There is a pretty good chance that we are getting a new Apple Watch this year. Apple has updated its watch yearly since the release of the first one back in 2015. While there have been several different versions, it looks like Apple Watch Series 8 could see a new entry in its lineup — one that is focused on extreme sports athletes.
According to Bloomberg, the new Apple Watch geared towards extreme athletes could arrive with a larger display and bigger battery. But what’s new is that it could offer better protection from physical wear due to its improved materials and design. Apple could adopt a flatter look, which has been rumored for years. The new watch is expected to use a stronger metal than the aluminum or stainless steel found on the current models. It will also have a stronger screen that is more resistant to impacts.
A new higher-end model in the Apple Watch lineup
Although different in design and materials, the watch will have the same feature set as the Apple Watch Series 8. The new watch will have a screen size nearing two inches (1.99-inches to be exact) and will also have a resolution of 410 pixels by 502 pixels. It’s anyone’s guess as to how Apple will utilize the larger screen real estate, but a bigger screen, is always a better thing, especially on a small device. The main draw for this year’s watch is its rumored ability to measure body temperature, which could be used to detect fevers.
Despite being all-new, the new watches might still use the older processor found on the Watch Series 6 and Watch Series 7. Although pricing has not been confirmed, the new entry in the Apple Watch lineup is expected to sit at the highest position, which means it will cost more than the stainless steel model currently being sold.
Today, Apple released iOS 16 beta 3 to its developer community. The new beta offers plenty of new features like iCloud Shared Photo Library, a new wallpaper, new lock screen fonts, and Lockdown Mode. While Apple has been pretty good about keeping its customers’ data private, it is taking things to the extreme with the new Lockdown Mode in the latest beta release.
Ivan Krstić, Security Engineering and Architecture at Apple, describes the feature as:
Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks. While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are. That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these digital attacks.
Lockdown Mode will offer the most comprehensive security on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura. It will limit communication by disabling attachments to messages and link previews. It will also limit complex web technologies from executing when browsing the internet. Apple services like FaceTime will also have limitations in place, disabling all incoming communications unless initiated. Lastly, configuration profiles and wired connections will be blocked when devices are locked. This might seem extreme, but it is all in place to prevent attacks or exploits from occurring.
Apple states that this is just the beginning of Lockdown Mode, with improvements to come in the future. Because of this, the company has established a new category in the Apple Security Bounty program that specifically focuses on Lockdown Mode. The company is also making a $10 million grant available to the Dignity and Justice Fund. Once again, Lockdown Mode isn’t for your everyday person, but if you want to give it a go, be sure to update to the latest iOS 16 beta.
Apple revealed the all-new, 13.6-inch MacBook Air (2022) during the main keynote of WWDC22. This welcome addition to the Mac line packs the efficient M2 chip in an overhauled chassis. Available in four stunning finishes to choose from, this modern body reintroduces the MagSafe charging port. It additionally refreshes the display, bringing a notch that houses the upgraded 1080p webcam. Unlike the MacBook Pro (2021), though, it doesn’t bring back the wide variety of ports.
Last week, the potential launch date of the MacBook Air leaked. For those anticipating the official information regarding this matter, the wait is finally over. Apple has just announced that this Mac will be available to pre-order starting Friday, July 8 at 5AM PDT. It will then start arriving to customers and select retail stores a week later, on July 15.
Those interested in this lightweight notebook will have to pay $1,199 for the base model in the U.S. If you’re eligible for the student discount, then you can grab a unit for $1,099 instead. The redesigned MacBook Air M2 comes in the traditional Space Gray and Silver finishes. It additionally introduces Midnight and Starlight options for those looking for something different and new.
Just like the 13.3-inch MacBook Air M1 (2020), this new model features a fan-less design. This means that there’s no dedicated cooling system to bring its temperature down. On the bright side, you won’t hear any noise while using it. On the not-as-bright side, it’ll throttle the M2 chip’s performance if it overheats due to intensive tasks. When it comes to the operating system, it runs macOS Monterey out of the box. However, it supports the latest macOS Ventura beta — which will be available as a stable release towards the end of this year.
Since we last added new forum pages for the latest Android devices, a few OEMs have launched a couple of new phones, while others have teased their upcoming devices. We’ve now opened forums for some new and upcoming devices, including the Honor Magic 4 Pro, Sony Xperia 1 IV, and the Oppo Reno 8 series.
Honor Magic 4 Pro
Honor launched the Magic 4 Pro in Europe earlier this year in February. It’s a flagship device that features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, a 6.81-inch LTPO OLED display that refreshes at 120Hz, a 4,600mAh battery with 100W wired and wireless fast charging support, and a respectable 50MP triple camera setup.
The device runs Honor’s Magic UI 6.0 based on Android 12 out of the box, and if you wish to build some custom ROMs for the phone, you can head over to its forum page by clicking on the link below.
Sony’s latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 IV, is a great buy for photography enthusiasts. While it doesn’t even come close to flagships from other manufacturers when it comes to the megapixel count, its 12MP triple camera setup is more than capable of taking some amazing shots, provided you know what you’re doing.
The device packs an impressive 4K AMOLED display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and a 5,000mAh battery. It’s one of the only flagship phones on the market that still features a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the software front, the device runs Android 12 out of the box. If you’re a proud owner of an Xperia 1 IV, head over to our forums and indulge in discussions with other like-minded folks.
After launching the Reno 8 series in China last month, Oppo is now gearing up to bring the mid-range lineup to international markets. Rumor has it that the company will launch four Reno 8 series devices in various markets later this month, including the vanilla Reno 8, Reno 8 Pro, Reno 8 Pro Plus, and Reno 8 Lite. If you’re looking forward to the devices and want to share your thoughts on them, head over to our forums by clicking the link below.
Apple is a business — not a non-profit organization. This means its ultimate goal is maximizing the revenue it makes. Just like other corporations, the Cupertino tech giant finds creative ways to achieve this aim. A potentially upcoming strategy, though, might piss off many non-Pro iPhone fans. A lot of people can’t justify paying the premium price tag of a Pro iPhone model. After all, these iPhone variants typically only include a better camera system when compared to regular ones. Of course, sometimes there are more tempting additions, like the ProMotion 120Hz technology. However, plenty of users still find the regular models just fine. In an attempt to push higher-end sales, Apple could be including previous-gen chips on non-Pro iPhones from now on. This would further distinguish between the two iPhone types and potentially tempt undecided customers to go for the more expensive model.
[Analysis] Structural changes for iPhone’s high-end camera supply chain / iPhone高階相機供應鏈的結構性改變；Sony、大立光、Alps和LG Innotek顯著受益於僅iPhone 14 Pro/高階機型採用最新的A16處理器 @mingchikuohttps://t.co/kZLdnXmAyN
Apple used to go for the same chips on both the regular and Pro iPhones. A new report from Ming-Chi Kuo states that this will no longer be the case from now on. We’ve been hearing rumors about the iPhone 14 lineup adopting this strategy for a while now. However, the new whispers lead us to believe that this will apply to all future iPhones indefinitely.
If this information were to be true, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will utilize the existing A15 Bionic chip. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would get an exclusive taste of the upcoming A16 Bionic chip. The company would then power the regular iPhone 15 models by the A16, while the iPhone 15 Pro models would be the sole variants to pack the A17.
Considering Apple boosts the performance of its Pro iPads and Macs when compared to regular models, it makes sense for the iPhone to follow suit. Nonetheless, those wanting to buy an iPhone might find themselves even more confused when picking a model.
Would this strategy pressure you into buying a Pro iPhone instead of a regular one? Let us know in the comments section below.
All recently released Kindle e-readers come with a built-in front light, which you can activate when reading at night or in the dark. If you like to read at bedtime, the blue light emitted by the white front light may disrupt your sleep or lead to eye strain.
Thankfully, some Kindle models come equipped with Warm Light that adds a nice yellow-orange tint to the display for a comfortable reading experience. Similar to your phone’s night mode, the feature cuts down on harsh blue light. Here’s how to activate it.
Which Kindle e-readers support Warm Light?
Unfortunately, only select Kindle models support Warm Light.
Apart from the above two models, the feature isn’t currently available on other Kindle e-readers. Since the Warm Light feature requires a series of amber LEDs in addition to the white LEDs for the front light, it can’t be backported to older models with a software update.
How to activate Warm Light on Kindle
If you own a Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen or Kindle Oasis (2019), you can enable the Warm Light feature in a few steps.
To enable Warm Light from the home screen, tap on the drop-down arrow. If you’re reading a book, tap anywhere in the top portion.
Below the Quick Actions toggles, you’ll see a slider for adjusting warmth.
Drag the warmth slider or tap on the Plus or Minus buttons to adjust the screen temperature.
The screen will turn yellowish or orangish depending on the intensity of warmth you’ve set.
You can also set an automatic or manual schedule for Warm Light. To enable it, bring down the Quick Actions panel and tap on the Schedule button next to the warmth slider. Select Automatic if you want to have Warm Light gradually change with sunset and sunrise. Or, use the manual mode to create a custom start and end time for warm light.
Prolonged exposure to blue light at night is shown to decrease the level of melatonin, a chemical that controls sleep and wake cycles. This could disrupt your sleep schedule and make it harder to fall asleep. If you like to read on your Kindle at bedtime, use the Warm Light feature to cut down on the hard blue light. If your Kindle doesn’t support the feature, you can use dark mode to reduce eye strain at night.
Xiaomi’s flagship phones are really good, and devices like the Xiaomi 12S Ultra can easily compete with anything made by Apple or Samsung. Xiaomi’s budget phones are also among the most affordable and reliable Android devices around. But it is arguably in the mid-range segment — that sweet $300 to $500 spot — where Xiaomi truly leaps ahead of the pack by offering significantly better value than anyone else.
The Poco F4 fits that description to a tee (by the way, I am aware that Poco markets itself as an independent brand separate from Xiaomi in some regions, but let’s not kid ourselves here). At a starting price of around $410, it obviously can’t compete against, say, Samsung’s $1,200 Galaxy S22 Ultra, but it mops the floor with Samsung’s $450 Galaxy A53 5G, or anything else from anyone under $500 for that matter. It’s a solid phone to buy in the mid-range, although it may not present enough improvements over its predecessor to warrant a year-on-year jump.
Poco F4: Specifications
Specification
Poco F4
Build
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Colors: Moonlight Silver, Night Black, Nebula Green
About this review: Poco sent me an F4 for testing. This review was written after eight days of using the device. Poco did not have input in this review.
Poco F4: Price and Availability
The Poco F4 is on sale now in select European markets, as well as in Asian regions like India and Hong Kong. The device comes in two RAM/storage variants, which are priced as follows:
6GB + 128GB: €399
8GB + 256GB: €449
Poco F4: Hardware and Design
The Poco F4, to the layman, looks as good and premium as any flagship phone. It’s a glass slab, with thin bezels wrapping around a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED display. The panel is bright and vivid, supporting HDR10+ and has Dolby Vision certification.
Around the back is a triple camera system, and the phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chip that supports 5G, with LPDDR5 RAM and a decent-sized 4,500 mAh battery. The haptics are precise and strong. If I hand the Poco F4 and, say, an iPhone 13 or Galaxy S22 to my middle-aged mother, she wouldn’t be able to tell why the Apple and Samsung devices are considered “more premium.” The point I’m trying to make is that the Poco F4 can pass for a modern flagship to the untrained eye.
I find the back design a bit bland, but it's also inoffensive
But those who are more familiar with smartphones will spot tells, like the fact this sandwich is not a glass-aluminum combo, but glass-plastic. The fingerprint scanner is embedded into the power button instead of being burrowed underneath the display. The screen is also “only” 1080p and not 2K (this doesn’t really matter), and the refresh rate is locked to 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz instead of being able to dynamically adjust itself.
The fingerprint scanner is embedded into the power button on the right side of the device.
But you do get stereo speakers, 67W fast charging (charger included), and an IR blaster. I do find the back design a bit bland, but it’s also inoffensive. The overall in-hand feel is comfortable, with the 7.7mm thickness and 195g weight among the thinner/lighter end of modern Android phones.
Cameras
This triple camera system is more like a double camera system. The 64MP, f/1.8 main camera is very good for the price, and the 8MP, f/1.9 ultra-wide is solid, though the field of view is narrower than other Xiaomi phones at 119 degrees. That third lens, however, is a 2MP macro sensor that produces shots that are neither macro-enough nor usable. The 20MP selfie camera is the usual hole-punch affair, but it is impressively small compared to other Android hole punches.
The Poco F4 hole-punch (top) and the Galaxy S22 Ultra hole-punch (bottom).
Photos captured by the main camera with good lighting look sharp. The 1/2-inch sensor isn’t large by any means, but Xiaomi’s software processing does a good job producing a shot that is well detailed and exposed.
In low light conditions, you will have to rely on night mode to compensate for the small-ish image sensor and dated sensor, and night mode does do a good job of producing a well-lit and balanced shot, if not looking a bit over-processed. But the ultra-wide camera is so lacking in resolution and image sensor size that even night mode won’t change much. This is an ultra-wide camera that’s best reserved for daytime use.
That selfie camera is the same story as ultra-wide: fine during the day, but at night really struggles.
The Poco F4 can record videos up to 4K/60, but there’s virtually no stabilization at that setting. Shoot at 4K/30 and you get some decent (for its price range) EIS. These video quality obviously can’t compete with Android flagships, but it’s better than most phones under $500, except for the iPhone SE 3.
Poco F4: Performance and Software
The Poco F4 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. This chip is a year old, but it’s actually two years old because the 870 is a souped-up rehash of the Snapdragon 865. Still, considering the 865 was a top-of-the-line SoC just two years ago, it’s still more than powerful enough today, especially for a sub-$500 device. This octa-core CPU, combined with the UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM, lets the phone zip around without issues. I didn’t experience dropped animations or apps taking a beat longer to launch as I did on Samsung’s Galaxy A53.
The Snapdragon 870 with UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM lets the phone zip around without any issues
The Poco F4 also continues Xiaomi’s trademark of giving its phones flagship-level haptics all the way down to the $250 range. With Samsung, Huawei, or OnePlus phones, you get precise, top-notch haptics at the flagship level, but for anything below $600, you’re getting mediocre mushy haptics. With Xiaomi, you’d have to get to the sub-$200 devices before you get an average vibration engine. Great haptics aren’t exactly marketable, but they’re part of little things that add up to more than the sum of their parts. Kudos to Xiaomi for not skimping here.
Benchmark scores are solid, and the phone was able to pass the 20-minute Wild Life Extreme Stress Test on 3DMark, while the scores aren’t the highest, stability was acceptable.
Software
I suppose part of the reason the Poco F4 feels fast is that MIUI is a well-optimized software with zippy animations. Running over Android 12, the MIUI 13 here performed like any other Xiaomi or Poco phone in the past, so it’s a software experience that strays a bit from how Google does things, but has its own unique character. Not everyone is a fan of MIUI’s whimsical touches (like an app “exploding” into bits when it’s uninstalled), but I don’t mind them. You have an app tray, a one-hand mode, and various shortcut gestures like quickly grabbing a screenshot with a three-finger swipe down.
There are some nitpicks to be had: the MIUI here cannot open apps in floating windows. Other Xiaomi phones running MIUI can do this, so it may be Poco wanting to simplify the UI, or trying to keep the software from doing too much to bog down the older SoC. There’s also quite a bit of bloatware in this European model of the Poco F4, with Amazon, Facebook and a couple of games already pre-installed onto the phone.
Gaming
Those who follow Poco may be aware that this is the second device named F4 from the brand this year, as there was already a POCO F4 GT released in April that was a gaming phone. Well, this F4 can handle gaming quite well too thanks to the LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and an app called “Game Turbo” that prioritizes the phone’s resources to running mobile games. Game Turbo also lets you turn off notifications, or disable swipe gestures
Battery life
Battery life is a bit below par. The 4,500 mAh battery can’t quite power the 120Hz panel all day, especially since I leave the refresh rate at 120Hz and I’m a heavy user. On average I get about four hours of screen on time with about 10 hours of total use before the phone dips below the scary sub-5% mark. At least the phone supports fast 67W charging and the charger is included.
Poco advertises that the 67W charger can top up the phone from 0-100% in 38 minutes. I have not done an entire 0-100% charge, but I marked down these charging stats: 11% to 53% in 15 minutes; and 7% to 86% in 25 minutes. These numbers are fast and indicate that the Poco F4 shouldn’t be too far off from the advertised charging speeds.
Miscellaneous thoughts
The dual-firing speakers are located at the top and bottom of the display, so audio output is even (instead of one speaker located in the earpiece like many Android phones). This, along with the flat panel and relatively boxy design makes for a good video-watching machine around the house, as the phone is easy to securely hold with one hand.
Should you buy the Poco F4?
If you’re looking for a new Android phone and your budget is under $500, then I’d say go for it. The Poco F4 is clearly better than the Galaxy A53, which runs on a weaker processor, with significantly slower software and inferior haptics, and about similar display and main camera quality. You also get a charger and a case with the Poco F4, which matters to those on a budget. But before pulling the trigger on the purchase, remember that the Poco F3 still exists.
The Poco F4 isn’t a major upgrade over the Poco F3, which is still very good and available for about a hundred dollars less give or take. And to be fair, most phones are not great year-on-year upgrades, which is why OEMs end up discounting predecessors or discontinuing them altogether. The Poco F3 is available, so you may want to weigh your decision around.
And if you’re okay with using an iPhone or thick bezels, then the iPhone SE 2022 runs on a more powerful silicon, and the superior Apple app ecosystem, although you’re sacrificing a lot of modern smartphone technology like an OLED screen, thin bezels, and ultra-wide camera by going with the iPhone SE.
Ultimately, I think the Poco F4’s biggest competition is itself (or rather, the Xiaomi umbrella of brands). The Poco F3 is still here as mentioned, and there’s also the Poco X4 GT that launched at the same event as the Poco F4. There was also a Poco F4 GT earlier that costs a bit more, not to mention the myriad of Redmi devices, and a rumored version of a Xiaomi 12 Lite.
I guess when Xiaomi says it wants to offer “innovation for everyone,” it literally meant releasing a phone at every price range down at the hundred dollar mark. There’s a $300 Xiaomi phone, a $400 device, a $500 device, a $600 device, and so on. The Poco F4 is the best $400 phone, but Xiaomi’s $300 and $500 phones are also here vying for your attention too.
If you do end up choosing the Poco F4, you will not be disappointed. After all, it’s still a great value smartphone, and Xiaomi knows how to make those very well.
