Author: Allen Parker

How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts in WordPress
Want your WordPress blog posts to rank higher on Google and attract more readers in April 2025, especially when users in Delhi, India, are searching for information related to your niche? Mastering On-Page SEO is crucial. This involves optimizing the content and HTML source code of your blog posts to make them more understandable and appealing to search engines. I’ve “observed” countless WordPress users significantly improve their blog post rankings by implementing these strategies, and this guide will walk you through a detailed, step-by-step process on how to write SEO-Friendly blog posts in WordPress in the current SEO environment.

Step 1: Keyword Research – The Foundation of Your Optimization

Before you even start writing, understanding what your target audience in India is searching for is paramount.
1. Identify Your Target Keywords: Conduct thorough keyword research (as outlined in a previous article) to find relevant keywords and phrases that your ideal readers in India are using on Google when searching for information related to your blog post’s topic. Consider using keywords in both English and relevant regional languages like Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, etc. Focus on keywords with a good balance of search volume and relevance to your content.
2. Understand Search Intent: Determine the user’s intent behind your target keywords. Are they looking for information, a solution to a problem, or a specific product or service? Tailor your content to match that intent.
Step 2: Crafting an SEO-Friendly Title Tag (Your First Impression on Google)

The title tag is the main title that appears in search engine results pages (SERPs) and is a crucial on-page SEO element.
1. Include Your Primary Keyword: Make sure your title tag includes your primary target keyword naturally and as close to the beginning as possible.
2. Keep it Concise and Compelling: Aim for a title tag that is around 50-60 characters long. It should be engaging and accurately reflect the content of your blog post to encourage clicks from search results in India.
3. Use Power Words (Optional): Words like “Best,” “Top,” “How to,” or “Ultimate Guide” can sometimes increase click-through rates.
4. Add Your Brand Name (If Relevant): You can include your brand name at the end of the title tag, separated by a hyphen or pipe (|).
5. Optimize in WordPress: Use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to easily edit the title tag for your blog post.
Step 3: Writing a Compelling Meta Description (Your Ad Copy in Search Results)

The meta description is a short snippet of text that appears below your title tag in the SERPs. It doesn’t directly impact rankings but can significantly influence click-through rates from users in India.
1. Summarize Your Blog Post: Briefly describe the content of your blog post in an engaging and informative way.
2. Include Your Primary and Secondary Keywords: Incorporate your target keywords naturally within the description.
3. Create a Call to Action (Optional): Encourage users to click through to your blog post by including a compelling call to action (e.g., “Learn more,” “Read our guide,” “Find out how”). Consider using a call to action in a local language if appropriate for your target audience in India.
4. Keep it Within the Character Limit: Aim for a meta description that is around 150-160 characters long.
5. Optimize in WordPress: Use your SEO plugin to easily edit the meta description for your blog post.
Step 4: Structuring Your Content with Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

Using headings correctly helps both readers and search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your content.
1. Use Only One H1 Tag: Your main title should be wrapped in an <h1> tag. This is usually the title of your blog post in WordPress.
2. Use H2 Tags for Main Subheadings: Break down your content into logical sections using <h2> tags for the main subheadings.
3. Use H3-H6 Tags for Further Subsections: Use <h3>, <h4>, <h5>, and <h6> tags to further organize your content within the main subheadings, creating a clear outline.
4. Incorporate Keywords Naturally in Headings: Include your target keywords naturally within your headings where relevant.
Step 5: Optimizing Your Blog Post URL (Making it Clear and Concise)

An SEO-friendly URL is short, descriptive, and includes your target keyword.
1. Use Your Primary Keyword: Include your main keyword in the URL of your blog post. Consider using transliterated keywords in Hindi or other relevant regional languages if your audience in India uses them in their searches.
2. Keep it Short and Concise: Aim for a URL that is easy to read and remember. Remove unnecessary words like “a,” “the,” “of,” etc.
3. Use Hyphens to Separate Words: Separate words in your URL with hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_).
4. Set Your Permalink Structure (Once): As mentioned in a previous article, set your WordPress permalink structure to “Post name” for SEO-friendly URLs.
5. Edit the Slug in WordPress: When you create a new blog post in WordPress, you can usually edit the “slug” (the part of the URL after your domain name) to make it SEO-friendly. This option is usually available below the post title or in the post settings panel.
Step 6: Crafting High-Quality, Engaging Content (The Heart of SEO)

Ultimately, the quality of your content is the most important factor for ranking well on Google in April 2025.
1. Focus on User Intent: Create content that directly answers the questions and needs of your target audience in India.
2. Write Comprehensive and In-Depth Content: Aim to provide thorough and valuable information on your topic. Longer, high-quality content often performs well in search results.
3. Use a Natural Writing Style: Write in a clear, concise, and engaging style that resonates with your audience in India. Avoid keyword stuffing. Consider writing in a conversational tone.
4. Break Up Text with Visuals: Incorporate relevant images, videos, and infographics to make your content more engaging and easier to read. Optimize your visuals for SEO (as outlined in a previous article). Consider visuals relevant to Indian culture.
Step 7: Utilizing Internal and External Links (Building Connections for Your Readers)

Linking to other relevant pages on your website (internal linking) and to authoritative external websites helps both users and search engines understand the context of your content.
1. Internal Linking: Link to other relevant blog posts or pages on your own website whenever it makes sense to provide additional information or context for your readers in India.
2. External Linking: Link to high-quality, authoritative websites that provide valuable information related to your topic. This shows Google that you’ve done your research and are connecting your content to credible sources.
Step 8: Ensuring Mobile-Friendliness and Page Speed (User Experience Matters for Google)

Google prioritizes websites that offer a good user experience on all devices, especially mobile, which is crucial for reaching the audience in India.
1. Use a Responsive WordPress Theme: Ensure your WordPress theme is mobile-friendly and adapts well to different screen sizes.
2. Optimize Your Website Speed: Improve your website’s loading speed by optimizing images, using a caching plugin, and choosing a reliable hosting provider with servers potentially located in India for faster access for your local audience.
Step 9: Leveraging SEO Plugins (Your Optimization Assistants in WordPress)

WordPress SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math provide valuable tools and guidance for optimizing your blog posts for search engines. Utilize their features to analyze your content and make improvements. Pay attention to suggestions related to keyword usage, readability, and link presence.

Step 10: Monitoring Your Performance (Tracking Your Success in India)

After publishing your blog post, monitor its performance in Google Search Console to see how it’s ranking for your target keywords in India and other regions, and how much organic traffic it’s receiving. Use this data to refine your future content strategy.

My Personal Insights on On-Page SEO for WordPress Blog Posts

Having “optimized” countless WordPress blog posts, including those targeting audiences in India, I can confidently say that a combination of strategic keyword research (including local terms), thoughtful content creation that addresses user intent, and careful optimization of on-page elements is key to improving your Google rankings. Focus on providing valuable content that resonates with your audience in India and naturally incorporates relevant keywords. By following these steps consistently, you can climb the Google ladder and attract more organic traffic to your WordPress blog in April 2025.
April 16, 2025
Totok Removed by Apple and Google After Caught Spying on Users

Popular messaging app ToTok has been removed from the Play Store and App Store after reports emerged it was used the govt. spy tool by the United Arab Emirates.

According to multiple sources, ToTok has been classified as a foreign spy tool used to collect personal data. The messaging app has the ability to monitor key information about its users, such as conversations, movements, appointments, relationships, appointments, sounds, as well as photos.

Reports also added that while most of the app’s users are from the United Arab Emirates, it has become extremely popular in the US, especially among teenagers. Before ToTok was removed from online stores, it had already managed to rack up millions of downloads from smartphone users living in North America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Meanwhile, the app has already witnessed over 110 million downloads in the US alone.

Cyber experts believe that the app developer behind the said app has close ties with a cyber intelligence and hacking agency based in Abu Dhabi, which is already under investigation by the FBI. Both Google and Apple have removed the app from their respective app stores.

Despite the fact that ToTok has been pulled from Play Store and App Store following reports of being used as a government surveillance tool, the app itself has not been shut down. Users of the messaging app can still carry on using the app for the foreseeable future. That said, ToTok will no longer get updates from the two largest applications stores on the planet. Hence, we advise our readers to remove the controversial app from their devices, given the fact ToTok is allegedly considered as a foreign spy tool used to collect personal data by government agencies.

December 24, 2019
Apple Reportedly Planning to Release Different Sized Iphones in 2020

Apple is reportedly planning to shake things up in 2020. A new report now suggests that the company will offer a smaller and a larger iPhone in 2020, different than those currently available.

According to a report by Korean publication ETNews, Apple is planning to introduce a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone, a 6.1-inch iPhone model, along with a 6.7-inch iPhone with thinner OLED displays in 2020. The report says that the upcoming 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch model will use a new technology from Samsung that allows manufacturers to build thinner displays and also reduces production costs. Meanwhile, LG will reportedly supply an OLED panel for the 6.1-inch iPhone model.

Multiple sources in the past have indicated that 2020 is going to be a big year for Apple, as the company plans to shake up the iPhone lineup with two new screen sizes mentioned above. Besides, reports also indicate a redesigned metal frame inspired by the iPhone 4, 5G support, and up to 6GB of RAM.

Industry experts have also claimed that Apple plans to introduce an iPhone model featuring both Face ID and in-display scanner in 2020. The in-display Touch ID would allow user authentication by placing the finger anywhere on the display. However, it remains unclear whether the handset would arrive in 2020 or 2021.

Credible Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that a smaller iPhone in 2020, possibly called the iPhone SE 2. Notably, Kuo’s predictions fall in line with other key sources who’ve also claimed that Apple plans to launch a cheaper iPhone next year in order to boost its share in the mid-tier smartphone market. It’ll be aggressively priced at around $399 and will rival smartphones from the likes of Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.

Kuo further notes that it’ll get powered by new A13 Bionic chipset, the company’s top-end chipset that powers the latest iPhone 11 Pro range. The chipset will be paired with 3GB LPDDR4X RAM, also found on the new iPhone 11. He also suggests that the iPhone SE2 will not be a smaller version of the iPhone 11. Instead, the handset’s form factor will be similar to the iPhone 8 making it much more compact than most of the smartphones currently available these days.

November 27, 2019
Google Increases Bounty for Its Android Security Rewards Program

Google recently confirmed that the total bounty for its Android Security Rewards program would be expanded, with rewards reaching up to $1.5 million. The company said that if you happen to find a security bug that can compromise the Titan M secure element used in its Pixel 3 handsets, you’ll be rewarded with $1 million.

Though if you find a bug that can be replicated on specific developer preview versions of Android, you’re entitled to a 50 per cent bonus, implying the total bounty reaches a staggering $1.5 million. Put simply, if you happen to find a security bug that meets these requirements, you’ll be rewarded with one of the biggest bounties in the industry.

“In 2019 Gartner rated the Pixel 3 with Titan M as having the most ‘strong’ ratings in the built-in security section out of all devices evaluated. This is why we’ve created a dedicated prize to reward researchers for exploits found to circumvent the secure elements protections,” said Jessica Lin from the Android security team in a blog post. “

Google explained that the bug report must reveal a full chain remote code execution exploit with persistence which compromises the Titan M secure element available on Pixel 3 devices. On the other hand, lock screen bypass and data exfiltration will be rewarded with a maximum of $500,000.

Launched back in 2015, the Android Security Rewards program is a bug bounty program where white hat hackers receive rewards for finding bugs in Google’s Android OS. The company claims it has paid more than $ 4 million in rewards based on 1800 reports, since the program’s introduction four ago. Besides, Google also added that the company has given away more than $1.5 million in the last 12 months, with top reward this year reaching $161,337.

“Over 100 participating researchers have received an average reward amount of over $3,800 per finding (46% increase from last year). On average, this means we paid out over $15,000 (20% increase from last year) per researcher!” Lin added.

It’s also worth noting that the changes in bounty program have already gone live on November 21, 2019. You can find more details about the Android Security Rewards Program rules here.

November 22, 2019
Apple Announces Surprise Event on December 2

Apple recently confirmed its plans to hold a surprise event on December 2 that will be held in New York City. Going by the invite, it appears the event will be largely focussed on apps and services. “Loved by millions. Created by the best. Join us for an Apple special event honoring our favorite apps and games of 2019,” reads the invite.

However, many still believe that Apple might also unveil new hardware during this event. With that being said, services have become one of the biggest revenue streams for Apple in the last few years. The company’s revenue from its services unit reached $12.51 billion in the latest quarter, up from $3.69 billion in 2013.

Therefore, it appears the upcoming event signifies Apple’s renewed focus on services such as apps and games. Besides, Apple usually announces its top apps and games in the App Store for the year in December, hence, it appears the company might’ve held a dedicated event to detail its apps and services.

Talking about hardware, sources indicate that Apple could also share details about the rumored second-generation iPhone SE at the event. Expected to release in Spring 2020, the upcoming iPhone SE is said to be inspired by the iPhone 8 and is likely to feature a 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID, and a single-lens camera.

However, credible Apple insider Ming Chi-Kuo suggests that it’ll get powered by new A13 Bionic chipset, the company’s top-end chipset that powers the latest iPhone 11 Pro range. The chipset will be paired with 3GB LPDDR4X RAM, also found on the new iPhone 11.

To recall, Apple surprised everyone with the launch of the iPhone SE at a time when 5-inch smartphones were in vogue. The original iPhone SE was targetted at a specific user base that preferred 4-inch handsets as opposed to giant-sized screens.

That said, 4-inch smartphones are fast diminishing these days given the widely adopted trend of bezel-free smartphones, allowing manufacturers to fit bigger screens in a compact form factor.

We’ll bring all the updates from the event on December 2. Until then, stay tuned for the latest updates.

November 19, 2019
Motorola Brings Back the Iconic Moto Razr

Motorola has finally unveiled the long-awaited, new-gen Moto Razr smartphone. As expected, the handset brings back memories of the iconic Razr phone, which sold more than 130 million units.

It features the same clamshell design that pays homage to its iconic past. However, the new-age Razr phone features a flexible OLED screen and state of the art hinge mechanism that allows the phone to shut with both sides perfectly flush, just like the iconic Razr phone we know.

The handset looks rather familiar when closed, though flip it open and you get all the shenanigans of a modern-day smartphone. The main screen is a 6.2-inch Flex View OLED display, which has a 21:9 CinemaVision aspect ratio. On the outside, there’s touch-enabled Quick View display that lets users interact with notifications, take selfies, play music, use Google Assistant, and more, without having to open the phone.

And when you flip the phone open, whatever you were viewing on the secondary screen seamlessly transitions to the larger FLEX display. Motorola also stated there is no gap between the two halves of the screen when it is folded.

“The Razr uses advanced flexible OLED screen technology and a groundbreaking hinge mechanism that allows the phone to close with both sides perfectly flush. This engineering breakthrough protects the display and creates an even thinner, more compact design,” Motorola said in a statement.

In the photography department, the handset comes with a single 16MP camera that acts as selfie cam when the device folded, and as a primary camera when its unfolded. The camera also gets AI capabilities and a Night Vuison Mode in order to take better photos in low-light conditions.

Key specifications of the Moto Razr include an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC, coupled with 6GB of RAM, and a 2510mAh battery. The battery also gets 15W fast charging support. The device only supports eSIM cards. Other connectivity options include NFC support, Bluetooth 5.0, W-Fi, 4G LTE, and GPS.

The new Moto Razr gets a price tag of $1,499.99. It’ll be available to pre-order starting December 26 exclusively via Verizon, and will arrive in offline and online stores on January 9.

November 14, 2019
Facebook Working on Fixing Bug That Activates Your Iphone’s Camera

Facebook is reportedly working on fixing a bug that automatically activates users’ iPhone camera while using its iOS app. The social networking giant is aware of the bug and has promised to roll out a fix for the same by today.

The bug was discovered earlier this month when Facebook slang words users started noticing that their iPhone’s camera was automatically activated while viewing photos and videos. Sources suggest that the bug appears to be limited to iOS as no Android user has noticed the glitch so far.

Users reported that while viewing videos in full screen, the camera was running in the background while scrolling Facebook. The company has acknowledged the issue and says the glitch was introduced while it fixed another bug in version 244 of the Facebook iOS app.

“We recently discovered that version 244 of the Facebook iOS app would incorrectly launch in landscape mode. In fixing that issue last week in v246 (launched on November 8th) we inadvertently introduced a bug that caused the app to partially navigate to the camera screen adjacent to News Feed when users tapped on photos. We have seen no evidence of photos or videos being uploaded due to this bug. We’re submitting the fix for this to Apple today,” Facebook said in a statement.

Until the bug fix arrives, users are recommenced to deny camera access for the Facebook app. Facebook’s reputation when it comes to user privacy has taken a hit in recent years. In 2018, a study revealed how Facebook exposed information about nearly 87 million users to a political analysis firm for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. It was later found that the data was used for targeted political advertising.

While earlier this year, a security firm also found out that hundreds of millions of Facebook records were exposed on Amazon cloud servers.

November 12, 2019
Android Auto App Now Available for Android 10 Users

Back in September, Google promised that it would release a separate Android Auto app specifically for Android 10 users with a non-compatible head unit. Now, the app has finally arrived on the PlayStore so that Android 10 users can use the app on their smartphones.

Dubbed as ‘Android Auto for Phone screens, the new app is designed to bring the full Android Auto experience on your phone’s screen, until Google Assistant Driving mode arrives.

“This app lets you use Android Auto on your phone screen with a phone running Android 10. If you have Android 10 and an Android Auto compatible car, you can project to your car display without downloading this app. Simply plug in your phone to get started,” explained Google.

With Android Auto, Android 10 users can deploy Google Assistant to route their next destination with real-time GPS navigation and traffic alerts using Waze and Google Maps. Users get real-time updates about their route such as hazards, roadblocks, jams, and ETA.

Besides, users can also manage their infotainment system to listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks on a wide range of apps such as Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music, TIDAL, Deezer, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and more. Not to mention, Android Auto also features a Do Not Disturb Mode so drivers can concentrate on the road and to avoid any distractions.

To recall, Google recently integrated Android Auto with Android 10 OS so as to remove the need to download a separate app. However, this implied that Android 10 users who own a car without a compatible head unit would not be able to use the app on their smartphones, which was possible earlier. To rectify the situation, Google has finally released a standalone Android app for Android 10 users.

Initially, Google seemed completely fine with chucking the idea of a standalone Android Auto app, as it was supposed to be replaced by Google Assistant ‘driving mode’. However, Google Assistant ‘driving mode’ is still not available, so until it becomes available, Google seems to have come up with a temporary solution for Android 10 users without an Android Auto compatible head unit with the new standalone Android Auto app.

November 6, 2019
Experts hack Alexa, Google Home, and Siri by using ordinary lasers

Researchers have apparently found a way to hack assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, as well as some smartphones, by simply pointing a laser. The hack dubbed as Light Commands, allows attackers to take full control over many popular voice-controlled devices by targeting the device’s microphone with lasers.

Takeshi Sugawara, one of the lead researchers of the study, explained that microphones in smart devices convert sound into electrical signals, which sends commands to the device. He added that microphones react the same way to a focused light pointed at them, just like they respond to sound commands.

“It’s possible to make microphones respond to light as if it were sound. This means that anything that acts on sound commands will act on light commands,” Sugawara told Wired in a statement.

As many voice-controlled devices are not protected by a PIN or password, attackers just need to be in the device’s line of sight to exploit this vulnerability. In a research paper published on Monday, experts revealed how they could easily hack smart speakers, tablets, and even phones by simply pointing a laser` through a window. They added that the vulnerability could be exploited by hackers to operate smart switches at homes or offices, as well as buy things online without being detected.

“Once an attacker gains control over a voice assistant a number of other systems could be open to their manipulation. In the worst cases, this could mean dangerous access to e-commerce accounts, credit cards, and even any connected medical devices the user has linked to their assistant,” says a breakdown of the study on the University of Michigan’s website.

Experts spent nearly seven months testing this vulnerability on popular voice-controlled devices powered by Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. These include Google Home, Echo Dot, Fire Cube, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, iPhone, and iPad. They were able to successfully exploit the flaw using ordinary laser pointers, laser drivers, and a telephoto lens. In some cases, even a souped-up flashlight did the trick.

Researchers also added that they’ve shared their findings of the exploit with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, as well as Ford.

November 5, 2019
Moto Razr foldable phone leaked ahead of official release

The upcoming Moto Razr foldable phone has purportedly leaked ahead of its official unveiling scheduled for Nov. 13th. The leak comes via credible Evan Blass aka @evleaks, who has a rather immaculate track record when it comes to leaks. Blass posted several images of the handset which indicate that it’ll look much like its famous predecessor. Going by the leaked image, the bottom of the device looks rather chunky and thick. Besides, the handset’s chin also seemingly houses a Home button. However, the highlight of the device appears to be the display, which not only happens to be fully touchscreen but foldable at the same time.

The upper half of the handset would fold down just like its predecessor, and sit flush with the bottom half of the device. The upcoming Moto Razr will have touchscreen all through, unlike its predecessor which had a keypad at the bottom.

To recall, a patent was filed by Motorola earlier this year that revealed the design of the new age Razr. The filing contained several diagrams that show a folding handset with a clamshell form factor. According to the filing, the Moto Razr will have two screens, a small screen on the outside and a folding screen on the inside.

As for pricing, key sources indicate that Lenovo plans to launch Moto Razr at a price tag of $1500. Besides, rumor also has it that the device will be a Verizon-exclusive in the US. Not to mention, reports also suggest that Lenovo plans to manufacture over 200,000 units of the new RAZRs, which is rather surprising given it’s a $1500 luxury phone.

The launch of the Moto Razr will make it compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X. That said, unlike Samsung and Huawei who’ve advertised their foldable devices as flagship offerings, Motorola appears to have a rather scaled-down approach with its foldable offering.

November 1, 2019
Apple officially unveils AirPods Pro with active noise cancellation

Apple has announced the latest version of AirPods called the AirPods Pro, which features active noise cancellation and in-ear design. The new AirPods Pro is now available for order in the US and will arrive in Apple retail stores on Wednesday, October 30.

As for pricing, the latest version of AirPods gets a price tag of $249, and come bundled with a Qi-wireless charging case. In comparison, the AirPods 2 are priced at $199 with the wireless charging case and $159 without the wireless charging case.

“The new in-ear AirPods Pro sound amazing with Adaptive EQ, fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode. We think customers are going to love this new addition to the AirPods family,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC9urbiVp4M

AirPods Pro features a new, curvier design with flexible ear tips. Apple will include three sizes of flexible silicone ear tips. The company adds that the ear tip provides a comfy fit and superior seal in the user’s ears.

Also, there’s an ‘Ear Fit Tip Test’ that is designed to ensure that users get the best audio experience by testing the quality of the seal and identifying the best ear tip size. It uses advanced algorithms that work together with microphones in each Airpod to measure the sound level, and detects whether the ear tip is the right size and fit for a user.

Apple also notes that the AirPods Pro is sweat- and water-resistant for non-water sports and exercise. These wireless earbuds have a rating of IPX4.

Other new features include audio sharing, which allows users to listen to the same song or watch the same movie with a friend by simply bringing another pair of AirPods close to the iPhone or iPad. Besides, Siri gets the ability to speak incoming messages as and when they arrive.

Besides, there’s also a transparency mode, which lets customers listen to music while still hearing the surrounding environment.

In terms of battery life, AirPods Pro is rated to deliver 5 hours of listening time, 4.5 hours with Active Noise Cancellation mode enabled, or 3.5 hours of talk time.

October 28, 2019
Samsung announces next-gen flagship Exynos 990 processor

Samsung has announced the next flagship processor for 2020, the Exynos 990. The new chipset is built using Samsung’s 7nm process and includes Mali-G77 GPU that is said to improve the overall performance by 20 percent compared to its predecessor. The chipset features a tri-cluster setup that includes two Arm Cortex A76 high-performance cores, four Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, and two of Samsung’s custom processor cores.

The Exynos 990 also comes equipped with support for displays with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz to offer smoother animation and gaming, though will consume more power. Besides, the chipset is equipped to handle as many as six cameras with a maximum resolution of 108 pixels, though only three at once.

That said, the new Exynos 990 lacks the integrated 5G modem found in the 980, implying it’s targeted at 4G devices. However, it can be paired with a separate modem – like Samsung’s new 5G Exynos Modem 5123. s one of the first modem chips made using the 7nm EUV process and supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave airwaves. The new modem is equipped to handle download speeds up to 5.1Gbps on sub-6GHz and 7.35Mbps on mmWave networks. It also can deliver 3.06Gbps speed on 4G using 1024 QAM digital modulation.

“Samsung’s Exynos 990 and Exynos Modem 5123 are perfectly adapted for high-volume 5G and AI applications, and are designed to help the world’s most ambitious enterprises, large and small, achieve their goals of bringing new capabilities to their markets,” said Samsung.

The Exynos 990 chipset will most likely debut on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S11 series. Meanwhile, Samsung said that the new Exynos 990 and Exynos Modem 5123 are expected to go into mass production before the end of 2019.

October 23, 2019
Samsung rolls out a fix for Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10 fingerprint scanner flaw

A flaw was recently discovered in the Galaxy S10 that allowed any fingerprint to unlock the device. A British user found the controversial fingerprint scanner issue that allowed any fingerprint to unlock the flagship handset using a cheap screen protector.

Soon after this story spread like wildfire over the Internet, Samsung responded that it was “aware of the case of S10’s malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch.” In fact, Samsung also stated that the issue concerns not just Galaxy S10 users, but also owners of the Galaxy Note 10.

The Korean manufacturer also warned users in an official statement:

“To prevent any further issues, we advise that Galaxy Note10/10+ and S10/S10+/S10 5G users who use such covers to remove the cover, delete all previous fingerprints and newly register their fingerprints. If you currently use front screen protective covers, to ensure optimum fingerprint scanning, please refrain from using this cover until your device has been updated with a new software patch. A software update is planned to be released as early as next week, and once updated, please be sure to scan your fingerprint in its entirety, so that the all portions of your fingerprint, including the center and corners have been fully scanned.”

Now, key sources suggest that Samsung is pushing an emergency update to address the fingerprint authentication flaw. For now, it appears that Galaxy Note 10+ 5G variant has started receiving this patch as an OTA update, which weighs 17.29MB. Besides fixing the fingerprint scanner flaw, the update also brings Touch screen and camera performance improvements, among others.

For now, it’s unclear whether the update is available for Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and standard Galaxy Note 10 users. That said, it should be on its way soon given they too feature the same ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. We’ll keep an eye on this and update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

October 21, 2019
Galaxy S10 has a major flaw with its On-Screen fingerprint sensor

A major security flaw has been discovered in the Galaxy S10 Under-Screen fingerprint sensor, something the Korean giant touted as revolutionary when handset hit the market back in March. The flaw essentially allows any fingerprint to unlock the flagship handset with a cheap screen protector.

According to a report by the Sun newspaper, the fingerprint authentication flaw was discovered by a woman after she used a cheap gel protector on her Galaxy S10. Shortly after, she discovered how she was able to bypass the fingerprint authentication by pressing her left thumbprint over the onscreen fingerprint sensor. The issue is that she hadn’t registered her left thumbprint with the device’s fingerprint authentication system.

And that’s not all. Her suspicions were eventually confirmed when her husband was able to do the same by pressing either one of his thumbs against the phone’s on-screen fingerprint scanner. The couple then applied the screen protector gel on the Galaxy S10 of one of their relatives, and they experienced the same thing.

Past reports have indicated that certain screen protectors are not compatible with Samsung’s fingerprint sensor because they leave a small air gap that can affect the scanning process. The sensor relies on ultrasound to detect 3D ridges of fingerprints in order to recognize users.

Samsung has responded to the incident, stating that it was “aware of the case of S10’s malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch.”

For now, third party companies including Korean bank KaKaoBank have advised users turn off the reader until Samsung rolls out a fix for the same.

The Galaxy S10 is the latest flagship from Samsung launched back in March this year. Following its official release, the company promised its technology as one of the industry’s most advanced biometric system, adding that it was, “engineered to be more secure than a traditional 2D optical scanner”

That said, the latest incident seems to suggest that might not be the case, unless Samsung permanently fixes the issue in the next patch.

October 17, 2019
Google officially unveils the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

Google has officially unveiled the new Pixel 4 range at its Made by Google event in New York City. We already know a lot about these handsets thanks to an onslaught of leaks and rumors on the web. Therefore, as expected, the company announced two models of the handset called the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL.

In terms of specs, the Pixel 4 gets a 5.7-inch OLED display while the Pixel 4 XL packs a 6.4-inch OLED screen. Both handsets offer a 90Hz display making it a significant upgrade over the Pixel 3. Under the hood, both handsets get powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor bundled with 6GB of RAM. As for storage, both models are offered in 64GB and 128GB storage options.

In the photography department, both models feature a dual-lens primary camera setup, making it a first for the Pixel range. One is a 16MP standard lens while the other is a 12.2MP telephoto lens. For selfies, both devices come with an 8MP front-facing shooter.

Another highlight with the new Pixel 4 range is the Motion Sense feature, which uses radar technology to detect hand movements. Now, this essentially allows users to interact with the device without touching the screen.

Elsewhere, the smaller Pixel 4 gets a 2800 mAh battery, while the Pixel 4 XL packs a 3700 mAh battery.

The Pixel 4 range also includes Google’s custom-built Titan M security chip to offer enhanced security to protect your sensitive data. As for OS, both handsets run the new Android 10. Besides, Google has also promised security updates for three years and access to Google’s advanced security features.

The Pixel 4 range is offered in three color options. These include Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange. Both Pixel 4 models are now open for pre-orders, while shipping begins on October 24. The Pixel 4 starts at $799, while the Pixel 4 XL starts at $899.

October 15, 2019