Apple introduced a bunch of new capabilities for web apps with iOS 16.4, including access to push notifications and permission for third-party apps to add web apps to the iPhone and iPad Home Screen. Now popular web browser Google Chrome is taking advantage of these new features, as its latest update lets users add their favourite websites to the iOS Home Screen.
You can now add web apps to your iPhone or iPad using Google Chrome
As noted by Chris Messina, the latest update to Google Chrome for iOS provides an option that lets users add web apps to the Home Screen. This means that anyone can now save a website for quick access on the Home Screen without having to leave Chrome and use Safari. Previously, this option was restricted to Apple’s web browser.
“You can now add URLs or Progressive Web Apps to your home screen,” the release notes for this week’s update said. Of course, this requires the latest version of Google Chrome for iOS and also a device running iOS 16.4 or later – as previous versions of the operating system don’t have this API.
When a web app is added to the iOS Home Screen, you can open and use it as if it were a regular app, which means you won’t be redirected to open it in Safari, Google Chrome, or another web browser. With iOS 16.4 or later, these web apps can also provide you with push notifications, just like native apps.
Apple has been putting a lot of effort into finally embracing web apps. With macOS Sonoma, which is available as beta software and will be officially released later this year, Mac users can also save websites as web apps using Safari. Some believe these changes are an attempt by Apple to dodge accusations of anti-competitive practices when it comes to the App Store.
iCloud Passwords for Chrome are no longer only on Windows
macOS Sonoma’s best-kept secret is really no secret at all, and it’s something Chrome browser users are going to love.
For the longest time, Apple has supported iCloud Keychain for both Safari and Chrome users. The only catch is that Chrome users needed to use Windows. iCloud Keychain was a Safari-only party on the Mac.
That’s about to change with macOS Sonoma. The new version of macOS will be the first to expand iCloud Keychain support beyond Safari.
The existing iCloud Passwords extension for Chrome has been updated to version 2.0.5 on July 12,2023, and it works great on Chrome for macOS 14.
Chrome extensions aren’t just limited to Google’s Chrome browser either. They work on Chromium-based browsers, too, including the Browser Company’s interesting new Arc browser. So does the iCloud Passwords extension.
iCloud Passwords for the Microsoft Edge macOS browser also reached version 2.0.5 today, and iCloud Keychain on macOS Sonoma is fully compatible.
This lets you easily enter usernames, passwords, and authentication codes from iCloud Keychain without copying and pasting from System Settings on the Mac. The iCloud Passwords extension makes these browsers just as compatible as Safari.
macOS Sonoma was announced last month and is currently in developer and public beta. Apple released the first public beta version of macOS 14 July 12,2023.
Do Not Disturb mode lets you work or have fun without distractions from your iPhone.
When you want to work or watch a movie without distractions, turn on Do Not Disturb on your iPhone. A new Apple video shows how to activate this mode.
The activation process is simple enough that this Apple Support video mostly serves as a reminder that Do Not Disturb is available.
How to turn on Do Not Disturb with a couple of taps
Our iPhones keep us in constant contact with the world, but sometimes what we need from our handsets is peace and quiet. Whether it’s because you’re in a meeting, napping or having a heart-to-heart with a loved one turn on Do Not Disturb mode to hush your iPhone.
Activating it takes only a couple of steps. The button you need is in the Control Center, so start by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen on iPhone (or iPad).
Open the Control Center and then a couple of taps is all it takes.
Once the Control Center is open, tap on the Focus button, then tap the Do Not Disturb button, which features a moon, to activate the feature immediately.
When you’re finished with your meeting or movie, reopen the Control Center and you’ll see the Focus button has been replaced by the Do Not Disturb button. Tap this to deactivate the mode.
With Do Not Disturb active, all audible alarms are silenced, and your handset won‘t vibrate. Also, the screen won’t come on whenever a notification comes in. Your iPhone is saving all these up for when the mode is deactivated.
Put your iPhone into Do Not Disturb mode and all your other Apple computers switch themselves to the same mode.
Tap on the section with three dots on the Do Not Disturb button to display options for automatically turning the mode off. It can be active for an hour, until evening or — perhaps most usefully — until you leave your current location.
Use Do Not Disturb with Focus on your iPhone or iPad
With Focus in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, you can use Do Not Disturb to silence calls, alerts, and notifications that you get while your device is locked. You can also schedule Do Not Disturb and allow calls from certain people.
When you have Do Not Disturb turned on, a crescent moon icon appears in the status bar and on your Lock Screen.
Turn on Do Not Disturb
Go to Settings > Focus.
Tap Do Not Disturb.
Under Turn on Automatically, set Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at a certain time, location, or while using a certain app.
If you don’t want to be disturbed at a certain time, you can set a schedule and change other Do Not Disturb features to help you concentrate.
Go to Settings > Focus.
Tap Do Not Disturb.
You can select allowed or silenced notifications from people and apps, connect your Lock Screen or Home Screen, have this Focus turn on automatically, and add Focus filters.
Considering testing out the iOS 17 public beta? From the new smart display mode to new health features, interactive widgets to a new Messages experience, Live Voicemail to offline Apple Maps, and more, here are the top 10 iOS 17 features you should try out.
iOS 17 has been in testing with developers since early June and now the public beta has launched.
Apple changed things up this year by making even the developer beta free for anyone. But the arrival of the public beta marks a more stable point in the testing process when Apple is comfortable with non-developers installing the software.
But even though the iOS 17 beta is quite stable at this point, bug and performance issues are common during the beta period. So don’t forget to make an iOS 16 backup for your iPhone just in case you want to downgrade.
Top 10 features to try out with the iOS 17 beta
StandBy mode
Contact Posters
Live Voicemail
Personal Voice
Offline Apple Maps
Share Passwords with friends, family, and colleagues
Automatically delete iPhone 2FA codes
Interactive widgets
Messages new UI and stickers
Screen Distance for eye health
iPhone StandBy mode
Apple enhances the Lock Screen experience this year in iOS 17 with the new landscape StandBy mode for iPhone.
Some of the available options include dual-view, customizable setups while others have different clock faces that take up the whole screen. Check out all the details in our full walkthrough:
Contact Posters
Another neat way iOS 17 gets more customization is Contact Posters. There are lots of ways to create different designs and you can make them for yourself as well as others.
Live Voicemail
Live Voicemail makes it easy to know if you’d like to pick up a call while someone is leaving a message without having to call them back.
Personal Voice
Personal Voice is an impressive capability that lets users bank their voice in the event they lose it in the future. Whether for those with a degenerative disease or if you just like to be prepared, Personal Voice makes it easy to create and securely store a replica of your voice.
Offline Apple Maps
Want to save battery or won’t have a connection where you’re going? With iOS 17 you can download Apple Maps for offline use.
Shared passwords
Password sharing with anyone or any group is seamless with the ability to create shared iCloud Keychain vaults.
Automatically delete 2FA codes
Simple and very useful, iOS 17 can automatically delete 2FA code texts after you’ve used them.
Interactive widgets
Widgets get a nice upgrade with functionality right on your Home or Lock Screen. Here’s a look at them in action with the Home app widget.
Messages stickers and new UI
Instead of emoji responses being limited to the six tapback choices, with iOS 17 you can respond to any text or image with an emoji or custom sticker.
Along with that, there’s a new UI for iMessage apps.
Screen Distance
This is a new eye health feature that helps prevent eye strain for all ages and helps reduce the likelihood of myopia for children.
It’s easy to set up and very effective.
one bonus feature. But this one requires signing up for an Apple Developer account and installing Xcode on your Mac (which is free but more involved):
AirPods Pro 2 Adaptive Audio
Coming with iOS 17 are a range of new capabilities for AirPods Pro that really feel like magic. Check out a closer look at Adaptive Audio with AirPods Pro 2.
Threads is ripping Twitter apart and taking over as one of the fastest social apps to gain popularity. As it’s so new, there are a lot of features that might not be so obvious. Here are just a few we’ve found during the initial launch, including muting people and quickly following other Threads users.
If you’re unfamiliar with Threads, that means you’re not one of the 100 million people to sign up in just a matter of days. That figure was released by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg only a couple of days ago, so the real number is likely to be much higher at the time of writing.
The social app is a hybrid between Instagram and Twitter, as it was developed by Meta, the owner of Instagram. Since its rollout, it’s taken on the social personality of Instagram with the format people appreciated on Twitter. Go figure, “threads” just refers to the format most content comes in.
Contrary to its incredible resemblance to the increasingly unstable social giant, Threads has a few features that haven’t been quite so publicly advertised.
Quick follow
One of the biggest “duh, why didn’t this exist before?!” features in Threads is the Quick Follow feature. Rather than diving into someone’s profile and hitting the Follow button, you can simply tap the plus icon next to their user handle and confirm you want to follow them.
We found this most useful when first setting up the new app. Since the app connects to Instagram, there are a ton of useful follow suggestions at the ready. Tapping the little plus icon next to everyone I already know means I can go on a following spree.
New thread shortcut
Each post is called a “thread,” unsurprisingly. Users can string multiple together to create a long-form post that always ties back to the original content. In normal use, you can draft a post and tap “Add to a thread” to tag a secondary post onto it. This creates your long-form thread before it’s even posted.
Rather than hitting “Add to thread,” Threads has included a neat trick. Simply draft your first post and then hit enter on your keyboard three times. That third tap will trigger a new thread and will move the cursor to a blank slate that’s automatically connected to the previous post.
This can be done over and over again to create a huge thread. While it’s almost just as easy to tap in the new post box to create a new tagged thread, the trigger has a place in muscle memory and comes in handy.
Mute profiles
My experience with Threads initially consisted of a homepage that was pulled straight from the Instagram algorithm, filled with content I could care less about. The more people you follow in Threads, the more your home screen is filled with content you’re more apt to appreciate, but it does take some training.
If you come across accounts you don’t want to hear from, you have the option to “mute” that Threads user. The feature is pretty common across social platforms, but that doesn’t make it any less useful. All you need to do is hit the three-dots menu on a post from the Threads account you want to mute. When it appears, hit the Mute option.
Muting someone in Threads hides their posts from you and allows you to browse without seeing their content. The account you mute won’t know you muted them.
Hidden words
Another useful content blocker is the hidden words feature. By heading into the Privacy page from your profile, you can find and tap Hidden Words.
This section allows you to hide both offensive replies and replies that contain specified words or phrases. At the bottom of that page, you can enter certain words or phrases you don’t want to see.
This feature doesn’t seem to hide posts that you haven’t interacted with, much like Twitter’s hidden feature. That feature was useful for hiding spoiler posts or muting certain topics, though it has a different application here.
Threads is still brand-new, so there will be more features to come as the app progresses. There is already an Android beta open to the public. It should house a good few features before they fully release. With over 100 million accounts in a matter of days, there’s no reason that the app should hit a standstill on tools to make using the app a better experience.
Threads will get more features, and you can try them early on Android – here’s how
Meta’s Threads has seen explosive growth in its two days of availability so far, and while it’s a solid start, what the platform really needs is more features. On Android, you can now sign up for a beta version of Threads to access those new features early.
The beta program, as usual, comes with a higher risk for instability within the app, but it also comes with the promise of bringing new features early. There’s no word on what might be coming first, but there’s a huge list of asks from the millions who have already signed up.
Just a few examples of frequently asked-for features that Threads has already confirmed being in the works include:
A feed that only includes accounts you follow
Delete your Threads account without deleting Instagram
Search
Editing
Multiple account support
Thread translation
Hashtags
No early beta releases have come out, but you can join the program now. Just tap “become a tester” to sign up, then check for updates in the Play Store.
In less than a week, Threads – the new microblogging platform from Instagram – has reached 100 million users, and the Google Play Store reveals how many of those are from Android.
At present, Meta’s Threads is only available on iOS and Android through each platform’s respective app store. While a web app is surely planned – and was briefly spotted live – Threads can only be accessed from smartphones and tablets.
Despite that limitation, it seems Threads has found significant success in its initial launch, with many people seeking a mainstream alternative to Twitter following that platform’s recent string of user-hostile moves. According to a post from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, over 100 million people have signed up for Threads in just five days.
Threads reached 100 million sign ups over the weekend. That’s mostly organic demand and we haven’t even turned on many promotions yet. Can’t believe it’s only been 5 days!
Of those 100 million users, it seems a significant portion of them are Android device owners. The Google Play Store publicly displays the download count of various apps, albeit only as a generic milestone such as “1M+ downloads.” Notably, this doesn’t count how many individuals have downloaded an app but how many devices it’s been installed on. So if a single user installs an app on both their phone and tablet, that counts as two downloads.
According to the app’s Play Store listing, Threads for Android has been downloaded over 50 million times since its July 5 launch. This suggests that Android currently accounts for close to half the service’s 100 million users.
On the one hand, this figure may seem to be on the low side, as the latest data from Statista shows Android as having approximately 70% of the global mobile market share, while iOS accounts for approximately 28%. That said, Threads is currently unavailable in Europe – where Android enjoys a healthier lead over iOS than in the United States – due to “upcoming regulatory uncertainty,” per a statement to The Verge.
Following the release of the iOS 17 beta for developers in June, Apple has now released a public beta for anyone interested in trying out the new software ahead of the official launch this fall. But if you’re planning to install iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 beta on your iPhone or iPad, be sure to archive a backup of your device running iOS 16 for an eventual downgrade.
As you may know, beta software is unfinished and can have a lot of bugs. That’s why it’s always important to have a backup of all your data in case you need to restore your iPhone or iPad to a stable version of iOS. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The most convenient way to back up your data is probably through iCloud. However, iCloud automatically overwrites your old backup with the new one, which means that even if you back up a device on iOS 16, it will eventually be overwritten by a new backup with iOS 17 data. This is not good for users who may need to downgrade their iOS version.
There’s a way to archive a backup of an iOS device for situations like this. However, it requires using a Mac or PC. Before you follow the steps below, make sure your Mac is running the latest version of macOS. If you have a Windows PC, make sure you install the latest version of iTunes or Apple Devices Preview.
Here’s how to archive a backup of your iOS device
Connect your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC via USB.
Find your device in Finder (macOS), iTunes or Apple Devices app (Windows).
You may need to set your computer as trusted on your iPhone or iPad by entering your Lock Screen passcode.
Click the Back Up Now button.
You may be asked to create a password to encrypt your backup. A password is required to back up passwords and data from the Health app.
Wait until the backup is complete. It may take a while, depending on how much data you have on your device.
Click the Manage Backups button.
Select the most recent backup from the list, right-click on it and choose Archive.
By following these steps, your Mac or PC will keep that backup archived. Even if you make a newer backup later, the archived backup will remain there untouched.
Downgrading with an archived backup
If you eventually downgrade from iOS 17 to iOS 16, your computer will ask you if you want to set up your iPhone or iPad as new or restore data from a backup. Select the Restore from Backup option and then choose the archived backup with iOS 16 data. That’s important because you can’t restore an iOS 17 backup on a device running iOS 16.
n order to downgrade the software of an iPhone or iPad, you also need to connect it to a computer and then put it in Recovery Mode. You can find more details on how to downgrade to a stable version of iOS on Apple’s website.
Note: If you’re having trouble connecting your iPhone or iPad running iOS 17 beta to your Mac running macOS Ventura, try downloading and installing “Device Support for macOS 14 beta” from the Apple Developer website.
Here’s how to install the iOS 17 public or developer beta
The iOS 17 beta is officially here for public testers after previously launching for developers. This summer, it’s easier to install the software thanks to a new streamlined process. Follow along for how to install iOS 17 beta, tips on what to do if it’s not showing up, and more.
Note as of 7/13/23: The iOS 17 public beta is now available alongside the first public betas for watchOS 10, macOS Sonoma, and tvOS 17.
Starting with iOS 16.4 Apple brought the ability to turn on developer and public betas right within Settings.
While Apple at first said you’d have to use the same Apple ID as in iOS Settings to get the betas, that changed earlier this spring. Now you can select which Apple ID you want to use with the beta.
Keep in mind even though the iOS 17 beta is relatively stable at this point, bug and performance issues are common during the beta period.
How to install iOS 17 beta – public
Make a fresh backup of your iPhone or iPad – important in case you want or need to downgrade to iOS 16 (Apple recommends doing a Mac or PC backup)
You may need to sign in with your Apple ID at beta.apple.com if you haven’t before
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad running at least iOS 16.4
Tap General > Software Update
Choose the new Beta Updates button (it may take a moment to appear)
Now choose iOS 17 Public Beta
If you need to change your Apple ID associated with the beta, you can tap that at the bottom
Choose Back when done
Look for iOS 17 Public Beta to appear, choose Download and Install
If you’re not seeing the option to turn on beta updates or iOS 17 appear:
Try quitting and relaunching the Settings app
Double check you’re running iOS 16.4 or later (if not you’ll need to update before getting the in-Settings beta option)
Sign in with your Apple ID at beta.apple.com for free then try the above steps again
How to install iOS 17 beta – developer
A paid Apple Developer account is no longer needed – but you may need to sign in with your Apple ID at developer.apple.com if you haven’t before
Make a fresh backup of your iPhone or iPad – important in case you want or need to downgrade to iOS 16 (Apple recommends doing a Mac or PC backup)
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad running at least iOS 16.4
Tap General > Software Update
Choose the new Beta Updates button (it may take a moment to appear)
Now choose iOS 17 Developer Beta
If you need to change your Apple ID associated with the beta, you can tap that at the bottom
Choose Back when done
Look for iOS 17 Developer Beta to appear, choose Download and Install
If you’re not seeing the option to turn on beta updates or iOS 17 appear:
Try quitting and relaunching the Settings app
Double check you’re running iOS 16.4 or later (if not you’ll need to update before getting the in-Settings beta option)
Sign in with your Apple ID at developer.apple.com for free then try the above steps again
Here’s how the process looks:
iOS 17 drops support for iPhone 8 and X; here are all compatible models
Apple has finally announced iOS 17, which brings a lot of improvements and new features to the iPhone operating system. This includes more customization options for the Lock Screen, improved iMessage and FaceTime, new features for the Health app, and a new Standby mode. But not all iPhone models will be compatible with the update. Read on as we detail which iPhones can run iOS 17.
The update has four focuses: communication, sharing, intelligent input, and new experiences. It’s worth noting that some features like the Journal app will not be available with the first release of iOS 17.
“With iOS 17, we’ve made iPhone more personal and intuitive by deeply considering the features we all rely on every day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Phone, FaceTime, and Messages are central to how we communicate, and this release is packed with updates we think our users are going to love. We’ve also reimagined AirDrop with new ways to share, autocorrect gets even better, and we’re introducing all-new experiences with Journal and StandBy, plus so much more. We can’t wait for everyone to try it.”
iPhone models compatible with iOS 17
Unfortunately, iOS 17 requires the A12 Bionic chip or later. This means that iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X won’t get the update.
Here’s a list of all iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 17:
iPhone XS and XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 12 and 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 13 and 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd gen)
More about the update
iOS 17 will be available as a beta software for developers later today. A public beta will be available next month, while the official release is expected this fall. Developers can learn more on iOS 17 on Apple’s website.
Don’t get a Pixel 7 – pick the Pixel 7a instead. That more or less summarized our thoughts from our initial encounter with Google‘s latest a-series smartphone, and we’re here now with the full review to establish how correct that early assessment was.
It’s a pretty natural conclusion that anyone can arrive at, really, even by simply looking at the specsheet – and, simultaneously, at the pricelist. The Pixel 7a gets closer to the ‘high-end’ models than any previous offering with an ‘a’ in its name, and comes in at a not-insignificant $100/€100 less (or thereabout, depending on who you ask and at what time) – what’s not to like? But let’s not put the verdict before the review.
The Pixel 7a improves on some key areas that held the 6a back. Perhaps most importantly, you now get a 90Hz display in place of the old model’s dated 60Hz unit. Yes, the bulk of the competition is at 120Hz already, but the jump from 60 to 90 is the most noticeable from a usability perspective, so maybe we can give the 7a a pass.
The camera system gets a boost too. A new 64MP Quad Bayer main unit replaces the basic 12.2MP one of the 6a – those are more pixels than you’d get with a Pixel 7 (50MP), even though it’s a smaller sensor. Similarly, the 13MP ultrawide is also higher-res (if only just) than the one on the 6a and the 7, albeit with a smaller sensor. There’s no AF on this one, but then it’s only the 7 Pro that has an autofocusing ultrawide, so the 7a doesn’t really lose points here against the 7. The selfie camera is another 13MP affair, that one too being nominally superior to its brethren’s setups.
A noteworthy addition to the a-series feature set is wireless charging. You may scoff at the 7.5W throughput, but you’re unlikely to be in a hurry when sleeping. And it’s not like Pixels are known for fast charging to begin with.
You get the same Tensor G2 chipset on the Pixel 7a that the 7 comes with. While it’s somewhat underpowered compared to other high-end SoCs that the 7 is fighting against, it looks a lot better in the 7a’s context.
Battery capacity is essentially the same between the two models, and the 7a may eke out a few extra minutes of battery life thanks to its slightly smaller display and lower max refresh rate – we’ll see in due time if less ends up being more in this respect.
Less is less in the 7a’s IP rating, but the IP67 should be as good as the 7’s IP68 for that one-time accidental bathroom dunk. The lack of a storage option other than 128GB isn’t as easy to dismiss, though – maybe the 256GB version remains the key thing the 7 has going for it in this head-to-head.
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Google Pixel 7a unboxing
We’ve come to expect minimal bundles from certain companies, and Google is one of them. It’s no surprise then, that the Pixel 7a ships in a box that’s barely larger than the handset itself. The two-piece white cardboard package has a likeness of the phone on lid, color-matched to the actual unit inside.
The contents include a USB-C cable and USB-C male to USB-A female adapter – standard Google stuff. There’s no charger inside, but on some markets you may get Google’s 30W adapter (in its own separate retail packaging) included in the price – that was the case with our German review unit. We did get ours from a third-party retailer, as opposed to the Google online store, and not all retailers appear to be running the same promo. Chances are you’ll be needing to come up with your own charger, is what we’re saying.
Now, while the charger situation is not exclusive to the Pixel 7a, a lot of competitors in the segment do come with adapters in the box. A bundled protective case is also not unheard of. Perhaps a value-oriented consumer like the ones eyeing a 7a would appreciate getting a bit more for their money.
Competition
The Pixel 7a comes in at $500/€510 and that’s quite a heavily contested market segment. Google doesn’t like to sell its phones in more than a handful of markets though, so if you’re outside the select few countries with Pixel presence, things will be easily settled for you. But if Pixels are on the table, there will be some thinking to do.
For starters, you’ll need to consider the Pixel 7a’s in-house competition – an easy enough task. While it remains on sale, the 6a comes with a dated 60Hz display, previous-gen chipset, inferior camera and no wireless charging – we reckon the extra $100/€100 for the 7a are well worth spending. That said, we’re seeing $350/€350 promotional price tags on the 6a, and that calls for some more serious cost/benefit analysis.
It’s probably easier against the Pixel 7 – basically, if you don’t need more on-board storage than the 128GB 7a gives you, the 7 doesn’t really have much to justify the $100/€100 premium. And, technically, if you do insist on the 256GB of storage, you’d be looking at a $200/€200 extra over the 7a, which seems like a lot of money to pay for a storage upgrade.
The 7 Pro has gotten some heavy discounts, particularly in Europe, but it’s still a good deal more expensive than the 7a, so it doesn’t feel right to consider it an alternative to the 7a.
Google Pixel 6a • Google Pixel 7
Outside of Google‘s own roster, the very recent Motorola Edge 40 sounds like a very enticing alternative to the Pixel 7a. Sort of a ‘stock’ Android experience, but with Motorola’s own proprietary additions, the Edge 40 is similar, yet different enough to attract its own crowd thanks in part to the PC-like ‘Ready For’ functionality. It’s not really worse at anything, while being at least as good and often better than the Pixel in key areas – AF-enabled ultrawide, proper fast charging, way higher refresh rate display, actually good selfies, 256GB of storage. The Edge 40 is also as close as you can get to a capable midranger that’s also compact – something the Pixel ‘a’ can no longer claim.
The Moto does have a higher MSRP at launch, and it could be argued it’s worth the added cost. But we feel like its price is going to come down to Pixel 7a levels soon enough, and, unless you’re dead-set on having Pixel software, the Edge 40 sounds like the overall better package.
There’s no need to wait for a price drop with the Galaxy A54 – that’s already going for $100/€100 below Pixel 7a’s price. The biggest concession with the Galaxy would be performance – its mid-tier Exynos can’t quite match the Pixel’s kinda-flagship Tensor. The Galaxy does score a few small victories, like having expandable storage and longer battery life. We’d pick the Pixel for its cameraphone prowess, and the Galaxy if you’re after more of generally good smartphone.
The Nothing Phone (1) is another alternative that runs cheaper than the Pixel – at about the A54’s level. Alongside the savings, the blinky LED back of the Phone (1) is a major selling point, irrational as it may sound, but Nothing’s first… phone is not without objective merits. While we wouldn’t say it’s dramatically better than the 7a at anything, it’s a little better here and there – refresh rate, battery life, charging speed. The Pixel is again the better cameraphone, generally speaking, is bound to get way better software support, and has superior weather sealing (IP67 vs. IP53).
The appeal of Pixel phones tends to be pretty niche, often not entirely well-founded in reason, and difficult to explain with just numbers and test results. It’s somewhat of a similar story with the Pixel 7a here, as a quick look at the pros and cons lists below will show you.
Google hasn’t been quick to adopt a high refresh rate display on its ‘midrange’ model and even when it finally has, it’s a 90Hz panel in a sea of higher RR competitors. Battery life is unremarkable, charging speed is downright unacceptable, the lack of storage options is limiting, and the Tensor G2 runs hot and throttles. There are also missteps in what should be any Pixel’s forte – camera performance.
Attempting to counter all of the above, we have an Android experience tailored to Google’s own vision with a clutter-free interface, Pixel-only features, and an update policy that’s hard to rival. An otherwise meh flagship chipset does make for a pretty great midrange one, prone to throttling as it may be. And so long as you avoid people shots in most of their incarnations, the Pixel 7a’s camera’s system will deliver image quality that wouldn’t be out of place on an actual flagship.
In summary, with the 7a, Google appears to have simply created a more affordable Pixel 7, making the latest a-series model the go-to option for someone just looking for a Pixel. If the ‘G’ logo on the back is not part of your requirements, perhaps there are better deals out there. Perhaps you’ll be missing out though.
Google Photos adds 12 new video effects for Pixel, Google One
While we wait for Magic Editor, Google Photos is adding new effects to make videos “pop” with one of 12 different styles that just requires a tap.
Add a touch of creativity to your videos with new effects that make them pop. Effects start rolling out now for Pixel owners and #GoogleOne members. pic.twitter.com/9t57YS8CAd
The current Google Photos video editor on phones, which dates back to 2021, lets you trim/stabilize, crop/rotate, adjust (brightness, contrast, etc.), apply filters (Eiffel, Playa, etc.), and mark up (pen/highlighter). There’s now a new “Effects” tab with 12 options:
Dust mix
Paper tear
B&W film
Lomo
Light leak
Film mood
Chromatic
Fish eye
Vintage
Layouts
Retro film
Poster
Each comes with a style preview in the thumbnail, but you can very quickly just apply them to your clip and see it in action.
Meanwhile, the video editor in the Google Photos app on Chromebooks was recently also overhauled, while the general UI has been optimized for tablets with a side pane layout.
Google announced on July 06, 2023 that these new video effects are rolling out in the Photos app for Pixel owners and Google One subscribers.
Add a touch of creativity to your videos with new effects that make them pop. Effects start rolling out now for Pixel owners and #GoogleOne members. pic.twitter.com/9t57YS8CAd
Google Photos website adding advanced editing tools from Google One
Google usually prioritizes its Android and iOS apps when adding new features, but Google Photos on the web is now adding advanced editing Google One tools.
Longtime staples of the mobile apps, Portrait Light, Portrait Blur, Dynamic, Color Pop, HDR, and Sky are now coming to photos.google.com. The UI is mostly the same with a new Tools top tab.
Portrait Light: Change the position and brightness of lighting in photos with people
Portrait Blur: Blur the background on certain photos of people not captured in portrait mode
Color Pop: Desaturate the background, while keeping the foreground color for photos of people
HDR: Enhance brightness and contrast across the image
Sky: Select from several palettes and adjust the color and contrast in the sky
This addition is for Google One subscribers with even the $1.99 per month 100 GB tier unlocking the extra Google Photos editing features; “4 GB RAM and an updated browser” are required to get these tools.
We’re not seeing this rolled out just yet on accounts we checked; there is no Magic Eraser in the example Google shared.
Just dropped! Portrait Light, Portrait Blur, Dynamic, Color Pop, HDR, and Sky suggestions are now available for #GoogleOne members on web so you can easily edit your photos, right from your computer.
Google Photos can recognize people from the back in some cases
Google Photos is a very impressive app and useful service for a number of reasons, not least of which is its excellent facial recognition for grouping photos. Suddenly, though, Google Photos is somehow able to recognize people from the back, which is super useful, but also super confusing.
As spotted by the folks over at Android Authority, Google Photos has recently picked up the ability to recognize people from the back, without their face being clearly visible.
The outlet’s Rita El Khoury found that her husband was recognized by Photos where he was facing completely away from the camera, with his face not visible at all. Google Photos was, somehow, recognizing him and automatically tagging him as the subject of these photos, and with a level of accuracy too. It was also being applied to photos that had been uploaded both recently and years prior.
It doesn’t seem to work 100% of the time, though, with manual tagging still available. It’s also brought out that in many cases Photos will show the recognized face as “available to add” rather than just adding it fully. And, in a lot of cases, it still just fails entirely.
I was able to replicate this with at least two photos of my wife, which also helped reveal how the app might be doing this.
From what I can tell, and Rita brings out the same idea, this seems to be based on context. Photos will tag the “face” appropriately based on the context of other photos in the same setting or clothing where the face is visible. In the case with my wife, the photos that worked were taken around the same time as photos were I could also see her face.
While this doesn’t seem to be working across the board, it’s certainly a helpful little tweak.
Google Photos for Android getting settings redesign
The settings page for Google Photos on Android has always been particularly overwhelming, and it’s now seeing a much-needed redesign.
Instead of a list that did not fit into one screen, Google Photos now groups various settings into six high-level menus with (reused) outline-style icons.
Backup: Unchanged
Notifications: Unchanged
Preferences: Group similar faces, Memories, Photo grid playback
Sharing: Partner sharing, Hide video from motion photos, Skipped suggestions, Notifications
Apps & devices: This device (with Free up device storage), Photo frames, SD card access
Privacy: Location options, Google Lens, Sharing options, Group similar faces, Photo frames (repeat)
At the bottom, you conveniently get the version and “About.” In lists, Google has removed the line separators between each item. They are now reserved for groupings, while the toggles aren’t M3 components.
We’re seeing the settings redesign with version 6.39 of Google Photos for Android, but it’s not yet rolled out to all devices. It will be interesting to see whether this approach is adopted by all first-party apps going forward as part of Material You, which would be nice for consistency. The spareness of the layout feels inline with the design language.
New animated Material 3 carousel coming to Google Photos
As work on Material 3 continues, Google now offers a delightful new carousel component. It might look like the wallpaper shortcut when you long press on the Pixel Launcher, but only the shape is similar there. The full carousel is quite animated.
Rather than having all the images in the carousel be of equal size, “items expand and shrink as they’re scrolled,” with their shapes changing from something close to a rounded square (large) to receptacles (medium) and vertical pills (small). Google emphasizes how developers should “avoid setting carousel items so small that the image isn’t recognizable,” with slivers discouraged.
After being scrolled, carousel items snap into place to maintain the same layout.
On mobile, you might see (from left to right) a large, medium, and small carousel item. On a tablet, it might be large, large, medium, and small.
Google notes how “carousel items move at a different speed than their content, creating a parallax effect,” and it supports an optional text label that’s just a few characters.
This new carousel leans into the most expressive parts — “Spirited” in the Making Material You series — of Material 3, including “drawing from the rounded corners of the Material shape system, and the smooth, responsive flow from the Material motion system.”
It uses adaptive shape morphing and dynamic scrolling to create a parallax effect to give users a unique and fresh experience for a familiar pattern.
Image carousels are the most obvious example, but Google mocked it up for news headlines and even music apps on now playing screens.
With Material Design Components for Android going stable this week, developers can more comfortably adopt it. In terms of first-party apps, the first implementation will be in Google Photos, presumably for the Memories carousel at the top of the app today.
iOS 17 beta 3 is here for developers, and it includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhone users. Head below as we recap everything new in today’s update, including changes to the Music app and more.
The first beta of iOS 17 was released following the WWDC on June 5, and beta two was released two weeks later on June 21. iOS 17 beta 2 included updates to AirDrop, changes to the Settings app, crossfade support in Apple Music, and more.
iOS 17 beta 3: New features and changes
iOS 17 beta 3 adds more in-depth song credit information to Apple Music, which Apple first announced at WWDC. This allows users to view in-depth details on producers, performing artists, songwriters, and more.
Apple Music now has a dedicated song credits section in iOS 17
The redesigned app picker in the Messages app has been slightly tweaked to show your most recent photo as the icon for the “Photos” button. Previously, it just showed a generic photos glyph.
iOS 17 beta 3 adds a new “What’s new” splash screen to the Home app, as well as an updated scrolling interface for adjusting the color of multi-color lights. There is also a new icon option for garage doors, making for three choices total.
In the Settings app, “Depth Control” is now its own toggle in “Preserve Settings.” Previously, it was lumped into the Creative Controls category.
Apple Music now has a dedicated song credits section in iOS 17
One of the differences between Apple Music Classical and the main app is that the Classical app highlights the song credits. And after many users have asked for that feature in the main Apple Music app, Apple is now giving users what they want. With iOS 17 beta 3, which was released to developers on Wednesday, Apple Music now has a section dedicated to song credits.
Apple Music now shows song credits in iOS 17
As noted by Hidde Collee, there’s a new option in the Apple Music app with the latest iOS 17 beta that lets users check the detailed credits for each song. The feature had already been announced by Apple at WWDC 2023, but it wasn’t available in the previous betas.
In order to check the credits for a song, all you need to do is tap the three-dot button and then choose the View Credits option. The credits are organized into different categories, such as performing artists, songwriting and lyrics, and production and engineering. The new section also shows whether the song is available in Dolby Atmos and Lossless.
iOS 17 will also bring some other new features to Apple Music. This includes Crossfade, Collaborative Playlists, a new miniplayer, and SharePlay coming to CarPlay. With the exception of Collaborative Playlists, which is coming later this year, all of these features are available now with the current beta.
More about the update
iOS 17 comes with multiple new features, including more options for customizing the Lock Screen, improved iMessage and FaceTime, StandBy mode, interactive widgets, and NameDrop.
The third iOS 17 beta is now available to developers. Apple says a public beta will be available this month, while the official release is expected this fall. More details on how to install the beta update can be found on the Apple Developer website.
Google brings back the Horizon live wallpaper on Pixel 7
At launch, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro series lacked the “Horizon” live wallpaper, but it’s now available again to download and set as your background.
Starting with the Pixel 6a and continuing with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, the Living Universe collection lacked the “Horizon” live wallpaper that would reflect your battery percentage: “Look to the horizon. The sun rises as your phone charges, and lowers as the battery is used.”
All the other backgrounds were present, but the wallpaper that was introduced with the original Pixel in 2016 wasn’t for, seemingly, no particular reason.
In the past day or so, Horizon has returned on a Pixel 7 (running Android 13) and 7 Pro (Android 14 Beta 3.1) with a server-side update. It’s fantastic that this lapse has been addressed as it truly is a fan favorite that ambiently conveyed battery status.
The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will see mineral-inspired wallpapers. Meanwhile, the Pixel Tablet does have the Living Universe collection in Wallpapear & style, but only eight are offered. These are presumably the only large screen-optimized live backgrounds:
Bird’s-Eye View, Zion National Park
White Sands, Sonoran Desert
Flying above, Monument Valley
Garden, Kent, United Kingdom
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, CA
Pantheon, Rome, Italy
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia
Google’s updated privacy policy doubles down on using your data for training AI
AI is a bigger focus for Google than it ever has been, and in an update to its privacy policy, Google is doubling down on its ability to use data for training AI models.
As of July 1, 2023, Google has a new privacy policy in place for users. The update, highlighted by Gizmodo, is documented on Google’s policy site and has a key change.
Google has had a policy in place for some time now that allows the company to collect data from its users and use that data for “business purposes.” That includes for “research and development,” which has long included for building out and improving Google Translate.
Now, in the latest update to its policy, Google is including its AI models in what it can use data from you for. That also includes using the data to train Bard and Cloud AI “products.”
The updated policy matter states (new text in italics):
Google uses information to improve our services and to develop new products, features and technologies that benefit our users and the public. For example, we use publicly available information to help train Google’s AI models and build products and features like Google Translate, Bard, and Cloud AI capabilities.
In a later point, Google also notes that publically available information can also be used to train these models.
For example, we may collect information that’s publicly available online or from other public sources to help train Google’s AI models and build products and features like Google Translate, Bard, and Cloud AI capabilities. Or, if your business’s information appears on a website, we may index and display it on Google services.
None of this implies that Google is planning to use private data linked to your account for training but rather only public information. That’s going to happen anyway, as has been made clear with the rise of ChatGPT and other AI models, but Google’s new policy makes it clear the company intends to do the same thing with data from its users.
Pixel 7a’s Tensor G2 processor appears to be slightly different from the one in Pixel 7
Google’s latest A-Series smartphones have felt faster than ever thanks to an upgrade to the same Tensor chips as their more expensive siblings, but in the case of the Pixel 7a, it appears that the Tensor G2 processor inside is slightly different.
The $499 Pixel 7a is a stellar device at its price point, as we brought out in our review last month, and a big part of that is running on the Tensor G2 processor. That brings better performance, slightly better efficiency, and a much better modem compared to the original Tensor found in Pixel 6a. And while all of that remains true, new evidence suggests that the Tensor G2 found in Pixel 7a isn’t the exact same one found in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
Uncovered by Kamila Wojciechowska, the Pixel 7a is using an altered version of Tensor G2 that is known as the “IPOP” variant. The short version of what that means is that the chip found in Pixel 7a is packaged differently. It has the same components, but the surrounding casing is likely less costly to produce compared to the FOLOP-PoP tech that’s used on Tensor G2 in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
Realistically, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem for most folks, but the added heat certainly isn’t appreciated. Tensor-powered Pixels have been notorious for heat problems, and every little bit helps.
Tensor G2 is also now included in the Pixel Tablet and Google Pixel Fold, but it’s unclear if those devices are also using altered versions from the smartphones we saw released last year.
Pixel Launcher’s Discover feed getting more Dynamic Color
The Google Discover feed to the left of the Pixel Launcher is getting a bit more Dynamic Color.
Before this latest change, only the top portion and Google logo saw Dynamic Color theming. It’s now being extended to the feed background. Instead of white or gray, you’ll now see something more vibrant to better align with your wallpaper. It doesn’t really impact the legibility of article images and headlines or the top carousel of widgets.
We’re seeing this expanded use of Dynamic Color in the Pixel Launcher’s Discover feed on Google app 14.26, which is the current beta release, but it’s not yet widely rolled out. This splash of vibrancy is somewhat nice when transitioning between the feed and your homescreen.
In other things, the Google app’s (short) Material You bottom bar is also not yet widely launched on phones for everyone after all these months. The M3 navigation rail is live on tablets, though it doesn’t support Dynamic Color yet and resorts to a blue accent.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
One of the new privacy improvements with iOS 17 is a new embedded Photos picker for third-party apps plus alerts about which apps have full access to your photo library. Follow along for how to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17.
While Apple includes the ability to limit third-party photo and video access to selected content with iOS 16, there are several upgrades to improve awareness and privacy in this area with iOS 17.
Along with the new Photos picker and alerts about apps with full access to your iPhone camera roll, Apple says when apps ask for Photos app privileges in iOS 17, users will “be shown more information about what they’ll be sharing…”
That includes reminding users that apps may be able to see location data and image captions, explaining why an app wants Photos app access, and the current amount of photos and videos in your library.
How to limit iPhone Photos app access for apps with iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta. Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
After installing iOS 17 on your iPhone, look out for automatic alerts about apps that have had full access to your Photos app library and decide if you want to continue to allow it
You can choose between Limited Access, Allow Full Access, or Don’t Allow
You will also see the alert when an app asks for Photos app permissions for the first time
To limit iPhone Photos app access at any time, head to Settings > swipe down and find the app you want to restrict > choose Photos > tap None or Limited Access
Here’s how it looks to limit iPhone Photos app access when you open iOS 17 Settings > pick a third-party app:
After you switch an app’s access from full to limited, you’ll see the iOS 17 Photos picker. You can use the Photos or Albums toggle at the top, use the search bar, or just swipe and select.
Tap Done in the top right corner when you’re finished.
After you set up limited Photos app access for an app, you can revisit to change it at any point by heading back to Settings > app > Photos > Edit Selected Photos.
Note: There is a lower level of Photos app access in iOS 17 that some apps use. In Settings, just two options will appear: “None” and “Add Photos Only” with the latter being where you manually select content to use/send with the app.
iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17 protects your eyes, here’s how it works
One of the new health features for iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 can help prevent eye strain for everyone, as well as lower the risk of myopia (nearsightedness) in kids. Here’s how to use iPhone Screen Distance and how it works.
Apple highlights that it’s best to keep devices at least 12 inches away from your eyes. But of course, it’s easy to be in the habit of using them closer than that.
So with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, there’s a handy new feature called Screen Distance that makes it easy to build the habit of using your iPhone and iPad at a healthy distance. For kids that reduces the risk of myopia and for everyone helps reduce or prevent eye strain.
Here’s how Apple describes how it works:
“Screen Distance works by measuring the distance between the screen and your eyes. The camera is not capturing images or video, and the data collected remains on the device and is not shared with Apple.”
How to use iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17
iOS 17 is currently in beta.Keep in mind features can change during the beta period.
On your iPhone or iPad with Face ID running iOS 17, open the Settings app
Choose Screen Time now look below and tap Screen Distance
Now tap Continue, then Turn On Screen Distance
Here’s how it looks to use iPhone Screen Distance:
After you tap “Turn On Screen Distance,” you’re all set up.
Shown in the middle and right screenshot below, here’s what it looks like when iPhone or iPad detects you’ve been holding your device too close.
After you pull it away from your face, tap “Continue” to exit the Screen Distance pop-up.
In my time with Screen Distance so far, I’ve realized I tend to use my iPhone too close in the evening. And the feature has been really helpful in changing that habit.
Apple doesn’t give an exact time that’s too long to hold iPhone and iPad less than 12 inches but I’ve seen the Screen Shield pop up in about five minutes.
iPhone Live Voicemail: How to use and turn off/on in iOS 17
iPhone Live Voicemail is a new feature arriving with iOS 17 that will help with the growing problem of spam calls as well as deciding when you want/need to answer from callers you do know. Follow along for how to use and turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail.
Here’s how Apple describes the new iOS 17 feature:
“Live Voicemail gives users the ability to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Calls identified as spam by carriers won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined. With the power of the Neural Engine, Live Voicemail transcription is handled on-device and remains entirely private.”
Since 100% of spam calls on iPhone are not blocked by carriers, it’s possible some may make it through to iPhone Live Voicemail. Fortunately, there’s a block button built into the feature so you can take care of those quickly.
How to turn off/on iPhone Live Voicemail and how it works
iOS 17 is currently in beta.
iPhone Live Voicemail is turned on by default with iOS 17
Head to Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail to turn it off
When you receive a call and let it go or send it to voicemail, you’ll see the phone and recording icon in the Dynamic Island or at the top of your iPhone
Tap the phone icon to jump to the Live Voicemail transcription
Now you can block the caller, answer the call, or let them finish leaving a voicemail – and you can swipe up from the bottom to leave Live Voicemail at any time
Here’s how iPhone Live Voice Mail looks in action:
appears in the status bar and on your Lock Screen.
