Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Tech wrap Jul 08: Nothing CMF Phone 1, Apple Watch 10 Series, Nord 4, more

Must read


Nothing, a British consumer technology brand, has launched its maiden smartphone in India under its CMF sub-brand, the CMF Phone 1. The smartphone is accompanied by the CMF Buds Pro 2 wireless earbuds and CMF Watch Pro 2 smartwatch. Nothing said that the CMF Phone 1 offers hardware personalisation with accessories such as interchangeable back panel cases that are offered in different colours and textures. Nothing is also offering accessories that can be attached directly to the smartphone using the rotatable dial and screws on the device. It should be noted that the accessories for both the smartphone and the smartwatch are sold separately by the brand.


Google’s email client Gmail is getting a suite of artificial intelligence features. “Summarize this email” is the new one being introduced for the Gmail app on Android and iOS. As of now the feature is available only to paid users. The feature, reportedly, summarises long conversations and presents recap and highlights to the users to save time. The announcement regarding launch of this feature was made through a Google workspace updates post. Summarize for Android and iOS is rolling out widely and will be fully available in upcoming weeks.


After announcing its “Summer Launch” event for July 16, China’s OnePlus has confirmed the devices it will unveil globally at the event. OnePlus president Kinder Liu has posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the company will introduce the Nord 4 smartphone, the Pad 2 tablet, the Watch 2r smartwatch, and Nord Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds. While the tablet and the smartwatch are expected to be the rebranded version Pad Pro and eSIM-based Watch 2, respectively, the Nord 4 and Buds 3 Pro are anticipated to be fresh offerings. For context, the Pad Pro and eSIM-based Watch 2 version were recently launched by the company in its home country.


YouTube has released an updated version of the eraser tool with which creators can remove copyrighted music from their videos without affecting other audio elements such as the dialog or sound effects. When a video faces a copyright issue then there are restrictions on whether it can be viewed or monetised. Previously users could mute all the audio in the copyrighted segment or remove the copyright segment completely. With the new feature, users can remove just the portion affected by the copyright without having to take down the video.


HTech has confirmed the India launch of Honor 200 series smartphones for July 18. The series will comprise of two models – the Honor 200 and Honor 200 Pro. Both the upcoming smartphones will be based on Android 14-based MagicOS 8.0 user interface, which the company said will be loaded with several AI features.


WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new feature that will allow users to send images to Meta AI for questions or edits using prompts. According to WhatsApp update tracker WABetaInfo, this feature was identified in the WhatsApp beta version 2.24.14.20 for Android. With this feature, Meta AI will respond after users upload images and can also edit them if requested.


Apple is reportedly set to roll out an artificial intelligence-powered Siri virtual assistant on iPhones in the spring of next year. According to a Bloomberg report, the AI-powered Siri, featuring new capabilities, will enter beta testing in January with a public rollout scheduled for the spring, likely as part of the iOS 18.4 system update. However, the new interface for the virtual assistant, along with OpenAI’s ChatGPT integration, is expected to be released by the end of 2024.


Apple Watch Series 10 is reportedly set to feature a larger display and a sleek design. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple plans to introduce significant changes to the standard Apple Watch in the next generation series to commemorate its tenth anniversary. The next-generation Apple Watch could sport a display size similar to the Apple Watch Ultra models. Additionally, Apple might brand the next Watch series as an anniversary model, similar to how the company rebranded the 2017 iPhone model as iPhone “X”.

First Published: Jul 08 2024 | 8:03 PM IST

Latest article