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Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Apple is going to let developers offer in-app NFC transactions using the Secure Element starting with iOS 18.1, and as part of the update, you’ll also be able to set a default contactless payment app that’s accessible when you double-click your iPhone’s side button. Previously, Apple has only allowed Apple Pay to appear when you double-click that button.
With this change, developers will be able to offer in-app contactless transactions for a wide variety of apps, including “in-store payments, car keys, closed-loop transit, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty and rewards cards, and event tickets.” Until now, NFC access for third-party apps has been limited to reading tags.
Apple’s press release says that government IDs will be supported “in the future.”
The relevant APIs to build these apps will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US in an upcoming iOS 18.1 developer beta with “additional locations to follow,” Apple says. However, developers that want to take advantage of Apple’s APIs will have to “enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the NFC and SE entitlement, and pay the associated fees.”
The shift follows Apple’s offer to open iPhone NFC payments to third-party providers following a European Commission antitrust investigation. The European Commission announced last month that it had made Apple’s commitments legally binding.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Apple is going to let developers offer in-app NFC transactions using the Secure Element starting with iOS 18.1, and as part of the update, you’ll also be able to set a default contactless payment app that’s accessible when you double-click your iPhone’s side button. Previously, Apple has only allowed Apple Pay to appear when you double-click that button.

With this change, developers will be able to offer in-app contactless transactions for a wide variety of apps, including “in-store payments, car keys, closed-loop transit, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty and rewards cards, and event tickets.” Until now, NFC access for third-party apps has been limited to reading tags.

Apple’s press release says that government IDs will be supported “in the future.”

The relevant APIs to build these apps will be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US in an upcoming iOS 18.1 developer beta with “additional locations to follow,” Apple says. However, developers that want to take advantage of Apple’s APIs will have to “enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the NFC and SE entitlement, and pay the associated fees.”

The shift follows Apple’s offer to open iPhone NFC payments to third-party providers following a European Commission antitrust investigation. The European Commission announced last month that it had made Apple’s commitments legally binding.

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Realme demonstrated its new 320W Supersonic Charge technology at an event in Shenzhen. | Image: Realme

Realme has once again taken the lead in the fast charging arms race with its new 320W SuperSonic Charge technology. The company demonstrated the tech by fully charging a smartphone with a 4,420mAh battery (which is a bit smaller than what’s in the new Pixel 9 and 9 Pro) in four minutes and 30 seconds.
The charging speeds are made possible by two key innovations announced during an event in Shenzhen, China. Realme managed to boost the power output of its existing 240W charger that debuted last year to 320W without increasing its size. The Pocket Cannon, as the upgraded charger is called, also now features two USB-C ports capable of delivering 150W to Realme’s smartphones, and 65W to devices like laptops.

320W SuperSonic Charge is officially unveiled today! Click the video to learn more about the technology behind it and see how long it takes to charge a phone fully!#realme828Fanfest #320WFastestCharge pic.twitter.com/osefpxcRlT— realme Global (@realmeglobal) August 14, 2024

The other innovation is a new 4,420mAh battery with four individual cells that can all be charged simultaneously that also folds up to squeeze inside a smartphone. Apple and Samsung’s smartphones currently use single cell batteries which typically offer more capacity, while companies like OnePlus and Realme use dual cell batteries capable of faster charging times.
Early last year, Realme introduced the GT Neo 5 which, at the time, was the fastest charging smartphone available with 240W capabilities that could fully replenish its 4,600mAh battery in nine and a half minutes. Less than a month later, Redmi, another Chinese phone maker and a subsidiary of Xiaomi, announced 300W fast-charging technology that during demonstrations was able to fully charge a smartphone with a 4,100mAh battery in about five minutes.
So far, Redmi’s 300W charging tech hasn’t been included on any devices from the company, and for the time being it’s the same story with Realme’s new 320W tech. The company didn’t reveal which smartphone was used during its charging demonstration, and it made no announcements about future devices that would include the new SuperSonic Charge feature and four cell battery.

Realme demonstrated its new 320W Supersonic Charge technology at an event in Shenzhen. | Image: Realme

Realme has once again taken the lead in the fast charging arms race with its new 320W SuperSonic Charge technology. The company demonstrated the tech by fully charging a smartphone with a 4,420mAh battery (which is a bit smaller than what’s in the new Pixel 9 and 9 Pro) in four minutes and 30 seconds.

The charging speeds are made possible by two key innovations announced during an event in Shenzhen, China. Realme managed to boost the power output of its existing 240W charger that debuted last year to 320W without increasing its size. The Pocket Cannon, as the upgraded charger is called, also now features two USB-C ports capable of delivering 150W to Realme’s smartphones, and 65W to devices like laptops.

The other innovation is a new 4,420mAh battery with four individual cells that can all be charged simultaneously that also folds up to squeeze inside a smartphone. Apple and Samsung’s smartphones currently use single cell batteries which typically offer more capacity, while companies like OnePlus and Realme use dual cell batteries capable of faster charging times.

Early last year, Realme introduced the GT Neo 5 which, at the time, was the fastest charging smartphone available with 240W capabilities that could fully replenish its 4,600mAh battery in nine and a half minutes. Less than a month later, Redmi, another Chinese phone maker and a subsidiary of Xiaomi, announced 300W fast-charging technology that during demonstrations was able to fully charge a smartphone with a 4,100mAh battery in about five minutes.

So far, Redmi’s 300W charging tech hasn’t been included on any devices from the company, and for the time being it’s the same story with Realme’s new 320W tech. The company didn’t reveal which smartphone was used during its charging demonstration, and it made no announcements about future devices that would include the new SuperSonic Charge feature and four cell battery.

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Image: AMD

AMD launched its first Zen 5 desktop processors earlier this month, and tomorrow, it’s about to release what looks like a disappointing flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU. Early reviews of the initial Zen 5 CPUs — the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X — revealed a lack of performance improvements and efficiencies, and now reviews of the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X are coming to the same conclusion.
Hardware Unboxed has tested a variety of productivity workloads and games with the 9950X, and the results make the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X chip look like a better value in most cases.
Over a 13-game average running at 1080p with an RTX 4090, Hardware Unboxed found that the 9950X was just a single percent faster than the existing 7950X. AMD’s new flagship Zen 5 CPU is offering the same level of performance as two years ago, essentially. There are no real efficiency improvements on the power side, either. “From a gaming perspective, the 9950X is a complete and utter flop,” concludes Hardware Unboxed’s Steve Walton.

The 9950X is equally underwhelming on the productivity side, too. Hardware Unboxed found an actual regression in performance for compression and decompression work, and minor improvements over the 7950X in tests like Cinebench, Blender, and image editing in Photoshop. On average, the 9950X is just 3 percent faster than the 7950X during these productivity tests.
Steve Burke over at Gamers Nexus has similar findings, concluding that the 7950X is better value for productivity workloads and that the 7800X3D that we reviewed last year is still the better chip for gaming overall.
The results are a far cry from AMD’s big “monster” promises of performance gains in productivity as well as gaming. AMD described Zen 5 as a “big leap” it was “very proud of” in a press briefing with The Verge earlier this year.
JayzTwoCents says AMD has “fumbled this launch,” and it’s hard not to disagree. At a time when Intel’s 13th and 14th Gen CPUs have been suffering from crashing issues leading to extended warranties, many were looking to AMD’s new Zen 5 CPUs to offer up some solid competition for Intel. Now, it’s all eyes on Intel’s Arrow Lake desktop CPUs that are expected to launch later this year.

Image: AMD

AMD launched its first Zen 5 desktop processors earlier this month, and tomorrow, it’s about to release what looks like a disappointing flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU. Early reviews of the initial Zen 5 CPUs — the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X — revealed a lack of performance improvements and efficiencies, and now reviews of the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X are coming to the same conclusion.

Hardware Unboxed has tested a variety of productivity workloads and games with the 9950X, and the results make the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X chip look like a better value in most cases.

Over a 13-game average running at 1080p with an RTX 4090, Hardware Unboxed found that the 9950X was just a single percent faster than the existing 7950X. AMD’s new flagship Zen 5 CPU is offering the same level of performance as two years ago, essentially. There are no real efficiency improvements on the power side, either. “From a gaming perspective, the 9950X is a complete and utter flop,” concludes Hardware Unboxed’s Steve Walton.

The 9950X is equally underwhelming on the productivity side, too. Hardware Unboxed found an actual regression in performance for compression and decompression work, and minor improvements over the 7950X in tests like Cinebench, Blender, and image editing in Photoshop. On average, the 9950X is just 3 percent faster than the 7950X during these productivity tests.

Steve Burke over at Gamers Nexus has similar findings, concluding that the 7950X is better value for productivity workloads and that the 7800X3D that we reviewed last year is still the better chip for gaming overall.

The results are a far cry from AMD’s big “monster” promises of performance gains in productivity as well as gaming. AMD described Zen 5 as a “big leap” it was “very proud of” in a press briefing with The Verge earlier this year.

JayzTwoCents says AMD has “fumbled this launch,” and it’s hard not to disagree. At a time when Intel’s 13th and 14th Gen CPUs have been suffering from crashing issues leading to extended warranties, many were looking to AMD’s new Zen 5 CPUs to offer up some solid competition for Intel. Now, it’s all eyes on Intel’s Arrow Lake desktop CPUs that are expected to launch later this year.

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Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

If you read The Verge, then you probably know your tech, and so it’s likely that you’re sometimes asked to help troubleshoot computer issues by friends, family, and / or neighbors. It can be something as simple as just turning on the Wi-Fi or as complicated as having to update a BIOS. Whatever’s wrong, it’s much harder to sort out if you’re not in the same room as the computer in question — and trying to work with someone over a phone call can be a lesson in frustration.
To save you from an endless series of “What’s on-screen now?” and “Which options can you see?” questions, you can set up a remote connection to the computer you’re trying to troubleshoot so that you’re virtually in front of it yourself.
There are actually numerous ways to do this, but we’ve picked out four tools that are free and easy to use — both for you and the person you’re helping. You should find at least one of them suits your needs for remote troubleshooting.
Windows Quick Assist

Screenshot: Microsoft
A code is all that’s required for Quick Assist.

Windows has its own basic remote access tool called Quick Assist, which is very easy to run. If both parties involved are using Microsoft’s desktop operating system, it’s one of your best options.
On the computer you’re connecting from:

Search for “quick assist” on the Start menu, and launch the app.
Click Help someone and sign in with your Microsoft account.
A security code is shown on-screen, which you need to share with the other party within ten minutes.

On the computer that needs fixing:

Open the Start menu, search for “quick assist,” and launch the app.
Under Get help, enter the code generated at the other end, and click Submit.
Check the box confirming you understand the security risks, then click Allow.

After a few moments, the connection is established. By default, it’s screen sharing only, but you can click Request control if you need to control the mouse and keyboard (and this will need to be confirmed at the other end).
If you’re doing the troubleshooting, along the top of the Quick Assist window, you’ll see icons for drawing annotations on the other screen and opening up a text chat window, both of which can be helpful in resolving the problem. The connection can be ended at either end just by closing Quick Assist.
macOS Screen Sharing

Screenshot: Apple
Screen sharing is built into the Messages app on macOS.

If you’re on a Mac, you have the option of paying $80 for the official, pro-level Apple Remote Desktop application — or you can use the simpler screen sharing feature that’s built into the Messages app. (Apple also has its own Screen Sharing app, but it only works if both devices are on the same network.)
The session can be initiated from either the computer that will be viewed and / or controlled or the computer that you will view and / or control from.

Open the Messages app.
Start or open a conversation with your contact.
Click the info button (the small “i” symbol) at the top right.
Choose Share > Invite to Share My Screen (if this contact is helping you) or Ask to Share Screen (if you’re doing the helping).
Confirm the connection request on the other Mac.

Both ends of the connection will find themselves inside the Screen Sharing app. Initially (assuming you’re the one doing the helping), you’ll just be able to view the screen of the other computer; choose View > Request Control Mode if you need to take control of the other machine as well. This will need to be confirmed at the other end.
A FaceTime audio call will be launched at the same time as the screen sharing, so you and your contact can talk through whatever the problem is. Click the Screen Share icon on the menu bar (two rectangles) if you want to mute that call and to end the screen share.
Chrome Remote Desktop

Screenshot: Google
Chrome Remote Desktop works right in the browser.

There’s a remote access feature built right into Google Chrome, which means you can share screens between any two computers that have Chrome installed — not just the contents of browser tabs but the whole display. You can also take control of another computer remotely if needed.
On the computer that needs fixing:

Head to the Chrome Remote Desktop portal and click Remote Support.
Click Share my screen.
Click the blue download button under Share my screen and open the downloaded file.
On Windows, this installs a Chrome extension and a background app, whereas on macOS, it’s just a background app — simply follow the instructions as prompted.
When the installation is complete, click Generate Code, and give the code to the other party within five minutes.

On the computer you’re connecting from:

Open the Chrome Remote Desktop portal and click Remote Support.
Type in the code you’ve been given under Connect to another computer and click Connect.
When the connection is confirmed at the other end, you’ll have remote access to the computer, including mouse and keyboard control.

On the computer you’re troubleshooting from, click the arrow on the right of the browser tab window to set up various options, including how the other computer’s display is scaled. Click Disconnect, or just close the browser tab, to break the connection. This can also be done at the other end via the Stop Sharing button or by closing Chrome.
TeamViewer

Screenshot: TeamViewer
TeamViewer sessions can be shared via links or codes.

Remote IT support software TeamViewer works on Windows and macOS and is free for personal, noncommercial use. On both computers, you need the full TeamViewer client: from the TeamViewer site, click Free Download then Download now to get the software installed.
Starting with the computer you’re connecting from:

Open the remote support tab (its icon looks like two opposite arrows).
Click Create a session.
Give the session a name.
Share the link with the other party, or enter their email address, and click Save.
The session link is live for 24 hours, so there’s no rush.

On the computer you’re connecting to:

Open TeamViewer and the remote support tab.
Follow the link you’ve been emailed, or click Join a session and enter its code.
The connection will need to be confirmed via dialogs at both ends.

The TeamViewer window that then pops up on the connecting computer gives full remote access to the other machine. Using the menus up at the top of the window, you can change settings for display quality and scaling, access features like a whiteboard, and transfer files between the two computers.
The connection can be canceled at either end just by closing down the TeamViewer sharing interface or the program as a whole.

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

If you read The Verge, then you probably know your tech, and so it’s likely that you’re sometimes asked to help troubleshoot computer issues by friends, family, and / or neighbors. It can be something as simple as just turning on the Wi-Fi or as complicated as having to update a BIOS. Whatever’s wrong, it’s much harder to sort out if you’re not in the same room as the computer in question — and trying to work with someone over a phone call can be a lesson in frustration.

To save you from an endless series of “What’s on-screen now?” and “Which options can you see?” questions, you can set up a remote connection to the computer you’re trying to troubleshoot so that you’re virtually in front of it yourself.

There are actually numerous ways to do this, but we’ve picked out four tools that are free and easy to use — both for you and the person you’re helping. You should find at least one of them suits your needs for remote troubleshooting.

Windows Quick Assist

Screenshot: Microsoft
A code is all that’s required for Quick Assist.

Windows has its own basic remote access tool called Quick Assist, which is very easy to run. If both parties involved are using Microsoft’s desktop operating system, it’s one of your best options.

On the computer you’re connecting from:

Search for “quick assist” on the Start menu, and launch the app.
Click Help someone and sign in with your Microsoft account.
A security code is shown on-screen, which you need to share with the other party within ten minutes.

On the computer that needs fixing:

Open the Start menu, search for “quick assist,” and launch the app.
Under Get help, enter the code generated at the other end, and click Submit.
Check the box confirming you understand the security risks, then click Allow.

After a few moments, the connection is established. By default, it’s screen sharing only, but you can click Request control if you need to control the mouse and keyboard (and this will need to be confirmed at the other end).

If you’re doing the troubleshooting, along the top of the Quick Assist window, you’ll see icons for drawing annotations on the other screen and opening up a text chat window, both of which can be helpful in resolving the problem. The connection can be ended at either end just by closing Quick Assist.

macOS Screen Sharing

Screenshot: Apple
Screen sharing is built into the Messages app on macOS.

If you’re on a Mac, you have the option of paying $80 for the official, pro-level Apple Remote Desktop application — or you can use the simpler screen sharing feature that’s built into the Messages app. (Apple also has its own Screen Sharing app, but it only works if both devices are on the same network.)

The session can be initiated from either the computer that will be viewed and / or controlled or the computer that you will view and / or control from.

Open the Messages app.
Start or open a conversation with your contact.
Click the info button (the small “i” symbol) at the top right.
Choose Share > Invite to Share My Screen (if this contact is helping you) or Ask to Share Screen (if you’re doing the helping).
Confirm the connection request on the other Mac.

Both ends of the connection will find themselves inside the Screen Sharing app. Initially (assuming you’re the one doing the helping), you’ll just be able to view the screen of the other computer; choose View > Request Control Mode if you need to take control of the other machine as well. This will need to be confirmed at the other end.

A FaceTime audio call will be launched at the same time as the screen sharing, so you and your contact can talk through whatever the problem is. Click the Screen Share icon on the menu bar (two rectangles) if you want to mute that call and to end the screen share.

Chrome Remote Desktop

Screenshot: Google
Chrome Remote Desktop works right in the browser.

There’s a remote access feature built right into Google Chrome, which means you can share screens between any two computers that have Chrome installed — not just the contents of browser tabs but the whole display. You can also take control of another computer remotely if needed.

On the computer that needs fixing:

Head to the Chrome Remote Desktop portal and click Remote Support.
Click Share my screen.
Click the blue download button under Share my screen and open the downloaded file.
On Windows, this installs a Chrome extension and a background app, whereas on macOS, it’s just a background app — simply follow the instructions as prompted.
When the installation is complete, click Generate Code, and give the code to the other party within five minutes.

On the computer you’re connecting from:

Open the Chrome Remote Desktop portal and click Remote Support.
Type in the code you’ve been given under Connect to another computer and click Connect.
When the connection is confirmed at the other end, you’ll have remote access to the computer, including mouse and keyboard control.

On the computer you’re troubleshooting from, click the arrow on the right of the browser tab window to set up various options, including how the other computer’s display is scaled. Click Disconnect, or just close the browser tab, to break the connection. This can also be done at the other end via the Stop Sharing button or by closing Chrome.

TeamViewer

Screenshot: TeamViewer
TeamViewer sessions can be shared via links or codes.

Remote IT support software TeamViewer works on Windows and macOS and is free for personal, noncommercial use. On both computers, you need the full TeamViewer client: from the TeamViewer site, click Free Download then Download now to get the software installed.

Starting with the computer you’re connecting from:

Open the remote support tab (its icon looks like two opposite arrows).
Click Create a session.
Give the session a name.
Share the link with the other party, or enter their email address, and click Save.
The session link is live for 24 hours, so there’s no rush.

On the computer you’re connecting to:

Open TeamViewer and the remote support tab.
Follow the link you’ve been emailed, or click Join a session and enter its code.
The connection will need to be confirmed via dialogs at both ends.

The TeamViewer window that then pops up on the connecting computer gives full remote access to the other machine. Using the menus up at the top of the window, you can change settings for display quality and scaling, access features like a whiteboard, and transfer files between the two computers.

The connection can be canceled at either end just by closing down the TeamViewer sharing interface or the program as a whole.

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Google’s new 45W charger is available for preorder today, with shipping expected as early as next week. | Image: Google

One device that didn’t get a main stage reveal during yesterday’s Made by Google event is the company’s new 45W USB-C charger. That’s not entirely surprising given the new Pixel 9 lineup, the Pixel Watch 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were overshadowed by Google’s artificial intelligence efforts.
The 45W charger replaces Google’s 30W charger, which is no longer listed in the company’s online store. It features a more rounded design than the 30W option and repositions the USB-C port to the underside of the charger instead of having it in line with the plug. That will make it easier to securely plug into a wall outlet but could cause some crowding on a power strip.
The bump to 45W means that the new charger has more than enough power for the new Pixel 9 lineup. The max charging speed for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the slowest of the new models, is 21W, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL can charge at speeds up to 37W. That’s also more than enough power for the Pixel Tablet and many Chromebooks, making the new charger compatible with more devices.
You can preorder the Google 45W USB-C Power Charger through Google’s online store for $29.99, with shipping expected as early as next week. It’s also available for preorder through Best Buy for $19.88 if you want to save a tenner, but it joins a crowded market, and you can already get a much smaller 45W charger from companies like Anker for less than $20.

Google’s new 45W charger is available for preorder today, with shipping expected as early as next week. | Image: Google

One device that didn’t get a main stage reveal during yesterday’s Made by Google event is the company’s new 45W USB-C charger. That’s not entirely surprising given the new Pixel 9 lineup, the Pixel Watch 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were overshadowed by Google’s artificial intelligence efforts.

The 45W charger replaces Google’s 30W charger, which is no longer listed in the company’s online store. It features a more rounded design than the 30W option and repositions the USB-C port to the underside of the charger instead of having it in line with the plug. That will make it easier to securely plug into a wall outlet but could cause some crowding on a power strip.

The bump to 45W means that the new charger has more than enough power for the new Pixel 9 lineup. The max charging speed for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the slowest of the new models, is 21W, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL can charge at speeds up to 37W. That’s also more than enough power for the Pixel Tablet and many Chromebooks, making the new charger compatible with more devices.

You can preorder the Google 45W USB-C Power Charger through Google’s online store for $29.99, with shipping expected as early as next week. It’s also available for preorder through Best Buy for $19.88 if you want to save a tenner, but it joins a crowded market, and you can already get a much smaller 45W charger from companies like Anker for less than $20.

Read More 

Samsung’s Family Care is part of the SmartThings app and allows caregivers to monitor loved ones remotely using Galaxy smartphones. | Image: SmartThings

Samsung is launching a new service to help caregivers remotely monitor and assist loved ones using smart home devices. SmartThings Family Care is a free service that uses both Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform and Galaxy smartphones to help caregivers stay connected. It first launched in Korea in June and will be available in the US on August 16th through the SmartThings app.
Family Care is similar to Amazon’s paid offering, Alexa Together, which the company quietly discontinued earlier this year. Samsung’s service leverages the smart devices in a person’s home and applies artificial intelligence to determine their daily patterns and send alerts to a caregiver if abnormalities are detected — for example, it can send a notification when there’s been activity in the morning — such as using a Galaxy phone — or if there hasn’t been.

According to a Samsung press release, the Family Care service also helps caregivers set up and receive reminders for things like checking blood pressure and taking medication and allows them to set up and manage smart home routines in their family member’s home. Samsung says the service will also let a user schedule doctor’s appointments through their Galaxy smartphone or Samsung TV (2024 models and newer). In addition, location alerts allow caregivers to receive a notification when their family member leaves or arrives at a location — helpful for making sure they made it to those appointments.

Image: SmartThings
The Family Care service leverages SmartThing’s ability to share your smart home devices so a caregiver can remotely assist a family member.

There are other features as well. Samsung says a caregiver can use Family Care to set up SmartThings automations to do things such as activate an air purifier when outdoor air quality drops, turn off an induction stove if it’s left on, or see inside the fridge to know what groceries their loved one might need — assuming they have connected Samsung appliances. It’s not clear if the service will work with any non-Samsung device connected to the SmartThings platform.
Smart home technology has a lot of potential to help the elderly age in place (live independently in their homes for longer), especially because it allows a caregiver to stay in touch digitally. However, there have been issues with current technology: connected devices can be complicated to set up, hard to maintain remotely, and don’t always perform consistently enough to rely on them. Best Buy and Amazon tried to solve these problems with paid-for services in this space: Best Buy launched Assured Living in 2017, and Amazon launched Alexa Together in 2021. Both have since been discontinued.
While Samsung’s Family Care service is free, it does require a Galaxy smartphone and relies on Samsung appliances and, presumably, a SmartThings hub. (We’ve reached out to Samsung for clarification.) All of this may be a barrier to entry for many. The company’s application of AI technology to enhance the service could help with the reliability and ease of use issues around some smart home devices, but it’s not clear exactly how AI is integrated with the service.
Family Care can be downloaded from the Life tab of the SmartThings app starting on August 16th.

Samsung’s Family Care is part of the SmartThings app and allows caregivers to monitor loved ones remotely using Galaxy smartphones. | Image: SmartThings

Samsung is launching a new service to help caregivers remotely monitor and assist loved ones using smart home devices. SmartThings Family Care is a free service that uses both Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform and Galaxy smartphones to help caregivers stay connected. It first launched in Korea in June and will be available in the US on August 16th through the SmartThings app.

Family Care is similar to Amazon’s paid offering, Alexa Together, which the company quietly discontinued earlier this year. Samsung’s service leverages the smart devices in a person’s home and applies artificial intelligence to determine their daily patterns and send alerts to a caregiver if abnormalities are detected — for example, it can send a notification when there’s been activity in the morning — such as using a Galaxy phone — or if there hasn’t been.

According to a Samsung press release, the Family Care service also helps caregivers set up and receive reminders for things like checking blood pressure and taking medication and allows them to set up and manage smart home routines in their family member’s home. Samsung says the service will also let a user schedule doctor’s appointments through their Galaxy smartphone or Samsung TV (2024 models and newer). In addition, location alerts allow caregivers to receive a notification when their family member leaves or arrives at a location — helpful for making sure they made it to those appointments.

Image: SmartThings
The Family Care service leverages SmartThing’s ability to share your smart home devices so a caregiver can remotely assist a family member.

There are other features as well. Samsung says a caregiver can use Family Care to set up SmartThings automations to do things such as activate an air purifier when outdoor air quality drops, turn off an induction stove if it’s left on, or see inside the fridge to know what groceries their loved one might need — assuming they have connected Samsung appliances. It’s not clear if the service will work with any non-Samsung device connected to the SmartThings platform.

Smart home technology has a lot of potential to help the elderly age in place (live independently in their homes for longer), especially because it allows a caregiver to stay in touch digitally. However, there have been issues with current technology: connected devices can be complicated to set up, hard to maintain remotely, and don’t always perform consistently enough to rely on them. Best Buy and Amazon tried to solve these problems with paid-for services in this space: Best Buy launched Assured Living in 2017, and Amazon launched Alexa Together in 2021. Both have since been discontinued.

While Samsung’s Family Care service is free, it does require a Galaxy smartphone and relies on Samsung appliances and, presumably, a SmartThings hub. (We’ve reached out to Samsung for clarification.) All of this may be a barrier to entry for many. The company’s application of AI technology to enhance the service could help with the reliability and ease of use issues around some smart home devices, but it’s not clear exactly how AI is integrated with the service.

Family Care can be downloaded from the Life tab of the SmartThings app starting on August 16th.

Read More 

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Google’s Tuesday event was ostensibly about Pixel hardware. Really, it was about AI.
Google’s Rick Osterloh made that clear from the moment he walked onstage, where his initial remarks focused a lot more on Google’s artificial intelligence efforts than devices:
A few months ago at Google I/O, we shared a broad range of breakthroughs to make AI more helpful for everyone. We’re obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people. It can help us learn. It can help us express ourselves. And it can help us be more creative. The most important place to get this right is in the devices we carry with us every day. So we’re going to share Google’s progress in bringing cutting-edge AI to mobile in a way that benefits the entire Android ecosystem.
For the first 25 minutes of the show, Osterloh and his colleagues didn’t make any announcements about the Pixel 9 lineup, the Pixel Watch 3, or the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Instead, they highlighted things like Google’s investments in its tech stack and Tensor chips, how all six of its products with more than 2 billion monthly users (Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome, YouTube, and Google Play) harness the company’s Gemini AI models in some way, and how Gemini and Google’s AI tools are integrated with other Android phones that you can already buy. Even before showing demos on its phones, Google was showing its AI tools onstage on phones from Samsung and Motorola.
Google also used this pre-hardware section to show off what was arguably the most interesting segment of the event: a spotlight on Gemini Live, a tool that lets you have more natural back-and-forth conversations with Gemini for things like brainstorming or practicing for an interview. (To me, it felt like Google’s response to OpenAI’s impressive GPT-4o demo way back before I/O.) And Gemini Live isn’t even a Pixel-exclusive feature; it’s rolling out as of Tuesday for people subscribed to Gemini Advanced and using Android.

When Google finally got around to talking about its new hardware, AI was everywhere there, too. Gemini can respond to what’s on your phone screen. “Add Me” can add the person who is taking group photos into a picture. The Pixel Watch uses AI to help detect your pulse now. Google even envisions that you’ll talk with Gemini Live while using the new Pixel Buds Pro 2.
And just when it felt like Osterloh was about to wrap up, he shared a few more AI announcements about things that are coming further down the line. Google plans to let you share your camera during a Gemini Live conversation so that Gemini can respond to what you’re looking at. You’ll be able to connect apps to Gemini Live, too. And Gemini will be able to make research reports by searching things on the web for you — a feature that Osterloh says is coming to Gemini Advanced users in the “coming months.”
If you’ve been following Google as of late, this focus on AI isn’t a huge surprise. But with Tuesday’s event, it’s clear that Google views AI as its key competitive differentiator for its hardware and the best way to take on giants like Apple and Samsung. Based on what we saw, it sure seems like Google’s phones could have some more impressive AI tricks than what Apple is working on — and I’m sure Google has been happy to hear that Apple’s most advanced Apple Intelligence features aren’t expected to arrive until next year.
I’m still skeptical of Google’s AI flashiness. Sure, some of the photo features seem cool, but I don’t trust Gemini enough to have a full conversation with it. Will other people care? And will they care enough to buy Pixels or sign up for Gemini Advanced? I’m not so sure. But with Google’s new hardware launching over the course of this month and next, we won’t have to wait long to see if the company’s attention to AI will win over new buyers.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Google’s Tuesday event was ostensibly about Pixel hardware. Really, it was about AI.

Google’s Rick Osterloh made that clear from the moment he walked onstage, where his initial remarks focused a lot more on Google’s artificial intelligence efforts than devices:

A few months ago at Google I/O, we shared a broad range of breakthroughs to make AI more helpful for everyone. We’re obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people. It can help us learn. It can help us express ourselves. And it can help us be more creative. The most important place to get this right is in the devices we carry with us every day. So we’re going to share Google’s progress in bringing cutting-edge AI to mobile in a way that benefits the entire Android ecosystem.

For the first 25 minutes of the show, Osterloh and his colleagues didn’t make any announcements about the Pixel 9 lineup, the Pixel Watch 3, or the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Instead, they highlighted things like Google’s investments in its tech stack and Tensor chips, how all six of its products with more than 2 billion monthly users (Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome, YouTube, and Google Play) harness the company’s Gemini AI models in some way, and how Gemini and Google’s AI tools are integrated with other Android phones that you can already buy. Even before showing demos on its phones, Google was showing its AI tools onstage on phones from Samsung and Motorola.

Google also used this pre-hardware section to show off what was arguably the most interesting segment of the event: a spotlight on Gemini Live, a tool that lets you have more natural back-and-forth conversations with Gemini for things like brainstorming or practicing for an interview. (To me, it felt like Google’s response to OpenAI’s impressive GPT-4o demo way back before I/O.) And Gemini Live isn’t even a Pixel-exclusive feature; it’s rolling out as of Tuesday for people subscribed to Gemini Advanced and using Android.

When Google finally got around to talking about its new hardware, AI was everywhere there, too. Gemini can respond to what’s on your phone screen. “Add Me” can add the person who is taking group photos into a picture. The Pixel Watch uses AI to help detect your pulse now. Google even envisions that you’ll talk with Gemini Live while using the new Pixel Buds Pro 2.

And just when it felt like Osterloh was about to wrap up, he shared a few more AI announcements about things that are coming further down the line. Google plans to let you share your camera during a Gemini Live conversation so that Gemini can respond to what you’re looking at. You’ll be able to connect apps to Gemini Live, too. And Gemini will be able to make research reports by searching things on the web for you — a feature that Osterloh says is coming to Gemini Advanced users in the “coming months.”

If you’ve been following Google as of late, this focus on AI isn’t a huge surprise. But with Tuesday’s event, it’s clear that Google views AI as its key competitive differentiator for its hardware and the best way to take on giants like Apple and Samsung. Based on what we saw, it sure seems like Google’s phones could have some more impressive AI tricks than what Apple is working on — and I’m sure Google has been happy to hear that Apple’s most advanced Apple Intelligence features aren’t expected to arrive until next year.

I’m still skeptical of Google’s AI flashiness. Sure, some of the photo features seem cool, but I don’t trust Gemini enough to have a full conversation with it. Will other people care? And will they care enough to buy Pixels or sign up for Gemini Advanced? I’m not so sure. But with Google’s new hardware launching over the course of this month and next, we won’t have to wait long to see if the company’s attention to AI will win over new buyers.

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Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Microsoft is making BitLocker device encryption a default feature in its next major update to Windows 11. If you clean install the 24H2 version that’s rolling out in the coming months, device encryption will be enabled by default when you first sign in or set up a device with a Microsoft account or work / school account.
Device encryption is designed to improve the security of Windows machines by automatically enabling BitLocker encryption on the Windows install drive and backing up the recovery key to a Microsoft account or Entra ID.
In Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft is reducing the hardware requirements for automatic device encryption, opening it up to many more devices — including ones running the Home version of Windows 11. Device encryption no longer requires Hardware Security Test Interface (HSTI) or Modern Standby, and encryption will also be enabled even if untrusted direct memory access (DMA) buses / interfaces are detected.
The latest Windows 11 version 24H2 update comes preinstalled on Microsoft’s range of Copilot Plus PCs and is expected to be available on existing machines in late September. That means if you clean install Windows 11 later this year or buy a new PC with 24H2 installed, BitLocker device encryption will be enabled by default. If you just upgrade to 24H2, Microsoft won’t enable device encryption automatically.
The feature could impact SSD performance on some devices. Tom’s Hardware tested this software version of BitLocker last year and found it could slow drives by up to 45 percent. We’ve asked Microsoft repeatedly since early May to comment on BitLocker device encryption being enabled by default, but the company has only confirmed its plans through support documents where there is no mention of any potential performance impacts.

Screenshot by Tom Warren / The Verge
You’ll need a Microsoft account to enable device encryption.

You can avoid automatic device encryption if you’re using a local account on a clean Windows 11 version 24H2 install. When you first set up a new machine and log in with a local account, you’ll be prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account to finish encrypting the device. BitLocker can still be manually enabled using the BitLocker Control Panel on local accounts, though. You can also disable device encryption through a toggle in the privacy and security section of Windows 11’s settings interface.
Microsoft set out to improve security in Windows 11 in a meaningful way by requiring modern processors, Secure Boot, and TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chips. These requirements, while controversial, allowed Microsoft to also enable its virtualized Memory Integrity feature by default two years ago to better protect Windows 11 systems from malicious code.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Microsoft is making BitLocker device encryption a default feature in its next major update to Windows 11. If you clean install the 24H2 version that’s rolling out in the coming months, device encryption will be enabled by default when you first sign in or set up a device with a Microsoft account or work / school account.

Device encryption is designed to improve the security of Windows machines by automatically enabling BitLocker encryption on the Windows install drive and backing up the recovery key to a Microsoft account or Entra ID.

In Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft is reducing the hardware requirements for automatic device encryption, opening it up to many more devices — including ones running the Home version of Windows 11. Device encryption no longer requires Hardware Security Test Interface (HSTI) or Modern Standby, and encryption will also be enabled even if untrusted direct memory access (DMA) buses / interfaces are detected.

The latest Windows 11 version 24H2 update comes preinstalled on Microsoft’s range of Copilot Plus PCs and is expected to be available on existing machines in late September. That means if you clean install Windows 11 later this year or buy a new PC with 24H2 installed, BitLocker device encryption will be enabled by default. If you just upgrade to 24H2, Microsoft won’t enable device encryption automatically.

The feature could impact SSD performance on some devices. Tom’s Hardware tested this software version of BitLocker last year and found it could slow drives by up to 45 percent. We’ve asked Microsoft repeatedly since early May to comment on BitLocker device encryption being enabled by default, but the company has only confirmed its plans through support documents where there is no mention of any potential performance impacts.

Screenshot by Tom Warren / The Verge
You’ll need a Microsoft account to enable device encryption.

You can avoid automatic device encryption if you’re using a local account on a clean Windows 11 version 24H2 install. When you first set up a new machine and log in with a local account, you’ll be prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account to finish encrypting the device. BitLocker can still be manually enabled using the BitLocker Control Panel on local accounts, though. You can also disable device encryption through a toggle in the privacy and security section of Windows 11’s settings interface.

Microsoft set out to improve security in Windows 11 in a meaningful way by requiring modern processors, Secure Boot, and TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chips. These requirements, while controversial, allowed Microsoft to also enable its virtualized Memory Integrity feature by default two years ago to better protect Windows 11 systems from malicious code.

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Image: xAI

Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has launched Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini: two new models of its Grok chatbot that offer upgraded performance and new image-generation capabilities. Grok’s prompt-based image maker is powered by Black Forest Lab’s Flux 1 AI model, and allows users to generate and publish images directly to the X social platform — with seemingly few guardrails in place to prevent abuse.
xAI says that Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini are available in beta on X (where Grok access is currently limited to Premium and Premium Plus subscribers) and that both models will be available through the AI developer’s enterprise API later this month.
“We are excited to release an early preview of Grok-2, a significant step forward from our previous model Grok-1.5, featuring frontier capabilities in chat, coding, and reasoning,” xAI said in its announcement, describing the chatbot as “more intuitive, steerable, and versatile” than its predecessor. Meanwhile, Grok-2 mini is a “small but capable sibling” of Grok-2 that “offers a balance between speed and answer quality,” according to xAI.

Grok 2.0 …. Ohh boyyyy pic.twitter.com/TjzB7WMhVp— Benjamin De Kraker ‍☠️ (@BenjaminDEKR) August 14, 2024

Some early examples produced by Grok’s new image-generator have already appeared online, which indicate there are very few restrictions regarding what users can make. Generated images depict recognizable political figures like Donald Trump and Barack Obama shooting guns and taking illegal drugs — which could exacerbate concerns about the chatbot spreading false election information.

it’s really good at this pic.twitter.com/gpAg54BWsg— shb (@himbodhisattva) August 14, 2024

These Grok-generated images also don’t appear to sport any kind of disclosure to flag them as being AI generated. We’ve asked X if it will place restrictions on image generation, though the platform has persistently shunned media inquiries since Musk purchased it in 2022.

Image: xAI

Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has launched Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini: two new models of its Grok chatbot that offer upgraded performance and new image-generation capabilities. Grok’s prompt-based image maker is powered by Black Forest Lab’s Flux 1 AI model, and allows users to generate and publish images directly to the X social platform — with seemingly few guardrails in place to prevent abuse.

xAI says that Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini are available in beta on X (where Grok access is currently limited to Premium and Premium Plus subscribers) and that both models will be available through the AI developer’s enterprise API later this month.

“We are excited to release an early preview of Grok-2, a significant step forward from our previous model Grok-1.5, featuring frontier capabilities in chat, coding, and reasoning,” xAI said in its announcement, describing the chatbot as “more intuitive, steerable, and versatile” than its predecessor. Meanwhile, Grok-2 mini is a “small but capable sibling” of Grok-2 that “offers a balance between speed and answer quality,” according to xAI.

Some early examples produced by Grok’s new image-generator have already appeared online, which indicate there are very few restrictions regarding what users can make. Generated images depict recognizable political figures like Donald Trump and Barack Obama shooting guns and taking illegal drugs — which could exacerbate concerns about the chatbot spreading false election information.

These Grok-generated images also don’t appear to sport any kind of disclosure to flag them as being AI generated. We’ve asked X if it will place restrictions on image generation, though the platform has persistently shunned media inquiries since Musk purchased it in 2022.

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Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Spotify will begin showing in-app pricing information for iPhone users in the European Union starting today, following a yearslong legal battle against Apple. In an update to an old blog post, Spotify says that EU iPhone users will now see things like promotional offers and pricing information for each subscription tier — including how much a plan costs once a promotion ends.
One thing that’s missing is the ability to click a link to make those purchases from outside the Apple App Store. Spotify says it’s opting into the “music streaming services entitlement” that Apple introduced after being served a €1.84 billion (about $2 billion) EU antitrust fine in March for “abusing its dominant position” in music streaming, rather than accepting the complicated new developer terms Apple outlined last week. Unlike the entitlement, the latter would allow EU developers to link to external payment options with Apple taking a cut of off-platform sales. Spotify clearly doesn’t want to do that, saying that Apple is demanding “illegal and predatory taxes.”

Image: Spotify / The Verge
Here’s what iPhone users in the EU saw before…

Image: Spotify
…and after, now with transparent pricing. Some options will also direct customers to purchase Premium subscriptions via Spotify’s website.

Spotify has been battling Apple in the EU ever since 2019 when it first filed an antitrust complaint over App Store rules. As recently as March, Spotify said that Apple was blocking efforts like today’s changes.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Spotify will begin showing in-app pricing information for iPhone users in the European Union starting today, following a yearslong legal battle against Apple. In an update to an old blog post, Spotify says that EU iPhone users will now see things like promotional offers and pricing information for each subscription tier — including how much a plan costs once a promotion ends.

One thing that’s missing is the ability to click a link to make those purchases from outside the Apple App Store. Spotify says it’s opting into the “music streaming services entitlement” that Apple introduced after being served a €1.84 billion (about $2 billion) EU antitrust fine in March for “abusing its dominant position” in music streaming, rather than accepting the complicated new developer terms Apple outlined last week. Unlike the entitlement, the latter would allow EU developers to link to external payment options with Apple taking a cut of off-platform sales. Spotify clearly doesn’t want to do that, saying that Apple is demanding “illegal and predatory taxes.”

Spotify has been battling Apple in the EU ever since 2019 when it first filed an antitrust complaint over App Store rules. As recently as March, Spotify said that Apple was blocking efforts like today’s changes.

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