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Made by Google event on August 13: What to expect from Pixel 9 series

Made by Google event on August 13: What to expect from Pixel 9 series

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold

4 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2024 | 12:31 PM IST


Google is scheduled to host its Made by Google launch event on August 13, with a primary focus on unveiling new hardware products. The event’s highlight will be the introduction of the Pixel 9 series smartphones with a new design and models. The Pixel 9 series is expected to feature improvements across various aspects, including enhanced camera sensors, new display panels, and exclusive AI features.


Google Pixel 9 series: What to expect


Models


Google has already revealed the first look of the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, confirming that the next-generation foldable device will be part of the Pixel 9 series. In addition to the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, media reports suggest that a third model will be introduced. This new model, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, is anticipated to feature a larger display compared to the Pro model, which is expected to have a display size similar to the base Pixel 9 smartphone.


Design


The Pixel 9 series is set to undergo a significant design overhaul. The Pixel 9 Pro will feature a flat frame design, moving away from the curved edges seen in previous generations. It will also sport a floating island-style camera module, which is detached from the frame, unlike the camera visor design on the Pixel 8 series. The standard Pixel 9 and the anticipated Pixel 9 Pro XL are expected to adopt a similar design.


The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will feature an isolated square-shaped camera island on the top left side of the device, departing from the traditional camera bar design seen on previous Pixel devices. It will also have a flat frame design similar to the Pixel 9 Pro.


Cameras


The Pixel 9 series is expected to bring significant camera upgrades. The standard Pixel 9 will likely feature a new Sony IMX858 ultra-wide-angle camera sensor with a larger aperture, replacing the existing Sony IMX386. Additionally, the vanilla Pixel 9 is expected to have autofocus for the front-facing camera.


Both the Pixel 9 Pro and the anticipated Pixel 9 Pro XL are expected to include the new Sony IMX858 sensor for the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras. The Pro models may also feature a 50MP IMX858 sensor for the front-facing camera, marking a significant upgrade.


The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is expected to be equipped with a 64MP IMX787 sensor, borrowed from the Pixel 8a, as its primary camera.


Display


Following the incorporation of Samsung’s “Actua” display in the Pixel 8 series, Google is likely to use Samsung’s OLED panels again for the Pixel 9 series. Reports suggest that the Pixel 9 series will utilise the same OLED panel that Samsung is manufacturing for Apple’s next-generation iPhone series. The improved Samsung “M14” OLED panel is anticipated to be brighter than the current generation display.


According to a report by Android Authority, the standard Pixel 9 smartphone will achieve 1,800 nits of peak HDR brightness, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL panels will reach up to 2,050 nits. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is expected to feature a taller display, with the inner foldable panel achieving up to 1,600 nits and the outer cover display up to 1,800 nits of peak HDR brightness.


AI features


The Pixel 9 series is expected to introduce several new AI features, including an “Add Me” feature, which is anticipated to be an enhanced version of the “Best Take” feature. A new “Studio” app, an all-in-one AI image generator and editor, is also expected. The most notable feature will likely be the “Pixel Screenshots” feature, which is expected to function similarly to Microsoft’s Recall feature for the Copilot+ PC platform. Unlike Recall, which captures everything on the user’s screen to create a searchable timeline, Pixel Screenshots will include only the screenshots taken by the user and authorised for use by the feature.


Additional improvements


The Pixel 9 series smartphones are expected to feature several other enhancements. These include an improved in-display fingerprint sensor, with Google likely switching from a capacitive fingerprint scanner to an ultrasonic sensor, improving speed and reliability.


Other improvements include a new modem for better network reception and satellite connectivity, introduced with the Android 15 operating system.

First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 12:30 PM IST



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Chinese firms stockpile high-end Samsung chips as they await new US curbs

Chinese firms stockpile high-end Samsung chips as they await new US curbs

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


HBM chips are crucial components in developing advanced processors such as Nvidia’s graphics processing units that can be used for generative AI work | .(Photo: Reuters)

4 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2024 | 12:00 PM IST


Chinese tech giants including Huawei and Baidu as well as startups are stockpiling high bandwidth memory (HBM) semiconductors from Samsung Electronics in anticipation of US curbs on exports of the chips to China, three sources said.

 


The companies have ramped up their buying of the artificial intelligence (AI) capable semiconductors since early this year, helping China account for about 30 per cent of Samsung’s HBM chip revenue in the first half of 2024, one of the sources said.

 


The moves show how China is gearing up to keep its technology ambitions on track amid rising trade tensions with the US and other western nations. They also show how the tensions are impacting the global semiconductor supply chain.

 


US authorities are planning to unveil an export control package this month that will impose new restrictions on shipments for China’s semiconductor industry, Reuters reported last week, citing sources.

 


Those sources also said the package is expected to lay out parameters for restricting high bandwidth memory chip access.

 


The US Department of Commerce declined to comment but had said in a statement last week that it is continually assessing the evolving threat environment and updating export controls “to protect US national security and safeguard our technological ecosystem.”

 


Reuters was unable to determine the details of the proposed HBM restrictions and how they would impact China.

 


HBM chips are crucial components in developing advanced processors such as Nvidia’s graphics processing units that can be used for generative AI work.

 


There are only three major chipmakers producing HBM chips – SK Hynix and Samsung from South Korea, and US-based Micron Technology.

 


Chinese chip demand has been largely focused on the HBM2E model, which is two generations behind the most advanced version HBM3E, said the sources who are familiar with China’s interest in HBM. The global AI boom has led to a tightness in supply of the advanced model.

 


“Given that its domestic technology development is not yet fully mature, China’s demand for Samsung’s HBM has become exceptionally high, as other manufacturers’ capacities are already fully booked by American AI companies,” said Nori Chiou, investment director at Singapore-based White Oak Capital Partners.

 


While it is hard to estimate the volume or value of the stockpiled HBM chips in China, businesses ranging from satellite manufacturers to tech firms such as Tencent have been buying them, the sources said. One of the sources said chip designing startup Haawking recently ordered HBM chips from Samsung.

 


Huawei, meanwhile, has been using Samsung HBM2E semiconductors to make its advanced Ascend AI chip, according to one of the sources.

 


Samsung and SK Hynix declined to comment. Micron, Baidu, Huawei, Tencent and Haawking did not respond to requests for comment. The sources did not wish to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject.

 


Samsung vs HBM rivals

 


Chinese firms have made some headway in producing HBM, with Huawei and memory chipmaker CXMT focusing on developing HBM2 chips, which are three generations behind the HBM3E model, Reuters reported earlier.

 


But those efforts could be impacted by the new US rule.

 


Restrictions on HBM sales to China could have a bigger impact on Samsung than its key rivals which rely less on the China market, said the sources who were briefed on the sales.

 


Micron has refrained from selling its HBM products to China since last year, while SK Hynix, whose major HBM customers include Nvidia, focuses more on advanced HBM chip production, they said.

 


SK Hynix said earlier this year it is adjusting production to expand HBM3E output and its HBM chips were sold out for this year and almost sold out for 2025.

 


(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.)

First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 11:59 AM IST



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Malaysian PM's posts on Haniyeh's assassination were removed in error: Meta

Malaysian PM's posts on Haniyeh's assassination were removed in error: Meta

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


Meta was sorry for “an operational error”, adding that the content had been restored with “the correct newsworthy label,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters | Image: Bloomberg

2 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2024 | 11:29 AM IST


Meta Platforms apologised on Tuesday for erroneously removing Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s social media posts in which he expressed condolences to a Hamas official about the assassination of the group’s leader Ismail Haniyeh.

 


Meta was sorry for “an operational error”, adding that the content had been restored with “the correct newsworthy label,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters.

 


The US social media giant designates Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that governs Gaza, as a “dangerous organisation” and bans content praising the group. It uses a mix of automated detection and human review to remove or label graphic visuals.

 


Anwar posted on Facebook and Instagram on July 31 a video recording of his phone call with a Hamas official to offer condolences over Haniyeh’s death. He also posted a picture from his last meeting with Haniyeh in Qatar in May, along with a condolence message.

 


It was the second run-in Meta has had with the Malaysian government, which called the takedown of the posts unjust, discriminatory and a suppression of free speech. Malaysia’s communications minister and members of the Prime Minister’s Office met Meta representatives on Monday to seek an explanation.

 


In a similar incident in May, Meta restored Facebook posts by Anwar over his meeting with Haniyeh, saying they were taken down in error.

 


Muslim-majority Malaysia, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, has warned that firm action could be taken against Meta and other social media companies if they blocked pro-Palestinian content on their platforms.


(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.)

First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 11:28 AM IST



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Zoom introduces gen-AI powered 'Docs' for workplace collaboration: Details

Zoom introduces gen-AI powered 'Docs' for workplace collaboration: Details

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2024 | 11:17 AM IST


Zoom has introduced a new feature to enhance workplace collaboration. The video conferencing platform added a new tool called Zoom Docs, which is an AI collaborative document editor powered by the company’s generative AI assistant called Zoom AI Companion. Zoom Docs will allow users to let artificial intelligence generate a document collating information discussed in the meeting.


With Docs, sharing of files with all the participants in the meeting will become easier. Users can also edit or note down content on these shared files using generative AI. With Zoom Docs, users can also access customisable templates for various meeting types and project updates. Features within Zoom Docs include multi-language translation support, different layouts with various content blocks and integration with apps such as Google Drive and Figma. Users can also ask Zoom’s AI Companion to track progress of tasks, make tables and checklists and generate transcripts of meetings.


The new set of collaborative features are available for Zoom workplace app version 6.1.6 or later. Users with Basic free accounts are allowed to create up to 10 shared docs without AI functionalities and the complete set of features will be available to paid Zoom Workplace plan subscribers. There will be no additional charge for Zoom Docs if a user already has a Zoom Workplace paid license.


Many organisations had to use other workplace tools even if they used Zoom for meetings. This will offer users more options of collaborative tools at one place. Google and Microsoft already offer AI features within their workplace collaborative platforms Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams respectively.

First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 11:17 AM IST



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Apple releases iOS 18 developer beta 5: What's new, eligible iPhones, more

Apple releases iOS 18 developer beta 5: What's new, eligible iPhones, more

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


Apple rolls out iOS 18 developer beta 5

3 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2024 | 11:13 AM IST

Apple has released iOS 18 developer beta 5 for eligible iPhone models. The new update brings improvements across the board and packs new features, too, including a “Distraction Control” in Safari browser. The iOS 18 developer beta 5 also brings redesigned app icons and refinements. Here is all you need to know about Apple’s iOS 18 developer beta 5:


iOS 18 developer beta 5: What is new


Distraction Control in Safari


With iOS 18 developer beta 5, Apple has rolled out a new feature for its native web browser Safari that lets users remove certain elements from a webpage that the user might find distracting. Called “Distraction Control”, the new feature allows users to selectively block content on webpages such as sign-in pop ups and overlays.


Under the page menu interface on Safari, there is a now new “Hide Distracting Items” option available. Selecting the option will prompt the user to select elements from the webpage that they wish to remove.


Changes to Photos app


Apple has reportedly made several tweaks to the redesigned Photos app based on user feedback. With iOS developer’s beta 5, Apple has removed the carousel view that it introduced with the new operating system. Carousel view allowed users to swipe and view picture highlights that were updated every day.


Additionally, in the new version, Apple has also improved the “All Photos” section which now displays more photos on the display at once. The new version also makes it easier to access photo albums.


Redesigned icons


In iOS 18 developer beta 5, Apple has introduced new dark mode icons for Maps and Find My apps. Additionally, the company has also tweaked multiple Control Center icons including those for cellular data, screen mirroring, and more.


Stolen Device Protection in Settings


With the new version, Stolen Device Protection is now accessible from both “Privacy and Security” and “FaceID and Passcode” menus in the Settings app.


iOS 18 developer beta 5: How to download and install


  • Sign up for the developer beta on Apple’s website (https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/)


  • On iPhone, go to Settings-General-Software Update


  • Tap on the Beta Updates option and select iOS 18 Developer Beta


  • Move back to Software Update page and wait for the download to appear


  • Agree to Apple terms and initiate download process


  • Installation will begin after download process


Note: Backup iPhone before installing the beta


iOS 18 developer beta: Eligible iPhone models


  • iPhone 15


  • iPhone 15 Plus


  • iPhone 15 Pro


  • iPhone 15 Pro Max


  • iPhone 14


  • iPhone 14 Plus


  • iPhone 14 Pro


  • iPhone 14 Pro Max


  • iPhone 13


  • iPhone 13 mini


  • iPhone 13 Pro


  • iPhone 13 Pro Max


  • iPhone 12


  • iPhone 12 mini


  • iPhone 12 Pro


  • iPhone 12 Pro Max


  • iPhone 11


  • iPhone 11 Pro


  • iPhone 11 Pro Max


  • iPhone XS


  • iPhone XS Max


  • iPhone XR


  • iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)


Note: Not all features are available on all iPhones. Features related to Apple Intelligence are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Likewise, there are other features that are available only on select iPhone models. The iOS 18 developer beta 5, however, is generally available for testing on all above listed models.

First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 11:13 AM IST



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CrowdStrike sued by fliers after global IT outage disrupted air travel

CrowdStrike sued by fliers after global IT outage disrupted air travel

by | Aug 6, 2024 | Technology


CrowdStrike’s legal troubles from last month’s massive global computer outage deepened on Monday, as the cybersecurity company was sued by air travelers whose flights were delayed or canceled.

In a proposed class action filed in the Austin, Texas, federal court, three fliers blamed CrowdStrike’s negligence in testing and deploying its software for the outage, which also disrupted banks, hospitals and emergency lines around the world.

The plaintiffs said that as fliers scrambled to get to their destinations, many spent hundreds of dollars on lodging, meals and alternative travel, while others missed work or suffered health problems from having to sleep on the airport floor.

They said CrowdStrike should pay compensatory and punitive damages to anyone whose flight was disrupted, after technology-related flight groundings for Southwest Airlines and other carriers in 2023 made the outage “entirely foreseeable.”

CrowdStrike said in a statement: “We believe this case lacks merit and we will vigorously defend the company.” It provided an identical statement in response to a shareholder lawsuit filed on July 31, after the company’s stock price had fallen by about one-third.

The outage stemmed from a flawed software update that crashed more than 8 million computers.

Delta Air Lines has said it may take legal action against Austin-based CrowdStrike after canceling more than 6,000 flights, at a cost of about $500 million.

On Sunday, CrowdStrike said it was neither grossly negligent nor at fault for Delta’s problems, and that the Atlanta-based carrier did not accept its offer for help.

Delta faces a U.S. Department of Transportation probe into why it needed more time than rivals to recover from the outage.

Monday’s case is del Rio et al v CrowdStrike Inc, U.S.

(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.)



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