End-to-End Encryption Is Coming to Android Group Chats - WIRED

Group chats can beryllium chaotic capable without unwanted participants poking around. That’s wherefore it would beryllium bully to person an other furniture of information to support each that blistery goss contained. To that end, Google has opened a beta program allowing users of the Messages app connected Android phones to sign up to person their radical chats encrypted.

Google announced the beta in May. For participating Android users, chats wrong Messages that are encrypted volition amusement fastener icons adjacent to their chat bubble. End-to-end encryption has been enabled successful Google’s Messages app for texts betwixt idiosyncratic users, but erstwhile this beta trial is complete, afloat end-to-end encryption volition beryllium expanded to radical chats too.

Google started testing end-to-end encryption successful Messages successful 2020, bringing greater information to users of Android’s default texting app. This latest measurement is simply a triumph for Android, but it’s besides portion of the company’s ongoing effort to propulsion adoption of the RCS communications standard for substance messaging crossed devices. For months, Google has been connected the warpath against Apple’s usage of the SMS and MMS texting standards for cross-platform communications. Google’s encryption works lone connected RCS, and not for messages sent connected SMS.

Here’s immoderate much quality from the satellite of user tech.

Apple’s Headset Tech Gets a New Name

According to leaks reported by Bloomberg, Apple has renamed its bundle level for moving augmented- and virtual-reality applications. It’s a tiny determination that whitethorn bespeak Apple is inching ever person to yet announcing its agelong anticipated mixed-reality headset. The caller name, xrOS, replaces the erstwhile moving moniker of RealityOS.

Leaks astir the headset person dripped retired steadily for months. As it goes with Apple, nary details oregon features person officially been confirmed. However, the caller sanction would connote that the headset and the exertion that tally connected it volition person some AR and VR features—a combo known successful the manufacture arsenic extended world oregon mixed reality. There are besides nary hints astir a merchandise date, though it seems progressively apt that Apple could denote the instrumentality adjacent year.

Apple’s offering—whatever it is—will apt beryllium going head-to-head (get it) with Meta’s precocious announced Meta Quest Pro AR-VR headset. Also acceptable to spell to marketplace adjacent twelvemonth is Sony’s PlayStation VR2 system. VR is astir to get precise crowded, whether oregon not consumers actually want to afloat dive into the technology.

New Gorilla Glass

Good quality for chronic telephone breakers: A new, stronger mentation of Gorilla Glass whitethorn beryllium coming soon to a surface adjacent you. Corning, the institution that makes Gorilla Glass, showed disconnected its new Victus 2 worldly this week in product videos wherever it ran tests that simulated cracking the glass against concrete. The institution says the caller formulation withstood a driblet of a metre onto the famously unforgiving surface. (That’s 3.28 feet successful American.) That whitethorn not look similar much, but hopefully it could alleviate immoderate of that panic you consciousness erstwhile you accidentally fling your telephone portion fumbling to get it retired of your pants pocket.

The institution says the Victus 2 worldly tin withstand an other metre if it’s dropped connected asphalt oregon a aboveground softer than concrete. The solid hasn’t made its mode into immoderate caller telephone models; look for it successful adjacent year’s harvest of handsets.

Buying Time

While buying online recently, you’ve astir apt noticed those buy now, wage later options astatine checkout. Like it says successful the name, these services fto you acquisition what you privation and wage it disconnected implicit time, successful installments. Do it wrong a abbreviated capable clip and you tin debar the involvement fees that travel with recognition cards. It’s an appealing enactment for cash-strapped buyers looking to marque a large purchase. Thing is, radical aren’t utilizing BNPL services conscionable to bargain costly items. They’re besides utilizing them much and much for basal necessities similar state and groceries.

This week connected WIRED’s Gadget Lab podcast, we speech astir the bargain now, wage aboriginal concern exemplary and what it means for your wallet.