South Korea fines Google for preventing OEMs from forking Android

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has issued a 207 billion won ($176.64 million) fine against Google for preventing OEMs from forking Android. The anti-trust regulator has said that Google’s contract terms with OEMs amount to an abuse of its dominant position, which has restricted competition in the mobile OS market.

According to Reuters, Google intends to appeal the ruling, claiming that it “ignores the benefits offered by Android’s compatibility with other programs and undermines advantages enjoyed by consumers.” KFTC’s Chairperson Joh Sung-wook maintains that the ruling is “meaningful in a way that it provides an opportunity to restore future competitive pressure in the mobile OS and app market markets.”

Talking about the ruling, the KFTC said that Google hampered competition by pressuring OEMs to abide by an “anti-fragmentation agreement (AFA).” As part of the AFA, Google required manufacturers not to offer Android Forks on their devices, which helped solidify its market dominance in the mobile OS market.

The report mentions an instance of Google forcing Samsung to switch to a different OS on its smartwatch back in 2013 after Google deemed the original OS an AFA violation. Interestingly, Samsung recently switched from Tizen to Wear OS on its smartwatches.

Along with the fine, the ruling also bans Google from forcing OEMs to sign AFA contracts, thereby allowing them to offer modified versions of Android on their devices. The KFTC ruling came on the same day that the recent amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act came into effect. The amendment, which forces Google and Apple to accept alternative payment options, was passed late last month. It also blocks the companies from delaying the approval of apps or unfairly banning them from their marketplace. If Google and Apple fail to comply with this new law, they can be fined up to 3% of their total revenue in South Korea.

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LineageOS 18.1 adds the ASUS ZenFone 8, POCO X3 NFC, and more to the roster

In March, the team behind LineageOS released LineageOS 18.1, the latest version based on Android 11. Since then, the team has rolled out LineageOS 18.1 to many more devices — from notables like the OnePlus 9 Pro, Redmi Note 10 Pro, and Pixel 4 series to the lesser-known devices like Walmart’s Onn and Dynalink Android TV boxes. The LineageOS team recently added support for POCO X3 Pro, POCO F3/Mi 11X, Galaxy M20, and more. Now five more devices have just been added to the official LineaeOS 18.1 build roaster.

The first official builds of LineageOS 18.1 are out for the ASUS ZenFone 8, Lenovo Z5 Pro GT, POCO X3 NFC, SHIFT SHIFT6mq, and Sony Xperia Z2.

If you own any of the above devices and would like to try out LineageOS 18.1, you can download the latest nightly build from the WiKi links given below:

Device	Device codename and WiKi Link	Maintainers
ASUS ZenFone 8	sake	ZVNexus cryptomilk
Lenovo Z5 GT	heart	themard optionaltoast
POCO X3 NFC	surya
SHIFT SHIFT6mq	axolotl	amartinz joey
Sony Xperia Z2	sirius	ArianK16a

At the time of publishing the article, the wiki page for the POCO X3 NFC is currently not live, but the patch adding the device to the build server has been merged, so the page should be up soon.

It goes without saying that you must have an unlocked bootloader and a custom recovery like TWRP installed on your device in order to install this ROM. As with any custom ROM, you’ll also need to install a Google apps (GApps) package since it’s not bundled with the ROM. If you’re not sure, check out our guide on how to pick and install the right GApps package for your device.

Step-by-step instructions for installing the ROM are provided on the respective Wiki page of the phones. It’s always a good idea to take a full backup of important data beforehand.

Whether you’re not happy with the stock software of your phone or stuck on the old version of Android because your OEM has ceased software support, LineageOS provides an easy way to lease a new life to your device and experience a clutter-free software experience.

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Here are all the new emoji coming to your phone with Unicode 14.0

The Unicode Consortium has officially unveiled Unicode 14.0, which will bring 37 new emoji to your phone. The latest release features some long-awaited characters, including Troll, Heart with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed (AKA finger heart), Saluting Face, Heart Hands, and more. These new emoji will make their way to all major platforms towards the end of this year or early next year.

According to Emojipedia, Unicode 14.0 includes the following new emoji:

• Melting Face
• Face with Open Eyes and Hand Over Mouth
• Face with Peeking Eye
• Saluting Face
• Dotted Line Face
• Face with Diagonal Mouth
• Face Holding Back Tears
• Rightwards Hand
• Leftwards Hand
• Palm Down Hand
• Palm Up Hand
• Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed
• Index Pointing at the Viewer
• Heart Hands
• Biting Lip
• Person with Crown
• Pregnant Man
• Pregnant Person
• Troll
• Coral
• Lotus
• Empty Nest
• Nest with Eggs
• Beans
• Pouring Liquid
• Jar
• Playground Slide
• Wheel
• Ring Buoy
• Hamsa
• Mirror Ball
• Low Battery
• Crutch
• X-Ray
• Bubbles
• Identification Card
• Heavy Equals Sign

In addition, the release includes variations and skin tones of these new emoji, bringing the total to 112 new designs. The following image showcases all the new emoji included in Unicode 14.0, along with all variations.

Unicode 14.0 brings the total number of emoji to 3,633, including sequences for gender or skin tone, flags, and the components used to create keycap, flag, and other sequences.

It’s worth noting that the latest release adds to the list of growing gender-inclusive emoji that were released with Unicode 13.0 last year. Emojipedia notes: “Gender options for pregnancy have been added using new code points in this release. A change to the usual format where emoji sequences are used for gender variations. Pregnant Person and Pregnant Man are both new code points, part of Unicode’s ongoing effort to make gender options consistent for all emojis.”

Furthermore, Unicode 14.0 will bring support for the Handshake emoji with a combination of skin tones to all platforms and fix the cross-platform display issue with the Face with Hand Over Mouth emoji.

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Fairphone 4 5G leaks reveal brand-new design and multiple rear cameras

Fairphone is one of the few companies around that sells smartphones with a focus on repairability and reducing environmental impacts. The Fairphone 3+ was released almost exactly one year ago with a Snapdragon 632 chipset, and earlier this month, the unannounced Fairphone 4 was certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The Fairphone 4 still hasn’t been officially revealed yet, but now we know additional details and the physical design, thanks to a few new leaks.

Nils Ahrensmeier, a notable leaker, shared some technical details about the upcoming Fairphone 4 5G. The phone will have a 6.3-inch screen, making it slightly larger than the regular Galaxy S21. Two hardware configurations will be available, with either 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage or 6GB of RAM and 256GB storage. It also seems likely the phone will cost around €600, which is €140 more than the current price of the Fairphone 3+ in Europe.

Fairphone is coming back with the "Fairphone 4 5G"
6,3" Display
6 + 128 GB/6+ 256 GB
Grey or Green
About 600€

— Nils Ahrensmeier (@NilsAhrDE) September 10, 2021

Meanwhile, a retail listing for the Fairphone 4 (spotted by @L4yzRw on Twitter) confirmed the same specifications, while also revealing a 48MP rear camera and photos of the phone. The design is definitely changed from the Fairphone 3 series, with smaller bezels, a notch for the camera, and what seems to be a triple rear camera array.

The rightmost camera doesn’t appear to have a lens in it, so it’s possible it could be a depth-of-field sensor or something else. There’s also not a fingerprint sensor on the back anymore, indicating it has either been moved to the side of the phone, or the Fairphone 4 5G will have an under-screen sensor.

Fairphone’s website has been updated with a teaser for the phone, which reads, “Want to be among the first to know what’s coming? Sign up for our newsletter and stand a chance to win a mystery prize worth €700.”

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Nintendo Switch finally supports Bluetooth audio with new update

The Nintendo Switch uses Bluetooth for connecting to wireless controllers, including the built-in Joycon gamepads, but the console has never supported Bluetooth audio. Your only options for wireless headphones or earbuds with the Switch was either to use a headset with a wireless USB adapter, or to buy one of many 3.5mm-to-Bluetooth adapters. At long last, Nintendo is rolling out Bluetooth audio support for the Switch.

Nintendo announced today that a new firmware update for the Switch is rolling out, which adds support for playing audio to Bluetooth devices. After updating, you’ll see a new ‘Bluetooth Audio’ page in the system settings for pairing Bluetooth speakers and headphones.

However, there are some limitations to Bluetooth audio on the Switch. You can only have two wireless controllers paired while using Bluetooth audio — if more people want to play, you have to disconnect your headphones first. Bluetooth audio is also turned off during local communication, and only one audio device can be paired at a time (up to 10 can be saved).

Nintendo also isn’t supporting Bluetooth microphones, but that’s not much of a loss. There are only a few Switch games that use native voice chat, such as Fortnite, Paladins, and DC Universe Online. Other games, such as Mortal Kombat 11 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, require you to talk through the Switch Online app on a phone or tablet.

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Check your Google Assistant: You may get a discount on the Google Home Mini

Google must have found another warehouse full of the Home Mini, because it is once again offering a steep discount on the personal assistant speaker.

Many users on Reddit and Twitter have discovered that a new ad popup is appearing when the Google Assistant is triggered on their phones, as seen below. It offers a discount of $39.01 to the original Google Home Mini smart speaker in your choice of 4 colors.

To claim the offer, simply open the Google Assistant on your phone. For many devices, this is a simple swipe up from either bottom corner of your device. Then tap the banner ad you see at the top. If you don’t see it, try asking the assistant something and look for a blue button that says “Unlock more Assistant features”. Tap it, and the ad banner may then show up.

Google has previously offered free Minis (both Home and the newer Nest variant) to a variety of users, including Google One subscribers, YouTube Premium members, and Google Assistant users. They also gave 100,000 Minis away for free to people living with paralysis back in 2019 in a partnership with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. While paying $10 may not be as good as paying nothing, you do get free shipping this time around.

It’s unclear as of now what the specific eligibility requirements are, with some users in the Reddit thread saying it isn’t showing up for them. There’s no telling how long this offer will last, so be sure to check your assistant soon before it ends.

Google Assistant (Free, Google Play) →

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iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max announced with 120Hz ProMotion display and smaller notch

Apple held its big fall event today, and the flagship products announced are the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. They’ve got the same chipset as the iPhone 13 series, just like we’ve seen in the past, but they’ve got better displays, better cameras, and more.

First of all, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. The notch at the top of the display is smaller, 40% smaller in fact. If you’re a hater of the notch, it’s something that you’ll be happy to see. The display is better too, although it;s still being called Super Retina XDR.

It supports 1,000-nit max brightness, which will be great for outdoor use. It’s also 120Hz, a refresh rate that competitors in the Android space have been using for a while. It’s an adaptive ProMotion display, meaning that it’s not going to suck down your battery life. The screen refresh rate is based on what you’re doing, and it can be as low as 10Hz.

Of course, we’ve got lots of camera improvements, from sensors to software. The new main sensor now has an f/1.5 aperture for better low-light performance, and the ultra-wide camera is f/1.8. The telephoto lens is now 3x, but if you want to get up close, Apple is going to let you use the ultra-wide lens for macro photography at a minimum 2cm distance, and it can do macro slow motion.

That’s not all though. The A15 Bionic has a new ISP, which means that it takes better pictures. There are big-time video capture improvements too. You an record 4K 60fps video in Dolby Vision, but there’s also a new cinematic mode, which lets you lock focus onto subjects, dynamically adjust, and more. It can also record ProRes video.

Let’s talk about that A15 Bionic chip that’s powering it though. It’s a hexa-core chip that has two new performance cores and four new efficiency cores. It also adds a new neural engine, and as mentioned, a new ISP. Considering that Apple has been ahead of its competition for some time with its custom chipsets, its no surprise that that’s still the case.

Next up, Apple is promising better battery life. If you grab an iPhone 13 Pro, you should get an extra 1.5 hours, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max will get you an extra 2.5 hours.

“iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max make up our most pro iPhone lineup ever with the biggest advancement for our camera system, the best battery life ever in an iPhone, and the fastest performance of any smartphone, setting a new standard for iPhone and enabling incredible experiences never before possible,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new pro camera system offers even more pro photography capabilities like improved telephoto zoom, macro photography, Photographic Styles, Cinematic mode, as well as ProRes and Dolby Vision video. The Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is our best display ever; it intelligently responds to the content on your screen, offers fantastic graphics performance, and is perfect for any viewing experience.”

Pricing hasn’t changed for either model. They’re still going to start at $999 and $1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, respectively, and that’s for 128GB of storage, while there are also 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options. You can pre-order this Friday (September 17), and than the devices will be available on September 24. It comes in Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue.

iPhone 13 Pro

Apple's new iPhone 13 Pro series has a new A15 Bionic processor, a 120Hz display, a smaller notch, and more.

See at Apple

See at AT&T

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