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Speedo has introduced a wearable sensor module designed to attach to compatible goggles already owned by swimmers, rather than requiring a full new headset. The device tracks metrics such as head movement, pace, and stroke count during a swim session, syncing that data to a companion smartphone app for analysis.
Retro, a friend-focused photo-sharing app founded by former Instagram engineers Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson, closed a Series A round of more than $21 million in December, according to an SEC filing spotted by Business Insider. The filing was made under the startup's legal name, Lone Palm Labs, and Pitchbook now pegs the company's valuation above $100 million.
A user found that Google's Calendar app on Android has no way to subscribe to an events calendar from a URL, despite running the latest OS and app version. The workaround required switching to desktop mode in a mobile browser at calendar.google.com, where adding the same calendar link worked instantly and synced back to the app.
Apple's Shortcuts app can be used to build a CarPlay automation that plays a custom audio clip whenever an iPhone connects to a vehicle's infotainment system. The feature works alongside, not in place of, a car's built-in startup chimes, and relies on a short audio file stored in the Files app.
A group of contributors, drawing on their experience building and scaling apps on the Heroku platform, published a methodology called the Twelve-Factor App. It outlines a set of practices for building software-as-a-service applications that can use any programming language or backing services like databases and queues, aiming to reduce software erosion and ease collaboration among developers.
Apple announced App Store tax updates taking effect immediately in Morocco, the Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania, reflecting new or increased VAT and digital sales taxes. Starting September 14, Apple will also update app and in-app purchase prices in Israel, Indonesia, Morocco, and the Republic of the Congo for developers who haven't set those regions as their base storefront.
Google has released Gemini 3.5 Transcribe, a new speech-to-text model that converts raw audio into clean, formatted text while handling background noise, jargon, and disfluencies better than prior systems. It's available to developers via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, split into a real-time streaming option and a pre-recorded audio processing option.
A ZDNET piece revisits how Apple built its tightly controlled App Store ecosystem after CEO Tim Cook's 2014 jab at Android as a 'toxic hellstew of vulnerabilities.' The article argues that a decade later, the competitive and regulatory battles have shifted from app-store control to AI, with Apple's new Siri raising fresh concerns.
Google published a memo detailing enforcement of new per-app memory limits introduced with Android 17, first rolling out on Pixel devices. Apps that exceed the thresholds will be slowed down or terminated, and starting in February 2027, non-compliant apps could face reduced visibility and publishing restrictions on the Play Store.
Google announced two new Android app quality requirements in response to memory chip shortages fueled by AI data center demand. One mandates stricter thresholds on dynamic memory and bitmap usage along with code optimization to prevent crashes and slowdowns, while the other requires apps to automatically restore sign-in status when users switch devices, via the Zero Tap Sign-In standard. Developers have until February 2027 for the memory rules and April 2027 for sign-in compliance.
A longtime Apple user dug up his original 2011 iPhone 4 and found it still powers on using its old 30-pin dock connector, but its outdated hardware and software make it functionally useless today. The device runs only on 3G networks, has an 8GB capacity and slow A8 chip, and can no longer access iCloud, Safari or most apps due to modern security requirements. He concludes the phone's best remaining role is as a basic iPod, with recycling as the more practical option.
A GrapheneOS user reports that the PayPal app now fails to launch, throwing a RootDetectionSecurityException citing a security policy violation. The user suspects the crash may be tied to having enabled the PayPal card for contactless NFC payments, though this hasn't been confirmed as the sole trigger.