The purpose of the developer preview was to allow developers to test and fix the issues of Android 16. However, several users have also downloaded new features and found a number of updates providing a better user experience.

Image – Android 16 DP

What’s New in Android 16 Developer Preview 1?

The initial developer preview of Android 16 has several features like audio sharing by Auracast and a much-wanted update for Privacy Dashboard. Some sources also claim that Android 16 is also introducing a feature to protect your OTP. Most Android phones have features to show all notifications on the lock screen, which proves to be a convenient and easy-to-go option for users.

Google plans to address the issue with a feature of Android 16 which will automatically hide the content of sensitive notifications like OTP on the lock screen. According to users, this feature is only working for the OTP as of now, other sensitive information may trigger the feature in the final version. While Google has introduced this feature for better privacy, this may irritate or frustrate users who will have to unlock their phones to get OTP.

Which Devices Are Eligible for Android 16?

Google has also released a list of devices that will receive the final version of Android 16. The list of Android 16 compatible devices is mentioned below.

1. Pixel 6
2. Pixel 6 Pro
3. Pixel 6a
4. Pixel 7
5. Pixel 7 Pro
6. Pixel 7a
7. Pixel Tablet
8. Pixel Fold
9. Pixel 8
10. Pixel 8 Pro
11. Pixel 8a
12. Pixel 9
13. Pixel 9 Pro
14. Pixel 9 Pro XL
15. Pixel 9 Pro Fold

How can you Download the Android 16 Developer Preview 1?

To download Android 16 DP 1, users must have a compatible device (mentioned above). The developer preview is primarily released for test and trial purposes, not for general use. But if you want to download it, make sure to unlock your bootloader because DP 1 can give a rough experience.

The easiest option to download Android 16 DP 1 is to download the Android Flash Tool. This tool lets you easily sideload factory images from one place. To get started, visit flash.android.com/preview/baklava-dp1. If you haven’t yet, you’ll need to install the Android USB driver. Then, just connect your device, confirm it’s linked to the Flash Tool, choose the build you want to install, and you’re all good to go!

The post Android 16 DP 1 Is Here with 3 Exciting New Feature Updates appeared first on Technowize.

Galaxy watches have been running security updates for more than five months. While all the Wear OS Galaxy Watches are meant to have quarterly security patches, the system appears to be running behind schedule. The duration between the updates has been much longer for the older models of the Galaxy Watch like Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6.

Image – Samsung Watch

Samsung One UI 6 Watch Update – What to Expect?

As per the reports, the Stable One UI 6 watch update will only be released after the final update of the Samsung Health App. The company has released a new updated version for smartphones. This latest version of the app has provided some new features to the older models of the Galaxy watch that were only available in the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Samsung has also fixed several bugs and technical issues. The new models of Galaxy Watch 4 now provide an energy score feature that tracks the daily wellness of the user. The tracker can also be customized as per the requirements and goals of the individual. This update provides advice to improve your health and strategize a training plan.

The Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6 users who participated in the One UI 6 Watch Beta program have already received the stable update. Samsung has introduced new features for the Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6, paving the way for the rollout of the stable One UI 6 update for all users.

Galaxy Watch Update Delays – Major Letdown for Users

The Galaxy Watch users are having a hard time with the constant delay in the updates. While the company guarantees a quarterly update for its wearables, the reality has been nothing less than disappointing and frustrating for the users.

One Reddit user commented, “Bruh, I was really hoping it would release in September, at least give us beta access in more countries.” Another user commented, “Hope they sort out the sleep monitoring. The Pro 5 has never accurately nor even come close to tracking my sleep. I’m an insomniac, and the hours I spend trying to sleep or get back to sleep, it says I AM asleep! It’s hilarious that to get 2 hours of sleep in 10-20 minute fragments gets recorded as 7 hours sleep.”

While Samsung has introduced some useful new features for its Galaxy Watches, the delays in rolling out the stable One UI 6 update have left many users disappointed. Despite promises of regular updates, the long waits and ongoing issues like inaccurate sleep tracking are frustrating. Samsung needs to step up and deliver the update as promised to keep its Galaxy Watch users happy and satisfied.

The post Is Samsung Ready to Release the Stable One UI 6 Watch Update? appeared first on Technowize.

Even if we believe the release date to be true, there is still a lot to uncover. In September 2024, Google released the Android 15 which became available for updates in Pixel phones almost after a month in October. Although it’s not something we can be sure about there is a possibility that the Android 16 will be released in June, and its availability for updates may take more time.

What New Features are Coming to Android 16?

Along with the rumored release date, we also got our hands on Android 16 features leaks. Users can expect to see an update of the Do Not Disturb feature, providing more options to restrict your accessibility for others and must include more options to customize it as per your preference.

The update will also provide easy access to the Android’s highest level of security protection, through the Quick Settings panel. Additionally, Google may also be planning an easier way to use Quick Settings.

One of the major updates will include a Dynamic-Island style notification system, which will expand the notification bar to show all the persistent notifications. Google may have picked this feature from recent models of Apple’s smartphones. On the latest iPhone models, there’s a little notification bar that pops up to show things like sports scores, music you’re playing, or even when your ride is arriving.

We can also expect Google to add new AI features to Android 16 as AI has ruled out all the recent software updates of smartphone companies. Recently, Google also revealed that Android will have more frequent SDK releases from now on.

Which Phone will get Android 16?

There is no clear information on Android 16 eligible devices, so it is hard to confirm which device will get the Android 16 update. Although, we are expecting Google Pixel 10 to be released with pre-installed Android 16. Since Xiaomi and Samsung are Google’s Android buddies, you can bet Android 16 will be rocking their next smartphones too!

Can Android 16 Fix Android 15’s Issues?

Since the release of Android 15, Pixel users have faced several issues from dodgy Fingerprint Sensors to missing Notifications. While many users have claimed that after installing Android 15, Fingerprint Sensors don’t recognize their fingerprints and it takes 3-4 attempts to unlock their phone, others are facing issues with the longer duration of the system response. 

Also, the users have claimed to have reduced battery life after the update. One user commented, “I’ve experienced significant battery drain. My usage habits have not changed, but the battery now discharges much faster than it did on Android 14.”

Android 16 is still a few months away, but the early release rumors and potential new features have certainly got users excited. With enhancements like a revamped Do Not Disturb, improved security features, and a Dynamic-Island-style notification system, Android 16 looks set to bring some fresh innovations. However, Google will need to address the ongoing issues from Android 15, such as fingerprint sensor bugs and battery drain, to ensure a smoother experience for users. Only time will tell how well Android 16 lives up to its promises!

The post Android 16 Release Date Revealed – Coming Sooner than Expected appeared first on Technowize.

The increased use of generative AI in creative software has become a controversial issue for the primary users of Adobe. Several artists are taking legal action against AI companies because of the infringement issues while others are avoiding platforms that use AI for creative purposes. This does not appear to impact Adobe, as major updates for the next generation focus on AI. 

Image – Adobe Photoshop – New Feature to remove cable and wires

Adobe MAX-AI Updates: All You Need to Know

Adobe MAX has unveiled AI updates for all of its platforms, adding to the overall editing experience of the creators. 

Features of Firefly’s AI Video Model

Adobe revealed that its AI model Firefly will now have video generation abilities. The video-generation AI is now set to be available by the end of this week. Firefly will be the first commercially safe video model available for the public, trained on Adobe Stock and other public databases. 

The AI model Firefly will be able to transform the image into B-roll footage and handle 2D and 3D animation. It also has the ability to customize the shots by lighting and camera controls.

Extend your Clips with AI in Premiere Pro

Adobe has integrated Firefly’s AI video model into Premiere Pro to power a new feature called Generative Extend. This feature allows users to extend videos up to 2 seconds and audio up to 10 seconds. It will help creators add a few extra frames to the shots and smoothen out transitions.

Edit 3D Designs with Project Neo

The teaser of Project Neo was released at last year’s creative conference. Project Neo is an app developed to help designers and illustrators work and edit 3D designs. Deepa Subramanian, vice president of product marketing for Creative Clouds said, “Project Neo has been in a private beta with around 60,000 users and has been working on it based on the group’s feedback.”

Remove Wire and Cables in Images without a Hassle

With the update of Firefly Image 3, Photoshop’s removal tool can now clear wires and cables from the images with a single click. In Photoshop, the collection of generative tools—like the generative fill feature that lets you create text-to-image designs for any space—is moving out of beta and becoming widely available. The platform will also provide a new generative workspace in beta that will help creators brainstorm and ideate.

Design Custom Gatorade Bottles

Adobe has announced that users can now design their own Gatorade squeeze water bottle on Gatorade’s website with the help of Firefly’s text-to-image capabilities. Users can log in through Gatorade’s free membership deal and add what they want to appear on their water bottles. Gatorade will then use Firefly to bring the vision of users into real life.

In summary, Adobe’s recent updates at MAX 2024 showcase a strong commitment to integrating AI across its editing platforms, enhancing the creative experience for users. With innovations like Firefly’s video generation capabilities and new features in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, Adobe continues to push the boundaries of digital creativity. 

The post Adobe MAX 2024 Recap – Highlights of Adobe’s New Features appeared first on Technowize.

Earlier this month, YouTube Shorts also announced some changes to its operation, the most significant one being the ability to upload clips that were up to 3 minutes long. The company stated that this was “a top requested feature by creators,” and that the upgrade could be expected starting from October 15. This covers only one part of YouTube’s platform updates, so let’s dive into what else the organization has been up to. 

YouTube Features Update 2024: We Love Change and These Are All Useful Ones

YouTube’s redesign and updates are not groundbreaking by any means, but they still manage to improve some of the key aspects of using its services. The company has identified many different areas of improvement that may not have occurred to us on the daily, but now that we see the changes, we agree that using the app or website is going to be much more convenient to use. 

YouTube’s feature updates for 2024 are said to largely stem from user feedback so it’s evident that there are a lot of perceptive users out there who have identified potential areas of improvement and reported back to the company on them. It’s good to see Google take user feedback into consideration and create an evolving system that caters to both creators and consumers. The company’s crackdown on adblockers has annoyed users considerably over the last few months, so the current changes are to be received more positively.

Hollywood Reporter stated the Google-owned video platform claimed an advertising revenue of $8.66 billion in Q2 2024, which marked a 13% hike from Q2 2023. The revenue fell below the expectations set by Wall Street, but they are nothing to scoff at nonetheless. With numbers like this, it’s in the company’s best interest to keep users coming back to appease their advertisers, so we also understand how these changes are imperative to supporting their overall business model. 

YouTube’s mini-player update and the playlist contribution feature may be our top two changes in this round, but we’ll let you decide which ones are going to be the most integral to you.

The YouTube Mini-Player Update Allows for Easier Multitasking

The YouTube app has an efficient mini-player system already, but it can be a little inconvenient to interact with the rest of the app interface with a video playing already. If you want to continue setting up your queued videos to play in the background as you work on something else, then the mobile app has you covered.

You can now resize the mini-player more conveniently to suit your tastes, increasing its size when there’s more riveting content on the screen and bringing it back down to continue your search.

Image: You can now make collaborative playlists on YouTube

Collaborative Playlists? Now That’s Going to Be a Fun Change

Making playlists is something we’re all familiar with, and it’s always more fun when you can make it with friends and family to set the right tone for an event. The new collaborative playlist feature on YouTube will allow you to create a video playlist with your loved ones more easily, by simply sharing a link or QR code with them to invite collaborators.

You can use it to create a karaoke-themed YouTube video playlist for a girl’s night in or curate a list of true crime video diaries you can watch with your sibling when you have dinner together. The possibilities are endless. You can also customize the thumbnail for the playlist by adding in your own image or using good old generative AI to create one for you.

Later in the year, YouTube will also give users the ability to vote on the videos in the playlist, which will allow you to add and remove content based on popular demand. For creators, this can serve a different purpose. YouTube says a creator could use the feature to “have their viewers rank their favorite unboxings or reviews.” 

YouTube Wants You to Rest Easy with Its New Sleep Timer

If you’re in the habit of watching YouTube videos before you fall asleep, then a sleep timer might help you avoid having to wake up at 3 am and turn off the random video that happened to wake you up. 

You can set a timer to pause the video automatically after a specified time so the app will shut itself down in case you fall asleep. This particular YouTube feature update was already available to Premium users earlier in 2024, but now free users can also enjoy it. 

Who Doesn’t Love a Shiny New Badge?

Just like Reddit acknowledges users for reaching specific milestones, YouTube is planning to create specific achievements for its users, which they will reward with badges. Users will be able to see the badges they’ve received on the “You” tab and admire all that they’ve been acknowledged for on the platform. 

This could range from “being one of the first set of paid members of a creator’s channel, or correctly completing quizzes.” YouTube will start with a small number of badges at first, but the company plans to evolve the list of achievements over time. 

Image: YouTube Shorts gets some minor UI upgrades

YouTube Shorts is Getting a Newer Look

YouTube’s upgrades have also been extended to its YouTube Shorts. The video format is now capped at 3-minute videos and there are some changes in the designs of the icons and the layout of the screen. Remixing existing shorts and reusing their template is now a lot easier, so you can also jump onto trends more easily.

YouTube Shorts has been investigating the potential applications of AI for video backgrounds for a while, and it is backed by Google DeepMind’s latest model, Veo. The AI  will now be used to support video generation on the app so you can get more creative with the content you create. The platform is also working on making itself more community-friendly so you’ll be able to access trending Shorts more easily to see what everyone else is watching, and your screen will also give you a preview of what people are saying about a clip from the Shorts feed. 

Those who watch YouTube on their TV should see the user interface get a quick cleanup, especially when it comes to YouTube Shorts. These small changes across the platform are designed to make YouTube more engaging, while also eliminating some of the minor inconveniences of using the app. More changes could be expected to arrive later this year, but for now, these updates are noteworthy. 

The post YouTube’s Feature Updates for 2024 Bring Some Nifty Changes appeared first on Technowize.

While Google claims Imagen 3 to be its highest-quality image generation model, the image generator produces fewer artifacts than previous versions of the tool. The AI has a range of new features, capable of generating images of people to detailed sketch drawings.

Imagen 3: Gemini AI Image Generator

Google has introduced its new and most efficient AI image generator yet, which promises to create the highest quality images. Imagen 3 only generates one image from each prompt, and users can refine or make changes in the images, but the new image will only be generated after another prompt. This feature is added so the image generator can remember your last request.

Users can generate as many images as they want in a day without any limitation on the number. The one limitation is that images of actual people cannot be created without upgrading to Gemini Advanced. Users with the Advanced plan can create as many images of people as they like. Imagen 3 has a wide range of features to be explored by users like creating realistic photos, sketch images, oil paintings, and claymation scenes.

As per Google, Imagen 3 has great text rendering abilities and can even create a comic book for its users. However, improvements can be still made to the text rendered as there are still a number of mistakes in the prompt response of the AI.

Limitations of Google AI Image Generator

Imagen 3 creates the highest quality images and with new and improved features, it has a long way to go. Still, there are some limitations of the image generator as the free tier version cannot create images of people. Users who want to create images of people can purchase the advanced version of Gemini.

The Advanced plan costs $19.99 (£18.99, AU$ 32.99) per month and is included in the Google One AI Premium Plan, which also offers 2TB of storage and access to Gemini in Google Docs. Dedicated users of Google Gemini can consider upgrading, but for a causal user, Google’s free plan works quite efficiently. AI image generation is problematic in many ways, and but the overarching problems with AI sometimes take precedent. 

Earlier, Google Gemini also received criticism because of its ad released during the Paris Olympics 2024. The ad was released depicting a father who asks Gemini to write a letter on behalf of his daughter for her favorite athlete, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Later, the ad was taken down by the company because of the backlash it was receiving. People didn’t like the idea of the father finding a shortcut for his daughter to show her admiration for the Olympic athlete. Google made a mistake with this ad by suggesting that AI can express emotions better than humans.

Google Gemini has tried to redeem itself repeatedly ever since. Depending on how users respond to the new tool, we’ll get a more complete idea of how successful it has been in shifting attention away from its past issues.

The post Google Introduces a New AI Image Generator for Gemini appeared first on Technowize.

Marques Brownlee’s app is facing criticism for being overpriced while also offering little in exchange for the amount, but users are equally concerned about the “excessive data disclosures” that are being expected. The choice to launch a wallpaper app is odd in and of itself, but regardless, the execution of the launch has been less than satisfactory. 

After years of critically analyzing products that have entered the market, MKBHD’s wallpaper app controversy is giving him a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of particularly painful feedback.

Image: Panels

MKBHD’s Panels App Is Facing Quite a Bit of Backlash from Users

Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, revealed the new app in his iPhone 16 review, taking a moment out to talk about Apple’s product to bring some attention to his. Right off the bat, the choice to launch a wallpaper app sounded extremely odd to users, as it didn’t appear that there was a specific market of users who were looking for premium quality wallpapers to switch between frequently enough to warrant a subscription. 

Most who like to personalize their wallpapers do so by taking screenshots of images they like or downloading free options from Google and Reddit. Those more particular about high-quality images do perhaps turn to paid apps, but they don’t appear to belong to quite such a big group of users.

Does that mean the wallpaper app was destined to fail? No, not quite. If it was available at a decent price, with an extensive collection of unique and personalized wallpapers the app could have performed alright. Especially if the artists were compensated better than other platforms, such an app, backed by such a loved reviewer, may have found its audience. 

Unfortunately, we have only seen MKBHD’s Panels subject to backlash from all directions so far.

What Does the Criticism of Marques Brownlee’s Panels App Center On?

The new Panel app by MKBHD offers “stunning” high-quality images for $49.99 USD per year or $11.99 per month. Those who do not want to pay for the service can still access some of the original wallpapers on the app, but you can only get lower-quality images in SD. Even this is not available for free—users will have to watch two ads to initiate the download. 

The app promises to split the profit with the digital artists 50/50 to ensure that they get their share of the deal. If you want to give the app a go, it is available for both iOS and Android users so all smartphone users can look forward to the new wallpapers. 

MKBHD Panels app saw backlash for the high price of the subscription as well as the excessive advertising on the platform for those who try to use it for free. Users also noted that the app asked for too much user data when you create an account, including location information. There is very little reason for a wallpaper app to collect that data. The app also doesn’t offer any unique content like live wallpapers so from all angles, the app is a basic image download platform.

Even more bad news for @MKBHD Panels wallpaper App.
Every wallpaper is stored in Google’s public API as a JSON file.
Easy way to get around his ridiculous paywall @dylanjnich pic.twitter.com/0qd91k2B3w

— I Hate Apple (@iHateApplee) September 25, 2024

MKBHD is Fixing the Wallpaper App but Prices Are Unlikely to Change

MKBHD responded to the wallpaper app controversy by agreeing to fix elements of the app that have users disappointed. Turning to X/Twitter, he explained that the data disclosure requirements will be fixed as soon as possible. He also stated that it was their “personal challenge to work to deliver the kind of value for the premium version.” As such, it is likely that the pricing will remain unchanged but the team will attempt to make their services worth the price.

The criticism that Marques Brownlee’s Panels app is receiving also hinges on the fact that the reviewer has promised the app will get better over time. MKBHD’s own reviews have repeatedly reminded users not to buy a product based on the promise of a future update so the guarantees of an improvement here are extremely ironic.

So MKBHD launched his wallpaper app called Panels on both Android and iOS platforms.

I mean the wallpapers are nice. I can understand that wallpaper designers need a source of earning as well since they work hard. Even if someone uses AI to make walls, it’s not that easy to get… pic.twitter.com/ZNXQTEM0Fz

— Ariblaze (@ariblazeog) September 24, 2024

A large amount of the backlash that the Panels app is receiving is legitimate and reflects the fact that MKBHD has released an unfinished product, which is something he has criticized multiple companies for. Both Rabbit’s R1 device and the Humane AI Pin were heavily criticized for the quality of their product but MKBHD’s reviews were particularly critical of them. 

Perhaps the MKBHD wallpaper app is a swing and a miss, but some of the reactions on here are so strong, as if he personally insulted everyone

— Joe Rossignol (@rsgnl) September 24, 2024

All that aside, some of the hate towards the app is also a result of people poking fun at the successful reviewers work with no intention of ever using the app. Such criticism is inevitable and the reviewer will have to work to impress the fans who are still likely to consider giving the app a go.

The post In a Surprising Twist of Fate, MKBHD’s Panels App Faces Backlash appeared first on Technowize.

The Steam Family games-sharing system will make it possible for each player to save their own progress or achievements in each game, so you won’t have to worry about your sibling killing your progress or messing up your stats when they play your games. It’s a very helpful consideration and will make the game-sharing experience a lot less frustrating. 

Valve’s Steam Family Improves the Platform’s Account-Sharing Systems

The Steam Family games sharing strategy is an upgraded version of a sharing system that was already available on the platform. The new and improved version makes it easier for multiple members to game simultaneously but it also enforces a region restriction to try and keep the account within the family. Up to 6 people can be a part of a Steam Family group and all of the members can share their library with each other.

Even if only one member owns the game, all the members can access it and create their own saved files so there’s no overlap between their individual game experiences. The person who purchases the game remains the sole owner, but as long as they remain on the account, access can be shared. Multiple people can play different titles simultaneously so there’s no waiting for one person to hop off in order to play a game.

However, according to the Steam Family sharing rules, you cannot play the exact same game title simultaneously until you buy multiple copies of it. So, if you and your brother both want to use the Steam Family play feature to play Black Myth: Wukong at the same time, both of you will have to purchase the game. If one of you decides to play it while the other plays Warhammer 40,000, then you won’t have trouble using the account simultaneously.

How does Valve’s Steam Family Work?

The Steam Family sharing rules will allow members to take on the role of an adult or a child, and the adults can control the content accessed by the kids. Any adult family member can manage the kid’s account and make the most of the parental controls. 

The parental settings will allow parents to restrict their kid’s access to inappropriate games and community chats, set playtime limits, recover a child’s account, etc. Parents can also approve in-family requests from a kid’s account to make a purchase for a new game.

Anyone can start a Steam Family account and invite 5 family members to join in. Titles owned by any of the members will be available to the rest of the family, but kids will have a more limited reach. Additionally, if you’re from a complicated, competitive family, you might want to know that any adult member can kick another family member off the account. Let the drama begin.

Image: Steam

Steam Family Sharing Rules and Restrictions

The Steam Family game-sharing system is quite useful, but it does come with restrictions. An adult who leaves the family group cannot rejoin another family group or create his own for a whole year from the date of joining the previous family. If you leave a Steam Family accidentally, you can rejoin it at any time without a wait. 

The group that the adult leaves will also be unable to add a new member to fill in the spot immediately. This is likely done to prevent people from sharing accounts with non-family members, but it can be quite annoying for those who might move away and want an account of their own.

According to PCGamer, region restriction will prevent people who are far away in different countries from sharing an account. Steam Family accounts can be set up between people in different physical homes in the same region, even if Valve prefers the account sharing members also share a household.

The Steam Family feature will be available for all the games that had previously allowed Family Sharing. For the rest of the titles, developers can choose whether they want to allow their games and DLCs to be shared between families via the platform. Some games may require third-party accounts and they won’t be shareable via Valve’s Steam Family either. 

The Steam Family sharing rules feel mostly fair and it allows a gamer family to build a nice collection of playable titles. Family members won’t get in each other’s way as long as they don’t try to play the same game all at once, and if they do want to play co-op with each other, they’ll have to be sure to purchase additional copies of the game.

The post Valve’s Steam Family Simplifies Gaming for the Whole Household appeared first on Technowize.

Google Play Security Reward Ends— More than 1,000,000 Apps Have Been Helped

The Google Play Security Reward Program began as a way for Google to enhance the security of the apps that it provided to its users. Regardless of how thorough developers are, bugs can be encountered unexpectedly, and while some innocent ones merely result in unusual glitches, more dangerous ones can leave users vulnerable to data loss and permanent harm to their devices. App developers traditionally review their own apps for bugs or have bug bounty programs where they reward developers for reporting any issues with their apps.

Google took this one step further to additionally reward developers for the apps on their store, which they stated was the first program to pay a bonus reward in addition to the developer vulnerability reward programs that the apps themselves provide. 

The Google Play Security Reward Program (GPSRP) is a vulnerability reward program offered by Google Play in collaboration with the developers of certain popular Android apps. It recognizes the contributions of security researchers who invest their time and effort to help make apps on Google Play more secure. 

The goal of the program is to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in apps on Google Play and keep Android users, developers, and the Google Play ecosystem safe.

—Google Bug Hunters Guidelines

Now that the “GPSRP has achieved its goal after 7 years,” the company no longer feels it is necessary to keep the program alive.

History of the Google Play Security Reward Program 

The GPSR program was introduced in October 2017 to incentivize security experts who could look for vulnerabilities in Android apps distributed through the Google Play Store. Initially, the program was restricted to a limited list of developers and they could only receive a reward for detecting issues within a limited list of applications. According to Android Authority, over time, the apps covered by the program expanded considerably to include the likes of Grammarly, PayPal, Amazon, Snapchat, Tinder, etc. 

Later in 2019, the Google Play Security Reward Program was extended to all the apps in the store that had at least 100 million installations and the reward for detecting an issue was also increased to $20,000 USD. Google had an elaborate set of program rules that detailed the kind of bugs that developers were expected to find. 

The guidelines also explained what would happen if their report was a duplicate or if SDK and library vulnerability issues were detected. For known issues that were detected, Google had capped the reward at $500 USD to acknowledge the reporter’s effort, even if they didn’t qualify for a full reward. 

Image: The Google Play Security Reward Program’s Reward Criteria

Google has stated that the data from the program was used to establish automated checks that could be used to review the apps on the platform without any need for external review. The company claimed that in 2019, the checks had helped more than 300,000 developers fix more than 1,000,000 apps. 

Since then, there have likely been a much larger number of app developers that have benefitted from this model as well as from the automated checks that have identified common issues that other apps have encountered before.

What’s Next, Now That the Google Bug Bounty Has Been Discontinued?

The Google Play Security Reward Program will end on August 31, 2024. Reports submitted before that date will be triaged by September 15 and final reward decisions will be made before September 30, which is the official discontinuation date for the Google bug bounty. This means that developers still have a little over a week to submit their reports of discovered vulnerabilities to snag a reward before the program shuts down. 

While Google is ending its bug bounty program, many app developers have their own version of such reward systems that can be reported to directly when a bug is detected. Even without a reward system, individuals who notice a vulnerability should still be able to report to the developer directly to keep users safe. The problem with Google Play Security Rewards being discontinued is that there is now going to be little reason for developers to spend their time combing through programs for vulnerabilities.

The news of the Google Play program winding down does not mean the organization will no longer prioritize app safety. The Google Play Security Reward Program was only a small part of the company’s security measures, one that merely added an additional layer of review of the apps that arrived in the store. 

Google has always had a robust system of checking for fraudulent and dangerous apps and filtering them out of the system, and despite some malicious apps still making it through, the system is comprehensive. In 2023, the Play Store owner claimed it had prevented 2.28 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play and banned 333K bad accounts from Play for violations. 

Developers will continue to be in charge of maintaining their own app security with support from Google’s other security features. The Android and Google Devices Security Reward Program and Google Mobile Vulnerability Reward Program are also available for bug hunters to benefit from. The company’s internal security team likely has more of a role in keeping the platform safe than the GPSRP program had, so the transition away from the program may not be as concerning as it sounds at first. 

The post No More Bug Bounties—Google Play Security Reward Program Ends appeared first on Technowize.

Ideally, users will be able to look at their updates alongside those of their friends, allowing them to create a nice memory map together. Instagram’s Snap Map feature test is only being rolled out to a small test group of users for now, but if all goes well, a global rollout could be expected.

Image: Freepik

Everything We Know About the Instagram Friend Map Feature

We first heard about the Instagram map-based feature testing back in February, when TechCrunch was able to confirm its development with a spokesperson from Meta. Earlier screenshots of the Instagram map tracking feature indicated that the location day will be end-to-end encrypted. The Instagram friend map feature will allow users to opt into sharing their location with followers who follow back, a few select friends on their “Close Friends” list, or no one at all, if they prefer not to use the feature. 

This is a little different from the Snap Map which allows users to share their Map stories publicly with just anyone as well as restrict it to their followers. So far, Instagram does not have any plans to allow for public sharing, which we think is for the best. We also do not have too many details available on the permanence of the content shared on the map. Instagram stories last for 24 hours but posts last forever. Instagram could go either way but having a permanent record of all posts made sounds like an overwhelming amount of content to process and bring up every time. 

This may work like Apple’s “Find My” feature where users will be able to track the movement of their friends and family, but the main idea behind the Instagram real-time friend map is to allow for the sharing of content like photos and videos at a specific location. 

Users can also leave “Notes” on the map to share their thoughts and details on the map. Found a cute anime-themed ramen bar that you think your friends will love? Leave a note for them to find it easily. The Notes feature on the app currently lets users share their thoughts on the messaging feed but it’s an underutilized feature with little purpose so far.

How Do We Feel About Instagram Real-Time Friend Maps?

Instagram has been doing the most when it comes to diversifying its portfolio of features with little to no reason to introduce them. The app’s Notes feature doesn’t do much to improve the app experience and neither does the integration of the AI search, which is extremely unpleasant to look at across all Meta platforms. The app has also begun experimenting with letting users create AI versions of themselves or design specialized chatbots and we’re curious to see how that works out for them.

Instagram has also been shoving the Threads app at us through notifications, reel feeds, and every other way they can think of, which has been unpleasant, to say the least. However, Instagram is also great at robbing an idea from another platform and allowing users to get lost in the feeling that the feature has always been there. Despite the initial resistance to reels, the feature has now become the app’s staple instead of the photo-sharing service monopoly it used to hold. 

Many also turn to searching the tags on the app for inspiration instead of Pinterest and use it to find local hotspots instead of relying on Google Maps. Instagram stories are now considerably more popular than the Snap Stories many of us grew up with.

If Instagram’s Snap Map-like feature test goes off well, the company will roll it out to a larger audience. This should bring them the increased engagement they are looking for, although most of us already spend too much time on our phones solely due to this app. 

Paired with the ad tests that Instagram has been running, this would mean more revenue for the company the more we open up the app, which is why it’s so great for the company but a little unhealthy for users. It is too soon to make a fair assessment of just how this feature will work and how it will be received. Keeping in touch with friends and family is always a great idea, but perhaps we all know just a little too much about each other. Is that Instagram’s fault? No, but the app does encourage its use a little too successfully.

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