When the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro arrive, they’ll be the first to ship with Google’s own Tensor processor. What they won’t be shipping with is a USB charger.
The recently-launched Pixel 5a, it seems, will be the last in the line to package a charger. Google mentions a couple of reasons for the move including reduced environmental impact (somewhat tricky to confirm since third-party manufacturers will happily make up the difference) and the fact that most people already have a charger or nine.
Samsung, meanwhile, will also stop shipping something with some of its phones: advertisements. The company announced this week that it will stop showings ads in its stock apps. In an internal meeting, new smartphone boss TM Roh said that Samsung’s priority “is to deliver innovative mobile experiences for our consumers based on their needs and wants,” adding that user feedback contributed to the move.
The update will roll out later this year, so enjoy your cleaner weather forecasts and Samsung Pay home screens, Samsung users!
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web:
- Google Is Testing An ‘App’ Launcher For The Nest Hub
Sometimes it’s just more efficient (to tap or swipe than it is to talk to your devices. It’s also just more familiar for a lot of folks. - Intel Shutting Down RealSense Camera Business
It’s time to refocus, Intel says. The company is winding down operations in its imaging division to strengthen its core chipmaking business. - Kindle Software Update Brings UI Changes… And Ads
Amazon’s latest Kindle software update brings some big changes to the UI, and it’s not all good. The home screen can no longer be disabled, so you may have to get used to its ads and recommendations. - Here’s The Atari VCS Running Xbox Cloud Gaming
The Atari VCS finally shipped after many, many delays. The reviews haven’t been great so far, but at least you can stream games from Microsoft’s cloud service on it.
You can also find the latest news about open source phones by following our sister site LinuxSmartphones on Facebook and Twitter.
I’m interested to see what AI apps Google will have available at Pixel 6 release. I’m hoping for an AR demo of some sort.
No doubt they’ll be jumping on the Apple CSAM bandwagon at some point, along with everyone else. It’s only a matter of time before everyone else follows suit.
Apple’s CSAM detection tech is under fire – again. August 18, 2021:
https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/18/apples-csam-detection-tech-is-under-fire-again/