Pocketnow Daily: Google Pixel 5 Leaked Design Disappoints? (video)

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

Today’s deals include the Google Pixel 4a, an Apple sales event and more

Deals. Best Buy is having another Apple Sales Event on a bunch of products. For example, the latest 13in MacBook Pro is $200 off, meaning you can get the Intel Core i5, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD variant for $1800 shipped. MacBook Airs are also $50 off, leaving the Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD for $1250, however if you’re a student you can save some extra. The iPhone XS and XS Max are also $200 off from their original price, if you choose to activate it today. We have more deals on iPad Pros, Fitbits and more in the links in the description.

Buy Google Pixel 4a Verizon
Buy iPhone XS/ XS Max
Buy MacBook Pro
Buy MacBook Air
Buy iPad Pro
See complete Apple Sale Event selection
Buy 13-inch MacBook Pro
Buy Fitbit Versa Lite Edition

Samsung may be working on a new Galaxy Fold “lite”

A new Samsung phone just went through the Wi-Fi Alliance and, it looks like Samsung might be working on a “Lite Foldable“. All of the Foldable Samsung phones have a model number that starts with an F, for example the Fold was F900 and the Z Flip was F700. Now, this new phone has an F400 model number hinting to a more affordable phone. The model number also reveals that this is a second generation device so we could be getting a new cheaper Z Flip. Of course this is just speculation as of right now but, it would be nice to see if it’s real.

Epic Games is hosting a FreeFortnite Cup on August 23 targeted squarely at Apple

We know that Apple most likely has the upper hand when it comes to their Epic situation but, Epic isn’t staying put either. We know that so far they have, filed a lawsuit, mocked Apple’s 1984 ad, and they’re CEO had some interesting stuff to say about Apple. Now, it looks like they’re doing a little bit of a marketing stunt in-game. They’ll be hosting a “Free Fortnite” Cup on August 23rd, offering different prizes that include a “bad Apple”. Because, they just made a new Tart Tycoon skin which, well, it’s an Apple with a suit. This is most likely to stay in the spotlight while they hear something from the lawsuit. As far as we know, the 14 days are still in effect so they might want to hurry up.

Apple to reduce costs in the iPhone 12 series with battery board changes

Speaking of Apple, it looks like they’re really trying to cut some corners with the iPhone 12 to save some money. According to a new report from Ming Chi Kuo, the adoption of sub-6GHz 5G will increase Apple’s cost by $75-$85, while the mmWave technology will mean a $125-$135 increase. He also mentioned that Apple has been putting some “higher bargaining pressure” with their suppliers and, one of the ways they will be able to cut the price will be with the battery board. Apparently we will be getting a simpler and smaller battery board with fewer layers and this one will apparently be 40-50% cheaper than the one on the iPhone 11. In addition to that they will be also moving on to a pure soft board design in 2021 which will decrease an extra 30-40% from the iPhone 12’s cost. We’re expecting these iPhones to come in October and November, let’s just hope this doesn’t mean worse battery life as we’re also getting smaller batteries.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra users are already reporting camera defects (Update)

According to the Samsung forum posts, multiple Galaxy Note 20 owners have been having several issues with hardware issues on the Note 20 Ultra’s camera. Apparently there are visible gaps in their camera module which accumulate dust particles and condensation droplets on the inside of the glass panel. If you are one of these people, don’t worry as Samsung just issued out a statement on the matter. They said that they are committed to ensuring the customer’s satisfaction and optimal experience on Galaxy devices as they have been getting reports of fog build up on the Note 20. They gave an explanation saying that as with reading glasses, water resistance phones can suffer from condensation with a sudden temperature change. Sadly, they didn’t say if they will be replacing these phones or fixing them for free. These are most likely a bad batch of phones so, we’ll keep you posted on Samsung’s next move.

Story of the day:

Here’s your first detailed look at the Google Pixel 5 and its boring design

Google Pixel 5 leak tips Snapdragon 765G, an ultra wide angle camera and 90Hz display

We have different Google Pixel 5 leaks from different sources so, let’s start with the design. We have some new CAD renders from OnLeaks, and this literally looks like the Pixel 4a’s big brother. It brings the Pixel 4’s camera module, a fingerprint sensor at the back meaning that the punch hole is here as well, no more facial recognition. These renders show off the black color variant and we should be getting a green variant as well. Let’s move on to the specs, which is where it gets interesting. According to a new report from Android Central, it will bring a 6in OLED display running at 90Hz and, even with the larger display it will apparently have the same footprint as the 4a due to the slimmer bezels. It’ll be powered by the Snapdragon 765G, 8GB of RAM and they will reportedly start at 128GBs of storage. Finally, and probably the most important, the report mentions that this phone will still bring a dual camera, a primary, and an ultra wide angle. Finally. We still don’t have any info on the battery size or the price tag but, it shouldn’t be so steep with the Snapdragon 765G.

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Apple blames Fortnite fiasco on Epic Games, says the developer demanded a special deal

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Following Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple after Fortnite was removed from the App Store and later asking for a temporary injunction, Apple has now retaliated via its own court filing. Apple claims that the whole fiasco is Epic’s own making and that the developer breached its end of the contract. Taking a clear stance, the Cupertino giant mentioned that developers who deceive Apple are terminated, and the same has happened to Epic Games.

“In the wake of its own voluntary actions, Epic now seeks emergency relief. But the “emergency” is entirely of Epic’s own making,” the court filing mentioned. Apple even likened Epic Games’ decision to bypass the App Store payment rules to that of shoplifting, a scenario in which Apple does not get paid similar to when a customer walks out of an Apple Store without paying for its products.

Furthermore, Apple claims that Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney asked for a special treatment in an email addressing Apple CEO Tim Cook and a few other high-profile executives (via CNBC). “On June 30, 2020, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney wrote my colleagues and me an email asking for a ‘side letter’ from Apple that would create a special deal for only Epic that would fundamentally change the way in which Epic offers apps on Apple’s iOS platform,” former SVP and now an Apple Fellow, Phil Schiller, noted in a declaration.

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Epic Games is hosting a FreeFortnite Cup on August 23 targeted squarely at Apple

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar
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To say that Epic Games is not pulling any punches in its fight against Apple over the Fortnite row is an understatement. After filing a lawsuit, mocking an iconic Apple ad and CEO Tim Sweeney’s scathing remarks against Apple, Epic Games is now hosting the FreeFortnite Cup on August 23 that offers a lot of prizes “and one bad apple.”

Epic Games claims that with the FreeFortnite Cup, it is offering players an opportunity to win more prizes than ever before including the new Tart Tycoon Outfit, gaming hardware, and exclusive apparel. The most eye-catching prize is, of course, the Tart Tycoon Outfit which looks like a well-dressed villain whose head is an Apple. In case you’re wondering, you can join the event irrespective of the platform you’re playing the game on.


The Tart Tycoon Outfit

Aside from the cheeky outfit, Epic Games is also giving away consoles, gaming laptops, smartphones and other merch to players. Winners will be decided based on the number of points they score, which in turn is calculated on the basis of eliminations, victories and the amount of time they stay alive in the battle royale mode.

The FreeFortnite Cup is more like a swansong for iOS users who will be unable to enjoy Season 4 of Fortnite Chapter 2 when it releases on August 27, unless the feud between Epic Games and Apple is resolved. You can read about all the rules for Freefortnite Cup here.

Source: Epic Games

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You can find iPhones with Fortnite installed at eBay for up to $10,000

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

Apple vs. Fortnite disputes may be getting out of control. Now, Apple iPhones with Fortnite installed are being listed on eBay for insane prices.

Apple has recently removed the Fortnite app from its App Store. Epic Games included an alternative payment method that would save users some money if they decided to buy directly from the Epic Store. This has led to legal actions on both sides, and we could even see Epic lose access to its developer app tools.

However, this could end up hurting players, more than the companies above. Some eBay users are starting to list iPhones on sale with Fortnite installed on the device. Prices as high as $10,000 have been mentioned for an iPhone X, which would easily get you up to six maxed iPhone 11 Pro Max devices, but these would come without the app. We strongly advise you not to go for these devices, as you can install Fortnite on your iPhone is you had installed it before.

To reinstall Fortnite on your iPhone, just go to your “My Purchases” section in the App Store, then tap “purchases: and you will find every single iOS app you’ve ever installed. Search for the “Fortnite” app, and you should start the download process by clicking on the cloud icon. This will download around 10GB of app files, and it should let you play, or at least until the next update arrives.

Source MacRumors

Via The Verge

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Epic Games CEO calls Apple a middleman that separates gamers from game creators

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

The Apple vs Epic Games war is on, and at the center of it all is wildly popular game Fortnite that was recently removed from the App Store for violating policies. A mocking ad and a lawsuit later, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has now spoken up without mincing any words, claiming that “the fight isn’t over Epic wanting a special deal, it’s about the basic freedoms of all consumers and developers.”

“Finally, there’s nothing wrong with fighting about money. You work hard to earn this stuff. When you spent it, the way it’s divided determines whether your money funds the creation of games or is taken by middlemen who use their power to separate gamers from game creators,” Sweeney added.

The Epic Games CEO went on to claim that the company is fighting for the freedom of smartphone users to choose where they want to install an app from, and also the freedom of creators to choose the distribution channel for their apps. “We all have rights, and we need to fight to defend our rights against whoever would deny them. Even if that means fighting a beloved company like Apple,” he mentioned in one of his scathing tweets.

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

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Earlier today, Fortnite was removed from the App Store after developer Epic Games started offering a direct payment option in the game that will save players 20% on their in-app-purchases, but prevents Apple from taking a 30% cut as its fee. Now, Google has followed in the footsteps of Apple and has removed Fortnite from the Google Play Store. Here’s what Google had to say:

“The open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app stores. For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users. While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play.”

In case you’re wondering what policy Fortnite exactly violated, Google makes it clear on its payments support page that “developers offering products within a game downloaded on Google Play or providing access to game content must use Google Play In-app Billing as the method of payment.” As for Google’s definition of in-game items, it includes pretty much everything – coins, gems, extra lives or turns, special items or equipment, characters or avatars, additional levels or playtime.

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Apple removes Fortnite from App Store, gets sued by Epic Games

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Epic Games announced a new payment system today called Epic direct payment that allows Fortnite players (on mobile) to save 20% on in-app purchases if they opt for it instead of paying via the App Store or Google Play Store. It uses the same payment system that is used to make purchases in the game’s console and PC versions.

The 20% price cut is not a discount. It is just the new price of V-Bucks or real-money offers in the game’s console and PC versions, and can also be availed on mobile if players pay using Epic direct payment. Epic Games says Apple and Google collect a 30% fee on in-app purchases, which is why it has launched Epic direct payment to pass on the benefit of those savings to players.

Apple, obviously not happy with the move, has removed Fortnite from the App Store – something Epic Games calls “Apple’s punishment to developers” who offer direct payment options. In return, Epic Games has sued Apple seeking to “taken legal action to end Apple’s anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces.”

Additionally, Epic Games has asked players to trend the hashtag #FREEFORTNITE on social media and also tag the official App Store handle in their messages. Fortnite says those who have Fortnite already installed on their mobile will have no trouble playing the game, but they won’t be able to play the Chapter 4 of Season 2 which arrives soon via an update.

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OnePlus 8 series phones can now run Fortnite at a silky-smooth 90FPS frame rate

Posted on by Lee Kelly

OnePlus has announced that it partnered with Epic Games to allow 90FPS gameplay for Fortnite on the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. In doing so, the OnePlus 8 series phones have become the only two smartphones that can play the hit game at 90FPS, up from the 60FPS standard you’ll experience on other flagships out there.

The only other device to eclipse that figure is the iPad Pro, which can run Fortnite at 120FPS. In theory, playing Fortnite at 90FPS on the OnePlus 8 series phones will provide the smoothest experience you’ll get on any phone, and even consoles such as Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4, on which the game is locked at 60FPS.

But there is one trade-off. While playing Fortnite at 90FPS on the OnePlus 8 or its Pro sibling, the graphics are scaled down to ‘low’ settings, but the resolution remains the same at the native 2400×1080. However, if you don’t want to make the compromise, you can still choose to play the game at ‘Epic’ graphics settings, but at a still respectable 60FPS frame rate, notes GameSpot.

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Pocketnow Daily: Google Pixel 4a Price: Apple, Hold my Beer? (video)

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

Today’s savings include Apple’s Mac Pro, MacBook Pro and more

Deals. Apple’s previous 13in MacBook Pro is currently $300 off on Amazon in several models, for example the 2.4GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD variant is available for $1500. Yes it might not seem like a good deal at first, but consider this is the 4 thunderbolt 3 port model. If we have some pros in the comments, you can find up to $1600 in savings for the Mac Pro over at B&H with the most affordable variant going for $5900 with the discount. The 2018 iPad Pros are also $217 off, leaving the 11in variant starting at $800. Buy Mac Pro Buy MacBook Pro Buy Apple Mac mini Buy Apple iPad Pro Buy Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire

Dell redesigns XPS 15, unveils XPS 17 rocking latest Intel processors and NVIDIA GPUs

Now, for those of you that aren’t interested in a Mac, we finally get some good looking competition to return along with the recent launches from Microsoft. After three years of recycled designs, Dell is finally updating their XPS Laptops. The company just announced a new XPS 15 Ultrabook and the XPS 17 which Dell claims is the smallest 17in laptop there is. To make matters more special is the price tag. The XPS 15 starts at $1300 for base configuration, but your upgrade options can get up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, starting but that’ll hold you back $2449. The XPS 17 starts at $1499 for the base model, but configurations allow up to an octa-core 10th gen Intel Core i7, and up to 64GB of RAM, but that price is a steep.

Epic Games Store is down because everyone wants a free copy of GTA 5

Epic Games is notorious for giving you free games each month and this time they have a special one. GTA V Premium Edition is currently available for free but, there’s a problem… There was so much people trying to download it that the servers were completely down and you would simply get an error screen when you try to download it. It is running back now as my son just purchased it but if it isn’t working for you, the sale will go on until May 21st.

Apple to launch a new 10.8-inch iPad in 2020, iPad Mini to follow next year: Ming-Chi Kuo

We have a new report from Ming Chi Kuo with Apple’s roadmap for different products. He predicts that the Apple AR Glasses will launch some time in 2022, and they’ll be reliant on the iPhone to keep them slim and lightweight. They are expected to run Reality OS or rOS, and Apple is currently exploring touch panels, voice activation and gestures. Moving on to iPads he claims we will be getting two new iPad soon. A 10.8in iPad and a 8.5-9in iPad Mini for the second half of 2020 and the first half of 2021 respectively. These new iPads will follow on the iPhone SE product strategy with an affordable price tag and the adoption of newer, faster chips. On a previous note he also said that they are working on a miniLED iPad Mini which could be released later this year but it is not clear if this is the same one.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series may arrive with a 16GB RAM standard

We’re still a few months away but we’ve been getting a good amount of leaks for the Galaxy Note 20 line up. The same source from the previous leaks claims that one of the ways Samsung plans to differentiate the Note 20 from the S20 is with RAM. Apparently these could bring 16GB of RAM as a standard for both the Note 20 and the Note 20+. Currently, the only Galaxy S with 16GB of RAM, is the Ultra 5G with 512GB of storage. Samsung has been mass producing LPDDR5 RAM chips for mobile since February, and since the Ultra hasn’t sold too well, this might be a way of getting rid of the extra inventory. We are expecting both LTE and 5G variants so we don’t know yet if it will only be a standard on the 5G variants or on all of them. The source also claims that these are getting larger on-display ultra sonic fingerprint scanners from Qualcomm with an area 17x larger than before.

Story of the day:

New Google Pixel 4a could be more affordable than iPhone SE

And finally the hottest news today have to do with the gift that could keep on giving, the Google Piourse there can’t be no Pixel launch without the incredible amount of leaks. Now, we have the wallpapers for the 4a because, there’s nothing else to leak from the same source we had before. And if you want to, you can actually download these as the source uploaded them to a shareable folder so, we have them in the links in the description. All 16 of them. More importantly, all of the leaks hinted that the Pixel 4a would start at $339, like the iPhone SE but some new information claims that the Google Pixel 4a might undercut the iPhone SE by $50 or more, meaning that the 128GB Pixel 4a would cost $349 so there is a possibility that the 64GB variant could cost $299. 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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GTA 5: Premium Edition is now free on the Epic Games Store

Posted on by Lee Kelly

Epic Games Store is back with a free game, and you don’t want to miss out on this one. The divisive online game repository has made GTA 5 free on PC, starting today and until May 21. Yes, you can just download the game and keep it forever, no conditions attached. Of course, there will be in-game transactions, if you feel like splurging on items.

GTA 5 (stylized as GTA V) is the biggest game to be offered by as a freebie by the Epic Games Store EVER. However, the version you get on the Epic Games Store is called GTA V: Premium Edition. It includes the complete GTA V story, Grand Theft Auto Online, and all existing gameplay upgrades and content, alongside the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack

The latest title in the critically-acclaimed Grand Theft Auto franchise was launched back in 2013, but it is still wildly popular and continues to earn serious cash for publisher Rockstar Games. In case you’re not familiar, GTA 5 is all about roaming around and rash driving on the streets, completing missions (read: commit crimes), and giving law enforcement officials a hard time. If that sounds like fun, head over to the Epic Games Store and get the game.

The sale ends on May 21 at 8:30 PM, so you might want to clear some space on your PC soon and get this game, which usually goes for $25. You can access the download page on Epic Games Store here.

Note: The Epic Games Store has been experiencing server issues for the past few hours, and is returning a 500 or 403 error for users. However, Epic Games has applied a fix in certain regions, which means if you’re lucky, you can now download GTA V: Premium Edition from the Epic Games Store.

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Epic Games Store is down because everyone wants a free copy of GTA 5

Posted on by Lee Kelly

In the past couple of days, we’ve come across multiple leaks claiming that the next free title from the Epic Games Store will be GTA 5. Yes, you heard that right. Everyone was waiting for the countdown to hit zero, but alas, nothing happened. Instead, what every impatient freebie lover saw were 500 and 504 errors.

Yes, the website went down, and for obvious reasons. And in case there were any doubts, the official Epic Games Store Twitter handle later confirmed that traffic on the Epic Games Store has skyrocketed, which is why users were experiencing slow loading times, 500 errors, and even the launcher crashing.

At the time of writing this, its been over an hour since the countdown ended and the Epic Games Store website went down. We’ll keep you posted as soon as the store reverts back to normal and GTA 5 is up for grabs at an effective cost of $0 for a limited time on PC.

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Fortnite to arrive on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 with cross-gen progression in tow

Posted on by Lee Kelly
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Epic Games’ moneymaker, Fortnite, will arrive on the next-gen consoles – PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X – when they debut later this year. And just to be clear, this is not a new version of Fortnite, but the same game that has been optimized to take advantage of the powerful hardware packed inside Sony and Microsoft’s upcoming consoles.

What improvements exactly? Well, Epic Games has not revealed any specific details, aside from a vague explanation that “performance and visuals” will be better on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. This is to be expected, since the new version of Fortnite for the aforementioned consoles will be based on the freshly-announced Unreal Engine 5.

And in case you’re wondering, Epic Games says all progression and items will be carried over console generations and platforms you are playing on. Also, the studio has promised that it will support cross-play across all platforms (including current and next-generation consoles), aside from continued support for Fortnite on all older consoles and platforms.

Source: Epic Games

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Fortnite beta invites have started to expand beyond Samsung Galaxy devices

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

Fortnite is starting to arrive to many Android devices starting today, so this would be a good time to check your e-mail to see if your invitation is there

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