U.S. government reportedly unhappy about Google’s relationship with Huawei [Update]

The U.S. is targeting Huawei again? Shocker.

Updated June 8, 2018: After being called out by Congress about its relationship with Huawei, a Google spokesperson responded with the following statement: “We look forward to answering these questions. Like many US companies, we have agreements with dozens of OEMs around the world, including Huawei. We do not provide special access to Google user data as part of these agreements, and our agreements include privacy and security protections for user data.”

Huawei has been in the United States’ crosshairs pretty much since the beginning of the year, resulting in a completely botched launch of its Mate 10 Pro flagship on U.S. carriers.

Now, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Congress is giving Google a hard time over its continued relationship with the Chinese company.

WSJ reports that Congress is unhappy with Google continuing to license the Android OS to Huawei and that:

Some members of Congress also plan to voice displeasure over Google’s continued partnership with Huawei in light of its more recent decision not to renew a Department of Defense contract, according to these people.

That “Department of Defense contract” is referencing Google’s decision to cease working on Project Maven with the Pentagon once its current contract expires in 2019.

In addition to using Android on phones and tablets, Google and Huawei furthered their relationship even more this January when Huawei announced it would start using Android Messages as its default texting app to help Google push forward in replacing SMS with RCS.

ZTE has also been receiving a lot of heat from the U.S. throughout the year, with things going as far to put ZTE out of business for a few weeks thanks to a Denial Order from the Commerce Department. A deal has reportedly been made between ZTE and the United States, but it’s unclear at this time if a similar agreement will be made with Huawei to ease tensions here, too.

These are all the Huawei/Honor phones coming out in 2018

Best Android Camera of 2018

• Best overall
• Best runner-up
• Also great
• Also great

Best overall

Google Pixel 2 XL

See at Best Buy

Google’s Pixel 2 XL doesn’t have best-in-class camera hardware, but still manage to take amazing photos in almost every situation thanks to its “HDR+” processing. This after-capture processing creates photos that have amazing colors and dynamic range, akin to what you’d find by applying a good editing pass to photos from any other phone.

You don’t get a ton of settings to tweak, which is kind of the point — Google wants to keep things simple. But when you see the photos that come out of the phone, you won’t be looking to tweak anything — you’ll just enjoy looking at beautiful images. The one area where the Pixel 2 XL has been somewhat beaten is in low light, where it just can’t cut down and clean up noise in the same way the Galaxy S9+ can. That’s certainly a trade-off at this point.

The Pixel 2 XL also has amazing video stabilization that settles down and smooths out even the shakiest of handheld capture.

Bottom line: For a fantastic “point and shoot” experience that also generates amazing photos, the Pixel 2 XL is the one to get.

One more thing: If you want the same experience as the Pixel 2 XL in a smaller package, the Pixel 2 enjoys the same camera.

Why the Google Pixel 2 XL is the best

Back when Google released its original Pixels in 2016, no one expected them to have the best cameras in the Android ecosystem. In 2017, the legacy was already established, and no one had any doubt: the Pixel 2 series has an amazing camera. Here’s what the Pixel 2 XL offers: incredible photo quality in any lighting condition; bullet-fast shutter speeds; amazing video stabilization; and fun features, like Portrait Mode and Motion Photos.

Many other phones can take fundamentally good photos, and the new Galaxy S9 and S9+ do that particularly well, but nothing touches the amazing colors and dynamic range the Pixel 2 XL can provide. It produces photos that look like you took a shot with another phone, and applied a set of tasteful edits to bring out all of the best parts of the scene — but it happens automatically every time you press the shutter button.

The Pixel 2’s camera app doesn’t have the same breadth of features as many of its competitors — there’s no manual mode at all — but much of the magic happens behind the scenes. Google has also added a new piece of hardware to the mix, the Pixel Visual Core, to allow third party apps to access the machine learning prowess of the Pixel 2’s camera.

Best runner-up

Huawei P20 Pro

See at Amazon

Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro has a great camera. The P20 Pro has an amazing camera. The first phone with three camera sensors on the back, the main one is 40MP, and is comparatively enormous for a phone. It uses all that size to shoot tremendously crisp daylight shots and incredibly detailed low-light photos. The AI-assisted Night Mode is even more amazing, though you need some patience and luck to get perfect results. The other two cameras are for black-and-white and distance — there third one has a lens with 3x optical zoom, perfect for those tourist shots.

While the Pixel 2 takes great photos more effortlessly, the P20 Pro can take better photos overall, and that makes it extremely compelling.

Bottom line: The Huawei P20 Pro is probably the most versatile phone camera ever created.

One more thing: You probably can’t buy the P20 Pro in the U.S., at least not officially, but it might be worth importing.

Also great

Samsung Galaxy S9+

See at Amazon

The Galaxy S9+ has a pair of rear cameras and a crazy switching aperture on its main lens that can adjust to give you the best possible shots in a variety of lighting. In the daytime the GS9+ takes sharp, accurate photos with just a subtle bump of saturation but doesn’t go overboard with HDR processing.

At night, the GS9+ is arguably the best smartphone camera available today. Its f/1.5 lens lets in a ton of light, and the sensor captures amazingly sharp images with almost no noise and colors that are mostly accurate to the scene.

This one is close, but the Galaxy S9+ comes up short of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL simply because it lacks the amazing colors and dynamic range found in Google’s phones. But when you add in all of the GS9+’s other camera features, like an advanced Pro mode, 960 fps slow motion video and other shooting modes, it may tip you over in its direction.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S9+ is a great overall camera that excels particularly in low-light conditions. It also piles on the features and really only comes up short in daylight shots.

One more thing: If you opt for the smaller Galaxy S9, you don’t get a secondary camera, meaning you miss out on portrait mode and lossless 2X zooming.

Also great

LG G7

See at B&H

LG was a pioneer of the dual camera movement, and it has stuck with the same formula: a solid primary camera, and a wide-angle secondary shooter that provides a neat new perspective. The LG G7’s main camera is very good, despite having small pixels — LG’s processing is great, and having OIS and an f/1.6 lens doesn’t hurt.

That secondary camera isn’t quite as wide as on the LG G6, but unlike previous generations it has the exact same sensor as the primary camera. And with every other phone manufacturer going with a telephoto secondary camera, it’s truly unique at the flagship level.

Bottom line: The LG G7 offers the best camera experience for anyone who wants a wide-angle secondary camera.

One more thing: You won’t be able to get the phone in every region or from every carrier, so check availability before you get too attached to it.

Conclusion

The Pixel 2 XL is still the best Android cameras available, based on its amazing ability to capture beautiful photos in every situation without any tweaking, guessing with settings or edits after capture. The Huawei P20 Pro is more powerful and versatile than the Pixel 2 XL, and can take better photos, but it’s a bit more complicated, and may turn off novices. The Galaxy S9+ gets close as an overall package, offering more features and arguably better low-light shots, but comes up short enough in colors and dynamic range that it isn’t quite as good as the Pixel 2 XL.

Best overall

Google Pixel 2 XL

See at Best Buy

Google’s Pixel 2 XL doesn’t have best-in-class camera hardware, but still manage to take amazing photos in almost every situation thanks to its “HDR+” processing. This after-capture processing creates photos that have amazing colors and dynamic range, akin to what you’d find by applying a good editing pass to photos from any other phone.

You don’t get a ton of settings to tweak, which is kind of the point — Google wants to keep things simple. But when you see the photos that come out of the phone, you won’t be looking to tweak anything — you’ll just enjoy looking at beautiful images. The one area where the Pixel 2 XL has been somewhat beaten is in low light, where it just can’t cut down and clean up noise in the same way the Galaxy S9+ can. That’s certainly a trade-off at this point.

The Pixel 2 XL also has amazing video stabilization that settles down and smooths out even the shakiest of handheld capture.

Bottom line: For a fantastic “point and shoot” experience that also generates amazing photos, the Pixel 2 XL is the one to get.

One more thing: If you want the same experience as the Pixel 2 XL in a smaller package, the Pixel 2 enjoys the same camera.

Updated June 2018: The Pixel 2 XL remains at the top of our list, but the Galaxy S9+ has arrived to replace the Note 8. The LG G6 has been removed as it aged, and is replaced by the great all-around Mate 10 Pro.

How to enable HDR for PlayStation 4 on popular 4K TVs

Here’s how to ensure that you are ready to run HDR on your PS4 and your TV

Oh, brave new world! Resolution, clarity, and color depth are increasing all the time on new gaming consoles. If you are a PlayStation 4 owner then that means that you have the ability play games (which support it) in HDR. HDR or high dynamic range is a method of image rendering which can allow for a beautiful and staggering depth of graphics in modern games.

While it is easy to enjoy such gorgeous graphics it is not always entirely clear as to how one might enable such settings. Most modern televisions, while capable of supporting such graphics do not come set up to do so straight out of the box.
Here is how to enable HDR graphics on your PS4 and a bunch of popular televisions.

Configuring your PS4

Before getting into the settings on your TV set you are going to want to make sure that your PS4 is all set to actually output HDR. Here’s how you can ensure that your console is ready to go. The first step is to make sure that your console has the most recent firmware update. HDR is only available through version 4.0 and higher.

From the main menu of your PS4, go to settings.

Select Sound and Screen

Select Video Output Settings

Set HDR to Automatic

Set Deep Color output to Automatic.

Configuring your television to display HDR

Once you have your PS4 properly configured, it’s time to hop over and get everything set up correctly on your TV.

Samsung 4K TVs 2016-2018

With some of the best 4K HDR displays on the market today, Samsung is a great option for those looking for crystal clear images. In order to enable HDR on your Samsung TV you will need to go to the settings menu to enable HDMI UHD Color. It is important to keep in mind that you will have to enable these settings for each port through which you intend to utilize 4K.

Press the Settings button on your TV’s remote

Select Picture.

Scroll all the way down to Expert Settings or Picture Options.

Navigate to the HDMI UHD Color section. Each of the available HDMI ports should now be listed on-screen.

Turn on HDMI UHD Color for the ports of your choosing.

LG TVs 4K TVs 2016-2018

LG has developed quite a few TVs which support HDR in recent years. Nearly all of these sets should come with the same software which should make enabling these settings relatively uniform across most models. In order to turn on HDR for your PS4, you will be looking for “HDMI ULTRA HD Deep Color” in the settings menu of your television.

Press the Settings button.

Scroll down to All Settings.

Navigate to the General tab.

Select HDMI ULTRA HD Deep Color. Each of the available HDMI ports should now be listed on the screen.

Enable the feature on the ports of your choosing.

Vizio 4K TVs 2016-2018

Vizio also offers quite a few models in the P and M-series which will give you crisp, clear HDR images. On most sets, it is important to keep in mind that while ports one through four can all output 4K HDR, port five will not support that content. Within the Vizio SmartCast app, you will be on the lookout for “HDMI Color Subsampling” in order to get the HDR content you love so much.

Open your SmartCast app.

Select Settings.

Select Inputs.

Select HDMI Color Subsampling. Each of the available HDMI ports should now be listed on-screen.

Enable HDR on the ports of your choosing.

Sony Bravia 4K TVs 2016-2018

There are quite a few 4K televisions offered by Sony which will support HDR on your PS4. Most recent sets will need to see “Enhanced format” turned on in the settings in order for you to enjoy HDR on your PlayStation.

Press the Home button to open the menu.

Scroll down to Settings.

Select External Inputs under the TV subsection.

Next, choose HDMI signal format.

Switch your signal format to Enhanced format. By default, this will have been set to Standard Format.

Panasonic 4K TVs 2016-2018

If you have a modern high-end Panasonic TV then there is a good chance that your set also supports HDR. Like many other televisions, you will have to enable HDR on a per-port basis. That can be done by changing the aptly named “HDMI HDR Setting” within your television’s settings.

Press the Menu button on your remote.

Navigate to the Setup tab of the Main Menu.

Select HDMI HDR Setting.

Select the HDMI port your Xbox One X is connected to.

Change to ON for the ports of your choosing.

Philips 4K TVs 2016-2018

Philips Televisions come out of the box running in “Legacy”, mode which offers the highest rate of compatibility with various devices. However, if you want that sweet HDR you will have to enable your chosen port to accept HDR content. The steps to do that are as follows.

Press the Menu button on the remote.

Choose Setup.

Navigate to TV Settings.

Choose Installation.

Select Preferences.

Select HDMI mode.

Choose the HDMI port your PS4 is connected to.

Switch to Normal from Legacy.

TCL 4K TVs 2018

TCL has been building their brand and releasing affordable 4K TVs in the last few years. For the sets that support HDR display, the steps are pretty simple to enable it.

Press the Settings button on your remote.

Select TV Inputs.

Select HDMI Mode.

Set your HDMI mode to HDMI 2.0

Toshiba 4K TVs 2018

Toshiba has finally gotten it together and realized that consumers have a desire for HDR support on their 4K sets. Within the last few years they have started to offer some smaller TVs that feature HDR support and turning it on is relatively simple.

Press the Menu button your remote.

Scroll down and choose options.

Select HDMI Input Mode.

Set the input mode to Mode 2 (2.0)

What TV are you using for 4K HDR gaming?

If you are using a set that is not mentioned in this article, and you need some guidance with enabling HDR please feel free to mention it in the comments.

Why are we talking PlayStation 4 on Android Central? Let us explain.

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

Updated June 2018: Added some additional 4K TV options!

Chrome OS to soon offer ‘integration’ with Android Messages

We’ve only been waiting forever for this.

Chrome OS is rapidly becoming a more practical replacement for Windows and macOS machines with every passing day, but one area that’s still lacking is proper tie-ins with Android. According to new commits in the Chromium Gerrit, however, this is going to start changing with proper integration with Android Messages.

Spotted by XDA Developers, the commit reads as follows:

Add a feature flag for CroOS Android Messages integration.

Later on, there’s another snippet that says kAndroidMessagesIntegrationDescription[] = “Enables Chrome OS integration with Android messages.”

It’s unclear what this “integration” will actually look like, but seeing as how Chrome OS is being called out specifically, it sounds like it’ll go deeper than the web-based client Android Messages is getting later this year.

If you remember, this actually isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Android Messages and Chrome OS talking to one another. Back in late October when Android 8.1 first started rolling out, an app called “SMS Connect” was discovered that allowed you to “read and reply to text messages on your Chromebook” and “get notifications for new text messages.”

Giving Android users a reason to buy Chrome OS machines over competing ones from Apple and Microsoft is something Google needs to get better at, and providing people with a built-in way to manage their text messages is a big step in that direction.

Android Messages is Google’s best chance to compete with iMessage

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Chromebook Buyers Guide
• Google Pixelbook review
• Join our Chromebook forums

Dinosaurs are all around you in Jurassic World Alive! [Game of the Week]

Update June 8, 2018: Collect dino DNA and create your dream team of battling dinosaurs in Jurassic World Alive!

Jurassic World Alive

Two years ago, Pokemon Go was unleashed on the world and became a cultural phenomenon.

This year, in conjunction with the release of the latest Jurassic World movie, Universal Studios teamed up with Ludia Inc. to essentially produce dinosaur version of Pokemon Go. Jurassic World Alive creates an augmented reality where dinosaurs are There are a ton of creatures to collect, upgrade, and evolve, there are supply drops scattered around in public places where you’ll be able to pick up supplies, and it’s absolutely designed to suck as much money from you as possible.

Here are my quick thoughts on Jurassic Park Alive — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The good:

• If you were obsessed with dinosaurs as a kid like I was, the concept of hunting down and collecting dinosaurs is just too cool. Pokemon are cool, but come on — dinosaurs are way better.
• The drone mini-game for collecting dino DNA is way more interesting than the tired Pokeball mechanics from Pokemon Go. A surprisingly organic way to build in the creature collecting aspect of the game.
• There’s PvP battling built right into the game upon release — something that still hasn’t come to Pokemon Go. You need to collect four dinos before you unlock PvP mode.
• I like that there are special events connected to local parks — whereas the game lacks Niantic’s network of crowdsourced public spots from Ingress and Pokemon Go, using public green space is a smart move.
• Games like this encourage you to go outside and walk around your neighborhood, so even if you only play with it for a couple weeks it’ll do you some good versus other sedentary gaming activities.

The bad:

• Just like the new Jurassic World movies, this game is a bit too derivative of the great works that have come before it. It looks better in many ways than what has come before but also lacks some of the charm and heart.
• Following up on that, along with those special events linked to parks which I liked I’ve also seen special events linked to Walmart locations which is — not what I like to see from mobile games.
• If we’re being completely honest, we’d be surprised

The ugly:

• This game goes beyond just having in-app purchase for buying more in-game currency. There’s also a “VIP subscription” where, for $10 a month, you get better supply drop rewards, slightly better equipment for catching dinos, and other in-game offers exclusive to VIP. Is this game worth the same as a subscription to, say, a subscription to Netflix or Spotify? Probably not.

All that said, I think it’s worth checking out Jurassic World Alive if you’ve had some fun with Pokemon Go in the past and are looking for a new take on this genre of AR games. If you didn’t like Pokemon Go, well settle in because we’re expected to get similar games for The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, and Ghostbusters in the near future.

Download: Jurassic Park Alive (Free w/IAPs)

Android Gaming

• Best Android games
• Best free Android games
• Best games with no in-app purchases
• Best action games for Android
• Best RPGs for Android
• All the Android gaming news!

Samsung Galaxy J3 and J7 mid-rangers coming to the U.S. in early June [Update]

The J3 will cost $209 on AT&T.

We’re just a few short months away from the Galaxy Note 9, but before we can get our hands on Samsung’s latest and greatest, we’re going to be served with two typical and unsurprising mid-range phones. This year, we’re getting updated models of the Galaxy J3 and J7.

Samsung says the two phones “focus on the key features that users love: sharp displays for movies and apps, great-low-light cameras that let them make the most of every moment, expandable memory for more storage, and battery life that powers their phones all day.”

Looking first at the J3, the phone’s outfitted with a 5.0-inch HD display, 8MP rear-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture, and a 5MP f/2.2 selfie camera. With the J7, you’re getting a 5.5-inch HD screen, 13MP f/1.7 rear camera, and 13MP f/1.9 sensor on the front.

Further specs on the J7 are still unavailable, but we know the J3 will tout Samsung’s Exynos 7570 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and a 2,600 mAh battery. Android 8.0 Oreo is also present out of the box.

The Galaxy J3 (left) and Galaxy J7 (right).

Samsung notes that pricing for the new models will be similar to the J3 and J7 from 2017, but that carriers selling the phones will be setting their own rates. The J3’s already popped up on AT&T with a price tag of $209 outright or $7/month for 30 months.

See at AT&T

Updated 10:15 AM ET: Added additional specs and pricing details for the J3.

Roku’s Ultra 4K streaming player is down to its lowest price ever

Get the best for less.

Right now you can pick up the Roku Ultra 4K streaming media player for just $79.99, which is $20 lower than it normally sells for. This price is actually the lowest it’s ever sold for, beating the previous low by $5. Roku makes some of the best streaming hardware, so if you’ve cut the cord already or are considering doing so, you’ll want to have one of these attached to your TV.

The interface is easy to navigate, and most popular streaming services have apps available. You can easily access Netflix, Hulu, Sling, and HBO Now from dedicated buttons on the remote. There’s also a voice search feature built into the remote, and a headphone jack. The Roku Ultra streams compatible content in 4K, and the box has a USB port and microSD slot.

If you haven’t cut the cord, you should consider using your savings to check out DIRECTV NOW’s offer that scores you 3 months of service for $30. Not interested in 4K content but still want a Roku device? DIRECTV NOW has another promotion which scores you a free Roku Streaming Stick when you pay for one month of service. This makes it $35 for both the streaming media player and a month of access to DIRECTV NOW’s channel lineup. Odds are this discount won’t stick around for long, so be sure to grab one now, before it’s gone.

See at Amazon

Yahoo Messenger Will Be Discontinued on July 17, 2018 After 20 Years of Service

Yahoo today announced that its Yahoo Messenger service will no longer be supported after July 17, 2018, encompassing the closure of apps for iOS and Android and any web browser clients (via TechCrunch). The service will function normally until then, and after that date users will no longer be able to access their chats and the Messenger service as a whole will be shut down.

The company promised that the discontinuation of Yahoo Messenger will not impact a user’s Yahoo ID, so it will continue to work for products like Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Fantasy. As for a reason, Yahoo said that it is focusing on “building and introducing new, exciting communications tools” that will be a “better fit” for its customers.

We know we have many loyal fans who have used Yahoo Messenger since its beginning as one of the first chat apps of its kind. As the communications landscape continues to change over, we’re focusing on building and introducing new, exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs.

“There currently isn’t a replacement” for Yahoo Messenger, however, so the company pointed users toward the invite-only group messaging app Yahoo Squirrel. Squirrel is still in the testing phase and allows groups to organize private chats with friends and family members in a style similar to Slack and Discord.

Yahoo originally debuted its Yahoo Messenger app on the iOS App Store [Direct Link] in April 2009, giving users the ability to instant message their contacts when away from their computer. In the years since, messaging apps like Apple’s iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and others have surged in popularity and caused users to leave Yahoo’s platform for ones more popular among their own friend groups. Today, Yahoo Messenger is #167 on the App Store’s most-downloaded Social Networking app list.

Prior to its appearance on the App Store, Yahoo Messenger originally debuted in 1998 (dubbed “Yahoo Pager”) as an instant messaging client that users could download for free to chat with friends. In 2018, Yahoo said that users will be able to download their chat history to a computer or other device for the next six months, and more information can be found in the FAQ section of the announcement page.

Yahoo Messenger’s closure in 2018 follows the sunsetting of AOL Instant Messenger in December 2017, both of which are owned by parent company Oath and lasted for around 20 years online.

Tag: Yahoo
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Taking ‘Cautious Approach’ to iPhone Assembly This Year, Lowering Component Orders by 20%

Apple recently asked its iPhone suppliers to build “around 20 percent fewer” components for the line of iPhones debuting in the second half of 2018, according to four sources speaking to Nikkei. The move is Apple’s attempt to take a “cautious approach” to iPhone shipments in 2018 compared to 2017 orders.

Specifically, last year Apple was said to have placed orders for the production of as many as 100 million iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X units. That number is now down to 80 million in 2018, according to the sources. In the wake of Nikkei’s report, Apple shares have fallen in premarket trading this morning.

“Apple is quite conservative in terms of placing new orders for upcoming iPhones this year,” one of the four sources, who is in the supply chain, told the Nikkei Asian Review. “For the three new models specifically, the total planned capacity could be up to 20% fewer than last year’s orders.”

Nikkei’s report corroborates recent claims made by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, stating that all three new iPhones will ship in September 2018 (two OLED models measuring in at 5.8 and 6.5 inches and a 6.1-inch lower-cost LCD model), despite some reports claiming that the LCD model could launch slightly later.

“The production yield for the LCD model’s ‘touch’ function is not satisfactory at the moment, but it is improving,” one of the supply sources said. “The cost-effective model is viewed as the tool for Apple to boost its total shipment volume this year, and all the suppliers are doing everything they can to make sure the LCD one hits the shelves as soon as possible.”

The sources said that Apple informed its supply chain to “prepare earlier” for this year’s OLED models in a bid to ensure that the smartphones can launch in September, unlike the iPhone X’s delay to November in 2017. Now, components for these smartphones will arrive at assemblers like Foxconn and Pegatron for final assembly in July, while the same will occur for the LCD model in August.

Apple is believed to launch three new iPhones in 2018: a 6.5-inch “iPhone X Plus”, a second generation iPhone X, and a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, all coming with a full-screen design and Face ID. According to Kuo, the price of the devices will start at $600-$700 for the LCD model, $800-$900 for the new iPhone X, and $900-$1,000 for the iPhone X Plus.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhones
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple’s new privacy features are bad for Facebook, but great for everyone else

(in)Secure is a weekly column that dives into the rapidly escalating topic of cybersecurity.

Apple had a lot to say about cybersecurity and privacy at WWDC 2018.

In light of Facebook’s recent data scandal, other data-reliant companies like Google have come under scrutiny for its data policies. Through it all, Apple has come out on top, staying in the good graces of both the public and governing bodies. With its newest updates and policies, has Apple solidified itself as the definitive ecosystem for those concerned about privacy and cybersecurity?

Cookies and trackers

While some of Apple’s software announcements were a bit mild, its cybersecurity and privacy updates were downright aggressive. The headline feature is what Apple calls Intelligent Tracking Prevention, a technology the company has built right into its Safari web browser.

This feature will warn you if a website has implemented something like ‘Like’ buttons, or a Facebook comment field.

“It turns out these [like buttons and comment fields] can be used to track you whether you click on them or not,” said Craig Federighi, Senior VP of Software Engineering at Apple. “And so this year, we are shutting that down.”

Once MacOS Mojave is available to the public, Safari will give you a better idea of when you’re being followed around the internet. When you come across a website that’ll track you, you’ll be warned with a prompt that looks something like below.

Of course, you can accept the terms, but the prompt is sure to dial back the omnipresence of Facebook across the web. At the very least, it should increase awareness about what these Facebook plugins do, and cookies will be automatically deleted from websites that haven’t been visited in the past thirty days.

Apple didn’t stop there. Federighi also detailed how Safari would be making it harder for advertisers to create a ‘fingerprint’ of a person on the internet. Fingerprinting is a way for advertisers to profile you without the use of cookies or trackers. Instead, this method relies on things like web browser, fonts, and other system configuration data to create a profile of you, and your usage.

“With Mojave we’re making it much harder for trackers to create a unique fingerprint. We’re presenting websites with only a simplified system configuration,” said Federighi. “And as a result, your Mac will look more like everyone else’s Mac, and will it be dramatically more difficult for data companies to uniquely identify your device and track you.”

Calling out Facebook, with a wink and a nod

Although this announcement didn’t call out Facebook by name, the social media company has historically had an unrestrained relationship with advertisers, giving them access to the personal data of millions for ad targeting. Pulling back fingerprinting is going to hinder advertisers, and by extension, Facebook as well.

“Less time on Facebook will equate to less ad views, which will mean less ad revenue for the social network.”

Both blocking trackers and fingerprinting are big deals, but there;s another feature announced at WWDC that might hurt Facebook even more — App Limits. This new iOS feature is supposed to empower people to use their devices less, providing access to a breakdown of how much time they spend in individual apps. App Limits also lets you set time restraints on your usage, closing apps when you’ve reached them.

That will certainly hurt the social network. “Less time on Facebook will equate to less ad views which will mean less ad revenue,” Michael Fauscette, Chief Research Officer at G2 Crowd, told Digital Trends. Once you see how many hours you’ve wasted scrolling through the News Feed, setting restrictions on your usage is a natural next step.

From friends to frenemies

Apple hasn’t always been at war with Facebook. Several years back, Apple touted baked-in Facebook features as advantages to MacOS and iOS. They used to be partners and beneficiaries of Facebook’s data empire.

Things are different now. A day before WWDC, the New York Times published a bombshell update to the web of controversy that is Facebook’s data policy. The report stated that Facebook made agreements to share data it had on users with a number of device manufacturers. Apple was at the top of the list.

Hi @SenBlumenthal, You raise an important issue but NYT is wrong on this point. Blackberry, Amazon, Microsoft etc could not integrate people’s FB information with their devices without that person’s permission. https://t.co/IXVTAScpww

— Facebook (@facebook) June 4, 2018

Apple has denied any data-sharing, of course, but the integration it put so much effort into promoting is no longer desirable. Better integration with Facebook was once a must-have feature. For Apple, though, it’s become a liability.

That’s bad news for the social network, but good news for your privacy, even if you don’t use an Apple device. Where Apple goes, others tend to follow. This is likely the first trickle in a flood of companies that turn away from Facebook to boost their own fortunes.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• Apple reiterates why touchscreens won’t be coming to Macs anytime soon
• iPhone apps are finally coming to your MacBook. Eventually. Sorta.
• Everything Apple announced at WWDC, from iOS 12 to MacOS Mojave
• Facebook’s Clear History feature aimed at helping protect user privacy