The Weekly Authority: 📱 Bye-bye passwords?

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 193rd edition here, with passwordless sign-in, Samsung’s UFS 4.0 flash storage, Resident Evil 4’s inventory briefcase puzzle game, and more.

🎥 I’m feeling a bit underwhelmed after finally watching the Uncharted movie — I still just don’t see Mark Wahlberg as Sully!

Popular news this week

Google:

• Google, Apple, and Microsoft are working together to deploy passwordless sign-in.
• Google Pixel Fold leak suggests a smaller Galaxy Z Fold 4 rival, suggests it will slot in between OPPO’s and Samsung’s devices in terms of size.
• And Google’s rumored to soon launch “Pixel Buds Pro” to Rival Apple’s AirPods Pro.
• Latest Google Play system update makes file sharing easier between your devices — no need to approve every file you share.
• Android 13 is getting new sideloading restrictions, but they are good.
• Meanwhile, Google’s added some helpful features for summer vacation planning: tracking flight prices between two cities, browsing destinations within driving distance, and new overlays to help you see which neighborhoods seem the most interesting to stay in.
• Google Pixel 3a to receive one more update before going off into oblivion.
• Plus: Google discontinues YouTube Go app.

Samsung:

• Latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 leak all but confirms “Pro” model.
• Samsung’s UFS 4.0 flash storage is a major upgrade, especially for 5G phones, offering twice the performance of 3.1, plus smaller sizes and better energy efficiency.
• Some Galaxy S22 camera features are coming to older Samsung phones, including phones as old as the Galaxy S10 series.

OnePlus:

• OnePlus Nord 3 launch could be imminent after it appears on company website, could launch alongside a Nord-branded smartwatch.
• OnePlus 10 Ultra could fix some of the OnePlus 10 Pro’s mistakes, could focus on cameras, likely launching August or September.
• Meanwhile, the OnePlus Nord 2T quietly appeared on AliExpress, listed with a €399 price tag, but OnePlus says it hasn’t announced anything.

Apple:

• Apple sues RISC-V chip startup, alleging theft of trade secrets and poaching employees, and asking for “a reasonable royalty rate,” amongst other things.
• EU says Apple Pay is anticompetitive: “The Commission takes issue with the decision by Apple to prevent mobile wallets app developers, from accessing the necessary hardware and software (‘NFC input’) on its devices, to the benefit of its own solution, Apple Pay.”
• And it’s not your imagination — iPhone users really are worse drivers.

Space:

• After launching on November 10, 2021, SpaceX’s Dragon Endurance landed safely back on Earth on Friday.
• Check out astronauts waltzing in their spacesuits…
• And Virgin Galactic delays launch of commercial space flight service to first quarter of 2023.

Elsewhere:

• 33Gbps Wi-Fi 7 speeds coming to a router near you in 2023.
• Amazon’s finally making it easier to load your own books onto Kindle by opening up to EPUB, but also, annoyingly, removed the ability to purchase Kindle books on its Android app this week.
• Mozilla releases Firefox version 100 this week.
• And WhatsApp’s new features are rolling out to users this week, including its new Communities feature and the ability to share larger files.
• Meanwhile, a Telegram premium plan is in the works: What do you get by subscribing?
• The Redmi Pad could take the fight to cheaper Android tablets, could theoretically duke it out against the budget-focused realme Pad and Nokia T20 tablets.
• And OPPO could launch a clamshell foldable this year at a surprisingly low price.
• Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are coming next week: Expect an announcement May 12.
• Lawsuit alleges all Fitbit devices are prone to burning users: The complaint says they’re “unreasonably dangerous.”
• Meat, but not as we know it: Mooji raises $3 million to create 3D-printed plant-based meat (more on that in the Weekly Wonder).

Movies/TV:

• Doctor Strange 2 aims for Massive $175 Million-Plus Opening Weekend.
• A new House of the Dragon teaser trailer landed for the Game of Thrones prequel, alongside some cool character posters.
• And Netflix’s “Stranger Things” Immersive Experience heads to the UK this summer (plus New York this month and San Francisco in June).
• Here’s everything we know about HBO Max’s Dune: The Sisterhood.
• Meanwhile, the best new movies to stream this week include the Wachowskis’ first feature, Bound, and the very funny sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest (a must-watch).
• Get a first peek at Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic.
• Whether you marked May 4th with a Star Wars movie (or two) or not, Mashable‘s ranked all 12 Star Wars movies from worst to best…

Gaming:

• Development of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake has switched from Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai to Ubisoft Montreal, meaning more delays.
• Blizzard announced Warcraft Arclight Rumble for Android and iOS, launching later this year.
• Halo Infinite’s Season 2, Lone Wolves, launched Tuesday, with new multiplayer modes, maps, and battle pass.
• Meanwhile, someone modded a Fisher-Price baby controller to play Elden Ring.
• And someone made the inventory briefcase from Resident Evil 4 into a puzzle game.
• Nintendo Switch Sports players are breaking TVs like it’s 2006 — watch out for flying Joy-Cons.
• An Xbox mobile app update now lets you share game clips, achievements, and screenshots.
• Speaking of Xbox, Microsoft’s hosting a massive Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12 (12 PM CT), with a new rumor suggesting almost every Xbox studio made something for the event.
• Square Enix is selling several top franchises (including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief) plus their respective studios to the Embracer Group.
• Finally: Fortnite’s officially back on the iPhone, on Microsoft’s Xbox Xbox Cloud Gaming, for free.

Reviews

• POCO 4 GT review: One for the mobile gamers — Aims to deliver a great gaming experience, but this means cutbacks elsewhere.
• Sennheiser CX True Wireless review: Jack of all buds — Versatile, reasonably priced, and check most of the boxes for a low-to-mid-range pair of buds.
• Jabra Elite 7 Pro review: Tough buds at an easy price — Packing a ton of premium features for a price that undercuts the competition.
• Apple HomePod Mini review: Siri-ously good smart speaker — A good smart speaker with a small form and big sound, but really only for people already deep in the Apple ecosystem.
• Apple AirPods Max review: Ecosystem-only excellence — “They sound great and have amazing active noise-cancelling, but some quirks are hard to look past.”

Features

• Fresh out of the box: 10 ways to make your OnePlus 10 Pro better — From activating the OnePlus Shelf to checking out screen-off gestures, and more (Android Authority).
• Google I/O 2022: Here’s what to expect — Could we see the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch? (Android Authority).
• Facebook ads have a problem. It’s called digital redlining. “Just how legal are Facebook’s ads?” (Mashable).
• A visit to the human factory: How to build the world’s most realistic robot — A behind-the-scenes look at Engineered Arts’ (of Ameca fame) factory.
• Starbucks wants to sell you NFTs with your frappuccino: “The point of a Starbucks NFT is still unclear” (Mashable).

Weekly Wonder

Following the news that food tech startup Mooji raised $3 million to 3D-print plant-based meats, we started wondering: Could we soon be eating these 3D-printed creations? What does 3D-printed meat taste like? How is it made?

Fancy a 3D-printed steak?

Though it may not sound like the most appetizing food ever, 3D-printed meat, or cultured meat, is fast becoming a thing. Across the world, companies like Redefine Meat and MeaTech are already printing meat, with startups like Mooji hot on their heels. But what is this “meat” actually made of, and how is it created?

• Bovine stem cells are the key ingredient — and while that might sound like animal products, the end product is plant-based and completely vegan.
• These stem cells are isolated, multiplied until critical cellular mass is reached, then made into bio-inks.
• These bio-inks are printed using a special 3D bioprinter, using a digital CAD model of a steak.
• Unlike some other plant-based products, cultured meat is generally sold as whole cuts.
• After printing, the steak is incubated, allowing the stem cells to differentiate into fat and muscle cells, just like the tissues found in actual steak.
• Steak, lamb, chicken — all these meats and more can be 3D-printed using stem cells.
• Researchers at the University of Osaka in Japan have even re-created the prized Wagyu beef using two types of stem cells from Wagyu cows. The jury’s still out on the flavor, though.
  Last year Novameat printed the largest piece of cell-based whole-cut meat analog in the world.

Doesn’t sound especially appetizing, does it? The video below probably isn’t going to do anything to whet your appetite either, although apparently, it tastes quite a lot like the real deal.

Watch on BBC

How big is the industry?

The cultured meat industry is growing, with the sector raising over $600 million in funding since 2015, and predicted to exceed $10 billion by 2041.

• There are now over 50 companies printing meat, including Israel’s MeaTech (Redefine Meat), Barcelona’s Novameat, Vienna’s Revo Foods, and Tel Aviv’s SuperMeat.
• The world’s first cultured meat company was MeaTech, the Israeli bioprinting company behind Redefine Meat.
• In January, Redefine Meat closed a $135 million investment round, bringing its total funding to $180 million.
• The company ran taste tests in four cities worldwide last November for its cultured meat and its plant-based meat product.
• It already serves its products in 200 restaurants in Israel, as well as catering for Facebook (Meta), Google, and Apple offices, as well as some UK, Germany, and Netherlands restaurants.

Could we soon be eating 3D-printed meat?

We consume 346.14 million tons of meat a year globally, a figure which could increase by 44% by 2030. Meat consumption varies worldwide, but the US is the top meat consumer — we’re consuming 124 kilos per person, per year. The general consensus among experts is that this just isn’t sustainable given the climate change crisis and various other factors, which could mean an alternative meat revolution is on the horizon.

We could soon be eating cultured meat in the US, with experts predicting 2022 could be the year it receives regulatory approval in some form.

Can I print my own steak at home?

Sadly not, unless you’re also going to grow and nurture your own stem cells, which would require (a) some pretty deep scientific knowledge and (b) a well-kitted-out laboratory. Unfortunately, 3D-printed meat isn’t the type of thing you can just print at home on your 3D printer the next time a steak craving hits!

Craving more science? Check out our pick of the best science apps for Android or dive into CuriosityStream, the online streaming service for science and history fans.

Tech Calendar

• May 9-11: Qualcomm 5G Summit (San Diego)
• May 10: Motorola launch event @ 2 PM CST (Moto G82?)
• May 11: Sony Xperia event @ 3 AM ET (Xperia 1 IV?)
• May 11-12: Google I/O 2022
• May 12: realme 9 series and realme Pad Mini launch @ 1 PM CET
• May 12: Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones launch @4 PM GMT
• June 2: Diablo Immortal PC release date
• June 6-10: Apple WWDC 2022
• June 10: The Quarry released on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
• June 12: Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase @ 12 PM CT

Tech Tweet of the Week

Something extra: This robot chef can taste food and check whether the balance of flavors is right, so Gordon Ramsay et al could soon be out of a job…

Until next week,

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.