Lawmakers Question Apple and Google on Personal Data Collection Policies

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee this morning sent letters to Apple and Google parent company Alphabet to ask 16 multi-part questions about how the companies handle customer data, according to a press release.

The letter to Apple [PDF] cites recent media reports as the reason for the inquiry, referencing November news suggesting Android collects extensive user location data even when location services are disabled along with reports that smartphones collect and store “non-triggered” audio data from user conversations near a smartphone to hear a trigger phrase such as “Ok Google” or “Hey Siri.”

While both of these reports were focused on Android, the House wants to know if Apple has similar practices, collecting location data when location services, WiFi, and Bluetooth are disabled or gathering “non-triggered” voice data from customers and sharing it with third-party sources.

A summary of some of the questions are below, with the complete list available in a PDF of the letter shared by the committee.

• When an iPhone lacks a SIM card (or if WiFi, Bluetooth, or location services are disabled), is that phone programmed to collect and locally store information through a different data-collection capability, if available, regarding: nearby cellular towers, nearby WiFi hotspots, or nearby Bluetooth beacons? If yes, are iPhones without SIM cards (or with WiFi/Bluetooth/location services disabled) programmed to send this locally stored information to Apple?
• If a consumer using an iPhone has disabled location services for multiple apps, but then reenables location services for one app, are iPhones programmed to reenable location services for all apps on that phone?
• Do Apple’s iPhone devices have the capability to listen to consumers without a clear, unambiguous audio trigger? If yes, how is this data used by Apple? What access to this data does Apple give to third parties?
• Do Apple’s iPhone devices collect audio recordings of users without consent?
• Could Apple control or limit the data collected by third-party apps available on the App Store? Please provide a list of all data elements that can be collected by a third-party app downloaded on an iPhone device about a user.
• Apple recently announced a partnership with RapidSOS for enhanced location services for 911 calls. What role will RapidSOS serve in the sharing and retention of this information?
• What limits does Apple place on third-party developers’ ability to collect information from users’ or from users’ devices? Please describe in detail changes made in June 2017 from prior policies.

That last question references App Store Guidelines that Apple updated in June to restrict apps from from collecting user data to build advertising profiles or contact databases. The new rules also prohibit apps from harvesting data from an iPhone user’s contacts to create contact databases.

The letter goes on to request Apple’s policies for data collection via the microphone, Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular networking capabilities, along with Apple’s policies pertaining to third-party access and use of data collected by the microphone. It also asks whether Apple has suspended or banned companies for violating its App Store rules, requesting specific examples and whether users had been notified their data was misused when the developer was banned.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee asks Apple to make arrangements to provide a briefing on the topics listed in the letter, but it does not provide a timeline for when Apple needs to respond. Apple generally responds to these requests in a prompt manner, however.

Apple maintains stricter and more transparent privacy policies than companies like Google and Facebook, with a dedicated privacy website that explains its approach to privacy, outlines tools available to customers to protect their privacy, and details government data requests.

Privacy is at the forefront of many features Apple implements, and the company is careful to always outline the privacy protections that have been added when introducing new functionality. When introducing new Photos features in iOS 12 that allow for improved search and sharing suggestions, for example, Apple was quick to point out that these features are all on-device.

Apple executives have said several times that Apple customers are not the company’s product, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has maintained that privacy is a fundamental human right. From a recent interview:

To me, and we feel this very deeply, we think privacy is a fundamental human right. So that is the angle that we look at it. Privacy from an American point of view is one of these key civil liberties that define what it is to be American.

Cook has also said that people are not fully aware of how their data is being used and who has access to it, a problem that “needs to be addressed.”

“The ability of anyone to know what you’ve been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life – from my own point of view it shouldn’t exist.”

Apple is continually introducing new privacy tools and protections for customers. Both macOS Mojave and iOS 12 include security and privacy improvements designed to better protect users, with additional tracking protection in Safari on both operating systems and extended privacy protections in Mojave.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Apple Releases macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 With AirPlay 2 Multi-Room Audio Support for iTunes

Apple today released macOS High Sierra 10.13.6, the sixth update to the macOS High Sierra operating system available on Apple’s Mac lineup. macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 comes more than a month after the release of macOS High Sierra 10.13.6, which introduced support for Messages in iCloud.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store or through the Software Update function in the Mac App Store on all compatible Macs that are already running macOS High Sierra.

The macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update is minor in scale, focusing on bug fixes and security improvements. No major feature changes were discovered during the beta testing process, but Apple’s release notes say it adds AirPlay 2 multi-room support for iTunes. Full release notes are below:

The macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update adds AirPlay 2 multi-room audio support for iTunes and improves the stability and security of your Mac. This update is recommended for all users.

AirPlay 2 for iTunes
– Control your home audio system and AirPlay 2-enabled speakers throughout your house
– Play music at the same time on multiple AirPlay 2-enabled speakers in your house, all in sync

Other improvements and fixes
– Fixes an issue that may prevent Photos from recognizing AVCHD media from some cameras
– Fixes an issue that may prevent Mail users from moving a message from Gmail to another account

macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 may be one of the final updates to the macOS High Sierra operating system, as Apple in June introduced macOS Mojave, an update that will be launching to the public this fall. macOS Mojave is currently available to developers and public beta testers and will be tested for several months before it sees a launch.

macOS Mojave introduces a system-wide Dark Mode, Desktop Stacks for organizing all of the files on your desktop, several changes to Finder to make it quicker and easier to access and edit your files, Continuity Camera for importing photos to Mac right from an iPhone, and new apps that include Apple News, Socks, Home, and Voice Memos.

For full details on all of the new features that are coming in the macOS Mojave update, make sure to check out our roundup.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Northern white rhinos could be saved from extinction by a lab-grown embryo

The northern white rhino may have found its savior, and it comes from a lab. A few months ago, the last male northern white rhino died, and with him went hopes of preserving the critically endangered species. But now, it seems as though the fate of the rhino may not be so grim after all. Scientists have recently revealed that they have managed to grow embryos containing his DNA, which could save the entire species if implanted in a surrogate rhino.

Today, only two northern white rhinos remain in the world, and alas, both are infertile females. But with the breakthrough of these lab-produced embryos, there could still be hope for the re-emergence of a breeding population.

“Our goal is to have in three years the first NWR calf born,” Thomas Hildebrandt, head of reproduction management at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, told journalists with regard to the work. “Taking into account 16 months (of) pregnancy, we have a little more than a year to have a successful implantation.”

The development of the embryo involved the use of a recently patented, 6.6-foot-long egg extraction device, and resulted in the world’s very first test-tube rhino baby to be. The embryos are currently frozen, and Hildebrandt says that they “have a very high chance to establish a pregnancy once implanted into a surrogate mother.” The embryos are not 100-percent northern white rhino, however — scientists used frozen sperm from deceased northern white rhino males, and the eggs of southern white rhino females. However, the hope is that scientists will now be able to use the same method to collect eggs from the two remaining female northern white rhinos. These fully northern white rhino embryos would then be implanted in surrogate southern white rhino mothers, hopefully creating a new northern white population.

“Our results indicate that ART (assisted reproduction techniques) could be a viable strategy to rescue genes from the iconic, almost extinct, northern white rhinoceros,” the team behind the research wrote in the journal Nature Communications.

Of course, the procedure is not entirely foolproof, nor is it necessarily 100-percent safe for the rhinos. “We have to do a full anesthesia, the animal is down for two hours, and it is quite a risky situation,” Hildebrandt noted. “We are highly afraid something unexpected would happen, [and] that would be a nightmare.”

To prepare, some of the existing hybrid embryos are being implanted into southern white rhino surrogates, and we will have to see whether the method ultimately results in a new northern white rhino population.

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Google offers giant discounts on speakers and phones during its summer sale

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Amazon Prime Day is fast approaching, but that doesn’t mean Amazon is the only online giant holding a massive summer sale. Not to be outdone, Google is throwing a price-slashing party of its own by cutting the prices of some of its most popular flagship products. Most notably, Google is offering its Pixel 2 XL smartphone for $749 for the 64GB model and $849 for the 128GB version. that’s an impressive $100 less than they normally sell for. Eager customers will also have the opportunity to buy Google Home Max speakers at a cheaper price should they elect to purchase two at a time. Rather than costing $798 for the pair, you’ll now pay just $648, a discount of $150.

Google is also offering discounts on the Daydream View (Google’s virtual reality platform), the Chromecast Ultra, the Google Home Mini, and the Google Home. These products range in price from $25 for the Chromecasts to $99 for the original Google Home. One thing not on sale? Google Wi-Fi, which is something of a bummer.

The sale is notable in that Google normally offers discounts in the form of store credits. However, for this summer blowout, the tech giant is giving its customers actual money off some of its products, and given that the price cuts are, in fact, quite steep, this may be a good time to make some Google purchases if you’ve been considering doing so.

The summer sale began in the United States on Sunday, July 8, and it will remain in effect until Tuesday, July 17. You’ll likely have to move quickly, though, as Google notes that the deals will only be available “while supplies last.” And of course, it’s unclear exactly how much inventory will stay in stock with discounts of this magnitude.

If you end up missing the sale, you’ll likely have trouble finding the same products at discounted prices during Amazon Prime Day. Google and Amazon have a rather acrimonious relationship these days, and you won’t find any Amazon products on the Google Play Store, nor will you find any Google offerings on Amazon. Both sales, however, are sure to attract plenty of prospective buyers.

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Slay creatures at high resolutions when ‘Monster Hunter World’ hits PC in August

Monster Hunter World is already the best-selling Capcom game in history, with more than 8 million copies sold, and it was only released for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in January. Up to this point, PC players have been left out of the action, but they’ll be able to hunt down and mercilessly slaughter monsters like the rest of us when it comes to the platform this August.

Monster Hunter World will release for PC on Steam, and those who pre-order the game will get access to the Origin armor set and Fair Wind Charm. These are the same pre-order bonus items that were available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions earlier this year.

Capcom also released the system specifications needed to run the game on PC, and they’re surprisingly modest. It’s recommended that you have an Intel Core i3 8350 CPU at 4GHz and a GTX 1060 GPU, along with 8 GB of RAM, and the game will only take up 20GB of storage space. If you want to run the game at minimum settings, you’ll even be able to get away with a GTX 760 GPU, a card that came out more than five years ago.

Customization options appear to be extensive, with the ability to change water reflection, foliage sway, subsurface scattering, ambient occlusion, dynamic range, and several other elements. One other feature will be included that players aren’t likely to appreciate — Denuvo DRM. The software is intended to stop players from tampering with the game, but it has been known to cause performance issues in other titles and can typically be “cracked” in a matter of days or weeks.

Monster Hunter World comes to PC on August 9, and Capcom plans to support the game with free content updates similar to those for console versions.

The game isn’t available on Nintendo Switch and it seems unlikely the system will be capable of running it, but you can buy Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate for Switch on August 28. An updated version of the 3DS game Monster Hunter Generations, the Switch version supports four-player cooperative play either locally or online, and it should give you your Monster Hunter fix while you’re on the go.

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Timehop data breach may have compromised 21 million email addresses

guteksk7/Shutterstock

Names and email addresses of as many as 21 million Timehop users may have been compromised as a result of a data breach that occurred on July 4. Timehop, a service that aggregates old photos and posts from various social media accounts — including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google Photos, and Dropbox — discovered the attack on its service as it was unfolding, but it took several hours for the company to contain the breach.

“On July 4, 2018, the attacker(s) conducted activities including an attack against the production database, and transfer of data,” the company revealed a few days following the breach. “At 2:43 pm U.S. Eastern Time the attacker conducted a specific action that triggered an alarm, and Timehop engineers began to investigate. By 4:23 p.m., Timehop engineers had begun to implement security measures to restore services and lock down the environment.”

Timehop’s initial investigation revealed that no user content was compromised as a result of the breach. Engineers deactivated keys that linked Timehop’s service with other social media platforms as a response, so users will have to re-authenticate with those services. Still, in addition to names and email addresses, as many as 4.7 million phone numbers may have also been exposed as a result of the attack, TechCrunch reported.

“While we were confident that the access keys to those services had not been used, we felt that potential exposure of that content urgently justified a service interruption to ensure that attackers could not, for example, view personal photos,” the company said. “Through conversations with the information security, engineering, and communications staff at these providers, we were able to deactivate the keys and confirm that no photos had been compromised.” Timehop further noted that these tokens would not have given anyone access to private information, such as Facebook Messenger messages or Twitter Direct Messages.

According to the company, the first stage of the attack occurred on December 19, 2017 when an unauthorized user obtained the credentials of an administrative user to create a new administrative-level account. The attacker was able to do this because the original administrative account was not protected by multi-factor authentication, and Timehop has since taken steps to secure accounts to prevent another similar attack from happening. The attacker used the newly created administrative account to log into Timehop’s servers in March and June, with the attack taking place in July.

Although the attacker may have had access to some of your social posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, Timehop informed users that “there was a short time window during which it was theoretically possible for unauthorized users to access those posts.” Despite the security breach, Timehop maintains that it found “no evidence that any accounts were accessed without authorization,” and it claims that because it pulls only the data that it needs for the service, it was able to minimize a potentially larger exposure.  Timehop has notified law enforcement about the breach and retained the services of a cybersecurity agency to monitor the dark web to ensure that user data doesn’t get leaked.

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Think you’re an Apple fan? This collection of prototypes has you beat

If you thought you were Apple’s biggest fan, Hap Plain likely has you beat. He owns more than 250 prototypes spanning PowerBooks, iBooks, iPhones, iPods and “pretty much everything in-between.” It may be the largest private collection of Apple prototypes in the world worth a good $1 million, if not more. The items aren’t just dead weights either: He purchases and fully restores these prototypes to working condition.

Despite his parents using Windows-based PCs, Plain jumped on Team Apple in school with the Performa 575 serving as his first computer in the 1990s. While looking for a job in the Bay Area just after college, he began restoring Power Mac G4 Cubes for extra money. During his search for additional Cubes, he stumbled upon a rare clear Macintosh SE. That ignited Plain’s desire to collect every Apple prototype on the planet.

You can see his collection here, which includes the clear Macintosh Color Classic, the developer’s edition of Apple Lisa, a prototype Macintosh TV, a very early stage 20th Anniversary Macintosh, and more. Note that every out-of-pocket purchase is a prototype that is typically not functional. Nearly every machine in his collection is restored and fully operational.

During the day, Plain works at a Lexus dealership in Monterey, California. After working hours, he’s not only collecting and restoring Apple’s prototypes, he’s selling them on eBay, too, if they don’t fit within his private collection. Using the “alittlebytedifferent” alias on eBay, Plain currently only has six items up for sale including four vintage Apple modems and the 20th Anniversary Macintosh.

But just in the past two months, Plain sold a fully restored clear Macintosh portable for $16,225 and a clear Macintosh SE for $22,600. He even pushed a $100,000 developer’s edition of Apple Lisa that raised a red flag at Apple. According to Plain, Apple isn’t “very keen on having individuals sell prototypes on e-commerce websites,” as the company’s legal team forced him to remove the listing.

Of course, Plain isn’t the only individual selling prototypes on eBay. The highest-priced prototype we found was the Macintosh LC for $9,999, the TechStep Diagnostic Tool for $3,563, a MacBook Pro for $2,999, a first-generation Lisa converted to a second-generation model for $2,799 and loads more. You can even find a clear iPod for $186.

But for Plain, collecting and restoring prototypes isn’t about making money.

“It’s about the hunt and finding these items and keeping them alive and making sure that they don’t end up in some type of e-waste facility because they are pieces of history and do tell the history of the company over time,” he says.

Plain’s “end game” is to see his collection on display at a museum so that Apple fans can personally see the prototypes they’ve heard about since the 1980s. But because hunting down every prototype is long, hard work, he’s now offering a “finders fee” to individuals who point him in the right direction.

“Finding Apple prototypes isn’t an exact science,” he says. “I appreciate everyone who has helped me get to where I am today.”

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Best Accessories for BlackBerry KEY2

We’ve got cases, screen protectors, chargers and more!

BlackBerry is back with the KEY2: Everything that was great about last year’s KEYone is still here, and everything that wasn’t awesome has been improved. Even if you had last year’s KEYone, there’s more than enough reason to upgrade, which means it’s time for new accessories.

BlackBerry will have a few first party accessories on offer, but third parties have some that are already available. And of course, there are some accessories that will work with any phone. Here are the accessories you should check out!

• Osophter Wallet Case
• MicroP Full-body Protective case
• PDAir Leather Holster Pouch
• TopACE Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• Bedifol upscreen Spy Shield Privacy Screen Protector
• AUKEY USB-C PD Car Charger
• Anker PowerCore Speed Power Bank

Osophter Wallet Case

It’s always nice when one accessory can replace multiple things you have, and that’s exactly what wallet cases do. With this case from Osophter, you get one slot for an ID card, perfect if you can use Google Pay everywhere you go. The front folio can bend back and act as a stand for your phone, perfect for watching a quick YouTube video. There’s a speaker cut out on the front folio so you can take phone calls with the case closed, and there is plenty of room for all the ports and buttons.

The Osophter Wallet Case is available in black or brown for $10.

See at Amazon

MicroP Full-body Protective case

Sometimes, you need a bit more protection for your phone. MicroP is here with their rugged Full-body Protective case. You get a design that will protect against most drops and materials, as well as repel moisture. There are precise cutouts for the ports, camera and speakers, and the buttons are replicated on the case itself. This is a no-frills design that does its job well, and look professional doing it.

The MicroP Full-body Protective case is available for $8.

See at Amazon

PDAir Leather Holster Pouch

BlackBerry phones and pouches have been a perfect pairing since the old days, and that trend continues even in 2018. PDAir is here to make sure you can be just as stylish with your KEY2 as you were with your Bold 9900.

This doesn’t include a belt clip, so you can’t completely go early-2000s dad (yet). But, this pouch will keep your KEY2 scratch free while it’s in your pocket, meaning it will be superbly pristine in your board meetings. There’s no embossed BlackBerry logo like on old first-party offerings, which is a bit of a shame.

The PDAir Leather Holster Pouch is available for $37.

See at Amazon

TopACE Tempered Glass screen protector

With the body of the KEY2 protected, it’s time to focus on the screen. Tempered glass screen protectors are all the rage, since they feel as nice as your display but still offer protection. TopACE has a two-pack of tempered glass screen protectors for the KEY2 that should make anyone happy.

There’s only one cutout, which means the glass will be easier to align and fewer places for dust to cling to. The screen protector itself has an oleophobic coating, meaning your fingerprints won’t smudge up the display. The screen protector is also scratch resistant, so it should survive well in your pocket.

The TopACE Tempered Glass screen protector is available in a two-pack for $8.

See at Amazon

Bedifol upscreen Spy Shield

Of course, if you want some PRIVacy while you’re typing away on your BlackBerry, you’ll want to invest in a certain kind of screen protector. Bedifol has such a model, one that seriously restricts the viewing angles of your display, so that random people on the street can’t look at the sensitive data on the display.

This is a film screen protector, so it won’t feel as nice as a tempered glass one. There’s also an oleophobic coating to keep fingerprints and smudges at bay, and Bedifol promises a bubble-free installation.

Bedifol’s upscreen Spy Shield is available in a single pack for $22.

See at Amazon

More: Best Screen Protectors for BlackBerry KEY2

AUKEY USB-C PD Car Charger

While the KEY2 has stupendous battery life, it never hurts to be able to charge it when you’re out and about. The best way is with a car charger, and AUKEY has the perfect model. It supports USB Power Delivery, meaning your KEY2 will fast charge when using this charger in your car.

It also includes a USB-A port to charge other devices, such as your headphones or someone else’s phone. This supports charging up to 27W, so it may even be able to charge your laptop — albeit slowly. And with every new device charging over USB-C, this will be a great investment going forward.

AUKEY’s USB-C car charger is available for $20.

See at Amazon

Anker PowerCore Speed Power Bank

If you need a charge away from your car or a wall, a power bank is essential. Anker makes plenty of these, but the PowerCore Speed is among the best. The battery itself charges over USB-C, so you only need to pack one cable for your phone and the battery. You can charge the KEY2 from the same USB-C port, and charge an additional gadget from the USB-A port. This model outputs at 30W, so it may be able to work with your laptop as well. And with a 20,100 mAh capacity, you’ll get multiple charges from the battery.

Anker’s PowerCore Speed Power Bank is available for $100.

See at Amazon

What say you?

What accessories are you using with your KEY2? Let us know down below!

BlackBerry KEY2

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• Join our BlackBerry KEY2 forums!

Buy the BlackBerry KEY2

Create stunning corporate videos easily for only $50!

Big corporations have the money to hire freelance videographers or entire in-house video teams, but if you’re just trying to get your brand off the ground, the capital likely isn’t there. And if you can’t hire out and don’t possess solid video editing skills, then producing an effective video that can help you keep up with today’s advertising might be difficult or altogether impossible. That’s where apps with built-in effects and animations come in. They help you easily put things together in a way that doesn’t require four years of film school.

Videobolt Pro is one such app, and it features an advanced motion graphic marketplace that allows you to source and customize awesome intro/outro animations, cinematic titles, promotional slideshows, and music visualizers, as well as templates. A lifetime subscription to software like this regularly retails for $1,500, but at Android Central Digital Offers, you can get yours for only $49.99, a savings of 96%. So rather than paying for the price of a video editing college course, you can easily edit great pieces for a fraction of the cost.

With your lifetime subscription to Videobolt Pro, you’ll get the following:

• Access to 96 videos a year, delivered as 8 a month
• Intro/outro animations to promote your brand, cinematic titles, promotional slideshows, and music visualizers
• Advanced customization tools that let you adjust templates for colors, effects, positioning, and more
• One-click undo functionality
• Automatic still-image previews on every change
• Automatic project saving and drafts

So if you’re not the best video editor and have no motion graphics or animation training, but you still want your videos to look professional and have them stand out among all of the other online brand videos, then get your lifetime subscription to Videobolt Pro at Android Central Digital Offers for only $49.99. No need to hire out, no need to pay a freelancer, and no need to spend years in a college course.

See at Android Central Digital Offers

These are all the phones Sony is launching in 2018

Here’s a look at Sony’s smartphone lineup for 2018.

Sony has an…interesting…position in the Android smartphone space. Sony produced some darn good phones in 2017, such as the Xperia XZ Premium and XZ1, but when compared to handsets like the Galaxy S8, Pixel 2, and even the OnePlus 5T, Sony’s offerings fell flat in one area or another.

We’ve seen Sony’s hand for 2018, and while this year’s phones still won’t keep everyone from jumping on the Samsung and Google bandwagons, they are compelling handsets that are at least worth checking out.

The phones that are still coming

Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium

In mid-April, Sony announced the Xperia XZ2 Premium. This is a bigger, badder, more expensive version of the regular XZ2 that’s already been released, and while there’s no denying its power, it’s going to set you back a very pretty penny.

One of the main draws to the XZ2 Premium is its 5.8-inch 4K HDR display. That’s the same resolution found on most premium TVs these days, and Sony says it’s 30% brighter than the previous Xperia XZ Premium.

You’ll also find dual 19MP + 12MP rear cameras, the Snapdragon 845, 6GB RAM, and a 3,540 mAh battery.

The Xperia XZ2 Premium costs $999.99, and pre-orders are open now at Amazon and Best Buy with shipments expected to start going out on July 30. Buying the phone from Amazon will let you get a free pair of Sony’s Xperia Ear Duo earbuds that retail for $280, but even then, only die-hard Sony fans will likely give any serious thought to the phone with a price that big.

See at Amazon

Sony Xperia R2/R2 Plus

Sony Xperia R1 and R1 Plus.

Last October saw the release of the Xperia R1 and R1 Plus — two budget phones that offered rock-solid specs at seriously affordable price points.

The rumor mill on successors to these two phones is pretty quiet at the moment, but there’s no reason to believe Sony won’t kick out an R2 and R2 Plus before 2018 is over.

India was the target market for the R1 series, and assuming the we get an R2, that’ll likely remain the same.

Mid-range Sony Xperia R1 and R1 Plus now available in India

The phones that have already been released

Sony Xperia XZ2

Sony’s big flagship this year is the Xperia XZ2. The XZ2 is a successor to last year’s XZ1 and features a completely new design language compared to other Xperia phones of the last few years. The glass back is super reflective with elegant curves, the fingerprint sensor is smack dab in the middle below the rear camera, and there’s an 18:9 screen with slim bezels.

Under the hood, the XZ2 is packing all of the latest specs — including the Snapdragon 845, 4GB RAM, 19MP/5MP rear/front cameras, IP68 dust/water resistance, and Android 8.0 Oreo. The phone costs $800 and is on sale now.

Sony Xperia XZ2 preview: Slimmer bezels, wider appeal

Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact

There’s no denying that the XZ2 is a powerful phone, but what if you want all that horsepower in a phone that’s considerably smaller and a bit cheaper? For you, Sony’s got the Xperia XZ2 Compact.

The XZ2 Compact is mostly the same phone as the regular XZ2, save for a smaller battery, 5-inch screen, and a plastic back. Everything else, such as processor and cameras, are exactly the same.

It’s not necessarily cheap at $649, but it’s one of the few truly small phones that offers a no-compromises flagship experience.

Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact review: The new standard for small

Sony Xperia XA2/XA2 Ultra

During this past CES, Sony officially took the wraps off of the Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra. Both phones are mid-rangers in Sony’s lineup for the year, and while there’s nothing particularly exciting about them, they do the basics really, really well while keeping costs low.

The XA2 offers a refreshingly small 5.2-inch display, and for those of you that prefer big phones, the XA2 Ultra should serve you just fne with a 6-inch screen size. Both come equipped with an LCD panel and resolution of 1920 x 1080, and for the first time ever, these two Sony phones have working fingerprint sensors in the United States 👏.

Each phone also shares NFC, Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, USB-C for charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Aside from the screen size, the only other big difference lies with the XA2’s 3,300 mAh battery and the XA2 Ultra’s 3,580 mAh unit.

The XA2 sells for a fair $349, and stepping up to the XA2 Ultra will cost you $449.

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Sony Xperia L2

If you like what the XA2 and XA2 Ultra bring to the table but want to spend even less, Sony’s Xperia L2 is for you.

The Xperia L2 has a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, MediaTek processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 3,300 mAh battery. As for the cameras, you’ll find a 13MP sensor on the back and an 8MP one up front.

There’s a working fingerprint sensor on the L2 and support for NFC just like on the XA2 and XA2 Ultra, but unlike those phones, the L2 ships with the older Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

You can buy the Xperia L2 in black, gold, and pink, and its price of $250 is more than manageable.

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Updated June 27, 2018: Added availability and pricing information for the Xperia XZ2 Premium.