Tag Archives: smartphone

Galaxy S25 Ultra design rumor claims it will lose its distinctive boxy look

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Since 2011, Samsung has been launching two flagships a year, one under its premium Galaxy S brand and another with the Galaxy Note name. The latter has mostly been defined by its large screen and S Pen stylus, though now large screens or phablets are the norm rather than the exception. By now, the Galaxy Note is pretty much history, but it seems that it might be making a comeback in an unexpected and perhaps unwelcome way. We’re still half a year away, but rumors about the Galaxy S25 Ultra have already started to attract attention, both good and bad, especially on how its design will be throwing away what has made it look unique in exchange for what is both a throwback to the past and a nod to its stylus-less siblings.

Designer: Samsung (via @Wvisioncreation)

Galaxy S24 Ultra

Although Samsung retired the Galaxy Note name, its legacy lived on in the Galaxy S Ultra series. Not only does it have an S Pen stowed inside its body, it also retains the design that set the previous Galaxy Notes apart from the Galaxy S phones. Specifically, it had a rather boxy design, especially when viewed from the front. Not only are the top and bottom edges flat, the corners are also sharp and angular, a design that you’ll rarely see on other phones these days.

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

According to the first rumors to come out for Samsung’s 2025 flagship, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be losing that design DNA. The design is described as having more rounded corners, similar to the Galaxy Note 7 from 2016 with one important exception. The screen is still flat, something that Samsung did for the first time in this year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, rather than the heavily curved display of yesteryear’s Galaxy Notes. In not so many words, it’s going to look like the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, and presumably the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+.

Galaxy Note 7

On one hand, this change makes sense from a branding perspective, especially if you consider how the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip are also transforming. Samsung’s foldables are becoming edgier, so to speak, taking on an appearance similar to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The company, therefore, needs to differentiate the two product lines, and making the Galaxy S25 Ultra look like its siblings from the same Galaxy S line makes the integration of the Galaxy Note complete.

Galaxy S24+

On the other hand, response to the rumored change has been generally negative so far. That boxy and squarish design has become the visual identity of the Galaxy S Ultra, especially for fans of the Galaxy Note. In fact, they probably wish the Galaxy S to adopt the design rather than the other way around, if only to set Samsung’s flagship apart from the sea of phones with flat edges, flat screens, and rounded corners.

Galaxy S24 Series

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OPPO Reno 12 Pro Review: Making AI Affordable in a Stylish Design

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PROS:


  • Elegant and stylish design, especially the Nebula Silver color

  • Supports a micro SD card for external storage

  • 50MP autofocus front camera can do 4K UHD videos

CONS:


  • Processor is a downgrade compared to Chinese model

  • No wireless charging

  • Glossy bottom plate is a smudge magnet (Space Brown, Sunset Gold)

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro delivers powerful AI experiences packed in a beautiful and soothing design.

AI is the buzzword in the tech industry, with mainstream media picking up on it and sometimes not in a good way. All the benefits that the technology brings, however, are for naught if only a select few can afford to use it. AI on smartphones promises quality-of-life improvements and exciting creative features, but only if you have the latest and greatest models with powerful specs and matching high prices. Fortunately, AI on mobile is such a hot topic that manufacturers are bringing those features to almost any new device. That’s pretty much the premise of the OPPO Reno 12 Pro, specifically the global edition that the brand just launched, one of the first few to advertise these AI benefits on what some would consider a mid-range model. But is it a potent combination or is the experience hampered by the Reno 12 Pro’s hardware? We take the phone for a spin to bring you the answers.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

Companies avoid using the label “mid-range” or “mid-tier” for good reason. They often come with the connotation of lacking quality and appeal, which is definitely not something that can be said for the Reno 12 Pro. Right off the bat, you’ll be surprised by how enchanting the phone is, especially the Nebula Silver colorway we received for this review. OPPO utilizes what it calls Fluid Ripple Texture that gives the phone’s back a 3D visual effect of liquid gently moving underneath the glass. It even has something like a parallax effect that gives the illusion that there’s truly some solid mass despite having a completely flat surface. The play of light, shadow, and colors has a mesmerizing effect that gives the phone a more stylish and elegant air.

The other two color options, Sunset Gold and Space Brown, are no less attractive but have a different approach. They use a two-tone design that combines a matte section and a smaller glossy area separated by a chic metal-like ribbon running across the width of the phone. It’s a familiar composition, only arranged upside-down, giving the Reno 12 Pro a distinctive look. Unfortunately, this design has one rather critical flaw, the glossy part will always be where your palm rests, which means it will always have oils and smudges whenever you hold it.

The phone’s flat edges give it a modern look and its reflective surface gives the impression of a metallic nature. It is, however, a sleight of hand, given how the material is actually a new proprietary alloy that OPPO promises has the same durability but with less weight. All in all, the OPPO Reno 12 Pro definitely has a striking presence that’s almost on par with more expensive flagships.

Ergonomics

Given the phone’s large size, it’s almost shocking that the OPPO Reno 12 Pro weighs only 180g. Part of that is probably thanks to the absence of “real” metal in the frame, utilizing OPPO’s High-Strength Alloy Framework instead. On the one hand, this gives the phone a lightweight body that lessens the strain on your hand. On the other hand, no pun intended, it sometimes makes the phone feel a bit flimsy, lacking the substance you’d find on premium handsets.

Smartphone designs these days either go for flat edges or the more traditional curved screens, but the OPPO Reno 12 Pro finds a rather curious middle ground. Its sides are quite flat, but the screen isn’t exactly the same. It has a very minimal curvature not only on the left and right sides but also top and bottom but never goes over the edges. OPPO says this design delivers that same immersive viewing experience without the accidental touches that curved screens are notorious for. Along with more rounded corners, this design offers comfort and confidence in your grip, making for a more pleasurable smartphone experience.

Performance

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro isn’t exactly new but it is only now making its way to global markets. That journey, however, seems to have taken a toll on the handset, and OPPO decided to use a custom MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy. This variant of the processor is geared towards more efficient battery use, but it’s still based on a rather mid-range silicon line. Fortunately, the phone still performs admirably, especially with 12GB of RAM, though you might see some stuttering or dropped frames in more intensive games. In exchange, however, OPPO gives the Reno 12 Pro a feature that’s all but gone from smartphones these days: a microSD card slot sharing space with the second SIM card slot.

Like any other smartphone these days, OPPO takes great pride in the Reno 12 Pro’s imaging system, and for good reason. It boasts two 50MP sensors, one for the main wide shooter and another for telephoto. These high-performance cameras produce impressive images, even on overcast days, bringing rich detail and accurate colors to every shot. These two cameras also work together to deliver beautiful bokeh effects in portrait mode, creating an accurate separation of foreground and background and giving the latter a pleasant blur. Sadly, the 8MP ultra-wide camera barely holds a candle to these two, but it thankfully still gets the basics right. Even more impressive, however, is the 50MP front-facing camera that not only has autofocus but can even take videos in 4K UHD quality.

Given that the main selling point of this generation of the Reno family is AI, we definitely have to say a few words about it. At the time of this writing, the rollout of some of the features is still ongoing or scheduled, but the complete set is definitely something worth waiting for. You have a combination of generative AI features across the board, from intelligently handling the performance of the phone to tweaking your photos to match a certain appearance with the AI Studio. Leveraging the power of Google Gemini, The Reno 12 Pro features an AI sidebar that can analyze the content displayed on the screen and offer relevant tools for it. It can, for example, summarize a long article into a few bullet points, recommend a text to post on social media, or even speak out the contents of a website. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the AI features that OPPO is bringing to everyone who can afford it, and the Reno 12 Pro’s price point makes sure of that.

Sustainability

While OPPO has had strong advocacy for the use of sustainable processes and materials on its phones, it’s not easy to see that on the OPPO Reno 12 Pro, at least not directly. It doesn’t mention any use of recycled materials, for one, and its new alloy material is unsurprisingly a big secret. It wouldn’t be surprising, however, if it had a considerable amount of plastic in the mix, which would be on par with most mid-range phones.

Instead, the company focuses more on the durability and longevity of its design, ensuring that the phone won’t meet an untimely end that quickly. It uses the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection for the screen and boasts an IP65 dust and water resistance rating. Curiously, OPPO also talks about a biomimetic cushion for internal parts inspired by the structure of a sponge, further protecting sensitive components from bumps and falls. That said, only a proper teardown will reveal the true nature of that new protective layer.

Value

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro is quite a looker and it boasts plenty of AI features you’d only hear about on premium flagships. At the same time, it delivers a decent performance, especially for one that has the marks of a mid-tier market smartphone. The question, however, is whether all of these are worth the price OPPO is asking for.

To be fair, it isn’t asking for much, depending on the market. The Pro model goes for 599 EUR, roughly $650, which is far below the latest high-end offerings. That said, it isn’t the only player in this particular field, and OPPO is even up against the venerable Google Pixel 8a. The question then becomes one of availability as well as preferences, especially when it comes to the custom OPPO ColorOS Android experience. At the moment, though, the Reno 12 Pro is one of the few mid-range phones to offer such a variety of AI-powered features, but that number will only grow in the months ahead, giving OPPO plenty of competition in this space.

Verdict

There’s no escaping AI, at least for now, and it isn’t just in powerful PCs or the Web. Smartphones are the next arena for AI, whether you like it or not, but only if it’s something that more people can obtain and, more importantly, enjoy. Phone and chip manufacturers are naturally more interested in flexing their muscles to showcase powerful hardware to support advanced AI processes, but these won’t land in most people’s hands that easily.

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro represents a new breed of smartphones that is making AI more accessible to the masses with more wallet-friendly options. But it isn’t just its AI prowess that sets this phone apart. Its striking design is definitely a head-turner, and its promise of durability increases trust not only in the phone but also in OPPO’s brand. It definitely has some tough competition ahead, but at least for now, it is leading the pack with its combination of power, gracefulness, and, more importantly, price.

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With integrated ChatGPT, Play T 1 foldable phone is effortless to use via voice commands

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When the mobile phone industry is swaying toward convenience and ergonomics, here’s one phone concept deviating from the norm but putting ChatGPT in your pocket. Well, if you’ve not been living under a rock, AI phones are already making waves, allowing enhanced photography and more applications for user convenience. With the integration of ChatGPT in its innards, the Play T 1 becomes a foldable mobile phone easy to use with voice commands.

With ChatGPT from OpenAI integrated into the phone, it would be helpful for users, limiting them from having to toggle between tools. A simple voice request would get photos and documents altered, emails perfected, and of course, webpages or lectures summarized for you.

Designer: Yeongkyu YOO

This is the right time for a product concept like the Play T 1 to energy. Only a few days back Apple announced the integration of a layer of AI into its new operating systems for iPhone, Mac, and iPads. The newly integrated artificial intelligence features would bring a striking change to Apple’s stream of gadgets courtesy of revamped Siri support, the ability to compose emails, or even create personalized emojis among other things, without the user having to use multiple applications for a task.

The Play T 1 with embedded generative AI at the core of its functionality will offer unimaginable capabilities to the handheld. The device is not a basic handset; it has been designed to be modular, such that different thickish modules can add up for functionality. The foldable smartphone and its accessories – the detachable 5000 mAh battery – are made from compostable plant-based materials, which make the phone essentially eco-friendly.

The detachable battery clips to the bottom of the Play T 1 mobile phone using magnets and can instantly charge the phone. By magnetically fastening it to a speaker base, the phone can effortlessly become a high-performance ChatGPT speaker you can command at will.

As the pictures depict, this folding ChatGPT phone is in itself pretty thick for modern smartphone users and when the magnetic battery pack merges with the main body, it does form a nice unified unit, but at the cost of additional weight and thickness. If the design is slimmed and the folding creases evened out, who knows the GenAI-based Play T 1 can have a future.

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realme GT 6 Review: Is This the True Flagship Killer of 2024?

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PROS:


  • Distinctive and appealing two-tone design

  • Great daytime and nighttime photos

  • Bright and vibrant screen

  • Massive 5,500mAh battery

CONS:


  • No wireless charging support

  • Metal mirror finish is a fingerprint and dust magnet

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The realme GT 6 challenges the status quo with a solid set of features, an elegant design, and a highly attractive price tag.

realme unveiled its latest GT series smartphone, the realme GT 6, at a global product launch event in Milan today. After a two-year hiatus from the global market, the company is poised to make a significant impact with its latest flagship. The recent appearance of realme’s founder and CEO, Sky Li, on the cover of Forbes magazine underscores the company’s intention to assert its presence more forcefully than ever. Earlier this year, realme announced a rebranding initiative, reaffirming its commitment to delivering value-packed devices for the youth. With the realme GT 6, the brand makes a bold claim, positioning it as the only “flagship killer” of 2024. It’s definitely packed with features, but is it truly deserving of the flagship killer title? We put it to the test to find out.

Designer: realme

Aesthetics

The realme GT 6 is a device that commands attention. Instantly captivating, your eyes are drawn to the gleaming shiny mirror texture which fills out the upper third of the back panel, where the camera modules reside. According to realme, this texture is achieved using the industry’s first nano-level mirror coating technology which requires over 30 fine processes. Contrasting with this reflective texture, the lower two-thirds of the back panel features a matte metal texture.

The realme GT 6 is available in Fluid Silver or Razor Green, with our review unit coming in the former finish. The mirror texture first appeared to be a brilliant idea for taking selfies. However, the off-center positioning of the camera module and the limited size of the mirrored area compromise practicality. Another drawback of the material is that it attracts fingerprints and dust, detracting somewhat from its otherwise sleek appearance. Putting the complimentary case that comes in a box does not help as it does not cover the portion with the mirror finish. It’s still useful to quickly check oneself before snapping photos, though. Overall, the realme GT 6 is a phone that offers a unique and clean design, distinctive but not loud.

Ergonomics

The dimensions of the phone measure 162mm x 75mm x 8.6mm, with a weight of under 200g, just 199g, to be precise. The phone feels pleasantly lightweight and is easy to handle with one hand. The display features subtle curves on the side edges, complemented by a slightly tapered back panel. A curved side frame usually enhances grip without causing the edges to dig into the palm, but despite its absence here, holding the phone feels secure and comfortable.

On the right side of the phone are the volume locker and the power button, leaving nothing on the left side of the device. The IR blaster and stereo speaker are located on the top while the dual-nano SIM card slot, second stereo speaker, and USB port are located on the bottom.

The camera modules are not horizontally symmetrical, causing the phone to wobble slightly when placed on its back, though this issue is easily resolved by using a case. On the front, there is a centrally positioned cutout on the display for the front-facing camera, while the in-display fingerprint scanner is located near the bottom. The three camera lenses are positioned on the top left side of the device, arranged in a triangular pattern. The realme brand name embellishes the lower left corner of the back panel, which will often be covered by your hand and, therefore, almsot always out of sight. In summary, the realme GT 6 exudes a premium and sturdy feel that inspires confidence whenever you use it.

Performance

The realme GT 6 sports a triple camera setup. The 50MP main camera uses Sony LYT808, a 1/1.4” sensor with OIS, topped with a f/1.68 aperture lens. Accompanying it is a 50 MP telephoto camera with a 1/2.8” sensor and an f/2.0 aperture, together with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera that utilizes a 1/4” Sony IMX355 sensor.

What all these specs mean in practice is that the realme GT 6 captures great photos in daylight. Images exhibit a good dynamic range, natural colors, and rich details. It also performs admirably in low-light conditions, producing well-balanced exposures, with plenty of details preserved and minimal noise.

Photos taken with the telephoto lens, while slightly less impressive, still offer very good quality. The ultrawide-angle camera delivers solid images as well, surprisingly despite its very modest sensor. realme has done an excellent job in harmonizing the rendering and post-processing across all three cameras, ensuring a consistent look and feel in the outputs. Activating night mode across all three cameras does not significantly alter the quality of the photos. In addition, the 32MP front-facing camera captures pleasant selfies with natural colors.

The realme GT 6 is equipped with AI Smart Removal, which relies on AndesGPT, a generative AI model developed by OPPO. There are two AI Smart Removal tools: Smart Lasso and Paint Over. With Smart Lasso, you circle around the unwanted objects in the photo to be removed. On the other hand, the Paint Over feature replaces the selected object in the photo with another object. With Pain Over, you can adjust the brush size. Both features require an internet connection. Removing unwanted objects with Smart Lasso is fast and results are impressive in most cases, whether in bright daytime photos or poorly lit nighttime photos.

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Oplus_262144

Moving on to the video, the main and telephoto cameras can capture videos up to 4K at 60fps while the ultra-wide-angle camera is limited up to 1080p at 30fps. The front-facing camera let you record video up to 4K at 30fps. Only the 8MP ultra-wide shooter isn’t able to support 4K video recording, which is pretty disappointing for a phone that bills itself as a “flagship killer.” The videos captured with main and telephoto cameras are great offering a good level of sharpness and dynamic range, even in low-light footage. Although the ultrawide camera’s footage may display some noise, it still offers good color saturation. The Ultra Steady mode is exclusive to the main camera, providing excellent stabilization for both daytime and nighttime video recording.

When recording video in a dark environment under 6 lux, the night mode icon appears. Tapping it activates AI Night Vision, significantly enhancing video quality in poorly lit conditions. This footage captured is basically cranked up ISO and applies heavy smoothing, allowing you to capture somewhat usable footage even in near-total darkness. The difference is quite noticeable, making previously unwatchable videos much clearer.

Running Android 14 out of the box with a layer of realme UI 5.0, the realme GT 6’s AI features extend beyond image capturing and editing. For instance, AI Smart Loop provides an efficient and quick way to share content with third-party apps. You can select text, photos, or screenshots, then long-press and drag them to the right side of the screen. This action activates the space wheel, which displays a selection of pre-selected third-party apps or AI-suggested apps in a wheel format. You simply drop the selected content onto the desired app to share it.

Underneath the hood, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen3. It’s a less powerful version of Snapdragon 8 Gen3, yet it’s still one of the Snapdragons’s flagship SoC. The device sports 512GB of storage and 16GB of LDPDDR5X RAM which can be expanded by an additional 4GB. With this much power, it’s no surprise that the realme GT 6 offers great performance and smooth operation.

GT 6 features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 2,780 x 1,264 resolution and 10-bit color depth. The display can reach a whooping peak brightness of 6,000 nits. realme also provides a more practical number; the display can reach 1,600 nits with High Brightness Mode. The display is amply bright even outdoors under the sunlight and colors are vibrant.

The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate with 8T LTPO which helps save power by dynamically adjusting the refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz according to the content displayed. The phone also incorporates numerous eye protection features. For example, AI Eye Comfort detects eye fatigue, such as blinking and yawning frequency, and adjusts the screen color temperature to alleviate strain.

The device is equipped with a massive 5,500 mAh battery, ensuring you can easily go a day without needing to recharge. When you do need to charge, the 120W SUPERVOOC technology allows for rapid charging. Unfortunately, it does not support wireless charging, a feature that is becoming more common even on mid-range smartphones, much less flagship models.

Sustainability

realme is a company with strong sustainability initiatives. For instance, the company has committed to reducing the carbon emissions of its GT series by 30% and achieving “Double Zero” emissions by 2025. Unfortunately, when it comes to the GT 6 specifically, there is no apparent mention of sustainability efforts.

The phone feels solid in build quality, and the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, ensuring durability. It has an IP56 rating, which ensures that it’s protected against most common accidents, though you should naturally still exercise caution. Additionally, there was no information available regarding support for security updates at the time of this review. realme promises 4 years of Android updates and 4 years of security patches, which should last you quite a bit during the lifetime of this phone.

Value

The realme GT 6 definitely has a laundry list of buzzword-worthy features, from dual 50MP cameras to, of course, AI. Its specs on paper are no joke, and its actual performance delivers much of its promises as well. Nothing surprising for what is supposed to be a flagship killer, a title that has been thrown around a lot to challenge the giants of the market. Of course, it will take more than killer features to stand up to smartphone Goliaths, and realme has one more trick up its sleeve.

Starting at only 599.99 EUR (roughly $645) for the base 8GB RAM/256GB storage model, all the way up to 799.99 EUR ($860) for the top-of-the-line 16GB/512GB configuration, the realme GT 6 definitely beats other flagships in terms of accessibility. Sure, it’s not perfect and might be missing a few flagship features like wireless charging, but you’re still getting the juicy meat of what makes a flagship a flagship without burning a hole through your wallet. It’s definitely an option worth considering, presuming it’s even available within your vicinity.

Verdict

It’s getting harder to stand out in the smartphone market these days, at least not without some groundbreaking feature or head-turning design. At the same time, however, many brands try too hard to set themselves apart, producing designs that are, to some extent, too distracting and too noisy. Fortunately, the realme GT 6 is not one of those, making it a flagship killer in more ways than one.

Yes, it has quite the repertoire of high-end features, and rarely does it disappoint except in a few small details. It also has a price tag that belies all that power, making the product accessible to more people. Last but not the least, it also goes against the flow and delivers a design that is elegant without being overbearing. The realme GT 6 bucks the trend and appeals to a new generation of the youth that’s getting wiser and more discerning, valuing essential experiences over superficial embellishments.

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Motorola Razr+ 2024 foldable phone upgrades might be invisible to the naked eye

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After a short lull, we are entering the second half of this year’s batch of smartphones, most of which will be focused on foldable designs. While Samsung naturally grabs the spotlight, it’s hardly the only game in town. Motorola will try to beat Samsung to the punch next week when it reveals the latest iteration of the spiritual successor to its iconic RAZR clamshell, a foldable phone that some might even consider to have a better design. It seems, however, that expectations need to be tempered a little, as the 2024 Razr+, or the Razr 50 Ultra in other markets, might not carry any visible mark of being a new model, as the improvements will mostly be internal and invisible, at least based on this latest leak.

Designer: Motorola (va @MysteryLupin)

To give credit where credit is due, Motorola has always taken the bolder stance when it came to the design of its clamshell foldable. It was the first to use a large second screen on its back, and it’s now the only one that has a Cover Display that, well, covers the entire surface of the phone’s upper back. There will always be debates on whether having two holes on that screen for the cameras is better or worse than the tab-like cutout on the Galaxy Z Flip, but there’s little argument that it opens the door to more functionality, including displaying the same app on the outside that runs inside.

This signature feature of the Motorola Razr+ line isn’t going to change this year apparently, not even to slightly increase the screen size (the base Motorola Razr/Motorola 50, however, is getting the full-screen treatment this year). In fact, you might not be able to distinguish the 2023 and 2024 models just by looking at them. Of course, there will be upgrades, but most of them are the invisible features of the phone, and we’re not talking just about specs.

For example, this year’s Motorola foldable will bump up the water protection, though worryingly at the cost of dust protection. According to a leaked promotional video, the Motorola Razr+ (2024) will have an IPX8 rating that’s more in line with what Samsung offers. That means it will survive an accidental dip in a pool or sink, but there’s no guarantee it will be protected from dust or smaller particles. Unfortunately, some might argue that the latter is actually more fatal to foldable phones and their hinges than water damage.

There’s also an indication that one of the cameras will finally have a telephoto lens, but the number of cameras won’t be increasing by one either. That suggests that Motorola will either ditch the regular “wide” camera or the ultra-wide shooter, though the latter is probably more likely. Again, it trades one feature for another, and hopefully, the benefits will far outweigh the sacrifices for Motorola’s customers. The Motorola Razr+ or Razr 50 is expected to debut next week.

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Pulloof smartphone concept will live on as hanging speaker even when other phones are thrown away

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Concept phones are designed to showcase the working possibilities of what the upcoming version of an exciting lineup or an altogether a different smartphone would look and feel when launched. Deviating from this notion is this concept phone that rethinks the way mobile phones are used and disposed of the afterlife. This conceptual design draws some uncanny references to be more than a phone, a device that would survive – be useful – after the user chooses to upgrade, and doesn’t want to use the old phone anymore.

Designed keeping in mind the idea of integrating human behavior and sustainable design, the Pulloof: Smart Phone Concept is meant to survive after its lifetime, not just in memory, but as a device that is still fresh to the touch and use, besides its smartphone functionality.

Designer: Gisung Han

When presented with the question what happens when “the display disappears from a smartphone,” what would people use it for? Gisung Han long before clamshell phones took off because of their display real estate had visioned the Pulloof – inspired by a vintage B&Q radio – as a phone delivering on people’s music consumption through phone. He designed “a sustainable speaker by emphasizing the speaker” functionality of the smartphone.

The Pulloof as a sustainable solution is a dream object that remains valuable after its use as a smartphone as “something that people will keep wanting to touch.” This would be an environmentally safer option since people would stick on to their device even when upgrading to a new phone ensuring lesser electronic waste. People wouldn’t want to throw away a smartphone just because they are upgrading to a bigger screen.

Pulloof thus has a different design approach than a usual smartphone. It is a combination of pull and loop, a phone that features a hidden speaker accessible by pulling out from a round surface using a loop on the phone. With its properties and design, the designer believes, “Even if other phones are thrown away, ‘Pulloof’ will not be thrown away.” This phone will survive anywhere as a hanging speaker (from the loop), so it is usable in the bathroom or in the outdoors to keep you entertained.

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OPPO generative AI features coming to all phone lines to make AI accessible to everyone

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Like it or not, and some definitely don’t, AI is the current buzz in the tech industry, and it will still be for quite a while. But as impressive and sometimes frightening as the advanced features of AI may be, the truth is that these features are only available to a very select few people who either have the high-end hardware to support them or the resources to maintain monthly subscriptions to services. For AI to truly become life-changing, it has to become available to everyone, even those with less expensive phones and computers. That’s the new commitment that OPPO is making, to bring generative AI features to as many as 50 million phones in an effort to make AI accessible to everyone.

Designer: OPPO

Up until recently, most of the talk about AI revolved around powerful computers and cloud-based solutions. After all, AI needs very capable hardware and loads of data to perform its magic. That said, making AI relevant to ordinary people requires actually putting the technology into their hands, and there is no better device for that purpose than one that they literally hold in their hands: their smartphones. It’s no surprise, then, that Google’s recent developer event focused on making AI features available not only through its Search engine but on smartphones as well.

That has generated quite a lot of buzz on AI-powered features on the latest and greatest handsets, but that leaves the majority of the world’s population out in the cold. With dozens of millions of smartphones out in the market across all tiers, OPPO is in a unique position to change that situation, and it’s doing exactly that. It’s making a promise to push its generative AI features to all its smartphone product lines, from the flagship Find series to the camera-centric Reno to the mass market OPPO F and A lines.

In fact, it has already started that change by bringing features like AI Eraser, object recognition, and advanced image processing to many of its smartphones already out in the wild today. Granted, most of these focus on the photography side of the AI, but that’s just the beginning. Collaborating with key industry players like Google, MediaTek, and Microsoft, OPPO will be bringing smarter features across the board. The OPPO Reno 12, for example, will be able to harness the power of Google Gemini’s Large Language Models or LLMs for features like AI Writer and AI Recording Summary. Its collaboration with Microsoft, on the other hand, will bring more natural voice and text conversions to next-gen OPPO phones, as well as more seamless connectivity between phone AI and desktop AI, a.k.a. Microsoft Co-pilot.

Smartphones are already very powerful computers in our pockets, devices that are used not just for entertainment but also for work, education, and health. These are the very same areas where AI can shine best, making sense of large quantities of data to bring us the answers and information we need. Harnessing the growing power of on-device hardware as well as secure cloud services, OPPO envisions a future where everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of AI, preferably on an OPPO phone, of course.

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Bigme HiBreak E Ink smartphone takes another stab at eye-friendly mobility

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As powerful and as helpful as smartphones have become, they have also become sources not only of distraction but also of poor health. Staring at screens all day is bad enough, but they can also affect our sleep if used late into the night. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible for many people to detach from their phones or even reduce their use, so a few designers and manufacturers have tried to come up with alternatives like minimalist phones. eReader maker Bigme is proposing a different kind of answer, one that smashes an eBook reader and a smartphone in one pocketable design, creating a phone-sized E Ink device that is actually a functional phone.

Designer: Bigme

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a phone-sized eReader. We reviewed the Onyx BOOX Palma a while back and found it to be quite capable as a pocket reader. But despite its phone-like looks, it’s technically a tiny Wi-Fi-only device. In contrast, the Bigme HiBreak can plug in a SIM card and connect to 4G LTE networks. Yes, 4G LTE speeds only, which is probably fine because the device’s screen won’t be able to catch up with the network speed anyway.

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The HiBreak comes in two flavors with different 5.84-inch E Ink screens. One is a pure black and white screen like a traditional eReader, while the other supports a few colors at a lower resolution than black and white. Despite the advancements in E Ink technology, the ultra-slow refresh rates of these panels will take the fun out of scrolling and swiping through social media, which is probably for the best. What it offers, instead, is a gentler reading experience, especially if you’re the type who likes to read text-only documents on the go.

Of course, the Bigme HiBreak is a true smartphone, one that runs Android 11 on practically mid-range hardware. It does have Google Play support, so you can install any app available that supports that old OS version but don’t expect the experience to be as smooth as on a regular phone. On the flip side, that 3,300 mAh battery is going to last you for days rather than just hours. It has a 13MP main camera, more for “scanning” documents than taking pretty pictures, and a 5MP front camera for emergency video calls.

In terms of aesthetics, the Bigme HiBreak is truly a shrunken-down eReader, complete with wide bezels and a rather plain design. It’s almost like it’s intentionally uninspiring in order to cut down on your smartphone use unless that use is for lots of reading. But while it does solve the problem of eyecare, a device that runs a full Android stack with cellular connectivity won’t do any wonders for those distracting notifications unless you decide to ignore them since they won’t look that nice on the E Ink screen anyway.

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How Repairable Phones Benefit the Environment, Consumers, and Business Alike

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Once upon a time, mobile phones weren’t the fragile and replaceable devices they are today. Sure, they were still expensive during their period, but accidentally dropping one didn’t always mean the end. Replacement parts, officially or unofficially, were easy to come by and the actual process of repairing these phones didn’t require a degree. But as mobile phones turned into powerful yet complicated smartphones, much of the repairability of the past also got thrown out the window. Granted, very few consumers will dare to open up their iPhones or Pixels on their own, so why is there a lot of noise these days about having the ability to repair yours? As it turns out, the ability to repair smartphones more easily benefits not just the planet or buyers but even the phone brands themselves.

Designer: Fairphone

Right to Repair

Part of the rhetoric around the smartphone repair situation involves the general Right to Repair movement. As the name implies, it is pushing for legislation, policies, and awareness that would allow owners, as well as third-party businesses, to repair the products that they have bought. It might come as a surprise given how it seems to go against common sense, but the situation with electronics, which includes smartphones, basically disallows anyone but the company and its authorized service centers from opening up and repairing these products. Although it’s not an accurate comparison, it would be like being forbidden from repairing the dress or furniture, requiring you to go to the boutique or shop you bought them from to have them fixed.

Designer: Apple (via iFixit)

To be fair, smartphones are complex beasts, and opening them up risks further damaging the device. Companies also have the obligation to protect their intellectual property from snooping eyes, but that isn’t a blanket reason to design phones to be nearly impossible to repair. iFixit, one of the biggest proponents of this Right to Repair movement for consumer electronics, has reached a middle ground with companies, providing official repair guides and a store for buying replacement parts so that anyone with the skill and courage can do it, whether they’re the owner or a small repair business.

Repairable Phones Are Sustainable Phones

Legal arguments aside, proponents of making smartphones more repairable often appeal to the harmful effects the current state of business has on the planet. The number of smartphones made and shipped every year has probably already exceeded the population of the world, which raises the question of what has happened to these devices over the years. While manufacturers do have programs for sending them your old or broken phones for proper disposal, just how many people actually make the effort to do that? More often than not, they simply stow old phones until they’re forgotten or, worse, mindlessly throw them in the trash so that these non-biodegradable objects ultimately end up in landfills.

Designer: Fairphone

Smartphones aren’t immortal or invincible, of course, but the longer we can keep using them, the longer they’ll stay out of the trash. Truth be told, the biggest reason why people change phones isn’t because of the latest trends but because their old ones have become nearly unusable. A cracked screen, bloated or failing batteries, or a broken charging port are the most common causes, so being able to change these easily helps keep electronic waste down to a minimum and for longer periods of time.

Repairable Phones Save You From Stress

There are definitely people who switch to the latest and greatest models after just two years or sooner, but the majority of users would like to keep their phones for years as long as they’re still usable. It isn’t as much about fondness for the device as the stress of switching to a new one. Even with all the advancements in cloud storage, backups, and phone transfers, people still experience loss and stress when their phones no longer work and have to switch to a new one, often from scratch.

Designer: HMD Global

You still should back up your phone and its data regularly, of course, but improving these devices’ repairability lessens or shortens the anxiety and stress that owners experience. Your phone goes empty in less than a day? Simply change the battery and it’s as good as new. USB charging port feel loose and unreliable? Swap it out for a new one and be on your way. It also saves people from the stress of an unplanned major expense, especially when they can get a better model when the time really comes for them to upgrade.

Repairable Phones Are Good Business

Being able to repair smartphones easily might save consumers money and give small repair shops some business, but manufacturers and their shareholders will probably see it more as a revenue loss. After all, the longer people hold on to their old phones, the less they will buy new ones. Unfortunately, there is definitely some truth to that, which is why even big phone companies hesitate to encourage self-repairs or third-party services. It is, however, an outdated mentality that no longer reflects the reality of our present. Even Apple is realizing that profits are no longer coming just from outright hardware sales but also from software, services, and other sources. It’s definitely high time for these brands to be creative in how they can make more money without busting people’s wallets or killing the planet.

Designer: Samsung

Manufacturers can, for example, profit from selling those replacement parts, but that also needs to be done in moderation. Recent news on this front demonstrates not what to do, which is to make those parts too expensive to the point that it becomes less economical to repair the phone in the first place. iFixit announced it is cutting ties with Samsung for that very reason, with parts beyond the reach of most people anyway.

Companies also need to see repairable phones from a different angle, particularly in how they actually reduce their operational costs and waste. They can cut down on the production of surplus units, keeping their stocks tight. This, in turn, reduces their reliance on costly materials that are either hard to acquire, harmful to the environment, or might even be controversial for being conflict materials. It forces companies to rethink their business, which is currently unsustainable both in the environmental sense as well as the economic sense, driving innovation that could hopefully create a greener tomorrow for its customers.

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The Evolution of Smartphones: What Are GenAI Phones?

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Generative AI, or GenAI, has been making waves in the software industry for several years, proving its potential to revolutionize various sectors with its ability to generate new content and provide insightful analyses based on existing data. However, it is only recently that this technology has started to transition from software applications to consumer hardware, specifically within the mobile phone market. This transition marks the beginning of a new era in consumer electronics, where smartphones are not only smart in name but are endowed with the capability to perform complex AI tasks that were once reserved for powerful servers.

The term “GenAI smartphone,” or “GenAI phones” for short, began to gain traction in the last six months, emerging prominently in reports from leading market research firms. These devices are distinguished from standard smartphones’ ability to harness large-scale, pre-trained generative AI models to create and modify content directly on the device. This capability isn’t just a marginal upgrade to existing features. Still, it represents a fundamental shift in how mobile technology interacts with users, offering distinctive personalization and functionality directly from one’s hand.

As these GenAI smartphones prepare to enter the market, they promise to redefine user interactions with mobile devices. With the potential to handle tasks ranging from real-time language translation and complex content creation to intuitive personal assistants that understand and predict user needs, GenAI phones aim to set a new standard in mobile computing. This evolution from a communication tool to an intelligent companion stresses a pivotal shift in the mobile industry, driving consumer excitement and industry innovation. As we stand on the brink of this technological leap, it is crucial to understand what precisely a GenAI smartphone is, how it differs from traditional smartphones, and what it promises for the future of mobile technology.

What is a GenAI Phone?

A GenAI phone represents a new category of smartphones that embed generative artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of their functionality, offering previously unimaginable capabilities in a handheld device. These devices integrate large-scale, pre-trained AI models to provide unprecedented personalization and functionality directly from one’s hand.

At the heart of a GenAI phone are AI-driven applications capable of generating original content. Whether it’s composing personalized emails, designing unique artwork, or creating music from simple user prompts, these applications dynamically produce outputs tailored to user interactions. Unlike traditional apps that operate within their confines, AI tools in a GenAI phone are embedded system-wide, enhancing the user experience across all functionalities. This integration ensures that AI capabilities improve everything from the camera and messaging apps to system settings, adapting to the user’s behavior to predict and automate actions like app selection or environmental adjustments.

GenAI phones are equipped with specialized CPUs explicitly designed for intensive AI tasks to power these sophisticated features. These processors perform billions of operations per second, enabling the device to run complex AI models directly on the device. This capability of processing data locally speeds up operations by eliminating the latency associated with cloud computing. It significantly enhances user privacy and security, as sensitive data does not need to be transmitted over the Internet.

GenAI phones must remain elegantly designed and user-friendly despite the advanced technology embedded within them. Consumers expect their devices to combine functionality with aesthetic appeal, mirroring the sleekness and minimalism of products like the iPad Pro M4. The challenge for manufacturers is integrating these powerful AI capabilities into slim, attractive, and intuitive devices, ensuring that technological advancements enhance rather than complicate the user experience.

What Isn’t a GenAI Phone and Current Market Scenario

Understanding what isn’t a GenAI phone is crucial in distinguishing it from the myriad of smartphones equipped with basic AI functionalities. Although many modern smartphones boast AI capabilities, having AI features doesn’t automatically make a device a GenAI phone. This distinction is required to set realistic expectations about the device’s capabilities and understand smartphone technology’s evolution. A GenAI phone fundamentally differs from standard smartphones because it integrates advanced AI functionalities directly into the device’s core systems and processes data locally rather than relying heavily on cloud computing. This integration means that GenAI phones are equipped with specialized hardware to handle complex AI tasks independently, thereby enhancing privacy and functionality by keeping the processing on the device itself.

In contrast, many smartphones on the market today, often mistaken for GenAI devices, do not meet these criteria. For example, while devices like the iPhone 15 Pro Max offer AI-driven features like facial recognition, predictive text, and enhanced photography tools, these features, although advanced, do not necessarily qualify the device as a GenAI phone. This is because a true GenAI phone not only uses AI for specific tasks but integrates AI deeply across all system operations, processing complex AI tasks entirely on the device. In other words, even though iPhones process a significant amount of data on-device to ensure user privacy, the breadth and independence of AI integration in terms of generative capabilities might not be as extensive as in dedicated GenAI devices. Similarly, many Android devices boast impressive AI-powered photo editing and voice assistant features; however, these tasks are often processed with the aid of cloud servers, making them less autonomous and, therefore, not true GenAI phones. These smartphones might utilize AI for specific applications like optimizing battery life, managing screen brightness based on ambient conditions, or even offering user behavior-driven app suggestions. Yet, because they lack the hardware to independently process complex AI tasks directly on the device, they fall short of the GenAI classification. The reliance on cloud processing raises concerns about data privacy and limits the device’s functionality when offline or in areas with poor connectivity.

Thus, while many current smartphones are marketed with the allure of AI, only a select few truly qualify as GenAI phones by virtue of their ability to perform sophisticated AI operations natively and independently. Among the notable examples that set the benchmark in this emerging category are the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and the Google Pixel 8 Pro. These devices display the integration of AI at a foundational level, equipped with the necessary hardware to process complex AI tasks directly on the phone. This enables a range of innovative applications, from enhanced image processing to real-time language translation without cloud dependency.

For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series demonstrates its generative AI capabilities through features that enable sophisticated on-device content creation and personalization, enhancing user interaction in ways that were previously only achievable with server-based computing. Similarly, the Google Pixel 8 Pro leverages its specialized hardware to deliver advanced AI functionalities like next-generation assistant features and more nuanced user engagement through AI, all processed locally on the device. This focus on native processing is a crucial aspect that boosts performance and efficiency and significantly enhances data privacy, a growing concern among consumers. By minimizing data transmission to external servers, these GenAI phones offer a more secure environment for users to enjoy the benefits of AI without compromising their personal information.

Transitioning into the Apple ecosystem, recent developments indicate a significant shift that could redefine the landscape of GenAI phones. Rumors of Apple’s potential partnership with OpenAI and the integration of an advanced Siri capable of leveraging OpenAI’s technologies suggest a significant upgrade in Apple’s AI capabilities. Such a collaboration could bring about a new iteration of Siri that is far more advanced than its current form, potentially incorporating the ability to understand and generate human-like text, engage in more dynamic conversations, and offer personalized suggestions with a higher degree of relevance and context.

If these speculations hold, this move could be a game-changer for the Apple ecosystem, integrating more deeply with iOS, macOS, visionOS and iPadOS. It could enhance the Apple suite of products with a level of AI sophistication previously unseen in its devices. For Apple, known for its tightly integrated ecosystem and emphasis on user privacy, the challenge will be to balance these advanced capabilities with the need to maintain data security, especially considering the potential use of cloud-based processing to support more complex AI tasks.

Apple iPhone Concept

This anticipated development could position Apple to catch up with and potentially surpass its competitors in the race to refine and expand the capabilities of GenAI phones. Integrating such advanced AI could transform how users interact with their devices, making Apple’s ecosystem even more intuitive and integrated and potentially setting a new standard for what smartphones can achieve in personal technology.

The Future of GenAI Phones, Market Impact, and Consumer Adoption

The future of GenAI phones is anticipated to transform our daily interactions with mobile devices radically. Integrating generative AI features into mainstream smartphones is becoming more prevalent as technology advances. Companies like Apple, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Samsung, and Google are at the forefront of this evolution, actively developing ways to incorporate GenAI capabilities into future models and through updates to existing devices. This push towards more intelligent smartphones will likely enhance how we communicate, create, and interact with our devices daily.

Apple M4 and Snapdragon X Elite

The impact of these developments on the market cannot be understated. After years of incremental upgrades that have seen diminishing consumer excitement, GenAI phones promise to inject new life into the somewhat stagnant smartphone market. According to insights from Counterpoint Research, incorporating GenAI technologies is expected to boost smartphone sales significantly. Their data projects a notable increase in market share and adoption rates for GenAI smartphones over the next few years, with these advanced devices set to account for a substantial portion of total smartphone shipments by 2027.

This shift is expected to reshape consumer expectations and drive demand for smartphones that are smarter, more intuitive, and capable of independently performing complex tasks. As GenAI phones become more common, they are anticipated to influence a broad spectrum of consumer electronics, setting new standards for functionality and interactivity. Integrating AI into everyday technology promises to make our digital experiences more personalized and efficient, fundamentally changing our relationship with technology.

In essence, the rise of GenAI phones indicates a new era in personal technology, where our devices understand and anticipate our needs better than ever. For everyday users, this means smartphones that can offer real-time translations, sophisticated content creation, and proactive personal assistance—all processed locally on the device for faster, more secure interactions. As these technologies mature, they are expected to become integral to our digital lives, making advanced AI a luxury and a standard component of future smartphones.

The post The Evolution of Smartphones: What Are GenAI Phones? first appeared on Yanko Design.