Snapchat now uses speech recognition to animate your face

Feel strange sticking out your tongue to get that Snapchat Lens to change? Snapchat’s latest Lenses react instead to audible keywords. Rolling out starting Wednesday, August 1, the new Lenses animate using specific trigger words.

First spotted by TechCrunch, the new lenses use speech recognition instead of facial recognition to identify when to trigger an animation. You can ask Alexa for something using single-word triggers to animate the augmented reality mask. Saying “OK” for example will bring up the hand symbol in one while saying “love” brings dancing hearts in another. On-screen instructions let users know what word will trigger the effect.

The update follows the first audio reactive lenses earlier this year, but react to specific words instead of changing with the volume like the lenses launched this spring. Snapchat also has Lenses that play audio and voice-altering options. The voice-activated Lenses join other animated options, like opening your mouth to barf rainbows to gain a slobbery puppy tongue.

The animated lenses could prove popular with video, using the keywords to add the effect at a specific point in the recording. The Lenses also work for taking stills, before, after or during the animation. Since there is no requirement to stick your tongue out or raise your eyebrows, you can smile, duck lip (but please don’t) or make whatever expression you can maintain while saying, or just after saying, the keyword.

The audio-sparked Lenses are already heading out to the Lens carousel, but some users may not see them for a few days as the feature rolls out. Like other Lenses, Snapchat says the app will update periodically update with new options.

Augmented reality lenses are a major focus for the social network, this year alone launching custom face filters in Lens Studio, Lens Explorer to find new Snapchat’s new Snappables Lenses are AR games you play with your face, and Snappables. The latter are game-like Lenses, where the game is controlled by your movement or the touchscreen. Other games use the user’s photo.

Earlier this year, the social network launched a new way to monetize the app’s popular Lenses with shoppable AR filters. The filters are unique to the specific product and include a link to the product.

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The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is cheaper than the Tab S4, with the same screen size

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 may be getting all the attention, but Samsung also announced another tablet on Wednesday, August 1 — the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5.

The new tablet features a 10.5-inch display, like its more expensive cousin, but that is perhaps the only similarity between the two. Most of the other specs are more midrange, with the tradeoff being that the tablet will likely be far cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S4 — though we don’t know the price of the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 just yet.

Unlike the high-resolution display on the Galaxy Tab S4, the screen on the Galaxy Tab A comes in with a 1,080p display. It also swaps the 4GB of RAM for 3GB and offers 32GB of storage, though thankfully that can be expanded upon with a MicroSD card slot. Under the hood, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, and the tablet doesn’t offer S Pen, an Iris Scanner, or Samsung DeX support. Thankfully, it does have the same 7,300mAh battery, and considering the lower-power processor and lower-resolution display, that should translate to a pretty excellent battery life.

On the back of the tablet, you will find a rear-facing camera that comes in at 8 megapixels, with the front-facing cam offering a 5-megapixel sensor.

Not too much is know about pricing or availability for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 just yet. The tablet was announced in Europe for 330 euros for the Wi-Fi only version, or 390 euros for the LTE version. That equates to around $385 or $455, respectively. Samsung says that while the tablet was announced in other regions, U.S. availability will be announced at a later date. We expect the pricing to be slightly different in the U.S. — after all, almost $400 for a Snapdragon 430-equipped tablet is a little over the top.

This isn’t the first tablet in the Galaxy A series we’ve seen. The new offering joins the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8, which is an even more budget-friendly device that has been out for some time now. Then there’s the Galaxy Tab A 10.1. We assume that the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 will ultimately replace the 10.1, as they’re very similar in size and the Tab A 10.1 is getting a little dated considering its 2016 release date.

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Huawei just overtook Apple as the second-largest smartphone seller

Huawei is moving up in the world. According to a new report from Counterpoint Research, the company has surpassed Apple to become the second-largest smartphone brand in the world in terms of units sold, after having shipped more phones than Apple during the second quarter of 2018. The report notes that Huawei was able to achieve the feat on the strength of its excellent premium phones, as well as a slew of midrange and budget devices, including those in the Honor sub-brand.

It’s pretty huge news, not just for Huawei, but for the smartphone industry as a whole. For the past seven years, the top two spots have been dominated by Apple and Samsung. Samsung is still at the top of the food chain, after having captured a whopping 20 percent of smartphone shipments.

Of course, it’s likely the rankings will change a bit over the next year. The second quarter or the year is one of the slowest for Apple, which is about to head into another upgrade cycle. This will almost certainly put Apple back in the second position, even if only for a quarter or two. On top of that, considering Huawei’s growth, it’s possible Huawei could eventually take out Samsung too — though we expect it to be a while before that happens.

In total, Huawei captured 15 percent of smartphone shipments, while Apple came in third with 11 percent. Xiaomi finished fourth with 9 percent, Oppo was fifth with 8 percent, and Vivo sixth with 7 percent. Also interesting is the fact that HMD Global was the fastest-growing brand compared to the same quarter last year. While in the second quarter of 2017, the company only shipped around 500,000 smartphones, in the second quarter of 2018, it shipped 4.5 million, with Counterpoint estimating a massive 782 percent growth. OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Huawei all also exhibited fast growth, though none anywhere near as fast as HMD Global.

The average selling price of a smartphone also shifted quite a bit. While Samsung’s average selling price largely remained the same, Apple’s grew by 20 percent, thanks largely to the fact that the iPhone X is more expensive than any iPhone before it. Huawei’s average selling price also grew, up by 28 percent, as did Xiaomi’s, which jumped 14 percent. It’s likely that trend will continue as we head into an era of ultra-premium smartphones.

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Huawei Mate 20 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

Huawei’s next flagship family is looking awfully exciting.

It can be difficult to keep up with all the phones Huawei releases over the course of a year, but one that continues to stand out from the pack is the Mate 10 Pro.

The Mate 10 Pro is a gorgeous and powerful piece of tech that made a splash in various countries but was unfortunately held back from greatness in the U.S. thanks to continuous pushback from the government.

Huawei’s expected to follow-up on the Mate 10 Pro’s greatness with the Mate 20 Pro and two other versions to accompany it, and even if it once again gets heat from the States, it’ll still likely be one of the best phones you can get early next year.

The latest Mate 20 news

August 1, 2018 — Leaked firmware suggests the Mate 20 will ship with Android P, have a 4,200 mAh battery, and use the Kirin 980

We’re likely a couple months out from an official announcement from Huawei regarding its Mate 20 phones, and just in time, the rumor mill has kicked into full gear with a ton of info that was recently shared in firmware files obtained by XDA Developers. The files outline three phones — the Mate 20 Lite, Mate 20, and Mate 20 Pro — but focuses mostly on the mid-tier option

The Huawei Mate 20 will reportedly ship with a large 6.3-inch OLED display, and as expected, use Huawei’s next-generation Kirin 980 processor. To accompany this, we’re expecting 6GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a seriously huge 4,200 mAh battery.

And, to help you charge that battery pack, Huawei is finally going to jump on board the wireless charging train.

Not much is detailed about the other two phones, but there is mention of the Mate 20 Pro including an in-display fingerprint sensor similar to what we’ve seen on the Mate RS and Vivo X21.

All three phones will likely ship with Android P and Huawei’s EMUI 9.0 skin on top of it.

All the big details

How many phones will there be?

Similar to last year, we’re expecting three different versions of the Mate 20 family — including the Mate 20, Mate 20 Lite, and Mate 20 Pro.

The Mate 20 will be the mid-tier option, whereas the Mate 20 Lite is the most affordable and the Mate 20 Pro is the most expensive/powerful.

If Huawei follows a similar launch pattern compared to the Mate 10, we’ll only get the Mate 20 Pro in the U.S.

How much will the Mate 20 cost?

Before we can speculate about how much the Mate 20 family will cost, we need to first look at last year’s pricing.

• Huawei Mate 10 Lite — £280
• Huawei Mate 10 — £699
• Huawei Mate 10 Pro — £799

The Mate 10 Pro started off with a $799.99 price in the U.S., but right now, can be purchased on Amazon directly from Huawei for just $549.99.

I expect we’ll see similar pricing for the Mate 20 lineup, with an increase of £20 – £50 here or there thanks to the rumors of a 4,200 mAh battery and in-display fingerprint sensor.

When will it be released?

As for when we’ll be introduced to the Mate 20 series for the first time, we’re likely looking at an announcement within the next couple of months.

The Huawei Mate 10 family was announced on October 16, and a year before that, the Mate 9 was unveiled on November 24.

Huawei Mate 10

• Huawei Mate 10 Pro review
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The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is a cheaper version of the Galaxy Tab S4

There’s still no word on price, but it should be a lot less than $650.

Samsung just announced the Galaxy Tab S4 as its flagship tablet for 2018, and while it has a lot to get excited about, the $650 price that accompanies it certainly is a downer.

For those of you that want a new tab but don’t feel like shelling out that kind of money, Samsung also unveiled the more affordable Galaxy Tab A 10.5.

As its name suggests, the Galaxy Tab A has a 10.5-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. That’s not as impressive as the Super AMOLED panel found on the Tab S4, but it still retains slim bezels and the 16:10 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, you’ll find the Snapdragon 450, 3GB RAM, 32GB of expandable storage (up to 400GB), and a large 7,300 mAh battery. Other specs include an 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, Android 8.1 Oreo, LTE support, and USB Type-C.

Although the Tab A 10.5 doesn’t support DeX or come with an included S Pen, it can still use the Book Keyboard Cover and Charging Dock accessories that are being sold alongside the Tab S4.

There’s still no word on pricing or availability for the Galaxy Tab A 10.5, but we’ll update this article once that info is made available.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on preview: The two-faced tablet

Nintendo Has Earned $400M From Fire Emblem Heroes on Mobile Devices

In the 18 months since Nintendo released Fire Emblem Heroes on Android and iOS devices the game has raked in a total of $400 million worldwide, according to data shared today by Sensor Tower.

That $400 million total includes earnings across both the iOS App Store and the Google Play store, and it’s up from the $300 million the game had earned a year after its launch.

Fire Emblem Heroes allows players to level up popular characters from the well-known Fire Emblem Nintendo game series, engaging in strategic battles as part of an original storyline developed for mobile devices.

According to Sensor Tower, Fire Emblem Heroes is Nintendo and DeNA’s most successful mobile game to date. Nintendo’s mobile games have proven to be a lucrative venture for the company, and Fire Emblem Heroes is sold alongside two other games set in the Nintendo universe and adapted for mobile, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Super Mario Run.

At $400 million earned, Fire Emblem Heroes has significantly outperformed the other two games, with Super Mario Run earning Nintendo an estimated $64 million to date and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp earning $42 million.

Approximately 52 percent of the $400M spent on Fire Emblem Heroes is from Google Play, with the remaining 48 percent brought in by the App Store. Players in Japan spend the most on Fire Emblem Heroes accounting for 56 percent of revenue, followed by the United States at 31 percent.

During the month of June, gamers spent more than $23 million on Fire Emblem Heroes, and according to Sensor Tower, momentum does not appear to be waning.

Tags: Nintendo, Fire Emblem
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Lisa Brennan-Jobs Shares Memories of Steve Jobs in New ‘Small Fry’ Memoir Excerpt

Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Steve Jobs’ oldest daughter, is releasing a memoir called “Small Fry” next month, and ahead of the book’s release, Vanity Fair has published an excerpt where Lisa-Brennan Jobs shares details on her troubled relationship with her father, his last days, and her early life.

Lisa was born in 1978 to Steve Jobs and Chrisann Brennan, and as is well known, Jobs initially denied that he was her father. He had nothing to do with her until she was two, a story she tells interspersed with facts about the Lisa computer he built. After being forced to take a paternity test and provide child support for Lisa, she finally met him, detailing their first meeting in Menlo Park, California.

Steve Jobs and Lisa Brennan-Jobs

“You know who I am?” he asked. He flipped his hair out of his eyes.

I was three years old; I didn’t.

“I’m your father.” (“Like he was Darth Vader,” my mother said later, when she told me the story.)

“I’m one of the most important people you will ever know,” he said.

Jobs visited Brennan-Jobs more frequently after that, for rollerskating trips, rides in his Porsche, dinners, and hot tub excursions, but the two still had relationship issues. At one point, Brennan-Jobs said that she asked Jobs for his Porsche after hearing a myth that he replaced it whenever it got a scratch, and she received a callous reply.

“You’re not getting anything,” he said. “You understand? Nothing. You’re getting nothing.” Did he mean about the car, something else, bigger? I didn’t know. His voice hurt–sharp, in my chest.

In another section of the excerpt, Brennan-Jobs explains how the fact that she thought the Lisa computer was named after her made her feel closer to Jobs, but at one point, she asked whether it was truly named after her. “Nope,” said Jobs. He later changed his mind when Bono asked at an afternoon lunch Lisa Brennan-Jobs was at.

Then Bono asked, “So, was the Lisa computer named after her?”

There was a pause. I braced myself—prepared for his answer.

My father hesitated, looked down at his plate for a long moment, and then back at Bono. “Yeah, it was,” he said.

I sat up in my chair.

“I thought so,” Bono said.

“Yup,” my father said.

I studied my father’s face. What had changed? Why had he admitted it now, after all these years? Of course it was named after me, I thought then. His lie seemed preposterous now. I felt a new power that pulled my chest up.

The rest of the excerpt, available over at Vanity Fair, focuses on Jobs’ final months before he passed away, and it is well worth reading for anyone who is interested in intimate details about Steve Jobs’ life.

Brennan’s book can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $24.70, with a release set for September 4.

Tag: Steve Jobs
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Apple Warns of Potential Tariff Impact in SEC Filing

In its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Apple this afternoon warned investors about the impact U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods could have on the company.

As Bloomberg points out, the document contains wording suggesting tariffs and other protectionist measures could “adversely affect” Apple’s business, resulting in lower gross margin or products that are more expensive for consumers.

International trade disputes could result in tariffs and other protectionist measures that could adversely affect the Company’s business. Tariffs could increase the cost of the Company’s products and the components and raw materials that go into making them. These increased costs could adversely impact the gross margin that the Company earns on sales of its products.

Tariffs could also make the Company’s products more expensive for customers, which could make the Company’s products less competitive and reduce consumer demand. Countries may also adopt other protectionist measures that could limit the Company’s ability to offer its products and services. Political uncertainty surrounding international trade disputes and protectionist measures could also have a negative effect on consumer confidence and spending, which could adversely affect the Company’s business.

It is common for Apple’s quarterly 10-Q filings to mention how the company might be impacted by political events, but prior documents have not specifically referenced trade disputes.

During yesterday’s earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook elaborated on how trade disputes might affect the company. Cook said that of the three tariffs put in place on steel, aluminum, and $50B worth of additional goods from China, none impact Apple’s products directly.

A fourth tariff on $200 billion in Chinese goods is up for public comment, and Cook said Apple is evaluating this tariff and will share details at a later date.

The original Apple Watch has been named in this latest proposal, alongside devices that include the Fitbit Charge and some Sonos speakers. Apple has already discontinued its original Apple Watch and newer Apple Watch models are not included.

Cook says that Apple does not think tariffs are the right approach to improving trade agreements and the company is planning to share its views with the Trump administration.

He also said that he was “optimistic” the tariff issue will get sorted out, and that Apple is hoping “calm heads prevail.”

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 Removes Apps From iTunes Affiliate Program

Apple today announced that it is removing iOS and Mac apps from its affiliate program, which means websites who share links to Apple apps will no longer be able to earn affiliate revenue for directing traffic to Apple’s App Stores.

According to Apple, it has made the decision to remove apps from its affiliate program due to the launch of the revamped App Stores for iOS and Mac. Apple rolled out a revamped iOS App Store in iOS 11, and is planning to introduce a new Mac App Store in macOS Mojave.

Thank you for participating in the affiliate program for apps. With the launch of the new App Store on both iOS and macOS and their increased methods of app discovery, we will be removing apps from the affiliate program. Starting on October 1st, 2018, commissions for iOS and Mac apps and in-app content will be removed from the program. All other content types (music, movies, books, and TV) remain in the affiliate program.

Apple currently offers its affiliate partners 7 percent of the money generated from an iTunes related purchase, including apps. Last year, Apple attempted to drop that rate to 2.5 percent on apps, but kept it at 7 percent after backlash from developers and publishers. Commission rates were, however, dropped to 2.5 percent on in-app content.

Apple plans to remove commissions for iOS apps, Mac apps, and in-app content from its affiliate program starting on October 1, 2018. Other content, including music, movies, books, and TV, will remain in the affiliate program.

Tag: App Store
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Icon Depicting Design of Upcoming iPad Pro Models Discovered in iOS 12 Beta 5

An icon that provides hints on the design we can expect to see in the upcoming 2018 iPad Pro models was spotted in the latest beta of iOS 12 by 9to5Mac this afternoon.

Located in the battery usage interface, the icon is said to be new in this beta. In line with rumors we’ve heard, the icon features a tablet that has much reduced bezels and no Home button, as Apple is said to be planning to replace the Touch ID Home button with a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID.

The icon seems to suggest that the upcoming iPad Pro models will feature thin bezels at the top and bottom of the device with the TrueDepth camera located in the top bezel rather than implemented through a notch design.

While multiple rumors have suggested the iPad Pro models will feature Face ID, there’s been little information on whether Apple was planning to use the same notch design that was introduced with the iPhone X.

In addition to Face ID and slimmer bezels that will allow for a larger display without increased body size, upcoming iPad Pro models are expected to adopt faster processors, and there have been rumors that Apple plans to remove the headphone jack.

It’s not clear when Apple plans to release the new iPad Pro models, but they could see a launch in September alongside new iPhones. Apple could also opt to hold a separate iPad and Mac-focused event in October, as it has done in past years.

Related Roundup: iPad ProBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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