Meta cancels its Apple Vision Pro competitor

Meta has allegedly stopped working on its Apple Vision Pro competitor, codenamed La Jolla. Development on this started in November of last year, and it was supposed to come out at some point in 2027. Now that's not happening anymore. The reason for the cancelation of the project apparently has to do with the fact that the headset was using MicroOLED displays which made it very expensive, much more than Meta's initial goal to keep the cost under $1,000. The $3,500 Apple Vision Pro hasn't exactly been a resounding hit either, and if not even Apple can make a high-price device a best...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meta_cancels_its_apple_vision_pro_competitor-news-64265.php

More Realme GT7 Pro details leak

Back in June the first leaked specs for the Realme GT7 Pro got outed in China, and today the same prolific source going by the handle Digital Chat Station is back with some more details. According to him, the current engineering prototype of the GT7 Pro has a "1.5K" micro-curved screen made by BOE, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC at the helm, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and a 6,000 mAh battery with support for 100W fast wired charging. Realme GT5 Pro There is no wireless charging on board, unfortunately. There is, however, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in a decent position...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/more_realme_gt7_pro_details_leak-news-64264.php

Apple is targeting September 10 for iPhone 16 unveiling

Apple is allegedly targeting September 10 as the date of its next hardware launch event, where the iPhone 16 family will make its grand debut alongside new watches and AirPods. The information comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a usually very reliable source of Apple-related information. If the event does in fact take place on September 10, then the new devices would go on sale on September 20. All of this comes from "people familiar with the situation", as Apple hasn't announced anything officially about its next event. The company also declined to comment on this report. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_is_targeting_september_10_for_iphone_16_unveiling-news-64266.php

Fragile foldables? Check out our Honor Magic V3 torture tests

A lot of people still believe foldable smartphones are inherently much more fragile than mainstream slab-style devices. This is despite the fact that foldables have by now had half a decade to evolve and overcome their growing pains. But the question lingers: are foldables fragile? We decided to find out for ourselves, by subjecting the Honor Magic V3 to a suite of durability tests. Let's see, once and for all, if foldables really are behind slab-style phones in this very important regard. If you're ready, grab some popcorn and hit Play below. So here's what went down. We tested...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/fragile_foldables_check_out_our_honor_magic_v3_torture_tests-news-64261.php

iPhones in the EU get ability to set more default apps, delete more built-in ones

Today Apple has announced a new set of changes it's going to implement into its mobile operating systems to better comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act. As a consequence of its "ongoing and continuing dialogue with the European Commission", the company will allow iPhones and iPads in the EU to set non-Apple defaults for more apps - in addition to browser, mail, app marketplace, and contactless apps, you'll also be able to switch to a different default for phone calls, messaging, managing passwords, keyboards, and call spam filters. All of this will be presented under a new Default Apps...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphones_in_the_eu_get_ability_to_set_more_default_apps_delete_more_builtin_ones-news-64249.php

iPhone 16 series camera specs leak

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 series next month, perhaps on September 10. Ahead of the event, today the camera details for all four models have been outed. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will have two cameras like their predecessors, only this time they will be vertically aligned on the back. The primary camera will be the same 48 MP one as in the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. The ultrawide will get a faster f/2.2 aperture (compared to f/2.4 in last year's models) which should improve low-light shots, and the non-Pro iPhones will allegedly support macro photography for the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_16_series_camera_specs_leak-news-64248.php

Satellite SOS is now available on Google Pixel 9 series in the US

Google's Satellite SOS feature is now rolling out to the Pixel 9 series. This was announced when the phones were unveiled. It's only available in the US at the moment, and will be free for the first two years. It's unclear how much the service will cost after that. To use Satellite SOS, Google Messages needs to be the default messaging app on your Pixel 9. Once you've received the notification informing you that the service is live, head on over to Settings > Safety & emergency > Satellite SOS to get more information about it and see a demo showing you how it works. As promised, Google...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/satellite_sos_is_now_available_on_google_pixel_9_series_in_the_us-news-64247.php

Redmi Watch 5 Active launching next week

Xiaomi is gearing up to announce a new smartwatch in India next week with the Redmi Watch 5 Active. The wearable is set to debut on August 27 and Redmi India shared a bunch of teasers for the device, confirming most of its key specs. Redmi Watch 5 Active is launching on August 27 in India Watch 5 Active will feature a rectangular 2-inch touchscreen – most likely an OLED panel. It will also support Bluetooth calling from a paired phone and Xiaomi is also advertising a Clear+ calling feature which likely helps with noise reduction. Redmi Watch 5 Active specs Redmi Watch...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/redmi_watch_5_active_launching_next_week-news-64246.php

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE finally gets Circle to Search

Samsung released a subset of its Galaxy AI features for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra already, and this includes Circle to Search of course. However, the Galaxy S21 FE did not receive Circle to Search at that time, despite the fact that it shares its chipsets with the other members of the S21 family. This error has finally been rectified now. Samsung has brought Circle to Search to the Galaxy S21 FE as part of the August 2024 security update, which is now rolling out in Vietnam and should be coming to other markets in the next few days. This also fixes over 50 security...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s21_fe_finally_gets_circle_to_search-news-64229.php

iQOO 13 camera details leak

The iQOO 13 has recently been rumored to bring back the rear light strip seen on the original iQOO in 2019, but it looks like it will have some other changes compared to the iQOO 12 as well. Cameras, for one. According to the Chinese leakster Digital Chat Station, the iQOO 13 will have three 50 MP sensors. The iQOO 12 sports a 50 MP main camera and a 50 MP ultrawide, but has a 64 MP telephoto, so this means the iQOO 13's telephoto will be 50 MP too. iQOO 12 The design of the camera island will remain very similar according to the same source. So expect another squircle shape housed...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iqoo_13_camera_details_leak-news-64226.php

iQOO Z9s Pro first impressions

iQOO expanded the Z9 lineup in India today by launching two 's' models - iQOO Z9s and iQOO Z9s Pro. We were invited to a media briefing in Baku, Azerbaijan last month, where we got to explore the Z9s Pro's cameras. But now that the smartphone is officially unveiled, let's see what it's all about. The iQOO Z9s Pro comes in a black-colored retail box with a protective case, a SIM ejector tool, a charging cable, and an 80W power adapter. The iQOO Z9s Pro is built around a 6.77" curved AMOLED display of 2,392x1,080-pixel resolution, having a 120Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits local peak...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iqoo_z9s_pro_first_impressions-news-64223.php

Red Magic Titan 16 Pro in for review

Red Magic expanded its ecosystem today with what seems like a very natural addition - a gaming laptop called Red Magic Titan 16 Pro. It debuted in China in July, but now it's finally going international, and we have one with us for a review. It is a mighty laptop with an Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia GPU - our came with the RTX4060, but an RTX4070 version is also available. The laptop features an over-engineered gaming aesthetic similar to the Red Magic smartphones and a bunch of other portable gaming computers. The Titan is quite heavy by modern standards with its 2.4 kg body...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_nubia_red_magic_titan_16_pro_in_for_review-news-64161.php

WhatsApp usernames will have an interesting privacy feature

WhatsApp has been working on adding support for usernames for a while now, and while that feature still hasn't been released to the public, the service has now added an interesting twist. In the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android (2.24.18.2), you can set a username PIN so that people who you haven't interacted with before won't just be able to message you if they know your username. This sounds like an incredibly useful feature that should cut down on spam (which is a prevailing issue on WhatsApp these days). With the PIN, if someone you haven't interacted with before on...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_usernames_will_have_an_interesting_privacy_feature-news-64203.php

Huawei Watch D2 with blood pressure cuff rumored to launch in late September

All smart wearables tout a variety of health tracking features, but most only measure the basics. Then there are devices like the Huawei Watch D, which works as a wrist-mounted blood pressure cuff (it has an inflatable wristband) in addition to offering ECG tracking. In our tests, we found that while the accuracy of the blood pressure measurements wasn’t 100%, it was good enough to track your overall health. The second generation model might do even better, but it’s been a few years since the original Watch D launched with no replacement in sight. This should change in September as Weibo...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_watch_d2_with_blood_pressure_cuff_rumored_to_launch_in_late_september-news-64200.php

OnePlus Buds Pro 3 review

The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are the latest pair of true wireless earbuds from the company and the sequel to the 2023 OnePlus Buds Pro 2. The new model comes with all the bells and whistles, including a dual driver, dual DAC design with Dynaudio tuning, adaptive noise cancellation, pinch gestures, faux leather design, and spatial audio. They can even track the position of your neck, so you can finally stop slouching. Today we will be evaluating OnePlus' newest flagship audio product and see how it stacks up in this competitive market. Design and comfort The OnePlus Buds Pro 3 moves...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_buds_pro_3_review-news-64208.php

Poco Pad 5G emerges on Geekbench ahead of Indian launch

The Poco Pad was unveiled back in May and it’s getting an India market launch as the Poco Pad 5G. The launch event is scheduled for August 23 and we now get another leak revealing the chipset and RAM as the device emerged on Geekbench. Poco Pad 5G on Geekbench Poco Pad 5G was certified with the 24074PCD2I model number – the same identifier seen on Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The new listing reveals the tablet is equipped with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and 8GB RAM just like its global counterpart. Poco Pad 5G scored 1,035 points in a single-core test and 2,978...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/poco_pad_5g_emerges_on_geekbench_ahead_of_indian_launch__-news-64189.php

iQOO 13 to bring back the rear light strip from the original iQOO

iQOO's flagship 13 is expected to launch later this year, and a new rumor out of China now claims that it will bring back a feature that was last seen on the original iQOO phone which came out in 2019. We're talking about a centered vertical light strip that was embedded in the phone's rear. According to one Chinese tipster over on Weibo, the iQOO 13 will have something similar. Original vivo iQOO from 2019 There are no other details right now, so of course the iQOO 13's interpretation of a light strip may well look very different from that of its ancestor. This light strip will...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iqoo_13_to_bring_back_the_rear_light_strip_from_the_original_iqoo-news-64192.php

Leaked slide reveals that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is a 3nm chip with an Oryon CPU

Qualcomm’s in-house Oryon CPU cores will soon make their debut on the smartphone market. A leaked page from a datasheet reveals that there are two models on the way – SM8750 and SM8750P. The “P” presumably stands for “Performance” and might be similar to the “AC” variants we’ve seen with previous Snapdragon chips. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is built on a 3nm node (down from 4nm, should be a TSMC node again). The CPU will be in a 2+6 configuration as seen in this Geekbench test, but it’s not clear whether that’s eight Oryon cores or just two Oryon plus six Cortex cores. Unlike the Snapdragon...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_slide_reveals_that_the_snapdragon_8_gen_4_is_a_3nm_chip_with_an_oryon_cpu-news-64187.php

Cheaper 2GB Raspberry Pi 5 launches at $50

The Raspberry Pi 5 is the latest in a series of tinker-friendly single-board computers (SBCs). It was introduced at the end of 2023 at a slightly higher price than the Pi 4, which understandably made some people unhappy. Now, not quite a year after the original launch, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has introduced a cheaper version. The Raspberry Pi 5 is now available with 2GB of RAM at a price of $50. Previously, the 4GB model was the cheapest at $60 and there is also the 8GB model at $80. Getting less RAM makes this variant cheaper, but that’s not all. Broadcom didn’t design the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/cheaper_2gb_raspberry_pi_5_launches_at_50-news-64188.php

Huawei Mate 70 series design and pricing leak

Huawei is rumored to launch its Mate 70 series later this year and we now have our first alleged look at the entire lineup. Like last year’s Huawei is expected to offer four devices in the Mate 70 series with the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, Mate 70 Pro+, and Mate 70 RS Ultimate. In terms of design we can see the Mate 70 series will retain the large circular camera island but the placement of the sensors will be restructured. Mate 70 Ultimate will have an octagonal camera island and a more angular design compared to the rest of the lineup. Huawei Mate 70 series leaked image Mate 70 is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_70_series_design_and_pricing_leak-news-64179.php

New iPhone 16 Pro color is actually Gold, not Brown, latest leak suggests

The iPhone 16 Pro Max leaked earlier this month in a weird Brownish color, throwing everyone off. It had a bronze-like hue and while it had its fans it wasn't exactly universally loved. However, according to one leakster who posted images of the lenses with their colors the color will actually be closer to Gold. The new option will not quite be the copper hue the original images suggested, and more like the Sahara desert sand. Apple iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max coming in Titanium White, Titanium Black, Titanium Gold, Titanium Silver All of the colors will be named Titanium - white, Black,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_iphone_16_pro_color_is_actually_gold_not_brown-news-64178.php

Top 10 trending phones of week 33

Google introduced its four-strong Pixel lineup this week and it took our trending chart by storm. The new addition to the series - the more compact flagship Pixel 9 Pro ended up first, ahead of its XL brother. [#InlinePriceWidget, 13218, 1#] The vanilla Pixel 9 completed an all-Google rostrum for the first time in the history of our chart. The Samsung Galaxy A55 and Galaxy S24 placed best of the rest in fourth and fifth, respectively, as the Redmi Note 13 Pro is now sixth. Samsung Galaxy A15 claimed seventh with the solitary Apple phone in the top 10, the iPhone 15 Pro Max,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/top_10_trending_phones_of_week_33-news-64177.php

Samsung Galaxy Fold6 vs. Galaxy Fold5

If you are eyeing this year's Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, you're probably wondering if the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is perhaps the more sensible choice. Some might appreciate the improvements, while others might prefer to save some cash with the older model since the two offer mostly the same foldable smartphone experience. So how much better is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 to deserve its price premium? Let's look into it. Table of Contents: Design Display Battery Life Charging Speaker Test Performance Cameras Verdict For starters, you can compare the complete...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_fold6_vs_galaxy_fold5_review_battery_camera_price_compared-news-64128.php

Weekly poll: which Google Pixel 9 are you getting (if any)?

This week Google unveiled four new phones – three rigid and one foldable. Half of the new models will be out next week, the other half in early September, but all are on pre-order with a free storage upgrade as a reason to jump on board early. What do you think? You can find pricing details for the US, Canada and Europe here, the launch in India was a day later – details on that here. Even though the vanilla Pixel 9 lost its flagship status, it is more expensive than its predecessor ($800/€900 vs. $700/€800). The Pro is the same price, but the Pro XL is the proper successor to the Pixel 8...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_which_google_pixel_9_are_you_getting_if_any-news-64121.php

Weekly poll results: the vivo V40 Pro is a solid but pricey upgrade, the V40 has to prove itself

Last week’s poll shows mixed opinions about the vivo V40 Pro – some think that it’s a great option for the money, but even more people think that it’s overpriced. To be fair, there are regional variations when it comes to pricing and competition. The vivo V40 Pro is seen as a version of the V30 Pro with a flagship chipset. Speaking of, the V30 Pro is only a few months old (it launched this March), so some are tempted to wait for the V50 Pro. But in the here and now, the V40 Pro is a solid pick if you want high-quality cameras. There were some complaints about the curved screen, as...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_the_vivo_v40_pro_is_a_solid_but_pricey_upgrade_the_v40_has_to_prove_itself-news-64125.php

Google Pixel 9 series hot take

Google held its Pixel 9 event this past week and it left us with some thoughts. So without further ado - here they are. An August event instead of October makes all the difference The Pixel 8 series was announced on October 4, 2023. The Pixel 7 series was announced on October 7, 2022. Google unveiled more devices this time around, and it managed it in the middle of August - impressive! Changing the unveil from early Autumn to the blaze of Summer changes the entire dynamics of the launch and the Pixel 9 series is now a viable choice to take over your summer vacation photography - a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_9_series_hot_take-news-64168.php

Deals: here are the Google Pixel 9 series pre-order deals

By far the biggest launch this week was the arrival of the Google Pixel 9 series. The search giant unveiled two new flagships, a new near-flagship phone and a new foldable, all of which are currently on pre-order. Starting with the Google Pixel 9, this takes over from the Pixel 8 – an FHD+ non-LTPO display and no telephoto camera keep it from earning a “pro” moniker. However, this phone does feature the powerful new Tensor G4 chipset and a 48MP ultra wide camera. Both the wide and ultra wide cameras are the same as on the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL. Google has trade-in deals. Note that from...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deals_here_are_the_google_pixel_9_series_preorder_deals-news-64154.php