 "Tech wrap Jul 17: Samsung Galaxy M35, WhatsApp Favorites filter, Meta, more")
Samsung on July 17 expanded its Galaxy M-series portfolio in India with the launch of the Galaxy M35 5G smartphone. Powered by a 6,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy M35 5G smartphone boasts a vapour cooling chamber for thermal management, a super AMOLED display of 120Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus protection.
WhatsApp has announced the rollout of a “Favorites” filter for chats and calls. It is essentially a new filter wherein you can park all your favourite contacts for quick access without necessitating contacts search or scrolling through the endless list of active chats and recent call logs. The feature is being rolled out in graded manner, and will arrive in coming weeks across platforms, including Android and iOS apps, web client, and desktop app.
Meta has introduced its verified subscription plans for businesses on Facebook and Instagram in India. The company said that after testing the subscription model in India last year, Meta is expanding the Meta Verified business offering on Facebook and Instagram with more features and support. Last month, the company also launched Meta Verified for Businesses in India on its instant messaging platform WhatsApp.
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Google Search Labs introduced a Notes experiment in November last year. The idea was to create a personalised search feature for user-generated insights and encourage discussions. With this feature, Google allowed users to attach public or private notes to search results. The feature is now reportedly coming to an end without launching.
Apple has released the iOS 18 public beta and stable general release is slated to commence from later this year, but the initial release will not bring all the features that Apple announced at its annual developer conference in June. According to a report by 9To5Mac, Apple would not bring the updated version of the virtual assistant Siri with the initial roll out of iOS 18. Additionally, updates to some of the native apps such as Mail have also been reportedly slated for a later update.
Instagram has announced a feature that lets users add multiple audio tracks to reels. With Multi-audio Tracks on Reels, the Meta platform will let users add up to 20 tracks to a single reel and match audio with elements like text, stickers and clips while editing in the app. This will allow users to align tracks with the clips. The new feature is available for Indian users of Instagram from today.
Samsung is reportedly planning to launch an improved version of its book-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, in select regions. According to a report by 9To5Google, the South Korean electronics maker is currently working on the model that is expected to take the “Ultra” or “Slim” tag.
Google will be launching the Pixel 9-series smartphones at the “Made by Google” event, scheduled for August 13. The series is expected to bring major upgrades, including new camera sensors. According to a report by Android Authority, the Google Pixel 9 series smartphones are expected to get a major boost in the imaging department, especially with a new front facing camera sensor on the Pro models and auto focus functionality on the standard Pixel 9.
Public Wi-Fi networks can be unsafe and connecting with unknown networks can result in data theft or even slippage through device integrity. Apple has been warning iPhone and iPad users about the security of Wi-Fi networks in the Settings app based on the password type for quite some time now. Reportedly, its latest patent shows that it might be planning to take this system to the next level.
Google supports 10,000 Indian startups in building generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, said the technology giant on Wednesday, forecasting the country will lead a “revolution” in the technology.
Tech giant Google on Wednesday unveiled a range of tools, programmes, and partnerships aimed at empowering Indian developers and startups to lead the global AI revolution. At the Google I/O Connect Bengaluru 2024 event, the company announced its collaboration with the MeitY Startup Hub to train 10,000 startups in AI, expanding access to its AI models like Gemini and Gemma. Google is also introducing new language tools from Google DeepMind India and enhancing the software development process with AI-powered features, maintaining a steadfast focus on responsible AI.