Google unveils its plans for Android 14’s advanced cellular security features

Last updated: August 11th, 2023 at 10:37 UTC+02:00

Google has been continuously working to improve the security features of its Android OS since its initial versions to protect users from increasing malware attacks. Now, while we are on the verge of the release of Android 14 OS, Google has revealed a ‘first-of-a-kind’ cellular connectivity security feature.

The company already introduced the option to turn off insecure 2G connections two years ago with Android 12. Now with Android 14, they wish to take the cellular security features to another level and combat poor connectivity and encryption standards for phone calls and messages.

In an official blog post, Google announced that with the arrival of Android 14, users would get a new toggle called  ‘Require Encryption.’ As per the currently available draft, the description of this toggle reads, “Encryption is more secure, but you might not be able to connect in some locations. For emergency calls, encryption is never required.” Google has added this toggle because users cannot tell whether their calls and SMS are adequately encrypted.

Android 14 will offer the option to turn off unused 2G connectivity

Many carriers use null ciphers, opening gates for foreign actors to intercept SMS and call over the air. While these null ciphers are there for testing and debugging purposes, the report clarifies that many networks always use these misconfigured null ciphers. Thanks to the new Android 14 advanced cellular security toggle called ‘Require Encryption,’ the phone will reject null cipher connections, making it harder to intercept your calls and SMS. Also, it will turn off unused or less used 2G connectivity.

There is no clarity on whether this new feature will come on the already-sold devices in the market because it requires a tweak to the underlying hardware, the Hardware

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OnePlus OxygenOS 13.1 rollout adds cellular sharing, app switching, and more

What you need to know

  • OnePlus rolls out another OTA update for OxygenOS 13.1, which activates several new features.
  • Users can access “Auto Connect,” which creates a seamless experience across a user’s OnePlus phone and Pad.
  • App Relay Playing function allows users to begin a show or document on their phone and then transfer it to their tablet without interruption.
  • OnePlus phones can also share their cellular connection with other devices.

OnePlus is beginning the rollout of another update for its OxygenOS 13.1 software for its tablet and line of phones.

OnePlus is rolling out an over-the-air (OTA) update for OxygenOS 13.1 for the OnePlus 8T up to the OnePlus 11 and 11R. This software update will bring a few notable features beginning with “Auto Connect.” The Chinese OEM states the Auto Connect feature will create a “seamless connection” between a consumer’s OnePlus devices. 

This feature allows users to utilize cross-screen functions for notifications and to easily copy and paste information from their phone to their Pad and vice-versa. The company informs that the OnePlus Pad launched with this ability pre-installed.

Bluetooth, quick connect, and auto connect must be enabled on both devices to access this convenient feature. OnePlus states users can head into Settings > Connection Settings to ensure these connection options are enabled.

The new App Relay Playing function is OnePlus’ “innovative” feature which plays on their devices’ multi-screen connection capabilities, essentially enabling a screencast on another device. For example, opening a supported app (such as TikTok) on their phone will display a phone icon atop the same app on their OnePlus Pad. That user could then tap it and resume what they were doing on their tablet without interruption.

OnePlus Pad review

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

OnePlus states this function extends to writing up documents, watching TV

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5 cellular B2B marketing mistakes and how to correct them

For the initially time, more than half of B2B ads will be positioned on mobile this 12 months, according to Insider Intelligence.

It is a good time to address the most persistent mistakes B2B advertisers keep on to make with cell adverts, particularly nit-picky to holistic purchaser comprehending.

Sure, B2B marketers really should nail the desktop experience to start with considering the fact that it’s nonetheless the place we see most top quality conversions occur. But neglecting to improve in excess of 50 % of their opportunities to interact end users has ripple consequences down the funnel.

Consumer stream and UX on cell are different than it is on desktop. Structure, sizing, consideration span, intent and simplicity of use basically vary on cellular. However, B2B advertisers frequently ignore this when they build cellular flows.

Let us soar into the distinct blunders I see and how entrepreneurs really should recalibrate their thinking.

Error 1: Failing to take into account mobile consumer intent

B2B audiences are extra accessible and engaged on mobile, but it is continue to critical to evaluate intent and attention span and integrate that into UX.

Users probably aren’t earning significant small business decisions on their phones, but they might be open to good, fast messaging that features insight into their worries. 

Too generally, a lot of entrepreneurs echo what they’re accomplishing on desktop. Think about mobile intent to notify every thing from your information and channel range to call to motion. 

For occasion, if you are pushing a signature, prolonged-form piece of information on mobile, check out “read later” or “send to email” or boost a shorter blog publish that entices the user to obtain the total file.

Rather of “book a demo,” which could open up a calendaring perform that cell people are not rather all set

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This is what happens when your cellular phone is spyin

Screenshot of Android app launcher with spyware app

impression: This application launcher on an Androip cellular phone shows app icons: the Spyhuman application mounted alone as the innocous-seeming WiFi icon.
What are spy ware applications?

Adware applications surreptitiously run on a system, most typically with no the device owner’s consciousness. They acquire a vary of delicate data these types of as area, texts and phone calls, as effectively as audio and video clip. Some apps can even stream reside audio and video. All this information is sent to an abuser by using an on-line adware portal.
look at more 

Credit score: Jacobs College of Engineering/University of California San Diego

Smartphone adware applications that allow individuals to spy on just about every other are not only difficult to discover and detect, they also  will effortlessly leak the delicate particular information and facts they gather,  claims a staff of pc scientists from New York and San Diego. 

While publicly marketed as instruments to watch underage children and personnel applying their employer’s tools, spy ware apps are also routinely used  by abusers to covertly spy on a husband or wife or a partner. These apps  need minimal to no complex experience from the abusers offer you thorough set up guidance and only require temporary access to a victim’s product. Just after set up, they covertly record the victim’s gadget things to do — including any textual content messages, email messages, shots, or voice calls — and let abusers to remotely assessment this info via a web portal.

Spy ware has come to be an more and more critical challenge. In a single recent examine from Norton Labs, the amount of units with spyware applications in the United States increased by 63% involving September 2020 and Might 2021. A related report from Avast in the United Kingdom recorded a breathtaking 93% improve

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Google to convey increased firmware protection to your Android cellular phone

So, you possible previously know that all Android phones in latest a long time — or instead many years — have Devices on a Chip (SoC). These gizmos have numerous processors, each individual of which is dependable for anything that tends to make your Android cellphone tick effectively. That takes place as a result of firmware — exclusive computer software that tells the element how to operate.On the other hand, every little bit of firmware also presents a lot of chances for destructive actors to get advantage of your phone’s components. And this is accurately what Google went in-depth on by its latest security weblog.

The Android stability staff is implementing many years worth of knowledge in what they are calling “firmware hardening”. Which basically suggests increased safety to reduce opportunistic exploitation of bugs, exploits and remote hijacking.

Nevertheless also a great deal terminology? Nicely, put plainly: Android smartphones are to come to be far more safe. What that implies for you is that you will have to stress considerably less and considerably less about finding your smartphone correctly stolen by a destructive hacker.

But why is security at a firmware amount that noteworthy, we listen to you talk to. Very well, since firmware is the issue that tells your elements what to do at a very essential amount, getting safety processes in area could possibly risk slowing them down. In change, that may possibly direct to significant slowdown of procedure speeds if the protection processes are not tweaked accurately. This is why Google is turning to a slew of companions to aid fix this situation, which according to them has been a silent menace for a lot of several

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The new Bing preview encounter arrives on Bing and Edge Cellular applications introducing Bing now in Skype

Two months in the past, we released the earth to the all new AI-powered Bing and Microsoft Edge — your copilot for the net. Because then, dependent on potent and favourable products feed-back and engagement, we have welcomed far more than one particular million people in 169 nations off the waitlist into the preview.  We continue to increase the preview to more people every working day. Our preview community is actively using the breadth of new options throughout Lookup, Answers, Chat and Creation with total engagement up noticeably. Feed-back on the new abilities is favourable, with 71% of testers providing the new Bing a “thumbs up” on the new research and solutions capabilities. We’re even much more enthusiastic about the breadth of comments we are acquiring on the place and how we can strengthen and we are performing on it with common updates.

We’re observing some appealing use circumstances and queries in preview screening. I a short while ago acquired about a father displaying his son the new Bing, and with each other they found out and made in a way not conveniently carried out with today’s research engines. They started off by making sci-fi tales applying uncomplicated prompts in chat, inevitably main to the growth of a movie sport thought in which Bing not only served generate a plot, but also created the code to enter straight into Scratch – a visual programming instrument. In just a number of queries, they captured the marvel and potential of the new Bing and Edge. We are listening to quite a few related tales on how the new Bing is assisting people today find and produce in methods formerly not achievable.

Indicator up for the new Bing and Edge cell apps

In this spirit of understanding and continuing to establish new

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