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mardi 24 novembre 2020

Google prepares to decouple new emojis from Android system updates

Emojis have become an integral part of our informal expression. These tiny graphical assets add emotions, intention, and character to mere words. The frequent addition of new emojis to the Unicode standard is testimony to their popularity. Whenever Unicode gets new emojis, we need to wait for an OS upgrade to reach our phones to bring support for the emoji, before we can actually make them a part of our internet lingo. Google seems to prepare to make this easier, as a few commits indicate that it is working on decoupling new emojis from Android system updates.

As it currently stands, all fonts on Android are currently stored in the system partition, and more specifically, under the /system/fonts directory. Emojis, in particular, are present within the file called NotoColorEmoji.ttf. The system partition is read-only, and updating any file within the partition requires a system update while the partition isn’t mounted. So the only way to get new fonts and new emojis is to wait for an official OTA update or install it yourself unofficially through root.

New commits have been spotted at the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Gerrit that look to decouple font files away from needing an OS upgrade. Keep in mind that these commits have not been merged yet. We can glean their purpose from the commit descriptions:

Add /data/fonts/files directory:

The updated font files will be stored to /data/fonts/files and all application will read it for drawing text. Thus, /data/fonts/files needs to be readable by apps and only writable by system_server (and init).

Set up /data/fonts directory for updatable system fonts:

– /data/fonts/files The updated font files are placed in this directory. The files under this directory are readable by any apps. Only system_server can write font files to this directory.

– /data/fonts/config The font configuration used by system_server is stored in this directory. Only system_server can read/write this directory.

These commits essentially make it possible for the system_server process to write updated font files to the /data/fonts directory. The data partition is mounted as read-write, so with this change, Google is allowing only the system_server process the permission to write to this directory. All apps will then read the font and emoji files from this directory for drawing text. Thus, updated font files, and by extension new emojis, can be pushed to the phone without needing an entire OTA update for this purpose.

We reiterate that these commits have not been merged yet. Consequently, we aren’t sure when this change will happen. If these commits are merged within the next few months, we can see this change happen in Android 12.


Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer luca020400 for the tip!

The post Google prepares to decouple new emojis from Android system updates appeared first on xda-developers.



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Here’s the new Google Fit design and features coming to Wear OS

Earlier this month, Google announced an update for the Google Fit app on Android and Wear OS with a redesigned UI and new features. The update brought a new easy-to-view hub on the Google Fit app on Android, which summarizes your metrics, daily and weekly goals for Heart Points and Steps, and your most recent workout. The hub also displays your heart rate, weight, and blood pressure trends over time. The app also received a redesigned home screen with quick access to sleep analytics.

For Wear OS devices, Google introduced new tiles for your recent workouts and important metrics. But the company didn’t go into too many details about these new tiles at the time. Google has now finally released more information about the Google Fit update for Wear OS devices, and here’s what it looks like:

The Google Fit update for Wear OS devices aims to offer an improved user experience with a fresh new design. As seen in our previous coverage, the updated design shows you all the important metrics with two tiles dedicated to your performance. Swiping to the right on these tiles gives you quick access to your media controls and settings during your workout.

Google Fit Wear OS workout tiles

If you’re out running, the app will push alerts for each kilometer/mile you cover and show you split time at a glance. It will also give you updates on your performance in comparison with your last split.

Google Fit Wear OS track pace

The new performance tiles will also include heart rate zones at the top of the screen, which will let you quickly check if you’re gaining Heart Points during your workout. On top of that, the tiles also let you quickly cycle between all the metrics (Calories, steps, time, Heart Points) with a single tap to help you see exactly what you care about the most.

Google Fit Wear OS heart points zone

New Heart Points zone

Furthermore, the Google Fit update also makes it easier for you to set workout goals on your Wear OS smartwatch. To do so, all you need to do is tap on the flag icon at the bottom of the screen, choose a metric, and set your desired goal.

Google Fit Wear OS set workout goals

Easily set workout goals

Your watch will then show you your progress and push an alert when you reach the goal. The app will also push daily goal notifications for Heart Points and steps with this new animation:

The update also introduces a Touch Lock button to prevent accidental touches from disrupting your workout. But even with Touch Lock on, you’ll be able to pause/resume your workout or switch screens using the hardware buttons on your smartwatch. To turn it off, you’ll have to press and hold the power button.

Google Fit Wear OS Touch Lock button

New Touch Lock button

Finally, Google Fit for Wear OS now also has a Breathe Tile that helps you decompress with easier access to guided breathing sessions. Once the breathing exercise is finished, the app also displays a summary showcasing how your heart rate changed between the beginning and the end. The tile will also show you a recap of your breathing sessions for the last week, so you can easily keep track of your progress.

The new Google Fit update for Wear OS devices will start rolling out to users this week. In case you don’t have the app already, you can download the latest version by visiting the Play Store on your smartwatch.

The post Here’s the new Google Fit design and features coming to Wear OS appeared first on xda-developers.



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MIUI 12 code hints the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro could have a QHD+ display

Although Xiaomi is yet to unveil details about the upcoming Mi 11 series, new strings of code spotted in a recent MIUI 12 beta release suggest that the top-of-the-line Mi 11 Pro could feature some major display enhancements. The strings reveal that Xiaomi is working on adding support for MEMC, SDR-to-HDR upmapping, and AI upscaling to its latest Android skin, and we suspect that these display features might make their way to the company’s next flagship smartphone. Along with these new display features, the Mi 11 Pro might also feature a high-resolution QHD+ display.

XDA Senior Member and frequent Xiaomi tipster kacskrz has discovered new strings in the Settings app of the latest MIUI 12 based on Android 11 release, which point towards the QHD+ resolution display. While these strings don’t explicitly confirm the Mi 11 Pro will have a QHD+ resolution panel, their existence corroborates a report from Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station. Here are the new strings:

<string name="resolution_fhd">FHD+ (Full HD)</string>
<string name="resolution_fhd_summary">2400×1080</string>
<string name="resolution_qhd">QHD+ (Quad HD)</string>
<string name="resolution_qhd_summary">3200×1440 (consumes more power)</string>

<string name="save_battery_mode">Save power with QHD+</string>
<string name="save_battery_mode_summary">Switch resolution automatically to save power</string>

As you can see in the aforementioned strings, the latest MIUI 12 update brings a new “Quad HD” 3200×1440 resolution setting. The setting comes with a disclaimer, which states that it “consumers more power.” Furthermore, it includes a battery saver mode, which will automatically switch the display to FHD+ resolution to save power. Since none of Xiaomi’s existing devices feature a QHD+ panel, this new setting has likely been added for an upcoming device; quite possibly the Mi 11 Pro.

It’s worth noting that Xiaomi’s last flagship — the Mi 10 Pro — only had an FHD+ panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. So if the Mi 11 Pro has a QHD+ panel at 120Hz, it would be a massive upgrade over its predecessor. However, it wouldn’t be the first phone to feature such a panel. The OnePlus 8 Pro and OPPO Find X2 Pro were the first two devices to feature QHD+ 120Hz panels. Interestingly, these devices also offered the aforementioned display features that are expected to make their way to the Mi 11 Pro.

Featured image: Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

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lundi 23 novembre 2020

Samsung updates the Bixby Home UI and brings Bixby to DeX

Samsung started rolling out a major update for its AI assistant Bixby a few weeks ago, bringing a complete design refresh and a new icon for the voice assistant. However, the updated UI wasn’t available for all users at the time, and we weren’t able to access it even after sideloading the update on our devices. It seems like the update is finally ready for primetime, as Samsung has now officially disclosed all the changes included in the update.

According to a recent report from Sammobile, the update brings a completely new UI for Bixby Home, and it’s no longer split between the two Home and All Capsules categories. Instead, the updated UI gives users all the information related to the virtual assistant in a single home screen.

Along with the updated home screen, Bixby Voice has also received a significant UI refresh. When summoned, Bixby Voice now occupies only a small portion towards the bottom of the display, instead of taking up the entire screen. This was a major pain point for many users, and we’re glad that Samsung has finally addressed it in the latest update.

Samsung Bixby DeX mode

Furthermore, the update includes new functionality for the voice assistant, and it now works in DeX mode. Thanks to this, Samsung DeX users will be able to issue voice commands to control various aspects of the desktop UI. This change adds to another recent Bixby update, which brought better integration between smartphones and smart TVs. It seems like Samsung is doubling down on expanding Bixby support to its entire ecosystem of smart devices, and we can’t wait to see what other handy integrations the company has in store for us.

What’s your take on the new Bixby update? Are these changes compelling enough to make you switch to Samsung’s virtual assistant? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Samsung updates the Bixby Home UI and brings Bixby to DeX appeared first on xda-developers.



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Here are the countries using Google and Apple’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing API

SARS-CoV-2, also known colloquially as just the coronavirus, has wreaked havoc across the world. Many countries shut down large parts of the economy in order to contain the spread of the virus. As countries reopen their economies, many health experts fear a “second wave”, ie. resurgence, of COVID-19. To prevent a second wave, public health experts are advocating that nations adopt contact tracing, ie. tracing all the people who have recently come into contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 and then undertaking steps to isolate those individuals. Contact tracing is difficult to implement correctly without violating an individual’s privacy. The threat to personal privacy was severe enough for Google and Apple to collaborate on an API that developers of public health agencies can use to implement app-based contact tracing solutions. This contact tracing API, which Google and Apple call the Exposure Notification API, is designed to respect user privacy and security.

Once a user downloads an app that uses the Exposure Notification API and opts in to contact tracing, their device starts generating “proximity identifiers” that are changed every 15 minutes (on average). Via Bluetooth Low Energy, these “proximity identifiers” are periodically shared with nearby devices whose users have also opted into contact tracing. The proximity identifier is then processed on-device and does not reveal information about a user’s location or other personally identifiable information. Once a user confirms a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, they can share their diagnosis with the app they installed, which will then inform other users who have come into close contact with them in the last 14 days. For more information on how the Exposure Notification API works, we recommend reading our initial coverage.

Google first rolled out the Exposure Notification API for Android devices on May 20, 2020, as part of an update to Google Play Services, but its use is restricted to apps that have been developed by official public health agencies (for obvious reasons). However, neither Google nor Apple has made details public about the list of apps that have been whitelisted for using this API, so unless you’re constantly keeping up with the news, it’s hard to know which countries have adopted the API. We’ve previously covered some of the countries that have adopted the Exposure Notification API when we talked about the various open-source contact tracing projects that are out there. In this article, we have compiled a list of official contact tracing apps from designated health agencies from various countries that are using Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification API. Our list contains COVID-19 contact tracing apps that have been released or are currently in development.

We discovered Google’s hidden whitelist of application package names for the API. Subsequently, these package names were traced back to apps, their listing, and the countries they belong to. The information is compiled below in a table for easy reference. We have also added Google Play Store and Apple App Store links, if the app has been publicly released, as well as the source code and the official website link, wherever available. We will update the following tables as more countries/regions adopt the API.

Table Changelog

  • June 26, 2020
    • Added: Brazil, Ghana, Ecuador, Spain, Estonia, Egypt, Portugal, Croatia, MIT’s PathCheck SafePlaces
    • Package names updated: Canada, Alabama
  • June 29, 2020
    • Updated Ireland’s listing to include the source code
    • Added the name and package name of Spain’s app.
    • Google has updated the package name “eg.nc.moh.bruhealthtrace” to “egnc.moh.bruhealthtrace.” This matches the “BruHealth” contact tracing app from the government of “Brunei.” We have updated the table accordingly.
  • June 30, 2020
    • Added Spain’s Radar COVID app
  • July 1, 2020
    • Fixed Japan’s listing to reflect that COCOA – COVID-19 Contact App has already been released.
    • Added a separate table for open contact tracing implementations based on Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification API. PathCheck SafePlaces was moved to this table and COVID Shield and Common Circle were added.
  • July 6, 2020
    • Ireland’s COVID Tracker app has been released on Google Play and the Apple App Store, so the listing in the table has been updated with links to reflect that.
  • July 8, 2020
    • Added: North Ireland, the Netherlands (second app), Finland, and MITRE’s COVID Aware app
  • July 15, 2020
    • Added: Arizona, CV Key
    • Updated: New Canadian app, package names for UK apps, Mexican app, updated Ghana –> Gibraltar
  • July 22, 2020
    • Added: Nevada (?) pending verification
  • August 5, 2020
    • Added: Belgium (In-Development), New York (In-Development)
    • Updated: Virginia (Released), North Dakota (In-Development), Canada (Released), Croatia (Released), Ecuador (Released), Northern Ireland (Released)
  • August 10, 2020
    • Added: Slovenia, Arizona, South Africa (?) pending verification
    • Re-verified that released apps are using COVID-19 ENS.
  • August 13, 2020
    • Updated: United Kingdom (Released)
  • August 24, 2020
    • Added: Czech Republic (In-Development), Michigan (In-Development), North Carolina (In-Development), Pennsylvania (In-Development), Scotland (In-Development), Kazakhstan (In-Development)
    • Updated: Spain (now using ENS), Estonia (Released), Netherlands (Released), Slovenia (Released), Alabama (Released), Nevada (Released), North Dakota & Wyoming (Released)
  • August 28, 2020
    • Added: Guam (Released)
    • Updated: Portugal (Released), South Africa (Released)
  • August 31, 2020
    • Updated: Finland (Released)
  • September 1, 2020
    • Added: Puerto Rico (Released)
    • Updated: Czech Republic (now using ENS)
  • September 9, 2020
    • Updated: Scotland (Released), Spain (source code)
  • September 14, 2020
    • Added: Delaware (Released)
  • September 21, 2020
    • Added: California (Released)
    • Updated: North Carolina (Released), Belgium (Released), Kazakhstan (Released), Malta (Released), Pennsylvania (Released)
  • September 29, 2020
    • Added: New Jersey (Released)
  • September 30, 2020
    • Updated: New York (Released)
  • October 7, 2020
    • Added: Greece (Released)
  • October 14, 2020
    • Added: Jersey (Released)
  • October 15, 2020
    • Added: Michigan (Released)
  • October 19, 2020
    • Added: District of Columbia (Released)
  • October 23, 2020
    • Added: Colorado (Released)
  • October 29, 2020
    • Added: Cyprus (Released)
  • October 30, 2020
    • Added: Washington (Released)
    • Removed: Mexico, Philippines (Abandoned ENS)
  • November 2, 2020
    • Added: Lithuania
  • November 5, 2020
    • Added: Connecticut (Released)
  • November 9, 2020
    • Added: Oregon (Released)
  • November 10, 2020
    • Added: Maryland (Released)
  • November 12, 2020
    • Added: Hawaii (Released)
  • November 16, 2020
    • Added: South Carolina (Released)
  • November 23, 2020
    • Added: Minnesota (Released), Bermuda (Released), Russia (Released)

Regions with COVID-19 contact tracing apps based on the Exposure Notifications System (ENS)

Region App Name Android Package Name Status Useful Links
Australia COVIDTrace au.gov.dta.covidtrace In-Development
Austria Stopp Corona at.roteskreuz.stopcorona Released
Belgium Coronalert be.sciensano.coronalert Released
Brazil Coronavirus – SUS br.gov.datasus.guardioes Released
Brunei BruHealth egnc.moh.bruhealthtrace In-Development
Canada COVID Alert ca.gc.hcsc.canada.stopcovid Released
Croatia Stop COVID-19 hr.miz.evidencijakontakata Released
Cyprus CovTracer-EN cy.gov.dmrid.covtracer Released
Czech Republic eRouška cz.covid19cz.erouska Released
Denmark Smittestop com.netcompany.smittestop_exposure_notification Released
Ecuador ASI ec.gob.asi.android Released
Estonia Hoia ee.tehik.hoia Released
Finland Koronavilkku fi.thl.koronahaavi Released
Germany Corona-Warn-App de.rki.coronawarnapp Released
Gibraltar Beat Covid Gibraltar com.gha.covid.tracker Released
Greece Exo com.pathcheck.gr.bt Released
Ireland Covid Tracker com.covidtracker.hse Released
Italy Immuni it.ministerodellasalute.immuni Released
Japan COCOA – COVID-19 Contact App jp.go.mhlw.covid19radar Released
Kazakhstan Saqbol kz.nitec.bizbirgemiz Released
Kenya ke.go.health_togethertrace In-Development
Latvia Apturi Covid Latvia lv.spkc.gov.apturicovid Released
Lithuania Korona Stop LT lt.nvsc.coronawarnapp Released
Malta COVID Alert Malta mt.gov.dp3t Released
Netherlands CoronaMelder nl.rijksoverheid.en Released
Northern Ireland StopCOVID NI net.hscni.covidtracker Released
Poland ProteGO Safe pl.gov.mc.protegosafe Released
Portugal STAYAWAY COVID fct.inesctec.stayaway Released
Russia Госуслуги.COVID трекер com.minsvyaz.gosuslugi.exposurenotificationdroid Released
Saudi Arabia Tabaud sa.gov.nic.tabaud Released
Scotland Protect Scotland gov.scot.covidtracker Released
Slovenia OstaniZdrav si.gov.ostanizdrav Released
South Africa COVIDConnect za.gov.health.covidconnect Released
Spain Radar COVID es.gob.radarcovid Released
Switzerland SwissCovid ch.admin.bag.dp3t Released
United Kingdom NHS COVID-19 uk.nhs.covid19.production Released
United Kingdom – Bermuda WeHealth Bermuda org.wehealth.exposure Released
United Kingdom – Jersey Jersey COVID Alert com.governmentofjersey.jerseycovidalert Released
Uruguay Coronavirus UY uy.gub.salud.plancovid19uy Released
USA – Alabama GuideSafe gov.adph.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Arizona Covid Watch gov.azdhs.covidwatch.android Released
USA – California California COVID Notify gov.ca.covid19.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Colorado CO Exposure Notifications gov.co.cdphe.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Connecticut COVID Alert CT gov.ct.covid19.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Delaware Covid Alert DE gov.de.covidtracker Released
USA – District of Columbia DC CAN gov.dc.covid19.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Guam Guam Covid Alert org.pathcheck.guam.bt Released
USA – Hawaii AlohaSafe Alert org.alohasafe.alert Initial public pilot
USA – Maryland MD COVID Alert gov.md.covid19.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Michigan MI COVID Alert gov.michigan.MiCovidExposure Released
USA – Minnesota COVIDaware MN org.pathcheck.covidsafepathsBt.mn Released
USA – Nevada Covid Trace Nevada gov.nv.dhhs.en Released
USA – New Jersey COVID Alert NJ com.nj.gov.covidalert Released
USA – New York COVID Alert NY gov.ny.health.proximity Released
USA – North Carolina SlowCOVIDNC gov.nc.dhhs.exposurenotification Released
USA – Oregon Oregon Exposure Notifications gov.or.covid19.exposurenotifications Released
USA – Pennsylvania COVID Alert PA gov.pa.covidtracker Released
USA – Puerto Rico Rastrea el Virus BT org.pathcheck.pr.bt Released
USA – South Carolina South Carolina Safer Together musc.exposurenotification Released
USA – North Dakota & Wyoming Care19 Alert com.proudcrowd.exposure Released
USA – Virginia COVIDWise gov.vdh.exposurenotification Released
USA – Washington Washington gov.wa.doh.exposurenotifications Released

Thanks to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

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Google Contacts comes to the Gmail side panel for Workspace accounts

In Gmail, there’s a convenient side panel that features quick access to Calendar, Keep and Tasks — all features that help keep users organized and productive. Moving forward, Google is planning to add Contacts to the side panel, making it easier than ever to know exactly who you’re speaking with.

Google said there will be a new Contacts icon just below Tasks. Once you click on it, you’ll see everything from contact information to whether you’ve emailed with them before. You can also quickly add people to your contacts right from the side panel.

The feature expands upon the information you can already view when hovering over a person’s name in Gmail. For large teams, seeing Contacts in the side panel will also show what team a person is on, who they manage, and even what desk they sit at. This ostensibly makes it easier to collaborate when working on projects.

“We hope this feature makes collaboration and connecting with key stakeholders easier,” Google said in a blog post.

To best maximize the feature, users should have data fully populated across Google Workspace apps. Contacts in the Gmail side panel is rolling out today and should be available to all Workspace users over the next few weeks.

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Google Phone app will reportedly be rebranded, include colorful new icon

Over the last few months, the Google Phone app has been made available to non-Pixel devices, and we’ve also seen testing for a new Caller ID announcement feature. Amidst all the changes, Google is also apparently working on rebranding the app.

According to a post on Reddit (via ChromeUnboxed), the Google Phone app may be rebranded to Google Call, with a new multi-colored icon to boot. The rebranded app was apparently spotted in an ad on YouTube. The ad itself touts the phone app’s ability to reliably inform users who is calling.

Google Call ad on YouTube

The ad included a link to the Phone by Google app in Google Play.

For better or for worse, some of Google’s biggest services have undergone an overhaul this year. Google Suite was rebranded to Google Workspace to cater more to enterprise customers and the work from home crowd. More importantly, however, many of the company’s most recognizable icons, including Gmail and Google Calendar, were completely redesigned. Google Call’s phone icon will apparently feature the same multi-colored design.

The YouTube ad for Google Call featured a link the Phone by Google app in Google Play. The current listing still features the old phone icon with no other visible rebranding.

It’s unclear when Google Phone will become Google Call, or if this was just a mistake. Either way, the Google Phone app has been on the receiving end of a lot of really good features over the past couple of years, from Call Screen to Hold For Me to improved spam protection.

Once the rebrand becomes official, we’ll be sure to let you know.

Phone by Google - Caller ID & Spam Protection (Free, Google Play) →

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