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With the launch of its Phone (1) device, Nothing’s goal is to take the concept of the smartphone back to basics, writes Candiece Cyrus.
The two-year-old London tech firm’s first phone, priced from £399 for those who want to buy the phone from the manufacturer without a contract, represents pressing “a giant reset button” with regards to design.
It can also be purchased in black or white from O2, which offers three 36-month plans with unlimited texts and calls, and a choice of 3GB, 10GB or 30GB of data.
You will be required to pay £10 upfront, and then £24.20, £27.20 or £32.19 monthly, depending on the amount of data you choose.
Perks, such as a set number of months on a Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video subscription, and double your data if your household uses Virgin Media broadband, are also included. Delivery takes up to two weeks.
The Phone (1) has a see-through casing to show off the phone’s inner workings, which could be seen as symbolic of the company’s mission “to remove barriers between people and technology, and create a seamless digital future.”
It has a 6.55” OLED display. This compares to the likes of competing flagships from Samsung, iPhone, Google and Huawei for example, that boast 6.8” or 6.7” screens.
Less disputable is the clarity, range in colour and depth in contrast, that comes from High Dynamic Range 10+ (HDR10+) technology, one of the latest forms of video technology used to make what you see as true-to-life as possible.This is teamed with a display refresh rate of 120Hz.
The 50MP wide and ultrawide dual camera on the rear of the device surpasses the latest iPhone’s 12MP cameras, and can shoot 4K video. However, it does not match the Samsung S22 Ultra’s four-lense setup which includes a 108MP camera. For selfies, there is a 16MP lens.
Powering the device is the Snapdragon processor. What it lacks in speed it makes up for in a large 4,500mAh battery, that can last longer than a day on a single charge..
The handset comes with a decent 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage.
These features allow Phone (1) to sit comfortably among the competition. However, added details such as the built-in studio lighting on the rear of the phone that doubles as a notification alert light, add to its appeal.
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Film studio Paramount is bringing its Paramount+ streaming service to the UK on 22 June 2022, joining the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime in an increasingly competitive streaming market.
The service will include a catalogue of blockbusters including several Star Trek films, Pulp Fiction, the original Grease, Castaway and Mission Impossible: Fallout, as well as popular television series such as The First Lady and Mayor of Kingstown.
It will also stream original content including the highly anticipated Halo series, based on the popular video game of the same name, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and a reboot of the bellowed sitcom, Frasier.
Another Paramount+ exclusive series expected to make a splash is The Offer — a fictionalised account of how producer Albert S Ruddy adapted The Godfather into the iconic film.
Access to the platform’s 8,000 hours of content will cost viewers £6.99 a month, or £69.90 a year — matching the price for a basic Netflix subscription. New users will also be offered a seven-day free trial period.
As of 22 June, you can sign up to Paramount+ through your internet browser or by downloading the Paramount+ app. Subscribers can stream to three screens at a time on smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or browser.
Paramount+ has also made a distribution deal with Sky, meaning that Sky Cinema customers can access the service at no extra cost through their Sky Q, Sky Glass, or set-top box.
The streaming service has been available in the US since 2021 and will launch in Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria later in 2022.
Electronics manufacturers will be forced to ensure devices they sell in the EU can be charged using a USB-C charger from 2024.
The move, designed in-part to reduce the amount of electronic waste created by the electronics industry, will also affect Apple’s iPhone – which has used proprietary ‘Lightning’ charging cables for 10 years.
It’s understood that, following the UK’s departure from the European Union in 2020 and under the current trading arrangements, the USB-C mandate will apply to devices sold in Northern Ireland, but not in the other UK nations.
The rule change will have the biggest impact on the mobile phone industry, but will also affect manufacturers of tablets, mobile gaming systems and portable speakers.
It’s unclear whether manufacturers will redesign their products to incorporate USB-C charging ports, or simply use adapters to retro-fit them with USB-charging capability.
Newer models of Apple’s iPad Pro, Air and mini tablets already have USB-C charging ports, so it’s not unrealistic to think the smartphone giant will add USB-C charging to future models of its iPhone, regardless of the EU ruling.
USB-C was first announced in 2012 and began to be implemented in the mainstream in 2014/15.
The pill-shaped connector is reversible, meaning it will work regardless of the orientation with which it’s plugged in. USB-C is capable of transferring data and power simultaneously.
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Apple is to allow users to buy goods and services on credit under a new ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) service called Apple Pay Later.
Launching in the US this autumn, Apple Pay Later will let iPhone users split the cost of purchases into four installments over six weeks with any merchant that currently accepts contactless Apple Pay transactions.
There’s no interest on Apple Pay Later purchases and no fees charged for late payments. Apple Pay will run on the Mastercard payments network.
Users will be able to manage payments in the Wallet app and track deliveries as a result of Apple’s new partnership with ecommerce platform Shopify.
The move to take on other BNPL lenders such as Klarna and Affirm sees Apple move further into the financial services space after launching its own US-only credit card, the Apple Card, in 2019.
It is not yet known whether Apple Pay Later or Apple Card will launch in the UK.
Last summer, Bloomberg reported that Apple was likely working with investment bank Goldman Sachs to cover the cost of purchases under an upcoming BNPL service.
The BNPL market, which is unregulated in the UK, has faced criticism in recent years, with claims its no-fee, no-interest model makes it too easy for consumers to get themselves into debt over purchases they can’t afford.
According to Statista data, Klarna – which is the most downloaded BNPL app in the UK – has almost 1,000,000 active monthly users in the UK.
Data from UK Finance, the body that represents the banking and finance industry, last summer showed that more than 17,000,000 adults had registered for mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay as of 2020, with 84% of those registered having used their mobiles to pay for a transaction.
Commenting on Apple’s move, Sarah Coles, at financial advisor Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Apple’s move into BNPL could fuel another boom in the market, putting more shoppers at risk of overspending.
“Since the start of the year, the phenomenal pace of growth of BNPL has slowed significantly, as people cut back on non-essential spending. However, if Apple chooses to expand its BNPL service into the UK, the arrival of a massive global lifestyle brand in the market could reignite our enthusiasm for borrowing.
“Already we know that people don’t tend to think of BNPL as borrowing – they consider it to be a budgeting solution. The arrival of a brand that’s far less associated with financial services risks reinforcing the misapprehension that BNPL isn’t a debt product, which could mean even more people are tempted to use it without really thinking it through.
“The fact it will be available through the same network as Apple Pay in the US means that, if it adopted the same approach in the UK, it would be available in an enormous number of retailers, both online and offline. BNPL companies have been gradually pushing into stores, and this would mean a step change in the process overnight. It means we may be tempted to use it for even more of our shopping.
“At a time of rising prices, there’s the risk that the arrival of Apple would mean more people using BNPL to make ends meet. Our research shows that already 11% of people have used it to buy essential clothes such as a winter coat, while more than one in 20 people have used it to buy groceries, and one in 10 have used it for other essentials.
“Borrowing to pay for essentials feels like a solution in the short term, but by spreading the cost, it means pushing up your expenses for months, making it even harder to keep on top of your finances. In the short term it feels like a solution, but in the end it just adds to the problem.”
Apple Pay Later was one of a slew of iOS16 features unveiled at Apple’s developer conference WWDC2022 yesterday (Monday).
Other new features of Apple’s latest mobile operating system include the ability to edit text messages after they’re sent, and customisable, context-aware lock screens that can, for example, be set not to show work-related notifications at the weekend.
Apple Safety Check will help to protect people in abusive relationships by allowing users to review who has access to apps that reveal their location, and to revoke that access.
Read more: How To Buy Apple Stock
A hardship fund is to offer free mobile data to 255,000 households struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Mobile network operator Virgin Media O2 is working with bakery chain Greggs and its charity, the Greggs Foundation, to provide eligible households with free SIM cards and vouchers for 15GB worth of data.
The SIM cards will be distributed via schools in Scotland, the North East, South East and Midlands on a trial basis. The 15GB allowance is more than three times what an average mobile user consumes each month, according to regulator Ofcom.
The trial forms part of the National Databank scheme, which already has support from Vodafone and Three, and aims to tackle ‘data poverty’ in the UK.
Tracy Lynch of the Greggs Foundation said: “We understand many people struggle to make ends meet and when unexpected costs arise, many can suddenly find themselves in very difficult circumstances.
“With the Hardship Fund, we are able to offer a helping hand to people who need it most. By joining the National Databank we are now able to provide further essential support to those facing hardship.”
The news follows last week’s announcement from supermarket chain Iceland that it would offer special 10% discounts for customers over the age of 60 every Tuesday.
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Mobile network Three has reintroduced roaming charges for certain customers using their mobile phones outside of the UK.
Three previously said its roaming charges would not return after Brexit, but announced a U-turn in September 2021. Three customers who upgraded or took out a new contract after October 2021 will be impacted, with older contracts unaffected.
From 23 May, making phone calls, sending an SMS, or using mobile data will incur a flat rate of £2 a day within the European Union (EU), rising to £5 per day for some non-European countries including the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
Roaming charges do not apply to the Republic of Ireland or the Isle of Man.
For almost five years, UK customers were able to use a Three SIM in EU countries without paying roaming charges, since EU regulations banned temporary roaming fees in 2017. However following Brexit, UK mobile networks are no longer beholden to the rule.
Three was the third UK network to reintroduce roaming charges. EE and Vodafone both re-introducing a £2 per day roaming charge for selected customers travelling to the EU, based on when they joined their network.
Currently, O2 is the only major UK network that will not be introducing traditional daily roaming charges when customers use their phone in EU countries.
Instead, the network says it is introducing a ‘fair usage’ policy, which charges customers £3.50 per GB of mobile data they use in Europe above the monthly limit of 25GB. Other than that, O2 mobile customers can use their phone in EU countries at no extra cost.
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Mobile and broadband customers waited longer on hold and were less satisfied with how providers handled their complaints in 2021, according to data from the UK telecoms regulator.
Ofcom’s latest research found that, despite relatively high customer satisfaction on the whole, subscribers were being kept waiting for longer to be dealt with. In fact, customers spent longer on hold than they did in 2019, before the pandemic.
O2 mobile phone customers were worst affected, with ‘call waiting’ times up by one minute and 42 seconds on 2020 levels to three minutes and 59 seconds. BT Mobile, EE, Vodafone and iD Mobile’s average waiting times were also longer.
At the other end of the scale, Three performed best. Its customers waited just 16 seconds on average to speak to an operative.
Tesco Mobile and Virgin Mobile managed to reduce their wait times from 2020 levels but only Sky and Three were able to beat their pre-pandemic performances.
In the broadband sector, KCom also kept customers waiting more than twice as long in 2021 than they did in 2020, at an average of eight minutes and 53 seconds, up from three minutes 19 seconds. NOW broadband performed best, keeping customers on hold for an average of just 31 seconds.
The Ofcom data shows that only half the broadband and mobile customers who complained were happy with the outcome, and most had to speak to their provider more than once to get a resolution.
Virgin Media customers recorded below-average satisfaction across the mobile, broadband and landline sectors. Subscribers were also less likely to recommend any of its services than the average telecoms customer.
Tesco Mobile was the opposite, with higher than average customer satisfaction levels, the lowest number of complaints and the highest proportion of customers who were willing to recommend it.
Ofcom’s Ian Macrae said: “When things go wrong with your phone or broadband service, it’s incredibly frustrating if you have to wait on hold for ages to get it sorted, or if your complaint is handled badly.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, some companies need to up their game when it comes to resolving problems, especially at a time when prices are going up. It’s never been simpler to switch, so if you’re not happy with the service you’re getting, vote with your feet and look elsewhere.”
Google has announced a new iteration of its Pixel 6 smartphone, its first smartwatch, its next operating system and its next flagship smartphone, the Pixel 7.
The flurry of new product reveals at its IO developer conference yesterday marks a change in direction for the company’s Android division.
While Google currently produces its own Pixel devices, its Android operating system is used by devices produced by many other third-party manufacturers like Samsung.
With its newly-announced devices, however, the search giant has signalled a move towards creating its own ecosystem of products, in the same way as Apple.
Here’s a look at what’s new:
The Pixel 6a is a new mid-range smartphone priced at £399 and available from 28 July.
It’s smaller than Google’s flagship 6.4” Pixel 6 device, measuring 6.1”, but includes the same Tensor processor and Titan security chip as its larger sibling.
The handset comes with 128GB of storage and a choice of three colours: Sage, Chalk and Charcoal. Google has pledged to keep the 6a updated with its latest software for five years, which is longer than it typically does.
Google also showed off the next generation of its Android operating system (OS), Android 13.
Due this summer, the free update for Android users will introduce new features, customisation options and privacy settings.
Elsewhere, the new OS will support different concurrent languages, allowing multilingual users to apply different languages to different apps.
The Pixel Watch (release date yet to be announced) pairs Google’s Wear OS for wearable devices with Fitbit health tracking, thanks to Google’s acquisition of Fitbit last year. The rival to the Apple Watch will work with many Android devices beyond the Pixel range.
Google didn’t share any specifics about the device beyond its name and images that show a circular watch face with crown-based controls and interchangeable straps – just like Apple’s smartwatch.
There was no release date given for the timepiece, but speculation says it’ll land around October this year, alongside the next flagship Google smartphone – the Pixel 7.
The IO conference also teased the next generation Pixel devices – the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Details were scant, but we can expect aluminium and glass-wrapped handsets that use a new iteration of Google’s much-vaunted Tensor technology.
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Staff writer Mark Hooson has been a journalist within the personal finance, consumer affairs and fraud sectors for more than 10 years. He is also Forbes Advisor UK’s resident tech expert. Mark says he thrives on making ‘complicated and dry topics easier to digest’.
I’ve been writing for a broad array of online publications for four years, always aiming to make important insights accessible. It’s my goal to ensure that as many people as possible can make informed decisions about their money, and get the most out of their finances with the least amount of stress.