Software

Baseus might be best known for its Blade power banks - however, it has now announced that it now even supports electric vehicles (EVs) thanks to the latest upgrades in its accessory portfolio. The Nebula Series Green GaN EV Charger is to be joined by new peripherals such as the Eli Sport 1 Series Earbuds in the OEM's IFA 2023 showcase.

Tecno seeks to demonstrate that rollable smartphones are now closer to becoming a thing with the new Phantom Ultimate. The new prototype is capable of expanding its ~6.5-inch display into one of over 7 inches in diagonal length with "industry-leading unrolling speed" thanks to a range of engineering breakthroughs. It also supports more familiar, potentially welcome, specs such as a 1–120Hz refresh rate and an always-on display (AOD) mode.

Thanks to the latest firmware update, the extended LE Audio capabilities now available deliver improved audio recording on smartphones, as well as "rich and complex audio transmission" via Bluetooth to Auracast broadcast technology-capable Samsung TVs. Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Book3 Pro, Book3 Pro 360, and Book3 360 will also receive audio improvements.

Introduced as "a personalized, AI-powered food and recipe platform," Samsung Food has just landed in no less than 104 countries. It works with any smartphone platform and all Bespoke Family Hub refrigerators (WiFi plus a Samsung account are also needed) and supports English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Korean.

Nothing OS 2.0.2a is now available to freely download on the Nothing Phone (2). According to Nothing's changelog, it has included dozens of changes from Nothing OS 2.0.2, even though it is less than a 60 MB file size.

Huawei has now added a vanilla model to its new Mate 60 series of flagship smartphones in China. It boasts the same XMAGE rear cameras, two-way satellite messaging support and new metal-chassis design as its Pro sibling, albeit with a smaller 120Hz LTPO OLED display. It also has the smaller battery of the two, although the plain 60 retains the same wireless charging specs.

Nothing has finalised Nothing OS 2.0 for the Phone (1), its first-generation smartphone. While Nothing OS 2.0 remains an Android 13-derived OS, Nothing has packed the update full of changes from Nothing OS 1.x builds.

Huawei has foregone hype in favor of stealth in opening pre-orders for the Mate 60 Pro in China. The new flagship smartphone packs surprises besides its sudden appearance, the resurrection of the metal unibody chassis and a novel triple punch-hole for its FHD+ 120Hz OLED display included. It also features triple rear XMAGE cameras with a 50MP OIS-enabled variable-aperture main shooter.

Garmin has released Beta Version 16.17 for the Forerunner 255, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 965, all with the same changes. Beta Version 16.17 is also a Release Candidate build, meaning that Garmin is working towards issuing new stable builds for the four smartwatches.

Realme has now made the vanilla iteration of its latest Buds Air series official. The TWS earbuds have their Pro siblings' "industry-leading" active noise cancellation as a marquee feature. They also boast large drivers for "Dynamic Bass Boost" audio over Bluetooth 5.3 - however, on closer inspection, the new Buds Air 5 lack the most premium features of the Pro models.

AMD's Frank Azor confirmed that they are not holding back Bethesda from including support for DLSS in Starfield if they wish to. While all GPUs from the Radeon RX 590 and GeForce RTX 10 Series onwards can leverage AMD's upcoming FSR 3 tech, frame generation via Fluid Motion Frames will require RDNA 1 or a Turing card at the minimum.

The Realme GT5 is now official as the cheapest 24GB RAM/240W fast-charging smartphone on the Chinese market. The new flagship's top-end SKU also boasts an Android 13-based UI and "9-layer" cooling with a large vapor chamber for its premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 7-capable SoC. The GT5 also rocks a "Pro-XDR" 144Hz 1.5K OLED display and a Pixel-baiting camera hump with a 50MP main shooter.

The GT5 is touted as Realme's return to the upper echelons of the performance smartphone arena in 2023. Now, it seems it might indeed have a good chance of competing with its top-end specs, which include the new definition of maxed-out RAM. It might still run Android 13 out of the box, though.

LG US has just augmented its UltraGear series of gaming monitors with new variants, two of which have 27-inch screens and one of which is 32 inches. Of those, the 27GR83Q-B has a 240Hz refresh rate, whereas the 27GR93Q-B and 32GR83Q-B are 144Hz. Nevertheless, all three are touted as "battlefield centerpieces" with AMD FreeSync Premium, 1ms latencies and offers of 30% off their RRPs with free fast shipping for a limited time.

AGM has unveiled its latest mobile phone as the M8 Flip, a device that, unlike most of the OEM's devices with its 'threefold' rugged attributes, is capable of folding along a hinge. It has the edge on the average traditional clamshells with what might be the loudest speaker of its class, integrated into a round cover display.

Garmin has started rolling out Beta Version 15.12 for the Venu 2 and Venu 2S, as well as the Venu 2 Plus. Beta Version 15.12 introduces several bug fixes to all smartwatches, plus a new battery life preservation feature.

Nikon has just released firmware updates for the Z8 and Z9, its two premium full-frame mirrorless cameras. While the Z9 has received minor bug fixes, the Z8 has received a number of changes addressing users' issues with overheating warnings and unexpected battery drain, among other fixes.

Garmin is currently preparing to launch the Venu 3, a new smartwatch that appears set to arrive later this year. Based on new findings, the Garmin Venu 3 will feature a skin temperature sensor, which should be useful for menstrual cycling and fitness tracking, among other use cases.

Xiaomi has started rolling out stable Android 14-based updates to the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. Available first in China, the updates stretch to over 6 GB and can be downloaded now.

Volkswagen has announced that the release of the ID.7 has begun in Europe, in the form of its Pro configuration to start off with. The variant is rated for up to ~386 miles of (WLTP) range and comes with an augmented reality (AR) head-up display and keyless entry as standard. The ID.7 Pro is also touted to come with a generous luggage volume and an "agile" turning circle.

Sony has released a new firmware update for the Xperia 1 V, its first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship. Rolling out first in China as 67.0.F.1.197, the update introduces display refresh customisation options, improved Bluetooth connectivity and bug fixes, among other changes.

The Kishi V2 Pro has debuted as Razer's latest snap-on controller for smartphones. It is touted to make mobile gaming "hardcore" with "precision" triggers, microswitches and re-mappable buttons, enhanced with the in-house haptics necessary for "console-worthy" realism and responsitivity. To this end, its special edition has a branded button for Xbox Game Pass.

The Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 965 have received new bug fixes and changes courtesy of their latest beta updates. Garmin has brought Beta Version 16.16 to the pair, which is available to download now using the company's GCM service.

Beta Version 16.16 is now available for the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265, two smartwatches that have not received beta updates for a few weeks. According to Garmin, both models have received an identical set of changes, which include several new features and nearly a dozen bug fixes.

Xiaomi has decided to use the Redmi K60 Ultra as its first smartphone that will be eligible for 4 Android OS updates. According to Xiaomi, not only will the Redmi K60 Ultra finish on Android 17, but it will continue to receive regular security patch updates until August 2028.

AnTuTu Benchmark is abuzz with talk of a new device with the highest scores for the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor to date. The smartphone is thought to debut as a new model from Vivo's brand iQOO, which might challenge the Redmi Note 12T Pro with similar RAM/storage configurations and an Android 13-based ROM.

OneOdio has made an addition to the growing list of alternatives to in-ear wireless audio with the new OpenRock S buds. The "open ear sports earphones" are backed to direct sound without leakage thanks to Open Air Conduction Technology, boosted with the "Patented TubeBass Technology" packed in with their large drivers. The OpenRock S are also rated for type-C charging and up to 60 hours of battery life.

Developed by NEXON and set to arrive at Gamescom 2023, The First Descendant will launch as the world's first title to comply with the HDR10+ Gaming visual standard. The open beta test of the aforementioned game is scheduled to kick off on September 19 globally (except for China, unfortunately).

Garmin has released Beta Version 14.31 for various smartwatches, including the Fenix 7 and Fenix 7S series. Available to download now, Beta Version 14.31 introduces a few bug fixes for the pair, as well as Enduro 2, Epix 2, Marq 2 and Quatix 7 models.

IKEA is rolling out a Control Anywhere feature to its Home Smart app. Update 1.16.3 has provided some users in the UK with the new tool, with IKEA rolling out the feature in phases. Control Anywhere will allow you to operate products in your IKEA smart home system via Wi-Fi or mobile networks.

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are edging towards release, with Google expected to unveil the pair this autumn alongside the Pixel Watch 2. In the meantime, a renowned leaker has shared screenshots of an overhauled Google Camera app that will launch with the company's next flagship smartphones.

Often criticized by players for its class system, which is a downgrade from the one in Warhammer: Vermintide 2, Warhmmer 40,000: Darktide will get a massive improvement in October. The upcoming refresh will bring RPG-style skill trees for each of the four classes currently available in the game.

1MORE's flagship TWS accessories have fallen to a sub-US$100 price during the OEM's latest online sales event. The EVO earbuds are joined by the SonoFlow ANC headphones in this sale, and by the colorful ComfoBuds Mini. Most items on offer require a specific code for the maximum discount available.

Elon Musk, the former CEO of X/Twitter, said he wants to change how the block function works on the platform by restricting it to direct messages. A proposed solution is a stronger version of the mute function that disallows users from interacting with someone who has muted them.

Garmin has started rolling out a new beta update for Fenix 7, Fenix 7S and Fenix 7X smartwatches. Also available for the Enduro 2, Epix 2, Quatix 7 and Marq 2 series, Beta Version 14.30 introduces over 20 changes with a focus on addressing outstanding bugs and issues.

Huawei has introduced a new mid-range tablet to the German market today (August 17, 2023). The new MatePad 11.5 has a 120Hz display, up to 8GB of RAM and keyboard support for "PC-like" productivity. It will start at just under €300 with the offer of free accessories, and also comes with an exclusive introductory discount.

Mobvoi has announced that its latest flagship smartwatch will be available in a color besides black soon. In the meantime, the OEM is offering the opportunity to win the ~US$300 wearable in its new shade. The odds of doing so are in favor of those with the generative AI prompts that best fit the theme of Mobvoi's new contest.

During the event that included the launch of the MIX Fold 3 and Redmi K60 Ultra, Xiaomi unveiled that the latter will be the first piece of hardware to receive the MIUI 15 update. With most details remaining in the shadows, Xiaomi unveiled the first official screenshots of MIUI's next major iteration.

Samsung has now announced which devices are eligible for One UI 5.1.1, its last feature update before it releases One UI 6 later this year. With over a dozen devices eligible for One UI 5.1.1, Samsung has also described some of the changes that the update makes from One UI 5.

According to new AMD-commissioned research, nearly 80% of the 2,000+ "IT leaders" surveyed believed that AI will boost their productivity, while 70% of them believe that it will result in an improved work-life balance. Despite this, just under 50% report that their companies are not ready to adopt the technology necessary to integrate it into their businesses, while 67% believe that doing so poses a new kind of security threat.

Most current stable forms of Android allow apps to spawn full-screen notifications with impunity. However, the next version of the OS has been spotted with a new setting that allows a user to deactivate the "intent" behind them. It is depicted as working on all apps, with the exception of those with clock or call functions.

Although translation support in Gmail has been introduced to desktop users quite a few years ago, the mobile Gmail apps are only receiving this feature now. To translate all text on the mobile Gmail, the user can simply enable automatic translation, but on-demand translations are also available.

Apple's reputation for software-locked hardware components has reportedly spread to the MacBook Pro. A device-restoration vlogger claims that swapping these parts between 2 identical units of the same 14-inch SKU results in specific screen defects, as well as missing functions and settings in some cases. These findings suggest that the OEM is indeed trying to "kill" third-party display replacements in even more of its hardware.

Jabra is now tipped to update its Elite series of TWS earbuds with new flagship and Active variants. They have reportedly leaked as the 10 and 8 Active respectively, and may launch as Made for iPhone- (MFi) and Hey Google-certified devices. The higher-end models might get the better ANC specs, while the Actives may be touted as the "world's toughest earbuds" thanks to advanced ingress-protection ratings.

The Mix Fold 3 is scheduled to become Xiaomi's most powerful foldable smartphone in just a few days from now (August 12, 2023). However, it has reportedly found its way onto Geekbench ahead of this event, revealing some secrets the OEM had been keeping in reserve for its formal debut. They include a potentially top-end amount of RAM and how up-to-date its version of MIUI is going to be.

Garmin has announced that it has removed the latest beta build for the Fenix 7 series, which it started rolling out yesterday. Apparently, Beta Version 14.28 breaks Bluetooth and wireless connectivity for some smartwatches, with up to 10% of models affected so far.

The ESCALADE IQ is the latest all-electric SUV from Cadillac, and is touted to be one of the most premium vehicles of its class on its 2024 release. Qualcomm has announced that it has equipped the ~US$130,000 car with smarts to match its potential for power, by outfitting it with the latest Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions that include the latest Ride Platform SoC and Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF platform.

Samsung has once again published and removed One UI 6 Beta. This time, its US department briefly listed the Android 14 Beta-based build before swiftly removing it again.

Samsung has released a new update package to the Galaxy S23 series, shortly before it delivers One UI 5.1.1 and its first One UI 6 Beta. While this month's update is said to only bring new security patches, it is still roughly a 1.3 GB download.

Earlier today, references to MIUI 15 were found in the HTML code of MIUI.com. Unfortunately, the ROM remains in the alpha testing stage for now and is expected to launch in December. This apparently minor detail shows that Xiaomi is already aiming to strengthen its search engine ranking for this search term.