Nintendo’s tiltable Switch charger stand makes it easier to play while powered

Nintendo has a brand-new Switch accessory up its sleeve that will make it easier to charge the portable console while you play in tabletop mode. The stand has an adjustable leg on the back of it which makes it possible to angle your Switch however you like while charging it. Although third-party versions of such a stand have been available for a while now, this Nintendo branded solution is a compact, officially supported option.

One of the major features of the Nintendo Switch is its portability. That’s meant that gamers can play while in different rooms in their house, on public transport, or the other side of the world from the system’s faithful dock — as long as the battery lasts. However, charging up the Switch while it’s being played in tabletop mode isn’t easy. That’s where the new adjustable charge stand comes in.

Mimicking the Switch’s own ability to operate in a mode similar to 2-in-1 laptops in tent mode, the new adjustable stand has a charger built into the base which can be connected to a wall outlet to provide power. The leg at the back can be adjusted through a range of angles so that the viewing angle of the Switch’s display can be customized for the environment and player seating.

It’s not the most affordable of stands, with a launch price of $20 when it becomes available on July 13. Third-party alternatives can be found for half that price if you’re willing to forgo the adjustable nature of the stand, but even some capable of adjustment exist for a reduced price. Some of the best Switch accessories even offer expanded battery life and charging capacity for the Switch itself and the Joy-Con controllers in an all-in-one package.

That’s not all you can customize your Switch with, though. If you find yourself taking your Switch far from home, having the right carry case is a must. The best ones have everything from additional padding, to plenty of space for controllers and carry handles. Considering how diminutive the new adjustable charging stand is, you should be able to fit one in there, too.

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Lenovo’s new IdeaPad laptops tickle your gaming fancy without breaking the bank

Lenovo refreshed its IdeaPad portfolio on Thursday, May 10, with three new models promising high performance and high mobility at the right price: The IdeaPad 330, the IdeaPad 330S, and the IdeaPad 530S. All three arrive in up to three different sizes packing Intel processors and discrete graphics on some models. Prices start at $249 and climb as you move up the IdeaPad laptop chain to the meatier 530S models.

IdeaPad 330

For this group, Lenovo serves up 10 models spanning across three screen sizes: Three with a 14-inch screen, five with a 15.6-inch screen, and two with a 17.3-inch screen. There are no customization options: Each model has a set hardware list, and not all of the features you may want will be offered across all three sizes, such as the discrete GeForce GTX 1050 graphics chip limited only to the 15.6- and 17.3-inch models.

Key Specs

Screen size: 14 to 17.3 inches

Resolution: Up to FHD

Processor: Core, Pentium, Celeron

Graphics: Up to GTX 1050

Memory: Up to 16GB

Storage: SSD and HDD

Camera: Up to 720p

Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth

Ports: USB-C, HDMI

Battery: Up to 8 hours

Size: Up to 0.96 inches thick

Weight: Starting at 4.6 pounds

Available: May 2018

According to Lenovo’s specifications, the three 14-inch models will rely on four different Intel processors: Two Core i7 chips (seventh and eighth generation), one Pentium, and one Celeron. They’re backed by Intel’s integrated graphics or up to a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX130 graphics chip. Completing the package is up to 8GB of system memory, and a 16GB Intel Optane stick.

For storage, the 14-inch models rely on SATA-based SSDs and hard drives, with up to 256GB on the SSD and up to 2TB on the hard drive. Models can also sport dual storage: A 128GB or 256GB SSD paired with a 1TB hard drive. The storage is complemented by an SD card reader, several USB-A ports, HDMI output, an Ethernet port, and an audio jack. Configurations also include a USB-C port, depending on the model.

Finally, the 14-inch versions include two 1.5-watt speakers featuring Dolby Audio, Bluetooth 4.1 and Wireless AC (433Mbps) connectivity, and a DVD drive. The display supports a default 1920 x 1080 or 1366 x 768 resolution, depending on the version you purchase. This laptop does not offer touch-based input.

As for the other two sizes, Lenovo expands on the hardware list by adding GeForce MX150 and GeForce GTX 1050 discrete GPUs to the menu, and an additional default 1600 x 900 resolution setting to the 17.3-inch versions. The larger units also get a better Wireless AC component (867Mbps) and PCIe-based SSD storage, which is faster than the SATA-based SSDs installed in the 14-inch models.

Meanwhile, the Pentium and Celeron processors are not available for the 17.3-inch models. They’re only offered in two colors as well – Platinum Gray and Onyx Black – whereas the 15.6-inch models sport five colors (Blizzard White, Platinum Gray, Onyx Black, Midnight Blue, Chocolate) and the 14-inch models sport three (Platinum Gray, Mint Green, Midnight Blue).

Here are the starting prices:

• 14-inch models: $349 (330-14IKB / 330-14IKBR / 330-14IGM)
• 15.6-inch models: $249 (330-15IKB / 330-15IKB-Touch / 330-15ICH / 330-15ICN / 330-15IGM)
• 17.3-inch models: $499 (330-17IKB / 330-17ICH)

IdeaPad 330S

The hardware specifications for this model weren’t hard to decipher: There are only two units in this batch. They’re mostly the same across the board save for the obvious size and weight differences, and the discrete GeForce GTX 1050 graphics chip provided in the larger 15.6-inch unit. Based on the specifications, you can get this laptop without the discrete GPU too for a lower price and thickness.

Key Specs

Screen size: 14 and 15.6 inches

Resolution: Up to FHD

Processor: Core, Pentium Silver

Graphics: Up to GTX 1050

Memory: Up to 12GB

Storage: SSD and HDD

Camera: 720p

Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth

Ports: USB-C, HDMI

Battery: Up to 7 hours

Size: Up to 0.82 inches thick

Weight: Starting at 3.6 pounds

Available: May 2018

For the screen, there are two variants: An unspecified screen type with a 1366 x 768 resolution and an IPS screen with a meatier 1920 x 1080 resolution. Both are powered by a seventh- or eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, or a Pentium Silver processor. System memory spans between 4GB and 12GB of DDR4 RAM, and an additional 16GB Intel Optane stick.

For storage, the IdeaPad 330S provides single and dual-storage configurations: 128GB to 256GB on a PCIe or SATA-based SSD, 1TB to 2TB on a hard drive, or a dual configuration with a 128GB PCIe SSD and a 1TB hard drive. The storage is complemented by an SD card reader, two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, HDMI output, and an audio combo jack.

Other ingredients thrown into the mix include Bluetooth 4.1 and Wireless AC connectivity (433Mbps), a 720p webcam with array microphones, dual 2-watt speakers with Dolby Audio, a backlit keyboard, and a battery promising up to seven hours on a single charge. Both will ship in Platinum Gray, Blizzard White, Midnight Blue, Rose Pink, and Iron Gray.

Here are the starting prices:

• 14-inch model: $499 (330S-14IKB)
• 15.6-inch model: $449 (330S-15IKB)

IdeaPad 530S

This duo is similar to the previous 330S pair, only Lenovo ditches the GeForce GTX 1050 discrete graphics, Intel Optane memory, and dual-storage configuration. You also only find Intel Core i7 processors here along with an additional fingerprint reader supporting Windows Hello. Both sizes rely on IPS screens although the larger 15.6-inch unit doesn’t have the 2560 x 1440 option seen with the smaller 14-inch unit.

Key Specs

Screen size: 14 and 15.6 inches

Resolution: Up to WQHD

Processor: Core i7

Graphics: Up to GT150

Memory: Up to 16GB

Storage: Up to 512GB SSD

Camera: 720p

Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth

Ports: USB-C, HDMI

Battery: Up to 6 hours

Size: Up to 0.66 inches thick

Weight: Starting at 3.28 pounds

Available: May 2018

With these two models, you have configurations spanning between 4GB and 16GB of DDR4 system memory. For storage, the laptops rely on PCIe-based SSDs ranging from 128GB to 512GB. The storage is complemented by an SD card reader, one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, HDMI output, and an audio combo jack. You have two Wireless AC configurations – 433Mbps or 867Mbps – and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.

Rounding out these two laptops are a pair of Harman speakers with Dolby Audio, a 720p webcam with array microphones, a backlit keyboard, and a battery promising up to eight hours on a single charge. According to Lenovo, the battery supports Rapid Charge, providing up to two hours after charging the laptop for only 15 minutes.

Finally, Lenovo’s IdeaPad 530S laptops ship in Onyx Black, Liquid Blue, Copper, and Mineral Gray colors. Here are the starting prices:

• 14-inch model: $799 (530S-14IKB)
• 15.6-inch model: $849 (530S-15IKB)

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The European phone market declined sharply at the start of 2018

Europe has seen a significant drop in smartphone shipments during the first months of 2018, according to a report by technology analysts Canalys.

When compared to the previous quarter, the drop of 6.3 percent is the largest decline Europe has seen, and has been attributed to smaller growth areas within the phone market. Simply put, there just aren’t enough people without phones any more, and since most people don’t upgrade their phones every year, a leveling-out of smartphone sales and shipments is to be expected as the marketplace matures.

“This is a new era for smartphones in Europe,” said Ben Stanton, analyst at Canalys. “The few remaining growth markets are not enough to offset the saturated ones. We are moving from a growth era to a cyclical era.”

Western Europe was the worst hit by the decline, with shipments across that part of Europe falling by a hefty 13.9 percent to 30.1 million units. Within Western Europe, the United Kingdom saw a particularly large fall, with shipments dropping by almost a third. Contrary to the overall decline, growth continued in Eastern and Central European countries, with the Russian market being a particularly strong driver in increasing phone shipments to 15.9 million — an increase of 12.3 percent.

What did this decline mean for the major players within the market? Samsung still sits pretty atop the pile, but saw shipments drop by 15 percent. Pressure from Huawei’s and Xiaomi’s midrange and budget phones continue to threaten Samsung’s phones, but with control over just under a third of the whole market (33.1 percent) we doubt Samsung is too worried yet.

Apple’s brilliance wasn’t immune to the decline, with the company seeing a decline of 5.4 percent. However, its premium iPhone X was the best-selling phone model in the entire European market, giving Apple something of a boost in profit. Huawei is nipping at Apple’s heels though, thanks to a growth spurt of 38.6 percent that saw the Chinese company shoot to less than 3 million shipments behind the Cupertino giant.

Xiaomi too had a very strong quarter, seeing — and this isn’t a typo — an increase of over 999 percent. The report attributes this incredible number to Xiaomi’s strategy of running at a loss to get smartphone shipments up, and points out that this would not be sustainable in the long term. Still, it gets Xiaomi a place on the list, and — crucially — into hands.

Canalys

We’ve seen this trend pop up globally now, but what does it mean for the future? With less room to expand, expect to see some smaller manufacturers bow out of the race entirely while the rest scramble to make sure that they’re the best choice for upgrades. With this change, the battle for market dominance has clearly only just begun.

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Everything we know about the upcoming Google Pixel Watch

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

Over the past few years Google has begun to dip its toe into the consumer hardware business. While it started off a little rocky with Google Glass, the tech giant quickly redeemed itself with its line of Pixel smartphones, Pixelbooks, and Google Home products. This year, it looks like Google may be re-entering the wearables market with its first smartwatch, called Pixel Watch. Here’s everything you need to know.

Design

Besides the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, and second-gen Pixel Buds, a reliable source tells me — with high confidence — that Google's fall hardware event will also introduce a Pixel-branded watch. Have a great summer!

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) May 10, 2018

It’s hard to guess exactly what the Pixel Watch will look like. There have been no leaked images or schematics of the device just yet, so anything we list is almost pure conjecture.

That said, we anticipate the Pixel Watch will have a smaller form factor than many other smartwatches currently on the market. Since it will likely use a smaller, yet to be released, processor Google will likely be able to shave off a few millimeters of the overall case width.

Specs

Since we’re still several months away from a Pixel Watch announcement, spec details on the smartwatch are sparse. We do, however, expect the Pixel Watch to ship with flagship-quality hardware.

We’re almost certain that the Pixel Watch will pack in Qualcomm’s newest wearables chipset that’s shipping later in the year. The new processor will reportedly be smaller, more efficient, and perform better than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 2100. We’d also anticipate both a Wi-Fi and LTE version of the Pixel Watch available.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of the rumored Pixel Watch is its operating system. The Pixel Watch will run a stock version of Wear OS. Since the smartwatch will be Google’s own hardware, it should receive frequent software updates and support for at least a few years.

Name

Google has yet to confirm it is even making a smartwatch, so we’ve yet to receive confirmation on the name. However, famed leaker Evan Blass as well as other tipsters have referred to the upcoming device as the Pixel Watch, and that name appears to be on brand.

Release and availability

It may be a bit of a wait until we actually see the Pixel Watch. Since Google will almost certainly wait on Qualcomm to release its newest chipset for wearables before it announces Pixel Watch, it’s likely we won’t see the watch until late in the year.

Right now, we believe the Pixel Watch will be announced alongside this year’s crop of new Pixel smartphones. Last year, Google announced the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL in late October, so we’re anticipating a similar announcement date for this year.

In terms of availability,it’s likely Google will sell the Pixel Watch both on its own website as well as in major retail outlets. If Google does make an LTE version of the Pixel Watch, it may a carrier exclusive throughout the holiday season.

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This plug-in uses A.I. to create closed captions inside Premiere Pro

Trint

Transcribing video audio to create closed captioning is a tedious task for video editors — and one that is a growing necessity as auto-play videos in social news feeds use captioning to capture viewer’s attention even on mute. Could artificial intelligence could make that task a bit more streamlined? Trint has a new free plug-in for Adobe Premiere Pro CC that uses A.I. to automatically transcribe videos in a matter of minutes the company says.

Using machine learning, Trint takes the audio and generates a text transcript automatically. Video editors can then listen and edit any slips the A.I. made and make any necessary adjustments. With the text auto-generated, video editors can also use Trint to search for a specific word or phrase inside the video to find a specific segment.

Trint also allows editors to highlight specific sections, for an Edit Decision List, a tool that helps create soundbites of the video. Once the transcription is finished, the text can be used within the video as an SRT or VTT subtitle format. Or, the transcription can also be exported into a text document.

“The Trint for Premiere plug-in solves some of the most annoying and labor-intensive parts of the editing process and creates a seamless workflow so producers can increase productivity and focus on doing what they do best – creating amazing content,” Trint founder Jeff Kofman said in a statement

The Premiere Pro plug-in allows editors to drag the video or audio files into a window built into the popular editing program, rather than using Trint’s existing online transcription software. Verifying the transcript is still done online, but an import will overlay the text with the project in Premiere Pro.

Kofman created Trint after working for 30 years as a news correspondent for ABC and CBS News, a position that involved thousands of hours of creating transcriptions. The company launched in 2016 with a service transcribing uploaded files using A.I. with online software. Earlier this year, the company launched an iOS app. The Premiere Pro plug-in launched on May 8.

The Trint plug-in is free to download and try from Adobe Exchange. After the free trial, the transcription is available with a monthly subscription or by paying per each hour of video transcribed, with plans starting at $15.

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FCC puts a date on net neutrality’s tombstone ahead of Senate vote

Net neutrality finally has an official expiration date. Announced Thursday morning, May 10, the Obama-era regulations that ensured an open internet are now set to end on June 11, 2018. This will mark the first date that internet service providers in the United States will be legally allowed to obstruct or alter internet traffic according to their whims, but the fight’s not over yet.

“The agency failed to listen to the American public and gave short shrift to their deeply held belief that internet openness should remain the law of the land,” FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel told Reuters. “The FCC is on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American people.”

The announcement of net neutrality’s expiration date comes right after a bipartisan group of Senators introduced a discharge petition, officially challenging the FCC’s rollback of the Obama-era net neutrality rules. The petition will require a majority vote in the Senate and House of Representatives, along with the signature of President Donald Trump, so it has a long way to go, but the vote could take place as early as next week.

Supporters of the petition have no illusions about the uphill battle they face, however. An important component of the discharge petition fight, which could overturn the FCC’s decision to end the Obama-era net neutrality regulations, is simply making sure the American public knows where their representatives stand on the issue.

“We don’t know how this is going to end, but this is part of an effort to get every member of Congress on the record either supporting or opposing Net Neutrality,” Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told The Verge. “With this piece of legislation there is nowhere to hide and there are no excuses.”

The discharge petition currently has the support of 47 Senate Democrats, along with senator Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). That means they need at least one more Republican vote for the petition to pass the Senate and be sent to the House of Representatives.

After Thursday’s announcement, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and congressional supporters took to Twitter to call for the Senate and the public to support his discharge petition.

BREAKING: The Trump FCC has announced that #NetNeutrality protections will officially end on June 11th. The Senate must act NOW and pass my resolution to save the internet as we know it. #RedAlerthttps://t.co/RMjJPU88ee

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 10, 2018

The @FCC just announced it will officially revoke #NetNeutrality rules on June 11! The Senate needs just #OneMoreVote to pass @SenMarkey’s resolution (SJRes 52), and then the House must pass my companion bill (HJRes 129) to #SaveTheInternet. #RedAlert

— Mike Doyle (@USRepMikeDoyle) May 10, 2018

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IBM clamps down on leaks, bans workers from using external storage

IBM is banning all employees from using removable storage devices in all facilities spanning the globe. The news arrives by way of a leaked advisory written by Chief Information Security Officer Shamla Naidoo, who cites “possible financial and reputational damage from misplaced, lost or misused removable portable storage devices” as the reason for the ban. 

The move is understandable given IBM doesn’t want company trade secrets and financial data leaked to the press or competitors. In fact, IBM already had a removable storage ban in place within specific parts of the overall corporation, but now the company is expanding this policy to all employees and facilities on a global scale over the next several weeks. 

For employees, banning external storage devices like SD cards, flash drives, and USB-based hard drives and solid-state drives could be problematic. For example, USB-based boot drives are reportedly a part of delivering patches and updates to internal client PCs. Data can’t be physically shared between employees and offices either, forcing them to rely on IBM’s Connections Desktop plug-ins to synchronize and share files. 

“Using the desktop plug-ins, you can easily share content between your Windows or Mac desktop and IBM Connections and Connections Cloud,” IBM explains. “You can also use sync so that you always have the latest copy of a file, whether you are opening it from your desktop, from a Connections server, or from Connections Cloud.” 

Naidoo admits the ban of using external storage devices to move data will be “disruptive for some.” But the company’s new globally enforced policy should help prevent massive file leaks like the one seen in 2013 where a former employee leaked hundreds of pages regarding IBM’s cloud computing technology. In January, someone leaked a presentation slide revealing that IBM would cut around 10,000 staff roles. 

Of course, data leaks aren’t specifically tied to physical storage devices. Data residing on the local network and in the cloud can slip between IBM’s fingers as well, but by banning the use of flash drives and SD cards, the company has a better hold on how that data can escape its clutches. IBM can also prevent the transference of malware from PC to PC that is typically associated with external storage devices. 

IBM definitely has good reason to ban the use of physical storage devices: Trade secrets in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and more. The company inked a $240 million deal with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in September 2017 to develop hardware, software, and algorithms dedicated to artificial intelligence. In March, the company revealed the world’s smallest computer built for blockchain technology, and on Thursday, May 10, IBM teamed up with North Carolina State University to accelerate quantum computing. 

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Google wants to let you vote from your Android phone

Our smartphones are our constant companions and we use them for so much. But that is not enough for Google, which wants to make it so that Android can do much more. Specifically, Google wants Android to be secure enough to handle our most important data — our passports, medical details, and even let us vote from our Android phones.

Android has not always been seen as the most secure operating system in the world, but recent results show that Google is working hard to change that perception. The “What’s new in Android security” session at Google I/O revealed Google has its eyes set on making Android the sort of operating system that is secure enough for you to cast your vote for the next U.S. president.

But how is Google looking to make that happen? Specifically, it’s all about making sure that the right stuff is running in the right place. Android P may still be nameless, but it looks as if the next major Android iteration will be packing some major security upgrades, at least where transactions are concerned. Called “Android Protection Confirmation,” this is supposedly the first time that a major operating system API will be able to send a “high assurance transaction”, running on secure hardware, in a trusted execution environment (TEE).

I/O is a developer conference, so the use of obscure buzzwords is fairly common — but, in essence, Google is creating is a system that runs separately from the main operating system, and is harder for attackers to gain control as a result of being independent. When required, the TEE will take control of the display and ask the user to confirm the action they are about to take and then take final confirmation by pressing a hardware key. We suspect the exact procedure will change depending on the phone used since the power key is rarely in the same place on different phones — but the key seems to be that it be a secure hardware confirmation, rather than being software-based.

Of course, it’s not just about your civic duty — possible uses for this extremely secure technology obviously includes voting, but it also includes financial transactions, regulating insulin pumps, and two-factor authentication. Google was excited to reveal a small list of partners it was working with, and partners included Bigfoot Medical, the Royal Bank of Canada, and Duo Security.

Does this mean we can all expect to vote on our phones once Android P rolls around? Unlikely — but it is a step in the right direction for that, and even if an “Android Vote” app never surfaces, more security on your smartphone isn’t a bad thing.

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Chromebooks will start to feel more like Windows, but in a good way

Launching Android app support on Chrome OS was just the first step of Google’s attack on traditional desktop operating systems like Windows 10 and MacOS. At I/O this year, Google announced support for desktop-native features, turning Chromebooks into more powerful productivity machines. These features allow Chrome OS to feel just as natural as a traditional laptop or in newer touch-centric tablet form factors.

Google announced an improved tablet mode, where apps can launch in full-screen mode. Google also announced a new split-screen view, which places two apps side-by-side, a feature similar to Windows 10’s snap feature or the new side-by-side multitasking on Android. Apps can also be dynamically resized to display more data without a restart. If an app launches in a standard portrait-oriented smartphone window, you can see more information displayed as you stretch the app’s window, Google demonstrated in a talk at I/O.

For those who multitask, there’s a new picture-in-picture mode. On the touchscreen, copying and pasting has been reimagined, allowing you to drag text, images, and rich content from one app and drop it into another. This makes Chrome OS feel more like a tablet-first device, similar to how Apple implemented drag-and-drop sharing on the iPad Pro.

Google is also supporting the Android keyboard in Chrome, making it easy to use emoji. App shortcuts will also come to Chrome OS. Rick-clicking or long-pressing an app will show app actions. This allows you to launch a specific command within an app without having to first launch the app, similar to how long-pressing the Gmail app on Android gives you the option to jump directly into the compose window.

Chrome OS will also support pro audio, which means that you could soon see your favorite DJ use a Pixelbook to spin the hottest mixes. MIDI support is present today, and Google announced support for multi-channel USB audio, AAudio, and AAudio MMAP is coming this fall with the M69 release.

Support for multiple displays has also been improved, and more capable hardware like the Pixelbook can connect to a maximum of seven displays simultaneously, Google said. For users who prefer to write or draw, Google has reworked the software to significantly reduce latency. By removing the compositing time and adding a prediction logic, Google claims that the traditional 100ms delay has been reduced to nearly zero.

Chromebooks already outsell all other devices combined in the education space and accounts for 17 percent of all notebooks sold in the US, Google said. The addition of these powerful features to Chrome OS will likely help Google take market share from its rivals.

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Apple and Goldman Sachs reportedly developing a credit card together

Apple could be looking to expand Apple Pay beyond phone-based NFC payments. The company is reportedly working on an Apple Pay-branded credit card, which is being developed in partnership with Goldman Sachs.

The report comes from The Wall Street Journal and notes that the partnership between the two will extend to other services. For example, Goldman Sachs will reportedly offer in-store loans to Apple customers who are buying new products. According to the report, the two are still deciding on the specific terms of the deal, but Apple is aiming to release the card to customers as soon as early 2019.

Of course, Apple does already offer an Apple Rewards credit card with Barclays, but the deal with Goldman Sachs is reportedly aimed at offering customers a cheaper financing deal. The new card will replace the old card as the official Apple Rewards credit card.

Apple is said to be shifting its focus toward growing businesses, and Apple Pay is one of those businesses. It’s believed that the deal with Goldman Sachs could help Apple expand awareness about Apple Pay. According to recent reports, only around 16 percent of iPhone users around the world use Apple Pay — though researchers expect widespread adoption of mobile payments in the next three to five years. Apple Pay first launched in 2014, though at the time it was only available for a few banks, and only in the U.S. Since then it has grown to dozens of countries around the world, with support for even more banks and financial institutions.

Still, the service received pushback from the likes of Target and Walmart, which are attempting to develop their own mobile payment systems. There are also other mobile payment services, from companies like Google, PayPal, and so on. Apple, however, says it’s not too worried about slow adoption — last spring the company noted that it thought mobile payments were on track to become users’ primary payment system.

We’ll have to wait and see exactly what the Apple Pay-branded card ends up looking like and whether it’s linked to Apple Pay in more than just branding. As mentioned, we may not have to wait long — early 2019 seems to be the current target release date.

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