USB Type-C super ports go mobile, Europe finally files antitrust charges against Google, and ResearchKit arrives to bring health research into the 21st century. BitStream has all the news and rumours you missed in the last 24 hours.
USB Type-C is the Swiss Army knife of ports. It charges, boasts huge data transfer speeds, and can even serve as a display port. It’s the best news laptops have heard in ages — and the technology is finally migrating to smartphones. But it’s not Apple, Google, or Samsung who’ll be pushing the smartphone port boundaries, but a small Chinese manufacturer called LeTV and its LeTV One Max. That name is fitting for this 6.33-inch smartphone because it has similar design language to HTC’s One with a few iPhone elements thrown in, but its big differentiator is its USB Type-C connector, which will most likely be the future for most smartphones in 2016 and beyond. Of course, this phone also comes with a 4GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 810 processor, a 21-megapixel camera, and a Quad HD display. So it’s definitely not a one trick pony, but unfortunately, this smartphone currently has no U.S. plans.
Hopefully this smartphone can help LeTV be remembered for something more than just its Hitler jokes.
Apps and Devices
- Europe will finally be taking Google to court over abusing a monopoly with its online search business. [Twitter]
- Apple’s ResearchKit is finally available for developers and here to improve our health… and also collect our data. [Apple]
- Wait, you can now play Hearthstone on Apple and Android smartphones? Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit.
- Netflix is adding blind audio descriptions to its shows, and Daredevil is the first to get the treatment. That is both awesome and fitting. [Netflix]
- Tumblr launches a huge redesign of its mobile apps, bringing more features from the desktop that let you the master of all the blogs. [TechCrunch]
- Apple’s new Macbook gets torn apart by iFixit. As you expect, it’s near impossible to fix, which may be a problem for the wear-and-tear on its only USB Type-C port. [iFixit]
- Segway, the somewhat misguided venture to put wheels under all pedestrians feet, was just snatched up by a Chinese company. [Bloomberg]
Rumours!
- Apple’s iPhone, equipped with arguably the best camera on a smartphone, may soon add some depth to your pictures after Apple’s purchase of LinX, a company that specialises in depth sensing. [Engadget]
- The Galaxy S6 Edge is the most costly phone to make… ever. You can blame the price hike on that curved display. [Recode]
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