Instagram unveils multi-account access for Android beta users

By Jason Hahn November 28, 2015

instagram rolls multiple account support android beta users

Instagram is taking a page from Twitter’s book by allowing its app users to stay logged in to multiple accounts at the same time. The feature is rolling out to Android users who are part of Instagram’s Play Store beta testing program.

The multi-account access was noticed on version 7.12.0 of the Instagram beta app, according to Android Police and Twitter user @fro_rogue. Users who have the beta app can dive into the bottom of the settings menu and tap on “Add Account” to log in to another account or create a new Instagram handle.

After a user is logged into multiple accounts, they can toggle between them by tapping their username from their profile page. A drop-down menu will display the added accounts and an option to add another account. Users can head back to the settings menu to log out of individual accounts or all added accounts at once.

The multi-account feature appears to be rolling out to beta users in phases, according to Android Police. Some users report having the feature then losing it.

If you use an Android phone and want to join the Instagram Beta Program, head to the Google Group and follow the steps.

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Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…

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A flaw in MediaTek audio chips could have exposed Android users’ conversations

A MediaTek processor on a motherboard.

Security researchers have discovered a new flaw in a MediaTek chip used in over a third of the world’s smartphones that could have potentially been used to listen in on private conversations. The chip in question is an audio processing chip by MediaTek that’s found in many Android smartphones from vendors such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme, and Vivo. Left unpatched, researchers say, a hacker could have exploited the vulnerabilities in the chip to eavesdrop on Android users and even hide malicious code.
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Fortunately, it looks like researchers caught the flaws before they could be exploited by malicious hackers. Makkaveev also raised concerns about the possibility of device manufacturers exploiting this flaw “to create a massive eavesdrop campaign;” however, he notes that his firm didn’t find any evidence of such misuse.
Tiger Hsu, product security officer at MediaTek, also said that the company has no evidence that the vulnerability has been exploited but added that it worked quickly to verify the problem and make the necessary patches available to all device manufacturers who rely on MediaTek’s audio processors.
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Mobile

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If that sounds too good to be true, that's because it is. While those buying the JioPhone Next will have the option to pay only 1,999 rupees at the time of purchase, they will also have to pay at least 300 rupees ($4) each month for the next 18 or 24 months depending on the plan they choose. These recurring payments will include the monthly subscription cost, as well as the remaining cost of the handset. Notably, these plans are exclusive to the JioPhone Next and will not be valid for other 4G smartphones.

Mobile

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The Vivo X70 Pro+ being taken out of a pocket.

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