Google Pay is on its way to becoming a full wallet replacement app as it adds support for more forms of payment, more banks, and more card types. Late last year, the app tested a new gold gifting option to users in India along with a material design refresh, one-time mandates, and Stories for merchants. An APK teardown of the app also revealed that Google was testing a new feature that would show SafetyNet status on the home page and another feature that would protect online purchases with a PIN. While the app pretty much has everything to fulfill your payments related needs, Google is now adding a feature that will allow users to ditch their college ID cards as well.
As per a recent report from 9to5Google, Google Pay for Android now supports campus IDs for both students and faculty. This new capability was announced earlier this week by Transact, which offers management and payment solutions to schools. Thanks to this, users will now be able to save their campus IDs on the Google Pay app and use it to access secure facilities like academic buildings and residence halls. On top of that, the feature will allow users to pay for services like dining, laundry and vending all across campus. This new feature is NFC-based and users will be able to just tap their Android phones on compatible readers to quickly scan their college IDs.
During the initial launch phase, the new feature will be available in 15 schools across the US, including the Arkansas State University, Chowan University, College of Coastal Georgia, Duke University, Georgetown University, Hamilton College, Johns Hopkins University, Marshall University, Mercer University, Roanoke College, St. Edward’s University, South Dakota State University, Temple University, The University of Alabama, and the University of New Brunswick. More schools have already started installing and testing Google Pay campus ID’s, with one university in Atlanta expecting availability in the second quarter of 2020.
At the CES 2020 trade show last week, OnePlus showcased a prototype device with cameras that can turn invisible. The Concept One made use of electrochromic glass to turn the glass over the camera module from transparent to opaque by changing the current and voltage. While electrochromic glass isn’t new, OnePlus is the first company to use it to hide camera lenses on a smartphone. OnePlus’s argument behind this new technology was that the smartphone industry will eventually figure out under-screen camera technology, eliminating visible cameras on the front of a device. The disappearing cameras on the back, therefore, are complementary to the under-screen camera technology with the end goal to hide all cameras on a device from view. While we may not see these disappearing cameras in OnePlus’ next flagship, we now have reason to believe that it might include a 120Hz display.
OnePlus’ CEO Pete Lau recently took to Weibo to reveal that the company has completed the research and development of a high refresh rate 120Hz display. The company will be holding an event at 2 PM China Standard Time today to talk about its latest display technology. As of now, the company hasn’t revealed any more information about the new display tech, but we’ll update this post as and when we receive more information from the upcoming event. It is worth noting, however, that since OnePlus doesn’t manufacture displays itself, it’s quite likely that the company is sourcing the display from a major supplier like Samsung Display.
Last year was a great year for smartphones. ASUS caught our attention with the ROG Phone II, a smartphone made to cater towards gamers with its powerhouse specifications (Snapdragon 855 Plus, up to 12 GB of RAM, up to a whopping 1 TB of internal storage, a behemoth 6,000 mAh battery, and a buttery smooth 120Hz AMOLED display). Realme and Xiaomi, on the other hand, fiercely competed against each other in the mid-range segment with devices such as the Realme X2 and the Xiaomi Mi CC9/Mi 9 Lite, each providing decent bang for your buck when it comes to performance and camera.
For those users interested in modding these devices, it is now possible to safely do so thanks to the introduction of official TWRP builds. With the custom recovery, you will be able to tweak and mod your device by installing Magisk for root and modules, custom kernels, or even flashing a generic system image (GSI) or device-specific custom ROM to replace the phone’s software.
Keep an eye out on our forums for these devices as we’ll hopefully see more and more dedicated custom ROMs pop up. Currently, though, there isn’t a lot of development going on for the ROG Phone II or Realme X2, but official TWRP support will pave the way for more development. In the case of the ROG Phone II, ASUS is even sending devices to select custom ROM and kernel developers, so it should be a matter of time before we start seeing more development arise. Xiaomi and Realme have also done the same initiative for some of their devices, although not for these particular devices yet. Fortunately, both the Realme X2 and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite are incredibly popular, so there should be some uptick in custom development.
If you have any of these devices and you want to get your hands dirty with it, then be sure to check out the links down below to download TWRP. You’ll need to unlock the bootloader before flashing this, of course. Fortunately, doing so is officially possible for all 3 devices. If you have any questions or problems, then be sure to check out the relevant threads on XDA to know more.
The next major smartphone launch event for Samsung, Samsung Unpacked 2020 is just a few weeks away. On February 11th, Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S20 trio of flagship smartphones as well as a new clamshell foldable smartphone. As we approach the launch event, we’ve already seen a few live images of the alleged Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone and a few CAD-based renders of the Galaxy S20 series. However, to date, we haven’t seen any leaks of the Galaxy S20 in the wild. Today, we are fortunate enough to bring to you the first live images of Samsung’s 2020 flagship. This is the Samsung Galaxy S20+.
The pictures above were sent to me by a source who wishes to stay anonymous. Some edits have been made to the image to protect the source, but none of the edits impact our ability to see the design of the Galaxy S20+. In the image of the rear, the first thing that stands out to us is the camera setup. We can see a total of 4 cameras, a flash, and what looks like a microphone hole. On the right side of the phone, we can see a volume rocker and a power button. There is no Bixby button unlike in the earlier S10 series.
The front of the display shows us very small bezels. The Infinity-O display is much less curved than before. Our source said it felt flat – almost similar to the Pixel 2 XL, in fact. Samsung appears to have opted for 2.5D glass instead of their usual curved glass. The hole punch is centered and smaller than the Galaxy Note 10. Just like the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10, the Galaxy S20+ will come with a pre-installed screen protector.
We’ve referred to this phone as the Galaxy S20+ thus far, which if you’re familiar with Samsung’s S series nomenclature, means this phone will be the highest-end model. That’s actually not the case this year. This phone is expected to be in the middle of the S20 series. It will be slightly larger than the regular Galaxy S20 but it will lack the camera technology present in the higher-end “Galaxy S20 Ultra”. This particular model is rumored to come with a new 12MP 1.8μm main image sensor. Samsung is also throwing in an ultra-wide, telephoto, and likely macro lens. The microphone on the rear could help with Samsung’s zoom-in mic feature. It could also just help improve audio quality in videos in general, which I found to be a weak point on the Galaxy Note 10.
The Galaxy S20 and S20+ are expected to launch in a few different variants around the world. There will be the 4G Galaxy S20, 5G Galaxy S20, 4G Galaxy S20+, and 5G Galaxy S20+. The 5G and 4G LTE variants of these devices will look the same, but I believe the U.S. market will only be getting the 5G variants. I can’t speak about the specifics of network connectivity just yet, but given that the device, at least in the U.S., will pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 mobile platform (which can only be paired with the Snapdragon X55 modem), it should support the sub-6GHz networks of Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Since we expect the phone to launch on Verizon as well, it’s likely the device packs mmWave antennas to support Verizon’s Ultra Wideband (mmWave) network. Outside of the U.S., the phone is expected to pack the Exynos 990 SoC. Whether or not the S20 that launches in your country will have 5G enabled will depend on whether or not 5G network support is launched in your country.
These devices, and the leaks about them, are very exciting. Samsung’s flagships for the year are some of the most interesting Android smartphones. We are going to hear a lot more about the S20 series and the new foldable phone at Samsung Unpacked on February 11th. I will be there covering the event for the XDA Portal and XDA TV, so make sure to keep an eye out for more information to come.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 began its journey with Android 8.1 Oreo when the phone launched in July 2018, and in India 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. Android 10 launched for the public in September 2019, and we’re already in January 2020 — for Android One users running a rather barebones build of Google’s Android, this has been a long wait. We spotted the Android 10 kernel sources for the Mi A2 and the Mi A3 yesterday, and now, the Xiaomi Mi A2 has finally received its official Android 10 update.
Mi A2 (device codename: jasmine) gets its official Android 10 update with a cool 1.3GB update.
While the update is considered a “stable” update, users who have installed the update report that there are a few rough edges still present. There are UI glitches at a few places, and features like VoWiFi are missing. APEX packages also require that you have a locked bootloader. On the flip side, it is Android 10, and no issues regarding performance or overheating have been reported yet. The bootloader unlocked warning also no longer shows up. You also get December 2019’s security patches.
This update should be rolling out to devices very soon, likely taking the form of a staged rollout. You can wait for the update to reach your device, as sometimes, some critical bugs tend to be found only in the broader rollout stages and often cause the phased rollout to stop and a new update to be issued. If you are impatient, you can install the update by downloading it from the link below.
It is still advised that you backup your data before installing this update. Since Android 10 is now out for the Mi A2, we expect the update to arrive on the Mi A3 soon, too.
Thanks to Telegram user Manish4586 for the screenshots and XDA Member kacskrz for the download links!
A U.S. Government-funded smartphone comes with pre-installed malware, researchers at Malwarebytes have discovered. The malware can’t be removed without rendering the device unusable. The smartphone in question is the UMX U683CL and is sold as part of Virgin Mobile’s Assurance Wireless program. This is a federal Lifeline Assistance program. Founded by the FCC in 1985, Lifeline is a program intended to make communication services more affordable to low-income consumers. The UMX U683CL costs only $35 through the program, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210, 1GB of RAM, 5-inch 480p LCD, 2000 mAh battery, and Android Go. It’s certainly not a bad offering, but it seems that the price of affordability comes at the cost of privacy. The team at Malwarebytes found not one, but two instances of pre-installed malware on the UMX 683CL.
“Wireless Update”, the return of Adups
The first application is the more minor of the two, and self-identifies as “Wireless Update”. It’s the only way to update the device, but it also has the capability of automatically installing updates in the background, without the user’s consent. Malwarebytes identified this malware as Android/PUP.Riskware.Autoins.Fota.fbcvd, or Adups.
On a side note, the inclusion of Adups malware is actually what led to BLU’s smartphones being pulled from the Amazon marketplace. BLU eventually settled with the FTC. Adups had been collecting a lot of user data, including “full-body of text messages, contact lists, call history with full telephone numbers, and unique device identifiers including the IMSI and IMEI”. This data was then transmitted back home. In the case of the UMX U683CL, the app immediately begins installing applications in the background once the device is powered on and connected to the internet. The apps are free of malware thus far, but this is still entirely done without user consent. This does not mean they will be clean in the future, either.
Pre-installed and unremovable malware
But the worst comes in the form of the second application, Android/Trojan.Dropper.Agent.UMX, which is a heavily obfuscated and vital part of the system. It comes as part of the device’s own settings application, so removing it would render the device unusable. Malwarebytes matched the trojan with other malware of Chinese origin thanks to shared service names, along with code that matches in every aspect apart from variable names. It also shares a hidden library called com.android.google.bridge.LibImp, which loads another trojan known as Android/Trojan.HiddenAds.WRACT. It does not come in immediately, and the researchers at Malwarebytes eventually did receive it. This new malware presents itself as a notification simply titled “Full”, with no other identifying information. It’s possible to uninstall it HiddenAds, although it’s unknown whether or not it’s gone for good once you do.
Assurance Wireless has been contacted, no response yet
To make matters worse, the researchers at Malwarebytes contacted Assurance Wireless with their findings and asked why a US-funded device was being sold with pre-installed malware. So far, they have received no reply after giving adequate time for a response. It’s further made deplorable that a smartphone aimed at those with lower incomes have to compromise on privacy, as budget should not dictate whether a consumer has a right to privacy or not. There’s not really any way around it either – uninstalling “Wireless Update” prevents updates (though it’s unlikely it got many anyway) while uninstalling the settings application is more or less impossible without bricking your phone. There shouldn’t even need to be a choice between not having malware, or having a usable phone.
Malwarebytes was unable to confirm whether or not UMX had knowingly pre-installed malware. While the malware appears to be Chinese in origin and the device is produced by a Chinese company, it could instead just be a coincidence. Malwarebytes also makes it clear that this device isn’t alone, and that they have heard of numerous reports of other budget smartphones launching with pre-installed malware as well.
Last year, Samsung managed to put out some amazing flagship smartphones. But something that often goes unmentioned is that they also doubled down in the midrange and low-end spectrum of the market. Samsung’s midrange strategy, which included different smartphone lines such as the Galaxy J and Galaxy A-lines of smartphones, just wasn’t cutting it anymore. That changed with the revamped Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71.
At CES 2020 in Las Vegas, we managed to get a close look at the Galaxy A51 and the Galaxy A71, the newer-generation successors to the mid-rangers Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A70. Both the A51 and the A71 were announced a month back, yet an international release is now imminent. For everything that their low price point may imply, including lower specs and build quality, they exude Samsung’s DNA by all means, featuring hole-punch AMOLED displays, multiple-camera setups, and a design language that’s pretty similar, all-in-all, to what we expect to see on the upcoming Galaxy S20 flagships.
Samsung Galaxy A51
Specification
Samsung Galaxy A51
Dimensions and Weight
158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm;
172g
Display
6.5″ FHD+ (1080 x 2400) Super AMOLED;
Infinity-O display
The Galaxy A51 is, evidently, the lower-end one out of the two, yet in the hand, it feels just as premium as the Galaxy A71 does. Just like its predecessor, the Galaxy A50 and the Galaxy A50s, the Galaxy A51 comes in a plastic body, with a plastic frame as well as a shiny plastic back. And talking about the back, it is probably the most noteworthy design feature of the device. It has a gradient finish (with the white variant in particular, which is the one we handled, being pretty reminiscent of the Galaxy Note 10’s Aura Glow color option with rainbow-ish reflections and shades), and the back has a polygonal effect with an X-shape, which really helps highlight this rainbow effect even further. Samsung calls this effect “Prism Crush”, a tagline which is also present in all color options the device is going on sale with.
The Galaxy A50s, which served as a revision to the Galaxy A50, also featured a similar polygonal effect, and it’s really eye-grabbing—even more so in person. The phone feels fairly light in the hand, which is probably helped by the device’s plastic build, and despite its 6.5-inch display, it doesn’t feel very big either.
Right by the top-left corner, there’s the rear quad camera setup which, in tandem with Samsung’s new design language for 2020, is housed in a square-shaped module, reminiscent of other smartphones such as the Google Pixel 4 and the iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max. Recently launched Samsung devices such as the Galaxy S10 Lite and the Galaxy Note 10 Lite also feature such a square-shaped module, and the Galaxy S20 lineup is also expected to feature something like this. This camera setup, in particular, features a 48MP main sensor coupled with a 5MP depth sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, so it’s set to be a very versatile camera module.
The phone also features a headphone jack by the bottom, which is a feature Samsung started to do away with, unfortunately, with the Galaxy Note 10. We’re glad to see them keeping it, even if it’s just in their midrange phones. The left side of the phone houses the SIM card/SD card tray while the right side features the power button and the volume rocker.
Going to the front, it’s dominated by a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a hole-punch camera, seemingly smaller than what the Note 10 lineup had, and featuring a 2400×1080 resolution with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The hole punch camera, which is centered, just like the one in the Galaxy Note 10, instead of in the corner, is a 32MP camera sensor that should be able to provide you very decent selfies, and the display itself is definitely the quality that you would expect from a Samsung panel in recent times. The fingerprint sensor, just like its predecessor, is embedded into the display.
As for other features, there is also a 4,000 mAh battery which should provide you usable battery life to get through your day. There’s also up to 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of storage—expandable, in case that’s not enough for you. The device is running Android 10 out of the box with One UI 2.0 on top, showing, again, Samsung’s renewed commitment to software.
Samsung Galaxy A71
Specification
Samsung Galaxy A71
Dimensions and Weight
163.6 x 76.0 x 7.7 mm;
179g
Display
6.7″ FHD+ (1080 x 2400) Super AMOLED;
Infinity-O display
The Galaxy A71 is, for the most part, very similar to the Galaxy A51. Obviously, it’s supposed to be higher-end, although, at least in my opinion, there are more similarities than differences. It’s bigger, yes—it features a 6.7-inch panel instead of a 6.5-inch one like the Galaxy A51, and because of this, it has a bigger footprint, although not that much bigger despite what it may initially look like. What’s bigger, too, is the hole punch at the top of the display. Just like the A51, it’s centered, yet it’s slightly bigger. It has the same 32MP front-facing camera, so there’s no reason why it should be bigger, yet it is. It definitely does not look bad, though.
Going to the back, the same “Prism Crush” multicolor effect is present in this unit, although the polygonal effect is definitely not as pronounced. The camera hump in the top left corner looks the exact same as the one in the Galaxy A51 and the camera setup itself is pretty similar as well—almost identical, in fact. The only difference between the two is that the Galaxy A71 carries a 64MP main sensor—just like the Galaxy A70s—instead of the Galaxy A51’s 48MP main sensor. Both devices look as outstanding in person as they look in renders.
Again, going to the front, it is almost entirely dominated by the display with very, very small bezels to be seen. The punch-hole, again, is more prominent than what we saw in the lower-end variant, yet it’s a similar size to the Note 10, so again, far from something to worry about. The fingerprint sensor is embedded under the display, and unlike the higher-end Samsung Galaxy S10/Note 10 phones, they feature an optical fingerprint scanner instead of an ultrasonic one. Both optical and ultrasonic sensors have their pros and cons and I wouldn’t call one superior to the other, so this really comes down to a matter of taste. Optical sensors usually come with cheaper phones, though.
Internally, the phone features a 4,500 mAh battery (up from the 4,000 mAh one in the Galaxy A51) and carries a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor, up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage which, yes, you can expand with a microSD card to fit your needs. The device is running Android 10 out of the box with One UI 2.0 on top, just like the A51, which is great to see as it means that both devices will get updates to, at least, Android 11 and Android 12 down the road.
