Why are 2020 phones abandoning optical zoom in favor of cropping? Is there any practical reason that they have separate telephoto sensors?

The Galaxy S20+ uses a telephoto lens with 1.1x optical zoom (almost none at all) and a 64MP sensor that is just cropped to achieve 3x "hybrid" zoom. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a 12 MP telephoto sensor that is cropped down to 8MP. The main camera is 48 MP binned down to 12MP. Is there really any difference in using the telephoto camera than cropping the main camera's image down in the exact same way (as traditional digital zoom works)? Couldn't the S20+ just have used the higher MP camera for its mai...

https://redd.it/gil6k1
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Samsung Internet Beta 12 adds partial Autofill API support and upgrades Chromium engine (APK Download)
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/05/12/samsung-internet-beta-12-adds-partial-autofill-api-support-and-upgrades-chromium-engine-apk-download/

https://redd.it/gity8r
@reddit_android

The Samsung Internet Browser is just as bad for privacy as any of Xiaomi's browsers.

Last week, Xiaomi was (rightfully) called out on their privacy violating browser policies. I went through a few other major browsers and wanted to highlight Samsung in particular.

[Privacy Policy](https://www.internet.apps.samsung.com/pt/index.html?type=pp&version=3.2.0&country=US&language=en)

Select Snippets:

Through Samsung Internet, we may obtain information about you in various ways. The types of personal information we may obtain include:

* **Samsung Internet browsing history (such as ...

https://redd.it/gitr73
@reddit_android

How I increased privacy on my phone

After the last Xiaomi scandal (the one where the Mi Pro and Mi Mint Browsers were sending browsing history to servers outside including in Incognito Mode, look it up), I was a bit surprised to find out that many people don't know that there are many apps that communicate with the exterior or how to increase privacy on their smartphone, so I decided to write an article about it on my (small) site (link to the full article at the end). Now, I know this is a controversial topic and I know that ther...

https://redd.it/gisnav
@reddit_android

Oppo responded to the battery capacity issue over fast charging
https://twitter.com/C4ETech/status/1260519599436677120?s=19

https://redd.it/giwwcy
@reddit_android

Google Messages starts showing emoji chat reactions for RCS conversations
https://www.xda-developers.com/google-messages-starts-showing-emoji-chat-reactions-rcs-conversations/

https://redd.it/gixowo
@reddit_android

[Opinion] Android Oreo 8/8.1

I just feel Android 8.1 has the best material design implementation (except no dark mode) and looks much more professional than any other Android version till date. Just take an example of settings page or notification panel - looks much more elegant because of the gray/white theme.

All these new versions, 9 and 10 with rounded corners and funky colors feel like one step backwards.

Thoughts?...

https://redd.it/girt07
@reddit_android

Early Google Pixel 4a performance review compares the 2020 mid-range Pixel to the Pixel 4, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3 XL
https://www.xda-developers.com/google-pixel-4a-performance-review-leak/

https://redd.it/gj0rva
@reddit_android

Google’s Pixel Division Undergoes Shakeup After Disappointing Launch
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/googles-pixel-division-undergoes-shakeup-after-disappointing-launch

https://redd.it/gj0lbz
@reddit_android

Let's Guess What Google Requires In 14 Days Or They Kill Our Extension
https://blog.pushbullet.com/2020/05/13/lets-guess-what-google-requires-in-14-days-or-they-kill-our-extension/

https://redd.it/gj2ozp
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Sony smartphone sales hit record low (Android Authority)
https://www.androidauthority.com/sony-smartphone-sales-q1-2020-1118592/

https://redd.it/gj1c97
@reddit_android

What Marc Levoy & his team did for smartphone cameras, not just for Pixels and including iPhones, should never be underestimated

I was very surprised, if not shocked, when I read this [https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/gj0lbz/googles\_pixel\_division\_undergoes\_shakeup\_after/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/gj0lbz/googles_pixel_division_undergoes_shakeup_after/)

Levoy led the team which pretty much single-handedly went hugely off noscript for the time and invested strongly in computational photography (especially HDR+ and its close relative Night Sight), which paid off in a big way, with other phone ma...

https://redd.it/gj3fza
@reddit_android

Amazon updates the Fire HD 8 with a faster processor, more RAM, and USB-C
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2020/5/13/21256674/amazon-fire-hd-8-plus-kids-edition-usb-c-wireless-specs

https://redd.it/gj2ah4
@reddit_android

/r/android reviews: Motorola line

Device reviews are everywhere these days. From big name technology websites to lesser known blogs, and to the rising stars on YouTube. You can find hours upon hours of review content on most any well-known device out there. However a lot of these places do not focus on long term usage and fail to mention how devices hold up over the long term.

Additionally for those of you who like to hear about devices from actual users, it's hard to find a good place with reviews that aren't scattered all ove...

https://redd.it/gj36x0
@reddit_android

President Trump extends US trade ban on HUAWEI for another year. Meaning it will have to survive until May 2021 without conducting business with Google or other US-based companies.
https://pocketnow.com/president-trump-extends-us-ban-on-working-with-huawei-for-another-year?utm_content=buffera4702&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR2mwtxbe4g0wmYXW2feYsrzzUBO0Pov4Ov-6g89fgTsIFiRkOXNTnTDEUE

https://redd.it/gj7ayo
@reddit_android

Google Play Store showing mysterious 'empty' app updates
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/05/13/google-play-store-showing-mysterious-empty-app-updates/

https://redd.it/gj8hht
@reddit_android

Signal users flood forums with complaints about their new PIN system which forces users to create a PIN and enter it multiple times...for the purpose of storing their encrypted profile, contacts and settings on the cloud.
https://community.signalusers.org/t/mandatory-pin-without-clear-explanation-within-the-app-might-cause-significant-number-of-users-to-quit-using-signal/11597

https://redd.it/gj8g3h
@reddit_android

Messages for Web to get Google Fi integration w/ calls, more
https://9to5google.com/2020/05/12/messages-web-google-fi-integration/

https://redd.it/gj15fv
@reddit_android

AC: "Calling a phone 'mid-range' doesn't make sense anymore — we can do better"
https://www.androidcentral.com/we-have-redefine-what-mid-range-phone

https://redd.it/gj332x
@reddit_android

[MKBHD] RedMagic 5G: Fastest Phone of 2020!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUhf0sWhtKw

https://redd.it/gj9mp8
@reddit_android

SK Telecom, Samsung unveil 5G smartphone with quantum-safe crypto solution
http://yna.kr/AEN20200514001300320

https://redd.it/gjcjz2
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