From Twitter:

BREAKING: Samsung has developed the industry's highest performing Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.0 storage solution, which has received JEDEC® board of director approval. What is UFS 4.0 and what does it mean for the future of storage? Read on to learn more. pic.twitter.com/4Wxdu0J2PD

— Samsung Semiconductor (@SamsungDSGlobal) May 3, 2022

UFS 4.0 supports up to 1TB of storage and Samsung expects mass production of UFS 4.0 storage to start in Q3 2022, so we can expect to see it first in the Galaxy S23 series in Q1, 2023.

Here's his verdict:

Of note is that his timescale/difference was two years - and that if the choice is between a 2022 mid-ranger and a three year old flagship then the maths change and things come out a lot more equal. Not least because the three year old phone will be in its last year of software support.

But yes, I endorse Arun's conclusions. Especially if, for example, you're talking about a Pixel 4 device (with Google's only real Face ID system) or a two year old iPhone (which will go on longer than any equivalent Android device).

Here's Shane's video, you'll want to grab a drink, since it's half an hour long!

In terms of a verdict, Shane pretty much leaves it to you, the viewer, but he demonstrates so much live on camera that it'll hopefully be an easy decision either way. It'll certainly save you trying to find either or both devices in a shop to get hands-on!

PS. See also my own Surface Duo 2 review.

We last covered Monument Browser here, two years ago. It had a good run, but it, along with the rest of the world, has now moved on.

From the intro to Kerwin's piece:

The Nokia 9 PureView embodies HMD Global’s capability in the higher-end market. It has all the big names tied to it, featuring a collaboration with some of the biggest companies in the tech world. There was Nokia’s frequent collaborator, Carl Zeiss AG, then Google and its Android One team, and some minor help from Adobe. There was also the then-independent startup, Light, coming in with some crazy innovative camera ideas we have never seen on a smartphone before.

The smartphone has all the right recipes for success but ultimately suffers from its own complexities. We didn’t know how much this cost HMD Global, but it is bonkers how the company changed the way they make their devices since then.

Some people who owned the Nokia 9 PureView admit that it has issues from the get-go. And while some of it has been remedied via a software update, some of the more glaring ones remain to this day. It was a major compromise for the consumers who bought the device with some Nokia flagship expectations. But the inconsistencies in user experience, paired with the sudden neglect from its developers, and Light eventually halting its business for mobile imaging, caused a bit of a stir, not just for the users, but also within the whole Nokia community. What was left was the promise of Android One which was later proven to be false hope. Questions about HMD Global’s claims of honesty quickly arose, criticizing its famed tagline which partly reads “secure, and up-to-date”.

You can read the whole thing here.

Regardless of other hardware failings, there was so much possibility in the Nokia 9 PureView's unique camera layout - little of which was actually deployed. In particular, I'd have liked to have seen the parallax layout of cameras used to provide good software zoom up to, I estimate, 5x. But the algorithms simply never went 'there'.

For more on the Nokia 9 PureView from my own lips, see my original video review from 2019:

From the blog post:

Today we are thrilled to announce the evolution of Your Phone app as Phone Link.  We introduced the Your Phone experience more than three years ago, allowing you to keep your smartphone in your pocket and still be able to access your photos and texts on your computer. Since then, we have enabled more capabilities, such as the ability to filter notifications on your Windows PC, make and receive phone calls even when your phone is out of reach, and use your Android mobile apps on your Windows PC.

As part of this evolution, we’re now introducing a brand-new interface that brings notifications upfront to help you be confident that you’re not missing out on anything.  With the new tabbed navigation, all the important capabilities and content from your phone are still right at your fingertips. And we have also made improvements to make set-up even easier.  With the next update of Windows 11, you will also be able to set-up Phone Link during your set-up with your new PC with the ease of scanning a QR code.

We see this experience as more than just bringing your phone into your PC but as a bridge between the two devices, so we are renaming the app to Phone Link. And to further celebrate this connection between your two devices, we have also renamed the mobile companion app from Your Phone Companion to Link to Windows for all Android users. 

I don't see the name update yet on my Windows 10 laptops, but perhaps this will appear first under Windows 11 and then 10 afterwards. Let us know in the comments if you get the update in the Store, etc.

The PC-side application is getting a cosmetic overhaull just on Windows 11, probably, but Microsoft does keep changing its mind on all this, so who knows how it will all turn out...

Also notable is that a deal has been done with Honor:

Phone Link is now available in China thanks to a partnership with HONOR, making these experiences now available on HONOR Magic V, Magic 4 series and Magic 3 series devices, with more to come.

Eventually then, Link to Windows will be baked into Honor firmwares across the planet, I suspect. Following in Samsung's footsteps, if you will, A deal with Google itself would have been even more far-reaching, of course!

First folding phones:

While I agree with their conclusion, that folding phones are still the 'future' and not the mainstream, the three tests and comparison criteria only scratch the surface of what each device could do. (Literally, in the Fold 3's case, since the display is so fragile, but let's not go there...)

I felt the video section was a little unfair to the Duo 2, since a) watching with a hinge gap is fine for much content, e.g. TV shows, especially if they're 4:3, I contend, plus b) the Duo 2 folds backwards too and you can use 'tent' mode to provide a seamless video experience with built-in solid 'kickstand'.

Here's my own Surface Duo 2 review.

And here's the second short video, on Bluetooth over-ears:

Great to see my own personal favourite win out here - they only mentioned the staggering 80 hour battery life in passing, but it's a game changer.

Here's my own Marshall Major IV review, for your interest.

There are no surprises in the hardware, as I say - the AirPods-like charging case system is here, nicely made with magnetic closure, though in two tone plastic, disguised to seem metallic. The case charges via USB Type C at a fairly meagre 2W, though the small batteries involved still mean that it can be filled in two hours from any Type C source.

You get the usual three sizes of silicone tips, though I found the default medium tips perfect for my (average!) ears:

The 1cm drivers in each earbud do deliver. Sound quality is excellent, within the constraints of the relatively tiny (compared to over-ear designs) in-ear headphones. There's plenty of bass, and very decent high end. These are up with my previous favourite ROCKJAW T5s, yet cheaper and with more features, not least TWS.

Despite the quality, there's sadly no AptX HD support, just AAC and SBC Bluetooth profiles are supported, which is a bit disappointing. I’m guessing the low price doesn’t allow for AptX licensing. Still, you have to be a real audiophile with high quality source material to actually notice the difference, I suspect.

UGREEN claims 50ms low latency, but it was more like 200ms in my tests, i.e. in a game there's around 1/5th of a second delay between action and the sound effected for that action. Still, most media (i.e. video) apps correct for this - it was only games that showed a latency issue.

Battery life is super, up to 6 hours per charge with both buds before you need to put them back in the charging case, though there are obvious physical limits to how much battery can be put in something so small. (My on-ear Marshall Major IV units give a whopping 80 hours per charge.)

As with most TWS systems, the outer faces of the buds are capacitive, so a tap pauses and resumes playback, double taps change the volume, triple taps change the track, and so on. There are still false taps though, as with most TWS sets, it’s so easy to do a double tap rather than single, and vice versa.

The headline feature is the ANC and... it works, but isn’t great, maybe 50% reduction in spoken words and miscellaneous noise, not the 90% claimed, though again you perhaps have to put this in the context of the low price.

The buds report their battery status through Bluetooth to Android (I was testing them with my Surface Duo 2) and can be seen in Settings.

So... we have well made TWS buds which sound terrific and charge via Type C, which wotk out to rather good value at £30 (with the on-page voucher) as I write this (price goes up to £36 on April 10th). Don't expect that much from the ANC, but then you're not really being charged for this. If you want perfect ANC then you can go right up to the AirPods Pro or various Sony offerings, for example, but then you're looking at £200+, or over five times more expensive.

As noted in the comments on YouTube, there was one error in the video - the SwiftKey keyboard should indeed span the whole of the lower screen in 'laptop' mode - and does this by default on my (recently reset) Duo 2 - but Michael had something tweaked in Settings, explaining the split keys in the footage.

I'd also like to suggest that more camera testing is needed after the last major (March) update, a fortnight ago, since the Camera application is now very responsive and I've been very happy with results from all three lenses - it's possible that Michael was basing this section of his video on the February firmware.

The changes to the Duo 2 in software have been so significant that I'll update my own initial review or perhaps do a 'long term' review here at some point. Maybe after April's update, which would make it a full six months since launch etc.

Here's Michael's video:

Which all sounds about right and I've been through numerous NexDocks and hubs across two phone platforms to come to the same conclusion. DeX/Continuum/'Ready For' have always been more tech demo than tech essentials.

PS. Bonus photo from Nokia World 2011, with the All About team of the time, including yours truly working ON a Motorola Atrix system! This was a full eleven years ago and I concluded at the time that the downsides and restrictions of a phone-driven faux-laptop just weren't worth it when used for real work. Seems like not much has changed in 11 years, but I don't blame the tech - I blame manufacturers for just toying with the concept rather than investing in it fully.

Rather sadly, video editing on Android and Windows are meagre affairs at best. Anecdotally, media support and video editing are the reasons I switched to Mac in the first place, circa 2010, and I haven't looked back. You may remember that I managed to film and edit an entire Phones Show on just an iPhone last year.

From the Apple promo page:

Magic Movie

Instant movies, styled and edited. That’s magic.

Magic Movie lets you instantly create styled, edited videos complete with titles, transitions, even music — in just a few taps. Select media or an album from your library, then Magic Movie identifies the best parts of the footage and automatically creates an edit. Experiment with different video looks by choosing from 20 different styles. Easily rearrange or delete clips from a simplified list of your shots and modify the details with tools for clip trimming, splitting, and more. And hear the magic as your music dynamically recomposes to the length of your project.

Storyboards

Design your story.
Shot by shot.

Learn video storytelling or sharpen your skills with new Storyboards. The premade video templates guide you through the movie-making process. Choose from 20 storyboards based on popular genres like Cooking, Product Reviews, or Science Experiments. Each storyboard includes a shot list with examples to guide you through capturing footage, organizing clips, and learning different story structures. Easily save your storyboard video to your Photos library to share widely on social, or send to a friend directly via Messages or Mail.

All good stuff. I've always come away disappointed by canned video templates, but Magic Movie in particular looks like its flexible enough for home use, at least, if not 'pro' video presentations.

You can listen below or find the Nokia Chronicles podcast in your podcatcher of choice.

Slightly awkwardly, he faced a question about me at the end, but 'mutual respect' just about covers it, David and I have touched base hundreds of times over the last three decades and also met in person on occasion.

Great listening anyway, you'll learn a lot!

Fast forward to today and a developer has just released OpoLua, an OPL runtime for iOS, i.e. for iPhone and iPad. Meaning that you can now install and run Psion/OPL applications on a 2022 iPhone. Which is... pretty cool, even though app complexity now has in most cases outstripped those early OPL efforts.

So it's all about the nostagia!

There are a few caveats, detailed in the FAQ page, notably that there's no OPL database support (yet), and there are minor graphics issues in some games. But it's a project that is well worth keeping an eye on - this is just version 1 and I'm sure it will fill out further.

Games, which often don't use databases are the obvious place to start and I was able to get my own Series 5 Golf up and running in seconds. There are graphical glitches here and there, but it all does work:

Ditto Ewan Spence's Vexed:

I'll post again if and when the OpoLua team encompass database files (which is where more of my own applications become viable).

The official changelog for the February 2022 update is:

• Addresses scenarios outlined in the Android Security Bulletin – February 2022
• Improves system reliability and stability
• Improves device performance and animations
• Improves touch responsiveness
• Improves camera performance with autofocus

It went on smoothly to my own Duo 2 and the animations, in particular, in the Microsoft Launcher, are a nice touch, mimicking what you'd get in the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones.

Imaging results haven't changed, but I'm still waiting for my latest imaging comparison to be published here (see my note on server problems), so I won't do any more until everything's fixed up.

And here's Shane's long term review video:

You can also go read my own review of the Surface Duo 2. It's a special device(!)

Interesting stuff. Although we don't cover the Desktop much here, getting Android mobile applications going is very much relevant. Or you could, you know, link up your Samsung or Microsoft phone with the 'Your Phone' client, which achieves much the same result but in a more official and integrated way.

Here's the video:

Which is all well and good, and I learned something here, since I don't believe this has been mentioned anywhere else. But as Gary said, the phone has to have a) the right electronics to synchronise the haptics and audio, and b) a haptic 'engine' that can deliver the goods.

So, for example, your average Android phone's vibrator won't be enough to take advantage of HD Haptics. Gary points out that the current Pixel 6 devices have the right chippery, but I'd respond that even the Pixels don't have a proper haptic engine. Or 'Taptic engine' as Apple calls it, having included an industry-leading haptic system in all iPhones for the last few years.

Gary concludes that all this is really just raising awareness that HD Haptics should be on your checklist when researching your next smartphone, though again I'd chip in and point out that Sony has included both real time audio haptics and a decent linear haptic engine in most of its mid-range to flagship phones for the last three years. And it works fabulously. As I reported on in gory detail here...

But yes, the likes of Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, etc. will one day soon catch up with what Apple has been doing since 2015 and then some time later will catch up with what Sony has been doing since 2019...(!)

From his editorial:

Microsoft would have to spend an enormous amount of time, money, and energy to make full-blown Windows 11 work on mobile devices. Why would Microsoft go through that hassle for such a small group of people? Even when Microsoft invested in Windows Phone, the platform lagged behind iOS and Android in terms of popularity. I can't imagine a Windows 11 phone would be more popular than anything from the peak days of Lumia.

If Microsoft managed to make Windows 11 feel natural on phones, the platform would still lack critical apps. Yes, Microsoft has worked hard to close the app gap, but many of those efforts were aimed at PCs, such as the Microsoft Store supporting unpackaged apps. Progressive Web Apps are more mature than they were when Windows 10 Mobile was killed off, but they don't close all of the holes.

Windows wouldn't work on a phone in its current state, but a mobile phone could power Windows.

Do read the whole piece, including the comments, as there are ideas aplenty.

Ultimately, despite being a fan of Continuum back in the day and DeX now, even lapdock direct connections, I have to confess that my interest is mainly academic - despite owning several USB 3 hubs and lapdocks, I never actually use them in anger. My laptops remain most useful and powerful running desktop OS, so Mac OS and full Windows 10.

While my smartphones remain phones, even hyper-flexible ones such as the Surface Duo 2. Yes, the phones can do more and more as time goes on, displacing some functions that used to be easier on the desktop. But the idea of forcing the phone to BE a desktop, while technically cool, rarely works well in practice.

And as Sean indicates, the complexities (mainly in software) that would arise in creating a working dual-boot smartphone put the idea far from the mainstream.

Surprisingly, the solution that's proven to work best of all is Microsoft's Your Phone system, now fully integrated at the app level into hundreds of millions of Samsung smartphones (plus Microsoft's own Surface Duos), and integrated at the useful messaging and telephony level into any Android phone at the install of an application from the Play Store.

With Your Phone running on your Windows laptop, for example, you can wield calls and messages from your full laptop hardware, copy content, and even run specific phone-only applications. Almost the best of both worlds, I'd argue. And an approach I'm going to be revisiting over the next month.*

* if we can sort out the broken Feature publishing!

From Microsoft's announcement page:

Today, we’re excited to announce new experiences for Windows 11 are starting to become available, including an Amazon Appstore preview available in the U.S.

What makes Windows, well, Windows, is the variety of apps available to let you do just that. Since the launch of Windows 11, the Microsoft Store has attracted more creators and users around the world; today we are adding over 1,000 more apps and games in partnership with the Amazon Appstore. Windows 11 users in the U.S. can access the Amazon Appstore Preview in the Microsoft Store, and popular apps like Audible, Kindle, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids and many more. This experience, built on the Android platform and supported by Intel Bridge Technology, introduces a new category of mobile apps and games available for Windows.

To get started with the preview, open and update the Microsoft Store (click Get updates in Microsoft Store > Library) – search your favorite titles or explore our new curated collection of mobile apps and games; when you’ve found what you’re looking for, download them through the Amazon Appstore. These apps feel like a part of Windows, integrating naturally with Windows input and windowing experiences, like Snap layouts.Today’s preview reinforces our commitment to be the most open platform for creators, and we look forward to sharing more details later this year on how we’ll broaden availability with the Amazon Appstore. We can’t wait to hear your feedback on the experience.

There's a brief promo video to go with all this:

There are also extra features to Windows 11, namely Taskbar improvements and two redesigned apps: Media Player and Notepad. Read on in the source link for more detail.

PS. I'll be covering Your Phone again soon, looking at the recent updates and integration with the likes of the Surface Duo 2. Just as soon as the Features section of this web site works fully again!

Here's the first video, anyway:

You can subscribe to their channel here..

The titular question is a good one, but I wholeheartedly endorse the idea that a Surface Duo is something very different to the monoblock smartphone and deserves consideration for anyone feeling limited by a single, thin 6.x"-screened phone and not wanting to go down the route of fragile plastic folding displays.

From Microsoft:

Microsoft has announced the end of support for the Microsoft Health Dashboard applications and services. This document describes functionality that Band users still have with their device.

• Track your heart rate
• Track your calories burned
• Track your exercise
• Track your steps
• Track your sleep
• Track a run or other activity
• Track your ride
• View the UV index (UVI)
• Turn Watch Mode on or off
• Set an alarm
• Set a timer
• Use the stopwatch

For each bullet point, if you click through, you can expand it for all the detail you need to get that feature going.

Heh. That's still quite a long list of functions!

The attraction for me of the Band 2 was always what you could see on your wrist rather than later on in a web dashboard, and 90% of what I'd need the Band 2 for is still fully functional. The biggest impact for me is the lack of 'Assisted GPS', so you're purely reliant on the raw GPS in the Band 2 - which will take longer to get a 'fix'...

PS. If you do want to try getting more sync data 'going', see my earlier link of interest.

From the piece, which covers video calling, NFC payments, Always On Display (which he traces back to the still-lovely Nokia N86, in 2009), Qi wireless charging (the Lumia 920), and an Ultra-wide camera), before concluding philosophically:

Looking back at the origins of features we now take for granted has highlighted how quickly industry giants that once seemed unstoppable — like Nokia and LG — can quickly lose ground and fade from the public consciousness. It also made me realize that I should pay more attention to the "gimmicks" that new phones come with today. They may be unfinished or come across as silly, but some of them could one day become as widespread as the innovations on this list.

Thought provoking, indeed. To his feature traceback, I'd also add OIS in phone cameras (Lumia 920, again, which Zac did mention in passing), stereo speakers (I'm guessing Nokia N95 here, though please correct me if you can predate this), and - of course, computational photography (Nokia 808 PureView), paving the way for much of what we have in all phone cameras today in 2022, except less elegantly implemented these days (Quad Bayer and not full RGB sensors)!

And yes, it's staggering to think that we've effectively lost HTC, Palm, LG, Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, and even Nokia from today's phone world (ignore the current 'Nokia', it's really HMD Global re-using the name).

I think the idea is that you can poke out the Windows logo squares if you like - I prefer to keep the whole front face protected and consistent...

As before, the skins are easy to apply, thanks to good instructions on the XtremeSkins web site and to the Duo 2's hinges, which provide a great reference point for starting to apply each half. The skins are precision cut, so as to fit exactly around, for example, the camera island, even when you start the application at the hinge 'end'.

The odd thing is that the textured black leather 'effect' on the backing paper, looks way over the top, but in place on the hardware feels exactly right. dBrand do a 'black leather' too, but I have that here (it finally arrived after over a month in transit from the USA!) and it's far smoother - and more slippery as a result, I'm guessing. Maybe I'll experiment with that too, next, and report back.

As with other skins, they cover the glass front and back, so don't get in the way of the edge Bumpers. So best of both worlds, you can have your edge and face protection and swap either without interfering with the other.

XtremeSkins also provide a skin for the camera island, but I prefer my skinned phone with the cameras black and standing out - and without adding extra thickness to the thickest part of the Duo 2!

It's not much of a review strategy, but I plan to switch skins once a month, in terms of colours and textures, and then perhps report back on a top 3 at some point!

Any comments?

Here's JCB, a.k.a. 'somegadgetguy' across the Internet:

It's a fair verdict and mirrors my own thoughts after using both devices (albeit the Samsung only briefly). Again, see my previous feature.

Now, you may remember Ewan Spence, who wrote for the All About sites from 2002 through to about 2013? He's been writing for Forbes for well over a decade now and it turns out that he's also ended up on a Surface Duo, the original one, and has been writing about his experience. One note before you click the link though - the Forbes site is an advert and pop-up fest, so approach with your ad-blocker set to 'full'!

The Duo concept does work, it’s close enough to the phone experience to ensure app compatibility but its far enough away to make a new class of device. In use the Duo software is closer to a Windows 11 experience than it is to a flagship smartphone experience, and that’s the success of the vision.

I tell you it's a trend!

From the Mediatek press release (sic):

MediaTek’s demo shows how its Wi-Fi 7 Filogic technology can achieve the maximum speed defined by IEEE 802.11be and demonstrates its multi-link operation (MLO) technology. MLO technology aggregates multiple channels on different frequencies bands at the same time to highlight how network traffic can still flow seamlessly even if there is interference or congestion on the bands. MLO technology will be critical for delivering faster and more reliable video streaming, gaming and anything else that requires constant, sustained and real-time throughput.

“Faster broadband Internet access and more demanding applications such as higher resolution video streaming and VR gaming are driving demand for Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and soon Wi-Fi 7,” said Mario Morales, group vice president, Semiconductors at IDC. “Wi-Fi 7’s advances in channel width, QAM, and new features such as multi-link operation (MLO) will make Wi-Fi 7 very attractive for devices including flagship smartphones, PCs, consumer devices and vertical industries like retail and industrial; as service providers begin to deploy a wider spectrum of hotspots across these market segments.”

Wi-Fi 7 is unique in that it offers completely new capabilities in all the available spectrums for Wi-Fi uses, including 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. Wi-Fi 7 will deliver 2.4X faster speeds than Wi-Fi 6 – even with the same number of antennas – since Wi-Fi 7 can utilize 320Mhz channels and support 4K quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) technology. Other notable features of Wi-Fi 7 include MLO to reduce latency by transmitting Wi-Fi on multiple bands, in addition to multi-user resource unit (MRU) features for enhanced interference avoidances and mitigation.

Products with Wi-Fi 7 are expected to hit the market starting in 2023 and I'll have a deep dive into the tech before then, I'm sure.

Although the speed claims are for routers 'with the same number of antennas', I'm sure we'll see 7-optimised routers next year, improving things still further.

Here we go then (summarising the official text and including first hand testimony):

• An upgrades to Android 11 (from 10).
• Includes the Google Android January 2022 Security patches.
• You can now launch OneNote when clicking the top button on the Surface Slim Pen 2.
• You can now answer a phone call by folding the screen back (to single screen mode).
• You can now choose specific apps to automatically span across both screens when you open them.
• Quick Settings and notifications now look good in both portrait and landscape orientations.
• You can now adjust media volume directly from Quick Settings in any device mode (i.e. even if the physical buttons are inaccessible).
• You can now use thumb mode in Microsoft SwiftKey in all device modes and application states.
• The app drawer and folder design has been updated, and with improved drag-and-drop support.
• The Microsoft feed design has updated cards and new Microsoft Start widgets for News and Weather.
• There's now a new dual-screen enhanced experience for viewing and editing photos in the OneDrive app.
• You can now screenshot applications directly from the multitasking thumbnail view.
• Xbox Game Pass: You can now discover and play games from the cloud with an on-screen controller.

Of course, all the above is also in Android 11 on the Surface Duo 2, but it's good to see parity across the board between the two devices now.

Shane Craig notes that:

Swiping/general touch is still bad. Probably worse than on Duo 2. Camera still lags on shutter. No option to lock phone mode to one screen is stupid. More to come?

Given that the Duo 2's touch sensitivity isn't perfect and that the Duo has older technology inside, it's perhaps not surprising that there are still issues here. Having used the Duo 2 for a month now, I think Microsoft has got the touch sensitivity about right on balance - obviously capacitive touch tech can offer better response, but the more you ramp up sensitivity, the more you have issues with unwanted touches as you manipulate the dual displays and hinge.

I do agree about wanting an option to lock the phone to using just one display - there are plenty of times when I don't need two AMOLED panels burning power and I'd like to have just one active without having to physically fold the unwanted display 'behind'. What I'd envisage is that a triple tap on a display would disable it and a double tap would 'bring it back'. Ideas, there, Microsoft?

It's happening! Android 11 update is now live on Surface Duo! pic.twitter.com/mZ1N7sHgIO

— Shane Craig (@ScaryifLiteral) January 24, 2022

From the article:

When it comes to its navigation component, however, Google Maps is a superstar. This is the reason it has millions of users every day, as it offers new-gen features such as live traffic information, fuel-efficient routes, and many other options you won’t find elsewhere.

One of the best things about Google Maps is offline support. With this feature, Google allows you to continue enjoying its navigation capabilities without an Internet connection. This obviously comes in handy when data coverage is not available, no matter if we’re talking about a tunnel or a limited mobile plan that makes it harder to use an online navigation app.

But of course, Google Maps isn’t the only app out there with support for offline maps, so if for some reason you’re now looking for an alternative, here are the best five you can try out today.

The article then goes on to summarise:

• Sygic GPS Navigation and Maps
• MAPS.ME
• OsmAnd Maps
• TomTom Go
• HERE WeGo Maps and Navigation

Worthy of a bookmark. Me? They're all worth bearing in mind, but the paid services are a real stretch considering that Google Maps is free. While the likes of OsmAnd Maps can fill in off-road mapping scenarios, hiking, cycling, etc.

PS. [Steve] I'm planning my own deep dive into OsmAnd Maps in the near future. Thanks for the Flow, Ted!

Now, the price of this belt pouch - £6.30 including postage - should let you know that we're not talking premium materials, but I was astounded at how good the final case was.

Two main compartments, each sized slightly larger than the Surface Duo 2, each padded on their outsides (so protecting the contents from the external world and from your own hip), plus a smaller 'wallet' pocket on the outside. You don't have to use both the main pockets, of course, and I didn't, but the second is there if you need it. Promo photos show two phones, but even I wouldn't be mad enough to take two smartphones with me all the time. (Maybe for the odd photo shoot!)

There's no padding at the top, bottom, or side edges, but then again look again at that price. I was still very happy at the fit and finish.

The idea here, as per the name, that it's a jack-of-all-trades belt case for everything you might need. With the Surface Duo 2 being roughly the same size as a passport, I'd be using this case when travelling. Folding phone in one pocket, passport and folded travel documents in the other, then cards and some emergency cash in the front pocket, perhaps. Plus there's a strong pen loop on the case's right side, which I don't have a use for, but it's a nice to have, if only for a spare biro when on the move between countries.

It's true that the material used is synthetic rather than actual denim, but it's tidily stitched and super value for money. Belt case haters will continue to hate, but for a trip out and wanting to keep everything you need with you, including that over-wide phone, it's nigh on perfect.

The decision was therefore made by Microsoft to cancel Project Andromeda, scrap the journalling ideas, and to build the multi-screen UI on top of Android 10, all of which emerged in the original Surface Duo.

Here's Zac's video, grab a coffee and sit back(!), he does a great job of explaining it all and you'll want to watch all of it.

In a world of iPhones and Android, and even with a groundswell of Lumia fans inbound, I'm not sure about the canvas-as-homescreen approach. There's simply too much to launch and keep track of in modern smartphones. Perhaps for the ultra creative, perhaps for minimalists, it might have found its place. I suspect that, as with the Duo and Duo 2 themselves, you'd have to live with them in order to appreciate the different approach needed to make the most of the unique form factor.

Well done Zac, and comments welcome here too.

From Canalys:

Apple accounted for 22% of worldwide smartphone shipments in Q4 2021, thanks to strong demand for the iPhone 13. But overall shipments for the quarter grew just 1%, as vendors faced supply chain problems and a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. Samsung took second place, down from the top spot in Q3 2021, with a market share of 20%. Xiaomi maintained its third-place position with a 12% share. OPPO and vivo completed the top five with 9% and 8% shares respectively.

“Apple is back at the top of the smartphone market after three quarters, driven by a stellar performance from the iPhone 13,” said Canalys Analyst Sanyam Chaurasia. “Apple saw unprecedented iPhone performance in Mainland China, with aggressive pricing for its flagship devices keeping the value proposition strong. Apple’s supply chain is starting to recover, but it was still forced to cut production in Q4 amid shortages of key components and could not make enough iPhones to meet demand. In prioritized markets, it maintained adequate delivery times, but in some markets its customers had to wait to get their hands on the latest iPhones.”

Worldwide smartphone shipments and growth Canalys Preliminary Smartphone Market Pulse: Q4 2021
Vendor	Q4 2020 market share	Q4 2021 market share
Apple	23%	22%
Samsung	17%	20%
Xiaomi	12%	12%
OPPO	10%	9%
vivo	9%	8%

(See the original Canalys story for the small print, though do note that OnePlus is included in the OPPO shipments)

To be on top of the market share table, worldwide, with largely premium-priced handsets, is somewhat remarkable. A few years ago, Samsung, with its huge range of smartphones, from budget to top end, ruled this table, but the way it has largely messed up the flagship end of things ever since the S20 range was launched (ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, taking out the audio jack, a telephoto which isn't a telephoto, I could go on...) has clearly taken the shine off Samsung's lustre, though it's still in a very solid second place.

Apple, meanwhile, despite the chip shortage affecting availability of its iPhone 13 range, has maintained its Q4 supremacy. And again I'll emphasise, this isn't just the USA, where the network economics mean that phone price hardly matters, this is worldwide, across all networks and regions. Impressive.

Overall, the Chinese manufacturers have just over half the world marketshare, mind you, with Xiaomi leading the way, thanks to some amazingly competitive low-to-mid range offerings in all regions other than the USA.

From Hiroshi's Twitter thread:

Tons of great discussion following my tweet over the weekend. Thank you for that. I wanted to follow up with some thoughts and clarifications.
We’re not asking Apple to make iMessage available on Android. We’re asking Apple to support the industry standard for modern messaging (RCS) in iMessage, just as they support the older SMS / MMS standards.

Why is this important? Phone number-based messaging is the fallback that we all know will work. If you want to reach someone and you don’t know whether they use app x y or z, you have high confidence that sending them a text (SMS) will work. That’s because it’s a standard and supported by essentially all mobile devices. That’s probably why Apple supported SMS to begin with.

SMS has evolved, and it’s better. You can see read receipts, typing indicators, better groups, secure 1:1 messages (groups coming soon) etc. That new standard is called RCS, and it’s available now. Supporting RCS would improve the experience for both iOS and Android users alike. That’s right, RCS will also improve the experience and privacy for iOS users.

By not incorporating RCS, Apple is holding back the industry and holding back the user experience for not only Android users but also their own customers.

If you're a little confused at this point then he does link also to a Max Weinbach Tiktok video (if the embed doesn't work in your country then click through and watch on the web):

@maxwellweinbach Texting green bubbles sucks because of apple, not because of your android friend #iphone #android #samsung ♬ original sound - Maxwell Weinbach

The Astro Slide follows in the series of QWERTY smartphones from Planet, starting with the Gemini (which I still have), then the Cosmo Communicator. Rather than being clamshell here though, the idea is that the screen literally slides over the top of the keyboard and then angles up, reminiscent of a Nokia N97 or E7 from back in the day, or - more precisely - the HTC 7 Pro, from the Windows Phone era, and then, to an extent, the f(x)tec Pro1. 

I covered its launch here (a whopping two years ago) and advice from Planet Computers is that production units are arriving with the first backers imminently, the Astro Slides at CES being the first off the production line. 

So it has been interesting to see the video coverage online of people getting hands-on with the Astro Slide. So far it's smaller channels, but then the Planet Computers booth wasn't that high profile. I'll add more videos if I spot them.

(old on left, new Launcher on right)

The new version of Microsoft Launcher brings a facelifted app drawer, which now includes a grab bar on the top. Even 'Your Feed' has been updated, with more transparency and rounded effects to match what's seen in Windows 11. Microsoft's official changelog is quoted as:

• Launcher's feed and overall design were updated.
• The News feed experience was enhanced.
• The toggle between work and personal apps was improved.
• Additional filters are now available to improve searching.

Good stuff. There's no real reason why everything about Android 11 on the Surface Duo 2 can't also be implemented in time on the original Duo, though the underlying OS will need that update, of course. My gut feel is that this will appear, but next month, in 2022, thus missing Microsoft's original self-proclaimed deadline.

The irony of all these delays is that, back in 2020, the original Surface Duo was supposed to come with Android 11 (which was new at the time and apparently needed to enable all the UI functionality). And then we fast forward to today, 18 months later, and this device is still on Android 10, with compromises galore under the hood.

Microsoft is, at heart, a software company though, so hopefully this update will arrive.

The Microsoft Surface Duo 2, which I reviewed here, is a pretty stunning piece of kit, so I'm glad that more and more content on it is arriving from Microsoft each week. And if you love dogs(!), especially, then check these two new videos out:

The Swiftkey adaptations as the device is rotated and unfolded were particularly interesting, plus that drag and drop functionality between two visible (thanks to the two screens) applications never gets old!

I'm keeping a close eye on the Surface Duo 2 - and the original Surface Duo, which is (over) due its Android 11 update - and will keep the coverage coming on All About Mobile. If I can possibly get either back in for more testing then I will.

GSM Arena has the basics:

Oppo went smaller than the competition – the Find N has a 5.49” outer display and a 7.1” inner screen. This puts it in the middle between smaller flip phones and larger horizontal foldables.

The new Flexion Hinge is a complicated piece of clockwork with 136 components, but it achieves two important tasks. First, it folds the display with a teardrop shape at the fold, making the crease 80% less noticeable (this number is according to TÜV). Second, it eliminates the wedge-shaped gap between the two halves when the phone is folded, which the current market-leading design can’t say.

The hinge also enables something dubbed FlexForm Mode. Essentially, the hinge can hold the two halves at any angle between 50º and 120º, allowing the phone to act as its own tripod for long video calls or time-lapse photography.

Let’s have a closer look at the specs, starting with the screen. It is a custom Serene Display with 12-layers. It utilizes so-called Flexion Ultra Thin Glass, which is much thinner than the competition – 0.03mm vs. 0.6mm. This makes it much more flexible. TUV-verified testing proved that there will still be “next to no crease” after 200,000 foldings.

The main layer of the display is LTPO AMOLED, which can adjust its refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz to match the content you are viewing while the touch sampling rate can go up to 1,000 Hz. Oppo calibrated the color rendering and brightness of both the inner and outer displays. They can hit a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, but it is graduated in 10,240 brightness steps, so you can always find the perfect brightness in all lighting conditions.

The outer 5.49” display is an AMOLED panel with Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It has a resolution of 1,972 x 988 px (402 ppi) and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. The inner 7.1” display has 1,792 x 1,920 px resolution (370 ppi) and a 1-120 Hz refresh rate.

The Oppo Find N is powered by a Snapdragon 888 chipset with 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. 

GSM Arena then they went and excelled themselves by getting brief hands-on time in China:

Will promises a 'full review' too, which will be interesting.

All very interesting, though don't give me that 'less noticeable crease' claptrap. It's just as visible when seen obliquely or when 'felt', but more spread out, as the Samsung's!

The 'China only' is the biggest caveat, of course. Distributing and supporting a top end smartphone across the world is a huge endeavour - have Oppo got the will and resources?

The official changelog is quoted as:

• Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 is receiving its December 2021 update.
• The update is 258 MB and brings the build number to 2021.923.272.
• The update brings many fixes, including improvements for app animations, touch responsiveness, LDAC Bluetooth, camera usability, and more.
• Additionally, there is now the ability to launch OneNote using the Surface Slim Pen and other new features.

There's more video goodness below, but let's start with Zac's walkthrough:

The standouts are definitely the ability to force single screen mode on the display you naturally favour when folding the Duo 2 back, plus that auto-launch of OneNote from the Slim Pen, ready for inking. See what you think, above.

In addition, Microsoft has started a new promotional series of videos on the Duo 2. Well, I say 'series', but there are only two so far. Hopefully more to come! There's a getting started video, which you can probably skip, plus a more feature packed 'Getting familiar' one, embedded below. Enjoy!

Here's the official changelog for v8.79.1 (at least, on iOS):

• Modernised Skype's look
• Together mode works for all group calls
• New camera experience for taking pictures
• Bug fixes and stability improvements

Here are screenshots of the new interface in action:

Most of the interesting stuff is now buried in the profile control, top centre; (right) the banner control just below 'Search' is for starting a new meeting (a la Zoom)...

Within an audio call, though with the '...' menu giving you control over whether the other party can enable their video (you may not wish to see them, etc!)

Found in the 'notifications' tab and then tapping on the small gearwheel for 'Settings', there's huge control over how Skype can push information to you; (right) the aforementioned 'Easy meetings' feature, which works much as Zoom does. You set up a meeting (which, unlike in Zoom, doesn't expire) and then start inviting Skype contacts and indeed anyone via a specific link.

Looks good to me, at any rate. Good to see Skype development carrying on, even if it did kind of miss the whole 'Zoom' revolution during the pandemic.

(You can download Skype here from the iPhone App Store and here from the Google Play Store.)

From Microsoft:

Over the last year, we’ve been making improvements to OneDrive to ensure you have the tools you need to do your job, so you can get more done in the most efficient way. One thing we’ve heard directly from you is that you’d love a way to work on your photos in OneDrive without having to open another app. 

Today we’re excited to announce new photo editing features in in OneDrive on the web that will enable you to crop photos, adjust light and color, add creative filters, and mark up photos for editing, all in one place, so you can quickly add them to presentations, share them on social media, or use in meetings to enhance discussions about product development or marketing. 

This is available to all now:

Here's how to get started, the control buttons are small and almost hidden at the top of the screen... Click on 'Edit' etc.

Although the crop and adjustment tools have been improved, the big addition is the 'Filter' pane of, well, filters. You can adjust the intensity of each one, which is cool.

It's a useful set of tools to bear in mind, though there's still no 'Auto-fix' tool, which is always helpful when you're in a hurry, fixing up colours, exposure, etc.

Assuming you've been auto-backing up all your photos to OneDrive, then you can just head to https://onedrive.live.com/ and click on 'Photos' to get going.

Here's the main video:

Plus Abdulla has some extra thoughts, including:

...Nokia’s impressive software contributions to the Microsoft platform. Nokia wasn’t only creating impressive hardware back then, but also backed it up with software features that made Lumia devices the absolute best place to experience Windows Phone. From their Storyteller gallery app (a lot of its features has been implemented in Google Photos these days) to its powerful imaging and photo editing suite of apps (Nokia Smart Camera, Cinemagraph, Creative Studio, Refocus, etc), to the additional Nokia services like Mix Radio (Music streaming app way ahead of its time), Here Maps (With offline navigation even back then), City Lens (AR navigation app, really cool). 

It's the innovation and thinking outside the box that created such a (classic) Nokia fanbase. Such a shame that all of this couldn't continue after both Nokia's management team and then Microsoft pulled the rug out from under the platform's feet.

PS. Yes, I know I was cautious about Windows Phone in its early days, but with Windows Phone 8 it caught up with my beloved Symbian around 2012 and then the arrival of the Lumia 1020 meant that I could have my cake and eat it. If only for a couple of years (sadly).

I suspect the article was in part triggered by HMD Global announcing that they weren't, after all, going to update their Nokia 9 PureView wannabe imaging flagship to Android 11. This was the last straw for Nokia 9 owners, stung by years of unusable fingerprint sensors, buggy software, and terribly slow camera processing.

So, on with the Android Authority article, here's an extract:

Building a flagship phone isn’t easy and you could chalk up some of the fumbles of the Nokia 8 Sirocco to rookie mistakes. Perhaps the second time would be the charm? Errr… Not quite. HMD Global’s second attempt at building a flagship turned out to be an even bigger failure and a fine example of biting off more than you can chew.

The Nokia 9 PureView was presumably designed with the intention of pushing the envelope of smartphone imaging. The company channeled the technology of the Lytro Illum, a light-field camera, to craft the smartphone. The flagship used five different cameras to achieve a single gimmick — the ability to readjust the focus after the shot — a feature nobody was actively seeking. Worse, the phone didn’t quite nail the one thing it had promised — excellent still photography.

Repositioned as a limited edition phone, the Nokia 9 PureView couldn’t hold a candle to alternatives like the Galaxy S10 and Huawei P30. Moreover, the gimmicky penta-camera system meant the phone was lacking basics like an ultra-wide or telephoto lens. Additionally, the phone was powered by a dated chipset and suffered from terrible software optimization. Suffice it to say, it didn’t set the world on fire.

Pandering to nostalgia isn't enough to keep a company afloat.

Two years since the launch of the Nokia 9 Pureview, HMD Global still hasn’t come up with another flagship phone. Instead, the company seems to be doubling down on resurrecting ancient feature phones as, well, new feature phones. Launching the Nokia 3310 as a homage to the legacy of the brand was a cute touch. However, if the only buzzworthy devices in your portfolio are yet more feature phones, you’ve got an innovation problem on your hands. Yes, the company managed to ship almost 11 million feature phones in Q1 2021, but building a business around a dying category is a fool’s errand.

Harsh but fair. The heart of a great smartphone company is technology and HMD Global was essentially taking OEM parts and assembling some low and mid-range phones with nothing to inspire a user. And the Nokia 9 PureView was only produced with the help of 'Light', a pioneering multi-camera company, a relationship that no longer exists. And now apparently the Light code won't work with Android 11, so HMD Global are stuffed.

Sad but true.

See what you think, anyway. I've decided to hang onto this - the curious thing is that although the specs indicate that weight and size are only about 15% down on the previous NexDock Touch, in the bag and in the hand the difference feels bigger. The 360 is definitely something that I'd carry around on any non-trivial trip. With this, I don't need to carry a separate hub - or tablet, for example. And in some cases I might not even need to bring a laptop at all.

It's a niche accessory still, to be sure, but if you have that need, then it's damn useful. Just watch those screen settings!!