iOS 7 available to the public on September 10th according to developer email

After news leaked of Apple's upcoming iPhone event on September 10th, it was assumedthe new iOS 7 would be announced at the same time — but now there's proof. Today, a developer named Owen Williams received an email indicating that iOS 7 would be released to the general public on the 10th, giving non-developers their first peek at the controversial operating system. The email comes from Nuance, which works closely enough with Apple to know the date in advance.

The news could also indicate that the release date of the new iPhones will come much closer to the September 10th event itself. Apple could even opt for a day-of release, a move the company has executed successfully with other products, but never attempted with the iPhone

Samsung video ads tease imminent launch of BBM for Galaxy smartphones

BlackBerry and Samsung began jointly promoting the release of BBM on Android earlier this month, and things have kicked up a gear with the first wave of ads teasing the imminent launch of the messaging app for Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.

The app will initially be launched in certain parts of Africa — presumably because it is one of the last remaining regions where BlackBerry smartphones are well-used — and CrackBerry dug up the ad below from Samsung Ghana.

CrackBerry readers say the video and others have aired at football matches and other public events. The video contains no sound nor does it include a confirmed launch date, but it shows that promotional efforts are picking up.

BBM is also set to launch on iOS and other Android devices, but BlackBerry has smartly brought on Samsung — and its mega-bucks marketing budget — to help get word out.

BlackBerry still rules the smartphone market in many countries, so it’s easy to see how an app that connects Android owners with friends and family would appeal. Although there are already a number of cross-platform services, such as WhatsApp, that can do the same job.

Clearly the message would be very different in the West and Asia, where recent years have seen most BlackBerry owners move across to other platforms. Sure, BlackBerry still has an enterprise presence, but most office workers with a BlackBerry are likely to have an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or other ‘personal’ phone.

BBM does have other use cases. For example, BBM money — a money transfer and payments service that was piloted in Indonesia last year — has vast potential for emerging markets like Africa, assuming that BlackBerry can hold on to its market share.

There are also services for connecting companies to users which could be used to channel attractive offers and other compelling content to consumers — although this is also happening on other messaging apps too

Google widens testing of search box in ‘new tab’ to stable versions of Chrome and Chrome OS

The little bits in life can often make a big difference and, with that in mind, Google is widening its testing of a neat addition to Chrome that brings a search box into the ‘new tab’ window, making it easier to search the Web.

The company has tested the feature with a small group of users on the experimental Chrome build since December 2012. Having tweaked its performance and appearance based on feedback, Google is now expanding the feature to “a small set of people” on Windows, Mac and Chromebooks who use the stable version of Chrome (or Chrome OS) and have Google set as their default search engine.

The feature remains experimental, but Google says it can integrate any search engine further down the line since it uses its open Embedded Search API.

One of Chrome’s best features is the ability to search in the omnibox (URL address bar), which makes queries super simple to do, but this feature will provide another option if and when it gets a full rollout.

➤ Another step toward faster search in Chrome [Google]

Facebook Announces Shared Photo Albums To Boost Group Engagement Facebook Announces Shared Photo Albums To Boost Group Engagement

Facebook is rolling out shared photo albums, as first reported by Mashable. Users can share access to an album with up to 50 contributors, who can each add up to 200 photos.

For those of you who aren’t math whizzes, that means shared albums can be as large as 10,000 photos. Previously, albums were limited to 1,000 total photos and users could only add pictures to their own albums.

This new feature should be good for user engagement in groups of friends and with larger albums. Facebook has done a good job of focusing its browser-based photo section around albums and larger batches of photos, while leaving (Facebook-owned) Instagram to dominate single photos. Users can beautify and share quick snaps in time with their friends via Instagram, but for larger life events (weddings, graduations, even just cool vacations), they can share much larger batches of photos on Facebook.

This is a bit of a blow to apps like Albumatic and Flock, which are also trying to crack group photo albums. But many have tried and failed before in this space, so it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Facebook’s feature will crush these smaller competitors. The feature is also similar to Google+’s Party Mode, in which users can share all of their photos and videos in real time with the guests of an associated event.

Facebook users can share these new group albums with the public, friends of the contributors, or just contributors to the album. The prototype for shared picture albums was reportedly built by a dozen engineers at one of Facebook’s company-wide hackathons.

Facebook has begun rolling out the feature to a small number of users today. It will be available at first only as a desktop option, and will expand to all English users first before the social network rolls it out internationally.

Google blocks Chromecast app that let you stream your own videos (update)

Google hasn't provided a clear answer on whether Chromecast will eventually let users stream their own local videos and music to the TV screen. But if early updates for the $35 dongle are any indication, the company doesn't want third-party developers trying to deliver that functionality. The most recent Chromecast update has broken support for AllCast, an Android application that previously allowed users to stream their personal media to a TV. AllCast (also known as AirCast thanks to a trademark dispute) could play back files stored in a phone's gallery, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Developer Koushik Dutta accomplished the feat by reverse engineering the Chromecast's code. He'd released several betas of the app, even planning a release on Google Play, before Google's latest software update broke things — "intentionally" in Dutta's opinion.

HOW 'OPEN' WILL CHROMECAST BE?

"The policy seems to be a heavy handed approach, where only approved content will be played through the device," he says."The Chromecast will probably not be indie developer friendly." Officially, Chromecast only supports media from the Google Play store, Netflix, and YouTube. The company has a staked interest in actively controlling the user experience (and what content can be streamed) if it hopes to round up new partners like HBO and Hulu Plus.

Google exec Rishi Chandra emphasized that point in an interview with The Vergefollowing the product's release. "If you want to do the model we talked about, streaming from the cloud, I need your full cooperation. I can't just go pull content from the cloud independently from you working with us." But he also voiced support for Chromecast's tab casting feature, which essentially gives users limitless viewing options so long as they're watching something in a Chrome browser. "Our stance right now, what we're enabling, is no different than an HDMI cable connecting your laptop to your TV." So it's easy to understand the confusion on exactly where Google stands in all of this. We've reached out to the company for more information on the software change and its thoughts on third-party developers tapping into Chromecast.

Update: Google has responded to our request for comment, and any fears that the company may bar playback of local media appear to be unfounded. "We’re excited to bring more content to Chromecast and would like to support all types of apps, including those for local content," a spokesperson tells The Verge. Google notes that its Google Cast SDK is still in "early days" and may change significantly before an official release reaches developers.

Google says it aims "to provide a great experience for users and developers before making the SDK and additional apps more broadly available." Dutta has admitted that he reverse engineered the Google Cast protocol to make AllCast possible, but it seems he may have another chance to do things the proper way once a full-fledged SDK arrives. The company's full statement is belo
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Nokia Sirius: a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet that looks like a Lumia

Nokia is preparing to back Windows RT by launching a 10.1-inch tablet soon. Sources familiar with Nokia's plans have revealed to The Verge that the tablet, codenamed Sirius, will be launched shortly. While prototype pictures of the device leaked earlier this month, we understand that the final design more closely resembles Nokia's Lumia Windows Phone products.

We're told that Nokia's tablet will be thinner than the current iPad, and lighter at just over a pound in weight. The body of the device will be colored, and Nokia plans to include a 6-megapixel camera at the rear with a 2-megapixel shooter at the front. The 10.1-inch display that Nokia is planning to use will run at 1920 x 1080 resolution, and has been improved for outdoor readability thanks to a high amount of bright output. Sources have also revealed that the tablet will feature Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor alongside 2GB of RAM. We understand Nokia is aiming for 10 hours of solid battery life with LTE connectivity. Other features include a microSD port to extend the 32GB of storage, a Micro HDMI connector, and a Micro USB port.

PRICED SIMILAR TO APPLE'S IPAD

Nokia is also planning to ship a keyboard accessory with its "Sirius" tablet that includes a battery for additional charging. Other optional accessories will also be made available at launch. We're told Nokia's tablet will be priced comparatively with Apple's iPad, and that the company won't try to undercut pricing initially. Nokia will unveil the tablet at a launch event in New York, which is currently scheduled for September 26th. The Finnish smartphone maker is also planning a "Bandit" 6-inch Windows Phone device that will be made available later this year.

Micromax, Karbonn beat Apple, Samsung sales in India

The demand for affordable smartphones in the major emerging markets like India and China has been on a rise. The rise in demand has helped local mobile manufacturers surpass shipments by the established global brands like Samsung and Apple in the April-June quarter this year, research firm IDC says.

According to IDC data in the Asia/Pacific excluding Japan region, homegrown vendors shipped 46 million units, while Samsung and Apple together shipped 35 million units in the second quarter of this year. Other global brands like HTC, BlackBerry, Nokia, Sony, LG and Motorola shipped a combined 10 million units, whereas the internal vendors from China like Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo shipped a total of 27 million units in April-June 2013. IDC identified Micromax, Karbonn, Lava, Maxx and Intex as the rising players in the emerging smartphone market in India and brands like Coolpad, K-Touch, Xiaomi, Gionee and OPPO in China.

The research firm said local brands in the world's two most populous country, part of Asia/Pacific (Excluding Japan) region (APEJ), have aggressively scaled up their operations and are competitive on both price and hardware specifications. "Aside from the top-tier international brands or Chinese brands that also ship globally like Huawei and ZTE, there is also a rising segment of homegrown brands, which as a group have been steadily rising in shipments and prominence," IDC said in its latest report on mobile shipments.

Local player Micromax has surpassed global brands like Samsung in terms of sales

These homegrown players comprised 38 percent of second quarter 2013 volumes, up from 20 percent in the same quarter of 2012 and seven per cent 2011 second quarter, it added. Asia/Pacific region saw mobile shipments of 119 million units in April-June 2013, up 10 percent quarter-on-quarter and a huge jump of 75 percent from Q2 2012, IDC said. In the report, the firm said, "In emerging markets like China and India, IDC has seen many local competitors spring up, but only in the last few quarters have we seen them aggressively scale up, competitive on both price and hardware specs like bigger screens".

"We are now hitting a place where there are smartphones for every price point, where the masses will benefit from the slew of players bringing in more options," the firm said. This is the first quarter that IDC saw both the under USD 50 segment of smartphones gain some traction in China. While, the 4-inch plus screen size segment drove most shipments, the 5-6 inch segment saw its first gain in both China and India, it added