Google to start Play Music shutdown in September

We finally get a target date of when Google Play Music will be shuttered. The shutdown will start in Australia and New Zealand in September, with the rest of the world following a month after. Users won't be able to stream from the app and the web by then. But you can still transfer out music and data from the service until December 2020, whether you import it to YouTube Music or use Google's Takeout tool to retrieve your music uploads and purchases. After December, the data will be purged.

Google also plans to take out music from the Play Store completely, so you will no longer be able to buy songs and albums from the company directly. This change will come in "late August."

Source: Engadget

Disney+ tries out new VOD model for 'Mulan'

Disney

Disney is using the perceived popularity of its upcoming live-action remake of Mulan to try a new strategy for Disney+. The company has thrown in the towel of attempting to secure a theatrical release of the film in the US. What the company plans to do now is offer the movie there and anywhere else Disney+ is available, starting on September 4. The caveat is that Disney will be asking viewers to shell out an additional US$29.99 (around CA$40) to watch the film.

It will still show the movie in theatres in markets where theatres are open. But for those where it isn't safe to open cinemas yet, this is supposedly a one-off approach to bring the blockbuster to viewers. It will also be useful to attract subscribers to its streaming service, which can help Disney earn back what it spent to make the film. And if all goes well, we wouldn't be surprised if Disney tries this model with other big movies, too.

Source: IndieWire

Google teases fall release for Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5

With the delayed release of the Google Pixel 4a, it isn't surprising that the company opted to share what's in the pipeline. So, during the Pixel 4a's launch, we also get some teasers on the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 5G. Both will be launched in the fall, and both will be coming to Canada.

The teaser image shows two different-sized devices, one with a matte black finish and another smaller handset with a sparklier exterior. The Verge speculates that the larger handset is the Pixel 4a 5G, while the regular-sized handset will be the Pixel 5. Google promises to share more about these devices "in the coming months."

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Google Pixel 4a gets official launch, Canadian pricing and availability

The Google Pixel 4a is finally here. At least, it'll be available on September 10 for $479. There will be no Pixel 4a XL this time, which was part of Google's plan to help keep its price down. This single Pixel 4a unit runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor paired with 128GB storage and 6GB of RAM. It doesn't offer storage expansion. It sports a 5.81-inch OLED panel with a tall 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 2,340 x 1,080 resolution. The only interruption on the screen is a punch-hole cutout for the 8-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture and 1.12µm pixels, which is a first for the Pixel. The rear camera is a single 12.2-megapixel 1/2.55-inch sensor with large 1.4µm pixels and speedy f/1.7 optics. The camera has optical image stabilization to keep your videos shake-free, and it supports Pixel 4's known features like Night Sight, Top Shot, and Portrait Mode.

It packs in a smaller 3,140mAh battery that can be charged over Power Delivery 2.0 standard at up to 18W. If you're looking for a headphone jack, the Pixel 4a still has one. There are no brightly coloured variants of this phone. Google is only offering the Pixel 4a in Just Black.

Source: GSMArena + Engadget + Android Authority

Update on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 5:01AM by Nicole Batac

Aside from the Google Pixel 4a, buyers can expect the 5G-ready Google Pixel 4a and Pixel 5 smartphones before the year ends.