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Google Messages is Getting Ready to Launch its Brand-New Texting System

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The communications protocol known as Rich Communication Services, or RCS, was created to take the place of the antiquated SMS and MMS. Together with additional benefits like read receipts, multimedia messaging, and typing indicators, it allows encrypted communication across devices. 2019 saw the rise of RCS as the main texting app for Android, while the most recent beta edition of iOS 18 from Apple includes support for it.

Despite being an industry standard, RCS does not support end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in its current feature set (Universal Profile 2.4), which only encrypts data while it is in transit by default, utilizing TLS and IPsec. Although Google has previously addressed this problem by integrating its own E2EE implementation into Google Messages, a standardized encryption protocol is still required in light of Apple’s adoption of RCS and the continued efforts of third-party Android SMS apps to add compatibility.

Google promised to adopt Messaging Layer Security (MLS) last year in order to help meet this demand and give the emerging standard a head start. The Internet Engineering Task Force created MLS, an improved protocol (IETF). It guarantees encrypted communication in group and one-on-one chats between apps and platforms.

Assemble Debug, a code hunter, has now dug into the Google Messages app and found strings and flags pertaining to Messaging Layer Security (MLS), suggesting that the app may soon get it (via Android Authority). The functionality is still in development, and it’s unclear how Google Messages will include it.

Support for Messaging Layer Security (MLS) is ready in Google Messages.
Crucially, the strings hint at Google’s plan to use MLS as the default message security layer. This is an essential step toward a time when other messaging apps would use the same encryption standard, which might open the door to safe communication between services – provided that other apps adopt MLS as well. In any case, Google would establish Messages as a pioneer in this transition to an encrypted future that is still compatible by setting MLS as the default.

A black Pixel phone with a green and red Android symbol, Google Messages in dark mode, and a white background

The fact that Google has adopted MLS may potentially have an impact on Apple’s future plans to incorporate RCS into its Messages app, which houses iMessage. As things stand, group chats using E2EE are not supported by the company’s RCS implementation in iOS 18 Beta 2.

Google Messages uses a proprietary addition to the RCS Universal Profile standard to facilitate E2EE in group and solo chats. An industry standard like MLS may fill the void left by Apple’s doubtful decision to include this proprietary encryption in its Messages app.

Since it broke the habit of developing a new messaging app for every conceivable use-case, RCS has been Google’s favorite communications project, and it appears that its investments are now paying off. After nearly ten years of Google supporting the standard, the future of RCS messaging appears bright, with Apple joining the fold and a new encryption standard that may make it easier for other businesses to follow suit.

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Google is said to be discontinuing the Pixel Tablet 2 and may be leaving the market once more

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Google terminated the development of the Pixel Tablet 3 yesterday, according to Android Headlines, even before a second-generation model was announced. The second-generation Pixel Tablet has actually been canceled, according to the report. This means that the gadget that was released last year will likely be a one-off, and Google is abandoning the tablet market for the second time in just over five years.

If accurate, the report indicates that Google has determined that it is not worth investing more money in a follow-up because of the dismal sales of the Pixel Tablet. Rumors of a keyboard accessory and more functionality for the now-defunct project surfaced as recently as last week.

It’s important to keep in mind that Google’s Nest subsidiary may abandon its plans for large-screen products in favor of developing technologies like the Nest Hub and Hub Max rather than standalone tablets.

Google has always had difficulty making a significant impact in the tablet market and creating a competitor that can match Apple’s iPad in terms of sales and general performance, not helped in the least by its inconsistent approach. Even though the hardware was good, it never really fought back after getting off to a promising start with the Nexus 7 eons ago. Another problem that has hampered Google’s efforts is that Android significantly trails iPadOS in terms of the quantity of third-party apps that are tablet-optimized.

After the Pixel Slate received tremendously unfavorable reviews, the firm first declared that it was finished producing tablets in 2019. Two tablets that were still in development at the time were discarded.

By 2022, however, Google had altered its mind and declared that a tablet was being developed by its Pixel hardware team. The $499 Pixel Tablet was the final version of the gadget, which came with a speaker dock that the tablet could magnetically connect to. (Google would subsequently charge $399 for the tablet alone.)

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Windows 11 PCs with Arm Processors now have an Official ISO for Clean Installations

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Power users occasionally prefer to start over when they acquire a new computer, so they follow the pro-gamers’ advice and reinstall Windows using a brand-new ISO image that comes straight from Microsoft and is free of bloatware and needlessly complex “driver management programs.” Up until recently, the new Snapdragon laptops’ more specialized version of Windows 11 didn’t support that.

The Windows 11 build on these new laptops is unusual because of the Arm64-based hardware, which differs from the typical x86 and x64 innards found in most laptops and desktops. Microsoft has finally released a disk image (or ISO file) for these devices after several months of waiting. To perform a direct reinstallation or make a bootable flash drive for a different device, you may now download it straight from Microsoft’s website. It is identical to the installation media utility that is currently available.

Be aware that there may be some glitches if you use this method for a fresh install. Compared to previous designs, the Snapdragon X system-on-a-chip has a lot fewer hardware variables, but because it’s so new, Windows Update might not include all the necessary components. You may need to use an Ethernet connection or the old-fashioned sneakernet to manually load drivers from another computer. You may also need to do some Googling to locate all the files you require for that.

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OPPO Reno 13 series will debut in China shortly, with India following in 2025

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According to reports, OPPO, a Chinese firm, is getting ready to introduce its Reno 13 series smartphones in its native nation this month. As per 91Mobiles, the OPPO Reno 13 and Reno 13 Pro models are anticipated to debut in China on November 25. The Indian launch is probably set for January 2025. The smartphone series that debuted in July of this year, the Reno 12 series, will be replaced by the Reno 13 series.

Information regarding the specifications of the new Reno 13 and Reno 13 Pro smartphones has leaked online, although the business has not yet confirmed the launch date. These are the specifics:

OPPO Reno 13 Series: Anticipations

It is anticipated that the OPPO Reno 13 Pro would have a 6.78-inch, quad-curved OLED screen with 1.5K resolution. In contrast, the slightly smaller 6.7-inch display with FHD+ resolution is found on the OPPO Reno 12 Pro. In China, the Pro model is probably going to be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset, while in India, it might have a different processor. A 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, and a 50MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom are anticipated to be included in the OPPO Reno 13 Pro’s photographic setup. Most likely, the front camera will include a 50MP sensor.

With a 5,900mAh battery as opposed to the 5,000mAh battery on the Reno 12 Pro, the Reno 13 Pro is anticipated to significantly increase battery capacity. Additionally, it is anticipated that the smartphone would support both 50W wireless and 80W wired charging. Additionally, an IP68/IP69 designation for water and dust protection could increase its durability.

Although the price of the smartphones in the Reno 13 series is not well known, it is anticipated to be similar to that of its predecessor. For comparison, the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage version of the OPPO Reno 12 Pro launched at Rs 36,999, while the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage version of the vanilla model cost Rs 32,999.

OPPO Reno 13 Pro: Anticipated features

  • Display: 6.78-inch OLED, quad-curved, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a resolution of 1.5K
  • processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8350
  • rear camera: 50MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide, and 50MP telephoto (3x zoom)
  • front camera: 50MP
  • Battery: 5,900mAh
  •  Charging: 50W wireless and 80W wired
  • IP rating: IP68/IP69; operating system: ColorOS 15 based on Android 15

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