Unpacked. First off, we have another Galaxy Unpacked tomorrow. Want to know what to expect? The short version is foldables and watches. I'll likely do a notes dump afterward to dive into the details there. In the meantime, we're left with speculation.

Safari. The redesign that people have been making a fuss over is optional in the latest iPadOS beta. That's cool, although I wish they'd show a bit more of that Apple swagger and commit to the redesign. Change is hard, but we always adapt. For the iOS version, Josh Collie took the time to put together some propsed improvements while maintaining the overall redesign.

Pixel 6. Working with mobile apps, what we can and cannot do at the software level is intrinsically coupled to what's going on at the hardware level. With what we currently know from the soft announcement of the Pixel 6, the new Tensor chip — designed directly by Google — may be the most notable. It's all about the AIs and the MLs, people! For a slightly deeper dive, check out the tentative review by Cherylnn Low.

G Maps. As an example of doing platform-specific integrations, the next version of Google Maps on iOS will allow for location sharing via a mini app for iMessage. I've always wanted to design an iMessage app, but finding the right use case can be challenging (i.e., über specific). Also in the update comes the ability to add a traffic widget to the home screen (which you could already do on Android). It's these tighter integrations that, when done correctly, give native apps an edge over their responsive counterparts.

Case Study. Closing out this week's issue, the Baymard Institute brings us research-based best practices for mobile homepages. More specifically, the recommendations cover scoping links for categories on e-commerce sites. Not quite as long a read as usual if you're familiar with their work, but it will still require a little more time to sit down and dig into.

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Articles

• What to expect at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked in August via Engadget
• Apple’s controversial Safari redesign is now optional in the latest iPadOS 15 beta via The Verge
• Google Tensor debuts on the new Pixel 6 this fall via The Keyword by Google
• Google Maps on iOS adds live location sharing in iMessage, home screen widget, dark mode via TechCrunch
• Always Provide the Full Scope for Links on Mobile Homepages via Baymard Institute

Events

• [Aug 11 @ 9am CDT] Galaxy Unpacked: Get Ready To Unfold via Samsung Newsroom
• [Aug 12 @ 1pm CDT] Mobile-first Banking: Snapshots & Predictions via Adjust

Resources

• [List] The iOS Dev Directory via Dave Verwer