Tag: Apps

Why you should stop closing apps on your iPhone

If you constantly close apps on your iPhone while attempting to speed things up or save battery life, you’re doing the opposite and making your iPhone perform worse. Here’s why.

iPhone Handles System Resources Automatically

Many people might be familiar with how apps run on a Mac or a Windows PC. On those platforms, if an application is running in the background, it can still be using up CPU cycles or taking up RAM. Conventional wisdom says that closing those programs will make your PC or Mac perform better.

On an iPhone, things work differently: When you switch away from an app, the app enters a suspended state, and iOS automatically frees up CPU cycles and RAM that were devoted to running the app. iPhone’s automatic resource management is so good that you never need to worry about an app paused in the background slowing down the app you’re using in the foreground.

Officially, Apple says “You should close an app only if it’s unresponsive.”

Re-launching Apps Hurts Performance and Battery

In fact, when you force an app to close on your iPhone, it will not only slow down your app experience but will also use up more battery life. That’s because, once an app is closed completely, it needs to re-launch and reload all of its resources the next time you open the app. That takes extra CPU power, which uses up your battery faster. Re-launching a completely closed app is also slower than switching quickly to a suspended app.

So, instead of increasing performance and saving battery life, regularly closing apps on iPhone will actually do exactly the opposite.

There is one exception, however. Sometimes a background app can check for new information. If that app is programmed improperly, it might use more battery life than usual. If an app is abusing its resources in the background, you might see evidence of it in the “Battery” section of the Settings app. In that case, don’t force quit. Instead, you can disable Background App Refresh in Settings.

Sometimes You Still Need to Close Apps

Despite everything we just wrote, there are still a few legitimate reasons you might need to force-close an iPhone app. If an app stops responding or isn’t working properly, it’s a good idea to bring up the app switcher and close the app completely. To do so, you’ll need to perform a different action depending on the type of iPhone you have:

On iPhone X or later: Swipe upward from the bottom of the screen toward the middle of the screen, then lift your finger.

On iPhones with Home buttons: Double-press the Home button located below the screen.

When the App Switcher opens, you’ll see thumbnails of apps that are suspended in the background. To force close an app, swipe its thumbnail upward, off the screen.

Swipe upward on an app’s thumbnail.

When the app disappears, the app has been closed completely. The next time you tap its icon, it will re-launch itself.

Even though Apple allows you to force-close Apps in this manner, doing so should be a very rare occurrence. iOS takes care of multitasking in an elegant and efficient way.

December 21, 2021
Beware of dangerous malware posing as harmless Android apps

The Google Play Store continues to be targeted with malware attacks. Several apps posing as useful tools have infected more than 300,000 Android devices, giving hackers access to vital personal information.

Just like the recent Joker malware, these apps appear to be genuinely useful on first glance. Fitness trackers, QR code scanners and cryptocurrency trackers are tools many of us will have downloaded in the past without too much thought. They even work as advertised, so users are unlikely to suspect any malicious intent.

However, over time these apps can be used to access huge amounts of personal data from the target device. This includes official documentation and banking information, meaning these apps can even be used to steal money from the unsuspecting user.

As cybersecurity company ThreatFabric reports, Google has clamped down on the use of permissions to gain access to Android devices in recent weeks. But hackers have quickly adapted by making their malware more sophisticated. Instead of containing a large amount of malicious code that can be detected straight away, the malicious app introduces this gradually by requesting more and more permissions over time. Eventually, this can provide the app with near-total control of your device.

How to stay safe from Android malware

This malware attack serves as the latest reminder of the dangers of apps downloaded from the Play Store. Even though it’s still the safest place to download Android apps, some are malicious and can cause significant harm to your device.

However, there are several steps you can take to avoid unintentionally installing malware on your device. The first is to check reviews within the Play Store itself. A low rating or lots of negative reviews is a red flag, as is almost exclusively positive feedback with reviews that sound generic or robotic. Apps with more downloads are generally more trustworthy, but that’s not always the case. Likewise, an app with no reviews isn’t necessarily malicious.

It’s also worth sticking to well-known apps from recognised developers, where possible. If the provider’s name doesn’t ring any bells, research it online before downloading. For anything that’s already been downloaded, head into Settings and regularly review the permissions you’re giving to specific apps.

This last piece of advice is probably the most significant. Make sure to download effective antivirus software, which can scan every new app that’s downloaded and constantly monitor it for suspicious activity. There are plenty of great free options, but some of the best antivirus software out there can be installed on all your devices.

December 1, 2021
U.S. ban of 8 Chinese apps sparks uproar

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the U.S. ban on transactions involving eight Chinese apps on the pretext of protecting U.S. citizens’ privacy and data security.

The Spokesperson for the ministry, Hua Chunying at a daily news briefing in Beijing, said that China would take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises

“This is another example of the U.S. side stretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to groundlessly suppress foreign companies,” Hua said.

According to media report, the ban on Chinese apps including Alipay and WeChat Pay was ordered on Tuesday by U.S. President Donald Trump through an executive order.

Hua called the U.S. actions “hypocritical and ridiculous.”

Hua noted that the U.S. had always been the world’s largest “hacking empire.”

Hua said the U.S. launches groundless accusations against other countries while at the same time it monitors and steals secrets from others indiscriminately.

“It’s like a thief yelling that he wants to be protected from being stolen.”

Hua said the U.S. actions would have some impact on Chinese enterprises but, more importantly, they will damage the interests of the U.S. and its consumers.

“The U.S. talks about a free market economy and fair competition, but how does it behave itself?” Hua said.

She stressed that the development of science and technology should serve the progress and well-being of all mankind, rather than be treated differently by ideology or become a tool of political manipulation.
She urged the U.S. to earnestly respect market economy and fair competition principles, abide by international economic and trade rules.

The official also called on U.S. to provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for foreign companies investing and operating in the country .

Hua added that China would take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

January 6, 2021
Revealed! 61% of Android apps share users data with Facebook

An investigation by Privacy International has revealed that 61 per cent of apps downloaded and installed on Android smartphones shared users data with Facebook. (more…)

December 31, 2018
How to uninstall apps on Android, Windows, iPhone, or Mac
To uninstall apps on an Android, Windows or an iPhone smartphone, or even a Windows or Mac computer, is a relatively simple process, but sometimes it can be difficult to find for some users.

No matter what platform you are using, at some points you are going to want to uninstall apps as they start cluttering your device and consuming bulk of storage space.

If you are having trouble uninstalling or deleting apps on iPhone, Android, Windows, or Mac, follow these steps to get the job done.

How to uninstall apps on Android
1. Open Google Play
2. Press the menu icon on the top left corner
3. Go to My apps & games
4. Go to the tab labelled Installed. Here you will see the list of all apps installed on your device
5. Tap the name of the app you want to uninstall
6. Tap Uninstall on the resulting screen
If you know the name of the app you want to uninstall, you can do that by following these steps:
1. Open Google Play
2. Type the name of any app you’ve installed on your phone in the search bar at the top
3. Select that app from the list of results
4. Tap Uninstall on the Google Play.
You can also uninstall apps via these steps on Android:
1. Open the Android phone menu
2. Tap and hold the icon of the app you want to delete and drag it to the top of the screen where you see Uninstall
3. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Apps
4. Now select the app you want to delete
5. Tap Uninstall. This will remove the app from your Android phone.
Note that these steps may vary slightly if your phone doesn’t have stock Android.

How to uninstall apps on Windows

On Windows 10 computers, follow these steps to delete apps.
1. Open Control Panel. You can do this via the Start menu or via the search bar right next to the Start button. Type Control panel in the search bar and hit Enter.
2. Now go to Programs and features.
3. Select the program you want to delete.
4. Click Uninstall. Follow on-screen prompts to delete the app.
The process is similar on older versions of Windows too.

How to delete apps on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

It is really easy to delete apps on iOS, which means you can quickly get rid of a bunch of apps on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Follow these steps:
1. On your home screen, tap and hold any app icon until it begins shaking or wiggling. All apps on your screen will be wiggling and an X will appear to the top left of the icons.
2. Tap that X on the app you want to delete.
3. Now tap the red Delete button. This will delete the app from your iPhone.
There’s another place where you can see the list of installed apps and uninstall the one(s) you want.
1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Scroll down and you will see the list of all apps installed on your phone, with the apps taking the largest size showing up on top.
2. Tap on the name of the app you want to uninstall.
3. Tap Delete App on the next screen and again tap on Delete App to confirm and delete the app.
On iOS 11, you can make your device automatically delete apps you don’t use. This won’t delete the data in these apps but it does free up space on your device.

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and next to Offload Unused Apps, tap Enable.

This will automatically offload apps that you don’t use for some time to free up space as and when needed. The data released to the app should not be deleted.

You can also offload individual apps by following these steps:
1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Scroll down and you will see the list of all apps installed on your phone, with the apps taking the largest size showing up on top.
2. Tap on the name of the app you want to offload.
3. Tap Offload App on the next screen and again tap on Offload App to confirm and delete the app.
How to uninstall apps on macOS

Deleting apps is quite easy on the Mac as long as you follow these steps:

Open Finder and go to Applications.

Whichever app you want to delete, just drag its icon to the Trash icon in the dock. You can also right click (Ctrl + click) an app and select the Move to Trash option. Finally, you can also delete an app on macOS by selecting the app in Finder and pressing the Command + Delete keys at the same time.

Some apps might ask you to enter the administrator password to complete the process.
August 14, 2018
Data privacy scandal: Facebook suspends 200 apps

Facebook Inc has so far suspended around 200 apps in the first stage of its review into apps that had access to large quantities of user data, in a response to a scandal around political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

“The apps were suspended pending a thorough investigation into whether they misused any data,’’ Ime Archibong, Facebook’s vice president of product partnerships said on Monday.

Facebook said it has looked into thousands of apps till date as part of an investigation that Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg announced on March 21.

Zuckerberg had said the social network will investigate all apps that had access to large amounts of information before the company curtailed data access in 2014.

“There is a lot more work to be done to find all the apps that may have misused people’s Facebook data and it will take time.

“We have large teams of internal and external experts working hard to investigate these apps as quickly as possible,” Archibong said.

Facebook was hit by the privacy scandal in mid-March after media reports that Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to build profiles on American voters and influence the 2016 presidential election.

The incident led to backlash from celebrities and resulted in the company losing billions in market value.

Zuckerberg apologised for the mistakes his company made and testified before the U.S. lawmakers.

The company, however, regained much of its lost market value after it reported a surprisingly strong 63 per cent rise in profit and an increase in users when it announced quarterly results on April 25.

May 14, 2018
Uber heads to court, battles TfL in fight for survival

Uber will defend its right to operate in London in a court hearing on Monday after regulator Transport for London (TfL) deemed the app unfit to run a taxi service and stripped off its licence in its most important European market.

Regulator TfL shocked the Silicon Valley firm by rejecting its licence renewal bid in September, citing its approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers.

Uber’s 40,000 drivers, representing around one in three of all private hire vehicles on the British capital’s roads, can continue to take passengers until the appeals process is exhausted, which could take years.

The legal battle pitches one of the world’s richest cities against a tech giant known for its forays into new markets around the world that have prompted bans, restrictions and protests, including by drivers of London’s famous black cabs.

Uber’s lawyers will begin their appeal at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, in what is expected to be a largely administrative hearing designed to set a date for a fuller hearing next year.

Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi has apologised to Londoners and met TfL Commissioner Mike Brown in October for what both sides described as constructive talks.

Brown told Reuters in November that “there are some discussions going on to make sure they are compliant.”

Months of legal wrangling are likely unless the Silicon Valley app, valued at around $70 billion (roughly Rs. 4,58,642 crores) with investors including Goldman Sachs, can come to a new arrangement with the regulator.

“We continue having constructive discussions with Transport for London in order to resolve this,” an Uber spokesman said ahead of the hearing. “As our new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said, we are determined to make things right.”

Losing its London licence was just one of many blows to Uber this year as a stream of executives left amid controversies involving allegations of sexual harassment and issues surrounding data privacy and business practices.

In Britain, Uber is looking to appoint a new boss after Jo Bertram announced her departure less than two weeks after London’s decision.

It also faces potential problems in the northern English city of Sheffield where its licence has been suspended and in Brighton, southern England, where local officials extended the firm’s licence for only six months to give them more time to consider the outcome of the dispute in London.

December 11, 2017
Top list 2017: TheNewsGuru mobile app performing best on Google Play Store as Google shares best apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, books of 2017
In continuing with its annual tradition, Google on Friday announced the best and most popular apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, books of 2017 on the Google Play apps store.

While Game of Thrones emerged the most popular TV show on Google Play for the second year in a row, Rick and Morty and The Walking Dead are on the second and third positions, respectively.

Kendrick Lamar has become the most streamed song of this year, while Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You is now the second-most streamed song worldwide, whereas His DNA holds the number three spot.

Nintendo’s “Super Mario Run” was the most downloaded new game of the year, but not all bubbles were burst, as “Bubble Witch 3 Saga” was closely behind at number two.

Photo Editor – Beauty Camera & Photo Filters was the most downloaded new app with fans touching up their favorite photos for social media.

TheNewsGuru.com mobile app is outperforming news apps on the Google Play, and the app has recorded tremendous downloads barely three months of its release.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Click/tap image above to download TheNewsGuru.com mobile app

“To close out another great year for Google Play, we’re sharing the best and most popular apps, games, music, movies, TV shows and books in 2017.

“We also have curated lists this year from our editors to help you find the best apps and games of 2017, such as “Socratic – Math Answers & Homework Help” and “CATS: Crash Area Turbo Stars,” respectively,” Brett Bouchard, Global Head of Apps & Store Engagement, Merchandising, Google Play, said announcing the list.

Most Popular New Apps of 2017
Top Trending New Games of 2017
Top Five Streamed Songs of 2017
Top Five Movies of 2017
Top Five TV Shows of 2017
Top Five Books of 2017
Download TheNewsGuru.com mobile app here
December 1, 2017
Explore the International Space Station with Google Street View

Google Street View now allows users to see the International Space Station (ISS) as close as they can see the streets of London from their homes.

The search giant recently launched the new option for Google Street View that allows users to see the 15 connected modules of the ISS.

Thomas Pesquet, an astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA), spent six months on the International Space Station (ISS) as a flight engineer to capture the Street View imagery, Google said in its blog post.

“The mission was the first time Street View imagery was captured beyond planet Earth, and the first time annotations – helpful little notes that pop up as you explore the ISS – have been added to the imagery,” Google said.

While this is certainly an interesting option for users, Pesquet explained that due to the constraints of living and working in space, Google’s usual methods of capturing Street View couldn’t be used.

“Instead, the Street View team worked with NASA at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama to design a gravity-free method of collecting the imagery using DSLR cameras and equipment already on the ISS,” he said.

Post this, Pesquet sent the still photos captured by him to the Earth where they were stitched together to create panaromic 360-degree imagery of the ISS.

As pointed out in a report by TechCrunch, when the imagery was being captured, one of Space X’s Dragon vehicles was parked at the ISS. This means that users can also see how the cargo is supplied to the ISS. You can check out the new imagery from space already from Street View section on the company’s website.

July 21, 2017
Video Calling: WhatsApp brings the feature you’ve been waiting for

WhatsApp went from a text messaging app to a video calling app last year, but it doesn’t seem to be done with the feature just yet.

The app looks set to get picture-in-picture functionality, a new feature that will make video calls more convenient in case users want to continue chatting even as they make a video call.

The new WhatsApp picture-in-picture mode for video calling has been spotted in app version 2.17.265 running on the Android O Developer Preview. This adds to the growing list of WhatsApp features released or spotted testing in 2017.

As per a tweet by WABetaInfo, which has a good track record when it comes to details of forthcoming WhatsApp features, the PIP mode inside WhatsApp app was spotted on version 2.17.265 of the Android app and was turned on by default on Android O developer preview.

WABetaInfo further clarified that Android 8.0 O has a particular API that was used by WhatsApp for enabling this feature.

From the image shared of the feature in action, it is currently unclear if WhatsApp users will be able to move this PIP window around on the screen or it will stay at a fixed position. Further it is unclear if the video chat will continue in PIP mode if users switch to other apps. We might have to wait for this feature to roll out widely to get more clarity, but this definitely seems like a useful feature that can prove to be of help to all WhatsApp users on Android, if it is implemented well.

With the PIP mode, WhatsApp users will get the convenience to continue the conversations via video chat while browsing through their text messages. As this feature has been spotted on Android, we will have to wait and see if it will make its way to iPhone soon as well, though given the fact the new feature is said to be using Android O’s APIs, that might be a little difficult.

Earlier this week, WhatsApp for iPhone got an update that brought features like ability to pin chats, share any file type, and more. The app was also seen to bring a hidden feature – the ability to play WhatsApp videos without leaving the app.

July 20, 2017