Quick Shots-147

Early Pixel 6a mention shows up in a Google coloring book of all places

With the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro releases in the rearview mirror, the current leak cycle revolves around what Google has in store for 2022. In addition to a rumored foldable called the Pixel Notepad, a brand-new addition to the budget A-series is also in the works. Google’s been keeping the Pixel 6a under wraps for now ahead of a potential May release, but it seems the company might’ve accidentally confirmed its existence anyway.

As spotted by DroidLife, people in the Pixel Superfans group — a crew of Google’s most dedicated users who regularly receive goodies and more — got a Nest Audio in the mail this week, alongside a coloring book chock full of product illustrations. It’s a neat gift, even including a QR code to access online versions so you can color them in a browser (give it a shot if you want; it’s pretty fun). However, the physical coloring book might’ve given away the game for Google’s upcoming budget phone. On page 16, near the back of the book, you’ll find the Pixel 6a listed among the list of products supposedly contained in the pages. Whoops.

From Android Police

Lenovo Legion Y90 detailed specs revealed by TENAA

The next gaming phone from Lenovo is going to be called Lenovo Legion Y90 in China, and it has just appeared on TENAA. The device, rumored to arrive globally as Legion 3 Pro, will have a big screen with Full HD+ resolution, ultra-heavy body and plenty of memory options.

This Lenovo carries an L71061 model number and sports a 6.9” OLED screen and a resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels – identical to the Legion 2 Pro. CPU frequency is listed 2.995 GHz, which is the clock rate of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Lenovo is planning to launch the Y90 with at least four RAM options – 8GB, 10GB, 12GB, and 16GB. A leaked specs sheet from earlier this week suggested 18GB RAM version is also on the table.

Storage will be 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The battery is listed at 2,650 mAh, but that’s the capacity of one of its two cells, pointing to a total capacity of 5,300 mAh. The phone’s dimensions are 177 x 78.1 x 10.9mm and it weighs 252 grams.

It will be one of the heaviest smartphones on the market once it launches, and that’s because it will have dual fans for extra cooling, as well as a pop-up selfie camera, embedded in the right-hand side.

From Gsmarena

Honor is bringing a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagship to the MWC

Honor plans to attend the Mobile World Congress where it will announce the global launch of a Magic phone – the Honor Magic V, perhaps? The company’s first foldable is one of the more interesting devices to be unveiled recently.

Qualcomm’s Weibo account chimed in to reveal that the device will be powered by its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Which is the case for the V foldable, though it also doesn’t preclude the introduction of a new flagship.

From Gsmarena

Intel Arc mobile GPU spotted in leaked benchmark

A new leak has appeared for the upcoming Intel Arc A370M laptop graphics card on the Bapco website for its CrossMark productivity benchmark, further confirming that we’re one step closer to getting our hands on gaming laptops that are equipped with both Intel processors and discreet GPUs. 

As reported by VideoCardz, the results were posted onto Twitter by established leaker TUM_Apisak . This has been a reliable source for leaked information within the computing industry prior, but as with any unverified information, don’t take it as gospel. 

The system contained a 12th-generation Intel Core i7-12800H, 8GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD, and is listed as ‘Intel Corporation AlderLake-P DDR5 RVP’ which likely means this is an engineering sample and isn’t a laptop that will actually hit the shelves. Still, with Intel ARC hardware expected to hit the market by Q1 2022, it’s only a matter of weeks until we can see what the real deal can achieve.

From Techradar

Using Face ID with a mask will not require Apple Watch in iOS 15.4

In addition to announcing record-breaking earnings for the holiday quarter, Apple also released new beta versions for its operating systems on Thursday. iOS 15.4 is the next significant beta release for iPhone, and it packs a feature that appeared in previous rumors. You’ll be able to use Face ID with a mask without having the Apple Watch on your wrist. The feature brings another convenient way to unlock the iPhone during the pandemic. However, the feature does not work on all iPhone devices. You’ll need one o the newer models to have 3D face authentication work with a mask on.

From BGR

Apple now has 1.8 billion active devices

Apple made more money than ever during the holiday season, and its growth during 2021 has helped the company add 150 million more active devices. During an earnings call with investors last night, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple now has 1.8 billion active devices.

That’s up from the 1.65 billion Apple reported a year ago, and the 1.5 billion active devices in January 2020. While Cook didn’t delve deeper into the device details, Apple crossed the 1 billion active iPhones milestone a year ago, after selling its billionth iPhone in 2016 and then hitting 900 million active iPhone users in 2019. Apple counts a device as active as long as it has engaged with an Apple service within the past 90 days, so the 1.8 billion number covers a variety of Apple hardware.

From The Verge

Google Play Store’s new ‘Offers’ tab highlights deals on apps, movies and more

Google has launched an Offers tab for the Play Store featuring deals on apps, games, movies, books and other purchases, Android Police has reported. It appears at the bottom of the Play screen, along with Games, Apps, Movies & TV and Books, separate from the existing “Offers and notifications” section. 

“[Offers is] a new tab in the Google Play Store app to help you discover deals in games and apps across travel, shopping, media & entertainment, fitness, and more,” Google said in a blog post. When you tap on the tab, it displays multiple carousels with offers on movie rentals, apps, games and more. It includes sales on in-game items, in-app purchases and offers app trials, Android Police noted. 

From Engadget

Messenger now supports E2E encrypted group chats and calls

Meta (formerly Facebook) is rolling out a major update for Messenger, which brings support for end-to-end (E2E) encrypted group chats and calls. The feature expands upon Messenger’s existing E2E encrypted messaging feature and it now lets you connect with multiple people in a group chat and make calls in a private and secure way. Along with E2E encrypted group chats and calls, the latest update for Messenger brings screenshot notifications support for disappearing messages (previously available in Vanish mode), GIF, sticker and reactions support in E2E encrypted messaging, and more.

For the unaware, Messenger has offered support for end-to-end encrypted chats for quite a while now. The feature initially rolled out all the way back in 2016 and it now finally supports group chats and calls. E2E encryption in Messenger is currently an opt-in feature and users can turn it on by tapping on the lock icon when starting a new chat.

From XDA

Apple unveils AirTag safety guide amid stalker fears

Apple has released an updated safety guide amid ongoing concerns over the company’s AirTag devices.

The company quietly released the safety portal on Monday. The Personal User Safety Guide offers advice on how people can keep themselves and their data safe. AirTags are designed to locate lost items using Apple’s powerful ‘Find My’ network. They are small button-shaped items that can be attached to keys or a wallet.

However, the BBC and other outlets have previously found evidence that AirTags have been misused to track people.

Apple’s new Personal User Safety Guide offers support for people who are “concerned about or experiencing technology-enabled abuse, stalking or harassment”.

From BBC

Google to invest up to $1 billion in India’s second biggest carrier

After investing $4.5 billion in India’s largest carrier Jio, Google is now putting up to $1 billion in Airtel, the second largest mobile operator, Airtel announced. The partnership is focusing on “affordable access to smartphones” and is part of Google’s promised $10 billion investment in the country. “Our commercial and equity investment in Airtel is a continuation of our Google for India Digitization Fund’s efforts to increase access to smartphones,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a statement. 

From Engadget