This story is part of our end-of-year series This Year in Gear rounding up the most notable releases of 2022. For more stories like this, click here.
2022 is about to be in the books. Looking back, there were a bunch of smartphones (both iPhone and Android) announced — as well as a ton of chargers, cables and other mobile accessories. These are the best that 2022 had to offer.
iPhone 14 and 14 Plus
Apple
The iPhone 14 is very similar to last year’s iPhone 13. It’s the same size and has a nearly identical 6.1-inch display. It also has the same A15 Bionic chipset. However, Apple did give it a few notable upgrades under the hood. It has improved rear and selfie camera systems for better low-light photography; there’s a new Action Mode for improved image stabilization when shooting video. It has satellite connectivity — which is a first for any iPhone. And maybe most notably, Apple has done away with the “mini” version and instead replaced it with a “plus” version, which has a 6.7-inch display similar to the Pro Max. (Read our review of the iPhone 14 here.)
The iPhone 14 Pros were probably the biggest standouts from Apple’s big fall event. They have an all-new floating pill-shaped notch, called the Dynamic Island, that’s interactive and designed to more-easily control apps (like Music, Timer or Maps) when they are running in the background. They have a vastly improved rear triple-camera system, including a 48-megapixel main camera with the largest sensor ever put in an iPhone. And they are powered by Apple’s super new powerful chipset, the A16 Bionic. (Read our review of the iPhone 14 Pro here.)
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the company’s new “best of the best” flagship smartphone. It has the most top-of-the-line features of any new Samsung smartphone, plus it adds the power and productivity features that were previously reserved for Samsung’s Note line. It comes integrated with a new low-latency S Pen. (This also likely means Samsung is fully abandoning its Note line.) Compared to all of Samsung’s new smartphones, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is decked out the largest AMOLED display (6.8 inches), the biggest battery (5,000mAh), the best and most capable camera system (now with 108-megapixel wide lens, capable of shooting 8K video, 100x zoom and a bunch AI-driven features) and the best built-in speakers, with support for Dolby Atmos.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+ are very similar to the Galaxy S22 Ultra in a lot of ways. They have the same 4nm processor, the same AMOLED display (albeit smaller) and most of the same camera capabilities. The main differences are that the Galaxy S22 and S22+ are smaller, have smaller batteries and they don’t come with a built-in S Pen. They have mostly the same camera systems, too, except they lack the Ultra’s 108MP wide-angle lens (theirs is 50MP instead) and they don’t have the same advanced autofocusing capabilities.
As far as the differences between the Galaxy S22 and S22+, it primarily comes down to size, battery life and charging speeds (and price, of course). The Galaxy S22 has a 6.1″ display and a 3,700mAh battery, while the Galaxy S22+ has a 6.6″ display and a 4,500mAh battery. When wired, the S22+ supports 45-watt fast-charging, just like the Ultra, while the S22 only gets up to 25 watts. Both wirelessly charge at a max of 15 watts.
Google released its latest flagship smartphones, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. As you’d expect, they Google’s best-ever smartphones with the most advanced camera capabilities of any Pixel smartphone to date. Both are powered the latest Tensor G2 chip, and they are actually more similar than they are different. The main differences are that the Pixel 7 Pro has a bigger display, more advanced camera (specifically for zoom) and a longer lasting battery. Both are pretty affordable for flagship smartphones, too.
Google released its latest midrange smartphone, the Pixel 6a, which is designed to compete against Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) and the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G — all these smartphones cost $449. The Pixel 6a adopts the new design of the Pixel 5 and Pixel 6 Pro, meaning it has a horizontal camera bar, two-tone color scheme and in-screen fingerprint reader. It also will include Google’s fancy Tensor chipset. The big difference is that Pixel 6a has a smaller 6.1 display with a slower 60Hz refresh rate. Also, its camera system isn’t quite as fancy as Google’s flagship smartphones.
Samsung released the newest versions of its foldable smartphones. Both the new “Flip” and “Fold” look very similar to their third-generation predecessors, but Samsung has made them lighter, stronger and more eco-friendly. Both foldable smartphones also have improved cameras, displays and charging capabilities, too.
The Phone 1 is Nothing’s first-ever smartphone. The Android’s most standout feature is the innovative lighting notification system located on its back. A different light pattern (and sound) will play depending on the person calling you or the app sending you the notification. The idea is that you’ll be able to tell who is trying to reach you even if your smartphone is lying face down.
Apple released a new-and-improved version of its affordable iPhone SE. The 2022 model has the same design as its 2020 predecessor — that means you still get the Home button, but no FaceID — but Apple has given it an upgraded A15 Bionic processor (the same processor as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro), which improves its battery life and gives it a few enhanced camera features. It also supports 5G. The only downside is that Apple bumped the starting price up by $30; the 2020 iPhone SE started at $399.
Samsung added a new mid-range smartphone to its A-series that’s designed to rival Apple’s newest iPhone SE. The just-announced Galaxy A53 is $30 cheaper (starting at $449), but comes with some more advanced features, including a bigger and faster display (6.5″ OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate) and a dual rear-camera system consisting of 64MP main (wide) and 12MP ultra-wide cameras. The main downside is that it doesn’t support wireless charging.
Fujifilm’s newest portable printer, the Instax Mini Link 2 ($100), connects to your smartphone and allows you to print any photo from your photo library; it essentially allows you to use your smartphone just like one of the company’s separate instant film cameras. The Instax Mini Link 2 is a new-and-improved version of Fujifilm’s 2019-released Instax Mini Link, with the major upgrade being that it has a new “rich” printing mode that adds extra color saturation and highlights to the print to make it really”pop.”
This is Nomad’s second official wireless charger that supports MagSafe, but its first that also comes with charging puck for an Apple Watch. The 2-in-1 wireless charger is beautiful thanks to its glass and metal body. And, weighing almost two pounds, it’s solid enough to not lift every time you pull your iPhone off it. You’ll need to use a 30-watt wall adapter (which Nomad sells separately) for it charge at its fastest speeds. Available in either silver or glass.
The Speedport 45 is Mophie’s new 45-watt wall adapter with dual USB-C ports. It’s essentially a more powerful and more capable version of the 35-watt dual wall adapter that Apple includes with its M2 MacBook Air. The kicker is that it’s cheaper ($50 vs Apple’s $59) and comes with 2-meter charging cable. You can buy it directly from Apple.
Anker released its first power adapters that combine Gallium Nitride (GaN), a material that’s significantly more energy-efficient and space-efficient than silicon, and PowerIQ (Gen 4.0) technology, which enables it to allocate different wattages to different devices based on how much charge they can accept and their current battery levels. Basically, they’re smaller, smarter and more powerful than most other chargers out there.
The Backbone One is one of the best handheld controllers for mobile gamers on iPhone. This year, the company announced it has teamed up with PlayStation to create a special version of its well-loved controller — and it looks just like the PS5’s DualSense controller. It’s the ideal solution for those who play PlayStation games (via the PS Remote Play app) on their iPhone.
The company best known for its rugged smartphone cases has released a 2-in-1 charging station for your iPhone and Apple Watch. It fully supports MagSafe, meaning it can charge an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 at its fastest possible speeds. And the stand is weighted (0.81 pounds) so it won’t jump off your desk when you go to grab your device. It comes a 36-watt wall charger and the necessary USB-C to USB-C charging cable. You can buy it directly from Apple’s website.
The Vameter 3 is a neat little gadget. It’s a power meter that acts as the liaison between a device that takes a USB-C charge (like a laptop or smartphone) and a USB-C charging cable. Once attached, it’ll then show you how much power — in volts, amps and watts — is being transferred to your device. Plugable has made these power meters before, but this is its first one that reach up to 240 watts (although no current laptops or smartphones can even accept that much power).
The Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro is the first MagSafe car mount that is capable of charging your iPhone 12 or later at its full 15-watt capacity. This fast charging capability is going to cost you, however. At $100, the Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro costs almost twice as much as other car mounts for iPhone. You can buy it directly from Apple.
Moment’s newest MagSafe accessory is designed to help filmmakers who are shooting with their iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 14. It’s a two-handed cage that grips your iPhone securely, while also working with attachments, such as a mounting mic and/or an LED light.
The Audioengine DAC3 is a tiny portable USB-C DAC/amp that’s designed to squeeze that extra quality out of your smartphone or laptop. It packs a ES9281A PRO DAC and supports high-end lossless audio (up to 32-bit/384kHz including MQA files); it looks to be a perfect and relatively budget-friendly option for people who like to listen to Tidal (or another lossless streaming service) and who have a pair of high-end wired headphones.
The JumpStart is a portable battery pack that doubles as a PopSocket grip for your smartphone. The only catch is that it requires you to have the company’s PopGrip ($10), which is sold separately, to work. Once attached, the 2,200mAh battery plugs into your smartphone via a hidden charging cable — both Lightning and USB-C models are available — and, according to the company, can provide up to 50% of extra juice.
RiotPWR and Xbox teamed up to create an Xbox edition controller designed to allow you to play Xbox games (via Xbox Cloud Gaming) on your iPhone. The controller is identical to the latest Xbox controllers, but with a mount and Lightning connector to hold and charge your iPhone while you play. It’s available for preorder now, with an official release slated for August 1.
The ShiftCam SnapGrip is a MagSafe-compatible accessory that adds a grip and a shutter button to your iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 — basically, it allows you to use your iPhone as a full-sized camera. It has a built-in battery so it can charge your iPhone, too. And, when attached, it instantly opens up your iPhone’s camera app for quick shooting.
Otterbox released two new portable battery packs — a 3,000 mAh and a 5,000 mAh model — that are designed to work with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13’s MagSafe system. They are essentially more affordable versions of to Apple’s own portable MagSafe Battery Pack. A neat advantage, however, is that there are magnets on either side of the battery pack which allows you to wirelessly charge your iPhone and the battery pack (if attached to wireless charger) at the same time.
Mophie’s newest portable power bank doubles as a stand for your iPhone. It’s fully compatible with MagSafe, meaning it can fast charge any iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 at up to 15 watts. It has a 10,000-mAh capacity, which is enough to nearly double the battery life of your iPhone. Additionally, it has a USB-C PD input/output port that you can use to charge a second device along with your iPhone.
Nomad released a transparent version of its 30-watt USB-C GaN wall adapter. It’s exactly the same as the company’s 30-watt USB-C GaN wall adapter, but instead of a matte black (called carbide) finish you can see its inner circuitry. It still supports Power Delivery and is powerful enough to charge an iPad or even a MacBook Air. The other good news is that it still costs $30, so there’s not even a price hike to get this neat design.
The iFi Go Link is the company’s newest portable DAC/amplifier that you can use to connect your wired headphones to your smartphone, tablet or computer. It connects via USB-C, but don’t worry iPhone users as iFi includes a Lightning adapter (as well as a USB-C to USB-A adapter) right in the box. The Go Link has a built-in 32-bit ES9219 Sabre DAC and supports high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/384kHz. It’s also pretty darn affordable.
Satechi released a hybrid device that’s both a portable battery pack and a wireless charger. It has a 10,000mAh battery capacity, which is enough to charge most smartphones several times over. It has a neat foldable design that transforms into a magnetic wireless charging stand, but when doing so it also reveals a second Qi-wireless charging spot for AirPods. You can wirelessly charge two devices at the same time, but there’s an additional USB-C port that allows you to charge a third device via a wired connection.
Zens released two wireless charging stands that are fully compatible with MagSafe, meaning they’re both capable of charging any supported iPhone (12 or later) at the max 15-watts. The two charging stations are identical, but the 4-in-1 (shown) model has a magnetically-attaching station that adds an Apple Watch charging puck. You can buy both these models directly from Apple.
The Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand is a MagSafe-compatible portable battery pack for any supported iPhone (12 or later). It has a 4,000mAh capacity, which is enough to give regular-sized iPhones about 70 percent more juice. As given away by its name, it has an integrated aluminum kickstand that supports both horizontal and portrait viewing angles.
The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is its latest handheld gimbal designed to help you take more stabilized photos and videos with your smartphone. This sixth-generation model has a couple marked improvements over its predecessors. It has a new wheel control on the side of the handle that can help you quickly zoom-in (or out) and focus on your subject. There’s a new “quick launch” feature that, as the name gives away, will help you quickly launch to the DJI camera app so that you can get shooting faster than before. And there’s a new status panel screen that’ll more easily show you how much battery the gimbal has left.
The HiRise3 is the company’s newest 3-in-1 charger for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods (any model with a wireless charging case). It has a more compact and minimal design compared to other like-minded chargers. Additionally, it also fully supports MagSafe, meaning it can fast-charge any iPhone 12/13/14. The only main downside is that the necessary 20-watt USB-C power adapter isn’t included and will need to be purchased separately. It’s available now in either black or white finishes.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
