Telecom Daily
Welcome to Faulkner's Telecom Daily. We publish Monday through Friday, updating top stories as events warrant.
Friday, August 14...
Apple Finally Fixes Green Tint Issue in
Latest iOS Update
Apple released its iOS 13.6.1 update to all
users. While the version number would suggest that the latest refresh would be a
particularly minor one, it does carry with it two very important features.
First, the company's new Exposure Notification framework technology was included
in the update, allowing contact tracing apps to use the cooperatively developed
technology to track COVID-19 infections among users. Another fix which may come
as a relief to impacted users is a correction for the "green tint" issue that
arose with iOS 13.4. The problem would cause iPhone displays to take on a green
cast, primarily just after the handset was unlocked, or when it was using Night
Shift mode. The update notes for the patch suggest that the correction involved
a "thermal management issue" which was causing the discoloration. In addition to
these issues, the fix also corrects a problem with storage space measurements in
iOS. The 13.6.1 update is rolling out now to all eligible devices.
Motorola Teases Probable RAZR Folding
Smartphone Update
Motorola sent out a
teaser to tech blogs like Engadget
which promises to "flip the smartphone experience once again" next month. The
vague tagline and accompanying animated gif target September 9 as the reveal
date for what will likely be the company's next folding smartphone. This would
align with previous rumors that Motorola was working on an updated version of
its new RAZR smartphone with improved internal components. Although the RAZR
refresh did earn some praise for its novel design and solid construction, many
reviewers pointed to a CPU and RAM chipset that were already outdated before the
device's release. As noted by Engadget, a post on
XDA Developers suggests that both of those weaknesses would be addressed,
with more RAM and a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 CPU, which includes 5G
capabilities. It remains unclear if any other improvements will arrive with the
new device on September 9.
Comcast Expands Internet Essentials Program for
Back-to-School Season
Comcast introduced a new version of its
Internet Essentials initiative called the Internet Essentials Partner Program.
According to the cable provider, this outreach effort will "enable cities,
school districts, and community-based organizations to connect large numbers of
low-income students to the Internet to support distance learning." The new
program includes two free months of Internet Essentials service, before the
typical $9.95 per month subsidized fee kicks in. Additionally, all Internet
Essentials customers will now be given access to the Comcast xFi platform, which
will provide parental controls for children's Wi-Fi connected devices. Comcast
notes that the expanded program has already signed up "more than 70 schools
across the country" since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
....Michael Gariffo, Faulkner Information Services
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