Earlier this year, Mozilla formally retired its Test Pilot program and graduated some of those tests into features for the Firefox browser. At that time, it seemed that Mozilla had learned all that it could from the program. Surprisingly, the nonprofit organization has suddenly come out with a new test pilot that ties into Mozilla's thrust in protecting users' privacy.
It may be Apple's time on stage but, for Android, users, it might just be even more reason to anticipate the next big Android flagship. And for die-hard Android fans, there is no flagship better than Google's flagship. The Pixel 4's launch is still unknown but, thanks to a recent spat of leaks, there is little left to know about the fourth-gen Pixel phone. This latest dump practically completes the picture, including alleged hands-on of the phones themselves.
For years, Apple has been criticized for being stingy on batteries, despite actually outlasting its Android counterparts. It has finally conceded when it launched the large-sized iPhones but, despite that increase in battery capacity, it retained its measly 5W charger. This year, it broke tradition in more ways than one and is now reported to be shipping an 18-watt fast charger, but only for its more expensive iPhone 11 model.
In just a few hours, the tech world will be flooded by news from a single source. But before Apple takes center stage, there's some time left to squeeze in a few tidbits from its would-be rival. Just like the iPhone 11, the Google Pixel 4 is shaping up to be quite the sensational phone, at least based simply on rumors. Now we have a few more leaks that reinforce what we've heard so far in terms of design but also adds a few more appetizers with regards the Pixel's biggest hardware asset: its camera.
A common trend among web browsers on the desktop is to simplify their UI and features, itself spun off a minimalist trend going on in the software and design industry. When it launched more than four years ago, Vivaldi challenged not just the big players in the market but also the status quo by actually filling the browser with built-in features others would relegate to third-party extensions. Now Vivaldi is bringing that same philosophy and those same features to mobile, at least on Android, while aiming to keep things simple for mobile use.
Most smartphone companies seem to be competing on at least two fronts' displays and cameras, with especially the latter taking center stage in marketing and advertisements. Xiaomi is definitely no outlier but it is also giving due attention to other innovations and features. That includes one thing that few of the major OEMs dare to experiment. In the upcoming Mi 9 Pro 5G, that's the wireless charging that will be the fastest in the market, hopefully, while remaining just as safe.
The lines between computer monitors and TVs are slowly blurring. Just like their living room counterparts, desktop screens have started sporting curved designs to offer the same cinematic experience for viewing videos and playing games on PCs. Now LG and NVIDIA are turning the tables and are promising TVs that turn those large panels into gaming monitors in the living room. While any modern HDMI-equipped TV can be a gaming monitor, the addition of NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology may give it an even better edge.
Foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and to some extent dual-screen phone like the LG G8X ThinQ push the boundaries of smartphone factors. The downside to such novelty is that the platform and its apps may not exactly be designed to accommodate the new use cases foldable and dual-screen phones open up. That is why, on the day of its launch in South Korea, Samsung is assuring current and would-be owners of its expensive and now rare Galaxy Fold that they won't be left fumbling in the dark with apps that have been updated to take advantage of the new breed of device.
Nintendo's launch of the simplified Switch Lite may worry fans that the gaming giant may have run out of ideas for its revolutionary Joy-Con controller. That couldn't be further from the truth, with Nintendo teasing a new Joy-Con accessory this week. But more than that, it also still has a few ideas up its sleeve to spruce up the controllers, including a hinge that could allow part of the sticks to bend backward for a supposedly more ergonomic playing style.
It probably isn't too hard to imagine people scampering whenever a new major product is about to be launched. Everyone from marketing to retail to production are "all hands on deck" to meet deadlines. While that's almost normal in the industry, that doesn't mean they are acceptable. Even worse if they run into violations of laws relating to labor and fair compensation. That is exactly what Apple and assembler Foxconn are now being accused of in China just a day before the iPhone 11 is officially revealed to the world.
IFA 2019 might be done but the year is far from over for high-end smartphones. Apple is just about to fully reveal its hand this week followed by the embattled Huawei in a few days. And then, of course, there's Google, whose Pixel 4 seems to continue the tradition of being the company's worst kept secret. And to also continue the tradition, details about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL continue to flow, including a new color option for those who don't like putting skins or cases to let their natural design shine through.
For a time, it seemed that the competition among smartphones would be the number of cameras on the back of a phone. That race may have now switched over once more to megapixel counts but not before HMD Global took things to their extreme. Inheriting a beloved name, the Nokia 9 PureView put five cameras in an admittedly interesting arrangement. But as DxOMark's review of the phone's photography capabilities shows, more doesn't always mean better.