Important announcements
Android Pay could use facial recognition for loyalty programs
The latest version of the Android Pay app has revealed that Google is working on a feature called Visual ID which will allow users to authenticate loyalty points based on facial recognition. This has been discovered by 9to5Google who found lines of code that hint at a feature called “Visual ID”. Users will first have to create a face template when they activate the feature and participating retailers will have Visual ID cameras installed that will perform facial recognition when the customer walks in.
You can read more here.
Apple acquires sleep-tracking company Beddit
Beddit confirmed that it has been acquired and furthermore that user information “will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy”. The Beddit Sleep Tracker uses a sensor about the same size and thickness as a piece of duct tape to measure total sleep time, resting heart rate, respiration rate, how long it took you to fall asleep, how many times you got up, and the amount of deep sleep achieved.
More info are available here.
European Commission investigates Google and Apple for unfair practices
European companies such as Spotify, Rocket Internet and Deezer have complained that online platforms, such as search engines and app stores, abuse their position as gateways to customers to promote their own services or impose imbalanced terms and conditions. The Commission wants to establish fair practice criteria, measures to improve transparency and a system to help to resolve disputes.
You can read more here.
Top new products
Sony Xperia XA1
The phone has a 5.0 inch screedn, a Mediatek MT6757 Helio P20 processor and 3 GB of RAM. It comes with a 23 MP of rear camera, an 8 MP front one and a 2,300 mAh battery.
More info here.
Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom
The phone has a 5,000mAh battery and a Snapdragon 625 with octa-core CPU. It comes with 3 GB RAM, 32 GB of internal storage, a 13 MP front camera and two 12 MP cameras on the back.
More info here.
ZTE Blade X Max
The Blade X Max comes with 6-inch full HD display and a 3,400 mAh battery. It will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.
More info here.
Top interesting info
Microsoft fixed a serious Windows Defender bug
Google Project Zero researchers Tavis Ormandy and Natalie Silvanovich said they discovered “the worst Windows remote code exec in recent memory”. In just two days, Microsoft’s Security Response Center and Windows Defender developers were able to come up with a fix that is now available via Windows Update for Windows 7, 8.1, RT and 10.
You can read more here.
Apple published a series of short tutorials on how to use the iPhone camera
Called “How to Shoot on iPhone 7,” the explainer series consists of 17 short videos that run about 40 seconds in length and cover a range of iPhone photography methods. All in all, the videos serve not only as an opportunity to teach existing owners about their hardware, but act as an advertising tool touting iPhone 7’s capabilities.
More info can be found here.
Google ends Android Nougat Beta program and will soon begin Android O Beta program
The Beta Program’s page confirms the change, revealing a vague “coming soon” release schedule for Android O. All users enrolled in the current Beta Program will have their devices updated to the latest public version of Nougat. Android O’s developer preview has been available for a few months, but it was said that this was not the public beta and wasn’t intended for a mainstream audience.
You can read more here.
