HeyWhatsNew: Banking Apps on Android Devices Are Being Targeted, and Snapdragon X Chipsets Are Here to Boost Performance
Hello there Heyuppers. It may be a short work week, but that hasn’t stopped the tech world from bringing us some news headlines to be excited about. Here are the top tech news updates that have shaped our world in the week beginning 29/04/2024.
Brokewell Malware Poses a Serious Threat to Android Users
There’s a new type of harmful software for Android phones that experts have dubbed “Brokewell”. It’s a serious threat because it lets attackers control people’s phones and steal their information, especially from banking apps. Experts are concerned because it’s constantly being updated, making it harder to stop, and it could cause major problems for banks and their customers.
According to the report on Cybernews, Brokewell is a common type of banking malware that can steal data and control devices remotely. It keeps track of everything happening on the device, like touches, swipes, and apps opened. Experts believe it will probably be offered as a rental service on secret online forums.
iPads Are Now Governed by the Same Strict EU Laws as iPhones
The European Commission has included Apple’s iPadOS in the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to promote competition among online platforms. This means Apple has to follow strict rules like allowing its products to work with rivals’ services, and restricting how it shares data between its own products.
Apple’s iPad and iPhone OS joins other big tech companies like Google, Amazon, TikTok, Meta, and Microsoft on the list of firms subject to these rules which have been changing the tech world since last year.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Chipsets Announced
Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite chips are finally here to boost the performance of many laptops. Android Authority reports that the Snapdragon X Plus series includes two chip options, while the Snapdragon X Elite series comes in three versions.
According to benchmark data, the Elite models outperform the X Plus models. All Elite chips support 60fps 4K encoding and 120fps 4K decoding, while the X1P-64 offers the same, but the X1P-42 has lower specs with 30fps 4K encoding and 60fps 4K decoding.
Google Brings Simultaneous Downloading to Play Store
In a recent update, the Google Play Store allows you to make simultaneous downloads. Now, when you download apps from the Google Play Store on your Android phone, you don’t have to wait for one to finish before starting another. This new feature is available on many devices, including Pixel phones and tablets with Android 14 and Play Store version 40.6.31.
This feature was actually found by AssembleDebug years ago but is now becoming more widely available. While it’s not as speedy as the App Store on Apple devices, which can download three apps at once, it’s still a big improvement from how things used to be. Now you can download two apps at the same time, cutting down on your wait time. It’s not as fast as the App Store on Apple devices, but it’s a significant improvement from before.
YouTube TV Now Has Multiview Options for Android and Apple Devices
YouTube TV introduced Multiview for smart TVs and streaming devices last year, allowing users to watch multiple shows at once. It started with the NFL Sunday Ticket and has been gradually expanding. A year later, it came to iPhones and iPads, and this week it’s rolling out to Android devices.
9to5Google reports that to use it, you just need to update your YouTube TV app to the latest version on Android, then find Multiviews in the “Home” tab. You can watch up to four live streams on Android phones and tablets, but it’s mostly for sports content.
China Creates the First Fully-electric Humanoid Robot That Runs, Named Tiangong
Tiangong is a new type of robot unveiled in Beijing at a recent event showcasing AI advancements. It’s the first full-sized humanoid robot that runs only on electricity. Tiangong can move at a steady speed of six kilometers per hour and was created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center Company.
It’s a small robot, standing at 163 centimeters tall and weighing 43 kilograms, but it’s packed with sensors and has powerful computing abilities. Developers say it can run like a human and can be customized for different uses, making it useful for various industries.
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile Are Under Fire for Allegedly Sharing Location Data Illegally
The Federal Communications Commission is charging the biggest mobile phone companies in the US about $200 million combined for allegedly sharing customers’ location data without permission. The FCC found that these companies sold access to customer location info to middlemen, who then sold it to other companies without first getting permission. Even after they were told about this, the companies didn’t stop it or limit who could get the data.
The Verge reports that T-Mobile got the biggest fine at $80 million, Sprint (now part of T-Mobile) got fined $12 million, AT&T got fined about $57 million, and Verizon got fined around $47 million. T-Mobile and Verizon got slightly lower fines because they cooperated more with the FCC.
That’s all we have time for this week. The next time we meet, we’ll be in a new month. We can’t wait to see what new tech the new month brings. Until next time ✌🏽.
