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    Home Unlabelled Android Weekly Superthread (Jun 07 2021) - Your weekly thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

    Android Weekly Superthread (Jun 07 2021) - Your weekly thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

    June 08, 2021

    Android Weekly Superthread (Jun 07 2021) - Your weekly thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

    Weekly Superthread (Jun 07 2021) - Your weekly thread for questions, device recommendations and general discussions!

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 05:00 AM PDT

    Note 1. Join us at /r/MoronicMondayAndroid, a sub serving as a repository for our retired weekly threads. Just pick any thread and Ctrl-F your way to wisdom!

    Note 2. Join our IRC, and Telegram chat-rooms! Please see our wiki for instructions.

    Please post your questions here. Feel free to use this thread for general questions/discussion as well.

    People seeking to upgrade could also look at the resources below

    Credits to the team at /r/PickAnAndroidForMe for compiling this information:

    submitted by /u/curated_android
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    We must talk again about the Android update situation

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 02:12 AM PDT

    iOS15 will be compatible compatible with 2015 iPhone 6S and 2014 iPad Air 2. For a little bit of context, in the iPhone 6S is older than a Galaxy S7 and a little younger than the Galaxy S6.

    The iPad Air is around the same age of a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (yeah, they were not even called Galaxy Tab back then).

    This is why Fuchsia is needed now. Google can't pretend to build a successful platform for the future when it provides updates for half the life of its main competitor at best. These devices are expensive. Galaxy Tabs are similarly priced than comparable iPads, and so are flagship Android phones, yet iPhones get much more support. Even Surfaces from the same year still receive the latest version of the OS. I know this has been discussed before, but just because nobody does anything doesn't mean we should stop complaining.

    I know the problems of the Linux kernel ABI, but if Treble is not going to be a solution, you must find something else.

    Edit: Kay guys, I'm gonna stop the replies notifications. You get butthurt instead of acknowledging the true problem.

    submitted by /u/jorgesgk
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    Xperia 1 III Hands-on: Sony has finally hit its stride

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 09:40 AM PDT

    Why Android security fearmongering is total BS

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 06:01 AM PDT

    Report: Nokia Mobile profitable since June '20; improved Nokia smartphone sales numbers in H2 2020

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 02:20 AM PDT

    Sony WF-1000XM4 Review (The Verge)

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 09:26 AM PDT

    Washington, DC rolls out support for transit cards in Google Pay

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 08:25 AM PDT

    I'm ditching my AirPods Pros - Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 10:23 AM PDT

    Asus ZenFone 8 smartphone in review: Compact and powerful

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 04:13 AM PDT

    Android makes up 30.07% of all mobile devices in NA, Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A10e were the most popular models up until April (2.7% and 2.61% of all Android devices, respectively). Researcher says 7,000+ different Android devices are in active use, making it hard to determine the scale of security risk

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:44 AM PDT

    Google backtracks on Android 12's new ripple effect after users confuse it for a bug

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 04:49 AM PDT

    My thoughts on the S21 Ultra vs. the Note9

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:02 PM PDT

    I recently got the chance to buy the S21 Ultra at a discount, so I thought I'd give it a shot to see the differences that 3 years makes, but also for battery life. My Note9 was an "all-day" battery life phone until I decided to start waking up earlier in the morning which extended the length of my days (~7am-~12am). Looking back now, I realized that I needed more reasons than just battery life to upgrade. After about a month of usage, I'll be switching back to my Note (soon).

    For the most part, both phones are similar (size, speakers, and software). The biggest upgrades for me coming from the Note9 are the battery life, high refresh rate display, screen brightness in sunlight/bright conditions, and camera versatility (wide angle and 10x optical zoom).

    Battery life

    The S21 always gets me through my longer days, often with battery to spare. I recently started trying a 70% CPU limiter to see how far I can push it.

    Side note: there's a feature in Device Care in the battery settings that lets you set deep sleeping apps. It blacklists apps from running in the background and essentially disables them until you open the app. I didn't notice this on my Note9, but it's a game changer for apps that don't have any business running in the background.

    High refresh rate display

    The 120Hz display is amazingly smooth. I originally thought high refresh rates were overhyped because I didn't find the 120Hz display on the Razer phone to be anything special, but for some reason the experience is a lot better on this phone. Unfortunately, I don't have it on hand to do a side-by-side comparison. I'm definitely on the high refresh rate hype train, but also conflicted since it does consume more power. I found that the battery life of the S21 and Note9 were roughly similar when the S21 was running at the adaptive refresh rate. This will vary with app usage patterns, of course. I'm also a huge fan of how efficient the S21 display is.

    Side note about the display, you do get more screen with thinner bezels, but the top part with the punch hole camera rarely gets used in any app, so it stays black (fully with immersive mode)

    Screen brightness

    The max screen brightness under sunlight is noticeably better on the S21. The Note9 is perfectly fine under sunlight, but the S21 has that extra oomph.

    Camera versatility

    Not much to say here. I didn't notice a huge difference in image quality, but the 10X optical zoom and wide-angle camera is a game changer. I love zooming into far away things like chalkboards, or signs outside. One thing I did notice was that the S21 had trouble focusing on laptops and monitors, likely because of the laser autofocus.

    Software

    I didn't mention software in the list because they are also fairly similar. I'm probably tied to Samsung devices going forward because of how feature packed and customizable One UI is. The S21 supports eSIM but it is currently disabled in software in Canada (and probably most other countries). I do wish the Note9 would get another OS update to Android 11, but that's not happening. The only thing I'll be missing out on is new Good Lock updates and modules. Side note, Samsung really screwed up the theming options for QuickStar (What were they thinking?)

    What's missing (and why I'm switching back to the Note9)

    Authentication

    The fingerprint scanner on the S21 is decent. It works well and unlocks extremely fast in general, but it struggles when your finger is more dry than normal, or more wet than normal (some sweat is fine). It also doesn't work with gloves on, and I could have sworn my Note9 fingerprint scanner works with gloves on.

    I really miss the iris scanner on the Note9. It accounted for basically 99% of my unlocks and authentication needs, since it supports the Biometrics API (can be used to authenticate in apps that support face unlock). The iris scanner is fast, accurate, secure, and works under all conditions except bright and direct sunlight. It's been a godsend during the pandemic since it works perfectly with a mask, face-shield, and glasses on.

    Also, keep in mind if you ever had the S8 or Note8, the iris scanner was improved in the S9 and Note9.

    Notification light

    I'm used to glancing at my phone to check the notification light to see if I have any messages or missed calls, as well as to check if my phone is still/done charging. I feel like there's no excuse to implement a notification light in the speaker grille of any current phone right now.

    Pressure-sensitive home button

    This one was less of an issue, but it was the main way I woke up my phone. Double tap to wake on the S21 partially fills that gap, but it isn't as satisfying.

    Fingerprint scanner notification gesture

    One Handed Operation partially filled the gap, but I would still prefer something more physical.

    Headphone jack

    I don't use it as much as I used to, but it's still nice to have as an option. In general, I'd rather have the option and not use it than not have that option at all. Also doubles as a way to access the radio (good for emergencies).

    Samsung Pay (MST)

    Some stores in Canada still don't have NFC terminals, so I can't go fully wallet-less without worrying. Thankfully, I also use a Gear S3 which means I don't have to worry about MST for a little while longer.

    Expandable storage

    All of the phones I've ever owned have had expandable storage, so I've gotten used to never worrying about storage at all. I keep a large local music library as well as all my photos on a microSD card, and I wasn't comfortable importing my entire music library to the 128GB S21. I hope Samsung brings this feature back, but I'm not going to hold my breath. 256GB will be the minimum for me going forward if expandable storage isn't an option.

    S-Pen slot

    Yes, the S21 Ultra does support S-Pens, but it's kinda useless without the slot. Using a case with a slot isn't the most attractive option since it significantly widens one side of the phone. I usually carry around an S-Pen anyways from my laptop, but I never once took it out to use on the S21. As a result, I stopped using the S-Pen altogether. In contrast, I took notes all the time with my Note9, used it essentially like a mouse, and also took advantage of some of the features like highlighting any text.

    Bixby button

    I remapped the button. Extra customizable buttons should be a standard feature.

    Case bulk

    This one is a niche one, but I've been using a bumper for over 5 years on all of my phones. Using a bumper is like using your phone naked but with protection. Unfortunately, the company that makes them (Rhinoshield) stopped making them for Android devices after the OnePlus 8 series. As a result, the S21 feels thicker and weighs a lot more with a case vs. my Note9 with a bumper and impact skin. I'm seriously considering purchasing their case and cutting it up in the future.

    Final remarks

    In conclusion, I found that the differences between both phones weren't large enough to warrant switching to the S21 permanently. Using the S21 for a month just made me miss the Note9. I haven't used any other phone longer than I have with the Note9, and it looks like that will continue for a while longer. I'll be selling the S21 for a modest profit, but I'm really thankful that I had the opportunity to try out the device. I hope Samsung ends up releasing a Note22 next year (there are some rumours that they will, but it's way to early to say for sure).

    Let me know if you have any questions about either device. I'd be happy to answer them.

    submitted by /u/FragmentedChicken
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    Play Stadia on Chromecast with Google TV and other Android TV OS devices this June 23

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:09 AM PDT

    Fossil is planning a premium Google Wear OS watch for fall

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 08:14 AM PDT

    Are android updates so bad (comparison with iOS15)

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 09:10 AM PDT

    Hello,

    I noticed that a lot of people are comparing iOS updates to Android and they are going to buy iPhone because Android support.

    But I wanted to compare all the features presented by Apple to what would happen in the Android world with the same OS and just show that we would get 95% of that even on a 4 years old OS.

    Sources: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/ios-15-brings-powerful-new-features-to-stay-connected-focus-explore-and-more/

    Is Google update perfect? Clearly no.

    Is the situation Ideal? No.

    But is as terrible as all what we can see in the blogs? Not at all. I don't get why people get so mad at these Android updates.

    More Natural FaceTime Calls and Shared Experiences with SharePlay

    All Facetimes features would be an update to google Meet (or Messages?) directly from the Play Store, something you would get without OS update.

    Shareplay is also something app oriented, and something Google typically deploy (see Nearby share for example) on a 7 years old device.

    Tools to Find Focus

    Android user would just update Digital Wellbeing on the Play Store on an old Galaxy S7 without any issue.

    New Notifications Experience

    This part is indeed linked to the OS if I am not wrong. Android users would not get it

    On-Device Intelligence Powers Live Text, Advanced Spotlight Search, and More

    this is typically Google Lens and Google app, once again, no need to update the whole OS for that. We receive this kind of updates during the whole year. No need to worry, any Android user get these kind of features

    A Redesigned Browsing Experience with Safari

    No comment needed, purely a system app, and Chrome can get a redesign without the need to install a new Android System version

    Explore the World with Apple Maps

    Go to Play Store, update Google Maps, get new features. Period

    New Keys and State IDs Come to Apple Wallet

    I am repeating myself, right? :-p Why would you think about a whole new OS to update your Wallet app?

    New Privacy Features

    " on-device speech recognition, audio of Siri requests is now processed entirely on iPhone by default,7 and performance improves significantly. Mail Privacy Protection stops senders from learning whether an email has been opened, ..."

    Am I wrong, or this is totally unrelated to the OS?

    Redesigned Weather and Notes Apps

    no comment for obvious reasons.

    Additional Features

    Android counterparts to Siri, Homekit, iCloud, Health, Find My, Translate,... Are completely unliked from the OS and available in the Play Store, getting updates frequently.

    Conclusion:

    Everything that is advertised on Apple websites can be pushed to nearly all Android phones regardless of the OS version, except for the notifications.

    submitted by /u/WazaBe
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    WWDC | Event Megathread [xpost from r/apple]

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 10:01 AM PDT

    Exclusive: Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are getting a big price cut! - SamMobile

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:54 AM PDT

    New for Pixel: Starry night clips, Pride wallpapers and more

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:01 AM PDT

    Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 battery and charging support revealed through SGS Fimko certification

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:52 AM PDT

    How strong is a CARBON FIBER smartphone?! - Durability Test! [JerryRigEverything]

    Posted: 08 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

    Exclusive: OnePlus CEO Reveals N200 Phone Details, Official Photo

    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 08:15 AM PDT
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