Samsung’s reputation for software updates has been excellent in recent years. One UI has received timely updates almost every year, with a comprehensive beta program leading up to the release of a stable version. One UI 7 hasn’t lived up to that, though, and as we wait for the first beta to launch.
The first One UI 7 beta is expected to arrive in the next week but it looks like it’ll be a lot less stable than we’d hoped, given how many times it’s been delayed.Leaker Ice Universe claims that this will be a pretty rough beta, with many animation-related bugs, including new ones that have been introduced in the latest internal test builds.
This is disappointing to hear if true, but it isn’t necessarily unexpected. One UI 7 is a complete overhaul of Samsung’s Android skin. The six major versions of One UI that have existed so far have felt similar, and while the design has been tweaked here and there, and fully updated in places, it’s still the same fundamental experience. One UI 7 is changing everything, though, with an overhauled animation system, a new notification and quick settings interface, app icons, and more.
While Ice Universe mentions Samsung has “fallen behind” in a lot of ways, software-wise, in recent years, he is optimistic about the Korean company’s ability to fix all of the problems in the near future. Stable or not, One UI 7 is going to be a big update and some of the rumored changes to the notification and quick settings panels are controversial.
Apple launched the new MacBook Pro with M4 chips at the end of last month, and it looks like these have a previously not spoken about upgrade.
The M4 MacBook Pro models feature quantum dot display technology, according to display analyst Ross Young. Apple used a quantum dot film instead of a red KSF phosphor film.
Young says that Apple has opted for KSF for prior MacBook Pro models because it doesn’t use toxic element cadmium (typical for quantum dot) and is more efficient (and thus less expensive). Way back in 2015, when Apple introduced support for P3 wide color on the iMac, Apple executives said that quantum dot technology had been considered for its LED displays, but rejected because of the cadmium requirement.
The QD film delivers better color gamut and better motion performance compared to the red KSF phosphor film, and is now cadmium-free too. It didn’t use to be, and that apparently is the reason why Apple has stuck with the KSF solution until now.
Apple didn’t highlight specific color improvements with the M4 MacBook Pro models, but max SDR brightness increased to 1,000 nits, up from 600 nits in the prior model.
This improvement applies to all new MacBook Pros, with or without nano texture. Keep in mind that the new laptops still have LCD screens, and this QD film won’t make them perform as well as QD-OLED displays do.
Gemini officially landed as a standalone app on Android back in February. Now, only a few days after a stray report about a dedicated Gemini app landing on iOS did the rounds, the Mountain View, California-based tech giant has officially confirmed its launch.
The new app allows iPhone users to interact with Google’s AI through text or voice queries and includes support for Gemini Extensions. A key feature is Gemini Live, which wasn’t available in the previous Google app implementation. When engaged in a conversation, Gemini Live appears in both the Dynamic Island and Lock Screen, letting you control your AI interactions without returning to the main app.You can continue talking to the AI assistant even with your iPhone locked.
The app also aids with learning by allowing users to ask questions on any topic, receive personalized study plans, and access custom, step-by-step guidance tailored to their learning style. Additionally, Gemini can assess knowledge with quizzes, including those based on complex diagrams.
Furthermore, the Gemini iPhone app seamlessly connects with other Google apps through Extensions. This integration enables Gemini to access and display relevant information from apps such as YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Calendar within a single conversation.
The app is free to download, and Google offers premium features through Gemini Advanced subscriptions available as in-app purchases. Gemini Advanced is part of a Google One AI premium plan costing $18.99 per month. Apart from Gemini in Mail, Docs, and more, it includes access to Google’s next-generation model, 1.5 Pro, priority access to new features, and a one million token context window. Users need to sign in with a Google account to access the service.
It’s worth noting that the app is only available for users running iOS 16 and above. Also worth noting is that even though the standalone app is rolling out worldwide, users would only be able to make use of Gemini Live in the following languages:
The Samsung Galaxy S25 has had a tentative early 2025 launch date for months now, but we might finally have an actual date to look forward to. The Korean site FN News (via Jukanlosreve) claims that Samsung will hold a Galaxy Unpacked event on January 23 next year in San Francisco.
At the first Unpacked event of the year, Samsung is expected to launch the next generation Galaxy S25 series, including the base Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus and the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra,every phone to run on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite processors.According to FNN, Samsung will also debut the much-rumored Galaxy S25 Slim.
Previous reports suggested that Samsung wouldn’t release the Slim until April. However, it’s suggested that the Slim might be more of an experiment by Samsung with a launch of limited qualities to see how people respond to the device.
FN News is not a site from which we typically see rumors; however, Jukanlosreve has proven reasonably accurate with leaks.
Take this news with some skepticism, though, as Samsung has not confirmed any dates for its Unpacked event yet.
What we expect to see
Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy S25 series would arrive in early 2025 during the Q3 earnings report while also discussing more foldable devices. That report says the S25 “plans to enhance the Galaxy AI experience to drive innovation in everyday life.”
At the same time, Samsung is expected to launch its Android 15-based One UI 7 alongside the S25 lineup. Samsung announced in October 2024 that “the new Galaxy” would launch with the UI upgrade. One UI 7 is expected to considerably overhaul Samsung’s Android skin. It sounds like Samsung is focusing on software upgrades over hardware ones.
Samsung is aiming to capitalize on the recent success of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy AI. The S24 remained on Counterpoint Research’s top 10 smartphone sell-through list even over the past three months — a rare feat, considering that’s when the new iPhones released — and several midrange Samsung models also claimed a spot on the list.
Honor announced the Honor Magic 7 and Magic 7 Pro in October in China, both powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. During the launch event, the company confirmed that it would unveil the more advanced Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design in December of this year in China. Today, tipster Digital Chat Station shared a post on Weibo revealing the major specifications of this device.
As per the leak, the Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design will feature a 6.8-inch LTPO display with a quad-curved design. The display will offer a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The front camera setup includes a 50-megapixel AON (Always-On) sensor and ToF 3D facial recognition.
The rear camera system boasts an OIS-enabled 50-megapixel OmniVision OV50K main sensor with a 1/1.3-inch variable aperture, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 200-megapixel 3x periscope telephoto lens with a 1/1.4-inch sensor and OIS support.
The device will operate on Magic OS 9, based on Android 15. It will support fast charging capabilities of 100W and 80W. While the leaker has not specified the battery capacity, it is anticipated that it will utilize the same 5,850mAh battery found in the Magic 7 Pro. Additional features of the Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design will include a single-point ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and an IP68/IP69 rating for water and dust resistance.
The CMIIT certification of the device (PTP-AN20 model number) has revealed that it will support dual satellite connectivity with TianTong (real-time voice calling) and BeiDou (two-way messaging) satellites. The company has already confirmed that the device will be available in two shades, Provence Purple and Agate Gray. It is speculated that the Porsche Design variant will be in two configurations, such as 24GB+512GB and 24GB+1TB.
Apple recently unveiled a new lineup of Macs, all powered by the next-generation M4 chips that deliver enhanced performance and efficiency. These models come equipped with either the M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max chips. While the M4 powers the base models, the M4 Pro and M4 Max provide additional horsepower and incorporate advanced technologies like Thunderbolt 5, a high-speed data transfer protocol co-developed by Intel and Apple.
This’ the first major bandwidth increase since Thunderbolt 3 debuted in 2015.
What is Thunderbolt 5?
Thunderbolt 5 represents a significant leap in data transfer capabilities, supporting speeds up to 80 Gbps and up to 120 Gbps with the Bandwidth Boost feature, making it up to thrice as fast as Thunderbolt 4, which peaks at 40 Gbps. This allows for connections to high-resolution (up to 8K) high-refresh-rate monitors using a single USB-C port, though a Thunderbolt 5-compliant data cable is necessary.
Introduced in September 2023, Thunderbolt 5 is now available in Apple’s latest Macs, making them among the first commercial devices to support this technology.
With Thunderbolt 5, a device like the Mac Mini M4 can achieve up to 80 Gbps of bi-directional data transfer, meaning it can send and receive data at that speed simultaneously. This feature is perfect for high-resolution displays and enables rapid transfer of large files, such as 4K and 8K video footage.
A single Thunderbolt 5 port can power up to three 4K monitors at 144Hz or two 8K monitors, while also supporting connectivity to a wide array of accessories like monitors, external GPUs, storage drives, and more through a single connection. However, Apple Silicon currently does not support external graphics, limiting this feature to Intel-powered Thunderbolt 5 PCs.
Thunderbolt 5’s USB-C compatibility
A major benefit of Thunderbolt 5 is that it utilizes a standard USB-C port. To maximize the potential of Thunderbolt 5, you’ll need a certified Thunderbolt 5 USB-C cable, which is priced slightly higher than a regular USB-C cable.
Thunderbolt 5 is also backwards-compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 v2, so you can continue using existing accessories, albeit at Thunderbolt 4 speeds of 40 Gbps.
Do I Need Thunderbolt 5?
For most users performing everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, or even photo editing, Thunderbolt 4’s 40 Gbps bandwidth remains more than adequate. Even 4K video editing and working with large file sizes works smoothly with Thunderbolt 4 connections, as many professionals will attest. The new Mac mini and base 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 chip includes Thunderbolt 4 ports that should serve most of these users.
It’s worth considering Thunderbolt 5 if you work with 8K video, require multiple high-resolution displays, or regularly transfer extremely large files. The technology will be particularly beneficial if you work with virtual reality, 3D rendering, or high-end video production where every bit of bandwidth matters. However, remember that taking full advantage of Thunderbolt 5 requires compatible peripherals, which are just beginning to enter the market and typically command premium prices.
For most users, the presence of Thunderbolt 5 shouldn’t be the deciding factor when choosing between M4 and M4 Pro/Max Macs. The standard M4 models with Thunderbolt 4 will continue to serve the majority of users well, making Thunderbolt 5 a “nice-to-have” rather than a necessity for typical Mac buyers. The technology’s true benefits will likely become more apparent as compatible peripherals become more available and affordable over time.
Apple has placed a lot of emphasis on health and fitness features in recent years, particularly visible in the Apple Watch . Now the company seems to want to take the next step by introducing similar health features to the world of headphones. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple could integrate health-related technologies into future AirPods models, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 may be a first indication of this. These headphones could not only set new standards in terms of sound and comfort, but could also be particularly interesting for sports and health.
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Heart rate monitoring during training
A key new feature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is heart rate monitoring. During your workout, you can use these headphones to continuously monitor your heart rate without having to wear additional devices, as MacRumors now reports based on iOS 18 code. The data is recorded directly and can be transferred to your iPhone. In the Health app and other supported fitness apps, you get a central overview of your health data, which allows you to track your training progress precisely. This heart rate monitoring should be of interest to a wide range of users – from competitive athletes who want to accurately measure their performance to people who simply want to track their health and fitness. The advantage here is that the Powerbeats Pro 2 sit firmly in the ear and thus offer a stable and reliable measurement that optimally complements your training.
Connection to fitness equipment and other features
Based on the iOS 18 code, it is clear that the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be connected to fitness equipment such as treadmills. This means that the headphones automatically exchange data with your fitness equipment during training, giving you a more precise measurement of your heart rate and other relevant training data. This integration into the Apple ecosystem makes it particularly easy to manage all your health data in one place. The connection to fitness equipment extends the functionality of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and can significantly improve your training experience. All data is seamlessly synchronized and stored so that you can access a detailed analysis in the Health app even after training. This is a significant step as it allows you to comprehensively record your training data and track it over the long term.
Potential for future AirPods models
There has been speculation for some time that the AirPods Pro 3 could also be equipped with heart rate monitoring. However, this function has not yet been implemented. However, the launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and its heart rate measurement could mark the start of the development of this technology in the AirPods. Analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo assume that the third generation of the AirPods Pro – expected to be on the market next year – could also have a health function such as heart rate monitoring integrated. This would be a big step, as the AirPods would then be more than just headphones; they would become a mobile health monitoring tool and could expand the entire user experience in Apple’s ecosystem.
Body temperature measurement for AirPods in the pipeline?
Another exciting rumor revolves around the possibility that future AirPods models could also offer body temperature measurement. Temperature measurement via the wrist was already introduced in the Apple Watch Series 8. The AirPods could theoretically also take on such a function, which would open up many new application possibilities, especially in the health and fitness sector. This would mean that the AirPods could not only improve your music enjoyment but also provide you with valuable health data.
Release and availability of the Powerbeats Pro 2
Apple has confirmed that the Powerbeats Pro 2 is expected to be launched in 2025. For users, this means that they will need a little patience before the new functions are available in the headphones. However, the delay suggests that Apple is working hard to optimize the technology and ensure that heart rate monitoring and device connection work seamlessly and reliably.
Apple sets new standards: headphones with health features
The Powerbeats Pro 2 have the potential to take the use of headphones to a new level by combining sound, comfort and health functions. They are an exciting choice, especially for fitness and health-conscious people, and could become the ideal companion for your workout thanks to heart rate monitoring and integration into the Apple ecosystem. It remains to be seen whether these functions will also find their way into the AirPods. But the development shows that Apple remains innovative and is increasingly oriented towards the needs of users in the health and fitness sector.
China’s Baidu Inc, opens new tab unveiled a slew of new applications for its artificial intelligence technology on Tuesday, including an enhanced text-to-image generation technology and a tool that enables users to develop software applications without coding expertise.
The country’s leading search engine company is among tech firms shifting their focus to the commercialization of large language model (LLM) applications after nearly two years of heavy investment in research and development in models that they tout as alternatives to OpenAI’s GPT.
At the annual Baidu World Conference, CEO Robin Li introduced I-RAG, a text-to-image technology that leverages Baidu’s search capabilities to address the “hallucination” issue, referring to the generation of images that deviate from the input text or contain non-existent elements.
These interactions include tasks such as generating text, answering questions, and assisting with various applications utilizing AI.The company integrate the technology into its existing product lineup and offering it to external users via its cloud services.
Baidu also unveiled a pair of glasses featuring a built-in AI assistant, developed by it hardware division, Xiaodu. The device will run on the company’s ERNIE generative AI technology and was designed to “become a private assistant”.Users will be able to interact with the device using their voice and ask it questions about what it sees in their current environment. They can also tell it to play music and even track their calories consumption. And since the glasses are equipped with cameras, they can ask it to snap photos or take videos.
The company is not aiming to create a “super app” based on AI, Li said, signalling a divergence in strategy from other companies such as ByteDance, which has launched multiple standalone AI apps this year.
Baidu also introduced Miaoda,the no-code platform, will allow users who don’t have coding knowledge to create app prototypes. The company says the platform will use Ernie’s LLM to generate code that can be easily modified and edited.
Android 15 now supports the Wi-Fi Ranging feature for precise indoor tracking and navigation of less than one meter (about forty inches), but that doesn’t mean you can use it today.
Also known as the IEEE 802.11az protocol, Wi-Fi Ranging has the potential to replace indoor GPS tracking, which uses satellites orbiting the Earth to pinpoint our location. But the problem with GPS tracking is that it doesn’t work reliably in places that obstruct the signal, like malls.
Android actually added support for Wi-Fi RTT with the release of Android 9 in 2018, and many mobile devices today have Wi-Fi chips that support the positioning technology. Google even created a demo app to showcase Wi-Fi RTT with FTM, though because there aren’t many AP deployments that support it, you’ll have trouble finding a place to actually try it out in.
While Wi-Fi RTT with FTM is already fairly accurate, the IEEE SA was able to improve upon it even further with the 802.11az standard, also known as Wi-Fi Ranging.
The IEEE SA published the 802.11az standard in March 2023, making it too late to support in 2023’s Android 14 release. However, Google was able to add hardware abstraction layer (HAL) support for the standard in the second quarterly platform release of Android 14. The HAL APIs for Wi-Fi Ranging can be implemented by devices running Android 15 or later, as mentioned by Google in its documentation for Wi-Fi RTT.
You might be wondering why you should care about Wi-Fi Ranging when UWB already exists and Bluetooth 6.0 with Channel Sounding is almost here. Wi-Fi-based positioning offers a superior link budget, has lots of available spectrum to meet growing demand, is compatible with previous generations of Wi-Fi, is scalable to a large number of clients, is adaptive to traffic conditions, is robust to multipath through MIMO, is secure, and is cost effective. Sure compared with UWB and Bluetooth 6’s Channel Sounding, the Wi-Fi Ranging feature is slightly less accurate. On the upside, it has a longer range than either UWB or Bluetooth 6.
Most Android phones don’t have hardware support for Wi-Fi Ranging just yet, but that’s set to change within a couple of years. Qualcomm’s new FastConnect 7900 connectivity chip supports Wi-Fi Ranging, for example, so any upcoming phones that use that chip will be ready. However, many Wi-Fi APs that support Wi-Fi 6 or later will need to receive a firmware update to support 802.11az, so even if your phone were to support it today, you’d need to wait to use it.
As part of the iOS 18.2 public beta, Apple just introduced a big upgrade to the Find My feature that lets you share an Air Tag location with others. The new feature, called Share Item Location, could let you share the location of lost luggage with an airline.
“Find My is an essential tool for users around the world to keep track of and find their belongings,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.”
Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature “in the coming months,” including Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling. More airlines will follow “over time.”
United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in “early 2025,” according to a quote the airline provided in Apple’s press release.
The feature will be integrated into each airline’s customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.
Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to “privately and securely” accept the “Share Item Location” links. Access to each link will be “limited to a small number of people,” and recipients will be required to “authenticate” to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item’s location will stop being shared “as soon as a user is reunited with their item,” or at any time that the item’s owner decides. An item’s shared location will automatically expire after seven days.
In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.
According to Apple’s announcement, for those who have iOS 18.2 beta access, Share Item Location is available “in most regions worldwide.” However, if you have an iPhone X or later, Apple says that the update will come out “soon.”
