Welcome to “Tech News of the Week,” your one-stop destination for everything that happened in the tech world over the past week. We ensure you won’t miss any important updates, from leaks and rumors of upcoming gadgets and software updates to the latest features and all the happenings in the AI world and many more significant events. Stay informed and up-to-date with our comprehensive roundup of all things tech.
This week in Tech News Of The Week pixel 9 line leaks, Apple plans SE 4 and iPhone slim for 2025, Meta testing new features for WhatsApp and more
Apple Plans 2025 Release for Revamped iPhone SE and All-New iPhone 17 Slim
Tech analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley from Barclays have revealed that Apple plans to launch a fourth-generation iPhone SE in 2024. In a research note shared with MacRumors, the analysts indicated that Apple’s decision not to launch a new iPhone SE next year might suggest the company’s rumored in-house 5G modem will not be ready any time soon, which would benefit Apple’s existing iPhone modem supplier, Qualcomm.
Apple has reportedly been working on making its own in-house modem since 2018 and also acquired Intel’s modem business in 2019 to achieve that goal. The brand currently relies on Qualcomm for modems and popular analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple will be relying on Qualcomm for the next two years. He suggests that the iPhone 17 might be the first iPhone to feature an in-house 5G modem. This means the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup will use Qualcomm’s 5G modems.
The next iteration of the iPhone SE may bring major upgrades over the current model. Kuo claims that the 4th generation SE will be similar to the standard iPhone 14 model, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display and Face ID. It will likely tout an A18 chip, similar to the iPhone 16 models, 6GB to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, an aluminum chassis, and a single rear 48-megapixel camera. This 4th generation SE may launch between March and May 2025, with a price range of $499 to $549 (less than ₹50,000). For reference, the iPhone SE 3 was launched with a price tag of $429 (₹43,900) for the base 64GB storage model.
Apple is also rumored to discontinue iPhone Plus models and may introduce an iPhone Slim model next year with the iPhone 17 Slim, which would be the slimmest iPhone yet. More details have been leaked by Kuo, who claims that iPhone Plus models only make up 5 to 10% of iPhone shipments and hence are being axed. The iPhone 17 Slim will have a 6.6″ screen with a 1260×2740 resolution and the A19 chip at the helm (note that the iPhone 17 Pro models will use the A19 Pro). Its Dynamic Island area will be similar to that of the current iPhones, and its metal frame will use a titanium alloy with a lower percentage of titanium compared to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
WhatsApp Set to Launch In-House Translation, Username Privacy, and Cross-Platform File Sharing Features
Recently, it was rumored that WhatsApp would adopt Google Live Translate in a future update to facilitate chatting with foreigners without needing to copy and paste between different translation apps. However, it turns out that Meta is preparing an in-house translator, so they won’t have to rely on third-party services.
According to the report, WhatsApp’s translation feature will initially support English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, and Hindi. When enabled, it will automatically translate all texts in a particular chat. This translation feature is still under development, and there is no known timeline for when it will be available to the public. WhatsApp is the default messaging app in many regions around the world, connecting billions of users.
Furthermore, WhatsApp can now be used without a phone number, enhancing privacy. However, this feature is currently exclusive to WhatsApp Web users. Telegram has been the only social media platform to offer the option to hide phone numbers, and now WhatsApp is competing with that. This new feature will allow users to choose a unique username. Even if you set a username, people who know your phone number can still find and contact you on WhatsApp. However, creating a username will provide an additional layer of privacy. Only those who know either your username or your phone number will be able to initiate a chat with you. Although this feature is web-exclusive at the moment, it may be extended to mobile versions later on.
WhatsApp may also introduce an AirDrop-like feature for sharing files without the internet. Initially tested on Android, it seems this feature may soon be available for iPhone users as well. The latest beta version for iOS includes “Nearby Share,” as reported by WABetaInfo. With this new feature, users can share photos, videos, and documents with people nearby wirelessly using an end-to-end encrypted connection. However, due to iOS limitations, it works differently on iOS. But the good news is that this feature is expected to work between iOS and Android, making it easier to share files even when users have different phones.
Google Pixel 9 Lineup Revealed: Four Models Including New Foldable Pro Version
The Google Pixel 9 series will have four models: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Evan Blass shared images of all these devices, showing how similar they look, especially in black.
The Pixel 9 has two rear cameras and slightly thicker bezels. The Pro models have an extra telephoto lens. All models will use bright and durable Samsung-made M14 OLED screens, also found in the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro.
Display details:
Pixel 9: 6.24-inch screen, 1,080 x 2,424 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 1,800 nits peak brightness.
Pixel 9 Pro:6.34-inch screen, 1,280 x 2,856 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 2,050 nits peak brightness.
Pixel 9 Pro XL: 6.73-inch screen, 1,344 x 2,992 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate.
Google will also reveal the Pixel 9 Pro Fold on August 13. It comes in Obsidian and Porcelain colors. This foldable phone has a tall, narrow cover display and a nearly square folding screen, both with 120Hz refresh rates and improved brightness.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will have Google’s Tensor G4 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and AI features. It will include a 48MP main camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide camera, 10.8MP telephoto camera, and two 10MP selfie cameras.
Nothing to Launch the Upgraded Nothing Phone 2a Plus with Dimensity 7350 Pro SoC on July 31st
After releasing their CMF phone, Nothing is shifting back to the Nothing Phone 2a and launching an updated version called the Nothing Phone 2a Plus. The company also confirmed that the Nothing Phone 2a Plus will feature the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro SoC, compared to the Dimensity 7200 Pro in the Phone 2a, and it will be launched on July 31st.
The CPU is clocked at 3.0 GHz, compared to 2.8 GHz in the Phone 2a, making it 10% faster. Additionally, it has a faster Mali-G610 MC4 GPU clocked up to 1.3 GHz, which the company claims is 30% faster than the GPU in the 7200 Pro.
The phone still supports 12 GB of RAM and 8 GB of virtual RAM, HDR10+ playback, Dual 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6. Furthermore, we may see wireless charging, which was missing on the Phone 2a (though the Nothing Phone 2 has wireless charging support). The launch will be streamed online at in.nothing.tech. For the Nothing Phone 3, we will have to wait one more year, with a potential release in 2025.
Stay tuned for next week’s update, where we’ll delve into the latest tech news of the week that happened in the tech world. Thanks for reading, and until next time, stay tech-savvy!
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