Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup - 8/18 - 8/24

Apple's rumoured September 10 event: What to expect

Samsung's Galaxy S26 lineup: A name change is afoot?

Google's original Pixel Fold won't be discontinued

Apple opens up NFC access to developers, but at a cost

Leaked image reveals iPhone 16 Pro colour options

This is when you can get 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle'

Nomad introduces Stand One Max with Qi2 support

OpenAI partners with Condé Nast to enhance AI-powered content

Google Messages for Android gets a new look

LEGO lets you build your own Oz with new 'Wicked' sets

Safety first: NASA changes return plan for Starliner astronauts

Threads experiments with self-destructing posts

Apple opens up NFC access to developers, but at a cost

Until recently, iPhones' near-field communication (NFC) capabilities were largely restricted to Apple Pay and a few other Apple-approved functions. However, with the upcoming release of iOS 18.1, Apple is set to significantly expand NFC access for developers.

Developers will now be able to leverage the Secure Element (SE) on iOS devices to offer a wide range of NFC-based services, including in-store payments, car keys, transit passes, and more. This move comes after Apple reached a settlement with the European Commission over antitrust concerns related to its exclusive control over NFC payments on iPhones.

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Apple iPhones might get contactless payment feature thanks to Canadian startup acquisition

Photo by Thai Nguyen on Unsplash

It might be easier for small business owners with iPhones to accept payments on their mobile devices. The company is reportedly working on a feature that integrates contactless payment into the iPhone. Apple has allegedly been working on the service since 2020 when it acquired Canadian startup Mobeewave, which is known for developing tech that turns a phone into a payment portal.

Mobeewave's technology only required an app and the phone's NFC to work. You just have to type in the amount you want to charge, and then the customer needs to tap their credit card on the back of the phone. Apple has declined to comment on Bloomberg's story, so it's unclear if the feature will work the same way on iPhones. 

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PayPal will charge inactive accounts in Canada a $20 annual fee

Photo by Brett Jordan from PexelsIf you have a PayPal account, make sure to use it sometimes. The payment platform quietly added a $20 account inactivity fee in the country. The change was spotted in PayPal's Canadian User Agreement, which was updated on August 11. The note simply stated, "We are introducing an annual account inactivity of $20 CAD," effective November 20, 2021. Beyond this update, PayPal hasn't mentioned this upcoming change elsewhere. It hasn't said what it considers an inactive account, either.

If it follows the policy it implemented on UK accounts back in December, the criteria is you need to use your PayPal at least once within 12 months to avoid the charge. You can also take out any PayPal wallet balances you have because the payment platform won't charge credit or debit cards linked to your account. In the UK, the accounts approaching the one-year inactivity mark are warned via email. It isn't known if that will be the case for Canadian account holders, too. 

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