Apple Exports iPhones Worth $1 Billion In A Month From India

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Jan 23, 2023

Apple has achieved a new record in India, something no other brand has done before. The Cupertino-based tech giant has become the first company in the country to export smartphones worth $1 billion (~Rs 8,100 crore) in a single month. As per the data from Economic Times, Apple has achieved the export milestone in December 2022.

Apple and Samsung are major smartphone exporters from India. As per government officials, in November last year, the former had surpassed Samsung to become the number one exporter in the country. The Cupertino-based tech giant has three contract manufacturers in India namely Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron. The former two are located in Tamil Nadu whereas the latter is based in Karnataka. The company has been locally manufacturing the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus in the country. As per officials, some small manufacturers also export iPhones out of India.

Apple has been participating in the Indian government’s product-linked incentive (PLI) scheme since it was launched in April 2020. All three manufacturers are required to submit data on production, exports, investments, and jobs to the government as part of their participation in the PLI scheme. Apart from Apple’s export numbers, the data also revealed that December was a record month for the mobile phone industry with over Rs 10,000 crore in exports. Officials added that this would have been higher if Samsung’s facility was operating at full capacity instead of being closed for 10-15 days for maintenance.

The government estimates that India will export mobile phones worth around $9 billion in the fiscal year 2022 – 2023. The $1 billion exports benchmark set by iPhones in a month sets a leading example of the government’s ambitious PLI schemes.

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Pixel Watch Gains Unexpected Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature (Confirmed)

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

Google’s annual I/O developer conference is just around the corner, and rumors are swirling about what AI-powered products the tech giant will be releasing. Among these rumored products is a wallpaper maker for the company’s Pixel line of devices – but what about health features? While some Pixel Watch owners have reported seeing an Irregular Rhythm Notifications page in the Fitbit app, other key health tracking features such as SpO2 tracking, high and low heart rate notifications, and skin temperature variation remain unavailable. Here are the details…

Fitbit Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications appear on Pixel Watch, but not officially supported

Update: Google announced that Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications are not available on the Pixel Watch. If you’re seeing that menu in the Fitbit app today, it’s just a history of past notifications — even if you’ve received no alerts — from previously paired devices that were compatible. This is despite a current “Data last analyzed ” date appearing.

According to reports, Google plans to release a series of artificial intelligence products at its annual I/O developer conference in 2023. Rumored products include a wallpaper maker for the company’s Pixel line of devices. However, the Pixel Watch currently lacks some key health features that can be found on even entry-level fitness tracker devices. In particular, irregular heart rhythm notifications, alerting users to potential problems with heart rhythms while resting or sleeping, are not officially supported Pixel watch. Many other Fitbit devices offer this feature, including:

Sense and Sense 2
Versa 4, Versa 3, Versa 2, Versa Lite
Charge 3, 4, 5
Luxe Inspire 3
Inspire 2

Interestingly, some Pixel Watch users have reported seeing an “Irregular Rhythm Notifications” page in the Fitbit app’s Discover tab, allowing them to view notifications and see when they last analyzed data. However, it’s unclear whether this feature was enabled by Fitbit on purpose or whether a mistake. In addition to irregular heart rhythm notifications, the Pixel Watch lacks other health tracking features, such as SpO2 tracking high and low heart rate notifications and skin temperature changes. But we’ll have to wait for le’s annual I/O developer conference for definitive information.

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Twitter Auction: Iconic Twitter Bird Statue sells for $100,000

By

Joane

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Jan 23, 2023

Twitter hit a new low last week when it sold off some of its office assets through an online auction. The auction was a part of CEO Elon Musk’s revival strategies which included paid verification, account reinstatement, changes in rules and regulations, no doxxing, banning links to other selected social apps, ending free meals, and firing more than 70% of the employees.

The Twitter Office Sale auction was conducted online by Heritage Global Partners, an auction, liquidation, and advisory firm on January 17. The listing included office assets like furniture, an espresso machine, a conference table, logos, and symbols including the iconic blue bird statute.

The highest bid was placed for the Twitter Blue Bird Statue which sold for a whopping $100000.

A 190cm unique planter box designed in the shape of the @ symbol fetched $15000

A custom reclaimed wood conference room table was sold for $10,500

One of the biggest losers was the La Marzocco espresso machine which retails for $30,000 but fetched only $13,500

And one of the biggest winners was the Moulded Plywood Eames Chair by designer Herman Miller which retails for $1195 but was sold for $1400

Other assets on auction included cycle-powered chargings stations, standing desks, Google Jamboards, designer furniture, and more.

Twitter made headlines several times for its controversial actions like firing its employees ruthlessly without any notice and declaring war on Apple and other associated firms after Elon Musk announced last November, that the firm was going to cut back on expenses owing to financial difficulties.

This led to the departure of some of the advertisers from Twitter, which in turn led to a massive drop in revenue. Elon Musk said that Twitter’s financials were not good, and the firm could even go bankrupt. It was also reported by the New York Times in December that the firm had allegedly stopped paying rent for office spaces used by the company. And now Twitter was looking to recover some money through this auction sale.

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Tecno Spark Go 2023 With Helio A22 SoC Launched In India

By

Viraj Gawde

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Jan 23, 2023

Tecno Spark Go 2023 has launched in India today. It was listed on the brand’s official website for the last few days. The device is a budget offering with decent specifications. It falls under the Rs 8,000 price tag and competes against the likes of the Redmi A1, Realme C30, and more in the market. Read on to know what it offers out of the box.

The Tecno Spark Go 2023 has a compact and boxy form factor. The back panel has a square camera module housing two sensors, an LED flash, and a fingerprint scanner. It also features a geometric pattern. On the front, the smartphone comes with a 6.56-inch display bearing an HD+ resolution and a waterdrop notch.

The Tecno Spark Go 2023 has a dual rear camera setup of a 13MP main sensor paired with a secondary AI lens. There is a 5MP front-facing selfie snapper.

Internally, the Tecno Spark Go 2023 is equipped with an octa-core MediaTek Helio A22 processor. It packs 3GB RAM and 32GB storage expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card slot. The smartphone is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging. Software-wise, it runs on HiOS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box.

Connectivity options on the device include a USB-C port, dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi, and Bluetooth.

The Tecno Spark Go 2023 carries a price tag of Rs 6,999 and is offered in Endless Black, Uyuni Blue, and Nebula Purple colours. It can be purchased from retail stores starting today.

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Apple Downsizes Retail Operations Outside of Apple Stores

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

Apple has begun laying off non-seasonal employees at retail channels other than Apple Stores. The news was first revealed in an email to the publication, which noted that some Apple retail channel employees working at places like Best Buy stores have been Receive thirty-day notice of layoff rights.

It’s worth noting that Best Buy and Apple will be hiring seasonal workers in response to a boost in consumer demand, but it has been confirmed that the layoffs are not from that workforce pool as their contracts have expired. The percentage of the workforce affected by layoffs is unclear, but That’s a notable enough number of dismissals to be able to glean information from multiple sources.

The move by Apple comes as a surprise because the company has long been known for its strong employee retention culture and, unlike other big tech companies, has not publicly disclosed any mass layoffs. In November, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was deliberating and slowing down recruitment process. ‘We think you’re investing your own way and companies are investing for the long term and don’t believe you can prosper by saving,’ he said.

It’s worth noting that the layoffs come as other major tech companies are also making significant layoffs. Microsoft plans to cut 10,000 jobs, Google will cut 12,000 jobs in the next few weeks, Amazon layoffs are more serious than initially expected The total is expected to exceed 18,000. Facebook also chose to lay off employees in 2022, and carried out large-scale layoffs.

The reason for these layoffs is unclear but may be related to ongoing economic challenges caused by the pandemic. Companies are under increasing pressure to cut costs and adapt to new economic realities. It could also be due to changes in the industry as more people are working remotely And companies are looking to optimize their operations for the new reality.

Whatever the reason, layoffs will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the affected employees and their families. These are difficult times for many, and it is important for companies to be transparent and communicate clearly with their employees during this time of uncertainty.

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Sony PlayStation 5 Pro Could Launch in April 2023 With Water Cooling

By

Sean

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Jan 23, 2023

Sony has been rumored to be working on a new PlayStation 5 model for sometime now. With the PS5 launching over 2 years ago, the company is in line with its cycle of launching a new variant of its existing game console lineup. So, the PlayStation 5 Pro‘s launch might be right around the corner.

According to a source close to the matter, the Japanese tech giant is planning on launching the PS5 Pro in the first half of this year. As of right now, the brand has yet to make any official requirement regarding the launch of the PS5 Pro console. Although, the source believes that the company is gearing up for an April 2023 launch. In other words, the PlayStation 5 Pro will be announced around two and a half years after the release of the original variant, which was unveiled at the end of 2020.

Furthermore, the source also claimed that the next gaming console from Sony will be the PS5 Pro and not the PS5 Slim that we had reported on previously. Being a higher end model, we can expect the console to offer improved performance thanks to upgraded specifications. This will likely arrive in the form of a new APU chipset from AMD and possible even slight changes in its design. The source did hint at one of the key changes, which is its thermal management system.

Reportedly, the company plans to place an emphasis on cooling, with one of PS5 Pro’s highlighting aspects being its liquid cooling technology. Meaning, the PS5 Pro could be watercooled rather than featuring the liquid metal compound that can be found in the original PS5 model. Interestingly enough, the company could be making this shift in cooling technology over the recent controversy surrounding the PS5 cooling failing and liquid metal leakage.

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Huawei 88W Phone Fast Charger Spotted on 3C, Supports 66W & 40W Charging

By

Sean

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Jan 23, 2023

Huawei is apparently planning on launching a new accessory for smartphones. The company is working on a new fast charger for smartphone, which was recently spotted on an online certification. So here are all the details.

The Chinese tech giant’s upcoming fast charger for smartphone was spotted on the 3C certification website. This online listing revealed that it is capable of a 20V 4.4A 88W fast charging. Furthermore, this device will also be backwards compatible with the brand’s existing smartphone that support just 66W and 40W fast charging rates. Meaning, it can charge newer devices up to 88W and also fast charge at lower rates as well.

As of right now, Huawei already sells a 65W fast charger that features a multi device adapter for various products and also has a 90W super fast charger as well. Similar to previous models, we can also expect this charger to launch with support for overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, high temperature protection, short circuit protection, undervoltage protection, electromagnetic field protection, electrostatic protection, lightning strike protection and other forms of protection.

Unfortunately, this is all the information we have at the moment. Although, we expect this device to feature USB Type C to Type C format with the adapter. So stick around for more, as we will be providing more updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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Galaxy A14 5G Teardown: A Look at Samsung’s Most Repairable Smartphone Yet

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

The Galaxy A14 5G is Samsung’s first Android smartphone of 2023. It has generated a lot of excitement among users because it is expected to be both affordable and user-friendly. A teardown video by YouTuber PBKReviews has revealed that the internal components of the device can be easily accessed due to the plastic back panel and battery pull tabs.Here are the details…

One of the most significant advancements for the Galaxy A14 5G is Samsung’s decision to ditch one of the most isolated repair-unfriendly internal assembly features; “the excessive glue used when installing the battery”. This has been a common practice among smartphone manufacturers and has heavily criticized by third-party repair enthusiasts for making it difficult to remove the battery without risking damage.

Instead, the A14 has been equipped with an adhesive pull-tabs. This new feature makes replacement easier and can even be reused with new batteries. This is a major improvement for those who have been looking for more cost-effective repairs their smartphone of choice. Additionally, the A14’s design means that some components, such as the rear camera module, don’t need to be completely disassembled to be repaired.

This makes repairs easier for the end user. However, it seems that a complete disassembly is necessary to replace the smartphone’s 90Hz display, which is a A bit of a disadvantage. Nevertheless the Galaxy A14 5G has proven to be a major step forward in the repairability of Samsung’s smartphones.

Its user-friendly design and the decision not to use too much glue in battery installation is a boon for third-party repair enthusiasts. The Galaxy A14 5G could be one of them Samsung is the most affordable phone this year, but its repairability makes it an even more attractive option for those looking to buy a new smartphone.

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OnePlus Keyboard to Launch on Feb 7 in India, Design Revealed via Leaked Images

By

Sean

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Jan 23, 2023

OnePlus is gearing up to launch its latest generation of flagship smartphone next month. The device in question is the OnePlus 11 that is set to be announced during February 7 launch event, but it appears that this phone isn’t the only new product to be unveiled at the upcoming conference.

The Chinese smartphone maker will be announcing the new smartphone in two weeks, and alongside the new handset, it will also be unveiling its new OnePlus Keyboard. In other words, the company is set to launch a brand new product line in the Indian market soon. The PC accessory will be dubbed as the OnePlus Keyboard as per a new report, which also revealed the new keyboard’s design via leaked images.

Looking at these images, we can tell that the upcoming keyboard will feature a mechanical design. As of right now, there is a dedicated microsite on the official OnePlus website that confirms that the device is currently under the testing phase and will launch next month. Although mass production will begin in March 2023. While it is confirmed that this keyboard will be available in India, its global availability is still unclear.

The images also revealed that white is the primary color scheme of the OnePlus Keyboard. Furthermore, we can also see the Function, backspace, Delete, page up and page down keys and a Red colored button on the top right corner. This could be the power key and the website claims that the keyboard will also have a ‘Double gasket mounted design’ along with a custom made layout and profile.

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Microsoft Integrates OpenAI AI tools in Workplace Emails and Spreadsheets

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

Microsoft is investing heavily in artificial intelligence as part of an ongoing partnership with OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT. The tech giant announced earlier this week that it opened access to its Azure OpenAI Service, which uses Microsoft’s cloud computing technology to allow companies to use AI tools like ChatGPT. Here are the details…

“With Azure OpenAI Service now generally available, more businesses can apply for access to the most advanced AI models in the world,” the announcement states. This allows companies to integrate AI capabilities into their products and services to improve efficiency and automate their processes.

The launch of the Azure OpenAI service comes after Microsoft integrated OpenAI technology into its own products, such as Excel PowerPoint and Bing, as The Washington Post reported. This move continues a broad trend in big tech embracing the current generation of AI technology, with companies recognizing the potential of AI to transform various industries.

It has previously been reported that the company has been in talks to invest $10 billion to OpenAI by the end of 2022, following an initial $1 billion investment in 2019. This further underscores Microsoft’s commitment to artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI. World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company plans to commercialize AI tools broadly in its products soon. Every Microsoft product will have some of the same AI capabilities to reinvent Nadella According to the Wall Street Journal.

Nadella went on to say that employees should embrace new artificial intelligence tools, not fear them. “The best way to prepare for it is not to bet against this technology, and this technology helping you in your job and your business process,” he said. He believes that AI can improve human productivity and will play a crucial role in the future of work.

However, as Microsoft leans into AI for its products and new services, recent widespread layoffs at the company have affected teams working to integrate ChatGPT. A first wave of about 1,000 layoffs at the company this week included members of the internal team responsible for integrating ChatGPT technology into Bing, Insider reported this week. The company plans to lay off a total of 10,000 workers by March. This raises concerns about the impact of AI on job security and the need for proper training and support for workers to adapt to new technologies.

Still, Nadella predicts that the current generation of artificial intelligence will lead to a major shift in the industry. During a Wall Street Journal panel discussion on Tuesday, he said artificial intelligence tools will increase human productivity, which in turn will boost economic growth and wage growth. we need the real thing Shift the productivity curve so we can have real economic growth, he said on the panel.

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HP Envy x360 15 2-in-1 laptop launched in India: 15.6″ OLED touch display, 12th Gen i7 processors & more

By

Sudhanshu

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Jan 23, 2023

Four new models have been added to HP India’s lineup of Envy x360 15 2-in-1 laptops, according to the company. After making its debut in May 2022 across the globe, these 2-in-1s came to India. These are geared toward content producers who desire best-in-class productivity and display while on the road.

The HP Envy x360 15 is an Intel EVO-certified laptop featuring an Iris Xe GPU and a mobile processor from the 12th generation, either the i5-1235U or i7-1255U. Depending on the model selected, its 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) multitouch display may be LCD or OLED.

Additionally, it features HP PhotoMatch, which enables easy organization of your photographs, and HP Palette, which provides drawing ideas. These versions come with HP QuickDrop, which allows for rapid file transfers from virtually any device to your PC.

The laptops also come with a 5MP camera with auto-frame, AI noise reduction, and IR faces recognition login technology. To provide quicker and more dependable connectivity, it includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, two Thunderbolt 4 ports with USB Type-C 40Gbps signaling rates, and more. A 51Wh battery powers the Envy x360 15 for up to 10 hours.

The laptop comes configured with up to 16 GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM (2 x 8 GB) and up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. It has a 51 Wh Li-ion polymer 3-cell battery that supports 65W fast charging via USB-C.

Pricing and availability

The HP Envy x360 15 2-in-1 laptops are priced as follows:

The HP Envy x360 15 (ew0037tu) – 12th Gen i5/8GB/512GB/LCD – Rs. 82,999.
The HP Envy x360 15 (ew0040tu) – 12th Gen i5/16GB/512GB/LCD – Rs. 86,999.
The HP Envy x360 15 (ew0043tu) – 12th Gen i5/16GB/512GB/OLED – Rs. 94,999.
The HP Envy x360 15 (ew0048tu) – 12th Gen i7/16GB/1TB/OLED – Rs. 114,999.

Starting today, all of the models are offered for sale on the HP Online Store and through authorized dealers.

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Black Shark 5 Gaming Phone Taken off Shelves Just Under a Year After Release

By

Sean

-

Jan 23, 2023

The Black Shark 5 series has apparently been taken off shelves in the Chinese market. Netizens have recently noticed that the company’s gaming smartphones have been sold out on various platforms. So here are all the details.

The gaming smartphone lineup from the Chinese brand includes the base model along with the Pro variant, and the higher end RS version. However, all three models in the Black Shark 5 series has been removed from JD.com and even the company’s official website as well. Although the Black Shark 5 RS variant is still in stock in the Black Shark section of the JD.com website. This makes it the only model that is currently available for purchase.

This has led many to believe that the series has been shelved by the company. In other words, the phones have possibly been discontinued and had its production ceased. This would seem odd considering the Black Shark 5 was released less than a year ago, back in 30 March 2022. The smartphone officially went on sale on April 2, so it means that the device is already unavailable a mere nine months after launch.

As of right now, finer details are still unclear and we have no way of confirming why the company’s latest existing model is out of stock. On the other hand, there have also been rumors going around that Black Shark has been slashing jobs in China. These rates of lay offs were reportedly quite high with rates nearly hitting 50 percent. This is all the information we have at the moment, so stick around for more updates regarding this matter.

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Xiaomi Pad 6 & Pad 6 Pro Enter Internal Testing in European and Eurasian Regions: Report

By

Sudhanshu

-

Jan 23, 2023

Xiaomi‘s highly praised Pad 5 tablet series is soon to get a successor. The alleged Xiaomi Pad 6 series is said to have two models: the Xiaomi Pad 6 (Pipa) and the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro (Liuqin). These devices will come with significant improvements over the current-generation tablets.the current-gen tablets.

Ahead of any official announcements, known tipster Mukul Sharma has confirmed that both of these tablets have entered the internal testing phase in several European and Eurasian regions. The tipster adds that these tablets will have Snapdragon 8-series chips powering them and they could launch in Q2 of 2022. This leak notably contradicts previous reports, which stated that the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro will launch exclusively in China.

Xiaomi Pad 6 & Pad 6 Pro specs

According to rumors, the Xiaomi Pad 6 and Pad 6 Pro have separate codenames, like Pipa and Liuqin. The Snapdragon 870 processor is rumored to be in the first, while the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is expected in the second.

Both tablets have an 11- or 12-inch display with slim bezels, according to the tip. Both models will have a dual-camera configuration in the upper-left area of the back panel. It seems like both devices might have dual-cell batteries.

According to earlier rumors, the AMOLED display on the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro would offer 2880 x 1880 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Other features like four speakers, NFC compatibility, a keyboard, and stylus support are also anticipated.

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Say Goodbye to Ads on Twitter with New ‘Twitter Blue’ Tier

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

Do you wish there was a way to use the platform without seeing ads? If so, then you’ll be happy to hear about Twitter’s new subscription tier, “Twitter Blue.” With this subscription, users can browse the platform without seeing advertisements. Here are the details…

Twitter is working on an ad-free Twitter Blue subscription tier

Twitter is reportedly working on a new subscription tier that will allow users to browse the platform without seeing ads. This new, more expensive “Twitter Blue” subscription tier is being developed in response to user complaints about the frequency and size of ads on the platform.

Owner and CEO of the company Elon Musk announced the new subscription tier on Saturday, saying, “Ads are too frequent on Twitter and too big. Taking steps to address both in coming weeks. Also, there will be a higher priced subscription that allows zero ads.” Currently, Twitter Blue is priced at $11 per month for users who subscribe directly through the Twitter iOS or Android app. However, on the web, where Apple and Google’s commission on in-app purchases doesn’t apply, the service costs $8 per month.

Also, there will be a higher priced subscription that allows zero ads
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2023

Since Twitter began revamping the subscription in November, the ability to see fewer ads on your timeline has been one of the primary selling points the company has pushed. However, this perk is still listed as “coming soon” when users go to sign up for the service. According to a recent report, Twitter’s ad revenue has declined significantly since Musk’s takeover of the company in October. A senior Twitter manager reportedly told employees that daily revenue was down 40 percent from the same day a year ago.

It remains to be seen whether Twitter’s new ad-free subscription tier will be successful in reversing the decline in ad revenue. However, it is clear that the platform is taking steps to address user complaints about the frequency and size of ads on the platform.

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Oppo Restocks Find N2 Flip in China Ahead of Global Launch

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jan 23, 2023

The Oppo Find N2 Flip was announced alongside the Oppo Find N2 in mid-December. The company’s first clamshell foldable went on sale before New Year’s Eve.

The device remained unavailable for days after the first batch went out of stock. Now, on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, Oppo has restocked the handset on its official store on JD.

The Oppo Find N2 Flip is currently only available in China. It comes in three memory configurations: 8GB + 256GB, 12GB + 256GB, and 16GB + 512GB.

These variants are priced at ¥5,999, ¥6,399, and ¥6,999, respectively. They can be availed in either black, purple, or gold color options.

Though China is going through holidays, JD will deliver the Find N2 Flip orders as usual. As far as global availability is concerned, Oppo is yet to announce the launch date though the smartphone is officially confirmed to release outside mainland China.

Talking about specifications, the Oppo Find N2 Flip sports a 6.8-inch FHD+ vertical foldable display. It comes powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus SoC and boots ColorOS 13 based on Android 13.

It has a 50MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) dual rear camera system and a 32MP selfie camera. It features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, and a 3.26-inch cover display.

Last but not least, the phone is backed by a 4,300mAh battery with support for 44W fast wired charging.

iQOO 10 Sees a Price Cut of up to 1,300 Yuan ($191) In China

By

Sean

-

Jan 23, 2023

The iQOO 10 flagship smartphone model has apparently had its price slashed in the Chinese market. The company is finally lowering the price tag of its last gen flagship phone that was launched back in 19 July 2023.

With the new revisions in pricing, the iQOO 10 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage will now be available for just 4,299 Yuan (roughly 634 US Dollars) in China. This marks a price drop of 1,300 Yuan. Furthermore, the new official discounts also mark the first time that the series will start from under 3,000 Yuan. Although, this is made possible thanks to the additional 400 Yuan discount being offered on JD.com as part of a promotional offer.

The official price tag has now been lowered to 3,399 Yuan (roughly 500 US Dollars). for the base model, but the coupon helps lower it to 2,999 Yuan (roughly 442 US Dollars). Talking about the smartphone itself, it is a flagship grade model from last year so it is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. Under the hood, the 4,700mAh battery pack powers the device which supports 120W fast charging.

The front sports a tall 6.78 inch Samsung E5 AMOLED display with a FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR, and up to 1500nits of peak brightness. The rear features a 50 megapixel triple camera setup, while the front houses a 16 megapixel selfie camera. So it is clearly a top end model that is now available for quite an attractive price for prospective buyers in China.

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Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Adreno 740 Even Outperforms Apple A16 Bionic’s GPU

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Jan 23, 2023

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will feature the Qualcomm Adreno 740, which recent benchmarks have shown to be more powerful than the Apple A16 Bionic’s GPU. How this integrated graphics pack compares to its predecessor, and why it’s worth investing in your Galaxy S23 Ultra. Here are the details…

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Adreno 740 GPU thrashes S22 Ultra’s 730 in Vulkan by over 56%

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will be equipped with a powerful integrated graphics component Qualcomm Adreno 740, which looks to be one of the strongest components of the smartphone in terms of performance. Report suggests Adreno 740 could even beat Apple’s A16 Bionic’s GPU Considered a major achievement, as Apple’s SoCs typically excel in this regard.

The latest benchmarks on Geekbench show the Adreno 740 scoring 10744 on Vulkan with an average score of 9844. The average score of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its Adreno 740 is a significant improvement over the average score of 6233 of the Adreno 730 in the Samsung Galaxy S22 extremist.

The Adreno 740 outperforms the Adreno 730 by 57.93% and outperforms the average of the latest S22 Ultra/Adreno 730 benchmark results by 56.85%. 740 is manufactured by TSMC using 4 nm N4 process while 730 is manufactured by Samsung using 4 nm 4LPE process.

It appears that Samsung made a wise decision to use chips manufactured by a rival semiconductor foundry in the upcoming Galaxy S23 series, despite the potential for hard feelings. The powerful 740 GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is likely to be a major selling point for the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

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Samsung Releases Galaxy App Store Update To Fix Malware Vulnerability

By

Anubhav

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Jan 23, 2023

On November 23rd and December 3rd, 2022, experts from the NCC Group identified two vulnerabilities in the Galaxy App Store application. These vulnerabilities could potentially allow malicious sources to install apps without a user’s consent or redirect users to harmful websites. The issue was found to stem from an exported activity within the app store that does not securely handle incoming intents, allowing other apps on the same device to automatically install any app from the Galaxy App Store. However, Samsung released a new update for the Galaxy App Store that fixes the said issue.

The NCC Group’s analysts have provided a proof-of-concept demonstration, using an “ADB” (Android Debug Bridge) command to install the popular game “Pokemon Go” via an intent submitted to the app store. It appears that there may be a vulnerability in certain Samsung devices running Android 12 or below, which allows for the potential installation of rogue applications. However, it should be noted that this issue does not affect devices running Android 13.

Additionally, it was discovered that a webview within the Galaxy App Store had a filter that was not properly configured, which could allow local attackers to execute JavaScript on a target device. As NCC explains, this could occur by clicking on a malicious hyperlink in Chrome, or through the use of a pre-installed rogue application on a Samsung device. The proof-of-concept for this vulnerability includes a malicious hyperlink that, when clicked, opens a website with harmful JavaScript and executes it on the target device.

As mentioned previously, Samsung has since issued a fix for the vulnerability. The company has rolled out an updated version of the Galaxy App Store (version 4.5.49.8). Users should download it at the earliest to avoid the risk of another security breach.

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China Faces Major Threat to Semiconductor Autonomy, as Japan and Netherlands Plans to Join the Ongoing Tech War

By

Joane

-

Jan 23, 2023

After months of speculation and dialogue, it seems that Japan and Netherlands are going to join hands with the US, to stop the export of semiconductor technology to China. Japan and Netherlands are the major suppliers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Though the US has the biggest group of Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM) for semiconductors, Japan’s Advantest (a leading manufacturer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry), Tokyo Electron, Haribo, Hitachi, Kokusai, and Netherlands ASML (a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry that provides chipmakers with hardware, software, and services to mass produce the patterns of integrated circuits) are also major players in this sector.

To establish the most advanced semiconductor production lines, China needs support from top US firms like Applied Materials Inc., Lam Research Corp., and KLA Corp. However, with the current US sanctions, which not only limit exports of American-made machinery but also restrict US citizens from working with Chinese chipmakers, it is difficult for the country to produce top quality semiconductors. If Japan and Netherlands also add sanctions on China, then it will break the countries’ hope to achieve global domination in technology.

Akira Amari, a Japanese Politician of the LDP and the man behind the rise of the Japanese semiconductor industry, said to Bloomberg News that his country must join the US in containing China’s chip ambitions, warning that Beijing is part of a group of nations seeking global hegemony and hence must be curbed. Amari further added that any sanctions need to be carefully calibrated to avoid a complete decoupling that risks global economic stability.

Though the Japanese and Dutch Governments won’t go as far as the US with their sanctions, Beijing will find itself in a difficult spot with any more additional restrictions from these two countries. If the US, Japan, and the Netherlands act together, China will have no access to the technology or equipment to build advanced semiconductors.

Semiconductors are one of the hottest technology items of this decade. All the major technology sectors, like wired communication, consumer electronics, industrial electronics, automotive electronics, wireless communication, and computing and data storage, require semiconductors.

China which aims to become the global leader in artificial intelligence and quantum computing needs an uninterrupted supply of semiconductors to achieve this goal. However, the pandemic restrictions and the ongoing US sanctions have unveiled the loopholes in China’s supply chain, further strengthening Beijing’s belief that autonomy in the semiconductor industry is the only way for China to become the global tech leader.

Can Google Pixel 4A use the battery from Pixel 5A? A Reddit user put it to the test

By

Chandan

-

Jan 23, 2023

The Google Pixel 4A and Pixel 5A smartphones are nearly identical in appearance and have nearly comparable dimensions when placed side by side. The first question that came to me when I learned about this fact was whether or not the Pixel 5A’s components would fit in the Pixel 4A or vice versa. A Reddit member who had access to both smartphones had the same idea, so he decided to see if the Pixel 5A battery would fit in the Pixel 4A or not. The results he discovered were unexpected. Let’s learn more about what he did and why!

When a Google Pixel 4a customer learned about the battery problem with his smartphone, he sought to swap out the battery for a Pixel 5a. Surprisingly, by swapping out his smartphone’s battery for one from a Google Pixel 5a model, he was able to resolve the battery problem. Considering this, the user also hypothesized that smartphones will likewise have batteries of comparable size, and he wasn’t mistaken.

The Google Pixel 5a smartphone’s battery was 0.4mm thicker and 4.5mm taller than the Google Pixel 4a 5G smartphone’s battery. Additionally, the battery’s width was 1.4 mm smaller than that of the Google Pixel 4a 5G smartphone. The user of the Google Pixel 5a smartphone was able to relocate the BMS (Battery Management System) to the side and successfully replace the battery of his device thanks to the extra room he gained from the smaller width of the battery.

The battery capacity of the Google Pixel 5a smartphone is 4680 mAh, while that of the Google Pixel 4a 5G smartphone is 3885 mAh less. The Google Pixel 4a 5G smartphone’s battery from the Google Pixel 5a gives the user 17% more battery life than before. Also, keep in mind that the Google Pixel 4a 5G smartphone’s battery was already deteriorating, so the customer should be pleased that the battery replacement succeeded. He has also highlighted that experience in battery replacement is necessary, as well as the use of a decent battery spot welder to provide a clean weld between the battery and the BMS, in order to swap batteries as successfully as he did.

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