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Samsung’s Galaxy AI features are already powered by Google’s Gemini models, but Google may have an even bigger partner on board soon. Reports claim that Google and Apple are talking about a partnership with Gemini at its core which could power some Apple-branded features.
Google Wallet will soon support passes from Apple devices
Sharing passes between iOS and Android devices could get simpler
Google Wallet has come a long way since its early days, including going through a couple of rebrands. The consolidated app for passes, tickets, credit/debit cards, boarding passes, etc., on your Android phone is routinely getting better with new features while also ensuring more countries and banks start supporting the app. However, Google's offering doesn't support the .pkpass file format, which is used by Apple for passes stored in its own Wallet app. That appears to be changing now, at least for a few people around the world, who are reporting the ability to import .pkpass files onto the Google Wallet app.
Android loses its emulator edge as Apple trims the hedge on its walled garden in this week's news
This week in Android: Big Tech goes on a killing spree, and the grass IS greener on the other side of the pond
With some of the biggest companies in the world constantly competing for market- and mindshare, there's never a dull week in Android news. This week, a few big names outside the usual Google-Samsung two-step came to dance, as EU regulators and corporate lawyers alike laid down the litigation. Of course, Google itself still made headlines, but not all of them were good. If you haven't been following the space as closely as you'd like, we've got you covered with a rundown of this week's top five headlines below.
Apple Vision Pro brings into focus Google's failure with AR
But Google might be cooking something in the wake of Apple’s efforts in VR
As with everything else it makes, Apple has drawn a lot of attention towards its new VR headset, the Vision Pro, which is being portrayed as the next big thing to happen since the iPhone. The hype is so much that it feels like Apple has invented an all-new category of devices from scratch — which couldn’t be further from reality. Other companies including Meta and HTC already make highly sophisticated VR headsets while Google once famously had and then abandoned its AR glasses.
Beeper pulls the plug on iMessage in response to Apple banning users
Apple has unbanned some Macs, but Beeper is giving up
Beeper’s ambitious attempt to offer an iMessage client for Android was met with predictable resistance from Apple. However, the makers of Beeper did just enough to get things working again (after overcoming a couple of hurdles), albeit with some complex solutions. Apple came upon an aggressive solution to Beeper’s tweak and banned some users from accessing iMessage. While Apple has since reversed the ban, this whole ordeal has led Beeper to call off its iMessage efforts.
How our cell phones evolved over the last 24 years
Let's take a trip down memory lane to explore the largest phone makers from the past 24 years
With the news last week of Apple dethroning Samsung as the world's largest smartphone manufacturer, we thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane to see which company has dominated the past 24 years. The world's biggest phone makers through the years were some household names; from Nokia to Samsung, there were many standout giants. But now and again, an upstart would threaten the status quo. So, let's explore smartphone history and get nostalgic, as the last two and a half decades have been pretty crazy.
Apple is finally making it easy for iPhone users to sideload apps
Android loses one of its biggest advantages over iOS in the EU this March
If openness is a priority, Android has always been the better option when compared to iOS. Aside from aesthetic differences like the ability to apply icon packs or change your home screen app, the biggest factor here has been that Android allows sideloading third-party apps with minimal effort, while iPhones have always required you to jump through hoops to install apps from outside the App Store. That is finally changing soon — at least for iPhone users in the European Union.
Apple's war on Beeper may be catching users in the banhammer crossfire
No one does petty quite like Apple
iMessage on Android news has been all the rage over the last month and a half due to the saga of Beeper Mini. Almost as quickly as it showed up on the Google Play Store, it’s been taken down. Beeper Mini basically turned Androids into iPhones by virtue of text messages, utilizing an open-source method to access Apple iMessage natively. It was too good to be true, even if we were super excited about its prospects in December. Another twist in the saga has emerged, however: Users who have been using Beeper Cloud well into the new year are reporting that Apple has blocked iMessage on their Macs entirely.
MagSafe on iPad could spell trouble for Google's tablet strategy
Once more tablets have wireless charging docks, the Pixel Tablet won't be so unique
In the months since its release, I've been more or less lukewarm on the Pixel Tablet, mostly because I think both the tablet itself and its dock cost too much at retail. But I have to give Google its due: the company's said that part of the reason for the tablet's bundled charging dock is that tablets tend to sit unused for days at a time, and that can lead to dead batteries when we do reach for them. The Pixel Tablet's dock has indeed solved that problem for me entirely. Per a rumor from a couple of weeks ago, though, Apple may be gearing up to add MagSafe charging to its future iPad tablets — a move that could undermine the Pixel Tablet's currently unique two-in-one form factor.
How to turn off SharePlay on your iPhone
SharePlay is enabled for FaceTime, but that's making some Apple users unhappy: Here's how to turn it off
If you've been diligent in updating iOS this year, you may have noticed that your iPhone activated a feature called SharePlay for its media services when you use FaceTime. There are ways to get rid of ShareTime if you don't want to use it. We go over the most effective steps, if any of these affect your Android phone, and what else you should know.
How to send your iOS Medical ID data when you dial 911
Apple's Health app now lets you send medical data along with an emergency call: Here's how to enable it
When calling 911 or a similar service about a medical emergency, first responders and associated medical staff must know a few things about you. That could include medications you're allergic to, your blood type for blood transfusions, long-term symptoms known by your doctor, and health quirks that could lead to wrong or dangerous diagnoses. Sometimes, that information is on a health card or note in your wallet, but EMRs (emergency medical responders) may not find it.
How to report speed traps and hazardous conditions on Apple CarPlay
CarPlay lets you report road incidents in seconds: Here are the safest ways to do it
A handy social feature on map apps like Apple Maps (and others) is the ability to crowdsource information. When people report an accident, a speed trap, fog, or another type of traffic slowdown, local users of the app benefit from that information with icons and warnings to keep them updated. Everyone benefits and safety increases.
While we're Android devotees here at AP, we still acknowledge great products and services in Apple's catalog (consider our guide on how to download movies and shows from Apple TV+). iCloud is an example of how Apple got it right. The iCloud cloud storage service is user-friendly and easy to use. It also includes many features and extras. It even comes with 5GB of data free of charge, with the option to upgrade to their paid alternative, iCloud+, for additional storage.
Every Android phone should copy Apple's Dynamic Island
I love Dynamic Island and Live Activities on the iPhone; here's why Android needs it
Apple isn’t known for making innovative strides with the iPhone each year, but many of these often serve as inspiration for the Android competition. The arrival of the iPhone X's notch in 2017 was quickly followed by a slew of Android phones all featuring similar cutouts, although Android makers soon retreated to punch-hole or teardrop cameras to house the selfie camera instead.
13 best Google Play Store alternatives for apps and games
Sick of Google's Monopoly, perhaps it's time to seek out competing digital media marketplaces
Google has always monopolized the markets when it comes to Android apps and games. And it's not beneath the company to succumb to using dirty tricks like showering alternative app stores with money to choke out its competition. Google has made it abundantly clear that it wants the Play Store to be the only app store in town, but it doesn't mean it deserves its crown.
Apple Freeform: How to use it and why you should (even as an Android user)
Apple's Freeform app is a liberating brainstorming experience: Here's how it all works and how to get it
It's been almost a year since Apple released its collaboration and mind-mapping tool called Freeform. If you're in the brainstorming phase of just about anything (especially as part of a team), Freeform could be the catalyst to get everyone's ideas on the same page and moving in a positive direction. To help, we cover everything you should know about Freeform, including if it works on your Android phone and how to use it.
Apple cuts off Beeper Mini’s access to iMessage
The cat-and-mouse game between Apple and Beeper has just begun
Beeper Mini debuted on Android last week, allowing green bubble users to jump on the blue bubble bandwagon without switching to an iPhone. But three days later, Beeper Mini reported a massive outage, casting doubts on its future. It turns out that this was caused by Apple taking steps to prevent unauthorized access to iMessage. And while Beeper got Beeper Cloud — the bridge that powers the iMessage and Android integration — back up online, it might not survive for long as Apple is taking steps to protect its users.
Canceling Apple Arcade can be done from Apple devices, Windows PCs, and some apps. You don't need an Apple device on hand to do so. Whether you traded in your Apple device or are considering the switch from an iOS device to an Android phone, we show you how to cancel your Apple Arcade subscription.
Microsoft abandoning smartphone development made sense at the time, but was it a mistake?
What would the mobile landscape look like if Microsoft hadn't called it quits?
Microsoft's spirited sojourns into mobile development haven't exactly been slam dunks, bogged down with middling design choices and failure to adapt in a competitive market. It wasn't exactly a fair fight; Google and Apple are (for the most part) completely dedicated to mobile development and can, therefore, devote the necessary time and resources. Microsoft was in the opposite position, a front-runner in PC development that was also busy co-running the console gaming industry with the Xbox. How on earth could the company possibly keep up with the high-pressure mobile industry on top of everything else?
Google busted for paying Apple 36% of search revenue derived from Safari
The company has paid Apple to remain the default search engine in Safari
Google and Apple have been doing business together for years, but the details of their dealings have remained largely undisclosed — until now. An antitrust trial that began in September 2023 brought Google to court, stemming from allegations of anticompetitive practices brought on by the US Department of Justice. Now, more information on Google’s track record is coming to light, and it seems that Apple may be profiting more than originally speculated.