We already knew that Google pays Apple billions of dollars every year to remain a default search engine on Apple devices. We even presumed it’s over $10 billion. Well, according to a new report, Google actually pays $18 billion to Apple for the default search engine privilege.
Google seemingly pays $18 billion to Apple, annually, to remain the default search engine
Needless to say, this is a huge sum of money, and it’s basically a clear profit for Apple. As a reminder, Google is a default search option in Safari, so on Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
The New York Times shared the figure mentioned the figure in the first paragraph. Well, it is said that Google paid “around $18 billion”, and that was back in 2021. That number could be even higher at this point.
Considering that Google’s antitrust trial is ongoing, we’ve heard all sorts of different info regarding the sums. They range from $10 billion to $20 billion, but nobody mentioned over $20 billion thus far.
This benefits both companies, and it actually has a secondary purpose for Google. It basically prevents Apple from focusing on its own search engine, or buying one. As we found out during the trial, Apple did consider buying Bing at one point. Google did prevent it thanks to its agreement with Apple.
This agreement is also referred to as a “peace treaty”, and that seems accurate
As The Verge notes, this is also like a “peace treaty” of sorts, and that’s a great way to describe it. The two companies have found a deal that benefits both of them. Google doesn’t have a closer competitor in search, and Apple gets to pocket a ton of money each year.
Some people even think Google would think twice about keeping all of its services on iOS if the deal changes. Those are just rumors, of course, it benefits Google greatly to have its apps on iOS, of course.
With the Vision Pro stealing the show in quite the fashion, you probably don’t remember much else from Apple’s WWDC event in June.
There was an iOS 17 feature announcement – one of many – a new Journal app. Long story short, it could be described as a “new way to appreciate life’s moments”, or simply put – a digital daily diary for users to record their activities and memories.
Now, the Journal app is making its premiere on the iOS 17.2 beta and it seems like it’s exclusive for iPhone devices and can’t be found for iPads and Mac systems for now.
9to5Mac has the story that users who have installed iPadOS 17.2 beta (or macOS 14.2 beta) have noticed that the Journal app can’t be found on the iPad or Mac, only on the iPhone with iOS 17.2. By digging into iOS 17.2 code, they say that the Journal app is only compatible with the iPhone at this point, and it seems unlikely that it will be made available for other devices in the near future (maybe it could be available on the iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 next year).
This is in tune with Cupertino itself: only the iOS 17 webpage mentions the existence of the Journal app. There’s nothing about the upcoming app on the iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma web pages.
More about Journal
Journal is a new iPhone app that “helps users reflect on everyday moments and special events in their lives”, as Apple puts it. To help inspire a user’s journal entry, personalized suggestions can be intelligently curated from a user’s recent activity, such as photos, people, places, workouts, and more, and scheduled notifications can help build a journaling habit.
If you’re nervous to use it, Apple claims there’s the option to lock the app. With “the use of on-device processing, and end-to-end encryption, Journal is built to protect a user’s privacy and ensure no one — including Apple — can access a user’s entries”.
The Xiaomi 14 series will launch globally, the company’s CEO has confirmed. Lei Jun shared the news via X (formerly known as Twitter). That’s all he shared, though, so we don’t know when to expect the devices.
The Xiaomi 14 series will launch globally, as expected
As many of you know, Xiaomi announced the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro yesterday. The launch event took place in China, and it was for the Chinese market. Now, these two devices came way sooner than their predecessors, so that could push up the global launch too.
The Xiaomi 13 series launched in China in December last year, while the global launch followed in February this year. It took Xiaomi around two months to bring the devices to global markets.
Now, this time around, Xiaomi could launch them at the very end of December, but chances are the company will wait for February. Why? Well, so that they launch at or around MWC (Mobile World Congress). That’s just a wild guess, though.
These are the very first smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC
The Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro are the very first smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Qualcomm announced that chip days ago, so Xiaomi jumped forward almost immediately after the launch.
Those two phones also have the new Leica Summilux lens on the back, and the brightest displays in the industry. Xiaomi managed to trump the OnePlus Open’s panels, as both of these displays on the Xiaomi 14 series can reach 3,000 nits in terms of brightness.
The two phones have immensely powerful specs overall. They include charging up to 120W, 50W wireless charging, LPDDR5X RAM, UFS 4.0 flash storage, and much more. They’re also water and dust-resistant.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra did not launch yesterday. That phone will likely launch during a separate event next year.
It’s not a coincidence that the more Tom Waits songs you listen to, the more Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Van Morrison recommendations you get in your music streaming service of choice – that’s how listening history and algorithms work.
Now, if you want to make a slight detour from Eric Clapton and listen to Cardi B for a change, you can do so – the best part is, without screwing up royally your “normal” playlists and suggestions.
In iOS 17.2, which is now available to developers as a beta, there’s a new Focus Filter that lets users disable Apple Music’s Listening History only when a specific Focus Mode is turned on (via 9to5Mac). Sure, you can turn off or on your Listening History in general whenever you want to, but this new filter is actually very practical.
So, let’s repeat – your Listening History is turned on, but when the Focus Mode is also on, the songs you play won’t be added to your history and thus won’t make it to your recommendations playlist. Think of this new feature as an incognito tab.
This could come as a gift from heaven for parents who play children’s music for their kids but don’t want to find their own playlists chock full of “If You’re Happy and You Know It” in fifteen cover variants.
The feature also works when you want to listen to something specific without your friends knowing. Instead of having to turn Listening History off completely, you can simply put it on hold temporarily with a Focus Mode.
The smartphone industry is constantly evolving and moving forward. Almost every major phone manufacturer in the world releases a new phone each year. There are many that are obsessed with this cycle, and upgrade their phones annually. But surprisingly enough, new data shows that Apple users are not as quick to upgrade yearly.
In a world racing to have the best camera or the sharpest display, this news is unexpected. Apple devices are universally considered a more premium option. Even Apple’s cheapest offering, the iPhone SE, launched with a retail price of over $400 last year.
This would suggest iPhone users are generally wealthier, and more likely to upgrade every year. There are multiple explanations for why this is not the case.
Brand loyalty and software support
Apple has a very loyal userbase. Once people enter the Apple ecosystem — also called Apple’s walled garden — they rarely want to leave. It is convenient, fast, and reliable.
Apple has excellent software support for its phones. New iPhones come promising a staggering seven years of software support and updates. No other competitor on the market can match that, although Google is now going to try starting with the Pixel 8 series. These iPhone users trust Apple to keep their devices relevant, discouraging yearly upgrades.
Apple also tends to make some very durable phones. Then, of course, there’s the pricing. A pro-model iPhone can quickly become very pricey if it features a lot of storage. Most people feel reluctant to pay for an upgrade when the changes in the next generation are only minimal.
Apple also offers brilliant trade-in deals, and older iPhones retain their excellent resale value. This ensures Apple users that they can afford to wait before upgrading to the newest iPhone.
10% of users upgraded their iPhone
According to CIRP, the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, only 10% of iPhone users surveyed upgraded after less than a year. The iOS sales also only accounted for 39% of total sales in September.
To compare, 23% of surveyed Android users had upgraded their phones less than a year after their last purchase. The CIRP points out that Android manufacturers often release multiple phones a year. This range of options also very likely plays a huge role in more frequent upgrades.
Another factor worth considering is that Android phones go on sales quite often. But iPhones rarely do. Apple is very unwilling to ever offer a deal on its products. With a robust ecosystem, excellent software support, and premium pricing, it’s not that surprising iPhone users hold on to their phones just a little longer.
Samsung Electronics today rolled out a Temporary Cloud Backup service for Galaxy users. It makes the data backup, restore and transfer processes secure and easy at the same time.
“Temporary cloud backup provides a reliable and convenient way for users to back up and restore important information,” said Chiyoung Seo, VP & Head of Cloud Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics.
He added that this temporary backup service is provided to add a piece of mind to Galaxy users. You won’t lose your precious data in several instances where it becomes a matter of concern. This might especially be helpful in scenarios like testing beta software or sending the device for repair.
This feature will be available to Galaxy devices with OneUI 6 or above, starting with the premium Galaxy S and Z series phones in Korea.
Benefits of this temporary cloud backup
Temporary Cloud Backup simplifies the process of transferring data between phones. Users can effortlessly backup their data on one device and restore it on another. It makes device upgrades or replacements stress-free. You don’t need any external device to transfer data to your new device. Additionally, Samsung Cloud provides you with unlimited storage for your temporary backup.
When you send your device to the service center, Samsung’s maintenance mode already helps you to secure your data on the device. However, if you are still worried about losing your data, you can conveniently store a copy of it including files in your Secure Folder in Samsung Cloud. You’ll find this inside the maintenance mode or reset option in the settings. This temporary backup with unlimited storage seems to be the perfect solution in this case.
Your data stored in Samsung Cloud is also secured by your Samsung Account’s two-factor authentication. Needless to mention, this is one of the most seamless experiences on Android in terms of data transfer and management.
Things to keep in mind
This service is only accessible through a Wi-Fi connection. If the Wi-Fi connection is interrupted, the backup process will be paused until it’s restored. Although there’s no storage limit for the temporary backup, individual file sizes are limited to 100 GB. It’s a lot for a single file, but if you happen to have something larger than the limit, you will need to prepare an alternative option for that file.
Also, this is a temporary storage solution for your data for 30 days. You will get a notification on your phone as a reminder of the scheduled deletion of your data 7 days earlier.
Recent reports confirm that a Snapdragon X Elite-powered Samsung PC is in the works and will launch anytime soon. During the Snapdragon Summit 2023 event, Qualcomm announced their new PC processor that brings a ton of performance features. Unlike with Snapdragon Summit events over the past few years, this time Samsung was announced as a partner to use this new processor.
The confirmation of the usage of this new Qualcomm PC processor was done by a Samsung exec. This confirmation solidifies the grounds for this coming Snapdragon X Elite-powered Samsung PC. Fans around the world can now start looking forward to the launch of a new PC device that will make use of the Snapdragon X Elite processor.
According to reports, this new PC from Samsung might hit the market during the first half of 2024. Currently, Samsung uses Intel processors on their devices, but this coming entry will change the narrative. Let’s now find out more about what this coming Samsung PC with the Snapdragon X Elite processor brings to the table.
The Snapdragon X Elite platform promises impressive performance on the coming Samsung PC
They’re a lot of performance-oriented features that come with the new Snapdragon PC processor. Fans are now expecting to see how the new Snapdragon X Elite-powered Samsung PC will perform. Qualcomm promises that areas such as gaming, AI performance, and better user experience will be very impressive.
If you want to learn more about the features of this new PC processor, you can check this article. The new Snapdragon X Elite processor is a premium processor that aims to improve user experience. Samsung might use this new processor to step into the more premium PC market that’s getting more competition.
Gamers will benefit from the 4nm System-on-a-Chip architecture that’ll be available on Samsung’s coming PC. The laptop will also boast a 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU for better performance. With the Snapdragon X Elite processor, the PC might be a great choice for gamers.
Also, this new processor will bring AI capabilities. This will be possible with the industry-leading Qualcomm AI Engine with an integrated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. Thanks to this processor, the coming Samsung PC will be capable of running generative AI LLM models over 13B parameters.
The coming Samsung PC with Snapdragon X Elite processor will bring Wi-Fi 7 for smooth connectivity. For memory, the PC will feature 64GB of RAM. These are just some areas that could end up impressing users.
Google’s Pixel 8 Pro has a lot going for it. Among its strengths is the 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display, a Samsung E7 panel made with M13 OLED materials. It is one of the first phones to feature M13 displays, which are brighter and more power-efficient. Sure enough, with a peak brightness of 2,400 nits, the new Pixel has the brightest display of all smartphones currently sold in the US. We now have a measure of its efficiency as well.
Pixel 8 Pro’s display is a lot more efficient than competing phones
Dylan Raga, a display reviewer at XDA Developers, recently pitted the Pixel 8 Pro against the Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max in a display efficiency test. Last year’s Google flagship came out the worst. It consumed 6.4W of power to reach a brightness of 960 nits. The 2022 iPhone did slightly better, consuming about 4.5W of power for the same level of display brightness.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra achieved 960 nits of brightness with less than 4W of power. However, the Pixel 8 Pro decimated them all. The latest Google phone did that consuming just 3W of power. That’s less than half (47 percent) of the total power consumed by its predecessor. Quite clearly, the internet giant has improved things in this department by leaps and bounds. The new Pixel is miles ahead of the competition when it comes to display efficiency.
The brightness by power graph for the Pixel 8 Pro tends to meet those graphs for the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max as the brightness is turned up. The Samsung phone catches up to the Pixel quicker than the iPhone. However, we seldom use our phones at maximum brightness. At the optimal brightness level, the new Pixel wins the race with a comfortable margin.
As far as the 2022 Pixel is concerned, it’s no match for the latest model. Its successor reached almost 1,500 nits of brightness while still consuming just about 6W of power. The Pixel 7 Pro’s poor power efficiency was one of its biggest drawbacks. It was less efficient than the Pixel 6 Pro. Unsurprisingly, Google faced a lot of criticism for this. It appears the company took it personally and came out with a much more efficient display this year.
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series will feature M13 OLED panels
Google‘s lead may not be around for much longer, though. Samsung is applying M13 OLED materials to the Galaxy S24’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Rumors say the phones will boast a peak brightness of 2,500 nits. They should bring efficiency improvements too. The new Samsung flagships are expected to arrive in January 2024. It remains to be seen how the Pixel 8 Pro’s display compares against the Galaxy S24.
Samsung may offer satellite connectivity on the Galaxy S24 series. The company has the technology ready, Park Yong-in, the head of its System LSI division (semiconductor), confirmed earlier today. He didn’t name any device but said that Galaxy smartphones support satellite communication services starting next year. There’s no better candidate than the Galaxy S24 series to kick things off.
Galaxy S24 could debut Samsung’s satellite connectivity tech
Satellite connectivity in smartphones is still a novel concept but there’s a lot of interest in it. Huawei and Apple offered the feature on their flagships last year — Mate 50 Pro and iPhone 14 series, respectively. Earlier this year, Samsung announced that it had developed a two-way satellite communication system for smartphones. It allows users to send and receive text messages, photos, and videos over satellite.
A few months later, the South Korean Minister of Science and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) said that domestic smartphone companies are preparing to commercially launch a satellite communication system next year. Since Samsung is the only major smartphone company in the country, the Minister’s words suggested that the Galaxy S24 series could debut the new technology.
We now have an official confirmation coming directly from a senior Samsung executive. Park may have refrained from naming the Galaxy S24 here, likely because the phones aren’t official, but there have been enough hints about it already. The executive revealed the plans during the Semiconductor Expo 2023 keynote where he talked a lot about the Exynos 2400, the chipset that will power the 2024 flagships in some markets.
Samsung’s satellite communication system appears to be more robust than that of Xiaomi and Apple. The former allows the sending and receiving of short text messages, while Apple’s solution is pretty much limited to emergency rescue requests. The Korean firm’s tech, on the other hand, allows users to send small-sized images and videos as well. It has teamed up with Virginia-based satellite communication company Iridium Communications for the tech.
The 2024 Samsung flagships are still three months away
Samsung is rumored to launch the Galaxy S24 series in the second half of January 2024. We are still three months away from it. Leaks about the phones have been coming thick and fast lately. We might soon get to know more about the company’s satellite communication plans for the phones. It remains to be seen whether all three models will have the feature or if Samsung will limit it to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Google Maps is the most popular navigation platform in the world, as many of us use it to get from point A to point B. We all know that it uses a ton of powerful features to give great directions and provide us with relevant information. Well, According to a new announcement, Google Maps just got some new and exciting features.
These features will be rolling out to varying locations at varying paces. Some of these features will only be limited to a handful of cities and countries. So, if you’re not exactly living in a popular city, you will want to be patient.
What new features just came to Google Maps? Let’s start with Immersive View for Routes
Let’s start off with the most exciting addition to the app. During Google I/O this year, Google announced the highly useful Immersive View for Routes. Immersive View came out a while back, and it gives you a high-definition real-time view of certain landmarks. Well, Immersive View brings that same technology and immersion on a more intimate level.
Immersive View for Routes will give you an immersive preview of your journey before you take it. You’ll see the current weather condition of your destination along with the AQI and traffic. Just like with the regular Immersive View, you’ll be able to see how the weather and traffic will change over time.
This is a great feature to get a feel for your trip before you embark. This feature just launched in 15 cities including New York, Tokyo, and San Francisco. It’s going to expand to more places as time goes on.
Lens in Maps
Google has been plugging Lens into more of its products as time goes on. The technology gives Google a set of eyes to scan your real-world location. Now, Lens is coming to Maps.
When you’re in the Google Maps app, all you have to do is tap on the Lens icon. Then, you’ll see the Lens viewfinder with Google Maps data laid over it. Just point your viewfinder at the buildings you want to know about, and you’ll see the Maps label pop up.
This feature is now available in more than 50 cities.
More detailed map
Google Maps is adding more details so you can get a better grasp of your trip. When you zoom into the map, you’ll see each of the individual lanes that are on the road. This will let you know if you’ll need to cross the road to get to your next turn. This also comes with updated colors and even more realistic buildings.
This feature will start rolling out over the next couple of months in 12 countries. These include the US, Canada, Germany, and France.
Next, Maps will show you if there are HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes on your route. These lanes are for vehicles with at least one passenger inside.
Lastly, if you’re in Europe, you’ll start seeing speed limits in 20 more countries.
More information for EV drivers
These new features coming to Google Maps aren’t leaving out EV (electric vehicle) owners. You will want to know more information about charging stations and where to find them. Well, Google is going to provide more information for you to help you avoid running out of juice mid-trip.
If your EV has Google built-in, you’ll see this additional information while using Google Maps on iOS and Android. The app will show you whether an EV station has fast, medium, or slow charging speeds, and it will let you know which stations are compatible with your car.
Also, don’t you hate it when you travel all the way to a station just to see that it’s broken? According to Google, about 25% of all charging stations are down at any given moment. Well, Maps will show you when a station was last used. So, you’ll want to go to the station that was last used this morning as opposed to the one that was last used five months ago.
This will start rolling out globally to Android and iOS users today.
Photo-first results
This is for when you know what you want to do, but you don’t really know where to go. Just type in the type of activity you want to do- for example, type in “Pumpkin patch with my dog”. Then, Google will scan the photos uploaded to different establishments in your area. Then, it will show you those photos on the map where those establishments are.
Also, there’s a bottom panel that you can pull up to access a list of the locations. This is the basic list of the locations, so you’ll be able to see information like the website, contact information, hours of operation, and more.
Thematic results
So, if you have no idea of what to do, and you find yourself in a place with a lot to do, Google has something for you. All you have to do is type “Things to do” in that location. Google will provide you with results just like always, but the results will be much better organized.
You’ll see a list of activities to do that’s organized by themes. The company gave the example of being in Tokyo. If you type “Things to do”, you’ll see a list of different themes like Anime, Cherry Blossoms, etc.
This will be great if you want to do several activities all under one theme. Maybe, you’re in New York, and you want to make it an afternoon of visiting historical locations. That’s something you could do.
This feature will start rolling out globally over the next couple of weeks.
