Until now, users who purchased apps via the App Store could not transfer them to another account, leading to doubled-up purchases in many cases. This was especially true in cases where individuals created a new Apple account and wanted to move their purchases to the new one. Apple has finally addressed the issue, as outlined in a new support article.

You can choose to migrate apps, music, and other content you’ve purchased from Apple on a secondary Apple Account to a primary Apple Account. The secondary Apple Account might be an account that’s used only for purchases. You’ll need access to the primary email address or phone number and password for both accounts, and neither account should be shared with anyone else. Learn more about how to migrate purchases.

• At the time of migration, the Apple Account signed in for use with iCloud and most features on your iPhone or iPad will be referred to as the primary Apple Account.
• At the time of migration, the Apple Account signed in just for use with Media & Purchases will be referred to as the secondary Apple Account.

When the transfer occurs, payment methods from the secondary account migrate to the new account. All “apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books” also migrate to the primary account, as do any active subscriptions.

This feature is long overdue and a welcome improvement for many users.

According to the folks over at Android Authority, a teardown of the latest Android APKs shows that Google is adding the ability to delete messages for everyone in a chat. This is a significant improvement over the current version of RCS chats included in Messenger, which only deletes a message on your local device, not for everyone else in the chat.

AA found code that shows users will have a choice between “Delete for everyone” and “Delete for me.” This is virtually identical to the options Signal and WhatsApp present users. The code indicates that Messages currently notifies users when a message is deleted, or when a user attempts to delete one.

RCS is the next evolution of traditional text messaging. Unlike its predecessor, SMS, RCS offers advanced features like those found in iMessage, WhatsApp, and Signal, including group management, read receipts, file transfers, and improved security.

Google’s initial implementation lacked a number of features, including end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and Delete for Everyone. As RCS adoption continues, however, Google is continuing to add features.

RCS also stands as one of the best options for cross-platform texting with Apple’s iMessae, with Apple finally adopting RCS for cross-platform conversations. The only major limitation is a lack of E2EE when communicating between platforms, but the two companies are working to resolve it.

As AA points out, there’s no guarantee the feature will make it into Messages but, if it does, it would be a welcome addition.

According to the company, Google blocked 2.36 million apps from being published because they violated Google Play policies. The company also banned more than 158,000 developer accounts for attempting to publish harmful apps. In addition, Google also stopped 1.3 million apps from gaining excess or unnecessary access to users’ sensitive data.

The company broke down exactly how it managed to accomplish such impressive measures, with AI playing a major role.

To keep out bad actors, we have always used a combination of human security experts and the latest threat-detection technology. In 2024, we used Google’s advanced AI to improve our systems’ ability to proactively identify malware, enabling us to detect and block bad apps more effectively. It also helps us streamline review processes for developers with a proven track record of policy compliance. Today, over 92% of our human reviews for harmful apps are AI-assisted, allowing us to take quicker and more accurate action to help prevent harmful apps from becoming available on Google Play.

Google also worked heavily with developers to less apps’ reliance on sensitive user data.

To protect user privacy, we’re working with developers to reduce unnecessary access to sensitive data. In 2024, we prevented 1.3 million apps from getting excessive or unnecessary access to sensitive user data. We also required apps to be more transparent about how they handle user information by launching new developer requirements and a new “Data deletion” option for apps that support user accounts and data collection. This helps users manage their app data and understand the app’s deletion practices, making it easier for Play users to delete data collected from third-party apps.

We also worked to ensure that apps use the strongest and most up-to-date privacy and security capabilities Android has to offer. Every new version of Android introduces new security and privacy features, and we encourage developers to embrace these advancements as soon as possible. As a result of partnering closely with developers, over 91% of app installs on the Google Play Store now use the latest protections of Android 13 or newer.

Google also touted Google Play’s multi-layered protection features.

To create a trusted experience for everyone on Google Play, we use our SAFE principles as a guide, incorporating multi-layered protections that are always evolving to help keep Google Play safe. These protections start with the developers themselves, who play a crucial role in building secure apps. We provide developers with best-in-class tools, best practices, and on-demand training resources for building safe, high-quality apps. Every app undergoes rigorous review and testing, with only approved apps allowed to appear in the Play Store. Before a user downloads an app from Play, users can explore its user reviews, ratings, and Data safety section on Google Play to help them make an informed decision. And once installed, Google Play Protect, Android’s built-in security protection, helps to shield their Android device by continuously scanning for malicious app behavior.

While the Play Store offers best-in-class security, we know it’s not the only place users download Android apps – so it’s important that we also defend Android users from more generalized mobile threats. To do this in an open ecosystem, we’ve invested in sophisticated, real-time defenses that protect against scams, malware, and abusive apps. These intelligent security measures help to keep users, user data, and devices safe, even if apps are installed from various sources with varying levels of security.

Google Play Protect automatically scans every app on Android devices with Google Play Services, no matter the download source. This built-in protection, enabled by default, provides crucial security against malware and unwanted software. Google Play Protect scans more than 200 billion apps daily and performs real-time scanning at the code-level on novel apps to combat emerging and hidden threats, like polymorphic malware. In 2024, Google Play Protect’s real-time scanning identified more than 13 million new malicious apps from outside Google Play1.

Google’s 2024 Revelations Are Good News for Users

Google’s revelations regarding Google Play and Android security in 2024 is good news for its users. Apple has long been known as the privacy option when it comes to mobile ecosystems. Google, on the other hand, has repeatedly been accused of abusing user privacy.

While it’s certainly reassuring to see how many malicious apps and developers Google successfully blocked, it’s also good to see the company take definitive steps to stop apps from accessing excessive or unnecessary sensitive user data.

As the world’s largest mobile operating system, Android is used by billions of individuals. Unfortunately, the operating system is built and maintained by the world’s largest advertising company, meaning it also serves as a way for Google to make money off of its users via their data and serving them ads.

Seeing Google take measures to improve privacy and limit app access to sensitive data is a win for users—even if the company still has a ways to go before it matches Apple.

Apple’s iPhone represents roughly half of the company’s revenue, but designs in recent years have largely stagnated, offering users only incremental improvements. As a result, sales have largely plateaued as the company has struggled to convince users to upgrade to models that don’t offer much more than the ones they already have.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is preparing two major upgrades to its iPhone lineup. The first is a thinner model, less than the current models’ 8-millimeter design. WSJ says Apple intends to price the thinner phone at a point less than the Pro model. The new model is expected next year.

Meanwhile, the company is also working on not one but two foldable devices. WSJ reports that one of the models blurs the lines between tablet and laptop, with a screen that folds out to a whopping 19 inches.

The second model is a more traditionally sized phone, which will be larger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max when it is unfolded.

Apple has long been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone but has not been satisfied by the limits of the technology. The company is known for creating some of the best-designed phones in the industry, with a near-maniacal focus on design. While foldable phones provide some significant advantages over traditional models, they also come with some equally significant trade-offs, especially when it comes to durability and battery life.

The fact that Apple appears to be closing in on a foldable release would seem to indicate that the company believes technology has finally reached a point where it can release a phone with minimal compromises. Either that or Apple is so desperate to jumpstart iPhone sales that it’s finally willing to accept the compromises that come along with such devices.

Like many email clients, Gmail gives users the ability to address recipients via the To, CC, and BCC fields. The company is making it a bit easier to make sure the right address is in the right fields, adding the ability to drag and drop addresses.

When writing an email in the Gmail app on your Android device, you can now drag and drop contacts in the addressee fields. This makes it easier for you to move an email address between the “to,” “cc,” and “bcc” fields. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Additional Improvements

In addition to the improvement to Gmail addressing, the company is making improvements to Connected Sheets for Looker.

Earlier this year, we increased the maximum number of rows of results returned from BigQuery to 100,000 for pivot tables. This week, we’re expanding this to Connected Sheets for Looker by increasing the maximum number of rows of results returned from Looker to 100,000 for pivot tables. With this update, users can analyze even more results in Sheets from the petabytes of data in Looker. | Rolling out to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains now. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about Connected Sheets for Looker.

Google also emphasized the recent release of Gemini Mobile for Workspace users.

The Gemini mobile app for Android and iOS devices is now available for Google Workspace users accessing Gemini as a core service. | Learn more about the Gemini mobile app.

The improvements should be a welcome upgrade for Workspace users, especially for making it easier to address emails correctly when using Gmail on Android.

Additionally, they foster customer engagement through personalized services and rewards programs, enhancing loyalty. As more businesses adopt these solutions, they gain valuable insights into customer behavior, allowing for more targeted marketing strategies. Ultimately, the continued evolution of mobile banking technology positions it as a vital tool for driving innovation and efficiency in today’s dynamic business environment.

How Much Does it Cost to Build Mobile Banking App

The expenses associated with building a banking app similar to established platforms are influenced by various factors, such as the complexity of features, the level of technological innovation, the chosen platforms, and the location of the development team. Generally, the expenses for creating a customized mobile banking app range from $40,000 to $300,000.

Factors Influencing the Cost of Mobile Banking App

When developing a mobile banking app, several key factors are essential to consider. Each of these elements significantly impacts the app’s functionality and user experience, ultimately affecting the overall development cost. Collaborating with a seasoned mobile banking software development company can help navigate these complexities and optimize expenses to ensure the app’s success.

Features and Functionality

The features and functionality of a mobile banking app play a crucial role in determining its overall cost. Basic functionalities, such as account balance inquiries, transaction history, fund transfers, and bill payments, are essential for any banking app and typically require a lower investment. However, incorporating advanced features significantly raises development costs. For instance, biometric authentication for security, budgeting tools for financial management, investment options for wealth growth, and personalized notifications for account activities can enhance user experience but also add complexity to the app. As such, it’s important to carefully consider which features are necessary for your target audience and budget.

Platform Choice

The choice of platform significantly influences the cost of mobile banking app development. If you opt to develop for both iOS and Android, you’ll need to allocate more resources, as this will require either separate native app development or a cross-platform solution. While cross-platform frameworks can help reduce costs, they might compromise on performance or user experience compared to native applications. Thus, selecting the right platform is essential not just for budgetary reasons but also for ensuring that the app meets user expectations and performs optimally.

Design Complexity

The complexity of the app’s design impacts both user experience and development costs. A well-crafted user interface (UI) and an intuitive user experience (UX) are vital for mobile banking apps, as they directly influence customer satisfaction and engagement. Creating a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate app may require skilled designers and additional resources, which can increase costs. Moreover, custom graphics, animations, and branding elements further contribute to the overall budget, making it crucial to strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality.

Security Requirements

Security is a paramount concern in mobile banking app development due to the sensitive nature of financial data. The need for compliance with regulatory standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), adds another layer of complexity to the project. Implementing robust security measures—such as data encryption, secure coding practices, and regular security audits—ensures the protection of user data but can also significantly increase development costs. Therefore, investing in strong security features is essential for building trust with users and avoiding potential legal issues.

Integration with Existing Systems

Integrating the mobile banking app with existing banking systems and databases is a critical factor that influences development costs. This integration often requires collaboration with internal IT teams to ensure seamless communication between the app and the bank’s backend systems. The complexity of these integrations can vary, affecting the overall timeline and budget. Proper planning and technical expertise are necessary to navigate these challenges and deliver a fully functional app.

Development Team Location

The geographical location of the development team can greatly impact the cost of creating a mobile banking app. Hiring developers in regions with a high cost of living typically leads to higher wages, while outsourcing to countries with lower labor costs can reduce expenses. However, it’s important to weigh the benefits of cost savings against potential challenges such as time zone differences, language barriers, and varying levels of expertise. Ultimately, finding the right balance between cost and quality is key to a successful development process.

Maintenance and Updates

After the initial launch, ongoing maintenance and updates are essential to keep the mobile banking app functional, secure, and aligned with user needs. This includes bug fixes, feature enhancements, and regular updates to ensure compliance with evolving regulations. The cost of maintaining the app can add up over time, so it’s important to factor in these long-term expenses during the budgeting phase of development.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Extensive testing and quality assurance are critical components of mobile banking app development. Thorough testing across different devices, operating systems, and network conditions is essential to ensure that the app functions correctly and provides a smooth user experience. While investing in quality assurance may increase initial costs, it helps prevent costly post-launch fixes and enhances customer satisfaction. A well-tested app is more likely to perform reliably and meet user expectations, ultimately contributing to its success in the competitive banking sector.

Timeframe for Development

The timeframe for development can significantly influence the overall cost of the mobile banking app. If the project has a tight deadline, it may require additional resources, such as hiring more developers or allocating overtime, to expedite the process. This urgency can lead to increased costs due to the need for quicker turnaround times and more intensive project management. Careful planning and realistic scheduling are essential to ensure that the app is delivered on time without compromising quality.

Third-party Services

Incorporating third-party services and APIs into the mobile banking app can enhance its functionality but also adds to the overall development costs. Services such as payment gateways, Know Your Customer (KYC) solutions, and fraud detection systems typically involve fees for integration and usage. While these services can provide significant benefits in terms of user experience and security, it’s essential to evaluate their costs against the potential return on investment.

Final Words

In summary, creating a mobile banking app involves navigating a landscape filled with essential considerations. Factors such as user experience, robust security measures, regulatory adherence, and seamless integrations all contribute significantly to the app’s overall success. For businesses looking to thrive in this competitive environment, collaborating with an experienced mobile banking software development firm is crucial. This partnership can help translate innovative ideas into a user-friendly and secure app that not only meets customer expectations but also fosters loyalty. By prioritizing these elements, you can build a mobile banking solution that enhances user engagement and drives sustainable growth.

The Pixel Tablet brought Google’s Pixel design aesthetic to tablets, giving Android fans a first-party tablet that showcased the very best of what Android could offer in that form factor. A second version of the tablet was believed to be slated for 2025, but Android Authority is reporting that Google has pulled the plug.

Citing a credible source withing Google, AA’s Mishaal Rahman says Google canceled the second-gen tablet over fears it “would lose money on it.” The decision is disappointing given that the Pixel Tablet 2 promised to be a substantial upgrade over the first-gen model, with a newer chipset, official keyboard, and improved camera.

Even more concerning, however, is the implication that Google may be abandoning the tablet market altogether. News broke earlier this week that the company is working to convert Chrome OS into Android, a move that would greatly improve Android’s tablet-oriented features and help Android tablets better compete with Apple’s iPad.

If Google is abandoning the Pixel Tablet line—and pulling back from the tablet market altogether—Android users will once again have to rely on third-party companies for a non-Apple tablet.

Android users currently must rely on Google One or a third-party app to handle backups of their SMS and RCS texts. According to 9to5Google, the latest beta of Google Messages mentions a feature called “Backup & restore.” The outlet discovered the following strings of text:

• “Backup is better with Messages. Restore your conversations, media & more anytime in app.”
• “Your backup will be end-to-end encrypted and secured by your screen lock”
• “Your conversations restore automatically when you sign in”

The strings also say that some configurations may not be “eligible for end-to-end encrypted backups,” specifically not having a screen lock enabled.

Backups protected by end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is an important feature, and one that would offer users a significant upgrade over many current backup options. SMS Backup & Restore is a popular app that many rely on, but E2EE is only available in the paid Pro version.

While there’s no guarantee the new backup feature will be included in an upcoming release. If Google does include it, however, it would solve a significant pain point for many users.

In an exclusive report by Android Authority, the outlet cites a source within Google that says the company is on a multi-year quest to turn Chrome OS into Android. Doing so would help the company better compete with the iPad and iPadOS.

As the outlet points out, there have long been rumors that Google may one day merge the two operating systems to create a new one, with yet more suggesting Fuchsia could replace both of them. The source within Google says that Google is instead converting Chrome OS into Android, leveraging the benefits of both operating systems to the Android ecosystem.

Chrome OS has always had an advantage over Android in the realm of productivity, while Android is better suited to smaller devices and media consumption. Converting Chrome OS to Android could bring some important productivity features to Android, helping it better compete with Apple’s mobile OS.

Android Authority says it’s still unknown what will become of the Chrome OS brand, as well as Chromebooks.

Why This Is a Good Move

Despite dominating the global smartphone market, Google has struggled to make headway in the tablet market, continually bested by Apple’s iPad. Having two completely different mobile operating systems has been less than ideal, as each OS has had its own advantages and disadvantages, creating unnecessary confusion.

Converting Chrome OS into Android will bring some much-needed unity to Google’s mobile efforts, boosting the Android user base and bringing some of the best productivity features from Chrome OS to Android. Rather than starting fresh with an all-new OS, such as Fuchsia, converting Chrome OS to Android will leverage the wealth of existing apps and platforms that already support Android.

Whether this development will be enough to help Android be a credible threat to the iPad remains to be seen, but this is certainly the most promising change Google has made in years.

Phone Scam Detection

According to the company, scammers steal more than $1 trillion every year, with phone calls being a prime attack vector. The company is using AI to identify and combat scammers with its Scam Detection tool.

• Real-time defense, right on your device: Scam Detection uses powerful on-device AI to notify you of a potential scam call happening in real-time by detecting conversation patterns commonly associated with scams. For example, if a caller claims to be from your bank and asks you to urgently transfer funds due to an alleged account breach, Scam Detection will process the call to determine whether the call is likely spam and, if so, can provide an audio and haptic alert and visual warning that the call may be a scam.
• Private by design, you’re always in control: We’ve built Scam Detection to protect your privacy and ensure you’re always in control of your data. Scam Detection is off by default, and you can decide whether you want to activate it for future calls. At any time, you can turn it off for all calls in the Phone app Settings, or during a particular call. The AI detection model and processing are fully on-device, which means that no conversation audio or transcription is stored on the device, sent to Google servers or anywhere else, or retrievable after the call.
• Cutting-edge AI protection, now on more Pixel phones: Gemini Nano, our advanced on-device AI model, powers Scam Detection on Pixel 9 series devices. As part of our commitment to bring powerful AI features to even more devices, this AI-powered protection is available to Pixel 6+ users thanks to other robust Google on-device machine learning models.

The company says it is initially rolling out the feature to English-speaking Pixel 6 or newer devices.

Unsafe Apps and Malware

In addition to protecting users from scam calls, Google is providing real-time analysis of apps via Google Play Protect, to identify malware and other unsafe apps.

With live threat detection, if a harmful app is found, you’ll now receive a real-time alert, allowing you to take immediate action to protect your device. By looking at actual activity patterns of apps, live threat detection can now find malicious apps that try extra hard to hide their behavior or lie dormant for a time before engaging in suspicious activity.

At launch, live threat detection will focus on stalkerware, code that may collect personal or sensitive data for monitoring purposes without user consent, and we will explore expanding its detection to other types of harmful apps in the future. All of this protection happens on your device in a privacy preserving way through Private Compute Core, which allows us to protect users without collecting data.

Live threat detection is similarly rolling out initially on Pixel 6 and newer devices, with additional phones—including those from other manufacturers—supported in the coming months.

Users have been wanting an OLED MacBook Air for years, but the current lineup still uses LED displays. Some reports had predicted the company would make the switch to OLED in 2027, but Korean site The Elec, courtesy of CNET, says the MacBook Air won’t receive an OLED upgrade till 2028.

While Apple is notoriously mum on its plans, The Elec cited component sources within the industry for its information. Fortunately, Apple’s LEDs are high enough quality that a delayed switch to OLED shouldn’t have a major impact.

According to Counterpoint Research, Pixel 9 series shipments in the US increased 20% over the Pixel 8. The only other company that saw an increase in shipments was Motorola—coming in at 21%—while all others declined.

Maurice Klaehne, Senior Analyst said, “The Pixel 9 series had a staggard launch this year starting at the end of August with the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL, followed by the 9 Pro and 9 Pro Fold in the beginning of September. This helped increase shipments in the quarter compared to the October launch of the Pixel 8 series. The Pixel 9 Pro XL cracked the top ten best-selling premium smartphones in the quarter. We expect GenAI smartphones to perform well in Q4 as more software updates for both iOS and Android get released.”

Interestingly, Apple was one of the smartphone companies to see declining shipments, and unusual scenario for the iPhone maker.

Research Director Jeff Fieldhack said, “Apple sell-in was muted in Q3, however we did see September sales up 6% as Apple benefitted from an earlier iPhone 16 launch. At launch, we saw many users of older iPhone generations upgrade, helping initial sales. We believe Apple Intelligence will motivate upgraders in the future, but this upgrade period was not a significant driver.”

According to Statcounter, the increase in shipments helped Google cross into double-digit market share territory, with the company now sitting at 12.9% of the US smartphone market. That puts it in third place, behind Apple and Samsung.

While Google has sold the Pixel for years, the Pixel 6 is widely seen as a turning point when the smartphone truly began to compete favorably with top-end phones from Apple and Samsung. Google is certainly capitalizing on its opportunity, and will likely continue to steal away market share from its larger rivals.

According to TechCrunch, the Indonesian Ministry of Industry banned Google’s phones after the company failed to meet the country’s 40% local content. Indonesia requires tech companies to source at least 40% of their products from within the country. While some companies have set up a manufacturing presence within the country, others have opted to meet the 40% rule through other means, such as investments.

Unfortunately for Google, the company has failed to meet the 40% requirement via any of the available options.

“The local content rule and related policies are made for fairness for all investors that invest in Indonesia, and for creating added value and deepening the industry structure here,” said Industry Minister spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief.

Apple’s iPhone was similarly banned after the company failed to meet its promised $109 million investment in the country. Apple fell $14 million short, only investing $90 million.

Industry Minister Gumiwang Kartasasmita made clear it was illegal to own an iPhone 16 within the country.

If there is an iPhone 16 that can operate in Indonesia, that means that I can say, the device is illegal. Do report it to us.

We, the Ministry of Industry, are yet to be able to issue permits for the iPhone 16 because there are still commitments that Apple must realise.

Only time will tell if Apple and Google meet Indonesia’s requirements.

The MacBook Air is Apple’s most popular laptop, used by everyone from students to business professionals to developers. Despite its popularity, Apple has only included 8GB of RAM as the default for years.

As recently as April of this year, Apple defended its decision to default to 8GB in the MacBook Air, citing the benefits of its M-series architecture as the reason.

With the recent MacBook Air refresh, Apple has finally bumped the base RAM to 16GB. Apple Intelligence is the likely reason, as it takes 8GB to run the local AI models.

Whatever the reason, the increased RAM should provide a welcome boost for users, and provide value far beyond AI features.

Traditionally, Google has always released major versions in Q3 or Q4, with this year’s Android 15 released in October. According to a company blog post, Android 16 will be released months early in Q2. Google says the schedule change is to better accommodate device launches.

Next year, we’ll have a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4, both of which will include new developer APIs. The Q2 major release will be the only release in 2025 to include behavior changes that can affect apps. We’re planning the major release for Q2 rather than Q3 to better align with the schedule of device launches across our ecosystem, so more devices can get the major release of Android sooner.

The Q4 minor release will pick up feature updates, optimizations, and bug fixes since the major release. It will also include new developer APIs, but will not include any app-impacting behavior changes.

Outside of the major and minor Android releases, our Q1 and Q3 releases will provide incremental updates to help ensure continuous quality. We’re actively working with our device partners to bring the Q2 release to as many devices as possible.

Google says developers will need to test their apps for compatibility with the Q2 release, but that the Q4 release is not slated to have any major behavioral changes.

With the major release coming in Q2, you’ll need to do your annual compatibility testing a few months earlier than in previous years to make sure your apps are ready. Major releases are just like the SDK releases we have today, and can include behavior changes along with new developer APIs – and to help you get started, we’ll soon begin the developer preview and beta program for the Q2 major release.

The minor release in Q4 will include new APIs, but, like the incremental quarterly releases we have today, will have no planned behavior changes, minimizing the need for compatibility testing. To differentiate major releases (which may contain planned behavior changes) from minor releases, minor releases will not increment the API level. Instead, they’ll increment a new minor API level value, which will be accessed through a constant that captures both major and minor API levels. A new manifest attribute will allow you to specify a minor API level as the minimum required SDK release for your app. We’ll have an initial version of support for minor API levels in the upcoming Q2 developer preview, so please try building against the SDK and let us know how this works for you.

Google says one of its goals is to accelerate Android development.

Our aim with these changes is to enable faster innovation and a higher level of quality and polish across releases, without introducing more overhead or costs for developers. At the same time, we’re welcoming an even closer collaboration with you throughout the year. Stay tuned for more information on the first developer preview of Android 16.

The Thunderbird team acquired the popular K-9 Mail Android client roughly two years ago, with the goal of using it as the basis for a true Thunderbird email app for the mobile platform. Although the effort took longer than anticipated, the team released a beta in early October, and have now followed that up with the full release.

Just over two years ago, we announced our plans to bring Thunderbird to Android by taking K-9 Mail under our wing. The journey took a little longer than we had originally anticipated and there was a lot to learn along the way, but the wait is finally over! For all of you who have ever asked “when is Thunderbird for Android coming out?”, the answer is – today! We are excited to announce that the first stable release of Thunderbird for Android is out now, and we couldn’t be prouder of the newest, most mobile member of the Thunderbird family.

The company outlined the new feature available in the final release.

New

• Thunderbird for Android now looks like a Thunderbird!
• New Material 3 folder drawer gives Thunderbird a fresh new look.
• Migrate your settings from K-9 Mail to Thunderbird using an in-app settings import.
• Migrate your settings from Thunderbird Desktop to Thunderbird for Android using QR codes.
• You can make financial contributions via Google Play in-app purchases (play store variant), or opening our fundraising page (foss variant). Support Thunderbird today!
• Updated OAuth support for Fastmail and various other providers.
• Enhanced folder management, removed folder display and push classes.
• Updated translations for multiple languages, including Norsk Nynorsk and Irish.

Changed From the Beta

• Updated text color of read messages in the message list for better visibility.
• A number of accessibility improvements when using Talkback.
• Addressed crashes in account management, crypto provider dialogs, and QR code import.

Unresolved

• We are aware of user feedback from the beta list on the new folder drawer and seek to make improvements in upcoming releases.

The new version seamlessly imports settings and email accounts from K-9, although users will need to export their settings from the K-9 app, as Thunderbird doesn’t yet support direct app-to-app import. Nonetheless, at least in this writer’s experience, the import went perfectly.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple promised to invest $109 million ($1.71 trillion rupiah), but only invested $95 million ($1.48 trillion rupiah). In response, the Indonesian government has banned the iPhone 16.

Interestingly, the ban goes beyond merely banning imports of the device, instead making it illegal for anyone to own and use an iPhone 16. Industry Minister Gumiwang Kartasasmita made the distinction clear in his statement.

If there is an iPhone 16 that can operate in Indonesia, that means that I can say, the device is illegal. Do report it to us.

Kartasasmita made clear the decision was in response to Apple coming up short on its promise.

We, the Ministry of Industry, are yet to be able to issue permits for the iPhone 16 because there are still commitments that Apple must realise.

Needless to say, the ban is likely to be an issue for locals, as well as for anyone traveling to the country with an iPhone 16. An individual could easily face confiscation of their device.

A mobile-friendly website impacts both user experience and search engine rankings. Visitors expect fast load times and easy navigation on their phones. If they don’t get it, they’ll likely leave and look elsewhere. Search engines like Google or Bing also prioritize mobile-optimized sites in their results. By focusing on mobile frontend services, you can improve user satisfaction and boost your site’s visibility. This guide will explore key practices to enhance your website’s performance on mobile devices.

Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design is essential for mobile optimization because it ensures that websites work well on any device, regardless of screen size. As mobile traffic continues to grow, websites must adapt to different screen dimensions to provide a seamless experience. Without responsive design, users may face layout issues, slow load times, or broken functionality, leading to frustration and abandonment. A responsive approach makes sure content stays accessible and usable whether viewed on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

Key techniques like CSS media queries, flexible grids, and fluid images enable responsive design. Media queries adjust the layout based on the device’s width, ensuring elements scale properly. Flexible grids divide the page into adaptable columns that resize with the screen, while fluid images ensure visuals don’t overflow or distort. These methods work together to maintain the design’s integrity, making websites easier to navigate and more engaging for mobile users.

Prioritize Fast Load Times

Fast load times are crucial for mobile users, as slow websites lead to high bounce rates and a poor user experience. Mobile connections are often less stable, making speed even more important. Websites that load quickly keep users engaged and improve overall usability, which in turn helps retain visitors and boost conversions.

Several techniques can help reduce load times. Lazy loading delays the loading of images and content until the user scrolls to that part of the page, improving initial load speed. Compressing images reduces file sizes without sacrificing quality, making them faster to load. Minimizing HTTP requests by combining files or eliminating unnecessary resources also speeds up the site, cutting down on the time it takes to fully load.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) play a key role in speeding up websites by distributing content across multiple servers worldwide. This reduces the distance between the user and the server, resulting in faster load times. CDNs help ensure that users experience the same fast performance, regardless of their location.

Touch-Friendly User Interfaces

Designing touch-friendly interfaces is essential for mobile users, as touchscreens require different interactions than desktops. Buttons should be large enough for users to tap without difficulty, and there should be enough space between interactive elements to prevent accidental taps. These adjustments make the interface more intuitive and reduce frustration for users navigating on smaller screens.

Hover effects, commonly used on desktops, do not work on mobile because there is no cursor. Relying on these effects can cause confusion or limit functionality for mobile users. Instead, design interactions that are responsive to taps or swipes, ensuring all features are easily accessible through touch. This makes the interface smoother and more user-friendly for mobile users.

Optimize Images and Media

Optimizing images is essential for mobile performance. Using responsive images with the srcset attribute allows the browser to choose the best image size based on the device’s screen resolution. This reduces data usage and improves load times. Additionally, modern image formats like WebP offer better compression, helping images load faster without sacrificing quality.

Video optimization is equally important for mobile users. Compressing video files and using adaptive streaming ensures that videos load quickly and play smoothly. This prevents buffering and reduces the strain on mobile data. Using appropriate formats and adjusting video resolution for smaller screens improves the overall user experience.

Implement Mobile-First CSS

Mobile-first design is an approach where CSS is written primarily for mobile devices, and then progressively enhanced for larger screens. This ensures that mobile users, who often have less bandwidth and smaller screens, receive the most optimized version of the site. Starting with a simple, lightweight design for mobile and adding complexity for desktops creates a smoother experience across devices.

To implement mobile-first CSS, you can write your base styles for small screens and use media queries to add styles for larger viewports. For example, a simple layout might start with a single-column design for mobile, and at a specified width, a media query could add a multi-column layout for tablets and desktops. This approach keeps the code clean and ensures better performance on mobile.

Test and Monitor Mobile Performance

Regularly testing your website on different mobile devices and screen sizes is essential to ensure a smooth user experience. Mobile devices vary in resolution, processing power, and browser behavior, so testing across a range of devices helps identify performance issues early. Skipping this step can result in poor user experiences, like slow load times or broken layouts, on certain devices.

Tools like Google Lighthouse and BrowserStack make it easier to test and monitor mobile performance. Google Lighthouse provides insights into page speed, accessibility, and SEO, while BrowserStack allows you to test your site on various real devices. Continuous monitoring is key as technology evolves and new devices are released, ensuring that your site remains fast and user-friendly over time.

Final Thoughts

Optimizing your website for mobile users is no longer optional—it’s a necessity in today’s digital landscape. By implementing responsive design, prioritizing fast load times, and creating touch-friendly interfaces, you can significantly enhance the mobile user experience. These practices, along with image optimization and mobile-first CSS, ensure your site performs well on smaller screens and slower connections.

Regular testing and monitoring are key to maintaining a high-quality mobile experience. As technology evolves and new devices enter the market, staying vigilant about your site’s performance across various platforms is crucial. By following these front-end best practices, you can create a mobile-friendly website that not only satisfies users but also ranks well in search results, ultimately driving more traffic and engagement to your site.

Epic Games sued both Apple and Google, although with drastically different results. Apple won its case on all but one—relatively minor—point, while Google lost its case. In the wake of the loss, Judge James Donato laid out the remedial measures Google must take. The measures include prohibiting Google from incentivizing developers to launch their apps on Google Play first, forcing the company to include third-party app stores (think Aurora and F-Droid) in the Google Play store, give third-party apps full access to Google Play’s full catalog of apps, and allow developers to use outside payments systems.

Needless to say, Google has already stated their intention to appeal, and it seems they have a strong case. Lee-Anne Mulholland, VP of Regulatory Affairs, outlined the company’s case.

Today, the court overseeing our ongoing U.S. legal proceedings with Epic Games ordered changes to Android and Google Play, requested by Epic. As we have already stated, these changes would put consumers’ privacy and security at risk, make it harder for developers to promote their apps, and reduce competition on devices. Ultimately, while these changes presumably satisfy Epic, they will cause a range of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers and device makers.

These Epic-requested changes stem from a decision that is completely contrary to another court’s rejection of similar claims Epic made against Apple — even though, unlike iOS, Android is an open platform that has always allowed for choice and flexibility like multiple app stores and sideloading.

Mulholland then goes on to highlight the specific areas Google’s appeal will target.

• Apple and Google compete directly for consumers: The decision rests on a flawed finding that Android is a market in itself. In contrast, the Apple decision, upheld on appeal, rightly found that Android and iOS compete in the same market. This is obvious to anyone who has bought a smartphone. Walk into a store that sells smartphones and you’ll see the options side-by-side — Android phones from companies like Samsung, Motorola and many others competing right next to Apple’s iPhone. People choose between these phones based on price, quality and security.
• Google and Apple compete directly for app developers: The decision ignores what every developer in the world knows — they have to prioritize investing in developing for iPhones and Androids. Developers have finite resources and have to decide how much time and money to devote to building and updating their apps for each platform. Like any business, Google wants developers to offer their best features for Android and to release them on Android first. So we build tools, run training programs and invest in making it as easy as possible to develop for Android. Apple of course does the same — competing to convince developers to prioritize iOS.
• Android is open and Google Play is not the only way to get apps: The decision fails to take into account that Android is an open platform and developers have always had many options in how to distribute their apps. In fact, most Android devices come preloaded with two or more app stores right out of the box. Developers have other options too, such as offering their apps directly to users from their websites. For example, Epic Games has made its popular Fortnite app available to Android users through the Samsung Galaxy Store, sideloading, and the Epic Games Store – all while Fortnite was not distributed through Google Play. These are options that developers have never been able to offer to their American users on iPhones.

The Apple Precedent

Google is not wrong to compare itself favorably to Apple in this context. Apple truly does have a walled garden around its iOS App Store, a walled garden Epic was eager to see blown wide open. In that case, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple’s approach did lead to security and privacy benefits to users—both in the narrow definition Epic was concerned with and the broader definition Apple was working with.

Thus, the Court finds that centralized distribution through the App Store increases security in the “narrow” sense, primarily by thwarting social engineering attacks.

As with objectionable content, Epic Games responds by showing that scams still slip through app review.536 For the same reasons, this anecdotal evidence does not show that scams and other fraud would not be higher without app review. Thus, the Court finds that app distribution restrictions increase security in the “broad” sense by allowing Apple to filter fraud, objectionable content, and piracy during app review while imposing heightened requirements for privacy.

Similarly, Judge Rogers found that Apple’s stewardship of its ecosystem did have at least some benefit to developers.

Third, the evidence on developers is mixed. On the one hand, developers experience delays and mistaken rejections that would not occur with sideloading or distribution through stores without app review. On the other hand, developers benefit from the safe environment created by the App Store. Based on a trusted environment, users download apps freely and without care, which benefits small and new developers whose apps might not be downloaded if users felt concern about safety. This is consistent with the indirect network effects identified by Dr. Schmalensee: the small burden on developers maintains a healthy ecosystem that ultimately benefits both sides. Thus, the evidence shows that developers both benefit and suffer from app distribution restrictions.

Interestingly, security experts agreed with Apple’s insistence, and Judge Rogers, that security is improved by Apple’s stewardship.

“If Epic were to prevail, competition for higher quality device security would be stifled, and courts would be forced into unwanted regulatory postures that would open the door for greater risk of security threats,” wrote a group of former defense, CIA, NSA, and National Security Council officials.

Similarly, Roblox also voiced its support of Apple during its case.

“Apple’s process for review and approval of apps available on the App Store enhances safety and security, and provides those apps greater legitimacy in the eyes of users,” Roblox wrote. “This is an important benefit that all apps, including Roblox’s, enjoy by choosing to be a part of Apple’s ecosystem.”

As Mulholland points out, Google already allows users to sideload apps on Android, including third-party app stores. This writer, for example, already uses F-Droid on a stock Pixel 9 Pro Fold and has installed a number of apps from that source. In contrast, Apple still does not allow sideloading of any kind.

Epic’s Disingenuous Tactics

In a blog post in May 2024, Google minced no words in saying that Epic’s case all about benefiting Epic, not users.

Epic’s proposed remedies were all clearly designed to only benefit itself. They would harm the Android ecosystem, and competition in general, by creating security and privacy risks, depriving developers and OEMs of key business opportunities, and undercutting Google’s ability to support our investments in Android and Google Play.

Epic has a history of disingenuous behavior, in the context of this legal drama. For example, Epic first tried to bypass Apple and Google’s rules on in-app purchases, only suing when both companies banned Fortnite from their app stores. The company even asked for a temporary injunction that would force Apple to reinstate Fortnite to the App Store while the case played out, a request that Judge Rogers denied.

In our coverage of the case at the time, WPN pointed out the problem with Epic’s actions.

It was this action that led many to believe Epic intentionally orchestrated the ban, since the company stood to lose nothing by leaving the status quo intact while pursuing legal action. Had Epic won, any judge would have retroactively awarded damages. Instead of waiting for that, however, Epic chose a course of action it knew would lead to a ban. That action did not seem to sit well with Judge Rogers.

“In my view you cannot have irreparable harm when you create a harm yourself,” she said in response.

Conclusion and Prediction

Given Judge Rogers’ decision, which she reached in late 2021, it is difficult to see how or why Judge Donato reached the conclusion he did.

Not only did Judge Rogers’ decision exist as a precedent, but, as the company points out, Google is already far more open than Apple. After Apple prevailed, despite maintaining far more of a walled garden than Google does, it is almost unfathomable that Google lost as badly as it did, let alone is facing the remedial action it is.

Our bet is that much of Judge Donato’s decision is overturned on appeal. The one part that is likely to stand is the ruling that Google must allow developers to use outside billing options, much like Judge Rogers ruled that Apple must allow developers to point users to outside payment options—in the only point Epic won in its case against Apple.

Thunderbird acquired the K-9 email client roughly two years ago, with the plan to use it as a basis for a dedicated Thunderbird for Android. After two years of work, the public is finally able to try a beta of the new app.

Catch our conversation on Thunderbird for Android finally entering beta!

The Thunderbird team is asking for help from beta testers, identifying specific things that need testing.

Once you’ve downloaded the Thunderbird for Android beta, we’d like you to check that you can do the following:

• Automatic Setup (user only provides email address and maybe password)
• Manual Setup (user provides server settings)
• Read Messages
• Fetch Messages
• Switch accounts
• Move email to folder
• Notify for new message
• Edit drafts
• Write message
• Send message
• Email actions: reply, forward
• Delete email
• NOT experience data loss

The team is also interested in making sure the transfer from K-9 Mail works correctly.

If you’re already using K-9 Mail, you can help test an important feature: transferring your data from K-9 Mail to Thunderbird for Android. To do this, you’ll need to make sure you’ve upgraded to the latest beta version of K-9 Mail.

This transfer process is a key step in making it easier for K-9 Mail users to move over to Thunderbird. Testing this will help ensure a smooth and reliable experience for future users making the switch.

Later builds will additionally include a way to transfer your information from Thunderbird Desktop to Thunderbird for Android.

The team also asks that users not inundate them with bug reports or feature requests outside of the areas they are specifically targeting during the beta.

Having an official Thunderbird client on Android will be a big step forward, adding valuable name recognition to what was already one of the best email apps available on the platform.

Beta testers can provide feedback on the Thunderbird for Android beta mailing list, or chat with other members on the Thunderbird Matrix.