Androidifying

The US government is reportedly investigating whether Apple broke security laws by deliberately slowing down its iPhones. Apple has admitted to throttling some iPhone models via update, but said it did so to prevent unwanted device shutdowns. Investigators are said to be “concerned” that Apple misled investors regarding device performance. The US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are said to be investigating Apple over the slowdown of its older iPhone models. Bloomberg , citing people familiar with the matter, says the investigation is in its early stages, but the government is exploring whether Apple broke security laws by failing to notify users of the throttling. Editor's Pick Italy’s antitrust body is investigating Apple and Samsung over planned obsolescence Italy's antitrust body announced Thursday it is looking into complaints regarding Apple's and Samsung's alleged use of software updates to push people to buy new

An unannounced Sony Xperia phone has passed through FCC certification which bears all the hallmarks of a Compact series device. Xperia phones are long overdue a makeover, and it looks like 2018 will finally be the year where Sony delivers a full-screen phone without the chunky bezels we’ve seen from its recent flagships. Editor's Pick Sony in 2018: time for a change Sony treated us to a range of smartphones in 2017, led by its flagships, the Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia XZ1. The company's familiar biannual release cycle caused division amongst those looking for a definitive Sony … Judging by recent rumors, the Japanese OEM will introduce the redesign with a new flagship phone, allegedly called the Xperia XZ Pro . It seems that Sony’s (near) bezel-less redesign won’t be a one-time affair though. The newly-discovered and certified Xperia phone, spotted by GizChina , appears to sport an 18:9 aspect ratio display. What separates this new device from the legions of o

Samsung Electronics announced record operating profits of KRW 15.15 trillion won ($14.24 billion) in the fourth-quarter and KRW 53.65 trillion ($50.3 billion) for the year. Fourth-quarter profits were driven by the company’s components business. The announcement of a 50:1 stock split was followed by a sharp increase in stock price. Samsung Electronics announced record operating profits of KRW 15.15 trillion won ($14.24 billion) in the fourth-quarter and KRW 53.65 trillion ($50.3 billion) for the year. Fourth-quarter profits were driven by the company’s components business. The announcement of a 50:1 stock split was followed by a sharp increase in stock price. Samsung Electronics announced its 2017 fourth-quarter profits today and they were huge. In fact, the company broke its record for a single quarter by posting profits of around $14.24 billion. This was a record that had only been set the previous quarter when they recorded an operating profit of around $13 billion.

You’d think OnePlus would want to lay-low after its recent controversies  but nooope. In its latest couple of ads (brought to our attention by Android Police ), OnePlus shows what appears to be real blood from wounds inflicted during filming, and man in a suit of meat defending himself against a German Shepherd. The promo videos see the OnePlus 5T pitted against the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 in what OnePlus calls “smart tests.” The joke here is that they’re actually really silly tests—get it? Yeah, anyway… One of these “tests” sees a pair of half-naked dudes try to open “20 everyday apps” while having cacti hurled at them, and the first to do so gets to call it quits. The other is a video stabilization test conducted by “a moron” who tries to film the dog chomping on his meat suit. These follow OnePlus’  Lake Blood ad  from last year, which featured a chainsaw-wielding antagonist and lots of blood. It seems that the threat of physical pain may become a runn

Fire Emblem Heroes first anniversary event kicks off on February 1st. Event brings new hero, challenge and training maps, free Orbs, and much more. A new rhythm-based mode called Tap Battle: Illusory Dungeon will also be playable until February 22nd. Nintendo’s mobile strategy game Fire Emblem Heroes is nearing its first birthday. To celebrate the occasion, players will be treated to a special, limited-time anniversary event complete with free in-game goodies. In addition, developer Intelligent Systems is introducing a new legendary hero and a brand new game mode with a twist. The anniversary event kicks off from tomorrow (February 1st) when all players will be able to claim 50 Orbs after logging in. An additional 50 Orbs will then be up for grabs for players who complete each of the 25 special daily maps on both Normal and Hard difficulties. Editor's Pick 10 best upcoming Android games If you’re a gamer, there's lots to be excited about in 2018. We’re expec

Cake Web Browser is a new mobile browser app with a unique take on mobile browsing.  When making a query, the app will load up what it deems to be the most relevant page, rather than search results. You can then swipe through other websites as if they were pictures in a gallery. The Cake Web Browser app has just been released in the Google Play Store. It’s the product of a startup called Cake, founded in 2016, and presents a whole new take on the mobile web browsing experience. When you enter a search query, instead of displaying the regular search results page, Cake will load up what it determines to be the most relevant website. You’ll then be able to swipe through a carousel of other, related pages if the first doesn’t suit your needs. Editor's Pick Need for speed – What’s the fastest Android browser? We use our Android devices for everything nowadays. Calling, texting, checking email, scrolling through social media - you name it. Among those who take their mo

With Android 8.0 Oreo having been officially released in August last year, for the past few months Android users have been enduring the long wait for their phones to receive the update. While it took some time, as we enter the new year, more and more Android owners have been receiving their updates. However, there is bad news for Essential Phone owners today as it seems like they will have to wait just a little longer. This comes as the company announced that it will be skipping Oreo 8.0 and going straight to 8.1. An update on the public release of Oreo: pic.twitter.com/fPJRtX7kvY — Essential (@essential) January 30, 2018 In a statement on the official Essential Twitter account, the company explained that after Oreo 8.0 beta testing they discovered several “stability issues” which have lead them to decide to focus their efforts on Oreo 8.1. Ultimately, they said that this “will push the public release of Oreo back a couple of weeks.” Of course, while this is bound to be disap