Android

AlternateControls brings Android-inspired software buttons to iOS

Although it might seem a little like blasphemy, a new jailbreak tweak is taking the risk and bringing Android trademarked software controls to iOS. That means that the famed back, home, and menu buttons are now available on your iPhone. Living up to its name, AlternateControls provides a new way to control your iOS device without using the Home button. But there's a bit more to the story than what appears on the surface. Watch our full walkthrough video to see what I mean.

Google wants to be the standard to power your car infotainment system, no smartphone needed

Google has plans to release a new version of Android that will be directly built into cars, getting rid of the need to pair the car's infotainment system with a smartphone for a user to access features, reports Reuters. This is a big move from Google's current Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay, which require a phone to be connected to stream music, access maps, and more. 

Kantar: iPhone 6 helps Apple gain share over Android, iPhone 5c outselling iPhone 6 Plus in US

In the last three months up to October 31, Apple's misunderstood iPhone 5c outsold the iPhone 6 Plus in the United States.

Moreover, overall sales of both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets has bumped up Apple's market share against Android around the world, according to the latest smartphone survey by Kantar Worldpanel, the WPP-owned market researcher.

The research firm reported Wednesday that Apple is poised for a record quarter amid “a huge jump in sales share across almost all major markets” thanks to the new iPhones.

Chinese phone maker claims Apple’s iPhone 6 is a ripoff

Chinese phone maker Digione claims Apple's iPhone 6 infringes on a patent for its own smartphone under the 100+ brand, and plans to take Apple to court if things aren't resolved. In a letter sent to Apple in September, Digione says it wants to communicate further with Apple to prevent "potential legal risks for the sake of further understanding and communication."

Nokia is back with an iPad mini look-alike running Android

Nokia rejoined the world of consumer electronics on Monday, after selling its devices unit to Microsoft last year. The Finnish-based company announced the Nokia N1, an iPad mini-clone featuring a strikingly familiar 7.9-inch screen, 2048x1536 resolution, and aluminum design. The N1 will be released in China early next year for $250, undercutting the iPad mini prices heftily.

Judge green-lights lawsuit against Apple over text message delivery issue

Federal judge Lucy Koh has green-lighted a lawsuit against Apple over its long-standing iMessage issue that causes some former iPhone users to not receive their text messages, reports Reuters. The lawsuit was filed in May by San Jose, California resident Adrienne Moore.

Moore says Apple didn't properly warn her that she'd quit receiving text messages after switching from an iPhone to a Galaxy S5. There's no word yet on what kind of damages Moore is asking for, but she is seeking class action status, which would allow others to join the suit.

Disney’s Movies Anywhere out for Android, makes cross-platform movies a reality

In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, Disney is helping blur the lines between Apple's and Google's respective ecosystems with Tuesday's release of its Movies Anywhere app for Android, now available free of charge in the U.S. Google Play Store. That's right, the app now lets folks buy and enjoy Disney content on both iOS and Android devices.

The movie-curating app debuted as an iOS exclusive in February 2014 with support for free streaming of any Disney, Pixar and Marvel content previously purchased from Apple's iTunes Store. Any of the 450 Disney movies you bought using the app would immediately register as purchased inside the iTunes Store.

Now that Disney Movies Anywhere is available for both iOS and Android, not only can you watch your Disney movies across Apple's and Google's platforms, but also purchase any Disney, Pixar or Marvel Universe movie on Google Play and have it available on iOS and vice versa.

Native Google Calendar app with Material Design coming to iPhone soon

Fantastical, Sunrise, Readdle, Tempo... You can safely add Google to your list of stock calendar replacements on iOS as the search giant confirmed today bringing the native Google Calendar experience to the iPhone and iPad soon, though without providing a timeframe for availability.

Google currently does not have a Calendar app in the App Store, but that's going to change soon as it's now started rolling out a brand new Calendar experience to first Android 5.0 Lollipop devices.

“Yes, we’re also working on a version for iPhone,” the Gmail team said in a blog post Monday announcing the new Google Calendar for Android 5.0 with Material Design.

Google roundup: Android Lollipop, Nexus 6 phone, Nexus 9 tablet and Nexus Play streamer

With less than 24 hours left until Apple's “It's been way too long” iPad and Mac media event, the Internet giant Google in a pre-emptive strike Wednesday officially unveiled the next major version of its mobile operating system, Android 5.0, along with the newest Nexus-branded hardware devices: a Motorola-made smartphone, a HTC-made tablet and an Asus-built game console and media streamer.

“A sweet new take on Android,” Android Lollipop is actually the Android L software the search giant teased at its Google I/O conference back in the summer. Containing over 5,000 new APIs for developers, Lollipop has been designed to be flexible to support all screen sizes and devices while taking Android's customization to the next level.

FBI director says he’s ‘very concerned’ about new privacy features in iOS 8

The FBI is very concerned with the new privacy features Apple is touting in iOS 8, the organization's director James Comey told The Huffington Post on Thursday. In particular, he's concerned the company is marketing something "expressly to allow people to place themselves above the law."

Comey's remarks follow Apple's move last week to be more transparent and informative about its user privacy policies. In a new webpage on the topic, the Cupertino firm said it no longer stores encryption keys for devices running iOS 8, meaning it can't bypass pass codes—even under subpoena. 

Google announces first low-cost Android One handsets launching in India, starting at just $105

The Internet giant Google during a Monday media event in India announced the first wave of low-cost Android handsets running the company's optimized Android One software, with prices starting as low as $105.

“The world is filled with potential: people who are ready to leave their mark and need a phone as ambitious as they are,” said the firm during the event. The Android One project has been conceived to bring stock Android experience to inexpensive mid-to-low-range handsets sold in emerging markets such as Russia, India, Brazil and China.