Samsung recently released the Galaxy S10e alongside the other Galaxy S10 lineup, as a direct competitor to the Apple iPhone XR. Just like Apple did with the iPhone XR, Samsung has given its "cheaper" variant some of the best features of its higher-end flagships, while reserving some premium features for its higher price point devices. Both handsets are priced equally at launch. So which one is better?
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Feature
iPhone XR
Galaxy S10e
Price
$749
$749
Display
6.1" Liquid Retina
5.8" Dynamic AMOLED
Resolution
1792x828 (326 ppi)
2280x1080 (438 ppi)
Processor
Apple A12 Bionic
Snapdragon 855
RAM
3GB
6GB / 8GB
Rear Camera
12MP Single
12MP + 16MP Dual
Biometrics
Face ID
Fingerprint / Face
Ports
Lightning
USB-C + 3.5mm Jack
Protection
IP67
IP68
SIZE & HANDS-ON
The larger 6.1-inch display on the iPhone XR makes it slightly bigger than the Galaxy S10e with its 5.8-inch display. Samsung's budget flagship is also thinner and lighter. While some may prefer the larger display size, others may lean toward the smaller dimensions of the Galaxy S10e for easier one-handed use.
NOTCH VS. INFINITY-O
Samsung has introduces a screen cutout called "Infinity-O," essentially a hole punched into the display for the front camera. This allowed both Apple and Samsung to offer larger screen real-estate with slim bezels. Ideally, we hope that both the notch and the punch are interim steps on the path to actual full-display phones.
SCREEN RESOLUTION
The iPhone XR was criticized for its lower-resolution LCD display. Pure quality goes to Samsung, who outfitted the Galaxy S10e with a Full HD+ AMOLED panel and support for HDR10+ for superior picture quality.
STORAGE & EXPANSION
Samsung gives customers 128GB of storage on the base Galaxy S10e, compared to Apple's 64GB. Crucially, the Galaxy S10e also includes microSD storage expansion, which Apple's iPhones continue to lack.
Apple has released the third beta of iOS 12.2 to members of the Apple Developer Program. Registered members will now be able to download and install the update on all compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices.
Among its new features, iOS 12.2 is bringing Apple News to Canada offering it in both English and French. Customers will also be treated to four beautiful new Animoji characters which were introduced with the release of iOS 12.2 beta 2. Apple is also using iOS 12.2 to permanently fix the Group FaceTime bug, which was patched in iOS 12.1.4.
The update is also bringing support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit for select third-party smart television sets. With iOS 12.2 installed, customers will be able to use their Home app to control these new smart TVs. Apple is also updating the TV control remote within Control Center with a fresher interface.
Apple is also visually tweaking the native Wallet app while bringing a new interface for the Apple Cash functionality. Apple's iOS 12.2 also benefits from a selection of new icons in certain areas of the firmware as well as some notable improvements to the native Safari web browser.
Registered iOS developers will be able to download the update directly on their device from Settings > General > Software Update if they have the beta profile installed. They can also manually download the iPSW file from developer.apple.com and install it on their compatible devices using iTunes.
The 2018 iPad Pro lineup is a top choice for anyone looking to purchase a new iPad, but those looking to save some money can always look towards the older models. Fortunately, Amazon has an ongoing sale offering the iPad Pro 10.5-inch for $150 off its usual retail price.
The 10.5-inch LCD display on the iPad Pro has a 1668 x 2224 pixel resolution. You also get 64GB of internal storage, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 7-megapixel front camera, TouchID fingerprint scanner for security and Apple Pay, and a powerful Apple A10X Fusion chipset with 4GB of RAM. You can purchase the tablet in any of its four colors - Space Gray, Silver, Gold, and Rose Gold.
It is capable of recording 4K video, includes Apple Pencil support and has been outfitted with four-speakers, ensuring you get amazing audio no matter what orientation you have the tablet in. If you are interested in adding one of these tablets to your profile, you can pick one up for $499.99 by following the links below:
Apple recently released the iOS 12.1.4 update to fix the critical FaceTime privacy bug while patching a few other vulnerabilities on the platform. Unfortunately, the update also appears to have caused a few new issues with customers reporting new problems on their iPhones.
According to Forbes, customers updating to iOS 12.1.4 are experiencing issues with both cellular data and Wi-Fi connectivity. One of the examples comes from an iPhone user on Twitter, who complains that he cannot get his handset to "accept any SIM."
Another user calls iOS 12.1.4 an "utter failure" after his iPhone XS lost SIM connectivity after installing the update. Yet another user complains that her iPhone XS Max is refusing to connect to the home Wi-Fi network after installing the newest software update. These are just a few of the complaints from customers who have found the iOS 12.1.4 update to have negatively impacted the performance of AirPods, Touch ID and others.
Users have been complaining about issues with Apple's mobile platform since iOS 12.1, with customers complaining about various issues related to connectivity affecting the user experience with AirPods, TouchID and more.
Apple is currently working on iOS 12.2 with developers, but should likely switch their attention to what appears to have become a PR nightmare for the company.
Apple recently came under public criticism for a critical FaceTime bug which allowed individuals to invade your privacy. Apple has quickly responded by releasing a fix which also appears to patch three other vulnerabilities on the iOS platform.
While the newly patched exploits didn't make the headlines like the FaceTime bug, Twitter user Ben Hawkes claims two of these lesser-known vulnerabilities were in fact “exploited in the wild as 0day.”
A "zero-day" attack is a generic term that describes any sort of software vulnerability that is unknown to said software’s developers for any period of time while hackers take advantage of a security flaw.
Ben Hawks is currently working for Google as the Project Zero team lead and is in charge of finding precisely these types of zero-day vulnerabilities in both Google-developed and third-party software.
Apple has been very vague in its details on the vulnerabilities, claiming that CVE-2019-7286 is apparently a “memory corruption issue” that potentially allowed “an application to gain elevated privileges”, while CVE-2019-7287 is referenced as a “memory corruption issue” as it opened the door for “an application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.”
Unfortunately, it is not known what kind of damage these vulnerabilities could have caused users, it generally is recommended that you upgrade to the latest version of iOS as soon as possible.
Download Apple iOS 12.1.4
The iOS 12.1.4 update will be automatically pushed out to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch over-the-air (OTA) if you have automatic updates enabled. You can also manually update to the latest version of iOS on your compatible device under Settings > General > Software Update.
Advanced users can manually download the IPSW files and install it on your device using iTunes.
Spotify is currently running a Valentine's Day promotion, which allows customers to enjoy 60 days of Spotify Premium for free. With Spotify Premium you can download your favorite tunes for offline consumption, skip and play any song you like and enjoy your content ad-free.
Keep in mind that this offer is only available to users who have not tried Spotify Premium in the past. After the 60-day Spotify Premium trial, you'll be required to pay $9.99 per month to continue to use the streaming service.
Usually, Spotify offers 30-days of free premium service to their new customers, so this is an additional $9.99 value over that deal in any case.
Currently, this deal appears to be available to customers in the United States and in Canada, but be sure to follow the link below and let us know if the promotion is also available in your region.
Microsoft is expected to unveil a new Software Development Kit (SDK) during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2019 which will allow developers to include Xbox Live features on their iOS and Android games.
The conference will take place between March 18 and March 22, and Microsoft is scheduled to make a presentation about cross-platform gaming during the event.
Microsoft's SDK will allow developers to include Xbox Live features on a compatible game across iOS, Android, Windows, Xbox, and even a Nintendo Switch. Additionally, players on these platforms will be able to carry on their phone information like their list of friends, gaming accomplishments, clubs they belong to and more.
Microsoft says that by adding Xbox Live capabilities to the top two smartphone platforms, the number of devices that support it will soar from 400 million gaming consoles to more than 2 billion devices.
"Xbox Live is one of the largest, most engaged gaming communities on the planet with decades of experience providing managed game services to developers that save you time and unlock all of the social and engagement features that players love...Now Xbox Live is about to get MUCH bigger. Xbox Live is expanding from 400M gaming devices and a reach to over 68M active players to over 2B devices with the release of our new cross-platform XDK...Get a first look at the SDK to enable game developers to connect players between iOS, Android, and Switch in addition to Xbox and any game in the Microsoft Store on Windows PCs."
-Microsoft
Microsoft already offers similar support for Minecraft, where players can sign into their Xbox Live accounts and play across iOS and Android.
Apple's official refurbished store offers older Apple products in a "like new" condition at discounted prices. We've seen Apple offer the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 to customers in refurbished form, but the most recent addition is the Apple iPhone X.
The iPhone X was commercially released back in November 2017 and was discontinued last year in favor of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. After spending several months promoting their newer handsets, Apple has inexplicably decided to release the iPhone X at its newly discounted price.
The refurbished iPhone X with 64GB of storage is being offered at $769, which is $230 off its original retail price. The 256GB version is also available for $899 ($150) for those looking for even more storage.
Would you be tempted to invest in last year's iPhone X, given that these handsets are sold looking brand new in their original packaging?.
Apple has released the second beta of iOS 12.2 to developers registered in the company's developer program. Besides adding some useful new features to the platform, the update is also bringing a fix to the Group FaceTime bug.
Apple has shifted focus to addressing the critical bug on FaceTime with the iOS 12.2 release, where users were able to make a FaceTime call to someone even when they didn't pick up, by forcing a connection.
The bug allowed users to achieve this by initiating a FaceTime call and adding their own number to create a group with the person you are calling. Even when the user didn't accept the call, the initiator was able to access the recipient’s audio feed and listen even before they'd pick up. If the call recipient presses the sleep/wake button in an attempt at canceling the call, the caller will also see a live video feed as well.
While Apple prepares a fix for this bug, the company disabled Group FaceTime on the server-side entirely. Now with the fix hopefully resolving this issue, we should have Group FaceTime working again when iOS 12.2 is released to the public.
AT&T's 5G E support
Users on the AT&T network are noticing another controversial feature on iOS 12.2, where a 5G E icon is displayed instead of LTE on your iPhone. This is AT&T's misleading name for an "upgraded" version of 4G LTE.
The "E" stands for Evolution, a new brand name AT&T is using for some parts of its LTE network. According to AT&T, 5G Evolution reaches a peak theoretical wireless speed of 400Mb/s, which does not match 5G data transfer speeds and is, in fact, the same as traditional LTE speeds.
New Animoji
The second beta for iOS 12.2 also includes four new animoji - A giraffe, an owl, a shark, and a warthog. The addition of this four brings the total to 24 options.
Download Apple iOS 12.2 Beta 1
The new beta 1 release of iOS 12.2 is available for iOS developers through developer.apple.com where you can download the IPSW files and manually install the update on your compatible device using iTunes.
You can also download the update over-the-air on your device if you have the developer profile installed. If you have the beta profile installed, you can download the new beta by heading to Settings > General and selecting Software update.
It is not known if Apple plans to release a public beta for this release, but we will be sure to update you if one becomes available.
Viber has released the first major update to its message app in four years. The new version 10 of Viber brings a completely revamped interface with several new features and improvements.
The new Viber interface offers simpler sections, easy access, and a singular call screen. Users will be able to navigate through the app easier than before, quickly getting to where they need.
You also get easier access to your private calls and group chats, Communities, and favorite public content in one main chat list. Additionally, users will be able to find their most recent calls and access all address book contacts in the new, consolidated “Calls” screen.
Viber has also introduced two new features - hidden-number chats and group calls.
With hidden-number chats in Viber Communities, users will be able to engage and message one another without having to exchange phone numbers. Interaction is made by simply tapping a user's profile in a Community message or from the participant list in the Community information screen.
Viber group calls allow up to five users to initiate a group voice call. Simply add people to an existing call or start one right from an existing group chat to benefit from the new feature. Initially, this feature will be available for voice calls, but group video calls will be added as well at a later date.
You can download the latest version of Viber for iOS from the Apple App Store, and Viber for Android from the Google Play Store.
Best Buy has the Apple iPad on sale, offering up to $75 off on the sixth-generation tablet which features a 9.7-inch display and Apple Pencil support. If you have been looking for a discount on Apple's affordable tablet, this may be your chance to grab one.
The $75 discount is offering on the 128GB Wi-Fi only model bringing its price down to $354.99. Meanwhile, the 32GB version with WiFi has been discounted by $50 bringing its price down to $279.99. Both variants are available in space gray, gold, and silver, and qualify for a complimentary 90-day Apple Music subscription for new users. You also get six free months of Webroot Internet Security services, which usually retails for $29.99.
The 9.7-inch display on the Apple iPad features a 1536 x 2048 pixel resolution. You also get up to 128GB of internal storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.2-megapixel front camera, option LTE connectivity, a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, and is powered by the Apple A10 chipset with 2GB of RAM. The Apple Pencil will have to be purchased separately.
Apple recently decided to resurrect the iPhone SE and sell a limited number of handsets in the clearance section of its website. While the handsets quickly sold out, fans can still get one from Metro by T-Mobile.
T-Mobile's subsidiary has the 32GB variant of the iPhone SE in space gray and rose gold, and new subscribers can get the 4-inch iOS 12 device for free if they act now. You will only have to pay a small activation fee and bring a non-T-Mobile number to Metro to qualify.
The iPhone SE was originally released in early 2016 and is still more than capable of handling everyday tasks like texting, calling and web browsing. While you have to be content with its smaller display size, you still have powerful internal hardware and a Touch ID for security.
Besides releasing the first beta for macOS 10.14.4, watchOS 5.2 and tvOS 12.2, Apple has also released iOS 12.2 Beta 1 to developers registered in the company's Developer Program. Developers will be able to download and install the beta on their compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices and test their apps and services ahead of the update's public release.
What's new in Apple iOS 12.2 Beta 1
Developers testing the new software will be able to discover some of the features hidden within the release. One such feature is the availability of Apple News in Canada, which will allow Canadian iPhone users to install the official Apple News app to get local news updates.
Another feature is support for TVs that will include AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. This functionality was recently announced at CES 2019 by several TV manufacturers who will allow content to be streamed and controlled from your iOS devices.
Additionally, the Control Center TV remote has been redesigned, the Wallet app along with Apple Cash has had a visual update, and AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring both now feature updated icons throughout iOS. Apple has also updated Safari to clearly display all non-https sites as “Not Secure” in the search bar.
"Hey Siri" setup for AirPods 2
With new iOS releases, it's common for Apple to hide hardware references to yet-unreleased software. According to a report on 9to5Mac, a developer has discovered a reference to the unannounced AirPods 2.
The new beta has an AirPods setup routine with the updated earbuds in mind. When pairing new AirPods, iOS will prompt users to set up Hey Siri, a feature that has been rumored alongside new AirPods. The feature will allow people to invoke Siri even when their iPhone is in a pocket, or iPad in another room. Regardless of the location of the device AirPods are connected to, Hey Siri will be registered by the AirPods themselves.
The new AirPods 2 were expected to arrive in the first half of 2019, but with Apple adding the functionality to the upcoming iOS release, we may see the new AirPods arrive sooner than we expected.
Apple has also released an official changelog for iOS 12.2 Beta 1:
Download Apple iOS 12.2 Beta 1
The new beta 1 release of iOS 12.2 is available for iOS developers through developer.apple.com where you can download the IPSW files and manually install the update on your compatible device using iTunes.
You can also download the update over-the-air on your device if you have the developer profile installed. If you have the beta profile installed, you can download the new beta by heading to Settings > General and selecting Software update.
It is not known if Apple plans to release a public beta for this release, but we will be sure to update you if one becomes available.
Apple discontinued the iPhone SE back in September, but the smartphone made a brief return in the clearance section of Apple's website earlier this week. The discounted stock sold out in less than 24 hours, but it appears to have returned once again.
[UPDATE]Unfortunately, the iPhone SE appears to have sold out yet again in under 24 hours. It is not known at this time if Apple will be bringing back new stock.
Apple has priced the base version of the iPhone SE with 32GB of storage at a newly discounted price of $249, which is $100 lower than its previous retail price of $349. The 128GB version can be purchased for $399 ($150 off its previous retail price).
The Apple iPhone SE was first introduced in 2016. It shares the iPhone 5s design featuring a 4-inch display and a similar metal design. Its specs include a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front camera, a TouchID fingerprint scanner, and is powered by an Apple A9 chipset with 2GB of RAM. The chipset is the same one found in the iPhone 6s and the iPad (2017).
If you are looking for an affordable iPhone in 2019, this is definitely the cheapest Apple has to offer. Check the link below and grab one while stocks last.
Apple has released iOS 12.1.3 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The release is minor in nature as the version number would indicate, focussing on under-the-hood improvements, bug fixes, and security patches designed to streamline the experience.
The improvements in this release were initially meant to be a part of iOS 12.1.1 and 12.1.2 but had to be pushed back to satisfy the demands made by a Chinese court over the alleged infringement of Qualcomm Inc. patents.
The official changelog from Apple reads as follows:
This update:
Fixes an issue in Messages that could impact scrolling through photos in the Details view
Addresses an issue where photos could have striped artifacts after being sent from the Share Sheet
Fixes an issue that may cause audio distortion when using external audio input devices on iPad Pro (2018)
Resolves an issue that could cause certain CarPlay systems to disconnect from iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
This release also includes bug fixes for HomePod. This update:
Fixes an issue that could cause HomePod to restart
Addresses an issue that could cause Siri to stop listening
The update will be pushed to all compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices OTA (over-the-air) and you will receive an update notification when it is available for your device. You could also manually update on your device by heading to Settings > General > Software Update.
Advanced users who prefer a clean installation of iOS could consider downloading the IPSW files and installing the update on their device using iTunes.
Microsoft officially announced that they will cease to support Windows Phone after December 10, 2019. The company also recommended that all Windows Phone users migrate to Android or iOS devices.
“With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device.
Microsoft’s mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms and devices”.
This news has been coming for some time now, as Microsoft's ambitions to dominate the smartphone market was crushed in its early stages. Windows Phone was launched more than 2 years ago by Microsoft. With competitors like Google refusing to support their platform, lukewarm adoption from developers and Microsoft's own consistent rebooting of their mobile platform, Windows Phone was never able to take off as a serious contender to iOS and Android.
According to the support page, support ends on June 11, 2019, and “security updates, non-security hotfixes, free assisted support options, or online technical content updates from Microsoft” will end on Dec. 10, 2019. This gives current Windows Phone users a short window to switch to a different platform to stay up to date and secure.
Microsoft has noted that Windows 10 Mobile version 1709 will be the last update for Windows Phone users. After this update, Microsoft will no longer monitor the platform for vulnerabilities or provide support.
Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Surface Phone running yet another version of Windows, better optimized for modern smartphones. But there has been no official information,
Will you be switching to iOS or Android? Let us know below
As consumers, we are bombarded with information, and it's important that we educate ourselves to filter out ingenuine sources and identify authentic ones. Microsoft aims to help us achieve this with their updated version of their Microsoft Edge web browser, as they are committed to putting an end to fake news.
Microsoft Edge is a truly cross-platform browsing experience, with apps offered on Android, iOS and Windows 10. Microsoft is planning to expand their reach further by building Edge on the Chromium platform and bringing their browser to macOS as well.
Microsoft has recently updated Edge with a feature called NewsGuard, which is meant to identify fake news and prevent them from spreading among consumers.
Microsoft has tested the NewsGuard feature on Edge for iOS preview in December, and have just rolled out Edge for Android beta with the feature enabled. If you have signed up for the beta version of Edge you can enable NewsGuard by going to Settings > News rating and toggle the ‘Display rating on address bar’ option.
While you wait for the update to roll out, you can download the latest version of Microsoft Edge using the links below.
Google has released an updated version of YouTube for iOS which adds support Apple's 2018 iPad Pro lineup. The updated YouTube has been optimized for both the 11-inch and 12-inch iPad Pro displays.
You can download the updated version of YouTube for iOS directly on your iPad through the Apple App Store or using the link below:
Interestingly the official changelog on the App Store doesn't reveal the iPad Pro optimization, with Google instead opting for a generic changelog like they usually do.
We added shinier bells and whistles. Because who doesn’t like a good upgrade??
Unfortunately, it appears that the update isn't without its flaws, as the navigation bar on the iPad Pro now sits on top of some of the app's UI elements as you will notice in the image below.
Google is going to have to rethink their overall iPad UI or tweak it on their next release.
Instagram for iOS has been updated, finally adding support for the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR screen sizes. Previously the app would be scaled to fit the larger iPhone displays, but after this update, you will have native support on your new iPhones.
You can download the latest version of Instagram for iOS directly on your iPhone through the Apple App Store or by clicking the link below
Instagram actually released the exact same support for the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR back in October last year but broke the functionality in an update that followed. With the new version 76.0 release of Instagram for iOS, it would appear that the update has been fixed.
Apple is reportedly hard at work on their next generation iPhone, which could be known as the iPhone XI (or iPhone 11). According to a report from 9to5Mac these new iPhones will have some important improvements.
According to the report, the new iPhone will include improved Face ID, where Apple will increase “the power of the flood illuminator which will help reduce the potential for environmental light to interfere with Face ID.”
The report also suggests that Apple will be moving from liquid crystal polymer antennas to modified PI (MPI), which should help Apple achieve a better production yield and improve product performance. Apple may also use the improved antenna technology to introduce the next-generation WiFi 6 (aka 802.11ax) on the iPhone 11. Wi-Fi 6 is not only faster but more efficient which aids battery life.
The next generation iPhones are also expected to feature a triple camera setup, reserved for the 6.5-inch model. The third camera could be used to collect more light and color information or come in the form of a 3D camera for augmented reality.
While initial rumors suggested some radical design changes to the iPhone 11, which included an in-display fingerprint scanner and having the notch replaced with under-display cameras, this newest report suggests that the next generation iPhones may not change much visually.
