Google+ is shutting down for consumers in August 2019
Google’s also putting its foot down on Gmail APIs and access to call/text data.
Google+ has long been the butt of many jokes as a failed social network that refuses to die, but according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal and then an official response from Google itself, it looks like it’s been home to a serious security vulnerability for three years that Google chose to not disclose to the public.
Per WSJ, a “software glitch” allowed user data to be potentially exposed to unwanted eyes from 2015 all the way through March 2018 when Google learned about it.
A memo reviewed by the Journal prepared by Google’s legal and policy staff and shared with senior executives warned that disclosing the incident would likely trigger “immediate regulatory interest” and invite comparisons to Facebook’s leak of user information to data firm Cambridge Analytica. Chief Executive Sundar Pichai was briefed on the plan not to notify users after an internal committee had reached that decision, the people said.
In other words, Google learned about the three-year-long vulnerability and chose not to say anything out of fear that it’d be bad PR.
As for what info was exposed, it’s reported that “full names, email address, birth dates, gender, profile photos, placed lived, occupation, and relationship status” were all up for grabs. Info that was not exposed includes email messages, Google+ timeline posts, direct messages with other users, phone numbers and “any other type of communication data.”
Shortly after this report was published, Google released its full response outlining how it plans on covering its butt and keep data safe under an initiative called “Project Strobe.” The first move? Shut down Google+ for consumers. Per Google:
This review crystallized what we’ve known for a while: that while our engineering teams have put a lot of effort and dedication into building Google+ over the years, it has not achieved broad consumer or developer adoption, and has seen limited user interaction with apps. The consumer version of Google+ currently has low usage and engagement: 90 percent of Google+ user sessions are less than five seconds.
To make the closure of the service as seamless as possible, Google says it’ll implement a “wind-down” period over the next 10 months with the goal to have everyone off Google+ and officially pull the plug by the end of August 2019. While Google+ will no longer be a consumer product, new features will be coming soon to turn it into an enterprise-focused platform.
Along with this, Google will also force app developers to provide more detailed explanations of what it intends to do with your Google Account if it’s requesting access to it. Instead of seeing a single screen asking for permission to use your Google account, you’ll now see individual pop-up boxes for each item an app is requesting access to with an explanation of what’s being requested.
Lastly, Google says it’ll be limiting access to its Gmail APIs and be stricter about what apps in the Play Store can access call logs and SMS permissions on Android devices. This should translate to only your default phone and texting apps having access to your call and SMS data.
Google ended its explanation of Project Strobe with the following:
Our goal is to support a wide range of useful apps, while ensuring that everyone is confident that their data is secure. By giving developers more explicit rules of the road, and helping users control your data, we can ensure that we keep doing just that.
Google just dodged a £4.4 billion lawsuit in the United Kingdom
Nieuw lek toont kleurenpalet Google Pixel 3 van dichtbij
Ook Evan Blass van @evleaks doet een duit in het zakje als het gaat om lekken van Google Pixel 3 informatie. Ditmaal worden we getrakteerd op het toekomstige kleurenpalet waarin het nieuwe toestel verkrijgbaar zal zijn; zwart, wit en roze. Nieuw is die informatie echter niet maar dat geldt momenteel over vrijwel alles van het toestel.
De Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL maken kans op het slechts bewaarde geheim ooit. Google lijkt ook geen enkele moeite meer te doen om iets te ontkennen, tegen te houden of te ontkrachten. Ze lopen daarmee een risico dat er op dinsdag 9 oktober niets nieuws over het toestel te vertellen valt. Dit nieuwe plaatjes van @evleaks past prima in een lange reeks lekken waar ook wij trouwens onderdeel van zijn door het plaatsen van de allereerste renders.
Nog even kort samenvatten; de Pixel 3 krijgt een 5,5 inch scherm met Full HD+ resolutie zonder notch bovenin maar wel met dubbele selfiecam, de Pixel 3 XL mag rekenen op een 6,3 inch scherm met Quad HD+ resolutie maar dan wel met een enorme notch bovenin. Ook hier een dubbele camera, maar dan wel alleen aan de voorzijde. Achterop past Google nog altijd een enkele camera toe al zal die dankzij de nodige kunstmatige intelligentie wel kunnen rekenen op een portretmodus. Het meeste weten we inmiddels van de grootste van het stel; de 3 XL. Dat toestel werd vroegtijdig op de zwarte markt verkocht en verscheen ook in Hong Kong per ongeluk voor z’n lancering in de winkel. Het minst weten we wat dat betreft over de reguliere Google Pixel 3. Al is dat relatief; Google brengt los van het formaat traditiegetrouw weinig onderscheid aan tussen beide. Dinsdag 9 oktober zullen we het allemaal zeker weten; dan kondigt Google ze allebei officieel aan. Laten we hopen dat er nog een “one more thing” over is gebleven.
Ontvang een e-mail wanneer de Pixel 3 verkrijgbaar is
Ontvang een e-mail wanneer de Pixel 3 XL verkrijgbaar is
Apple Discontinues Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter
Apple has discontinued its $29 Lightning to 30-pin Adapter and has removed the accessory from its website as of this week.
The Lightning to 30-pin Adapter was first introduced in 2012 after Apple debuted the Lightning connector to replace to 30-pin connector that had been used in iPhones and iPads up to that point.
At the time of the transition, many people were using 30-pin cables for charging purposes for existing devices, prompting Apple to launch the adapter. The adapter was also useful for connecting existing 30-pin accessories to the new Lightning devices.
Lightning connectors are significantly thinner and more compact than 30-pin and the switch over to the more svelte Lightning connector allowed Apple to save space for other components in iPhones and iPads.
Apple’s iPhone 5, fourth-generation iPad, and first-generation iPad mini were some of the first devices to use the new Lightning connector, which has been present in all mobile devices since 2012.
It’s now been six years since Lightning was introduced and there is no longer a need for the Lightning to 30-pin Adapter as a limited number of those cables are still in use in 2018.
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Google Shuttering Google+ for Consumers After Undisclosed Data Breach
The Google+ social network that Google introduced back in 2011 suffered a major data breach that Google opted not to disclose to the public, reports The Wall Street Journal.
A Google+ software glitch provided outside developers with the ability to access private Google+ profile data from 2015 to March 2018. In the spring of this year, internal investigators discovered the issue and fixed it.
The problem was caused by a bug in a Google+ API designed to let app developers access profile and contact information about the people who signed up to use their apps. Google found that Google+ was also allowing developers to access the data of users who had their profiles set to private. Up to 438 apps had access to customer data.
During a two-week period in late March, Google ran tests to determine the impact of the bug, one of the people said. It found 496,951 users who had shared private profile data with a friend could have had that data accessed by an outside developer, the person said. Some of the individuals whose data was exposed to potential misuse included paying users of G Suite, a set of productivity tools including Google Docs and Drive, the person said. G Suite customers include businesses, schools and governments.
In an internal memo, Google’s legal staff recommended against disclosing the bug because it would invite “immediate regulatory interest” and result in a comparison to Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Data from hundreds of thousands of users was potentially accessible, but Google did not discover misuse of the data by outside developers. Exposed data included names, email addresses, birth dates, gender, profile photos, places lived, occupation, and relationship status.
Phone numbers, email messages, timeline posts, and direct messages were not accessible.
As a result of the breach, Google today announced that it is shutting down Google+ for consumers and introducing new privacy measures. According to Google, it put together a privacy task force called Project Strobe at the beginning of the year to review the company’s APIs.
Buried in a long document describing all of the privacy changes being implemented, Google confirms that a Google+ bug made private Google+ content accessible to developers.
Google explains that it did not opt to disclose information on the breach back in March because there was no evidence of misuse and no action a developer or user could take in response.
The review did highlight the significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ that meets consumers’ expectations. Given these challenges and the very low usage of the consumer version of Google+, we decided to sunset the consumer version of Google+.
Google is planning to shut down Google+ over a 10-month period, with the social network set to be sunset next August.
In addition to shutting down Google+, Google is introducing several other privacy improvements. More granular controls will be provided for granting Google Account data to third-party apps, and Google is going to limit the number of apps that have access to consumer Gmail data.
For Android users, Google will limit the apps able to access Call Log and SMS permissions on Android devices, and contact interaction data will no longer be available through the Android Contacts API.
Google’s full list of privacy changes can be found in its new Project Strobe blog post.
Tags: Google, Gmail
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Apple Releasing iOS 12.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi 2.4GHz Bug, Lightning Charging Issue [Update: Now Available]
Apple is today releasing iOS 12.0.1, the first official update to the iOS 12 operating system. iOS 12.0.1 comes three weeks after Apple released iOS 12.
The update will be available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings –> General –> Software Update. iOS 12 users should be able to download iOS 12.0.1 when it is released at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Today’s update fixes several high profile bugs that have been plaguing iOS 12 users. It resolves an issue that could cause some iPhone XS devices not to charge when connected to a Lightning cable, an issue that was discovered shortly after iOS 12 was released.
Reports suggested multiple iOS 12 devices were affected rather than just the iPhone XS, and it’s likely that if other devices are impacted, the new update solves the problem.
iOS 12.0.1 also fixes a major Wi-Fi bug that could cause some iPhone XS devices to prefer to join a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network rather than a 5GHz Wi-Fi network, resulting in perceived slower Wi-Fi connection speeds. After this update, many users who were stuck with their phones connecting to a 2.4GHz network should see much faster Wi-Fi connection speeds as the devices once again prefer a 5GHz network.
Other bug fixes in this update include a reorientation of the “123” number key on the iPad, which was moved in the iOS 12 update and swapped with the emoji/language key, a fix for a problem that could cause subtitles not to appear in some video apps, and an issue where Bluetooth could become unavailable.
Many of these bugs have also been addressed in the upcoming iOS 12.1 update that is currently being beta tested by developers and public beta testers.
Apple’s full release notes for the update are below:
iOS 12.0.1 includes bug fixes and improvements for your iPhone or iPad. This update:
– Fixes an issue where some iPhone XS devices do not immediately charge when connected to a Lightning cable
– Resolves an issue that could cause iPhone XS devices to rejoin a Wi-Fi network at 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz
– Restores the original position of the “.?123” key on the iPad keyboard
– Fixes an issue where subtitles may not appear in some video apps
– Addresses an issue where Bluetooth could become unavailable
– For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
The new iOS 12 update introduces a slew of new features like Siri Shortcuts for creating voice-controlled automations, Screen Time for monitoring your iOS device usage, Memoji on devices with a TrueDepth camera, improvements to Do Not Disturb and notifications, ARKit 2.0, privacy enhancements, and more.
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For additional details on everything new in iOS 12, make sure to check out our roundup.
Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of macOS Mojave 10.14.1 to Developers
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the second beta and two weeks after releasing the macOS Mojave update.
macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after the initial beta has been installed using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the “Software Update” option.
The 10.14.1 update includes support for Group FaceTime, a feature that was removed during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime, which lets you chat with up to 32 people at once, is also present in the iOS 12.1 beta.
macOS Mojave 10.14.1 introduces more than 70 new emoji characters that are also available in iOS 12.1 and watchOS 5.1. There are new options for red hair, curly hair, no hair, and gray hair, along with characters to represent superheroes, cold face, party face, pleading face, and face with hearts.
There are a number of new animals and food items like kangaroo, parrot, lobster, mango, lettuce, and cupcake. Tweaks have been made to some existing emoji as well. The iPhone emoji, for example, has been updated to look like the iPhone X with no bezels or Home button.
We didn’t find any other significant new features in the first two developer betas of macOS Mojave, so it’s not clear if there are any additional changes. The update likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that have been discovered since the release of the Mojave update.
Should new features be found in the third beta, we’ll update this post.
macOS Mojave is a major update that brings features like a systemwide Dark Mode, stacks for organizing messy desktops, new Finder capabilities, new tools for taking screenshots, a Continuity Camera option for easily transferring photo scans and documents from iPhone to Mac, and more. For more on macOS Mojave, make sure to check out our roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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How to watch Intel’s Fall desktop event live from NYC
Intel is preparing a press event for today, October 8, in New York City, where we’ll learn more about what the company has in store.
The chip giant hasn’t indicated exactly what the event will cover, but we’re hoping to see the unveiling of some new ninth-generation processors aimed at gamers. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get a hint at what the company is up to in graphics cards too. We can hope, right?
When and how to watch
The event is scheduled for Monday, October 8, at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. on the West Coast).
Fortunately, Intel will be live streaming the entire event. You can have a look below.
We’ll be attending the event live in NYC and reporting with news, hands-on demos, and more coverage on what Intel shows off.
What to expect
Intel’s Core i9-9900K
While Intel has been quiet on what we’ll see, we’re all hoping to see some new processors. Rumors surrounding the launch of the Core i9-9900k chip have been intensifying as of late, with a recent leak showing off some stylish packaging and a hefty $580 price tag. The leak (pictured above) also mentioned speeds of up to 5.0 GHz, overclocking capabilities, and hyper-threading technology for “16-way multitasking.” This would be Intel’s first eight-core, 16-thread processor — and according to some leaked benchmarks — could have some pretty impressive results. These new processors are in direct competition with AMD’s new eight-core Threadripper chips.
Finally, we’re also highly anticipating the launch of some new graphics cards from Intel, although those probably won’t be launched until 2020. Even so, we’d be delighted for some hints or teases at what those cards will be like though considering Intel’s recent hires. If it does, it’ll prove to be an important moment for the company and for GPU buyers as a whole.
In addition to the processors themselves, we hope to see the Fall lineup of the latest and greatest machines from the top desktop manufacturers. These big manufacturers often time updates with the next generations of Intel processors, which means more goodies for us. We’re hoping to see some demos and get some hands-on time with these new machines as well.
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Entertainment-centric Alcatel 3T 8 is a 4G-enabled tablet for just $150
Choosing a reliable tablet can be a tricky business, especially in a market dominated by Amazon’s Fire tablets and Apple’s iPads. You might assume that you have few other choices when it comes to a lower cost entertainment tablet, but that’s thankfully not true. Alcatel has launched a 4G-enabled, entertainment-focused tablet for just $150, and it looks like it could be a great choice for mobile streaming, or a child’s first media device. Here’s everything you need to know about the Alcatel 3T 8.
Alcatel has seemingly focused on delivering a sli9m and lightweight device that’s comfortable to hold for hours on end. The tablet weighs 10.37 ounces (294 grams), and is just 0.33 inches (8.3 mm) thick. It’s not the most stylish looker, but the thick bezels mean there’s always room to grip the tablet without accidentally touching the screen. You’ll find a Micro USB port at the top of the device, along with a headphone jack and an infrared blaster that allows the tablet to double as a TV remote — something of a rare feature these days.
The 8-inch display is an IPS LCD outputting a 1200 x 800 resolution. You can also cut out potentially harmful blue light with the included Eye Care Mode, which also optimizes brightness and tone in extreme lighting conditions. The display itself isn’t the sharpest, but it still displays 720p HD content.
The 3T 8 is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor backed up by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. The processor won’t be the fastest mobile CPU in the world, but it should be up to the task of handling most day-to-day tasks, and you can boost the rather small amount of storage by up to 128GB with a MicroSD card. The Alcatel 3T 8 also has access to T-Mobile’s super-fast 4G network too, and it takes Micro SIM cards. There’s a beefy battery too, with a capacity of 4,080mAh that Alcatel claims will last up to 500 hours of 2G standby, or over 8 hours of Wi-Fi video streaming.
Very few people buy a tablet for the cameras, but they’re here. The rear camera is a 7-megapixel lens that will capture video up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. The front-facing camera is a 5-megapixel lens with the same support for video capture. It would have made more sense for a tablet to have these numbers reversed, as people are more likely to use a front-facing camera for video calls on a tablet, but they’re not terrible numbers either way.
It isn’t running the latest Android 9.0 Pie, but it does come with Android 8.1 Oreo, as well as access to Google Assistant. The 3T 8 also comes with the Alcatel-exclusive CloserTV app, which brings together your cable TV programs, Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon subscriptions into one place, so there’s no need to swap between apps while looking for programs to watch. There’s also a built-in Kid’s Mode that allows parents to set usage timers and bar certain apps from being used by children.
The Alcatel 3T 8 will be available exclusively from T-Mobile and can be bought in T-Mobile stores and online from October 12. It will be available on T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan (0 percent APR) for $6 down and $6/month for 24 months.
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Apple writes letter to U.S. Congress denying reports of Chinese hack
Apple’s vice president of information security, George Stathakopoulos, has denied that the company was hacked by China following news reports of interference in the electronics supply chain of many major U.S. companies. Although Apple bought servers from Super Micro, a company that utilized reportedly compromised hardware in constructing its products, Apple claims that its security tools would have picked up on any malicious manipulation of its systems.
A recent report suggested that members of China’s People’s Liberation Army had compromised the supply chain of major electronics manufacturers, arranging for the insertion of a tiny chip on server boards which were sold to the San Jose, California-based Super Micro Computer. Apple was one of the companies supplied by Super Micro, and was cited in the original news reports as a potential victim of the hardware hack. In his letter to Congress, though, Stathakopoulos staunchly denied the claims.
“Apple’s proprietary security tools are continuously scanning for precisely this kind of outbound traffic, as it indicates the existence of malware or other malicious activity. Nothing was ever found,” he wrote in the letter to both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, quoted by Reuters.
That statement was repeated to the press, and Stathakopoulos claimed that Apple saw no malicious chips or vulnerabilities in its hardware, nor had it been in touch with the FBI to warn about such compromises. Those statements were made by an Apple spokesperson. Great Britain’s Cyber Security Center and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made follow-up statements indicating that they have no reason to doubt Apple’s assertions.
Despite such denials, Bloomberg, the publication which broke the original story, has stuck by its claims that it believes Apple and as many as 30 other U.S. companies and government organizations were compromised. However, it has been noted that some of Bloomberg’s claims were reliant on a single anonymous source said to be familiar with the matter, so evidence for some claims is not well corroborated.
Apple is not the only company cited in the original reports to deny the hacking claims. Both Amazon and Super Micro Computer have released separate statements denying the hardware interference described in the original Bloomberg article.
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The OnePlus 6T will be unveiled on October 30
OnePlus is going to end 2018 with a bang.
Ever since it was released this past May, the OnePlus 6 has been one of the absolute best values in smartphones we’ve seen in 2018. The phone’s only gotten better thanks to striking new colors and fast software updates, and right around the corner is its incremental successor — the OnePlus 6T.
The 6T likely won’t shake up the OnePlus 6’s formula too much, but even so, it’s already shaping up to be one of the year’s most interesting smartphones.
Without further ado, here’s everything we know about the OnePlus 6T!
The latest OnePlus 6T news
October 8, 2018 — The OnePlus 6T is launching on October 30
The #OnePlus6T is coming. Unlock The Speed on October 30. https://t.co/LuPoTr8ZyF pic.twitter.com/s8OfmZuXdX
— OnePlus (@oneplus) October 8, 2018
OnePlus has confirmed that it will unveil the OnePlus 6T on October 30. The phone will be making its debut at an event in New York, and OnePlus is set to kick off pre-orders on the same day.
The company will also hold a satellite event in India — its largest market — on October 30, and fans will be able to purchase tickets for the same starting 10:00am IST on October 17.
October 7, 2018 — OnePlus teases Monday announcement on Twitter
Check back in 24 hours for an exciting announcement. #OnePlus6T pic.twitter.com/mIeveZ0n6H
— OnePlus (@oneplus) October 7, 2018
The OnePlus 6T is expected to be announced to the world any time now, but we might not have to wait much longer — at least, for an event date. OnePlus tweeted out a tease for fans, telling them to come back in 24 hours for an “exciting announcement”.
While we expect said announcement to be an event date for the official unveiling of the OnePlus 6T, there is also a chance that the official announcement of the device. OnePlus has had a busy week of teases, leaks, and the official confirmation that the 6T will lack both a headphone jack and wireless charging, and OnePlus might be ready to show the world one of the most anticipated phones of the year.
Tomorrow is also the day before the Google Pixel 3 event — and the beginning of Pixel 3 pre-orders — so whatever OnePlus announces tomorrow may very well end up being an appetizer before the October 9 feast of new Google products.
October 2, 2018 — OnePlus 6T confirmed to not have wireless charging, better water-resistance
CNET recently sat down for an exclusive interview with OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, and during it, a few interesting tidbits were revealed.
Perhaps most importantly, the interview confirms that the OnePlus 6T will not support wireless charging. According to Lau:
We’re working hard on this. When we get to the day that the wireless charging can get up to speed of [Dash Charge] without the implication of heat that we expect, then I believe we can integrate the technology.
Lau also commented on the 6T’s water resistance, saying that it’s the most water-resistant phone the company’s made yet. However, in an attempt to save money, you won’t find an official IP rating.
Last but not least, Lau confirmed that one of the main reasons the 3.5mm headphone jack was removed was to make room for the in-display fingerprint sensor. He also said that it was “one of the most difficult decisions for us [OnePlus] to make.”
Read the full interview here
October 1, 2018 — Here are renders of the OnePlus 6T in Midnight Black and Mirror Black
Midnight Black
Need more OnePlus 6T renders in your life? Lucky for you, WinFuture recently got their hands on just that.
A few new images of the phone show its front and back in both Midnight Black and Mirror Black finishes — two colors that are also available for the OnePlus 6.
Mirror Black
Although the 6T’s design has already been confirmed in other leaks, these renderes once again show off the waterdrop style notch, the absence of the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and dual rear cameras.
September 28, 2018 — OnePlus begins teasing the 6T
We already know that the OnePlus 6T is coming, but now thanks to a teaser clip on its official Twitter page, OnePlus is ready to start hyping up the phone ahead of its announcement.
OnePlus 6T. It’s coming. pic.twitter.com/Wrdt9sCdIs
— OnePlus (@oneplus) September 28, 2018
The short clip is just 5 seconds long and features the tagline “Unlock the Future” along with the OnePlus 6T logo.
There’s not much else to see, but with the hype train starting, an official reveal should be coming soon.
September 26, 2018 — OnePlus 6T appears in a bunch of new renders
Earlier this month, we got our first render of the OnePlus 6T showing off the top rear portion of the phone. Now, thanks to @OnLeaks and MySmartPrice, we have full device renders of the 6T that shows what it’ll look like from every angle imaginable.
As expected, the 6T’s body shares a lot of similarities with the Oppo R17. There’s a large 6.4-inch display around front with a tiny waterdrop style notch at the very top. Around back is a dual camera system, glass construction, and no fingerprint sensor. This time around, OnePlus is hiding it underneath the display.
The 6T is said to be a bit thicker and wider than the 6, coming in at 157.5 x 75.7 x 8.2mm compared to 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8mm.
Are you liking what you’re seeing?
September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T teaser video airs in India, shows off dual rear cameras
OnePlus has started airing a OnePlus 6T teaser video in India that shows off the back of the upcoming phone. A render from earlier today revealed that the device will have dual rear cameras — and not three like previously rumored — and the video further reinforces that. The commercial features OnePlus’ India ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, and also references the in-display fingerprint sensor.
Amazon India is also building up interest for the device by opening up a “Notify Me” page for the OnePlus 6T ahead of the rumored October 17 launch.
September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T render confirms dual rear cameras, logo also teased
Thanks to the folks over at WinFuture, we now have our very first render of the upcoming OnePlus 6T. The render admittedly doesn’t reveal a lot of the phone, but even so, it does manage to confirm a couple of key details.
First of all, it would appear that OnePlus will be sticking with two rear cameras on the back. On that same note, the cameras are also in the exact same position as they are on the OnePlus 6.
Along with this, we can also see that there’s no longer a fingerprint sensor below the camera lens. OnePlus already confirmed that the 6T will be its first phone to use an in-display sensor, so we’re now seeing how all of that will come together.
Last but not least, WinFuture also shared the 6T’s official logo. There’s nothing particularly exciting about it, but here it is for your vieiwng pleasure.
September 13, 2018 — The OnePlus 6T will not have a headphone jack
Yep, you read that correctly. As confirmed by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei in an interview with TechRadar, the 6T will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Having a headphone jack on its phones is something OnePlus has adamantly bragged about for the last few years, so why is the company now deciding to remove it? First of all, Pei notes that by removing the headphone jack, more features can be crammed into the 6T.
Some of that space is likely going to the in-display fingerprint sensor that was already confirmed by the company, and along with that, Pei says battery life is being improved, too. We don’t have raw numbers, but it’s said that the improvement will be “substantial enough for users to realize.”
Another reason for the jack’s removal is timing. Per a survey that OnePlus conducted earlier this year, 59% of its users already have some sort of wireless earbuds. Furthermore, Pei expects that number to now be higher following the release of the Bullets Wireless.
OnePlus expects some backlash from its community, and like we’ve seen from Apple, Google, and others, a 3.5mm-to-USB-C dongle will be included in the box so you can continue to use your old wired headphones.
What do you think about the 6T not having a headphone jack?
September 10, 2018 — OnePlus confirms in-display fingerprint sensor for OnePlus 6T
Less than a week since the OnePlus 6T retail box leaked, OnePlus has confirmed to CNET that one of the main features shown there — specifically the in-display fingerprint sensor — will be present on the phone at launch.
In an email sent to the publication, OnePlus said:
We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action. By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.
OnePlus also shared a screenshot of the 6T’s lock screen, and as you can see, an icon near the bottom of the display will show users where to put their finger to unlock the phone. Similar to devices like the Vivo X20 Plus UD and Vivo Nex, the 6T uses an optical scanner under its screen that views your print, matches it with one that’s been set up, and unlocks your phone.
In-display sensors have typically been slower than traditional ones on the front or back of a device, and if that’s the case with the 6T, at least we’ll also have Face Unlock as an unlocking option, too.
September 4, 2018 — Retail box reveals an in-display fingerprint sensor and “waterdrop” notch
Our first big OnePlus 6T leak has finally arrived!
A retail box for the phone recently appeared in a few photos online, and while the phone itself isn’t anywhere to be seen, the packaging actually confirms a couple key details about it.
Thanks to an outline of the 6T inside the box, we can see that it adopts a very similar design compared to the Oppo R17 that was announced in mid-August. As such, we’ve got a phone with very slim bezels, a tiny chin at the bottom, and a waterdrop style notch at the top.
This outline also shows a fingerprint near the bottom center of the display — suggesting that the 6T will be the first OnePlus phone to adopt an in-display fingerprint sensor.
August 17, 2018 — OnePlus 6T to launch on T-Mobile in the U.S. in October
A new report from CNET surfaced today, and if you’ve been waiting for more juicy details on the OnePlus 6T, there’s plenty for you here.
OnePlus phones in the U.S. have always been sold exclusively as unlocked handsets through OnePlus’s website, but with the 6T, OnePlus will be launching the phone on its first carrier partner in the States — T-Mobile. The T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 6T is said to be “optimized for T-Mobile’s network” and will work beautifully with the Un-Carrier’s 600Mhz band.
Pricing for the OnePlus 6T is said to be about $550 (a slight increase from the $529 OnePlus 6) and it’ll launch at some point in October.
August 14, 2018 — The new Oppo R17 is likely the phone the OnePlus 6T will be modeled after
If you’ve been following OnePlus for a while, chances are you know that its parent company is Oppo. OnePlus typically uses Oppo phones as references for its own hardware, and this year, the reference device for the OnePlus 6T will likely be the all-new Oppo R17.
While the 6T won’t be identical to the R17, the phone’s biggest features will likely carry over — including the waterdrop notch at the top of the display and all-glass back.
The R17’s notch is one of the smallest we’ve ever seen, and should this make its way to the 6T, it’ll be a big win for the phone’s design. The display below that measures in at 6.4-inches, and to not much surprise, retains a resolution of 1080 x 2280 Full HD.
Where will I be able to buy the OnePlus 6T?
Like previous OnePlus phones, we’re certain that the OnePlus 6T will be sold unlocked on OnePlus’s website.
However, new this year in the U.S., OnePlus has apparently secured its first carrier partner.
In addition to selling the phone unlocked, OnePlus will also sell the 6T via T-Mobile. The unlocked variant will work just fine on TMO, but by having the phone sold directly through the carrier and available to purchase via monthly financing, this should hopefully get the 6T in more people’s hands than previous OnePlus devices.
When will the phone be released?
According to a report from CNET, the OnePlus 6T will launch this fall — sometime in October, to be exact.
Seeing as how the OnePlus 5T went on sale November 21 and sales for the 3T opened up November 28, we have no reason not to believe OnePlus will shoot for an October launch. It’s not uncommon for OEMs to move up launch dates by a month or so compared to previous releases, and seeing as how the next-gen iPhones will be announced on September 12 and the Pixel 3 will be unveiled on October 9, OnePlus appears to be slotting itself in nicely with those big-name launches.
How much will the 6T cost?
Per that same report, the OnePlus 6T will cost $550.
In typical OnePlus fashion, that’s a minor price hike compared to its past releases. Here’s how the $550 OnePlus 6T will compare to previous OnePlus phones:
- OnePlus 6 — $529
- OnePlus 5T — $499
- OnePlus 5 — $479
- OnePlus 3T — $439
- OnePlus 3 — $399
OnePlus 6 review: The matter is settled
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