Apple Stores are quietly selling a 23.7-inch LG UltraFine display - 9to5Mac

The saga of the LG UltraFine display mystery continues. After the disappearance of the LG 4K UltraFine display from the Apple Store, and the continued lack of availability for the 5K UltraFine, the plot thickens with the discovery from TidBITS that you can now buy a new 23.7-inch LG display from Apple that is otherwise unlisted.

The seemingly-unannounced display is priced at $699. This is the same price as the ‘old’ 21-inch 4K LG UltraFine, and a few hundred dollars below the sale price of the 5K sibling.

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The report says that the 23.7-inch monitor features a mere 3360×1890 resolution and therefore has a pitiful 162 PPI by modern standards. This low pixel density means it does not qualify as a Retina display, even though it bears the UltraFine branding.

That being said, 9to5Mac found documentation matching the model number which stated the product had a 3840×2160 display, which would represent a more reasonable 4K resolution. It would still be less dense — as it is a 23.7-inch diagonal rather than 21-inch — but still on the borderline of Retina (It’s therefore, possible the reported 3360×1890 spec is one of macOS’ standard scaled resolutions, but the native panel is actually 4K).

The 23.7-inch display looks similar to the LG UltraFine 4K display in physical appearance but features an additional Thunderbolt 3 port on the back, making for a total of 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and 3 standard USB-C ports to connect peripherals. Like the current 4K, this display appears to be compatible with both Mac computers and the 2018 iPad Pro.

Here’s the full product specification that we could find for the mysterious item:

The LG 23.7-inch UltraFine display is on sale now at some retail Apple Stores. The product is not listed in the Apple Online Store so you’ll have to go in person and ask the retail store staff if they have any stock.

Between this mysterious model and the disappearance of the current SKUs, the situation with the UltraFine displays is very strange. Mixed into all this, Apple is expected to announce a new high-end pro display at some point this year, maybe as soon as WWDC on June 3 alongside the unveiling of a new Mac Pro.

This doesn’t feel like the end of the tale. We’ll have to wait and see for further developments.

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https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/20/apple-store-23-7-inch-lg-ultrafine/

2019-05-20 14:26:00Z
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Smart lighting's biggest headache? Lutron and Philips Hue just solved it - CNET

Snap Lutron's smart dimmer dial over the light switch to lock it into the on position, preventing anyone from turning the switch off and cutting power to your smart bulbs. 

Lutron

Upgrade your light bulbs to smart bulbs, and you'll be able to automate them, control them from your phone or turn them on and off and dim them up and down using voice commands. That's great! The problem? Literally none of that will work if the power is off at the light switch, and learning to leave the switch in the on position is completely unintuitive, especially for kids and houseguests.

It's one of the smart home's most enduring pain points -- but now, the light switch maestros at Lutron have an elegant, affordable solution that looks like a strong, early contender for smart home gadget of the year.

Read more: The complete guide to Philips Hue 

Read also: The best cheap smart bulbs

Now available for preorder and set to ship out in June, the solution I speak of is called the Lutron Aurora, and it's a $40 smart dimmer dial that pairs with Philips Hue smart bulbs. What's particularly clever about it is that you don't wire it into your wall where the light switch once was -- instead, you just snap it in place on top of the switch itself, which locks it into the on position. 

From there, just give it a tap to turn the bulbs on or off, or twist it to dim them up and down. Lutron claims you can install it in two minutes. That claim might actually be somewhat conservative -- Lutron gave me a top secret demonstration of the product back at CES in January, and during that demo, snapping the thing into place took about thirty seconds.

"Lutron is pleased to join the Philips Hue 'Friends of Hue' program and offer this unique, wall-mounted smart lighting control that enriches the Hue experience," said Matt Swatsky, Vice President, Residential Mid-Market Business at Lutron. "The Aurora dimmer simplifies the use of Philips Hue smart bulbs and fixtures for everyone in the home."

Go ahead and hit that switch, junior. Your Hue bulb's automations and voice controls will still work just fine.

Lutron

Translation: Even your children and in-laws will know how to use this thing.

I like almost everything about Lutron's approach here. For starters, the Aurora doubles down on one of smart lighting's top points of appeal -- the smooth, flicker-free dimming -- by giving you a physical point of control over the Philips Hue dimming curve. In addition, the Aurora uses Zigbee to send its signals. That means you'll need the Hue Bridge plugged into your router in order for it to work -- but it also means that the Aurora will still work if your Wi-Fi ever goes down.

As for the batteries, the Aurora runs off of a single coin battery that Lutron says will last at least three years before needing to be replaced.

The Aurora isn't the first Friends of Hue accessory that simplifies smart bulb controls at the switch. Late last year, I tested out the Click smart switch from RunLessWire, previously known as the Illumra. That switch uses EnOcean energy harvesting technology to power itself with each button press, so you don't have to wire it in -- though you do need to remove the old switch, first.

That makes the Aurora the simpler of the two, because you won't have to shut things off at the breaker box to install it, though I'd note that the Click's four buttons can be used to trigger specific Hue scenes, as can the Philips Hue Tap, another energy-harvesting Hue remote that needs no batteries. Right now, the Aurora can't trigger scenes at all.

I'd also like the Aurora better if it cost a little less ($30 seems like the magic number to me), but $40 still feels like a fair ask for folks who want to rid themselves of a common smart lighting sticking point. We'll know more once we test it out for ourselves (stay tuned), but for now, it looks like Lutron dialed up a winner here.

CNET Smart Home

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2019-05-20 13:00:04Z
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Lutron’s new dimmer for Hue lights fixes the wall switch problem - The Verge

If you have ever used smart light bulbs like the ones made by Hue or Lifx, you’re probably familiar with what happens when someone turns off the light switch that those bulbs are connected to: the lights lose all of their smarts and connectivity.

Some solutions to this problem have been taping over the light switch so those unfamiliar with your home’s smart lighting setup don’t use it, or going into the switch itself and wiring it so it’s permanently “on.” Lutron’s new Aurora dimmer fixes this problem in a more convenient way: when you mount it on top of the wall switch, it lets you control your Hue lights without having to use a phone app or voice assistant. And anyone who uses the dimmer won’t turn off the light switch itself.

The $39.95 Aurora dimmer is Lutron’s first product to work with Hue lights. It connects wirelessly to a Hue system without any secondary hubs needed. Setup and management of the Aurora are handled through the Hue app on an iOS or Android device. The dimmer has a familiar, circular dial that can be used to adjust the lights anywhere from completely off to full brightness. Lutron says installing the dimmer on a standard toggle switch can take as little as two minutes.

The Aurora isn’t the first Friends of Hue product to tackle this problem: RunLessWire came out with a dimmer switch late last year that controls Hue lights in a very similar fashion. But that model requires removing the original light switch, connecting the wires in the wall together to complete the circuit, and then mounting the RunLessWire switch in place of the original switch. The Aurora’s design is far simpler and doesn’t even require turning off the power at the circuit breaker to install.

Lutron says the Aurora will be available for order from MeetHue.com starting today with shipping expected for June.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/20/18629735/lutron-aurora-dimmer-hue-lights-smart-price-specs-features

2019-05-20 13:00:00Z
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[Update x3: Official Huawei/Honor statement] Future Huawei phones reportedly won't have access to Google services, including the Play Store - Android Police

Last week, the United States added Huawei to its 'Entity List', meaning US companies can't do business with Huawei without explicit government approval. A report from Reuters claims Google is ceasing most partnerships with Huawei, and future phones from the company won't have access to the Play Store and other services.

Reuters claims that Google has stopped providing Huawei with hardware and software products, except those covered by open source licenses. In other words, while Huawei can still use Android itself, most proprietary services will be inaccessible — including the Google Play Store, Gmail, and presumably anything else that requires the closed-source Play Services Framework.

The exact details are still being discussed internally at Google, according to a source that spoke with Reuters. The move could also prevent Huawei from updating its existing phones, as the updates can't be re-certified for Play Store access, risking the security of Huawei device owners. While security updates are part of AOSP and are still available to Huawei, Android's system WebView is updated through the Play Store, and Play Protect is a core part of Google's Android services.

Oh man. We’ll see where the Google/Huawei thing plays out, but inhibiting consumers from getting updated Android (more) in any way does not spark joy.

I’ve spent a lot of my career dealing with maybe-🇨🇳, and fully recognize most people’s threat model isn’t usually nations.

— Lesley Carhart (@hacks4pancakes) May 19, 2019

If this ends up being true, it would be a critical blow to Huawei's smartphone business. While the company could theoretically partner with non-American companies to provide alternatives to Google's applications (or use the in-house operating system it has been working on for a while), the lack of Play Store access would be a major drawback to any potential buyers. Huawei already has clones of many popular services in its home country, including an app store, but most of those services are currently limited to China.

We've reached out to Huawei and Google, but neither company has provided a statement yet. Since the initial report came out, both Engadget and The Verge have independently confirmed the details.

A Google spokesperson provided us with the following (brief) statement:

"We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications."

"The order" refers to Huawei's recent addition to the United States Department of Commerce's Entity List, which we covered previously.

Google has released an updated statement:

"We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications. For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices."

It's nice that existing devices will continue to have access to Google Play, but it's still not clear if updates for these devices will cause them to lose Play certification. The official Android Twitter account also posted a similar statement:

For Huawei users' questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device.

— Android (@Android) May 20, 2019

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https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/19/huaweis-future-phones-reportedly-wont-have-access-to-google-services-including-the-play-store/

2019-05-20 11:40:00Z
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Huawei Phones Won't Get Android Updates After US Ban - NPR

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A Chinese man is silhouetted near the Huawei logo in Beijing on Thursday. The Trump administration issued an executive order Wednesday apparently aimed at banning Huawei equipment from U.S. networks. Ng Han Guan/AP hide caption

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Ng Han Guan/AP

Google says it will stop offering Android updates for phones made by the Chinese telecom company Huawei. The move follows a U.S. executive order that American companies stop doing business with any foreign company that harms national security interests.

Google, owned by Alphabet, "has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing," Reuters first reported. In a statement, Google confirmed the news: "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a spokesperson said, according to CNBC.

In practice, this means Huawei won't be able to license Google's Android operating system, so Huawei phone users will lose access to updates. Future versions of Huawei smartphones running Android won't be able to access popular Google apps including Gmail, YouTube, and the Google Play store – which lets users easily download third-party apps.

Huawei is one of the world's largest smartphone suppliers, second only to Samsung. In losing access to the latest Google software, Huawei may find it difficult to compete in the global smartphone market, CNN reports.

Google isn't the only company cutting ties with Huawei. American chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm and Broadcom have told their employees that they will stop supplying Huawei, Bloomberg reported. And the Nikkei Asian Review reported that the German chipmaker Infineon has also stopped shipments to Huawei.

The Trump administration last week restricted the sale of U.S. technology which seemed aimed at Huawei. An executive order signed by the president declared a "national emergency" and blocked U.S. companies from doing business with foreign tech companies that pose "an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States." The Commerce Department said it would add Huawei and its subsidiaries to a list of companies generally prohibited from buying U.S. technology.

Huawei, which has denied allegations that it spies on its users, says it has been preparing for the possibility that it might lose access to American companies. In March, Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer products division, told a German newspaper that Huawei had prepared its own operating system in case it lost access to Android. "That's our plan B," Yu said. "But of course we prefer to work with the ecosystems of Google and Microsoft." The company has stockpiled enough chips to keep its phone business running for months, Bloomberg reports.

According to Ryan Koontz, an analyst with Rosenblatt Securities Inc., the U.S. ban could have a major impact on China's ability to build 5G networks, as Huawei is dependent on U.S. components like semiconductors.

"The extreme scenario of Huawei's telecom network unit failing would set China back many years and might even be viewed as an act of war by China," Koontz told Bloomberg. "Such a failure would have massive global telecom market implications."

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https://www.npr.org/2019/05/20/724910121/after-trump-ban-huawei-phones-will-lose-access-to-google-software

2019-05-20 10:46:00Z
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Google may just have killed Huawei's bid to become the world's top smartphone brand - CNN

The move is a huge blow to Huawei, whose goal is to be the top smartphone brand by the end of 2020.

Last week, the Trump administration barred American companies from selling to Huawei without a US government license in a significant escalation of the trade war with China.

"We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson said on Monday. Huawei, the world's No. 2 smartphone seller, relies on a suite of Google (GOOGL) services for its devices, including the Android system and the Google Play app store.

The Silicon Valley giant is suspending much of that access, according to multiple reports, after Washington placed Huawei on a list of foreign firms deemed to undermine American national security or foreign policy interests. Listed companies are barred from receiving components and software unless the trade is licensed.

Existing Huawei phones unaffected

Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to access apps and services from Google. The news was first reported by Reuters.

Google said consumers who already own Huawei smartphones will be largely unaffected for now.

"Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices," the spokesperson added, without providing further details.

The ban threatens Huawei's supply chain and could delay the rollout of 5G services around the world. But the most immediate headache for Huawei is what the decision means for future smartphone sales.

Most of Google's most popular products — like Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps — are banned in China, where Huawei offers domestic alternatives like Tencent's (TCEHY) WeChat and Baidu (BIDU) Maps.

But the company is hugely dependent on countries other than China. Roughly half its smartphone sales last year were made outside China, according to research firms Canalys and IDC.

Huawei said it is "examining the implications from the US actions for consumers," adding that it will continue to provide "security updates and after sales services" for all existing smartphones and tablets, including its Honor budget brand.

China's response: 'Wait and see'

The Chinese tech company said it has spent at least three years working on its own operating system.

"Huawei has been building an alternative operating system just in case it is needed," said Huawei spokesperson Glenn Schloss. "We would like to be able to continue operating in the Microsoft and Google ecosystems," he added.

Huawei licenses Microsoft's operating system for its laptops and tablets. Microsoft (MSFT) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beijing has repeatedly criticized the US-led campaign against Huawei, and called the addition of the company to the trade blacklist a political move.

"China supports Chinese companies defending their legitimate rights according to laws," Lu Kang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing on Monday.

"In terms of what measures either Chinese companies or Chinese government would take, please wait and see," he said.

Killing Huawei outside China?

Being cut off from the Google ecosystem would be a huge blow to Huawei's ambitions to overtake Samsung (SSNLF) as the world's biggest smartphone maker.

The consumer business — which includes smartphones, laptops, tablets and wearable devices like smart watches — was the biggest contributor to Huawei's earnings last year. The division made nearly 349 billion yuan ($50 billion) in 2018, accounting for more than 45% of revenue.

For the millions of users outside of China, being cut off from Google's apps and services "kills the attractiveness of a Huawei phone," said IDC analyst Bryan Ma.

"It kills the usability of a Huawei phone outside of China, thus rendering them dead in the water," he added.

Theoretically, Huawei can try to win over consumers with its competitive hardware and innovation, and then convince them to download Google apps after they buy a Huawei phone, said Nicole Peng, an analyst with Canalys.

But evidence shows that "after sales installation is very challenging for users, unless they know what they're doing," said Peng.

Moreover, when customers start finding out that Huawei can't get Google's ecosystem on their phones, "it will affect trust, they will question if anything is wrong with the device," she added.

Even if customers were able to independently download Google apps on Huawei phones, the phones may still not have access to so-called Google Mobile Services.

Many third party apps, like ride hailing and food delivery platforms, rely on services like Google Maps. Most of those apps may no longer be supported on Huawei devices, said IDC's Ma.

Without that access, "the Huawei phone is a brick," he said.

Rob Mclean and Nanlin Fang contributed to this report.

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/20/tech/huawei-google-android/index.html

2019-05-20 09:50:00Z
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Google has blocked Huawei from using Android in any new phones - MIT Technology Review

It’s part of the fallout from the US government’s decision to add Huawei to a trade blacklist last Thursday.

The news: Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software, and technical services, except those publicly available via open source licensing, Reuters reports.

What does that mean? Anyone who currently owns a Huawei handset will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. However, as it stands, future Huawei handsets will not include proprietary apps and services from Google—for example YouTube, Maps, or Gmail.

The impact: Huawei is the second-biggest smartphone maker in the world, and losing access to the Android operating system could jeopardize its smartphone business beyond China (where most Google mobile apps are banned anyway.) Being blacklisted makes it very difficult for Huawei to do business with US firms, although it says it has prepared for this eventuality.

Chip supply chains: Arguably, a bigger problem for Huawei may be the loss of access to US-made chips. Chipmakers Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom have told their employees they won’t sell software and components to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reports.

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2019-05-20 09:47:30Z
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