Technologies
What Google Needs to Do For Android to Overcome Apple and iPhone in 2023
Google’s Android has fallen to second place to Apple’s iPhone and iOS for the first time in over a decade. Here’s what the search giant needs to do to gain back the top spot.

Google has fallen second place to Apple in the Android vs. iPhone war for the first time in over a decade. The free and open-source operating system, which still powers the majority of the world’s phones, can be found on devices from Samsung, OnePlus and Motorola. Even when combined with budget brands such as Nokia, TCL and Blu, Android-loaded handsets can’t outsell the iPhone stateside.
From a global perspective, Apple’s dominance is an outlier. The US, Canada and Japan are the only countries where Apple has an edge over Android. Everywhere else Android leads, usually by a wide margin.
Android falling behind speaks to the cachet Apple has built up around the iPhone franchise. From celebrities photographed at cafes with iPhones to their ears to late-night hosts engaging in repartee with an Apple Watch cuffed to their wrist, Apple products are both function and fashion of America’s aristocratic class. And thanks to iMessage, Apple has created messaging partition, with the «haves» enjoying blue bubble gardens and the «have nots» being relegated to green squalor. Heck, even movie villains can’t be filmed using an iPhone.
But there’s reason to be optimistic about Android’s attempts to retake the crown in the US. Google is building out an ecosystem to surround the Pixel 7, including with the introduction of the Pixel Watch. A Pixel tablet is coming next year. And Android does have its own base of rabid fans — even if they’re not on a Hollywood set.
So what can Google do to make Android relevant in the US again? Here are a few ways.
Double down on ecosystem
Google took too long to release the Pixel Watch, letting the Apple Watch act as a Trojan Horse and keep people locked inside Apple’s garden.
«Apple has such a sticky ecosystem. Especially the Watch, once you buy that watch, you’re locked into an iPhone,» said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. Google hasn’t had that up until this year. «And even then, its first watch is really a 1.0 product.»
Google’s slow trudge bringing the Pixel Watch to market means that the Apple Watch remains far ahead. At least now there’s an option for Pixel owners to keep them from feeling left behind.
The US market differs from the rest of the world in that there’s far less competition in the Android space. Concerns about Chinese tech companies tracking American consumers have essentially made it impossible for brands like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo to operate in the US. That leaves a handful of brands that can sell alternatives outside of Samsung and Google.
«Having more devices in the market also gives the carriers more choices on devices they can give away for free or do more promotions on,» said Anshel Sag, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
The lack of manufacturer diversity is only one problem Google is facing. The iPad line continues to remain a popular second-screen device, acting as an internet gateway for both toddlers and the elderly. Only one high-quality Android tablet comes to mind with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, but its software is nowhere near as refined as iPad OS, with it often feeling like a big screen version of Android. Google has already announced a «premium» Pixel tablet for 2023, but it really will need to impress to draw in the throngs of consumers trained to look at iPads as the tablet.
Unfortunately, one area Google might not be able to offer a viable competitor to Apple is in laptop and home computing. Google’s Chromebooks are excellent affordable laptops for basic tasks, but lack the horsepower and flexibility to offer the functionality found with MacOS and Windows. It’s a market that’s already been carved up by Apple and Microsoft, making it difficult for Google to create a viable alternative. Even if it did, the installed base would be so small that it wouldn’t attract top developers. Here, Google’s best option is to continue integrating its products better with Mac and Windows machines to offer a comparable experience to iPhone and Mac.
Matter matters
One area that Google has dominance over Apple is in smart home. Cupertino is seldom quick to jump into new product categories, which is evidenced by years of rumors surrounding Apple’s supposed VR/AR headset and the Apple car. Apple did try to make an effort at home devices with HomeKit, but it’s largely been left forgotten. Google, on the other hand, has a heavy presence in the smart home with its voice assistant-backed displays, such as the Nest Hub, and its Nest WiFi, Doorbell and camera products.
Unfortunately, the smart home industry has stagnated with a dizzying array of competing products confusing consumers. A person who owns an Amazon Alexa smart speaker might be unsure if it will cooperate with their Google Nest doorbell.
Enter Matter, a universal smart home standard that will allow new home devices, regardless of brand, to communicate with one another. Even Apple, the company that enjoys creating walled gardens, has joined the Connected Standards Alliance, along with Amazon, Google, Samsung, Ikea, Lutron, Signify and others.
«That is an area where Google could take some advantage, building more of those controls or just exposing them more in Android,» Greengart said. This includes building out a person’s homepage, widgets and making connections between multiple devices. Greengart said it’ll be up to Google to let people know that smart home interoperability can be done best on Android.
Beat Apple to innovation
Google’s product events continue to get better, bringing greater production value and fanfare, but still can’t capture the same magic as Apple. The Cupertino, California-based company still has that ability to drum up excitement over its family of products and services. Enthusiastic rhetoric from executives mixed with high production value can make a person believe that Apple is bringing the latest in tech and innovation, even if that isn’t always the case.
High refresh screens to optical image stabilization and laser autofocus, all features Apple breathlessly crows about, came to Android first.
There are, however, consumers who see past the fancy macro shots and do want to be the first to new tech. This is an area Google should double-down on to entice enthusiasts.
Already, rumors are surfacing of a Pixel foldable device, one that could compete with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
«I think [Samsung’s] really starting to gain momentum there. And I think it’s showing, but the problem is the price, right?,» Sag said. If Samsung can continue pushing the price of foldables down, it’ll help increase the category’s popularity, bringing more competition. «As a result, competition will probably equal more sales and more competitive pricing.»
Google has also been heavily advertising Pixel features, such as live translate in its 2022 World Cup commercial. The Pixel 7 is also the official «fan phone» of the NBA this season, with a commercial featuring player Giannis Antetokounmpo and actor Simu Liu. Google has also reportedly placed the largest order of Pixel 7 devices, more than any prior iteration. Regardless of sales and celebrity endorsement, Google needs to make Pixel feel premium and exclusive, almost anathema to Android’s core vision as a free and open-source operating system. Because, if Apple’s success is any indication, people like feeling as if they’re in the «in crowd.»
Technologies
Zelle App Is Gone. Use These Alternatives to Send Money Digitally
You still have lots of free ways to send money to friends and family electronically.

If Zelle has been your go-to app for sending money digitally, it’s time to find a new method. The digital payment app shut down on April 1.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use Zelle altogether, however. Zelle has only discontinued its standalone app. You can still send money using Zelle if your bank belongs to the Zelle network. You’ll just need to do it through your bank’s app or website. You also have other services to choose from. Here’s what you need to know about this change and your options moving forward.
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Why the Zelle app is shutting down
When Zelle launched in 2017, only about 60 US financial institutions offered the service by the end of that year. Today, that number exceeds 2,200. As a result, less than 2% of Zelle transactions occur through the standalone app. Zelle has been phasing out the ability to make transactions on its mobile app since October 2024.
«Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution’s mobile app or online banking experience, and we believe this is the best place for Zelle transactions to occur,» Zelle said in an October 2024 press release.
In December, Zelle was in the spotlight when the Consumer Financial Protected Bureau sued the company and three of the largest US banks for failing to protect consumers from widespread fraud on the peer-to-peer payment network. The lawsuit has since been dropped.
Other ways to send money digitally
You can still use Zelle through your bank’s app or website if it belongs to the Zelle network. You can also switch to another digital payment app, such as:
- Apple Wallet
- Cash App
- PayPal
- Venmo
Take some basic precautions when using Zelle or any other digital payment service. These apps are a frequent target for scammers, and Chase Bank has started blocking some Zelle payments it believes could be fraudulent. Only send money to people you know and trust, and watch for red flags like an urgent message claiming to be from your bank or an online ad for concert tickets that seem impossibly cheap.
Technologies
Marvel Rivals Season 2 Starts Next Week, Devs Drop Big News
Emma Frost and Ultron are joining the Rivals roster in season 2, and developers are upping the pace to one new hero per month starting with season 3.

After surviving the endless night in New York City with the Fantastic Four, Marvel Rivals players are getting invited to the shores of Krakoa for the start of season 2 on April 11. The game dropped the first trailer for the new season, giving us our first official look at the new heroes, and a developer vision video dropped major news about the future of hero releases.
The trailer features the former foe and sometimes-leader of the X-Men, Emma Frost, inviting people from across Rivals’ various timelines to the mutant nation of Krakoa, where everyone gets dressed up for a fancy gala — even Wolverine puts on a white tux. The event, however, is unceremoniously interrupted when Ultron shows up preaching extermination.
We also got a look at some of the cosmetics in season 2, though it’s unclear which are from the shop and which might be in the battle pass. In addition to the dressed-up Wolverine, we also got looks at Magik and Psylocke in the traditional X-Men blue and yellow. Nonmutant guests are also getting in on the fun, with fancy attire for heroes like Cap, Widow and Luna Snow.
New Heroes and balance changes in Marvel Rivals Season 2
Emma Frost joins the roster as a Vanguard. We don’t have detailed information about her abilities yet but expect that information to drop ahead of next week’s season launch. Ultron is coming in the season 2.5 update, which should be in late May.
Some team-ups are changing in season 2, including three new team-up abilities that were previewed in the newest developer vision video.
- Emma Frost allows Magneto and Psylocke to create illusions of themselves.
- Doctor Strange teams up with Scarlet Witch allowing her to use small portals to seemingly increase her damage output via a rapid-shooting alternate fire.
- Cap finally teams up with Bucky, allowing the Winter Soldier to leap to allies.
A few existing team-ups are getting adjustments, with Psylocke, Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange being removed from older team-ups in favor of new ones, and Namor moving from working with Luna’s anchor to Hulk’s to empower his ultimate with gamma energy. Two team-ups are being removed entirely: Magneto can no longer team up with Scarlet Witch, and Thor is no longer anchoring Cap and Storm.
The developers vaguely teased other balance changes, including buffs to Peni, Mister Fantastic and Moon Knight, with Strange trading offensive pressure for more survivability and Rocket getting more utility while Loki and Adam Warlock receive nerfs to their Regeneration Domain and Soul Bond abilities.
Future seasons will be shorter, which means more new heroes
One of the most surprising moments in the developer video was the announcement that, beginning with season 3, seasons will be two months long instead of roughly three. There has been a lot of discussion online about whether Rivals’ pace of new heroes (about eight per year based on three-month seasons) was sustainable. Well, apparently the Rivals devs took that personally and are cranking up that pace to a new hero every month, meaning 12 new heroes per year.
This feels borderline ludicrous compared with other hero shooters that average about three new heroes per year, or even MOBAs like League of Legends, which has averaged about four new champions per year over the past five years. Rivals benefits from having an overflowing stable of Marvel characters to pull from rather than inventing their own hero concepts, and compared with Overwatch, the developers seem less worried about mechanical overlap in their heroes, as seen with many support ultimates. Still, a new hero every month feels unheard of for a hero shooter.
New Krakoa map and competitive changes
A new Krakoa-themed domination map is being added in season 2, and Yggsgard: Royal Palace (domination) and Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya (convergence) will rotate out of the map pool for ranked modes, though they’ll still be available in quick play and custom games.
The threshold for competitive picks and bans, which currently only happen in diamond-ranked lobbies, will be lowered to gold 3. Players in Eternity or One Above All ranks will only be able to duo queue, instead of queuing with larger groups — a measure that’s likely intended to keep high-level teams from stomping lobbies.
Speaking of ranks, season 2 will drop everyone by 9 divisions, which is equal to 3 ranks. That means players in Eternity will drop to diamond, and any players at platinum 3 or below will start their climb from bronze 3 again. (AGAIN… AGAIN.)
Rivals developers also announced that individual player performance will be weighted higher when determining competitive progress after a match, meaning if your stats outperform your team’s, you’ll earn more for winning and drop less for losing. This change can help elevate smurfs and other high-skill players in lower-ranked lobbies by getting them into their appropriate ranks faster. However, it can also lead to players stat-farming, instead of playing in a way that is most effective for winning games. Overall, given that Rivals doesn’t use any sort of competitive placement matches, this should be a net positive for the game.
Other announcements
Rivals is adding new skin recolors to certain hero skins and (finally) giving players the option to gift costumes to their friends so they can surprise someone for their birthday, which you definitely did not forget about.
Missions are changing a bit, with the addition of weekly missions and a redistribution of where battle-pass-progressing chrono tokens are earned. The devs framed this as creating a «smoother expectation» of how to earn chrono tokens, but the surface-level description sounds like they’re just making it harder to earn battle pass progress over the season by tucking away more progress under missions with shorter time limits.
The developer vision update also gave us our first look at the competitive distribution, showing how many Rivals players are in each tier as of season 1.5.
The Hellfire Gala trailer says season 2 will start on April 11. While it doesn’t give a specific start time, expect the between-seasons maintenance to finish sometime in the middle of the night in the US.
For more on Marvel Rivals, check out which heroes and roles you should play and how to get free skins.
Technologies
Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Switch 1: Every Detail Compared
The Nintendo Switch 2’s official specs aren’t too different, but the new console has a lot of upgrades on the original Switch.

The Nintendo Switch 2 may look like its predecessor, but there’s been a lot of changes to its features and under the hood. The new console has «10x the graphics performance» compared to the original Switch, says Nvidia, which built the custom processor powering the Switch 2.
The Switch 2, with a release date on June 5, is priced at $450 alone or $500 in a bundle with Mario Kart World, the headliner of the console’s launch games. Here’s all the info on how to preorder the Switch 2.
Note that we’re mostly comparing the Switch 2 to the original Switch 1 released in March 2017, because looping in the Switch Lite and Switch OLED gets complicated.
Design
Broadly, the Switch 2 is a larger version of its predecessor, with everything looking slightly inflated: bigger footprint, bigger screen, bigger Joy-Cons.
Original Switch: The original Switch, with Joy-Cons slotted into the side rails, is a little over 9.4 inches wide, 4 inches tall, a little over half an inch thick and weighs about 10.5 ounces (297 grams). The Joy-Cons slide into place from the top of the device’s sides, while a thin wedge of plastic pops out of the back of the console to serve as a kickstand.
The Switch also came with a dock, which the console could slot into to for recharging and outputting to a TV or large display via HDMI port.
Switch 2: The new Switch 2 is bigger in every way, but it has the same overall shape and layout as the original. The new Joy-Cons will indeed be held in place on the console magnetically, and connect to the console via pins. The new console also sports a wide U-shaped kickstand that spans almost its entire rear width, which can be moved around to prop up the Switch 2 at a variety of angles. Nintendo says the console has more powerful speakers, which we’re looking forward to testing.
The Switch 2’s dock is largely similar in function though it has rounded edges and an internal fan to cool down the console during long game sessions. More importantly, it can output games in 4K to TVs, but only for select games.
Joy-Cons
The Joy-Cons were a marvel when they arrived on the first Switch, and while they’re functionally similar in its successor, there have been upgrades in the Switch 2’s controllers.
Original Switch: The Switch Joy-Cons are simple but powerful controllers that slid on and off the console via plastic rails, connecting and recharging via pins on the side. Detach and they become their own micro-controllers, with little shoulder buttons to boot.
Switch 2: The new console’s Joy-Cons are larger to fit the Switch 2, and lock into the side of the console via powerful magnets — there are small inward-facing buttons to the side of ZR and ZL to detach the controllers from the console. The larger-size Joy-Cons have longer L and R outside shoulder buttons, as well as much wider SL and SR internal shoulder buttons, which are accessible when detached from the console.
And yes, you can use the Switch 2 Joy-Cons as mice by placing their inner edges flat on a surface. During the Nintendo Direct, we saw it being used to control active action games like the wheelchair basketball-simulating DragXDrive and strategy games like Civilization VII.
Display size
Original Switch: The original Switch has a 6.2-inch LCD screen with 1,280×720-pixel resolution, which was reasonably impressive at launch in 2017 but has been outclassed by newer handhelds with sharper displays. The Switch OLED upgraded this with a larger 7-inch display showing deeper blacks and colors, but no upgrade in resolution. The Switch Lite has a 5.5-inch LCD screen.
Switch 2: Unsurprisingly, the Switch 2’s larger size means a larger display. The new console has a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen that can get up to 120Hz refresh rate in handheld mode, or up to 4K when docked and outputting to a TV.
Why no OLED display? Possibly to save on costs… or possibly to give Nintendo room to release a Switch 2 OLED version down the line.
CPU/GPU
Original Switch: The original Switch runs on an Nvidia custom Tegra X1 processor split into four ARM Cortex A57 CPU cores, and according to Hackaday, there are four extra A53 cores that aren’t used.
Switch 2: Once again, Nintendo hasn’t released any official info on the Switch 2’s specs, even after the Nintendo Direct reveal stream — and they most the company reveals is that it has a «custom processor made by Nvidia» on the Switch 2’s official specs page. Nvidia confirmed it also has a custom GPU, claiming that the new console has «10x the graphics performance» of the Switch 1, and the custom processor’s AI-powered features include Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), face tracking and background removal for video chat and real-time ray tracing.
We do still have more supposed details from previous leaks. Months ago on X (formerly Twitter), leaker Zuby_Tech posted that the Switch 2’s CPU will be an eight-core Arm Cortex A78C. They also suggested that the GPU will be an Nvidia T239 Ampere, aligning with years of similar rumors reported on by Eurogamer and others about the custom chip, which derives from Nvidia’s Tegra line of chips for smartphones and mobile devices.
RAM and storage
Original Switch. The Switch has 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, expandable up to 2TB via microSD cards in the slot beneath the kickstand.
Switch 2: Even after the reveal stream, Nintendo didn’t release official specs for RAM. Leaker Zuby_Tech posted on X back in September suggesting the Switch 2 will have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. That leak also suggested the new console will have two internal fans, up from the single one in the original Switch.
Nintendo did confirm that the new console will have 256GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded with special microSD Express cards — sorry, your old Switch-compatible microSD cards won’t work on the Switch 2.
Battery life
Original Switch: The original Switch packs a 4,310-mAh battery, which gives between 4.5 and 9 hours of battery life depending on screen brightness and other factors.
Switch 2: Though Nintendo didn’t release details on the Switch 2’s capacity in the reveal stream, the company does list specs on its website, showing it packs a 5,220mAh battery. While that’s notably larger than the one in its predecessor, Nintendo estimates this will only get players between an estimated 2 and 6.5 hours, depending on games played.
Ports
Original Switch: The first Switch sports a single USB-C port out the bottom, a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top and Wi-Fi 5 plus Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. On the top is a slot at the top for Switch game cartridges as well as the microSD slot beneath the kickstand on the rear of the console.
Switch 2: The Switch 2 retains the original’s USB-C port on the bottom and 3.5mm jack on the top while adding another USB-C port topside, and now we know what it’s for: to connect with accessories like the Nintendo Switch Camera, a webcam-like camera on a stand to let you do Nintendo’s version of FaceTiming while you play games with your friends.
Nintendo hasn’t clarified the console’s connectivity options, and rumors are scarce on the subject.
As for cartridges, Switch 2 will play some original Switch games in physical versions. The cartridge slot is to the right of the headphone jack in the above image, which is where the slot is on the original Switch. You can tell game cartridges from the two console generations apart by color: ones for the new Switch 2 are red, while older Switch 1 games are black.
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