2 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 4:45 PM IST
Chinese smart wearable brand AmazFit is now rolling out the Zepp OS 3.5 update, featuring AI-driven Zepp Flow, to Active smartwatch in India. Apart from the AI features, the Zepp OS 3.5 brings enhanced sports modes, offline maps, and an expanded mini app ecosystem to the Amazfit Active smartwatch.
Amazfit rolled out the AI features with Zepp OS 3.5 update to Amazfit Balance smartwatch in India in April. The new OS is now gradually rolling out to the Amazfit Active smartwatch. The company has also confirmed that the Zepp OS 3.5 will subsequently roll out to more Amazfit smartwatches, including the Amazfit Cheetah series, Amazfit Falcon, and Amazfit T-Rex Ultra soon.
ZeppOS 3.5: AI features
Amazfit said that the AI-powered Zepp Flow voice assistant enables users to interact with the smartwatch in a more natural conversational manner. The AI assistant understands freeform speech for interpreting conversational speech, allowing users to perform tasks without using specific commands or keywords.
Previously, the company said that it has integrated Natural-Language User Interface (LUI)-powered by a large language model (LLM) into the operating system to allow natural voice interactions with the smartwatch. Using the voice assistant Users can start workouts, check health data, engage in free chat, and more.
ZeppOS 3.5: Other features
With ZeppOS 3.5, Amazfit Active smartwatch users can access a broader section of smartwatch apps through the companion Zepp app. These apps include tools for monitoring body temperature, blood pressure, environmental quality and more.
With the latest system update, users can view road names on offline maps without an active internet connection. Additionally, Amazfit Active smartwatch users can also receive and respond to messages directly from their smartwatch using voice commands.
Amazfit Active smartwatch: Details
The Amazfit Active smartwatch sports a 1.75-inch HD AMOLED display enclosed within a stainless steel frame. The smartwatch comes with various modes for over 120 different types of exercises including Yoga. The watch comes with support for five satellite positioning systems that allows precise positioning to track outdoor workouts more effectively. The Amazfit Active smartwatch also comes with built-in Amazon Alexa support.
2 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 4:18 PM IST
Chinese smartphone brand iQOO on May 16 launched in India the iQOO Z9x. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen1, the smartphone boasts 6,000 mAh battery and 44W super-fast wireless charging. The iQOO Z9x smartphone is offered in Tornado Green and Storm Grey colours, and up to 8GB RAM and 128GB on-board configurations. Below are the details:
iQOO Z9x: Price and variants
4GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs 12,999
6GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs 14,499
8GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs 15,999
iQOO Z9x: Availability and introductory offers
The iQOO Z9x will be available from May 21 on iQOO e-store and e-commerce platform Amazon India. As for the introductory offers, customers can avail a discount of Rs 1,000 on ICICI Bank and SBI Bank credit/debit cards. Customers purchasing the 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB storage variants from Amazon India can get an additional discount of Rs 500 on top of the bank offer.
iQOO Z9x: Details
The iQOO Z9x sports a 6.72-inch LCD display of 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of peak brightness. The smartphone has dual-stereo speakers and a built-in 3.5mm audio jack for wired headphone and microphone connectivity.
The iQOO Z9x smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen1 chip, paired with up to 8GB RAM. iQOO said that the smartphone supports extended RAM, up to 8GB, for performance boost. As for gaming-centric features, the iQOO Z9x smartphone incorporates an “Ultra Game Mode”, which it said enhances gaming performance with software optimisation. The smartphone also comes with 4D Game vibration for an immersive gaming experience.
Imaging on the iQOO Z9x smartphone is covered by a 50-megapixel main camera, paired with a 2MP depth sensor. The 8GB RAM variant of the smartphone also gets a 4K recording option at 30 frames per second. At the front the smartphone sports an 8MP shooter.
The smartphone has a slim profile, measuring 7.99mm, backed by IP64 rating for water and dust resistance.
5 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 3:00 PM IST
China’s OPPO has been making camera-focused smartphones long before they became mainstream. However, its premium flagship smartphones with the best of technology and imaging capabilities are reserved for select global markets and India is not part of it. The trend continues with the Find X7 Ultra, OPPO’s premium camera-focused smartphone of 2024. While this device is not available in India, I had the opportunity to assess its qualities against industry rivals like Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and Vivo.
Since the unit I received from OPPO originated from China, the Find X7 Ultra lacked Google apps and services. Moreover, its interface predominantly featured Mandarin Chinese, a factor inhibiting a comprehensive evaluation of user experience, performance, and battery life. Hence, I focused solely on testing the design and camera capabilities.
OPPO Find X7 Ultra: Design
The OPPO Find X7 Ultra is tall, heavy, and bulky – a theme common across most premium flagships. Yet, the smartphone stands out with novel elements such as a dual-tone back panel, a bold circular camera island on the rear, and curved edges. Moreover, the fit-and-finish of the smartphone is top-notch and fits the bill for a premium smartphone.
Despite being heavy and bulky, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra offers a good in-hand experience, especially in portrait mode. This is because the smartphone’s dual-tone finish on the rear is complemented by a dual-material design – smooth glass on the top side engulfing the camera system and vegan leather on the lower bottom side. The vegan leather coating offers a good in-hand grip besides being a deterrent to fingerprints and other smudges.
The equation, however, changes in the landscape mode. The phone feels heavier on the left side due to a sizable rear camera module, which also protrudes profusely out of the body. Moreover, the camera bump hinders grip and collects dirt on the grooves that imitate the look of a dial of a luxury watch. The only silver lining here is the centre-aligned placement of the camera module, which makes the phone stay balanced on flat surfaces such as table tops.
The back panel and front glass slope inward from the sides, making the phone feel thinner than it is. Nevertheless, the metallic frame dons a glossy finish that adds to the premium quotient of the smartphone. While the frame features standard volume rocker keys and a power button on the right, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra features an alert slider button on the left side of the frame – akin to OnePlus premium smartphones. Rounding off the package is IP68 certification for resistance against water and dust.
OPPO Find X7 Ultra: Camera
The OPPO Find X7 Ultra is a camera-focused smartphone powered by a quad-camera system co-engineered together with Swedish imaging equipment maker Hasselblad. On paper, the phone has four 50-megapixel sensors of different focal lengths and tuning – ultra-wide, wide, 3x telephoto, and 6x periscope telephoto. It is not the only smartphone to feature such a setup, but it is among the few in the segment to make the experience easy and fun while delivering top-notch imaging quality.
Natural colour calibration, portraits, and two-level optical zoom capabilities are the imaging capabilities that the OPPO Find X7 Ultra has going for it. Naturally, not all camera sensors are equally equipped, but together they deliver a versatile experience. The main camera sensor, with optical image stabilisation, impresses with natural colours, dynamic range, and contrast. Importantly, it delivers consistent results irrespective of lighting conditions. The ultra-wide-angle sensor is as good, albeit with different colour tuning that looks somewhat washed out and not natural. This sensor supports auto-focus, enabling macro imaging for close-up shots.
Speaking of close-up shots, the 3x telephoto and 6x periscope telephoto are also capable of close-up shots. Essentially, the zoom lenses let you take macro shots of distant objects. These are not the only qualities of the 3x and 6x telephoto sensors, both are tuned for portrait photography and impress with outstanding results.
Portrait is where the Hasselblad partnership comes to the fore. Since the camera system offers imaging at different focal lengths, there is a portrait effect from Hasselblad to add zing. For example, the 2x portrait from the main sensor is tuned for half-body portraits, mimicking the bokeh effect of the Hasselblad XCD 65mm lens. Likewise, there is a bokeh effect similar to the Hasselblad XCD 80mm lens available at 3x zoom for enhanced focus on faces against a soft blurred background. Similar effects are also available at 1x and 6x settings, opening a plethora of options for one to explore and experiment with.
Hasselblad’s partnership with OPPO extends to image filters too. There are three filters – Serenity, Radiance, and Emerald – labelled as Master indicating tuning from Hasselblad.
Lastly, there is a Hasselblad Master Mode, which is an amped-up version of the Pro mode that most camera-focused smartphones come with to offer manual controls over key camera settings. On top of all the advanced controls, including manual ISO, shutter speed, EV, focus, and white balance, Master Mode unlocks saturation, contrast, sharpness, and vignette control when capturing JPEGs.
The integration of a Hasselblad Master Mode elevates the imaging experience, providing advanced manual controls over key settings. Support for various image formats, including RAW and RAW MAX, caters to diverse user preferences, balancing storage efficiency with detailed capture.
Remarks
The OPPO Find X7 Ultra impresses with its design finesse and formidable camera capabilities, setting a high standard in the competitive smartphone landscape. Its absence in India, however, goes unnoticed because there are as good camera-focused smartphones from competing brands such as Xiaomi and Vivo. The more the competition, the merrier it is for the consumers. On that note, it is time that OPPO step in and be part of India’s competitive premium smartphone market.
2 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 2:44 PM IST
OnePlus could launch the Nord 4 and Nord CE 4 Lite 5G smartphones in India soon. According to media reports, both the smartphones are expected to launch in June. The speculated launch date reports also stated that the Nord 4-series smartphone duo would bring improvements in performance with better processors compared to the predecessor models. Let us take a look at the expected specifications of the OnePlus Nord 4 and OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite:
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite: Expected specifications
Reportedly, the Nord CE 4 Lite was listed on India’s Bureau of Identification (BIS) certification site and Singapore’s IMDA website recently. Said to be the successor to the Nord CE 3 Lite, which was launched in April last year, the Nord CE 4 Lite is anticipated to feature 8GB RAM and up to 256GB on-board storage. The phone is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. It is expected to sport a 6.67-inch fullHD+ AMOLED display of 120Hz refresh rate. Other expected features include a 50-megapixel main camera on the rear dual-camera system, 5,000 mAh battery with support for 67W fast wired charging, and Android 14 operating system-based OxygenOS.
OnePlus Nord 4: Expected Specifications
The OnePlus Nord 4 is said to be based on the Ace 3V model, which it launched in China earlier this year. The smartphone is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. Like the Lite model, the Nord 4 is expected to feature a dual-camera system on the back with 50MP main sensor supported by optical image stabilisation. On the front, the phone is anticipated to feature a 16MP camera sensor.
2 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 1:57 PM IST
Apple recently rolled out iOS 17.5 update to support iPhone models. Now, deleted pictures from years ago are reportedly popping-back on iPhones for select users after the iOS 17.5 update. According to a report by The Verge, multiple iPhone users have reported that after updating their iPhones to the latest iOS version, deleted pictures have started to resurface on their device’s gallery. Some also reported that older pictures are being shown in the “Recents” album.
According to the report, a user on social media platform Reddit claimed that his pictures from 2016 are appearing in new images after the update to iOS 17.5. More reports started flocking the platform with some even stating that deleted pictures from “years ago” have popped-up on their devices. A user claimed that more than 300 deleted pictures have resurfaced on their iPad.
While some users argue that this could have happened because the pictures might have been uploaded to their iCloud storage, other affected users said that they have not synced their iPhone and are not using Apple’s cloud storage service.
The problem is not limited to pictures and videos. A user on X (formerly Twitter) posted that older voicemails that the user has already listened to have reappeared as new unheard voicemails on his iPhone Xr model after it was updated to iOS 17.5.
4 min read Last Updated : May 16 2024 | 1:50 PM IST
OpenAI on May 13 announced GPT-4o, its maiden artificial intelligence model with multimodal capabilities to reason across audio, visual and text. A day after, on May 14, Google kicked off its annual developers-centric conference (Google I/O) with announcements focused on AI integration with its platforms and services, including Android and Search. These two technology behemoths have set the bar high with AI-focused events, but all eyes are now on Apple, which has scheduled its annual worldwide developers conference (WWDC) for June 10.
Apple has been trailing in the AI space while the competition has made significant strides. OpenAI, for example, made its most advanced GPT-4o model free for all. It also announced a dedicated app for its AI chatbot ChatGPT for Apple’s macOS. While the ChatGPT app has been available on iPhones, the macOS app brings deeper integration into the desktop platform. With the macOS app, ChatGPT users will be able to take a screenshot of what’s on the display and share it directly with the chatbot for discussion. This gives OpenAI an early mover advantage in Apple’s ecosystem, especially due to the lack of a native alternative.
Apple’s exploration of the AI space, reportedly, began years ago. However, the company accelerated the development process only after the AI technology jumped onto the mainstream, fuelled by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Google’s Gemini.
Apple is playing a catch-up game with big technology rivals in the AI space, but it may change come June 10 when it is poised to lay out a strategy for AI at WWDC. A hint of it was made at Apple’s May 7 launch event where it debuted the iPad Pro and iPad Air, with the former featuring its next-generation M4 silicon with a new 16-core neural engine. The company said this new neural engine or Neural Processing Unit (NPU) makes the “M4 an outrageously powerful chip for AI.” This was the first instance where Apple mentioned “AI” in its event.
Earlier, at Apple’s quarterly earnings call on May 2, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook pointed out generative artificial intelligence as the company’s next frontier. He said Apple continues to make significant investments in generative AI and that the company will share “some very exciting things” soon.
These instances along with the fact that researchers at Apple have been continuously publishing papers on new generative AI tools suggest that Apple is poised to enter the AI space very soon. However, if it will be able to catch up with the competition is to be seen. For context, Bloomberg has reported that Apple has been in talks with Google and OpenAI to bring AI features to iOS 18 for iPhones. A recent report from Bloomberg stated that Apple has closed in on an agreement with OpenAI to use its AI technology on the iPhone. According to the report both the companies are finalising terms for a pact to use ChatGPT features in iOS 18, Apple’s next operating system for iPhone that is likely to be unveiled at the WWDC 2024.
OpenAI GPT4o: What’s new
OpenAI’s GPT-4o is said to be its most advanced AI model for understanding and interpreting texts, images and audio. The model is capable of taking any combination of multimodal inputs and produces output along the same lines. OpenAI said that the GPT-4o model can respond to audio inputs in 232 milliseconds, which it said is similar to a human’s response time during a conversation. The model also brings improvements in understanding images. For example, if a user shares an image of a food menu, the AI chatbot powered by the GPT-4o model can translate it, learn about the food’s history, and get recommendations based on it. The model also brings improvements to ChatGPT’s TalkBack features by reducing the latency in processing, allowing a more natural conversational experience.
Google Gemini: What’s new
Google’s Gemini AI model has been updated with new capabilities. Called Gemini 1.5 Pro, the new and improved version comes with a longer context window and added support for more languages. The improved Gemini AI also powers new features and tools across Google’s services such as Search, Photos, Workspace, Android, and more. For example, the Gemini-powered “Ask Photos” feature for Google Photos lets users search their entire library on Google Photos and follow up the results with even more complex prompts.
The Gemini Assistant for Android devices is set to get new capabilities too. Google said that its AI-powered digital assistant will soon be able to harness multimodality for understanding the video playing on the display and let users ask questions based on the video. It is also getting a new “Live” feature, which allows the Gemini to understand live videos in real-time.
