POCO M4 Pro 5G inches closer to launch with new “Coming Soon” teaser

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Feb 7, 2022

OnePlus is yet to confirm the launch date of the OnePlus Nord CE 2. However, it is speculated to launch on coming Friday (Feb. 11) in India. Recent reports have already leaked plenty of information about the device. Ahead of the rumored launch, the Nord CE 2 has bagged approval from the TUV certification. In addition, it has also been spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking site (via).

The forthcoming Nord CE 2 has appeared with the IV2201 model number at TUV and Geekbench. At TUV, it has appeared with a 2200mAh-2250mAh dual-cell battery that promises a combined typical capacity of 4,500mAh battery. The TUV listing further hints that the device will carry support for 65W rapid charging.

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Moving on to its Geekbench listing, the Nord CE 2 can be seen with Dimensity 900 (MT6877V/ZA model number) and 8 GB of RAM on the benchmarking. It appears that the device will not run on the latest Android 12 OS as the benchmarked unit can be seen running on Android 11. It is likely that OnePlus may offer OxygenOS 12 experience on the device. On Geekbench 5, the handset scored 704 and 2151 points in the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

Other reports have revealed that the OnePlus Nord CE 2 will be sporting a punch-hole screen of 6.43 inches. The FHD+ AMOLED screen is expected to offer a 90Hz refresh rate experience. The device may come in 8 GB / 12 GB RAM variants and 128 GB / 256 GB storage choices.

OnePlus Nord 2 CE Renders Leak Featured B — OnePlus Nord CE 2 renders by Yogesh Brar / 91mobiles

The frontside of the Nord CE 2 could be flanked with a 16-megapixel selfie camera. Its back panel may house a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The Nord CE 2 may cost around Rs 25,000 (~$334) and may come in green and black colors.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra live images surface prior to its launch

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Feb 7, 2022

Samsung is gearing up to launch a new number of products later this week during its Galaxy Unpacked event on 9th February 2022. But prior to the conference, the live images of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has just been spotted.

According to a 91Mobiles report, the upcoming high end tablet has been spotted online. This version of the tablet sports a large 14.6 inch display that also sports a notch on the front, which will house a dual selfie camera setup. For those unaware, the Galaxy Tab S8 series is the South Korean tech giant’s flagship tablet lineup that consists of the base Galaxy Tab S8, the Galaxy Tab S8+. and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, which are rumored to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC.

While we have already reported on leaked pictures and renders of the Ultra variant, the latest report showcases the device in live images. Looking at these images, the front notch is clearly visible, with the display also being surrounded by narrow bezels. With panel size being 14.6 inch AMOLED screen, this tablet would even be larger than some smaller notebooks as well.

Other specifications of the tablet includes, 2960 x 1848 pixels resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a humongous 11,200mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging and measures 326.3 x 280.6 x 5.5mm and weighs 728 grams. All three models within the series feature Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, with the Ultra variant reportedly being price at 1,699 Euros (roughly 1,940 US Dollars).

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Xiaomi Pad 5 gets MIUI 13 Global stable update but with a catch

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Feb 7, 2022

The Xiaomi Pad 5 is part of Xiaomi’s flagship series and is a more affordable version of its Pro version. It was launched in August 2021 with Android 11-based MIUI 12.5 and bagged MIUI 13 in China earlier this year. Fast forward to today, and the MIUI 13 update is now rolling out to the global version as well.

The update carrying firmware version V13.0.1.0.RKXMIXM has a simple changelog (via Xiaomiui) that talks about improved system performance, stability, and security. Still, one can expect all of the goodies that MIUI 13 Global brings including UX-improving features and a multitude of new wallpapers (yep, that’s about it).

Xiaomi Pad 5 MIUI 13.0.1.0.RKXMIXM Global Stable update changelog:
Optimized system performance
Improved system security and stability

The MIUI 13 OTA update for the Xiaomi Pad 5 is sized about 495MB and can be downloaded through this official link. But if you wish to download the complete package, then you can do it through this recovery ROM link. Manual installation is unnecessary, though, considering the build should be rolled out widely quite soon — if it hasn’t already.

Do keep in mind that the update is still based on Android 11 and it isn’t clear when Xiaomi plans to roll out Android 12 for the tablet.

Xiaomi had earlier announced MIUI 13 Pad with a number of optimizations designed to make Android and some of its apps look better on a larger screen. It isn’t clear if these features have made it to the global version of the tablet, but we should be seeing that soon enough.

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Intel Arc GPU that can reportedly rival RTX 3070 Ti spotted in a video

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Feb 7, 2022

While we know that Intel is working on new GPUs, the company has yet to reveal any official details regarding its Arc series graphics card. But now, a new Arc GPU that is reportedly capable of rivaling Nvidia‘s high end cards has just been spotted in a short video.

Just fyi I have no idea where this is from. pic.twitter.com/QEJs7D7Tmb

— Ayxerious (@ayxerious) February 5, 2022

The short video was shared by Ayxerious on Twitter. In the short video, we can see the graphics card in all of its glory. Furthermore, the fans on the GPU clearly feature “Intel” branding. Looking at the video, we can also see some other aspects of the GPU as well. The Arc GPU that will reportedly feature 512 EUs will feature three DisplayPort 2.0s along with a single HDMI port and sports a dual slot and dual fan design.

Apart from this short video, the Intel Arc series GPU was also spotted on a new picture as well. This image was shared by another Twitter user Bionic Squash and showcases the graphics card’s PCB. On closer inspection, the PCB has eight GDDR6 memory modules and 10 VRM phases. In other words, these specifications hints that the upcoming graphics card will be one of the higher end card. Separate reports have hinted at the card being a competitor of the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, although, that is unconfirmed at the moment.

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OPPO Reno7 Pro can be availed for much less through these offers

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Feb 7, 2022

OPPO has announced that the much-awaited Reno7 Pro 5G will be going on sale from February 8th in India. The smartphone will be selling in a single 12GB+256GB variant for Rs 39,999 but a multitude of launch offers through mainline retailers and Flipkart can help you get it for lesser.

Offers through offline channels appear to be more attractive. You can get the OPPO Power Bank 30W worth Rs 1,999 for a throwaway price of Rs 1 at select mainline stores for a limited period along with your Reno7 Pro 5G purchase.

There’s also 10% cashback (maximum Rs 4,000) from ICICI Bank, Kotak Bank, Standard Chartered, IDFC First Bank, Bank of Baroda Credit/Debit Cards, and several more.

OPPO Upgrade grants an assured buyback offer of up to 70% if customers wish to return their handset within 12 months on upgrade from their old phone to the new OPPO Reno7 series.

Loyal OPPO users can get Complete Damage Protection for 180 days. This covers accidental damage, water damage, or any other type of damage. The offer can be easily availed using the My OPPO app.

Online buyers are in for a treat too with a 10% instant discount (up to Rs 4,000) on a range of cards. The price can be further brought down with a Rs 4,000 additional exchange bonus when they exchange their old device

Lastly, through online channels, customers can get an OPPO M32 neckband at Rs 1,399 as part of the introductory offer.

The OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1200 Max processor. At the back, there’s a triple camera setup led by a 50MP Sony IMX766 flagship camera sensor. The phone is also the slimmest Reno yet at 7.45mm and weighs just 180g. It is available in Startrails Blue and Starlight Black colors.

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Redmi starts delisting Redmi K40 series ahead of Redmi K50 series launch

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 7, 2022

Redmi has been teasing the launch of the Redmi K50 series for the last few days. The brand had earlier revealed that the lineup will debut after the Chinese New Year. Hence, the teasers have started getting more momentum now. Earlier today, the brand’s general manager disclosed that the most powerful device in the lineup is coming soon. A few hours later, he shared some details about the older Redmi K40 series.

Redmi K40 Pro Damascus Black Featured — Redmi K40 Pro

Lu Weibing, General Manager of Redmi, took to Weibo to reveal that the last-gen Redmi K40 series has now entered the stage of delisting to welcome the next-gen Redmi K50 series. According to ITHome, the Redmi K40 Pro is completely out of stock, while some variants of the Redmi K40 are still on sale.

The Redmi K50 series is rumored to include a total of four phones. Two of them will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, whereas the remaining two will house MediaTek Dimensity chips.

The brand is expected to unveil the most expensive model first in the form of the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition. This handset is said to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and is expected to start at ¥3,499.

Further, Redmi K50, the cheapest smartphone in the family, is rumored to sport Snapdragon 870 chipset. Finally, the Redmi K50 Pro and the Redmi K50 Pro+ are anticipated to house Dimensity 8000 and Dimensity 9000 chips respectively.

These three phones are said to start at ¥1,999, ¥2,699, and ¥3,299 sequentially.

Meta threatens to take down Facebook, Instagram in Europe if it can’t target ads

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Feb 7, 2022

Meta is considering leaving Europe, along with Instagram and Facebook, if it can no longer exchange data from European users with the United States due to the Schrems II decision, the tech giant stated in an SEC filing.

Facebook currently shares data about European users with its US operations, applications, and data centers and says that stopping such transatlantic data transfers will have a devastating impact on its targeted online advertisements capabilities (via ITWire).

Schrems II is a verdict issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) back in July 2020 that invalidated the EU-US Data Protection Shield due to concerns around surveillance by US state and law enforcement agencies. Many companies that relied on the shield have been finding it difficult to manage the new verdict.

Facebook isn’t the sole affected by Schrems II as it is joined by every company that relied on basic data transfers to non-European countries. Some of the big names include Google, Microsoft, and Amazon whose cloud services form the backbone of most of the Western World’s Internet. The road to Schrems II will thus be long and slow as courts and industry navigate their way through the implications of the judgment.

Earlier, Google Analytics and Google Fonts had been taken to court where it was alleged that Google Fonts was sending personal data such as IP addresses to another service without permission and a valid reason to do so.

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Vivo T1 5G live shots emerge before launch, may support only 2 5G bands

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Feb 7, 2022

Vivo T1 5Gwill be announced on Feb. 9 in India. The device will be exclusively through the Flipkart retailer site in the country. The official landing page and recent reports have revealed almost everything about the Vivo T1 5G. Over the weekend, reliable tipster Ishan Agarwal gave the first look at the actual T1 handset.

Vivo T1 live shot 1 — Vivo T1 live shot by Ishan Agarwal

Last week, tipster Mukul Sharma shared the retail box images of the Vivo T1 5G as well as its camera samples. Now, here are the live shots of the T1. The first image gives a look at the handset’s waterdrop notch display. The chin of the device is not visible in the image. However, the official teasers have shown that it has a slightly thick chin.

The second image gives a glimpse of its gradient-colored rear shell. The top-left corner features a triple camera unit with an LED flash. As it is known, this handset will be different from the Vivo T1 5G that was announced in China last year.

Recently, tipster Yogesh Brar shared all the major specs of the Vivo T1 5G. A newer tweet from the tipster reveals that the T1 will support only two 5G bands. The handset will be facing stiff competition from the upcoming Realme 9 Pro series, Tecno POVA 5G, and Infinix Zero 5G, which will carry support for a greater number of 5G bands with similar pricing.

Vivo T1 5G specifications

The Vivo T1 5G is likely to feature a 6.58-inch IPS LCD FHD+ 120Hz display, a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 50-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (depth) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. The Snapdragon 695 chipset will power the device with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The device may offer up to 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It may house a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. Its other features include a 3.5mm audio jack, a side-facing fingerprint scanner, and a slim design. The T1 5G is likely to be priced under Rs 20,000.

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BenQ launches new curved gaming monitors in China, includes Dying Light 2 special edition

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Feb 7, 2022

BenQ has just launched new gaming monitors in China. The first one is the MOBIUZ EX3410R, which is a new curved gaming monitor, while the second monitor is a limited edition model that is a part of a collaboration with the newly launched game, Dying Light 2.

The Taiwanese electronics maker has just launched a new gaming monitor that features a curved VA panel. This display has a 21:9 aspect ratio as well, which means that its great for watching movies. It also has a resolution of 3440×1440 pixels, 144Hz refresh rate, 3000:1 contrast ratio, maximum brightness of 350 nits, and a curvature of 1000R. This model is also equipped with two 2W and a 5W speakers alongside two HDMI 2.0 ports and one Display Port.

The company has also launched another gaming monitor in the region, which is the MOBIUZ EX3210R “Dying Light 2” special edition model. This monitor sports a 32 inch display that has a typical 16:9 aspect ratio. Its VA panel is also curved with a 1000R curvature and features a 2K resolution with 165Hz refresh rate as well. As the name suggests, both new curved monitors feature a gaming aesthetic and are a part of the brand’s Mobiuz series, which is BenQ’s gaming product lineup.

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Vivo Pad key specifications leak reveals dual cameras, SD870, and more

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Feb 7, 2022

Vivo is expected to enter the tablet market in 2022. While it is speculated to announce multiple tablets this year, the first tablet, which is reportedly called the Vivo Pad, may arrive in the first half of 2022. The rumor mill has already revealed some of the specs of the Vivo Pad in the past few months. Now, a fresh leak by Digital Chat Station has revealed some new details of the device.

Vivo Pad specifications (rumored)

The new leak does not specify whether the Vivo Pad has an OLED or LCD screen. However, it reveals that it has an 11-inch display that can produce a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. In addition, it will offer a refresh rate of 120Hz.

The Snapdragon 870 chipset is present under the hood of the Vivo Pad. It will be backed by an 8,040mAh batteryv that supports 44W fast charging.

The leak claims that the Vivo Pad’s rear shell will have a dual-camera setup featuring a 13-megapixel main camera and 8-megapixel lens. The front side of the device will be flanked by an 8-megapixel camera. The tablet will lack a fingerprint scanner, which indicates that the company may offer a face unlock security feature on it.

Past reports have claimed that the tablet will be equipped with a punch-hole display with slim bezels. It is unclear whether it will run on Android 11 or 12, but it is likely to feature OriginOS. Last month, a Vivo tablet with model number PA2170 was spotted at the 3C certification site with a 44W charger. It appears that the same device hit the Chinese markets soon with the Vivo Pad moniker. As far as the pricing is concerned, the tipster has speculated that it may cost around 1,599 Yuan (~$252).

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Sony Linkbuds WF-L900 TWS earbuds leaked, features unique design & ANC

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Feb 7, 2022

A new leak has just revealed an upcoming audio product from Sony. These new hearables are the Linkbuds WF-L900 truly wireless earbuds that can be seen in two color variants.

The news arrives from @TechInsiderBlog (Via NotebookCheck) who shared images of the upcoming earbuds on Twitter. Looking at these images, we can see that the new wireless earphones have a unique design. The leaked earbuds does not feature an ear tip, rather, the Linkbuds have two rings of holes. Furthermore, the main body contains a mic while the doughnut shaped segment will rest on top of user’s ear canal. This part stays in place thanks to a silicon tip.

Notably, the Linkbuds would also feature a proximity sensor to detect if you have taken them off. Reportedly, the main body of the TWS earbuds might also be touch sensitive, with support for gesture controls since there are no visible buttons. The new model might not be the replacement for the Japanese tech giant’s WF-100XM4 earbuds, but could be positioned right under it. The leaked images also reveal their charging case and two color variants, namely White and Black.

Apart from its unique design, the only other notable aspect is the feed-back and feed-forward microphones. This implies that the Linkbuds will feature active noise cancellation (ANC) as well. Keep in mind that this is still just a leak and finer details are still unknown. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 series uses new material made of abandoned fishing nets

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Feb 7, 2022

The Samsung Galaxy S22 series is easily one of the leaked devices ever with most of its information already at hand several days before launch. But what most did not likely know was that the latest flagship lineup uses a new material made of discarded fishing nets.

The company has revealed through a press release that the S22 series uses a “new material” made of repurposed ocean-bound discarded fishing nets.

The components making use of the said material were not revealed and neither was the percentage of the new material used. Still, it’s great to see Samsung contribute to the increasing efforts by tech companies to make products more sustainable.

“The use of this material marks another step in our Galaxy for the Planet journey that aims to minimize our environmental footprint and help foster more sustainable lifestyles for the Galaxy community,” Samsung wrote.

The company also revealed that will incorporate repurposed ocean-bound plastics throughout its entire product lineup in the future. Around 640,000 tons of fishing nets have been said to be abandoned in the ocean each year, posing great threats to marine life, coral reefs, and natural habitats, so the move is significant.

The Galaxy Unpacked event scheduled for February 9th will likely be shedding more light on the new material, so stay tuned.

Samsung had earlier detailed plans to expand its use of recycled materials over the next three years to include all mobile products and home appliances, along with eliminating the use of single-use plastic.

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Portless laptop, 500Hz+ refresh rate monitor, new Chrome logo, and more from Last Week

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 7, 2022

The last week in tech was sort of slow. Mostly because of the Chinese New Year. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t any important stories. For instance, we witnessed the announcement of two big acquisitions, a popular battle royale game made its way to mobile phones, a laptop with no ports, and more. Like every week, we have compiled a list of the top 10 stories based on our opinion. We have listed them below in no particular order.

As you all know that everyone’s opinions differ from each other, we would like to know your top picks after going through this article. Make sure to drop them in the comment section at the end of this post.

Xiaomi to start production of its first smartphones in Argentina

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Feb 7, 2022

Xiaomi has just confirmed its plans for the Argentinian market. The company will begin the production of its smartphones in the region for the first time ever to expand its presence in the country.

According to a Clarin report, the Chinese tech giant is planning on growing its footprint in Argentina. As of right now, the brand is already available in more than 100 countries and regions. The company has already began marketing its first three Redmi models in Argentinian market, which are being targeted for the youth. Furthermore, the news also arrives amid a large gap in the Argentine market due to the absence of Huawei and LG Electronics.

Xiaomi is also partnering up with Etercor, which is the Chinese brand’s distribution partner for its electronic products. Juan Pablo Baiardi, an official from Etercor, stated that “We have been working together for several years to make the brand known to Argentine consumers. And at the same time convincing the brand of the relevance of the Argentine market in Latin America and of the huge opportunity they have here. Like all good work done with patience and solidity, now both realities are coming together.”

He further added that consumers are looking for more options and Xiaomi is being seen as a worthwhile alternative. In other words, the company has a lot of potential in the region. At the moment, the company will also be manufacturing its smartphones from Etercor group’s factory in Tierra del Fuego. These devices will feature the label “Made in Tierra del Fuego” and will be available in the country soon.

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Samsung could face its first labor strike in 50 years over flopped wage talks

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Feb 7, 2022

Samsung Electronics could face its first labor strike in 50 years as wage talks with labor unions fell apart.

Following months of back and forth negotiations, representatives of the labor union filed for arbitration to Korea’s National Labor Relations Commission, which is a government agency under the Labor Ministry (via Korea Herald).

The move gives Samsung 10 days to reach an agreement, failure to comply with will result in a strike and a pause in several Samsung businesses like semiconductor chips and electronics.

The Korean company thus finds itself in a tough spot, already hit hard by the semiconductor shortage that has led to scarce inventories and delays in shipments. Take its flagship Galaxy S22 series, for example, whose deliveries has been pushed ahead by a couple of weeks.

“Although (the union) has been through the 15 rounds of talks (with Samsung), the management had unilaterally delayed the progress in negotiation in a deceitful manner,” National Samsung Electronics Labor Union, said in a statement.

The NSELU currently stands 4,500 members strong and negotiations between it and Samsung commenced in October. They were a first for the company with appeals concerning a wage hike, COVID-19 compensation, and special leave options, all of which fell on deaf ears.

Samsung, in a draft agreement in March, had suggested a wage hike of up to 7.5 percent, including a 4.5 percent basic pay raise, but excluded the labor unions’ calls.

“We have come to file an arbitration with the NLRC based on our observation that our talks will no longer proceed. Our future direction will depend on the willingness of Samsung to negotiate,” NSELU added.

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Apple MacBook Pro powered by M2 chipset won’t feature ProMotion display

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Jeet

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Feb 7, 2022

After launching the M1 chipset under Apple Silicon a couple of years back with the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro devices, the Cupertino-based tech giant is now gearing up to launch the second-generation processor based on ARM architecture.

There have been some reports about the M2 chipset powering the new MacBook series models and now another report has surfaced online that talks about the feature we can expect from the new M2-powered MacBook Pro.

In the Power On newsletter by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, it is claimed that the new entry-level MacBook Pro with the yet unannounced Apple M2 chipset won’t feature a ProMotion display that we saw on the recent 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

The report adds that the lack of ProMotion display on the upcoming entry-level MacBook Pro models is to differentiate it from the M1 Pro and M1 Max-powered models. Apart from the screen, the company could also compromise on storage.

It is expected to feature an LCD screen while the new MacBook Air powered by the M2 processor is said to come with a Mini LED display. This means that the device won’t have support for ProMotion or a variable 120Hz refresh rate.

Apart from the MacBook Pro, the upcoming Apple M2 chipset will refresh all the M1-powered devices, including the entry-level MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and a 24-inch iMac. While the launch date for these devices remains unknown, we expect to see a refreshed version of all of them by the end of this year.

The company also has a wide range of devices ready to launch this year and we are expecting to see Apple complete the transition from Intel to Apple Silicon for its Mac lineup.

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Apple AirPods Max 2 could have touch controls instead of digital crown

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Jeet

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Feb 7, 2022

Apple launched the AirPods Max, its wireless headphones with a sturdy metal build and support for active noise cancellation feature. Now, the Cupertino-based technology giant is expected to launch its successor this year.

There have been some reports about the improvements that we could expect in the upcoming AirPods Max 2 headphones and now a new patent filed by the company hints at the introduction of touch controls.

Apple has filed for a new patent (via Patently Apple) titled “Wireless Headphone Interaction” that would replace the digital crown with a touch-sensitive surface. Currently, Apple is using a digital crown for audio controls on the AirPods Max.

Earlier, the technology giant was granted a patent related to smart fabrics with touch controls for over-the-ear headphones. There have been two more patents from the brand for providing users with touch gesture input on the outside of the ear cups.

Connecting the dots, it appears that the company is now working on offering touch-based controls for the upcoming AirPods Max 2 headphones by replacing the digital crown. Do note that this hasn’t been confirmed and even Apple gets the patent, there’s no guarantee that it ends up using this technology for the upcoming headphones.

Apple is also likely to launch the AirPods Pro 2 true wireless earphones in the coming months. If the reports are to be believed, then there will be a revamped design and a new chip replacing the H1, resulting in improved battery life. It is also expected to have seamless switching between connected devices. They are also rumored to have built-in sensors for fitness tracking features.

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New Honor 60 series phone’s launch date to be confirmed tomorrow

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