Bloomberg: Apple execs recently presented augmented reality headset to company board, suggesting product is close to launch
According to a new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple has recently demoed its upcoming AR/VR headset device to the Apple company board of directors. This is a good indicator that the project is at an ‘advanced stage’ and that a public product launch is imminent.
Bloomberg reported previously that the consumer launch of the headset was planned for 2023, but it is possible to make an announcement about the device early. Today’s report also said that the development of the headset’s operating system has ramped up in recent months.
Bloomberg said Apple has been working on augmented reality versions of core iPhone apps to use on the headset as well as new apps “that will handle tasks such as streaming immersive content and holding virtual meetings.”
The first iteration of the headset is expected to be a relatively bulky and expensive device, featuring high-resolution displays, a powerful chip, and advanced sensors. Some previous reports have pitted the headset at a price well above $1000. This headset may be targeted at developers and enthusiasts.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo,
Future versions of this headset are in development. Apple has long-term goals to create lightweight, augmented reality glasses. However, this design factor will not be possible for many years.
There has been some speculation that Apple could announce the AR/VR headset at Apple’s upcoming WWDC keynote, which will be held on June 6. This would be an announcement of a preview, with no sale taking place until the early 2023..
The Information published a feature story earlier this week that detailed the long history of the headset project.
Huawei AppGallery flaw allegedly allows anyone to download paid apps for free
Ever since it got caught in the US vs. China crossfire, Huawei has had to develop its own software solutions, as it’s banned from using Google’s. One of those is AppGallery, and it’s basically Huawei’s version of the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
AppGallery appears to have a very large issue that has been unfixed since February, even though one developer reported the problem to Huawei in February.
Anyone with some technical knowledge and a willingness to work a little bit can download any paid AppGallery app and have it installed without paying anything. Needless to say, that sounds rather bad for the developers who’ve stuck it out with Huawei so far.
Dylan Roussel is the one who discovered the issue. He says that it is not the app developers’ failure to enable license verification for their apps. It is a problem on Huawei’s part, which so far has not been resolved. The gist of it is that the AppGallery API doesn’t offer any protection for paid apps.
Roussel himself was able to download and use multiple paid apps by exploiting this vulnerability. Clearly this is problematic because pirates could use the API to download a large number of paid apps at a time, thus preventing app developers from earning as much as they otherwise would have. Hopefully Huawei intervenes soon.
Batman comic book fans need to check out Batman: Everybody Lies
I’ve barely scratched the surface of Batman: Everybody Lies, the latest in the Detective series from Portal Games, and this clever little board game already has me intrigued. Although the player does not take the role of the caped crusader, the game feels like you are crawling through the pages of your favourite comic book to see what’s going on. Best of all, it rewards playing along with your friends — a feature that was not necessarily top of mind when designing the original game, which was much easier to finish solo.
Everybody Lies drops 2-4 players into the role of classic DC characters nominally aligned with the Batman — journalists Warren Spacey and Vicki Vale, detective Harvey Bullock, and Catwoman. Jim Gordon has formed a task force to investigate contemporaneous crimes that are causing problems for the Gotham City Police Department. Three such cases come bundled with the base game, for a total playtime of six to nine hours out of the box.
Mechanically, Everybody Lies is mediated by a simple unlock system that requires players to trade influence for fresh leads. It’s a welcome simplification of the original Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game, which was — at least in my opinion — unnecessarily complex. Meanwhile, a similarly simple timer counts down to the end of the game with every player action. The result is a tense, but not frantic, pace that keeps everyone at the table engaged.
Clearly the Scene Deck was produced at great expense. It will be able to support the narrative weight, which includes stretches that run from the Prologue through the final and third cases within the box. Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon
Part of that increased engagement is due to the game’s emphasis on comic book logic rather than realistic simulation. The original Detective openly displayed an egregious misunderstanding of American police work. While the cases and their associated clues were clever, the construct of the National Intelligence Agency made little to no sense in and of itself, let alone in relation to the FBI, the CIA, and other allied agencies featured in the game. The stress penalty, which was assessed to players who work overtime, didn’t fit with the stereotype of grizzled police officers that the game wanted.
In contrast, Everybody Lies plays well on the genre expectations. Every person at the table has their own complicated backstory. There is room for quarterbacking, which allows one person to direct all actions. However, no one is actually Batman. This game displays remarkable restraint. The Dark Knight can be summoned by players to help them move cases. He will also bring his gruff demeanor, and a variety of hi-tech investigative tools. The necessary narrative hand-waving that Detective games must perform to move the action along therefore becomes a feature, not a bug.
My biggest disappointment, however, is with the game’s required web integration. Clues and other narrative bits in Everybody Lies get pulled from several decks of cards. These cards often point you to an additional website. The website is slow and awkward, at least in the pre-release version. I am only about one in, and have yet to come across anything that could not have been made into a physical object from the box. Essentially, the web app adds nothing to the experience, and in some cases, detracts from it — but I imagine it does make the game a lot less expensive to produce.
Batman: Everybody Lies should be available at retail stores starting on May 19 for $50.00. Pre-orders are available now at the Portal Games website.
Batman: Everybody Lies was previewed using a retail copy provided by Portal Games. Vox Media is an affiliate partner. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.
Marvel Snap is a new card game from ex-Hearthstone devs
Marvel and Nuverse announced Thursday a brand new mobile and Windows PC game: Marvel Snap . The game has been in development for four years and has been designed by rethinking some of the standardized elements of games such as Hearthstone.
The developers claim that the game will run quickly, with each fight taking approximately three minutes. However, they also note that players can play concurrently and not have to wait for one another. There are also new features like the “snap”, which allows players to double down when they feel confident about a win.
Founded by former Hearthstone game director Ben Brode and former Hearthstone executive producer Hamilton Chu, development studio Second Dinner has a history with successful mobile titles — and in Chu’s case, a history that includes working as a producer on Bungie’s early Halo games.
We first heard about Second Dinner in 2019, when the studio announced plans to make a Marvel game and revealed that it had raised $30 million from NetEase. At the time, the company consisted of five people, with plans to expand to 10-15 over the next few years. Currently, the studio lists 48 team members on its website.
WB’s MultiVersus included Ultra Instinct Shaggy from the beginning
Warner Bros.’ take on the platform fighter — a Super Smash Bros.-like game starring Batman, Bugs Bunny, Arya Stark, et al. There are many potential fighters available. But Shaggy, specifically the heavily memed “Ultra Instinct” version of the Scooby-Doo slacker, was an obvious and early choice for MultiVersus, its creators say.
Chris White, chief technical officer and co-founder at developer Player First Games, told Polygon that Shaggy’s inclusion in MultiVersus, specifically his Dragon Ball-inspired form, was always part of the plan.
“That was one of the very first decisions that we made, even when the game was in very early concept phase,” White said. White said that in very early discussions about which characters to include, they were interested in a Change.org petition with a huge number of signatures. It was very community driven — to see Shaggy in a fighting game.”
White noted the origins of Ultra Instinct Shaggy, which derived from the 2011 animated movie Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur, in which Shaggy single-handedly beats up a biker gang, and when Dragon Ball’s Goku first reached Ultra Instinct form in the Dragon Ball Super anime. More than 380,000 Change.org petitioners later lobbied Warner Bros. and Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios to put Ultra Instinct Shaggy in Mortal Kombat 11. While that didn’t come to pass, Shaggy did make a memorable cameo in an animated MK movie, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms.
” “From our minds there was almost nothing convincing at all to happen,” White stated. White said that they just felt like saying, “We believe we should do it.” It would be a great idea. There was absolutely no opposition. Everyone was quick to get onboard and excited. […] This is something that the community wants, and we’re not here to say that we’re above that. We want to embrace that.”
Image: Player First Games/Warner Bros. Games
Of course, Shaggy is just one of 16 characters confirmed for MultiVersus‘ roster so far. Others include Garnet and Steven from Steven Universe, Finn and Jake from Adventure Time, DC superheroes Superman and Wonder Woman, and even an original character, Reindog. White stated that there are many things to take into consideration when considering new fighters.
” We start to look at a few different angles,” he stated. “What does the game need in its next character? Is there a particular thematic [element] that’s missing that we need to balance things out? Is there a particular character mechanic [that’s missing]? Are we in dire need of more assassins Are we in dire need of more assassins? […] So we’re looking at how does this fit into our overall ecosystem, and make sure we’re choosing characters that complement the game the best.”
Naturally, audience demand for a particular character is also a major consideration, White said.
“We look at the appeal of the IP and the history behind it, and what are fans looking forward to come to MultiVersus, to make sure that we have a wide representation of critically acclaimed and beloved IPs that we can bring in,” White explained. “There are just so many to choose from, and unfortunately, we sometimes have to say no to something to get something else in. We intend to grow this game over time, so more and more characters can come in. But we definitely look at what’s the community looking for. This is something we want to see in the community. We’re always looking for trends on social media and new investment […] opportunities that could lead us to cross-overs. All of these factors kind of come in to [determine] who’s coming to MultiVersus next.”
Image: Player First Games/Warner Bros. Games
Exactly how new characters will roll out in MultiVersus isn’t clear yet, as White did not discuss Warner Bros. Games’ plans for monetizing the free-to-play game.
MultiVersus will get an open beta test in July. That will be preceded by a closed alpha test for MultiVersus, which runs May 19-27. Interested players can register for a spot in the closed alpha at MultiVersus‘ official website.
MultiVersus was announced in November 2021. The fighting game features a team-based 2v2 format, as well as 1v1 and four-player free-for-all modes. MultiVersus is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X with full cross-play support, as well as “dedicated server-based rollback netcode and content-filled seasons.”
iPhone made up over half of smartphone shipments in North America during Q1
A new report by Canalys shows that the iPhone accounted for half of the smartphone shipments in North America in Q1 of 2022, achieving a 51% market share powered by the strong performance of the iPhone 13.
“The North American smartphone market has been buoyed by Apple’s strong growth,” said Canalys Analyst Brian Lynch. “This quarter, the iPhone 13’s high popularity was the key driver. With global demand more uncertain, Apple has shifted more devices back into North America after prioritizing other regions in Q4 2021, allowing it to greater fulfill demand and deliver on backorders from the previous quarter.”
Canalys reported also that even though the iPhone SE is not mmWave enabled, it will allow for increased market share in the next quarter. Previous reports believe the iPhone SE could be Apple’s affordable 5G option to turn a billion Android users into switchers.
In total, North American smartphone shipments reached 39 million units in Q1 2022. Apple grew 19% YoY with a 51% market share. Samsung was up 1% and took a 27% market share thanks to its new S series and A series devices.
Last year, Apple accounted for a 45% market share with 16. 9 million iPhones shipped. This time, the company shipped 19. 9 million smartphones.
Apple iPhone is closely followed by Samsung and Lenovo as well as TCL, TCL, Google, and TCL. For the next quarters, Lynch believes North America will continue to be a priority to manufacturers:
The biggest regional telcos are using heavy discounting and high trade in values to attract and keep customers, which helps ease the pressure on high-end smartphones. The supply chain will be a major problem for top vendors during the next quarter. However, North America will still be a priority and will likely maintain strong supply. The North American market is well placed to avoid any significant volatility in shipments despite the uncertain outlook of its economy.
Battlefield 2042‘s latest update, available Thursday, removes the 128-player version of Breakthrough, leaving the large-scale multiplayer battles for which the series is known to Conquest, a mode played on larger map layouts.
In a blog post describing update 4. 1, EA DICE acknowledged “the increased intensity and chaos of the combat” in the 64-versus-64 Breakthrough playlist, which frequently saw both sides packed into the same chokepoint struggling over the same objective. Players had complained for some time that the mode had become much less fun, if not unplayable.
“In Breakthrough’s 128-player mode, we feel that the value and impact of an individual player and squad is reduced, due to the increased intensity and chaos of the combat,” developers said. “We felt that the 128-player modes are better suited for Conquest, where gameplay spaces are larger, and where you have a more natural fit for sandbox gameplay.”
It doesn’t mean Breakthrough is gone entirely. “When reviewing Breakthrough, we noted that the 64-player version represented a more tactical experience,” DICE wrote. The reduction in team size “helps remove some chaos from the experience,” to put it mildly. But it also “means players are better able to hold frontlines more effectively.”
The changes mean Breakthrough’s 64-player version will continue to play on the 128-player layouts of Discarded, Manifest, Orbital, and Kaleidoscope. Breakthrough on Hourglass, Breakaway, and Renewal will use the 64-player layout.
Battlefield 2042, the first-ever multiplayer-only version of Electronic Arts’ military shooter, launched in November 2021 and immediately faced performance issues and other problems requiring a title update and several patches soon after release. It didn’t receive baseline multiplayer features such as voice chat or scoreboard until the early spring, so it was delayed for multiplayer progress and unlockable content.
As such, Battlefield 2042 on consoles is the lowest-rated game (by Metacritic) in franchise history, and the second-lowest rated on PC. Last week, Electronic Arts’ chief executive told investors that EA DICE is “rethinking the development process from the ground up,” now under the direction of Vince Zampella, founder of Apex Legendsstudio Respawn Entertainment. In December, EA assigned Zampella to oversee the Battlefield franchise.
Court isn’t letting Apple off the hook for paying $300 million over patent infringement
Apple will not get a third trial after receiving a $300 million verdict for patent infringement from Optis. Apple stated to the court that it is entitled to a second damages trial. Optis should also be wiped.
According to Reuters, US District Judge Rodney Gilstrap denied both of Apple’s requests earlier this week. The legal battle started in 2019 when Optis and its affiliates sued Apple for infringing its patents on products compatible with 4G LTE – this includes the company’s iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
As Optis’ patents are critical for the international LTE wireless standard, Gilstrap sentenced Apple a $506 million verdict last year. The jury did not find any evidence that Optis had a duty to license patents at fair terms, so the verdict was thrown out.
After the second trial, the jury found Apple guilty of patent infringement and awarded Optis with a $300 million verdict against the tech giant. Additionally, the Cupertino company has fought back after citing problems with the second trial in October. The lawyers cited issues in evidence and expert testimony as well as jury instructions. They also referred to the high amount that Optis demands.
Additionally, Apple has been in cahoots with Optis in the UK over patent infringement there. The tech giant has even threatened to leave the UK market after a $7 billion row with Optis.
Download this free Pokémon-meets-Inscryption game before it’s too late
A new, free, fan-made card game, Pocket Crystal League, melds two of our favorite things: Pokémon’s creatures and storytelling, and the deck-building game from Inscryption, Polygon’s 2021 game of the year. Specifically, the card game’s mechanics derive from the first portion of Inscryption that takes place inside Leshy’s cabin.
Pocket Crystal League creator moodytail calls the Poké-card game “pretty straightforward and easy to learn,” and notes that it is “completely different to the Official Trading Card Game.” In other words, no Pokémon TCG experience required.
It’s a nifty marriage of two concepts. Like Inscryption, Pocket Crystal League’s virtual game table has a row where cards can be placed, in order to attack enemy cards. But instead of the horror puzzle’s games stoat and wolves, these cards have gen 1 and gen 2 Pokémon on them. From the opening of Pocket Crystal League, the game prompts players to select a Grass, Fire or Water deck — and each of them have type advantages against enemy Pokémon cards.
Like Inscryption, laying down an offense card requires paying a cost. But instead of squirrels, Pocket Crystal League fittingly has players spend Oran Berries. (Other berry types unlock as the player moves along.) As the player advances, they unlock additional Pokémon, and create the optimal deck. And rather than fighting across several of Leshy’s maps, Pocket Crystal League will have players advancing in a more a Poké-inspired path:
After choosing a starter deck, your goal is to travel through Kyoumu, challenging each of the Gym Leaders from the eight major cities in the region, building up your team to reach the ultimate goal, the Crystal League. Along the way, you’ll be presented with numerous choices to expand your deck, strengthen your cards, give them unique special abilities, and battle other trainers.
The Pokémon aesthetics of the game are adorable and nostalgic — a nice nod to some classic Game Boy games — from the upbeat musical track to the pixelated visuals. Pocket Crystal League is free to download on Itch.io and is playable on Windows PC. “This project was done ultimately just for fun, and I’m not getting any kind of revenue or payment from it,” moodytail says, “please Nintendo, let it be!”
And if Pocket Crystal League inspires you to revisit Inscryption’s deck-builder gameplay, you might want to check out Kaycee’s Mod, which makes that portion of the game infinitely replayable.
AirTag alternative Pebblebee Card and Clip debut with Find My and rechargeable battery
Pebblebee is announcing today another AirTag competitor with Pebblebee Card and Clips. Both of these products bring Find My integration, which is something Apple introduced to third-party developers a year ago, plus some nice features for those who don’t think Apple’s own item tracker is the best option for their everyday usage.
Since both of these products feature Find My integration, it means they’re compatible with the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, plus the Find Items apps on Apple Watch.
This crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices uses Bluetooth wireless technology to detect missing devices or items nearby, and report their approximate location back to the owner with end-to-end encrypted technology.
“After nearly a decade building our company, we’re proud to enhance consumer choices while using our solutions for keeping track of the things that matter most,” said Daniel Daoura, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Pebblebee. “Pebblebee Clip and Card are designed to put minds at ease the second they are attached to or slipped into something of value to a customer. Features like the rechargeable, long-lasting battery, and a loud buzzer set these tracking devices in a class of their own.”
The company says that the Pebblebee Clip is designed for people who are always on the go since it easily connects to keys, camera cases, bicycles, luggage, and more. Different from the AirTag, it features a loophole where you can add your keychain to it instead of buying a separate accessory for the accessory. Here are its top features:
Rechargeable battery, with up to 6 months on a single charge
Broad range tracker at up to 500 feet, water-resistant and the loudest buzzer
Form factor LED indicator lights that help locate a misplaced item in the dark
Industrial metal frame that allows for simple connection to keys or other valuables
Consumer network choice with option to pair with the Apple Find My app or Pebblebee App
The Pebblebee Card, for example, it’s designed for use in the thinnest of locations, such as wallets, handbags, coats, backpacks, passports, and more. Here are its top features:
Rechargeable battery, with up to 12 months on a single charge
A loud leave-behind alert that you can hear in crowded settings
Industrial thin form factor with an intuitive magnetic contact charging design
Consumer network choice with the option to pair with the Apple Find My app or Pebblebee App
Price and availability of the new Pebblebee products
Pebblebee Clip has a suggested retail price of $29.99 or $99.99 for a 4-pack, and the Pebblebee Card has a suggested retail price of $29.99. Both come with a standard USB-C cable for charging and are available for purchase on Pebblebee’s official website and soon on Amazon.
9to5Mac will soon give an in-depth look at these products. But, as of now, they seem like a solid option for those who want different styles for tracking their personal belongings.
Read more:
The best Find My-enabled accessories: AirTag, Chipolo, VanMoof, and more
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