Xiaomi Mi A3 and Mi A2 Android 10 kernel sources released before update

Xiaomi launched the Mi A3 in July 2019 with Android 9 Pie, and the good-looking smartphone made its way to India a month later. Similarly, the Mi A2 was launched in July 2018 with Android 8.1 Oreo and made its way to India in the next month. The Mi A2 received its stable Android 9 Pie update in November 2018, bringing the phone up to speed on the then-latest version of Android. We’re in 2020, and both the Android One smartphones from Xiaomi are awaiting their Android 10 update. While we have no information on when exactly the updates are arriving, Xiaomi has already uploaded kernel sources for the Android 10 update for the Mi A2 and Mi A3.

Xiaomi Mi A3 XDA Forums || Xiaomi Mi A2 XDA Forums

Buy the Mi A3 from Amazon.in

The Android One program started its journey way back in 2014 with Android Lollipop. Though the first set of Android One devices were squarely budget devices, the program went on to incorporate devices in higher price ranges. While not an exact replacement to the Google Play Edition program, Android One has provided users with the option of using Google’s Android on devices not made by Google. When Xiaomi announced the Mi A1, enthusiasts like us were excited by the prospect of using Google’s software experience on Xiaomi’s value-centric hardware. Android One smartphones also promise two years of OS updates as well as three years of regular security updates. MIUI back then also lacked some of the refinement present right now, so the entire proposition was very enticing.

However, with both, the Mi A2 and the Mi A3, users have not been able to shake off the feeling that Xiaomi has purposefully held back its Android One smartphones from achieving their full potential. There have been some hardware compromises along the way, ones that did not make their way to the popular Redmi Note lineup launched in the corresponding timeframe. And now, the delay in delivering Android 10 to devices under the Android One program takes away from one of the prime selling points of quick Android updates.

Android 10 Kernel Source: Mi A3 || Mi A2

Xiaomi has been silent on when Android 10 is going to arrive for the Xiaomi Mi A3 and the Xiaomi Mi A2. Since the Android 10 kernel sources are now live, we presume that the updates are on the horizon. If you cannot wait to try out Android 10 on your device, know that you can always experience them through custom ROMs on both the Mi A2 and Mi A3.

The post Xiaomi Mi A3 and Mi A2 Android 10 kernel sources released before update appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2Rg3rDB
via IFTTT

HTC shuts down Elevate community program

These days, several smartphone manufacturers engage with their community to seek feedback and improve their products to better suit the community’s needs. Manufacturers like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Realme have a massive fan following and the companies take their fans seriously. OnePlus, for instance, has its Open Ears Forum to directly interact with its users and improve its hardware and software offerings. On the other hand, Xiaomi and Realme give their top fans the opportunity to attend launch events and they get free merch for their support. However, neither OnePlus or Xiaomi are the first smartphone manufacturers to create such a community. Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC is arguably one of the first to start such a community program for its fans, but sadly, the program has now finally met its demise.

HTC’s Elevate was a private members-only community for fans and supporters, with its entry limited by a strict invite system. HTC relied on Elevate to connect with loyalists worldwide and get feedback on its products. In return, members stood a chance to get freebies and get invited to attend launches. HTC required members to be active and log in on the platform at least once each month, which not only incentivized activity but also served to weed out members who weren’t as passionate about the brand.

Early last week, a couple of Elevate members faced issues logging in on the HTC Elevate platform. Fans who tried to log in were left with a 502 error, which led people to believe that the company had finally called it quits. However, the forums were back up online in a few days which gave fans some false respite. Now, if you visit the HTC Elevate website you’re greeted with a pop-up that states, “Hello — This program is no longer active. Please email ElevateSupport@htc.com for any support needs for HTC products.” As of now, there’s no official statement from HTC regarding the now-defunct community program.

---

Via: Twitter

The post HTC shuts down Elevate community program appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/39Q3gqZ
via IFTTT

PUBG Mobile 0.16.5 includes Royale Pass Season 11, new Arena map, and Domination Mode

A new month means it’s time for new Android security patches and a new PUBG Mobile update. Version 0.16.5 brings several noteworthy features, including Royale Pass Season 11, a new Arena map, a new Domination Mode, a new vehicle, and more. Let’s dive in.

Royale Pass Season 11 starts January 10th and it brings new missions for players to earn rewards. PUBG Mobile 0.16.5 also includes a new TDM Arena map called “Town.” The map is described as “an expansive map with a large terrain variety.” Along with the new map, there comes a new Arena Mode called “Domination.” This mode puts players in two teams of four and the goal is to capture two out of the three bases.

Speaking of maps, the training Warehouse has returned and firearms have been rebalanced for Arena mode. A lot of people are experiencing winter right now, so PUBG Mobile is being seasonal and releasing a new Light Snowmobile vehicle for Classic Mode. This vehicle only spawns in Vikendi and can accommodate two players. The Light Snowmobile is faster and more agile than the standard Snowmobile, but it takes damage easier.

So that’s basically it for PUBG Mobile 0.16.5, another solid update for the popular game. Anyone who updates to the new version between now and January 15th will get 20 silver, 2,000 BP, and 1 Blue Glider Trail. So go forth and download the update now! Good luck!

• Light Snowmobile – In Classic Mode, players can now enjoy the new vehicle exclusively in Vikendi map, which is the perfect ride for two. It is faster and moves more efficiently than the original Snowmobile but is also more easily damaged
• Firearm Balancing – Groza’s single-shot damage lowered from 48 to 45 in Team Arena
• Season Recap – After the new season starts, the Season Recap page will arrive soon for players to view their statistics and highlights from the previous season
• Royale Pass Improvements – New multi-option missions in Team Arena, Payload Mode and more offer new rewards. Mission guides and display have also been improved
• Additional updates in security features, download status buttons etc.

PUBG MOBILE (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Source: PUBG

The post PUBG Mobile 0.16.5 includes Royale Pass Season 11, new Arena map, and Domination Mode appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2tKutuF
via IFTTT

Uber adds 3 new safety features for riders in India

Uber and its fleet of drivers are roaming the streets in many parts of the world. Every region has its own unique situations and Uber has to make sure to take these things into account. In India, driver-related incidents have been on the rise, so the company is taking action.

Uber is introducing three new safety features in India: PIN verification before the ride, “RideCheck” to spot irregularities while a ride is happening, and in-ride audio recording. PIN verification sends a 4-digit PIN to the riders, which they then share with the driver to begin the trip, thus confirming their identity.

“RideCheck” is a feature that allows Uber to flag things during a ride. They can flag things like long stops, stops in the middle of a ride, detours, and more. These are things that Uber will monitor on behalf of the riders. Once detected, Uber will check on both the rider and driver. Lastly, the in-ride audio recording feature will do exactly what it says: record audio in the vehicle during a ride. Riders have the option to submit the audio at the end of a ride if something happened. Only Uber will have access to the encrypted audio file.

PIN verification and RideCheck will roll out first and in-ride audio recording will launch as a pilot program later this year. Uber says this safety initiative has “sensitised over 50,000 driver partners across eight cities in the country.”

---

Source: Gadgets 360

The post Uber adds 3 new safety features for riders in India appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/305y1nc
via IFTTT

Unofficial LineageOS 17 brings Android 10 to the Xiaomi Mi CC9/Mi 9 Lite

Xiaomi has been busy rolling out Android 10 to a range of Redmi and Mi lineup of smartphones, starting from the Redmi K20 Pro which received the update on the very first day Google released Android 10 to the more recent Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi K20, Mi 8, Mi MIX 3, and Mi 9 SE which received Android 10 just yesterday. The long list of devices means there are still many smartphones waiting for their turn to taste the sweet Android treat. One such Xiaomi device which has yet to receive official Android 10 is the Mi 9 Lite (aka Mi CC9 in China), launching first in China in July last year and subsequently arriving in the European markets a few months later. The device did receive the stable MIUI‌ 11 update around November but it was still based on Android 9 Pie — as opposed to Android 10 that many were hoping for.

While we don’t know when Xiaomi will release the Android 10 update to your Mi 9 Lite, the good news is you can skip the waiting period and try out Android 10 right now on your phone through this unofficial port of LineageOS 17. The port comes courtesy of XDA‌ Recognized Developer coderzs and is the first full-fledged Android 10-based ROM for the Mi 9 Lite that’s not simply a GSI. The ROM‌ is only tested with MIUI firmware version 9.12.26 and therefore it may or may not work with other firmware versions. There doesn’t appear to be a long list of known issues listed in the thread, but the developer does mention occasional freezing of SystemUI which he intends to fix in a future update.

If you want to take this unofficial port of LineageOS‌ 17. for a spin on your Mi 9 Lite, head right over to the linked thread below where you will find the required files along with step-by-step flashing instructions. Just make sure you have an unlocked bootloader and TWRP installed before you proceed.

Download Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 for Mi 9 Lite/Mi CC9

The post Unofficial LineageOS 17 brings Android 10 to the Xiaomi Mi CC9/Mi 9 Lite appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3a5tohI
via IFTTT

LG will try to make its mobile business profitable by next year

LG’s smartphone division has been a thorn in their side for years, hemorrhaging money seemingly no matter what the company tries to do. Gimmick after gimmick hasn’t saved them, and even a desperate attempt at launching a software update center in order to roll out frequent updates proved fruitless. At CES, however, the company feels that the tide is turning and has vowed to make its business profitable by 2021. Speaking at CES, the company’s new CEO, Kwon Bong-seok, said “LG Electronics mobile business is going to be profitable by 2021. I can say we can make that happen as LG Electronics will expand our mobile lineup and steadily release new ones attached with some wow factors to woo consumers.” This isn’t the first time that the company has attempted to rethink their strategy when it comes to mobile.

Kwon never elaborated as to how the company intends to do that but reiterated its commitment to expanding its smartphone lineup even further. The company has struggled massively in recent years, even earning only a third of the expected operating profit that analysts had projected for the fourth quarter, ending on December 31st of 2019. LG said it expected to generate 98.6 billion won, while market analysts had previously pegged the company for a much higher figure of 270 billion won. Kwon didn’t really dwell on the company’s undercutting of expected operating profitability. Earlier in the year, LG had even moved its smartphone production from South Korea to Vietnam, in a bid to cut costs.

Regardless, the company should soon publish its financial reports for 2019, and it will be possible to see just how realistic of a goal that may be. LG also talked about the impracticality of 8K TVs and talked more about its rollable TV that is expected to launch later this year.

---

Source: The Korea Times | Via: Android Police

The post LG will try to make its mobile business profitable by next year appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2T3Z5lo
via IFTTT

[Update 2: Search Providers Announced] Google to add search provider choices in Android to comply with EU ruling

Update 2 (1/9/20 @ 11:50 AM ET): The alternative search providers that will be shown at setup alongside Google have been announced.

Update 1 (10/1/19 @ 9:50 AM ET): Google is testing showing search provider choices in Android ahead of the 2020 rollout.

Android users in Europe can now look forward to easily selecting between a host of search providers, as Google has just announced an upcoming change to how Android would function in the European Union. From 2020 onwards, Android smartphone and tablet users in Europe will be able to select a search provider that will power the search box on their home screen, as well as be used as the default search provider within Google Chrome, if the browser is installed. This change is part of the steps that Google has taken to comply with the European Commission’s ruling on Android.

This change is limited to all new Android phones and tablets that will be shipped into the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2020, where the Google Search app will be pre-installed. In its blog post, Google reiterates that Android users are free to customize and personalize their devices in whichever manner they deem fit, including the apps they can download and how the apps are arranged on the homescreen.

Google has also opened up the application process for search providers to be listed on the above screen. Eligible search providers will need to fill out an application form and can bid for inclusion based on an auction. Auctions will be conducted on a per-country basis and will be valid for a duration of one year. In each country, search providers will have to state the price that they are willing to pay each time a user selects them from the choice screen in the given country, and the top three bidders that exceed the minimum bid price will appear in the choice screen for that country. The auction winners, and Google, will be ordered randomly in the choice screen. If the bid process fails to get three entities that exceed the minimum bid price, the remaining slots will be filled randomly from the pool of eligible search providers (including those who applied to participate but did not submit a bid). Further details on the application process and other related questions are present on the application page.

In July 2018, the European Union found Google guilty of violating antitrust regulations, and subsequently imposed a fine of $5 Billion. The EU held that Google “imposed illegal restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators to cement its dominant position in general internet search.” After the ruling, Google announced changes to how it did business in the EU, allowing Android partners to build forked smartphones for the European Economic Area, and introducing a new paid licensing agreement for smartphones shipped into the EEA, among other changes. Later on, Google also announced that it will present additional app options for Search and Browser on smartphones for users in Europe. This latest move from Google should further appease the conditions laid down in the European Commission’s July 2018 Android ruling.

Source: Google Keyword Blog, Android Choicescreen

---

Update 1: In testing

Google appears to have begun testing search provider choices in Android. A new commit mentions a flag for “Search Engine Choice” in Chrome for Android, which enables showing search engine choice selection at the Android setup. It’s not currently possible to test this flag as it requires a Chrome data/factory reset, which then disables the flag. However, it does show that Google is preparing for the rollout in 2020.

Source: Chromium Gerrit

---

Update 2: Search Providers Announced

As mentioned in previous updates, Google will be rolling out  “Choice Screen” for Android users in Europe in March. This will allow them to choose their search engine when setting up the phone. The search app will then be installed and automatically set as default in Google Chrome. This Choice Screen will include Google Search and three alternatives, but those alternatives will vary by region. The choices were decided by an auction process that took place last August. Here is the full list of three alternatives that will be available in different countries:

Country	Winners
Austria	DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
Belgium	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Bulgaria	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Croatia	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Czech Republic	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
Denmark	DuckDuckGo, Givero, Info.com
Estonia	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
Finland	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
France	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Germany	DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
Greece	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Hungary	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Iceland	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Ireland	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Italy	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Latvia	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
Liechtenstein	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Lithuania	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
Luxembourg	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Malta	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Netherlands	DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
Norway	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Poland	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
Portugal	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Republic of Cyprus	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Romania	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Slovakia	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
Slovenia	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
Spain	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
Sweden	DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
United Kingdom	Bing, DuckDuckGo, Info.com

Every time a user selects one of the alternatives, Google will receive a fee. So at the end of all this, Google Search may not be used by as many people, but the company is still making money off of every user.

Source: Google

The post [Update 2: Search Providers Announced] Google to add search provider choices in Android to comply with EU ruling appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2YlWCXr
via IFTTT