Google has finally updated its Gmail app for the notchy iPhone X. And as we inch closer to the release of the 2018 iPhones, the rumor mill continues to churn. We've got all the rumors and leaks: new colors, a USB-C charger and a not-so-massive iPhone X Plus. Here's what you need to know for iPhone news this week.
Gmail now works with the iPhone X notch, not against it
iPhone X users, your much-desired app updates are coming along. Google's Gmail Inbox app is the latest to support the iPhone X's notch screen design. This comes after Apple required all iOS app updates to support the iPhone X display by July 2018. Because why change the notch when it adds so much screen space?
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2018 iPhone may bring a wave of colors
According to longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a 6.5-inch OLED iPhone will come in simple colors: black, white and gold. But an entry-level 6.1-inch LCD iPhone could get more eccentric, with options of blue, red, gray, white and orange — because orange is definitely the new black.
iPhone USB-C charger leaked in pictures
Leaked photos of an 18-watt Apple wall charger with a USB-C port are fueling rumors that Apple's next iPhone may include a USB-C-to-Lightning charging cable inside the box. Pictures with an adapter labeled "engineering sample" were reportedly taken by an Apple supplier. If the rumor is true, that could mean faster charging for iPhones without the pain of purchasing third-party adapters.
The leaked picture, showing a USB-C iPhone charger.
Chongdiantou.com
More in iPhone newsiness:
Last week's iPhone news: 2018 iPhones might use LG's OLED displays, and how we put iOS 12 on an iPhone 5S
Once again, Apple and Samsung make headlines with their constant patent battle — is it finally, finally over? Even if the two mobile heavyweights have finally made amends, some of Apple's 2018 iPhones might replace their original Samsung screens with LG ones. And, iOS 12 beta, aka that software update we won't stop talking about, is ready for you to try. Here's the iPhone news this week.
Apple may cheat on Samsung with LG
Right now, Samsung, specifically Samsung Display, is the sole source of the iPhone X's OLED displays. But going forward, Apple could also buy some of its OLED screens from LG Display. The Samsung rival will reportedly supply between 2 and 4 million OLED screens for Apple iPhones in 2018. That's a small number of displays compared to the number of iPhones Apple sells, but bringing LG on board even a little will help Apple back off of Samsung, with which it has an on-and-off toxic relationship.
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Samsung and Apple settle in court
Though the rivalry is going strong, Samsung and Apple recently settled a longstanding patent dispute. They have been fighting bitterly over smartphone design and functionality patents since 2011, but the war might finally be over.
On Wednesday, the two electronics giants notified a district court that they are going to settle their claims and counterclaims. We're not sure what the terms of the settlement are, or why the companies chose to quit bickering, but for now there is peace in the tech world.
Sketch of a patent infringement damages a trial between Samsung and Apple.
Vicki Behringer
You can now download iOS 12 beta on your phone
iOS 12 beta is now available for normal people (aka nondevelopers) to download and try out. We've already taken a swing at it, and come up with our own opinions about the new software update (spoiler: Memoji got us pretty excited). But, hold up — there were some things we wanted improved, and the beta version can be pretty buggy. Make sure you get prepared to switch back to iOS 11 and definitely don't download iOS 12 on your primary phone.
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iOS voice command for Amazon Alexa app
Now you can talk to Amazon's Alexa assistant from your iPhone to ask questions or play music. You have to have the app open for this to work, but at least now you have another virtual friend to boss around from your iPhone, other than Siri.
The iOS Alexa app now responds to spoken command, so you can use voice control for devices like Amazon Echo Dot through your iPhone.
Ian Knighton/CNET
