Is Your Phone Overheating? Mobile Spyware Could Be to Blame!

Staff Writer / 10-02-2020 / Apps

Ever held a smartphone after short use or a charge to find it extremely hot? This seems to be a problem experienced by more and more people these days, especially as phones become more advanced. This could just be a factory fault If you experience this problem when your phone is brand new, but if your phone starts overheating after a few weeks or months of usage, there could be a few other not-so-obvious reasons, including mobile spyware and cryptocurrency mining!

Apps & Spyware

Apps, especially those that run in the background, drain battery life and cause devices to overheat. When installing apps, users often tend to grant all “permissions” requested by the app instead of reading them carefully. By doing this, you open the door for mobile spyware to infiltrate your smartphone, leaving it vulnerable not just to overheating but also to theft of sensitive private data. For example, a simple calculator app from the Google Play Store could request permissions to access your microphone or contacts. Other permissions requested by apps can even be hidden by the app developer, such as access to system files that can then become infected by mobile spyware and malware.

Mining Cryptocurrencies

In more serious cases, hackers can now use an infected smartphone to act as a rig to mine cryptocurrencies. Early last year, software company Opera added anti-cryptocurrency mining features to their mobile browsers since finding that hackers can mine cryptocurrency using a network of smartphones to form a cryptocurrency rig, unbeknownst to the owner of the smartphone. Opera said that the mining of cryptocurrency is estimated to be affecting more than a billion people worldwide, causing their devices to overheat, lose efficiency and drain batteries. Internet security experts caution smartphone users to thoroughly scrutinise the apps they download and be vigilant when visiting websites. It’s also a good idea to download antivirus software from trusted software developers such as Kaspersky Labs, Avast and McAfee.

TECH NEWS

The New Sony Xperia 1 IV Experience

Sony’s latest smartphone release is spec-ed out and ready to take on the iPhone 13 range.The Sony Xperia 1 IV 5G launched in May and has excited tech-heads everywhere thanks to its impressive capabilities.Flagship ProcessorThe Sony Xperia 1 IV runs on the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon (SD) 8 Gen 1 chipset, making for a powerful, advanced machine with increased learning capabilities.It comes ready with Android 12 and boasts 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, which can be expanded with the help of a microSD card.Dynamite DisplayWith this flagship device you get a 6.5-inch 4K OLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate. This smartphone has the honour of being the first phone of 2022 to boast 4K HDR resolution. It also come equipped with a 3840 x 1644 screen resolution – that’s higher than even the iPhone 13 Pro Max – making for a sharper viewing experience.Battery BonanzaThe Sony Xperia 1 IV has a large 5000mAh battery under the hood. It offers 30W wired fast charging like its predecessor and supports wireless charging, keeping up with its own flagship standards.Camera QualityBased on the Sony Xperia 1 III, the IV didn't have to try too hard to deliver a superior camera. It doesn’t disappoint. Like the iPhone 13, it sports a 12MP triple camera setup with four lenses – 12MP Main, 12MP Telephoto with 5 x zoom and a 12MP Ultrawide lens.Sony has set out to rival the best with the Xperia 1 IV. Only time will tell, but with specs like these, they could achieve the impossible!Looking for the hottest mobile and data deals from SA’s leading networks? Be the first to be in-the-know when you sign up for our newsletter.

Huawei P50 Hits The Market

The flagship Huawei P50 series has finally launched worldwide.Debuting in in July last year, the P50 is the most affordable phone from the series.The P50 sets the standard for the range. It packs in sought-after features while still being light on your wallet. You get a new design, new software and new technology that makes it a worthy successor to the standout P40s and Mate 40 series.A+ Camera SpecsAs with most Huawei’s, the camera specs are outstanding. The P50 boasts three shooters at the back, including a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a colour sensor, a 12MP periscope zoom with 5x optical magnification and a 12MP ultra-wide snapper. The front-facing camera is a 13MP, and although this is a little modest compared to other standard smartphones on the market today, it’s more than enough for eye-catching selfies. Altogether, the camera hardware offers a solid performance that captures vibrant, detailed and accurate photos day or night.Just Keep ScrollingThe display on the P50 is impressive with its flat-edge OLED 6.5-inch screen that's bright and efficient, featuring a smooth refresh rate of 90Hz and a touch input rate of 300Hz for easy scrolling and quick switching between apps. The P50 is dust and water resistant at a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 minutes. Overall, it offers a decent display and fast refresh rates for a great user experience.Super-Fast Wired ChargingThe P50’s battery is in line with the current market standards at 4 1000mAh. It features 66W wired charging and goes from 0% to a full charge in 30 – 40 minutes. If you’re looking for a wireless charge, this feature is only available on the flagship P50 Pro. However, if you don’t mind wired as the only option, the standard P50 delivers quickly for the ultimate convenience.Creative ConnectivityPowering the P50 is the top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. This can be expanded thanks to a pro nano memory card slot, which is ideal for those who need the extra storage for videos, photos, music and apps. Although the processor supports 5G, it is not enabled in this new series. But if you’re content with a 4G LTE connection or using WiFi 6, the P50 packs a punch without compromising on storage.Updated HarmonyOSThe phone runs on HarmonyOS 2, which was recently revealed as the rival to Android. The operating system shares many similarities with Android but comes with one big difference. It features Huawei AppGallery instead of Google Play. Huawei’s app store has around 45 000 apps but lacks all Google apps. Fortunately, there’s a workaround as you can install apps directly from the web using Petal Search. The best part about the operating system is that it works seamlessly with other Huawei devices, ensuring that those with tablets, smartwatches etc., can easily integrate their devices.If the Huawei P50 striking all the right notes with you, find the right deal here.Sign-up for our newsletter for updates on the hottest mobile and data deals from SA’s leading networks.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Rumours Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is expected to be announced in August but there is already a whirlwind of talk about what it could offer.The new flagship series has big shoes to fill as the successor of the trailblazing Galaxy Z Fold 3. If the rumours prove to be true, the Fold 4 is set to continue the legacy into the next generation.An Affordable Foldable?The new series could become the most affordable foldable by the South Korean tech giant.  The Z Fold 3 hit the South African market at a hefty R 37 999. If these guesses hold any value, we could see this price reduced.S22 Camera SpecsThe Z Fold 4 may be adopting the camera setup from the Galaxy S22 range with its stellar telephoto lens boasting 3x optical zoom, a 50MP main shooter and 12MP ultra-wide cameras. A new rumour, by leaker Dohyun Kim, claims that the new model will get the S22 Ultra’s massive 108MP main camera. Samsung’s innovative under-display camera may also get a boost as the tech giant may be adding another to the Fold 4.Two Hinges Become OneKorean blogging site Naver says Samsung is considering ways to reduce the phone’s weight by decreasing the number of hinges at the centre of the handset from two in the Z Fold 3, to just one in the new series. This will make the Z Fold 4 thinner, lighter and more durable. Samsung could also completely ditch the book-style fold format for an s-fold design!Same Size, Bigger ScreenThe weight reduction may also mean that the Z Fold 4 will not be bigger than its predecessor. A leading tipster, Ice Universe, claims that the screen size will remain the same, but there may be more screen area as thinner bezels, and a reduced outside dimension is being considered.Reimagined DisplayTurning to the inner display, Samsung may be upgrading the current Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) material with a tougher and higher quality option.Axed S Pen?The S Pen’s future with the Fold series is… complicated.  There are rumours of a built-in stylus, no stylus at all and the most frustrating option, no silo slot for the accessory – meaning that finding a place to store your S Pen could become an issue, especially when travelling.All in all, the latest rumours about the Z Fold 4 indicate that it’s poised for greatness, just like the generations before. For the latest updates on the new series, sign up for our newsletter and stay in the know.