smartphones - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• NSW Police bust alleged Host Card Emulation fraud ring

  NSW Police have arrested three men for allegedly using Host Card Emulation (HCE) to make fraudulent purchases.

• Optus switches on support for native Wi-Fi calling

  Optus has switched on Voice of WiFi (VoWiFi) support on its network, allowing customers with compatible handsets to make and receive calls using a local Wi-Fi network instead of the telco’s mobile network.

• Your phone: Smarter in 2017, says Deloitte

  Deloitte, in its annual Technology, Media and Telecommunications Predictions, is tipping smartphones to get on-board machine learning capability in 2017. Other predictions include a sharp increase in the size and frequency of DDoS attacks and rapid growth in IT-as-a-service.

• Samsung blames batteries from two makers for Note7 explosions

  Samsung Electronics on Monday blamed batteries supplied by two manufacturers for the overheating and even explosions of some Galaxy Note7 phones, as it tried to provide a long due explanation for the issues surrounding the smartphone.

• NSW begins to roll out Android Pay support

  Service NSW will add support for Google’s Android Pay mobile wallet to its digital stores, website and app “in the coming months”, the state government has announced.

• Privacy Commissioner quizzes Pokémon Go creator

  Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim says that he has “made enquiries” with Pokémon Go developer Niantic to ensure “the personal information of users is being managed in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act”.

• 5 active mobile threats spoofing enterprise apps

  Common apps spoofed to trick users into downloading malware.

• iPhone sales drop in Q1 reflect a market that remains flat

  Apple iPhone sales declined 16 per cent in the first quarter, but it's important to remember that the overall smartphone market has also flatlined.

• Scientists can now make lithium-ion batteries last a lifetime

  Researchers at the University of California have discovered a way to use nanowires to allow lithium-ion batteries in smartphones, electric vehicles and other commercial devices to be recharged hundreds of thousands of times.

• Galaxy S7 and mid-range phones boost Samsung’s profit

  Samsung Electronics’ flagship Galaxy S7 smartphones and sales of its mid-range devices in emerging markets have likely helped the company boost its operating profit in the first quarter.

• Foxconn to pay over $US6bn for a majority stake in Sharp

  Sharp has approved an offer from Hon Hai Precision Industry and related companies to acquire over 66 per cent of the company’s voting stock, making the Taiwanese contract manufacturer the new parent of the venerable Japanese firm.

• Google gives a boost to mobile search speed

  Google said it will alert users in their search results page to corresponding webpages that have been optimized to run fast on smartphones and tablets.

• This simple labelling trick could make gadgets last longer -- and help save the planet

  The lifespan of consumer electronic and electrical devices is getting ever shorter, and it's at least partly our fault, not just the manufacturers', according to a new study published by Germany's Environment Agency (UBA).

• Water-resistant Galaxy S7 Edge makes unofficial debut

  Meanwhile, LG today officially announced a 5.7-in. display G4 Stylus 2 smartphone running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), with a thinner pen tip on its stylus for notetaking and drawing.

• 7 smartphone trends to watch this year

  Smartphones this year are poised to become more interactive, more fun and maybe a little bit smarter than you’d like them to be.