Remember that feature that Apple boasted about with the iPhone 14 Pro, satellite connectivity? Well, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 will follow suit and will offer the same feature. Speaking of Samsung, they’ve taken brought back a legend- well, atleast in design and thought— the Z Flip 5 will now be available in a Retro Edition, inspired by the SGH-E700 from 2003. Apart from that, there are new features coming to Instagram as well as Android Auto and more tech news, all of which we dive deeper into in this edition of Today in Tech.
OnePlus 12 benchmarks leaked ahead of imminent launch
The OnePlus 12 is likely coming in December, and ahead of that, benchmarks have been leaked. It has been confirmed that the smartphone will feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, and a recent leak on the AnTuTu benchmarking site revealed it achieved a score of 2,110,808 points. The GPU scored 9,14,151 points.
The OnePlus 12 will sport a DisplayMate A+ rated X1 “Oriental Screen” with 2K resolution and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. It will run on Android 14-based OxygenOS 14 and is anticipated to come with a 5,400mAh battery supporting 100W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging. For cameras, the OnePlus 12 may house a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 48-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide telephoto lens, and a 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64B sensor with 3x optical zoom and hybrid zoom camera.
Samsung Galaxy S24 likely to boast satellite connectivity features
Samsung will bring satellite connectivity for emergency services to its upcoming Galaxy S24 flagship phones early next year, according to the CEO of Samsung’s System LSI division, Park Yong.
Samsung previously developed two-way satellite connectivity technology for smartphones, likely to be incorporated into the Galaxy S24 series. It remains uncertain if this feature will be exclusive to the Galaxy S24 Ultra or available across the entire S24 range. Apple introduced a similar feature in its iPhone 14 series in 2022, which continues with the iPhone 15.
Instagram’s new feature lets friends to add photos to your posts
Instagram is testing a collaborative feature that lets friends contribute photos to your posts. Users can enable this option before posting a carousel, allowing followers to submit their photos and videos for approval. The feature includes an “add to post” button in the bottom-left corner.
Additionally, Instagram is experimenting with profile picture updates, allowing users to replace static photos with short looping videos in Notes. Users can add text alongside these videos. The process involves tapping a camera icon on the profile picture to record a video. Instagram seeks feedback on these features as they continue testing.
Android Auto gets all new beta update
Android Auto 10.8 is out for beta testers, primarily aimed at those who understand beta releases. Google has not provided a changelog, as it’s common now not to include release notes unless there’s a major change. Recent Android Auto updates focused on minor tweaks, and version 10.8 is expected to follow this pattern.
Google is also working on significant improvements. A disconnect button will soon appear in the notification center, making it easier to stop wireless connections. There’s a potential new feature allowing users to set the same background for their car as their mobile device, but it’s in early development. Android Auto 10.8 should be out in early November.
iPhone owners keep devices longer than Android smartphone users: Report
A report has revealed that Apple iPhone users tend to keep their devices for longer than Android smartphone users. In the US, 61% of iPhone buyers retained their previous iPhone for at least two years, in contrast to 43% of Android owners. Furthermore, a higher percentage of iPhone users (29%) held onto their previous device for three years or more, compared to Android users (21%).
Conversely, a lower number of iPhone owners (10%) kept their previous iPhone for a year or less, while nearly a quarter of Android owners did. The report suggests that while Android phones are generally less expensive, frequent releases from multiple brands create more upgrade opportunities, whereas iPhone users may find their devices more durable or satisfactory for a longer period.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 now available in Retro Edition, inspired by the SGH-E700
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition, drawing inspiration from its 2003 SGH-E700, the company’s first handset with a built-in antenna. This unique foldable phone features a matte-finish frame and a blue color panel. It’s packaged with various accessories, including Flipsuit cards and cases. Despite its retro design, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition shares the same specifications as the standard Galaxy Z Flip 5 released in July.
It will be available in limited quantities on Samsung’s official website in Australia, Korea, the UK, Germany, and Spain starting November 1, and in France from November 2, with pricing details yet to be revealed. There are also neat easter eggs for keen-eyed users- it comes with a unique design interpretation, as well as a funky animation to go with.
New update to ChatGPT Plus allows subscribers to upload & analyse files
OpenAI has introduced new features for ChatGPT Plus members in its latest beta, streamlining the user experience. Users no longer need to manually select modes like “Browse with Bing” as the chatbot can now autonomously determine when to utilize them. This full-model GPT version can engage in conversations about PDFs, data files, and various document types, expanding beyond text-only interactions.
ChatGPT Plus, available for $20 per month, offers enhanced benefits, including faster response times and priority access to new features. Additionally, OpenAI has officially launched “Browse with Bing” for generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, available to all Plus and Enterprise subscribers. They have also integrated DALL-E 3, enabling responses with images.
Primebook 4G Android laptop launched for students in India
Primebook, an Android laptop brand featured on Shark Tank, has launched the Primebook 4G in India to cater to students. Priced at just Rs 12,990, this portable and slim laptop offers affordability and features a 11.6-inch HD IPS display, 64GB storage, 4GB RAM, and a 2GHz processor. It boasts long battery life, providing up to 8 hours of learning, and grants access to a wide array of Android apps for productivity and entertainment.
Primebook’s user-friendly PrimeOS, optimized for e-learning, enhances the learning experience, and the device is equipped with a MediaTek MT8788 chip for seamless multitasking.
