PSA: T-Mobile OnePlus 6T software is already behind unlocked variant

• The T-Mobile OnePlus 6T variant ships with an already-outdated version of OxygenOS.
• The version of OxygenOS present on the device is missing key features as compared to the unlocked variant, such as the app switching gesture.
• Neither OnePlus nor T-Mobile have announced a date for a new software update.

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For the first time ever in the United States, there is a specific carrier variant of a OnePlus device: the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T. Although the unlocked variant and the T-Mobile variant look the same on the outside, inside is a different story.

When one removes the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T from the box and turns it on, the version of OxygenOS present on the device is already outdated (version 9.0, as confirmed by T-Mobile’s site) as compared to the available update to the unlocked variant (version 9.0.4). This is not uncommon for smartphones; however, it is quite unusual in this case because version 9.0 of OxygenOS is missing some key features.

What’s worse, neither T-Mobile nor OnePlus have revealed a date when the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T will get a software update to bring it up-to-date as compared with its unlocked sibling.

What’s missing?

At least two heavily-promoted features are missing from the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T when you take it out of the box, as well as at least one minor feature.

The first feature missing is the enhanced Portrait Mode which brings in a new algorithmic lighting technique OnePlus referred to as Studio Lighting during its OnePlus 6T keynote. This feature didn’t ship with unlocked devices either, but the most recent OxygenOS update for the unlocked 6T variant (ONEPLUS A6013_41_181024) enabled the photography tool.

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The OnePlus 6T was finally launched this week, delivering several improvements over the OnePlus 6. The Chinese brand isn’t wasting any time though, as it quickly pushed out a system update yesterday.

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The next feature missing is the gesture which allows you to easily swap back-and-forth between two apps. Without this gesture, users are still stuck opening the overview page and manually selecting the previous app.

Additionally, the redesigned About Phone screen is missing as well. This inessential (but nice) feature is available in the latest stable release for the unlocked OnePlus 6T.

Finally, new Nightscape upgrades, Screen Unlock upgrades, various bug fixes and improvements, and the latest Android security patch are also missing from the T-Mobile variant — all of which are present on the unlocked variant.

What’s more, all the features described above are available in the latest Open Beta 6 for the OnePlus 6.

Will updates always be behind?

Since the unlocked variant of the OnePlus 6T receives updates directly from OnePlus, it’s inevitable that the T-Mobile variant will get slower updates if for no other reason than the fact T-Mobile has to approve and distribute those updates. OnePlus admits as much in this official forum post here.

However, one would hope OnePlus and T-Mobile would work hard to keep the two different variants as synced as possible, and the fact that the T-Mobile variant is behind the curve right as you take it out of the box is a bad sign.

We reached out to both OnePlus and T-Mobile to find out what this current disparity in OxygenOS updates means for T-Mobile customers who buy the OnePlus 6T through their carrier. However, we did not receive responses before press time.

NEXT: OnePlus 6T pop-up shop: My time spent with OnePlus fanatics

Source: Android Zone

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Deal: Samsung EVO 128GB microSD card only $25 at Amazon

Not many smartphones have expandable storage anymore, but those which do usually allow for quite a bit of extra space. However, high-capacity (and high-quality) microSD cards usually aren’t cheap.

But not today! Right now, at Amazon.com, there’s a microSD card deal which gets you a Samsung EVO 128GB microSD card for only $25. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, shipping is free. If you’re not, just add another $10 item in there to reach the free shipping threshold.

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Included with your microSD card purchase is an SD card adapter, which easily lets you swap your card from your laptop to your phone.

If 128GB isn’t enough for you, there’s also a 256GB option for the very reasonable price of $60. However, check to make sure your smartphone can support that much storage, as many devices have certain limits.

And, if 128GB is overkill, the 64GB card is only $14 with free Prime shipping. However, 64GB cards are usually found at prices that low, while this 128GB card is definitely a deal.

We’re not sure how long this deal will last, so we suggest hitting the button below to get yours before time runs out!

Get this microSD card deal

Source: Android Zone

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Samsung Galaxy S10 will not support 5G, “dedicated” 5G phone in the works (Updated)

Update, Aug. 15, 2018 at 5:57 a.m. EST: ETNews has leant some extra credibility to the claims made by Ice Universe in the article below. The publication has several quotes from Samsung head of mobile DJ Koh, made at the Samsung Unpacked event in New York, about the company’s 5G and foldable phone plans.

First up, ETNews quotes Koh as saying that Samsung already has an agreement with Korea’s three main carriers to release a 5G smartphone and that the company’s first 5G device will be separate from the Samsung Galaxy S10.

Back in 2013, Samsung released a version of the Galaxy S4 in Korea that was the first phone to support the LTE Advanced network. ETNews suggests that Samsung could choose a similar strategy for its upcoming 5G device and release it as a separate 5G version of the Galaxy S10. However, this appears to be just speculation as there are no quotes to back it up.

In terms of the upcoming foldable phone, Koh said that Samsung doesn’t want to give up on becoming the first company to release a foldable phone and that it is not far from being able to officially unveil the device. He is also quoted as saying that Samsung has solved most of the issues relating to foldable phones and that when it releases the phone he wants people to say that the company did it properly.

Previous speculation has suggested that Huawei was set to unveil a foldable device in November this year while Samsung would release its version early next year. However, the quotes from Koh suggest that Samsung could be set to move the unveiling of the phone forward.

Samsung has long said that ensuring a great user experience on its foldable phone was more important than simply being the first company to release one. However, Samsung now perhaps feels confident that it is able to deliver both a great user experience and also be the first company to unveil a foldable phone.

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Original article, Aug. 13, 2018 at 12:45 p.m. EST: It seems like every year we see reports out of Korea that Samsung is considering merging its two main smartphone families before the rumor is eventually put to bed as pure speculation. Right on cue, Samsung’s DJ Koh has denied fresh claims that the Galaxy S and Note series’ will be folded into each other while also addressing speculation surrounding the Galaxy S10 and the advent of 5G phones.

In a tweet, ubiquitous Samsung leaker Ice Universe quotes the South Korean giant’s mobile chief as saying that any word of a merger is pure rumor and that the Note range — recently updated with the Galaxy Note 9 — will not be disappearing any time soon.

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DJ Koh also reportedly addressed the current hot topic of foldable phones, but merely confirmed what we all already know: Samsung will launch a foldable phone at some point in the future.

Koh was also bullish about the company’s position in the global smartphone market, stating that it won’t be giving up its top spot despite Huawei’s recent rise to second place.

The most interesting part of the tweet, however, is the news that the next Galaxy S flagship will not support 5G technology. In a follow-up tweet, Ice Universe relays Koh’s statements on 5G, which you can read in the embed below:

Samsung will launch 5G in March next year, but only 5G will be opened in few regions of the world. It is reasonable for Samsung not to carry 5G on S10. 5G baseband may bring instability and heat. Samsung will release a 5G dedicated mobile phone.

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) August 13, 2018

Considering just last week we heard that Samsung has committed $22 billion to the development of 5G, among other future technologies like AI, it shouldn’t be too surprising to hear that Samsung has big plans for next-generation mobile tech.

What is interesting, though, is the insinuation that Samsung considered 5G support but came across technical issues, with the company instead looking towards a “dedicated” 5G smartphone instead of debuting the technology via the next S range phone. Of course Samsung could still launch 5G with the Galaxy S11 (or whatever the next-next-generation S series phone is called) and make that the company’s “5G dedicated” phone, but that could potentially mean pushing back a headline-worthy feature for another whole year.

Could Samsung’s mythical foldable phone also offer 5G support? Time will tell, but it seems like you definitely scratch 5G off your S10 feature wishlist.

Up next: Huawei fires shot at Galaxy Note 9, hints at “real upgrades” for Mate 20 series

Source: Android Zone

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Russia blocks certain Google services in efforts to block Telegram

• Popular enrcrypted messaging app Telegram is banned in Russia.
• In an effort to block citizens’ access to Telegram, Russia blocks Google services as well.
• This forces Google’s hand to either stand against Russia or convince Telegram to submit to the ban.

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With Russia officially declaring a ban of popular encrypted messaging app Telegram, the Russian regulator Roskomnadzor (RKN) is struggling to enforce that ban. Now, it looks like Google is caught in the crossfire, as certain Google services like Search, Gmail, and some push notifications for Android apps, are not working for Russian citizens.

“We are aware of reports that some users in Russia are unable to access some Google products, and are investigating those reports,” Google said in an email statement to TechCrunch. This is the first time that Google has acknowledged something related to the Telegram situation.

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It could very well be that RKN blocking access to Google is a ploy to get Google to step in and reprimand Telegram. Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has refused to comply with the Russian ban; at press time for this article, Telegram is still available in Russia. If Google’s services are blocked, it may force Google to take action on behalf of Russia to get Telegram to acquiesce to the ban.

If that is the case (and that’s a big “if”), it means Russia doesn’t know how to block Telegram on its own and needs Google to police its network.

However, the more likely situation is that Russia is flying blind and blocking everything it comes across that could be related to Telegram. According to Ilya Andreev, the COO and co-founder of Vee Security, RKN is “embarrassingly bad at blocking Telegram, so most people keep using it without any intermediaries.” Vee Security is currently providing a proxy for Telegram for Russians to use to bypass the ban.

Russia is trying desperately to block access to Telegram, but it simply doesn’t know how.

To bypass IP address blocking enforced by Russia, Telegram “hops” from one IP address to another once an IP address it’s using is blocked. This results in RKN blocking multiple IP addresses all at once at a rapid pace, as it struggles to keep up with Telegram. It could be that Russia inadvertently blocked a set of Google IP addresses and now has to decide what to do next.

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Telegram to be banned in Russia, but VPN will bypass ban (Update)

Update (04/17/18 at 11:56 A.M.): Following Russia’s decision to ban Telegram, it looks like the country is also cracking down on third-party platforms offering the app.

The team behind APKMirror took to Twitter to reveal that …

The Russian government has broad powers over its citizens and the internet, so it can block any amount of IP addresses it likes. However, with eyes on Russia and its status when it comes to human rights – not to mention the World Cup right around the corner – from a PR standpoint, blocking access to Google services is not doing the country any favors. After all, if people from all over the world show up for the World Cup and can’t check their Gmail, that will look bad for Russia, not Google (or Telegram, for that matter).

Google now has to choose: side with Russia and get its services back on, or stand firm with Telegram.

So far, Telegram’s cloud partners and other affiliated businesses have stood firm against the ban, continuing to support the app in Russia. But if Google steps in and starts calling the shots, that could change very quickly.

Google’s hard stance on China keeps virtually all Google business out of the country for similar reasons as Telegram’s fight against Russia. With that in mind, it seems unlikely that the Big G would side with the Russian government over the Telegram ban. However, anything could happen from here on out.

NEXT: Russia wants Telegram removed from Google Play Store

Source: Android Zone

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