IPhone

I’ve been an iOS user since day one — back when it was called “iPhone OS” — and haven’t had any reason to leave Apple’s camp. Each day, I use iOS devices and apps, and for the most part, they “just work.” You could offer me a cheap Android phone or tablet and I wouldn’t have much use for it.

Or so I thought. Just in time for the holidays, 9to5’s publisher Seth Weintraub sent me an unexpected gift: a $99 Motorola Moto G (2nd Gen), also available on Amazon. That price isn’t a typo — for under $100 (half the price of the recently released sixth-generation iPod touch), Motorola is selling a full-fledged smartphone with a larger, higher-resolution screen than the $199 iPod, and for that matter the old iPhone 5c I decided to replace it with. You’ve probably heard that Amazon is trying a similar tactic with its $49 7″ Fire Tablets, which so radically undercut the price of Apple’s iPads that you can buy five for the same price as an entry-level iPad mini 2… and still have change left over. Since these products were developed by well-established companies, they’re budget-priced, but not junk.

I wanted to see whether the Moto G would have any value in my life, and how it would stack up against lower-end iOS devices. What I found was exactly the reason Apple leads the cellular industry in profits yet continues to lag behind Android in market share: the Moto G offers a more than “good enough” alternative at a price that anyone can afford. From my perspective, the existence of a good $99 smartphone is precisely the reason the iPod family has all but disappeared, and why even iPad mini pricing is arguably unsustainable…

Instagram for Android (sort of) gets 3D Touch peeks in new update [Video]

Stephen Hall Dec 8 2015 - 8:20 am PT

Update: Just like the multiple account support that disappeared mere hours after it appeared, this awesome 3D Touch feature is now gone.

Instagram for iOS has had 3D Touch features for quite a while, but it looks like the Instagram team wanted to experiment with bringing some of these to Android as well. While the latest version for Android obviously doesn’t take advantage of force sensitive hardware (which doesn’t really exist of this side of the mobile space anyway), it does add a nifty new pop up for quickly liking, commenting, and sharing posts…

Yahoo Messenger gets a new life w/ redesigned mobile & web apps

Jordan Kahn Dec 3 2015 - 7:42 am PT

2 Comments

Yahoo Messenger has long taken a back seat to other Yahoo products on mobile devices, but today the company is finally unveiling a revamped app that brings its messaging platform into this decade with a completely redesigned user experience and new features.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Hangouts hits version 6.0 on iOS with performance improvements, not much else

Stephen Hall Nov 10 2015 - 8:05 am PT

Google has kept Hangouts for iOS just slightly ahead of its Android counterpart when it comes to its version number, and today that tradition continues. Hangouts on Apple’s platform just got a not-so-big update to 6.0 (which you would think would be a major upgrade), but there only seems to be general performance improvements in this one…

Here’s the full — and very disappointing — change log:

What’s New in Version 6.0.0

• Other general notification improvements.
• Accessibility bug fixes.
• Fix for iPhone 6s sound quality.

You can head over to the App Store to grab the new version, but if you’re like me, updates to the Android app would be much more welcome. Actually, I wouldn’t be upset if we just got bug fix & performance improvements for the Android version for the next few releases. I will say, though, that the app has become much more usable in recent months.

Too many Facebook staffers prefer iPhones, company says, forcing many to switch to Android

Ben Lovejoy Nov 2 2015 - 7:10 am PT

2 Comments

If you’ve ever felt like Facebook didn’t put quite as much focus on its Android app as on the iPhone one, that’s something that should be changing soon. Facebook’s chief product officer Chris Cox is insisting that an unspecified but substantial number of staff switch from iPhone to Android, in order to have an experience of the service more typical of the majority of users, reports Wired.

“I am mandating a switch of a whole bunch of my team over to Android, just because people, when left up to their own devices, will often prefer an iPhone,” said Chris Cox, who said the move is “so that they can be reporting bugs and living in the same experience that most Facebook users experience today” …

You can now buy the waterproof HTC RE camera for just $50 shipped (Reg. $200)

Stephen Hall Oct 27 2015 - 6:57 am PT

HTC’s RE camera hasn’t exactly been the blowout hit, and at least a few times over the last several months we’ve seen it as low as $100 brand-new. Now, you can buy the HTC RE from the company’s website for just $50 shipped, which is $150 less than its regular $200 retail price and the lowest price we’ve seen.

The HTC RE, importantly, has a waterproof build — which makes it the obvious choice for water sports and outdoors filming. The camera also sports a 146° wide angle lens, and a 16-megapixel, 1/2.3″ Sony CMOS sensor. It has just one button, made for when you’re out with friends and just want to quickly capture a moment.

HTC’s website is currently offering the device in four colors: silver, orange, blue, and green. The device is compatible with both iPhone and Android platforms, and also brings the RE Live Stream feature, which lets you stream up to 30-minutes of footage directly from the device to YouTube. It’s nearing impulse buy at this price.

Facebook bolstering Android Notifications tab with sports scores, birthdays, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 11:49 am PT

If you’re a Facebook user, you’re definitely familiar with the Notifications tab in the company’s Android app. Although it has barely evolved from being a simple stream of your notifications since its introduction many years ago, Facebook has today come out to outline some changes on the way to make it more useful and personalized.
Expand
Expanding
Close

HTC One A9 first look: An iPhone doubletake or incredible phone in its own right?

Seth Weintraub Oct 25 2015 - 9:52 am PT

4 Comments

I’ve had the HTC One A9 in my hands for a few days but didn’t want to give my initial thoughts until the Taiwanese smartphone maker pushed an update fix to the Android 6.0 phones yesterday.

I’ll get the obvious out of the way right off the bat: Yes, for better or worse, it looks like an iPhone 6. Sure, HTC invented the antenna strips with the M7 a few years ago and there are significant differences like the size (5-inches, halfway between the iPhone and iPhone Plus models) camera placement at the center top as opposed to corner and oval fingerprint reader instead of Apple’s circle. But the rounded edges speaker grill, colors and other design tweaks look way too much like the iPhone.

In fact, I’ve mistaken the A9 for my iPhone on a few occasions over the past few days and the A9 is black and my iPhone is white/silver! The iPhone resemblance is a big bummer because HTC has long taken pride in their distinctive, if not overly-heavy, phone designs.

Now that that’s out of the way, there are plenty of things to like about the new One A9, including the size as I mentioned before being right in between the two iPhone models. For me, 5 inch screens is the sweet spot, no question. HTC has removed most of everything else around the screen so this is really a svelte phone. The curves feel great in the hand, the buttons are placed perfectly. The power button has a distinct feel so you won’t mistakenly hit it when you are trying to turn up the volume.

Xiaomi reportedly plans to join Samsung in offering iPhone 6s-style pressure-sensitive touchscreens

Ben Lovejoy Oct 23 2015 - 7:40 am PT

Following Synaptics’ announcement that it would be offering pressure-sensitive touchscreen controllers to allow Android manufacturers to offer features similar to 3D Touch on Apple’s latest iPhones, it appears that Xiaomi will be adopting the technology.

It has previously been suggested that Samsung plans to use the Synaptics system in next year’s flagship Galaxy handsets.

The report from a well-known Chinese tipster says that Xiaomi has patented a technology similar to 3D Touch, notes GforGames. It’s unclear whether Xiaomi plans to use the Synaptics controller or has created its own technology.

Observations from today’s Google Event: Nexus, Chromecasts and Pixel C

Seth Weintraub Sep 29 2015 - 7:53 pm PT

Today’s Google event was chock full of new products and services many of which were leaked ahead of the event. While most of the new items had been covered in recent days (casemakers were ready), Stephen, Cam, Jordan and Chance did an excellent job rounding up the unexpected too. Some things that stood out:

Google’s Keep note taking app comes to iPhone and iPad [Video]

Jordan Kahn Sep 24 2015 - 11:02 am PT

Google today announced that it’s bringing its Google Keep note taking app to iPhone and iPad for the first time after originally releasing only for web and Android users a couple years back.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s new ‘Switch to iOS from Android’ app hits the Google Play Store

Zac Hall Sep 16 2015 - 12:10 pm PT

3 Comments

Sure, technically Apple’s first Android app was the now discontinued Beats Music which it picked up through acquisition last year and it’s developing Apple Music for Google’s platform, but it’s very fitting that Apple’s first in-house app is called Switch to iOS from Android. Apple first announced the new Android app this year alongside iOS 9 at its developer conference, and today with iOS 9’s official launch the Move to iOS app is officially available on the Google Play Store. Here’s how it works:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Opinion: As Android asserts its battery life lead with Quick Charge 3, Apple’s iPhone has catching up to do

Stephen Hall Sep 15 2015 - 12:58 pm PT

11 Comments

The battle of mobile platforms never ends, and the discussion can definitely get annoying at a certain point. But with each and every innovation that Apple, Google, Samsung, LG, and others bring to the table every year, there’s always something new to consider. Today, we saw the introduction of Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0, and — of course — the first thing that came to mind was this question: “What does this mean for the iPhone?” In this case, it’s a pretty hilarious comparison. When it comes to battery life and charging speed, Android is — no question about it — in the lead…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google AdSense for iOS hits 3.0 w/ iPhone 6 & 6 Plus support, Material Design, more

Stephen Hall Sep 14 2015 - 8:17 am PT

Google has this morning pushed an update to AdSense for iOS, bringing many features that other apps in the Mountain View company’s catalog received months ago. While it may not be the most popular app outside of publishing and creative circles, the AdSense app has today been updated with support for Native iPhone 6 and 6 Plus resolution, Material Design, and more.

Rounding out the update is support for Hindi and Malay, a new icon for the Home Screen, more metrics, and a today center widget. The last of these, in case you aren’t aware, is a new widget for the Today section of Notification Center. On it, you’ll find four metrics for quick access: Today so far, Page views, Clicks, and Page RPM. It also tells you when the widget was last updated.

While Google’s apps for iOS have always been known for being well-polished (and sometimes just generally better than their Android counterparts), they usually come at a much slower pace. AdSense 3.0 for Android with many of the same new features was released on Android four weeks ago, and you can read more about that update here.

Here’s the full change log:

What’s New in Version 3.0

This time we’re bringing you:
– Support for Hindi and Malay;
– Native iPhone 6 and 6+ resolution;
– A today center widget;
– Our lovely new AdSense logo;
– More metrics!
– A little something we like to call Material Design.

Head over to the App Store to grab the latest version for free.

Opinion: 3D Touch gives iPhone 6s one lead over every Android phone on the market

Stephen Hall Sep 9 2015 - 1:41 pm PT

36 Comments

Apple is very rarely the first to introduce new features for features’ sake. The Apple Watch launched an entire year after the first Android Wear devices were unveiled. Touch ID came to the iPhone years after fingerprint sensors were seen on Android phones, and the company was one of the last smartphone manufacturers to offer a larger-screened phone with the release of the iPhone 6 Plus. The examples of Apple being late to the game — although some would argue, the first to do things right — are endless. But this isn’t one of those cases. While Samsung dabbles with edged screens, Apple has today introduced what I think is a game-changing new experience for developers to play with. And play they will.

I’m not an Apple fanboy at all. In fact, I own one Apple smartphone — the iPhone 6 — at the moment, alongside five or six different Android phones. The Nexus 6 is usually my daily driver, and I (kind of, sort of) use Android Wear as my smartwatch OS of choice. I’ve never owned an Apple Watch nor an Apple TV, I didn’t even own an iPhone until the iPhone 5, and I have only been in possession of an iPad for maybe 6 months — the first generation iPad mini — before I found myself never using it at all and decided to sell it on eBay. All of this said, at least one of the improvements Apple brought to the iPhone line today has very much impressed me.

And not only do I think it’s cool, but it sets the iPhone line apart from anything that Android makers offer in 2015…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Drive for iOS update brings multiple file select, quick sharing, and more

Jordan Kahn Sep 3 2015 - 2:05 pm PT

A new update to Google Drive for iOS brings a couple notable, highly-requested features to the app. Included in the update, users will now be able to select multiple files at once in order to perform an action like saving for offline, adding a star to important files, or rearranging and organizing. The new feature is something that has long been requested by users and makes managing and sharing multiple files at once much easier than in the past.

In addition, the update includes the ability to share, rename or view file details much quicker with new quick share buttons when tapping on a file.

And lastly, Google says the updated app will include the usual performance improvements.

The updated Google Drive app for iOS is available on the App Store now.

Kantar: Samsung & Apple account for 64% of US smartphone market w/ 9 of 10 best-selling models

Ben Lovejoy Sep 2 2015 - 7:51 am PT

The latest data from Kantar Worldpanel shows that Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the U.S. smartphone market, taking a massive 64% of the total market share between them, and accounting for nine of the ten best-selling models.

If share alone was not enough to demonstrate market dominance, our data also shows that these two vendors sold nine of the top ten best-selling smartphones in the three months ending July 2015 – with LG making a cameo appearance in the ranking.

Android increased its U.S. market share by 1.7% in the 12 months ending in July this year, though dropped 7% in Japan and 4.1% in Europe …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon Prime Video now offers downloads for offline viewing on all Android devices

Jordan Kahn Sep 1 2015 - 6:52 am PT

Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service previously only allowed users of Amazon’s own Fire-branded Android devices to download content for offline viewing, but today the company announced it’s expanding that privilege to all iOS and Android users.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Android Wear on iOS: Setup and first impressions [Video]

Cam Bunton Aug 31 2015 - 3:00 pm PT

Android Wear finally has iOS support after Google pushed its iPhone-compatible software to the App Store. This means that Android has beaten Apple Watch to the cross-platform game. Or, at least it would, if iOS didn’t restrict it to a state of almost uselessness. The only device officially supported is the LG Watch Urbane although — as we previously revealed — the older generation Android Wear watches do work. I got it set up with my Moto 360, and have been mostly disappointed by my experience so far.

Eat24 finds Android customers less healthy than their iPhone counterparts

Tom Maxwell Aug 26 2015 - 7:28 pm PT

3 Comments

Sorry, Android users: Popular online food ordering service Eat24 has determined that you are less healthy on a nutritional basis than owners of Apple’s iPhone. That’s based on data it collected from its mobile app over a three month period, tracking information regarding how ordering habits differed across the rival platforms.

Verizon launches program to activate non-Verizon iPhones and Nexus 6s to its network

Chance Miller Aug 25 2015 - 3:03 pm PT

Verizon has recently started allowing customers to bring non-Verizon devices its network and will activate them. The program officially began this week and Verizon confirmed to 9to5Mac that it applies to the Nexus 6, as well as Apple’s iPhone. Verizon notes, however, that the devices must be unlocked prior to being activated on its network.

Claimed leaked photos of HTC Aero/A9, echoing iPhone 6, likely fake

Ben Lovejoy Aug 25 2015 - 4:15 am PT

With HTC’s CEO Cher Wang having promised a new “hero product” in October, there have been a series of rumors about a new high-end smartphone variously labelled as the HTC Aero or HTC A9. Little is known at this stage, but a claimed photo of the device is currently doing the rounds – depicting a device bearing a marked resemblance to the iPhone 6.

It’s not impossible it’s genuine. While similar to the iPhone 6, the overall design is also not too dissimilar to the existing HTC One M9. As Tom Maxwell observed recently, the converged designs of modern smartphones is one of the reasons it can be difficult to tell fakes from the real thing.

But this photo does seem sketchier than most because it looks exactly like a fake image that appeared yesterday. That one was simply an iPhone 6 photo with the Apple logo replaced by an HTC one and a bit of tinkering with the camera. Given today’s photo appears to show exactly the same design, and is very low-quality, we’re taking it with a rather generous helping of salt.

Samsung debuts ‘Ultimate Test Drive’ program, giving iPhone owners one-month Galaxy trials

Mike Beasley Aug 21 2015 - 7:58 am PT

Samsung has launched a new promotional offer aimed squarely at iPhone owners. In a bid to attract Apple’s users to the latest lineup of Galaxy smartphones, the South Korean competitor will now let iPhone users take one of three new models for the “ultimate test drive” for a full month.