Tech News Round up October 3rd Week

This week was not as exciting as the previous week. Last week we saw tech news about the Facebook outage, Windows 11 update, and Android 12. There were some noteworthy developments this week, except for a few bits of information about the latest software, new WhatsApp features, and a few Pixel 6 leaked details. This is just the calm before storm. There will be major announcements by Apple and Samsung in the next week. Here’s a recap of all the major developments in the tech industry this week, in case you missed our coverage.

New WhatsApp features

A few updates have been made to WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned popular messaging app. The stable channel received an update that introduced end-to-end encrypted backups. This feature was in development for over one year.  WhatsApp users can now download the latest updates on their phones via the Play Store. Encrypt chat backup by using a unique password, 64-digit key.

WhatsApp received updates through the beta channel. We were able to view some of the most recent in-development features. In an APK teardown, we found out about a forthcoming Community feature, which will likely allow you to better organize groups on the messenger. WhatsApp is also working hard to improve its voice recording feature. A new option will allow users to pause recordings.

Rootless themes return to Android

Android 12’s Fabricated Overlays API is making rootless themes a thing of the past thanks to Fabricated Layers. The loophole in this API allows developers to implement themes with no signature-level permission and root access. We were also able to see the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD), for Android 12, this week. It does not include any important consumer-facing updates, but it does outline the new performance classes available for OEMs running Android 12 in our previous coverage.

Windows updates and performance issues

Microsoft launched the first Windows 11 post-launch update this Wednesday. There were several bug fixes. The update did not seem to affect AMD processors’ performance. According to some reports, the updates may make things worse for AMD-based computers. Therefore, we advise against installing them. However, you might not need to wait long to get the update. Microsoft has already begun testing the fix through the Windows Insider Beta, Release Preview, and Windows Insider Beta channels.

Microsoft also launched an updated Windows 11 build via the Dev channel. It included redesigned emoji, Update Stack Packages support, and many other features. The redesign of emojis is not well received by users. Microsoft also released Windows 10 Build 19043.1288 as well as Windows Subsystem Linux at the Microsoft Store. A few Android apps were also shown on Windows 11.

More Pixel 6 leaks

Google seems to have difficulty keeping information about the upcoming Pixel 6 lineup under wraps. This week we received more information about Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. We also saw more high-resolution renders, details about the Pixel Pass as well as a leaked advert. Furthermore, we discovered more information about the second-gen Pixel Stand inside the latest update to the Pixel Stand App. We also learned that the Pixel 6 Series could get Android 16 and also some more security updates.