Google is expected to reveal the Pixel 8a next month during its annual I/O event, but smartphone enthusiasts are already looking forward to the debut of the Pixel 9 series this fall. The vanilla Pixel 9 appeared in a new set of CAD-based renders recently and a new leak shows that Google might have some big plans for its flagship smartphone series this year. The tech giant will reportedly add satellite connectivity to the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. The feature, similar to Apple’s Emergency SOS feature, is said to land on Pixel Fold 2 and a 5G-enabled Pixel Tablet as well.
Known tipster Kamila Wojciechowska, in an Android Authority report citing a Google insider, claimed that the Google Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 chipset will come with a new Samsung Modem 5400, which will be “faster and more power-efficient” than the Samsung 5300 modem paired with Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 SoC. The new modem will reportedly have an upgraded software stack to offer better stability. This would make the Pixel 9 series the first to support Android’s native satellite implementation in Android 15. This feature will be reportedly initially powered by T-Mobile in collaboration with SpaceX. Other providers could join later.
Google’s Pixel Fold 2 is also expected to run on the all-new Tensor G4 chipset, which will first debut on the Pixel 9 series. Additionally, the company is reportedly working on a 5G tablet, codenamed “clementine,” with the same chipset and modem. These two devices are thus anticipated to come with the new satellite connectivity. The satellite link will reportedly allow for texting. Additionally, a special “Satellite Gateway” app will allow for easy communications with emergency services via a feature called “Emergency SOS.”
Further, the report states that users will be asked basic questions to identify the emergency situation. Users are likely to get an option to notify their emergency contacts and message emergency services to get the help they need. Questions might also include predefined answers to choose from to make the process quicker.
Google is expected to announce the Pixel 9 series in October. The handset is expected to run on Android 15 and offer upgrades over last year’s Pixel 8 lineup.
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Vivo T3x 5G is set to launch in India on April 17 as a successor to the Vivo T2x 5G. The design and colour options of the handset have already been confirmed. The phone will offer dual rear cameras and will in two colourways. Recently, the company also revealed the processor that’ll be used on the smartphone. Vivo has also hinted at the price range in some of its promotional materials. Now, we’ve got some new information regarding the battery on the new Vivo T3x 5G..
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vivo India announced that the Vivo T3x 5G will be backed by a 6,000mAh battery. The teaser shared in the post claimed that the upcoming handset will be the “segment’s slimmest smartphone with 6,000mAh battery.” The fine print at the bottom of the teaser reveals that the phone will measure 0.799cm (7.99mm) in thickness and the segment is defined as “smartphones under Rs. 17,000 price range.”
Notably, the Flipkart microsite of the Vivo T3x 5G previously confirmed that the phone will be available in India under Rs. 15,000. The handset will likely be available in varying RAM and storage configurations priced between Rs. 14,000 and Rs. 17,000. The microsite also teases an 8GB + 128GB option for the handset.
The Vivo T3x 5G is confirmed to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC. It will feature a dual rear camera unit and be available in two colour options – Celestial Green and Crimson Red.
An earlier leak claimed that the Vivo T3x 5G will sport a 6.72-inch full-HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has been tipped to be available 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB RAM variants alongside onboard storage of 128GB. The phone is expected to support 44W wired flash charging.
For optics, the Vivo T3x 5G is expected to include a 50-megapixel primary rear sensor alongside a 2-megapixel depth shooter and an LED flash unit. It is tipped to get an 8-megapixel sensor on the front. The handset is said to be equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and may arrive with an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance. It has been tipped to weigh 199g.
Is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro the best smartphone you can buy under Rs. 40,000 in India? We discuss the company’s recently launched handset and what it has to offer on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Are you struggling to organize your emails with what’s important and what’s not? Worry no more because Google is working on a new Gmail feature which will declutter your email space. In most cases, our email is filled with spam emails or newsletters. However, deleting or unsubscribing emails one by one is not an easy task and it takes a huge amount of time. Therefore, Gmail will give full control to users over what they want to see in their inbox as a top priority. Google is developing the “Manage Subscriptions” feature which will enable users to organize their emails. Know more about the upcoming feature.
Gmail manage subscriptions feature
According to a PiunikaWeb report, A new version of Gmail was spotted with a new manage subscriptions feature. This feature is expected to come as a new tab on the Gmail sidebar, which may categorise user’s subscribed emails based on certain criteria. This feature is expected to automatically organize email space through which users can examine which email requires urgent attention. This feature will likely spot spammers and promotional emails and categorise them accordingly. Additionally, the feature may also provide an “unsubscribe” button alongside the sender’s name and logo allowing users to take quick action against unwanted emails.
Currently, the Gmail manage subscriptions feature is reported to be under development. The feature was also spotted back in January by AssembleDebug. However, it was unsure of how it would perform. Now, a Reddit user also came across a pop-up announcement with the new manage subscriptions feature showcasing on the sidebar, but upon clicking on the “Try it now” button it went into never-ending loading mode.
This new manage subscriptions feature on Gmial looks promising as it will streamline the email organization and provide users with quick action buttons to avoid unwanted emails. This way users will face problems when looking for important emails which require their urgent attention. As of now, it is not sure when the new Gmail feature will be officially rolled out, but it’s certain that Google has been working on new ways to provide users with the necessary features.
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WhatsApp is reportedly gearing up to introduce a new feature allowing users to seamlessly share their status updates on Instagram. According to an online report from WABteaInfo, owned by Meta, the optional feature is currently in development. The aim is to streamline media sharing by enabling users to cross-post their WhatsApp status updates directly to their Instagram Stories.
What is the new WhatsApp feature?
The feature, still in its developmental phase, is expected to enhance the sharing functionality of WhatsApp, integrating it with Instagram. Users will have the choice to activate this cross-posting option once it becomes available in a forthcoming update. Initially, the feature will be inactive, requiring users to opt-in.
Crucially, users will retain control over the visibility of their Instagram-shared content through their Instagram story audience settings. They can also opt out of the feature at any time post activation.
The implementation of this feature is seen as a move to simplify the process of updating status across multiple platforms. Rather than crafting and posting separate updates on WhatsApp and Instagram, users will have the convenience of accomplishing this task in a single step.
WhatsApp makes new ‘record’
In related news, WhatsApp recently made headlines in India for its stringent measures against account misuse. In February, the messaging platform disclosed a record-breaking number of account bans. A total of 7.6 million WhatsApp accounts in India were subject to bans, with 1.4 million accounts being ‘proactively banned’. These actions were taken in line with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to address platform misuse and ensure compliance.
Adobe is reportedly in the process of developing an AI-powered text-to-video generation model, with plans to enhance its capabilities through the acquisition of video content from photographers and artists. The company intends to utilise this content, along with its existing library of stock images and videos, to train its AI model effectively. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, Adobe is offering an average compensation of $2.62 (approximately Rs. 220) per minute of submitted video content.
What is Adobe planning?
Adobe has reached out to its network of photographers and artists, proposing payments of up to $120 (around Rs. 10,000) for the submission of videos. These videos are requested to feature individuals engaging in everyday activities and expressing a range of emotions, including joy and anger. It appears that Adobe aims to utilise this data to train its AI model to recognize and replicate human expressions and natural movements.
Furthermore, Adobe has requested specific types of video content, such as short clips depicting people expressing emotions and shots focusing on various aspects of human anatomy, such as hands, feet, and eyes. Additionally, the company has sought videos showing individuals interacting with objects like smartphones and gym equipment.
Documents obtained by Bloomberg emphasize the importance of adhering to guidelines regarding copyrighted material, nudity, and offensive content when submitting videos. While the average compensation offered is $2.62 per minute, some contributors may receive up to $7.25 (approximately Rs. 600) for their submitted content.
The rise of AI models
This development sheds light on the growing trend of companies investing in data procurement to train AI models, as publicly available data sources become increasingly exhausted. While some companies opt for ethical data acquisition methods, others have faced criticism for allegedly using copyrighted material sourced from social media platforms. For instance, a recent report claimed that OpenAI utilised over a million hours of transcribed data from YouTube videos to train its GPT-4 model.
A potential update to the Google Photos app for Android may offer a solution to a longstanding concern among users regarding storage space. Presently, users can opt to store images in either original quality or in a compressed ‘storage saver’ format, which creates more space. However, this choice only applies to newly added files.
New Google Photos feature
Reportedly, the upcoming version 6.78 of Google Photos includes a hidden feature called ‘Recover storage,’ as revealed by PiunikaWeb and tipster AssembleDebug. This feature, once manually enabled, presents a new option allowing users to compress existing photos and videos stored in the app’s cloud storage. This represents a significant development, as previously, such compression could only be performed via the web version of Google Photos.
Screenshots of the feature depict it within the Manage storage menu, categorised under the ‘Recover storage’ header. The option appears as ‘Convert photos to Storage saver,’ accompanied by a brief description explaining its purpose: to free up storage by switching existing original quality files to the storage saver format. Additionally, the app clarifies that compressing files within Google Photos will not impact items stored or added elsewhere in Google’s ecosystem, such as Gmail or Drive. However, users are cautioned that this compression process is irreversible and may take several days, depending on the quantity and size of files.
How will Google implement the new feature?
Although the feature is currently unavailable to users, if it is implemented in future updates, users would likely access it through the Photos Settings > Backup > Manage storage > Convert photos to Storage saver pathway. While the feature was discovered in the Android version of Google Photos, it’s conceivable that it could also be incorporated into the iOS app.
Overall, this potential update promises to address a common concern among Google Photos users by providing a means to reclaim storage space through the compression of existing files, potentially streamlining the user experience.
Visible Wireless Plus plan was already one of the best cheap cell phone plans money could buy, but it’s even better value now thanks to a host of excellent new features.
The Visible Plus plan still costs $45/mo, but it now includes more generous mobile hotspot speeds, a free additional line for a smartwatch, and one free global pass per month. All the main selling points from before are still here, too – namely, the 50GB of premium data allowance on parent company Verizon’s 5G Ultraband network.
Combined, you’re getting post-paid perks for a prepaid price with the Visible Plus plan right now. Even though it’s not the cheapest unlimited data plan on the market right now, it’s certainly one of the most feature-laden for the price and a good choice for a heavy user who wants to save a bit of cash. By comparison, the Verizon Welcome Unlimited plan offers similar perks right now but clocks in at a hefty $65 per month for a single line – and you’ll also need to sign up for a contract, unlike at Visible.
Visible Plus new features
How does Visible shape up against the competition?
Pretty well right now – mostly because the Visible offers two very strong unlimited data plans for an excellent price. For example, if the Visible Plus plan is out of your price range, you can go for the standard Visible plan at $25 per month. The standard plan still includes completely unlimited data and free mobile hot-spotting, although you’ll get slower speeds in general.
There are other options right now, however. Mint Mobile is currently one of the most popular prepaid plans on the market and features a great unlimited data plan on the wider T-Mobile network for $30 per month. You have to pay for a whole year of service upfront to get the cheapest rates at Mint, but it’s a fantastic choice if you get the best local coverage at T-Mobile (Visible uses the Verizon network).
Another good option you could consider is US Mobile. This carrier has recently launched three tiers of unlimited prepaid plans, the cheapest of which starts at an almost unbelievable $15/mo. The cheap ‘Unlimited Flex’ plan is extremely stripped-down for features, but the ‘Unlimited Premium’ plan, which is $37.50/mo, is roughly equivalent to the Visible Plus plan. You do, however, need to pay for a full year of service upfront to get the lowest price – much like at Mint Mobile.
All being well, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 should be with us at some point during July – and if there were any doubts that Samsung‘s next flagship wearable is indeed coming soon, a new leak may have dismissed them for good.
As spotted by SamMobile, a Samsung wearable with the product code SM-L305U has just appeared on the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) database, as all Bluetooth-capable gadgets must do before they’re released to the public.
That code is thought to refer to the US version of the 40mm Galaxy Watch 7 with LTE. This doesn’t tell us very much about the watch, besides Bluetooth 5.3 LE support (as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 had), it does indicate a launch is imminent.
We certainly haven’t been short of Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 rumors to date. The thinking is that we might get three models this year, for the first time: the Galaxy Watch 7, the Galaxy Watch 7 Classic, and possibly a cheaper model as well.
A significant chipset upgrade has been rumored for this year too, as well as a squarer design – a bit like the Apple Watch, then. There’s also been talk that sleep apnea detection will be added to the Galaxy Watch 7.
Other leaks point to improvements in battery life – always welcome when it comes to wearables of course – and so it looks like there are going to be plenty of reasons to choose these smartwatches over, say, Samsung’s new smart ring.
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After a handful of rumors and speculation suggested Meta was working on a pair of AR glasses, it unceremoniously confirmed that Meta AR glasses are on the way – doing so via a short section at the end of a blog post celebrating the 10th anniversary of Reality Labs (the division behind its AR/VR tech).
While not much is known about them, the glasses were described as a product merging Meta’s XR hardware with its developing Meta AI software to “deliver the best of both worlds” in a sleek wearable package.
We’ve collected all the leaks, rumors, and some of our informed speculation in this one place so you can get up to speed on everything you need to know about the teased Meta AR glasses. Let’s get into it.
Meta AR glasses: Price
We’ll keep this section brief as right now it’s hard to predict how much a pair of Meta AR glasses might cost because we know so little about them – and no leakers have given a ballpark estimate either.
Current smart glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, or the Xreal Air 2 AR smart glasses will set you back between $300 to $500 / £300 to £500 / AU$450 to AU$800; Meta’s teased specs, however, sound more advanced than what we have currently.
Meta’s glasses could cost as much as Google Glass (Image credit: Future)
As such, the Meta AR glasses might cost nearer $1,500 (around £1,200 / AU$2300) – which is what the Google Glass smart glasses launched at.
A higher price seems more likely given the AR glasses novelty, and the fact Meta would need to create small yet powerful hardware to cram into them – a combo that typically leads to higher prices.
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We’ll have to wait and see what gets leaked and officially revealed in the future.
Meta AR glasses: Release date
Unlike price, several leaks have pointed to when we might get our hands – or I suppose eyeballs – on Meta’s AR glasses. Unfortunately, we might be waiting until 2027.
That’s according to a leaked Meta internal roadmap shared by The Verge back in March 2023. The document explained that a precursor pair of specs with a display will apparently arrive in 2025, with ‘proper’ AR smart glasses due in 2027.
(Image credit: Meta)
In February 2024 Business Insider cited unnamed sources who said a pair of true AR glasses could be shown off at this year’s Meta Connect conference. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll launch sooner than 2027. While Connect does highlight soon-to-release Meta tech, the company takes the opportunity to show off stuff coming further down the pipeline too. So, its demo of Project Orion (as those who claim to be in the know call it) could be one of those ‘you’ll get this when it’s ready’ kind of teasers.
Obviously, leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt. Meta could have brought the release of its specs forward, or pushed it back depending on a multitude of technological factors – we won’t know until Meta officially announces more details. Considering it has teased the specs suggests their release is at least a matter of when not if.
Meta AR glasses: Specs and features
We haven’t heard anything about the hardware you’ll find in Meta’s AR glasses, but we have a few ideas of what we’ll probably see from them based on Meta’s existing tech and partnerships.
Meta and LG recently confirmed that they’ll be partnering to bring OLED panels to Meta’s headsets, and we expect they’ll bring OLED screens to its AR glasses too. OLED displays appear in other AR smart glasses so it would make sense if Meta followed suit.
Additionally, we anticipate that Meta’s AR glasses will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset just like Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. Currently, that’s the AR1 Gen 1, though considering Meta’s AR specs aren’t due until 2027 it seems more likely they’d be powered by a next-gen chipset – either an AR2 Gen 1 or an AR1 Gen 2.
The AR glasses could let you bust ghost wherever you go (Image credit: Meta)
As for features, Meta’s already teased the two standouts: AR and AI abilities.
What this means in actual terms is yet to be seen but imagine virtual activities like being able to set up an AR Beat Saber jam wherever you go, an interactive HUD when you’re navigating from one place to another, or interactive elements that you and other users can see and manipulate together – either for work or play.
AI-wise, Meta is giving us a sneak peek of what’s coming via its current smart glasses. That is you can speak to its Meta AI to ask it a variety of questions and for advice just as you can other generative AI but in a more conversational way as you use your voice.
It also has a unique ability, Look and Ask, which is like a combination of ChatGPT and Google Lens. This allows the specs to snap a picture of what’s in front of you to inform your question, allowing you to ask it to translate a sign you can see, for a recipe using ingredients in your fridge, or what the name of a plant is so you can find out how best to care for it.
The AI features are currently in beta but are set to launch properly soon. And while they seem a little imperfect right now, we’ll likely only see them get better in the coming years – meaning we could see something very impressive by 2027 when the AR specs are expected to arrive.
Meta AR glasses: What we want to see
A slick Ray-Ban-like design
The design of the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses is great (Image credit: Meta)
While Meta’s smart specs aren’t amazing in every way – more on that down below – they are practically perfect in the design department. The classic Ray-Ban shape is sleek, they’re lightweight, super comfy to wear all day, and the charging case is not only practical, it’s gorgeous.
While it’s likely Ray-Ban and Meta will continue their partnership to develop future smart glasses – and by extension the teased AR glasses – there’s no guarantee. But if Meta’s reading this, we really hope that you keep working with Ray-Ban so that your future glasses have the same high-quality look and feel that we’ve come to adore.
If the partnership does end, we’d like Meta to at least take cues from what Ray-Ban has taught it to keep the design game on point.
Swappable lenses
We want to change our lenses Meta! (Image credit: Meta)
While we will rave about Meta’s smart glasses design we’ll admit there’s one flaw that we hope future models (like the AR glasses) improve on; they need easily swappable lenses.
While a handsome pair of shades will be faultless for your summer vacations, they won’t serve you well in dark and dreary winters. If we could easily change our Meta glasses from sunglasses to clear lenses as needed then we’d wear them a lot more frequently – as it stands, they’re left gathering dust most months because it just isn’t the right weather.
As the glasses get smarter, more useful, and pricier (as we expect will be the case with the AR glasses) they need to be a gadget we can wear all year round, not just when the sun’s out.
Speakers you can (quietly) rave too
These open ear headphones are amazing, Meta take notes (Image credit: Future)
Hardware-wise the main upgrade we want to see in Meta’s AR glasses is better speakers. Currently, the speakers housed in each arm of the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are pretty darn disappointing – they can leak a fair amount of noise, the bass is practically nonexistent and the overall sonic performance is put to shame by even basic over-the-ears headphones.
We know open-ear designs can be a struggle to get the balance right with. But when we’ve been spoiled by open-ear options like the JBL SoundGear Sense – that have an astounding ability to deliver great sound and let you hear the real world clearly (we often forget we’re wearing them) – we’ve come to expect a lot and are disappointed when gadgets don’t deliver.
The camera could also get some improvements, but we expect the AR glasses won’t be as content creation-focused as Meta’s existing smart glasses – so we’re less concerned about this aspect getting an upgrade compared to their audio capabilities.
