Xiaomi and Redmi are looking to dominate in 2019 http://bit.ly/2I98EbJ

In an interview with Sina Tech published earlier today, Redmi general Lu Weibing wasn’t shy about how Xiaomi and Redmi plan to aggressively expand its operations in 2019.

According to Weibing, Redmi plans to increase its investment in Europe and India. Currently, the top four smartphone manufacturers in Europe are Samsung, Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi. In India, the top four smartphone companies are Xiaomi, Samsung, Vivo, and Oppo.

Interestingly, Weibing claimed that Xiaomi could obtain 50 percent of the smartphone market in India. That would be a considerable leap from the 29-percent market share that Xiaomi currently holds in India, but not completely impossible. In March, Xiaomi reported that it sold 200,000 Redmi Note 7 units in a matter of minutes.

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Weibing also said that Redmi will focus on Latin American and African markets throughout the year, with plans to enter east, west, and central African markets this year. As it does in other areas, Redmi will be online-only in African markets and use a similar e-commerce strategy. That means plenty of flash sales for Africa residents.

Unfortunately, Weibing doesn’t mention any expansion into the United States. Xiaomi has talked about entering the U.S. market, but the country’s ongoing trade war with China and issues with Huawei might have the company thinking twice about such a move.

Android Authority reached out to Xiaomi for comment on Weibing’s interview, but didn’t receive a response by press time.

NEXT: Xiaomi teases Mi 9 variant with pop-up selfie camera

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2Wh2xvN

Expect a fond farewell from iTunes at WWDC http://bit.ly/2W16y2x

iTunes, an 18-year-old desktop application, will likely be retired at WWDC.

Apple

According to Bloomberg, iTunes will be retired at WWDC 2019. The consolidated application will be broken up into three Mac apps: Music, TV, and Podcasts. While this is new for desktop owners, its something iPhone and iPad users acclimated to with the 2015 release of Apple Music.

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The delegation of tasks to three new applications may seem a cumbersome step forward, but it will likely resolve the main complaint of iTunes users: bloated software. Hopefully the new division of labor will yield quick and efficient runtimes from each application. We anticipate that Music will manage iOS devices in lieu of iTunes and anticipate an official statement from WWDC.

Apple’s pivotal media app was first announced by Steve Jobs in 2011 as a jukebox application with a simple user interface. It ushered in the era of digital and mobile media by making it accessible to all consumers, regardless of technical experience. If not for iTunes, the smorgasbord of streaming services at our disposal may not exist, or at least not how we recognize them.

WWDC 2019 begins Monday at 10 a.m. PST, and Android Authority will keep you informed regarding the event.

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2WmicKs

Plex for Android gets picture-in-picture mode, see how it works here http://bit.ly/2JOZPXE

The newest update to the Plex Android app is rolling out now (version 7.16.1.10610) via the Google Play Store. It brings with it a few new features previously included in beta versions of the app, most notably picture-in-picture mode.

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With PiP, you can just tap (or swipe) the home button on your smartphone while viewing a video in your Plex library. The Plex player will minimize and show your home screen, with the video still playing in the lower right corner. You can tap the video twice to go back to a full-screen experience.

Check out how it works in the GIF below as seen on a OnePlus 7 Pro:

This new multitasking feature will likely be a welcome addition to the Plex experience for power users.

Elsewhere, the new Plex update brings the following updates:

• Updated UI –The video player now looks and functions much like the music player.
• Better Seeking –You can scrub a video with little preview images, much like you do on YouTube. Your Plex Media Server needs to have this enabled, though.
• New Viewing Modes — You can change the display mode to fill, stretch, and show the video at original size (under Playback Settings > Display Mode). You can also watch videos with your phone in portrait or landscape-lock can be used to keep landscape only mode (under Playback Settings > Lock to Landscape).
• Chapters — Jump ahead or skip back to your favorite chapter without digging around for the right spot.
• Preload Next Videos — When the countdown takes place on the post-play screen, the next video in your play-queue begins to buffer for an instant start.

The rollout of the new Plex version is staggered, so you might not see it yet. Rest assured, it’s on the way!

NEXT: I ditched Google Play Music for my own Plex server: The good and the bad

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2EMRAHt

This week in Apple: The top news from Android’s main competitor http://bit.ly/2YZpBfi

Rumor-based renders of the iPhone 11 (or iPhone XI, maybe).

MacRumors

Welcome to a new series on Android Authority which gives a rundown of the latest news related to Android’s primary competitor, Apple. This is an easy way for Android fans to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in mobile outside the Android world.

This week in Apple news there’s the possibility of it retiring one of its most iconic products. We also saw the company embroiled in a new privacy lawsuit as well as having to deal with Google’s insinuation that Apple dishes privacy as “a luxury good.” We also heard some interesting rumors surrounding the 2019 iPhones, the 2020 iPhones, and what could get announced at WWDC 2019 (which starts on Monday). Oh yeah, and there’s a new iPod Touch. For real.

See the roundup below for all the latest!

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The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• Surprise! New iPod Touch is for sale: Apple dropped a surprising upgrade to the iPod Touch. It now comes with an A10 fusion chip and a new 256GB storage option. An entry-level Touch will set you back $200, while a maxed-out model will cost $400. And yes, it still has a headphone jack.
• No more iTunes?: According to a new rumor, Apple could do away with iTunes in the next version of macOS, expected to debut on Monday. We previously heard the company was going to break up iTunes into other apps, but now it seems that break up could mean the end of the iTunes branding.
• 2019 iPhones could finally get dual-Bluetooth support: We Android users have enjoyed this for quite a while now, but it looks likely that iOS users could finally have the ability to use two Bluetooth devices at the same time on one iPhone. This would enable two people to connect to one phone and listen to music simultaneously.
• 2019 iPhones might not have 3D Touch: There’s a rumor that the pressure-sensitive touch feature on iPhones — sold as 3D Touch — could be going away. Instead, Haptic Touch could take its place in the upcoming crop of 2019 iPhones. This feature already exists on the iPhone XR.
• System-wide dark mode could come with iOS 13: We expect Apple to drop iOS 13 at WWDC on Monday. Although nothing is known for certain yet, it’s looking very likely that Apple will introduce a system-wide dark mode for iOS at that event. Looks like Apple will beat Android to the punch on that one.
• 2020 iPhones could have in-display fingerprint sensor under entire screen: According to analysts speaking with the Apple supply chain, the 2020 iPhones will have “acoustic fingerprint technology” which will allow for full-screen Touch ID. Android’s already beaten Apple to the punch with in-display sensors, but if Apple could make it work on the entire screen, that would be pretty cool.
• Apple is having privacy problems: A new lawsuit filed against Apple alleges that the company is tracking and selling iTunes data, despite Tim Cook’s claims to the contrary. And in related news, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai threw some shade at Apple for making privacy into a “luxury good.” Apple’s software engineering chief Craig Federighi disputed that assumption.
• Apple starts new webpage to counter monopoly claims: With numerous complaints from developers as well as a lawsuit (which received the Supreme Court’s blessing) that call out the Apple App Store as a monopoly, the company has responded by making a new website explaining how it isn’t that. It points to apps for sale that compete against its own apps as an example.

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Thinking about making the switch?

If you are currently an Apple user thinking about making the switch to Android, we have multiple articles and guides that can help you with that process. Despite how it might seem, moving from iOS to Android is easier than ever, and many of the services and systems on iOS have similar or even the same counterparts on Android.

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The best place to start would be our guide on how to switch from iPhone to Android, which goes over all the basics. We also have more specific guides, such as how to transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. We also have app guides that will give you the best alternatives to iOS staples, such as our list of best alternatives to FaceTime on Android.

If you’re looking for a great Android device to replace your iPhone, consult our list of the best Android smartphones available now.

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2WysW7M

Alleged Galaxy M40 specs show new triple camera but smaller battery http://bit.ly/2HP5tqM

Yesterday, we heard the official word from a Samsung executive that the Samsung Galaxy M40 specs would include a major camera upgrade as compared to the Samsung Galaxy M30. Today, via SamMobile, we’re learning a bit more about the alleged specs of the next Galaxy M product.

According to information obtained by SamMobile, the Galaxy M40 will come with a triple-lens camera with a previously-confirmed 32MP primary sensor. In addition, there will be a 5MP depth and 8MP ultra-wide sensor on the rear. On the front, we already know for certain there will be a 16MP selfie shooter.

Elsewhere in the Samsung Galaxy M40 specs, we’ll find a 6.3-inch FHD+ 2,340 × 1,080 resolution Infinity-O display. Infinity-O is the punch-hole display found on the Samsung Galaxy S10 series. This is a bit of a step up over the Galaxy M30 (depending on how you feel about notches), which features the Infinity-U display, also called a waterdrop notch.

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The Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor will be on board, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

Unfortunately, the battery life on the M40 will be a downgrade as compared to the M30. The Galaxy M30 came with a hefty 5,000mAh battery, whereas the Samsung Galaxy M40 specs show a 3,500mAh battery. While that’s not a small battery when compared to other mid-range/budget devices, it’s certainly a stark difference from the M30.

And, finally, the Galaxy M40 will ship with Android 9 Pie out of the box, the first device in the M series to do so (the other three devices all have Pie upgrades, though).

The Samsung exec previously mentioned confirmed the Galaxy M40 will be “around 20,000 rupees,” or about $287. A more specific price is not yet known.

What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy M40 specs? Let us know in the comments!

NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M series vs. the competition

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2HP5pY4

China threatens to create its own ‘Entity List’ to include American firms http://bit.ly/3107Xd6

According to Global Times, a Chinese news site, the country is planning to release an “Entity List” in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s own list which caused Chinese company Huawei to spiral into a nosedive.

Gao Feng, a spokesman of China’s commerce ministry, had this to say on the matter (via TechCrunch):

Foreign enterprises, organizations, or individuals that do not comply with market rules, deviate from a contract’s spirit, or impose blockades or stop supplies to Chinese enterprises for non-commercial purposes, and seriously damage the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, will be included on a list of ‘unreliable entities.’

While the spokesman doesn’t specifically call out the United States or any U.S.-based companies, it’s extremely likely that U.S.-based firms would be on this list, should it come to fruition.

China declined to elaborate on what limitations it would place onto firms that appear on this list.

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This contradicts an earlier assertion from Huawei’s founder that China should not respond to the U.S. Entity List with a similar program. In fact, he specifically named United States company Apple as being his “teacher,” and that he would oppose any bans China might institute against it.

However, Huawei and China are not the same things. It’s possible China could institute an Entity List to offer further proof that the country’s government acts independently of Huawei since it is assumed by many Western governments that Huawei and China are practically one and the same. It is extremely likely that a second Entity List would hurt Huawei even more.

Trump’s Entity List caused Huawei to lose contracts with major firms, including Google, Arm, Qualcomm, Microsoft, and more. It also temporarily lost its membership to several high-profile coalitions, including the Wi-Fi Alliance. However, many of those memberships were reinstated days later.

NEXT: Huawei and the Trump debacle: The story so far

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2wutzjZ

Deal: Name your price for professional graphic design training http://bit.ly/2JOm8gj

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links.

Graphic design seems like an ideal profession. It’s creative, there are opportunities for advancement, and the most skilled pros earn high salaries for their expertise. If there is a downside to becoming a graphic designer, however, it’s the cost of the training.

For a professional education, students can expect to pay thousands. And, once finished, they still aren’t guaranteed a job. However, that’s precisely what makes the Pay What You Want: Complete Learn to Design Bundle such an interesting prospect.

The Complete Learn to Design Bundle gives students the opportunity to learn pro-level graphic design skills but at a price that’s easy to afford, which means there’s virtually no risk. You spend very little and train on your own schedule so you can give a career your best shot.

You’ll learn popular software packages including Photoshop and InDesign.

This package includes lifetime access to ten online training courses that’ll show you the same graphic design techniques that the professionals use. You’ll learn popular software packages including Photoshop and InDesign, how to develop a logo, and much more.

Here’s how it works: Simply check out the current average price for the bundle, which is just over $7 at the time of writing. If you choose to pay a higher amount, then you’ll get the entire bundle for that value.

If the average price is a little too high, just enter a lower figure and you’ll still get the first course, of $99 value, for that number.

This is your chance to score over $1,450 worth of pro graphic design training for just pennies on the dollar. But don’t wait too long to purchase — the average price is likely to trend upwards as time goes on. Hit the button below to check it out.

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from Android Authority http://bit.ly/30X0VG9