Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users’ web browsing identifiers

Ars Technica

Researchers have uncovered a troubling privacy loophole involving Meta and Russia-based Yandex, whose tracking codes—Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica—are embedded in millions of websites. These trackers exploit legitimate internet protocols to de-anonymize users by covertly linking web activity to identities in mobile apps. This is achieved by causing browsers like Chrome to send unique identifiers to native apps installed on the same device, effectively bypassing Android’s sandboxing and browser privacy features such as state and storage partitioning. Google has acknowledged the issue and is investigating the apparent abuse of its systems that undermines key security protections.

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OnePlus Unleashes $700 Pad 3 to Take on iPad and Galaxy Tab in US Tablet Turf War

The Verge

OnePlus has launched its new Pad 3 tablet, priced at $700 in the US to challenge Apple and Samsung in the mobile market.

It features a slim 13.2-inch display with higher pixel density than the iPad Air, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and up to 17 hours of battery life.

Available July 8, the Pad 3 offers strong multitasking and quick charging, plus affordable accessories like a $200 keyboard and $100 stylus.

With Android tablets struggling in the US, OnePlus aims to shake up the tablet market by offering high performance at a lower price.

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Nintendo Bets Big with $450 Switch 2 as Mobile, PC Rivals Crowd the Console Arena

Reuters

Nintendo’s new $450 Switch 2 has hit global shelves, and fans are lining up for hours to get it — all while the company bets its future on this single console.

The big reason? Nintendo needs a blockbuster launch to fend off mobile and PC gaming rivals now siphoning away game time and talent.

With a sleeker chip that plays high-end PC and mobile titles, Switch 2 isn’t just for Mario anymore. It’s Nintendo’s high-stakes push to stay in the game — or risk being left behind in an ecosystem.

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XChat Enters Messaging Wars

MEF

Elon Musk’s X—formerly Twitter—is pushing deeper into the mobile ecosystem with XChat, a revamped encrypted messaging service now live for select premium users.

The update adds end-to-end encryption, vanishing messages, and number-free video calls—turning messaging into a secure, feature-rich core of the platform. But it’s more than just chat: XChat may soon support in-app payments, linking tightly with X Money Accounts and Visa. That positions X as a challenger to WhatsApp, iMessage, and even PayPal—paving the way toward Musk’s long-touted ‘everything app.’ The move could shake up both mobile messaging and fintech in the West, but trust, privacy, and regulation may prove its biggest hurdles.

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Smartphone Growth Slows as US Tariffs Cloud Mobile Market, Warn Counterpoint

Reuters

Global smartphone shipments are taking another hit—Counterpoint Research has slashed its 2025 growth forecast to just 1.9%, nearly halving previous expectations, as tariff threats from the U.S. stir supply chain uncertainty.

Apple and Samsung may see slower sales, with higher costs hitting consumers. A planned tariff pause offers temporary relief, but IDC has already cut its own outlook to near-zero growth. For the mobile ecosystem, this signals a cooling market where geopolitics, not just innovation, now shapes the upgrade cycle.

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Orange Teams Up with Eutelsat to Power Mobile Connectivity via LEO Satellites

Satnews

Orange has signed a multi-year deal with Eutelsat to boost its low Earth orbit satellite services, tapping into Eutelsat’s OneWeb constellation.

The move enhances Orange’s connectivity offerings for enterprise and government clients by providing high-capacity, low-latency satellite links that complement its existing terrestrial network. The partnership aims to improve mobile backhaul and ensure reliable coverage in remote or underserved areas, supporting customers’ digital transformation with what Orange calls “sovereign digital connectivity.” The deal builds on previous collaborations and positions LEO satellites as a key technology for global telecom operators.

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Mobile Pay Startup Paym Growth Slowing Just As It Announces £300m Processed

PYMNTS

It’s a mixed start to the week for London-based mobile payment startup Paym. On the positive side, the U.K. bank-backed peer-to-peer service has now processed £300 million ($365 million) in transactions, a milestone hailed by Executive Chairman Craig Tillotson as evidence that “the mobile revolution is in full swing.” However, despite this progress, Paym is facing challenges with slowing user growth. While adoption of mobile payments continues across the U.K., the pace at which new users are joining the platform has declined noticeably in recent months.

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Building the foundations: A national roadmap for digital identity and sovereign data

Computer Weekly

After months of uncertainty, the UK’s digital identity sector finally has direction. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle’s recent statement clarifying the role of the private sector alongside the government’s Gov.uk Wallet initiative marks a crucial moment for collaboration. The forthcoming Data (Use & Access) Bill is set to transform the landscape through digital ID, smart data, and sovereign personal data — though much of the tech community and wider public remain unaware of its implications. A recent visit to Singapore demonstrated the real-world impact of reusable digital identity, showing how transformative and intuitive it can be when implemented effectively.

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Google Messages Finally Solves Its Most Annoying Problem with RCS Badges

Techi

Google is finally solving a long-standing frustration for users of its Messages app by introducing visual badges that indicate whether a contact supports Rich Communication Services (RCS). For years, Android users have had to guess whether their messages would be sent with high-quality RCS features or default to basic SMS or MMS—often resulting in poor-quality media or broken group chats. This small but impactful change means users will instantly know if RCS is available before typing a message, removing the guesswork and improving the everyday messaging experience, especially when sending videos or chatting in group threads.

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Google quietly launches AI Edge Gallery, letting Android phones run AI without the cloud

Venturebeat

Google has quietly launched AI Edge Gallery, an experimental Android app that allows users to run powerful AI models directly on their smartphones—without needing an internet connection. This marks a major advance in edge computing and privacy-preserving AI.

With AI Edge Gallery, users can download models from Hugging Face and run them locally to perform tasks like image analysis, text generation, coding help, and multi-turn conversations, all without sending data to the cloud. Released under the Apache 2.0 open-source license and available via GitHub, not app stores, the app is part of Google’s broader push to make AI more accessible while addressing concerns around data privacy and centralized processing.

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