Technology - Google News

Apple’s iOS 13 update will make FaceTime eye contact way easier - TechCrunch

Posted: 03 Jul 2019 05:14 AM PDT

Apple has added a feature called 'FaceTime Attention Correction' to the latest iOS 13 Developer beta, and it looks like it could make a big difference when it comes to actually making FaceTime calls feel even more like talking to someone in person. The feature, spotted in the third beta of the new software update that went out this week, apparently does a terrific job of making it look like you're looking directly into the camera even when you're looking at the screen during a FaceTime call.

That's actually a huge improvement because when people FaceTime, most of the time they're looking at the screen rather than the camera, since the whole point is to see the person or people you're talking to, rather than the small black lens at the top of your device.

The catch so far seems to be that this FaceTime feature is only available on iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, which could mean it only works with the latest camera tech available on Apple hardware. That could be because of the new image signal processor that Apple included in the A12 processor which powers the iPhone XS and XS Max, which also provide improvements over previous generation phones in terms of HDR and portrait lighting effects.

It's also possible with any updates or features that arrive in iOS beta releases that they could expand to other devices and/or vanish prior to the actual public launch of iOS 13, which is set for this fall. But here's hoping this one remains in place, because it really seems to make a huge difference in terms of providing a sense of 'presence' for FaceTime calls, which is one of the core values of the Apple chat feature overall.

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Samsung has reportedly fixed the Galaxy Fold - The Verge

Posted: 02 Jul 2019 07:57 PM PDT

Samsung has redesigned the Galaxy Fold to address the screen durability issues that torpedoed its launch, Bloomberg reports, with the folding phone soon to begin commercial production. The company still isn't able to confirm a release date, however, and one person told Bloomberg that the phone is unlikely to resurface at next month's Galaxy Note 10 event.

Samsung is said to have made the screen's protective film "flow into the bezels so it would be impossible to peel off by hand." Previous review units shipped with a film that looked like a removable screen protector, even though removing it would actually destroy the screen — as some reviewers found out.

The Verge's unit had a different problem, however, developing a strange bulge that ultimately broke the OLED panel. It's not clear whether Samsung's re-engineered hinge, which is apparently now flush with the display and stretches the protective film further, would do anything for that issue.

We'll have to see how that shakes out, but the main takeaway from the Bloomberg report is that the Fold should return sometime this year. When it does, you can expect a lot of scrutiny.

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