Mobile network EE is offering a new add-on to its existing phone or SIM-only customers that grants you an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership and unlimited data use for gaming for just £10 per month.
That makes it a rather good deal if you're looking to sign up for Game Pass Ultimate or your subscription is about to expire. Sure, it'll save you one whole Great British pound off a regular monthly membership, but more importantly, you get the benefit of all that free data to use for game streaming on your phone.
The delights on Halo while on the bus, Gears while in the park (would people do this?) and - let's be honest, the most important benefit - Slay the Spire while pooping, await.
More info and details on how to apply this add-on to your account is available on the EE site.
And let's be clear, buying through EE doesn't just limit you to cloud gaming on mobile. This is a full Game Pass Ultimate membership, so you can also use it to download games on Xbox consoles (if you can find some Xbox Series X stock), PC, and soon, through your web browser with Xbox Cloud Gaming.
This latest add-on expands upon an existing offer from EE on select new Samsung mobiles that come with 12 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate included at no additional cost.
Having had a look around it's not fully clear what happens if you sign up to this with an existing Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The EE small print says that your subscription will simply move over to your EE bill, but it would be wishful thinking to assume you'd gain the unlimited data benefit too as you haven't exactly given EE any money yet.
Nevertheless, it's another clear sign of Microsoft's continual push to grow Xbox Game Pass outside of the enthusiast space - the success of which so far has no doubt played a part in the company's gaming revenue shooting up 50 percent in the third quarter of its 2021 financial year.
Fancy hearing more about all the top offers across games, tech and everything else? You can always give Jelly Deals a follow on Twitter.
Developer Mediatonic has delayed the release of Fall Guys for Xbox and Switch, saying it needs more time to incorporate everything it wants to include for launch. But on the positive side, crossplay is on the way!
Mediatonic initially announced it would be bringing Fall Guys' ludicrous last-bean-standing action to Nintendo and Microsoft's platforms this summer. In a new post on its website, however, the developer confirmed a change of plans, explaining summer is "unfortunately just too soon for us to include all of the tasty new features we're working on."
There's no suggestion of when Fall Guys might finally arrive Xbox and Switch following the delay - although Mediatonic says it's still aiming to "launch on these platforms as quickly as possible" - but the developer has attempted to soften the blow by revealing one of the new features it currently has in development: crossplay.
Fall Guys Season 4 - Cinematic Trailer.
It sounds like the decision to incorporate crossplay into Fall Guys - enabling players to "stumble in harmony with their pals, regardless of their platform of choice" - is at least partly responsible for the Xbox and Switch delay. And while there's no hint of a release window for crossplay either, Mediatonic says it believes its efforts "are really going to be worth waiting for".
Fall Guys is currently approaching the middle of its fourth, 80s-themed season and, once again, it'll be marking the occasion with a special mid-season update. This, Mediatonic teases, will include "two fiendish new rounds" and "delicious Fall fashion for your Season 4 wardrobe." More details, including a launch date, will be revealed as soon as possible.
If you're trying and failing to access Facebook this morning it seems you are not alone. Hundreds of users are complaining that they are seeing a blank screen when trying to access their news feeds via web browsers. Reports suggest that both Chrome and Safari are affected although most of the mentions from users seem to centre around Apple's software.
Independent tracking website DownDetector, which monitors mentions across social media to track when web services are offline, is suggesting that hundreds of Facebook users are currently experiencing the outage. In fact, at the time of writing, there are some 800 complaints that users can't access the site.
Express.co.uk has tried to access Facebook from the Safari browser with the screen turning black and no content appearing within the web window.
Users have also flocked to social media to vent their frustrations with one fan saying: "@Facebook Is there a reason why all my Facebook a/cs are down? When I try to open them I am met with a plain black screen. Any suggestions appreciated."
Another tweeted: "is #facebook down for anyone else right now? It's just loading a blank page... #facebookdown #fb"
Along with plenty of mentions on Twitter, a number of users have posted images that clearly show how the problem is affecting some fans of Facebook.
The photos clearly show the site's URL along with a totally blank screen within the browser window.
There's no word on what is causing the issue or when it will be fixed but Express.co.uk will update this article when we hear more.
For now, you might be better switching to another web browser, such as Firefox and Edge, or using a smartphone app as these appear unaffected.
Just as it promised earlier this week, Sony has shown off a big new chunk of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart gameplay, and, if you missed it, you can now whet your appetite for the game's June launch on PS5 by watching the whole thing below.
For its latest Ratchet and Clank adventure, developer Insomniac is taking the twosome on a breakneck trip to another dimension, one that will supposedly offer a mix of brand-new locations and familiar favourites given an alternate-dimension twist.
Insomniac's latest gameplay demonstration kicks off in one of those new areas, a dazzling, bustling, neon-hued future-metropolis - complete with a sky full of flying cars, naturally - known as Nefarious City. Upon arrival, Ratchet discovers two things: firstly, robot buddy Clank has gone missing, and secondly, some familiar faces live in this strange, new dimension - although they aren't exactly as he knew them back home.
Dr. Nefarious, for instance, is considerably more successful here, having been crowned emperor of the city. Ms. Zurkon, meanwhile, is now a weapon vendor and a newly minted member of the resistance - whose number also includes new playable protagonist Rivet.
According to Insomniac, one of its goals for Rift Apart was to bring a sense of increased mobility, and that's evident in some of the game's new features. Ratchet's new traversal abilities, for instance, include a wall-run and dash. The latter is suitably versatile, enabling chasm-crossing mid-air lunges during platforming and evasion during combat. Even niftier, though, is the new Rift Tether ability, which can be used to grapple onto a dimensional tear and teleport immediately to an entirely new area of a combat arena for a better vantage point.
Weapons, if you're wondering, make extensive use of adaptive triggers. The Burst Pistol, for instance, lets players accurately place a single shot when the trigger is pulled back part way, but a full press unleashes a rapid-fire spread that covers significantly more area. Similarly, a half-press with the Enforcer will fire a single barrel while a full press fires both.
The whole thing, as you might imagine, looks absolutely stunning, but the demo takes a particularly beautiful turn once Insomniac switches to a segment involving Rivet and Clank, with the duo finding themselves on a lush jungle planet, teeming with exotic flora and fauna.
It's a particularly nifty trick, then, when players encounter dimensional rifts that let them hoist themselves near-instantaneously to entirely new, and equally detailed, planets - a trick a mini-boss known as the Nefarious Juggernaut makes use of with impressive results.
It's well worth watching the full 15-minute presentation to see Rift Apart's aforementioned new features in action, and there are even a few teases of other things to come in the closing moments, including explorable open areas, dimensional Clank levels, glitch and arena challenges, aerial combat sequences, pocket dimensions, and, of course, the now obligatory Photo Mode. And if all that's left you suitably sold on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the full game comes to PlayStation 5 on 11th June.
Hyundai has updated its i30 N hot hatch with a range of mechanical and visual upgrades, including the option of an automatic transmission for the first time.
Set to begin deliveries in the coming weeks in both regular hatchback and Fastback bodystyles, from £33,745 and £34,495 respectively, the revised Volkswagen Golf GTI rival has been given updated styling that brings it more closely in line with the recently facelifted regular i30, while greater use of lightweight materials aims to improve agility.
Both i30 N variants retain the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, which in the UK is offered only in its most potent, 276bhp form with the Performance Package. For 2021, however, buyers have the option of specifying a new eight-speed dual-clutch (DCT) automatic (£35,695 for the hatchback and £36,445 for the Fastback), complete with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.
The i30 N Performance gets a 5bhp power increase over the outgoing car, along with a torque boost to 289lb ft, allowing for 0-62mph in 5.9sec - 0.2sec faster than the old model. Top speed is still electronically capped at 155mph.
DCT-equipped cars get a new N Grin Shift mode, which provides 20sec of turbocharger overboost and maximum transmission response when activated using a button on the steering wheel. All versions retain the customisable driving modes seen in the original car, including the user-defined N Custom setting that provides greater control over engine, suspension, steering and transmission response, as well as exhaust sound.
Performance models come equipped with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, recieve larger (360mm) front brakes and ride on newly developed 19in alloy wheels and Pirelli P-Zero rubber, which reduce unsprung mass by 14.4kg compared with the standard 18in alloys. The suspension and steering have both been retuned as a result of this weight loss.
Inside, the i30 N can now be ordered with N Light sports seats, which are 2.2kg lighter than the standard items. An optional 10.25in touchscreen infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the latest version of Hyundai's Bluelink connected car services.
The active safety systems have also been upgraded with pedestrian detection collision avoidance, lane-following assistance and blindspot collision prevention, the latter exclusive to DCT-equipped cars.
“Since its market introduction three years ago, the i30 N has proved hugely popular with drivers seeking high-performance driving thrills,” said Albert Biermann, Hyundai's head of research and development. “With a range of performance and design enhancements, including our N DCT technology, the new i30 N is even more fun to drive, whether on the road or the race track.”
Last September, Hyundai said it had sold more than 25,000 examples of the i30 N in Europe since the model's introduction in 2017.
Apple has warned of potential product shortages later in the year.
A computer-chip shortage has been accelerated primarily by pandemic-driven disruptions over the past year.
Industries around the world are struggling to meet a surge in demand for products such as cars, high-tech gadgets and smartphones.
And Apple chief executive Tim Cook says supply issues could affect products that feature its own M1 chip, which include the new iPad Pro and iMac 2021.
"We expect to be supply-gated, not demand-gated," Mr Cook told analysts.
"The shortages primarily affect iPad and Mac.
"We have a good handle on our demand - but what everybody else is doing, I don't know.
"We will do our best, that's what I can tell you."
It would be "very, very difficult" to predict when the shortages would end, he added.
The huge cost of chip manufacturing facilities means they operate at near full capacity, so it will take time to meet the increased demand.
"While manufacturers and business scramble to try and solve the shortage in semiconductors, the current issues can be traced back to 2018 and the beginning of the US-China trade war," Ben Barringer, equity research analyst at Quilter Cheviot told the BBC.
"This has simply been exacerbated by the Covid crisis as companies look to meet the surge in demand they are experiencing or are about to go through as economies open up."
Apple has seen sales of its phones, apps and other devices rise throughout the pandemic, as consumers spent more time working, shopping, and seeking entertainment online.
Customers continued to upgrade to Apple's new 5G phones, rolled out last year, and bought Mac computers and iPads to tackle working and studying from home.
If you're at a loose end this evening, why not park your bum right here - perched upon Eurogamer's comfy news cushion - for tonight's PlayStation State of Play.
This evening's show is, of course, a mix of both known and unknown quantities. We know, for instance, that it'll be the place to go for a latest look at Insomniac Games' upcoming PS5-exclusive Ratchet & Clank effort, Rift Apart, ahead of its 11th June release.
Earlier this week Insomniac revealed its new female hero, a Lombax resistance fighter, will be called Rivet, and that Rift Apart will offer a mix of new locations and alternative-dimension twists on old-favourites. Expect plenty more details this evening, though, with Insomniac prepping 15-minutes worth of gameplay for State of Play.
PlayStation State of Play - April 29, 2021.
That, however, isn't quite all. Sony has also confirmed it'll be showing a "couple" of other titles before its big Ratchet & Clank blow-out. There's no indication of what these might be (although I'm currently attempting to use mind magic to summon further word on that Outer Wilds DLC) but all will be revealed at 10pm UK time /2pm PT, 29th April.
And if you can't make it in person, Eurogamer will, as always, be here to turn those moving pictures into news words for your later reading convenience.
Today, Microsoft is rolling out its monthly C/D updates for users of Windows 10 using the latest versions of the operating system, meaning version 2004 and version 20H2. As usual, these updates are the same for both versions, because they both have the same bits, only the latter version has an enablement package.
This month's update is labelled as KB5001391, and it brings the build number to 19041.964 for users on Windows 10 version 2004, and 19042.964 for those on Windows 10 version 20H2. You can download the update manually here, and these are the highlights of this release:
Introducing news and interests on the Windows 10 taskbar With news and interests on the Windows taskbar, you get quick access to an integrated feed of dynamic content, such as news, weather, sports, and more, that updates throughout the day. You can personalize your feed with relevant content tailored for you. In the coming weeks, you will be able to seamlessly peek into your feed directly from the taskbar throughout your day without disrupting your workflow. For more information, see Personalized content at a glance: Introducing news and interests on the Windows 10 taskbar.
Updates an issue to prevent blank tiles from appearing on the Start menu after updating to a newer version of Windows 10.
Adds the ability to adjust the amount of idle time before a headset goes to sleep in the Settings app for Windows Mixed Reality.
If you want the full picture, here's everything that's new in the update:
Addresses an issue that prevents a site from transitioning out of Microsoft Edge IE Mode when expected.
Addresses an issue that fails to remove mandatory profiles completely when you sign out when using the “Delete cached copies of roaming profiles” Group Policy.
Addresses an issue that causes blank tiles to appear on the Start menu with names such as “ms-resource:AppName” or "ms-resource:appDisplayName". These blank tiles represent the installed applications and appear for approximately 15 minutes after updating to a newer version of Windows 10. Installing this update prevents these blank tiles from appearing on the Start menu.
Addresses an issue with the Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) that prevents an app's custom candidate window from displaying correctly.
Addresses an issue that occurs when you install inventory applications.
Addresses an issue that includes kernel mode rules for .NET applications in Windows Defender Application Control policies. As a result, the generated policies are significantly larger than necessary.
Addresses an issue that causes devices to fail Device Health Attestation.
Addresses an issue that turns off S Mode when you enable System Guard Secure Launch on a system running Windows 10 in S Mode.
Addresses an issue that causes lsass.exe memory usage to grow until the system becomes unusable. This occurs when Transport Layer Security (TLS) resumes a session.
Addresses an issue with a race condition between Task Scheduler and the Workstation Service. As a result, users cannot automatically join a hybrid Azure Active Directory (AAD) domain and error 0x80070490 is generated.
Addresses an issue that causes Azure Active Directory authentication to fail after signing in on Windows Virtual Desktop machines.
Addresses an issue that causes AAD Work Accounts to unexpectedly disappear from certain apps such Microsoft Teams or Microsoft Office.
Addresses an issue that accidently triggers hybrid AAD joining when the Group Policy “Register domain-joined computers as devices” is set to DISABLED. For more information, see Post configuration tasks for Hybrid Azure AD join.
Addresses an issue with a partial Service Connection Point (SCP) configuration that causes dsregcmd.exe to stop working. This issue occurs because of a case-sensitive domain ID name comparison that occurs when joining a hybrid Azure Active Directory domain using single sign-on (SSO).
Adds the ability to adjust the amount of idle time before a headset goes to sleep in the Settings app for Windows Mixed Reality.
Addresses an issue that might generate a stop error when Docker containers run with process isolation.
Addresses an issue that causes automatic enrollment and certificate retrieval to fail with the error, “The parameter is incorrect.”
Addresses an issue that might cause Microsoft Defender Application Guard virtual machines to stop responding when Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Office opens a document. This issue might occur on some devices or in drivers that utilize GPU Hardware Accelerated Scheduling.
Addresses an issue that prevents some media players from playing content on hybrid devices that are running with dGPU on iGPU displays.
Addresses an issue with race conditions that cause high CPU usage. As a result, the system stops working and deadlocks occur.
Addresses an issue with a deadlock in the New Technology File System (NTFS).
Addresses an issue that causes DWM.exe to stop working in some cases.
Improves the Windows Server Storage Migration Service by:
Adding support for migration from NetApp FAS arrays to Windows Servers and clusters.
Addresses an issue that might prevent an application screen from working when using a Remote Desktop ActiveX control that is embedded in an HTML page.
As usual, it's worth noting that these are optional updates. While they will show up for you on Windows Update, you will need to specifically opt into installing them if you're in dire need of any of the changes here. All of these changes will be packed into next month's Patch Tuesday updates, though, and those will be mandatory, so you can always wait for that.
Last week, Microsoft also released its optional updates for older versions of Windows 10, specifically Windows 10 version 1809 for users in the Long-Term Servicing Branch and for version 1909 for regular users. Version 1909 got KB5001396, which is build 18363.1533, and it can be downloaded manually here.
As for LTSB users, WIndows 10 version 1809 got KB5001384 - or build number 17763.1911 - which can be downloaded manually here. A full list of changes is here. These updates will also be rolled into next month's Patch Tuesday updates.
No wonder Sony continues to dump money into Epic Games: court documents reveal that 46.8 per cent of Fortnite’s total revenues between March 2018 and July 2020 were driven by PlayStation 4. That’s significantly more than the 27.5 per cent contributed by Xbox One and 7 per cent spent through iOS. The remaining 18 per cent are split between PC, Android, and Nintendo Switch.
The data was revealed as part of an ongoing court battle between Apple and Epic Games, as the developer fights for a better share of the revenue on purchases accrued through the App Store. The irony here is that Sony is coining in a cool 30 per cent on every V-Buck sold, but perhaps the Unreal Engine maker doesn’t want to rock the boat too much on that front. With iOS contributing less than 10 per cent to its overall revenue, it probably feels confident it can better weather the consequences of its actions.
None of this will come as a surprise to those following Sony’s financials, of course. Microtransactions purchased through the PS Store are comfortably the organisation’s biggest revenue driver, exceeding both hardware and software sales. With PS4 having the largest global install base of all the major consoles, it’s only natural that its ecosystem is generating significant sums of money for third-parties.
Samsung has announced three new laptops as part of its Unpacked series.
Today's (April 28) live stream event had teased beforehand the unveiling of the "most powerful Galaxy", suggesting that the tech company may reveal a new range of computers.
And that it did, as three new laptops were confirmed. Designed to bring the mobile and PC experience closer together, the Galaxy Book, Galaxy Book Pro and the Galaxy Book Pro 360 are aimed at students and home workers – something that will no doubt appeal in the current climate.
However, this new range of laptops looks to be its most powerful yet.
Galaxy Book
The first one in the Galaxy range comes in 15.6 inches across all its models. The lowest Wi-Fi version of the Galaxy Book (8GB memory/256GB storage) is priced at £699, with the LTE equivalent priced at £799.
The higher 8GB/512GB Wi-Fi version costs £899, while the LTE 16GB/512GB version is £1,099. They all come in either Mystic Silver and Blue colours.
YouTubeSamsung
Galaxy Book Pro
Next up is the Book Pro, whose 13.3 inch Wi-Fi (8GB/512GB) and LTE versions (8GB/256GB) are both £1,099, while the 15.6 inch 8GB/512GB Wi-Fi version costs £1,199.
The higher 16GB/512GB Wi-Fi version will set you back £1,499, and like the Galaxy Book, the models are available in Mystic Silver and Blue colours.
YouTubeSamsung
Book Pro 360
The Book Pro 360 models, which are only available as Wi-Fi, come at 13.3 inches (8GB/512GB) at £1,199, 15.6 inches (8GB/512GB) at £1,249, and 15.6 inches (16GB/512GB) at £1,499.
However, this range of laptops comes in Mystic Navy and Mystic Silver, bringing in a bit of variety looks-wise from the other two models.
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Apple’s iPhone 12 lineup maintained enormously strong demand from consumers from January through March, according to the company’s fiscal Q2 earnings posted today. Apple reported record March quarter revenue of $89.6 billion, up 54 percent year over year. The iPhone took in just under $48 billion, jumping up by 66 percent from a year ago.
Sales of Mac and iPad hardware also surged for yet another quarter, up 70 and 78 percent respectively, due in part to continued remote work and schooling necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. That success might slow down as some regions of the world return to a sense of normalcy, so most eyes — as usual — are on the iPhone. It’s been reported that the iPhone 12 mini isn’t doing as well as Apple hoped, but other models are clearly hits with consumers. “This family of devices is popular with both upgrades and new customers alike,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said on the afternoon earnings call.
These Q2 earnings follow a historic, blowout December quarter for Apple that saw the company surpass $100 billion in revenue for the first time in its history. But now focus has shifted to how Apple will perform in the second half of the year and whether the iPhone 12 devices, Apple’s first to offer 5G data, have indeed sparked the huge upgrade cycle that some analysts had thought was likely.
Just last week, Apple held its first event of 2021 and introduced new products including a purple iPhone 12, a redesigned iMac powered by the M1 chip, updated iPad Pro tablets, a faster Apple TV 4K streaming box, and the long-rumored AirTag item tracker. The iPhone and AirTags go on sale April 30th, which is when Apple will begin taking preorders for its other newly announced hardware. An all-new MacBook Pro is expected to follow in the coming weeks — likely at Apple’s WWDC keynote.
Apple’s fiscal second quarter earnings come with a legal backdrop: the company faces an imminent courtroom battle with Fortnite developer Epic Games. Depositions from both companies have already been filed, and senior executives are expected to provide extensive testimony starting next week.
Even with Apple’s services business — up to a record-high $16.9 billion from $13.3 billion in the year-ago quarter — and hardware on such an upward trajectory, investors and consumers continue to await the next major device that will push the company into a new product category. Rumors have long suggested that AR and VR headsets are in Apple’s future; software boss Craig Federighi recently told The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern that mixed reality tech “deserves exploration.” In an earlier interview with Kara Swisher, CEO Tim Cook described AR as “critically important” to Apple’s future.
And then there are the long-running reports of an eventual Apple-made electric car; back in February, Nissan and Hyundai both downplayed discussions the automakers were rumored to have held with Apple on the subject.
Would you like some video games? Do you subscribe to PlayStation Plus? Well then (assuming you answered yes, obviously) here's some good news; three more titles are heading to Sony's subscription service in May: Battlefield 5, Wreckfest, and Stranded Deep.
Up first is Wreckfest, which Sony stresses will only be available for PlayStation Plus subscribers on PS5. If that's you, though, you're in for a treat, with Eurogamer's Martin Robinson calling it a "true successor to the brilliant Destruction Derby" when he slapped it with a Recommended badge in 2019. "Wreckfest offers primal pleasures, and offers them up with little by way of pretension," he wrote. "It also offers them with a little bit of that Bugbear class that made those older Flatout games so treasured, and what a thrill is to have that back after far too long."
Wreckfest - Console Release Trailer.
Battlefield 5, meanwhile, is the latest entry in DICE's long-running FPS series, this time whisking players back to World War 2 for some solo, co-operative, and multiplayer shooting action. It was a bit of a mess at launch back in 2018 (despite having the foundations to be "something truly special"), but with two and a half years of post-launch support behind it now, things have definitely improved. As early as 2019, Eurogamer noted DICE's ongoing efforts meant "Battlefield 5 is, more often than not, really really good."
Battlefield 5 - Official Launch Trailer.
Last up for PlayStation Plus in May is Stranded Deep, a game that's largely managed to float under Eurogamer's radar. I can tell you though, it's a first-person open-world survival game which aims to set itself apart with a focus on underwater (and overwater) exploration. Think crafting, hunting, building, and a whole host of pointy-teethed ocean dwellers looking to make you their lunch, and you're probably suitably primed for Stranded Deep.
Stranded Deep - Official Launch Trailer.
All three games will be available from next Tuesday, 4th May, and can be added to your PlayStation library until 31st May. And if you missed April's offerings, PlayStation Plus subscribers can still pick up Oddworld: Soulstorm (for PlayStation 5), Days Gone, and Zombie Army 4: Dead War until 3rd May.
Samsung’s renewed efforts in laptop design seem to be paying off. I’ve been a big fan of its recent Galaxy Book laptops and even use the Book Flex as my daily driver. The company has been able to differentiate its PCs by focusing on its strengths, like great displays and the S Pen, while nailing basics like powerful performance, long lasting batteries and sleek designs. But most people may not immediately think of Samsung when shopping for a laptop, which might be why it’s hosting an entire event dedicated to launching its latest notebooks.
“We think now is a really good time, not only because of the relevance of PCs, but how we’ve thought about our PC devices and how they fit into the overall ecosystem,” Danielle Moten, senior product manager for Samsung Electronics America, told Engadget. “We have a unique offering and a unique voice in the PC market, in particular because we have this heritage of excellent display quality, display technology.”
All about the screens
Displays are the main highlight of Samsung’s new Galaxy Book Pro series, which are a pair of clamshell and convertible laptops in two sizes each. All four devices feature the company’s AMOLED panels (the Pro 360s use Super AMOLED touchscreens) with Full HD resolutions and having seen them in person at a recent (socially distanced) hands-on appointment in New York, I can say they’re certainly rich and colorful. The 4K UHD videos I loaded were vivid and smooth, though the panels did look dim under direct sunlight, even at max brightness.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
But not everyone wants their screens to be saturated and warm, especially if you’re a photo editor whose priority is color accuracy. To accommodate such users, Samsung built different color profiles into the Book Pros: Vivid, Natural, Photo Editing and Movie. These each switch to the AMOLED native, sRGB, Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spectrums respectively. You can pick the one you want or set it to Auto to let Samsung’s “intelligent color engine” do the switching based on what you’re doing.
I did notice a slight change in colors when I jumped between these profiles, with Photo Editing and Natural both looking a little less warm and red than the other two. I haven’t spent enough time with the devices to know how well Auto works, though.
Compared to the Book Flex’s QLED panel, the Book Pro’s screens do look more vibrant. AMOLEDs deliver brighter, more accurate colors than QLEDs thanks to individual light emitting diodes, and offer a greater contrast ratio of a million to one. Of course, that means the Book Pros are likely to consume more power, and Moten told Engadget that the company has done “a number of things to ensure that battery life is optimized.”
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro hands on photos | 15 Photos
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro hands on photos | 15 Photos
Power and battery
These include offering four modes in Samsung Settings that let the system manage things like performance, temperature, fan noise and battery life depending on your priorities. Maximum performance mode, for example, will let the 11th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors run at the clock speed they need with no limits. Optimized mode balances performance, thermals and battery life, while silent mode will “save battery power by reducing your computer’s fan speed and performance” instead of focusing on a decibel level for some reason. You can also go for No Fan mode to stop them altogether.
Samsung says the Book Pros can last up to 17 hours, and when you do run out of juice, the new 65-watt charging via USB C should get you eight hours in 30 minutes. The company said its new compact charger is approximately 52 percent smaller and 33 percent lighter than before. We’ll of course have to test these claims out for ourselves when we get a review unit, but one thing I can already confirm is that the Book Pro’s power brick is indeed much smaller than older models.
Privacy screen and software
Samsung also added a new feature that sounds similar to something we’ve seen in HP’s laptops: A built-in privacy filter. With a keyboard shortcut, you can enable what the company calls “Secret Screen,” which will “render your screen unreadable from side angles without diminishing quality.” When I checked this out though, I realized it’s actually a software feature that adjusts the opacity or brightness of select apps. That’s different from HP’s system, which has a physical privacy filter in the panel itself that you can activate.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Samsung’s method works at a software level and makes the specific window you’re working on more transparent or dark. It only works with some apps, and the company’s own Security app where I was adjusting the settings wasn’t supported. I pulled up Engadget on Edge and switched between “Dark Screen” or “Opacity” modes and honestly… I couldn’t help laughing. Look, kudos to Samsung for trying to innovate but imagine trying to type into an almost-transparent Google Doc and you’ve basically got the Secret Screen’s opacity mode down. As for the Dark mode — it’s easier to just use the keyboard shortcut to dim your screen altogether.
The Galaxy Book Pros do offer a suite of other privacy-minded features that are more useful, though. A dedicated keyboard shortcut triggers a mode called Block Recording that can disable your webcam and microphone whenever you want to prevent snooping (or don’t look presentable enough for your Zoom meetings). If you share your laptop with other people and don’t want them discovering sensitive files you might have saved, there’s also a password-protected privacy folder that’s hidden from other users. Plus, if you leave your Book Pro unattended in a public or shared space one day and someone tries to log in, the laptop can be set up to take a photo and email it to you.
Super thin and light
But AMOLEDs and privacy features aren’t the only things Samsung is highlighting on the Galaxy Book Pro series. These are also the company’s thinnest and lightest laptops ever, according to director of product marketing Hassan Anjun. At 11.2mm or 0.44 inches, the 13-inch Book Pro is also lighter and thinner than the new Dell XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360 13, which measure 0.58 and 0.67 inches respectively. Samsung’s new 13-inch clamshell is also the lightest of the lot, weighing 870 grams (1.91 pounds) compared to the 2.64-pound XPS and the 2.8-pound Spectre.
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 hands on photos | 23 Photos
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 hands on photos | 23 Photos
I was so surprised when I picked up the 15-inch Book Pro for the first time that I actually exclaimed “Oh my God.” At 2.3 pounds, it’s significantly lighter than the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, the MacBook Pro 15 and the Dell XPS 15. Despite its lack of heft, the Book Pro didn’t exhibit much flex and from my experience felt more premium than the LG Gram, which felt more hollow. Meanwhile, the 13-inch Book Pro 360 felt more dense (to be expected since it’s a smaller machine), but was still impressively thin and light.
Connectivity, keyboard and more
Despite its dainty size, the 13-inch Book Pro 360 also manages to house a 5G radio, making it Samsung’s first 5G PC. Samsung told Engadget it will have more to share on 5G support (whether sub-6 or mmWave, for example) in the second half of the year and that WiFi models will launch first.
The other three in the series only come with WiFi, though outside the US the 13-inch Pro 360 offers LTE connectivity. Still, all four machines can support WiFi 6E when those routers become more widely available.
Something that used to be sacrificed in the pursuit of thin and light laptops is a good keyboard. But the Galaxy Book Pros have generously sized keys with a decent amount of travel. The 15-inch Book Pro even had enough room to squeeze in a numpad, as well as a huge trackpad. Though I’d prefer more travel, the buttons themselves were responsive and typing on them was comfortable. Samsung said the keyboard here is quieter, too, though it’s hard to tell from a short hands-on.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
There are plenty of new features in the Galaxy Book Pro series that we didn’t get to test, including the upgraded microphones that Samsung said uses the same technology as its Galaxy Buds Pro. It will supposedly filter out unwanted background noise to make you easier to hear in meetings.
One of Samsung’s strengths is its ability to integrate products from its massive portfolio, and the Book Pros feature software that helps users manage multiple devices more easily. For one, these are the company’s first laptops to offer its Smart Switch that lets you transfer data from an old device, even if it’s not been backed up to the cloud. You can also use Second Screen to convert your Galaxy Tab S7 into an external monitor, while Link To Windows will let you use up to five mobile apps at once on your PC.
Samsung also brought the updated version of its Notes app to the Book Pro series, so you can use new features like PDF annotations and voice recordings on your laptop. The Book Pro 360 comes with an upgraded S Pen that has a thicker, comfortable grip, too. I scrawled some notes with the new stylus and though I can’t tell the difference from the older model, I certainly found it smooth and responsive. I still prefer the Book Flex’s S Pen, though, which has its own slot on the laptop. The new S Pen is magnetic and can attach to the Book Pro, which doesn’t have a housing for it.
Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Those who prefer a QLED laptop can still opt for the Book Flex series, which Moten said Samsung will continue to sell. If the thought of a super thin and light PC with an AMOLED screen has won you over, you can already pre-order the Galaxy Book Pro and Pro 360 today, starting at $999 and $1,199 respectively. You can get the Pro in blue, silver or gold, while the Pro 360 comes in bronze or blue. They’ll be widely available on May 14th, so if you can, you should wait a little longer for our full review before buying one.
Starting with the iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5 software updates released this week, apps must ask for permission before tracking your activity across other companies' apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes.
On an iPhone or iPad, users can manage tracking permissions on an app-by-app basis in the Settings app under Privacy > Tracking, and there is also an "Allow Apps to Request to Track" setting that applies to all apps. Each app that asks for permission to track while this setting is toggled off will be treated as if you tapped "Ask App Not to Track."
In a new support document, Apple said there are a few circumstances where the "Allow Apps to Request to Track" setting is grayed out, however, including:
For users with child accounts or under age 18 by birth year, signed in with their Apple ID
If your Apple ID is managed by an educational institution or uses a configuration profile that limits tracking
If your Apple ID was created in the last three days
9to5Mac previously reported that some users are still seeing the toggle grayed out even when the first two circumstances listed above do not apply to them, suggesting that there could be a bug or other issue going on. Apple has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Some users suspect there might be a correlation between the "Personalized Ads" setting and whether "Allow Apps to Request to Track" is grayed out.
We dug into this on the iOS Dev Weekly Insiders call last night. It seemed to be a correlation between the "Personalised Ads" setting and whether ATT was enabled/disabled by default. pic.twitter.com/5oyagQzj6O
— Dave Verwer (@daveverwer) April 28, 2021
On devices with the "Allow Apps to Request to Track" setting grayed out, all apps that request to track are denied permission by default and cannot access the device's random advertising identifier, known as the IDFA, according to Apple. Apps are also not permitted to track your activity using other information that identifies you or your device, such as your email address, although this policy is not enforced at a technical level.
Apple recently shared a video with more details about its new App Tracking Transparency requirement for those interested in learning more.
PlayStation had its best ever financial year, Sony has reported.
PlayStation 5 sales hit 7.8m as of the end of March 2021.
That's ahead of where the PS4 was (7.6m sales) in the same timeframe, but it's worth noting the PS5 is severely supply constrained, and remains out of stock at most retailers.
Eurogamer news cast: is Sony's U-turn on PS3 and Vita games just delaying the inevitable?
Sony's Game & Network Services (G&NS), which includes PlayStation, saw sales of 2656bn yen (£17.5bn), and an incredible 342.2bn yen (£2.26bn) in profit.
Both figures are up significantly on the previous financial year's performance. Sony said the 34 percent sales increase was primarily down to an increase in software sales, including add-on content, and an increase in hardware sales due to the November launch of the PS5.
The profit increase benefited from an increase in "Network Services", mainly from PlayStation Plus, but Sony lost money on what it called "strategic price points for PS5 hardware that were set lower than the manufacturing costs". That is, Sony is selling PS5 at a loss. Sony also lost money due to an "increase in selling, general and administrative expenses related to the launch of PS5". That's to be expected when you release a console, but Sony is making so much money from games and subscriptions, it's managed to break the cycle.
Video game analyst Daniel Ahmad tweeted a PlayStation revenue graph that shows just how much the business has grown since the PSone went on sale in the '90s.
This was Sony's best year ever for its Game & Network services division.
The Game & Network Services segment reported revenue of .4 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.
The increase was due to strong software and services sales + PS5 launch impact. pic.twitter.com/MBmXo9p47H
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Sony expects an even bigger year from G&NS in the current financial year in terms of revenue, but less profit. Sony said it expects sales to increase by nine percent due to an increase in hardware unit sales, but it also expects a decrease in sales of non-first-party titles, including add-on content. That'll be the expected tough comparisons with the 2020 video game lockdown boom, and the delays to games once due out in 2021 to 2022.
As for this financial year's expected lower profits, Sony expects to see an increase in costs, mainly for game development, but it expects an increase in revenues from first-party titles and an improvement in hardware profitability. So, perhaps Sony will get the PS5 to a place where it won't sell it at a loss.
BT could soon launch a new broadband plan with improved speeds at cheaper prices. The deal will come courtesy of its popular Plusnet service, which BT has owned since 2006, which has long offered an internet connection at a more affordable cost. As it stands, Plusnet customers can get the web beamed into their living rooms for as little as £18.99 a month. For comparison, the cheapest monthly plan from BT costs £27.99 a month.
That sounds pretty good value, but one thing Plusnet has yet to embrace is full-fibre (FTTP or Full-Fibre To Premises) broadband speeds. Rather than using older, and slower, copper cables to pump the internet into your property, full-fibre leverages the fibre-optic cables to your door, meaning you can a much faster connection, more bandwidth, and less chance of bad weather impacting your speeds (something that, believe it or not, happens with coppers cables).
Although you can get Fast Fibre through Plusnet, the BT-owned supplier doesn't offer the ultrafast full-fibre connection many of us are now craving.
Fibre is capable of blasting the web around homes at speeds of well over 150Mbps with BT even offering some customers the chance to get 1Gbps downloads using this technology – at that rapid rate, you can download a full HD movie in under 40 seconds. The current UK average is just 60Mbps which is unlikely to cope as we all stream more content, download the latest PS5 console titles and join endless zoom calls.
And speaking to ISPreview.co.uk a Plusnet spokesperson has now confirmed: “We’re always looking at new ways to provide simple, reliable broadband with award-winning service to our customers – including new products like full fibre and a new hub over the next year. We can’t share anything more right now, but when we’re ready, our customers will be the first to hear about it.”
There's no word on exactly when Plusnet customers will be treated to better speeds with the firm simply saying that it could be later this year.
We also don't have confirmation on pricing but considering that Plusnet has always offered good value for money the chances are it could bring these faster speeds at a lower cost. So watch this space!
Apple is expected to post stellar second-quarter results with revenues of $76.6bn that will turn the standard narrative about the company on its head.
In recent years the consensus take on Apple is that the iPhone maker is pushing hard into services and software because hardware sales are already saturated. For instance, customers typically hold on to a new iPhone for four years, compared to three years back in 2018, forcing Apple to find new sources of growth.
Results in 2020 bore this out: March quarter results had iPhone sales slipping almost 7 per cent, while iPad and Mac sales were stagnant. A stronger-than-expected 17 per cent growth in services — the unit encompassing the App Store, warranties and licensing deals — proved a highlight and created an earnings beat.
When Apple reports March 2021 results on Wednesday, services revenues are once again expected to grow more than 17 per cent to $15.7bn, but there is expected to be better news for the company across the rest of its business.
In a remarkable shift, sales of iPhones, iPads, Macs and wearables, which includes the Apple Watch and AirPods, are projected to be performing so well that services would be the slowest growing category of all its divisions.
“Apple is firing on all cylinders,” said Katy Huberty, analyst at Morgan Stanley.
Total revenues are expected to climb nearly a third to $76.6bn, with net profits soaring 47 per cent to $16.6bn, according to analyst estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.
The results are flattered by a comparison to a year ago, as Chinese factories were shut down by the coronavirus late in the quarter and Apple made the decision to close its retail stores worldwide. Even so, Apple has never reported a non-Christmas quarter with more than $65bn in revenue, much less $76.6bn.
The iPhone is widely expected to have a standout quarter, with analysts projecting 42 per cent growth to $41.2bn — 54 per cent of its top line. The rapid growth is thanks in part to some Christmas and new year quarter sales being pushed into 2021 after Apple’s first line-up of 5G-enabled devices was delayed by supply chain constraints.
A strong rebound in the Chinese market is likely to play a big role, with Huberty expecting a record 11.1m iPhones to have been shipped, nearly double that of a year ago. Globally, the number of iPhones shipped is expected to up 27 per cent to 52m, according to Visible Alpha.
The next fastest-growing category is expected to be the iPad, with analysts projecting 27 per cent growth to $5.6bn. Similarly, Mac sales are expected to jump 22 per cent to $6.5bn.
Both categories are seeing elevated demand from the education sector as students the world over have been dialling into Zoom classes. Analysts at Goldman Sachs, who have a “sell” rating on Apple, project further demand in the June quarter thanks to the just-announced iPad Pro, available in mid-May, but warn of an eventual reversal.
“Current high levels of both iPad and Mac demand are unlikely to be sustainable as the world reopens,” they told clients in a note. “So another beat driven more by these areas may not be enough to drive the shares further.”
Morgan Stanley’s Huberty is considerably more confident and said Apple has a “significant opportunity” to grow the Mac from 7 per cent of the global PC market today to 15 per cent — more in line with the iPhone market share — by 2025.
Wearables are expected to see 21 per cent growth to $7.6bn. Such a pace is all the more impressive considering the category grew by 54 per cent a year ago.
Neil Cybart, an analyst at Above Avalon, points out that the Apple Watch alone is expected to sell nearly 40m units this year — roughly “double the unit sales of the entire Swiss Watch industry”.
If these projections roughly pan out, then services will be the only category growing at less than 20 per cent last quarter, a striking feat for the $2.3tn company.
That’s not to dismiss services — the category is Apple’s second largest by revenue and, with more than 1bn people using an iPhone, the suite of software products is likely to prove sticky and consistent in the coming years as hardware sales fluctuate.
Today's update for Assassin's Creed Valhalla adds a smattering of new skills, another slew of bug fixes, and the handy ability to switch off cinematic finishers.
Finishers are the exaggerated moves Eivor will regularly pull off when downing an enemy: hacking the necks of wolves, stabbing banner-holding enemies through with their own flagpole, suffocating goliaths until you hear their neck crack.
These are cool to watch at the start of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. More than 150 hours in, they're an annoyance. I don't need to watch Eivor wailing on a poor wolf just for me to complete a daily challenge. So I no longer will!
A trio of new skills also arrive today: passive abilities which in this case all act to ignore hit interruptions and flinching. As with the toggle for finishers, this feels like a move to speed up and streamline combat.
Cold Rage lets you ignore hit interruptions while performing successive regular melee attacks. Eye of the North prevents flinching from hits while aiming with your bow. Intense Rage lets you ignore hit interruptions while performing your next off-hand parry or special attack. Each effect recharges after a few seconds.
Another change as part of today's update is the ability to use Bayek and Altair's outfit appearances with armour transmog.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Title Update 1.2.1 launches tomorrow: April 27.
? A Brewing Storm, Pig of Prophecy, Missing fish fixes ?? Toggle Cinematic Finisher Moves On/Off ? New Skills ? Game Improvements ? 5GB-14GB; depending on platform
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More than 80 bugfixes and tweaks are also included, including progression blockers such as the inability to duel with Dag, and the reintroduction of some missing fish. Ubisoft's exhaustive patch notes are here.
The update also preps Valhalla for the launch of its first major expansion, the Ireland-set Wrath of the Druids, on 17th May. That will be a separate download.
EA has denied it's "pushing" FIFA players to spend money on loot boxes after a "gaming insider" leaked marketing documents to a mainstream publication.
CBC's Go Publicpublished two pages from an internal FIFA 21 document that discusses the company's approach to Ultimate Team, the controversial mode whose loot boxes have been labelled gambling.
"FUT is the cornerstone and we are doing everything we can to drive players there," a bullet point close to the top of the document says.
Eurogamer news cast: is Sony's U-turn on PS3 and Vita games just delaying the inevitable?
Another leaked page from the document contains the line "all roads lead to FUT", and reveals EA's plan to "funnel" players towards FUT from other modes.
Go Public reports that the insider leaked the document because "he and others he knows who work on video games don't feel good about projects that include loot boxes".
"We can't really do anything about it because at the end of the day, [the] company is trying to make money and satisfy investors," the insider is quoted as saying.
Another internal EA document allegedly refers to FUT Coins, the in-game currency you earn through playing, as "grind currency".
The insider takes issue with FIFA 21 steering customers towards FUT when they've already forked out full-price for the game and may be happily enjoying non-FUT modes.
"For years... they've been able to act with a layer of plausible deniability," the insider is quoted as saying.
"Yet in their internal documents, they're saying, 'This is our goal. We want people driven to the card pack mode.' "
The current FIFA 21 main menu screen.
EA has hit out at Go Public, accusing its report of being a "sensationalised story with a misrepresentation of the facts".
In a lengthy statement issued to Eurogamer, EA said: "We always look for opportunities to introduce more players to modes in our games. Our FIFA players are expecting fresh content that makes the service exciting, so that's a constant focus for us."
EA insisted "we do not 'push' people to spend in our games".
"Where we provide that choice, we are very careful not to promote spending over earning in the game, and the majority of FIFA players never spend money on in-game items."
One line in the internal document says "players will be actively messaged and incentivised to convert throughout the summer".
EA defended this language, saying the summer is a very active time within the FUT community, "and we ensure more of our new content and community events in the game are centered there."
"The new content that we introduce throughout the year includes extensive non-monetised rewards," EA continued. "Decisions to spend are always entirely optional."
Then: "Nothing in the leaked document contradicts this in any way - it shows how we are supporting engagement in our game during the summer period, not spending."
EA goes on to stress its position:
"We take very seriously our responsibility to provide players a safe and fun experience.
"We don't encourage young players to spend in our games, and we strongly recommend use of family controls to manage the content that children are allowed to access, their ability to spend in games, and how much time they can play. Our EA platform for PC games also includes dedicated Child and Teen accounts, so that all of our players and their parents can make informed choices about how they play. And tools like FIFA Playtime help players take control of how they play, including the ability to set limits to manage their engagement and purchasing."
Then, onto the claim that FIFA's loot boxes are gambling, which EA once again denied.
"We also firmly disagree that FIFA or any of our games involve gambling," EA said.
"Regulators in multiple countries around the world have stated publicly that where there is no cashout method, loot boxes do not constitute gambling.
"We take great care to ensure that our games are played as designed, including by taking action against those who violate our rules against trading outside the game. We do not believe there is merit in any of the recent litigation filed in the US or Canada and are confident the courts will agree.
"Recently, a US Federal Court judge dismissed a related case noting that 'the lack of any real-world transferable value to items takes them outside' of the gambling laws. So again, supported by all of these perspectives from authorities, we do not believe any aspect of EA's games constitutes gambling."
And finally: "We hope to see these facts more accurately represented in the future. In the meantime, we continue to work every day to ensure our FIFA Ultimate Team players have the best possible experience playing the game they love."
It's worth running through EA's statement here to see if it holds up under scrutiny. I don't think anyone who plays FIFA will be surprised to hear that EA puts a focus on Ultimate Team. It's the company's money-spinner, after all, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars each year for EA. FIFA players have for some time now accused EA of neglecting non-FUT modes in the game (just look at the recent situations around Pro Clubs and Career Mode, for example).
Onto the next line: "We do not 'push' people to spend in our games. Where we provide that choice, we are very careful not to promote spending over earning in the game, and the majority of FIFA players never spend money on in-game items."
The current Team of the Season promo includes special cards only available in packs until the end of April.
While it may be true the majority of FIFA players never spend on in-game items, many would take issue with the suggestion FUT does not "push" people to spend. Ultimate Team has long been called "pay-to-win" - even by its own professional players.
In a recent Eurogamer feature, FIFA pro Zelonius told us he'd spent around £5000 in the last three years on Ultimate Team in a bid to compete in the competitive multiplayer portion of the mode.
EA has also been accused of making highly-desirable Icon cards, such as the Moments versions of the Icon cards for legendary players Maldini, Gullit, Viera, Cruyff, Ronaldo, Zidane and Eusebio, virtually unobtainable because of crushingly low pack odds, which in-turn fuels black market spending.
Then there's EA's use of the fear of missing out (FOMO) via limited-time card releases, which have been accused of encouraging players to spend money in short, sharp bursts as they bid to obtain cards they think will never be available again.
"Decisions to spend are always entirely optional," EA claims. That's not entirely true. Certain cards are only available via card packs, either because of the way they are released, or because of their scarcity on the in-game auction house.
The Prime Icon Moments version of Ronaldo is so scarce, he is rarely available to buy on the auction house.
In a statement to Eurogamer issued at the time, EA said it had undertaken an immediate review of all future media placements, and admitted the FIFA Points advert shouldn't have appeared in the toy magazine in the first place.
"We also firmly disagree that FIFA or any of our games involve gambling," EA said. "Regulators in multiple countries around the world have stated publicly that where there is no cashout method, loot boxes do not constitute gambling. We take great care to ensure that our games are played as designed, including by taking action against those who violate our rules against trading outside the game."
Even certain packs are only available to buy for limited-time periods.
And while many countries do not currently consider loot boxes to be a form of gambling, some countries do, and other countries, including the UK, are investigating the possibility.
Researchers at the universities of Plymouth and Wolverhampton said loot boxes "are structurally and psychologically akin to gambling". It also found that large numbers of children are opening loot boxes.
The new research, commissioned by the GambleAware charity, found that of the 93 per cent of children who play video games, up to 40 per cent opened loot boxes. It also found 12 out of 13 studies on loot boxes established "unambiguous" connections to problem gambling behaviour, with young men the most likely to use loot boxes, and young age and lower education correlating with increased use.
The report said many games use a "psychological nudge" to encourage people to buy loot boxes - such as the fear of missing out on limited-time items or special deals.
This can be seen clearly in FIFA Ultimate Team, which regularly trades on FOMO by releasing powerful, coveted cards in limited quantities or for limited periods of time.
I think the leak of EA's internal marketing document here is a red herring. It is no surprise to see the FUT push from a FIFA 21 document like this. I suspect marketing documents from rival publishers use similar language to describe pushing players to the parts of their games that generate recurring spending.
It is worth analysing EA's response, though, not only to see if it holds up, but also to give us an idea of the company's stance on the continued attack on its golden goose. It seems to me that the pressure on loot boxes is intensifying, and while EA is willing to let revenue go from markets such as Belgium, it will cling on to the money it makes from the likes of the UK, which is, historically, obsessed with Ultimate Team, until the last second.
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