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mercredi 3 mars 2021

New Nintendo Switch with 7-inch Samsung OLED panel, 4K output could launch this year

A new Nintendo Switch is said to be in the works and could launch later in the year, just in time for the holiday season. This isn’t the first time we are hearing about a new Nintendo Switch model, but now a fresh report suggests that Nintendo might be looking at Samsung to provide bigger OLED displays.

As per certain people familiar with the matter, Samsung Display is expected to start mass-producing 7-inch OLED panels with 720p resolution by June. There is an initial monthly target of a million units, while the displays are slated to be shipped for assembly around July. The report comes from Bloomberg that also says representatives for Nintendo and Samsung Display have not given an official statement on the matter as of yet.

The move to an OLED display would not only mean increased brightness with improved colors and contrast, but the console should also offer slightly better battery life as well. Nintendo seems to have gone for rigid OLED panels for the new model which will be cheaper but less flexible. This means that it won’t be as impressive as the ones you see on high-end smartphones. It is also being said that the new Nintendo Switch will now offer 4K resolution when hooked up to a TV. The current generation console can only scale to 1080p. That could be a valuable addition to the Switch lineup as it would bring it to par with more recently released Xbox Series X, Series S, and the Sony PlayStation 5. Considering Nintendo has been relying on NVIDIA for the graphics hardware on the Switch, we cannot negate the possibility of new AI-based upscaling, maybe even DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling).

The Nintendo Switch has been one of the most successful consoles from the company. As per a report from Game Industry, about 79.87 million Switch devices have been shipped worldwide as of 1st February 2021. The console is currently said to be the company’s fifth best-selling machine behind the Nintendo DS (154 million), Nintendo Wii (101.6 million), the Game Boy (118.7 million), and the Game Boy Advance (81.5 million).

The post New Nintendo Switch with 7-inch Samsung OLED panel, 4K output could launch this year appeared first on xda-developers.



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New Nintendo Switch with 7-inch Samsung OLED panel, 4K output could launch this year

A new Nintendo Switch is said to be in the works and could launch later in the year, just in time for the holiday season. This isn’t the first time we are hearing about a new Nintendo Switch model, but now a fresh report suggests that Nintendo might be looking at Samsung to provide bigger OLED displays.

As per certain people familiar with the matter, Samsung Display is expected to start mass-producing 7-inch OLED panels with 720p resolution by June. There is an initial monthly target of a million units, while the displays are slated to be shipped for assembly around July. The report comes from Bloomberg that also says representatives for Nintendo and Samsung Display have not given an official statement on the matter as of yet.

The move to an OLED display would not only mean increased brightness with improved colors and contrast, but the console should also offer slightly better battery life as well. Nintendo seems to have gone for rigid OLED panels for the new model which will be cheaper but less flexible. This means that it won’t be as impressive as the ones you see on high-end smartphones. It is also being said that the new Nintendo Switch will now offer 4K resolution when hooked up to a TV. The current generation console can only scale to 1080p. That could be a valuable addition to the Switch lineup as it would bring it to par with more recently released Xbox Series X, Series S, and the Sony PlayStation 5. Considering Nintendo has been relying on NVIDIA for the graphics hardware on the Switch, we cannot negate the possibility of new AI-based upscaling, maybe even DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling).

The Nintendo Switch has been one of the most successful consoles from the company. As per a report from Game Industry, about 79.87 million Switch devices have been shipped worldwide as of 1st February 2021. The console is currently said to be the company’s fifth best-selling machine behind the Nintendo DS (154 million), Nintendo Wii (101.6 million), the Game Boy (118.7 million), and the Game Boy Advance (81.5 million).

The post New Nintendo Switch with 7-inch Samsung OLED panel, 4K output could launch this year appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google enables DSDS support with 5G in March 2021 update for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G

Update 1 (03/03/2021 @ 08:39 PM ET): The March 2021 update has enabled dual SIM, dual standby support with 5G on the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. Click here for more information. The article as published on November 10, 2020, is preserved below.

One of the more under-appreciated features of the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G is support for Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS). The feature allow users to use two SIMs (one physical and one eSIM) to make calls and texts through one carrier and use data-only on the other. Unfortunately, the devices are limited to 4G networks when both SIMs are enabled, but that is apparently about to change.

Google’s own support page explains that the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 only support 4G connectivity when both SIMs are provisioned.

Important: Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) phones with two SIMs in use will fall back to 4G networks. To connect to 5G networks, temporarily turn off the SIM that isn’t set to use data.

However, a code change posted to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) suggests Google is configuring both devices to support DSDS and 5G networks. AOSP is open source and allows contributions from all developers, but the change came from Google’s own team and has been merged.

The commit description specifically refers to changing the device configuration for “Bramble,” which is the codename for the Pixel 4a 5G. However, the code that’s being changed is under the device tree for “Redbull,” which is the codename for the shared device tree for the Pixel 5 (codename “Redfin”) and Pixel 4a 5G. So, it’s likely both devices will support DSDS and 5G networks whenever the change ends up in a public build.

This commit was just merged, so we don’t know when exactly this will be enabled on the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. But it could happen when Google rolls out a security update in December.

Google Pixel 4a 5G Forums ||| Google Pixel 5 Forums

DSDS capabilities have been supported by Google devices since the Pixel 3a. But supporting DSDS and 5G networks simultaneously would be new territory for the company.

Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer luca020400 for the tip!


Update 1: 5G DSDS support in March 2021 Pixel Feature Drop

On Monday, Google rolled out an update to its supported Pixel phones bringing the March 2021 security patch level and the latest Pixel Feature Drop. What they didn’t tell anyone was the fact that the update also enables dual SIM, dual standby (DSDS) when one of the provisioned SIMs is connected to a 5G network (H/T Reddit user rinsf). This means you can finally connect to a 5G network using one SIM without having to disable the other SIM. We’ve been waiting for this change to happen when we spotted a commit for the feature back in October, and it’s finally here in the latest update.

The post Google enables DSDS support with 5G in March 2021 update for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google enables DSDS support with 5G in March 2021 update for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G

Update 1 (03/03/2021 @ 08:39 PM ET): The March 2021 update has enabled dual SIM, dual standby support with 5G on the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. Click here for more information. The article as published on November 10, 2020, is preserved below.

One of the more under-appreciated features of the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G is support for Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS). The feature allow users to use two SIMs (one physical and one eSIM) to make calls and texts through one carrier and use data-only on the other. Unfortunately, the devices are limited to 4G networks when both SIMs are enabled, but that is apparently about to change.

Google’s own support page explains that the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 only support 4G connectivity when both SIMs are provisioned.

Important: Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) phones with two SIMs in use will fall back to 4G networks. To connect to 5G networks, temporarily turn off the SIM that isn’t set to use data.

However, a code change posted to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) suggests Google is configuring both devices to support DSDS and 5G networks. AOSP is open source and allows contributions from all developers, but the change came from Google’s own team and has been merged.

The commit description specifically refers to changing the device configuration for “Bramble,” which is the codename for the Pixel 4a 5G. However, the code that’s being changed is under the device tree for “Redbull,” which is the codename for the shared device tree for the Pixel 5 (codename “Redfin”) and Pixel 4a 5G. So, it’s likely both devices will support DSDS and 5G networks whenever the change ends up in a public build.

This commit was just merged, so we don’t know when exactly this will be enabled on the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. But it could happen when Google rolls out a security update in December.

Google Pixel 4a 5G Forums ||| Google Pixel 5 Forums

DSDS capabilities have been supported by Google devices since the Pixel 3a. But supporting DSDS and 5G networks simultaneously would be new territory for the company.

Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer luca020400 for the tip!


Update 1: 5G DSDS support in March 2021 Pixel Feature Drop

On Monday, Google rolled out an update to its supported Pixel phones bringing the March 2021 security patch level and the latest Pixel Feature Drop. What they didn’t tell anyone was the fact that the update also enables dual SIM, dual standby (DSDS) when one of the provisioned SIMs is connected to a 5G network (H/T Reddit user rinsf). This means you can finally connect to a 5G network using one SIM without having to disable the other SIM. We’ve been waiting for this change to happen when we spotted a commit for the feature back in October, and it’s finally here in the latest update.

The post Google enables DSDS support with 5G in March 2021 update for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google Play Console adds new engagement metrics and benchmarks

Google has launched a new suite of metrics in the Google Play Console, giving developers new ways to evaluate the performance of their apps.

These new benchmarks will allow developers to measure their app’s engagement and monetization trends against up to 250 different peersets. With greater insight, developers will know which features to prioritize. It can be especially helpful for developers who are just starting out and don’t have the resources of larger competitors.

“Whether you want to prioritize new features to drive engagement, experiment with pricing, or drive up retention, we hear from all developers that they need great data and insights to help make the best investments,” Google said in a blog post.

There are 15 new normalized metrics with benchmarks “based on best practices in evaluating app and game performance.” For example, there’s a metric that will tell developers the ratio of users who open an app every day compared to once a month. A different metric will show the average revenue per daily active users.

These new metrics can be found in the “Compare to peers” tab on the Statistics page. Developers will also be able to see other normalized metrics, like store listing conversions, in the same place.

Google said the data powering the new metrics uses differential privacy and come from users who have agreed to share their app activity, which is recorded when an app is opened in the foreground. The new benchmarks also protect developer privacy.

“The largest mobile app developers often use growth consultants to help inform their long-term strategic product decisions,” Google said. “We’re dedicated to bringing this kind of help and expertise to all Play developers via the console.”

The new metrics are part of a larger multi-year project to bring more helpful insights and actionable recommendations to Google Play Console, and arrive after Google added a publishing overview page.

The post Google Play Console adds new engagement metrics and benchmarks appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google Play Console adds new engagement metrics and benchmarks

Google has launched a new suite of metrics in the Google Play Console, giving developers new ways to evaluate the performance of their apps.

These new benchmarks will allow developers to measure their app’s engagement and monetization trends against up to 250 different peersets. With greater insight, developers will know which features to prioritize. It can be especially helpful for developers who are just starting out and don’t have the resources of larger competitors.

“Whether you want to prioritize new features to drive engagement, experiment with pricing, or drive up retention, we hear from all developers that they need great data and insights to help make the best investments,” Google said in a blog post.

There are 15 new normalized metrics with benchmarks “based on best practices in evaluating app and game performance.” For example, there’s a metric that will tell developers the ratio of users who open an app every day compared to once a month. A different metric will show the average revenue per daily active users.

These new metrics can be found in the “Compare to peers” tab on the Statistics page. Developers will also be able to see other normalized metrics, like store listing conversions, in the same place.

Google said the data powering the new metrics uses differential privacy and come from users who have agreed to share their app activity, which is recorded when an app is opened in the foreground. The new benchmarks also protect developer privacy.

“The largest mobile app developers often use growth consultants to help inform their long-term strategic product decisions,” Google said. “We’re dedicated to bringing this kind of help and expertise to all Play developers via the console.”

The new metrics are part of a larger multi-year project to bring more helpful insights and actionable recommendations to Google Play Console, and arrive after Google added a publishing overview page.

The post Google Play Console adds new engagement metrics and benchmarks appeared first on xda-developers.



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Amazon Fire TVs are about to get better live TV integration

Amazon has announced it’s expanding the lineup of live TV options available through the Fire TV, with a focus on subscription-free options. With more people staying home due to lockdown restrictions, the latest update arrives at an opportune time.

The new additions include IMDb TV, XUMO, and Amazon’s news app. Amazon also said (via Android Central) it plans to add Plex, but didn’t reveal an exact date. With today’s update, Fire TV users will see channels and other content from these services in the Live tab, as well as in the Universal Channel Guide on the Fire TV app.

The additions mean Fire TV’s live channel guide can access more than 400 live streaming channels from across 20 provides, including YouTube TV, Sling TV, Tubi, Pluto TV, Prime Video Live Events, and more. Over 200 of those channels are available for free, so you’ll have plenty of content to watch.

Amazon recently launched Live TV support on Fire TV devices in India through SonyLIV, Voot, Discovery Plus, and NextG TV. The feature will add a Live tab on the navigation page on the On Now row on the Fire TV home screen. Support for live channels from Zee5 is also on the way in India.

These new updates come as Amazon is seeing a surge in engagement with live streaming apps on Fire TV. The company said engagement has more than doubled in the last 12 months.

“We’ve always taken a content-forward approach when designing Fire TV. When you turn on your TV, you’re going to see shows, movies and sports — not just rows of apps,” said VP and GM of Amazon Fire TV Sandeep Gupta. “This philosophy extends to our approach to live content. We’re continuing to invest heavily in Live TV and so are our content partners. We’re expanding that today with the addition of new integrations, Alexa capabilities and enhanced content discovery mechanisms,” he added.

Meanwhile, Amazon said Alexa has been integrated with live TV programs. That means you can say, “Alexa, play the Raiders game,” when you want to launch a specific program. The latest feature is supported by the Alexa Voice Remote on the Fire TV Cube and any Fire TV paired with an Echo device.

The post Amazon Fire TVs are about to get better live TV integration appeared first on xda-developers.



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