Microsoft has been pushing for cross-platform gaming for a few years now. Things started off with Xbox and PC, but with the impending launch of Project xCloud, Microsoft is also looking to push Xbox Live support to iOS, Android and even other consoles, like the Nintendo Switch. Microsoft is currently …
Read More »Epic has an Android version of its Games Store in the works
Epic launched its new video game store at the end of last year in an effort to compete with Valve’s sizeable revenue split. The publisher isn’t stopping there, however, as Epic is in the early stages of tackling Google’s Play Store on Android. It’s no secret that Epic Games isn’t …
Read More »Google’s new contract sees Android vendors push more frequent security updates for two years
Google manages to push out a new security update for its Android mobile operating system every month, while third-party manufacturers lag behind causing further disparity among smartphone users. A new contract from the firm has come to light, showing that a variety of companies are now committing to a harder …
Read More »Google’s response to EU Android ruling is to charge OEMs a license fee
Earlier this year, the European Commission planted a record breaking $5 billion fine on Google over antitrust charges. The EU took issue with Google’s use of pre-installed apps and services on Android smartphones, which stops consumers from seeking out alternatives and thus prevents competitors from rising up. Google is appealing …
Read More »OnePlus will be stripping back its OxygenOS for a faster experience
While Android continues to flourish as a diverse market, one of the biggest complaints is how manufacturers bloat Google’s base operating system. Although OnePlus has always embraced pure Android, it teased that a more streamlined experience is coming to its proprietary OxygenOS in time for the OnePlus 6T. Based on …
Read More »Google appeals the EU’s record-breaking $5bn antitrust fine against Android
Back in July, the European Commission found Google guilty of indulging in anti-competitive behaviour, forcing Android manufacturers to adopt Google’s search engine and browser by default. This resulted in an unprecedented €4.34bn (£3.8bn/$5bn) fine, which the firm has now officially begun to appeal. The decision was made following two years-worth …
Read More »Google acquires Android-focussed GPU tester ‘GraphicsFuzz’
Large tech companies tend to acquire smaller firms on a regular basis. Sometimes these acquisitions are relatively uninteresting on the surface, but they do tend to provide insight into what is going on behind the scenes at any given time. This week, Google announced that it has acquired ‘GraphicsFuzz’ a …
Read More »Epic Games will cut out the Play Store when Fortnite comes to Android
While Fortnite did get its mobile debut on the iOS App Store, the game will be going in a different direction for its Android launch. Epic Games plans to release Fortnite for Android soon, but you won’t find it on the Play Store. Instead, Epic plans to distribute the app …
Read More »Trump lambasts the EU’s $5bn fine against Google, as worries of a licensed version of Android rise
United States president Donald Trump has lambasted the European Commission for hitting Google with a record breaking $5 billion fine amidst anti-competitive complaints, stating that the governing body is taking advantage of the US. The staggering number also has many concerned that Google will change its approach to Android, potentially …
Read More »Android has double the app downloads, but half the sales of Apple’s App Store
Google’s Android is once again storming further ahead of iPhone in terms of downloads, however Apple’s ecosystem is far from down and out for the count. New statistics show that despite having less than half the total downloads of its rival, iPhone users spend twice as much on the App …
Read More »European Commission fines Google a record-breaking $5 billion
The European Commission has finally decided the fate of Google following complaints of anti-competitive behaviour surrounding its Android platform. Google has been ordered to pay a record-breaking €4.34bn (£3.8bn/$5bn) fine, which the company states is unjustified given that “Android has created more choice for everyone, not less.” European competition commissioner …
Read More »The European Commission will decide the fate of Google’s antitrust complaints next week
Google once again came under fire from the European Commission last month for antitrust practices, this time for its alleged blocking access to its Play Store unless Android devices pre-install Google Chrome and Google Search. European Union competition chief Margrethe Vestager could impose a multibillion dollar fine against the company, …
Read More »Fortnite on Mobile has half the downloads but five times the revenue of PUBG
The battle between Fortnite and PUBG isn’t just happening on PC and consoles, but on mobile too. Both Battle Royale games have been heavily competing for player numbers, and while it looks like PUBG has more downloads than Fortnite on mobile, Epic Games’ is making a lot more money. The …
Read More »Study of over 17,000 apps didn’t find evidence of eavesdropping, but did uncover screen recording
We’ve all heard the stories of someone talking about cat food and then all sudden getting an adverts on Facebook for it. A group of academics must have had enough of it and decided to put these eavesdropping rumours to the test. Unfortunately for the conspiracy theorists out there, the …
Read More »Super Mario Run has made over $60 million worldwide
A couple of years back as Wii U sales continued to struggle, Nintendo turned to mobile gaming to gain a quick revenue boost. This new mobile game initiative kicked off with Super Mario Run for iOS and Android. However, unlike other games, Super Mario Run landed with a $10 price …
Read More »RAMpage exploit can affect millions of Android devices, but the odds are stacked against it
This year certainly hasn’t been short on security scares. We kicked off 2018 with Meltdown and Spectre, which affected a huge number of desktop CPUs and now on the smartphone side of things, we have RAMpage. Currently, RAMpage is thought to affect the vast majority of Android devices releases during …
Read More »Google adds anti-tamper DRM to Android apps for easy verification with the Play Store
Android malware has been making the headlines lately, particularly with the swathe of fake Fortnite apps that were available for download. Google is looking to combat these fake apps by introducing anti-tamper DRM to apps downloaded from places other than the Play Store. Google announced this change via their Android …
Read More »WhatsApp to stop working on older iPhones and Android devices by 2020
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services currently available, especially in Europe, with almost half a billion users. Like with most software, support can only be kept up for so long on older devices before developers need to move on. With that in mind, WhatsApp has announced today …
Read More »Android Messages can now be used across mobile and desktop
For a long time, if you wanted to text someone on Android you had to do it on your phone. All the while Apple users have been able to use iMessage across any device using macOS and iOS. That key difference in features is ending today, as Android Messages can now …
Read More »Google could possibly receive another record-breaking EU fine for Android antitrust violations
Following on from the European Commission fining Google a record-breaking €2.42 billion over its Shopping search engine last year, the tech giant found itself under investigation for antitrust allegations against Android. The decision of the case is expected to be revealed next month, however Google could be breaking records once …
Read More »Court determines that Samsung doesn’t have to keep ageing smartphones up to date
It seems that Samsung is constantly scrutinised for its update practices across its Android smartphones, from its choice to swap monthly for quarterly security updates with certain handsets to not updating older devices at all. A Dutch court in The Hague has concluded that Samsung isn’t legally obligated to maintain …
Read More »Pokémon Let’s Go titles coming to Switch, Pokémon Quest already available on eShop
Nintendo has scored itself another major exclusive for the Switch this year, as today Pokémon: Let’s Go was officially announced. The spin-off title won’t be the 8th Gen ‘Core RPG’ that many hardcore fans are hoping for, but it is considered to be a mainline Pokémon game with several ties …
Read More »HTC clings to the smartphone market, launching its U12+ handset
Given the turbulent year HTC has had, from Google scooping up its smartphone team for $1.1bn to its head of design stepping down in February, it’s a wonder that the handset maker has another device in store. Enter the newly unveiled U12+, an unexpected yet traditionally designed handset set to …
Read More »Epic Games will bring Fortnite to Android this summer
While iPhone users have had their hands on Fortnite: Battle Royale’s mobile version since early April, Android users have been left in the wind with no word as to when they might be able to dive on in. Developer Epic Games has now revealed that the title will be hitting …
Read More »The Steam Link app has launched for Android
Last week, Valve announced the next step for the Steam Link, opting to release it as an app for iOS and Android. The app will allow you to stream your Steam library to more devices than ever before, ranging from smartphones and tablets, to Android TV boxes or the Apple …
Read More »Soon you’ll be able to stream Steam games to iOS and Android
It has been a few years since Valve first unveiled the Steam Link, and over time, we’ve been wondering what the next step is for Steam in-home streaming. Now Valve has lifted the curtain on its plans, announcing the Steam Link app for iOS and Android, which will let you …
Read More »There is a Fortnite Android beta phishing scam doing the rounds
Fortnite has been a huge success over the last year, which has been bolstered by the launch of Battle Royale on iOS. Currently, Fortnite is the top earning app on the iOS App Store. The game is heading to Android too later this year, but unfortunately all of the excitement …
Read More »ZTE might lose its Android license due to US sales ban
This week, Chinese smartphone maker ZTE came under fire in both the UK and the US. Here in the UK, the government warned that the company’s devices pose a risk to national security, meanwhile the US Department of Commerce blacklisted the company. Due to the ban in the US, ZTE …
Read More »Android Oreo 8.1 is now rolling out to the OnePlus 5 and 5T
So far, only a handful of smartphones on the market have the Android Oreo 8.1 update. We already covered the Razer Phone’s 8.1 rollout yesterday and now, the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are joining the list, bringing along OS improvements, security improvements and a new ‘gaming mode’. Starting today, …
Read More »Researchers find thousands of Android applications improperly tracking children’s data
Just one week after YouTube has been accused of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), another Google-owned company is under fire for the very same thing. According to researchers, over 3,300 Android applications could be harvesting children’s data improperly and might face consequences. The International Computer Science Institute …
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