Tech wrap Jun 12: Xiaomi 14 Civi launched, Pixel June Feature Drop and more

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

4 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 8:03 PM IST

Xiaomi has launched in India the Xiaomi 14 Civi. Like other smartphones in the Xiaomi 14 series, the Xiaomi 14 Civi is a camera-centric smartphone with imaging system co-engineered with German optics entity Leica. The smartphone sports a triple-camera system on the back and a dual-camera system on the front. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, paired with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB on-board storage.

Google has announced the June Feature Drop for Pixel devices that brings new features and capabilities to the Pixel smartphones and Pixel Watches. The software update brings Gemini Nano AI model integration into Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a smartphones, and enables car crash detection on the Pixel Watch 2. Google said that these new features will start rolling out on Pixel devices from today onwards and will be available on all supported devices in the coming weeks.

On June 10, during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled “Apple Intelligence,” a suite of AI-powered tools embedded in the next-generation platforms: iOS 18 for iPhone, iPadOS 18 for iPad, and macOS Sequoia for Macs. However, the subsequent headlines focused on Apple’s partnership with OpenAI for integrating ChatGPT into its intelligence suite. This development has sparked curiosity among technology enthusiasts about how the Apple-OpenAI partnership will function, given Apple’s emphasis on privacy in its intelligence systems. Additionally, there is speculation about potential collaborations with other technology companies like Google to enhance AI capabilities further.

Japanese electronic brand Toshiba on June 12 launched Google TV platform-based C350NP range of smart televisions in India. Offered in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, and 75-inch display options, the Toshiba C350NP Smart TVs support Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. Priced at Rs 26,999 onwards, all four display sizes will be available for purchase from June 12 on e-commerce platforms Amazon India and Flipkart.

Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is set to launch in India on June 18, announced China’s Lenovo-owned smartphone brand. Third smartphone in the Motorola Edge series, the Ultra model will join the Edge 50 Pro and Edge 50 Fusion. The smartphone will be offered in three Pantone validated colours – Peach Fuzz, Forest Grey, and Wood. While the Peach Fuzz will be offered in frosted glass finish, the Forest Grey will boast vegan leather texture, and the Wood colour option will feature a back cover made from real wood.

Google’s video streaming platform YouTube is rolling out a new feature, which allows creators to publish videos on the platform with multiple thumbnails. Called “Thumbnail Test and Compare”, the feature enables access to advanced features where creators can test various thumbnails and compare the video performance in a couple of weeks’ time from the day of publishing. Announced last year in June, YouTube’s thumbnail test and compare feature is now rolling out widely to all creators on the video streaming platform.

X could make likes on posts private from June 12, reported The Verge. According to the report, likes by the premium subscribers of the social media platform were already hidden, but now the feature is being rolled out widely. After the feature is implemented, likes count will still be active and you will see the number of likes on your post but the likes on other people’s posts will be hidden.

On stage on Monday CEO Tim Cook’s Apple announced a splashy deal with OpenAI to include its powerful artificial intelligence model as a part of its voice assistant, Siri. But in the fine print of a technical document Apple published after the event, the company makes clear that Alphabet’s Google has emerged as another winner in the Cupertino, California, company’s quest to catch up in AI.

Taiwanese chip design giant MediaTek is developing an Arm-based personal computer chip that will run Microsoft’s Windows operating system, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Alphabet’s Google said on Tuesday that Brazil will be the first country to test an anti-theft feature for Android phones that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify when a phone has been stolen and lock the device’s screen.

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 8:03 PM IST

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Elon Musk's X could start hiding likes on public posts from today: Report

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

2 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 5:03 PM IST

X, formerly known as Twitter, could hide likes on posts from June 12, reported US-based consumer technology news platform The Verge. According to the report, likes by the premium subscribers of the social media platform were already hidden, but now the feature is being rolled out widely. Elon Musk, owner of X, has also reshared a tweet with a screenshot of the news.

After the feature is implemented, the Likes tab on users profile will be gone. Likes count will still be active and you will be able to see the number of likes on your post but the likes on other people’s posts will be hidden. You have the option to hide likes manually but with this feature will be hidden by default for all. There is still no clarity if view count will be visible.

The new feature arrives after Elon Musk reportedly told the engineers at X that he wanted to remove the tweet action buttons and wanted to shift focus to impressions.

The hiding of likes is a way to let users protect their public image. Haofei Wang, Director of Engineering at X in May had confirmed the move stating public likes are incentivising wrong behaviour on the platform. He also added, “many people feel discouraged from liking content that might be “edgy” in fear of retaliation from trolls, or to protect their public image”.

Enrique Barragan, senior software engineer had also taken to X to clarify that users will be able to see the number of posts and replies on their own post but likes of users will not be visible on other posts.

Likes impact the algorithm and the user is shown similar posts to the one that is liked most and this feature will result in curation of a timeline similar to their interests.

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 5:03 PM IST

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Apple Intelligence could get Google's Gemini integration in future: Report

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

3 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 4:51 PM IST

On June 10, during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled “Apple Intelligence,” a suite of AI-powered tools embedded in the next-generation platforms: iOS 18 for iPhone, iPadOS 18 for iPad, and macOS Sequoia for Macs. However, the subsequent headlines focused on Apple’s partnership with OpenAI for integrating ChatGPT into its intelligence suite. This development has sparked curiosity among technology enthusiasts about how the Apple-OpenAI partnership will function, given Apple’s emphasis on privacy in its intelligence systems. Additionally, there is speculation about potential collaborations with other technology companies like Google to enhance AI capabilities further.

Apple Intelligence and Privacy

Apple describes its Apple Intelligence as a “personal intelligence system” that integrates generative AI capabilities into iPhones, iPads, and Macs, with a primary focus on user privacy. Apple Intelligence utilises the on-device processing power of M-series Apple Silicon for Macs and iPads and the A17 Pro chip for iPhones. However, requests for advanced features requiring more processing power are handled in the cloud. For cloud processing, Apple said it has developed Private Cloud Compute (PCC), which ensures that user data is accessible only to the user and not even to Apple. Apple states in its security blog that once a response to a user’s request is sent, “personal data leaves no trace in the PCC system.”

Apple’s partnership with OpenAI

In an interview with Fast Company, Craig Federighi, Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, explained how OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been integrated into the Apple ecosystem while maintaining user privacy. Federighi clarified that OpenAI’s ChatGPT does not power Apple Intelligence; instead, both systems independently provide AI capabilities on the same device. Apple Intelligence is driven exclusively by Apple’s LLMs and AI models, with no data sent to OpenAI without user permission. For instance, to receive ChatGPT-powered responses through Apple’s voice assistant Siri, users must permit Siri to send a request to ChatGPT.

OpenAI, in a blog post detailing its partnership with Apple, confirmed that requests to ChatGPT from Siri and other Apple AI tools are protected. OpenAI stated that such requests are not stored, and users’ IP addresses are obscured.

A potential deal with Google

While ChatGPT integration with Apple’s operating system will be available to users with iOS 18, Federighi indicated that Apple might collaborate with other large language model (LLM) providers in the future. According to 9To5Mac, he said, “We think ultimately people are going to have a preference perhaps for certain models that they want to use, maybe one that’s great for creative writing or one that they prefer for coding. And so we want to enable users ultimately to bring a model of their choice.” He specifically mentioned that Apple could integrate models like Google Gemini in the future.

Although Apple has not yet formalised a deal with Google for Gemini AI integration, it is already utilising Google’s technology to power its AI models. A report by Reuters indicated that according to a technical document released by Apple, the company’s engineers used Google’s cloud-based tensor processing units (TPUs) to train Apple’s foundational AI model. While Apple has not detailed the extent of its reliance on Google’s chips and software, it is likely that both companies have been collaborating in the AI space for several months.

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 4:50 PM IST

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Google to start testing anti-theft AI feature for Android phone from July

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

2 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 3:33 PM IST

Alphabet’s Google said on Tuesday that Brazil will be the first country to test an anti-theft feature for Android phones that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify when a phone has been stolen and lock the device’s screen.

Three types of lock will be available in the initial test phase. In one of them, Google will use AI that it created to help detect signals of “common movement associated with theft” and block the screen.

The second feature allows a user to lock the device’s screen remotely by entering the phone number and completing a security challenge from another device. The last mode involves automatically locking the screen if the device is left without internet access for long periods.

The features will be available to Brazilian users of Android phones version 10 or higher starting in July, according to the company. They will be released to users from other countries gradually this year, Google said.

Phone theft is a growing problem in Brazil. The number of stolen cellphones in Latin America’s largest economy grew 16.6% in 2022 from the previous year to nearly 1 million, according to data from the 2023 Brazilian Public Security Yearbook.

The Brazilian government launched an app in December named Celular Seguro, which allows users to report a stolen phone and block access to it using another device belonging a trusted person.

As of last month, around 2 million people were registered with the app across the country, while 50,000 phones had been blocked, according to the Justice Ministry.

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 3:33 PM IST

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Motorola Edge 50 Ultra India launch set for Jun 18, to rival Xiaomi 14 Civi

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

3 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 2:47 PM IST

Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is set to launch in India on June 18, announced China’s Lenovo-owned smartphone brand. Third smartphone in the Motorola Edge series, the Ultra model will join the Edge 50 Pro and Edge 50 Fusion. The smartphone will be offered in three Pantone validated colours – Peach Fuzz, Forest Grey, and Wood. While the Peach Fuzz will be offered in frosted glass finish, the Forest Grey will boast vegan leather texture, and the Wood colour option will feature a back cover made from real wood.

Joining the AI trend, the smartphone will support Moto AI – the company’s own artificial intelligence (AI) features, which includes Magic Canvas. Key specifications have been disclosed through a microsite on the e-commerce platform Flipkart, which confirms AI features such as the AI adaptive stabilisation and 100x AI super zoom.

The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is expected to feature a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. The display is expected to boast a peak brightness of 2500 nits and 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. Motorola is anticipated to offer three years of OS upgrades and up to four years of security updates.

The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra will be protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and is confirmed to have an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

Motorola Edge 50 Ultra: Expected specifications

Display: 6.7-inch 1.5K OLED, 144Hz refresh rate

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset

RAM: up to 16GB of RAM

Storage: up to 1TB

Rear camera: 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 64MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide angle lens

Front camera: 50MP autofocus

Battery: 4,500 mAh

Charging: 125W wired and 50W wireless

OS: Android 14

The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is anticipated to compete against the Xiaomi 14 Civi, which was launched in India on June 12.

Like other smartphones in the Xiaomi 14 series, the Xiaomi 14 Civi is a camera-centric smartphone with imaging system co-engineered with German optics entity Leica. The smartphone sports a triple-camera system on the back and a dual-camera system on the front. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, paired with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB on-board storage. Priced at Rs 42,999 onwards, the smartphone will be available for purchase from June 20.

Xiaomi 14 Civi: Specifications

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3

RAM: 8GB / 12GB (LPDDR5X)

Storage: 256GB / 512GB (UFS 4.0)

Display: 6.55-inch, 1.5K quad-curved AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 3000nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

Rear camera: 50MP Leica Summilux primary lens (OIS) + 50MP telephoto camera (2x optical zoom) + 12MP ultra-wide lens

Front Camera: 32MP primary + 32MP ultra-wide

Battery: 4,700mAh

Charging: 67W wired

OS: Android 14 based Xiaomi HyperOS

Colours: Cruise Blue, Shadow Black, and Matcha Green (vegan leather section on the back panel)

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 2:47 PM IST

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Toshiba launches Google TV-based smart TVs in India at Rs 26,999 onwards

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jun 12, 2024 | Technology

2 min read Last Updated : Jun 12 2024 | 1:37 PM IST

Japanese electronic brand Toshiba on June 12 launched Google TV platform-based C350NP range of smart televisions in India. Offered in 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, and 75-inch display options, the Toshiba C350NP Smart TVs support Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. Priced at Rs 26,999 onwards, all four display sizes will be available for purchase from June 12 on e-commerce platforms Amazon India and Flipkart.

Toshiba C350NP Smart TV: Details

The Toshiba C350NP Smart TVs are powered by REGZA Engine ZR, which upscales video content to near 4K resolution. Additionally, the REGZA Engine ZR enables auto colour correction and dynamic tone mapping, which analyses each frame and adjusts the content brightness accordingly. For audio, the smart TVs boast REGZA Power Audio in addition to Dolby Atmos surround sound for a more immersive audio experience that compliments the visuals.

Toshiba said that the C350NP Smart TV features a dedicated “Sports Mode” for better motion capturing while watching live sports. The TV also features a “Game Mode”, which the company said offers optimised rendering capabilities and minimal input lag. Game Mode adds support for features like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) for a better gaming experience on the Smart TV. Other notable features include Bluetooth 5.3, dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity, HDMI, and USB media player.

Toshiba said the TV has been tested for durability, performance and functionality under different conditions to ensure that it can withstand regular use and deliver optimal performance.

First Published: Jun 12 2024 | 1:37 PM IST

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