Daily Briefing: Facebook and Uber are eating the world

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Android news, fresh out of the oven. It is Wednesday, November 2.

Facebook is everywhere. The company that everyone loves to hate is now used by more than a billion people per day on mobile devices alone, and nearly two billion overall. And after being accused of not understanding mobile, opting for a time to use HTML5 apps instead of native code, Facebook is almost entirely reliant on mobile for its advertising revenue.

That’s an incredible transition in just four years, and it rests on the shoulders of the growth of Android and iOS — especially Android, since it is the dominant platform in markets like India and Africa where Facebook is growing fast. And even if you don’t use Facebook proper, there’s still Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and any number of other places the company gets you.

Tell me, is it still uncool to like Facebook?

OnePlus wants to sell you a bag and a t-shirt on Nov 3

After having a surprisingly robust business selling “lifestyle” products in China, OnePlus is starting to sell its self-designed bags and t-shirts in North America and Europe. You can choose between one of four different bag designs and two t-shirts, and they’re expected to have reasonable prices as well. More

Adobe’s latest apps bring near-parity to iOS app suite

Adobe has released two more Android apps for its Creative Cloud customers, Sketch and Comp CC, aimed at helping its customers improve their mobile workflows. The former, Sketch, is a straight-up drawing app, with support for passive styluses as well as the Note’s S Pen, and exports layered images that can later be edited and improved upon in Adobe’s desktop suite of apps. Comp CC is a wireframing app with the same goals in mind.

Slowly but surely Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps for Android are reaching parity, both in numbers and quality, with their iOS counterparts, which will be encouraging to Android users who spend a lot of money every year on Adobe’s most profitable subscription.

LastPass now allows unlimited cross-device syncing for free

LastPass has announced that its free tier now allows unlimited cross-device synchronization of passwords and other secure notes, putting it in a better position to compete with the best password manager out there, 1Password.

LastPass Premium still offers additional value — it’s $12 per year, per account — with family sharing and additional hardware-based two-factor authentication methods.

Uber’s new app is now a transit OS

Uber has redesigned its app with a focus on more predictive use cases, such using a rider’s calendar information to predict where he is going, or the ability to tap into a friend’s GPS coordinates to locate a perfect pickup or drop-off point. The app will also soon work with Yelp to find the best places to eat, and now more tightly integrates with Pandora and Spotify for controlling on-board music.

IFTTT replaces recipes for applets

IFTTT, the connective tissue of the IoT, unveiled a new app today, and alongside it a new replacement for its “recipes” called Applets. The idea takes recipes — if you do this, then do this other thing — to the next logical step, stacking actions together to form macros.

Facebook is now used by over half the people with internet access

Facebook announced its third-quarter earnings today and unveiled enviable numbers of daily users and advertising revenue. The former now exceeds 1.18 billion, almost all of which — 1.09 billion — are mobile. Mobile advertising now comprises 84% of Facebook’s overall ad revenue, while overall revenues exceeded $7 billion for the first time ever.

Pokémon Go is trying to keep people addicted with daily bonuses

Yep, we’re still talking about Pokémon Go. That’s because despite a drop-off in players it is still the biggest mobile game out there, and Niantic is trying to keep people addicted with new daily bonuses. Starting with the next update, Trainers will be able to capture extra XP and Stardust by catching a Pokémon or visiting a PokeStop every day. Those who play for streaks of seven days at a time will capture extra bonuses. Good stuff! More:

That’s it from us today, see you tomorrow!