TikTok Sues to Stop "Forced Shutdown" in US
TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have filed suit against the US government to challenge the constitutionality of a recently-signed law that the companies say will "force a shutdown of TikTok". The law technically gives the companies the option of selling or spinning off TikTok so it is no longer Chinese-owned. However ByteDance says this "is simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally." This is in part because the Chinese government "has made clear that it would not permit a divestment of the recommendation engine that is a key to the success of TikTok in the United States." The lawsuit says the law runs afoul of First Amendment free speech protections. The law was created over concerns that TikTok holds a large volume of personal data on US citizens, and Chinese companies must cooperate with the Chinese government if it requests access to such data.
Google Pixel 8a is a Modest Update to the 7a
Google has announced the Pixel 8a, this year's more-affordable Pixel model. It offers several small hardware improvements over last year's 7a, and new AI software features, but is otherwise quite similar to the 7a. The design has more rounded corners. The "Actua" display is 40% brighter and the refresh rate gets a bump from 90 to 120 Hz. There's also a new 256 GB storage option. An upgrade from a Google Tensor G2 processor to the newer G3 chip enables new software features like Best Take for group photos, Magic Editor for photos, and Audio Magic Eraser for video. Circle To Search is also available, and Gemeni AI can summarize emails. Pixel 8a also makes official the controversial Audio Emoji feature revealed last week. The battery is also slightly larger at 4,492 mAh vs. 4,385 mAh. Other features and specs remain the same as the 7a, including FHD+ display, 64 megapixel main camera, 13 megapixel wide camera, 8 GB RAM, storage starting at 128 GB, IP67 water resistance, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, 18W fast charging, and wireless charging. The launch price is also unchanged at $499. As before, a version with mmWave 5G is available for Verizon but priced a little higher, at $550. The Google Pixel 8a is available for pre-order today, shipping May 14th. It's available in four colors at launch: Porcelain (off-white), Obsidian (black), Bay (blue), and a limited-edition Aloe (mint green).
TextNow Intros Ad-Supported "Free Essential" Data
TextNow, purveyor of free mobile service supported by ads, is expanding from voice and texting to free data. The new TextNow Free Essential Data offering lets customers access email (Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, etc.), navigation (Google Maps, Waze, etc.), and rideshare (Lyft, Uber) apps for free. The only charge is a one-time purchase of a SIM card for $5. Voice and texting are also free and unlimited. When customers need mobile data for other apps, they can purchase general data passes for $1/hour, $5/day, or $40/month. A new TextNow SIM card can be ordered from within the TextNow app, available for both Android and iOS.
AT&T Will Now Charge for "Turbo" 5G
AT&T has introduced a new add-on plan called Turbo for $7/month that promises "enhanced data connectivity for real-time responsiveness and improved stability". AT&T says the feature is ideal for "gaming, social video broadcasting and live video conferencing". AT&T confirmed to The Verge that it has technically lowered the network priority level (QCI) for existing plans and this new offering lets users buy their way back into the priority level they had previously. However AT&T claims that existing plans should not notice any degradation without Turbo, and Turbo is more like a new, faster service, due to "increased network resources and relative weighting". Turbo can be added or removed at any time. It is only available to customers already on premium unlimited plans (Unlimited Premium PL, Unlimited Extra EL, and Unlimited Elite).
Google Adding Sound Effects to Android Phone App
The newest beta version of Google's Phone app for Android includes "Audio Emoji", which are buttons that play a sound effect that both parties can hear. They include clapping, laughing, crying, party, drums, and ... poop, which makes a farting sound. The beta test suggests that the feature could roll out to all users in the coming weeks.
Mint Mobile Now Owned by T-Mobile
T-Mobile has completed its planned acquisition of Ka'ena Corporation, which includes the Mint Mobile brand. T-Mobile says Mint will "continue to operate autonomously ... similar to T-Mobile's successful acquisition of MetroPCS in 2013." T-Mobile is also introducing new perks for Mint customers, including a scam call screener and free roaming in Canada. T-Mobile also promises that Mint will continue to offer "a $15/month plan" of some type, but does not promise what that plan will include in the future. Also, "Ryan Reynolds will continue in his creative role on behalf of Mint."
Beats Launches Smaller, More Affordable Earbuds
Beats today announced the all-new Beats Solo Buds true wireless earbuds, as well as an update to its iconic headphones, the Beats Solo 4. The Beats Solo Buds are the brand's smallest earbuds yet, and will sell for just $80. They have Class 1 long-range Bluetooth, one-touch pairing for both iOS and Android, and Apple Find My. The earbud buttons are customizable. Unusually, the only batteries are in the buds themselves; the case is for charging the buds via USB-C but does not have a battery itself. The buds can provide up to 18 hours of battery life and a five-minute charge gives up to one hour of play time. They come with four sizes of ear tips. The Beats Solo Buds will be available in June in Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red. The Beats Solo 4 bring Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking to the iconic over-ear headphones. They also support wired audio via USB-C or 3.5mm ports. Battery life has been improved to 50 hours. The Beats Solo 4 are available for order starting today for $200. They come in Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink.
FCC Fines Carriers for Selling Your Location Data Without Consent
The FCC today announced fines totaling nearly $200 million against T-Mobile (and Sprint), AT&T, and Verizon, for illegally selling real-time customer location data to third parties without consent and without "reasonable safeguards". The fines follow a multi-year investigation started under the previous administration. Today's fines were first proposed in early 2020. T-Mobile and Verizon objected and were able to reduce their fines, to over $92 million (including Sprint) and almost $47 million, respectively. AT&T is fined more than $57 million.
TSMC Announces 1.6nm Chips
TSMC, the world's leading manufacturer of advanced chips for phones and other devices, has revealed its newest cutting-edge chip technology with an effective transistor size of just 1.6nm. Current flagship chips from Apple and Qualcomm use TSMC's 3nm technology. TSMC also has multiple 2nm "nodes" (technologies) in the works. Smaller nodes offer greater performance and efficiency. Achieving such densities requires creative new transistor structures. The new 1.6nm process uses gate-all-around (GAA) and a new backside power delivery network dubbed Super Power Rail. TSMC calls the new process "A16" and devices using the chips are expected to reach the market in 2027.
FCC Makes Net Neutrality Official Again
As planned, the FCC has formally voted to reclassify broadband internet (fixed and mobile, including cell phone networks) to regulate it under a different set of laws. This has the effect of restoring many key regulations, including "Open Internet" rules, AKA "net neutrality".
TCL 50 Series Reaches US on Metro
TCL's new 50 series of phones is reaching US shores with the launch of the TCL 50 XL 5G on Metro by T-Mobile tomorrow. At $159, it's one of the more affordable 5G phones available to date. As the "XL" implies, the phone has a large display at 6.78 inches. Compared to last year's TCL 40 XL, the new model has 5G, a sharper display (FHD+) and more RAM (6 GB). Other features are similar, including a 50 megapixel main camera, 18W fast charging, 128 GB storage expandable to 2 TB via microSD, fingerprint reader, and a headset jack. The TCL 50 XL 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset.
"TikTok Ban" Becomes Law
President Biden has signed a law that will force the sale of TikTok or ban the app in the US, one day after the bill passed the US Senate. Chinese owner ByteDance has one year to divest TikTok to a non-Chinese entity, or the app will be banned from US-based app stores and any US-based cloud services that power the service. ByteDance has responded by promising to challenge the law in court, a move that could delay implementation.
HMD Moving Beyond Nokia with its Own Brand
HMD, maker of Nokia-branded phones, is launching a new line of phones under its own HMD brand. This comes as the company expands into other brand partnerships (including Barbie and Heineken) as well as white-label phones, while continuing to make Nokia-branded phones. In the US, the first HMD-branded phone will be the HMD Vibe (shown), an entry-level 4G Android phone for prepaid brands (like TracFone). It will have a 6.56" HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh, 13 megapixel camera, 4,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 680 chip, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB of storage (expandable). The Vibe is also available unlocked for $149. The new HMD Pulse lineup will come first to other parts of the world, and includes the Pulse, Pulse+, and Pulse Pro. All three are affordable and repairable Android smartphones. The Pulse Pro has 50 megapixel cameras on both the front and back. Its unusually powerful selfie camera also supports slow motion video and responds to a number of unique gestures for hands-free control. HMD claims these are the most affordable repairable phones in the world.
IHG Rolls Out Hotel TVs with AirPlay
IHG has flipped the switch on Apple AirPlay at 60 of its North American hotels. The wireless media-casting feature is now available in hotel rooms via LG TVs with a special implementation designed just for hotels. Guests scan a unique QR code displayed on their room TV, and this connects their Apple device to the hotel Wi-Fi and directly to the TV in their room. AirPlay works for video, music, photos, workouts, games, and more. Multiple Apple devices can be paired to the same hotel TV at once. The pairings are automatically deleted when the guest checks out of the hotel. 60 hotels under various brands — including Kimpton, Indigo, Candlewood, and InterContinental — are launching the feature today, "with others to be added in the coming months." IHG first announced its AirPlay plans in June of last year, originally promising to launch it before the end of 2023.
Samsung Expands Mid-Range Lineup with Galaxy A35 5G
Samsung is bringing more mid-range phones to the US this year with the introduction of the Galaxy A35 5G. Samsung brought the Galaxy A32 5G to the US in late 2021, but the A33 and A34 skipped the US. Samsung launched the A15 and A25 in January. The A35 is very similar to the A25, with just a slightly larger display (6.6 instead of 6.5 inches), IP67 water resistance, and Wi-Fi 6. Other specs are the same, including a FHD+ AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh, 5,000 mAh battery, 25W fast charging, 50 megapixel main camera, 8 megapixel wide camera, 13 megapixel front camera, Samsung Exynos processor, 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage (expandable), and NFC. The Galaxy A35 5G is available starting today from T-Mobile, US Cellular, and unlocked from samsung.com. Update: AT&T, Metro, Consumer Cellular, Spectrum, and Xfinity also started offering the A35 this week.
Comcast Launches "Now" Prepaid Mobile
Comcast is launching "Now Mobile", a new prepaid mobile phone service to compliment its existing Xfinity Mobile postpaid service. Like Xfinity Mobile, Now Mobile is only available to customers of Comcast home internet service (either Xfinity Internet or the new Now Internet). Now is "the only prepaid wireless option that seamlessly connects customers to more than 23 million Xfinity hotspots." Now Mobile offers one plan: unlimited 5G data, talk and text for $25/line/month, taxes and fees included. As a prepaid service, there is no contract and no credit check. Several $5 add-ons plans are available, including one for Canada and Mexico service, and another for mobile hotspot (at 3G speeds). Now will offer its own lineup of cell phones, or customers can use their own existing phone (if compatible). The service is rolling out starting in Hartford-New Haven, Houston, and Miami, "with a full-scale national launch across all Comcast service areas expected in the coming weeks."
Visible First to Offer Annual Payment Plan, with Discount up to 26%
Visible is introducing a new "annual plan" option that gives customers the option of paying for a whole year of service in advance, in exchange for a discount. The premium Visible+ plan is available for $395/year, a savings of $145 (over 26%) compared the usual $45/month rate. The standard "Visible" plan is $275/year, a savings of $25. The two plans are otherwise the same as the monthly options, including unlimited data, talk, text, and hotspot on the Verizon 5G network. New customers can sign up for an annual plan starting this Wednesday, while existing customers will be able to switch to annual payment in May.
Google Discontinues VPN in Google One
Google will no longer include a VPN service with its Google One subscription service bundle. Google told 9to5Google that the feature is being discontinued because "people simply weren’t using it." Google first introduced the feature for top-end plans in late 2020, then brought it to all plans just over one year ago. Google still offers a VPN service for owners of recent Pixel phones, and for Google Fi customers.
