Pixel Visual Core in the Pixel 2 Phones to be Unlocked in Android 8.1 DP2, Scheduled for November

When Google unveiled the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL they didn't mention anything about custom silicon during the keynote. However, after that event it was revealed that the company had worked with Intel to develop a custom SoC dedicated specifically for image processing. This Pixel Visual Core was said to be unlocked in Android 8.1 and many were hoping that this mean it would be included in the first developer preview. However, we have now learned that this chip is still inactive and it will not be used until the second developer preview of Android 8.1 Oreo.

The idea of Google using custom silicon in their smartphones has intrigued many in the Android community for years. They even had a job listing for a chip designer a while back that led people to believe they were working on their own custom SoC like Apple does. While that still may be the case, the first piece of custom silicon used in their own smartphones has been revealed to be an image processor called the Pixel Visual Core.

Google does a lot of image processing with the photos they take on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. While the Snapdragon 835 is definitely capable of handling this own its own, it's not as fast or power efficient as the Pixel Visual Core is. Google has said that using their own chip for this enables the work to be done "5x faster and at less than 1/10th the energy." As many people buy the Pixel phones because of its amazing camera performance, this sparked some interest within the community.

Google had previously said that 3rd-party developers could utilize and test HDR+ with Android 8.1. We learned that this was not possible on DP1 just a few days ago and now Google has clarified what they meant by it. So while we don't have the ability to use the chip on Android 8.1 Developer Preview 1, we will have that feature unlocked with Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2. The company also confirmed that this second developer preview would be released sometime this month.

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Source: Google

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Honor 9 vs. OnePlus 5 Comparison Infographic

The OnePlus 5 and Honor 9 duke it out head to head in the affordable flagship segment, competing in the same price range with similarly spectacular specifications. But which one is the phone for you? This handy infographic by T3 posted on our Honor 9 forums provides an accurate spec-by-spec comparison of both devices. Which device do you think comes out on top? Check out the thread and discuss!

Check out the discussion in the Honor 9 Forums!

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Image Credit: T3

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Hands-on Video of the Razer Phone Reveals its Design, Specs, Pricing and Release Window

Nextbit had a dedicated enthusiast following when they successfully crowdfunded their first and only smartphone (the Nextbit Robin) back in 2015. The phone had a unique design and the stock Android experience that many are looking for. Some were initially skeptical at the prospect behind the team's acquisition by Razer, but shortly after that it was revealed that they were working on another smartphone under the Razer brand. The device is said to be officially unveiled later today, but a (now deleted) early hands-on video shows us what to expect from it.

The first thing that is obvious from this video is the design of the device. The Nextbit Robin had a very square and sharp edge design to it and we can see the Razer Phone will be similar in that respect. The color scheme is different, though, and we're looking at metal build materials. The video shows off what looks like a matte black finish and the Razer logo right on the back of the device. The top and bottom bezels are definitely bigger than what the trend is shifting to, but they are boasting two stereo speakers (each with its own amp).

Inside, it will be equipped with the Snapdragon 835 SoC, 8GBs of RAM, 64GBs of internal storage, and a 4,000mAh capacity battery. While it may not be as thin as some of the newer and more popular smartphones, it seems to definitely be taking advantage of the internal space it has. The company is known for their gaming laptops and desktops so this smartphone having 8GBs of RAM and enough battery life to keep you gaming for a while shows it fits right in with their target demographic.

The Razer Phone has a 5.7″ IGZO LCD panel that runs at 120HZ so this makes it the first smartphone sold in Western markets to have such a display. We've seen Apple shift to 120HZ panels on the the iPad, and similarly we would expect the result to be that the UI is very smooth (especially with scrolling). Lastly, the back of the device houses dual 12MP camera with one being a wide angle lens and the other being a telephoto lens. The device is said to go on sale sometime this month at a $700 price point.

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Lock Screen Note Taking Rolling out in Chrome OS Dev Channel

Back in July a commit was discovered that hinted about Chrome OS receiving a note taking feature directly from the lock screen. Then, late last month we found that the company had made progress on this feature and it seemed like it would be enabled in the near future. Now, we have learned that the lock screen note taking feature from within Chrome OS is now possible as long as you are on the developer channel of Google's operating system.

This timing matches perfectly as more and more people are getting their hands on the new Google Pixelbook laptop. The i7 variant is still not available and Google still has it listed as "coming soon," but both of the i5 models have been available for purchase in the Google Store since the company's hardware launch event last month. The Pixelbook comes with an optional stylus that costs an extra $100, so it makes sense that Google would want to implement the feature as soon as possible.

The Pixelbook isn't the only device that comes with a stylus accessory either. As more Chrome OS devices are released with an included (or optional) stylus, then more people will looking for a feature like this. As mentioned, you can access this feature directly from the lock screen so you don't even have to unlock your device to start taking notes. As shown in the video above, you'll see paper icon in the top right corner so when you tap it, the note taking screen appears as your lock screen page disappears.

As of right now, the notes you take on here will be stored directly on the default notes application for Chrome OS. It's unclear if Google will let you change this to the Google Keep Android application or other alternative applications or services in the future.

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Source:/u/PiggehPerson

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TWRP Recovery Alpha Available for Pixel 2 and 2 XL

Less than a month after Google's official announcement of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, XDA Senior Recognized Developer Dees_Troy announced alpha support for the popular TWRP recovery for the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL late Monday night.

A custom recovery, of course, is the first step towards rooting and flashing a custom ROM, though at the moment there are other hurdles that must yet be overcome before custom Oreo ROMs will run on either generation of the Pixel phone lineup.

Also, it is important to note that important functions such as Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) don't work, so you won't be able to transfer files to and from your PC while your phone is in TWRP recovery. In addition, you won't be able to use TWRP to decrypt, backup, or restore your data. Finally, Dees_Troy stated that he doesn't know what will happen if you try to perform a factory reset with the custom recovery on your Pixel 2 or 2 XL, and you'll only be able to use TWRP in a "temp-boot" state.

TWRP ALPHA FOR PIXEL 2​TWRP ALPHA FOR PIXEL 2​ XL

Dees_Troy recommends that you have the factory images already downloaded and ready to flash in case anything goes wrong while you use this alpha version of TWRP recovery on your second-generation Pixel phones. As with any such modifications, users assume the full risk and responsibility for any potential problems that may occur with the use of TWRP.

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Sony’s Mobile Communications Division Reports $21.9M Loss as Sales Decline in Q2 FY2017

Sony Corp. reported Tuesday that its fiscal second quarter profit zoomed by 26-fold from the same period last year, augmented by the success of its image sensors and gaming products. Their highest ever profit ($1.15 billion) was attributed to thriving sales of image sensors used in smartphones and other devices.

The electronics firm forecast profit of JPY 630 billion ($5.57 billion) for the year ending March, from JPY 500 billion estimated three months ago.

Revenue recorded by the company's Mobile Communications division primarily remained stagnant as compared to the same period last year. This was as a result of upswing in sales of the land line telecommunication and improved forex leverage which was neutralized by the faltering sales in the smartphone department. Sony sold nearly 3.5 million smartphones between the period of July and September which was 100,000 less than what Sony managed to register in the preceding year.

Sony's latest financials show their phone department as the weak link. Sony's Mobile communications section recorded a drop in the Operating loss from $32.5 million in Q3 2016 to $21.9 million in Q3 2017. According to Sony, this was due to the increase in price of the key components as well as the negative impact of appreciation of the yen against the U.S. dollar. Sony has suffered in recent years as it fell behind rivals like Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea and Apple.

The tech company is now expecting smartphone sales to hit $6.8 billion in revenue over the entire 2017 fiscal year ending March 31st, which is roughly $352 million less as compared to the figure forecasted in August.

Mobile sensors contributed substantially over the last period. It is forecasted to record a profit of JPY 150 billion, which is up 20 billion yen from the earlier estimate and a turnaround from last year's loss, as it recovered from earthquake damage which was sustained a year earlier. A business overhaul, recalibrating and banking on image sensors and games under Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai has moved Sony out of a decade of sluggish growth and bolstered the firm's stock price to a nine-year high.

Sony's range of smartphones have not been a standout success story, particularly in markets such as North America. Sony had to write $1.7 billion off their mobile division's value back in 2014. The only division in the tech giant's armour to lose money was predictably its mobile division, and with increasing competition in the high-end and mid-range segments of the smartphone market, it's an uphill task for Sony to make the division profitable again.

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Source: Sony (PDF)
Via: Android Headlines

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Google and MediaTek Announce GMS Express – Delivering Pre-Certified Android Builds to Device Makers

There's a ton of work that goes into building an Android smartphone. After designing the hardware, ordering components, and then manufacturing the product, companies then have to work on getting Android up and running as well. Not only that, but if they want their product to be competitive then they need to put the device through Google's compatibility certification tests in order to ship Google's apps on their device. However, this process can take up to 3 months to complete. To allow partners to ship new devices more quickly, Google, in partnership with MediaTek, is announcing a new project called GMS Express that reduces the certification process from 3 months down to potentially 4 weeks.

Since Android is open source, it can be modified and built to run on all sorts of different hardware configurations. However, this can lead to inconsistencies with how Android behaves from one device to another, thus Google sets up certain requirements to make sure that basic APIs and hardware function consistently across all Android devices. To enforce these requirements, Google leverages its suite of Google apps including the Google Play Store (bundled as part of Google Mobile Services) to force companies to abide by their rules. If an Android build on a device doesn't pass Google's certification process, then they aren't allowed to ship their devices with most popular Google apps pre-installed.

As mentioned, this certification process can take up to 3 months to complete and this means time, manpower resources, and money for each smartphone, tablet, and smartwatch that gets put up for sale. For big companies like Samsung, this is likely just a minor annoyance but this can be a huge barrier for some smaller startup companies that want to get into the market.

With GMS Express, Google wants to reduce the certification time down to 4 weeks. SoC manufacturers like MediaTek will provide Android device manufacturers pre-tested, pre-certified, and fully compliant builds of Android. Devices built in this way will still need to go through a final certification process since the code will likely be changed to add in more features. But it will be incredibly convenient for OEMs that are trying to get an Android device to market quickly. Google has announced that dozens of brands have already joined GMS Express.

Press Release

MediaTek collaborates with Google and its GMS Express program to Deliver Certified Android Software, Mobile Services to Device Makers

MediaTek offers pre-certified and CTS-compliant Android builds with Google Mobile Services to ensure quality Android experiences & get devices to market faster

SAN DIEGO, USA and HSINCHU, Taiwan – November 1, 2017 – MediaTek Inc. today announced that it is the first System-on-Chip (SoC) partner for GMS Express, a program designed to provide approved Android software solutions, including GoogleTM Mobile Services (GMS) and Google Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) certification, to device makers.

As GMS Express's first SoC partner, MediaTek can help device makers get to market more cost effectively and faster and ensure high-quality, consistent consumer experiences with AndroidTM applications and devices. Under the new program, MediaTek provides device makers with a pre-tested, pre-certified, and fully compliant build of Android and GMS. For the past several months, MediaTek has already worked with several of its customers in connection with GMS Express. In fact, dozens of brands have already joined the GMS Express program.

"MediaTek is focused on making great technology available to everyone. This program supports the entire Android community and ensures that from the program's OEM participants and their devices within the program, only pre-tested and certified Android builds appear in the marketplace to give consumers confidence they have a secure, first-class Android experience," said TL Lee, General Manager of MediaTek's wireless business. "Being the first SoC company endorsed for GMS Express reinforces MediaTek as a full hardware and software solutions provider to help brands improve time to market and user experiences with Android devices."

MediaTek customers – Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODM's) – can reduce the typical compatibility certification process from three months to four weeks. They also receive frequent security patches to reduce risks of device hacking.

MediaTek's support of GMS Express is seamless because of its smartphone design expertise and experience working with the large, global Android customer base. MediaTek chipsets power more than 1.5 billion devices a year across a broad range of products including smartphones, TVs, voice assisted devices, routers and more.

"Android has enabled a healthy ecosystem of diverse OEM manufacturers who deliver compelling devices at all price points throughout the world," said Jim Kolotouros, VP, Global Android Partnerships at Google. "We are excited by MediaTek's leadership in connection with the GMS Express program, and enabling the OEM ecosystem to develop high quality devices more quickly, more cheaply, and more easily."

MediaTek, the first SoC provider to support Google's GMS Express program, has been a market innovator since the company first entered the mobile market with a mission to improve time-to-market and mobile ecosystem efficiency more than 20 years ago. The GMS Express program is the latest example of MediaTek's commitment to serving as a total pipeline solution provider, including SOC hardware, turnkey solutions, and certification support.

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