Hacker News with Generative AI: Smartphones

Your phone isn't secretly listening to you, but the truth is more disturbing (newatlas.com)
Perhaps one of the most pervasive longstanding technology conspiracy theories is that your smartphone is constantly listening in on your private conversations.

Privacy, Technology, Conspiracy Theories, Smartphones

65 points by zeech 5 hours ago | 52 comments

New smartphone labels for battery life and repairability are coming to the EU (theverge.com)
The European Union has announced details of new mandatory labels for smartphones and tablets sold in the bloc, which include ratings for energy efficiency, durability, and repairability.

Smartphones, EU Regulations, Sustainability, Consumer Protection

8 points by tntpreneur 2 days ago | 1 comments

How to quickly charge your smartphone: fast charging technologies in detail (eb43.github.io)
The great days are gone when charging a smartphone only required two wires. Today, a charger is a full-fledged computer with more processing power than the Apollo 11 spacecraft that brought humans to the Moon. A processor is necessary in the charger to negotiate charging parameters with the smartphone. Let's dive into fast charging technologies in detail.

Smartphones, Technology, Charging, Batteries

155 points by uycyp 3 days ago | 106 comments

A study of lightning fatalities inside buildings while using smartphones [pdf] (2024) (electricalsafetyworkshop.org)

Lightning, Safety, Smartphones, Research, Studies

50 points by bookofjoe 3 days ago | 59 comments

N. Korean smartphones add screenshot function with notable exceptions (dailynk.com)
North Korean smartphones have added a screenshot function, though it doesn’t work with certain content or applications related to the country’s leaders.

North Korea, Smartphones, Censorship, Technology

14 points by giuliomagnifico 11 days ago | 2 comments

Smartphone tariffs are coming back in 'a month or two,' says Trump admin (theverge.com)
Smartphones, laptops, and other products that are exempt from Trump’s April 9th tariffs will be lumped in with duties on semiconductors in “a month or two,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl on This Week.

Smartphones, Trade, Politics, Tariffs

13 points by rekovacs 12 days ago | 0 comments

You might not need a phone case any more (bbc.com)
With smartphones tougher than ever, a new wave of phone minimalists say cases are for cowards. I joined the case-free cult, called the experts and braced for the sound of broken glass.

Smartphones, Technology, Minimalism

14 points by ludwigvan 13 days ago | 4 comments

Smartphones and computers are now exempt from Trump's latest tariffs (cnn.com)

Smartphones, Computers, Trade, Politics, Tariffs

9 points by xnhbx 14 days ago | 0 comments

iPhone won't face Trump tariff price hike for now following exemption (9to5mac.com)
Apple and its customers can breathe a sigh of relief today after the White House carved tariff exemptions for smartphones, laptops, and more.

Apple, Tariffs, Smartphones, Trade, Politics

10 points by taubek 14 days ago | 0 comments

iPhone sales drop in China over nationalism, newer technology (restofworld.org)
Apple’s decline in China is also because of its struggles to roll out AI capabilities. While the iPhone 16 has some AI features, the company announced last month that it would delay AI upgrades to Siri until 2026. Apple Intelligence is not available in iPhone 16 models sold in mainland China, as the company requires regulatory approval before it can offer AI services.

Apple, China, Smartphones, Artificial Intelligence, Business

12 points by vinnyglennon 18 days ago | 4 comments

Kids with Smartphones Less Depressed, Anxious, Bullied Than Peers Without Them (reason.com)
It's funny how much media coverage is devoted to anything suggesting that phones might be ruining kids—and how little coverage goes to studies suggesting the opposite.

Mental Health, Technology, Smartphones, Children

10 points by pseudolus 18 days ago | 9 comments

Android Isn't the Anti-iPhone Anymore (howtogeek.com)

Android, Smartphones, Operating Systems, Mobile Technology, Comparison

29 points by freedomben 23 days ago | 29 comments

Deep-sea mining threatens sea life in a way no one is thinking about (theconversation.com)
As the demand for electric car batteries and smartphones grows, mining companies are turning their attention to the deep sea, where precious metals such as nickel and cobalt can be found in potato-size nodules sitting on the ocean floor.

Deep-sea mining, Environmental Impact, Mining, Electric Vehicles, Smartphones

15 points by pseudolus 26 days ago | 1 comments

Pixel 9a: The latest A-series phone with Google AI smarts at an unbeatable value (google)
Built to last with a new design, upgraded camera system and helpful AI, the Pixel 9a has a lot to offer.

Smartphones, Google, AI, Technology

45 points by meetpateltech 38 days ago | 84 comments

Citronics built a router based on the Fairphone 2 mainboard (cnx-software.com)
Belgium-company Citronics has designed a router based on the mainboard of the Fairphone 2 smartphone, connecting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 “system-on-module” to a carrier board with Ethernet, USB ports, and other connectors, while leveraging 4G LTE, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity from the phone’s core board.

Hardware, Routers, Smartphones, Open Source

44 points by zdw 55 days ago | 23 comments

Which Motorola Phone Should You Buy? (wired.com)
Motorola phones may seem old-school, but their simple interface, good battery life, and tendency for steep discounts make them solid wallet-friendly Android smartphones.

Motorola, Smartphones, Android, Reviews, Technology

26 points by GershwinA 57 days ago | 28 comments

Google may be limiting some Pixel demo units to upsell the Pro models (androidpolice.com)

Google, Pixel, Smartphones, Pricing Strategy

3 points by josephcsible 60 days ago | 0 comments

FBI Warns iPhone, Android Users–We Want Lawful Access to All Your Encrypted Data (forbes.com)
The furor after Apple removed full iCloud security for U.K. users may feel a long way from American users this weekend. But it’s not — far from it. What has just shocked the U.K. is exactly what the FBI told me it also wants in the U.S. “Lawful access” to any encrypted user data. The bureau’s quiet warning was confirmed just a few weeks ago.

Security, Law Enforcement, Data Privacy, Smartphones

28 points by miles 60 days ago | 8 comments

Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family (apple.com)
Apple today announced iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that offers powerful capabilities at a more affordable price.

Apple, Smartphones, Technology, Mobile Devices, Pricing

14 points by subsHack 66 days ago | 1 comments

Apple iPhone 16e (apple.com)
Pre-order starting at 5:00 a.m. PST on 2.21.

Apple, Smartphones, Technology, Pre-orders

10 points by ciccionamente 66 days ago | 3 comments

Apple Debuts iPhone 16e (apple.com)
Apple today announced iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that offers powerful capabilities at a more affordable price.

Apple, Smartphones, Technology, New Releases

494 points by dm 66 days ago | 819 comments

Huawei launches $3,660 trifold phone (cnbc.com)

Huawei, Smartphones, Technology, Mobile Devices, Consumer Electronics

14 points by belter 67 days ago | 65 comments

School phone bans do not improve grades or wellbeing, says UK study (theguardian.com)
Banning smartphones at school does not by itself improve academic grades and children’s wellbeing, a study suggests.

Education, Research, Smartphones, Wellbeing

6 points by PaulHoule 67 days ago | 5 comments

Coordinates of millions of smartphones feared stolen (theregister.com)
Gravy Analytics has been sued yet again for allegedly failing to safeguard its vast stores of personal data, which are now feared stolen. And by personal data we mean information including the locations of tens of millions of smartphones, coordinates of which were ultimately harvested from installed apps.

Data Privacy, Security, Smartphones, Location Data

6 points by LinuxBender 77 days ago | 0 comments

New iPhone SE Coming Soon (bloomberg.com)
Apple Inc. plans to unveil a long-anticipated overhaul of the iPhone SE in the coming days, a move that will modernize its lower-cost model in a bid to spur growth and entice consumers to switch from other brands.

Apple, Smartphones, Technology, Mobile Devices, Consumer Electronics

21 points by hedora 78 days ago | 35 comments

New iPhone buyers do care about Apple Intelligence (9to5mac.com)
Apple positioned the iPhone 16 as the first model “built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence.” But until the company shared iPhone sales numbers, we didn’t know whether customers would care or not. Now, the answer seems clear.

Apple, Smartphones, Consumer Behavior, Sales

7 points by mgh2 81 days ago | 1 comments

Sam Altman: OpenAI plans to develop a dedicated AI device to replace smartphones (nikkei.com)
米オープンAIのサム・アルトマン最高経営責任者（CEO）は日本経済新聞の取材でスマートフォンに代わる生成AI（人工知能）専用端末の開発に乗り出すと表明した。

Artificial Intelligence, Smartphones, Hardware, Generative AI

4 points by tzury 82 days ago | 0 comments

How to turn off Apple Intelligence (asurion.com)
🚨 Setting up a new phone? Trouble connecting? No matter the issue, we can help.

Apple, Troubleshooting, Smartphones, Technology

240 points by walterbell 84 days ago | 179 comments

Google Pixel 4a update to "improve stability" of the battery cuts life in half (liliputing.com)
The Google Pixel 4a is a mid-range smartphone that was released in 2020 at a time when Google was only promising to deliver software and security updates for three years. But earlier this month Google rolled out an unscheduled update that the company says was required “to improve the stability” of battery performance on some models.

Software Updates, Smartphones, Google, Battery Life

62 points by nfriedly 85 days ago | 2 comments

Apple iPhone sales dip despite AI rollout (bbc.co.uk)
Sales of Apple iPhones dropped at the end of last year, as the tech firm's roll out of new artificial intelligence (AI) features was met with a lukewarm response.

Apple, Smartphones, Artificial Intelligence, Business, Technology

27 points by colinprince 85 days ago | 66 comments