Protests Boost Scanner & Secure Message Apps; Walmart Teams With Shopify; Tesla Model 3 Getting Standard Wireless Charging; Molds Indicate Next iPhones Have Flat Sides…Like Old iPhone 4

As the protests have continued across the country, there has been a surge in downloads for scanner apps and secure messaging apps. According to to cnet.com, secure message app Signal had downloads jump 185%. Citizen and Neighbors were also up, with Citizen up 325%. Scanner apps like 5-0 Radio Police Scanner were up 311%. Police Scanner Radio and Fire was also up similarly. (If you are thinking about one of these, they do have a lot of ads in the free versions. You can get a paid, ad-free version.)

Walmart has teamed up with Shopify to open up their platform to Shopify’s over one million businesses. Techcrunch.com reports it should be a big boost in access to customers for businesses to appear on Walmart Marketplace, which has 120 million monthly visitors. Walmart is eyeing Amazon, with their over 300 million customers worldwide. Walmart describes growing Marketplace as a ‘strategic priority.’ The giant retailer saw its US e-commerce business grow by 74% last quarter, thanks to the pandemic.

The US version of Tesla’s Model 3 will now come standard with wireless charging at no extra charge. Engadget.com says if you already own one, you will be out $125 to add it. The new models will also come with standard USB-C ports. For that, if you already have a Model 3, you will have to resort to adapters from 3rd parties. The Model Y had already been equipped with both, as had the Chinese Model 3. Tesla is a little slow on the uptake on the charging pad…I’ve had one in my 2 year old Honda Hybrid. USB-C adapters aren’t quite a dime a dozen, but that’s a cheap fix- at least for charging devices.

Pics of molds have showed up on Twitter, along with CAD drawings, that show the iPhone 12 models with the predicted flat edges, like the old iPhone 4 & 5 had. 9to5mac.com notes that such molds, which are used by case makers to make cases that fit, may not be exactly like the finished phones. The molds don’t show a smaller notch on the front, nor added space on the back for the Time of Flight sensor. Most leaks show that sensor in the square camera bump on the existing phone, with the same number of cameras. The flat sides were revived earlier on the new iPad Pro, so Apple seems to be moving toward an integrated ‘corporate look’ to their mobile devices.