SoftBank will back out of Sprint & T-Mobile merger yet again

Rumors of a Sprint and T-Mobile merger have been swirling for months now, with the most recent rumors suggesting that the two companies were close to finalizing talks and that the Department of Justice could have some opposition to the two companies joining together.

However, the latest news is that Sprint owner SoftBank has called off negotiations between the two companies as they were unable to come to an agreement on ownership of the combined company. The report says that SoftBank will suggest ending talks with T-Mobile owner Deutsche Telekom by Tuesday. An agreement had been struck to merge the two companies, but Deutsche Telekom's insistence on a controlling stake was too much for SoftBank's board.

Sprint is the fourth largest carrier in the United States and this isn't the first time a Sprint and T-Mobile merger has been on the table. The last time was back in 2014 when SoftBank wanted to buy T-Mobile but ran afoul of regulators. Since then, T-Mobile has become a much more valuable company thanks to the carrier's Uncarrier branding efforts.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2gWXTzt
via IFTTT

Google Assistant no longer plays downloaded music in Google Play Music

Google has been making some big changes to Google Assistant, such as moving the service to an app that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and making it available on Android TV. However, it seems as though some functionality is being removed if reports from redditors are true.

These reports suggest that users were able to use Google Assistant to play music from their own library that was uploaded to Google Play Music, but a recent change now offers to play a streaming mix based on search criteria. Even setting Play Music set to return Downloaded Only music seems to have no effect.

The problem appears to stem from Google Assistant, not Play Music, as it never requests Play Music to play anything other than streaming content. Play Music, for its part does a good job and while it will queue what GA requests, will not download/stream anything new.

Several people replied in the comments affirming what the original poster cited, saying that they're no longer able to request Google Assistant to play downloaded music when the feature worked just fine in Google Now.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2gWn8Sr
via IFTTT

Samsung’s Android Oreo beta program could launch as soon as tomorrow

We've seen reports that Samsung has been working on the Android Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, but a new report claims that the beta program could begin as tomorrow (October 31st). In addition to the rumored launch date, the report also gives us an idea as to which countries and regions will get the update first.

It seems that the beta program will be rolled out in two "phases", with North America, the UK, and South Korea. Then, Phase 2 will bring Oreo to the following countries:

• China
• Germany
• Spain
• France
• Poland
• India

Once the beta program is made official, device owners will be able to join the beta via the "Samsung Members" application which is available for free from the Galaxy Apps Store and the Google Play Store. From there, you'll be required to register for the Beta Program, and should be able to almost instantly download and install the Galaxy S8 Beta via the Software Update menu.

Samsung has yet to confirm whether a beta program is, in fact, in the works, or all of this is just smoke and mirrors. However, considering the fact that Samsung held a Beta Program for Android Nougat, it would make loads of sense for the same process to take place for Android Oreo.

If you have seen anything referenced regarding this beta program, let us know in the comments below.

[SamMobile]

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2lsGkcg
via IFTTT

Here’s a better look at the top half of the OnePlus 5T

Last week, we were excited to see some more rumors and renders leaked regarding the OnePlus 5T, and we're getting this week off on the right foot. @evleaks has shared a new image of the device, which shows off the top half of the device.

Top-half of OnePlus 5T (2.5t? Ha). http://pic.twitter.com/pmfhdQSgWQ

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 30, 2017

The image is clearly a press render and shows the iconic Never Settle wallpaper, along with the rumored 18:9 display which is expected to be introduced. There's not much else to see from this image other than the speaker griller, front-facing camera, and power button on the right-hand side of the frame.

When it comes to what we are expecting from the 5T, it's likely that we'll see a 6-inch, 18:9 display, with the Snapdragon 835 SoC at the helm and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM coupled with 64GB or 128GB of storage. The dual-camera setup will also make a return with a 16MP and 20MP sensor, along with the LED flash on the rear.

Speaking of the rear, we are also expecting to see a shift away from the front-facing fingerprint scanner, as OnePlus will need to make space for its bigger display. Instead, the scanner should be rearranged to the rear of the device, nestled between the top of the device and the OnePlus logo on the rear.

As for a launch date, some leaked promotional material suggested a date of November 16th, but we won't know for sure until the OnePlus 5T is made official. Let us know what you think about the 5T in the comments, and if you'll be looking to pick one up for yourself.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2zijg62
via IFTTT

Geekbench results confirm LG is testing Oreo for the LG G6

While just about everyone else has been obsessed with the issues surrounding the Pixel 2 XL, there is some other stuff happening that is much more exciting. For one, some Geekbench results have appeared which show that LG is in the process of testing Android Oreo for the LG G6.

Obviously, there's no mention of when Oreo will be arriving, however, seeing these Geekbench results can get G6 owners pretty excited. As a fellow G6 owner, I'm super excited to see how LG plans to implement Oreo onto the device, and if there will be any extra goodies added to the software.

We'll be sure to keep everyone updated as to when Oreo will officially be rolling out, but we already have a pretty good idea that Samsung is working on a beta program for S8 owners, and hopefully, LG does the same. Let us know if you're still rocking the LG G6 and if you're excited for the update to Oreo.

[Geekbench]

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2gUILml
via IFTTT

Google considered including earbuds with the Pixel 2

It's been a rollercoaster ride for Google ever since the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were launched, as we have seen various issues plaguing devices, and even Quality Control problems for some. It seems that the latest story in the saga comes thanks to Lucas on Twitter who found an empty container in his Pixel 2 packaging.

@madebygoogle My @verizon Pixel 2 included an empty place in box for earbuds, and they were mentioned in booklet. @AndroidPolice http://pic.twitter.com/9EcG7KXkBj

— Lucas Everett (@lucaseverett) October 27, 2017

When Lucas unboxed his brand new Pixel 2, he found a plastic holder for the USB C dongle for transferring files between devices, and an empty slot for Pixel earbuds. This was confirmed by the informational pamphlet which stated that Pixel earbuds were included in the box, except for the fact that there was nothing there.

Additionally, it seems that Google wasn't planning on including a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter, because Lucas claimed the dongle was not included in the box and Verizon was forced to give him one from another box. This really leaves everyone wondering what Google was planning for its in-box headphones, because these headphones seem to be different than the Pixel Buds which are launching later this year.

Have you run into any issues or found something similar in your Pixel 2 packaging? Let us know in the comments below.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2yYDQ8D
via IFTTT

Qualcomm could unveil new Snapdragon 845 chip in December

Qualcomm is expected to unveil its next-generation Snapdragon 845 chip at the Snapdragon Technology Summit in December. Like this year's flagship Snapdragon 835, it is believed Samsung will have first dibs on the entire first production run for its Galaxy S9 lineup.

A leaked poster, which surfaced on Chinese micro-blogging network Weibo, all but confirms the Snapdragon Technology Summit will be held in Maui, Hawaii, from December 4 to December 8. It is expected that the Snapdragon 845 will make its debut during a keynote on the first day of the event.

Recent rumors have suggested the chip will feature eight processing cores, like its predecessor, four of which will be ARM Cortex-A75 cores, while the others will be Cortex-A53 cores. Qualcomm's new Adreno 630 GPU will handle graphics, and it's said to be a huge improvement over the Adreno 540.

Samsung is said to be manufacturing the chip using the same 10-nanometer process used for the Snapdragon 835. Its deal with Qualcomm means it will likely have exclusivity over the first batch of processors made, meaning rival smartphone makers will have to wait again.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2hownrV
via IFTTT