Articles by Michael Allison

Google maintains that no harm was suffered by any Google Plus customer.

What you need to know

Google was sued over a Google Plus security flaw that exposed user data between 2015 and 2018.
The company has now settled the suit to the tune of $7.5 million.
Affected Google Plus users may file a claim for up to $12 before October 8.

Google has settled a Google Plus class-action lawsuit over a 2015 security vulnerability for $7.5 million. This vulnerability was the proximate cause for Google Plus’s ultimate demise, and it still haunts Google years later. As a result, the company will now offer ex-Google Plus users in the U.S. a payout from that sum as part of the settlement terms.

The company alerted eligible Google Plus users with an email this week, saying:

Google operated the Google+ social media platform for consumers from June 2011 to April 2019. In 2018, Google announced that the Google+ platform had experienced software bugs between 2015 and 2018, which allowed app devel…

Huawei was banned from doing work with any U.S. companies last year, the ripple effects continue to stretch on.

What you need to know

Huawei is set to release the Mate 40 in September.
It would be the last of its smartphones to be powered by Huawei’s homegrown Kirin processors.
Huawei is unable to build anymore as a result of the U.S. trading ban affecting its business with TSMC.

Huawei today confirmed that it would be launching the Mate 40 series later this year with its Kirin chips on board, reported by IT Home. It would be powered by the Kirin 9000, the company’s most powerful set of chips so far. It’ll also be its last. This comes as a result of the U.S. ban on trade with Huawei leading to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) stopping any work with Huawei and HiSilicon.

While Huawei could shrug off the lack of Google Play Services and sell phones outside the U.S. with its own App Store, the loss of TSMC was a sobering moment.

Writing about the move when it hap…

The Galaxy Fold 2 is a device that’s leaning hard into the future.

What you need to know

Samsung today announced the Galazy Z Fold 2, the sequel to its first foldable.
The Fold 2 ships with Qualcomm’s Snadragon 865 Plus, it will also suport the company’s FastConnect 6900 connectivy system.
As a result, the Fold 2 will support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 at launch.

While Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus, it’ll also ship with Qualcomm’s FastConnect 6900 technology on board, bringing along next-gen connectivity support.

“Appearing commercially for the first time, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 features the latest Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 mobile connectivity system, designed to enhance Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance for the next generation of mobile experiences, in conjunction with 5G,” a Qualcomm release noted. This means that buyers of the Fold 2 can expect to access W-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 when they power on their device. It’s the first device to s…

Google also announced the rollout of dark mode for iOS.

What you need to know

Google today detailed a couple of features it was bringing to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides on mobile.
From today, it’ll add link previews and smart compose to its suite of productivity apps.
The company also highlighted other new or otherwise noteworthy features, including Office file compatibility, a dark theme, and a new vertical view for presentations.

Google will let you be more productive on mobile as the company launches a couple of new features for Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. It has introduced Smart Compose, link previews, Office file support, and more. All of these features are either already present, or coming to iOS and Android shortly.

The former feature builds upon Google’s powerful word suggestion and lets the company suggest phrases that you’d be more or less likely to have written. Like with Smart Compose on Gmail, it will find its use in writing more standardized documents, alt…

Another 5G phone makes the new standard accessible to more. for less.

What you need to know

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy A51 5G to the U.S.
It will go on sale on T-Mobile and Metro from August 7th and Verizon on the 13th.
Samsung previously launched the Galaxy A71 5G for $600.

Samsung has just announced the launch of the Galaxy A51 5G in the U.S this week. The phone, already sold internationally, will join the Galaxy A71 and Samsung Galaxy S20 as the company’s U.S. slate of 5G phones. It will also be the cheapest phone Samsung’s selling with the next-gen wireless standard at $499.99.

It will come to T-Mobile and Metro from August 7, with a Verizon UW variant to follow shortly after on August 13.

The Galaxy A51 is an impressively designed phone, but we weren’t overly impressed with it when reviewing the 4G version earlier in the year.

Writing for Android Central, Harish Jonnalagadda opined:

The A51 will be going on sale in the U.S. and other global markets in a few m…

The One Fusion+ already launched in Europe and India.

What you need to know

Motorola is launching the Motorola One Fusion+ in the U.S.
The phone shares many specs with the Pixel 4a, including the Snapdragon 730, 6GB of RAM, and a base 128GB of storage.
The One Fusion+ starts at $399.99 from Motorola when it launches tomorrow.

The Motorola One Fusion+ is coming to the U.S from tomorrow, August 5th, the company announced today. After launching in India and Europe earlier this year, one of Motorola’s nicest budget phones is now coming to America.

Featuring a sleek modern design, it shares many of the same specs as the Pixel 4a which debuted yesterday. This means you’ll find the same Snapdragon 730, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage configuration. It has a larger 6.5-inch FHD+ display, however, and it’s near bezel-less with a pop-up selfie camera in place of a hole-punch.

At the rear, you’ll find four cameras. While one of them a good enough 64MP primary camera, the others offer v…

Google had previously pledged to keep Fitbit data separate from its ads business, but the EU didn’t accept it.

What you need to know

The EU will now investigate Google’s $2.1 billion Fitbit purchase over a period of 90 days.
The body has concerns over whether Google could use wearable data to boost its online ads business.
The EU will also look into whether Google could degrade the experience of rival smartwatches and bands on Android once the purchase is completed.

The EU is opening a full-scale investigation into Google’s Fitbit purchase, the body announced today. News of the impending investigation was reported last week by CNBC.

The European Commission is assessing the purchase over concerns that Google could use data from Fitbit users to build out its already formidable advertising business. It believes that data collected from wearables appear to be such an advantage or personalised ads that Google’s rivals would never be able to compete if the company chose to integra…

Google said BlueMail was kicked out for copying another app.

What you need to know

Google allegedly suspended an app from the Play Store over cooperation with the congressional antitrust investigation.
Google told the developers that BlueMail was being removed due to copying another app.
Co-founder Dan Volach told the Post that this merely a pretext to obscure the firm’s true intention.

Google has been accused of kicking the BlueMail, a popular Android email app, off the Play Store in retaliation for the developers’ cooperation with Congress’ antitrust investigation of the company, the developers alleged.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday:

The founders of Blix, the maker of the “BlueMail” app, say they believe the move was retaliation for their outspokenness on antitrust issues. They said Google had not previously warned them about the move.

“We have been developing for the Google Play Store for more than six years, but we woke up this morning to find ourselves …

The only bubble-ready app is currently Facebook Messenger.

What you need to know

Google officially rolled out bubbles with the first Android 11 Beta this week.
Messages will soon be updated to support bubbles within weeks, starting with beta builds.
At the moment, only Facebook Messenger supports the new API. The company switched from its own chatheads to Google’s bubbles just prior to the launch of the beta.

Google debuted Android 11’s first beta this week with a slew of features including the new “bubbles” interface for messaging apps. In essence, it’s what Facebook introduced as “chatheads” a few years ago, but now officially built into the operating system as something any app can use.

Bubbles currently only work in Messenger as Facebook quickly got on board with Google’s implementation, but Google will light it up in Android Messages soon.

“Bubbles for Android Messages will be enabled over the next month. If you’re in the Android Messages Beta, you’ll receive an update s…

Google’s best year of sales was in 2019.

What you need to know

A new report from IDC says the Pixel line sold more phones than OnePlus in 2019.
The growth was attributed to Google’s Pixel 3a release, as well as the line expanding to new markets.
The Pixel 3a and 4 lines still sold fewer units in their first two quarters than the preceding Pixel 3.

The Google Pixel line had its strongest performance since launch in 2019, a tweet from an IDC analyst said today. The line shipped over 7.2 million phones last year, overtaking competitors like OnePlus for the same calendar year.
. @Google continues to expand the #Pixel portfolio and sales are growing. In 2019 shipments grew 52% YoY to reach the highest volume ever, with strong performances in the USA, Western Europe and Japan. It now ships more units than @oneplus but it is still far from reaching Top10 pic.twitter.com/qY66isF9vN— Francisco Jeronimo (@fjeronimo) June 9, 2020

While it may be puzzling to see the Pixel line’s sales…