GC Daily: CMF Phone 1’s depth sensor can see through thin objects, Google Photos “My Week” feature draws accusations of copying

Jul 15, 2024

First up today, the CMF Phone 1 is packing a secret superpower that’s straight out of a spy movie. Its depth sensor can see through thin objects! But don’t get too excited – this accidental X-ray vision is about to disappear faster than you can say “privacy concerns.” We’ll dive into the details and why Nothing is pulling the plug on this unexpected feature.

Meanwhile, Google’s caught in a game of “who wore it better” with their upcoming Photos feature. Is it innovation or imitation? We’ve got the scoop on the controversy that’s got a plucky startup crying foul.

And for all you Nokia fans feeling nostalgic, HMD’s got a treat in store. They’re bringing back the Lumia look, and we’ve got the leaked renders to prove it. Is this the comeback Nokia needs to reclaim its throne?

More details on the above stories are in today’s newsletter below.

CMF Phone 1’s depth sensor can see through thin objects, but not for long

The CMF Phone 1, lauded for being a quirky and budget-friendly Android option, has a surprising party trick – its depth sensor can see through objects. It’s an unexpected feature that users cannot access via the default camera app, they rather need a third-party app. However, due to privacy concerns, Nothing has confirmed they will disable this feature via a software update.

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Google Photos’ upcoming “My Week” feature draws accusations of copying from startup Retro

Back in January, there was a report thatuncovered hints of a new feature in development for Google Photos called “My Week”. Recently, the publication was also able to enable it through an APK teardown, which shows the feature to be strikingly similar to the core functionality of the photo-sharing app Retro.

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HMD’s Nokia Lumia 920-inspired phone leaks in official render via retailer listing

HMD Global has been rumored to be working on a phone inspired by the classic Nokia Lumia 920. Now, a listing from a Belgian retailer appears to have given us the clearest look yet at this device called the HMD Skyline.

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Upcoming Smartphones: OnePlus Nord 4, Honor 200, and more

Four companies have scheduled smartphone launches for next week. Out of these, three of them will take place in India, while the last one is meant for all markets.

The three brands that will debut phones in India are iQOO, Samsung, and Honor. The handsets they will announce are already official in other markets or under a different name.

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