Google has provided a bug fix to its iOS YouTube app, the first update to a major Google iOS app since December, 9to5Google reports. Although there’s been speculation that the reason for the lack of updates to iOS versions of Gmail, Docs, Search, and Photos is an attempt to avoid Apple’s new privacy labels, Google has explicitly denied that was the case. The company said in a January 12th blog post it would add the labels to its apps when updates were available:
As Google’s iOS apps are updated with new features or to fix bugs, you’ll see updates to our app page listings that include the new App Privacy Details. These labels represent the maximum categories of data that could be collected—meaning if you use every available feature and service in the app. The data you provide to Google products delivers helpful services to you, and you can always control your privacy settings by visiting your Google Account or going directly to the Google products you use on iOS.
Apple requires companies to apply the privacy labels, which it launched on December 14th, before they can update existing iOS apps. Some of Google’s other apps— Stadia, Authenticator, Translate, and Classroom, for example— have received iOS updates already.
We’ve reached out to Google to ask if updates for the iOS versions of Gmail, Search, Docs and Photos are forthcoming, and will report back if we learn more.
Every Friday, The Verge publishes our flagship podcast The Vergecast to discuss this week in Verge headlines. Here’s what The Verge’sNilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Adi Robertson focus the episode on this week: Google’s mysterious lack of iOS app updates, the rumors around an Apple-made VR / AR headset, and the gadget headlines you may have missed.
This week, users of the iOS versions of Google’s apps were shown a prompt claiming the software was “out of date” and suggesting updates to the current versions due to security risks. However, Google had not updated their apps yet and haven’t for several weeks now. The Vergecast crew discuss whether this is related to Apple’s new mandatory App Store privacy labels and what leverage Google might be trying to gain.
Also, it’s another week of rumored Apple products. Last week, the podcast dived into the much-rumored Apple Car and the potential manufacturers that would be teaming up with the tech company to make the vehicle. This week, they update which companies have downplayed these rumors, as well as what other much-rumored product Apple may be developing — a VR headset.
There’s a whole lot more discussed in this episode — like a glimpse of what Android 12 may look like, a laptop with seven screens, and a North Dakota bill that may force alternative app stores on the iPhone — so listen here or in your preferred podcast player for the full discussion.
Bowers & Wilkins has launched a new Music App that lets you control music across the B&W Formation range of products. The B&W Music App works with Qobuz (including hi-res, 24-bit 96kHz files), Tidal, TuneIn, Dash Radio (in certain markets), NTS Radio and SoundCloud. More services will be added “in the coming months”, according to B&W.
Previously, the B&W Formation range recommended use Roon to control your music (or AirPlay 2 or Spotify Connect), with the B&W Home App only offering set-up functionality. Now, much like multi-room systems from Bluesound, Audio Pro and Sonos, there is a fully functioning control app.
The B&W Music App aggregates content from each streaming platform into one “easily browsed and elegant interface”. It brings you tracks, albums, playlists and radio stations, which B&W adds to with personalised recommendation features and a selection of curated Bowers & Wilkins playlists.
Music App is available now on iOS and Android. Initially, it will work alongside the existing Bowers & Wilkins Home App, which guides you on how to set up your Formation device. But soon the Music App will do the job of both, and the Home App will be retired.
Following a management shake-up at B&W, the company is keen to stress that “the Formation platform is wholly owned by Bowers & Wilkins”. B&W has also been on a hiring spree in an effort to expand its development resources and engineering team, which sounds like good news to us.
The Formation family is B&W’s take on a multi-room system. And it’s very good indeed. The Formation Wedge and Formation Duo both picked up a perfect five stars from our reviews, while the Flex earned a still very respectable four. They all offer AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth aptX HD for offline streaming from mobile devices, as well as integrated support for Spotify Connect and Roon. They can all be controlled with your voice using the Amazon Alexa personal assistant, too.
And now there’s an all-new Music App, which sounds like it could make Formation an even more enticing proposition.
MORE:
These are the best multi-room systems around
Get the lowdown: Multi-room audio – everything you need to know
Google is testing a new privacy feature to its Chrome browser for iOS that can lock incognito tabs behind Face ID. Apple’s facial recognition system is used to secure an iPhone or iPad, but many apps have their own Face ID support for extra security. Google has started testing securing incognito tabs behind Face ID in its latest Chrome iOS beta, signaling that it should arrive to regular users in the coming months.
Update notes for the latest Chrome 89 beta on iOS reveal that “when you return to the Chrome app, your incognito tabs will be blurred until you confirm it’s you.” You can enable this feature in the privacy section of Chrome’s settings, but it appears to be in early testing as not even every beta tester has access just yet.
Chrome 89 is expected to debut in early March, but it’s not clear if the Face ID support will be ready in time. Google is also supporting Touch ID, for older devices. This feature is similar to Samsung’s secret mode in its mobile browser, which allows users to lock tabs with facial recognition or fingerprints.
Meme thieves rejoice! Discord’s latest update on iOS adds a new option to make it easier to save images from Twitter embeds, handy if you want to save memes from tweets dropped in the server. Or, as the changelog for version 60.0 of the iOS app puts it, “Meme-stealing powers are about to go super saiyan.” To use it, long press on the tweet in question, and then select “Save Image.” It’s a lot simpler than the workarounds people were previously forced to use.
The changelog shown in Discord’s latest iOS version.Screenshot: Discord
There’s no mention of the feature for the service’s Windows or Android apps, which both also received updates this week. However, on Android it already seems to be possible to save images from tweets by tapping the image to make it fullscreen, and then using the download button on the top of the screen. Although the new iOS feature allows you to download static images, it doesn’t appear to work with gifs.
As well as the new feature for meme thieves, Discord now supports mobile screen share on iPad “so you can now do art together, play mobile games on your tablet, and watch Robert get his math homework wrong for the 5th time from the comfort of your bed.” You can read the full changelog in Discord’s settings menu on desktop and mobile.
Google hasn’t updated many of its iOS apps in weeks, perhaps to avoid potential criticism from what might be revealed from Apple’s new mandatory App Store privacy labels. But now, some of Google’s own iOS apps seem to be complaining about the wait: we’re now seeing confusing notices inside Gmail, Google Maps and Google Photos saying that the apps are out of date — even though there aren’t newer versions of the apps available (via Techmeme editor Spencer Dailey).
To see the notice, you have to be logging into your account — so if you’re already logged in, you might not see it. After you type in your email address, you might see this warning message: “You should update this app. The version you’re using doesn’t include the latest security features to keep you protected. Only continue if you understand the risks.”
Google’s notice informing a Verge staffer that their app is out of date.
After you tap the continue button, you can use the app as normal — they still work. But without additional context, users might worry that they don’t have the latest and most secure version of an app.
Google had promised its apps would start including the new mandatory Apple app privacy labels in a blog post on January 12th, and the company has technically kept its word. Google Authenticator and Stadia, for example, have been updated with the labels, and in our testing with those two apps, we didn’t see the “this app is out of date” message.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update this article with anything we hear.
Apple is bringing accident, hazard, and speed check reporting to Apple Maps. The feature is currently only available to users with the iOS 14.5 beta, and is similar to user-reporting features found in Waze and Google Maps.
When you’re using the feature, you (or preferably a passenger) can press a new Report button in the bottom tray, and select what type of incident or hazard you’re reporting. You can even do this using Siri: I was also able to say “there’s a speed trap here” or “there’s something on the road.” MacRumors shows that the interface is available on the CarPlay version of Maps, too.
Apple Maps will give you a confirmation that your report has been submitted.Screenshot: The Verge
This user-centric reporting feature is now something that all the major maps app either have, or have in development. While this feature was popularized with Waze, it’s been available in Google Maps since April of 2019, so Apple is playing catch-up here (like it’s also trying to do by adding user-generated photos and reviews to Maps). It is worth noting, though, that Apple’s version has way fewer options as of today — Google’s, shown below, is much more in-depth.
Google’s report interface has more options for hazard/incident types.Screenshot: The Verge
There is one strange thing to point out with Apple’s version, and it has nothing to do with the fact that the feature is in beta. You may have noticed in the Google Maps screenshot that Apple’s and Google’s icons for accidents and speed traps look very similar. Here are Apple’s again for comparison:
These are Apple’s icons. See the similarities?Screenshot: The Verge
After years of niche positioning in the music world, “high-resolution audio” (or “hi-res audio”) finally hit the mainstream, thanks to a huge raft of support in streaming services (such as Tidal and Amazon Music HD) and products (from smartphones to most digital hi-fi components).
So why should you care about hi-res audio? If you want the best digital music experience possible or at least better sound quality than you’re currently used to (and why wouldn’t you?), hi-res audio is definitely worth investigating.
It can be a daunting prospect. After all, what exactly constitutes hi-res audio, what do all the different file formats and numbers mean, where can you download or stream these high quality files, and what devices do you need to play it?
Indeed, where do you even begin?
That’s where we come in. Our handy guide will take you through the ins and outs of hi-res audio. By the end, we hope you’ll know everything you need to know (and then some) and will be well on your way to enjoying your new and improved sonic lifestyle.
50 of the best hi-fi albums for audiophiles
What is high-resolution audio?
Unlike high-definition video, there’s no single universal standard for hi-res audio. In 2014, the Digital Entertainment Group, Consumer Electronics Association and The Recording Academy, together with record labels, formally defined high-resolution audio as “lossless audio that is capable of reproducing the full range of sound from recordings that have been mastered from better than CD quality music sources”.
In its simplest terms, hi-res audio tends to refer to music files that have a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than CD, which is specified at 16-bit/44.1kHz.
Sampling frequency (or sample rate) refers to the number of times samples of the signal are taken per second during the analogue-to-digital conversion process. The more bits there are, the more accurately the signal can be measured in the first instance, so going 16bit to 24bit can deliver a noticeable leap in quality. Hi-res audio files usually use a sampling frequency of 96kHz or 192kHz at 24bit. You can also have 88.2kHz and 176.4kHz files too.
Hi-res audio does come with a downside though: file size. A hi-res file can typically be tens of megabytes in size, and a few tracks can quickly eat up the storage on your device or be cumbersome to stream over your wi-fi or mobile network. Thankfully, storage is much cheaper than it used to be, so it’s easier to get higher-capacity devices. And technologies such as MQA (see below) have arrived to help tackle that.
That’s not all: there are also several different hi-res audio file formats to choose from, all of which have their own compatibility requirements.
They include the popular FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) formats, both of which are compressed but in a way which means that, in theory, no information is lost. Other formats include the uncompressed WAV and AIFF formats, DSD (the format used for Super Audio CDs) and the more recent MQA (Master Quality Authenticated).
The relative merits of each of the formats can be argued, but the most crucial issue will be the file’s compatibility with your chosen products and software.
Here’s a breakdown of all the main file formats:
MP3 (not hi-res): Popular, lossy compressed format ensures small file size, but far from the best sound quality. Convenient for storing music on smartphones and iPods, but doesn’t support hi-res.
AAC (not hi-res): An alternative to MP3s, it’s lossy and compressed but sounds better. Used for iTunes downloads, Apple Music streaming (at 256kbps) and YouTube streaming.
WAV (hi-res): The standard format all CDs are encoded in. Great sound quality but it’s uncompressed, meaning huge file sizes (especially for hi-res files). It has poor metadata support (that is, album artwork, artist and song title information).
AIFF (hi-res): Apple’s alternative to WAV, with better metadata support. It is lossless and uncompressed (so big file sizes), but not massively popular.
FLAC (hi-res): This lossless compression format supports hi-res sample rates, takes up about half the space of WAV, and stores metadata. It’s royalty-free and widely supported (though not by Apple) and is considered the preferred format for downloading and storing hi-res albums.
ALAC (hi-res): Apple’s own lossless compression format also does hi-res, stores metadata and takes up half the space of WAV. An iTunes- and iOS-friendly alternative to FLAC.
DSD(hi-res): The single-bit format used for Super Audio CDs. It comes in 2.8MHz, 5.6mHz and 11.2mHz varieties, but isn’t widely supported.
MQA(hi-res): A lossless compression format that efficiently packages hi-res files with more emphasis on the time domain. Used for Tidal Masters hi-res streaming, and product support is picking up pace.
MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained
What’s so good about hi-res audio?
The main claimed benefit of high-resolution audio files is superior sound quality over compressed audio formats such as MP3 and AAC.
Downloads from sites such as Amazon and iTunes, and streaming services such as Spotify, use compressed file formats with relatively low bitrates – such as 256kbps AAC files on Apple Music and 320kbps Ogg Vorbis streams on Spotify.
The use of lossy compression means data is lost in the encoding process, which in turn means resolution is sacrificed for the sake of convenience and smaller file sizes. This has an effect upon the sound quality – those formats aren’t telling the full story of our favourite songs.
This might be fine when you’re listening to Spotify playlists on your smartphone on the bus on the morning commute, but serious audiophiles and music fans should want better. This is where high-resolution audio comes in.
To illustrate why it should sound better than MP3, for example, let’s compare the relative bitrates. The highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of 320kbps, whereas a 24-bit/192kHz file has a data rate of 9216kbps. Music CDs are 1411kbps.
The hi-res 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz files should, therefore, more closely replicate the sound quality the musicians and engineers were working with in the studio. And they could be that very same recorded file, too. These files are labelled as “Studio Masters” in some cases.
With more information on the file to play with, hi-res audio tends to boast greater detail and texture, bringing listeners closer to the original performance – provided your system is transparent enough.
What do I need to play hi-res audio?
There’s a huge variety of products that can playback hi-res audio. It all depends on how big or small you want your system to be, how much your budget is, and what method you’ll mostly be using to listen to your tunes. But it’s never been easier to get involved, now that plenty of the digital and streaming ecosystem supports hi-res, and especially as popular streaming platforms such as Google Chromecast (although not AirPlay 2) do.
These days, even, you don’t have to completely abandon your vinyl collection to go hi-res, either; turntables such as the Sony PS-HX500 let you digitise your vinyl collection by ripping your record tracks into hi-res audio files.
Smartphones If you’re going portable, smartphones are increasingly supporting hi-res playback. This is restricted to higher-end Android models, though – Apple iPhones so far don’t support hi-res audio out of the box (though there are ways around this by using the right app, and then either plugging in a DAC or using Lightning headphones with the iPhones’ Lightning connector).
Phones that have USB-C sockets instead of 3.5mm headphones jacks for music playback – as is becoming the norm – can boost their USB-C output with adapters such as Zorloo’s Ztella USB-C DAC.
Hi-res audio is increasingly easy to stream wirelessly thanks to new advancements in Bluetooth. Phones with aptX HD Bluetooth support (which many these days have, although Apple’s iPhones are an exception) can wirelessly transmit hi-res audio to aptX HD-supporting headphones (such as the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM3 and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 noise-cancelling headphones).
aptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? How can you get it?
Portable music players Alternatively, there are plenty of dedicated portable hi-res music players such as various Sony Walkmans and Award-winning Astell & Kerns and Cowons that offer more storage space and far better sound quality than a multi-tasking smartphone. More digital players than not support hi-res audio, although again an Apple product is the exception, this time the iPod Touch.
Desktop For a desktop solution, your laptop (Windows, Mac, Linux) is a prime source for storing and playing hi-res music (after all, this is where you’ll be downloading the tunes from hi-res download sites anyway), but make sure the software you use to play music also supports hi-res playback. Apple iTunes, for instance, doesn’t support it, even if your MacBook does, so you’ll need to buy and download separate music playing software. The likes of Channel D’s Pure Music and Amarra are worth considering for a Mac. On a PC? Try JRiver Media Center.
DACs We wouldn’t just rely on your computer or phone’s internal DAC to do hi-res audio justice, either. A USB or desktop DAC (such as the Cyrus soundKey, Chord Mojo or Audiolab M-DAC nano) is a good way to get great sound quality out of hi-res files stored on your computer or smartphone (whose audio circuits don’t tend to be optimised for sound quality). Simply plug a decent digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) in between your source and headphones for an instant sonic boost.
Best DACs: USB, portable and desktop DAC
Music streamers
If you’re after a proper hi-fi set-up, you’ll need to look into music streamers that support hi-res, and highly recommendable contenders include the Audiolab 6000N Play, Cambridge CXN V2 and NAD C 658. This is especially if you’ll be storing your growing hi-res library on a NAS (Network Attached Storage, essentially a hard-drive with processing built in), which we would recommend.
Systems
There are plenty of other products that also support hi-res playback, including hybrid DAC-amp-streamer systems (Moon Neo Ace), speaker systems with everything built into them (KEF LS50 Wireless II), just-add-speaker systems (Marantz PM7000N) and current AV receivers (Sony STR-DN1080).
The ever-popular Sonos multi-room system still has no plans to support hi-res audio, and neither does Apple. But that has led rival companies such as Bluesound to offer hi-res playback across their range of connected products (for a higher price, of course).
Wireless speakers At the higher end of the wireless speaker market you’ll find hi-res support the norm. The likes of the Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation, Linn Series 3 and Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge are all able to handle hi-res file playback over wi-fi.
Best wireless speakers 2021
Where can I buy and download hi-res music?
Now that you’re armed with all this information on hi-res music, your next question should be: where can I get all these glorious hi-res music tracks?
There are currently a handful of UK download sites that let you buy and download single tracks and full albums in various hi-res formats. There are also plenty of US and European sites, though not all of them let you purchase from the UK.
Major music labels such as Sony, Warner and Universal have made their extensive music catalogues available to these hi-res download services – which is a real shot in the arm for fans of high-resolution audio. With all sites, make sure it’s clear what file format and bitrate you are buying. Ultimately, you may end up with a favourite go-to site, but even then, it’s worth checking across the different sites for the same album or track, too, as some stores can offer better prices than others.
Here are the top UK hi-res download sites:
7Digital With a strong catalogue offering hi-res music from all genres and a website that makes buying music easy, 7digital is an excellent all-rounder. There’s an accurate search function and the website is simple to navigate. You can easily spot hi-res recordings thanks to a ’24bit FLAC’ badge on an album or song’s thumbnail, and there’s also a dedicated hi-res section. The sole drawback is that it only offers downloads in the FLAC format. Prices are affordable, though, and you can buy individual tracks as well as full albums.
Qobuz Sublime
Music discovery and front-end intuitiveness get full marks on French download store Qobuz. Both the website and dedicated app are easy to navigate, and you can search by genre or new releases, which can be sorted by sample rate. There is a strong Francophile focus, although the catalogue is growing more varied every day. Pricing is competitive, but if you opt for the hybrid download-and-streaming Sublime+ service you do get discounts when buying hi-res albums.
HDtracks
HDtracks may be one of the most established hi-res download stores, but it’s in need of a refresh in looks and catalogue. It can feel aimed at an older audience (there’s strong focus on jazz, classical and dad rock), which can be off-putting for wider audiences, especially fans of more current, popular music. On the other hand, whereas other download sites offer FLAC as default, HDtracks lets you choose between FLAC, ALAC, WAV and AIFF (and the sampling rate for each) before downloading. There’s a selection of DSD tunes, too, which is great for audiophiles.
How to build the perfect hi-fi system
Where can I stream hi-res music?
Not ready to download hi-res files, or simply prefer streaming? Tidal and Qobuz streaming services have offered hi-res and CD-quality streams for years, putting them ahead of rivals Spotify and Apple Music. And now that Amazon has joined the party with its HD service, hi-res streaming is now firmly in the mainstream domain.
Tidal Masters Tidal and MQA’s partnership has brought us one step closer to mainstream hi-res music streaming. You’ll need to subscribe to Tidal’s HiFi tier (which offers CD quality streaming) to unlock the Masters section, and then you can stream hi-res MQA files through the desktop app and Android/iOS mobile apps.
Tidal claims a 30,000-strong catalogue of MQA files, with about 400 clearly labelled. The MQA files have a resolution of up to 24-bit/96kHz (any 192kHz files will be unpackaged to 96kHz by MQA’s core decoding). With the right kit, the streamed tunes sound great, too. It’s a solid foundation from which the hi-res streaming experience can only evolve.
Qobuz Sublime+ Qobuz strikes again here and says its hybrid download-and-streaming tier is ‘”the best music subscription in the world.” This top-tier package offers hi-res streaming up to 24bit/192kHz files (as well as CD quality tracks) on its desktop and mobile apps, with its 50-million-track catalogue including more than 240,000 hi-res albums.
The big downside is the price – you have to pay an upfront £250 annual fee to use Sublime+ and all its perks (which does include good discounts when buying hi-res albums). And in comparison, we found Tidal offers more drive and dynamism when it comes to sound quality. Qobuz’s hi-res streaming tier is a great venture, but only if you’re fully committed to hi-res streaming.
Amazon Music HD The most recent entrant into the hi-res streaming service world is Amazon – and its arrival at the end of 2019 largely marked hi-res streaming going mainstream. The cheapest hi-res service of the three, the value-packed streaming service is up there with the best thanks to its Intuitive desktop and mobile apps, good CD-quality and hi-res library and excellent value.
What’s next for hi-res audio?
With more support than ever before, hi-res audio is a viable choice for anyone interested in audio quality, whether part of your home audio system or when on the move.
Whether the biggest players – Apple, Sonos and Spotify – will ever natively support hi-res remains to be seen, but there are plenty of other, increasingly affordable ways that you can start delving into the hi-res audio world. (Interestingly, 360-degree or surround sound formats such as Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos Music respectively are also making headway in offering higher quality, if not necessarily ‘hi-res’, music experiences, so they’re other options for melomaniacs to explore.)
With this wider availability, more people are able to learn and understand exactly what high-resolution audio is, and the benefits it can bring to music. There’s plenty of content out there, and there’s plenty of hardware to go with it.
So if you want the ultimate sonic solution, you know what to do.
MORE:
Where is Spotify Hi-Fi? And do we still want a lossless Spotify tier?
3 of the best high-res audio systems
Here’s a superb-sounding hi-fi system with streaming skills
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been playing a lot of games on my Xbox Series X, and following the release of the iOS 14.5 beta, which added support for the Xbox Series X controller, I’ve been itching to stream my games from my console to my iPhone. However, I dreaded having to pair my controller with my phone — I figured that it might be a hassle, and I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to sync my controller between the two devices.
Turns out, it’s a smooth process to sync the controller to my iPhone. Better yet, it’s easy to swap the controller’s connection back and forth between my iPhone and my Xbox Series X.
Here’s how you set everything up:
First, you have to pair your Xbox Series X controller with your phone or PC. Activate sync mode on your controller by pressing and holding the sync button on the back, which is just above the USB-C port. After a couple seconds, the Xbox logo on the controller will flash rapidly.
Then, on the device you’re trying to sync the controller with, look for the controller in the Bluetooth settings menu. Select the controller to pair it. (Using iOS 14.5 beta, my Xbox Series X controller first appeared with the name “Accessory,” but once I tapped it, it autofilled to “Xbox Wireless Controller” followed by a combination of letters and numbers.)
Press and hold the sync button on the back of your controller to pair it with your phone or PC.Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
Once the controller is connected to your new device, have fun playing some games!
To use your controller with your Xbox Series X again, double-tap the sync button. The Xbox logo will flash slowly, and then the controller should reconnect with your console.
To switch the controller back to the other device, hold the sync button. The Xbox logo should flash rapidly for a few seconds, and then it should connect to your device. Double tap the sync button to switch it back to your console.
That’s it! I’ve been really pleased with how easy it is to switch between my console and my iPhone, and I suspect I’ll be playing even more Xbox games away from my console than I originally imagined.
One thing you should be aware of: this quick-swap functionality only works with the last mobile device or PC that the controller connected with, according to Microsoft’s Timo Wolf. So if you want to quickly swap between your Xbox Series X and a different device, you’ll need to manually set up your controller with that new device first. And, Wolf says, this method apparently only works for jumping between your Xbox and another device over Bluetooth — it won’t let you swap between an Xbox and the Xbox Wireless Adapter.
Cowboy’s app now lets riders choose the fastest or healthiest routes.
Belgian e-bike maker Cowboy has delivered on its promise to help riders avoid pollution on their commutes with a new air quality navigation feature in the company’s latest iOS and Android apps. Owners now have the option to pick the quickest or healthiest routes to their destination.
The feature is enabled by the integration of air quality data from a company called Breezometer, with a claimed data resolution of 5-meters (about 16 feet). That’s specific enough to help riders navigate around polluted routes in densely constructed cities like Amsterdam, as demonstrated in the video above.
Breezometer’s ability to measure air quality with such granularity involves some guesswork since it doesn’t have physical sensors distributed at 5-meter intervals around the globe. Encouragingly, Breezometer’s claims are backed by chief scientist, Dr. Gabriela Katz, who was previously at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Breezometer’s model starts with measured data from more than 47,000 sensors worldwide. It then weaves in additional data like live traffic, satellite imagery, smoke, wind, and weather using custom algorithms and machine learning techniques. Notably, Breezometer says that it measures air pollution emitted by “10 million traffic jam sections around the world” every 12 minutes for over 30,000 cities worldwide. The company then subjects its air quality measurements to a strict quality assurance process before reporting to ensure accuracy.
It certainly makes sense for Cowboy to incorporate an air pollution model that leans heavily on car traffic. After all, if you’ve ever bicycled alongside a traffic jam then your lungs and eyeballs are acutely aware of the hyperlocal pollution created by a hoard of idling combustion engines.
And it’s not like traditional air quality indexes like those used by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are without issues. “The government network of 3,900 monitoring devices nationwide has routinely missed major toxic releases and day-to-day pollution dangers,” said a damning Reuters report just two months ago.
So yeah, Cowboy’s new air quality navigation feature is a guess, but at least it’s an educated one that could benefit your heart and lungs over the long run.
A series of leaked images may offer a first look at Google’s Android 12 update. XDA-Developers has published screenshots from what is said to be from an “early draft” of documents Google distributes to Android partners. The screenshots, which XDA-Developers says haven’t been fully confirmed, include what appears to be new UI changes, alongside a new privacy indicator and conversation widget.
If accurate, the UI changes include an emphasis on rounded corners, with a reduction in the number of Quick Settings available from the unexpanded notification panel. Google also appears to be using a beige color scheme, which could be part of the rumored new native theme system for Android 12.
Beyond the UI changes, the screenshots show a new privacy indicator that’s similar to what’s found in iOS. It acts as a warning in the status bar to show when an app is accessing the camera or microphone. XDA-Developers also reports there is an alleged overhaul of the privacy settings in Android 12, with the ability to fully toggle the camera and microphone on / off.
Other screenshots show what could be a new conversations widget for Android 12. It appears to surface recent messages and calls, and XDA-Developers claims it could be a “mandatory feature for all Android 12 devices.”
Google hasn’t officially confirmed any new UI or feature changes to Android 12 yet. The company has committed to making third-party app stores easier to use in Android 12, though. Google typically previews the upcoming version of Android in March. Last year, Google surprised everyone with an early Android 11 developer preview in February, so we could be just weeks away from seeing what’s in store for Android 12.
Snap is introducing a new feature it’s calling Friend Check Up. On Snapchat, having someone friended could give them access to your story and even possibly your location, depending on your Snap Map settings, so Snap wants to make sure that everyone on your friends list is still someone you actually want to call your friend.
This feature could help make the platform safer for users, if they choose to use it. It could be a good way to help you realize you might still have somebody friended that you don’t want to see your posts. And I know there’ve been plenty of times when I’ve looked at a friend or follower of mine and said “I have no idea who this person is,” or worse: “oops, my ex can see my sadtweeting.”
Snap says that the feature will be rolling out globally on Android “in the coming weeks” and to iOS devices “in the coming months.” The reminder will show up as a notification on your profile screen, as you can see in this GIF:
The Friend Check Up feature shows a notification reminding you to look at your friends list.GIF: Snap
If you’d like to do a check up yourself before the feature rolls out, you can see your friends list by going to your profile and tapping on My Friends. You can remove a friend by tapping and holding on their name until the Block / Remove friend menu appears.
The Friend Check Up feature is part of a push from Snap to make Snapchat a friendlier place, including adding new resources and integrations with the Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ youths, and MindUP for parents trying to understand and support their teenage children. The social network is also getting further integration with the Crisis Text Project for people seeking mental health assistance.
iOS 14.5 looks like it will be packed with features, including the ability to use your Apple Watch to unlock an iPhone with Face ID while you’re wearing a mask and support for next-gen console controllers. But users who have already installed the beta discovered another great feature: you’ll be able to select a third-party default music service when you ask to play a song using Siri — including Spotify (via MacRumors).
When you ask Siri to play a song on iOS 14.5, you may be prompted to select which app you want to use to play it, according to a screenshot shared on Reddit.
The menu to select an app.Image: u/matejamm1 on Reddit
I’m on the iOS 14.5 beta, but interestingly, the feature worked a bit differently for me. I asked Siri to play some Tame Impala, and I wasn’t presented with a list of apps to choose from, like in the screenshot above. Instead, I was shown a prompt asking for access to my Spotify data, which I allowed. After that, requests for songs went through Spotify without any prompts.
Other users on Reddit have reported some differences in the feature’s behavior as well, so there may still be some kinks for Apple to iron out ahead of iOS 14.5’s public release. Because this feature is still in beta, there’s always a chance it could be changed or removed before iOS 14.5 comes out.
The ability to set a default music app follows Apple’s welcome move to let users set their default mail or browser clients starting with iOS 14. You’re able to set default mail or browser apps in settings, but I haven’t found a way to set a default music app in settings. Maybe Apple will add that down the line. Still, having the option to set a default music player for Siri requests in this beta is a nice step forward. Here’s hoping Apple lets users set more defaults in future updates.
SpeedTest’s iOS app can now benchmark your internet’s video streaming quality, Ookla announced today. While the service typically checks general connection metrics like maximum download and upload speeds and latency, the new test is focused specifically on video. It attempts to stream at a variety of resolutions, and then measures load times and buffering.
Ookla explains that it added the new test because of how much of our time spent on the internet involves streaming video. While its standard speed tests give a general idea of your overall network bandwidth, Ookla points out that internet service providers often “prioritize video traffic differently than other traffic.” This means the best way to benchmark video streaming performance is ultimately just to stream video samples, since it “cannot be simulated across a network.”
The test works by literally streaming video, a process Ookla says can’t be simulated.Image: Ookla
The video streaming test is only available in the service’s iOS app for now, though Ookla says it’s coming to more platforms soon. During the test, the app streams a video at a variety of resolutions, before listing details like your internet connection’s maximum resolution, and video streaming load time. If you’re still unable to stream video despite your internet speeds being fast enough to support it, then Ookla says the app will link to DownDetector to check if a service is experiencing issues.
SpeedTest’s video streaming benchmark is available with the service’s latest iOS update, alongside a slightly redesigned interface.
Super Bowl 2021 — the 55th Super Bowl — is happening today.
The championship game pits the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champs, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan will sing the national anthem, while The Weeknd will perform in the halftime show.
If you are planning to watch the football game, you have a few options, and many of them are free. Below, we have listed a few ways you can watch this year’s Super Bowl. Keep in mind that, due to production limits imposed by the pandemic, Super Bowl 2021 will not be streaming in 4K resolution.
Where is the Super Bowl being played?
Super Bowl 2021 will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the home field of the Buccaneers.
What time will the Super Bowl start?
The broadcast will begin at 6:30PM ET / 3:30PM PT. But if you want to tune in ahead of kickoff, CBS will be running coverage throughout the day.
What network is televising the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 2021 will be televised on CBS, the “official” network on which viewers in the US can watch the big game. Last year, the game was televised on Fox.
How can I watch the Super Bowl?
While Super Bowl 21 will be televised on CBS, there are a few ways you can view the game. Below is a list of services, streaming and otherwise, you can take advantage of. Some will require a paid subscription, but most of those include a free trial for first-time users.
On a smart TV or computer:
AT&T TV Now (seven-day free trial)
CBS All Access (seven-day free trial)
CBS Sports App
CBS Sports website
NFL App
NFL website
Hulu with Live TV (seven-day free trial)
YouTube TV (five-day free trial)
Sling TV (three-day free trial)
FuboTV (seven-day free trial)
Vidgo (seven-day free trial)
Locast (free)
On a smartphone or tablet:
If you are looking to watch the game on the go or just prefer watching it on a smaller screen, you can stream it using the following apps:
CBS Sports App (iOS and Android)
CBS All-Access App (iOS and Android — subscription or TV provider login required)
CBSSports.com website
NFL App (iOS and Android)
Yahoo Sports App (iOS and Android)
Any streaming service app that includes CBS or a CBS affiliate
Via cable, antenna, or satellite:
If you’re feeling old-school, you can tune in to the big game through your local CBS channel, either via cable or using an antenna.
International options:
If you’re watching from outside the US, many countries will have broadcasts. You can see a full list over on the official NFL website.
Here are a few options for viewers overseas to watch the game:
Canada: CTV is one of the few channels in Canada broadcasting Super Bowl 2021. You can watch it on TV or through the CTV Go app, which is available on a few platforms, including Android TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.
United Kingdom: You can watch the game through Sky Sports, including the official Sky Sports website, or through the Sky Go app (if you are a Sky TV customer).
Australia: Super Bowl 2021 will air on two channels in Australia: ESPN and Channel Seven.
Listen to the game:
If you don’t want to watch the game and would rather listen to it, Super Bowl 2021 will be broadcast via several services:
NFL GamePass
SiriusXM
Westwood One
Entravision
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