This Week in Apps: Apple argues for commissions, ‘Find My’ NDA, Alexa to open apps

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the TechCrunch series* that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support and the money that flows through it all.

The app industry is as hot as ever, with a record 204 billion downloads and $120 billion in consumer spending in 2019. People are now spending three hours and 40 minutes per day using apps, rivaling TV. Apps aren’t just a way to pass idle hours — they’re a big business. In 2019, mobile-first companies had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x higher than those without a mobile focus.

In this series, we help you keep up with the latest news from the world of apps, delivered on a weekly basis.

* This Week in Apps was previously available only to Extra Crunch subscribers. We’re now making these reports available to all TechCrunch readers.  

Let’s dive in.

Headlines

Top Story: Apple doubles down on its right to take a 30% cut

Image Credits: TechCrunch

Ahead of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s testimony before Congress, Apple on Thursday again took to the press to fight back against claims of anti-competitive practices on its App Store.

Last month, the company detailed the results of a commissioned study that showed how Apple wasn’t receiving a cut of revenue on the majority of App Store transactions — $519 billion in commerce. This time, Apple is touting the results of another study by the same analyst group that is meant to demonstrate how Apple’s App Store commission rate is similar to those of other app stores and digital content marketplaces.

The study exhaustingly compares the App Store’s 30% commission to all other forms of storefronts, online and off. This includes other app stores, game stores, e-commerce marketplaces, digital platforms and even brick-and-mortar retail. Apple’s conclusion is that it’s not doing anything different from the others, so what’s the big deal?

Of course, this misses the point. The antitrust issues surrounding Apple’s App Store are not about whether Apple is charging more than other digital marketplaces. It’s about whether that commission structure is hindering competition, given Apple’s size, wealth and power.

As indie developer Brent Simmons (of NetNewsWire) put it this week, the cut limits developers’ ability to hire and retain talent.

To an app on the App Store it might mean being able to lower prices — or hire a designer or a couple junior developers. It might be the difference between abandoning an app and getting into a virtuous circle where the app thrives.

Quality costs money, and profitability is just simple arithmetic: anything that affects income — such as Apple’s cut — goes into that equation.

To put it in concrete terms: the difference between 30% and something reasonable like 10% would probably have meant some of my friends would still have their jobs at Omni, and Omni would have more resources to devote to making, testing, and supporting their apps.

Apple’s opening of ‘Find My’ to third-parties isn’t as nice as it seems

Image Credits: Apple

Apple announced at WWDC 2020 that third-party developers, like Tile, would be able to tap into Apple’s “Find My” technology platform to locate lost items and gadgets that aren’t made by Apple. The move was meant to counteract Tile’s ongoing complaints and testimony to U.S. antitrust investigators that Apple favored its first-party services at the expense of competitors’ businesses.

Tile was particularly concerned over Apple’s plans to announce a direct competitor, AirTags, which would be allowed to leverage the “Find My” technology at a deeper level. The move could potentially have wiped out Tile’s business with a better product — at least from a consumer standpoint.

The Washington Post reported this week that Apple’s opening of “Find My” is not the olive branch it seems, however. The publication acquired the 50-page confidentially agreement that all developers would have to sign, which indicates there are a lot of restrictions on how this integration works. For instance, Apple customers using “Find My” to locate a device will be barred from using competing services simultaneously, the document said. This is an unusual restriction — and one that makers of Bluetooth devices and smart home products don’t have to agree to for their own products.

Amazon turns Alexa into a mobile app launcher

Image Credits: Bryce Durbin

How often do you think Amazon kicks itself over its smartphone failures? Given that the company hasn’t been able to compete directly on mobile, it’s finding another angle by way of Alexa. Amazon this week announced a bevy of new developer tools for its Alexa virtual assistant, including one that will allow the digital helper to launch iOS and Android apps using voice commands.

For example, you’d be able to say things like, “Alexa, start recording a TikTok,” or “Alexa, ask Twitter to search for #BLM.”

It’s unclear how many developers would adopt just a feature, outside of those that already offer one of the more popular Alexa skills. After all, Siri and Google Assistant can already launch and control your apps.

While Amazon is likely hoping that tying Alexa to the world of mobile apps could give it some momentum in terms of building an app ecosystem of its own, consumers so far have seemed to largely prefer using Alexa for first-party activities, like playing music, listening to news, controlling the smart home, asking random questions, making lists, setting reminders and more.

The move, however, may hint that Amazon is thinking about building out a mobile app ecosystem for its Alexa devices with a screen, like forthcoming versions of its Echo Show, for example.

Apple releases beta 3 builds of iOS 14, iPadOS 14

Testers this week received their third set of iOS 14 developer betas, as the software moves closer to its fall launch date. Beyond the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, only small changes were spotted this time around. This includes a new Music app icon, widget and the ability to share music to Snapchat; a new widget from the Clock app; a new pop-up when organizing the home screen that explains how to hide pages; a new pop-up when you use widgets for the first time; an updated design for Memoji masks; and more.

Facebook takes on Zoom with its latest Messenger Rooms update

Image Credits: Facebook

Facebook this week announced a new feature that it hopes will give it a better shot at challenging Zoom’s dominance on web conferencing that came about due to the pandemic. The company upgraded its Messenger Rooms group calls platform to support the ability to live broadcast calls to platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitch — a move that effectively combined Facebook’s live-streaming capabilities with group video chat. Facebook turned around the feature in a relatively short time, given it has only been a matter of months since Zoom has really taken off. That indicates Facebook understands the threat of online chat and socializing exiting its platform.

The goal with the new addition is to make it simpler to broadcast to social platforms, to encourage users to return. Even if they arrive in order to broadcast to competitors’ sites, like YouTube, the company understands that adding Facebook to the list of destinations will increase the output of live broadcasts on its own platform.

In addition, Facebook also this week announced that Messenger now lets you secure your chats with Touch ID or Face ID on iOS. Why don’t more apps offer this feature?

TikTok unveils a $200M fund to back U.S. creators, as it scrambles for a “Plan B”

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 01: A general view of the atmosphere during the TikTok US launch celebration at NeueHouse Hollywood on August 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

As the U.S. government weighs a ban on the Chinese-headquartered app over privacy concerns, the company announced plans to hire 10,000 employees across the U.S. over the next three years and launched a $200 million fund to invest in new creators. The new fund is aimed at helping top creators in the U.S. supplement their earnings, and potentially find the next big TikTok star in the process. The platform will begin accepting applications from U.S.-based creators starting next month and will then distribute the capital over the coming year.

Meanwhile, TikTok parent company ByteDance continues to discuss a range of other options to keep its popular and profitable app alive in the U.S. The latest, according to The Information, is one that would have a small group of the company’s U.S. investors joining forces to buy a majority stake in TikTok.

The U.S government — and particularly the Trump administration — continues to be skeptical about TikTok’s China ties. This week, the U.S. House voted to ban federal employees from using the app on government-issued devices. The vote passed 336-71, as part of a package of bipartisan amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Robinhood ends plan for a U.K. launch

Image Credits: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mobile investing app Robinhood said this week it would not be launching in the U.K., as planned. The company said it was now going to hold off on its global expansion plans to instead focus its efforts in its home market, the U.S. The company had already received over 250,000 sign-ups on its U.K. waitlist, which it says will now be deleted in line with local privacy laws. The company said it will transfer 10 U.K. employees to the U.S., but others will be let go.

The app has been more recently facing criticism in the U.S. for how it lures in young, inexperienced traders who then buy and sell some of the riskiest financial products on the market — at rates higher than other retail brokerage firms. With its hip and youthful design and social app-like features, such as confetti and emoji, Robinhood can make investing feel more like a game, The NYT reported in a recent feature. But the reality is that these inexperienced users are taking more speculative risks, sometimes with devastating results. One Robinhood user killed himself after seeing his balance drop to negative $730,000 — a figure that was higher, in part, due to some of his incomplete trades.

Google has its own ‘Onavo’

Image Credits: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Google today already allows Android app developers to collect usage data from devices where their app is installed, so it comes as no surprise that Google was doing this itself, too. The Information revealed Google’s program that allows it to access usage data on any device that has its Google apps pre-installed. Similar to Facebook’s Onavo, the data wasn’t just used to make improvements to Android, but was also used as a competitive advantage.

According to the report, Google had used the data to show how Google’s own services compared to rivals. This is what Facebook had used Onavo for, too — even leveraging those learnings to inform its acquisition strategy. APIs aren’t the only way large tech companies collect data on smartphone user habits. App intelligence firms like App Annie and Sensor Tower provide similar data to customers, obtained through a number of apps that downplay their true purpose, but really serve as data collection machines.

Data collection like this has been underway for years, but with the antitrust investigations now underway, the time may have come for regulators to actually do something about it.

Funding and M&A

• Fintech startup Meemo came out of stealth and launched its social finance app with $10 million in seed funding. Investors including Saama Capital, Greycroft, Monashees and Sierra Ventures led the round with additional participation from Amit Singhal, Hans Tung and several former colleagues from Google and Snap.
• Swiss keyboard startup Typewise raises $1 million seed round to build its “privacy-safe” next word prediction engine that works entirely offline. The round consists of $700,000 from more than a dozen local business angels; and $340,000 via the Swiss government through a mechanism akin to a research grant.
• China’s Missfresh raises $495 million for its e-grocery app with deep WeChat integrations. The round was led by state-backed China International Capital Corporation. Other investors included ICBC International Securities, Tencent, Abu Dhabi Capital Group, Tiger Global and a fund managed by the government of Changshu county, home to Missfresh’s east China headquarters
• Levitate raises $6 million for its “keep-in-touch” email marketing solution for small business that works across web and mobile. Investors include Tippet Venture Partners, Durham, North Carolina-based Bull City Venture Partners and angel investor Peter Gassner, the co-founder and CEO of Veeva Systems and investor in Zoom

Downloads

Dilims

Image Credits: Dilims

This beautifully designed indie iOS app called Dilims lets you display different time zones on one screen, and even name them with aliases or view them as a widget. The simple single-purpose utility is useful for anyone who has to work with teams or clients across time zones, and wants an easier way to see what time it is and where. For $2, that’s kind of a steal, too.

Dark Noise 2

Image Credits: Dark Noise

If you like to play ambient noise to help you focus, sleep or just relax, you’ll want to check out Dark Noise 2. This ambient noise app for iOS just got a big update, which adds new sounds, new icons and introduces iCloud syncing. Plus, it now allows you to create your own custom mix of ambient sounds so you can chill to the sounds of rain at the beach, for example, or whatever else you want to blend. The app is $5.99 on the App Store. 

Further Reading (and Listening)

• Apple Kills IDFA: How Will the Fallout Really Affect Marketers?: Dig into the implications of the IDFA changes in the latest episode of the Mobile Presence podcast, in a discussion with Shamanth Rao, veteran growth marketer and CEO of RocketShip HQ, a full-service mobile user acquisition agency.
• What Ever Happened to Digital Contact Tracing?: Lawfare takes a look at how the contact-tracing app landscape is shaping up, given the disappearance of contact tracing apps from the headlines. Though Apple and Google’s API was meant to encourage each country to build their own apps, the U.S. has instead taken a patchwork approach due to its fractured response to COVID-19. Today, there are a handful states with their own apps, and only some that plan to use Apple and Google’s technology. Many states have no plans for an app at all, turning instead to human-led contract tracing efforts.
• Designed for iPad: What makes a good iPad app today? These things, says LookUp Design in a thoughtful post.

Tweets of the Week

Apple is debuting a "Summer Newsletter" to cover topics during the beta period: pic.twitter.com/j2vedSeQqx

— Kyle Seth Gray (@kylesethgray) July 22, 2020

But as Gruber noted, Steve Jobs said "We don’t intend to make any money off the App Store." Thus, if Apple *is* making a lot of money off the App Store, that's arguably a mistake, following a misguided path.https://t.co/NLg6oCDF1z

— Jeff Johnson (@lapcatsoftware) July 23, 2020

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Garmin global outage caused by ransomware attack, sources say

An ongoing global outage at sport and fitness tech giant Garmin was caused by a ransomware attack, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the incident.

The incident began late Wednesday and continued through the weekend, causing disruption to the company’s online services for millions of users, including Garmin Connect, which syncs user activity and data to the cloud and other devices. The attack also took down flyGarmin, its aviation navigation and route-planning service.

Portions of Garmin’s website were also offline at the time of writing.

Garmin has said little about the incident so far. A banner on its website reads: “We are currently experiencing an outage that affects Garmin.com and Garmin Connect. This outage also affects our call centers, and we are currently unable to receive any calls, emails or online chats. We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and apologize for this inconvenience.”

The two sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the press, told TechCrunch that Garmin was trying to bring its network back online after the ransomware attack. One of the sources confirmed that the WastedLocker ransomware was to blame for the outage.

One other news outlet appeared to confirm that the outage was caused by WastedLocker.

Garmin’s online services have been down for days. The cause is believed to be ransomware, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the incident. (Screenshot: TechCrunch)

WastedLocker is a new kind of ransomware, first discovered by security researchers at Malwarebytes in May, operated by a hacker group known as Evil Corp. Like other file-encrypting malware, WastedLocker infects computers, and locks the user’s files in exchange for a ransom, typically demanded in cryptocurrency.

Malwarebytes said that WastedLocker does not steal or exfiltrate data before encrypting the victim’s files, unlike other, newer ransomware strains. That means companies with backups may be able to escape paying the ransom. But companies without backups have faced ransom demands as much as $10 million.

The FBI has also long discouraged victims from paying ransoms related to malware attacks.

Evil Corp has a long history of malware and ransomware attacks. The group, allegedly led by a Russian national Maksim Yakubets, is known to have used Dridex, a powerful password-stealing malware that was used to steal more than $100 million from hundreds of banks over the past decade. Later, Dridex was also used as a way to deliver ransomware.

Yakubets, who remains at large, was indicted by the Justice Department last year for his alleged part in the group’s “unimaginable” amount of cybercrime during the past decade, according to U.S. prosecutors.

The Treasury also imposed sanctions on Evil Corp, including Yakubets and two other alleged members, for their involvement in the decade-long hacking campaign.

By imposing sanctions, it’s near-impossible for U.S.-based companies to pay the ransom — even if they wanted to — as U.S. nationals are “generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them,” per a Treasury statement.

Brett Callow, a threat analyst and ransomware expert at security firm Emsisoft, said those sanctions make it “especially complicated” for U.S.-based companies dealing with WastedLocker infections.

“WastedLocker has been attributed by some security companies to Evil Corp, and the known members of Evil Corp — which purportedly has loose connections to the Russian government — have been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury,” said Callow. “As a result of those sanctions, U.S persons are generally prohibited from transacting with those known members. This would seem to create a legal minefield for any company which may be considering paying a WastedLocker ransom,” he said.

Efforts to contact the alleged hackers were unsuccessful. The group uses different email addresses in each ransom note. We sent an email to two known email addresses associated with a previous WastedLocker incident, but did not hear back.

A Garmin spokesperson could not be reached for comment by phone or email on Saturday. (Garmin’s email servers have been down since the start of the incident.) Messages sent over Twitter were also not returned. We’ll update if we hear back.

As ransomware gets craftier, companies must start thinking creatively

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How Smart Are You? 5 Free Online Cognitive Tests to Check How Well Your Brain Works

Are you dumb or are you smart? These free online cognitive tests and experiments will calculate your brainpower compared to the average person.

There are a ton of online IQ tests, but there is more to smarts than intelligence alone. Some of these tests are completely non-verbal. Others have been around since the 1930s and are still relevant. Some are used by the NFL, and some will even find your inherent biases. And they’re all free.

Disclaimer: While these are popular psychological tests, don’t take the results too seriously. If you think you need a cognitive test to check any degeneration in your mental faculties, seek professional medical help rather than online tests.

1. Beat the Wonderlic (Web): Free Online Wonderlic Timed Test

The Wonderlic Test is a common cognitive test used in a number of job interviews like business, school, nursing, mechanics, product management, and even the NFL. You can take a timed Wonderlic test online for free to see how you’d do.

The 12-minute timed test has multiple-choice answers for its 50 questions. The questions span a variety of brain tests like memory, mathematics, linear logic, lateral thinking, and other cognitive abilities. The website encourages you not to use a calculator because one won’t be provided in a real-life Wonderlic test either.

At the end of the 12-minute timer, the test ends and you’ll get your score along with a chart. The chart notes how well you did, but I’d advise you to take that with a pinch of salt. Beat The Wonderlic sells courses on how to get better at the test, so it’s in their best interest to make you believe you aren’t doing as well as you might be. If you’re interested in something like that, check how brain-training games can help you.

2. Raven Matrices Test (Web): IQ Test Without Language or Math

Many IQ tests require a good understanding of the English language or mathematical skills. But what about good old logic and common sense? Aren’t those more handy faculties to have for problem solving? Dr. John Raven thought so, and set about creating a completely non-verbal IQ test.

The Raven Matrices Test shows you a series of shapes and symbols, with one missing part. By using the rest as clues, you have to find out the missing shape from the six options given to you. It gets progressively more difficult as you go through the various levels from A to E.

Each level has 12 questions in this version by Psycho-Tests, based on the original Raven suggestions. It is a non-timed test so you can take as long as you need. In the end, it will tell you your IQ based on your answers, and what percentile of the global population you rank in.

3. Stroop Test (Web): Test Your Attention and Response Time

In 1930, John Ridley Stroop discovered a phenomenon called “interference” and formed a test for it, called the Stroop Test. Since then, mental health experts applied this test in a variety of brain scans to check how attentive and responsive one is.

In the main Stroop Test, you are shown a series of color words (red, blue, green, yellow) written in different colors. Your objective is to name the color while ignoring the letters it spells out. Press R, G, B, or Y on the keyboard as quickly as possible, giving the name of the color. It is a lot more difficult than it sounds.

The Stroop Test indicates how quickly you can stop your natural response to a stimulus (like reading) and switch to a different task. You can take a few different versions of the test online:

1. Hanover College presents a free, customizable Stroop Test to try different difficulties.
2. PsyToolKit will calculate your incongruent to congruent response time.
3. The Washington University has the original as well as three different variants, where instead of colors, you have to match numbers, directions, or animals. These are great for children too.

4. PsyToolkit (Web): Try 25 Free Cognitive Psychological Experiments

Speaking of PsyToolkit, you must visit this great resource to understand and try online demonstrations of 25 free cognitive tests. It’s one of the few websites that doesn’t need Adobe Flash to run these.

It hosts cool implementations of several N-back task tests to see how good your short term memory is. You’ll also find other popular psychological tests like the Iowa Gambling Task, Deary-Liewald Task, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task.

If you don’t know what these mean or what they measure, don’t worry, PsyToolkit will guide you through each step. It has a clear description of the experiment, how to take it, and what the measures indicate. Psychology students can even use the website’s resources and the code to create their own versions for free.

5. Project Implicit (Web): Test Your Cognitive Biases or Automatic Reactions

It’s natural and human to build biases. Social behavior and cues around us condition our brain into developing quick responses and automatic reactions, which might be incorrect. Researchers at Harvard started Project Implicit to calculate your inherent biases, in a series of free online tests.

Largely, Project Implicit tests two types of biases: social and health. Among the social biases, pick your country of origin or residence before you begin, as the cues and tests differ by nation. Here are a few examples of both social and health tests:

• COVID-19 bias: Do you associate COVID-19 with danger and think the precautions are reasonable?
• Depression test: Do you implicitly associate yourself with being happy or sad?
• Weight IAT: Do you have an automatic preference for thin people over fat people?
• Race and Skin-tone IATs: Do you have an automatic preference for white/light skin over black/dark skin?

There are many more like this at the Project Implicit website. Most tests require a mouse or a keyboard, but you can also take some tests with a touchscreen device. Typically, each test takes about 8-10 minutes of your time, if you pay attention.

More Brain-Training and Analyzing!

There are a few other brain analysis apps that will satiate your curiosity about the inner workings of your mind. Cambridge Brain Sciences offers a free online “brain health” analysis, while Brain Errors shows how your mind can make simple errors. For this and more, check these brain training and analyzing apps.

Read the full article: How Smart Are You? 5 Free Online Cognitive Tests to Check How Well Your Brain Works

What Is Joker Malware? How to Protect Yourself From This Threat

Joker malware is yet another threat to your privacy and sensitive information. It recently attacked mobile Android devices across the globe, which lead to the removal of several apps from the Google Play Store.

That said, Joker malware is anything but a joke. If you want to keep your device secure, you’ll need to know what Joker malware is, and how it works.

What Is Joker Malware?

This deceptive malware is called “Joker” for a reason—the malware hides behind the mask of a seemingly authentic app and preys on unknowing users. You might also see Joker malware called Bread, which are both the same thing.

Google first encountered this threat in 2017, and it’s still an ongoing issue. The persistent hackers behind Joker malware constantly find ways to manipulate the Google Play Store’s security flaws, allowing the camouflaged malware to go undetected.

Image Credit: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash

Joker’s authors have several methods to get their infected app past the security protocols in the Play Store. In fact, they even make a malware-free version of the app, upload it to the Google Play Store, and then later install the malware on your device by cloaking it as an “app update.”

When you install an app infected with Joker malware, it signs you up for a paid subscription without your permission. To make matters worse, Joker malware can also get hold of your contacts, SMS messages, and your device information. It’s difficult to get your money back after falling victim to this scam, so it’s important to prevent infection before it even happens.

How Does Joker Malware Work?

Apps infected with Joker malware don’t blatantly ask for your private information. The malware is much sneakier than that, making it even harder to realise when you’ve become a victim.

The first type of Joker malware mainly relied on SMS fraud. By sending an SMS message to a premium number from your phone, Joker malware would sign you up for subscriptions or make payments without your knowledge. Since these premium services and subscription plans are often partnered with mobile carriers, you’d typically see these unwanted charges on your cellphone bill.

In early 2019, Google tightened restrictions on apps that asked to access your Call Log or SMS. Thanks to this policy change, many Joker-infected apps were caught, and later removed from the Play Store. The implementation of Google Play Protect has also helped keep Android devices safe.

Despite Google’s efforts, Joker malware persists. Research by Check Point has found a new kind of Joker malware that’s just as deceitful as the last. Instead of engaging in SMS fraud, it now uses an old trick that’s typically found in Windows malware.

After landing on your device, Joker malware downloads a an executable DEX file from a command-and-control server. This code is used to secretly sign you up to premium subscriptions. It then proceeds to prevent subscription confirmation notifications from popping up on your phone.

To do this, Joker malware takes advantage of Notification Listener, an Android feature that gives apps access to your device’s notifications. The malware hijacks the Notification Listener, allowing it to interfere with your push notifications.

The most recent version of Joker malware manages to get past Google’s security using a clever technique. According to Check Point, “the new variant now hides the malicious DEX file inside the application as Base64 encoded strings, ready to be decoded and loaded.”

This means that when the app gets placed on the Play Store, there’s no sign of malware. It’s only when users actually download the app that the malware bares its teeth.

How to Protect Yourself From Joker Malware

Google recently removed 11 apps from the Play Store that contain Joker malware. If you have any of the following apps, uninstall them immediately:

• Compress Image (com.imagecompress.android)
• Contact Message (com.contact.withme.texts)
• Friend SMS (com.hmvoice.friendsms)
• Relaxation Message (com.relax.relaxation.androidsms)
• Cheery Message – listed two times (com.cheery.message.sendsms)
• Loving Message (com.peason.lovinglovemessage)
• File Recovery (com.file.recovefiles)
• App Locker (com.LPlocker.lockapps)
• Remind Alarm (com.remindme.alram)
• Memory Game (com.training.memorygame)

While most of these malicious apps function as alternative messaging apps, others include an image compressor, reminder alarm, a wallpaper app, and more. If any of these apps sound familiar to you, check your mobile and credit card bills. Any sketchy-looking transactions or subscriptions could be a sign of Joker malware.

Image Credit: Check Point

Since Joker-infected apps look legitimate from the outside, you’ll need to take some extra precautions when downloading apps. The above photo is an example of an app infected by Joker malware—looks pretty legit, right? That’s just how much these infected apps can blend in with all the rest.

You should also keep in mind that many Joker-infected apps have fake user reviews on the Play Store. These positive reviews build trust, and also entice you to download the app.

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to spot fake reviews once you know what to look for. If you see any duplicate reviews under an app, the reviews are likely fake. The same goes for generic reviews that make no mention of the app’s name.

Besides knowing how to identify an unsafe app on the Play Store, you can also protect yourself by installing a reliable security app on your device. You might not think you need an antivirus app on your Android, but it can definitely come in handy when trying to combat Joker malware.

Lastly, you should only install apps that you really trust. Do some extra research on any apps that you want to download. If you see any sign of a scam, avoid it at all costs.

What’s the Future of Joker Malware?

Although Google managed to take down over 1,700 Joker-infected apps in January 2020, and later removed the 11 apps listed above, that doesn’t mean we’re completely safe. Joker malware is still out there, and will likely stay there for a while. It’s constantly adapting to the Play Store’s security policies, which means it’ll continue to evolve as time goes on.

Does this mean that some apps on the Play Store are currently hiding Joker malware? Unfortunately, some apps have probably made it past security protocols. This only means you need to exercise some extra caution when downloading apps.

Just because there are dangerous apps out there doesn’t mean you have to stop installing APKs from third-party sites. Stay secure, and download from one of these best sites for safe Android APKs.

Read the full article: What Is Joker Malware? How to Protect Yourself From This Threat

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How Smart Are You? 5 Free Online Cognitive Tests to Check How Well Your Brain Works

Are you dumb or are you smart? These free online cognitive tests and experiments will calculate your brainpower compared to the average person.

There are a ton of online IQ tests, but there is more to smarts than intelligence alone. Some of these tests are completely non-verbal. Others have been around since the 1930s and are still relevant. Some are used by the NFL, and some will even find your inherent biases. And they’re all free.

Disclaimer: While these are popular psychological tests, don’t take the results too seriously. If you think you need a cognitive test to check any degeneration in your mental faculties, seek professional medical help rather than online tests.

1. Beat the Wonderlic (Web): Free Online Wonderlic Timed Test

The Wonderlic Test is a common cognitive test used in a number of job interviews like business, school, nursing, mechanics, product management, and even the NFL. You can take a timed Wonderlic test online for free to see how you’d do.

The 12-minute timed test has multiple-choice answers for its 50 questions. The questions span a variety of brain tests like memory, mathematics, linear logic, lateral thinking, and other cognitive abilities. The website encourages you not to use a calculator because one won’t be provided in a real-life Wonderlic test either.

At the end of the 12-minute timer, the test ends and you’ll get your score along with a chart. The chart notes how well you did, but I’d advise you to take that with a pinch of salt. Beat The Wonderlic sells courses on how to get better at the test, so it’s in their best interest to make you believe you aren’t doing as well as you might be. If you’re interested in something like that, check how brain-training games can help you.

2. Raven Matrices Test (Web): IQ Test Without Language or Math

Many IQ tests require a good understanding of the English language or mathematical skills. But what about good old logic and common sense? Aren’t those more handy faculties to have for problem solving? Dr. John Raven thought so, and set about creating a completely non-verbal IQ test.

The Raven Matrices Test shows you a series of shapes and symbols, with one missing part. By using the rest as clues, you have to find out the missing shape from the six options given to you. It gets progressively more difficult as you go through the various levels from A to E.

Each level has 12 questions in this version by Psycho-Tests, based on the original Raven suggestions. It is a non-timed test so you can take as long as you need. In the end, it will tell you your IQ based on your answers, and what percentile of the global population you rank in.

3. Stroop Test (Web): Test Your Attention and Response Time

In 1930, John Ridley Stroop discovered a phenomenon called “interference” and formed a test for it, called the Stroop Test. Since then, mental health experts applied this test in a variety of brain scans to check how attentive and responsive one is.

In the main Stroop Test, you are shown a series of color words (red, blue, green, yellow) written in different colors. Your objective is to name the color while ignoring the letters it spells out. Press R, G, B, or Y on the keyboard as quickly as possible, giving the name of the color. It is a lot more difficult than it sounds.

The Stroop Test indicates how quickly you can stop your natural response to a stimulus (like reading) and switch to a different task. You can take a few different versions of the test online:

1. Hanover College presents a free, customizable Stroop Test to try different difficulties.
2. PsyToolKit will calculate your incongruent to congruent response time.
3. The Washington University has the original as well as three different variants, where instead of colors, you have to match numbers, directions, or animals. These are great for children too.

4. PsyToolkit (Web): Try 25 Free Cognitive Psychological Experiments

Speaking of PsyToolkit, you must visit this great resource to understand and try online demonstrations of 25 free cognitive tests. It’s one of the few websites that doesn’t need Adobe Flash to run these.

It hosts cool implementations of several N-back task tests to see how good your short term memory is. You’ll also find other popular psychological tests like the Iowa Gambling Task, Deary-Liewald Task, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task.

If you don’t know what these mean or what they measure, don’t worry, PsyToolkit will guide you through each step. It has a clear description of the experiment, how to take it, and what the measures indicate. Psychology students can even use the website’s resources and the code to create their own versions for free.

5. Project Implicit (Web): Test Your Cognitive Biases or Automatic Reactions

It’s natural and human to build biases. Social behavior and cues around us condition our brain into developing quick responses and automatic reactions, which might be incorrect. Researchers at Harvard started Project Implicit to calculate your inherent biases, in a series of free online tests.

Largely, Project Implicit tests two types of biases: social and health. Among the social biases, pick your country of origin or residence before you begin, as the cues and tests differ by nation. Here are a few examples of both social and health tests:

• COVID-19 bias: Do you associate COVID-19 with danger and think the precautions are reasonable?
• Depression test: Do you implicitly associate yourself with being happy or sad?
• Weight IAT: Do you have an automatic preference for thin people over fat people?
• Race and Skin-tone IATs: Do you have an automatic preference for white/light skin over black/dark skin?

There are many more like this at the Project Implicit website. Most tests require a mouse or a keyboard, but you can also take some tests with a touchscreen device. Typically, each test takes about 8-10 minutes of your time, if you pay attention.

More Brain-Training and Analyzing!

There are a few other brain analysis apps that will satiate your curiosity about the inner workings of your mind. Cambridge Brain Sciences offers a free online “brain health” analysis, while Brain Errors shows how your mind can make simple errors. For this and more, check these brain training and analyzing apps.

Read the full article: How Smart Are You? 5 Free Online Cognitive Tests to Check How Well Your Brain Works

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The 8 Best Multiplayer Online Scrabble Games for Word Game Addicts

One of the world’s most popular board games was born from crosswords. It could have ended up being called “Lexico” or “Criss Cross Words,” but James Brunot ended up calling it Scrabble. It became a huge hit when it came packaged in a box and it remains popular as an online game for word nerds.

Scrabble has also become a generic name for word games with similar gameplay. Even as the dust of copyright infringements settle, there are quite a few varieties of online Scrabble-like games you can turn to. So, let’s take a look at some of the best online Scrabble games available to play.

1. Internet Scrabble Club

The Internet Scrabble Club (ISC) won’t catch your eye when you land on the website. It’s all very vanilla, but the games are serious. Behind the plain facade is your best chance to team up with good Scrabble players.

Just register and choose your handle. You can then play in English, French, Romanian, Italian, or Dutch. Similar to chess, you can lurk and observe other players too.

ISC has a comprehensive rating system that gives this online multiplayer game a professional feel. The average rating on ISC is around 900, with expert players ranked at 1,800. Which means you might need to read our guide to winning at Scrabble.

2. Quadplex

Quadplex is a Scrabble clone with similar gameplay. You must have the Java plugin installed to play this game. The rules are the same—form words from individual lettered tiles on a 15 by 15 game board.

Just click on Auto Start and you will be paired against an opponent without the hassle of a ranking system. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary.

You can either play as a paid member or as a guest on Quadplex. Membership gives you an uncluttered, ad-free experience and the option to take part in tournaments. You can also enjoy chats, playing against the computer, access to statistics, and player forums. Unlimited gameplay costs $13 for one month or $40 for six months.

3. Lexulous

Lexulous (earlier known as Scrabulous) gained some notoriety a few years back when it was hit by a lawsuit from Hasbro and Mattel. The controversy has quietened down since then, and it’s still one of the best Facebook Instant games.

Sign up with an email or your Facebook account and then choose a handle. Then pick a room for your first word battle across the board.

Lexulous gives you many options to flex your gray matter. You can choose to play against players from specific countries and attempt “world domination.” You can also challenge robots or try a rapid game called Lexulous Blitz. And if you’re feeling lazy you can even try the email version of the game.

Lexulous also has an ad-free Pro version with more advanced game features. Either way, you can also play on the move thanks to the Lexolous mobile apps.

Download: Lexulous for Android | iOS ($1.99, in-app purchases)

4. ScrabbleGames

It can be incredibly difficult to find Scrabble games to play on the internet. This humble site solves the problem by giving you an entire game room’s worth of word games. This site is not affiliated in any way with Hasbro Inc. It’s a Scrabble fansite that sources the games from other parts of the web.

Not all of the games follow the classic Scrabble rules. But what you get is a nice mix of multiplayer Scrabble-like games and solo games you can play in your spare time. Ignore the outmoded look of the site and focus on the games instead.

5. Just Words

AOL is still here and you will find this multiplayer Scrabble game in one of its little corners. OK, it’s not exactly Scrabble but it is pretty similar. Instead of the classic 15 by 15 board, you have a 13 by 13 spread. And instead of seven letter tiles, you have six tiles to combine into words.

There are three difficulty levels. Build your words in the Assembly Area and drag them to the board. You can also play solo but it can get lonely without using the chatbox in the sidebar.

6. Words With Friends

Words With Friends surely needs no introduction. The Zynga app is available on Facebook, the App Store, Google Play, and the Windows Store. Play with Facebook friends or a random player selected by the app. This is one of the most complete wannabe Scrabble games you will come across online.

Switch on the weekly challenges or go solo. Rewards and badges will spur you on. Thanks to its global fame, you can play Words With Friends in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and English.

The paid option to remove ads is on the steep side ($29.99) across all platforms. This is likely an offshoot of its popularity across the world. And if you’re tired of hearing about Word With Friends, try the best free word games on Android and iOS instead.

Download: Words With Friends for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases)

7. Scrabble Sprint

Your eyes probably inch towards a Merriam-Webster dictionary when you have an urge to cheat at Scrabble. Resist the impulse. The dictionary site has its own Scrabble game to keep you hooked. Here, you will play against the computer but with all the classic rules at your disposal.

Scrabble Sprint is one of those addictive short games you can play when you have a few minutes to spare. It really is a sprint as you have to fill up the 64 spaces on the board with word tiles and you get only a minute for each turn.

Trust me, it’s more difficult than it sounds. And the ticking countdown in the background keeps pace with your heartbeat.

8. The Pixie Pit

An email turn-based word game seems timeworn in the age of apps. But Pixie Pit has racked up millions of games since it started in 1998.

The usual Scrabble rules apply. You just need to send over your words via email. You must make your move within seven days after your opponent plays their word or the game will expire. This can lead to leisurely games played at your own pace.

There is a small annual subscription of $15/player and it keeps the site ad-free. However, there is a trial version available. That’s a steal when this is one of those games you can play behind your boss’s back.

Play Classic Board Games From Anywhere

Playing Scrabble on a physical board is often hindered by a lack of partners. Which is what makes these multiplayer online Scrabble games such a joy.

The popularity of Scrabble hasn’t diminished in the least. Options to play Scrabble or Scrabble-like word games are everywhere. And as well as Scrabble, there are other classic board games you can play on your phone.

Read the full article: The 8 Best Multiplayer Online Scrabble Games for Word Game Addicts

Looking To Stream MLB Games? Reddit Wins The Race!

The world is opening and so are sports. Major league baseball and MLB association have reached an agreement to hold the 2020 season. It will comprise of 60 games and is all set to start on 24th July. MLB will have players comply with special COVID-19 precautionary measures. If you have planned something for the […]

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Best Manga Communities – Reddit Manga Secures The Top Spot

Are you a Manga lover? If yes, drop everything that you are doing, and let’s have some Manga discussion! You might already know that Manga is a Japanese word that means comic books. It refers to the amazing Japanese graphic novels that hook you to them from the first look. Most people usually ask Manga […]

The post Best Manga Communities – Reddit Manga Secures The Top Spot appeared first on ALL TECH BUZZ.

How to Fix a Double-Clicking Mouse in Windows

Is your mouse double-clicking when you don’t want it to? This can lead to a bundle of problems, as simple actions like clicking to select, dragging files, and more don’t behave like you expect them to.

We’ll show you how to fix a double-clicking mouse so you can figure out what’s causing the problem and resolve it.

1. If a Single Click Is Double-Clicking

A common reason for a double-clicking mouse is a simple setting in Windows. You may have enabled this by mistake, so it’s worth checking first.

To do so, open a File Explorer window. On the View tab, click Options. Then in the resulting window, on the General tab, you’ll see a Click items as follows header.

The default behavior is Double-click to open an item (single-click to select). If you have Single-click to open an item (point to select) chosen, you only need to click a folder once to open it. Just mousing over a folder or other file is enough to select it.

While this can help you reduce the number of clicks you make in a day, it’s confusing if you’re used to the default behavior. And with this option flipped, you might think your mouse is physically double-clicking when it’s really a software option.

2. Change the Mouse Double-Click Speed

The click speed is another Windows option that you can change to fix a double-click problem. For most people, the default double-click threshold is manageable, but you might have changed it by mistake or have it set to a level where Windows won’t properly recognize your clicks.

To change your double-click speed, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse and click Additional mouse options in the right sidebar. If you don’t see this, drag the Settings window to make it wider.

When you click that link, a new Mouse Properties Control Panel window will appear. On the Buttons tab, you’ll find a Double-click speed option.

Move the slider per your preference; you can double-click on the folder icon to the right to test it. The closer to Fast you place the slider, the less time Windows allows between clicks to register a double-click. If it’s too close to Slow, Windows might be registering two single clicks as a double-click.

3. Clean Your Mouse

If you ruled out the above two options, your issue likely lies with hardware. You should next take a look at your mouse, especially around the top buttons where you click, and see if there’s dirt or other grime there.

The excessive build-up may interfere with your mouse’s internals and cause it to keep double-clicking or click incorrectly. Give it a clean using cotton swabs, compressed air, and similar tools to remove any grime present. You can even make some DIY cleaning putty and use that if you’d like. Once it’s clean, see if your double-clicking issue subsides.

4. Check the Battery Life and Interference

Another cause of a double-clicking mouse is poor communication between your mouse and computer. This usually happens for one of two reasons: low battery life or interference. These are both problems unique to wireless mice, so you can skip this step if you use a wired mouse.

If your mouse uses batteries, try replacing them, as it can misbehave when the power runs low. Similarly, you should plug in a rechargeable mouse and give it some time to regain battery power.

If the batteries aren’t the problem, your mouse might have trouble communicating with your computer wirelessly. Try bringing your mouse closer to the computer if it’s far away. Also, if your mouse uses a USB receiver, make sure it’s placed away from metal and other materials that block wireless signals.

5. Try Another Mouse

If you’ve walked through all of the above and your mouse is still double-clicking all the time, it may be faulty. To test this, try either plugging your current mouse into another computer or connect a different mouse to your current computer.

Should your mouse continue to misbehave on a different computer, it’s very likely defective. If you try another mouse on your PC and don’t have any issues, that’s another sign your original mouse is defective.

However, if the original mouse works fine on the second computer, or a second mouse has the same problem on your original computer, you may have a piece of software or something else interfering with your mouse’s normal operation. There’s one more step you can take…

6. Reinstall Mouse Drivers

As a last troubleshooting step, it’s worth a try to remove your current mouse driver and let Windows reinstall it. To do this, right-click the Start button (or press Win + X) and choose Device Manager.

Expand the Mice and other pointing devices category and right-click your mouse. Choose Uninstall device, confirm, then restart your PC.

Note that you’ll have to navigate your computer without a mouse to reach to the restart command after you do so. Tap the Windows Key, then press Tab until it focuses on the left group of icons. Use your arrow keys to get down to the power button and hit Enter, then use the arrows and enter again to choose Restart.

If you have trouble with this, you can also press Win + R to open the Run dialog and enter shutdown /r to restart.

Fixes When Your Mouse Double-Clicks

Hopefully, one or more of the above strategies fixed your double-clicking mouse. If nothing worked, it’s likely that your mouse is not working properly. You may be able to fix it by opening it up and repairing the mechanics, but this probably isn’t worth your time unless you have an expensive mouse.

For more general troubleshooting, check out how to fix Windows 10 mouse issues. And if you decide to replace your mouse, read our computer mouse buying guide.

Read the full article: How to Fix a Double-Clicking Mouse in Windows

How to Search File Contents in Windows

It can be hard to keep track of all the data on your computer, which is why the built-in Windows search function can come in so handy. But have you ever found it doesn’t always turn up the result you want?

This might be because you’re trying to search text inside a file. By default, Windows won’t look at the internals of every single file when performing your search. However, there is a way to enable this.

Not only can the Windows search be improved, but there are third-party programs that might offer you better search experiences and we’ll cover these too.

Search File Contents Using Windows Search

Windows 10 is better at searching for files and folders than it’s older versions. It’s usually great at finding the file you need. However, there might be an occasion where the file you seek doesn’t come up.

This is because, by default, Windows search doesn’t look at the contents of every file type, nor does it scan files that haven’t been indexed. Here’s how to change both of those things.

About the Windows File Index

The Windows index catalogs information about your files, like the metadata and the words within them. This allows your computer to find things quicker—it doesn’t have to scan each file individually, but can instead look in the index.

Many apps on your system use the index. File Explorer is the obvious place, but Photos, Groove, Outlook, and Cortana all use the index too.

The index updates automatically as the files on your computer change. It will take up roughly less than 10 percent of the size of the indexed files (so 100 MB of files will have an index of less than 10 MB).

While these methods will make your file search more useful, it’s worth noting that they can slow down the speed at which you’ll get your results. The more file types that have their contents indexed and the more folders searched, the longer it’ll take. If you notice a significant slowdown then it might be worth cutting back on your indexing and only enabling the more obscure searches when necessary.

1. Change General Search Options

There are a couple of general options that you can change to enhance the file index and search.

Indexing Options

First, we’ll look at how to change some system-wide indexing options.

Open the Start menu, search for Indexing Options, and select the result. In the window that opens, click Advanced and remain on the Index Settings tab.

Beneath the File Settings heading, you can enable two options:

1. Index encrypted files
2. Treat similar words with diacritics as different words

The first will add encrypted files to the index. Encryption can help protect your files, so you may not want these indexed.

The second refers to diacritics, which are also known as accents. Those are the little symbols or glyphs that appear on some words like café. Once you enable this, “cafe” and “café” would be treated as different words. This option is useful if you have many files in different languages.

Once done, click OK to save your changes.

File Explorer Options

Next, we’ll change how search operates within File Explorer.

Open the Start menu, search for Change search options for files and folders, and select the result.

Here you can enable options for when searching non-indexed locations. These are:

1. Include system directories (enabled by default)
2. Include compressed files (ZIP, CAB, etc.)
3. Always search file names and contents (this might take several minutes)

Choose what you want to enable, but the third is crucial if you want a thorough search of files and their contents.

Once done, click OK to save your changes.

2. Search For and Inside More Locations

Windows indexes locations like your Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos by default. If you like, you can add more locations to the index.

To do this, open the Start menu, search for Indexing Options, and select the result. This will open a window that shows you all the current indexed locations.

To add something to this list, click Modify > Show all locations. Use the Change selected locations section at the top—click the arrow to expand a drive or folder, then place a tick in the box to index it. Once done, click OK.

3. Search Inside More File Types

By default, Windows only adds the file contents of certain file types to the index.

To change this, we again need to use the Indexing Options section. Click Advanced and switch to the File Types tab. Here you will find a list of most file types on your system, right down to the really obscure ones. If a file type isn’t listed, input it in the Add new extension to list text field and click Add.

If you click a common file extension from the list, like doc, look beneath the How should this file be indexed? section. You’ll notice that the file is indexed with the Index Properties and File Contents option. This means that Windows search will look inside DOC files, and other file types marked like this, when you make a search.

Select a more obscure file type and it’ll likely just be set to Index Properties Only, which refers to metadata like the file name rather than anything inside it.

If you know what the file type is that you’re after, find it on the list and switch it so that it’s set to Index Properties and File Contents. Once done, click OK.

Search File Contents Using Third-Party Programs

We’ve rounded up a list of Windows search alternatives in the past, but these don’t specifically search file contents. If the Windows search isn’t for you then you can use a third-party tool called Agent Ransack. This isn’t the only program available, but it’s potentially the best due to its system compatibility, list of features, and lack of a price tag.

Agent Ransack comes from Mythicsoft and is a free alternative to their FileLocator Pro program. You can search your entire system for content text and you can also specify parameters like file size and date modified. It has an incredibly simple and easy to use interface, which is quite possibly easier to navigate than the actual Windows search.

The tool will tell you exactly which line your search keyword appears within a file (along with how many times it’s contained within) and it’ll give you the file search results super quickly. Of course, if you’re searching your entire system then it might take a while, but you can narrow down to folder searches if you need to cut out some excess.

Shortcuts and Tips for Windows Search

These methods will help you search your system thoroughly, allowing you to dig deep through masses of data and scout out that specific file that you need. Whether you prefer the built-in Windows search or a third-party alternative, both will get the job done well.

If you want to get better at using Windows search and quickly find the file you need, check out our Windows 10 search cheat sheet full of tips and shortcuts.

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Everything We Know About the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Samsung finding a way to leak its own products. And the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have become the company’s worst kept secret.

Samsung’s latest wireless earbuds have been the subject of a couple of different leaks, one from Samsung’s own Galaxy Buds app on Android and iOS. The app tells us just about everything there is to know about the upcoming true-wireless earbuds.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Samsung has leaked a pair of its earbuds through its mobile app, as the company also detailed the Galaxy Buds+ in this way. Which makes us wonder whether Samsung is doing it on purpose or just not learning from past mistakes.

What to Expect From the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Thanks to a leak from the Galaxy Buds app on iOS and Android, we’ve learned a great deal about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Buds Live.

Probably the most essential feature the app leaked about the upcoming bean-shaped earbuds is the inclusion of active noise cancellation. You can toggle this feature on and off within the app.

Another app-based feature we learned about is Find My Earbuds. As you might expect, this feature will help you find one or both of your buds should they go missing. This is a pretty standard feature for higher-end true-wireless earbuds, so it only makes sense that Samsung would include it.

Lastly, the app detailed the touch controls offered on the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. There’s also a toggle to disable touch controls if you’re not into that sort of thing.

This is how you will have to put in your Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (or BEANS).

From the Buds Live APK.#Samsung #GalaxyBudsLive pic.twitter.com/NKREpg8ojx

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) July 24, 2020

A previous leak from WinFuture broke down some of the specs for the upcoming earbuds. So you can expect 4.5 hours of estimated battery life, three microphones, and 12mm drivers pumping the sound into your eardrums.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Price and Availability

The one thing missing from these leaks is release information, including the price. However, Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Buds Live on August 5th at 10AM ET during its Unpacked event.

The WinFuture leak suggests that Samsung’s wireless earbuds will retail for $169, which sounds like a reasonable price for a pair of true-wireless earbuds with active noise cancelation. For example, Apple’s Airpods Pro (how to choose between the AirPods and AirPods Pro) with active noise cancellation sell for $249.

Image Credit: Twitter/@h0x0d

Read the full article: Everything We Know About the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

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How to Install (Or Uninstall) the iOS 14 Beta on Your iPhone

You can try out the next version of iOS now by installing the iOS 14 public beta on your iPhone. Apple usually makes public beta software available months before the official release of a new iOS version. This means you can get your hands on new features before anyone else.

We’ll show you how to install the iOS 14 public beta for free using the Apple Beta Software Program. These same steps will work to install the iPadOS 14 public beta on an iPad, too.

A Warning About Beta Software

By its very nature, beta software is unfinished. That means it will most likely be less reliable, with more software bugs than what you’re used to. Beta software can even cause data loss or battery drain on your iPhone.

If you need your iPhone to work perfectly—whether for work or family—you shouldn’t install beta software on it. Find a spare iPhone to use with the iOS 14 public beta instead.

That said, we’ll show you how to uninstall iOS 14 public beta as well, in case you change your mind after installing it.

Public and Developer Beta Software

There are two versions of iOS 14 beta available: public and developer. Apple typically releases the developer beta a couple of weeks before the public beta, allowing developers to tweak their apps in preparation for a public release.

Apple’s developer beta is only available to members of the iOS Developer Program. This costs $99/year and comes with access to analytics and testing tools, along with the ability to release apps on the App Store.

If you don’t want to pay for the iOS Developer Program, Apple usually releases the public beta only a couple of weeks later. These releases come through the Apple Beta Software Program, which lets anyone install beta software on their devices.

Most people don’t want to pay $99/year to join the iOS Developer Program. So we’ll focus on how to install the iOS 14 public beta instead.

How to Install the iOS 14 Public Beta on Your iPhone

There are only three steps you need to follow to install the iOS 14 public beta on your iPhone. The entire process takes a couple of hours, depending on how much data is on your iPhone and how fast your internet connection is.

Make sure your iPhone is fully charged and you have plenty of time before getting started.

Step 1. Archive a Backup of Your iPhone

Every time you back up your iPhone, it erases your existing backup to create the new one. Any backups you make using the iOS 14 public beta might not work if you revert to iOS 13 again. To protect your data, you should archive an iOS 13 backup now, so you can still use it if you uninstall the iOS 14 public beta in the future.

When you archive a backup, it means your iPhone won’t delete it during future backups. If you don’t create an archived backup using iOS 13, you may lose all the data from your iPhone if the iOS 14 public beta doesn’t work properly.

Use a computer running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes, to create an archived backup:

1. Open Finder or iTunes on your computer and select your iPhone from the sidebar. If prompted, unlock your iPhone and agree to Trust this computer.
2. Go to the General tab in Finder or the Summary tab in iTunes and choose to Back up all the data on your iPhone. If you want to save passwords and sensitive data as well, enable the Encrypt backup option and create a memorable password.
3. Click Back Up Now and wait for the backup to complete.
4. When the backup finishes, click Manage Backups, then Control-click or right-click the backup you just made and select Archive. A padlock should appear next to your backup to show that it’s archived.

Step 2. Enroll Your iPhone in the Apple Beta Software Program

To install the iOS 14 public beta you need to enroll your iPhone in the Apple Beta Software Program. You do this by installing an iOS 14 Beta Software profile on your iPhone, which lets you download the iOS 14 public beta as a software update.

First, you need to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program using your Apple ID. This is completely free, unlike the iOS Developer Program, which grants even earlier access to beta software.

To sign up and enroll your iPhone in the Apple Beta Software Program:

1. Visit beta.apple.com and Sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program using your Apple ID. Accept the terms and conditions to complete the signup process.
2. Now open Safari on your iPhone and go to beta.apple.com/profile. Tap Download profile and Allow Safari to download a configuration profile.
3. When the download finishes, open Settings and tap Profile Downloaded to Install the profile. Alternatively, go to Settings > General > Profile to view all your downloaded profiles and install it from there.
4. Follow the prompts to enter your passcode and restart your iPhone to finish installing the iOS 14 beta profile.

Step 3. Check for Software Updates to Install the iOS 14 Beta

All you need to do now is check for new software updates on your iPhone. With the iOS 14 Beta Software profile installed, your iPhone should download the iOS 14 public beta as a software update.

Depending on your internet connection, it could take a couple of hours for your iPhone to download and install the update.

Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi with plenty of battery (or keep it plugged in), then:

1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Wait for your iPhone to check for new updates.
3. Tap Download and Install to install the iOS 14 public beta on your iPhone.

How to Uninstall the iOS 14 Public Beta From Your iPhone

You may not want to keep the iOS 14 public beta software installed on your iPhone if it’s too buggy or unreliable. After all, many third-party apps still need to release updates to run perfectly on the new software, plus Apple is still working to fix its own software bugs.

If you want to uninstall the iOS 14 beta from your iPhone, you have two possible options.

Option 1. Remove the iOS 14 Beta Profile and Wait for an Update

The easiest way to uninstall iOS 14 beta from your iPhone is to delete the beta profile from your settings. After you do this, your iPhone will stop looking for iOS 14 beta software to install and will install the next iOS 13 update Apple releases instead.

To remove the iOS 14 Beta Software profile:

1. Go to Settings > General > Profile and tap the iOS 14 Beta Software profile.
2. Tap Remove Profile, then enter your passcode and confirm you want to Remove it.
3. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and check for new updates.

You may need to wait for Apple to release a new iOS 13 update for you to install if there isn’t one available now. Apple typically releases new updates every couple of weeks, so you shouldn’t need to wait long.

Option 2. Erase Your iPhone Using Recovery Mode

If you want to uninstall iOS 14 beta immediately without waiting for Apple to release a new software update, your only option is to erase your iPhone using Recovery Mode.

Erasing your iPhone deletes all the content from it: photos, messages, apps, and more. If you followed the steps above, you should be able to restore an archived backup after erasing your iPhone to recover your lost data.

Unfortunately, this backup won’t contain any data you added to your iPhone after creating the backup. The only way to keep that data is to follow the first uninstall option above.

The steps to enter Recovery Mode vary depending on your particular iPhone, but they all involve connecting your iPhone to a computer running macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes. Follow these instructions to enter Recovery Mode on your iPhone. Then choose to Restore your iPhone when prompted in Finder or iTunes.

After restoring your iPhone, choose to restore your archived backup in Finder or iTunes.

The Best iPhone Features Are Already Here

There’s a wealth of exciting features coming to the iPhone with iOS 14, but there are already plenty of great iPhone features in iOS 13 that most people aren’t aware of. You might not need to install the iOS 14 public beta if all you want is a few new features to play with.

Take a look at these secret iPhone features that already exist in iOS 13. You can use them to pay for dinner, measure physical objects, share your location, and more.

Read the full article: How to Install (Or Uninstall) the iOS 14 Beta on Your iPhone

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