2 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 5:24 PM IST
Samsung‘s latest Galaxy S24 FE smartphone is now available for purchase in India. Equipped with the Samsung Exynos 2400e chip, this fan edition model of the flagship Galaxy S24 boasts a comprehensive Galaxy AI experience. Like its predecessor, the smartphone features a design inspired by its flagship counterpart, but it includes several notable enhancements, such as a larger display and a high-capacity battery.
As part of the introductory offers, the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant of the Galaxy S24 FE is available for Rs 59,999, reduced from its original price of Rs 65,999. Additionally, customers can take advantage of the Samsung Care+ package, valued at Rs 4,799, for a discounted price of Rs 999. This introductory offer is valid until October 12.
There is also an option for a no-interest equated monthly instalment (no-cost EMI) plan of up to 12 months through Samsung Finance Plus.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE: Details
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. For photography, the smartphone is equipped with a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS), along with a 12MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP telephoto camera.
The device is powered by the Exynos 2400e chip, which is part of the same series that powers the Galaxy S24 flagship smartphone. The AI-driven features include Google’s Circle to Search, Live Translate for translations during phone calls, an Interpreter for real-time translation during in-person conversations, and writing assistance with Composer and Note Assist. Additionally, Samsung provides various Galaxy AI tools for image editing, such as generative editing for removing or rearranging elements in an image, Portrait Studio for thematic edits, and Instant Slow-mo for videos.
Minister for Media and Communications Paul Goldsmith told The Associated Press in a written statement on Friday that he was still consulting on the next version of the bill. Photo: Bloomberg
4 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 4:51 PM IST
Google said Friday it will stop linking to New Zealand news content and will reverse its support of local media outlets if the government passes a law forcing tech companies to pay for articles displayed on their platforms.
The vow to sever Google traffic to New Zealand news sites made in a blog post by the search giant on Friday echoes strategies the firm deployed as Australia and Canada prepared to enact similar laws in recent years.
It followed a surprise announcement by New Zealand’s government in July that lawmakers would advance a bill forcing tech platforms to strike deals for sharing revenue generated from news content with the media outlets producing it.
The government, led by centre-right National, had opposed the law in 2023 when introduced by the previous administration.
But the loss of more than 200 newsroom jobs earlier this year in a national media industry that totalled 1,600 reporters at the 2018 census and has likely shrunk since prompted the current government to reconsider forcing tech companies to pay publishers for displaying content.
The law aims to stanch the flow offshore of advertising revenue derived from New Zealand news products.
Google New Zealand Country Director Caroline Rainsford wrote Friday that the firm would change its involvement in the country’s media landscape if it passed.
Specifically, we’d be forced to stop linking to news content on Google Search, Google News, or Discover surfaces in New Zealand and discontinue our current commercial agreements and ecosystem support with New Zealand news publishers, she wrote.
Google’s licensing program in New Zealand contributed millions of dollars per year to almost 50 local publications, she added.
The News Publishers’ Association, a New Zealand sector group, said in a written statement Friday that Google’s pledge amounted to threats and reflected the kind of pressure that it has been applying to the government and news outlets, Public Affairs Director Andrew Holden said.
The government should be able to make laws to strengthen democracy in this country without being subjected to this kind of corporate bullying, he said.
Australia was the first country to attempt to force tech firms including Google and Meta to the bargaining table with news outlets through a law passed in 2021. At first, the tech giants imposed news blackouts for Australians on their platforms, but both eventually somewhat relented, striking deals reportedly worth 200 million Australian dollars ($137 million) a year, paid to Australian outlets for use of their content.
But Belinda Barnet, a media expert at Swinburne University in Melbourne, said Meta has refused to renew its contracts with Australian news media while Google is renegotiating its initial agreements.
As Canada prepared to pass similar digital news bargaining laws in 2023, Google and Meta again vowed to cease their support for the country’s media. Last November, however, Google promised to contribute 100 million Canadian dollars ($74 million) indexed to inflation in financial support annually for news businesses across the country.
Colin Peacock, an analyst who hosts the Mediawatch program on RNZ, New Zealand’s public radio broadcaster, said Google doesn’t want headlines around the world that say another country has pushed back by enacting such a law.
While Google pointed Friday to its support of local outlets, Peacock said one of its funding recipients the publisher of a small newspaper had told a parliamentary committee this year that the amount he received was a pittance and not enough to hire a single graduate reporter.
Minister for Media and Communications Paul Goldsmith told The Associated Press in a written statement on Friday that he was still consulting on the next version of the bill.
My officials and I have met with Google on a number of occasions to discuss their concerns, and will continue to do so, he said.
Goldsmith said in July that he planned to pass the law by the end of the year.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apple launched the iPhone 16 series amidst much fanfare, primarily around its upcoming artificial intelligence features, which it calls Apple Intelligence. While these AI-powered enhancements are not yet available, they promise to be the key differentiator once rolled out. In its current form, however, the baseline model, iPhone 16, brings several upgrades over its predecessor. Let us find out how the device fares in its present state.
The iPhone 16 continues Apple’s signature design language with a flat aluminium frame and subtle curves at the edges, providing a comfortable in-hand feel. Notably, it introduces some new elements, including new buttons, a revamped camera island, and colour-infused back glass.
The most significant change is the customisable action button, a feature introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro series, now available on the entry-level model. Alongside, it introduced a new “Camera Capture”, which plays a role in the device’s imaging experience.
The new camera island on the iPhone 16 stands out with its vertically stacked dual-camera system, designed to enable spatial video and photo capture for use on virtual reality headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro. While the new design looks streamlined, it creates a noticeable bump, making the phone wobble on flat surfaces.
As with previous models, durability remains a core focus. The iPhone 16 uses Ceramic Shield glass, which Apple claims offers 50 per cent stronger drop protection while maintaining its scratch-resistant qualities. The phone is also IP68-rated, making it resistant to dust and water. The iPhone 16 is available in five colours: ultramarine, teal, pink, white, and black (the reviewed model).
Display and Audio
The iPhone 16 retains the 6.1-inch display size of its predecessor but brings improvements in brightness for better visibility under direct sunlight. It also now dims to as low as 1 nit, which is especially useful for comfortable viewing in dark environments. However, the 60Hz refresh rate remains a significant drawback, leading to less fluid transitions and scrolling, particularly noticeable if you are accustomed to higher refresh rate displays. The absence of an always-on display due to this refresh rate limitation is also a letdown.
The audio experience, on the other hand, is impressive. The iPhone 16 has a stereo speaker system that supports spatial audio. The sound is loud, clear, and well-balanced, with decent depth, making for an enjoyable experience when gaming or watching videos.
Imaging
The iPhone 16’s dual-camera system is versatile, featuring a 48-megapixel main sensor with sensor-shift stabilisation and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus. By default, the main camera captures 24MP stills and supports 2x optical-quality telephoto using in-sensor zoom in 12MP resolution. The ultra-wide sensor also doubles up as a macro lens for close-up shots, thanks to its autofocus capability.
The primary camera impresses with its colour accuracy and dynamic range, with zero shutter lag being a key highlight in good lighting conditions, allowing for smooth captures of moving objects. The 2x optical-quality zoom works well even in low light, though its quality does not always match a dedicated telephoto lens, especially in artificial lighting conditions.
The ultra-wide sensor offers a 120-degree field of view, making it ideal for capturing landscapes and cityscapes while maintaining colour consistency with the main camera. The macro capabilities of this sensor are also commendable, producing detailed close-up shots.
Apple has also enhanced the camera’s software with a new image pipeline, providing photographic styles that allow users to adjust colours and tones in real-time. Apple emphasises that these styles are not simple filters, as they adjust not only the highlights and shadows but also skin tones and colours across the frame. Furthermore, the new on-screen trackpad offers on-the-fly adjustments for exposure, depth, and zoom while capturing images.
In terms of video, all the camera sensors, including the front-facing one, support 4K resolution at 60fps with Dolby Vision. Switching between sensors while recording is seamless, avoiding the shutter issues seen in competitors like the Google Pixel 9 series. A significant improvement in audio recording is the addition of spatial audio capture, and a new Audio Mix feature that allows for post-production editing of recorded audio. Four options are offered in Audio Mix: Standard, In-Frame, Studio, and Cinematic, with a slider for fine-tuning.
Lastly, the Camera Capture button offers an innovative way to access camera functions with different press types and swipe gestures, though it requires some learning to use advanced features like zoom, exposure, and photographic styles.
Software
The iPhone 16 runs on iOS 18, which introduces new apps and enhancements to existing ones. Notably, iOS 18 supports more India-focused features, including the ability to customise clock widgets in 12 Indian languages. Another major update is the ability to place apps and widgets in any open position on the home screen. Live Voicemail, introduced with iOS 17, is now enabled for calls in India, offering real-time transcription of voicemails.
A Passwords app has also been introduced, which securely stores credentials and syncs them across Apple devices with end-to-end encryption. The iPhone 16 also benefits from Game Mode, prioritising system resources to ensure smooth gameplay, particularly for demanding titles like Resident Evil 4 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Performance
The iPhone 16 is powered by Apple’s A18 system-in-package (SiP), delivering consistent and efficient performance. It handles routine tasks with ease and performs impressively under heavy workloads, such as extended 4K video recording or multimedia editing. Gaming is also smooth, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing being a standout feature in AAA titles.
Battery and Charging
The iPhone 16 delivers all-day battery life under moderate use but drains quickly with intensive workloads. It comes with a braided USB-C cable, supporting both data transfer and charging. Fast charging is possible with a 20W or higher power adaptor, taking about an hour to charge fully. Notably, wireless charging is supported up to 25W with Qi2 compatibility, offering similar charging speeds to wired charging. However, the USB-C port is USB 2.0, which limits data transfer speeds to 480Mb/s.
Verdict
The iPhone 16 brings meaningful upgrades over the iPhone 15, with improved imaging capabilities, software enhancements, and the promise of Apple Intelligence features in the future. However, the absence of a higher refresh rate display and the slower USB-C port might disappoint some users. At Rs 79,900 for the base 128GB model, the iPhone 16 delivers solid value, especially with AI-driven updates expected to enhance the experience further.
Samsung India announces festive offers on its sixth-generation Galaxy Z series
3 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 3:59 PM IST
Samsung India has announced festive offers on its sixth-generation Galaxy Z series, which includes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. The offers feature bank cashback, upgrade bonuses on exchange deals, and up to 24 months of no-cost EMI options. Moreover, Samsung is offering the Galaxy Z Assurance plan at a discounted price of Rs 999 as part of the festive offers. These offers are available both online and at retail stores. Below are the details:
Samsung Galaxy Z series: Pricing
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs 164,999
12GB RAM + 512GB storage: Rs 176,999
12GB RAM + 1TB storage: Rs 200,999
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs 109,999
12GB RAM + 512GB storage: Rs 121,999
Samsung Galaxy Z series: Festive offers
Consumers purchasing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 can avail of a cashback worth Rs 12,500 from select banks, or an upgrade bonus of the same value on trade-in—exchanging an older smartphone for the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The deal is similar for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but the cashback and upgrade bonus is Rs 11,000.
In addition to bank cashback and upgrade bonuses, Samsung is offering up to 24 months of no-interest equated monthly instalments on both models. Furthermore, customers purchasing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can avail of the Galaxy Z Assurance—worth Rs 14,999—at Rs 999. Under the Z Assurance programme, customers can make two claims in a year.
2 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 3:54 PM IST
Samsung Galaxy smartphone users might have to wait longer to experience the Android 15. At its Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2024, the South Korean technology giant announced that its Android 15-based One UI 7 user interface will not be released publicly until 2025.
According to 9to5Google, Samsung, during its opening keynote at SDC 2024, stated that the official version of One UI 7 will be released next year with the next Galaxy S series. However, the company mentioned that the new user interface, featuring enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities and a redesigned aesthetic, will be available in beta “before the end of the year.”
Google has already released the source code for Android 15 on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), allowing smartphone manufacturers to develop their own custom versions based on it. While Google is yet to release Android 15 on its Pixel smartphones, select manufacturers such as Vivo and iQOO have already begun rolling out their custom UIs based on Android 15 to select smartphones. The British consumer technology brand Nothing has also announced its Android 15-based Nothing OS 3.0, which will roll out later this year on eligible smartphones.
Samsung One UI 7: What to expect
According to the 9to5Google report, Samsung briefly previewed One UI 7 at its SDC 2024. The company stated that the new user interface will feature a “brand new UX design” with three major goals: “Purposeful simplicity,” “Signature impression,” and “Emotional attachment.”
With One UI 7, Samsung is expected to implement significant changes to the user interface on Samsung Galaxy devices. These changes are likely to include new icon designs, a split notification tray and Quick Settings, optimisations for the home screen and lock screen, and more. One UI 7 is also expected to introduce a notification bar similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island, which will expand to provide additional details.
3 min read Last Updated : Oct 04 2024 | 3:15 PM IST
Lava has launched the Agni 3 smartphone, boasting a dual-display design and an iPhone-like Action Key, which it said can be customised by the user to perform different tasks. Other notable features include a secondary 1.74-inch AMOLED display at the back of the smartphone. This display can be used to view quick notifications, image previews, from the main camera, and more.
The Lava Agni 3 smartphone is now available for pre-booking on Amazon India. Customers can pre-book the smartphone by paying a token amount of Rs 499. This amount will be available as Amazon Pay balance or a gift card and can be redeemed towards the purchase. General availability starts on October 8.
As for the introductory offer, Lava is offering a bank discount of Rs 1,000 on the 128GB storage variant without a charger. A bank discount of Rs 2,000 is applicable on the other variants.
Lava Agni 3: Details
The Lava Agni 3 sports a 6.78-inch 1.5K 3D curved AMOLED display of a 120Hz refresh rate. There is a secondary 1.74-inch AMOLED display at the back, alongside the rear camera module. This secondary display has a resolution of 336 x 480 and offers multiple functionalities such as quick notification views, call management, rear camera previews for selfies, music player control, steps and calorie monitoring, and more.
The smartphone also has a customisable Action Key, which the company claims offers over 100 shortcut combinations using short, long, and double presses. Users can configure this button to act as a shutter button for the camera, switch between silent and ring modes, turn on the flashlight, take a screenshot, open a specific app, and more.
The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chip, coupled with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. It features a 5,000mAh battery and supports 66W fast wired charging.
The Lava Agni 3 features a triple-camera rear setup, featuring a 50-megapixel main sensor from Sony with optical image stabilisation (OIS). The main camera is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP 3x telephoto lens. The 16MP front-facing camera supports electronic image stabilisation (EIS).
The smartphone is based on Android 14, and Lava has promised up to three generations of OS updates. It also supports 14 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4. The stereo speaker system on the smartphone features Dolby Atmos surround sound support.
Lava Agni 3: Specifications
Main Display: 6.78-inch, 3D curved AMOLED, 1.5K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, Widevine L1 support, under-display fingerprint sensor
Secondary Display: 1.74-inch AMOLED, 336 x 480 resolution
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