Whatsapp Beta v2.20.110 hints at upcoming multi-device support and expiring messages

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app. But it has several limitations as compared to other messengers that bind you to a particular phone or Android tablet. This may change soon as WhatsApp is reportedly working on support for simultaneous usage on multiple devices. Other than supporting multiple devices, WhatsApp might also allow users to send self-expiring messages in the near future.

Multiple devices

In the latest WhatsApp beta version 2.20.110, WABetaInfo discovered new references to multiple device support. WhatsApp appears to be working on this new feature that will allow users to log into the same WhatsApp account on different devices. They will be able to chat using the same account on more than one device at the same time. Unlike WhatsApp Web or desktop apps, this feature would not require a host and a dependent device and it will be available on both Android and iOS.

Every time a new device is added to an account, the encryption keys will update in response to the change. All of the user’s contacts will be notified of this change, although the messages might be different for stable and for beta versions of WhatsApp.

The feature is still under development and will be available in the future.

Expiring messages

We’ve been hearing about WhatsApp’s intention to add self-destructing messages. The “Disappearing Messages” feature was first reported last October and was only applicable to groups. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, the feature was spotted again, this time with a different name – “Delete messages,” and with support for private conversations besides group chats. Now, the feature has popped up again; it is now called “Expiring messages” and is now targetted at both – groups and private messages.

Expiring messages can be visible for either 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month and the messages disappear from the chat automatically after the completion of this duration. In previous versions, there was a “1 hour” option as well but, it now appears to have been removed.

Expiring Messages are only visible to administrators in the group. For individual chats, a timer icon will be used to represent that the feature has been toggled on. This icon can be seen along with the profile picture in the chat list and inside the chat and also on each chat bubble.

Like Multiple device support, Expiring messages are also under development and may be available in the future.

Video status limitations in India

In India, WhatsApp is apparently limiting the duration of the video status to 15 seconds and videos longer than that will not be published. This is apparently to prevent local servers from overloading amidst the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
You can no longer send videos to WhatsApp Status if they are longer than 16 seconds: only videos having a duration of 15 seconds will be allowed.
This is happening in India and it’s probably an initiative to reduce the traffic on the server infrastructures.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 28, 2020

This limit is likely to revert back after the lockdown ends.

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Xiaomi releases the Redmi K30 Pro kernel source code

Xiaomi first unveiled their Redmi K series last year with the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro. While the former was an upper-midrange flagship, the latter is the one that got the most attention, since it fit very snugly into the “flagship-killer” category. Early this year, we got to know the Redmi K30 lineup, first unveiled with the standard Redmi K30 (which then went on to launch in India as the POCO X2) and the Redmi K30 5G. More recently, Xiaomi also announced the Redmi K30 Pro, which follows the footsteps of its predecessor in bringing a flagship processor (the Snapdragon 865 in this case) to a competitive price point.

Just like all other Xiaomi devices from 2020, the new Redmi K30 Pro (which might launch under the POCO branding in India just like the Redmi K30 did) launched with Android 10 with MIUI 11 on top, but MIUI might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, just like other Xiaomi phones, developers can start custom development projects for the Redmi K30 Pro since Xiaomi has just released the Linux kernel source code for the device, code-named “lmi”. This comes as no surprise since Xiaomi has lately been on top of their game in timely kernel source code releases. They also recently released the Linux kernel source code for the other devices in their recent lineups, such as the Redmi K30 5G and the Xiaomi Mi 10 series.

If you’re a developer and you’re interested in building TWRP or AOSP for this device, then you can go ahead and download the kernel source right now from GitHub. Given that this is one of the cheapest devices to launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, it’s likely that development for it will flourish once the device makes its way outside of China.

Redmi K30 Pro Kernel Sources

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Redmi Note 8 Pro Custom Developments: LineageOS 17.1, Google Camera port, Pixel Experience, and more

For Xiaomi, India is the company’s most successful foreign market, and the Redmi Note lineup has undoubtedly contributed a lot behind this monumental accomplishment. Despite facing cut-throat competition from other companies, both the regular and the Pro variants of the Redmi Note 8 managed to make their way into the global top 10 list of best-selling smartphones on Q4 2019. Xiaomi’s decision to incorporate the gaming-oriented MediaTek Helio G90T SoC inside the Redmi Note 8 Pro (our review) did raise some eyebrows in the aftermarket development community, but the company addressed those concerns by publishing the kernel source code for the phone rather quickly. In a bid to make the device more attractive to tinkerers, we collaborated with Xiaomi to ship units to custom ROM and kernel developers. Owners of the phone will be glad to know that many custom developments have popped up for the Redmi Note 8 Pro over the last few weeks, including OrangeFox Recovery (fork of TWRP), a Google Camera port, and unofficial builds of several custom ROMs such as LineageOS.

Redmi Note 8 Pro Forums ||| Buy Redmi Note 8 Pro from Amazon.in

While official TWRP support for this phone arrived months ago, the nature of MediaTek codebase, as well as the controversial EDL Lockdown, made it quite hard for developers to muck around with the otherwise capable device. Even the stable Android 10 update package released by Xiaomi can cause a hard brick in some scenarios, which significantly slowed down the pace of third-party development. Fortunately, a leaked factory firmware helped modders find out a way to partially bypass the roadblocks. You can find out more about the unbrick process in this thread, and we strictly advise you to give it a thorough read before playing around with the custom ROMs listed below.

Redmi Note 8 Pro Mods

LineageOS (Unofficial)

XDA Recognized Developer TheImpulson was among the list of developers to receive a device from us, and thanks to that, we now have an unofficial build of LineageOS 17.1 based on Android 10. Although the ROM is fairly usable, the list of caveats is significantly long at this stage. VoLTE and NFC (on global variant) are not working and the full resolution of the camera sensor can’t be utilized at this moment. Moreover, the fingerprint sensor and the hotspot functionality can be glitchy from time to time. You can try it out on your phone by following the link below.

Download unofficial LineageOS 17.1 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

POSP (Official beta) and Pixel Experience (Unofficial)

If you’re a fan of barebone stock Android, you can also try out the Potato Open Sauce Project, AKA POSP. The AOSP-based ROM is created by XDA Recognized Developer Agent_fabulous, who is also the maintainer of this particular phone. If you want some Google Pixel goodies on top of vanilla Android, you can also give the Pixel Experience ROM by XDA Member ZIDAN44 a go. According to the developers, the current build might not be suitable as a daily driver due to a partially working radio interface layer. If you want to bite the bullet anyway, grab the builds from the following links.

Download official (beta) POSP v3.1.3+8 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

Download unofficial Pixel Experience 10 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

CesiumOS (Unofficial) and Evolution X (Unofficial)

If customization is your thing, then you can also check out the CesiumOS v2.5.2 and Evolution X 4.1 ROMs for this phone, as both of them pack in a ton of features. You get access to everything from status bar customization options to lock screen personalization features with them. However, the aforementioned issues are also present in these ROMs. Try them out by following the links below.

Download unofficial CesiumOS v2.5.2 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

Download unofficial Evolution X 4.1 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

OrangeFox Recovery (Unofficial)

Besides cooking up CesiumOS, XDA Senior Member Sahil_Sonar has also released an OrangeFox Recovery build for this phone as well. This popular fork of TWRP fully supports MIUI update zip flashing as well as an integrated Magisk flasher. The developer has also added support for Android 10. Download the OrangeFox Recovery package from the link below.

Download unofficial OrangeFox Recovery R10.1 for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

Google Camera port

If you want to get the most out of the camera, you can check out the Google Camera port for this phone maintained by XDA Senior Member Wyroczen. Even the auxiliary camera sensors reportedly work fine with the latest ported version. Try it out by following the link below.

Download Google Camera port for the Redmi Note 8 Pro

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Forums are open for the Xiaomi Mi 10 series, Huawei P40 series, and OnePlus 8 series

Despite everything that has happened during the past 4 weeks, February and March were exciting months for the smartphone ecosystem. First, we saw Xiaomi announce (both in China and for the global market) their newest flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi Mi 10 and its Pro variant, with bleeding-edge hardware, a very capable camera, and equally steep pricing, alongside the Mi 10 Lite, a mid-range smartphone with support for 5G connectivity. Then, Huawei took the stage in an online event to announce the Huawei P40 series, which, in the case of the P40 Pro, raised the camera bar even higher once again and brought a revolutionary quad curved panel — which also greatly reduced bezels. We’re also expecting the announcement of the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus’ newest flagship lineup, very soon.

If you’re interested in getting into modding any of these high-end phones, you now can: we’ve opened forums for the Xiaomi Mi 10, the Mi 10 Pro, and the Mi 10 Lite, as well as forums for the Huawei P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro+.

Xiaomi

XDA Forums: Xiaomi Mi 10 || Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro || Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite

Here, you’ll be able to find all kinds of upcoming development projects for these phones and, in the case of the Xiaomi smartphones (the Huawei phones don’t have unlockable bootloaders), you can also check out developments such as custom ROMs, kernels, rooting, and much more.

Huawei

XDA Forums: Huawei P40 || Huawei P40 Pro || Huawei P40 Pro+

We’ve also opened up forums for both the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, which you can use right now as a place to discuss and speculate about OnePlus’ upcoming flagships, and you’ll be able to use them as development forums when the time for that arrives. The devices are expected to launch very soon.

OnePlus

XDA Forums: OnePlus 8 || OnePlus 8 Pro

Be sure to stop by and check them out!

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Google Lens tests a new “Education” mode for homework help and prepares to add offline translation support

Google Lens is Google’s image recognition service that delivers information from Google search based on whatever you’re pointing your camera at. Last May, Google redesigned the Android version of the service by splitting the UI into 5 different scanning modes: Translate, Text, Search, Shopping, and Dining. In version 11.3.7.29 of the Google App, the app that contains the Lens service, we discovered that Google is working on a sixth service: Education. We also learned that Google is preparing to allow you to use Lens’ Translate mode while offline.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Offline Translations

New strings in Google App 11.3.7.29 reveal that you’ll be able to download language packs so you can translate text using Lens without an Internet connection. The strings do not reveal which languages will be supported, but you’ll likely be able to download most of the languages that Google Lens already supports. Notably, the Google Translate app supports offline translation in its “Camera” mode, which is functionally very similar to the Translate mode in Lens.

<string name="lens_translate_cancel_language_pack_download_dialog">Cancel download of the %1$s offline package?</string>
<string name="lens_translate_cancel_language_pack_no">No</string>
<string name="lens_translate_cancel_language_pack_yes">Yes</string>
<string name="lens_translate_download_language_pack_dialog">Translate even when you are offline by downloading the %1$s translation file (%2$s)</string>
<string name="lens_translate_download_language_pack_dialog_title">Translate %1$s offline</string>
<string name="lens_translate_download_language_pack_tooltip">Tap to download offline translations</string>
<string name="lens_translate_download_language_pack_yes">Download</string>
<string name="lens_translate_remove_language_pack_dialog">If you remove this offline translation file, this language will be unavailable for offline translation.</string>
<string name="lens_translate_remove_language_pack_yes">Remove</string>
<string name="lens_translate_space_remaining_dialog">%1$s storage available</string>

Education Mode

Next up is a new “Education” mode that we managed to briefly surface. The description for this “Education” mode informs the user to “point at [a] homework question to get help.” We weren’t able to test this feature, sadly, but a brief analysis at the Google App’s code reveals you’ll be able to use the Education mode to scan math problems. We don’t know if Education mode will support complex math problems, though.

You can download the latest version of the Google Lens service by grabbing the latest beta version of the Google App. The Lens application from the Google Play Store is simply a shortcut to launch the service rather than a standalone app.

Google (Free, Google Play) →

Google Lens (Free, Google Play) →

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Thanks to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

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Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) starts getting its One UI 2.0 update based on Android 10

A quad-rear camera setup is not exclusive to the flagship segment anymore, as current-gen affordable mid-rangers like the Realme 6 series and the Redmi Note 9 (Pro) lineup carry it as well. Samsung actually kickstarted the trend of incorporating four individual rear camera sensors with the release of the Galaxy A9 back in 2018. In terms of software, the phone was launched with Samsung Experience 9.0 on top of Android 8.0 Oreo, though an update to Android 9 Pie was released for the device around a year ago. Cut to now, Samsung has started rolling out the Android 10 update to the Galaxy A9 (2018) with One UI 2.0.

At the time of this article’s publication, the Android 10 firmware, tagged as A920FXXU3CTCD, is available in Poland for the global variant of the phone (model number SM-A920F). The Korean OEM is practically ahead of their own schedule, as this particular device was scheduled to receive the Android 10 update in April. The arrival of the One UI 2.0 on the Galaxy A6 (2018) as well as on the Galaxy A7 (2018) earlier this month did suggest the same might happen for the Galaxy A9 (2018). Samsung has done a wonderful job of providing major software updates to the phone.

The Android Security Patch Level (SPL) of this build is March 2020, albeit Samsung has already delivered the April 2020 patches to the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 lineup. The bootloader version remains the same (v3) as the last Android Pie-based build, which makes it possible to downgrade via manual flashing.

Neither the full changelog nor the kernel source code corresponding to the update is available as of now. The OTA is rolling out in batches, but you can skip the queue and download the new firmware package directly from the Samsung update server using tools like Frija. It is worth mentioning that both the Korean and Chinese variants of the phone, with the respective model numbers SM-A920N and SM-A9200, are still running Android 9 Pie, and the current build might not be compatible with them.

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Telegram 6.0 adds Chat Folders to help you organize your groups and channels

Current events have put us in a situation where communication over the Internet has become a necessity. There are countless apps you can use when it comes to messaging, but one of the most popular options is Telegram. It has tons of features and gains new abilities on a regular basis. This week, Telegram is getting Chat Folders and a few other goodies.

Chat Folders is part of Telegram 6.0, which is rolling out to users today. The feature is pretty much what you would expect: you can group conversations into folders. You can organize your folders any way you’d like, plus there are some additional features. You can have all chats with unread messages automatically added to a folder. Folders can also have an unlimited number of pinned chats.

In the mobile app, Chat Folders are shown in tabs that can be easily swiped between. On the desktop, folders are shown in the sidebar. Also, as you would expect, folders sync between devices, so if you create one on your phone it will appear on the desktop as well. Chat Folders will be enabled when you reach a certain number of chats, or you can manually enable it in the settings.

Rounding out Telegram 6.0, the app is getting channel statistics, new animated emojis, and a new animation when recording voice or video messages. Statistics are available for any channel over 1,000 followers. Telegram has included some coronavirus-themed emoji and sticker packs. One emoji they are particularly proud of is a rolling dice, which can be used as a tiebreaker in chats. The update is rolling out for all users starting today.

Telegram (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: Telegram

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