Tag: Android

Huawei has released an updated firmware build for the Huawei P10.  The new version is VRT-L09C432B133 for those keeping score at home.  The key part of Huawei’s naming convention is the last four figures, in this case B133.  The earlier part of the build will change depending on which model you have (dual-SIM versus single SIM for example).

The update brings a handful of optimizations to the phone along with the April Android Security Patch.  Unfortunately the update does not bring Android Nougat 7.1.1 or a newer security patch.  As for those optimizations, they are in several key areas.  First, power consumption has been optimized when you are using the P10 for an extended period of time while Wi-Fi performance has also been optimized.  Optimizations have also been made to the UI content display on some screens.  As mentioned, the April 1, 2017 Android Security Update is a part of this new firmware and Huawei also removed the TripAdvisor app from the firmware.

Microsoft Cortana, the company’s digital assistant, has been available on Android for some time now and its latest update brings an exponential improvement in usability to the app.  The new build, version 2.8.0 for those keeping score, allows you to configure Cortana so that it is your default assistant app instead of Google Assistant.  It means that you can now long press the Home button on your phone and it will pop-up Cortana so you can ask questions directly to it.

The new feature in Cortana is not enabled by default so if you want to use it as your Assistant, you will have to configure you phone to do so.  Just go into Settings and use the search feature to find Assist.  This will open up your defaults page on your phone (where you set your home launcher, browser, etc) and you will see a section Assist & voice input.  Tap it then tap on Assist app.  Now you can change it from Google to Cortana.

Google has quietly released Developer Preview 4.1 of Android Things, the Android-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) platform, to developers.  The update primarily focuses on adding new hardware that is supported to the platform as well as addressing bug fixes and performance improvements.

On the new hardware front, the new Pico i.MX6UL revision B board is now supported.  That board supports external peripherals from the likes of Adafruit and Pimoroni which dev’s can use to build their IoT solutions.  The release notes point out that the beta version of this board is not supported.

Yesterday, through some estimates made from the downloading of the Pixel Launcher from the Play Store, several reports surfaced on the number of Google Pixel phones that have been sold.  Based on the listing of the launcher in the Store, it is estimated that 1 million units have been sold since the phone launched in October 2016.

On the surface, given the vast number of Android devices in the market, this seems like a low sales number.  And it is frankly.  Samsung has sold some 5 million Galaxy S8 units in just a handful of months while other phones like the Huawei P10 have also pushed well past 1 million units.

But who cares?  While many will get wrapped around the axle on this low number, it is important to keep in mind Google never intended this device to be for the masses.  It is a flagship device with a premium price and I suspect that Google themselves aren’t too flustered over the low numbers.  Neither should you.

While the new Essential PH-1 won’t start shipping until the end of this month, we do know who the carrier deal is going to be with on the company’s first device.  Sprint, according to USA Today, will be the exclusive carrier of the device here in the United States.  The phone is going to receive prominent displays within Sprint stores nationally although it was not announced just how long the exclusive relationship would be on the new phone.

The exclusive on the PH-1 is not the first for Sprint as they are also the exclusive carrier on the HTC U11.

After months of continued positive statements about Android Nougat coming to the OnePlus 2, the company has announced that it will not be bringing Android 7.0 to the 2015 device.  The news comes from the site Android Authority where the Chinese company confirmed that the update won’t be coming due to changes in the software team structures since the release of the device.

The news isn’t a surprise but it is still very frustrating for OP2 owners who were told as late as May that the update would be coming to the device.  While the update to the OnePlus 3 and 3T is confirmed, it appears that OnePlus has taken the same stance as many other manufactures when it comes to updates:  One, maybe two major updates but that’s generally the end of the road.