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New Split Screen Android Auto Redesign Coming This Summer
New Split Screen Android Auto Redesign Coming This Summer
As part of its I/O 2022 developers' conference, Google showcased the next iteration of its Android Auto app mirroring interface for cars rolling out this Summer. The refreshed interface now features a split screen layout that should make multitasking easier by reducing the number of times users will need to return to the home screen for simple tasks.
Android Auto was originally revealed at I/O 2014 before making its way into the first vehicles and aftermarket head units the following year. Today, Google says over 150 million cars globally, from nearly every major auto manufacturer, now have Android Auto connectivity; and every one of them -- from the oldest to the ones still rolling off assembly lines -- should benefit from today's announced updates.
The configuration of Android Auto's new tiles and status bar will depend on the aspect ratio of your car's display.
Google
The new Android Auto is scalable and able to adapt to standard, vertical and ultrawide configurations. Along the bottom edge -- or the left edge for ultrawide screens -- is a bar with shortcuts to the app launcher, notifications and Google Assistant on one end. On the other end you'll find status icons for signal strength, phone battery level and time . The main area of the display is now split into three sections with two tiles dedicated to displaying navigation and media controls -- the features Google thinks drivers prioritize when behind the wheel.
The split screen, three-panel design will be able to scale to fit normal, ultrawide and even vertically oriented displays.
Google
The contents of the third section will shift depending on the context: Sometimes, it's a simple clock. When starting a trip, estimated time to the destination may appear here with a link to share. When a message comes in, a preview will sit in this flexible space waiting for the user to interact or reply. Users will also now be able to quickly respond to those incoming messages with a single tap using Google Assistant AI-suggested quick replies -- like "OK" or "On my way" -- similar to those offered on Pixel devices. Of course, composing a custom reply via voice input is still on the menu.
Android Auto's new look and new functionalities should start rolling out this Summer.
Apps that support long form content like audiobooks and podcasts will soon be able to show a progress bar in the media browser.
Google
Earlier this year, Android Auto rolled out a media recommendations shortcut powered by Google Assistant and today it announced new developer tools to help more apps hook into that feature. Developers will also gain access to new templates to customize how their apps display in the Android Auto interface and new tools to help users more efficiently interact with long form content, such as audiobooks and podcasts. Google will also continue to open up new app type categories, building on the CES 2022 announcement that ridesharing driver apps such as Lyft, along with electric vehicle charging apps and parking services, are coming to Android Auto.
Switching gears, Google also announced new features are coming to its baked in Android Automotive OS -- which runs natively on the vehicles' hardware rather than being streamed in from a host phone via USB or wireless connectivity -- found in vehicles like the Polestar 2, the Volvo C40 and XC40 Recharge and GMC's Hummer EV.
More video streaming apps and even Chromecast support will join YouTube in Android Automotive OS dashboards later this year.
Google
Google previously announced it was bringing YouTube to the dashboard later this year, allowing drivers to entertain themselves while parked and, for example, waiting for their EV to charge. At I/O 2022, Google says to expect more video-based apps like Tubi TV and Epix Now on the horizon, better browsing of video content and even cast support that would allow you to stream content from Chromecast-compatible mobile apps from your phone to the vehicle's larger screen.
Developers should also find it easier to develop for Android Automotive OS with new tools that help translate tablet-sized apps to parked car experiences and speed up the development and publishing of apps for both Android Automotive OS and Android Auto.
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iOS 16 Beta: Check Out All the New Features for iPhone
iOS 16 Beta: Check Out All the New Features for iPhone
This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET's complete coverage from and about Apple's annual developers conference.
What's happening
Apple previewed iOS 16, the next major version of iPhone software, at its 2022 developers conference, and now the OS has entered a public beta.
Why it matters
iOS 16 rolls out this fall to iPhone 8 models and newer. It's filled with major updates, including the ability to customize your lock screen, and frequently requested tools such as the ability to edit and "unsend" iMessage texts. It also adds significant privacy utilities.
What's next
iOS 16 is expected to be released in fall 2022.
Apple released its latest public beta for iOS 16, and this version includes a new battery percentage icon. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, this makes it easier to tell how much battery power remains: The remaining percentage is neatly nestled inside the battery symbol on the top right of the display. Until now, the battery indicator has been absent on Face ID iPhones and you had to open Control Center to view how much juice your phone has left.
You can still download the operating system and try out all its new features on a compatible iPhone ahead of its public release in the fall. While the software is still in development and much can change between now and its public release, there's plenty of upgrades focused on communication, personalization and privacy, including changes to your iPhone's lock screen, Messages app and Wallet. There are several lesser-known features lurking in iOS 16 that are worth checking out, too.
First previewed at the company's annual WWDC keynote, iOS 16 should get a wide release alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 14. The new software will work on iPhone 8 models and newer.
Here's every iOS 16 feature you should know about.
Edit and 'unsend' messages
"Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past," Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app.
First, in iOS 16 you'll be able to edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you'll be able to edit the message after the fact. A tiny "edited" appears in the status under the message.
In Messages, you can edit previously sent messages.
Apple
Next, and this might be my favorite new feature, you can immediately recall a sent message. If you accidentally send an unfinished message, you can use the Undo Send tool to prevent it from being read and hopefully look less chaotic to your friends and family.
Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This could be an excellent tool for when you don't have time to respond to a message in the moment, but want to make sure you come back to it later.
A new customizable lock screen
One of the things you look at the most on your iPhone is the lock screen, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings the most substantial update to the iPhone's lock screen yet. Press and hold to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out several different styles. Each style changes the color filter for the background photo and the font on the lock screen so everything complements each other. This feels a bit like Apple's take on Google's Material You, which launched with Android 12.
You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen.
Your iPhone will become more customizable in iOS 16. You'll be able to choose how your lock screen looks, down to the font and color.
Apple
You can even set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them. There's also a photo shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen.
One feature we hoped to see Apple add was an always-on display. It's something nearly all Android phones have; even the Apple Watch does. There's hope the iPhone 14 will have one.
iOS 16 adds a feature that developers can use called Live Activities. This is essentially a mini view of the real-time progress of a workout, sporting event or Uber ride from your iPhone's lock screen.
Apple
Notifications and live activities
Sometimes notifications can cover up your lock screen's photo, so iOS 16 moves notifications to the bottom of your display. As you receive them, instead of being compiled into a list, they appear like a vertical carousel. This not only looks better but should be a big help for one-handed use of your iPhone.
iOS 16 also aims to solve another notification problem. Sometimes you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, like the score of a basketball game. A new tool for developers called Live Activities makes it easier to stay on top of things happening in real time from your lock screen, instead of getting a series of interruptions.
Live Activities should make it easier to follow sporting events, workouts or even the progress of an Uber ride.
Skip CAPTCHAs using Private Access Tokens
The CAPTCHA -- which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart -- has been a necessary evil across the internet. CAPTCHAs are designed to make sure that a person is accessing a website or service, and not a bot. I find them annoying, as they often involve reading strangely written letters or having to find all the images that have a truck. With iOS 16, Apple plans to start replacing these awkward interactions with Private Access Tokens.
According to a video on Apple's website demonstrating Private Access Tokens, websites that support the token will essentially log in and authenticate that you are indeed a human without your having to play any of the usual CAPTCHA games. Apple says in the video that the company is working with other companies to roll out support for this feature, so we can't say the CAPTCHA will be dead after iOS 16 rolls out to the public. But the concept could provide some relief if it gets adopted.
Wallet and Apple Pay Later
ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app along with more security and privacy features. In iOS 16 you can also protect your identity and age. So rather than showing your exact birth date, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you're over 21.
iOS 16 makes sharing keys easier with apps like Mail and Messages. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it's working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.
The Wallet app in iOS 16 gets a bunch of small but notable updates, including the Apple Pay Later payment plan.
Apple
Apple Pay will support new types of payments and adds a new feature called Apple Pay Later, a Klarna-like service 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. Upcoming payments are managed through the Wallet app, making it easy to keep track of dates and payments.
But Apple Pay doesn't stop there. A new feature will also help you track Apple Pay orders and lets merchants deliver detailed receipts and tracking information. This should make it easier to stay up to date on the status of all your orders.
You can tap and hold on the subject of a photo and separate it from the background. Then you can drag it into another app like Messages to share it.
Apple
Visual Lookup's tap and drag for photos
In iOS 15, Visual Look Up analyzes your photos and can identify objects like plants, landmarks and pets. iOS 16 takes this to the next level. When you touch a photo's subject like the dog in the image above, you can lift it away from the background and add it to apps like Messages. Essentially it's a tap-and-hold tool that removes a photo's background.
Apple sometimes overuses the word "magic," but this feature truly seems like it.
During the keynote for WWDC, Apple executive Craig Federighi introduces SharePlay for the Messages app.
Apple
SharePlay comes to Messages
SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, lets you have a shared experience while connecting with someone over FaceTime. You can watch TV shows, listen to music in sync and other things. iOS 16 adds the ability to discover more apps that support SharePlay from within FaceTime.
But perhaps one of the coolest things Apple did for SharePlay was to make it work within the Messages app. Apple said that this was one of the biggest requests from app developers. Now when you want to share a movie on Disney Plus, you can start SharePlay together with a friend while chatting in Messages.
Safety Check lets you quickly reset location sharing and access to passwords. It's intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships.
Apple
Safety Check aims to help people in abusive relationships
Safety Check is a new feature intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships. It lets you review and reset who has access to location information as well as passwords, messages and other apps on an iPhone.
Focus mode updates and Focus filters
Focus mode gets several updates. The first applies Focus behaviors to widgets and lock screen looks. So you could have one lock screen set for when your Work Focus is enabled and another for workouts.
Apple added specific Focus filters that apply your iPhone's Focus mode within apps. For example, in Safari, you can limit what tabs are shown depending on what Focus mode you have active.
Apple Maps adds transit fare cards
Maps will get several updates. You'll be able to plan trips with up to 15 different stops along the way. If you start planning a trip with the Maps app on your Mac, you'll be able to share that to your iPhone.
And in something similar to what Google announced for Google Wallet in Android 13, you'll be able to see transit fare estimates as well as add more money to a fare card from within Apple Maps.
In iOS 16 you'll be able to customize Quick Start with a specific child's iCloud parental controls and settings.
Apple
iCloud family checklist
iCloud gets several new features. One of the more interesting ones is the option to quickly set up a new device for your child. When Quick Start appears, you have the option to pick a user for the new device and use all the existing parental controls you've previously selected and configured. However, this is not what many of us still want: the ability to set up separate users for the same device.
There's a new family checklist with tips for updating settings for your kids as they get older, like a reminder to check location-sharing settings or share your iCloud Plus subscriptions.
For more, check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2022.
Dell XPS 12 review: A unique take on the convertible laptop/tablet
Dell XPS 12 review: A unique take on the convertible laptop/tablet
If you're one of the few who remember the original Dell Inspiron Duo from 2010, pat yourself on the back. Like that Duo, the new XPS 12 has a screen that swivels at the middle of the lid's sides, so it can rotate 180 degrees along its horizontal axis and end up facing out from the back of the lid's frame. This allows you to display the screen in what some call a "stand" mode, or else fold the clamshell shut to form a slate-style tablet.
While inventive, the original Duo was hobbled by a low-power Intel Atom processor and never lived up to its potential. Dell walked away from the Duo, which seemed doomed to be another too-early hardware leap, much like Dell's long-lost proto-ultrabook Adamo laptops.
Imagine my surprise when Dell announced that the Duo was back, originally showing us the system behind closed doors this summer. The new version, now part of the high-end XPS line, has gotten a massive physical upgrade. Now it's ultrabook-thin, with a slim metal frame around its screen, and a button-free clickpad. The new version trades up to current-gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, along with solid-state-drive (SSD) storage, meaning that in terms of hardware it can stand toe-to-toe any mainstream ultrathin laptop.
Between our preview this summer and now, the biggest change has been in the name. Dell has decided to drop the "Duo" branding altogether (perhaps it still has negative connotations) and simply call this the XPS 12. That's certainly apt for a laptop with 12-inch display, but I do miss the descriptive nature of the Duo moniker -- now there's nothing in the name to indicate this laptop's special physical features.
The XPS 12 starts at $1,199 for a Core i5 CPU and 128GB SSD, and goes up to $1,699 for the hardware we tested, with a Core i7 CPU and a 256GB SSD.
This is one of the first laptops with Windows 8, the new touch- and tablet-friendly OS, and it's meant to be used as both a traditional laptop and a tablet. But when evaluating new hardware and new software at the same time, the question is: how much of the user experience in the XPS 12 comes from Dell, and how much from Microsoft? In an Apple laptop, it's fair to consider software and hardware together, as a single company is responsible for both. For Windows-based systems, it's sometimes hard to tell on which side of the fence the faults lie.
And, there are faults. Even though the XPS 12 is a slim, well-built, and frankly ambitious convertible, it works better as a laptop than as a tablet. In the closed, slate mode, it's obvious that the Windows 8 operating system still doesn't always know what to do with your apps and fingers. The not-Metro interface (my own shorthand name for the Windows 8 tile-based UI) works fine, but jumping into apps, even Windows 8-specific ones such as Internet Explorer 10, can yield unpredictable results.
For example, at this point, nearly everyone in the universe uses some form of Web-based e-mail, but Gmail navigation on the small screen in IE10 is tough. Shift the screen just a bit and the orientation changes, with just enough lag to be annoying. Tapping on a text field sometimes brings up the Windows 8 onscreen keyboard, sometimes not (and it takes several steps to call it up otherwise).
That onscreen keyboard is miles ahead of previous Windows ones, but the layout of some keys is counterintuitive, and I ran into just enough lag to make using the Shift and Caps Lock keys especially troublesome.
But, these are the same problems I've found on other Windows 8 systems, so is it fair to lay them at Dell's feet? On the excellent Acer Aspire S7, the touch screen was a secondary experience, mainly used for finger-swiping and scrolling. On the XPS 12, you're expected to use touch much more. And as a touch-screen laptop, the XPS 12 works well. Folded up as a slate, it's still not an entirely satisfying tablet experience.
Price as reviewed / Starting price
$1,699 / $1,199
Processor
1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
Memory
4GB, 1,333MHz DDR3
Hard drive
256GB SSD
Chipset
Intel QS77
Graphics
Intel HD 4000
Operating system
Windows 8
Dimensions (WD)
8.5x12.5 inches
Height
0.6-0.8 inches
Screen size (diagonal)
12.5 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter
3.4 pounds / 4 pounds
Category
Ultraportable
Design and features Aside from the swiveling lid, the XPS 12 shares an overall design with Dell's other recent high-end laptops, such as the XPS 14 and XPS 15. All are thin, with full or partial metal construction and dark accents. When closed, the XPS 12 looks like any small ultrabook, although at nearly 3.5 pounds, it feels dense and sturdy.
The interior is minimalist, with only the keyboard and touch pad. A power button, in the uncommon form of a slider switch, is located along the left edge, and most other functions, from the Wi-Fi antenna switch to volume control, are mapped to the row of Function keys. The wrist rest, keyboard, and keys are all matte black, with a powdery finish that resists fingerprints and nicely offsets the metal trim along the outer edge.
The XPS 12's island-style keyboard is similar to the ones found on most current laptops. In Dell's version, the keys have more-rounded corners than most, and the top row of Function keys is half-height. Typing was comfortable and accurate, and the keyboard is backlit.
The buttonless clickpad is only used when the system is set up as a traditional clamshell laptop. It's a good size, considering this is a small laptop, and works well for general pointing and navigation. But, again, Windows 8 sometimes seems to not know what to do with touch-pad gestures. With some apps and Web pages, two-finger scrolling works well, other times it's too fast and jumpy, and still other times, it's very slow. Trying to execute Windows 8 moves such as displaying the Charms bar or calling up the Taskbar is a pain on a touch pad, and I usually found myself performing these tasks via the touch screen.
The biggest feature here, as previously described, is the rotating screen. Unlike other convertible laptops with rotating screens that swivel along the vertical axis via a central hinge, the XPS 12 rotates along the horizontal axis, flipping end over end. This is possible because the screen is placed inside a thin metal all-around frame, hinged in the center of the left and right sides.
The screen mechanism feels well-designed, and it stays in the traditional laptop position without slipping. Dell says the mechanism has been tested to 20,000 cycles, and it certainly feels sturdy enough.
When you want to flip the screen, a gentle push pops it out of the frame, and it rotates freely, locking in again at 180 degrees; this leaves the screen pointing out from the back of the lid, making it easy to show your screen to someone sitting opposite you (the motion sensor automatically flips the screen image over, so everything appears right-side-up). From there, you can push the lid all the way closed, so the keyboard and touch pad are inside the clamshell but the display is pointing up, making this a slate-style tablet.
When the XPS 12 is folded down as a tablet, you can access the onscreen keyboard built into Windows 8. As I mentioned above, it's thankfully better than the onscreen keyboards in previous Microsoft operating systems, with responsive, well-spaced keys. I found the Shift key would lag a little occasionally, leading to some typing mistakes, and you'll have to spend some time getting used to the layout, which is slightly different from that of the iPad's familiar onscreen keyboard. Besides the standard keyboard layout, there are also split-key and handwriting options.
The biggest difficulty I encountered was the onscreen keyboard not popping up when it should have, in Google Docs, for example. If you need to call up the onscreen keyboard manually, it's an unintuitive procedure, requiring too many steps (slide out the Charms bar from the right side of the screen; tap Settings, tap Keyboard, then pick the style of keyboard you need).
The 12.5-inch screen has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, which is incredibly high for an ultraportable laptop. The Windows 8 not-Metro interface scales nicely to it, but Web pages and the traditional Windows desktop view can look very shrunken. Fortunately, the display's pinch-to-zoom feature works great, much as it does on an iPad or Android tablet. That said, I found some Web sites didn't render correctly after pinching to zoom, and in Google Docs, for example, the onscreen cursor and the zoomed view didn't quite match up.
Audio was predictably thin, but fine for basic online video watching. Interestingly, the original Dell Duo had a sold-separately docking stand with bigger speakers built in.
Dell XPS 12
Average for category [ultraportable]
Video
DisplayPort
HDMI or DisplayPort
Audio
Stereo speakers, headphone jack
Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data
2 USB 3.0, SD card reader
2 USB 3.0, SD card reader
Networking
802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Ethernet (via dongle), 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional mobile broadband
Optical drive
None
None
Expandability, performance, and battery life With such a small body, the port selection on the Dell XPS 12 is likewise slim. The most notable deviation from the norm is the video output -- you get a DisplayPort output, rather than the more common HDMI.
Dell offers four base configurations of the XPS 12 (the unit I reviewed is the most expensive one). The entry-level model starts at $1,199 for a Core i5 CPU and 128GB SSD, and by adding either a Core i7 CPU, a larger 256GB SSD, or both, you can take it all the way up to $1,699. Several of the more design-heavy Windows 8 laptops we've seen have targeted that premium price range, but a $1,600 laptop is still a very tough sell, no matter how clever its engineering.
With an Intel Core i7 low-voltage CPU and 8GB of RAM, the XPS 12 was predictably fast in our benchmark tests. Honestly, if you're interested in this system, the lower-end Core i5 configurations will be more than fine for everyday Web surfing, productivity, and media playback tasks.
Battery life was, unfortunately, not the strongest in this laptop. That's a shame, as this is a slim system clearly intended for travel or use as an untethered tablet. In our video playback battery drain test, the XPS 12 ran for 4 hours and 43 minutes, which is on the low side for an ultraportable laptop -- especially one with a power-efficient SSD hard drive. Anecdotally, while using this laptop I found myself reaching for the A/C adapter more often than I'd expected.
Conclusion The Dell XPS 12 is unique among the Windows 8 laptops we've previewed and reviewed, offering a different take on the convertible laptop/tablet concept. At the same time, it's not exactly an original idea, being based on one of Dell's previous high-concept designs, the Inspiron Duo.
The flip-screen construction is surprisingly practical for sharing your screen with others, and using a touch screen with a keyboard and touch pad works well in Windows 8. But it's hard to justify spending $1,699 when the XPS 12 doesn't entirely satisfy as a slate-style tablet, even if Microsoft shoulders most of the responsibility for that. If you're in love with the XPS 12's design, I'd suggest sticking to the less expensive configurations.
Find out more about how we test laptops.
System configurations:
Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 (64-bit); 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 32MB (Shared) Intel HD 4000; 256GB Lite-On IT SSD
Sony Vaio Duo 11 Windows 8 (64-bit); 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U; 6GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,600MHz; 32MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 128GB Toshiba SSD
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iOS 16 Beta: Top Features That Will Add New Tricks to Your iPhone
iOS 16 Beta: Top Features That Will Add New Tricks to Your iPhone
This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET's complete coverage from and about Apple's annual developers conference.
What's happening
Apple previewed iOS 16, the next major version of iPhone software, at its 2022 developers conference, and now the OS has entered a public beta.
Why it matters
iOS 16 rolls out this fall to iPhone 8 models and newer. It's filled with major updates, including the ability to customize your lock screen, and frequently requested tools such as the ability to edit and "unsend" iMessage texts. It also adds significant privacy utilities.
What's next
iOS 16 is expected to be released in fall 2022.
Apple released its latest public beta for iOS 16, and this version adds in a new battery percentage icon. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, this makes it easier to tell how much battery power remains: The remaining percentage is shown inside the battery symbol on the top right of the display. Until now, the battery indicator has been absent on Face ID iPhones and you had to open Control Center to view how much juice your phone has left.
You can still download the operating system and try out all its new features on a compatible iPhone ahead of its public release in the fall. While the software is still in development and much can change between now and its public release, there's plenty of upgrades focused on communication, personalization and privacy, including changes to your iPhone's lock screen, Messages app and Wallet. There are several lesser-known features lurking in iOS 16 that are worth checking out, too.
First previewed at the company's annual WWDC keynote, iOS 16 should get a wide release alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 14. The new software will work on iPhone 8 models and newer.
Here's every iOS 16 feature you should know about.
Get ready for Apple's next event
Edit and 'unsend' messages
"Embarrassing typos are a thing of the past," Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said as he introduced three of the most requested features for the Messages app.
First, in iOS 16 you'll be able to edit sent messages. So if you notice a typo after a message, you'll be able to edit the message after the fact. A tiny "edited" appears in the status under the message.
In Messages, you can edit previously sent messages.
Apple
Next, and this might be my favorite new feature, you can immediately recall a sent message. If you accidentally send an unfinished message, you can use the Undo Send tool to prevent it from being read and hopefully look less chaotic to your friends and family.
Last, you can mark messages and threads as unread. This could be an excellent tool for when you don't have time to respond to a message in the moment, but want to make sure you come back to it later.
A new customizable lock screen
One of the things you look at the most on your iPhone is the lock screen, especially if you have a Face ID-equipped iPhone. iOS 16 brings the most substantial update to the iPhone's lock screen yet. Press and hold to edit your lock screen. You can swipe to try out several different styles. Each style changes the color filter for the background photo and the font on the lock screen so everything complements each other. This feels a bit like Apple's take on Google's Material You, which launched with Android 12.
You can also customize the fonts for the time and date, and add lock screen widgets like temperature, activity rings and a calendar. The widgets are akin to complications on the Apple Watch lock screen.
Your iPhone will become more customizable in iOS 16. You'll be able to choose how your lock screen looks, down to the font and color.
Apple
You can even set up multiple customized lock screens with different widgets and easily swipe to switch between them. There's also a photo shuffle option that automatically changes the pictures on your lock screen.
One feature we hoped to see Apple add was an always-on display. It's something nearly all Android phones have; even the Apple Watch does. There's hope the iPhone 14 will have one.
iOS 16 adds a feature that developers can use called Live Activities. This is essentially a mini view of the real-time progress of a workout, sporting event or Uber ride from your iPhone's lock screen.
Apple
Notifications and live activities
Sometimes notifications can cover up your lock screen's photo, so iOS 16 moves notifications to the bottom of your display. As you receive them, instead of being compiled into a list, they appear like a vertical carousel. This not only looks better but should be a big help for one-handed use of your iPhone.
iOS 16 also aims to solve another notification problem. Sometimes you get a bunch of notifications in a row from one app, like the score of a basketball game. A new tool for developers called Live Activities makes it easier to stay on top of things happening in real time from your lock screen, instead of getting a series of interruptions.
Live Activities should make it easier to follow sporting events, workouts or even the progress of an Uber ride.
Skip CAPTCHAs using Private Access Tokens
The CAPTCHA -- which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart -- has been a necessary evil across the internet. CAPTCHAs are designed to make sure that a person is accessing a website or service, and not a bot. I find them annoying, as they often involve reading strangely written letters or having to find all the images that have a truck. With iOS 16, Apple plans to start replacing these awkward interactions with Private Access Tokens.
According to a video on Apple's website demonstrating Private Access Tokens, websites that support the token will essentially log in and authenticate that you are indeed a human without your having to play any of the usual CAPTCHA games. Apple says in the video that the company is working with other companies to roll out support for this feature, so we can't say the CAPTCHA will be dead after iOS 16 rolls out to the public. But the concept could provide some relief if it gets adopted.
Wallet and Apple Pay Later
ID cards from more states will be available in your Wallet app along with more security and privacy features. In iOS 16 you can also protect your identity and age. So rather than showing your exact birth date, the Wallet app will display your ID and that you're over 21.
iOS 16 makes sharing keys easier with apps like Mail and Messages. When your friend receives the key, they can add it to the Wallet app on their iPhone. Apple said it's working to make sure that shared keys are an industry standard and free for others.
The Wallet app in iOS 16 gets a bunch of small but notable updates, including the Apple Pay Later payment plan.
Apple
Apple Pay will support new types of payments and adds a new feature called Apple Pay Later, a Klarna-like service 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. Upcoming payments are managed through the Wallet app, making it easy to keep track of dates and payments.
But Apple Pay doesn't stop there. A new feature will also help you track Apple Pay orders and lets merchants deliver detailed receipts and tracking information. This should make it easier to stay up to date on the status of all your orders.
You can tap and hold on the subject of a photo and separate it from the background. Then you can drag it into another app like Messages to share it.
Apple
Visual Lookup's tap and drag for photos
In iOS 15, Visual Look Up analyzes your photos and can identify objects like plants, landmarks and pets. iOS 16 takes this to the next level. When you touch a photo's subject like the dog in the image above, you can lift it away from the background and add it to apps like Messages. Essentially it's a tap-and-hold tool that removes a photo's background.
Apple sometimes overuses the word "magic," but this feature truly seems like it.
During the keynote for WWDC, Apple executive Craig Federighi introduces SharePlay for the Messages app.
Apple
SharePlay comes to Messages
SharePlay, which debuted in iOS 15, lets you have a shared experience while connecting with someone over FaceTime. You can watch TV shows, listen to music in sync and other things. iOS 16 adds the ability to discover more apps that support SharePlay from within FaceTime.
But perhaps one of the coolest things Apple did for SharePlay was to make it work within the Messages app. Apple said that this was one of the biggest requests from app developers. Now when you want to share a movie on Disney Plus, you can start SharePlay together with a friend while chatting in Messages.
Safety Check lets you quickly reset location sharing and access to passwords. It's intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships.
Apple
Safety Check aims to help people in abusive relationships
Safety Check is a new feature intended to be helpful for people in abusive relationships. It lets you review and reset who has access to location information as well as passwords, messages and other apps on an iPhone.
Focus mode updates and Focus filters
Focus mode gets several updates. The first applies Focus behaviors to widgets and lock screen looks. So you could have one lock screen set for when your Work Focus is enabled and another for workouts.
Apple added specific Focus filters that apply your iPhone's Focus mode within apps. For example, in Safari, you can limit what tabs are shown depending on what Focus mode you have active.
Apple Maps adds transit fare cards
Maps will get several updates. You'll be able to plan trips with up to 15 different stops along the way. If you start planning a trip with the Maps app on your Mac, you'll be able to share that to your iPhone.
And in something similar to what Google announced for Google Wallet in Android 13, you'll be able to see transit fare estimates as well as add more money to a fare card from within Apple Maps.
In iOS 16 you'll be able to customize Quick Start with a specific child's iCloud parental controls and settings.
Apple
iCloud family checklist
iCloud gets several new features. One of the more interesting ones is the option to quickly set up a new device for your child. When Quick Start appears, you have the option to pick a user for the new device and use all the existing parental controls you've previously selected and configured. However, this is not what many of us still want: the ability to set up separate users for the same device.
There's a new family checklist with tips for updating settings for your kids as they get older, like a reminder to check location-sharing settings or share your iCloud Plus subscriptions.
For more, check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2022.
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Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: A refined foldable in search of a purpose
Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: A refined foldable in search of a purpose
Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 at the same time. But of the two, the $1,000 Z Flip 3 has a familiar design that's based on clamshell flip phones that have been around for decades. It folds in half from a 6.7-inch phone down to a square that's roughly the size and thickness of several coasters stacked. Meanwhile, the Z Fold 3 costs $1,800, with a futuristic design closer to something you'd see in a sci-fi movie or TV show like Westworld. The latter folds open from a regular phone, into a 7.6-inch square tablet and lacks the same "love at first sight" appeal as the Z Flip 3.
This is because Samsung's phone/tablet hybrid design is still inherently new compared to the tried-and-true flip phone motif the Flip 3 embraces. The Z Fold 3 is actually a wonderful tablet, but when it's folded up it has the same hefty appeal as an air conditioner remote control.
Like
120Hz cover screen
Water resistance
Wonderful tablet experience
S Pen is a blast to use
Software improvements for multitasking and Flex Mode
Don't Like
Battery life lasts about a day
Weird, heavy phone when closed
$1,800 is still expensive
Despite its complicated allure, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a remarkable showcase of technology and innovation. Pretty much anytime I open the phone in public, there is someone with a dumbfounded look on their face. For the price, you get nearly every high-end feature one would expect in a flagship Android phone. And for $1,800, you better. The few compromises Samsung did make, like having B+ cameras instead of A+ ones, aren't deal breakers and stand as further reminders that the Z Fold 3's high price tag is because the phone folds in half.
Throughout my time with the Z Fold 3, I kept asking myself why the tablet even needs to fold in half? Or is there a better way to design a tablet that folds down to the size of a phone? As much as the Z Fold 3 has improved over its predecessors, it's still largely a concept in search of a purpose. And I couldn't escape that underlying conundrum. Yet if you want a tablet that can fold up and fit into your pocket, the Z Fold 3 certainly deserves your consideration. It's the second best foldable phone Samsung has made to date, with the best one being the more practical Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 storage and pricing
US
UK
Australia
Galaxy Z Fold 3 256GB
$1,800
£1,599
AU$2,499
Galaxy Z Fold 3 512GB
$1,900
£1,699
AU$2,649
The Z Fold 3 has nearly all the refinements you could ask for, but it still feels like it's missing a purpose.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A stronger, lighter and thinner Fold
The Z Fold 3 takes on the same design and form as the Z Fold 2, albeit with a bunch of improvements. For some, the best improvement might be the $200 drop in price from the $2,000 the Z Fold 2 cost. Most of the phone's upgrades are more iterative, small touches that add up to a more refined package overall.
For instance it's lighter than the previous Fold, which I noticed as soon as I picked it up. But it's still one of the heaviest phones I reviewed this year. It's thinner and more svelte than the Z Fold 2, but still one of the bulkiest phones I have ever tested.
It seems more durable. Obviously, I only had a couple of weeks with the Z Fold 3, so I can only be hopeful that the improvements I noticed span the life of the phone. The metal in the frame and hinge is reinforced and you can feel that extra tensile strength when you hold it, fold it and interact with it. The folding screen, hinge and body feel more like a single uniform whole instead of being separate features. The 7.6-inch main screen still has a crease but it doesn't bother me in the least. You could nitpick it if you want, but the iPhone's notch is far more of an eyesore.
The Gorilla Glass Victus-clad cover screen now has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate that matches the main display and looks lovely. The Z Fold 3 has water resistance and can be submerged up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet), which is truly remarkable for a folding phone.
Using an S Pen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a blast
One indication that Samsung is confident about the Z Fold 3's durability is that it sells a sharp pointy stylus for you to use on the screen. It's as if Samsung is saying, "We're no longer worried about your fingernails making indentations on the main screen. Go ahead and try out an S Pen."
In my time using the S Pen with the phone, the screen looks just like it did when I took it out of the box. And that's on top of all the times I folded and unfolded it, shoved it in the pockets of my jeans and threw it in my backpack along with whatever else was in there.
Samsung made two versions of the S Pen for the Z Fold 3: the S Pen Fold Edition, which lacks Bluetooth and costs $50; and the S Pen Pro, which has Bluetooth and costs $100. Both have a retractable tip that helps reduce wear and tear on the screen. I only got to try out the S Pen Fold Edition and I noticed that the tip rarely retracted all the way. Instead, it seems to relieve some of the pressure I put on the screen when I draw or write. There's a small arsenal of S Pen tricks such as hover to magnify, which activates when the S Pen is just millimeters away from the screen.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the first foldable phone that supports the S Pen.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The cover screen doesn't support either new S Pen which is a bummer because there's no way to jot a quick note or a doodle without opening up the Fold. And if you have an old S Pen, you can't use it with the Z Fold 3.
As much fun as it is to use an S Pen on that giant vibrant screen, the Fold in no way replaces the inherent convenience that a Galaxy Note provides. The Fold doesn't let you quickly make a note. And there isn't a place to store the S Pen. It would be nice if you could magnetically attach the S Pen to the Fold 3's hinge in the same way you can attach an Apple Pencil to an iPad Pro. I should note that Samsung sells a bundled S Pen Fold Edition and phone case that stores it along the hinge for $80.
Under-display camera selfies and Zoom calls on the Z Fold 3
There are two, technically three, selfie cameras -- let me explain. You can take a selfie with the hole-punch selfie camera in the cover screen. Or you can flip the cover screen down, use it as a live preview and take a selfie with the main rear camera. Or you can use Samsung's first ever under-display camera, which is mostly hidden behind the main screen.
Out of the three options, the one that is the most curious is the under-display camera. The part of the display in front of the camera has fewer screen elements and translucent wiring. At certain angles or when brighter colors are on the display, you can see the part of the screen where the camera is. Think of this camera setup like looking through a window that has blinds on it.
The front-facing camera in the main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (white screen) is housed in a hole-punch cut out. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 uses an under-display camera. Notice the tiny octagon shape in the green leaf wallpaper on the Fold 3's main display.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The under-display camera is only 4 megapixels, which isn't a lot, but that lower resolution helps it see through or around those screen elements. Samsung also uses AI processing to improve the image quality. I took selfies with all three options on the Fold and, no surprise, the photos from the under-display camera looked the worst. Indoor selfies look highly processed and outdoor snaps in good lighting do not look much better.
The under-display camera is intended for video calls and works fine for them. On the few video calls I made using it, people on the other end said that they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
I took selfies with the different cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. From left to right, here are selfies from: the main rear camera, cover screen camera and under-display camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
But let's go back to why there is an under-display camera. The idea is to reduce visual distractions on and around the display. There isn't a notch. There isn't a hole punch. Instead, you either see nothing (yay!) or when bright colors are displayed, you see a tiny glittery octagon that I found to be more distracting than something like a hole-punch camera. At this point, the benefit of having a screen free of visual interruptions isn't worth the tradeoffs from this under-display camera.
Z Fold 3 has B+ cameras at an A+ price
Despite all of the improvements to the phone's hardware, the cameras are one area that largely remain the same. In terms of quality and performance, they are a step behind the camera systems found on phones like the iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra. These are good cameras and for most people the photos and videos they capture with them will be fine.
There are five cameras on the Z Fold 3: the aforementioned under-display camera, the cover-screen selfie camera and a triple camera array on the "back" with a main wide-angle camera, an ultrawide-angle camera and a 2x optical telephoto camera that now has optical image stabilization. In bright lighting, photos look good. Digital zoom up to 4x magnification has minimal image deterioration. If you go past 6x, photos look less stellar and have softer details. Night mode on the Z Fold 3 is solid, but compared to the S21 or S21 Ultra, images look soft. Take a look below at a few photos I took with the new Fold.
The camera hardware didn't change, but the Z Fold 3 gets a new image signal processor thanks to its Snapdragon 888 chip.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Under good lighting, the Fold can capture great photos.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Notice how it handles the highlights in the clouds and the details above the windows of the cream-colored building.
Patrick Holland/CNET
There is something about the perspective of Samsung's ultrawide cameras that always gets me.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This was taken with the 2x telephoto camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A beautiful day yields some perfect views. Look at the highlights and shadows in the clouds.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Night mode on the Fold 3 isn't quite to the level of the Galaxy S21, but it's still impressive.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Images look bright and are mostly free of image noise, even from the ultrawide camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Videos are decent, but suffer from image noise in all but the most ideal of situations. Take a look at some videos I recorded with the Z Fold 3 below.
There will inevitably be some people who expect the absolute best cameras on a phone that costs $1,800. I'd argue that Samsung made a smart tradeoff to keep that price under $2,000.
Like the Z Flip 3, the Z Fold 3 is essentially its own tripod. Because of its size and flexibility you can put it nearly anywhere to capture a unique angle or perspective.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 gets multitasking right
On the inside, the Z Fold 3 packs nearly every 2021 Android spec you could want. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and 12GB of RAM. It runs Android 11 and Samsung's One UI 3. Split-screen apps are more customizable, taking advantage of the larger tablet screen. You can put them side by side, stacked vertically or even have three. You can move each app around and resize their windows. You can also save split-screen app groupings and setups for later.
Like the Z Flip 3, the phone's settings has a section called Labs, which lets you optimize nearly any app for the screen. For example, natively Instagram shows up in a thin vertical aspect ratio with screen space on either side of the app. I went into Labs, and forced it to be displayed across the full screen, which worked well.
Multitasking is fun and customizable on the Z Fold 3. You can save app window layouts to use the same setup again.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A useful trait that the Flip and Fold share is Flex Mode. You can position either phone half open like a mini laptop. Flex Mode gets more support in One UI 3 and there are more apps that can take advantage of it. Some apps just move to the top half of the screen with system navigation and brightness controls on the bottom. Other apps, like for videos and music, place the playback controls on the bottom half of the screen. Not every app is optimized for Flex Mode, but this is a huge step up from the Fold 2. I still would like to see apps go farther and even be designed around Flex Mode. Can you imagine a game designed for Flex Mode?
Galaxy Z Fold 3 has less than average battery life
The Z Fold 3's biggest drawback is its battery life. The dual 4,400-mAh batteries are actually a tad smaller than the ones in the Fold 2. As a result, the Z Fold 3 barely makes it through a day. I imagine that has a lot to do with the combination of 5G connectivity and the fact that there are two screens that run at 120Hz. Screen-on time during my review averaged about three and a half hours, which isn't great. I am still running CNET's battery test and will update this review with the results soon.
The Fold lacks dust resistance. In my use this wasn't an issue. But I recommend being careful if you take the Z Fold 3 to the beach or on a hike or anywhere there's potential for small particles to interact with the phone. This wouldn't be a good phone for Salt BAE.
The screens and finish on the body collect finger smudges easily. I find myself wiping it clean constantly.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are quite the pairing. One is aimed more at the mainstream and the other at early adopters.
Sarah Tew/CNET
A better foldable, but not the best
While I continue testing the Galaxy Z Fold 3, I still question who this phone is for exactly. A phone enthusiast might love all of the technology in the Fold, especially that folding screen. Foldable phones are still at a comparatively early stage, but the lower price offered by the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 compared to their predecessors shows an effort to make them more accessible. And I hope that's a trend that continues in the coming years. I still hold that most people who want a folding phone will likely want to consider the Z Flip 3 for its familiar flip-phone aesthetic, but if you want that larger tablet shape the Z Fold 3 fulfills that promise.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 specs vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Fold
