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The week is shaping up to be a hot one as Apple announces four of its smartphones on October 13. Most of the information about the models is already known, the release date of each device, as well as the price, remains a mystery. We know that cost is not the iPhone’s strongest point, the only question is how high prices will be in this crisis year. Depending on this, more or less Apple fans will move to the ranks of the owners of Android devices, since they are not only cheaper, but often even better in everything. I look forward to Tuesday, we will definitely discuss with you on the YouTube stream what they will show us and how adequate the devices are to the current market.

Do not forget to bookmark this stream to talk together about what is shown to us. This will not be a broadcast of the presentation, but only a discussion and instant answers to questions that arise.

But I want to start this issue with the fact that in the Russian media caused a wave of reprints and surprise, sometimes sincere. About what users think about their smartphones and what properties they are endowed with. Go!

Content

1. My iPhone X supports 5G! User misconceptions
2. Microsoft engineers and Surface Duo, another design flaw
3. A couple of lines about Kaliningrad and the region in terms of communication
4. Digital yuan, free lottery for Shenzhen residents
5. Google’s new assistant skills are not for us yet

My iPhone X supports 5G! User misconceptions

People all over the world believe in the best, this is human nature, and there is no way to remake it. Buying expensive devices, we believe that we have gotten the maximum possible for this money, and therefore we sincerely do not understand how something can be missing. The research quoted last week is pretty typical. Global Wireless Solutions surveyed 5000 US iPhone users to find out what they know about 5G networks. The responses showed that 49% of respondents are confident that their iPhone already supports fifth generation networks and can work in them. It seems that these are some special people who need to be ironic about, but I have bad news for you, there are such people all over the planet, and they do not understand much about the differences between one technology and another.

My social circle is diverse, but if you take people who are not directly related to telecom, and ask the question of what 5G is, how it differs from the previous generation, then the set of answers will be amazing. The answers reflect the information agenda, what has broken through the filters of consciousness and refracted in a bizarre way. I tortured more than a dozen people with this question, here are the answers I received:

• 5G is faster and better than 4G (the answer arising from logic is not specific);
• 5G is more powerful and therefore very fast and very harmful, they burn and break towers (also an inference made from scattered information);
• 5G was taken away from us by the military, so we won’t have it or it will be cut off (something flew in from the news, bits of information stuck in our heads);
• In 5G, you can watch a movie in two minutes! (just like that, look, not download!);
• 5G is very expensive, I am not / am not ready to pay for it (expectations, and negative and from scratch);
• 5G is needed for transportation to make planes fly faster (no comment).

It may seem to you that I interviewed workers serving a collector of some correctional institution in the North, but this is not the case. People are smart, with higher education, but not immersed in the subject of telecom. The 5G theme comes to them in scattered news reports from various sources. And the picture of the world is formed very abruptly, they complete this picture with “common sense” and logic. And the resulting construct does not always correspond to reality, rather it does not correspond most of the time. This is neither bad nor good, this is how our world works. To understand the topic, ten minutes is enough, a couple of minutes to search for information, then 5-8 minutes to read the article. And you have a link that puts everything you’ve heard before back to back. But these ten minutes must be found, a desire must arise, and this does not happen for everyone, more precisely, for the overwhelming minority.

Do you know what else I was having fun? And the fact that I asked all my friends about 5G support, if they have it in their devices. The consensus was amazing, everyone was talking about the lack of 5G. But to the question “why” each answered in his own way:

• I have an old phone, it is already two years old;
• there is no 5G in Russia, so I bought without this technology, it is expensive;
• 5G is banned in Russia.

There is also a full set of beliefs that have nothing to do with reality. These are people’s perceptions and their explanation for the lack of 5G in their smartphone. Something similar happened at the time of the emergence of 3G, and later – for 4G. Years go by, but nothing changes. I am sure that most of the readers of my weekly column are now surprised and say to themselves that this is impossible. I advise you to conduct a small experiment and ask friends, colleagues, or just acquaintances about what they think about 5G, as they imagine it. I am sure that you will receive interesting answers, they will definitely be varied and amazing.

In the United States, surveys like the one mentioned above are carried out by different companies more or less constantly. This is a winning story, as it is guaranteed to attract attention, gives a sense of superiority to those who know exactly how things are in practice over those who do not understand it. An easy, painless way to feel smart. Last year, Decluttr conducted exactly the same poll among 2000 Americans. Smartphone users were interviewed from different companies, as well as from different operators. Let’s take a look at the results.

Samsung users are just as susceptible to misconceptions as iPhone users (there was already the S10 5G on the market, but it was unlikely that it was so widespread). The high result for AT&T subscribers is due to the fact that the operator actively promoted 5G even at a time when it actually did not have such a network. A marketing ploy, but many believed in it.

The study is interesting for me with another question, more precisely, a problem. Users were shown a picture of their smartphone against the background of other devices of the same company, and asked to indicate the smartphone they are using in the picture. For example, the owners of the iPhone X chose their smartphone among the iPhone Xr, iPhone 8 and others. Look at the result, it looks overwhelming to me.

Half of iPhone owners were unable to recognize their device from other iPhones, they confused different models. It was a kind of guessing game, not a deliberate choice. Quite an interesting thing that shows the identity of the design for several years, it is extremely difficult to distinguish one model from another. In the line from Samsung, this is much easier to do, since the screens and the way the front camera is built into them have changed. But, in general, both the question itself and the answers show a crisis in the field of design, when it is impossible to distinguish one device from another.

The story that happened in Kaliningrad the other day is noteworthy. We went to the “Fish Club” restaurant in a big company, photographed the fish table, which was brought so that we could choose food. I left my phone on the table. Our waiter sincerely asked, looking at the device: “Oh, for the second time in my life I see such a phone, is it Samsung?”. After receiving an affirmative answer, she said: “It turns out, the iPhone is all, now it is in fashion.” We laughed heartily at this, and my friend, who works at Xiaomi, immediately said: “You have persuaded the girl on purpose”. But here the question is that all smartphones have become more or less similar to each other, only their backs differ, and even then not very much. As soon as a device appears that stands out strongly, it grabs attention. Every week, several people ask me how I think they will live on the Fold2 after years with the iPhone. And the very formulation of the question, their potential choice speaks exactly the same thing, people want to be able to stand out, albeit for that kind of money. They do not want to be with a smartphone like everyone else. For a certain group of consumers, this is an important point.

In the end, I want to note the following: people often conjecture the information that they sometimes accidentally hear somewhere in fits and starts. Normal behavior for any person. Check at your leisure how people around you think, chat with them about the same 5G.

Microsoft engineers and Surface Duo, another design flaw

Describing the problem with the design of Surface Earbuds, I faced the usual reaction: “It can’t be like this, it’s all fiction. Microsoft knows better what they’re doing. ” Faith in a corporation is indestructible, because in such a picture of the world where they are skillful, infallible and great fellows, there is no room for doubt, and there is no room for critical perception of the surrounding reality either. Those interested can brush up on a debriefing on how Microsoft’s TWS headphones are designed and why it’s so bad.

But let’s take a look at the Surface Duo, we recently reviewed this unusual dual-screen smartphone.

A little more than a month has passed since the start of sales, and now users began to complain that plastic around the USB port bursts. Look at the photos.

The last photo clearly shows that the device was dropped, pay attention to the hall on the lower part on the right, plastic is crumpled there. In the other two photos, nothing of the kind is observed, I think there was no problem with the fall. And then the question arises, how could this happen and why Microsoft allowed it.

Let’s go from the reverse and learn how big companies test the USB connector to test its reliability. During the design of the device, when there are already prototypes, they are placed in a special machine, which non-stop inserts and removes the cable from the connector. Such tests have different methods, the simplest is to install the cable in the correct projection, when everything is perfect and there are no deviations. Such testing serves only one purpose – to check how high-quality the port itself is, what happens to it after one hundred thousand such operations. Is there a flaw in the board mount, coating, and so on. A more difficult test becomes what happens to the connector if it is incorrectly installed. Effort is selected similar to that applied by a person, it is not excessive. This is an attempt to insert at an angle, touch the edges of the connector, the edging of the case. Usually, after running on a test machine, the entire area around the USB connector is scratched, since it takes tens of thousands of attempts. In real life, no person makes so many mistakes. But over-testing avoids problems with the connector, as physical force is applied to it, albeit not excessive.

Another little secret is to sink the connector into the case, to make the recess larger. This avoids kinking when trying to insert the cable at an angle. Note how this is done on Samsung smartphones, the connector is recessed.

The knowledge of this “little thing” did not appear just like that, each manufacturer learned it the hard way and had negative experience in the past. Microsoft does not have such experience, the company’s engineers are bumping up for the first time, they are just learning something, they are first-year students.

We can safely say that Microsoft did not conduct any complex tests for the strength of the connector and the plastic around it. Why? They did not consider it necessary, did not see a potential problem, assumptions may be a cart and a small cart.

In fact, the problems of this connector most likely lie in two planes: mechanical damage (falling, trying to insert the cable), and also the temperature during charging. With mechanical damage, everything is more or less clear: thin plastic, with constant exposure, sooner or later it bursts with a small crack, then it spreads. This is a design flaw, and even with the most careful handling, this will happen, albeit not immediately, but after a year or two. This is exactly what is called a design defect, a mistake of the engineers who designed the device.

When charging, the connector heats up locally, the temperature changes by several degrees, in rare cases of using a non-native cable and / or charger, the temperature can change by 10 degrees or more, the connector heats up noticeably. What do manufacturers usually do? They test various cables in the laboratory, including from unknown Chinese, in order to simulate similar situations. But the most important thing is that when using a non-original cable, which, moreover, does not support the standards, a warning message appears on the screen. And charging is not fast, but slow, even if the charging block itself is powerful. This is to avoid temperature problems and possible damage to the battery.

I did this experiment with Surface Duo and my Fold2, for which I got the lowest quality Chinese cable. The Fold2 received a warning about slow charging (five hours with a hook!), And the Duo started charging as usual, as if it were a native cable. Amazing? Not that word. But this illustrates well the level of the engineers who worked on the Surface Duo, they just do not know what and how to check, they do not have the ability to do this.

Could the heating of the port cause the plastic to burst? Easily. This will happen if the temperature difference is sharp. For example, you come from a cool street and immediately start charging your device with the left cable. Most manufacturers design devices so that they have built-in protection against any user actions, even the most stupid ones. This is a good rule in the design of mass products, there will always be those who will start doing something wrong, and you need to lay down protection against such actions, to make sure that the device cannot be broken in between times.

For us, Microsoft’s mistakes are a good way to use examples to talk about the development of the same smartphones and children’s mistakes that most manufacturers have already suffered from. I want examples from the present, and Microsoft provides them for us. The last examples of such problems I met in real products about ten years ago, when there were many C-manufacturers in China, there was a disregard for trifles. But large companies did not have this in noticeable volumes.

I would like to specifically stipulate that you can break the connector anywhere, it is not a tricky business, the main thing is to apply a heroic force and turn off the head. But with constant normal use for 4-5 years, this is almost impossible to do. And even if you use this jack for headphones, and not just for the charger.

For Surface Duo, the October update (113 MB) was released, in which a bug with a disconnected connection during a call was fixed. Microsoft admitted that they did not see the problem in the laboratory, as the environment there was not noisy. In real life, the Hall sensor reacted to external noises and imagined that the user closed the device, which means that the call must be interrupted. A funny moment that shows the problems with the design and the lack of tests in the outside world (it is better to speak about this device from a headset, so I just did not run into this). They also promise that they have fixed the problems with waking up the device when the touchscreen does not work on the screen. And a few more of the same “little things”. The list of bugs itself shows how raw and clearly non-commercial the Duo is.

A couple of lines about Kaliningrad and the region in terms of communication

I spent almost the entire last week in Kaliningrad and the region, the previous visit to the region was five years ago. During this time, everything has changed dramatically, many buildings have been restored, the construction site is visible to the naked eye. Kaliningrad itself has become more attractive, and the neighboring resort towns have found a second wind.

The trip was for children, the school class got out to study this region, the children were there for the first time. And I was interested to see how mobile communication works, how good the speeds are. I didn’t have a Tele2 SIM card, but I don’t think I lost much, as the idea was formed. There were no special problems in the cities with communication, in modern buildings there is coverage everywhere, the speeds are excellent.

But in old buildings, where the walls are thick, the signal is already “walking”, there is no stable and fast connection. For example, during an organ concert in the cathedral, it was even pleasant, since people could not sit with their heads buried in the screens, they were forced to listen to music.

In the area along the roads there are zones where only 3G (HSPA) remains, but you can read websites, watch messengers. On the Curonian Spit, everything is traditionally bad with communication, somewhere in the middle it leaves almost completely, the Beeline makes its way a little, but it is impossible to do something serious. It is clear that this is a tourist place and you can survive several hours without communication. In Kaliningrad, the connection works perfectly, in total, in four days through the phone, I downloaded about 60 GB of data, I did not notice any special problems in comparison with the usual, comfortable speed in Moscow.

Showcases of local electronics stores have a typical range of products, more budget and mid-range models, fewer flagships. The adjustment clearly goes to the wallet of the local buyer, which is logical. There are already several Xiaomi branded stores in the city, the brand is wildly popular, it is taking off, just like in other parts of the country. They complain about the same thing – there is no product, there is a shortage.

From communication with sellers in different stores, I brought out several interesting points. This year there were many tourists, sales of expensive models increased. People lost smartphones, smashed them and bought replacements. SIM card sales are not as good as they used to be, as it has become a common part of the business in many hotels.

At the reception, you can buy a SIM card from any operator, and the cost depends directly on the understanding of the business by the hotel owners. On my own I note that I was amazed at how differently business is perceived by different people. In one tent in a tourist place, a bottle of water costs 150 rubles, and a liter of apple juice costs 400 rubles, a little further away the price is 50 and 100 rubles, respectively. On the same spit, the prices are irrepressible and stupid, I did not consider it possible to support the local business with a ruble, so as not to provoke this robbery. Something similar happened in Sochi before the Olympics, but then gradually greed began to recede into the past, although prices remain high, competition has appeared. I hope that something similar will happen in all tourist places in Russia.

The bottom line for Kaliningrad and the region I want to say that the quality of communication is good, the big three are presented well, the coverage does not raise questions. The cost of communication is also typical for the regions, there are no special features. Looking at the local residents and what they use, I saw the zoo from various devices, many of them are more than three or four years old, and people treat them frugally. Also a typical picture.

My observations on the ultimate truth do not pretend in any way, this is a fleeting glance that I managed to isolate something from the surrounding world, nothing more. I am sure that local residents have their own perception of operators, what they sell in stores, in a word, they will describe the picture much brighter and more colorful.

Digital yuan, free lottery for Shenzhen residents

China is a pioneer in creating a digital version of its own currency. At a time when the world was fascinated by bitcoin or banned it, China drew up a roadmap for the development of the digital yuan and at the same time banned the circulation of all its analogues. China’s approach can be called pragmatic in every sense, it is impossible to defeat the development of digital money, and it is not necessary, it is a convenient payment instrument. It is important to control that kind of money, to make it publicly available.

The next stage of testing the digital yuan unfolded in Shenzhen, from October 9 to 11, a lottery is held for residents of the city, in which 10 million yuan are drawn. 50 thousand Chinese can win, everyone will receive 200 yuan to their e-wallet. From October 12 to October 18, this money can be spent, the reception of the digital yuan is supported in more than 3000 retail outlets. You cannot withdraw money, transfer it or invest somewhere, just spend it on purchases. The amount is not large, but it will be enough to buy small things (for understanding, it is about $ 30).

The large-scale program is designed to identify weaknesses in trading, in the electronic wallets themselves. This is an opportunity to test in practice how the digital yuan will work. And the scale of testing, of course, is impressive, gradually in China they will withdraw their currency into circulation. The first large-scale application for the digital yuan will be the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

To understand the scale of the change, just remember how widespread WeChat payments are in China. But today there is always a linking of a bank card to an account, it is difficult to put cash into an account. The rise of the digital yuan means that every phone sold in China will have a wallet to use. And payments will become easier, both in everyday life and when paying for something significant. In fact, we are talking about the transition to their own payment systems of a new generation, other countries will follow this road, but, apparently, later. The digital yuan, just like the digital ruble, is a game changer, canceling out the importance of many Western institutions. This is a process that will not happen overnight; it will take up to ten years. But at the end we will get a fundamentally different world, for which, one way or another, we are already ready. In China, for example, people pay from the phone for almost everything, cash does not play a big role.

Google’s new assistant skills are not for us yet

Google is expanding the capabilities of the voice assistant on smartphones and announced that it can now work with third-party applications. The approach is simple and straightforward, the most popular applications are selected in their categories, and then skills are created for them. For example, you can ask an assistant to tweet for a social network. Or say: “Open Eldar Murtazin’s Instagram,” and my page in the application will open in front of you, of course, if it is worth it. Now the web version of Instagram is opening, it sounds great, but for the Russian language these skills are not yet available. And when they will appear, it is not very clear.

Of the unusual things, I will note the ability to pronounce the name of the caller out loud if the phone is on the table. You can also reject the call by simply telling your assistant. A trifle, but quite useful in some situations.

The development of an assistant has somehow slowed down in the last year, there are no ups and downs, new skills that boggle the imagination. Something is changing, but the quality of the product remains at the same level, one might say, marking time. Probably, this is the situation for everyone, since there are no changes in voice assistants as such. They reached a certain level and froze, and the laggards remained lagging behind, the growth of skills in their assistants is not observed.

I wonder if you use voice assistants on your smartphone? Talking to your phone? I often do this in the car, it’s easier to look at some things that are curious, and there is no need to type text, recognition works well. I can set an alarm like this, leave a reminder, but I don’t do anything special with the voice assistant. Maybe you can tell us about some useful features of the assistant?

PS I can wish exactly one thing – not to get sick this fall, and in general to get sick as little as possible. Have a good mood, golden autumn around, and take care of yourself and your loved ones. On Tuesday, come to discuss Apple’s new products, let’s see how the company will please or upset us. Good luck!

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