Technology - Google News

Google Pixel 6a fingerprint sensor different from Pixel 6 - Android Authority
The iPod Is Dead, but You Can Get This Thing for $1,300 - Gizmodo
Apple is reportedly testing USB-C iPhones - Engadget

Google Pixel 6a fingerprint sensor different from Pixel 6 - Android Authority

Posted: 13 May 2022 08:17 AM PDT

Google Pixel 6 Pro fingerprint sensor with light bleed

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

TL;DR

Google has confirmed a crucial detail related to the Google Pixel 6a fingerprint scanner.
The in-display fingerprint sensor is not the same as the controversial system in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Unfortunately, we don't yet know if the unlocking experience on the Pixel 6a will be better or worse.

However, pretty much every reviewer around the web agreed that the worst part of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro was the fingerprint scanner. Slow and unreliable, the scanner was heavily criticized. Thankfully, we've learned that the Google Pixel 6a fingerprint scanner might not suffer the same fate.

Google hardware lead Rock Osterloh spoke with Android Central about the Pixel 6a. Osterloh confirmed that the in-display fingerprint scanner inside the Pixel 6a is not the same as the one inside the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Now, don't get your hopes up quite yet. This doesn't necessarily mean the Google Pixel 6a fingerprint sensor is better than the one in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It just means it's different. However, when you consider the intense backlash the Pixel 6's scanner received, it would make a lot of sense for Google to prioritize addressing that with future Pixel smartphones.

Even if the Pixel 6a unlocking experience is the same (or worse), this could still be good news for Pixel fans. The very fact that Google changed the sensor at all likely means it understands the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have a serious problem. This suggests the Pixel 7 series might have better sensors.

Once we get our hands on a Pixel 6a, we'll be able to test the unlocking experience for ourselves. Stay tuned.

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The iPod Is Dead, but You Can Get This Thing for $1,300 - Gizmodo

Posted: 13 May 2022 10:15 AM PDT

Image for article titled The iPod Is Dead, but You Can Get This Thing for $1,300 — Image: Astell&Kern

The device that helped turn Apple into a $3 trillion company (a milestone it passed earlier this year) is officially dead, as the last iteration of the iPod, the iPod Touch, was laid to rest earlier this week. But for those with more discerning ears who refuse to enjoy their music through a smartphone, rest assured that there are still personal media players out there, like this one that you can drop $1,300 on.

Today Astell&Kern announced the KANN MAX, a major update to its KANN ALPHA high-res audio player that may be slightly reminiscent of the iPod Touch, but instead packs some serious audio chops inside. And yes, that includes a headphone jack—three of them, actually, in different sizes and with gold plating—because truly devoted audiophiles wouldn't dare sully their ears with a pair of wireless headphones. Although the KANN MAX does include Bluetooth and support for the aptX HD and LDAC codecs for the normals who hate their ears.

Although the new KANN MAX loses an hour-and-a-half of battery life compared to the previous-gen KANN ALPHA—13 hours compared to 14.5—it actually manages to be smaller and lighter while boosting the power output from 12Vrms to 15Vrms. That allows the KANN MAX to work natively with more higher-end headphones that require their own power source to work, without the need for an additional amplifier. For comparison, the iPods' headphone jacks delivered around 2-3V.

The KANN MAX comes with 64GB of storage onboard, which might seem like a lot given the original iPod shipped with just 5GB, but the device is also compatible with high-resolution digital audio files up to 32-bit/768kHz quality. These contain a lot more information and take up considerably more space than MP3 or Apple's AAC files. The KANN MAX's storage can, thankfully, be expanded to up to 1TB using a microSD card, while a clever feature called BT Sink allows high-res music files stored on other devices, like a laptop with a large external drive, to be played through the KANN MAX over Bluetooth, without the introduction of audio compression.

The most notable update for the KANN MAX is the use of four ES9038Q2M digital-to-analog converters, with each one dedicated to one of the MAX's four amplification channels. Astell&Kern promises this approach means that the "depth and realism of the sound source can be expressed to the fullest" while "music output is expressed as the original sound without distortion." As with a lot of audiophile-grade gear, the marketing speak does a lot of heavy lifting, but with some high-quality source files and even higher-quality headphones physically plugged in, even the most casual music fan will certainly...probably...be able to hear the difference between the KANN MAX and what their beloved iPod was capable of pumping to their ears.

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Apple is reportedly testing USB-C iPhones - Engadget

Posted: 13 May 2022 10:08 AM PDT

Apple may be about to change the iPhone's charging port. According to a Bloomberg report, the company is testing new iPhones and adapters with USB-C, which is what MacBooks and iPads already use, not to mention a plethora of devices outside the Apple ecosystem. We've reached out to Apple for confirmation and have yet to receive a response.

Bloomberg's sources said that the adapter being tested may "let future iPhones work with accessories designed for the current Lightning connector." That could mean a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter for things like credit card scanners or flash drives that plug into existing iPhones. Bloomberg's report noted that if Apple "proceeds with the change, it wouldn't occur until 2023 at the earliest."

While Apple's decisions to change ports have been the subject of many jokes in popular culture, a move to USB-C may actually be welcome. The more widely available standard is only slightly bigger than Lightning, but can deliver power and data more quickly. The change could also make life much easier for those who already use USB-C to charge most of their devices and still have to carry a Lightning cable with them just for their iPhones.

Apple's motivations for the potential change may not be completely altruistic. The EU has been pushing for a universal phone charging standard for years, and recently proposed legislation that would make USB-C the mandated port for all handsets. Testing USB-C on iPhones would just be Apple recognizing the writing on the wall. If this does come to pass, though, it would not only be convenient for most people who are already largely using USB-C, but could also mean less e-waste in the future.

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