to Cost $999 For 128GB And $1,099 For 256GB, With No 32GB Model

Apple’s so-called “iPhone 8” with an OLED display and wireless charging is widely expected to cost in the neighborhood of $1,000 in the United States, and Wall Street analysts continue to guess just how much it’ll sell for.

iPhone 8 concept by Benjamin Geskin
The latest prediction comes from Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, who today said she expects the rumored high-end iPhone to be available in 128GB and 256GB storage capacities for $999 and $1,099 respectively. Unlike the iPhone 7, she doesn’t believe the iPhone 8 will be available in 32GB.

An excerpt from her research note distributed today:

Relative to the 128GB iPhone 7 Plus, we estimate the new features and higher commodity prices to increase the bill of materials by over $70, which we expect Apple to offset via a $130 price increase, resulting in a starting price of $999 for the 128GB capacity and $1,099 for the 256GB capacity (we don’t expect the iPhone 8 to come in 32GB).

Apple’s most expensive smartphone to date is the iPhone 7 Plus with 256GB of storage, which retails for $969 in the United States.

UBS analyst Steven Milunovich shared entirely different pricing expectations last month, so it’s clear that analysts are simply guesstimating. He thinks the iPhone 8 will come in 64GB and 256GB storage capacities for $850-$900 and $950-$1,000 respectively. His research note didn’t mention 32GB or 128GB models.

The takeaway here is that the iPhone 8 will likely be very expensive. The device’s exact price tag is likely privy only to Apple at this point, however, so treat any estimate with a healthy dose of skepticism for now.

Goldman Sachs raised its 12-month price target for Apple’s stock to $170, up from $164, based on strong iPhone 8 expectations.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tags: Goldman Sachs, Simona Jankowski
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