Here is my collection of relevant trend for smart phones in 2019 (links to source on quetes::
Market: It seems that crazy growth times in smart phone markets are over at least for some time. Without Chinese brands, growth in the smart phone markets in 2018 would have been dramatically negative. Smartphone Shipments Expected to Rebound in 2019 article says that shipments of smartphones, the mainstay of the electronics industry, are expected to rebound, returning to low-single-digit growth in 2019, according to market research firm International Data Corp. (IDC). Shipments are expected to grow 2.6% in 2019 after falling by 3% to 1.42 billion units in 2018. It is expected that emerging markets, 5G, and new product form factors will help revive the smartphone market. Effect of the US-China trade-war is hard to define.
Faster mobile: Mobile networks are getting faster in many countries. Mobile networks are killing Wi-Fi for speed around the world. Average data speeds on mobile networks now outpace customer’s Wi-Fi connection, on average, in 33 countries. That’s the The State of Wifi vs Mobile Network Experience as 5G Arrives.
5G: It’s a bit tricky — after all, plenty of publications are going to claim 2019 as “The Year of 5G,” but they’re all jumping the gun. It is true that 5G is coming this year to some locations with some devices,but the number of devices and where you can use them is pretty limited. OnePlus and LG have committed to a handset and Samsung has since committed to two. You have to wait to 2020 for larger scale deployment and good device selection. It seems that Apple Will Wait Until at Least 2020 to Release a 5G iPhone. If you jump to 5G train, you’re going to be paying a hefty premium for a feature you barely use. So far, 5G is a mixed bag of blessings and curses. More on that at my 5G trends posting.
New chipsets: The Snapdragon 855 Brings 5G to Mobile Devices. Mediatek Helio P90 aims just below flagship handsets to China.
Duopoly market: Smart phone market is 2019 is practically duopoly with Android and iOS operating systems. Android is far and away the dominant operating system, with a global market share of about 77 percent (or more). US market is becoming a smartphone duopoly where Apple and Samsung dominate, while others are left behind. US Android market is consolidating, with companies such as Motorola and LG losing ground to Samsung. Other Android makers have marginal single-digit share. On other markets especially Chinese manufacturers are growing and there are many competing manufacturers.
Smart phones first to web: According to Ofcom, the PC has lost its place as the first device and platform for web browsing in UK. Almost half of the web browses the web with a smart phone, which places a requirement on all online services from shops to news sites.
Interchangeable devices: As the cloud becomes more secure and reliable, we’ll increasingly store less and less on the phone itself,at least on those markets with fast, cheap and reliable connections. In theory this could make our devices much more interchangeable.
More accurate positioning: IEEE 802.11mc (better known as Wi-Fi round-trip time, or RTT), which can increase accuracy to 1m while providing vertical (Z-axis) location information that has been long awaiting a solution. Wi-Fi RTT operates according to the Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) protocol within the IEEE 802.11-2016 standard that uses a variety of techniques to pinpoint the location of someone’s smartphone or tablet. Wi-Fi Alliance® calls the capability a “Wi-Fi Certified Location.”
Waterproofing: Waterproof products are a trend in the industry because users want to be able to take their devices with them wherever they go. The iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei’s high-end phones, and other mobile phones tout their water resistance as one of the attributes that consumers want. Such smart phones will need waterproof connectors and preferably only a one connector or less to waterproof. Waterproof USB Type-C connectors are emerging as the go-to solution for today’s consumer products. USB Type-C connectors with IPX8 waterproofing performance are becoming the new standard for a wide range of products because they deliver go-anywhere reliability, fast charging, and fast data transfers.
Phones without connectors: Phones are already doing away with ports (most notably, the headphone jack). In fact, all ports may soon be a thing of the past on some phones.
Bendable and foldable phones: Samsung’s Galaxy F (for foldable) is the first flexible phone that offers the benefits of a tablet and a smartphone in one device. Small enough to fit in your pocket, it unfolds to work more like a tablet when you need it. There are also other manufacturers that have showed foldable smart phones. The Royole is fascinating, but its execution leaves something to be desired. Of course these designs are going to come at a major premium.
Wireless charging: No Need to Wait for the “Best” Wireless-Charging Solution—Qi Is It article says that there are now more than 360 companies (including Apple) supporting Qi and no other competitors, it’s game over. Qi is the go-to solution for most of the industry.
Security: Android 9 Brings Significant Security Advancements, Google Says. The latest Android iteration brings along a great deal of security improvements, including better encryption and authentication. The Android Keystore provides application developers with a set of cryptographic tools that are designed to secure their users’ data.
Smaller card standards: NM Card (Nano Memory Card) has been launched and used by Huawei. The NM card is 45 percent smaller than MicroSD. The capacity of the NM card, the reading speed and, in fact, the price, are already at the level of MicroSD cards. If you think NanoSIM is the last physical SIM card size, then the NM card has a good seam to get to the standard position. Huawei works with JEDEC to standardize the NM card.
eSIM: The term “eSIM” simply means an embedded SIM card. eSIM is backed by the GSMA. It seems certain that future smartphones will adopt electronic SIM cards – essentially removing the need to have a physical SIM card (and SIM slot). California based Apple has turned to eSIM. Google Pixel 2 and 3 series phones also support eSIM. eSIM needs to be supported by the network or carrier and enabled by them and not all networks supoort eSIM as yet. More carriers to support Pixel 3 eSIM as Google helping build more eSIM Android phones.
Notched displays: There will be more phones with notch in the front to accommodate the front camera and sensors in order to maintain a full-screen profile. Practically everyone has embraced the cutout in an attempt to go edge to edge.
Camera under display: Two smartphone-makers have unveiled handsets featuring a “hole-punch” selfie camera, which is is intended to be less obtrusive than a “notch” – as popularised by Apple and later by many Android smartphone manufacturers.
Sensors under display: Biometric identification in electronics is gaining momentum, and in smartphones, the latest trend is to plant a fingerprint sensor underneath the screen. Qualcomm announces 3D Sonic Sensor, a new under-display fingerprint sensor for smartphones that uses sound waves to map fingerprints.
Touch-free technology: All major phone manufacturers are researching “in-air gesturing technology” that would let you control your phone without actually touching it.
Better cameras: Huawei debuts Honor View 20 with a 48MP rear camera. Smartphone cameras are pretty good across the board these days, so one of the simple solutions has been simply adding more to the equation. For example Nokia 9 Pureview has five camera sensors and LG has patented a camera with up to 16 lenses. In addition to adding more cameras, Companies will also be investing a fair deal in software to help bring better shots to existing components (a little AI and ML can go a long way on image processing).
433 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/09/10/norovirus-smartphone-using-megapixels-and-microfluidics-to-fight-the-other-kind-of-virus-infection/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft had one last surprise at its Surface event: a foldable Surface Duo phone that runs Android. It took almost 30 years since the Linux kernel was released, but Microsoft is officially releasing something with a Linux based operating system. https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/2/20895128/microsoft-surface-duo-phone-foldable-screen-features-specs-price-release-date
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung pulls the plug on Chinese smartphone production
https://tcrn.ch/2nOeLvZ
Samsung this morning confirmed with Reuters that it has shuttered handset production in China. The move comes as the company continues to struggle in the world’s No. 1 smartphone market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Soon after Apple offered genuine parts to repair shops, the iPhone maker is discouraging at-home repair with yet another warning about non-genuine parts—this time, it’s screens.
Starting with iOS 13.1 and iPhone 11 models (the 11, Pro, and Pro Max), your phone will report if it has a third-party screen: “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple display.” It starts as a persistent message on your lock screen, lasting for four days. After that, the warning lodges itself in the Settings for 15 days, and then in Settings > General > About after that. It’s also added to your “device information,” so that Apple staff can see it.
https://www.ifixit.com/News/apple-is-discouraging-screen-repair-with-an-iphone-11-genuine-warning
Tomi Engdahl says:
Manchester opens UK’s first slow lane for people looking at phones while walking
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/manchester-opens-uks-first-slow-20127725?fbclid=IwAR21mgPenxBv2CFLFfcCS8rEJumytDQS6wNNvTyoSKODH1iH8Ws-kljaog0
Many of us are so glued to our mobile devices that a whopping 75 per cent of Brits say they are guilty of walking and using their phone at the same time, according to the new research.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to achieve 1-meter accuracy in Android
https://www.gpsworld.com/how-to-achieve-1-meter-accuracy-in-android/
Recent changes in hardware and standards make one-meter accuracy possible, in some cases as soon as this year. The transcript of a talk given to Android developers earlier this year, this article gives a short overview of location in smartphones, introduces Wi-Fi round-trip time technology and standards, and then explains the Wi-Fi application programming interfaces.
Tomi Engdahl says:
App Detects Eye Disease in Personal Photos
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/diagnostics/app-detects-eye-disease-in-personal-photos
Tomi Engdahl says:
Telecom Lobbyists Successfully Remove Canada from Wireless Pricing Report
https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carriers/telecom-lobbyists-remove-canada-wireless-report/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung discontinues ‘Linux on DeX’ program, removing support w/ Android 10
https://9to5google.com/2019/10/18/samsung-discontinues-linux-on-dex-program-removing-support-w-android-10/
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Hacker Is Trying To Add A USB-C Port To iPhone 11 Pro
https://fossbytes.com/hacker-add-usb-c-port-phone-11-pro/
there is a guy who can turn an iPhone 11 Pro into a Pro Max. So, getting USB-C on iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t seem impossible.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have finally agreed to replace SMS with a new RCS standard
130
There will be a new app
https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/24/20931202/us-carriers-rcs-cross-carrier-messaging-initiative-ccmi-att-tmobile-sprint-verizon
All four major US carriers — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint — have each issued the same joint press release announcing the formation of “a joint venture” called the “Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative” (CCMI). It’s designed to ensure that the carriers move forward together to replace SMS with a next-generation messaging standard — including a promise to launch a new texting app for Android phones that supports the standard by next year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can you get privacy by allowing a nasty phone charger to hack your phone through USB?
FANGo is a phone charger concept that claims to provide a practical means of masking your online activities by using USB backdoor to access your phone.
If it can do what it claims, what else nasties it can do without you noticing? Somehow I don’t like this idea that is like badUSB dressed like a phone charger.
https://www.hackster.io/news/fango-is-a-phone-charger-that-protects-your-privacy-from-facebook-and-other-corporations-e79d9f26149d
http://martinnadal.eu/fango/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Satellite Phone You Already Own: From Orbit, UbiquitiLink Will Look Like A Cell Tower
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-satellite-phone-you-already-own-from-orbit-ubiquitilink-will-look-like-a-cell-tower/
But what if a regular phone could somehow leverage those satellites to make a call or send a text from a dead zone? As it turns out, it just might be possible to do exactly that, and a Virginia-based startup called UbiquitiLink is in the process of filling in all the gaps in cell phone coverage by orbiting a constellation of satellites that will act as cell towers of last resort. And the best part is that it’ll work with a regular cell phone — no brick needed.
The idea behind UbiquitiLink’s plan to fill in the dead zones is simple, and it’s based on the fact that space really isn’t as far away as it seems;
The satellites that will form the backbone of the UbiquitiLink network will be in a somewhat higher orbit — around 310 miles (500 km). Still, that’s not really all that far away (at least in terms of radio frequency propagation) over a path that is, for the most part, free from the attenuation caused by terrestrial obstructions.
UbiquitiLink has done the math and calculated that off-the-shelf phones have just barely enough RF oomph to connect to a satellite over a line-of-sight path, making a network of orbiting cell towers at least plausible.
Cellular networks are all based on multiple access methods
Although these networks may be approaching end-of-life in a 4G and soon a 5G world, UbiquitiLink’s efforts to spoof the system started with TDMA.
The problem with a time-division system is that the further a cell phone is from a cell site, the longer it takes for the RF waves to travel between the two. Even at approximately the speed of light, the delay can be enough for one timeslot to overlap into another. This requires a synchronization step that determines how far the phone is from the base, and if the phone is far enough away — about 35 km, or 22 miles — the signal will actually arrive too late for its assigned time slot. Even though the transmitter in the phone may have the power to cover more than 35 km, signals from that far away will be unceremoniously dropped.
Fooling Your Phone
This would seem to preclude the use of orbital cell sites, which will always be an order of magnitude further away than the furthest allowed connection. However, UbiquitiLink has patented a technique that amounts to false advertising on the part of the satellites.
UbiquitiLink’s orbital cell sites simply send a constant value corresponding to a tower that’s only 20 km away. The phone thinks it has locked onto a weak tower, but that’s OK.
UbiquitiLink’s modified cell tower software also has to adapt to the Doppler shift caused by the platform’s high speed. But aside from that, the orbital cell sites are pretty much the same hardware and software that would be installed on a terrestrial tower.
Mobile Connectivity for the World
https://lynk.world/
Lynk has built the first cell tower in space. Soon, everyone in the world will be connected, everywhere, with just the phone in their pocket. No new hardware required. No new software needed. The Lynk network will enable everyone with a standard mobile phone to stay connected … everywhere.
Today, only about 25 percent of the world’s landmass is served by cell towers.
Lynk is creating a global constellation of satellites to connect the phones in our pockets anywhere on the planet, all of the time.
Lynk’s technology will allow wireless carriers to connect existing cellphone customers to each other, anywhere on the planet. In the near future, you will have one device, and one plan, for connectivity everywhere.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spending too many hours looking at smartphones and tablets ‘slows down toddlers’ language and reading development because it changes the structure of their BRAINS’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7647469/Toddlers-spend-hours-day-using-screens-structurally-different-brains-peers.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Glass breaks. Apple has once again made the back glass on their new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro permanent. Lucky for us, there is now an easier way to replace the back glass on your iPhone. And that is with the new Laser Separator machine.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2455421964548822&id=514958908595147
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple Is Trying to Kill Web Technology
https://onezero.medium.com/apple-is-trying-to-kill-web-technology-a274237c174d
The company has made it extremely difficult to use web-based technology on its platforms, and it hopes developers won’t bother
Tomi Engdahl says:
Battery icons shape perceptions of time and space and define user identities
https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2019/september/mobile-technology-battery-icon-identity-perception-time-space-research
Research demonstrates how mobile technology is altering the way users view the outside world based on battery life and charging points.
New research from Cass Business School has found that battery icons on mobile phones shape how people view time and space, and how battery conservation practices define user identities.
One of the study’s respondents described the experience of watching their battery icon throughout the day: “Full would be ‘Yeah, ok great’, good to go for the day’; 50 per cent I’d be a bit ‘Oh God, I had better stop it from updating itself all the time in the background’ … then it would be at 30 per cent and I would be like: ‘Now I’m not having fun anymore’,” the respondent said.
“We found that people who let their phones batteries run out are viewed by others as out of touch with the social norm of being connected and therefore unable to be competent members of society,” Dr Robinson said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Battery icons shape perceptions of time and space and define user identities
https://m.phys.org/news/2019-09-battery-icons-perceptions-space-user.html
Management of battery levels structures people’s daily activities—from arguing over who can charge their device next to the bed, to making decisions about where to go shopping in order to access complementary charge stations.
The study found that this reliance means people now identify themselves and others in relation to how they maintain their battery levels.
People who regularly allow their phone batteries to run out of charge were identified as “frightfully frustrating”, “disorganised” and “inconsiderate”.
“We found that people who let their phones batteries run out are viewed by others as out of touch with the social norm of being connected and therefore unable to be competent members of society,” Dr. Robinson said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
FBI busts $6 million iPhone and iPad counterfeit ring
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/13/tech/apple-fbi-bust-counterfeit-ring-iphone-ipad/index.html
The FBI busted a counterfeit ring centered on iPhones and iPads that reportedly cost Apple over $6.1 million.
The scheme involved importing more than 10,000 counterfeit iPhones and iPads from China, United States Attorney Robert Brewer said in a press release. The counterfeit devices were intentionally damaged and exchanged at Apple stores for authentic products, which were then shipped to China and other countries and sold at a markup, according to the release
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Librem 5 has been “shipping” for a month—but not to backers
Backers were largely patient with earlier project delays—but concern is rising.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/11/the-librem-5-has-been-shipping-for-a-month-but-not-to-backers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google plans to take Android back to ‘mainline’ Linux kernel
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/11/22/google-plans-to-take-android-back-to-mainline-linux-kernel/
The company hasn’t made any firm announcements on this but journalists this week noticed a low-key video posted to YouTube of a presentation given by Android Kernel Team chief Sandeep Patil, at September’s Linux Plumbers Conference.
The problem? The development model that underpins how Android uses the Linux kernel leads to a lot of complexity that slows updates, raises costs, and makes life difficult for both Google and the device makers downstream in all sorts of ways.
Tomi Engdahl says:
One percent of the app publishers account for 80% of the total downloads in Q3 2019
https://www.gsmarena.com/one_percent_of_the_app_publishers_account_for_80_of_the_total_downloads_in_q3_2019-news-40240.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2019/11/21/monen-toimittajan-4g-viranomaispuhelut-testissa/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/15/those-crappy-pre-installed-android-apps-can-be-full-of-security-holes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple Is Trying to Kill Web Technology
The company has made it extremely difficult to use web-based technology on its platforms, and it hopes developers won’t bother
https://onezero.medium.com/apple-is-trying-to-kill-web-technology-a274237c174d
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://muropaketti.com/mobiili/googlen-project-treble-toimii-android-versioiden-kayttoonotto-nopeutunut/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Man Creates Dating App ‘Singularity,’ Where He Is the Only Man Available
“Singularity saves you countless hours of swiping,” says Aaron Smith, 31, “by just matching you with me!”
https://people.com/human-interest/singularity-dating-app-only-one-man-allowed/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cellphone plans get up to 40% costlier in India
https://tcrn.ch/34DdRm8
India has long been a wonderland for cellphone users. At a time when most telecom operators across the globe charge anywhere between $5 to $10 for a gigabyte of mobile data, telcos in India deliver that for just a few cents.
Spare another $2 to the same telecom operator, and you get a gigabyte of mobile data everyday for a month and all your nationwide calls become free.
How is that possible, you ask? In 2016, India’s richest man launched Reliance Jio, a telecom network that undercut the local competition by offering unlimited voice calls and bulk of 4G mobile data at industry-low prices. Vodafone and Airtel — two of the top three carriers in India — dramatically moved to revise their tariffs to aggressively compete with Jio, but in doing so they began to bleed a lot of money.
Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Jio — three telecom operators that command over 90% of India’s mobile subscriber base of more than 1.1 billion users — have hiked their tariffs by up to 42% for their prepaid customers. (In India, unlike many other markets, the vast majority of people prefer to pay as they go instead of signing up for a monthly subscription.)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobiilisovelluksen jatkokehittäminen – näin varmistat, että sovelluksesi säilyy kilpailukykyisenä ja kestää aikaa
https://www.vincit.fi/fi/mobiilisovelluksen-jatkokehittaminen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Putin signs law making Russian apps mandatory on smartphones, computers
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-internet-software-idUSKBN1Y61Z4?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed legislation requiring all smartphones, computers and smart TV sets sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Screen time might be physically changing kids’ brains
https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614672/screen-time-might-be-physically-changing-kids-brains/
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics warns that kids’ literacy and language skills suffer with screen use, and MRI scans of their brains appear to back up the findings.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Drug Lord Pablo Escobar’s Brother Launches A Foldable Smartphone For $349
https://www.techworm.net/2019/12/escobar-foldable-smartphone.html
Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria, brother of the late Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, has announced a foldable smartphone, the Escobar Fold 1 for $349.
Conceptualized in the USA, the Escobar Fold 1 smartphone is being manufactured in Hong Kong.
“I have made one of the first foldable smartphones in the world.
The smartphone features a 7.8-inch AMOLED FHD+ screen when folded and has a 4:3 aspect ratio. It runs an Octa-Core 2.8Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 CPU.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Purism announces Librem 5 Linux “USA” model mobile phone for $1999 USD. These guys lost their minds. Who will pay $1999 for mobile phone? This is a desperate attempt to raise money. https://puri.sm/products/librem-5-usa/
Tomi Engdahl says:
U.K.’s Johnson Uses Huawei for Selfies After Hinting at Ban
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-05/u-k-s-johnson-uses-huawei-for-selfies-after-hinting-at-ban
Tomi Engdahl says:
In bid against Apple, Pablo Escobar’s brother launches $350 foldable phone
https://www.cnet.com/news/in-bid-against-apple-pablo-escobars-brother-launches-350-foldable-phone/
The sibling of the late drug kingpin says the Escobar Fold 1′s plastic screen “cannot break,” unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Fold.
It isn’t the only relatively unknown company to release a foldable phone — the startup Royole in Fremont, California released a similar device for $1,318, known as the Flexpai phone.
The dual-SIM phone folds outward, like the Mate X, and you can choose between the 128GB option ($350) or the 512GB one ($500). If you’re dissatisfied with the product, the site notes that there are no returns or refunds, though Gustafsson says the company will consider some “on a case-by-case basis.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
SmartMicroOptics’ DIPLE Transforms Your Smartphone Into a Powerful Microscope
https://www.hackster.io/news/smartmicrooptics-diple-transforms-your-smartphone-into-a-powerful-microscope-859063ecefac
DIPLE is capable of giving you 1000x magnification using your smartphone or tablet as a monitor.
Italian Institution of Technology spin-off company SmartMicroOptics has launched its new DIPLE optical platform that transforms smartphones and tablets into a powerful microscope capable of providing 1,000x magnification. The new microscope platform comes after the success of SmartMicroOptics’ BLIPS microscopy lens, which offers a set of stick-on lenses for taking imagery at micro and macro levels. Unlike BLIPS, the DIPLE platform doesn’t attach to the mobile device but is placed on a modular setup that holds both the lens and mobile device in place.
https://diple.smartmicrooptics.com/
Tomi Engdahl says:
top 10 android simulator game | Truck | Space | Bus | Farming | Flight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS7cEDMWwSM
Tomi Engdahl says:
Android phones already have all the new iPhone 11 features
https://mashable.com/article/iphone-11-android-features/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=mash-com-fb-main-link&utm_content=tech
Android users have been making the joke for years: Apple is “innovating” by giving its iPhone features that Android phones had two years ago.
This year, however, it rings truer than ever.
But this is the first time that I cannot point to any significant iPhone feature that hasn’t existed on Android phones for years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia 800 Tough review: The new indestructible Nokia
https://www.androidauthority.com/nokia-800-tough-review-1063224/
The durability of Nokia feature phones is legendary. The classic Nokia 3310 is still responsible for some of the best indestructible phone memes around. That phone was re-released back at the start of 2017, although it wasn’t built like the tank its progenitor was. Enter the Nokia 800 Tough, a KaiOS feature phone that is built to survive. Encased in shock-absorbent rubber with MIL-STD-810G compliance and an IP68 rating, the Nokia 800 Tough is a brick.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IDC:
Global shipments of wearable devices totaled a record 84.5M units in 3Q’19, a YoY increase of 94.6%; hearables alone accounted for almost half the shipments
Worldwide Wearables Shipments Surge 94.6% in 3Q 2019 Led by Expanding Hearables Market, Says IDC
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS45712619
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple and Samsung sued for exceeding the radiation limit of their phones
https://www.worldtechnoinfo.com/2019/12/11/apple-and-samsung-sued-for-exceeding-the-radiation-limit-of-their-phones/
An American law firm has filed a lawsuit against Apple and Samsung, claiming that independent tests indicate that radiofrequency radiation levels in modern smartphones from the two companies « exceeded the permissible federal limits » when used « as it was marketed by the two manufacturers. »
The newspaper hired an accredited laboratory to test several smartphones according to federal guidelines and found that some Apple iPhones emit radiofrequency radiation that exceeds security limits. Apple had only opposed the results, and said in a statement: The test was inaccurate « because the test was not prepared according to the procedures necessary to correctly evaluate iPhone models. »
Meanwhile, the FCC said it would launch an investigation into the findings
The Fed Scout has recruited an FCC-approved laboratory for its own testing of six smartphone models at distances ranging from 0 to 10 millimeters to measure radiofrequency radiation emitted on or near the body.
After the test, the experimenter said: It’s two millimeters away. The Apple iPhone, Galaxy S8, from Samsung, was “more than double the federal exposure limit.” At a distance of zero millimeters, the iPhone was “five times the federal exposure allowance”.
He added: “The manufacturers told consumers that it’s safe, so we realized it’s important to test exposure to radiofrequency radiation and see if that’s true. That wasn’t true. Independent results show that wireless radiation levels are more than federal exposure, and sometimes 500% higher, when phones are used the way Apple and Samsung encourage us, consumers deserve to know the truth.”
According to Fegan Scott, the lab test reflects “actual usage conditions” rather than “manufacturing requirements”, meaning that the test probably did not occur in the same way as Apple did its own internal tests.
However, it should be noted that there is no evidence that RF radiation levels above federal boundaries have the capability to cause damage, so consumers should not worry at this time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Less Than 10 Percent of Americans Are Buying $1,000 Smartphones, Report Says
https://news.slashdot.org/story/19/12/12/2331240/less-than-10-percent-of-americans-are-buying-1000-smartphones-report-says?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
Some buyers may simply be holding out until 5G becomes more affordable or viable before taking the plunge and opting for those $1000+ flagship smartphones. The report also highlights the significant difference in buying habits from region to region. NPD notes that those living in major cities such as Los Angeles and New York City are far more likely to spend over $1000 on a smartphone.
Report: Less than 10% of Americans are actually buying $1000+ smartphones
https://ww.9to5google.com/2019/12/12/smartphone-1000/
According to a new report, less than 10% of Americans are actually spending $1000 or more on a smartphone.
Given that many flagship smartphones are now regularly exceeding that $1000 limit, it’s interesting to hear that many are voting with their wallets and opting for more affordable alternatives rather than paying the exorbitant price-tags placed on their favorite tech.
The report was produced by research firm NPD and shows that while the media and brand focus is on the flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10, and iPhone 11 Pro, everyday Americans are less likely to spend their hard-earned dollars on these expensive trinkets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Has Sold 1 Million Galaxy Fold Smartphones
https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/19/12/12/2114242/samsung-has-sold-1-million-galaxy-fold-smartphones?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/12/samsung-has-sold-1-million-galaxy-fold-smarthphones/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Angry Birds’ unexpected decade-long success
https://www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/72098/angry-birds-unexpected-decade-long-success/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wearable band shipments grew globally, driven by Xiaomi
https://tcrn.ch/34mJFuy
Apple may dominate the wearable conversation here in the States, but things look a fair bit different on the other side of the world. In Asia, Xiaomi is the giant in the room. According to new numbers form Canalys, the Chinese manufacturer was the key driver in global growth.
Wearable band shipments grew 65%, year over year for Q3. Xiaomi continues to top the list, with an even more impressive 74% versus this time last year. That puts gives the company 27% of the total global wearable band market — its highest number since 2015.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung has sold 1 million Galaxy Fold smartphones
https://tcrn.ch/38tJEIq
Tomi Engdahl says:
Over 90% of people aren’t buying phones that cost $1,000 or more. Tech companies are finally starting to catch on.
Evidence is mounting that people are fed up with the sky-high cost of smartphones, and it’s sparking a massive change in the industry
https://www.businessinsider.com/smartphone-cost-expensive-1000-apple-samsung-google-5g-change-2019-12?utm_content=bufferee402&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-bi&r=US&IR=T
New data says that fewer than 10% of people in the United States are willing to spend $1,000 on a new smartphone.
Smartphone prices have gradually increased in recent years.
As smartphone prices have gotten higher and shipments across the industry have stalled, companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google have altered their strategy by launching more affordable smartphones.
Tomi Engdahl says:
RCS messaging has rolled out to Android users in the US
https://tcrn.ch/2RVm4yg
Here’s a nice little surprise for Android users this weekend. It seems that Google’s pans to roll out Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging is slightly ahead of schedule. The company announced in November that it would be making the feature available for all Android users in the country by year-end.
The update brings a lot of features that many have been compared to iMessage, Apple’s standard protocol that’s done a good keeping many users onboard with iOS, for fear of becoming a green bubble. Key features include read receipts, the ability to see another user typing in real-time, larger file transfers and improved group messaging (though, as noted, some features like end to end encryption are still lacking).
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2019/12/16/kaikki-kannykat-eivat-ole-korjauskelvottomia/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The capacitor is an indispensable passive component in electronics. High-end smartphones are equipped with about 800 to 1,000 of the parts each, while budget and mid-range models include 300 to 600 each.