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The first week of July 2024 has been very eventful for space, with some very important product launches, strategic partnerships, and breakthrough innovations. From artificial intelligence and consumer electronics to progress in the gaming and smartphone sectors, this week seems to have kick-started the proper month. Here are some in-depth looks at the most important going-ons in the tech world during this first week of July 2024.
Sony introduced a new range of its iconic Bravia, the Bravia 7 Mini LED series TVs, coming in display options of up to 75 inches. These TVs will be powered by Sony's Cognitive Processor XR technology, which will increase picture quality by mimicking human cognitive features. It results in deep blacks, bright highlights, and greater contrast. Further, the XR Triluminos Pro display technology requires the company to go a step further in improving precision in color reproduction and obtain more color.
Among the great features of the Bravia 7 series is the ability to upscale non-4K content close to 4K quality, ensuring that no matter the source of material, viewing will always be done in high definition. Google TV is integrated with these TVs, thereby bringing a seamless blend of user interfaces with regard to a wide range of streaming services. Including Dolby Vision as well as Dolby Atmos support just brings the gaming alive, and surely with a PS5 attached on there, it becomes irresistible to gamers.
In a massive development for gamers, Amazon and Microsoft are working in tandem to get Xbox Cloud Gaming to Fire TV devices. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (launched 2023) and Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) users will be able to stream popular video game titles including Starfield, the best in exclusive lineup Forza Horizon 5 and Fallout 4 with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, available at a starting price of Rs 549 per month in India.
This integration helps tap into one of the world's largest libraries of games via a console not required by gamers. The muscle of cloud gaming bestowed by this application is one that enables high-quality game experiences to find a place into the huge television sets of these gamers.
Possibly a real game-changer in the world of AI, Apple is reportedly in talks with Google for integrating Gemini-powered features within its ecosystem. This collaboration could potentially enhance the AI capabilities of iPhones, Macs, and iPads, shaping the users' experiences as more revolutionary with smarter, more intuitive features.
The pact is said to be announced before the iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia release, which will take place at the same time the new iPhone series is launched in September. The partnership could ideally raise Apple's competitive edge in the AI field by leveraging Google's existing most advanced AI technologies.
Looking ahead, Apple is reportedly developing new AirPods equipped with built-in infrared (IR) camera sensors. These sensors are designed to enhance the spatial audio experience and support hands-free gesture controls. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, these next-generation AirPods are expected to enter mass production by 2026, potentially setting a new standard for wireless earbuds.
Samsung Details Galaxy Ring Features in Health App
Samsung is about to announce its fitness tracking device called the Galaxy Ring, which was an early announcer of Mobile World Congress in 2024. The mentioned Galaxy Ring is rumored to come out with the coming July 10 Unpacked event that will be held in Paris, France. The new features related to the Galaxy Ring have been spotted in the latest Samsung Health app, promising a full suite of capabilities for tracking fitness.
July to see several launches, with Motorola, Nothing, and Xiaomi up in arms. The major highlight this month is going to be foldable devices being launched by Motorola and Samsung with AI functionalities. The budget segment will also see more 5G offerings with Nothing and Xiaomi, with more choices for the consumers.
Apple has also announced several new India-specific features arriving with iOS 18, including further communication tools, language input support, and breakthrough updates to the Move to iOS app. Apple has always believed in personalizing the experience for every user and is committed to making valuable technologies for its users in India. Among others, these features will roll out sometime later in the year.
Meta has now come up with new labeling for AI-edited content on all its platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. The "Made with AI" label will now read "AI info" and will be a clickable feature, offering more context about a feature to its users. This help with transparency on what the role of AI is in content creation.
ASUS is now taking its first laptop to the Microsoft Copilot+ PC platform for pre-booking. The laptop from ASUS boasts the power of the Qualcomm X Elite chip and offers AI functions using a mix of Microsoft Copilot and proprietary functions developed by the company. The laptop will go on sale in India on July 9.
OnePlus is working on bringing a new battery health feature to its devices that has an ability to Auto Turn the charging limit On whenever a device gets plugged in for a longer period. The new feature in a teaser of the second Android 15 beta update will be the most effective tool in battery capacity extension and maintaining good overall device performance.
Motorola confirmed on July 10 to launch the Moto G85 5G smartphone in India. The device will get a 3D curved pOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be sold on the Motorola India website, Flipkart, and select retail outlets.
Reportedly, Apple will fit the same A18 chip processor to all four models in its new iPhone 16 series: iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and Pro Max. This will break the iPhone 15 series of two different processors for the baseline and Pro, making a very good uniformity of the processor in all these iPhones. This assurance really ensures great consistency in performance.
Netflix begins laying out strategies to fully do away with its lowest ad-free subscription, including in the UK and Canada markets. Customers in these markets have already started receiving notifications prompting them to shift from the current plan if they need to continue viewing content from Netflix in the future. This is a move as Netflix ponders over new strategies of subscriptions optimization.
Nothing's sub-brand of Indian origin is launching the CMF Phone 1 today, the 8th day of July, in India. The company has opened the design of a smartphone and has confirmed the launch of Buds Pro 2 and Watch Pro 2 alongside the CMF Phone 1. The novel back cover design and the supported accessories have really spiked a great amount of interest in it compared with any other phone on launch ahead from any other phone ahead of its official launch.
OnePlus is announcing a "Summer Launch Event" on July 16 in Milan, Italy. Expected to be launched among events is the new Nord 4 5G smartphone, Pad Pro tablet, and new variants of the OnePlus Watch 2. This comes after the recent launch of the Ace 3 Pro smartphone and Pad Pro tablet in China.
Chinese smartphone maker OPPO will bring its flagship Reno 12 series to India on July 12. The OPPO Reno 12 series includes the Reno 12 and the Reno 12 Pro. These smartphones promise a plethora of features, including AI-powered enhancements and also come with OPPO's "all-round armour protection technology" that makes them resistant to drops and damages. It also gives a proud IP65 rating for dust and water resistance .
Semiconductor giant Samsung on July 17 upped the ante for the Galaxy M series with the launch of the Galaxy M35 5G smartphone. The device is expected to come with a sAMOLED display which supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, Exynos 1380, Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection, 50MP main camera with OIS, and a 6,000 mAh battery.
Meta is reporting that its social app, Threads, has hit an MAU (monthly active users) total of 175 million, and that adoption is led by India, the most active region. Launched last year as a potential rival to Twitter (now X), Threads has picked up impressive steam, and Meta has released some additional news and views about the community-building that it has been seeing on the platform to mark its first birthday.
Google is also working hard to inject AI into its mainstream products, a move that is giving it a huge environmental arm. In the recent environmental report, the company has increased its greenhouse gas emissions by 48% since 2019. This is due to the higher power consumption of data centers and also emissions from the supply chain, hence increasing the environmental footprints of evolving AI technologies.
This week, in the first week of July 2024, the tech sector has seen a storm of innovations: new product launches, important strategic partnerships, and advances mainly in AI and gaming. There has been another storm, too, in the promise the month holds for added thrill as further groundbreaking announcements and innovations are pending, with companies pushing the envelope for technologies.
