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Facebook’s Cryptocurrency May Launch In June Itself

As reported previously, Social Media giant Facebook is planning to unveil its own cryptocurrency. The company is proposing to set up a digital payment system in up to twelve countries by the beginning of the year 2020. The currency is currently referred to as Globalcoin, but the name may change when Facebook outlines its plans in more details. Facebook also claimed that it has already completed talks with the Bank of England regarding the risks and opportunities of a new currency format. However, the latest reports state that the new currency may be unveiled in this month (June 2019) itself.

Apparently, the company is planning a huge push that will include bonuses for merchants that will adopt the cryptocurrency right away. Facebook also plans to introduce real-world kiosks where users can exchange their “GlobalCoins” for cash. Furthermore, the employees of the company can choose to be paid in the new cryptocurrency, an initiative that Facebook believes will encourage newer users to adopt the cryptocurrency with ease.

The project has been in the works for a while now and was codenamed Libra in the beginning. For the alleged project, Facebook will have to collaborate with various banks; which will allow it to exchange international currencies into Globalcoin. As mentioned before, it has already had a successful talk with the Bank of England, so this should not be a major problem.

Also Read: Dell Unveils Latitude 7400 Laptop With New ExpressSign-In Feature

The major advantage Facebook will have with its currency Globalcoin over its rivals like Bitcoin and Ethereum is the sheer number of users of its various products. Over 2 billion people have been recorded to use Facebook actively and millions of other members of the audience are hooked to applications like Instagram and WhatsApp. Hence, these platforms can serve an important role in boosting the popularity of the new cryptocurrency. However, since Facebook has been involved in multiple security and data breaches in the past, the organization will have to establish a fair amount of trust in its users in order to make its cryptocurrency successful in the long run.

June 6, 2019
Dell Unveils Latitude 7400 Laptop With New ExpressSign-In Feature

The advent of technological innovation has made human lives easier. A couple of decades ago, fingerprint sensor or facial recognition was a term pulled straight out of a science fiction novel. American multinational company Dell has launched a new laptop, the Latitude 7400 that takes another step towards the seamless integration of modern technology into our lives. The company introduced a new method of turning on a laptop and logging in without touching the keyboard at all.

ExpressSign-In

The new ExpressSign-in feature from Dell will now scan for the user’s face even when the system is in sleep mode to automatically sign in to the system. The feature is introduced in a recently unveiled business-oriented laptop, the Latitude 7400 2-in-1. Apart from the new login feature, the laptop features a slim form factor.

Dell achieves the new login method with the help of Intel’s Context Sensing technology and Microsoft Windows ‘Hello’ recognition system. The Hello recognition system and other fingerprint-based sensors have aimed towards making life easier with previously attempted hands-free tests. Dell’s new method, however, takes this a step forward with the Latitude recognizing the user’s face and boots up with no user input via keyboard or any other device.

Dell’s trick to the new login method is to simply look at the screen while proximity sensors enable two LED lights to strobe from either side of the camera. After the screen turns on, the Windows Hello eye icon will try to recognize the user. The entire process of recognition by the system takes less than 5 seconds, as demonstrated by the company.

Specifications

The Latitude 7400 2-in-1 from Dell is equipped with the i5 8th Generation Intel Core Processor with 8GB of RAM, which can be expanded up to 16GB. The laptop has various internal storage variants that start from 128GB PCIe/NVMe to 512GB. The battery pack also gets two variants: a 4-cell 52WHr and a 6-cell 78WHr. The laptop houses two USB 3.1, two Thunderbolt, HDMI, SIM, and a microSD card reader ports.

Also Read: Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

The aforementioned configuration is packed in 12.59 x 7.87 x 0.34-inch compact form factor, with an all-aluminium build. The laptop also has a backlit keyboard. Dell Latitude 7400 is currently available for purchase starting from $1,599 (approx. Rs.1,11,000) and going upto $2000 (approx. Rs.1,38,000) for the specced-up variants.

June 6, 2019
Moto E6 Plus with Helio P22 SoC Leaked On Geekbench

Lenovo-owned company Motorola is looking to re-establish its footing in the smartphone market. Lately, the company has shown signs of shifting from flagship devices to midrange and budget smartphones. The company’s latest offering was the Moto Z4, which features the Snapdragon 675 SoC and had support for Moto mods. Motorola’s upcoming budget smartphone, the Moto E6 Plus was spotted on Geekbench, and it revealed some key specifications of the device.

Moto E6 Plus Specifications And Features

The Moto E6 Plus is expected to one of the three Motorola devices in the lineup similar to the E5 series (E5, E5 Plus and E5 Play). The Geekbench listing reveals that it is powered by the 14nm Mediatek Helio P22 chipset. It consists of 8 Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and the IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU chip. The handset in the Geekbench listing has 2GB RAM, but since Motorola launched the E5 Plus in two RAM variants: 2GB and 3GB, the same can be expected of the E6 Plus.

Moto G6 Plus

The Geekbench listing further reveals that the Moto E6 Plus runs on the Android 9 (Pie) OS. A single core score of 829 has been achieved by the device, whereas in the multi-core test, it hits a score of 3687. Although no other prominent features and specifications of the device have been divulged yet, it should be noted that the younger sibling of the device featured a 5.45 inch display with a 1440 x 720 px HD+ resolution.

Moto E6 Plus: Expected Availability & Price

Moto One Power

Also Read: Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

Similar to the Moto E6, the Moto E6 Plus may be available in two 16GB and 32GB variants. It may sport a 13MP (f/2.0) primary camera with a front-facing 5MP camera. Details regarding the secondary camera are unknown at the moment. As mentioned before, the device is expected to be priced aggressively. Since the Moto E5 lineup was unveiled in the month of April 2018, the E6 series might make its way into the smartphone market soon enough.

June 6, 2019
Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

Microsoft has always had its gaming console companion app pre-installed on every Windows 10 supported device. This was done in order to bridge the social gap between its PC and console gaming fans. In the latest Windows update, the company renamed its Xbox App to Xbox Console Companion. This update is a refresh right before the upcoming ‘new desktop experience’ by the company. Apart from the name, no functional changes have been made to the Windows application.

However, Microsoft has planned updates in the future that will lead to the revamp of the dashboard setup in the app. Furthermore, these changes will be made for an unannounced Xbox console settings menu. The future iterations may also team up with the launch of Microsoft’s xCloud, the online gaming and streaming service. It will also allow cross-platform game streaming amongst the user’s devices. However, no significant changes are mirrored in the Xbox apps for Android and iOS as of now.

When users will update the Microsoft store, they will receive a pop-up message from the company. The message will start with, “Pardon our dust.” and go on to describe the reason for the new name of the application. Xbox Console Companion receives a new icon and will be dedicated for Xbox users. An up-to-date version of Windows (10th May 2019 Build) is required to experience the new feature as promised by Microsoft.

The original Xbox app is made for managing games installed on the Windows 10 PC. It also provides a simple catalogue for users to browse games in Microsoft Store, or manage the Xbox Live profiles. The app has in-built functions like social chat. This allows for cross-platform chat with friends and participation in communities, sharing in-game achievements and tracking them, managing video clips and capturing screenshots. The latter two of the features were made possible to the users via the console’s DVR feature which also makes game streaming possible via an Xbox console to a Windows 10 PC.

Microsoft will hold a press conference at the gaming expo E3 2019 on June 9th. This event should unveil more details regarding the promised desktop experience and xCloud. The game streaming service will begin its trials in the latter half of the year 2019, as previously claimed by Microsoft. The rebranding of the desktop apps name after the overhaul of Windows 10 Game Bar lays the foundation for the future console’s framework. The Game Bar is now equipped with PC resource monitors, customizable widgets, and broadcast/game capture controls.

Also Read: Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

With social media now integrated directly with the GameBar, users will be able to access cross-platform voice and text chat. This feature is synchronized across Xbox devices, as well as multiplayer team management. Additionally, Spotify music controls can also be a part of Microsoft future plans to enhance user experience during gaming. The aforementioned features although, might be removed from the now repurposed Xbox Console Companion App.

June 5, 2019
Samsung Galaxy XCover 4S Renders & Specs Leaked

Samsung has been focusing a lot on the budget smartphone segment in India lately. The South Korean technology company has tasted success in the hands of Galaxy M-series devices, such as the Galaxy M20 and Galaxy M30. As per latest leaked renders, a smartphone from the company believed to be the Galaxy XCover 4S is in the works. The device previously received FCC certification in the month of May 2019.

Samsung XCover 4S: Specifications And Features

The device bears the model number SM-G398. As per renders, the Galaxy XCover 4S sports a rubber coating which will improve the grip and durability of the smartphone. The smartphone is rated IP68 water and dust resistant. Moreover, it also has MIL-STD 810G certification, which means that the XCover 4S can survive drops from up to 120 centimetres high as well. An interesting feature to note is that the device has physical navigation buttons placed right below the display.

The smartphone features a 5 inch LCD with a 1280 x 720 px resolution and 294 PPI. Since the device doesn’t exactly lie on the side of design and looks, it features reasonably wide bezels on all edges. Under the hood, the Galaxy XCover 4S runs on the Samsung Exynos 7885 chipset, which is clocked at 1.6GHz. It is bundled with 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal memory, which can be expanded via the microSD card slot.

In terms of optics, the device features a single rear 16MP (f/1.7) camera. which supports scene optimization via AI. The camera supports Full HD video recording. For selfies, the company has included a 5MP (f/2.2) aperture front camera, which is placed in the top bezel of the handset. It packs a 2800 mAh replaceable battery, which can be charged via the USB Type-C port present at the bottom of the smartphone. It supports Bluetooth v5.0 and NFC. In addition to a 3.5mm headphone jack, the XCover 4S also has a XCover key which can be assigned to any application or service of choice.

Samsung XCover 4S: Expected Price And Availability

Also Read: Samsung Has Started Research On 6G Networks At A New Center

The smartphone is expected to be launched on 12 June 2019. It will be targeted towards users who are looking for a rugged and durable device without any game-changing features. At the time of launch, it is expected to be priced at US$ 280 (~INR 19,500).

June 5, 2019
Samsung Has Started Research On 6G Networks At A New Center

At a time where 5G networks are still in their developing times, South Korean technology giant Samsung has already begun research on 6th Generation networks. That is right, the company which is gearing up to launch one of the first 5G smartphones in the market is also looking towards 6G networks. There is absolutely no information regarding the availability of such technology yet, but the fact that advancements are overstepping even the current iteration of the technology is very interesting to witness.

An official from Samsung stated that the organization is already scoping out initial research points by launching a brand-new research centre. The company recently established its Advanced Communications Research Center under Samsung Research. This is one of the company’s main R&D (Research And Development) divisions, and as per reports, it is based in Southern Seoul (the capital of South Korea).

The company had a team of researchers already working on fifth generation networks, which will now be expanded to the level of an all-round research centre as per reports. Furthermore, the newly set up centre will focus solely on 6G networks, even though analysts predict that 6G networks will not be commercially viable until the year 2030. This is almost 11 years from now, so 6G demos might not even be available until the year 2027 or later.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

Also Read: Apple CarPlay Update Makes It A Better Travel Partner

An additional piece of news states that Samsung Research is also in charge of R&D for AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Robotics. Apparently, the company is venturing into future technologies that may set it apart from other electronics manufacturers in the not-so-distant future. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G is already rolling out to exclusive Verizon customers in the United States. Demo tests of the same have showcased insanely fast data download speeds, so it is just a speculation that 6G technology will provide speeds that are not even imaginable.

June 5, 2019
Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

In a modern day world where time is money, information regarding an individual’s commute is extremely important. In Indian states like Mumbai where trains are the most common form of transportation for the masses, details regarding the status of various trains is quite crucial. In a new announcement, Google has unveiled its plans for adding practical (and much needed) features to Google Maps for its Indian user base.

With the new update, Google Maps can provide the user with real-time information on bus travel times derived from live traffic conditions. Furthermore, users will now also be able to track live statuses of Indian Railway trains. The update is set to be introduced to ten major cities in the country. A mixed-mode commute feature will also be introduced. This feature combines auto-rickshaws with public transport for a more detailed route to the user’s destination.

Bus & Public Transport

The aforementioned feature will work hand-in-hand with Google Maps pre-existing live traffic data and public bus schedules. This will provide accurate travel times regarding buses in real-time. Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, and Surat will be the first cities to receive this feature. The new update will be tested out for the first time in the real world and will help in relaying more detailed information regarding buses to the users.

Indian Railways

Trains will also receive a similar set of updates. Information regarding delays and travel times will now be available on Google Maps. Upon searching for the user’s current location and destination, the app will provide inter-state data regarding train routes. This feature was developed with the help of ‘Where is my train’ app, that was acquired by Google in the year 2018.

Mixed-Mode Commute

Also Read: How ARKit 3, RealityKit And HomeKit Will Help Developers In Creating Apps

With the inclusion of the new mixed-mode feature, route results now also highlight auto-rickshaws. This form of travel is popular in India for quick and short duration rides. Google Maps will suggest rickshaws during trips in public transport only if it is a viable alternative. This particular feature, however, will be only available in Delhi and Bangalore and will eventually spread to other cities as well.

June 5, 2019
How ARKit 3, RealityKit And HomeKit Will Help Developers In Creating Apps

The first day of the WWDC 2019 saw some radical updates being brought forth by Apple. The American multinational company announced the iOS 13, the all-new Mac Pro and iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS. Furthermore, since the event was a ‘developers’ conference’, Apple also unveiled new software frameworks, especially for developers. The development kits include ARKit 3 and RealityKit frameworks. Additionally, Homekit will now be added to security cameras and wi-fi routers. HomeKit is a software framework by Apple that helps iOS-based devices to communicate with smart-home appliances.

ARKit 3

Developers will find it much easier to formulate AR-based applications with the updated ARKit iteration, which receives a fair overhaul in features from the ARKit 2. Using Motion Capture, developers can track human movements and feed them directly into the applications. Motion Capture will also be able to accurately track the limbs and torsos in real-time. People Occlusion is another feature being included in the ARKit 3 framework. It will ensure that all the Augmented Reality based content will show up naturally in front or behind people.

RealityKit

RealityKit was also introduced by the company, and it enables developers to fabricate ‘photorealistic’ AR experiences, Apple states. This implies that real-world environments can easily accommodate virtual objects. Effects such as motion blur can be manually added into scenes, which will simulate a real-world environment instead of a virtual environment. The company also announced the integration of RealityKit with Swift’s Application Programming Interface (API).

HomeKit

Also Read: Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

Regarding Apple’s interface to make Home-based Apple devices more accessible via devices running iOS, HomeKit will undergo two new developments. HomeKit Secure Video will ensure that the security cameras connected to the HomeKit network will process and analyze security feed directly on the user’s device rather than on the cloud. Furthermore, the 10-day feed will be encrypted and uploaded to the user’s iCloud account. Alongside, HomeKit-enabled routers will create a virtual firewall between the complete network and the devices connected to it. This will make sure that the network will remain secure even if one of the devices is breached.

June 5, 2019
Apple CarPlay Update Makes It A Better Travel Partner

At the WWDC 2019, Apple announced a planned refresh to its pre-existing CarPlay feature installed in vehicles across the world. The company also announced the iOS 13, tvOS, watchOS, the redesigned Mac Pro, and the iPadOS. With the new upgrades to CarPlay, Apple seeks to enhance the user-cum-driver experience with various practical functionalities.

The announcement for the aforementioned system focused mainly on upgrades from previous iterations. The company is giving CarPlay an aesthetical overhaul. With iOS 13, a new dashboard that can show multiple applications in a single view is now possible in CarPlay. Applications like Music and Maps will be more accessible by users. With the new updates, Apple’s CarPlay would have a more informative Calendar app that relays even more relevant details. The Music app will now highlight the featured album art more noticeably alongside favourites and music discovery.

With the refreshed visual design and UI, CarPlay will also feature improved support for Siri and a new ‘light mode’. Notifications and Siri suggestions are more seamless and cleaner with the new update. iOS 13 will feature numerous compatibility and utility integrations with the new CarPlay.

A significant change to the system is that apps launched in the connected smartphone will not be mirrored on CarPlay. As per the company, this change was introduced so that the smartphone can be used for more than one function at a time. Now, a passenger can simply play music without any interference with applications such as Maps. The new update also allows CarPlay to appear on other digital screens in the car. A new ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ mode will also debut with the new update that blocks notifications, a feature derived from iPhones.

Also Read: Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

With the new CarPlay, Siri will be able to run third-party applications for music and navigation. Apple has also integrated fully hands-free ‘Hey Siri’ support that works with the car’s in-built microphone. Lastly, Apple also announced the system’s ability to automatically adapt to different screen sizes and resolution. The company believes that the new CarPlay update will ensure that users can seamlessly make use of the various new features bundled with the same.

June 5, 2019
Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

The gaming industry is currently valued at an estimated $93 Billion, with mobile gaming accounting for the largest piece of the pie. American chip manufacturer AMD and Samsung have announced their partnership for upcoming smartphone graphics. Looking at the pace at which the mobile gaming industry is growing, it was only a matter of time until tech giants like AMD had the aforementioned sector in their sights.

Previously, the video game industry used to be a small part of the entertainment business but now, it is one of the major forefronts for digital media. In the year 2018, the gaming industry raked up the same amount of revenue as the US film industry. Unlike in the past when development teams and investment were low and the return profitable, now a dedicated highly qualified team works on a million-dollar project just for the sake of development.

Samsung alongside AMD confirmed the joint venture in a common report. The partnership will see the development of a new ultra-low power high-performance graphics technology. AMD is confirmed to have licensed its proprietary graphical technology to Samsung for use in future mobile chipsets. The South Korean giant will reportedly pay for AMD’s brand new recently announced RDNA graphics architecture.

This will mark a new market for AMD to capitalize on. The graphics technology from team Red will seek to replace the ARM-based Mali GPUs that are found in the Exynos chipsets. Samsung’s strategy to retail different chipsets in different countries may lead to certain countries not witnessing the aforementioned architecture. Most countries are receiving the Exynos chipset while US, Canada, China, Japan and Latin America receive the Qualcomm Snapdragon processors with Adreno GPUs.

Also Read: As Apple Retires iTunes, Here Is How It Paved The Way For Modern Music Platforms

It can be noted that AMD previously owned the Adreno GPU technology before it sold its graphics division to Qualcomm in 2009. Radeon graphics are renowned for its desktop GPU lineup and incorporation in game consoles like PS4 and Xbox One. Its architecture is also being optimized in upcoming Google Stadia, the cloud gaming service.

June 4, 2019
Google Outage Linked To Huawei Ban?

Early morning on June 2nd 2019 Google engineers struggled with a four hour Google cloud services outage. This took out critical Google services down, including Google Drive, Gmail, Youtube, and also affected sever other companies including Vimeo and Snapchat who use Google Cloud Services to host their platforms globally.

This comes soon after an announcement from Google stating that the company will remove Huawei as an authorized Android supported OEM and that the company will not officially get Android updates, or future security updates. Google’s services are crucial for any Android smartphone maker and allow for markets outside of China to fully utilize the devices.

This “ban” originated at the US governments blacklisting of Huawei. which banned US companies from using Huawei hardware or doing any kind of business with Huawei. And while a 90 day grace period was granted to the state funded Chinese Electronics and telecom giant, the future looks bleak for the company, and revenue estimates along with market value of the brand has dropped drastically.

China is not happy about this and has suggested a rare minerals export ban, which could intern affect US manufacturers.

“What is interesting is the timing of the outage,” claims our source ( An Ex Huawei Employee ) “this is the company fighting back”, Suggesting that Huawei or those close to Huawei are responsible for the outage.

While Google has not explained what caused the outage publicly and managed to restore services back in four hours, with no impact to infrastructure or data. A large scale attack on Google’s crucial servers could be a possible reason. Google services were detected down in 249 locations in 170 cities around the world something that could have had long term implications on business and productivity. And if this was a third party attack, it could be considered a warning.

Starting between 12-12:15pm PT ThousandEyes detected a global outage in @GCPcloud that is currently ongoing. At this time we can simply confirm the large scale nature of the outage. #gcpdown pic.twitter.com/8Y2jsQNQi7
— Cisco ThousandEyes (@thousandeyes) June 2, 2019

While we are not sure if anyone was responsible or if there was an attack, we will have to wait for an official statement from Google.

June 4, 2019
As Apple Retires iTunes, Here Is How It Paved The Way For Modern Music Platforms

When Apple first unveiled iTunes back in the year 2001, it revolutionized the music industry. Changing the way people purchased music and digital albums, iTunes remained as an iconic music symbol until now, because Apple has decided to break iTunes apart. iTunes is splitting into three different applications, namely Music, TV and Podcasts. However, the application will stay intact as a standalone iOS application and on Windows PCs. Let’s have a look at the interesting journey of iTunes through the years.

Formally launched on 9th January 2001, iTunes was introduced at a time where music was hugely downloaded via pirated websites and file-sharing platforms. The application had a fairly simple user interface, which made it easy for users to get accustomed to it. It had a simple billing procedure and a detailed yet vast catalogue of music and albums for users to pick from. In a nutshell, the iTunes application provided one of the best user experience at its time.

In the year 2003, iTunes made its way onto the Windows platform. This drastically expanded the reach of the application and made it accessible to a lot more users. This also removed the doubts regarding iTunes being an Apple-only service. However, Apple’s strategy regarding iTunes has always been closely linked with its devices, including iPhones, iPads and MacBooks.

Almost two years later, iTunes started offering TV shows for purchase. This marked one of the most defining eras for iTunes, where music was sold alongside videos, making iTunes the perfect go-to entertainment platform. If that wasn’t enough, Apple also introduced movies on iTunes in the year 2006. Apple was tasting a lot of success with its entertainment platform, so it decided to launch the ‘Genius’ feature within iTunes, which recommended new music to users based on previous listening patterns.

2008 was a really big year for Apple since iTunes became the largest music retailer in the United States. This literally marked the death of record stores, since most users were directly purchasing music from the iTunes store. To enhance the “music anywhere” functionality, the company launched iCloud almost 3 years later. It allowed users to back up their music files and other documents to the cloud. This meant that with an internet connection, users could access their music from any location.

With The launch of the iPhone in subsequent years, Apple required an initial setup and sync to be done using iTunes, and while this process has been reduced to device restores and wireless updates. iTunes will always be remembered as the pain point and the weak link for iPhone Jailbreakers.

In 2010 Apple also attempted to create a music social network dubbed “Ping”. This allowed users to follow artists and see short, timely postings by both friends and artists. This didn’t work as expected and Apple shut it down in 2012.

Skip forward to the present year, a lot of users were skeptical about iTunes’ departure from the scene. However, analysts stated that the iTunes shut-down is an integral part of Apple’s strategy to focus on subscription content and services. This will help Apple in radically boosting its revenue based on selective content delivering. Statistics exhibit that subscription services made up for about 80 percent of all online music and video revenue in the year 2018. Stats further reveal that Apple currently boasts of almost 56 million paying customers, indicating why it decided to branch out to three different applications instead of a single application.

Also Read: Apple Showcases The Updated watchOS 6 and tvOS 13 At WWDC 2019

Apple shutting iTunes doesn’t imply that all the content owned by users will be deleted in one go. The company will release some information shortly regarding the downloaded content. Expectedly, the content will be managed via Apple Music and other applications. Nonetheless, iTunes will always be one of those applications that revolutionized the whole culture of the entertainment when it was turning digital. And it did so in a way that a huge chunk of users depended on it for their daily dose of music and movies. Hopefully, Apple continues to introduce similar overhauls to the newly formed applications that can make up for the removal of iTunes from the Apple ecosystem.

June 4, 2019
Here Is How Apple Watch Covers All Bases In Modern Healthcare

In a world where health concerns are on the rise, each step taken in the right direction may save lives. Apple recognised the need for a device that brings genuine utility for its consumers. Rather than making an entirely new product, it has added new layers of functionality that enables the device to be a small but impactful health partner.

Apple has focused on making the Watch a standalone experience with its own unique functions. With the inclusion of an ECG sensor on the Apple Watch series 4, health took an active role with the device. Incorporating many of the health monitoring features that have been popular in the mobile industry such as tracking the number of steps taken. With individuals becoming more self-aware and conscious with their health, the industry soon adapted to provide the market with their current demands.

Health partner bands and companion wearable devices are not a new concept now, but Apple with its inclusion of functions like noise detection and menstrual cycle tracking made the experience a lot more streamlined and rounded. ECG sensor that brought real-time monitoring of heart rate, in countries like India where heart conditions affect nearly one-third of the entire adult population, makes it more than a useful tool for everyday use. (ECG is presently only available in limited countries)

The latest update to watchOS 6 had Apple say, ‘why stop there?’ The company along with its new ‘faces’ has seamlessly integrated pro-health functions to the Apple Watch. The ‘Loud Noise’ detecting app is one such application that passively records and measure sound levels in the users surrounding ambience. Noise pollution has become a real epidemic in the modern world and areas where sound levels cross 90 decibels are immediately notified to the user as harmful and unsafe. This function has yet to be reproduced by other manufacturers that target health-conscious consumers.

Apple, for its women userbase, has added a uniquely interactive app that lets them track their menstrual cycles. With the new Cycle Tracking App, women can log important data related to their menstrual cycles. The application with data inputs is also capable of predicting future cycles beforehand along with current period flow, symptoms and results from ovulation prediction kits. Fertility and ovulation can also be tracked by Apple Watch.

Also Read: Apple Mac Pro Is The Productivity Machine Apple Promised

No wearable device/companion, even the ones specifically made for health monitoring feature such degree of functionality at this size. Apple succeeded in making the best wearable device in the market in this regard. Users can get a full picture of their health right on their wrist without ever needing an iPhone.

Apple has also made the Apple Watch a more stand alone device, which means it can function without requiring input from the iPhone. The Apple Watch offers Fall detection and emergency auto dial for the elderly, Heart Rate monitoring, and ECG, along with several other features like, Breathe reminders and fitness tracking which include auto exercise detection. The Apple Watch has already saved a lot of lives with some of it’s features and with more being added with WatchOS 6, the Apple Watch has now become the most well developed fitness and health tracker.

June 4, 2019
Apple Showcases The Updated watchOS 6 and tvOS 13 At WWDC 2019

Apple at WWDC 2019 has delivered on the many requests made by its consumers and fans. Many of the initial rumours were also confirmed within the event. With the company’s focus shifting away from its star player, iOS, and towards the improvement of its other products. In WWDC, the company officially unveiled the new and improved watchOS and tvOS to its audiences present in the event and those watching it live online.

Apple tvOS 13

Apple announced changes for its already revamped Apple TV app with its latest tvOS 13. The new redesigned home screen brought some welcomed aesthetical changes with live previews and cleaner organization. The biggest addition to the tvOS is the ability to add multiple users. Each added member receives personalized recommendations for both Apple TV app and Apple music.

The music app will also be fully synced with complete lyrics displayed alongside the music that is being played. tvOS is scheduled to launch this fall and will feature native support for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 game controllers for its Apple Arcade lineup of games. Apple is set to launch its streaming service later on in the year 2019. Showcasing the service with the reveal trailer of ‘For All Mankind’ as one of the first shows that will be in the streaming service.

Apple watchOS 6

WWDC saw the split of Apple’s core focus from iPhones and shift it towards other devices such as Apple Watch. However, it does make changes for a better standalone experience rather than being just an iPhone peripheral.

The company adds more layers of options and functionality to the new watchOS rather than radically redesigning everything. The biggest design changes are the new ‘Faces’, meant for showcasing the graphic designs with details added for more information on the screen. ‘Faces’ deliver customisation on supported apps with custom notifications.

One of the key announcements for watchOS was definitely the addition of certain apps such as Calculator, Audiobooks and Voice memos. With the latest update apps run natively on the wearable device. This means applications will no longer require a companion app on iPhones to pair with. The introduction of new streaming API will allow apps to stream audio directly to the watch.

Also Read: Apple Launches The All New Revamped Mac Pro Alongside The Pro Display XDR 6K Monitor

A notable announcement on-stage was the inclusion of the App Store integration in the watchOS 6. This will let users pay, browse and download apps directly from their wrists. Apple also made software downloads a direct process on the Apple Watch. Building on its pre-existing health-related features, the company has added a myriad of monitoring and informative functions that will also be available on iPhones. These include apps for monitoring sound levels and menstrual cycle tracking for women.

June 4, 2019
Apple iPadOS Is Well Designed To Enhance iPad Usage

The first day WWDC 2019 was a huge one for Apple. The company launched the much-awaited iOS 13 for iPhones and announced the all new redesigned Mac Pro, which packs top-of-the-line specifications for content creators. Apple was also rumoured to launch a dedicated operating system for iPads, and so it happened. For the first time, the iPad received its own Operating system, known as the iPadOS. It packs a set of helpful and features that aim to enhance the productivity of the device. Here are some of the major iPadOS features which will improve the user experience on the iPad.

A Redesigned Home Screen

The all new iPadOS has a refreshed home screen with widgets support. Users can expand the widgets on one side of the screen, while the application icons take up the rest of the display. A host of multitasking gestures has also been introduced in the new operating system, so that users can simply ‘glide’ through their task list. For instance, users can drag the applications they intend to use and drop them alongside other applications. This will increase the ease with which users perform multiple tasks over different applications.

The Revamped Files Application

One of the biggest additions to the new iPadOS is undoubtedly the new redesigned Files application. It has been tweaked with a column view that provides users with high-resolution previews of files without even opening them. The app has support for Quick Actions like mark up, rotate and create PDF. A local storage has been introduced where users can organize their files and zip/unzip documents. In order to make the iPad equally functional as notebooks, the iPadOS supports external drives (USBs, SD Cards). Lastly, improved iCloud Drive support implies that anyone with access to a shared folder on the iPad will be easily able to access the latest version of the same on his device.

Upgraded Safari Browser

Another intuitive upgrade in the iPad’s functionalities has been brought to the Safari browser, which automatically presents the desktop version of a website on the iPad. Apple claims that the webpage is aptly scaled as per the iPad’s display. Moreover, the website is optimized for touch usage, so that web applications such as WordPress are seamlessly accessible. Apple has also included a whole new download manager within the browser alongside 30 new keyboard shortcuts.

New Split View And Slide Over

Apple claims that the all new Split view will enable users to work with multiple files from the same document at the same time. Using the slide over functionality, users can also view the window they want and smoothly switch between them. For instance, a user can jot down an email while looking at another email from the same application, all at the same time. Another feature called App Exposé helps the users in getting a quick view of any open windows with just a single tap.

Additional Features

Alongside the aforementioned features, Apple also introduced system-wide Dark Mode to the iPadOS that is applied across all applications. Users can install third party custom fonts which can be used while creating documents. Moreover, Apple’s iPad keyboard can now shrink down to a floating keyboard that can be moved across the screen. Pinching the regular keyboard will instantly convert it to the said floating mode. Performance boosts will ensure that users can launch their applications faster, unlock the iPad faster and reduce download sizes by up to 50 percent.

Availability

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The developer preview of iPadOS is now available to members of the Apple Developer Program. The public beta program will be available to iPadOS users in the month of July 2019. The operating system will be available for iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later and iPad mini 4 and later variants.

June 4, 2019