According to The New York Times, Samsung Electronics, a key Google partner, is considering replacing the Google search engine in its phones with Microsoft Bing. The decision might greatly influence the search engine industry since Google’s search business is currently in danger from Microsoft Bing’s fast-growing user base.
Google employees were allegedly astonished to learn that Samsung Electronics may replace Google as the default search engine for their smartphones with Microsoft Bing. Every year, Samsung makes hundreds of millions of Android handsets, and Samsung Electronics accounts for around $3 billion of Google’s annual revenues.
While talks between Samsung Electronics and Google continue, the potential of Samsung Electronics moving to Bing as the default search engine underlines the significance of alliances and competition in the digital sector. According to Google, Android smartphone makers can integrate technologies from other firms to improve the user experience.
Microsoft Bing’s growth in the search engine industry is due to the incorporation of an AI-based Bing Chatbot, which has been gaining more users since the start of the year. If Samsung Electronics moves to Bing, Microsoft might make a significant breakthrough in the search engine sector, which Google has long dominated.
The default search engine is the one that shows when a user taps on the search bar. If Samsung Electronics changes to Bing, it might cause a big shift in the search engine business, forcing Google to develop fresh ideas to stay ahead of the competition.
Microsoft has announced that it will integrate its Bing Chatbot into its smartphone keyboard app SwiftKey for Android and iOS.
This new integration will allow users to chat with bots powered with GPT-4 directly from their mobile keyboard and search without switching between apps. Today’s latest integration announcement includes making the chatbot accessible on Microsoft’s SwiftKey keyboard app, which was previously only in beta on Android but is now available on iOS as well.
The integration of the Bing chatbot into SwiftKey gives it three new functions: “Search”, “Chat”, and “Tone”. The first two options are quite straightforward — you can perform a web search directly from SwiftKey, and if you have any queries, you can chat with Bing. The “Tone” feature turns Bing into an editor, rewriting your text to match your desired tone, making it more professional, casual, polite, or concise enough for social posting. This feature will undoubtedly appeal to those who struggle with word choice and nuance when writing.
The company is also expanding access to chatbots in Skype group chats, allowing seamless communication between individuals and the bot. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing new integrations into its lesser-known Start app, which combines a personal news feed, search engine, weather app, etc.
While integrating keyboards and AI isn’t necessarily a new idea, Microsoft’s move is significant, as it usurps the position currently occupied by rivals such as Google and Apple. Microsoft has always been a pioneer in the technology field, and integrating the Bing chatbot into SwiftKey is yet another example of its innovation in the field.
It’s worth noting that this is the first update to SwiftKey for iOS in a long time, and Microsoft had previously planned to deprecate the app. However, integrating Bing is giving SwiftKey another chance to become popular.
It remains to be seen how widespread these apps will be, but the future certainly looks promising for Microsoft’s latest venture.
If “I forgot the password to my phone” has happened to you and you are browsing on the internet vying for a secret code to unlock Android phone password, you don’t need to do that. Forgetting phone passwords is more common with Android users than you think. To save you time, we’ve listed seven effective ways to unlock Android phones remotely below to save you time. Some methods will factory reset your phone, while some won’t.
Read on to learn how to unlock Android phone without password and choose one of ways to unlock your Android phone.
Part 1: Why Do We Need to Unlock an Android Phone?
As an Android user, you may want to know how to get into Android phone without password when you are stuck in a particular situation, such as:
You’ve forgotten your phone’s lock screen PIN or pattern.
You’ve bought a used phone and don’t know its passcode.
Your phone’s fingerprint and Face ID mechanism has stopped working.
You’ve tried several methods to access and unlock Android phone but have failed to do so.
Part 2: Takeaway to Unlock Android Phones
Part 3: Methods to Unlock an Android Phone Without Password
Ready to learn how to unlock a phone without password? Here are seven proven methods to get your Android phone unlocked.
Way 1: Find My Device(ADM)
The first technique we’ll like to share is Android Device Manager unlock feature. It is also referred to as Google Find My Device and will access your phone remotely for Android version 4.4 or above.
If you’ve already synced your phone with your Google account and switched on its location-tracking services, use this method to unlock Android phone. Here’s how to get into Android without password using Android Device Manager unlock:
Visit Find My Device on your PC browser.
Sign in to your Google account.
Choose your Android device.
Press “NEXT.”
Choose “ERASE.”
You’ll be prompted to enter your Google username and passcode again.
Hit the “Erase” icon. This will unlock phone Android.
Way 2: With the Help of a Tenorshare 4uKey Android Unlock Software
If you want to know how to get into android without password, Tenorshare 4uKey for Android unlock app can effectively unlock your phone. Check out some of the awesome features of 4uKey for Android and follow the guide to perform Android screen unlock process.
It can remove all kinds of Android screen lock, including fingerprint lock, Face ID, screen pattern, and pin.
It can bypass Samsung FRP lock in steps.
It can safely unlock Android phone without any data leak.
Supports Android 6.0 OS version and later.
Make your device 100% accessible again.
Here’s how to unlock phone without password using the 4uKey for Android unlock app:
Download the application on your PC. Then, launch the 4uKey for Android app. Choose “Remove Screen Lock.”
Press “Start.” Press “Yes” to confirm password removal.
Follow the on-screen instructions to boot your phone into recovery mode.
Next, the app will successfully bypass the passcode. This is how to unlock Android phone using 4uKey for Android.
Way 3: Factory Reset
Another effective way to learn how to unlock Android phone without password is to factory reset your phone. This will wipe out all data on your device and reset it to its default factory settings. However, to use this method, ensure you have a backup of your phone data. Here’s how to unlock an Android phone by resetting it:
Switch off your phone.
Press and hold the Volume Up, Down, and Power buttons to load into the Recovery boot screen.
Use the Volume buttons to navigate and the Power button to choose “Wipe data/Factory Reset.” This will unlock phone without password, and you’ll be able to reaccess it.
Way 4: For Android 5.0-5.1
Still want to know how to get into android phone without password? If you are using Android OS version 5.0-5.1, there is another effective trick to Android unlock. You’ll need to render your user interface useless to access your locked phone. Here’s how to unlock an Android phone by crashing its user interface:
Press the “Emergency” option from your mobile “Home screen.”
Next, press the asterisk ten times from your phone dialer. Copy the string.
Ultimately, your device will prevent you from entering the asterisk.
Return to the “Home screen.” Open the camera.
Once the camera is launched, open notifications.
Choose “Settings.”
You’ll be prompted to enter the password again.
Paste the exact asterisk string repeatedly until the user interface crashes.
The interface will recover to unlock phone Android, and you’ll be able to reaccess your device.
Way 5: Find My Mobile
Another way to learn how to unlock Android phone is through the Find My Mobile feature. If you use a Samsung phone and have synced it with your Samsung account, you can use this feature to unlock phone without password remotely. Here’s how to get in locked phone:
Launch Find My Mobile on your PC or another phone.
Log in to your Samsung account.
Choose “Unlock” from the menu.
You’ll be prompted to confirm. Press “Unlock” again.
This will get your Android phone unlocked.
Way 6: Using ADB to Delete Password
If you have enabled USB Debugging mode in your phone, there is a master code to unlock any phone. You’ll need to connect your locked phone to your PC via a USB cable to use ADB, a secret code to unlock Android phone password:
Open “Command Prompt” and the “ADB installation directory.”
Type “adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key.” Hit “Enter.”
This command is used for Android phones unlock and will wipe out your device’s password temporarily. So, you’ll need to reset it as soon as possible.
Way 7: Forgot Pattern/Password
If you are using Android version 4.4 or lower and want to know how to unlock phone without password, there’s another way. Older Android phones come with an in-built Forgot Pattern/Password feature that can unlock Android phones without resetting them. Here’s how to unlock Android phone if forgot pin using Forgot Pattern/Password:
Enter a random passcode several times on your locked Android phone.
You’ll see “Forgot password” on your mobile screen. Press it.
Enter your Google username and password.
After you enter your credentials, you’ll receive an email on your Gmail account.
Follow the instructions in the email to Android unlock without resetting. This is how to unlock a phone without password using Forgot Pattern/Password.
Part 4: Choose an Effective Method
The above methods taught you how to get in locked phone by bypassing the lock screen passcode. But each Android phones unlock technique has its pros and cons. We’ve listed them below for your benefit so you can choose the most effective way to gain back access to your locked Android device:
Pros
Cons
4uKey for Android
Effectively bypass lock screen pattern, PIN, passcode, and Face ID and biometric verification.
Find My Mobile
Remotely unlocks Samsung phones.
Needs syncing with a Samsung account and works only on Samsung devices. You must also enable the remote unlock option to use this feature.
Find My Device
Remotely unlocks an Android phone password.
Your phone must be already synced with your Google account, and location-tracking services must be turned on for this method to work.
Forgot Pattern
Offers a simple and easy way to unlock older Android phones.
Only works for devices using Android 4.4 OS version or lower.
Factory Reset
Works on all Android devices to remove passwords.
It will delete all data on your phone. So, you’ll need to back up before using this method.
Using ADB
You can unlock your phone using Command Prompt from your PC.
You must have enabled USB Debugging mode on your device to use ADB. Also, it will only temporarily remove the password.
Part 5: Sum Up
If you forget the phone password and cannot access their devices, there is no need to browse the internet for a master code to unlock any phone. Check our methods, as mentioned earlier, for how to unlock Android phone without password. But the fixes may not be applied in all situations. If you want the most effective method, use Tenorshare 4uKey for Android. It is an easy-to-use tool that works on all devices.
This month, Apple users worldwide have reported a series of outages and difficulties with the company’s online services. The latest issue has seen users reporting that their devices constantly ask for their Apple ID password, even after correctly entering it, resulting in login failure notifications. Some users have also reported getting completely locked out of their Apple ID, leaving them unable to log back in.
The bug has also affected certain Apple TV+ users, with some complaining that their subscriptions have “disappeared” from the device, making access to content impossible. While it is unclear how many people have been affected by the issue, most reports on social media come from users in Brazil and Japan, indicating that the problem may be regional.
Apple’s System Status webpage, designed to report issues with the company’s online platforms, does not acknowledge any problems affecting Apple ID.
While Apple has not yet commented on the problem, a solution is probably in the works. In the meantime, impacted users can try restarting their devices or signing out and back into their Apple ID to see if this fixes the problem.
NVIDIA GeForce 3000 and 4000 Series graphics card owners can now take advantage of the RTX Video Super Resolution technology when using the popular media player VLC.
This feature allows users to offline upscale videos in their video library. This means that old 1080p videos can now be enjoyed in 4K quality, giving users a better viewing experience.
Previously, users could only use RTX Video Super Resolution technology to upload videos to streaming services like YouTube, Twitch, and Netflix via Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. However, with the release of the new version of VLC, users can now take advantage of the technology offline.
NVIDIA announced that the new VLC 3.0.19 RTX beta is now available for download from the media player’s official website. Users can download and install it to enjoy their favourite videos in high resolution.
In addition, NVIDIA is also collaborating with YouTube and OBS to allow live streamers to use AV1-encoded videos. This collaboration will enable streamers to go live at 4K and 60fps if their PC has a GeForce RTX 4000 GPU.
The AV1 encoding technology will provide higher-quality video streams with fewer data usage, reducing buffering and lag during live streams. This feature will be available in beta with OBS 29.1 and fully released to OBS and YouTube soon.
The introduction of RTX Video Super-Resolution and AV1 encoding technology will greatly improve the quality of video playback, whether offline or during live streaming. Users can now enjoy their favourite high-quality videos, and streamers can provide better viewing experiences for their audiences.
Google has released the first beta build of its new mobile operating system, Android 14, for its Pixel phones. The Android 14 Beta 1 comes with several new features and improvements, including a smarter system UI with a more prominent back arrow inside the pill, which Google says will help users better understand and use the back gesture appropriately.
The Android 14 Beta 1 will also allow apps to add custom actions to the system share sheet, creating share sheet actions in the context of the app you open. Moreover, the Path API in Android 14 enables the creation and drawing of powerful vector graphics, with API updates that allow you to interpolate between paths with exact structural matches, enable morphing effects, and provide backward compatibility up to API21 with the AndroidX library.
Android 14 will also introduce per-app language settings and additional privacy changes to protect sensitive user information, such as passwords and prevent sensitive information from being executed. The latest version of Android will also include improvements in accessibility, battery life, and security.
The Android 14 Beta 1 is currently available for Google’s Pixel phones, including Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and 7 Pro, with April 2023 security patches. Interested users can join the beta program to test the new features and improvements.
Firefox has long been criticized for being resource-intensive compared to other browsers like Chrome and Edge. However, Mozilla has confirmed that the problem was not with the browser itself but a Windows Defender bug, which particularly affected Firefox.
After five years of waiting, it appears that the security tool’s issue has finally been addressed, and the CPU usage of Firefox for Windows is expected to drop significantly.
According to Yannis Juglaret, senior software engineer at Mozilla, Firefox’s culprit was a task named MsMpEng.exe, responsible for real-time protection that monitors web activity and eliminates malicious threats. The bug caused Firefox to call this service more frequently than comparable browsers, resulting in noticeable CPU spikes and reduced battery life.
The fix, which has “improved MsMpEng.exe’s CPU usage by ~75% when browsing in Firefox,” according to Juglaret, comes in the form of a patch for Windows Defender. The patch is currently rolling out to Windows 10 and 11 users and is expected to hit all users within the next week or two unless they block updates.
This is good news for Firefox users who have been frustrated by its high CPU usage, and it may help improve the browser’s reputation regarding resource management. It’s also a reminder of how complex software can be and how small bugs can significantly affect performance.
Kaspersky Lab experts shared some interesting statistics collected using the Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence service as a result of analyzing advertisements for the sale of malicious applications for Google Play on several dark web forums. Prices for programs and developer accounts reach up to $20,000.
Kaspersky studied dark web marketplaces between 2019 and 2023 and identified many services and ready-made codes for infecting and hacking Android smartphones and tablets.
On the darknet, attackers buy and sell malicious apps for Google Play and updates for them and advertise their developments. They buy a developer account on Google Play and a malicious code uploader to upload the malware to the store. Accounts are offered at prices ranging from $60 to $200.
The main task that cybercriminals need to solve is bypassing Google’s protective measures. To do this, they hide malicious code in apps that look harmless. As a rule, the victim first downloads a legitimate program, but the user downloads the malicious component with the update.
Moreover, such an update can request additional rights in the system, such as access to certain files. Such “tools”, according to Kaspersky, will cost between $2,000 and $20,000.
It is most commonly offered on the dark web to insert malicious malware into cryptocurrency trackers, banking applications, QR code scanners, or dating apps. Such programs are posted on Google Play, and the attackers add the malicious code later. Advertisers also note how often such apps have been downloaded to show how many potential victims can be reached.
Three ways of cooperation are offered: for a share of the final profit, by subscription, and for the complete acquisition of an account or malware. Sellers can also offer to publish the app for the buyer so they don’t have to interact directly with Google Play.
To protect the device from mobile threats, Kaspersky Lab experts also recommend that users: pay attention to what permissions you give to the installed application, whether it needs them for correct operation; use a reliable security solution; download applications from legitimate resources: in any case, this significantly reduces the risk of encountering cyber threats compared to unofficial sites; regularly update the operating system and installed applications — together with them, developers release patches with fixes for vulnerabilities and errors.
