Industry News - Week of Feb 13, 2017

Nothing ever stands still in the high-tech industry. This week we saw smart-glasses, the unfolding of a smartphone, the appearance of a new Blackberry enterprise strategy, the disappearance of Google's hands-free mobile payment app, and developments in robotics worthy of a sci-fi horror flick. And that's just to name a few. Here are some highlights...

Samsung Galaxy X to 'Unfold' at Mobile World Congress

Rumors abound about a smartphone that folds in half like a wallet. The so-called Samsung Galaxy X could be in the hands of consumers this fall, with prototypes making the rounds in Barcelona later this month.

Google 'Authenticator' App Does Security's Heavy Lifting

Adding a second authentication factor might sound like an easy lift, but that's not always the case. Google's latest Authenticator App can add a universal second factor to any app that can be accessed using an intent. 

Google Kills Hands-free Mobile Payment App

Google has decided to cut the cord on its on the hands-free payment system it introduced in a small trial in San Francisco last March. However, a company statement might leave you thinking that the system could re-emerge somewhere down the road. 

BlackBerry announces its next major mobile software licensing agreement with Optiemus in India - SD Times

Blackberry has reached a licensing agreement with Optiemus, which will license the company's Android-based software and manufacture branded handsets for India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.   

Blackberry Releases Messaging SDK for the Enterprise

In other Blackberry news, the company began shipping the BBM Enterprise SDK, giving developers access the company's secure messaging and file sharing technology.  

Smart Glasses: An Auto-focus Lens for the Mind

Forget about bifocals; these glasses focus on whatever's in view. Unveiled at CES in Las Vegas last month, these auto-focus glasses won't be making a spectacle for at least two years.  

Google-owned Boston Dynamics Unveils Rolling Robot

When it comes to autonomous entities, Google's on a roll. And so is "Handle," the latest free-standing robot from Boston Dynamics.