Samsung is caving in to the display notch — maybe even with the Galaxy S10

New ‘Infinity’ displays with cutouts are here, and they’re probably coming to Samsung’s own phones in 2019.

Display notches are definitely “a thing” in modern smartphones, particularly at the high end. If you’re looking to buy a new phone, it’s probably going to have some sort of display notch — tall, short, wide, narrow, curved or angular … it’ll be there. That is, unless you buy a Samsung phone; the company has been staunchly anti-notch, sticking with the virtues of its curved “infinity display” as the rest of the industry pushed the bezels to their limits and took the notch as a compromise.

Samsung’s advertising leans heavily on the fact that its displays are curved, immersive and decidedly notch-free. And it works. I’ve heard from countless Samsung fans that have stuck with the brand purely because its phones don’t have a notch (yes, people care about it that much). Now, it looks like that’s going to change.

We’re all hyped about foldable phones, but Samsung just announced three new ‘Infinity’ branded displays with cutouts.

Samsung’s SDC 2018 keynote was filled with hype for foldable displays, as we got to see a prototype of its forthcoming foldable phone, the Galaxy X (or whatever it will be called officially). Funnily enough the foldable phone doesn’t have a notch, as it seems to have considerable bezels to hold all of the necessary sensors, but alongside the announcement of the “Infinity Flex” display technology, Samsung has other new standard-looking displays to show off: Infinity-U, Infinity-V, Infinity-O and New Infinity. The first three of which sport a display notch or cutout, either in a standard style (in the case of the V and U) or in a hole-punch style circle (O) with the display flowing around it.

Ostensibly these new designs are up for sale for phone manufacturers of all kinds to use, just like the new Infinity Flex display and dozens of different iterations of great OLED display tech from the company up to this point. But it’s also a bit of a peek into what Samsung’s developing for use with its own phones going forward. Samsung’s display division has been making display panels with notches for years now, but hasn’t necessarily advertised it to the public. With the three new designs that have display cutouts, branded with “Infinity Display” just like its current Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9, it’s a strong sign that Samsung will cave into the trend of launching a phone with a notch very soon.

After incessantly mocking phones with display notches, Samsung just announced new ‘Infinity’ displays with notches.

That’s bad news for all of the Samsung fans that have held onto the company’s phones specifically because they didn’t fall to the market pressure and use a notch. But the reality is that this is where smartphones are headed, at least in the short term, until supporting technology to hide things like cameras and sensors fully behind the display — or elsewhere on the side of the phone — gets to the level of not having notable compromises. Samsung, having provided millions of these displays to other companies already, knows the trend and is surely developing its own phones with the new displays.

The only possible wiggle room here, which will keep notch haters’ hopes alive, is that fourth display shown off at SDC in the image above: the “New Infinity” display. That’s the next generation of Samsung’s current flagship display, and it doesn’t have a notch. That new display presumably sticks with the tightly-curved sides and pairs it with even smaller bezels all the way around, which really is the best possible situation — even if you’re neutral on the whole notch thing, you’d surely prefer to not have one if you had the choice. These new U, V and O displays are certainly for sale to third parties, but could also make their way into only Samsung’s mid-range lineup, like the Galaxy A series, while leaving the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 to stick with New Infinity displays as a point of differentiation from the notch-laden crowd.

And that sure would behoove Samsung, which has incessantly mocked other companies for shipping phones with display notches. It has run several high-profile ad campaigns pointing out the downsides of display notches (particularly on Apple phones and how much better the Galaxy line of phones is because it has a full edge-to-edge “Infinity” display. To go back on that just a year later would surely look hypocritical, particularly if it were to do so in its highest-end devices, and alienate a vocal (albeit likely not large) group of fans that stood by Samsung’s decision to skip the notch.

But that’s still speculation at this point, and it’s worth betting that at least one Samsung phone will be launched in 2019 with a display notch. The question is whether Samsung can bring itself to do so in the flagship Galaxy S10, the face of the company for tens of millions of people, or if it will listen to its own advertising and keep selling Galaxy S phones without a display notch.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Amazon

Get ready to decorate with these $20 Command Outdoor Light Clips

It’s lit.

Amazon is offering a 16-pack of Command Outdoor Light Clips for just $20 when you clip the 20% off coupon. You’ll save $6 on your purchase using said clippable coupon. That coupon actually applies to quite a few discounted Command products, but you can only use it once, so be sure to choose what works best for you.

These clips are specifically designed to be used outdoors. You only need one clip for every two feet of lights, too, so 16 should be enough for all of your holiday decorations. You can use the light clips for outdoor patio lights and things of that nature as well. The clips will stay put until you remove them, and when that time arrives, they’ll come off easily and leave no residue behind.

See at Amazon

Hands-On With the New 2018 12.9-Inch iPad Pro

Today is the official launch day for the 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, and we got our hands on one of the new larger versions along with a Smart Keyboard Folio and an Apple Pencil 2, the new accessories that go along with the updated tablet.

Check out our latest YouTube video for an unboxing and feature overview of the new device, which has been radically overhauled compared to the previous-generation model.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Apple’s new iPad Pro models feature an entirely new design with a near edge-to-edge display that replaces the Touch ID Home button with a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID for authentication purposes.

The all-screen design is, unsurprisingly, gorgeous, especially when paired with True Tone, ProMotion for 120Hz refresh, and wide color support for vivid, true-to-life colors.

Design wise, the iPad Pro models no longer use smooth, rounded edges that taper into the back of the tablet, instead featuring a flat, more industrial band around the sides that’s reminiscent of the iPhone 5.

The 11-inch model is the same size as the 10.5-inch model just with a bigger display, but for the 12.9-inch model, Apple kept the 12.9-inch display and shrunk the body size, so it’s smaller and more compact, and easier to hold.

There’s a new USB-C port that replaces the Lightning port, so you can plug in all manner of things, like 4K displays, cameras, and even your iPhone. Over USB-C, the iPhone can charge from the iPad Pro, much like it would from a Mac.

Face ID on the new iPad Pro works great, and unlike the iPhone, it can unlock the iPad in either portrait or landscape orientation. You need to be careful not to cover up the sensor with a hand when using it in landscape mode, but it’s otherwise pretty flawless.

The A12X in the iPad Pro is super speedy and faster than many notebooks on the market, but there’s one thing to be aware of. All 64, 256, and 512GB iPad Pro models feature 4GB RAM, while the 1TB models have 6GB. It’s not yet entirely clear why the higher-capacity models have more RAM, but it’s worth noting if you’re aiming for maximum performance.

Apple designed two accessories to go with the iPad Pro: the Apple Pencil 2 and the Smart Keyboard Folio. If you like to sketch and draw, the Apple Pencil 2 is a must have. It’s smaller than the original and it charges and syncs when you connect it to the iPad Pro using magnets.

The Smart Keyboard Folio feels similar to the previous-generation Smart Keyboard with the same general key feel, but the folio style is nice because it offers all-around device protection.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro isn’t going to be for everyone because of its size, but it offers maximum display for making art, gaming, and other purposes. For those who think the 12.9-inch model is just a bit too big, the 11-inch iPad Pro is a great compromise, offering a lot more screen real estate than the previous 10.5-inch model.

Unfortunately, neither of these two new iPads is cheap, which is the biggest negative. The 11-inch model starts at $799 for the 64GB version, while the 64GB 12.9-inch model starts at $999.

Did you get a new 2018 iPad Pro? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Related Roundup: iPad ProBuyer’s Guide: 11″ iPad Pro (Buy Now), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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Samsung Shows Off Prototype Smartphone With Foldable Display

At its 2018 Developer Conference, Samsung today showed off its new foldable display technology, called Infinity Flex.

Samsung is using the Infinity Flex technology for a device that features 7.3-inch flexible display that can be folded in half. While in full screen mode, the device is meant to be used as a tablet, and when folded in half, it functions as a smartphone.

Samsung’s Infinity Flex demo begins at about one hour and 22 minutes into the developer conference video
Samsung says that the Infinity Flex display is the “future of mobile display technology” and the foundation for the “smartphone of tomorrow.”

Today is a big milestone and I’m sure you’re all wondering what it looks like in real life and how it works. Wonder no more. When it’s open, it’s a tablet, offering a big screen experience. It’s gorgeous. When it’s closed, it’s a phone that fits neatly inside your pocket.

Samsung says that that to design the Infinity Flex technology, it had to invent new materials and reimagine the display from the ground up. The company developed an advanced composite polymer that’s “flexible and tough” to replace the glass that’s usually used as a display cover in smartphones.

Samsung also developed a flexible, malleable adhesive that’s durable enough to withstand hundreds of thousands of folds, and to make the display thinner than ever, Samsung created a new ultra thin polarizer that’s 45 percent thinner than the technology used in its current displays.

A new software platform is being developed in partnership with Google that supports two UIs, one when the device is open and one when it’s closed. Features like app continuity will allow for a seamless experience by keeping an app open when swapping displays, and up to three apps can be run at the same time.

It’s a phone… It’s a tablet… It’s a phone that unfolds into a tablet! #SDC18 pic.twitter.com/FgwpJPjqTn

— SAMSUNG DEVELOPERS (@samsung_dev) November 7, 2018

According to Samsung, the Infinity Flex technology shown off on stage is part of an upcoming device that had elements of the design obscured. Samsung says that the device is not a concept, and that thanks to breakthroughs in manufacturing, mass production of the foldable smartphone/tablet is set to begin “in the coming months.”

In the future, Samsung also plans to introduce new display technology that includes rollable and stretchable displays.

Tag: Samsung
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The worst rocket crashes in history

Bill Ingalls

Getting to space is hard. Really hard, in fact. There’s just not a lot of room for error. For every space flight that’s ever gone smoothly, there are dozens of botched missions that remind us how fine the line is between success and failure. To make things worse, when things do go wrong with a rocket launch, it usually doesn’t end pretty. Catastrophic crashes and violet explosions are common, and unfortunately so is the loss of lives. We’ve combed through space flight history and found some of the most massive rocket crashes ever caught on film.

Vanguard Text Vehicle 3

December 6, 1957

In 1957, the space race was beginning and the US and Russia were in a race to be the first to make headway into this new frontier. After Russia launched its first satellite in October 1957, the US was poised to deploy its first satellite a few months later. Unfortunately, this much-hyped launch failed before it went airborne.

Titan 1

December 12, 1959

The Air Force’s Titan rocket was a staple of the US space program from 1959 to 2005, but its early flights were rocky. This test launch of theTitan 1 rocket exploded a mere 4 seconds after engine ignition and engulfed the launch pad in a giant fireball. Thankfully, there were no injuries from the explosion.

Space Shuttle Challenger

January 28, 1986

NASA’s Space Shuttle Challenger was on its 10th flight when it exploded 73 seconds into its flight. More than 17 percent of Americans, many of them schoolchildren, saw the explosion live because of Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space. The disaster was the result of failing O-rings that were not designed for the cold conditions present on that particular day.

Titan 34D-9

April 18, 1986

The beginning of 1986 was rough for the US space program. The year opened with the devastating loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Then in April, the Titan 34D exploded in one of the worst space launch disasters at the time. A few seconds after launch,  the rocket, and its KH-9 spy satellite payload, burst into flames and showered the launch complex with fiery debris and toxic propellant. Instead of O-rings, this failure was the result of weak joints that held the booster rocket segments together.

Chinese Long March rocket CZ-3B

February 15, 1996

The US is not the only country with explosive rocket crashes. China has had its fair share, including the devastating Long March rocket, which exploded over Sichuan, China and killed hundreds of people. Shortly after launch, the rocket veered off course because of an error in the guidance system. The fuel-laden rocket then headed directly towards a nearby village.  The recorded video shows not only the crash but the devastating aftermath.

Air Force Delta 2

January 17, 1997

The Air Force had big plans when it launched an uncrewed Delta II rocket on January 17, 1997. The $55 million rocket was carrying a $40 million GPS-II navigational satellite, one of the first of the second generation GPS satellites to be deployed. Unfortunately, the rocket and its payload exploded 13 seconds after liftoff.

Titan IV

August 12, 1998

The Titan IV rocket was the last Titan model used by the Air Force before the rocket series was officially retired in 2005. One of the worst accidents involving this model happened on August 12, 1998, during the launch of a Mercury spy satellite. Shortly after takeoff, the Titan IV exploded in a giant fireball that destroyed both the rocket and its sensitive military payload. The total financial loss from the failed mission exceeded $1 billion.

Proton-M

July 2, 2013

Russia’s proton rocket was slated to carry three satellites for the GLONASS navigation system, but the rocket and its payload never made it to their destination. Seconds after takeoff, the rocket veered in one direction and then turned in the opposite direction before finally plummeting back to earth.

Antares 130

October 28, 2014

Orbital Sciences Corporation was ready to debut their new version of their Antares rocket, the Antares 130, but the launch did not proceed as planned. Within seconds of liftoff, the rocket and its payload burst into flames and caused a massive explosion when it hit the ground. The Antares 130 was carrying the Cygnus CRS-3 uncrewed spacecraft and supplies for astronauts on the International Space Station. The crash was attributed to Orbital’s use of refurbished Soviet engines that were built in the 1970s. A manufacturing flaw in the engine and poor long-term storage were contributing factors in the crash.

Interstellar Technologies MOMO-2

June 30, 2018

Interstellar Technologies is Japan’s version of SpaceX. It is the first private company to launch a rocket in Japan and hopes to become the first Japanese company to launch a rocket into space. The company’s first two launches haven’t fared so well The first suborbital rocket, the MOMO-1, failed 66 seconds after launch, while the second rocket, the  MOMO-2, crashed violently four-seconds after launch. Despite these setbacks, the company is earnestly working on the future MOMO-3and a new orbital rocket.

Space X

2013-2016

SpaceX has had a singular focus since it was founded in 2002. The company has dedicated itself to reducing space transportation costs by developing reusable rockets. This development process has had its fair share of ups and downs. Never one to take things too seriously, Space X founder Elon Musk released this short compilation of the company’s most dramatic crashes.

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HP Black Friday sales include $300 savings on Spectre laptops, more

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

The holiday shopping season is just a few weeks away, meaning big sales and deals on all things tech continue to surface online. In the latest, HP’s day after Thanksgiving sales appeared on a holiday ad, revealing up to $300 savings on Spectre laptops, gaming desktops, accessories, and more.

The leading deal in the 16-page long HP holiday advertisement is a $300 discount on the Spectre x360 13-inch laptop. Bringing the price of the device down from $1,150 to just $850, this touchscreen 2-in-1 convertible will be selling for its lowest price ever come Black Friday. The discounted device comes configured with an eighth-generation Intel Core i5 Processor and features a micro-edge Corning Gorilla glass display for crisp visuals. We reviewed it earlier in the year and found that it is flexible, fast, and is the 2-in-1 for every occasion.

For those looking for a 2-in-1 with a bigger display, the HP sale also includes $320 savings on 15-inch HP Envy Laptop X360. Cutting the price down from $1,000 to just $680, the deal presents big value for one of HP’s top-selling touchscreen convertibles. Not only is the large screen spacious enough for multitasking, but it comes configured with an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 chipset for more processing power. The screen and overall design were big highlights for us in our review of the device.

Elsewhere on the ad are some savings on gaming laptops. These are some very powerful machines that come configured with dedicated Nvidia graphics cards. Usually well over $1,000, the leading sales include $300 off the 15-inch Omen by HP Laptop with a 4 GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 TI graphics card, and $420 off the HP Pavilion Gaming laptop with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 2 GB graphics. The sales bring the price on these models down from $1,200, to $900 and $790, respectively.

HP’s ad shows it also would be discounting certain accessories, including a 1TB External Portable USB 3.0 HDD for $70, and a slight $296 sale price on the HP Pro Windows Mixed Reality Headset.

This is just one of many deals for the holiday season, as Costco is also running similar Black Friday discounts on Dell laptops. Looking for more information about the best deals? Find more from our Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals pages.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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New Windows 10 bug messes with the way you open your files

Microsoft has had quite a bit of trouble in addressing Windows bugs recently, and it now looks like things aren’t getting easier for some consumers. In the latest set of headaches, a recent cumulative update for the Windows 10 April 2018 release has broken the file association settings with certain applications, reports How-To Geek.

In testing, some third-party Windows 10 apps like Adobe Photoshop and Notepad++ no longer work as intended when users go to setting to choose either program as the default for .txt files. Windows 10 will instead absurdly ignore a consumer’s app default settings for both programs and open the file in NotePad on its own.

The same problem also applies when right-clicking on a .txt file and choosing “Open With” and “Always Use This App.” from the drop-down menu. Windows 10 will initially open it up in the correctly chosen app but will later forget the file association setting and default back to Notepad.

Microsoft does not document this bug on any list of known issues and also hasn’t yet issued a public response to related reports. The issue is instead believed to be linked to Cumulative Update KB4462919, initially released on October 9. Oddly enough, the Windows 10 October 2018 Update doesn’t appear to be impacted at the moment. It might be wise to temporarily pause updates or roll back and uninstall the problematic cumulative update if you’re in fear of this issue, or if you are already seeing that your file association settings aren’t holding.

The bug appears to be a common problem with a lot of Windows users and a Reddit support thread dedicated to the topic has gathered over 88 upvotes and 47 comments at the time of writing.

“I’ve been having this issue for quite some time now. I’m not able to assign certain file types to certain programs. This is happening in 1809, decided to rollback (through clean format) to 1803 and I still have the issue. Thinking of going back to 1709 to get rid of it,” complained a frustrated Windows 10 user on social media.

This is now the third major problem facing Windows 10 recently. Previously, Microsoft had to pull back the release of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update after consumers reported it was deleting files upon an upgrade. There also was another issue which caused the Blue Screen of Death on certain HP computers, though that was linked to driver issues and quickly fixed. And in more recent times, a bug also impacted zip file operations, overwriting and deleting users documents without the proper prompts on the screen.

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• A new bug in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update could delete your files
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Save up to $328 with Costco’s Surface Pro 6 Black Friday bundle for early birds

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

If you’re in the market for a new tablet that can replace your PC, and Apple’s newly announced iPad Pro isn’t cutting it for your needs, then Costco may have a deal for you. The wholesaler is offering a $200 discount on several configurations of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6. What’s notable about Costco’s deal is that both the Surface Pen and the keyboard cover, an accessory that’s essential in helping to transform the slate into a full laptop replacement, are both included in the price. Another bonus is that the deal is valid between November 16 and 26, so you don’t even have to wait until Black Friday to score the savings.

Currently, Costco’s two configurations are priced at $999 and $1,599, and to buy either option, you’ll need to have a valid Costco membership. Annual memberships start at $60, if you’re not already a member of the warehouse club. The cheaper $999 configuration ships with an 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and integrated Intel HD Graphics 620. The more expensive configuration includes a more powerful 8th-Generation Intel Core i7 processor and doubles the storage. While the cheaper model can be purchased online or at Costco’s warehouse, the more premium configuration is online-only, Costco noted in its holiday ad. Costco also includes its Concierge Service for technical support and extends the warranty to two years as part of the bundle.

Though both Costco bundles come with the pen and keyboard cover, you won’t have a choice on color — the Surface Pro 6 model that Costco is selling is only available in the platinum tone, and the keyboard accessory is the standard black Surface Type Cover, not the more premium Alcantara-lined Surface Pro Signature Type Cover. After the discount, the Core i5 bundle will cost $799, while the Core i7 package will retail for $1,399.

For comparison, Microsoft’s online store lists the lower-priced model at $899, but you’re getting a stand-alone tablet with no accessories included. Similarly, a comparable Core i7 listing currently asks $1,499 for the tablet only. The Surface Pro Type Cover in black adds another $129 to the price, while the Surface Pen cost $99. This means that even before Costco’s $200 off Black Friday deal, you’d still be saving $128. After the Black Friday promotion, you’ll be saving $328 on the bundle and get an extended warranty on top of everything. If you’re set on the color of your Surface Pro 6, unfortunately, you won’t be able to pick up the black variant through Costco’s bundle.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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Nearly 700,000 websites are hacked in bid to steal cryptocurrency

pwstudio/123RF

Popular web analytics platform Statcounter experienced a breach on November 3, according to research from malware researcher Matthieu Faou. Up to 700,000 web pages were targeted in the hack which primarily aimed to steal cryptocurrency through a malicious script.

Per the report, through the script was loaded on many websites, there is nothing much to fear. The malicious Statcounter script behind the attack primarily targeted the cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io to generate Bitcoin addresses. Only if the URL or content in a given webpage contained references to “myaccount/withdraw/BTC” would the malicious script activate and then silently connect to the exchange to fill the hackers’ pockets with money.

“Attackers modified the script at http://www.statcounter[.]com/counter/counter.js by adding a piece of malicious code. … In the middle of the script. This is unusual, as attackers generally add malicious code at the beginning, or at the end, of a legitimate file. Code injected into the middle of an existing script is typically harder to detect via casual observation,” explains Faou.

The breach was pretty clever and is still live, as all websites running Statcounter need to add a specific code to a website in order to grab more information about users. Hackers clearly leveraged that to their advantage even though the Gate.io service used in the script now claims it doesn’t use Statcounter anymore.

It is still unknown how many end users were truly impacted by this attack, or how much money hackers made. Statcounter has yet to issue a public response, but Gate.io issued a lengthy statement on its website.

“On Nov. 6, 2018, we got the notice from ESET researcher’s report and the “ESET Internet Security” product that there’s a suspicious behavior in Statcounter’s traffic stats service. We immediately scanned it on Virustotal in 56 antivirus products. No one reported any suspicious behavior at that time. …  However, we still immediately removed the Statcounter’s service. After that, we didn’t find any other suspicious behaviors. We want to express our great appreciation and respect to the researcher from ESET Malware Researcher,” said Gate.io.

Cryptocurrency hacks are becoming more common as Bitcoin and Ethereum pick up value. The hack also raises concerns about the nature of external Javascript, since it can easily be modified. Similar cryptocurrency focused hacks have occurred in the past, particularly with Adobe Flash installers.

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How to make a Group FaceTime call on your iPhone or iPad with iOS 12

Apple’s iOS 12 comes with a ton of new features from Siri Suggestions to grouped notifications, Screen Time, and more. But one of the most highly anticipated features is Group FaceTime, and it’s finally available with iOS 12.1.

Using Group FaceTime, you can video chat with up to 32 people at once using either your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Those participating will have to make sure they’ve updated their devices to the latest version of iOS 12, otherwise, they’ll only be able to participate via FaceTime Audio. To download iOS 12.1, go to Settings > General > Software Update, and tap on the available update to download it. You may want to check if your device is compatible with the latest OS first.

How to set up Group FaceTime via the FaceTime App

When you open the FaceTime app, tap on the plus sign in the right-hand corner. You can then type in a specific contact you want to FaceTime or tap on the plus sign to access your contacts. After choosing the group of people you’d like to FaceTime, tap on the green audio or video icons at the bottom to start the call. While waiting, you’ll see both contact names appear before they accept the FaceTime call. Those receiving the call will see a notification appear on their lock screen, which they can tap on to accept and start the call.

Throughout the call, you can also choose from different actions by swiping up on the display from the bottom: Add effects (which we’ll get to later), mute yourself, flip the camera, and end the call. You can also choose to expand a participant’s window (including your own) so that it’s larger on the screen, but this won’t appear on their end. If you swipe up on the menu completely, you will see even more options, including the ability to add more people to the group or to turn the camera off.

If the group FaceTime is still going on and you accidentally leave, you won’t have to be re-added manually by those in the video chat. Instead, tap on the session within the FaceTime app to re-add yourself to the call. The call will also appear in your FaceTime history on the app. That way, if you know you’re going to FaceTime often as a group, you can simply tap on the last call you had to restart it again.

With WatchOS 5.1.1, those using an Apple Watch can join Group FaceTime calls as well. However, they’ll only be able to join in via audio.

How to set up Group FaceTime up via iMessage

To start a Group FaceTime session within iMessage, tap on the contacts at the top of the iMessage window. From there, tap on FaceTime and the call will automatically begin. If you exit out of the video chat and want to rejoin, you can do so by tapping “Join” within the iMessage conversation. You’ll then automatically be added back into the group with everyone else. Whenever someone ends the call, a notification will also appear within your conversation — this allows you to keep a running history of your Group FaceTime calls within your group text messages.

How to add Animojis, filters, and stickers in Group FaceTime calls

As with iMessage in iOS 12, you have access to some fun effects in Group FaceTime. A swipe up on the bottom of the screen will bring you to a menu of options. Tap on “effects,” and you’ll pull up a variety of different things you can add to your FaceTime window — Animojis (if you have the iPhone X or newer), filters, and any sticker packs you download. You can choose to use them throughout the entire Group FaceTime session, or remove them whenever you’d like.

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