Facebook Messenger can do so much more than send texts. In addition to video chats, holding polls and even playing games, it appears the messaging app's next trick is knowing when to suggest tunes.

Mentioning music on Messenger now prompts music recommendations from Spotify — allowing users to browse a truncated version of the mega-popular streaming site to find just the right jams for their chat.

The feature seemingly comes courtesy of M, Facebook's built-in assistant for Messenger, which picks up on certain phrases like "get a ride" to summon a car, "pay you back" to offer payment services or in this case, "play/recommend some music" to bring up Spotify.

While Spotify users have had the ability to share links to Messenger for over a year, the app now appears to just know to bring up the streaming app whenever you write about the latest playlist you made or that sweet new Kesha release.

We can independently confirm that M's Spotify recommendation feature works on the latest version of Facebook Messsenger on iOS, but may still take some time to roll out to all devices and platforms. In the meantime, we weren't kidding about that Kesha album — it's so worth checking out.

Via VentureBeat

• How to make a group Spotify playlist for your Facebook friends

Google announced today that it's expanding speech-to-text support for 30 new languages and dialects, allowing more people across globe to type, translate and search using just their voice.

Starting now, Google's Cloud Speech API will be able to convert spoken words into text for the following languages, bringing up Google's grand total to a whopping 119 total varieties:

• Amharic (Ethiopia) 
• Armenian (Armenia) 
• Azerbaijani (Azerbaijani) 
• Bengali (Bangladesh, India) 
• English (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania) 
• Georgian (Georgia) 
• Gujarati (India) 
• Javanese (Indonesia) 
• Kannada (India) 
• Khmer (Cambodian) 
• Lao (Laos) 
• Latvian (Latvia) 
• Malayalam (India) 
• Marathi (India) 
• Nepali (Nepal) 
• Sinhala (Sri Lanka) 
• Sundanese (Indonesia) 
• Swahili (Tanzania, Kenya) 
• Tamil (India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia) 
• Telugu (India) 
• Urdu (Pakistan, India) 

Next, Google will implement its newest languages to other apps like Google Translate and its Gboard add-on — allowing not just speech recognition, but soon also instant translation and voice search for Google's newly learned languages.

Users in the US are getting a special bonus as well, as Google also announced that its augmenting its voice dictation to support, of all things, emojis over speech. 

That is to say, one can literally say "sunglasses emoji" to put in a sunglasses-adorned smiley face into their text — a convenient feature for those having trouble finding that '100' symbol, and one that Google plans to expand to other languages soon.

• Everything there is to know about the Google Pixel 2

Following a preemptive leak of the Asus ZenFone 4 Max last week, it appears the Taiwanese electronics firm has let slip two more devices in the ZenFone 4 family.

The phones, the Asus ZenFone 4 and the photo-focused Asus ZenFone Selfie, were revealed via Asus' French page, though it appears the yet-unannounced devices were shown off ahead of schedule.

As spotted by WinFuture, the Asus ZenFone 4 appears to feature a 5.5-inch full HD AMOLED display, 4GB RAM, 64GB of storage and a 4 3,300 mAh battery. The pricing on the site listed the ZenFone 4 at €499 (about $590, £450, AU$750).

Also accidently unveiled was the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie, a take on the original ZenFone 4 with an emphasis on — you guessed it — taking photos of yourself.

Available in a Pro version for added specs and an improved screen, the ZenFone 4 Selfie features the same display, RAM and internal storage as the base ZenFone 4, but seemingly has a weaker processor and lower capacity 3,000 mAh battery.

What the Selfie lacks in those features it makes up for with a dual-lens setup on the front, brandishing a high-resolution 24MP camera alongside a 120-degree 5MP camera — ensuring all your sides are your good one.

The regular model of the ZenFone 4 Selfie will reportedly cost €299 (about $350, £270, AU$450), while the Pro model comes in at €399 (about $470, £360, AU$600).

While technically the source is official, Asus has since taken down the postings. This means that any details listed are subject to change, or were simply jumping the gun and now await a more formal announcement, which is expected to occur before the month is out.

Via Android Authority

• Our review of the high-powered Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 gaming laptop

Mobile carrier T-Mobile has a penchant of doing things just a tad differently, which seems to be carrying over to its latest announcement: a proprietary budget smartphone designed exclusively for its customers.

Enter the T-Mobile REVVL — a $125 smartphone intended for T-Mobile customers who may not want to shell out several hundred bucks every time a top-shelf handset like the Samsung Galaxy S8 or iPhone 7 comes out.

The REVVL runs Android Nougat and features a fingerprint scanner, a 5.5-inch HD screen, a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera, 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage that can expand out to 128GB.

Interested customers can order the T-Mobile REVVL beginning Thursday, August 10, through T-Mobile's online store or at participating physical locations.

If $125 is too much at once, T-Mobile also announced that the REVVL will debut for $0 down and $5 a month on the carrier's JUMP! On Demand plan — providing coverage and protection for select smartphones on an 18-month lease, with opportunities to upgrade or pay off your current device.

• T-Mobile plans to have 5G ready to go by 2020

It looks like home buttons are becoming sooo 2016 as it appears Samsung may ditch bezel-based buttons in favor of a pressure-sensitive display for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

Samsung may outfit its upcoming phablet with a "force touch" display that will allow it to read how hard the user presses down on the screen, according to The Investor (via ET News).

If expanded to the entire screen, the feature would effectively match Samsung's handset up to Apple's similar 3D Touch technology, which debuted with the iPhone 6S and allowed for pressure-sensitive controls on the flagship's touchscreen.

The report mentions using a similar solution found in the Samsung Galaxy S8's in-screen home button to power the Note 8's supposed force touch tech. 

The S8 ditched conventional buttons in favor or a wider display  — instead using a pressure-sensitive digital button at the bottom for activating the home, back and multitasking keys on the device.

Thankfully, we have less than a fortnight to wait for confirmation from Samsung, as the phonemaking giant is planning an official reveal for its newest smartphone on Wednesday, August 23.

• Need more juice on the go? These are the best portable chargers around

Those who find their smartphone as much an accessory as an appliance may be in for some bad news as Apple may possibly reduce the number of colors available for its upcoming iPhone 8.

Trustworthy KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the next iteration of Apple's flagship phone will come in three colors — black, silver and gold, possibly ruling out the rose gold variant, according to a report from MacRumors.

Kicked off with the iPhone 6S and used in iPads, Macbooks, and even non-Apple devices, Apple's rose gold finish helped open up the color palette for those tired of their iPhones coming in what was essentially gold, dark black and slightly darker black.

Though the iPhone 8's color schemes are still speculative, Ming-Chi Kuo's analysis does matches up with another supposed leak from this past weekend courtesy of Chinese blogging site Weibo (via MyDrivers).

Though (also) unconfirmed, the images does show a black, silver, and copperish-gold version of the new iPhone, with the pink-tinted variant noticeably lacking.

That said, we've heard that everything from a mirrored finish to a stark white version could be planned for Apple's next big smartphone so as always, it's best to take things with a grain of salt until Apple officially unveils what it's working on.

Thankfully, that may not be long, as more reports (and Apple's past habits) point to a potential reveal next month in September. For those hoping for the rose gold finish to make another appearance, that will likely be the time for crossing fingers.

• Everything we know about iOS 11

Nearly a year since it first launched its own live streaming feature, Instagram is now adding the ability to tag in a friend to join in on your latest casts.

Currently in testing for a select number of users, Instagram's new feature allows users to select anyone currently watching the stream and invite them into the action.

From there, the screen splits in half to accommodate both co-streamers, with the usual "likes" and commenting functionality left intact. 

Depending on the host, bringing on a friend could have many uses such as curbing stage fright, bringing in audience participation, or simply making it easier to drop in special guests into your streams.

Instastream

During the show, guests can choose to sign off whenever they choose and the original broadcaster can then opt to post their latest stream to Instagram's stories, save it to their phone or delete it from the app entirely.

It's unsurprising that Instagram is adding a way to incorporate a friend into live streaming, as parent company Facebook announced plans for a similar feature back in May.

While co-streaming is still in development, an Instagram representative tells TechRadar that the feature can be expected to out globally within the coming months.

• How to master Facebook Live

Following some good first impressions from the launch of the Huawei Mate 9, it appears that phone maker Huawei's next big attempt at penetrating the US smartphone market may not be far behind, thanks to a new partnership with AT&T.

Huawei is reportedly teaming up with the major carrier to bring a new flagship phone to the US in 2018, according to a report from The Information.

Though one of the biggest smartphone makers worldwide, Huawei has yet to become a household name in the US like Samsung or Apple. 

This is partly due to a lack of cellular carrier partners carrying the company's phones — something that could change with AT&T's help, seeing as it's the biggest telecoms conglomerate on planet Earth.

The phone is reportedly expected to be similar to the upcoming Huawei Mate 10, which is expected to debut later this year. AT&T may wind up offering a variant of Huawei's next flagship phone modified to be compatible with its network and comply with the United State's communications protocol.

Should Huawei decide to launch a new flagship in the US next year, be prepared to shell out some cash. Going off the pricing of past Huawei Mate phones at launch, a higher price tag anywhere between $500-$600 and up could be expected.

Via Android Police

• How Huawei and Apple hope to fight declining tablet sales

Following some good first impressions from the launch of the Huawei Mate 9, it appears that phone maker Huawei's next big attempt at penetrating the US smartphone market may not be far behind, thanks to a new partnership with AT&T.

Huawei is reportedly teaming up with the major carrier to bring a new flagship phone to the US in 2018, according to a report from The Information.

Though one of the biggest smartphone makers worldwide, Huawei has yet to become a household name in the US like Samsung or Apple. 

This is partly due to a lack of cellular carrier partners carrying the company's phones — something that could change with AT&T's help, seeing as it's the biggest telecoms conglomerate on planet Earth.

The phone is reportedly expected to be similar to the upcoming Huawei Mate 10, which is expected to debut later this year. AT&T may wind up offering a variant of Huawei's next flagship phone modified to be compatible with its network and comply with the United State's communications protocol.

Should Huawei decide to launch a new flagship in the US next year, be prepared to shell out some cash. Going off the pricing of past Huawei Mate phones at launch, a higher price tag anywhere between $500-$600 and up could be expected.

Via Android Police

• How Huawei and Apple hope to fight declining tablet sales

The iPhone SE was a pleasant surprise for Apple fans looking for big power without the large form factor (and price) of modern iPhones, but it's been left in the air since its release if Apple planned to revisit the SE line.

Thankfully, it seems like Apple may be considering an upgraded version of the iPhone SE that may ship by the first quarter of next year, according to a report from Focus Taiwan.

It's unclear if this supposed iPhone SE 2 will be a full-blown successor to the SE, but the report does mention two significant improvements: iOS 11 and an A10 processor.

Smaller size, bigger processor

Currently, the iPhone SE features an A9 chip also used in the iPhone 6S. With a new A10 chip, the reported new iPhone SE would be on par with the current-gen iPhone 7 in terms of processing power.

Storage-wise, the new SE is said to come in 32GB and 128GB versions, matching Apple's last upgrade to the iPhone SE when it doubled the storage capacity for the same price earlier this year.

As always, Apple keeps its cards close to its chest, so it's unconfirmed if the tech giant has a new Special Edition in the works. 

That said, as rumors mount towards the iPhone 8 potentially being quite pricey, Apple would be remiss to not have a more wallet (and pocket) friendly version on deck in time for next year. 

• Phone launches in 2017: the year in smartphone arrivals 

The still-unannounced Samsung Galaxy S8 Active hasn't exactly kept a low profile, but we now have more evidence to suggest the heavy-duty phone is indeed the real deal. 

A promotion from US carrier AT&T seemingly revealed the Galaxy S8 Active in its FAQ section, all but confirming the existence of the Samsung Galaxy S family's newest member, according to XDA Developers.

The US-only deal offered $500 off a Samsung TV when switching to DirecTV with the purchase of a brand-new Samsung phone. 

However, the list of eligible devices originally included not just the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, but namechecked a "Galaxy S8 Active" as well.

Since then, the posting has been edited to just include the S8 and S8 Plus, leading us to believe the announcement was made prematurely.

It's still worth mentioning Samsung hasn't officially confirmed the Galaxy S8 Active yet. However, we have little reason to believe the tech giant isn't developing a rugged variant of its latest flagship series, leaks aside, since Samsung has made a habit of making one for a while now.

• We'll get to meet the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 this month

With over two million apps competing for your attention, it's easy to get overwhelmed searching the Google Play Store. 

To help make sure that search doesn't end with a dud, Google is now implementing a new system that lends visibility to higher-quality apps on its digital marketplace, according to TechCrunch.

That is to say, Google's new algorithm for the Play Store will now rank more stable, secure, and optimized apps higher than other apps prone to crashes, security issues or technical glitches.

While Google didn't share specifics on its new ranking system, the tech company is considering multiple factors such as reviews, reported crashes and the rate certain apps are uninstalled to help cull down apps it deems unworthy.

Better do those debugs

Google's reasoning for this initiative is likely two-fold — first off, giving visibility to better-made apps offers developers incentive to provide better quality assurance for their product, which then results in users getting better apps.

Secondly, the algorithm tones down the popularity of "fad" apps that sometimes crop up and gain a lot of installs (and therefore, visibility) overnight, only to have a litany of one-star reviews pop up to make the store's app discovery features — and by extension, the Google Play Store itself — look bad.

It'll be some time before we see if Google's new algorithm lets the cream to rise to the Play Store's top, but as developers scrap to have their app noticed among millions of competitors, that extra coat of polish may be the difference between a number-one slot or being banished to obscurity.

• No search needed: These are the best Android apps around

Known originally for making top-shelf cameras, electronics company RED is now dipping into smartphones with the Hydrogen One.

While we haven't learned too much about RED's ambitious phone besides its equally ambitious $1,195 (about £925, AU$1,575) price tag, a video breakdown courtesy of Marques Brownlee gives us a better visual of RED's Android-powered superphone. 

While features like the Hydrogen One's touted holographic display were blurred out, the prototypes shown off do clue us in on other details like the phone's size, layout and a few other features.

For one thing, the Hydrogen One is not kidding around in terms of size. A side-by-side comparison of the handset dwarfs even the iPhone 7 Plus. Simply put, those looking for a pocket-friendly phone need not apply.

That serious size does look like it can support some equally serious hardware though, as one prototype showed off the Hydrogen One's potential for modular add-ons, including a high-quality image sensor attached where the One's original dual-camera setup was. 

Also adding to the One's camera background are its aesthetics. Absent are the sleek buttons, trimmed bezel and polished body enjoyed by the likes of the HTC U11 or Samsung Galaxy S8 and instead come in painted button icons, large rubberized grooves, and a stocky build reminiscent of a DSLR camera or the rugged Cat 560. 

Given RED's pedigree for professional-level cameras and accessories, we can see the One potentially becoming a hit with cinematographers on-the-go. However, given RED's reputation for bringing said tech for near-inaccessible prices, the company's foray into the smartphone market could be a rocky one.

• Every Moto Mod you can augment your Motorola with

Google's Gboard application is getting a major upgrade, incorporating two of the tech giant's other products into the add-on keyboard to make messaging even easier

Rolling out now for iOS, Gboard is adding support for Google Maps and YouTube, alongside the ability to make your own in-app drawings to spice up conversations.

By hitting the Google Maps tab on the Gboard toolbar, users can now send their location or share an address instantly. Similar goes for YouTube functionality, which allows users to search videos right within Gboard, expediting the time it takes to find that hot new trailer without leaving the chat.

Drawing on Gboard can now be found next to the keyboard's GIF and emoji tabs, allowing users to sketch out doodles to send to their friends — you know, should emojis not fully express your feelings or you need to show someone a very specific, hard-to-describe pattern for some reason.

Gboard's latest tricks are available now for iPhone users via the App Store. We've contacted Google to learn if it has plans to bring Maps, YouTube and doodles to Android users soon, and will update this story as we learn more.

• Everything we know about the Google Pixel 2

The future of mobile technologies inches ever closer as Apple received the go-ahead to test out 5G wireless broadband connectivity.

Granted by the FCC just a few months after applying for a license, Apple has been granted permission to conduct trials with 5G millimeter wave technology on 28 GHz and 39 GHz frequency bands, according to DSLReports.

The move comes shortly after the regulatory agency opened up the commercial sale of certain 5G bands, with US mobile carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile now making plans of their own to offer consumer-wide 5G within the next two years or so.

Putting the mobile cart before the 5G horse

Of course, 5G as a wireless standard is still a work in progress, with experts generally agreeing that the next-generation tech won't hit the mainstream until around 2020.

This can lead the term "5G" to be used loosely this early in the game, such as when AT&T unveiled its 5G Evolution service this spring, which turned out to be just really fast 4G. 

Apple has no issue taking its sweet time, however, meaning it could still be years before we can reasonably expect a 5G-compatible iPhone to hit the market.

Though the next-gen service will likely skip the likes of, say, the upcoming iPhone 8, we imagine Apple doesn't intend to get left behind on the next big thing in the world of mobile technology.

• What can 5G do for businesses?