Android

Editorial: The mysterious curse of iPhone 6, lifted with... the headphone jack

In 2014, Apple unveiled a pair of larger iPhone 6 models that kicked off a "supercycle" of upgrades and permanently blunted the high-end Galaxy sales of its top rival in premium smartphones, Samsung. However, it appears that iPhone 6 and 6S suffered statically high hardware failure rates in diagnostic testing, a problem that has since subsided in more recent models. What caused this mysterious problem, and how did Apple improve things?

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

Google gives up on tablets: Android P marks an end to its ambitious efforts to take on Apple's iPad

Back at the beginning of 2010, Google felt quite confident that its Android platform would crush Apple's iPhone in the same way Microsoft Windows had marginalized Mac sales into relative obscurity with 2 percent market share in the late 1990s. However, Apple changed the game by launching another new iOS product: iPad. It split Google's focus and demonstrated that Android as a platform couldn't turn a bunch of commodity PC and phone makers into an innovative, creative challenge to Apple. Eight years later, Google appears ready to give up on tablets entirely.

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

Survey calls Android buyers "more loyal," but more users are still switching to iOS

A survey by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners created headlines that Android was "beating iOS in smartphone loyalty," but the data actually shows that more Android users choose to upgrade to iOS than flow the other way and that most users tend to stick with what they've used before.

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

Google's Android P supports same HEIC format as Apple, has software display notch like iPhone X

Google on Wednesday revealed a slew of details about the next version of Android, codenamed Android P, including a pair of features following in Apple's footsteps.

Roger Fingas | 6 years ago

Google brings ARCore out of beta, raising challenge to Apple's ARKit

Google has launched version 1.0 of its ARCore SDK, signaling the first real salvo in a fight with Apple for developer support in augmented reality.

Roger Fingas | 6 years ago

The Smartphone Endgame: Who wins once shipment volumes peak?

For decades, market research firms have been confidently asserting that the "winners" in PCs, tablets, smartphones and other consumer electronics are not firms that are profitable or even sustainable, but merely those shipping the largest volumes at any given time. This has enabled them to crown a successive line of failed players, then rapidly move on to a new "winner," often within the same year. The bigger problem for this sort of flawgic is that the game itself is changing.

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

Chinese discount phone makers were supposed to rival Apple's iPhone globally. Instead, they're dying off within China

Ever since iPhones officially went on sale in China back in 2009, pundits have claimed that local production of cheaper smartphones would not only block Apple's growth prospects in China but also invade smartphone markets globally. They were wrong, here's why.

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

Android-powered Essential Phone estimated to have shipped just 88K units in 2017

Despite being one of the first handsets on the market with an edge-to-edge display, the Essential Phone, pioneered by former Android chief Andy Rubin, failed to compete with the likes of Apple's iPhone X in any meaningful way, with one new estimate suggesting just 88,000 units were shipped last year.

Neil Hughes | 6 years ago

Google's next big Android update to support iPhone X-style 'notches'

The next major iteration of Android, due later this year, will reportedly support devices with "notches" like the one on Apple's iPhone X — as well as other unusual display designs.

Roger Fingas | 6 years ago

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 one-year review: Even better than at launch

Testing out Mac ultra wide display mirror on Apple Vision Pro

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Lesser-known Android phone makers copy look of Apple's iPhone X

A pair of relatively unknown Android phone makers are reportedly copying the look of Apple's iPhone X without actually offering identical features.

Roger Fingas | 6 years ago

Kantar calls iPhone X pricing 'vindicated' as Apple sees marketshare grow across Europe, China, Australia & Japan

As hand wringing over the $999-and-up pricing of the iPhone X continues, analysts at Kantar Worldpanel see the premium-priced handset as a wise move for Apple, after tracking marketshare gains for iOS in a number of key markets across the globe.

Neil Hughes | 6 years ago

Apple's iOS platform advantage in fixing bugs is beating Google's Android

Apple is the only PC or smartphone vendor to have full control over the user experience it provides to its customers, thanks to its positioning as an integrated platform vendor. This is a key—often overlooked—advantage for the company that is driving customer satisfaction and trust as well as attracting serious attention from the enterprise at a time when Google's Android is doing neither one.

Daniel Eran Dilger | 6 years ago

weMessage promises to bring iMessage to Android, uses Mac as server

A new Android app called weMessage brings unofficial support for Apple's iMessages to devices running Google's operating system, but users need a Mac to complete the ad hoc setup.

Mikey Campbell | 6 years ago

Honor's new View 10 phone brings iPhone X-style Animoji to Android

Huawei's Honor brand on Tuesday revealed the Android-based View 10, a new flagship phone that features a direct imitation of the Animoji feature available on Apple's iPhone X.

Roger Fingas | 6 years ago

Essential's Andy Rubin takes leave of absence after 'inappropriate relationship' allegations follow from Google

Essential head and former Android chief Andy Rubin is taking a "leave of absence" after allegations of an "inappropriate relationship" at Google have resurfaced.

Mike Wuerthele | 6 years ago

Android smartphones expected to follow Apple's iPhone X lead in adopting 3D sensor tech

Looking to keep up with the competition from Apple's iPhone X, a number of Android smartphone makers are expected to adopt 3D sensors for products launching in 2018.

Roger Fingas | 7 years ago

Reviews lean positive on Pixel Buds, Google's answer to Apple's AirPods

Some of the first major reviews of Google's Pixel Buds have emerged, mostly espousing a favorable opinion of the AirPods competitors, albeit with some tough criticisms.

Roger Fingas | 7 years ago

Android smartphone vendors reportedly pushing for foldable mobile devices with dual displays

Android smartphone manufacturers are looking towards developing more foldable phones to offer consumers a larger display to compete against bigger handsets like the iPhone 8 Plus, a report claims, with a number of vendors said to be working on mobile devices using multiple screens to create a larger display area.

Malcolm Owen | 7 years ago

Google quality assurance continues to struggle with some Pixel 2 XL shipping without Android

Some users are finding that their brand new Google Pixel 2 XL phones are arriving — but without an operating system installed, necessitating a return and replacement.

Mike Wuerthele | 7 years ago

Google investigating reports of screen burn-in on Pixel 2 XL

Google is "actively investigating" accounts of OLED screen burn-in on its new top-end iPhone rival, the Pixel 2 XL, according to a spokerperson.

Roger Fingas | 7 years ago

Android

Editorial: The mysterious curse of iPhone 6, lifted with... the headphone jack

Google gives up on tablets: Android P marks an end to its ambitious efforts to take on Apple's iPad

Survey calls Android buyers "more loyal," but more users are still switching to iOS

Google's Android P supports same HEIC format as Apple, has software display notch like iPhone X

Google brings ARCore out of beta, raising challenge to Apple's ARKit

The Smartphone Endgame: Who wins once shipment volumes peak?

Chinese discount phone makers were supposed to rival Apple's iPhone globally. Instead, they're dying off within China

Android-powered Essential Phone estimated to have shipped just 88K units in 2017

Google's next big Android update to support iPhone X-style 'notches'

Latest comparisons

M4 14-inch MacBook Pro vs M3 14-inch MacBook Pro compared: A portable speed boost

M4 Mac mini vs 2018 Intel Mac mini compared: It's time to move to Apple Silicon

M4 iMac vs 2019 Intel iMac compared: Five years makes a big difference

Latest Videos

Apple Watch Ultra 2 one-year review: Even better than at launch

Testing out Mac ultra wide display mirror on Apple Vision Pro

Hands on with Belkin's Vision Pro strap that Apple didn't want to make

Lesser-known Android phone makers copy look of Apple's iPhone X

Kantar calls iPhone X pricing 'vindicated' as Apple sees marketshare grow across Europe, China, Australia & Japan

Apple's iOS platform advantage in fixing bugs is beating Google's Android

weMessage promises to bring iMessage to Android, uses Mac as server

Honor's new View 10 phone brings iPhone X-style Animoji to Android

Essential's Andy Rubin takes leave of absence after 'inappropriate relationship' allegations follow from Google

Android smartphones expected to follow Apple's iPhone X lead in adopting 3D sensor tech

Reviews lean positive on Pixel Buds, Google's answer to Apple's AirPods

Android smartphone vendors reportedly pushing for foldable mobile devices with dual displays

Google quality assurance continues to struggle with some Pixel 2 XL shipping without Android

Google investigating reports of screen burn-in on Pixel 2 XL

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