Electronic Arts on Thursday reminded fans of its Skate series still waiting for Skate 4 that, yes, the developer is “still working on it” — still! — and is inviting players to sign up for a chance to play the next Skate game early to provide feedback on its development. EA also shared a “pre-pre-pre-alpha” look at the new Skate on YouTube, showing off new features and gameplay in a video.
“We told you we’re back, and we’re still working on it,” Skate developer Full Circle said on the game’s official website, “but it’s time for you to see what we’ve been up to. It’s still early, but we want to get this right and that means we want you to be a part of it.”
EA says that Skate fans can play “early versions of the game” and provide feedback, noting that those playtests will be closed, invite-only, and that users won’t be permitted to share video, screenshots, or livestreams of what they play. More details about the playtesting program are available in an FAQ on EA’s website.
A new Skate game was officially confirmed in 2020, after a yearslong campaign in which fans of the franchise flooded EA’s social media channels with the #skate4 hashtag in an attempt to convince the publisher to revive the skateboarding series. In 2021, EA announced the team creating the new Skate, a studio branded Full Circle. Leading Full Circle is Daniel McCulloch, formerly a general manager of Xbox Live at Microsoft, and Deran Chun and Chris “Cuz” Parry as Skate’s “creative leadership.”
The most recent Skate game was Skate 3, released in 2010. The series was originally developed by EA’s Black Box studio in Vancouver. That team was merged into EA Canada and Black Box closed in 2013.
Samsung is launching its gaming hub for its 2022 smart TVs and monitors today. The hub brings together the best game streaming apps into a single location, with quick access to Nvidia’s GeForce Now, Google Stadia, Utomik, Twitch, and Microsoft’s new Xbox TV app. Even Amazon Luna will be available soon, neatly integrated into the Samsung Gaming Hub UI.
The gaming hub doesn’t act only as a launch point for cloud gaming, though. HDMI-connected video game consoles will feature inside the hub, alongside passthrough controller inputs so you can use a single controller instead of having to pair multiple ones. That means popular Bluetooth headsets and controllers will work across multiple apps, services, and devices through the Samsung Gaming Hub.
The biggest new addition to the gaming hub is Microsoft’s Xbox TV app. While Stadia, GeForce Now, and Twitch are available across a variety of TVs, the Xbox app is currently exclusive to the Samsung Gaming Hub and provides access to Xbox Cloud Gaming. Fortnite is available to stream free of charge, but you’ll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to play more than 100 games.
Alongside the gaming hub launch, Nvidia is also adding some games to its GeForce Now service. Alaloth: Champions of The Four Kingdoms, Disgaea 6 Complete, Card Shark, KartKraft, Hotline Miami, and NASCAR 21: Ignition are all available today.
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Technology
Choosing your next smartphone can be challenging. With so many brands offering similar features at similar prices, it can be hard to understand what device actually has the things you want. If you’ve already determined you only want an iPhone, your decision-making process is slightly easier. (And even then, Apple’s lineup offers more options than ever.) Those also considering Android will have even more options to choose from, and likely more questions. Do you want a camera that can zoom into subjects that are extremely far away, or do you want intuitive AI that can screen your incoming calls for you? Here at Engadget, we test smartphones all year round and can help you make sense of what’s available and what to look out for. And, of course, we’ve included our favorite phones to help you whittle down your shortlist.
Android or iOS?
Each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms.
As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from iOS to Android (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform.
Cameras
Since people’s phones often pull double duty as their primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device like the S22 Ultra (which has 10x optical zoom), a Pixel 6 Pro (3x optical zoom) or an iPhone 13 Pro (3x optical zoom). (Note: The standard iPhone 13 doesn’t have a dedicated zoom lens.)
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the iPhone 13 (warm, vibrant, cool and rich contrast), while Google’s Pixel 6 comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and action pan modes.
Will you get 5G or Wi-Fi 6?
The good news is that in 2022, most phones have at least 802.11ac Wi-Fi and support for one or more types of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds you can get, it’s going to cost you a bit more. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing from budget and mid-range handsets like the iPhone SE and Pixel 5a.
On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6e, which are available on a number of high-end devices, but harder to find on less expensive handsets. Wi-Fi 6 also requires you have to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 6E shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone.
Other features to consider
Because not everyone agrees on what makes an ideal phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Galaxy S22 or the iPhone 13 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches.
Our picks
Best iOS smartphone: iPhone 13 Pro
David Imel for Engadget
Picking the best iPhone is fairly easy. Of the current lineup, the iPhone 13 Pro offers the best balance of features, size and price. It has a fast-refreshing 120Hz ProMotion screen that makes scrolling a breeze, as well as a versatile camera system and great battery life. I prefer it to the Pro Max since the latter is an absolute anvil of a phone that will probably fracture your skull if it falls on your face. And though the Pro is heavier and pricier than the regular iPhone 13, the additional camera and faster screen is worth the extra money.
All the iPhone 13s are equipped with Apple’s capable A15 Bionic chip, which provides powerful performance. If you don’t need something as high-end as the Pro, consider the iPhone SE 2022, which also uses the same chip but costs a lot less. Though I’m a fan of the iPhone 13 mini’s compact size, I can’t recommend it to anyone looking for a daily driver that will last all day; its limited battery life means you’ll need to at least charge it again in the afternoon for it to stick around till you need to order that Uber at midnight. – Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor
As Samsung’s latest flagship phone and the spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note line, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has every feature power users and more mainstream shoppers could ever need. Its 10x optical zoom camera offers the longest reach you can get on a phone today, while its huge 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED screen makes everything look smooth and colorful. It also has IP68 dust and water resistance, not to mention durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ panels in front and back. And of course, there’s the built-in S-Pen, whose latency has dropped to just 2.8 milliseconds for 2022. This makes drawing, sketching and anything else you do with its stylus feel incredibly responsive. And, thanks to expanded support, Samsung’s Galaxy S will get at least four years of Android updates, which is longer than what Google has pledged for the Pixel 6. – Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
If all you want is a simple, affordable and easy-to-use phone without any unnecessary bells and whistles, the Pixel 5a is the perfect choice. Starting at $459, the 5a features a colorful 6.34-inch OLED display, while Google’s excellent photo processing produces pics that match what you get from phones that cost twice as much. You also get super handy IP67 dust and water resistance, along with good performance thanks to Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. And, unlike a lot of other mid-range phones, the Pixel 5a enjoys strong software support, with Google promising regular Android and security updates until August 2024.
The main things you won't get compared to more premium handsets are a dedicated telephoto lens, wireless charging and support for mmWave 5G (though you do get sub-6GHz). It’s worth noting that the Pixel 6a is around the corner, and it’ll use Google’s own Tensor chip that uses AI to improve photography, voice recognition and Material You. We’d need to test it to see how it performs in the real world before recommending it, but if you’re not in a hurry to get a new phone, it might be wise to wait for the Pixel 6a. – S.R.
With an A15 Bionic chip and iOS 15, the latest iPhone SE is possibly the most powerful phone you can find for under $450. Sure, it has a dated design, but some folks might actually appreciate the retro look. The best thing about the iPhone SE is its home button: It’s the only new iPhone to have Touch ID. And though it only has a single rear camera, the SE still takes solid pictures. If you can get over the small, low-res screen, the iPhone SE will serve you well. It’s also really the only sub-$500 option for iOS diehards.
If you’re open to considering Android and want to spend less than $400, consider something from Samsung’s Galaxy A-series or the OnePlus Nord N20. Those looking to spend even less can check out the Moto G Power – just be prepared to compromise on features like display and cameras at lower prices. – C.L.
It’s hard for me to leave the house without the Pixel 6 Pro. As long as there’s a chance I might want to take photos, I make sure I’ve brought Google’s latest flagship. The Pixel 6 Pro’s triple rear camera system is versatile enough to capture anything from the largest group shots or wide landscapes to faraway animals (like that time I thought I spotted a whale when staring at a distant blob from Acadia National Park). Google’s Night Sight still outperforms the competition when taking pictures in low light, too, and its computational photography delivers clear, vivid photos.
Of course, Samsung and Apple’s flagships are closing the gap, and these days there is little difference between the photos they deliver. Some people might even prefer the warmer tint on Galaxy devices. But special features like Google’s Magic Eraser and Motion effects make the Pixel 6 Pro the most fun to shoot with. Plus, I love the additional tools you get on Pixels, like Call Screening, Material You theming and Live Captions, among others. The Pixel 6 Pro has some small flaws, including a quirky in-display fingerprint sensor and some early software bugs. But if you’re willing to put up with those issues, in exchange you’ll get the best camera experience around. – C.L.
While you won’t find as many options for foldables in the west as you would in Asia, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is widely available in Europe and North America and remains an excellent pick regardless of market. That’s because while its starting price of $1,800 definitely ain’t cheap, the Z Fold 3 has the ability to adjust to your needs. Its exterior cover screen makes it easy to quickly check notifications or a map when you’re on the go, while its huge 7.6-inch main screen delivers a more immersive video experience than practically any other phone out right now. You can even prop the phone on a table and use it as a mini tripod/camera combo.
On top of that, its OLED panel allows the phone to serve as an excellent gadget for reading comics or books, while stylus support lets you sketch or take handwritten notes with ease. (Just remember, the Z Fold 3’s S Pens are optional extras.) And thanks to its innovative hinge, the phone can switch between modes in a snap while still offering five feet of water resistance. In a lot of ways, the Z Fold 3 is a phone, a tablet and an e-reader – all rolled into a single device. Alternatively, if you’re intrigued by flexible screens but prefer something more compact, the $1,000 Z Flip 3 offers similar tech in a smaller device at a more approachable price. – S.R
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"When it comes to emulation or bringing classics back or doing really any sort of remastering or reimagining, I don't know if there's anybody who does it better than Digital Eclipse, so they were always our first choice," Atari CEO Wade Rosen told Game Informer.
Atari has yet to share a complete list of the games that will appear on the compilation, but in addition to many classics, the collection will include six new retro-inspired games. One of those is a sequel to 1981’s Haunted House for the Atari 2600. Haunted Houses will feature modern 3D voxel-based graphics and new levels for players to explore. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration will cost $40 when it arrives later this year on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC and Atari VCS.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Technology
With the launch just around the corner, the Noting phone (1) chipset has been confirmed by Carl Pei.
According to Pei, the phone (1) will be powered by the Snapdragon 778G+.
Pei suggests that the mid-range chipset is the "most balanced choice" in a recent tweet.
A black colorway has also been revealed in a set of images.
Nothing phone (1) is the most anticipated smartphone that is all set to launch on July 12. Over the past few weeks leading to the announcement, we have seen much of what to expect from the debutant smartphone. Nothing has already confirmed plenty of details, and Carl Pei has now confirmed the processor powering the device.
Pei told Input that the phone (1) would come with a Snapdragon 778G+ chipset. The 7-series octa-core processor from Qualcomm features a Kryo 670 CPU and an Adreno 642L GPU. The said SoC is an upgraded version of the existing Snapdragon 778G, featured in phones like Realme GT Master Edition 5G and Samsung Galaxy A73 5G, which translates to slight improvements in clock speeds.
Pei further explains the reason behind opting for a mid-range chipset instead of getting a flagship processor like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. He believes choosing the new 778G+ chipset would ultimately reduce costs in favor of achieving good performance and power consumption. Pei further believes that mid-range phones have reached a point suitable enough to undergo day-to-day tasks with ease. He further adds that the power-hungry premium chips are bringing less than impressive returns despite their high pricing.
Pei notes the chipset is more power-efficient, which translates to battery life on the phone (1). The SoC is said to bring up to 30% improvement in performance, heat dissipation, and energy-saving abilities when compared to its predecessor.
The 778G+ processor also brings other enhancements to the phone (1). It enables wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities on the phone (1), features usually seen in flagship SoC(s) from the chipset maker.
As a follow-up, Pei tweeted a photo implying the Snapdragon 778G+ SoC is the "most balanced choice." That said, phone (1) is not the first phone to choose the Snapdragon 778G+ processor, which has already been found in phones like the Motorola Edge 30 and Xiaomi Civil 1S.
With the new Qualcomm chipset confirmation from Carl Pei, it appears the first phone from Nothing won't quite take on the top Android phones like the OnePlus 10 Pro or the Galaxy S22 Ultra, for that matter. However, based on what we know of the Nothing phone (1), the expected price is likely under $500; therefore, we should be anticipating an all-around performance from the mid-range device with the new 7-series chipset from Qualcomm.
Aside from the SoC, the phone (1) includes a translucent design similar to ear (1) — the first product announced last year by the company. One impressive feature to look forward to on the phone (1) is the Glyph interface, backed by several LED lights (around 900, to be precise) on the rear of the transparent phone, which are meant to give new life to notification lights.
While we've seen plenty of images of the phone (1) in white, a recent tweet from Roland Quandt of WinFuture reveals a new black colorway that appears more striking with the contrasting LEDs.
Nothing Phone (1): Here's your full gallery of retail marketing images for Carl Pei's new device: https://t.co/yREmtK83lr pic.twitter.com/8zUrsQ1JdLJune 29, 2022
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While the exciting new features are building up anticipation on the phone (1) ahead of the launch, it is sad to see that it won't be coming to the U.S. The company is planning to launch the smartphone in select markets like the U.K., Europe, and India.
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Technology
Bowers & Wilkins first introduced the Px7 noise-canceling headphones in 2019, effectively replacing the PX in its personal audio line. Now the British company that's perhaps best know for its high-end home speakers has returned with a new version of the over-ear model. With the Px7 S2, Bowers & Wilkins has completely overhauled the Px7, from the design to the sound and the active noise cancellation (ANC). What's more, the company offers all of the upgrades with the same $399 price tag.
The Px7 S2 features an "all-new construction" that Bowers & Wilkins says will keeps things comfy during longer listening sessions. More specifically, the company has opted for a slimmer shape and better cushioning in the earpads while trimming the overall weight. This new model is also available in three new color options: grey, blue and black. Physical controls are still available on the headphones, with buttons for power, volume, track controls and calls on the right side. A customizable button on the left earcup gives you quick access to noise canceling settings or a voice assistant.
Inside, the company says it has built a new acoustic platform that powers 40mm drivers. Bowers & Wilkins further explains that the speakers were specifically built with "ultra-fast response" that's capable of hitting "every nuance" of the music you're listening to. The drivers are also angled to kepp "consistent distance" from your ear for a more natural soundstage. The company has developed its own digital signal processing (DSP) that can handle 24-bit streaming from your go-to music services with support for aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC codecs.
In terms of ANC, the Px7 uses four microphones: two that measure the driver output and two that monitor ambient sound. The company says it has revised the noise-canceling algorithm as well for better performance. When it comes to calls, Bowers & Wilkins has changed both the microphone position and tweaked the digital signal processing to compete with noisy venues. ANC settings and transparency mode can also be activated in the company's Music App for the first time on its headphones, along with the ability to adjust the EQ as you see fit. Soon, the software will also allow you to stream music via an in-app player with an upcoming update.
Bowers & Wilkins says the Px7 S2 will last up to 30 hours on a charge, though it doesn't specify if that's with ANC on or off. The company did explain that it upgraded the quick-charge feature from the previous model, giving you seven hours of listening time in 15 minutes. That's two more hours than before, in the same amount of time.
Lastly, Bowers & Wilkins has teased its upcoming flagship headphone model, the Px8. Details are scarce for now, but the company says you can expect "reference-level" sound and "luxurious materials" for $549 later this year. If you can't wait for a new set of cans, the Px7 S2 is available starting today from the company's website and select retailers.
Gallery: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 | 45 Photos
Gallery: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 | 45 Photos
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There is no denying that smartphone cameras have come a long, long way and while the companies like Samsung are always pushing the boundaries by releasing camera sensors with up to the 200-megapixel sensor, the sensor size, for the most part, has remained smaller. However, Sony, a master in imaging and cameras has decided to beat Samsung and became the first firm to launch a 1-inch smartphone camera sensor, the IMX989.
The Sony IMX989 Claims why Sony is the Best in Camera Industry
The Sony IMX989 is going to debut in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, the device is going to launch alongside the Xiaomi 12S and the Xiaomi 12S Pro on July 4, 2022. You are looking at a 50-megapixel sensor with a native pixel size of 1.5µm, which should result in exceptional low-light performance.
However, it is with noting that some Sony smartphones actually use a 1-inch sensor, but that is a cropped version of the sensor that Sony uses in its digital cameras. This makes the IMX989 the first 1-inch sensor that is made explicitly for smartphones. Sony is also rumored to be working on a mid-range sensor.
At the time of writing, the ISOCELL GN2 is the biggest sensor that Samsung offers; you are looking at a 1/1.12-inch sensor with a native pixel size of 1.4µm. This means that the Sony IMX989 should offer much better video and image quality than what Samsung is offering. However, it is important to know that a lot of aspects of mobile photography also depend on processing algorithms, so it would be best if you leave this on the phones that implement this camera.
Considering how the smartphone cameras have come so far, do you think that the Sony IMX989 has what it takes to take the smartphone photography to the next level? Let us know in the comments below.
June 29, 2007: A big day for the iPhone and the Schmick family
By Joanna Stern
On June 29, 2007, the first iPhone went on sale. On that same day, a boy named Noah Schmick was born. Over the next 15 years, the iPhone grew…and so did Noah. Through interviews with current and former Apple executives, WSJ’s Joanna Stern traces how Apple’s invention matured and changed all of us—perhaps the youngest generation most of all.
The iPhone Baby: How 15 Years Shaped a Generation
Through exclusive interviews with current and former Apple executives, WSJ’s Joanna Stern traces how Apple’s invention evolved over the next 15 years and changed a generation.
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Technology
Arm is announcing its new flagship Immortalis GPU today, its first to include hardware-based ray tracing on mobile. As PCs and the latest Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles are all gradually moving toward impressive ray-traced visuals, Immortalis-G715 is designed to be the Arm’s first GPU to deliver the same on Android phones and tablets.
Built on top of Mali, a GPU that’s used by the likes of MediaTek and Samsung, Immortalis is designed with 10–16 cores in mind and promises a boost of 15 percent over the previous generation premium Mali GPUs. Arm sees Immortalis as the start of a transition to ray tracing on mobile following its success with the 8 billion Mali GPUs that have shipped to date.
“The challenge is that Ray Tracing techniques can use significant power, energy, and area across the mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC),” explains Andy Craigen, director of product management at Arm. “However, Ray Tracing on Immortalis-G715 only uses 4 percent of the shader core area, while delivering more than 300 percent performance improvements through the hardware acceleration.” It’s not clear if a 3x speedup over software-based ray tracing will be enough to tempt game developers, but when Nvidia introduced hardware accelerated ray tracing in its RTX 2080, it advertised a 2x-3x boost at the time. “It’s the right performance point for now to get this technology into the market,” says Arm’s Paul Williamson, adding that it may also come in handy in augmented reality applications where RT could be used to match virtual lighting to the real-world environment around you.
Arm is already delivering software-based ray tracing in last year’s Mali-G710, but the promise of hardware support means we will start to see flagship smartphones with this chip at the beginning of 2023. Samsung also announced its Exynos 2200 chip with hardware-based ray tracing earlier this year, so manufacturers are getting ready for the games to arrive.
“We decided to introduce hardware-based Ray Tracing support now on Immortalis-G715 because our partners are ready, the hardware is ready, and the developer ecosystem is (about to get) ready,” says Craigen. Arm is only providing a couple of examples of ray tracing on its mobile GPUs today, and there’s no clear commitment from any game developers just yet. “We believe this technology has a strong place, but it’ll take time,” says Williamson, hinting that we should see “some interesting experiences on mobile over the next year or so.”
Arm also has an update to its main Mali line with the Mali-G715. This GPU includes variable rate shading (VRS) to boost gaming performance and energy savings on mobile. VRS essentially renders the parts of a scene in a game that require more detail, so details in the background don’t need as much rendering power. “When enabling Variable Rate Shading on gaming content, we have seen improvements of up to 40 percent on frames per second,” claims Craigen. Other improvements mean these latest Arm GPUs will see a 15 percent energy efficiency improvement over its previous Mali-G710 GPU that was introduced last year. Arm wouldn’t say how much more expensive an Immortalis device might be compared to a Mali-based one.
Arm’s move to support hardware-based ray tracing on its GPUs is a significant step for mobile Android gaming. Ray tracing is currently limited to powerful GPUs that are typically found in gaming PCs or the latest Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles. Nvidia has previously demonstrated ray tracing in conjunction with Arm last year, but it was an RTX 3060 GPU paired with a MediaTek Kompanio 1200 Arm processor. That effort is focused on PCs and likely Chromebook-like laptops, but Arm’s new Immortalis is focused squarely on Android.
Arm also shared a chunk of its roadmap, which you can view above, suggesting it’ll follow up Immortalis with a flagship “Titan” GPU in 2023 and “Krake” in 2024. Arm declined to tell us if Titan or Krake will expand ray tracing support, though.
Epic Games is putting its support behind Immortalis with its Unreal Engine, alongside MediaTek and Unity. This is the type of industry support you’d expect for a new mobile GPU like this, but the real test will be how many mobile game developers start implementing ray tracing. (Arm says its ray tracing will use the Vulkan API.) It’s still incredibly rare to see ray tracing on console games, so it’s unlikely we’ll see a flood of mobile games moving to ray tracing anytime soon.
Additional reporting by Sean Hollister.
Correction, June 28th 11:50AM ET: Article updated with more details on Immortalis, and to make it clear this is Arm’s first hardware-based ray tracing chip, not an industry first.
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Technology
Samsung has published a user manual for the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro.
The manual confirms that the phone has a removable battery.
This could make it the most powerful phone with a removable battery.
Samsung announced a July 13 launch event for the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro rugged smartphone and the Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro. We’ve already seen a few details leak for the former device, and now more details have emerged online.
The Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro user manual has been posted online by the Korean brand, bearing the phone’s SM-G736B model number (h/t: SamMobile). The biggest takeaway? Well, it confirms that the upcoming Samsung phone has a removable battery, complete with instructions and images showing how to install and remove it. Check out these images below.
It’s a pretty special release then, albeit not purely because it has a removable battery. A recent Google Play Console listing points to the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro also packing an upper mid-range Snapdragon 778G processor, which means this will be the most powerful smartphone with a removable battery. The Fairphone 4 seems to have been the previous top dog in this regard, packing a Snapdragon 750G chipset.
Other notable hardware features shown in the user manual include two customizable hardware buttons (an Xcover key on the left and a “top” key), a 3.5mm port, a power button with a side fingerprint scanner, microSD card support, and an ultrawide rear camera.
The manual also mentions features like Single Take mode, Super Steady video recording, and Samsung Dex functionality.
We’ll need to wait until July 13 to get a full look at the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro, but it’s clear that fans of phones with removable batteries should keep an eye on this one.
One of the year’s best budget phones is finally available unlocked in the US. The OnePlus Nord N20 5G launched as a T-Mobile exclusive in April, and that was the only way to get ahold of one — until now. The N20 5G is now up for sale from Amazon, Best Buy, or directly from OnePlus for $299 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Take note that the unlocked N20 won’t work on Verizon — not on 5G or 4G. AT&T customers will be able to connect to 4G only, which isn’t too bad of a deal given that the carrier is taking a slower approach to expanding its more meaningful mid-band 5G coverage. T-Mobile subscribers will, of course, get 5G and 4G coverage.
This makes the unlocked N20 best suited to AT&T customers who don’t need 5G or someone on a T-Mobile MVNO like Google Fi or Mint Mobile. Or maybe you’re on T-Mobile and you just don’t want to buy your phone through your carrier, which is a smart move if you can manage it.
If any of the above describes your situation, then you’re in luck! The N20 is one of the best deals in its class. It offers a contrast-rich 6.4-inch OLED screen while virtually all of its competitors include LCDs. It also supports fast 33W wired charging with the included charger and even offers a speedy in-display fingerprint sensor for smooth unlocking.
On the downside, the N20 is still on Android 11 — new phones have been shipping with Android 12, the current OS version, for months now. OnePlus has promised an update to Android 12 for the N20, but the clock is ticking since Android 13 is more than likely just around the corner.
Nintendo has announced when its next games showcase will take place. A Nintendo Direct Mini is scheduled for June 28th at 9AM ET. It most likely won't feature news on Mario, Zelda, Pokémon or any of Nintendo's other franchises, though. The company said the stream will focus on third-party titles that are on the way to Switch.
Right now, it's unclear what to expect from Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase (to give the broadcast its full title). However, it could a be fairly meaty affair, since it clocks in at 25 minutes and Nintendo usually zips through announcements during Directs.
This isn't pegged as an Indie World Showcase, so it may center more around titles from major publishers and larger studios. One of the more notable third-party games slated for a Switch debut, No Man's Sky, already has a release date of October 7th, so that may not get a heavy focus. There's always the chance of more details on Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is slated to arrive sometime within the next year.
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The iPhone 14 Pro is tipped to get an always-on display at long last. And we've just learned more about what you could use it for.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported (opens in new tab) that "weather, calendars, stocks, activities and other data" are the kind of things you'll be able to have on the iPhone's always-on display (AOD). In addition, there will apparently be an Apple Watch 7-style setting to avoid displaying any sensitive info on the AOD. This way, anyone who catches a glimpse of your phone won't accidentally see any personal data.
Gurman already had the iPhone 14 Pro tipped to get an AOD, but now reports that Apple is finally making the move to use a feature some of the best Android phones have had for years, thanks to iOS 16 and the redesigned lock screen. He says the new design and added app widgets available for the lock screen in the upcoming iPhone operating system are specifically designed to work with an always-on display.
Making efficient always-on displays requires a screen capable of a low refresh rate and low brightness levels in order to conserve power. That's why Apple hasn't been able to add AODs to previous iPhones, and is also likely why this feature's going to be an iPhone 14 Pro exclusive.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offer adaptive refresh rates, but they can only drop to 10Hz minimum rather than the 1Hz needed for an efficient AOD. According to some rumors so far, the iPhone 14 Pro models will be able to reduce their display refresh rates to 1Hz; sadly the standard iPhone 14 isn't expected to get this upgrade.
All iPhone 14 models, Pro and non-Pro, will also get a new updated selfie camera, adds Gurman. Unfortunately, he also backs up previous claims that the iPhone 14 won't receive any other big hardware changes, with it tipped to stick with a form of A15 Bionic chipset found in the iPhone 13 series.
However, a new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max model has once again been tipped to replace the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini. This could prove good news for users who want a larger display but aren't interested in paying extra for the Pro Max model like they'd have to right now.
GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 is one of those games that will forever be held up as a milestone in the art. It wasn’t the first FPS on a console, or even the first FPS on the Nintendo 64, but it was unquestionably the best. And the most influential. GoldenEye 007 inspired the development of Half-Life and reportedly prompted the creation of the Medal of Honor series. It also holds very fond memories for everyone of a certain age who would hunch over someone’s 14-inch bedroom TV to play the local deathmatch for hours at a time.
Its success, and legacy, means it’s one of a handful of titles that would merit a feature-length making-of documentary. Drew Roller’s GoldenEra tries to encompass everything about the title, from its genesis as a small project at Rare’s rural farmland campus to the monster it became. In one way, the story of GoldenEye 007 mirrors that of Citizen Kane – created by neophytes so unaware of what would be achieved, they went on to break new ground in the process. And while many of the team would go on to make some pretty good games, nothing would come close to their debut in terms of impact and acclaim.
GoldenEra has been able to get many of the original team on the record, including David Doak, Karl Hilton, Brett Jones, Duncan Botwood and Steve Ellis. Their testimony is supplemented by a number of journalists and talking heads from across the games industry that helps bulk out the gaps. After all, Rare (then working in partnership with Nintendo, now owned by Microsoft) has always been more secretive about what it does than other studios. And so there do seem to be missing chunks of testimony that would have helped paint a richer, fuller picture here.
And if there’s a problem with the film, it’s that it’s a lot harder to make the drama compelling given that software design is relatively staid. Not to mention that the impact a game has has to be measured in different ways to, for instance, a movie or album. After all, you can fairly clearly spot the examples of pop phenomenons, since they often swallow the culture around them for weeks or months at a time. Our relationship with video games is often a lot more personal, beyond the usual visual cues of people queuing up to buy the title on release day.
This is, perhaps, where GoldenEra starts to feel a little saggy, since it tries to cover the breadth of GoldenEye 007’s fallout without much depth. This means that the back third essentially becomes a series of five minute segments covering Perfect Dark, Free Radical Design and Timesplitters, GoldenEye fan films, the modding community that have kept the title alive and what happened to Rare. There’s even a little detail about the proposed remake of GoldenEye 007, as well as plenty of snark handed out to the subsequent James Bond games that are all, universally, not very good. But as much as you or I might take issue with the scattershot approach, it’s one way of folding in all of the many and varied ends to this particular story.
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Facebook’s app for smart TVs, which lets users tune into various videos, shows, and livestreams on the platform, may no longer be available on Apple TV, as first reported by 9to5Mac. Some users say they’re no longer able to access the app after its most recent update.
In a thread on MacRumors, one user shares an image of the notice they received after attempting to open Facebook Watch on their Apple TV 4K: “The Facebook Watch TV app is no longer available, but you can still find lots of videos on Facebook at www.facebook.com/watch.” Several other users report having the same experience.
Facebook rolled out its Watch app on Apple TV in 2017 after first launching it on Samsung smart TVs. The app is also available on various other smart TVs and consoles, as well as on Facebook’s mobile app and desktop site. Users who still want to use the Watch app on Apple TV should be able to cast Watch from their phone to their TV, but this obviously isn’t as convenient as simply opening up an app.
It’s unclear if the Facebook Watch app is no longer available due to a glitch triggered by the recent update, or if Facebook pulled the app from Apple TV entirely. Apple TV is still listed as one of Facebook Watch’s supported platforms. The Verge reached out to Apple and Facebook with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
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