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WhatsApp ending support for Windows phones and other older devices
WhatsApp ending support for Windows phones and other older devices
The popular cross-platform messaging app WhatsApp is discontinuing support for older Android, iOS and Windows phones. After Dec. 31, WhatsApp will no longer be usable on Windows phones, according to a support FAQ. Android versions 2.3.7 and older and iOS 8 and older will be supported until Feb. 1, 2020.
To continue using WhatsApp, the FAQ suggests updating to an Android running OS 4.0.3 or higher, iOS 9 or higher, or select phones running KaiOS 2.5.1 or higher, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2.
In addition, the FAQ said that there's no option to transfer chat history between platforms, but you will be able to export chat histories as email attachments.
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WhatsApp for Android now offers voice calling to all users
WhatsApp for Android now offers voice calling to all users
Voice calling is now available to all WhatApps users. WhatsApp
WhatsApp users on Android can now all tap into the app's new voice-calling feature.
Rolled out in February to a small number of people, the call feature then expanded to invitation-only by those who were able to get the feature. Now it's available to all Android phone users. There's just one catch. You may not be able to get it from the version currently up at the Google Play Store.
WhatsApp version 2.12.19 does include the calling feature, according to Android Police. But that version is available only as an APK file (Android application package), which is not as easy to install as an app you download directly from Google Play. Version 2.12.19 is the latest one available through the APK.
On Google Play, you'll also see WhatsApp version 2.12.5, and according to The Next Web, that older version also enables the feature. However, Android Police said that it's seen reports of the calling feature not working under older versions of WhatsApp.
A WhatsApp support rep told CNET that you should be on the latest version of the app. So if you really want to trade phone calls with a fellow WhatsApp user, your best bet seems to be to download the version 2.12.19 APK file.
Now owned by Facebook, which paid $19 billion to acquire it, WhatsApp started life as a basic text-messaging app but one that also offered the ability to leave voice messages. The company has been promising to add a phone-calling feature, which would give the app the leverage to compete against similar services such as Skype and Viber. At last year's Mobile World Congress, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum said the voice calling would roll out to Android phones and the iPhone first, and then to Windows Phone and some BlackBerry phones.
So when will the voice-calling feature reach iPhone users? At Facebook's F8 developers conference last week, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton seemed to indicate that it could be out within a matter of not too many weeks, according to VentureBeat.
Here's how you get that APK file to try out the voice calling:
Normally, you should never download an APK file onto your Android device unless you're sure of its source. But in this case, the file comes from WhatsApp, so the source seems legitimate.
First, you'll need to download the actual file, either directly from WhatsApp or from an APK Mirror site. You can then follow the steps in this CNET tutorial on how to install an APK file.
After you open the app, you'll see a new tab for Calls, according to TNW. Simply tap that tab and then select the name of the person you wish to call.
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WhatsApp's Multidevice Feature Could Teach Apple's iMessage Some New Tricks
WhatsApp's Multidevice Feature Could Teach Apple's iMessage Some New Tricks
Your phone doesn't need to be working to access texts on WhatsApps. Thanks to the web and desktop app's new Linked Devices feature, previously in beta and rolling out to the public over the next several months, you can get faster access to chats from nearly any computer or tablet you choose, while preserving much of the encryption and security that the app is known for. WhatsApps newest feature creates a cross-platform texting experience that reminds me of using iMessage across Mac and an iPhone -- but without the requirement of being stuck on just Apple's devices.
WhatsApp's desktop apps are not new, to be clear. However, they previously required a constant connection with your phone in order to function. If your phone powered off or was temporarily lost, you essentially couldn't access your texts at all. Other Meta-owned services like Messenger don't have this limitation, but at the cost to your privacy of not having end-to-end encryption on by default.
WhatsApp now lets you pick as many as four devices aside from your phone that can send and receive WhatsApp messages. You set up these devices by scanning a QR code generated on WhatsApp's website or desktop app with the WhatsApp app on your phone, and after that they're listed as "Linked Devices" within your account. From that point on, that browser or desktop app will be able to access your WhatsApp texts regardless of whether your phone is around. In addition to that flexibility, I also found WhatsApp would simply boot up much faster across the devices I tested, which include my work Mac, a Chromebook and an iPad.
I wouldn't call WhatsApp's multidevice system perfect yet, and other messaging apps like Signal and Telegram do offer similar solutions, so let's go over a few more of the ins and outs for WhatsApp's particular multidevice setup.
When your WhatsApp account receives the new linked devices feature, you'll receive a message similar to this one.
WhatsApp
Works on nearly any device, but not nearly every feature
The best part of the new WhatsApp multidevice launch is speed. As I outlined earlier, I can flip back and forth between different devices across several operating systems, and keep up with group chats or quick texts seamlessly. However, some features like video and voice calling only work on WhatsApp's Windows, MacOS and mobile apps. The web version that I use on my Chromebook and iPad don't have access to those calling features.
You can access linked devices within WhatsApp's settings.
Screenshot by Mike Sorrentino/CNET
WhatsApp also spells out other omissions that linked devices don't yet support, which include clearing or deleting chats from a linked device if you use WhatsApp on an iPhone and viewing live location.
And even though a linked device won't need a connection to your phone, the new WhatsApp feature still requires a phone in order to get started. During setup, your phone will send your device a copy of your most recent message history.
Linked devices also rely on your phone using WhatsApp in order to stay logged in. If you don't log in to WhatsApp for 14 days from your phone -- whether because you lost the phone or perhaps you only use WhatsApp very occasionally for specific contacts -- all linked devices will get logged out.
I also found that one could inadvertently fill up their linked device limit quickly. Should you use the WhatsApp desktop app and WhatsApp for web on the same computer, WhatsApp will see that as two devices. If you clear your cache on your web browser, and then log in again to WhatsApp on that web browser, it will also come up as a new linked device. It's easy enough to remove linked devices from your settings, but it's worthwhile that some device management could come up faster than you'd expect.
Also for now, smartwatches aren't able to be a linked device, nor is WhatsApp offering an Apple Watch app. I do find it easy enough to use WhatsApp from an Apple Watch by replying to notifications, but you can't start new messages with this method. I'm aware of third-party Apple Watch apps in the App Store that unofficially integrate with WhatsApp, but I would be wary about providing an additional party access to that.
Now can every texting service copy this, please?
As I mentioned before, WhatsApp's version of multidevice isn't particularly new, but there is a lot of room for other texting apps to improve their services in this cross-platform direction. Signal, whose encryption protocol WhatsApp uses, offers multidevice texting through apps on mobile, desktop and iPad, but doesn't currently support a web version for platforms where it doesn't make an app. Signal also doesn't offer cloud backups of your texts, keeping your messages located on the devices themselves. Signal does offer instructions for how to backup and restore messages, with a process that involves directly transferring your texts from phone to phone.
Android's Messages app offers encryption for texts sent over RCS, and it does have a web version -- but that web version relies on syncing directly with a phone similar to how the previous version of WhatsApp works.
Apple's iMessage works seamlessly across MacBooks, iPad tablets, the Apple Watch and the iPhone -- including encrypted texts and partial encryption for backups. The flexibility of moving between these devices has always been a high point of its iMessage service. Still, it's increasingly common for someone to use an iPhone but perhaps own a Windows PC that can't access iMessage. Or a Chromebook. Or an Android tablet. I won't go into an iMessage walled garden rant here, but when other rivals are offering services that meet customers across platforms while maintaining encryption, it becomes increasingly notable when one does not.
Encryption in text messaging apps is particularly pertinent following the European Union recently approving -- but not yet adopting -- the Digital Markets Act, which is partly intended to require leaders in the messaging space like Apple and Meta to allow interoperability. The rules are very new and are aimed at providing a more level playing field for newer services. While well-intentioned, it also creates a situation where tech companies may need to solve how to allow for that interoperability while also preserving its customers' privacy.
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WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp on Monday rolled out a host of new camera features for customizing photos and video, including adding the ability to draw on images and support for taking "the perfect selfie."
WhatApp's new camera features let you customize your images.
WhatsApp
One new feature, which should be familiar to anyone who has used Snapchat, adds the ability to add your favorite emoji "to express yourself," the app's makers said in a blog post Monday. The editing tools also let users add text, choosing their own colors and fonts.
Those intent on sharing more of themselves on Facebook's popular messaging app will be drawn to its new support of your phone's front-facing flash, promising a better selfie, be it captured in low light or at night. Video buffs will welcome a new feature that will zoom in and out on your subject while recording video with the swipe up or down of your finger.
The new features began rolling out to Android users on Monday with support for iPhones promised soon.
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WhatsApp adds a touch of Snapchat with 'Status' feature
WhatsApp adds a touch of Snapchat with 'Status' feature
Facebook seems to have a thing for Snapchat Stories. The popular feature, on the social network that's giving Facebook a run for the money, lets people post a string of photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. In August, Facebook-owned Instagram introduced its own version, called Instagram Stories. And Facebook is currently testing Facebook Stories in its mobile app in Ireland.
Now a similar feature is coming to another Facebook-owned app. WhatsApp, which has more than a billion users, on Monday introduced a revamped version of its Status feature. Users will be able to share a string of photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Where have we heard that one before?
Previously, the Status feature let you display only simple things like "at school" or "at the movies" or some similar snippet you'd written yourself.
With the revamped feature, you can share photos, videos, and GIFs and punch them up with emojis, text and drawings. You'll be able to share them with all your contacts. WhatsApp also said the new feature is encrypted end-to-end.
Snapchat, which announced its filing for an IPO earlier this month, is manna for young people. Nearly 70 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds in the US use the app, according to ComScore. Facebook has noticed.
Instagram's version of Stories has been popular. The feature has 150 million daily users, and last month Instagram said Stories would start showing ads.
WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum said in a blog post that the new version of Status is meant to coincide with the app's eighth birthday, on February 24. Facebook bought the app in 2014 for $19 billion.
CNET Magazine: Check out a sampling of the stories you'll find in CNET's newsstand edition.
Batteries Not Included: The CNET team shares experiences that remind us why tech stuff is cool.
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Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: Sublime camera, disastrous software
Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: Sublime camera, disastrous software
Huawei started 2019 strong with the excellent P30 Pro phone, but things went downhill from there. Due to concerns that its equipment could be used to spy on the US and other companies, the Chinese tech giant has been banned from using technology from US companies. As a result, it can't license Google Mobile Services. The Mate 30 Pro, its latest flagship, has no Google Play Store, and no apps like Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube.
It has the striking appearance of a futuristic slab of aluminum and glass, but I knew I was in for a rough ride just moments after booting up the Mate 30 Pro. Entering the AppGallery, Huawei's version of the Google Play Store, I was encouraged to download some of its most popular apps: Weibo, WeChat and the China Drama Channel. It quickly became clear that Huawei doesn't have much to offer its non-Chinese customers.
One question has enshrouded the Mate 30 Pro since Huawei's tech ban: Can Huawei, a huge, powerful company with deep resources, find a way to neutralize the loss of Google?
The answer, unfortunately, is no.
The Mate 30 Pro is an exceptional piece of hardware. Its quad-camera setup shoots outstanding photos (sometimes better than the iPhone 11 Pro) a dazzling 6.53-inch waterfall display is the centerpiece of an inspired design, and its 4,500-mAh battery goes and goes and goes. But the fiasco that is Android without full Google support makes it impossible to recommend.
Even more galling is the Mate 30 Pro's price. The phone starts at AU$1,599 in Australia, which converts to $1,100 or £830. (No availability has been announced for either the US or UK.) Yes, it's a premium phone and premium parts ain't cheap. But as a proposition to you, the buyer, that much money for a partially functioning phone is preposterous.
Huawei tries Android without all of Google
Since Android 10 itself is open-source, the Mate 30 Pro still runs Google's most recent operating system fine. But since Google Mobile Services requires a license, Huawei has no access to the Google Play Store or any of Google's apps.
Instead, you'll use Huawei's AppGallery, which the company says has over 45,000 apps. That sounds like a lot, but I could count the useful apps in the AppGallery on one hand.
There's no Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Netflix, Disney Plus or Reddit. You won't find Google apps, like Gmail, Maps or YouTube. (You can log into Gmail through Huawei's native email app, though.) Even if you do install Google apps by downloading their APKs -- the Android equivalent of Windows' .exe files -- they won't work without authentication from Google Mobile Services. Uber doesn't work either, since the ride-sharing app runs Google Maps. Losing Google's suite of apps is devastating; losing almost every useful app in the Google Play Store is debilitating.
Huawei's AppGallery has over 45,000 apps. You'll find few of them useful.
Ian Knighton/CNET
Of all the apps I download onto every new phone, only one was available: Spotify. When I tried to find Spotify in the AppGallery a week later, however, it appeared to have been pulled. TikTok (which is owned by Chinese company Bytedance) was available at first, then disappeared and then appeared again.
To get around the software obstructions I downloaded APKs from assorted websites. It was a dodgy process, and worked inconsistently. Some apps ran fine, others crashed after a few moments and others still didn't work at all.
It was a total mess.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro's camera credentials
If Huawei phones have been known for one thing, it's cameras. Huawei beat competitors to the punch with dual-lens cameras (P9), a dedicated Night Mode (P20 Pro) and 5x optical zoom (P30 Pro). Photography is undoubtedly the Mate 30 Pro's greatest strength.
The phone has a fantastic quad-camera setup. The main shooter has 40 megapixels. Then there's an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, which has a 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom; a 40-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens; and there's a 3D "time-of-flight" sensor that helps with depth perception.
The Mate 30 Pro has less zoom capability than Huawei's current flagship the P30 Pro, which has 5x optical and 50x digital. But it has a bigger, better ultrawide-angle sensor over the P30 Pro. This is a worthwhile trade, because I find ultrawide-angle capability much more useful than better zoom functionality.
Some Portrait shots give the subject brushed, lightened skin.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Others work better.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
The Mate 30 Pro's quad-camera setup generally captures crisp, vibrant shots.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
See that fountain all the way in the back?
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Here it is, shot with 30x zoom.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
Photography isn't perfect. Thanks to heavy software processing, skin can look artificially brushed in Portrait shots. This processing also makes Night Mode superfluous: Low-light shots capture an impressive amount of light, and toggling on Night Mode often results in overkill. I didn't have the option to shoot a dark photo even when I wanted to because the scene is brightened with software by default.
But despite these issues, the Mate 30 Pro has one of the best camera setups on any Android phone. Photos generally look spectacular, with rich color and crisp detail.
And Huawei packed in another innovative trick, but this time for the video camera. The Mate 30 Pro features stupefying slow-motion capabilities. There are four options: 4x, 8x, 32x, 64x and an astonishing 256x. That 256x option uses AI software to slow things down to 7,680 frames per second.
Slow-motion cameras need more light, so you'll need a reasonably bright environment to take advantage of ultra-slow-mo. And since 256x slow motion makes 25 seconds out of one-tenth of a second, you'll need good timing to shoot the split second you want in slow-mo. But I found the feature super fun to play around with. It makes something as little as a water splash look spectacular.
Good parts, bad phone
In regards to hardware, the Mate 30 Pro is luxurious in every aspect.
Its 6.53-inch, 2,400x1,176x-pixel screen is beautiful, bright and crisp. Its OLED screen is a waterfall display, meaning it wraps around the side of the phone all the way to the aluminum back. Videos and browsing were a joy, and the glass body felt more luxe to hold than aluminum. The downside is that there are no volume buttons, so I had to tap the side of the display to activate an on-screen volume slider instead. This generally works OK, but makes quick volume changes more cumbersome than they need be.
Powered by Huawei's own Kirin 990 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Android heavyweight felt silky smooth to use. But where the Mate 30 Pro really shines is battery life. Running it through CNET's battery test -- turning the phone on Airplane mode and looping an HD video -- it lasted 24 hours, 12 minutes. That's crazy.
The best phone you shouldn't buy.
Ian Knighton/CNET
I wish I could say that the Kirin 990 CPU also scored well on Geekbench 5, a benchmark we run to test a processor's efficiency. Saying it performed well would be a safe bet but, after downloading the APK for Geekbench 5 from four different sites, the app never worked. I could try searching for more Geekbench APKs, but I think this anecdote is an apt encapsulation of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro.
It's a beautiful device with powerful parts and a sublime camera. But its software situation is a disaster. Don't buy this phone.
Originally published Dec. 17. Update, Dec. 28: Adds video review, comparison to iPhone 11 Pro camera.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Huawei Mate 30 Pro
Google Pixel 4 XL
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
OnePlus 7T
iPhone 11 Pro
Display size, resolution
6.53-inch OLED
6.3-inch OLED
6.3-inch AMOLED; 2,280x1,080 pixels
6.55-inch AMOLED; 2,400x1,080-pixels
5.8-inch OLED Super Retina XDR; 2,436x1,125 pixels
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Want to download Windows 11? You need to do these two things first
Want to download Windows 11? You need to do these two things first
Windows 11 began rolling out in October and brings a new, more streamlined design and updated features, including support for Android apps, easy toggling between multiple virtual desktops and better multitasking. Microsoft included a few Mac-like features and the ability to run Android apps on Windows 11.
But there are a few catches to downloading the new operating system. For starters, Microsoft is using a phased rollout for Windows 11. And before you download, you'll need a Wi-Fi connection and a Windows 11 Home account. However, Windows 10 users can upgrade for free (here's how to get Windows 10 first so you can download Windows 11). But if you're setting up a Windows 11 Home account -- which most people using it on a personal device will be -- there are a few extra steps you'll have to take before accessing the new features.
Read more:Windows 11 review: Familiar but fresh
We'll break down everything you need to know before downloading Windows 11, including how to check if your computer is compatible to make sure you meet the new requirements. And here's what to know if you're thinking of upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 Home. This story was recently updated.
Create a Microsoft account (or sign in to yours)
You'll need to create a free Microsoft account before you download Windows 11.
Microsoft
To set up Windows 11 Home, you'll need a Microsoft account, which gives you access to Microsoft products and services. Don't worry -- it's free to create one.
In the past, it was possible to opt out of creating a Microsoft account and use a local one instead (though the process wasn't intuitive). It appears that with Windows 11, you will need to create a Microsoft account to get started. After that point, you can delete your Microsoft account and sign in with a local account if you'd like, and this won't impact how you use the OS -- but you won't be able to sync content across multiple devices. A Microsoft account also allows easier transferring from your old PC to a new one, and more options for signing in.
Windows 11 Pro and the version built for enterprise use will not require people to sign in to Microsoft accounts.
Here's how to create a free Microsoft account as Windows 11 rolls out:
1. Go to account.microsoft.com, and click Sign in.
2. Tap Create one to make a new account. (If you already have an account, you can sign in here.)
3. Enter your email address. Or, if you'd rather create a new email address through Microsoft (which will appear as @outlook.com), click Get a new email address, enter what you'd like, and click Next.
4. Create a password, and click Next.
5. Enter your country/region and date of birth, and click Next.
6. Check your email for a verification code, and click Next.
Connect to the internet
You need to have an internet connection to set up Windows 11.
Sarah Tew/CNET
To download Windows 11 Home (and to create a Microsoft account), you'll also need to be connected to the internet. The reason for this is that Windows 11 will primarily be delivered as a Windows Update, much like newer versions of Windows 10 have been.
You'll also need the internet to perform future updates and to take advantage of some of the new Windows 11 features, according to Microsoft.
This requirement may pose a problem for those who lack easy internet access. However, after you connect for the initial setup, you don't have to connect again if you don't want to (though you should to get important security updates that prevent vulnerabilities).
If you're downloading Windows 11 on your current computer, just make sure you're connected to the internet before you start the process. If you buy a new Windows 11 computer after the OS is generally released, you should be prompted to connect to the internet when you're setting it up.
For more, check out how Windows 11 compares with Windows 10, everything to know about making the upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and all the Windows 11 features we wanted but didn't get.
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The iPhone at 15: How Apple's Phone Became the Center of Your Life
The iPhone at 15: How Apple's Phone Became the Center of Your Life
This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.
What's happening
On June 29, 2007, the first iPhone went on sale. A decade and a half later what defines the iPhone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs to dozens of Apple-centric features and services.
Why it matters
For better or worse, the iPhone has become home to our photos, music, conversations, ideas, games, identity, work, social media, shopping, keys and money. It will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Today marks 15 years since the first iPhone went on sale. When Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone he wryly hyped it as three revolutionary products: an iPod, a phone and an internet communicator. The first iPhone only came in one size and the only decision you had was whether to get 4GB of storage or 8GB. As far as carriers, only AT&T supported Apple's first phone in the US.
At the time, the idea of carrying an iPhone instead of a flip phone and an iPod was enough to convince some people to buy one. For others like me, the iPhone's main appeal was the touchscreen, which seemed unreal and futuristic.
"From the very beginning, one of the unique things about [the] iPhone was that we wanted to fuse together software, services and hardware to create a simple, powerful kind of magical experience," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president for product marketing. "And with the original iPhone, it was that interaction of multitouch and pinch to zoom, where you started to see that come together."
Fifteen years later, Apple sells eight different models of iPhone, five of which have launched in the past 10 months. There is at least one version that works with pretty much every major phone carrier in the world. The iPhone is available in an array of colors, finishes, sizes and storage options that now top out at 1TB. And while the screen is where most of the magic happens, it's no longer the main appeal of the iPhone.
Over the past decade and a half, what defines the iPhone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs. Instead, the iPhone and iOS have become a gateway into Apple services and features like iMessage, FaceTime, Siri, Apple Music, Apple Pay, top-of-the-line cameras and apps like Uber, TikTok, Twitter and WhatsApp. For better or worse, the iPhone has become home to our photos, music, conversations, ideas, games, identity, work, social media, shopping, keys and money.
In 2022, the iPhone continues to extend beyond its svelte metal-and-glass chassis into the world around us. It's the backbone for products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and will likely play a role in future Apple products like rumored AR glasses.
It also serves as the foundation for Apple's digital services, which have become an increasingly important factor to differentiate the iPhone from competing mobile devices. These services have evolved rapidly in recent years along with the iPhone.
Find My, which started as a tool in 2010 for locating a lost iPhone, has grown into a network for finding Apple devices and pretty much anything you can attach one of Apple's tiny AirTag trackers to. Some products, like VanMoof's S3 bike, even have built-in Find My support, eliminating the need to add an AirTag entirely. As of 2021, Apple's Find My network had hundreds of millions of devices, most of which were iPhones.
Just weeks ago at WWDC, Apple's annual software developers conference, the company announced iOS 16 with expansions to its nearly decade-old Wallet app and Apple Pay service. Essentially, Apple wants to make your physical wallet obsolete. There's also a new feature called Apple Pay Later that lets you split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with zero interest and no fees. It's done entirely through your iPhone.
The 2022 iPhone SE is nearly identical to the 2020 version but gets more durable glass, 5G and the A15 Bionic chip that debuted in the iPhone 13.
Kevin Heinz/CNET
In fact, you need an iPhone to access or use most of these services. Keep in mind that, for years, the iPhone's premium price made it inaccessible to many, and that's still true of Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone Pro models. The recently upgraded iPhone SE gives Apple the opportunity to expand the iPhone's reach even further. It's the purest example of what defines an iPhone in 2022. The SE blends the body of an iPhone 8 with the glass and processor from the iPhone 13. At $429, it's currently the most affordable way to get people into Apple experiences.
I spoke with Borchers ahead of the iPhone SE launch in March about the phone and why Apple added an A15 Bionic chip to it.
"It's actually a really easy decision to put as much capability as we can in today, in order to invest in and create opportunities for those future experiences. It's something that distinguishes us from others," said Borchers.
No other phone maker takes this approach. It would be like Samsung using the body of its Galaxy S8 and putting the Galaxy S22's processing power inside. The upcoming Pixel 6A will be the first budget Android phone that uses the same processor, Google's Tensor chip, as the flagship Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Of course, Google isn't putting it into the body of Pixel 2 and instead is introducing a new design.
It makes sense that Apple's cheapest phone has the same processor as its most expensive: It's all about giving people access to Apple experiences. For example, if you buy an iPhone SE, you can use the Live Text feature in iOS 15 to grab text with your camera or copy it from a photo. And while the 2016 and 2020 versions of the iPhone SE sold well, it seems the 2022 version isn't breaking any sales records yet. Apple doesn't disclose a specific model breakdown of how many iPhones it sells, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo lowered his shipping estimates for the iPhone SE (2022) by 10 million. The lower demand could be an effect of rising inflation and the fact that the 2022 and 2020 versions of the iPhone SE look identical.
The SE showcases how iOS and Apple Silicon become the bedrock for everything you do on your iPhone. Obviously, not every model in Apple's iPhone lineup is equal. More expensive phones like the iPhone 13 Pro come with a contemporary design, high refresh-rate screens, larger camera sensors and tools like the U1 ultrawideband chip and lidar.
These extra perks mean you can use your iPhone in more ways. For example, if you've got the right car, you can unlock it and start it with your iPhone. Borscher describes moments like these as "automagic," meaning it just works. The same way a pair of AirPods can switch from your iPhone to your Mac for watching a video, or the way you can unlock your Mac using your Apple Watch.
Apple first introduced AirPods in 2017 with the release of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which lacked a physical headphone jack.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Such growth has consequences. Antitrust concerns over the app store and mobile payments, debates about screen time, Apple's contentious dealings with the FBI, criticism that all these services are part of a strategy to lock people into Apple's ecosystem and, more recently, privacy questions over AirTags are just some of the concerns that have grown alongside the iPhone's meteoric success. There are even questions as to whether Apple can launch another product line that is even half as successful as the iPhone. My CNET colleague and Apple reporter Ian Sherr points out that products like the Apple Watch and AirPods are lucrative lar gely because of their connection to the iPhone.
Over 15 years, the iPhone has become ubiquitous and helped Apple become a nearly $3 trillion company. The next iteration of the phone, likely called the iPhone 14, is expected to launch this September. It will no doubt run on iOS 16 and have the newest version of Apple's A-series processor and will continue to support the Apple experience. As for the long-term, my colleague Lisa Eadicicco thinks the most important part of future iPhones will be how it works with everything around it.
