YouTube Testing Non-Chronological Video Order in Subscription Feeds for Some Users

Following in the footsteps of companies like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, YouTube this week confirmed that it is “experimenting” with a way to organize its users Subscription Feeds that removes reverse chronological order and uses algorithms to “personalize” the video order. The news came from the @TeamYouTube Twitter account after it responded to a disgruntled user (via iGeneration).

YouTube’s Subscription Feed traditionally begins with a “Today” banner, presenting users with a reverse chronological list of every video that has been posted by the YouTubers they subscribe to, going back to “Yesterday,” “This Week,” “This Month,” etc. For those in the experiment, this order is replaced with what Team YouTube calls a “personalized order,” which appears to use a viewer’s watch history and other factors to recommend videos from their subscriptions that the company thinks the user will want to watch.

Just to clarify. We are currently experimenting with how to show content in the subs feed. We find that some viewers are able to more easily find the videos they want to watch when we order the subs feed in a personalized order vs always showing most recent video first.

— Team YouTube (@TeamYouTube) May 23, 2018

YouTube already presents “Recommended” videos on its homepage and in the sidebar of other videos, leading many YouTubers to respond negatively to the change of the last chronological list of videos that could be found on the service. It’s unclear what platforms the experiment is currently taking place on, but if it launches for all users it would likely affect YouTube across mobile, desktop, TV, and more.

Using algorithms to surface content has long been popular among social media networks. Facebook’s News Feed has done this for years, and Instagram followed in March 2016 stating that as it’s grown its users “often don’t see the posts [they] might care about the most,” although the company has made slight tweaks to the algorithms since then. For its part, Twitter as a whole still shows tweets from new to old, but it does choose to surface non-chronological content with features like “In case you missed it,” displaying followers’ liked tweets among your own, ads, and more.

Tag: YouTube
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Pioneer Releases Wireless CarPlay Systems

Pioneer has joined Alpine as the second electronics maker to release wireless CarPlay systems for aftermarket installation.

AVH-W4400NEX
Introduced at CES 2018 in January, product listings have since confirmed that Pioneer’s latest AVH-W4400NEX and AVIC-W8400NEX receivers are capable of not only wired and wireless Android Auto, but also wired and wireless CarPlay, enabling drivers to connect an iPhone to either receiver via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Receivers with wired implementations require connecting an iPhone with a Lightning to USB cable to access CarPlay functionality.

The lower-end AVH-W4400NEX features a double-DIN design with a seven-inch resistive touchscreen. The receiver has a suggested price of $699.99 in the United States through resellers such as Crutchfield and Sound of Tri-State. It’s also available for C$899.99 in Canada via Best Buy’s online store.

The higher-end AVH-W8400NEX features a double-DIN design with a seven-inch capacitive touchscreen. The receiver has a suggested price of $1,199.99 in the United States through resellers such as Crutchfield and Sound of Tri-State. It’s also available for C$1,399.99 in Canada via Best Buy’s online store.

AVH-W8400NEX
The $300 price difference between the two receivers largely relates to the type of touchscreen used. Capacitive touchscreens—think of an iPhone—rely on the electrical charge of a finger, and are generally considered to be better than resistive touchscreens, which rely on the physical pressure of a finger or stylus.

Both receivers feature CD/DVD drives, AM/FM, HD Radio, SiriusXM compatibility, two rear USB-A ports, SD card readers, and hands-free phone calls and music playback via Bluetooth in standard AppRadio Mode.

Alpine released the first aftermarket wireless CarPlay system in June 2017. Its iLX-107 receiver features a seven-inch capacitive touchscreen and is available for a suggested price of $900 in the United States. Wireless CarPlay is also available in select new vehicles from BMW, and Mercedes-Benz starting soon.

Pioneer has also released some wireless CarPlay receivers in Europe, according to the blog CarPlay Life. Thanks to MacRumors reader Dean Cobb.

Related Roundup: CarPlayTags: Pioneer, wireless CarPlay
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Vevo Shuttering iOS and Android Apps to Focus Music Video Business on YouTube

Music video platform Vevo has confirmed that it will be shutting down all of its mobile apps and consumer-facing video hosting website, signaling a shift in its business to focus on YouTube (via Variety). Apps affected include those for iOS and Android, but as of now “select” smart TV apps, potentially including Apple TV, will continue to run.

Vevo is well known for being a platform that users can go to watch the latest music videos, but many viewers simply use the company’s YouTube channel, leading Vevo’s iOS, Android, Apple TV, and other apps to struggle with growth. After the discontinuation of its apps and website, Vevo’s YouTube channel will become the primary source of its music video distribution.

Major-label owned Vevo is giving up on plans to build its own music video platform outside of YouTube’s control: Vevo is shutting down its mobile apps and consumer-facing website, the company announced Thursday morning.

“We will phase out elements of our owned and operated platforms,” the company said in a blog post Thursday. “Going forward, Vevo will remain focused on engaging the biggest audiences and pursuing growth opportunities.”

To ensure a smooth transition, Vevo will provide a playlist tool to its mobile app users so they can import their Vevo playlists over to YouTube. In the iOS app [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPad, Vevo offers its users personalized recommendations, user profiles to follow, specific notifications about new videos and live performances, and more — all of which will now go away.

The announcement comes a few weeks after it was revealed that YouTube and Vevo have a new deal that lets YouTube sell the music video platform’s clips directly to advertisers, in an effort to boost ad sales. The sunsetting of Vevo apps also follows months of shakeups at the company, with former CEO Erik Huggers leaving in December, head of product Mark Hall leaving in January, chief technology officer Alex Nunes departing in the spring, and “significant” layoffs to Vevo’s product and engineering teams at the same time.

Apple has also been increasing its focus on music videos within its Music app, launching a dedicated “Music Videos” section inside of Apple Music this spring. In the new area, subscribers can find new weekly playlists for various genres, browse through the latest videos, watch exclusive content, and more.

Tag: Vevo
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Apple Pay Offering Free Delivery From Postmates for First Orders Placed by New Customers

Apple Pay is launching a new promo today, offering new Postmates customers the chance to get their first delivery free when they check out with Apple Pay. This summer promotion is a bit lengthier than previous offers from Apple, running through 11:59 p.m. on June 30.

Apple notes in the fine print of the deal that the offer is only applicable to new customers who have not previously made an order on Postmates. Otherwise, you can place your first order, use Apple Pay to check out, and wave the delivery fee. No promo code is required.

The summer-themed e-mail promotion also highlights other stores where Apple Pay is accepted, like Whole Foods, Gap, and Crate and Barrel, where Apple says you can “find all you’ll need to entertain” for summertime parties. In apps, the company encourages you to pay using Apple Pay in Overstock, Jet, and Kohl’s.

Apple previously partnered with Postmates in one of these promotions during the holidays last year, offering free deliveries on all orders over $20 if you used Apple Pay to sign up for Postmates Unlimited. More recently, the company has promoted Hayneedle, 1-800-Flowers, and Instacart.

Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Apple Pay promo
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Swapping an iPhone for a BlackBerry made me appreciate the physical keyboard

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Once upon a time, the touchscreen didn’t exist on smartphones. There was only an alphanumeric keypad, or a miniature version of a full keyboard on devices like a BlackBerry. If you conducted every part of your life via email, and needed to type at lightning speed, then a BlackBerry was likely by your side.

I never saw the attraction, and went straight from an alphanumeric keypad to a touchscreen without a thought. As we know, after a (very) rough patch, BlackBerry is back with the same strong ideals and a compelling phone package that catapulted its name to fame a decade or more ago. Including the return of what made it famous in the first place: The physical keyboard. It’s about to release a follow-up to that phone, the BlackBerry KeyOne, which last year got BlackBerry fans all sweaty under their collar and ties.

The upcoming KeyTwo will turn more heads. But what if you’re like me and a physical keyboard newbie? Is that physical keyboard the typing nirvana grizzled smartphone owners make it out to be — offering speed, tactility, and precision? Should you and I, touchscreen typists, be tempted to give it a try?

Muscle memory

I purchased my first smartphone, an HTC Touch, in 2007, which means I’ve been typing on a touchscreen for more than a decade. Transferring my mobile activity over to the KeyOne, the phone used in this experiment, was exciting. It just looks so different. The phone is incredibly solid, with real heft and weight, something made more noticeable in your hand because the keyboard is very low-slung. It’s close to the bottom of the KeyOne’s body. Put it next to an iPhone X, and the entire keyboard takes up the same space occupied by only the two lowest rows of the touchscreen keyboard.

I settled into resting the phone on two fingers with my right hand, and gripping it almost like a game controller with the other.

This is obstacle one, the first of several on the journey to typing properly with the KeyOne, and all are related to muscle memory. Just holding the phone in preparation to type feels different, and you must readjust your grip straight away. It’s harder than it sounds too, and even after several weeks typing on the KeyOne, my fingers and hands haven’t naturally adjusted to the way the KeyOne needs to be cradled. Oddly, it’s the pinky finger that’s the problem. It usually acts as a support under a touchscreen phone; but the KeyOne’s low keyboard makes this impossible.

Eventually, I settled into resting the phone on two fingers with my right hand, and gripping it almost like a game controller with the other. It’s not what I’d call comfortable, and I still shift the phone around trying to find a more natural position; but it works. My thumbs were the next problem. They didn’t seem to bend in the right way, and actually pressing down keys obviously took more effort to do than tapping a piece of glass. It’s more the angle of the middle knuckle that’s new, as pressing the keys is performed with the tip of your finger, rather than the pad.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

After a few days adjusting to the shape of the phone, the angle of my thumbs, and settling into holding the phone “properly,” it was time to start typing at the 60-plus words-per-minute I’d seen people averaging out at on BlackBerry forums.

The need for speed

If I was aiming for 60 words-per-minute, I had a lot of work to do. According to the Typing Speed Test app downloaded from Google Play, my average was 25 words per minute. Carrying out the same test on the OnePlus 6, I averaged about 35 words per minute. On the iPhone X, using a different app, I could manage 48 words per minute. I hadn’t set any keyboard on fire with my speed, but I was definitely faster on the touchscreen.

Accuracy was usually 10 percent to 15 percent higher when typing on the BlackBerry.

Is that it, the end? Touchscreens forever? No. What surprised me was the accuracy was usually 10 percent to 15 percent higher when typing on the BlackBerry compared to the touchscreen, showing just how much I usually rely on the autocorrect to make my messages not look like they were typed when I was drunk.

Even after a couple of weeks my speed didn’t improve much. However, I did get used to using the gestures on the KeyOne, which quickens the message-creation process. Swiping up on the touch-sensitive keyboard to select auto-suggested words is very helpful, and the more you use it, the better it gets at understanding what you may say. It’s also handy to swipe to the side to delete words, which I utilized a lot. This was also surprising, having never got used to gesture-based touchscreen keyboards like Swype.

Tactility

Physical keyboards on phones are often trumpeted online as the last word in speed, and this may be the case for those who owned a succession of BlackBerry phones, but its not for anyone used to a touchscreen. This emphasis on speed actually misses the point entirely. Typing on the KeyOne didn’t make me faster — it only made me slightly more accurate; but it did feel different, and in a good way.

What people don’t always mention about physical keyboards on phones is the pleasing feeling of those tiny buttons under your thumb. There’s something wonderfully mechanical about pressing each key in succession. Not in a tedious retro-is-so-cool way, but because it connects you physically to the device more. Not better — it’s just a different degree of tactility.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

This enjoyment — yes, actual typing enjoyment — was increased by the gestures, whether it was swiping away a misspelt word or sliding up and down to scroll through a webpage, the multifunction keyboard works as a coherent part of the phone, rather than a tacked-on nod to the past, at the risk of romanticizing it too much. Typing on the KeyOne became like pulling down the arm on a slot machine compared to tapping a button to spin. It’s a physicality that simply can’t be replicated.

Satisfaction

Notice I’m not saying better, or improved upon. It’s not that. I type faster on a touchscreen, after all. But I don’t derive any satisfaction from doing so. It’s a process, or a means to an end. The BlackBerry KeyOne isn’t quite so — digital — about it. Has it converted me? Not quite. The lure of a big touchscreen is still too much, and I can bash out messages quicker on it too. However, with BlackBerry telling Digital Trends it has two new phones coming this year that aren’t based on the KeyOne or Motion, we’re excited to see if one is the rumored Uni, which may have a retractable keyboard and the desirable big screen.

Individuality in the smartphone world is in short supply. A phone with a physical keyboard is genuinely unusual, and what we want to do here is encourage you to give the KeyOne or forthcoming KeyTwo a try. Not because of any possible typing speed improvement, but because typing in a BlackBerry keyboard today is so delightfully unique.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dead rising: Old phones we want to see zapped back to life
• It’s only business: BlackBerry Motion vs. LG G6 camera shootout
• BlackBerry wants you to do its advertising by joining its fan league
• Here’s everything we know about the Blackberry KeyTwo
• Everything we know about the “BlackBerry Ghost” smartphone so far

Best BBQ and Grilling Accessories for Android

Take your barbecue to the next level with these great grilling gadgets.

Summer is finally here, which means it’s time to fire up those BBQs. Check out these great gadgets that will deliver the perfect BBQ to your family and friends every time and earn you the title of Grill Master.

• GrillEye Smart Meat Thermometer
• iGrill2 by iDevice
• Refuel Smart Propane Tank Gauge for Smartphones
• Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker
• Lynx 30-Inch Freestanding SmartGrill

GrillEye Smart Grilling & Smoking Thermometer

For $70, the GrillEye smart meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking the perfect burger or steak by monitoring the internal temperature of the meat, notifying you via Bluetooth when it’s cooked to perfection.

Everything is housed in a small unit that features a built-in stand and includes an anti-glare screen so you can easily read the temperature. All you need is the GrillEye app on your phone, a solid Bluetooth connection, and a hot grill to get going.

Simply go into the app and select the type of meat you’re cooking, as well as your preferred doneness. There are six probe ports to use which allow you to track the wellness of six different meats at the same time, so you’ll be able to precisely monitor the temperature of whatever you’re cooking for all your guests.

Once you’ve got everything set up, you can sit back and relax until the app notifies you that your food is done. The GrillEye features 300 feet of Bluetooth range so you can enjoy the company of your guests as you wait for that notification.

The display on the device itself also shows you the current temperature and the target temperature for each probe so you can check in on how things are cooking without having to lift the lid and letting any heat escape. Works with BBQs or smokers.

See at Amazon

iGrill2 by iDevice

The Weber iGrill2 is another great tool for tracking your BBQ with your phone so you can spend more time entertaining and less time over the grill, with everyone getting their steak cooked exactly the way they want it.

This one comes with four color-coded meat probes, so you can conveniently track each slab of meat individually and mingle with your guests without standing over the grill, thanks to 150 feet of Bluetooth range.

If you are frequently cooking for picky guests who like their meat cooked to a particular doneness, the iGrill2 is the perfect device for you.

You can pick up the iGrill2 for about $117.

See at Amazon

GasWatch Bluetooth Propane-level Indicator Scale

Few things are more disappointing than getting ready to barbecue, only to find out that your propane tank is empty. The GasWatch is a scale for your propane tank that lets you monitor your propane tank from wherever you are, wirelessly, via the GasWatch app.

The gauge, placed under the propane tank, acts as a dedicated scale. So instead of having to bend down, lift the tank, and guess how much propane is left, the Refuel Smart Propane Tank Gauge does all the heavy lifting for you for only $30.

If your phone isn’t on you, you can use the LED indicator that magnetically mounts to your barbecue to check at a glance if you’re good to grill or need to refill.

See at Amazon

Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker

Whether you’re a beginner or expert smoker, the Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker will allow you to perfectly slow-cook your favorite meals and go about your day without having to constantly check in on things.

Set up your smoker within range of your home’s Wi-Fi signal, and you’ll receive notifications to your phone through the Char-Broil SmartChef app when the smoker has preheated or when your meat is ready to go.

That means you’re able to get everything cooking and then go for a run, go hang out with your guests, or get work done until you’re notified that your food is ready to eat.

With a smoker box that can provide 6.5 hours of smoke, four chrome racks, 726 square inches of cooking space within the unit, along with cooking options and recipes for beef, poultry, pork, and seafood built into the app, you’ll be able to keep your friends and family well-fed without having to dedicate your whole day to the cook.

You can pick up the Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker for about $167.

See at Amazon

Lynx 30-inch Freestanding SmartGrill

Filed under ultimate fantasy, the Lynx SmartGrill lets you set and control your BBQ with your smartphone or even just your voice.

That’s right. You’re able to slap your meat down on the grill and tell your BBQ what your cooking and how you want it cooked and the SmartGrill will do everything else for you. Peruse the SmartGrill by Lynx app for delicious recipes, then once you’ve done the meal prep, the SmartGrill takes over from there.

From the app, the SmartGrill will tell you when it’s time to flip and when your food is cooked to perfection. And it’ll remember how you like your steak cooked, so you can tell it you’re cooking steaks and it will set the heat accordingly.

Featuring backlit blue LED control knobs, a dual-position internally-powered rotisserie, and fold-down stainless steel shelves, it’s got the looks to go along with the smarts. And in case you were wondering, all the electronics are housed in a weather-proof compartment under the hood and the SmartGrill also comes with a vinyl cover to protect it from the rain.

This is the perfect grill for someone who loves to invest in emerging technologies and also has an insatiable appetite for BBQ. These grills start at $7,000 for the 30-inch model and go up as high as $10,000 for the 42-inch model.

See at Lynx

Did we miss anything?

Is there a connected device you use for BBQing that we didn’t include? How do you like your steak? Let us know in the comments below!

Instapaper Service Temporarily Suspended in Europe Due to GDPR

Popular read-it-later service Instapaper has temporarily suspended user access across Europe as it comes to terms with the EU’s impending General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws.

In a message sent to users yesterday – subsequently shared via Twitter courtesy of tech reporter Owen Williams – the bookmarking service said it needs extra time to make necessary changes to comply with GDPR before the deadline on Friday, May 25.

Starting tomorrow May 24, 2018, access to the Instapaper service will be temporarily unavailable for residents in Europe as we continue to make changes in light of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect May 25, 2018. We apologize for any inconvenience, and we intend to restore access as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about your account, would like us to generate an export of your saves, or want to check in on our progress, please let us know at support@help.instapaper.com. We look forward to having the same Instapaper service you know and love accessible in Europe in the very near future. Thanks for your patience.

Instapaper gave no indication how long the service would be suspended, and offered no further details on why it has waited until now to take action, almost two years after companies were informed of the GDPR timeline.

Created by Marco Arment in 2008, Instapaper was one of the first apps that implemented read-it-later functionality, and it was certainly one of the most widely used and well-known apps in the genre. The service was acquired by Pinterest in 2016, which may have complicated efforts for GDPR compliance given the potential for data sharing between the parent company and its subsidiary.

Businesses that interact with users in the EU must comply with the GDPR law, which sets out requirements on the collection, storage, and handling of personal data. Companies who fail to do so by the deadline risk heavy fines.

On Wednesday, Apple launched a new Data & Privacy website, which provides customers in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland with the ability to download all the personal information tied to their Apple ID account.

(Via The Verge.)

Tag: Instapaper
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How to Tame macOS Hot Corners Using Modifier Keys

In macOS, the Hot Corners feature turns each of the four corners of your screen into a designated action, allowing you to quickly access certain functions built into the system, such as Mission Control, Notification Center, the Screen Saver, and more. Many Mac users would agree, there’s something satisfying about bringing up these commonly used functions with a simple, swift cursor movement.

What isn’t so satisfying, however, is accidentally triggering a Hot Corner, which can lead to all kinds of unintended desktop behavior – like application windows flying all over the place. This can happen when you lose track of the mouse cursor, or when you’re working within the confines of a small MacBook screen. Thankfully, there’s a way to tame wayward Hot Corners using modifier keys. Here’s how.

How to Combine Hot Corners With Modifier Keys

Launch System Preferences from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences…).
Click the Mission Control preference pane.

Click the Hot Corners… button in the bottom left of the preference window.

In the dialog that appears, click on the dropdown menu that corresponds to the screen corner that you want to use as a Hot Corner.
Now, hold down a modifier key and select a function from the dropdown to assign to the Hot Corner. We’re using the Command key (⌘) in our example.

Repeat the action for any additional Hot Corners you’d like to set. Note that you can use different modifier keys for different Hot Corners, and even key combinations if you prefer.

Click the OK button when you’re done.
Click the red traffic light button, top left of the Mission Control pane to close it.The next time you come to use a Hot Corner, hold down the modifier key as you move the mouse cursor towards it, otherwise the action you assigned to that corner won’t work!

If you want to change the modifier key associated with a Hot Corner, navigate back to the Hot Corners… preference pane, click on a Hot Corner to open its dropdown menu, and tap the assigned modifier key to remove it, then hold down the new one you want to use as you click on the Hot Corner function. (Note: You can also access your Hot Corner settings from the Screensaver tab in the Desktop & Screensaver preference pane.)

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Qualcomm targets the ‘premium midrange’ phones with the Snapdragon 710

Qualcomm wants to make midrange phones a little more high tech. The company announced the creation of the 700-series earlier this year and now it’s unveiling the first chip in that new series — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710.

The Snapdragon 710 is a whole lot more than just a slightly more powerful 600-series chip. It’s aimed at bringing some of the features from the 800 series — like improved security and artificial intelligence — to a cheaper chip that could make its way to some of the so-called “premium midrange” phones to be launched this year.

The Qualcomm 710 represents a number of “firsts” for Qualcomm, outside of the 800-series. Apart from the Snapdragon 845, it’s the first chip to be built on the 110-nanometer process. It also features a third-generation Kryo CPU and an Adreno 6-series GPU.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 710 represents a modest performance boost over the current 600-series flagship, the Snapdragon 660. According to Qualcomm, with the Kryo 360 CPU, the chip offers a performance boost of up to 20 percent compared to the Snapdragon 660, while saving up to 40 percent of power during 4K video playback and mobile gaming. That is pretty impressive for a so-called midrange chip.

There are other things that make the chip decidedly better than the Snapdragon 660 too. For example, the chip boasts a Spectra 250 image signal processor, which is aimed at reducing image noise, image stabilization, and even performing active depth sensing — a feature that may lead to more secure facial recognition on midrange phones. The Spectra 250 ISP supports single-sensor cameras up to 32 megapixels, and dual-sensor cameras up to 20 megapixels.

Of course, none of this really matters if the chip doesn’t make its way into real-world phones — and while we’re certain it will, no phones using the tech have been announced just yet. Still, Qualcomm says it’s working with partners on deploying the new processor, and we expect to see phones announced with the new chip over the next few months, if not sooner.

The release of the Snapdragon 710 highlights the rise of the all-important “premium midrange” phone. As flagship phones, like the iPhone X, get more expensive, customers are looking for devices that offer flagship features at a lower price. That is likely where phones with the Snapdragon 710 will come in.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• AMD leaks Ryzen 2000-series expansion with mobile and Threadripper CPUs
• Panasonic Leica 50-200mm F2.8-4 is a bright, stabilized Micro Four Thirds zoom
• Mediatek’s new chipset could make cheaper smartphones a whole lot smarter
• Here is everything we know about the Asus ZenFone 5

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 710 brings flagship performance to mid-range phones

710 reasons to get excited.

Back in February, Qualcomm said it was going odd with the unveiling of a new 700 series of Snapdragon platforms, designed to bridge the gap between flagship-level performance (and pricing) of the 800 series, and the bifurcated mid-range expectations of the 600 series.

The Snapdragon 710 is the first chip in that new series, and it’s a doozy. It uses the same 10nm manufacturing process as the Snapdragon 845 while borrowing a bunch of that chip’s features. In fact, the Snapdragon 710 is basically a truncated 845, using a variation of the same Kryo cores in a 4×4 configuration, with support for nearly all of the flagship line’s camera, AI, and modem improvements.

Qualcomm says that the Snapdragon 710, which uses four performance cores at 2.2GHz and four efficiency cores at 1.7GHz, has a performance boost of 20% over the Snapdragon 660 while coming in 40% more efficient in video playback and gaming. It can also reach LTE speeds of 800Mbps using a new X15 modem, with support for 4×4 carrier aggregation and 256QAM. There’s also a new Adreno 616 GPU that should be a nice bump over the 600 series chips.

From a marketing perspective, Qualcomm is going hard on AI, something it’s neglected to do in the past. According to the press release, the Snapdragon 710 “transforms the smartphone into a customized experience for users across camera and voice, powered by a multi-core AI Engine, delivering up to 2X overall performance improvements in AI applications, as compared to Snapdragon 660.” There’s no dedicated neural processing unit in this, or any other Qualcomm platform, but the company says the Hexagon DSP, Adreno GPU and Kryo CPU all work together to enhance AI applications. Sure.

Perhaps more important for the average phone user is the Spectra 250 ISP, which brings the mid-range closer than ever to the same superlative image processing of the Snapdragon 845. You want to know the secret of the OnePlus 6’s camera? Yes, it’s a bigger sensor, but its low-noise nighttime photos owe a lot to Qualcomm’s Spectra ISP.

Finally, being built on a 10nm process means that the Snapdragon 710 is more efficient than any mid-range processor to date, which will be welcome news to power users on a budget.

The platform is shipping now, so it’s possible we’ll see devices with it launching in the early summer.