Microsoft’s Surface Duo, Samsung Galaxy phones and more are on sale

Amazon's latest deals feature the Microsoft Surface Duo, the Samsung Galaxy S21, Beats headphones, and more on sale

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Best Microsoft Surface Duo cases to buy in April 2021

Microsoft’s first foldable phone – the Surface Duo recently received a $400 price cut on its original asking price. The dual-screen smartphone is now available for $999. You can also go with the $33.33/month plan for owning Microsoft’s dual-screen phone-tablet hybrid. Moreover, the 256 gigs version is also available for $1,099. If you are planning to buy one or already have a Surface Duo, we recommend you get a case for the sleek package. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the best Microsoft Surface Duo cases you can buy right now.

    OtterBox OCITY series

    A Folder Cover

    Premium, durable material, this scratch and scrape resistant case protects your device from all angles. It also has a built-in card and Surface Pen holder.
    Foluu Case

    With a Hand Strap

    It is made of a hard PC PU leather back and classic PU leather that provides an elegant and fashionable look and feel.
    Bige Case

    For the Stylish

    The folding cover transforms the case into a stand with two angles. Perfect for whenever you're typing an email or watching a movie.
    DDJ Case

    For the Sleek

    This is an ultra-thin and light case with crocodile pattern that makes it comfortable and attractive. While keeping the body slim, it effectively protects your phone.
    DOOTOO

    For the Fashionable

    It is lightweight, slim and ensures that your smartphone still fits comfortably in your pocket or bag. It comes with a combination of TPU and PU leather.
    PUROOM

    Red Velvet

    A combination of TPU and PU leather fits snugly over the curves of your phone without adding to the bulk.

We recommend the Foluu Microsoft Surface Duo case for its unique hand strap design. This case has a slim and lightweight body that allows you to easily carry it conveniently while on the go. It is made of a hard PC PU leather back. The classic PU synthetic leather back case stylishly provides an elegant and fashion look and feel. It opens like a book with a built-in kickstand that lets you make hands-free video calls, read, or watch movies or eBooks anywhere comfortably. Moreover, the company says it will send you you another new case for free or refund the amount if there are any non-artificial product issues. It is the go-to Surface Duo case for $13.

We also recommend the DOOTOO case for Microsoft Surface Duo for its stylish looks. While it might be a bit more expensive than the Foluu offering at $21, it offers a high-quality crocodile pattern PU leather cover. The case uses ultra TPU material and retro style. It has full body protection against shocks, drops and scratches. Notably, once the case is installed, the Surface Duo can’t be folded in both directions. It can only open to make it flat. All buttons use a user-friendly design to avoid frequent disassembly. It is a shockproof case with precise cutouts to provide you with easy access to all ports, speakers, camera, buttons and other features.

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Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is reportedly coming in second half of 2021 with major upgrades

After a long development phase, Microsoft finally launched the Surface Duo last year. The dual-screen device was touted to take the productivity aspect to a whole new level, but despite some neat optimizations by Microsoft, bugs plagued the software. And on top of that, dated hardware and terrible camera performance ensured that the Surface Duo never turned out what the company envisioned it to be. Now, it appears that Microsoft is back to the drawing board, working on a successor – tentatively called Surface Duo 2 – that will come with upgraded innards and a more polished software experience in the fall season.

“Surface Duo 2 is apparently in development since the second half of 2020 and it is scheduled to launch in the fall of this year, though Microsoft’s plans are always subject to change. Beyond hardware (faster processor, 5G and improved camera), the software appears to be the primary focus of the Surface Duo 2.”
WindowsLatest

Now, the report doesn’t add anything specific, but Microsoft is rumored to add a 5G-ready SoC to the Surface Duo 2, unlike the Snapdragon 855 inside its predecessor that was already outdated by the time the device started shipping. And of course, a phone that misses out on 5G for a $999 asking price – that too after a price cut from its original $1,400 premium– was always going to be a hard sell in 2020. 

READ MORE: Xbox Xcloud Game Streaming on the Surface Duo is Awesome

surface duo pocketnow

Faster chipset, 5G support, improved camera, and less buggy software

Notably, Microsoft is investing more resources and efforts to improve the software experience on the Surface Duo 2. And that is of critical importance, as the software issues of its predecessor were a little too many. “While Windows Phone was really well thought out and designed for ease-of-use, the Surface Duo’s Android implementation was not. With all of the overlapping, non-discover-able gestures, it seems like it was designed to be frustrating to use,” my colleague Adam Z. Lein wrote in his Surface Duo review.

Additionally, Microsoft is also rumored to be working on improving the camera of its next dual-screen foldable phone. The first-gen Surface Duo received its fair share of criticism for its camera hardware, which included just a single camera that performed significantly worse than even a phone which costs half as much. 

View Microsoft Surface Duo at Amazon

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Microsoft preps ML and AI to enhance camera capabilities on Surface Duo 2 5G

Microsoft launched its first dual-screen smartphone, the Surface Duo in September 2020, which marked its return to the phone market. The $1,399 device recently received a price cut and is now selling for $999. Still, that seems like a high asking price for the novelty form factor. The Surface Duo has an astonishing design, but that’s about it. The UI is messy, and the cameras are meh. However, it looks like Microsoft is aiming to improve the camera capabilities on the upcoming foldable, Surface Duo 2.

Surface Duo 2 could have a significantly improved image processing

The latest report comes from Windows Latest, which spotted several job listings on Microsoft’s careers site. It reveals that the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is codenamed “Zeta.” While some of the job listings have been removed, in one of them, Microsoft confirmed that it is prepping machine learning and artificial intelligence to create a new camera experience that will “significantly improve image processing,” says the report. It also goes on to report that Microsoft plans to collaborate with independent developers to create new camera and photo editing apps for its Surface Duo.

It is likely to be a 5G device

Additionally, the Surface Duo 2 is likely to be a 5G device. While the job listing has now been removed, the company noted hat it’s on a “journey to create new experiences with Surface Duo” and they plan to enable 5G support to “fully express the Microsoft vision”. The company is looking for experienced individuals who are familiar with radio-frequency module development, which includes LTE and 5G.

“Job responsibilities will encompass working across a team of high impact individuals who are designing and coding RF drivers, RF board bring up including LTE and 5G technologies, factory tools, modem protocols, mobile operator certifications and PTCRB/GCF certifications on Surface Duo device,” wrote the company.

Hence, the upcoming Surface Duo 2 could have enhanced camera capabilities, and feature 5G support. We can expect the device to launch sometime later this year.

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Microsoft drops the Surface Duo price to $999 and is finally bringing it to Europe

Microsoft’s first foldable phone – the Surface Duo – finally went on sale back in September last year after being stuck in lengthy development hell and some post-debut delays too. But so far, the phone has been limited to the US shores. That is finally about to change, as the company is bringing to the European market as well, and is launching it in Canada too. Plus, the phone is also getting a hefty $400 cut on its original asking price. 

The 256GB unlocked variant of Surface Duo also comes down to $1,099

Starting with the price cut, the Microsoft US store has currently listed the Surface Duo at $999.99 for the 128GB storage model in its unlocked state. However, if you don’t prefer nuking your wallet, you can also go with the $33.33/month plan for owning Microsoft’s sleek dual-screen phone-tablet hybrid. 

READ MORE – Microsoft Surface Duo Review: Beautiful Hardware, Terrible Software
Microsoft Surface Duo

The company is also dropping the price of its 256GB model to $1,099, down from its initial eye-popping price of $1,499. And to spare you the financial shock as you plan to splurge your hard-earned cash on the Surface Duo, Microsoft is offering a $36.66/month installment plan for this variant as well. 

Surface Duo is finally making it to other markets too

In Canada, UK, France, and Germany, the Surface Duo will go on sale starting February 18

Now, coming to the expanded availability part. Microsoft will start selling the Surface Duo in Canada starting February 18. And on the same date, it will also hit the shelves in some key European markets that include France, Germany, and the UK. But unfortunately, Microsoft is not extending the price cut’s benefit to its customers in Europe.

In the United Kingdom, the fancy Surface foldable will set you back by £1,349 for the base variant. If you live in France, the 128GB model will set you back by €1,549, while the 256GB model will cost €1,649. And for potential buyers in Germany, they’ll have to shell out a minimum of €1,549 on the device, the same as the French market.

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The Microsoft Surface Go 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ and more devices are on sale today

We keep on getting some amazing deals from Samsung and Microsoft, thanks to the guys over at Amazon. We start with the new Microsoft Surface Go 2 with a 10.5-inch touch screen, an Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage space for $499 after a $50.99 discount. You can step it up and get the version with an Intel Core m3 processor, which is getting a $40 discount, leaving it at $690.

Other great options from Microsoft are the Surface Pro 7 with a 12.3-inch touch screen with a tenth generation Intel Core i7 processor, which also comes with 6GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage and a Black Type Cover for $1,302.06 with $97.84 savings. And the Microsoft Surface Duo is also getting an interesting discount, as you can grab one for $1,000 with $400 savings. This is an unlocked variant with 128GB of storage space. You also get 6GB RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 powering the show.

We then focus on the latest deals on Samsung Galaxy tablets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is currently getting an $80 discount, but you can save $50 more when you apply the on-0page coupon, meaning that you can grab one for $720. This will get you a new Galaxy Tab S7+ in Bronze or Silver, with 128GB storage space. However, you can save even more when you go for the Black color option, as it’s getting a $130 discount, which leaves it at just $690.

The vanilla Galaxy Tab S7 with 128GB is also getting a $130 discount in its WiFi-only variant, which leaves it up for grabs at $520, or double the storage and pay $570 for the 256GB version with $160 savings. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite with 128GB storage can be yours for $379 with $50.99 savings or go for the more affordable Galaxy Tab A7 that’s getting a $60 discount, which leaves it at $220.


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Microsoft Surface Duo devices show cracks around its USB-C port

It may appear that Microsoft just can’t seem to get the smartphone recipe right. The company had to wait four years since the Lumia 650, to give us a new smartphone. Still, that doesn’t mean that the Surface Duo has turned out to be as great as we expected. Microsoft announced the Surface Duo a couple of months ago, and it arrived with a whopping $1,399 price tag. We can’t deny that the device has managed to get us excited, as we are always looking for innovation and variety in today’s smartphone world. Unfortunately, several reports are starting to show that the device isn’t as strong as we had expected.

It seems that the Microsoft Surface Duo is not as durable as expected. Indeed, the device survived the abuse from JerryRigEverything’s durability test, but it can’t seem to withstand everyday use, which also includes charging the device every once in a while. Several Surface Duo users have started to report on Reddit and Twitter that the plastic around the USB-C port of their devices has cracked. Some of them say that that this happened while they were plugging in the charging cable, and some even claim that this incident happened while they were putting the Surface Duo in their pockets.

The real reason behind these cracks may be that the plastic surrounding the USB-C port is thin. Each half of the device measures only 4.8mm, and the USB-C port alone is 2,6mm thick, so you do the math. The plastic on the sides of the USB-C port is extremely thin, and obviously not very durable. However, this issue doesn’t seem to affect how the Surface Duo charges, and it doesn’t cause the charging cable to wiggle when connected, so it may just end up being a cosmetic issue that users may not want to find in their $1,400 phones.

Source MS Power User

Via GSM Arena

 

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Microsoft Surface Duo devices show cracks around its USB-C port

It may appear that Microsoft just can’t seem to get the smartphone recipe right. The company had to wait four years since the Lumia 650, to give us a new smartphone. Still, that doesn’t mean that the Surface Duo has turned out to be as great as we expected. Microsoft announced the Surface Duo a couple of months ago, and it arrived with a whopping $1,399 price tag. We can’t deny that the device has managed to get us excited, as we are always looking for innovation and variety in today’s smartphone world. Unfortunately, several reports are starting to show that the device isn’t as strong as we had expected.

It seems that the Microsoft Surface Duo is not as durable as expected. Indeed, the device survived the abuse from JerryRigEverything’s durability test, but it can’t seem to withstand everyday use, which also includes charging the device every once in a while. Several Surface Duo users have started to report on Reddit and Twitter that the plastic around the USB-C port of their devices has cracked. Some of them say that that this happened while they were plugging in the charging cable, and some even claim that this incident happened while they were putting the Surface Duo in their pockets.

The real reason behind these cracks may be that the plastic surrounding the USB-C port is thin. Each half of the device measures only 4.8mm, and the USB-C port alone is 2,6mm thick, so you do the math. The plastic on the sides of the USB-C port is extremely thin, and obviously not very durable. However, this issue doesn’t seem to affect how the Surface Duo charges, and it doesn’t cause the charging cable to wiggle when connected, so it may just end up being a cosmetic issue that users may not want to find in their $1,400 phones.

Source MS Power User

Via GSM Arena

 

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Microsoft Surface Duo Unboxing (Video)

While you may have already seen some unboxing videos of the press-version of the Microsoft Surface Duo, today the device is on sale for real, so we’ve got the retail version to unbox.

The box includes a rubber “bumper” that basically sticks to the edges of the Surface Duo with glue. This is meant to protect it since you can’t really fit a proper case to it due to the 360-degree hinge flipping.

The box also includes a charging brick and a USB-C to USB-C cable along with a little documentation and the SIM card tray key. That’s about it! First impressions of the Surface Duo itself? It’s quite a unique shape, very thin, and very sturdy feeling.

However, the glass panels feel very glossy and will probably accept plenty of fingerprint grease. Check out our unboxing video below.

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Microsoft will reportedly sell the Surface Duo only in the US until 2021

The Microsoft Surface Duo is a remarkable device, without an iota of doubt. From what we’ve seen so far, it is impressively thin and comes with a host of productivity-focused tweaks from Microsoft to fully exploit the foldable form factor. We’ve been waiting patiently for the device ever since Microsoft revealed it almost a year ago, and now that it has a September 10 release date, there might be some bad news for people who’ve been saving all this time to purchase it. As per a Windows Central report, Microsoft will sell the Surface Duo ONLY in the US market until 2021

If true, the new finding will be a major disappointment for potential buyers outside the US, including me, who’ve been waiting to hear official details about its international availability ever since pre-orders for it went live in the US. The report adds that Microsoft is taking “a measured and phased approach to availability to meet customer demand.” Or in other words, Microsoft wants to gauge the customer reception of the device in the US before it commits to making more units and selling them outside the US market.

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft will reportedly start selling the Surface Duo in other markets in the first half of 2021, and that will happen if the device’s sales and reception pass the internal expectations in the US market in the first place. Needless to say, Microsoft is playing it safe here. But the plan is reportedly fluid, and Microsoft could start selling the Surface Duo in the international market if it deems the risk worth taking and the demand is high enough.

The first wave of Surface Duo reviews are yet to hit the internet, so we can’t say if the device is worth its $1,399 asking price. But from a hardware perspective, selling a smartphone powered by the older Snapdragon 855 SoC in 2020 – one that also misses out on features such as wireless charging, 5G and NFC – doesn’t really instill too much confidence in shelling out that huge sum of money for the device. However, the Surface Duo’s insanely thin form factor and the allure (read: advantages) of the foldable form factor might tilt the scales in Microsoft’s favor.

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Microsoft Surface Duo gets new demo video and 3 years of Android updates

The Microsoft Surface Duo was recently announced, and now Microsoft has published a video detailing every important aspect of the device. This 35-minute demo video will help anyone interested in this device decide whether to go for it.

Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer, Panos Panay, offers the company’s vision for better mobile productivity. He also explains everything you must know about the Surface Duo.

“I’m not trying to reinvent the phone, but I do believe this is a better way to get things done, a better way to create and a better way to connect on a mobile device.”

“…when you see things side-by-side, when you’re working with two screens side-by-side connected, the brain turns on in a very different way. It lights up, it magnifies. You’re able to accomplish more, you’re able to see more, collect more.”

The Microsoft Surface Duo is also getting three years of OS and security updates, meaning that a possible $1,400 investment will get you all the way to Android 13.

Source 9to5Google

Via 9to5Google

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Pocketnow Daily: Fortnite EXPOSES Apple and Google’s Monopoly… (video)

Apple’s MacBook Air, iPad Pro and more devices on sale today

Deals. Best Buy is currently running a major 3-Day Anniversary sale on Apple products. You can find up to $300 off on MacBook Pros, up to $150 on MacBook Airs and even some deals on the iPhone SE. Moving on, B&H also has the 2018 12.9in iPad Pro for $350 off, leaving the 64GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular variant for $800 shipped. We also have deals on Sony earbuds, Razer Gaming keyboards and more in the links in the description. Buy Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless Sports headphones Buy Razer BlackWidow Elite gaming keyboard

Microsoft Surface Duo gets 3 years of Android updates, and a new demo video

For those of you guys interested in buying the Microsoft Surface Duo and you’re not so sure yet. Well the company officially announced it 2 days ago and now, they shared a full 35 minute demo video of Panos Panay showing you what the product can do. According to them, their aim with this product is not to “reinvent the phone” but is a vision of better mobile productivity for the Surface fans and people who love Office, Teams and Outlook. Microsoft also announced that they will be committing to 3 years of software updates for the Duo, as they should for the $1400 price tag. Thing is, I mean I love Excel on anything but Android.. But other than that I know of no human being that can claim that they love productivity apps. We’ll see.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 won’t include ToF sensors

And, we know that Samsung ditched their whole ToF approach with the Galaxy Note 20 as, well, we all know what happened with the S20 Ultra. According to a new report from the Elec, the ToF sensor won’t be making it to the Galaxy S21 either but, Samsung isn’t giving up in the technology. According to this report, the reason why the S20’s ToF wasn’t doing so hot is because it wasn’t as powerful as direct ToF which is what other companies like Apple are using from companies like Sony. Apparently Samsung is now working on their own ToF solution and now, the “technological advancements” will depend on them and not third party companies. We’ll see if they are able to develop something for the Note 21.

Facebook is now sued over allegedly gathering biometric data on Instagram

Let’s talk about what Facebook has done with Instagram… yeah that sounds about right. For starters, the company is being sued in the state of California for “collecting, storing and profiting” off biometric data of more than 100M users, specifically for facial recognition technology. The lawsuit claims that Instagram uses a “face-tagging” tool which uses facial recognition to create “face templates” which are stored in Facebook’s database without the user’s consent. They even use your tagged pictures so, you didn’t even have to post it yourself for this to happen. According to Bloomberg, they’re facing up to $5K per violation, meaning do the math when you multiply that times 100M. On another note, TechCrunch is reporting that there’s a “bug” in their system which would retain deleted photos and messages on their servers for over a year. Now, the bug has been conveniently patched but, apparently there was no evidence of abuse, if that even means something.

Apple without WeChat could mean disaster for the iPhone in China

Earlier this week we covered some predictions from Ming Chi Kuo over how the US ban on WeChat could affect Apple on a major scale. Well, according to a Bloomberg report, things could pan out the way Kuo predicted. Apparently there was a massive survey conducted on Chinese iPhone users and 95% of them said that they would replace their iPhone if WeChat was banned from the App Store. This translates to around 1.2M users from the survey alone. Most of them made comments over how this ban “would force them into switching their phones as WeChat is very important to them” with someone even saying that the ban would turn the iPhone into simple “electronic trash” as WeChat is one of their most essential apps. The details of the ban still aren’t clear yet as, it could just be a thing in the States but if it’s completely banned from the App Store, it looks like Apple will be suffering. It also looks like Apple, Disney, Ford and other companies have warned the White House about what this ban would mean so, let’s see how it plays out.

Story of the day:

Epic Games claims Google forced OnePlus, LG to scrap Fortnite deals

Epic Games mocks Apple’s 1984 Macintosh ad after Fortnite’s removal from App

Store Fortnite removed from Google Play Store after getting kicked off the App Store

Now, let’s talk about Fortnite… yeah you heard that right. Yesterday, the game was removed from both, the App Store and Google Play, as the company added a direct payment option in the game that would save customers 20% on their in-app purchases, preventing Apple from taking their 30% cut from each purchase. You guys know the Amazon Kindle story where it was banned years ago until Amazon removed the in-app purchase model and forcing you to use a browser to make purchases. As for Google, apparently Epic was working on a deal with both OnePlus and LG, to offer the Fortnite launcher pre-installed in their phones and Google reportedly forced them to back out of the deal as well as the direct payment option in the app. Epic Games is reportedly filing a lawsuit against both of them for anti-competitive restrictions on their stores. Android Users at least have the advantage of being able to side load the APK and Samsung Devices still have it available on the Galaxy Store, but iOS users are screwed. Epic even put out a short video mocking Apple’s famous 30-year old “1984” ad and ending theirs with “Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly, Apple is Blocking Fortnite to billions of devices. Join the fact to stop 2020 from becoming 1984″ as a reference to George Orwell’s novel. Other companies like Spotify which have had issues with the App Store and Apple in the past have come out in support of Fortnite. We’ll keep you posted. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/pocketnowsub http://pocketnow.com Follow us: http://flipboard.com/@Pocketnow http://facebook.com/pocketnow http://twitter.com/pocketnow http://google.com/+pocketnow

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Microsoft Surface Duo released for $1,399, shipping starts September 10

Microsoft has quietly made the Surface Duo official. The company says Surface Duo is the thinnest Surface yet. The price starts at $1,399 and it will start shipping September 10 onward. It brings together Microsoft 365 experiences and the full ecosystem of Android mobile apps

The Microsoft Surface Duo features an 8.1-inch PixelSense Fusion display connected by a 360-degree hinge, which allows you to use each 5.6-inch display individually or together, across a variety of modes.

The Surface Duo comes with a custom engineered Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) which enables full control over firmware components. The company says it delivers Enterprise-grade security to Surface Duo by writing or reviewing every line of firmware code in house. It allows Microsoft to respond directly and agilely, to potential firmware threats and to mitigate supply chain security risks. 

Further, you can manage the entire Surface Duo experience for employees and protect work data with a variety of mobile device management (MDM) options, including Microsoft Intune.

The Surface Duo is powered by Snapdragon 855, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB/256GB of storage. As for the optics, it comes with a  single 11MP f/2.0 sensor, although it can capture 4K 60fps video. It is said to come with features like portrait mode, super-resolution zoom, and more. It packs a 3,577mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

It comes with Microsoft apps like Office, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Edge, OneNote, To Do, News, and more. You can pre-order the foldable phone today from AT&T, Best Buy, or the Microsoft Store, and it will arrive on September 10.

Source: Microsoft

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Pocketnow Daily: iPhone Sales to FALL if WeChat is Banned? (video)

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, Apple’s 27-inch iMac and more devices, on sale today

Deals. Let’s start today with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which is currently available for $171 off on Amazon, leaving it at $1228 shipped with the US warranty. The 2019 27in iMac is also up to $250 off, meaning you can find the 6-core Intel i5, 8GB of RAM and 1TB of storage variant for $1700 shipped. If you’re interested in the HomePod… for some reason… Best Buy also has it for $100 off, leaving it at $199. We also have more deals on Sennheiser headphones, Jabra Earbuds and more.

Qualcomm reportedly seeks US government’s permission to sell chips to HUAWEI

Last week we talked about how the Mate 40 Series might be the last Huawei phone powered by a Kirin processor and, if you watch that video I speculated about them turning to Qualcomm for SoCs and well…. According to the Wall Street Journal, Qualcomm made a presentation for the US government, to remove restrictions and let them sell Snapdragon chips to Huawei. They’re pitching it by saying how this ban could drive “billions of dollars” to foreign chip makers like Samsung and MediaTek and lifting this ban could help Qualcomm stay competitive. Qualcomm’s goal right now is to sell to every smartphone maker and if a shift in the 5G market share changed, this could be big for them.

We have new leaked renders of the upcoming Microsoft Surface Duo

I think it’s been 10 or 11 months since we’ve been waiting for the Surface Duo… Yeah. Well last week it went through certifications and it looked like we were getting closer to a launch date but, we still don’t have it. Now we have some new leaked renders from Evan Blass showing off the AT&T variant of this device. On these pictures we can see the phone both open and closed, showing off the interface. We also get to see the selfie camera and the pretty big bezels and,  it looks like there’s still no main camera on the outside. There’s also that leaked video which surfaced months ago showing how you can interact with the phone without it being fully open. We’re still expecting this device to launch… sometime soon with the same dated specs.

First public beta for watchOS7 is available for beta testers

You will soon find Google Maps in your Apple Watch

After several developer betas, Apple just seeded the first Public Beta of WatchOS 7 to consumers. The update can be installed pretty much like an iOS beta by downloading the profile and since this is the first release, it might bring some serious bugs. It brings new features like sleep tracking, complications, and more. Speaking of new features, Google just announced several of them for Apple products that are independent of the beta. For example, now you get a fully working Google Maps app for the Apple Watch that works pretty similar to the iPhone app, letting you get walking, biking, public transit and car directions from your wrist. Some destinations need the iPhone to be able to work properly but, it also supports step-by-step and it gives you an ETA. Moving on to CarPlay, there’s a new Dashboard integration for the media app now, the calendar and turn-by-turn directions as well but it is now presented in a split-screen view.

Twitter purportedly expresses interest in acquiring TikTok US operations

TikTok is reportedly suing Trump administration over executive order threatening a ban

Let’s talk about Tik Tok because, it’s actually a pretty big deal right now. If you haven’t been following, the US President basically told them that they had 45 days to sell the US arm of Tik Tok to a US company or they would be banned in the States. Well, since them we’ve seen Microsoft interested in buying and now, it looks like Twitter wants in too. According to Reuters, Microsoft is still the front runner but, Twitter has apparently approached ByteDance to make the acquisition. The problem is that Twitter is worth around $30B which is almost the value of the Tik Tok assets being purchased here so, they would need to raise additional capital to make this deal happen. However, it looks like ByteDance doesn’t want to stay quiet, they will reportedly be filing a federal lawsuit in Southern California for the President’s “far-reaching action which is unconstitutional, based on pure speculation.” We’ll keep you posted to see what ends up happening here but, in the meantime Facebook already launched a copy cat with Instagram Reels because… it’s Facebook.

Story of the day:

iPhone shipments could decline by up to 30% if Apple axes WeChat from App Store: Kuo

And finally, speaking of bans since it seems to be the major topic of discussion today, it looks like Apple will be affected by another ban too. There was recently an executive order, kind of like the one with Tik Tok, to end US transactions with WeChat and Tencent. And by the way, WeChat is like all our social media, chat and payment services baked in one, so for China it’s pretty much everything. Well, according to a new report from Ming Chi Kuo, Apple could suffer a lot from this as WeChat currently has 1.2B monthly users and banning it globally from the App Store would be catastrophic . He laid out different scenarios as to how this might affect iPhone sales, in the best case, shipments would be affected by 3%-6% but, in the worst-case scenario, iPhone shipments globally would decline by 25-30% and this also translates to other products like the Apple Watch, AirPods and even Macs. Kuo is even recommending that investors should reduce their stock holdings of companies in Apple’s Supply Chain due to the risks this WeChat ban. The order will apparently happen on September 20th so, let’s see what happens. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/pocketnowsub http://pocketnow.com Follow us: http://flipboard.com/@Pocketnow http://facebook.com/pocketnow http://twitter.com/pocketnow http://google.com/+pocketnow

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