theverge--2020-10-09--iPhone 12 lineup’s pricing and release dates detailed in new leak

A new leak has provided extensive details about what Apple could announce at its October 13th event .
In line with previous rumors , the leaker Kang predicts we ’ ll see Apple announce four new iPhone models at its event , but says we ’ ll also see a new HomePod mini smart speaker .
They also provide a host of extra details and release information for the iPhone 12 lineup .
According to AppleTrack , Kang has a reliable track record , and accurately predicted several of Apple ’ s WWDC and September event announcements this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhones next week : an iPhone 12 mini , iPhone 12 , iPhone 12 Pro , and iPhone 12 Pro Max .
All four will reportedly feature 5G support , including mmWave in the US .
The Super Retina XDR display which was previously exclusive to the iPhone 11 ’ s Pro models will apparently be available across the whole lineup this time , and the handsets are said to use ceramic in their glass screen construction to make them tougher and more drop resistant .
All four will reportedly be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s what Kang has to say about the differences between the models : • The iPhone 12 mini will reportedly have a 5.4-inch display and a starting price of $ 699 .
It ’ s said to be available in black , white , red , blue , and green , and storage options will range from 64GB to 256GB .
Kang claims it ’ ll come with dual cameras — a wide-angle and an ultrawide — and will be available to preorder on November 6th or 7th , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14th .
• Next , the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 could have a starting price of $ 799 .
It ’ ll apparently be available in black , white , red , blue , and green , with storage options ranging from 64GB to 256GB .
It reportedly comes with the same dual cameras as the 12 mini , and will be available to preorder on October 16th or 17th , with a release date on October 23rd or 24th .
• He predicts a $ 999 starting price for the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in gold , silver , graphite , and blue , and storage will range from 128GB to 512GB .
Alongside its wide-angle and ultrawide cameras , Kang says the Pro will have a telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom and a LIDAR sensor for augmented reality .
They claim preorders will start on October 16th or 17th , with a release date on October 23rd or 24th .
• Finally , the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max will apparently have a starting price of $ 1,099 .
Kang says it ’ ll ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and blue , with storage ranging from 128GB to 512GB .
Like the 12 Pro it has three cameras and a LIDAR sensor , but its telephoto lens will reportedly offer 5x optical zoom .
Preorders are said to start on November 13th or 14th , with a release date on November 20th or 21st .
Kang also predicts we ’ ll see Apple announce new wireless “ MagSafe ” chargers at the event .
These could work with a new wireless charger-compatible iPhone case , according to MacRumors , which uses magnets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously used MagSafe branding for its range of MacBook power cables that magnetically attach to the laptops .
Kang adds that we won ’ t see chargers or headphones included with this year ’ s iPhones .
Finally , Kang also says we ’ ll see a $ 99 HomePod mini announced at the event .
The smart speaker , which would be Apple ’ s second after the original HomePod , has been rumored to be on the way for a little while , and other reports have indicated it could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smart speaker will be 3.3-inches tall and be powered by the same S5 processor we saw in last year ’ s Apple Watch Series 5 and this year ’ s Apple Watch SE , and that it could ship on November 16th or 17th .
It ’ s always best to take rumors like these with a pinch of salt , and Kang themselves warns that what they ’ ve written could be “ nonsense ” ( via Google Translate ) .
However , they ’ ve included similar caveats on otherwise accurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a good track record with Apple leaks .
AppleTrack notes that Kang previously predicted the iPhone SE ’ s pricing , WWDC announcements like the Apple Watch ’ s hand-washing feature , and details from last month ’ s event like the new iPad Air ’ s pricing and features .
For a complete roundup of everything we ’ re expecting from Apple ’ s upcoming iPhones , check out our roundup here .

A new leak has provided extensive details about what Apple could announce at its October 13th event. In line with previous rumors, the leaker Kang predicts we’ll see Apple announce four new iPhone models at its event, but says we’ll also see a new HomePod mini smart speaker. They also provide a host of extra details and release information for the iPhone 12 lineup. According to AppleTrack, Kang has a reliable track record, and accurately predicted several of Apple’s WWDC and September event announcements this year.
Kang says Apple will announce four new iPhones next week: an iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four will reportedly feature 5G support, including mmWave in the US. The Super Retina XDR display which was previously exclusive to the iPhone 11’s Pro models will apparently be available across the whole lineup this time, and the handsets are said to use ceramic in their glass screen construction to make them tougher and more drop resistant. All four will reportedly be able to film in the Dolby Vision HDR standard.
Here’s what Kang has to say about the differences between the models:
The iPhone 12 mini will reportedly have a 5.4-inch display and a starting price of $699. It’s said to be available in black, white, red, blue, and green, and storage options will range from 64GB to 256GB. Kang claims it’ll come with dual cameras — a wide-angle and an ultrawide — and will be available to preorder on November 6th or 7th, with a release date of November 13th or 14th.
Next, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 could have a starting price of $799. It’ll apparently be available in black, white, red, blue, and green, with storage options ranging from 64GB to 256GB. It reportedly comes with the same dual cameras as the 12 mini, and will be available to preorder on October 16th or 17th, with a release date on October 23rd or 24th.
He predicts a $999 starting price for the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro. It’ll reportedly come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue, and storage will range from 128GB to 512GB. Alongside its wide-angle and ultrawide cameras, Kang says the Pro will have a telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom and a LIDAR sensor for augmented reality. They claim preorders will start on October 16th or 17th, with a release date on October 23rd or 24th.
Finally, the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max will apparently have a starting price of $1,099. Kang says it’ll ship in gold, silver, graphite, and blue, with storage ranging from 128GB to 512GB. Like the 12 Pro it has three cameras and a LIDAR sensor, but its telephoto lens will reportedly offer 5x optical zoom. Preorders are said to start on November 13th or 14th, with a release date on November 20th or 21st.
An alleged dummy version of the 5.8-inch iPhone 12 mini between the two different iPhone SEs. Image: MacRumors
Kang also predicts we’ll see Apple announce new wireless “MagSafe” chargers at the event. These could work with a new wireless charger-compatible iPhone case, according to MacRumors, which uses magnets to help it align correctly. Apple previously used MagSafe branding for its range of MacBook power cables that magnetically attach to the laptops. Kang adds that we won’t see chargers or headphones included with this year’s iPhones.
Finally, Kang also says we’ll see a $99 HomePod mini announced at the event. The smart speaker, which would be Apple’s second after the original HomePod, has been rumored to be on the way for a little while, and other reports have indicated it could be close to release. Kang claims the smart speaker will be 3.3-inches tall and be powered by the same S5 processor we saw in last year’s Apple Watch Series 5 and this year’s Apple Watch SE, and that it could ship on November 16th or 17th.
It’s always best to take rumors like these with a pinch of salt, and Kang themselves warns that what they’ve written could be “nonsense” (via Google Translate). However, they’ve included similar caveats on otherwise accurate posts before, and generally appear to have a good track record with Apple leaks. AppleTrack notes that Kang previously predicted the iPhone SE’s pricing, WWDC announcements like the Apple Watch’s hand-washing feature, and details from last month’s event like the new iPad Air’s pricing and features.


theverge--2020-10-09--Here’s what the OnePlus 8T looks like

Here’s what the OnePlus 8T looks like

Following an earlier leak of the OnePlus 8T from the front , we now have a pretty good idea of what the phone will look like around the back as well .
CEO Pete Lau has posted an official picture of the Aquamarine Green colorway to the OnePlus forums , while leaker Ishan Agarwal has followed up with more renders including the Lunar Silver variant .
Lau says that the glossy green cover is the result of four months ’ experimentation to land on the right finish .
“ This version takes advantage of diffuse reflection , a form of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansive array of angles and directions , to produce a clean , gleaming surface that effectively mitigates the buildup of fingerprints , ” he writes .
“ Throughout development , we tried and tested hundreds of films before landing on the ideal type , which contains seven layers , to complement the high-gloss finish and bring out the unique shade between green and blue .
We never could have achieved this if we had followed the conventional development process of producing color films , but I ’ m proud to say that our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8T , we were able to produce one of the most advanced films in the industry , achieving a high-quality finish that raises the OnePlus standards for beautiful design.
” The 8T itself has a pretty straightforward design , with a hole-punch camera cutout in the display and a quad-sensor camera bump on the back .
It ’ s set to include a Snapdragon 865 processor and a 120Hz screen , like the OnePlus 8 Pro , but unlike last year there won ’ t be an 8T Pro model accompanying it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a better phone than the 7 Pro , so the 8T will hopefully hold up pretty well next to the 8 Pro .
The 8T will be announced on October 14th ; stay tuned for all the details .

“Throughout development, we tried and tested hundreds of films before landing on the ideal type, which contains seven layers, to complement the high-gloss finish and bring out the unique shade between green and blue. We never could have achieved this if we had followed the conventional development process of producing color films, but I’m proud to say that our efforts paid off. For the OnePlus 8T, we were able to produce one of the most advanced films in the industry, achieving a high-quality finish that raises the OnePlus standards for beautiful design.”


theverge--2020-10-09--Devialet announces $299 Gemini wireless earbuds

French audio tech company Devialet is known for its outlandish speakers , and now it ’ s getting into portable audio for the first time with a new pair of wireless earbuds .
The company says its Gemini earbuds have been designed with “ pressure balance architecture ” for optimum sound quality .
The Gemini buds offer three levels of active noise cancellation , a two-level transparency modes , and a feature that adapts the equalization to your ear in real time for consistent sound quality when on the go .
Devialet ’ s Gemini app will also scan your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tip size .
The earbud design is unmistakably reminiscent of Devialet ’ s iconic Phantom speakers , though obviously at a much smaller scale .
Devialet says the buds should last eight hours on a charge , or six hours with ANC enabled , and the case should provide three and a half full charges .
It supports Qi wireless charging and USB-C .
The Gemini will be available to preorder from tomorrow for $ 299 .
Devialet says the earbuds will go on sale at its own store as well as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

French audio tech company Devialet is known for its outlandish speakers, and now it’s getting into portable audio for the first time with a new pair of wireless earbuds. The company says its Gemini earbuds have been designed with “pressure balance architecture” for optimum sound quality.
The Gemini buds offer three levels of active noise cancellation, a two-level transparency modes, and a feature that adapts the equalization to your ear in real time for consistent sound quality when on the go. Devialet’s Gemini app will also scan your ear to help find the right bud tip size.
The earbud design is unmistakably reminiscent of Devialet’s iconic Phantom speakers, though obviously at a much smaller scale. Devialet says the buds should last eight hours on a charge, or six hours with ANC enabled, and the case should provide three and a half full charges. It supports Qi wireless charging and USB-C.


theverge--2020-10-09--Amazon has canceled Crucible, its free-to-play multiplayer shooter that had already been returned to

Amazon has canceled Crucible, its free-to-play multiplayer shooter that had already been returned to closed beta

Amazon has officially canceled Crucible , its free-to-play multiplayer shooter .
It ’ s the end of a rocky journey for the game , which was first launched in May after years in development before being put back into closed beta in July .
“ We very much appreciate the way that our fans have rallied around our efforts , and we ’ ve loved seeing your responses to the changes we ’ ve made over the last few months , but ultimately we didn ’ t see a healthy , sustainable future ahead [ for ] Crucible , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
If you ’ re in the closed beta , you ’ ll still be able to play the game in some form for a short while .
The developers will be hosting a “ a final playtest and community celebration ” in the next few weeks , according to the blog .
Once that ’ s done , matchmaking will be disabled , but you ’ ll be able to play custom games ( which are expected to be available in the coming days ) until 3PM ET on November 9th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be offering a full refund for any purchases you might have made .
If you want refunds , follow the instructions on this site .
Crucible developers will be moved to other Amazon Games titles , including New World , Amazon ’ s upcoming MMO .
That game , which is currently set to launch in spring 2021 , has had its own set of challenges , including two delays .
And we ’ re also still waiting on the release of Pac-Man Live Studio , a version of Pac-Man that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in May that the game would launch in June , but it ’ s still not out , and the game ’ s website only says that it ’ s “ coming soon.
” Amazon isn ’ t just making games — it also has cloud gaming service called Luna that it launched last month .
Users in the US can request early access to it right now .
If you want to understand how Luna stacks up against other cloud gaming offerings , we ’ ve got a guide for that @ @ @

Amazon has officially canceled Crucible, its free-to-play multiplayer shooter. It’s the end of a rocky journey for the game, which was first launched in May after years in development before being put back into closed beta in July.
“We very much appreciate the way that our fans have rallied around our efforts, and we’ve loved seeing your responses to the changes we’ve made over the last few months, but ultimately we didn’t see a healthy, sustainable future ahead [for] Crucible,” the Crucible team said in a blog post.
If you’re in the closed beta, you’ll still be able to play the game in some form for a short while. The developers will be hosting a “a final playtest and community celebration” in the next few weeks, according to the blog. Once that’s done, matchmaking will be disabled, but you’ll be able to play custom games (which are expected to be available in the coming days) until 3PM ET on November 9th. The company also says that it will be offering a full refund for any purchases you might have made. If you want refunds, follow the instructions on this site.
Crucible developers will be moved to other Amazon Games titles, including New World, Amazon’s upcoming MMO. That game, which is currently set to launch in spring 2021, has had its own set of challenges, including two delays. And we’re also still waiting on the release of Pac-Man Live Studio, a version of Pac-Man that you can play directly on Twitch. Amazon said in May that the game would launch in June, but it’s still not out, and the game’s website only says that it’s “coming soon.”


theverge--2020-10-09--Epic judge permanently restrains Apple from blocking Unreal Engine, but won’t force Fortnite

Fortnite won ’ t be coming back to the App Store any time soon .
On Friday , Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers refused to grant Epic Games a preliminary injunction against Apple that would force the game developer to reinstate Fortnite on the App Store , while simultaneously granting an injunction that keeps Apple from retaliating against the Unreal Engine , which Epic also owns ( PDF ) .
In other words , we now have a permanent version of the temporary restraining order ruling from last month .
That means the state of affairs , in which Epic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can not distribute Fortnite on the App Store in its current form , will remain in place for the length of the trial — unless Epic decides to remove its own in-app payment mechanism that initiated the bitter legal feud in August .
Rogers had previously suggested a jury trial might be appropriate as soon as next July , but ahead of today ’ s ruling , both parties said they would rather have the case decided by a judge .
Today ’ s decision still prevents Apple from revoking Epic ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have harmed its broader business .
“ Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate this action for the future of the digital frontier , but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders .
Thus , the public interest weighs overwhelmingly in favor of Unreal Engine and the Epic Affiliates , ” said the judge , keeping Epic ’ s Unreal Engine business from being harmed .
“ Epic Games is grateful that Apple will continue to be barred from retaliating against Unreal Engine and our game development customers as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson said in a statement .
“ We will continue to develop for iOS and Mac under the court ’ s protection and we will pursue all avenues to end Apple ’ s anti-competitive behavior.
” “ Our customers depend on the App Store being a safe and trusted place where all developers follow the same set of rules , ” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement .
“ We ’ re grateful the court recognized that Epic ’ s actions were not in the best interests of its own customers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were of their own making when they breached their agreement .
For twelve years , the App Store has been an economic miracle , creating transformative business opportunities for developers large and small .
We look forward to sharing this legacy of innovation and dynamism with the court next year.
” Apple and Epic met in federal court again in September for another round , where the merits of the Fortnite developer ’ s antitrust case against Apple were argued before Rogers for a second time since Epic filed its lawsuit in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , as Rogers singled out the company for what she characterized as dishonest behavior that may prove the company poses a security risk to the iOS platform .
“ You did something , you lied about it by omission , by not being forthcoming .
That ’ s the security issue .
That ’ s the security issue !
” Rogers told Epic , according to a report from CNN .
“ There are a lot of people in the public who consider you guys heroes for what you guys did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honest.
” Rogers also brought up the fact that walled gardens and their standard 30 percent cuts are commonplace in the game industry , with console makers like Microsoft , Nintendo , and Sony implementing similar rules .
Rogers said the case should likely go to a jury to decide and suggested a trial time frame of next summer .
“ It is important enough to understand what real people think , ” said Rogers .
“ Do these security issues concern people or not ?
” The other benefit of a jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stickier , more definitive ruling .
The likelihood this case sees numerous appeals is high , and appellate courts are more likely to uphold a jury decision when appealed .
That could avoid the case bouncing between courts for years to come .
“ I know I ’ m just a stepping stone for all of you , ” Rogers added .
Apple and Epic ’ s legal fight has become a larger touchstone in third-party developers ’ worsening relations with the iPhone maker , with many using the situation to complain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join with Epic in protesting Apple ’ s policies and enforcement .
In September , companies like Epic , Spotify , Tile , and the Match Group created the Coalition for App Fairness , which will try “ defend the fundamental rights of creators to build apps and to do business directly with their customers , ” according to Epic CEO Tim Sweeney .

Fortnite won’t be coming back to the App Store any time soon. On Friday, Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers refused to grant Epic Games a preliminary injunction against Apple that would force the game developer to reinstate Fortnite on the App Store, while simultaneously granting an injunction that keeps Apple from retaliating against the Unreal Engine, which Epic also owns (PDF). In other words, we now have a permanent version of the temporary restraining order ruling from last month.
That means the state of affairs, in which Epic is banned from publishing new games on iOS and cannot distribute Fortnite on the App Store in its current form, will remain in place for the length of the trial — unless Epic decides to remove its own in-app payment mechanism that initiated the bitter legal feud in August. Rogers had previously suggested a jury trial might be appropriate as soon as next July, but ahead of today’s ruling, both parties said they would rather have the case decided by a judge.
Today’s decision still prevents Apple from revoking Epic’s developer tools in a way that could have harmed its broader business.
“Epic Games and Apple are at liberty to litigate this action for the future of the digital frontier, but their dispute should not create havoc to bystanders. Thus, the public interest weighs overwhelmingly in favor of Unreal Engine and the Epic Affiliates,” said the judge, keeping Epic’s Unreal Engine business from being harmed.
Apple vs. Epic: the battle so far August 13th: Epic introduces a new direct-payment system in Fortnite to circumvent Apple’s 30 percent fee. Apple kicks Fortnite off the App Store for breaking its rules. Epic responds with a civil lawsuit against Apple.
Epic introduces a new direct-payment system in Fortnite to circumvent Apple’s 30 percent fee. Apple kicks Fortnite off the App Store for breaking its rules. Epic responds with a civil lawsuit against Apple. August 17th: Epic reveals that Apple has threatened to terminate its developer account. This would stop Epic from developing any future games for iOS or Mac.
Epic reveals that Apple has threatened to terminate its developer account. This would stop Epic from developing any future games for iOS or Mac. August 24th : Epic wins a temporary restraining order against Apple. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rules that Apple can’t terminate Epic’s developer account, but that the iPhone maker does not have to restore Fortnite to the App Store.
: Epic wins a temporary restraining order against Apple. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rules that Apple can’t terminate Epic’s developer account, but that the iPhone maker does not have to restore Fortnite to the App Store. September 8th : Apple countersues Epic, seeking damages for the company’s breach of contract. In a court filing Apple says Epic has started this legal battle to draw attention to the flagging Fortnite franchise.
: Apple countersues Epic, seeking damages for the company’s breach of contract. In a court filing Apple says Epic has started this legal battle to draw attention to the flagging Fortnite franchise. September 28th: Judge Rogers hears arguments from both Epic and Apple, and recommends a jury trial to settle the case in July.
“Epic Games is grateful that Apple will continue to be barred from retaliating against Unreal Engine and our game development customers as the litigation continues,” an Epic spokesperson said in a statement. “We will continue to develop for iOS and Mac under the court’s protection and we will pursue all avenues to end Apple’s anti-competitive behavior.”
“Our customers depend on the App Store being a safe and trusted place where all developers follow the same set of rules,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement. “We’re grateful the court recognized that Epic’s actions were not in the best interests of its own customers and that any problems they may have encountered were of their own making when they breached their agreement. For twelve years, the App Store has been an economic miracle, creating transformative business opportunities for developers large and small. We look forward to sharing this legacy of innovation and dynamism with the court next year.”
Apple and Epic met in federal court again in September for another round, where the merits of the Fortnite developer’s antitrust case against Apple were argued before Rogers for a second time since Epic filed its lawsuit in August. Epic had a particularly rough go of it, as Rogers singled out the company for what she characterized as dishonest behavior that may prove the company poses a security risk to the iOS platform.
“You did something, you lied about it by omission, by not being forthcoming. That’s the security issue. That’s the security issue!” Rogers told Epic, according to a report from CNN. “There are a lot of people in the public who consider you guys heroes for what you guys did, but it’s still not honest.” Rogers also brought up the fact that walled gardens and their standard 30 percent cuts are commonplace in the game industry, with console makers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony implementing similar rules.
Rogers said the case should likely go to a jury to decide and suggested a trial time frame of next summer. “It is important enough to understand what real people think,” said Rogers. “Do these security issues concern people or not?”
The other benefit of a jury trial is that it may result in a stickier, more definitive ruling. The likelihood this case sees numerous appeals is high, and appellate courts are more likely to uphold a jury decision when appealed. That could avoid the case bouncing between courts for years to come. “I know I’m just a stepping stone for all of you,” Rogers added.
Apple and Epic’s legal fight has become a larger touchstone in third-party developers’ worsening relations with the iPhone maker, with many using the situation to complain of unfairness or in some cases even join with Epic in protesting Apple’s policies and enforcement. In September, companies like Epic, Spotify, Tile, and the Match Group created the Coalition for App Fairness, which will try “defend the fundamental rights of creators to build apps and to do business directly with their customers,” according to Epic CEO Tim Sweeney.


theverge--2020-10-09--Apple is starting to ship devices directly from its stores

Apple is shifting how it ships devices to consumers : instead of sending out all of its hardware products directly from China or from local warehouses , the company is now going to use its network of Apple Stores as de-facto fulfillment centers , shipping products directly from the stores to get to customers faster .
The change , Bloomberg reports , will use Apple ’ s nearly 300 stores in the US and Canada to speed up local delivery for customers within 100 miles of a store .
The company has already apparently started using the new system with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the broader rollout is coming just ahead of Apple ’ s upcoming iPhone launch next week ( which is already taking place later than usual ) .
The shift is largely an internal one , according to Bloomberg — so customers won ’ t be able to choose the store from which their devices ship .
But using retail stores to facilitate faster shipping to customers could help get new iPhones in people ’ s hands that much faster , especially at a time when those stores are seeing far less in-person traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .

Apple is shifting how it ships devices to consumers: instead of sending out all of its hardware products directly from China or from local warehouses, the company is now going to use its network of Apple Stores as de-facto fulfillment centers, shipping products directly from the stores to get to customers faster.
The change, Bloomberg reports, will use Apple’s nearly 300 stores in the US and Canada to speed up local delivery for customers within 100 miles of a store. The company has already apparently started using the new system with several stores earlier this year, but the broader rollout is coming just ahead of Apple’s upcoming iPhone launch next week (which is already taking place later than usual).


theverge--2020-10-09--Google Meet is getting breakout rooms, but only for some education customers to start

Google ’ s Meet videoconferencing service is getting breakout rooms , but they ’ ll only be available to G Suite Enterprise for Education customers at first , according to a Google blog post ( via 9to5Google ) .
With the feature , teachers and educators will be able to break their classes into smaller groups for things like projects or focused discussions .
Google will let you make up to 100 breakout rooms in a single call .
Once you ’ ve decided how many breakout rooms you want , Google will randomly group up the people on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manually add people to other rooms if they want .
Meeting moderators can also hop between rooms to check in on groups .
If breakout rooms are something you might want to try out , but you aren ’ t an Enterprise for Education customer , you might be able to use them sometime soon — the feature will be coming to other G Suite and Google Workspace editions “ later this year , ” according to Google .
( Google Workspace , if you haven ’ t heard , is Google ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though the education and nonprofit tiers are keeping the G Suite branding for now . )
Videoconferencing rival Zoom already offers breakout rooms to all users ( and has since 2015 ) , so Google is playing catch-up with this feature .
Zoom users can only split up into 50 different rooms , though , which is half of the 100 possible rooms offered by Google Meet .
Google Meet has steadily added features over the course of this year to compete with Zoom and other videoconferencing services as usage of those tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Correction : Google hasn ’ t rolled out the Workspace branding to its education customers yet , so we have changed references to that to G Suite where applicable .
We regret the error .

Google’s Meet videoconferencing service is getting breakout rooms, but they’ll only be available to G Suite Enterprise for Education customers at first, according to a Google blog post (via 9to5Google). With the feature, teachers and educators will be able to break their classes into smaller groups for things like projects or focused discussions.
Google will let you make up to 100 breakout rooms in a single call. Once you’ve decided how many breakout rooms you want, Google will randomly group up the people on the call into rooms, but moderators can manually add people to other rooms if they want. Meeting moderators can also hop between rooms to check in on groups.
If breakout rooms are something you might want to try out, but you aren’t an Enterprise for Education customer, you might be able to use them sometime soon — the feature will be coming to other G Suite and Google Workspace editions “later this year,” according to Google. (Google Workspace, if you haven’t heard, is Google’s recent rebranding of G Suite, though the education and nonprofit tiers are keeping the G Suite branding for now.)
Videoconferencing rival Zoom already offers breakout rooms to all users (and has since 2015), so Google is playing catch-up with this feature. Zoom users can only split up into 50 different rooms, though, which is half of the 100 possible rooms offered by Google Meet.
Google Meet has steadily added features over the course of this year to compete with Zoom and other videoconferencing services as usage of those tools has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.


theverge--2020-10-09--Disney Plus finally understands how fans want to watch Marvel movies

My biggest complaint about Disney Plus for the longest time was that it didn ’ t seem to understand how people ( read : me ) want to watch movies .
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a perfect example .
When Disney Plus launched , the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies weren ’ t exactly organized .
There were rows for featured titles , movies , and TV shows , but everything was kind of strewn together .
Almost every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie you wanted was here — you just had to spend a minute finding it .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed around the Marvel section a tad to make it , well , make sense .
In the screenshot below ( taken from a Disney Plus US account ) , the Marvel films are separated into their specific phases , and then there ’ s an additional row for people who want to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in order as the events occur within the universe timeline .
( There are some arguable inaccuracies in the Timeline Order row , but that ’ s for another blog post . )
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( that ’ s your X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises that aren ’ t part of Disney ’ s MCU ) as well as rows for legacy animated shows like Spider-Man , Iron Man , and The Incredible Hulk .
Organization !
A layout that makes sense .
It ’ s unclear how new this design change is , but folks on the Disney Plus subreddit are celebrating it now .
The Verge reached out to Disney to see how new the design change is , but didn ’ t hear back by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Streaming services , as a blend of technology and entertainment , need both to create good experiences for subscribers .
That means not only bringing as much content to a platform as possible and ensuring said platform runs , but also understanding how people are likely to watch what ’ s there .
Disney Plus works well , and there are a ton of movies and TV shows , but it always seemed like Disney never quite understood how people might browse its dedicated hubs .
For example , there still aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trilogy — although that may be an issue with Disney Plus rows seemingly needing at least four titles per row .
From a totally anecdotal place , I ’ m someone who rewatches Marvel movies constantly .
Since this whole quarantine situation started , I ’ ve rewatched the entire MCU thrice .
Not once , not twice , but thrice .
( Feel free to mock me , I get it . )
Having it all laid out perfectly by phases or timeline order makes those marathons easier .
It also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain phases .
Want to check out the MCU by the time it gets really cosmic ?
That ’ s Phase 3 !
You can skip over all the other movies and just dive into Doctor Strange , Thor : Ragnarok , and Captain Marvel .
Look , I spend way too much time , quite frankly , thinking about how streaming platforms can be designed better .
Netflix introduced a shuffle button ( although , it still has a few kinks — let me shuffle episodes of a specific show , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have on your service , Netflix ! )
and is testing a feature that will let people marathon shows without interruption .
I ’ m still waiting on Netflix to give me a way to make GIFs while streaming on my laptop .
Hulu rolled out a simpler interface on some devices that makes it much more user-friendly .
Amazon Prime Video , one of the worst streaming service user interfaces I ’ ve ever used , will hopefully also change ... and soon .
The key to success in the streaming world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puzzle is content , and part of it is a service that doesn ’ t go down every five minutes — but part of it is understanding why people are using your platform and how .
And after close to a year of existing , it seems like Disney finally understands how we want to watch Marvel movies .

My biggest complaint about Disney Plus for the longest time was that it didn’t seem to understand how people (read: me) want to watch movies. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a perfect example.
When Disney Plus launched, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies weren’t exactly organized. There were rows for featured titles, movies, and TV shows, but everything was kind of strewn together. Almost every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie you wanted was here — you just had to spend a minute finding it. Now, however, it looks like Disney has changed around the Marvel section a tad to make it, well, make sense.
In the screenshot below (taken from a Disney Plus US account), the Marvel films are separated into their specific phases, and then there’s an additional row for people who want to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in order as the events occur within the universe timeline. (There are some arguable inaccuracies in the Timeline Order row, but that’s for another blog post.)
There’s another row for Marvel Legacy Movies (that’s your X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises that aren’t part of Disney’s MCU) as well as rows for legacy animated shows like Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk. Organization! A layout that makes sense. It’s unclear how new this design change is, but folks on the Disney Plus subreddit are celebrating it now. The Verge reached out to Disney to see how new the design change is, but didn’t hear back by the time the story was published.
Streaming services, as a blend of technology and entertainment, need both to create good experiences for subscribers. That means not only bringing as much content to a platform as possible and ensuring said platform runs, but also understanding how people are likely to watch what’s there. Disney Plus works well, and there are a ton of movies and TV shows, but it always seemed like Disney never quite understood how people might browse its dedicated hubs. For example, there still aren’t individual rows for each Star Wars trilogy — although that may be an issue with Disney Plus rows seemingly needing at least four titles per row.
From a totally anecdotal place, I’m someone who rewatches Marvel movies constantly. Since this whole quarantine situation started, I’ve rewatched the entire MCU thrice. Not once, not twice, but thrice. (Feel free to mock me, I get it.) Having it all laid out perfectly by phases or timeline order makes those marathons easier. It also, however, makes it easier to revisit certain phases. Want to check out the MCU by the time it gets really cosmic? That’s Phase 3! You can skip over all the other movies and just dive into Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, and Captain Marvel.
Look, I spend way too much time, quite frankly, thinking about how streaming platforms can be designed better. Netflix introduced a shuffle button (although, it still has a few kinks — let me shuffle episodes of a specific show, not just random movies and TV shows you have on your service, Netflix!) and is testing a feature that will let people marathon shows without interruption. I’m still waiting on Netflix to give me a way to make GIFs while streaming on my laptop. Hulu rolled out a simpler interface on some devices that makes it much more user-friendly. Amazon Prime Video, one of the worst streaming service user interfaces I’ve ever used, will hopefully also change... and soon.


theverge--2020-10-09--Pakistan bans TikTok for ‘immoral’ and ‘indecent’ videos

Pakistan ’ s telecom regulator has banned TikTok , claiming the app failed to remove “ immoral ” and “ indecent ” content .
The ban comes just over a month after the regulator , the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority , banned dating apps , including Tinder and Grindr , for the same reason .
TikTok had been installed 43 million times in Pakistan , according to the analytics firm Sensor Tower .
That made it the app ’ s 12th largest market in terms of installs .
The firm estimates TikTok has been installed 2.2 billion times total across Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Play Store .
TikTok restricted two out of 40 accounts Pakistan flagged during the first half of 2020 The ban comes just a few months after TikTok was removed in India over concerns around the app ’ s Chinese ownership .
The United States is still moving to ban TikTok over those same concerns .
The ban itself is currently on hold due to a court order , but other restrictions are set to go into place in mid-November .
TikTok has remained a cultural phenomenon even as it comes under immense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the ongoing bans — particularly , the pending ban in the US — pose real threats to the app ’ s growth , as they could indefinitely cut off new installs in major markets like the US and India .
Regulators in Pakistan said they gave TikTok “ considerable time ” to respond to their concerns , but the company “ failed to fully comply.
” A recent transparency report shows that government authorities in Pakistan asked TikTok to restrict 40 accounts during the first half of 2020 , but the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it has “ robust protections in place ” and hopes to return to Pakistan .
“ TikTok is an inclusive platform built upon the foundation of creative expression , and we are hopeful to reach a conclusion that helps us serve the country ’ s vibrant and creative online community , ” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Verge .

Pakistan’s telecom regulator has banned TikTok, claiming the app failed to remove “immoral” and “indecent” content. The ban comes just over a month after the regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, banned dating apps, including Tinder and Grindr, for the same reason.
TikTok had been installed 43 million times in Pakistan, according to the analytics firm Sensor Tower. That made it the app’s 12th largest market in terms of installs. The firm estimates TikTok has been installed 2.2 billion times total across Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
TikTok restricted two out of 40 accounts Pakistan flagged during the first half of 2020
The ban comes just a few months after TikTok was removed in India over concerns around the app’s Chinese ownership. The United States is still moving to ban TikTok over those same concerns. The ban itself is currently on hold due to a court order, but other restrictions are set to go into place in mid-November.
TikTok has remained a cultural phenomenon even as it comes under immense pressure from regulators across the globe. But the ongoing bans — particularly, the pending ban in the US — pose real threats to the app’s growth, as they could indefinitely cut off new installs in major markets like the US and India.
Regulators in Pakistan said they gave TikTok “considerable time” to respond to their concerns, but the company “failed to fully comply.” A recent transparency report shows that government authorities in Pakistan asked TikTok to restrict 40 accounts during the first half of 2020, but the company only restricted two of them.


theverge--2020-10-09--Hurricane Delta is the latest disaster in a vicious season

Hurricane Delta is the latest storm to threaten the US during a hurricane season that ’ s smashed records and mangled Gulf Coast communities time and again .
The Atlantic hurricane season has lived up to early forecasts of an unusually busy year , and there ’ s still enough of 2020 left to set new records .
There have never been more than nine named storms to make landfall Since modern record-keeping , there have never been more than nine named storms to make landfall in the continental US .
That ’ s forecast to change when Delta hits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be the first time since 2005 that five hurricanes have battered the mainland US within a single season .
This is the 25th named storm in a season that ’ s been so prodigious that the World Meteorological Association ran out of storm names three weeks ago .
( In a typical season , only about a dozen tropical depressions gain enough strength to be given a storm name . )
Meteorologists resorted to using the Greek alphabet for just the second time in history .
The first time this happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s season is burning through names faster .
( In 2005 , Hurricane Delta didn ’ t form until late November . )
Back in August , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ’ s Climate Prediction Center predicted that up to 25 named storms would form this year .
Hurricane season ends on November 30th , leaving plenty of time for more .
Delta became the strongest Atlantic hurricane with a Greek name on October 6th after it rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University .
Delta grew from a tropical depression to a Category 4 hurricane faster than any other storm in the Atlantic in modern records , according to meteorologists Sam Lillo and Tomer Burg .
Storms that quickly intensify are becoming more frequent as the climate heats up .
Delta weakened before striking Mexico just south of Cancun earlier this week , pummeling tourist spots and cutting power to about a third of households and businesses — 266,000 customers — on the Yucatan peninsula .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ life-threatening ” storm surge to parts of the Gulf Coast , including areas recently battered by Hurricane Laura .
Homes and buildings are still boarded up and covered with tarps in Louisiana after Laura tore through in late August .
Laura was another hurricane that intensified with surprising speed .
Now , Delta threatens to pick up piles of debris left in Laura ’ s aftermath and turn them into blunt weapons with its hurricane-force winds .
Laura ’ s 150-mph winds wrecked the radar station in Lake Charles , Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gather data on conditions in the lower atmosphere .
A mobile Doppler radar unit was brought in yesterday by the National Weather Service and the University of Oklahoma , The Washington Post reported .
Without it , officials would have been left without a tool to monitor potential tornadoes and flash flooding .
As the Gulf Coast braces for more damage , much of the nation is reeling from a year with more billion-dollar disasters than nearly any other .
2020 has already tied the record with 2011 and 2017 for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing at least $ 1 billion in losses .
Sixteen billion-dollar catastrophes — not including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — have taken place this year .
That includes hurricanes Laura and Sally and unprecedented wildfires across the West Coast .
“ We ’ re not ruling out anything yet.
” With hurricane season and fire season still raging , 2020 could still set a new record with a 17th disaster .
Hurricane Delta , currently a dangerous Category 2 storm as it makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico , could deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hurricanes to make landfall in the US past October , according to Klotzbach .
“ But certainly given what ’ s happened so far this year , we ’ re not ruling out anything yet , ” he tells The Verge .
“ It remains to be seen what the final post mortem on the season will be .
”

Hurricane Delta is the latest storm to threaten the US during a hurricane season that’s smashed records and mangled Gulf Coast communities time and again. The Atlantic hurricane season has lived up to early forecasts of an unusually busy year, and there’s still enough of 2020 left to set new records.
There have never been more than nine named storms to make landfall
Since modern record-keeping, there have never been more than nine named storms to make landfall in the continental US. That’s forecast to change when Delta hits later today. If it does, it will be the first time since 2005 that five hurricanes have battered the mainland US within a single season.
This is the 25th named storm in a season that’s been so prodigious that the World Meteorological Association ran out of storm names three weeks ago. (In a typical season, only about a dozen tropical depressions gain enough strength to be given a storm name.) Meteorologists resorted to using the Greek alphabet for just the second time in history. The first time this happened was in 2005, and this year’s season is burning through names faster. (In 2005, Hurricane Delta didn’t form until late November.)
Back in August, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center predicted that up to 25 named storms would form this year. Hurricane season ends on November 30th, leaving plenty of time for more.
Delta became the strongest Atlantic hurricane with a Greek name on October 6th after it rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds, according to Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. Delta grew from a tropical depression to a Category 4 hurricane faster than any other storm in the Atlantic in modern records, according to meteorologists Sam Lillo and Tomer Burg. Storms that quickly intensify are becoming more frequent as the climate heats up.
Delta weakened before striking Mexico just south of Cancun earlier this week, pummeling tourist spots and cutting power to about a third of households and businesses — 266,000 customers — on the Yucatan peninsula.
Now, Delta is expected to bring a “life-threatening” storm surge to parts of the Gulf Coast, including areas recently battered by Hurricane Laura. Homes and buildings are still boarded up and covered with tarps in Louisiana after Laura tore through in late August. Laura was another hurricane that intensified with surprising speed. Now, Delta threatens to pick up piles of debris left in Laura’s aftermath and turn them into blunt weapons with its hurricane-force winds.
Laura’s 150-mph winds wrecked the radar station in Lake Charles, Louisiana, leaving the area without a way to gather data on conditions in the lower atmosphere. A mobile Doppler radar unit was brought in yesterday by the National Weather Service and the University of Oklahoma, The Washington Post reported. Without it, officials would have been left without a tool to monitor potential tornadoes and flash flooding.
As the Gulf Coast braces for more damage, much of the nation is reeling from a year with more billion-dollar disasters than nearly any other. 2020 has already tied the record with 2011 and 2017 for the total number of weather and climate disasters causing at least $1 billion in losses. Sixteen billion-dollar catastrophes — not including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — have taken place this year. That includes hurricanes Laura and Sally and unprecedented wildfires across the West Coast.
“We’re not ruling out anything yet.”
With hurricane season and fire season still raging, 2020 could still set a new record with a 17th disaster. Hurricane Delta, currently a dangerous Category 2 storm as it makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico, could deal that blow.


theverge--2020-10-09--iPhone 12: everything we think we know about Apple’s 2020 5G iPhones, which could be announced on Oc

iPhone 12: everything we think we know about Apple’s 2020 5G iPhones, which could be announced on October 13th

Apple is likely taking the wraps off its 2020 iPhones at an event on October 13th , and with just days to go until the big reveal , we might now know nearly everything about them — including when you might be able to buy them for yourself .
Many rumors suggest the iPhone 12 lineup will have a brand-new design with squared edges instead of rounded ones , perhaps similar to the beloved design of the iPhone 4 and 5 .
And all signs are pointing toward this being the year the iPhone gets 5G , which should set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once the networks can reliably deliver them in your area .
But if you ’ ve been waiting for iPhones to get 120Hz refresh rate screens , you might have to wait another year .
The likeliest rumor of them all ?
We ’ re getting four new iPhones this year .
Four new iPhones this fall , with two new screen sizes All of the most trusted sources of Apple rumors seem to agree : instead of announcing three new iPhone models , like Apple did in 2017 , 2018 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And we now might know their prices , colors , and release dates as well because of a Google-translated Weibo post from a leaker named Kang ( who has a reliable track record , according to AppleTrack ) : • A new 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini , which would have a smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro ( and presumably be an entirely smaller phone ) .
It could start at $ 699 ; come in black , white , red , blue , and green ; and have 64GB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • A 6.1-inch iPhone 12 , meaning it would have the same screen size as the iPhone 11 , with similar specs as its 5.4-inch sibling .
It might start at $ 799 ; also come in black , white , red , blue , and green ; and also have 64GB , 128GB , and 256GB versions .
• A second 6.1-inch model , the iPhone 12 Pro , which would have higher-end specs .
It may start at $ 999 ; come in gold , silver , graphite , and blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 512GB versions .
• A new 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max .
That screen size would be bigger than the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max ( likely making the phone larger in size as well ) .
It could start at $ 1,099 ; come in gold , silver , graphite , and blue ; and have 128GB , 256GB , and 512GB versions .
Originally , the rumor about four iPhone models with those same screen sizes came from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo , who ’ s reliably predicted the sizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years now — but The Wall Street Journal also corroborated those screen sizes in April .
And Bloomberg reported them as fact in September .
A new industrial design reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and 5 Apple has stuck with the same basic silhouette for the iPhone — a rounded rectangle with rounded sides — since the iPhone 6 , a phone that came out all the way back in 2014 .
But this year , rumors indicate the newest iPhones could have flat edges , returning iPhone design to the glory days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and iPhone SE ( or the recent iPad Pros , if you want a newer point of reference ) .
Apparent dummy models of the phones have been floating around this summer , based on the expected dimensions of the upcoming iPhones , and they give us our best idea of what that new design could look like , and how their sizes compare to other phones in Apple ’ s lineup .
Check out this photo of those dummy models from MacRumors .
They kind of remind me of the iPhone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four new iPhones will have squared-off edges and will continue to have stainless steel edges on the pricier models and aluminum on the less expensive ones .
If you want to get a sense of how these phones might size up to Apple ’ s 2019 iPhones , check out this MacRumors post : I find this next MacRumors photo particularly intriguing , comparing the rumored 5.4-inch model ( middle ) to the first-generation iPhone SE ( left ) and the second-generation iPhone SE ( right ) .
I ’ ve wanted an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhone X / XS / 11 Pro with an edge-to-edge display so badly , and the size of this dummy model looks almost perfect to me .
Plus , if you want to see what the rumored new iPhone sizes could look like in person , check out MKBHD ’ s video where he goes hands-on with a set of dummy models : The first iPhones with 5G , but which flavors ?
2020 ’ s iPhones are expected to be the first to support 5G cellular networks , which means the phones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faster network speeds — depending on the 5G coverage in your area , and possibly depending on which version of the next iPhone you end up buying .
In January , Kuo said that all four upcoming iPhone models will support both sub-6GHz and the faster ( but far shorter-range ) mmWave 5G .
We ’ d generally weight his rumors a tad higher than the rest , but even Kuo revised his guidance in September to say that shipments of mmWave 5G iPhones would be “ lower than expected , ” without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology .
And Kang reported on Friday that all four models will have 5G but said that mmWave will only be standard in the US models .
Throughout the year , other rumors have differed about which iPhones will get 5G .
The Wall Street Journal reported in April that “ some ” of this year ’ s iPhones would get 5G , while Bloomberg said that 5G will be added to “ as many as four new handset models.
” Fast Company has a source that claims only the top-of-the-line models will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a report from September .
So it seems like a safe bet that 5G should come to new iPhones — Qualcomm and Apple fought hard to make it happen — but right now , it ’ s not totally clear which phones might have which forms of 5G .
An OLED screen in every iPhone , but what about refresh rates ?
Apple ’ s entire fall iPhone lineup is finally expected to have OLED screens this year , The Wall Street Journal reported in April , and Bloomberg agrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Retina XDR display , which was exclusive to last year ’ s iPhone 11 Pro lineup , to all four of this year ’ s iPhones , Kang reported on Friday .
Despite much of the industry moving on to OLED years ago , LCD screens have hung around in some of Apple ’ s recent phones , including 2018 ’ s iPhone XR and 2019 ’ s iPhone 11 .
OLED screens have some advantages over LCD .
For example , because each pixel on an OLED screen is individually lit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off when showing blacks .
That can mean deeper blacks , truer colors , more vibrance , and sometimes better battery life .
Flagship Android phones have also moved on to high refresh rate screens for smoother scrolling , animations , and games , but it ’ s unclear if that technology will arrive on any iPhones this year .
We ’ ve heard rumors both ways , and some sources say Apple has tested prototypes with and without the feature .
But Kuo said in September that none of the new iPhones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently plans to bring the feature to iPhone screens next year .
If the iPhone 12 does offer 120Hz , don ’ t be surprised if Apple calls it “ ProMotion ” onstage .
( That ’ s the brand name it uses for its iPad Pros , which have had high refresh rate screens since 2017 . )
Apple may also make the screens in this year ’ s iPhones tougher with a new ceramic substrate glass , according to Kang .
Don ’ t expect four cameras , but high-end iPhones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhones are expected to keep a dual-camera setup for the lower-end models and a triple-camera setup for the higher-end models — but the high-end phones could also get a LIDAR sensor , according to Bloomberg , which can detect objects using lasers .
That LIDAR sensor , in theory , can enable better augmented reality experiences because your phone could have a better sense of your surroundings .
Kang shared more about what cameras you might expect to see on each iPhone 12 model on Friday : • The iPhone 12 mini and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ultrawide • The iPhone 12 Pro could have a wide-angle , an ultrawide , a telephoto with 4X optical zoom , and a LIDAR sensor • The iPhone 12 Pro Max might have a wide-angle , an ultrawide , a telephoto with 5X optical zoom , and a LIDAR sensor Apple first added a LIDAR sensor to the iPad Pros in March , and in his review , my colleague Dieter Bohn found that it “ seems quite advanced but built for a software future that hasn ’ t arrived yet.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if Apple can make a strong case for it in the iPhone .
Kang also said Apple will be improving its Deep Fusion image processing pipeline , night mode photos , and its Smart HDR system with the new iPhones .
No charger or headphones in the box One of the biggest changes to this year ’ s iPhone lineup could be in the box they come in .
Apple is rumored to remove both the in-box charger and earbuds , Kuo reported in June , which Kang corroborated on Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple plans to remove the charger from the box .
This would be a big shift , as iPhones have come with power adapters and EarPods since the first iPhone launched in 2007 .
But perhaps Apple is trying to avoid giving everyone yet another extra power adapter or set of headphones that will just get shoved in a drawer .
( The decision could also significantly reduce e-waste . )
That doesn ’ t mean Apple won ’ t offer ways to charge your phone .
The new iPhones will apparently still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Kuo , which would let you connect your phone to a computer or a power adapter with a USB-C port .
( That rumor of a Lightning to USB-C cable suggests the phone itself likely won ’ t have a USB-C port this year , even though the iPad Pro switched over to USB-C in 2018 . )
Kuo also said that Apple would sell a new 20-watt charger , which may have been corroborated by this picture posted to Twitter .
If this charger is a real Apple product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the 18-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 Pro and likely much faster than the anemic 5-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 .
Without an included charger and headphones , the new iPhones may have a thinner box .
Instagram account conceptsiphone posted a render of a tray that could be included in the new box , and it seems to only have space for a coiled-up cable and perhaps some papers and instructions .
That smaller box could help Apple claim that these iPhones are even more environmentally-friendly than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new iPhones should have a new processor This year ’ s iPhones are expected to have yet another new Apple-designed processor , as Apple has included the next numerical A-series Bionic chip with new iPhones for the past few generations .
Bloomberg reported on Friday that chip will be the A14 processor , which would be the same one included in the new iPad Air .
The new chip will apparently be a “ significant ” upgrade “ with an emphasis on speeding up artificial intelligence and AR tasks , ” Bloomberg said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They might support MagSafe , but maybe not how we expect Apple has sadly phased out the MagSafe magnetic power cable from its laptop lines , but Apple-branded magnetic charging tech might make a return with the release of the new iPhones .
The company apparently plans to reveal wireless “ MagSafe ” chargers and a magnet-equipped iPhone case to help you align your phone more easily when you set it on a charging mat , according to Kang .
Google ’ s translation of Kang ’ s Weibo post is a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be and what they might be called : But leaker @ L0vetodream said the names MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger in a tweet on Friday .
That seems to point to there being just two chargers : the MagSafe Charger and the MagSafe Duo Charger .
This isn ’ t the first we ’ ve heard of Apple possibly adding magnets to its products to help with wireless charging .
Leaker EverythingApplePro shared photos of what appear to be magnets designed to be built into the iPhone 12 ’ s casing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what looks like that rumored MagSafe case in August as well .
This year ’ s iPhones are launching later than normal The release of a new iPhone in September almost feels like something you could set your clock to , but now it seems like we ’ ll finally be seeing them at Apple ’ s October 13th event .
That ’ s not entirely unexpected , though , as Apple has already said that this year ’ s iPhones will be available “ a few weeks later ” than their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we might have a good idea about when you can expect to see the new iPhones in stores , thanks to rumored release information from Kang : • iPhone 12 mini : preorders on November 6th or 7th , release date of November 13th or 14th • iPhone 12 : preorders on October 16th or 17th , release date of October 23rd or 24th • iPhone 12 Pro : preorders on October 16th or 17th , release date of October 23rd or 24th • iPhone 12 Pro Max : preorders on November 13th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20th or 21st However , Bloomberg said in September that we ’ ll get the less expensive iPhones sooner than the higher-end models , and it reported on October 9th that “ at least ” the 6.7-inch version may not be released until sometime later .
So it seems like Apple won ’ t release every iPhone at the same time this year , but it ’ s hard to know for sure which iPhone will release when .
There are a few other rumors floating around about the upcoming iPhones .
Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have 4GB of RAM and the high-end ones could have 6GB , for example .
We may also have an idea about the battery sizes for the new phones , thanks to reported certifications .
The rumored 5.4-inch iPhone could have a 2,227mAh battery , the 6.1-inch iPhones may both have a 2,775mAh battery , while the 6.7-inch iPhone might get a 3,687mAh pack .
By comparison , those batteries would be smaller than the reported capacities of similar-sized iPhones in the current lineup .
( Apparently , the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery , and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh battery . )
Update October 9th , 2:33PM ET : Added details from recent reports about the rumored colors , prices , screen sizes , cameras , 5G capabilities , processor , release plans , and more .

Apple is likely taking the wraps off its 2020 iPhones at an event on October 13th, and with just days to go until the big reveal, we might now know nearly everything about them — including when you might be able to buy them for yourself.
Many rumors suggest the iPhone 12 lineup will have a brand-new design with squared edges instead of rounded ones, perhaps similar to the beloved design of the iPhone 4 and 5. And all signs are pointing toward this being the year the iPhone gets 5G, which should set you up for faster data speeds — once the networks can reliably deliver them in your area. But if you’ve been waiting for iPhones to get 120Hz refresh rate screens, you might have to wait another year.
The likeliest rumor of them all? We’re getting four new iPhones this year.
Four new iPhones this fall, with two new screen sizes
All of the most trusted sources of Apple rumors seem to agree: instead of announcing three new iPhone models, like Apple did in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the company will reveal four. And we now might know their prices, colors, and release dates as well because of a Google-translated Weibo post from a leaker named Kang (who has a reliable track record, according to AppleTrack):
A new 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini , which would have a smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro (and presumably be an entirely smaller phone). It could start at $699; come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions.
, which would have a smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro (and presumably be an entirely smaller phone). It could start at $699; come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions. A 6.1-inch iPhone 12 , meaning it would have the same screen size as the iPhone 11, with similar specs as its 5.4-inch sibling. It might start at $799; also come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and also have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions.
, meaning it would have the same screen size as the iPhone 11, with similar specs as its 5.4-inch sibling. It might start at $799; also come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and also have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions. A second 6.1-inch model, the iPhone 12 Pro , which would have higher-end specs. It may start at $999; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions.
, which would have higher-end specs. It may start at $999; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions. A new 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. That screen size would be bigger than the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max (likely making the phone larger in size as well). It could start at $1,099; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions.
A new industrial design reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and 5
Apple has stuck with the same basic silhouette for the iPhone — a rounded rectangle with rounded sides — since the iPhone 6, a phone that came out all the way back in 2014. But this year, rumors indicate the newest iPhones could have flat edges, returning iPhone design to the glory days of the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and iPhone SE (or the recent iPad Pros, if you want a newer point of reference).
Apparent dummy models of the phones have been floating around this summer, based on the expected dimensions of the upcoming iPhones, and they give us our best idea of what that new design could look like, and how their sizes compare to other phones in Apple’s lineup.
Check out this photo of those dummy models from MacRumors. They kind of remind me of the iPhone 4:
Bloomberg is reporting that all four new iPhones will have squared-off edges and will continue to have stainless steel edges on the pricier models and aluminum on the less expensive ones.
If you want to get a sense of how these phones might size up to Apple’s 2019 iPhones, check out this MacRumors post:
I find this next MacRumors photo particularly intriguing, comparing the rumored 5.4-inch model (middle) to the first-generation iPhone SE (left) and the second-generation iPhone SE (right). I’ve wanted an iPhone that’s smaller than the iPhone X / XS / 11 Pro with an edge-to-edge display so badly, and the size of this dummy model looks almost perfect to me.
Plus, if you want to see what the rumored new iPhone sizes could look like in person, check out MKBHD’s video where he goes hands-on with a set of dummy models:
The first iPhones with 5G, but which flavors?
2020’s iPhones are expected to be the first to support 5G cellular networks, which means the phones might be able to take advantage of faster network speeds — depending on the 5G coverage in your area, and possibly depending on which version of the next iPhone you end up buying.
In January, Kuo said that all four upcoming iPhone models will support both sub-6GHz and the faster (but far shorter-range) mmWave 5G. We’d generally weight his rumors a tad higher than the rest, but even Kuo revised his guidance in September to say that shipments of mmWave 5G iPhones would be “lower than expected,” without specifying whether any iPhones had dropped the technology. And Kang reported on Friday that all four models will have 5G but said that mmWave will only be standard in the US models.
Throughout the year, other rumors have differed about which iPhones will get 5G. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that “some” of this year’s iPhones would get 5G, while Bloomberg said that 5G will be added to “as many as four new handset models.” Fast Company has a source that claims only the top-of-the-line models will offer the fastest mmWave flavor of 5G, according to a report from September.
So it seems like a safe bet that 5G should come to new iPhones — Qualcomm and Apple fought hard to make it happen — but right now, it’s not totally clear which phones might have which forms of 5G.
An OLED screen in every iPhone, but what about refresh rates?
Apple’s entire fall iPhone lineup is finally expected to have OLED screens this year, The Wall Street Journal reported in April, and Bloomberg agrees. Apple plans to bring its Super Retina XDR display, which was exclusive to last year’s iPhone 11 Pro lineup, to all four of this year’s iPhones, Kang reported on Friday.
Despite much of the industry moving on to OLED years ago, LCD screens have hung around in some of Apple’s recent phones, including 2018’s iPhone XR and 2019’s iPhone 11. OLED screens have some advantages over LCD. For example, because each pixel on an OLED screen is individually lit, the screen can just turn those pixels off when showing blacks. That can mean deeper blacks, truer colors, more vibrance, and sometimes better battery life.
Flagship Android phones have also moved on to high refresh rate screens for smoother scrolling, animations, and games, but it’s unclear if that technology will arrive on any iPhones this year. We’ve heard rumors both ways, and some sources say Apple has tested prototypes with and without the feature. But Kuo said in September that none of the new iPhones will have 120Hz — instead, Apple apparently plans to bring the feature to iPhone screens next year.
If the iPhone 12 does offer 120Hz, don’t be surprised if Apple calls it “ProMotion” onstage. (That’s the brand name it uses for its iPad Pros, which have had high refresh rate screens since 2017.)
Apple may also make the screens in this year’s iPhones tougher with a new ceramic substrate glass, according to Kang.
Don’t expect four cameras, but high-end iPhones could get LIDAR
This year’s iPhones are expected to keep a dual-camera setup for the lower-end models and a triple-camera setup for the higher-end models — but the high-end phones could also get a LIDAR sensor, according to Bloomberg, which can detect objects using lasers. That LIDAR sensor, in theory, can enable better augmented reality experiences because your phone could have a better sense of your surroundings.
Kang shared more about what cameras you might expect to see on each iPhone 12 model on Friday:
The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 may have a wide-angle and an ultrawide
The iPhone 12 Pro could have a wide-angle, an ultrawide, a telephoto with 4X optical zoom, and a LIDAR sensor
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might have a wide-angle, an ultrawide, a telephoto with 5X optical zoom, and a LIDAR sensor
Apple first added a LIDAR sensor to the iPad Pros in March, and in his review, my colleague Dieter Bohn found that it “seems quite advanced but built for a software future that hasn’t arrived yet.” We’ll have to wait and see if Apple can make a strong case for it in the iPhone.
Kang also said Apple will be improving its Deep Fusion image processing pipeline, night mode photos, and its Smart HDR system with the new iPhones.
No charger or headphones in the box
One of the biggest changes to this year’s iPhone lineup could be in the box they come in. Apple is rumored to remove both the in-box charger and earbuds, Kuo reported in June, which Kang corroborated on Friday. Bloomberg also reported on October 6th that Apple plans to remove the charger from the box.
This would be a big shift, as iPhones have come with power adapters and EarPods since the first iPhone launched in 2007. But perhaps Apple is trying to avoid giving everyone yet another extra power adapter or set of headphones that will just get shoved in a drawer. (The decision could also significantly reduce e-waste.)
That doesn’t mean Apple won’t offer ways to charge your phone. The new iPhones will apparently still come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, according to Kuo, which would let you connect your phone to a computer or a power adapter with a USB-C port. (That rumor of a Lightning to USB-C cable suggests the phone itself likely won’t have a USB-C port this year, even though the iPad Pro switched over to USB-C in 2018.)
Kuo also said that Apple would sell a new 20-watt charger, which may have been corroborated by this picture posted to Twitter. If this charger is a real Apple product, it might charge your devices faster than the 18-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 Pro and likely much faster than the anemic 5-watt charger included with the iPhone 11.
Without an included charger and headphones, the new iPhones may have a thinner box. Instagram account conceptsiphone posted a render of a tray that could be included in the new box, and it seems to only have space for a coiled-up cable and perhaps some papers and instructions.
That smaller box could help Apple claim that these iPhones are even more environmentally-friendly than in previous years.
Like usual, the new iPhones should have a new processor
This year’s iPhones are expected to have yet another new Apple-designed processor, as Apple has included the next numerical A-series Bionic chip with new iPhones for the past few generations. Bloomberg reported on Friday that chip will be the A14 processor, which would be the same one included in the new iPad Air. The new chip will apparently be a “significant” upgrade “with an emphasis on speeding up artificial intelligence and AR tasks,” Bloomberg said in a separate report from April.
They might support MagSafe, but maybe not how we expect
Apple has sadly phased out the MagSafe magnetic power cable from its laptop lines, but Apple-branded magnetic charging tech might make a return with the release of the new iPhones. The company apparently plans to reveal wireless “MagSafe” chargers and a magnet-equipped iPhone case to help you align your phone more easily when you set it on a charging mat, according to Kang.
Google’s translation of Kang’s Weibo post is a bit confusing about how many chargers there might be and what they might be called:
Magsafe official magnetic casing, two Magsafe Charger wireless chargers, and Magsafe Duo Charger.
But leaker @L0vetodream said the names MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger in a tweet on Friday. That seems to point to there being just two chargers: the MagSafe Charger and the MagSafe Duo Charger.
This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Apple possibly adding magnets to its products to help with wireless charging. Leaker EverythingApplePro shared photos of what appear to be magnets designed to be built into the iPhone 12’s casing in August:
EverythingApplePro also shared an image of what looks like that rumored MagSafe case in August as well.
This year’s iPhones are launching later than normal
The release of a new iPhone in September almost feels like something you could set your clock to, but now it seems like we’ll finally be seeing them at Apple’s October 13th event. That’s not entirely unexpected, though, as Apple has already said that this year’s iPhones will be available “a few weeks later” than their usual September launch date.
But now we might have a good idea about when you can expect to see the new iPhones in stores, thanks to rumored release information from Kang:
iPhone 12 mini: preorders on November 6th or 7th, release date of November 13th or 14th
iPhone 12: preorders on October 16th or 17th, release date of October 23rd or 24th
iPhone 12 Pro: preorders on October 16th or 17th, release date of October 23rd or 24th
iPhone 12 Pro Max: preorders on November 13th or 14th, release date of November 20th or 21st
However, Bloomberg said in September that we’ll get the less expensive iPhones sooner than the higher-end models, and it reported on October 9th that “at least” the 6.7-inch version may not be released until sometime later. So it seems like Apple won’t release every iPhone at the same time this year, but it’s hard to know for sure which iPhone will release when.
Other tidbits: battery, storage
There are a few other rumors floating around about the upcoming iPhones. Apple leaker @L0vetodream said the low-end iPhones might have 4GB of RAM and the high-end ones could have 6GB, for example.
We may also have an idea about the battery sizes for the new phones, thanks to reported certifications. The rumored 5.4-inch iPhone could have a 2,227mAh battery, the 6.1-inch iPhones may both have a 2,775mAh battery, while the 6.7-inch iPhone might get a 3,687mAh pack. By comparison, those batteries would be smaller than the reported capacities of similar-sized iPhones in the current lineup. (Apparently, the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,045mAh battery, the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh battery.)


theverge--2020-10-09--Here’s how playing PS4 games on the PlayStation 5 will work

The PlayStation 5 offers backwards compatibility for the existing PlayStation 4 lineup of games , meaning you ’ ll be able to play almost any PS4 game you already own on the new console .
Some games will also offer the option to upgrade to a proper PS5-optimized next-gen title , like Cyberpunk 2077 or Spider-Man : Miles Morales .
Here ’ s how to get started : The PS5 will be able to play nearly every PS4 game that ’ s available through backwards compatibility .
Sony also promises that some games will actually be able to take advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ console to provide a “ Game Boost ” for faster or smoother frame rates .
That said , Sony also warns that some functionality from PS4 titles may not be available , and there may be “ errors or unexpected behavior ” when playing backwards compatible titles on the PS5 .
The simplest way to play backwards compatible games ( assuming you have a PS5 with a disc drive and a hard copy of the game ) is to simply put the disc into your PS5 .
Some games will require an update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s just plug and play .
Digitally purchased games are slightly more complex , although it ’ ll still work similarly to downloading any other digital title .
Players ’ existing PS4 games will continue to show up in their game libraries on the PS5 , just like they currently do on the PS4 .
To install and play one , a player will have to select the game from their library and download it .
And unlike PS5 games ( which will need to be installed directly to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage of the speed improvements Sony has made here ) , PS4 games can be installed and played directly from an external drive .
Sony also notes that it ’ ll offer an option to transfer both digital downloads and save data from a PS4 to a PS5 over Wi-Fi or a LAN cable .
Players will be able to transfer game saves through a USB storage device from a PS4 to a PS5 , and PS Plus subscribers will also be able to sync PS4 game saves through cloud storage .
Sony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PS4 ’ s 4,000-plus game catalog will work on the PS5 through backwards compatibility , with the exception of the following titles : • TT Isle of Man - Ride on the Edge 2 • Just Deal With It !
According to Sony , while PS4 games will work with the DualSense controller on the PS5 , for the “ best experience , ” it recommends using a DualShock 4 for playing PS4 games .
( Players notably won ’ t be able to use a DualShock 4 for PS5 games , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PlayStation VR headset and specialty racing wheels , arcade sticks , and flight sticks — will also work with the PS5 .
Some PS4 games will go a step further .
Instead of just offering the option to play the existing PS4 version as it already exists , some titles will offer upgrades to a full-fledged next-gen PS5 version .
Sony notes that it ’ ll be up to developers to decide where the upgrade is free , if it requires an additional purchase , or if it will only be available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like Cyberpunk 2077 , have promised that players will be able to get a free upgrade to a proper next-gen version once it ’ s available .
Other titles — like EA ’ s Madden 21 or FIFA 21 — will offer free upgrades but only for a limited time .
Sony is also letting developers charge for next-gen upgrades , with the option to offer players who already own the existing PS4 version a discount .
Whatever the case is for your specific game , the process of upgrading is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PS4 game to its PS5 version ( PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition ) To upgrade a digitally owned PS4 game , you ’ ll have to make sure you ’ re logged in to whatever account you own the title on .
Next , you ’ ll have to find the corresponding PS5 version of that game on the PlayStation Store , where it ’ ll have an offer to upgrade from your existing PS4 version to the new PS5 version .
( Again , that offer may be free or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide . )
Then , simply download ( or purchase and download ) the new PS5 version just like you would any other game .
Upgrading a physical PS4 disc to its PS5 version is a little more complicated , though .
Once you put the disc into your PS5 , you ’ ll have a new option on the game hub in the PS5 main menu to upgrade to the PS5 version .
Like the digital option , you ’ ll be able to either download the new PS5 version ( or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should the game require it ) .
There ’ s a big caveat here , though : while you ’ ll have to keep the new PS5 version of the game downloaded on your hard drive to play it , it ’ ll only work when the PS4 disc is still in your console .
Transferring save data from a PS4 version to a PS5 version will depend on the developer , according to Sony .
It ’ s promising more details on how that process will work ( including for its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sackboy : A Big Adventure ) closer to launch .

The PlayStation 5 offers backwards compatibility for the existing PlayStation 4 lineup of games, meaning you’ll be able to play almost any PS4 game you already own on the new console. Some games will also offer the option to upgrade to a proper PS5-optimized next-gen title, like Cyberpunk 2077 or Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
How to play backwards compatible PlayStation 4 games
The PS5 will be able to play nearly every PS4 game that’s available through backwards compatibility. Sony also promises that some games will actually be able to take advantage of the extra power on the new console to provide a “Game Boost” for faster or smoother frame rates. That said, Sony also warns that some functionality from PS4 titles may not be available, and there may be “errors or unexpected behavior” when playing backwards compatible titles on the PS5.
Playing PlayStation 4 games off a disc (PlayStation 5 only)
The simplest way to play backwards compatible games (assuming you have a PS5 with a disc drive and a hard copy of the game) is to simply put the disc into your PS5. Some games will require an update to be installed, but beyond that, it’s just plug and play.
Playing digitally purchased PlayStation 4 games (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition)
Digitally purchased games are slightly more complex, although it’ll still work similarly to downloading any other digital title. Players’ existing PS4 games will continue to show up in their game libraries on the PS5, just like they currently do on the PS4. To install and play one, a player will have to select the game from their library and download it.
And unlike PS5 games (which will need to be installed directly to the internal SSD, where they can take advantage of the speed improvements Sony has made here), PS4 games can be installed and played directly from an external drive.
Sony also notes that it’ll offer an option to transfer both digital downloads and save data from a PS4 to a PS5 over Wi-Fi or a LAN cable.
Saves
Players will be able to transfer game saves through a USB storage device from a PS4 to a PS5, and PS Plus subscribers will also be able to sync PS4 game saves through cloud storage.
Compatibility
Sony says that the vast majority of the PS4’s 4,000-plus game catalog will work on the PS5 through backwards compatibility, with the exception of the following titles:
DWVR
Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One
TT Isle of Man - Ride on the Edge 2
Just Deal With It!
Shadow Complex Remastered
Robinson: The Journey
We Sing
Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
Shadwen
Joe’s Diner
According to Sony, while PS4 games will work with the DualSense controller on the PS5, for the “best experience,” it recommends using a DualShock 4 for playing PS4 games. (Players notably won’t be able to use a DualShock 4 for PS5 games, however.) Other PS4 accessories — including the PlayStation VR headset and specialty racing wheels, arcade sticks, and flight sticks — will also work with the PS5.
PlayStation 5 upgrades
Some PS4 games will go a step further. Instead of just offering the option to play the existing PS4 version as it already exists, some titles will offer upgrades to a full-fledged next-gen PS5 version.
Sony notes that it’ll be up to developers to decide where the upgrade is free, if it requires an additional purchase, or if it will only be available for a limited time. Some titles, like Cyberpunk 2077, have promised that players will be able to get a free upgrade to a proper next-gen version once it’s available. Other titles — like EA’s Madden 21 or FIFA 21 — will offer free upgrades but only for a limited time. Sony is also letting developers charge for next-gen upgrades, with the option to offer players who already own the existing PS4 version a discount.
Whatever the case is for your specific game, the process of upgrading is the same, though.
Upgrade a digital PS4 game to its PS5 version (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition)
To upgrade a digitally owned PS4 game, you’ll have to make sure you’re logged in to whatever account you own the title on. Next, you’ll have to find the corresponding PS5 version of that game on the PlayStation Store, where it’ll have an offer to upgrade from your existing PS4 version to the new PS5 version. (Again, that offer may be free or paid, depending on what the developers decide.)
Then, simply download (or purchase and download) the new PS5 version just like you would any other game.
Upgrade a disc-based PS4 game to a PS5 version (PlayStation 5 only)
Upgrading a physical PS4 disc to its PS5 version is a little more complicated, though. Once you put the disc into your PS5, you’ll have a new option on the game hub in the PS5 main menu to upgrade to the PS5 version. Like the digital option, you’ll be able to either download the new PS5 version (or pay to upgrade and then download, should the game require it).
There’s a big caveat here, though: while you’ll have to keep the new PS5 version of the game downloaded on your hard drive to play it, it’ll only work when the PS4 disc is still in your console.
Transferring saves
Transferring save data from a PS4 version to a PS5 version will depend on the developer, according to Sony. It’s promising more details on how that process will work (including for its own first-party titles Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure) closer to launch.


theverge--2020-10-09--Twitter is fighting election chaos by urging users to quote tweet instead of retweet

Twitter announced a slew of temporary changes on Friday aimed at staving off abuse around the November 3rd US presidential election .
Tweets that include premature claims of victory will be labeled , tweets intended to incite interference in the election or election results will be subject to removal , and tweets from political figures with more than 100,000 followers — which includes President Trump — that are labeled as “ misleading ” will be more difficult to access .
“ Twitter has a critical role to play in protecting the integrity of the election conversation , and we encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters to use Twitter respectfully and to recognize our collective responsibility to the electorate to guarantee a safe , fair and legitimate democratic process this November , ” according to a blog post authored by Twitter legal , policy , and trust and safety lead Vijaya Gadde and product lead Kayvon Beykpour .
The temporary changes will put the brakes on how most people can use Twitter .
Starting today , users will be encouraged to “ add their own commentary ” before retweeting something , pushing them toward the quote tweet option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quote tweet can still retweet , but the company says it ’ s adding “ extra friction and an extra step ” in the hopes that it will “ increase the likelihood that people add their own thoughts , reactions and perspectives to the conversation.
” Twitter also won ’ t provide “ liked by ” and “ followed by ” recommendations from people a user doesn ’ t follow and will only include trending topics in its “ for you ” tab for US users that include “ additional context.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet that ’ s been labeled as “ misleading , ” they ’ ll see a prompt directing them to credible information before they can retweet the bad info .
Twitter has labeled several of Trump ’ s tweets for violating its rules on manipulated media and civic and election integrity for tweeting falsehoods about mail-in voting .
The labels have not appeared to deter the president , however .
After Twitter labeled a false tweet about mail-in voting in May , Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing protections provided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Communications Decency Act .
Last month , Twitter announced a new set of rules to address misinformation ahead of the US election , which included plans to label or remove tweets with false information about election rigging and results .
It also said it would label posts from candidates prematurely declaring victory , and it banned all political advertising last year .
The changes will roll out to users in the coming days .
Twitter says it has already increased its staff working on the US election to respond to any Election @ @ @ @ @

Twitter announced a slew of temporary changes on Friday aimed at staving off abuse around the November 3rd US presidential election. Tweets that include premature claims of victory will be labeled, tweets intended to incite interference in the election or election results will be subject to removal, and tweets from political figures with more than 100,000 followers — which includes President Trump — that are labeled as “misleading” will be more difficult to access.
“Twitter has a critical role to play in protecting the integrity of the election conversation, and we encourage candidates, campaigns, news outlets and voters to use Twitter respectfully and to recognize our collective responsibility to the electorate to guarantee a safe, fair and legitimate democratic process this November,” according to a blog post authored by Twitter legal, policy, and trust and safety lead Vijaya Gadde and product lead Kayvon Beykpour.
The temporary changes will put the brakes on how most people can use Twitter. Starting today, users will be encouraged to “add their own commentary” before retweeting something, pushing them toward the quote tweet option instead. Users who choose not to quote tweet can still retweet, but the company says it’s adding “extra friction and an extra step” in the hopes that it will “increase the likelihood that people add their own thoughts, reactions and perspectives to the conversation.”
Twitter also won’t provide “liked by” and “followed by” recommendations from people a user doesn’t follow and will only include trending topics in its “for you” tab for US users that include “additional context.” And when a user tries to retweet a tweet that’s been labeled as “misleading,” they’ll see a prompt directing them to credible information before they can retweet the bad info.
Image: Twitter
Twitter has labeled several of Trump’s tweets for violating its rules on manipulated media and civic and election integrity for tweeting falsehoods about mail-in voting. The labels have not appeared to deter the president, however. After Twitter labeled a false tweet about mail-in voting in May, Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing protections provided to social media platforms under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Last month, Twitter announced a new set of rules to address misinformation ahead of the US election, which included plans to label or remove tweets with false information about election rigging and results. It also said it would label posts from candidates prematurely declaring victory, and it banned all political advertising last year.