You can no longer book an Uber ride from your Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a great device that the company keeps on improving with every new release. What once used to be a very limited wrist accessory is slowly becoming more capable and independent. The cellular models of this wearable make it even more powerful. They allow you to call, text, stream online music, and download apps — even if your phone is dead. One of the perks of having a cellular model was the ability to book an Uber ride directly from your wrist. The feature worked even if your iPhone wasn’t around. Wasted by the end of the night and spent all of your iPhone battery juice on selfies? Your cellular Apple Watch could get you back home. However, that’s no longer the case, for Uber has killed its Apple Watch app.

As Apple Insider reports, Uber has dropped support for its Apple Watch app. Uber on watchOS used to allow users to request rides and get relevant information directly from their wrists. When you launch the app on your watch now, it displays a poorly written message that states the following:

Please switch to the Uber mobile app

We no longer supporting the Apple Watch app. Sorry for the inconvenience

Usually, when companies kill a watchOS app, they just completely remove it from the watch. It’s unclear why Uber has left it for the time being. It could be a way to inform users who depend on it that it’ll no longer be available in future updates — rather than just making it vanish directly after dropping support. It’s also unclear why the company has decided to actually remove a feature that could be of utmost importance to users in certain situations. Even Apple at some point praised it in one of its App Store Stories. From now on, you will have to depend on the iPhone app to request rides.

Have you ever depended on the Uber Apple Watch app? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Android 13 will reportedly make it easier to scan QR codes

QR codes are incredibly annoying to deal with, but for a lot of people, they’re essential. They can be found basically anywhere, and there have been loads of times where I have struggled on different devices to figure out how to scan a QR code quickly on my phone. Typically the stock camera app is where you’ll find a QR code scanner, but sometimes, I have to launch Google Lens manually and do it that way. Now, according to a report, Android 13 will make it easier than ever to scan them — and straight from your lock screen, no less.

Source: Android Police

A “trusted source” reached out to our friends over at Android Police, providing them with screenshots of how the new feature works. In the screenshots, there’s an option to “show QR scanner” on the lock screen, and a reference is also seen in the quick settings in the form of its own toggle. This would be a much more intuitive way of being able to scan QR codes than the current system and would make it a whole lot easier process in general. Android Police also recently learned of a new tap-to-transfer feature for media in Android 13.

QR codes are used for all kinds of things, and they’re even used in Android for sharing the likes of a Wi-Fi access code. Restaurants also make great use of them currently, and there are a ton of other uses too. Making them easier to interact with and to scan is only a benefit, especially given that it appears to be very much an optional feature to enable.

If you don’t find yourself ever using QR codes, then feel free to switch it off and remove the quick setting toggle. However, for those that do use them (such as myself), this might be one of the best quality of life improvements in Android 13 that we’ve seen so far. If Chrome OS can do it, why shouldn’t Android?

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WhatsApp rolls out new search filters on Android and iOS

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services in the world, with somewhere over a billion people using it on a regular basis. The platform is also rapidly evolving, as new features are being tested and rolled out constantly. This time, WhatsApp is rolling out new search filters in the WhatsApp Business application.

WhatsApp Business is an alternative messaging application developed by WhatsApp, intended for use by companies and other organizations to communicate with (potential) customers. It has some extra functionality over the standard WhatsApp application, such as business profiles, away and greeting messages, and landline/fixed phone number support.

WhatsApp Business search filters (Source: WABetaInfo)

WABetaInfo spotted a new addition to the WhatsApp Business application on Android and iOS — more search filters. You could already narrow your search results to messages containing photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio files, and/or documents, but now there are three additional options. You can now filter messages based on if the recipient is in your contacts list, and if the message has been read or not. As with the existing filters, you can use more than one at the same time.

It’s not clear when, or if, this functionality will arrive in the standard WhatsApp application on Android and iOS. However, the regular app has received several other improvements in recent months. Previewing voice messages before sending them and new privacy features arrived in December, Novi integration for payments entered testing in November, and an updated Picture-in-Picture mode and end-to-end encrypted backups rolled out in October. There was also a new WhatsApp application for desktop Windows that was released in November.

There’s probably less of a need for the new search filters in the regular WhatsApp application, except for people that send and receive a significant amount of messages. Still, it would be nice to see it on the standard app as well.

WhatsApp Business (Free, Google Play) →

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“At a Glance” widget starts showing Nest doorbell alerts for some users

The new Pixel Pixel 6 series debuts a revamped At a Glance widget. The updated widget can show your calendar event, your flight boarding pass, workout stats, and more. In November, we learned that Google was working on a big update for the widget that would add even more features, including the ability to display shopping lists, doorbell alerts, connection and battery info of Bluetooth devices, and so on. While most of these features have yet to go live, Google has started rolling out Nest doorbell alerts for some users.

As spotted by Mishaal Rahman, At a Glance widget has now started showing Nest doorbell alerts for some users. The doorbell alert integration is rolling out via a server-side update. As you can see in the screenshots below, when your Nest doorbell detects activity at your door, the widget now shows a persistent notification on the home screen and lock screen that reads “Someone’s at the door.”

A big feature update is coming soon for the At a Glance widget. Integrated Nest doorbell alerts started working for tipster Nick Cipriani today w/ Google App v13.0.6.29. I can also confirm doorbell alerts are working, and I also enabled the new settings page. pic.twitter.com/HhhULDOKhl

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) January 7, 2022

Note that the new At a Glance widget, which is baked into the Google App, is currently exclusive to the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. That means the doorbell alerts integration will likely be limited to these two devices as well — at least initially.

In addition to Nest doorbell alerts, Google is working on adding the following capabilities to the “At a Glance” widget:

• At a store: Shopping lists and Google Pay rewards cards when you’re in supported stores
• Bedtime: Your upcoming bedtime from the Clock app
• Connected devices: Connection status and battery info for your Bluetooth devices
• Fitness: Activity info from your fitness app
• Flashlight: Reminder when the flashlight is on
• Safety check: Safety check countdown from the Personal Safety app
• Timer & stopwatch: Timer and stopwatch info from the Clock app

None of the above-listed features are currently live yet. We’ll let you know when they start rolling out to users.

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Honor enters the foldable smartphone space with the new Honor Magic V

We first heard rumors about Honor’s first foldable smartphone back in June last year. At the time, we only learned that the device would feature in-folding panels from BOE and Visionox. Following that, we didn’t see any new information about the device until last month, when Honor shared a teaser confirming its name — Honor Magic V. Last week, Honor further revealed that it will launch the device on January 10 and gave us a glimpse of its design. The company has now finally lifted the covers off its first foldable phone, and here’s everything you need to know about it.

Honor Magic V: Specifications

Specification	Honor Magic V
Dimensions & Weight	Dimensions: Folded: 160.4 x 72.7 x 14.3mm Unfolded: 160.4 x 141.1 x 6.7mm Weight: Burnt Orange: 288g Space Silver, Black: 293g
Display	Cover: 6.45-inch OLED 2560 x 1080 pixels 431ppi 21:9 aspect ratio 120Hz refresh rate Main: 7.9-inch OLED 2272 x 1984 pixels 381ppi 90Hz refresh rate
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Adreno 730
RAM & Storage	12GB+256GB 12GB+512GB
Battery & Charging	4,750mAh 66W fast charging support
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)	Primary: 50MP f/1.9 Secondary: 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide Tertiary: 50MP f/2.0 Spectrum Enhanced
Front Camera(s)	42MP f/2.4
Port(s)	USB Type-C
Audio	Stereo speakers
Connectivity	5G 4G LTE Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz + 5GHz) Bluetooth 5.2
Software	MagicUI 6 based on Android 12
Colors	Black Space Silver Burnt Orange

---

The all-new Honor Magic V features a design similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3. It looks like a regular smartphone when folded, featuring a 6.45-inch 120Hz FHD+ display on the front with a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera and a rectangular camera module on the back. When unfolded, it reveals a massive 7.9-inch foldable OLED display with a 2272 x 1984 resolution and 90Hz peak refresh rate. The device features Honor’s advanced waterdrop hinge technology which, the company claims, is the slimmest compared to similar products in the market.

On the inside, the Honor Magic V packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, paired with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB of onboard storage. As far as the camera hardware is concerned, the Honor Magic V includes a 50MP f/1.9 primary shooter, a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, a 50MP f/2.0 “Spectrum Enhanced” camera, and a 42MP selfie shooter.

Rounding off the hardware is a 4,760mAh battery that offers 66W fast charging support. Other noteworthy features include an independent security chip to store sensitive information, a graphene-based intelligent cooling system, and IMAX Enhanced certification.

On the software front, the Honor Magic V runs the company’s latest Android skin — MagicUI 6 — based on Android 12. The software includes several new features to help users make the most of the foldable form factor, including multi-window support, new shortcuts for split-screen mode, and more.

Pricing & Availability

The Honor Magic V will be available for purchase in China starting January 18. It’s priced as follows:

• 12GB+ 256GB: CNY 9,999 (~$1,570)
• 12GB+512GB: CNY 10,999 (~$1,725)

At the moment, Honor has not shared any information regarding an international launch. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we learn more.

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The upcoming iPhone SE 3rd Gen could be revealed as soon as this Spring

Apple first revealed an iPhone SE model back in March 2016. The phone features the familiar iPhone 5S design and was aimed at people looking for an affordable device. Four years later, the company released the iPhone SE 2nd Gen — which has an iPhone 8 exterior and remains one of the best iPhones to buy today. However, it would be a good idea to hold back on this purchase if you’re not in a hurry. That’s because the 3rd Gen could be revealed as soon as this Spring.

As MacRumors reports, Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter mentions that the iPhone SE 3rd Gen could be revealed in March or April. The phone is expected to retain the same iPhone 8 design while bringing newer components to the table. If the rumors were to be true, this iPhone will be the first SE model that supports 5G networks. It is also said that it might be powered by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, which is included in the iPhone 13 lineup.

Apple currently sells the iPhone SE 2nd Gen for $399 in the US. It’s still unclear how much the upcoming model will cost. However, it’s safe to assume that it’ll remain in the same price range — considering it’s Apple’s affordable option. And just like the 2nd Gen, it’s expected to feature the same 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID home button, thick bezels, and 12MP rear camera.

In addition to the iPhone SE 3rd Gen, Apple could also be revealing a new 27-inch iMac and a high-end Mac Mini powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips during its virtual Spring event. Additionally, Gurman expresses that WWDC will most likely remain a virtual event this year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Do you plan on buying the upcoming iPhone SE 3rd Gen? Let us know in the comments section below.

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How does the HUAWEI P50 Pocket Compare to the Galaxy Z Flip

The smartphone market now has a decent selection of foldable phones to choose from, if you are in the market. The clamshell-style is one of the more popular types of foldable devices, with Samsung leading the way in sales with the Galaxy Z Flip3. Since the launch of this device, HUAWEI has begun selling its own phone with a flip function called the P50 Pocket. Each phone has its own strengths, so let’s take a look at the areas where the HUAWEI P50 does it better than Samsung.

No More Hinge Gap

One of the most common complaints from users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 is the gap in the hinge. When the phone is closed shut, a small gap can be found between the two screens. When HUAWEI designed the P50 Pocket, they made sure to create a phone that doesn’t have a gap. So when the P50 Pocket is closed, both screens lie flat against each other.

The P50 Pocket also has a slimmer build altogether. Measuring only 15.2mm from one end to the other when the phone is close, which is smaller than the 17.1-15.9mm measurement on the Galaxy Z Flip3.

A Larger Display

While it isn’t a dramatic difference, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket has a slightly bigger screen than the Galaxy Z Flip3. The P50 Pocket fits a 6.9″ folding display at 1188×2790, while the Galaxy Z Flip3 has a smaller 6.7″ screen at 1080×2640.

Since you’re getting a phone with the ability to fold to half its size, opting for the larger display is probably a good idea. A slightly higher resolution benefits the 21:9 screen on the P50 Pocket, as your games, movies, and apps will look fantastic on this display.

No Folding Crease

Another common complaint about the Galaxy Z Flip3 is that users will find a crease begin to form in the center of the display, after moderate use. This is also an issue found in most other flip phones with these flexible folding screens. HUAWEI claims to have fixed this common issue to the point where users won’t experience it at all on the P50 Pocket.

More RAM and Storage

While these two phones share very similar specs across the board, the Premium Edition of the P50 Pocket will offer 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Galaxy Z Flip3 will max out at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. So the extra boost in memory is there for anyone that needs it. Both phones share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, so you can expect similar performance from both of these devices.

A Bigger Battery with Faster Charging

For anyone that values fast charging speeds and large batteries, the P50 Pocket is going to be the better option. HUAWEI put a large 4000mAh battery in their phone, with a 40W fast charging capability. The Galaxy Z Flip3 has a smaller 3300mAh capacity, and the fast charging maxes out at 15W.

In conclusion, both of these phones are great options for anyone looking to get a new flip phone, but the HUAWEI P50 Pocket exceeds in many ways that should be seriously considered. You can find out more information on the HUAWEI P50 Pocket on the official page here.

Also Read: The Huawei P50 Pocket is a great Galaxy Z Flip 3 alternative that you can’t buy

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