Category: mobiles

iQOO 12 was unveiled in China in November 2023 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and a dedicated Q1 gaming chipset. It runs on Android 14-based OriginOS 4 in China out-of-the-box. For global and Indian users, the phone ships with FuntouchOS 14 based on Android 14. In September this year, Vivo and iQOO smartphones started receiving the Android 15-based FuntouchOS 15 update. A report now suggests that the FuntouchOS 15 update for iQOO 12 has started rolling out to global users. The phone launched in India in December last year. 

iQOO 12 Android 15-Based FuntouchOS 15 Update

According to a GSMArena report, iQOO 12 users in select global markets have started receiving the FuntouchOS 15 update based on Android 15. The 2.5GB over-the-air (OTA) update carries the software version PD2307CF_EX_A_15.1.9.1.W20 and comes with the October security patch, the report states.  

iQOO 12 FuntouchOS 15 update changelog includes a priority scheduling algorithm and a rapid dynamic effect engine which reportedly helps allocate performance resources based on requirements, thus, increasing smoothness. It has a new Origin animation that “incorporates principles from human factors research and integrates the natural laws of the physical world into the dynamic effect design.”

The FuntouchOS 15 update for iQOO 12 global users is said to include several new static and immersive wallpapers. Local videos on the handset can be used as live wallpapers as well. The update introduces new clock widgets and reportedly allows users to keep large folders on the home screen. 

With the FuntouchOS 15 update, iQOO 12 users get an Ultra Game Mode with multiple quick setting options as well as an improved screenshot capture feature. The report adds that the Smart sidebar provides access to Google Lens for quick translations of on-screen content, while Notes offers additional text editing capabilities and the ability to export in Word format. The Settings section reportedly comes with better categorisation and hierarchies.

Among AI features, the FuntouchOS 15 update for iQOO 12 includes Live Transcribe, Circle to Search, and an AI erase tool which helps users get rid of unwanted things or people in their photos. The Albums app is also said to get AI-backed Cleanup suggestions to reduce storage issues. 

For gesture improvements, the global iQOO 12 users with FuntouchOS 15 can reportedly drag a split-screen to the middle of the screen to switch to a small window and drag a small window to the edge of an app to change to split-screen mode. The startup gestures for both split-screen and small window modes are said to have been improved. Users can swipe up from the bottom to the upper left or right corner to quickly enter split screen or small window mode with this update, according to the report.

Xiaomi 15 series with Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC was unveiled last month, however the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is expected to launch early next year as the third model in the series. Despite the potential launch being months away, details about the quad camera setup of the phone have surfaced on the Web. A new leak suggests that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will have a 50-megapixel main sensor with larger focal length. This could enhance the low-light performance of the Ultra model.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Camera Specifications Leaked 

According to a Weibo post by known tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese), the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will feature a 50-megapixel main sensor with a 23mm focal length and an f/1.6 aperture. The focal length of the primary sensor is said to be larger than Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s 8.7xmm. This is likely to improve the low-light performance of the phone. The tipster says the handset will have a “new customised hardware module”, this could be a remark about the custom designed main sensor.

Like the predecessor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is said to carry a 200-megapixel periscope sensor. This telephoto sensor is tipped to offer 4.3x optical zoom, a 100mm focal length, and an f/2.6 aperture. The tipster claims that the size of the periscope sensor has been cropped to 25.xmm focal length. It is said to offer two zoom options – 4.3x with a 1/1.5-inch image size, and 4.1x with a 1/1.4-inch sensor.

Besides the primary sensor and telephoto sensor, the camera unit of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is expected to include a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor and a 50-megapixel periscope lens with 2x zoom. On the front, it could include a 32-megapixel selfie camera.

As per past leaks, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will have a 6.7-inch 2K LTPO micro quad-curved display with 120Hz refresh rate. Like other Xiaomi 15 series siblings, it could be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. It is expected to run on HyperOS 2.0 based on Android 15. It may carry a 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired and 80W wireless charging support. It could boast a circular camera module. 

Apple is expected to introduce its iPhone 17 lineup in the second half of next year. While there have been speculations about Apple including a new iPhone 17 Air model in the series, a new report from South Korea suggests that all iPhone 17 models will come with a LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) screen with high refresh rate. This would be a significant upgrade from the previous iPhone series. Apple usually packs high refresh rate screens on only the Pro models, with even the latest iPhone 16 and 16 Plus only offering a 60Hz panel. 

Apple May Bring 120Hz ProMotion Displays to All iPhone 17 Models

ETNews, citing industry sources, reports that all models in the iPhone 17 lineup will feature LTPO screens sourced from Samsung and LG. The LTPO screen technology, which enables a high 120Hz refresh rate, is currently exclusive to the high-end Pro series. It significantly enhances screen smoothness and responsiveness while scrolling, viewing animations, and playing games while reducing power consumption.

This isn’t the first time we have heard about iPhone 17 displays though. Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants in September claimed that all models in the 2025 lineup will boast 120Hz ProMotion displays, including the non-Pro versions.

Apple has offered 120Hz screens, branded as ProMotion displays, on its Pro iPhone models since 2021. It enables an always-on display feature as well. This year’s iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display while the iPhone 16 Plus sports a larger 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, but capped at 60Hz. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays, respectively, with a 120Hz refresh rate (ProMotion).

As per past leaks, Apple will bring a new ‘Slim’ or “Air” variant with the iPhone 17 series replacing the Plus version. The iPhone 17 Pro models are said to be powered by Apple’s A19 Pro chip alongside 12GB RAM. The standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air could run on an A18 or A19 chip with support for 8GB RAM. All four iPhone 17 models could feature 24-megapixel front-facing cameras.

Samsung is expected to release One UI 7 — it’s upcoming software upgrade that is based on Google’s Android 15 update — in early 2025. While One UI 7 isn’t expected to arrive on the company’s smartphones for the next couple of months, Samsung previously revealed that it would release a beta version of One UI 7, which would allow software developers and enthusiasts to try out the upcoming software before it rolls out next year. A tipster has now shed some light on when the beta could be released.

Samsung Tipped to Roll out One UI 7 Beta to Testers by Mid-November

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), tipster Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) claims that Samsung will “take another half month” before it rolls out the One UI 7 beta update, which is based on Android 15. The tipster has a good track record of leaking information related to the South Korean tech conglomerate, and we can expect the beta version of the company’s upcoming software to be rolled out to users by the middle of November.

Samsung’s One UI 7 beta has been considerably delayed this year — it was previously expected to arrive in August, but the company revealed last month that it would roll out the beta version by the end of the year, while the stable release would arrive next year — presumably with the purported Galaxy S25 series. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is likely to be the first smartphone to receive an update to One UI 7.

Samsung One UI 7 Features (Expected)

Unlike previous versions of One UI, Samsung didn’t provide detailed information about upcoming features coming to its Android 15-based One UI 7 update at the Samsung Developers Conference. However, details of the upcoming software update have already surfaced online, even though it isn’t expected to roll out to users for another couple of months.

Samsung’s One UI 7 update will reportedly bring a fresh coat of paint for several system app icons, including the dialler, messages, gallery, calculator, and clock apps. Meanwhile, notification handling is also expected to be improved, especially the ones displayed on the lock screen.

Other features reportedly coming to the One UI 7 update include new AI features for the gallery app that will allow users to “restyle” their portrait images using artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the Sketch to Image feature that was introduced with One UI 6.1.1 is said to expand to more devices when One UI 7 rolls out. Samsung Galaxy smartphones are also expected to gain support for Google’s Homework Help feature shown off at Google I/O earlier this year.

Apple’s AI-enhanced iPhone made a strong start, pushing quarterly sales ahead of Wall Street expectations, but a modest revenue forecast raised questions about whether that momentum will hold over the holiday sales season.

A decline in China sales during the fourth quarter also concerned some analysts and investors, helping send shares down 1.4% in after-hours trade, despite surprisingly large overall profit and revenue in that period.

Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told analysts during a conference call that Apple expects overall revenue to “grow low to mid single digits” during its fiscal first quarter, which ends in December. Analysts had expected revenue growth of 6.65% to $127.53 billion during the quarter, according to LSEG data.

Apple did say it expects double-digit growth in its services business in its first quarter, leading some analysts to ask executives during a call if overall hardware revenue might decline.

Executives did not address that question, or give any indication of how the iPhone might fare, including in China, where Apple’s new AI features are not available. Apple has not said when they will be available.

Prior to management’s call with analysts, Tom Forte, an analyst at Maxim Group, attributed Apple’s share drop to fourth-quarter China sales coming in below expectations.

“We see the potential for sustained weakness in China,” he said.

Apple said overall fourth-quarter sales were $94.93 billion, ahead of Wall Street targets of $94.58 billion, according to LSEG. Earnings of $1.64 per share, excluding a massive one-time tax charge in the European Union, topped analyst expectations of $1.60 per share.

Fourth-quarter sales of Apple’s iPhone, the company’s main product, were up 5.5% to $46.22 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $45.47 billion. Other product lines missed expectations.

Apple’s fourth quarter ended Sept. 28, meaning it reflects only a few days of sales of its iPhone 16 series that went on sale Sept. 20. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told Reuters that iPhone 16 sales grew faster than iPhone 15 sales did a year earlier, with both phones on sale for the same number of days in the fourth quarter.

Cook also said Apple customers are downloading a new version of its iPhone operating system with what it calls Apple Intelligence features at twice the rate they had the year before.

“We’ve had great feedback from customers and developers already,” Cook said. “We’re off to a good start.”

AI Strategy

The rollout of Apple’s artificial-intelligence strategy, which it revealed this year, hinges on how well its new phones sell.

Rather than introduce AI in a standalone app or service, Apple has sprinkled Apple Intelligence throughout its most recent operating systems as new features, such as the ability to help re-write an email in a more professional tone. Those features will mostly be available on iPhone 16 models, which feature more powerful computing chips, although the pro versions of the iPhone 15 both work with Apple Intelligence.

While some of those Apple Intelligence features arrived this week, others have been delayed, which has led some Wall Street analysts to wonder whether consumers will be slower to upgrade their devices this year while flagship software features trickle out.

Apple’s rivals Microsoft and Meta both said this week they expect continued increases in spending to support their AI strategies. Apple said payments for property and equipment – a measure of its capital expenditures – were up $2.91 billion from the previous quarter to $9.45 billion.

Apple’s lower spending comes in part because it uses third-party data centers for some AI work. Some aspects of Apple Intelligence do rely on Apple’s own data centers, but the company is using its own in-house chips to power those features.

“There would be some (financial) benefit to us by using our own silicon, obviously, but that’s not the reason we’re doing it. We’re doing it because we can provide the same standard of privacy and security that we can provide on device,” Cook said.

Sales in Apple’s services business, which includes iCloud storage and Apple Music, were $24.97 billion, compared with analyst expectations of $25.28 billion, according to LSEG. Mac and iPad sales were $7.74 billion and $6.95 billion, respectively, compared to estimates of $7.82 billion and $7.09 billion, according to LSEG data.

Sales in Apple’s home and wearables business, which includes its Apple Watch and AirPods devices, fell to $9.04 billion, compared with estimates of $9.2 billion, according to LSEG.

Earnings per share were 97 cents including the charge related to a one-time multi-billion-euro European tax payment.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Xiaomi has
announced HyperOS
2
—
the
latest
operating
system
(OS)
for
Xiaomi
devices
such
as
smartphones,
smartwatches
and
smart
TVs.
It
builds
upon
the
success
of

HyperOS,
which
was
unveiled
in
October
2023.
This
new
OS
features
the
Chinese
smartphone
maker’s
HyperCore
technology
that
is
claimed
to
bring
improvements
in
terms
of
performance,
graphics,
network,
and
safety.
It
also
leverages
artificial
intelligence
(AI)
for
tasks
such
as
wallpaper
generation,
turning
rough
sketches
into
related
images
and
translation
in
real-time.

Xiaomi
HyperOS
2
Release
Date,
Compatible
Models

Xiaomi

says
HyperOS
2
will
be
introduced
out-of-the-box
in
its
latest
devices
such
as
the
flagship
Xiaomi
15
series,
Pad
7
series,
Watch
S4
lineup,
Xiaomi
TV
S
Pro
Mini
LED
2025
Series,
Redmi
Smart
TV
X
2025
Series,
and
the
Mi
Band
9
Pro.
It
will
also
be
introduced
on
the
Xiaomi
14
series
and
older
smartphones,
smart
TVs
and
wearable
devices
in
the
coming
weeks
and
months,
as
per
the
company.

In
November,
the
update
will
be
seeded
to
the
Xiaomi
14
series, Xiaomi
Mix
Fold
4,
Xiaomi
Mix
Flip,
Redmi
K70
lineup,
and
the
Xiaomi
Pad
6S
Pro 12.4.
In
December,
the Xiaomi
13
series, Xiaomi
Mix
Fold
3,
Xiaomi
Civi
4
Pro,
Redmi
K60
series, Redmi
Turbo
3, Redmi
Note
14
series, Xiaomi
Pad
6
Max
14,
Pad
6
Pro,
and
the
Redmi
Pad
Pro
lineup
will
get
the
HyperOS
2
update.
Finally,
in
the
first
of
2025,
the
updates
will
be
released
for
the Xiaomi
12S
and
Xiaomi
12
series, Xiaomi
Mix
Fold
2,
Xiaomi
Civi
3,
Civi
2,
Redmi
K50
lineup, Redmi
Note
13
series,
Redmi
Note
12
series,
Redmi
14R
5G,
14C,
Redmi
13R
5G,
13C
5G,
Redmi
12
5G,
12R,
Xiaomi
Pad
6,
and
the Xiaomi
Pad
5
Pro
12.4.

HyperOS
2
Features

According
to
Xiaomi,
HyperOS
2
carries
three
new
core
technologies:
HyperCore,
HyperConnect,
and
HyperAI.
The
first
is
a
self-developed
underlying
kernel
technology
platform
supported
by
new
dynamic
memory
and
Storage
2.0.
The
company
says
it
features
a
proprietary
microarchitecture
scheduler
which
can
reduce
the
idle
time
of
the
CPU
by
19
percent.
On
smartphones,
it
results
in
up
to
54.9
percent
faster
app
launch
speeds,
as
per
the
company.

Xiaomi’s
latest
OS
update
brings
visual
changes
across
the
board.
It
includes
a
revamped
desktop
layout
with
more
customisation
options,
smoother
transitions
with
dynamic
effects,
and
3D
real-time
weather
simulation
effects.
HyperOS
2
also
introduces
HyperConnect
which
enables
improved
connection
with
other
devices
in
the
Xiaomi
ecosystem.
It
supports
dual-camera
streaming
between
smartphones
and
tablets.
Additionally,
the
update
introduces
Xiaomi
Interconnectivity
Services
which
Apple
users
can
take
advantage
of
to
access
files,
photos
and
other
content
on
Xiaomi
devices.

Another
notable
highlight
of
the
update
is
the
vast
range
of
AI
features
onboard
courtesy
of
the
HyperAI
suite.
It
uses
AI
to
generate
personalised
lock
screen
wallpapers,
writing
tools
which
can
generate,
summarise
and
fine-tune
the
text,
speaker
identification
and
transcription
in
calls
and
recordings.
HyperOS
2
also
bundles
an
AI
Magic
Painting
feature
that
can
regenerate
images
with
enhancements.
The
company
also
introduces
a
new
AI-powered
system
that
is
claimed
to
protect
users
against
deepfake
fraud.