Google is developing a location tag of its own

Apple and Samsung launched location tags, and now Google is looking to join their company. According to a Kuba Wojciechowski and Mishaal Rahman’s investigation of the developer’s console of the Fast Pair feature it now has “locator tag” as a listed device. The codename of the product is “Grogu”, “Groguaudio” or “GR10”. Samsung Galaxy SmartTag The product is developed by the Nest team, but that does not necessarily mean it will be a Nest product. The gadget has an onboard speaker, and comes with support for UWB (ultra-wideband) and Bluetooth Low Energy – technologies used for…

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Oppo Reno8 T 4G appears in leaked renders

Oppo Reno8 T was spotted in multiple certifications earlier this month, and the phone is said to have two different variants – LTE and 5G. Today, images of the 4G version appeared online. They show a design similar to the Oppo A1 Pro, but with a different camera alignment. This version of the Reno8 is pictured with a flat screen that is likely an AMOLED panel, given the lack of any visible fingerprint scanner on the side or the back There is also a single punch hole for the selfie camera in the upper left corner. The color options will be two – Orange Leather, which might be a faux…

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Apple MacBook Pro with Wi-Fi 6E certified ahead of imminent launch

An unreleased Apple MacBook Pro model bearing the A2779 model number was certified by the Canada Radio Equipment List database. The device in question is believed to be the M2 Pro/M2 Max MacBook Pro and the certification reveals it will support Wi-Fi 6E connectivity making it the first MacBook to do so. Apple MacBook Pro A2779 on Canada Radio Equipment List database For reference, the latest iPad Pro models that launched back in October are the only Apple devices that currently support the Wi-Fi 6E standard. According to 9to5Mac, Apple could announce the new 14″ and 16″ M2 Pro/M2…

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Google Is Reportedly Working on Its Own AirTag-Style Location Tracker

Google is working on its own location tracking tag to compete with Apple AirTags and Tile trackers, according to developer and leaker Kuba Wojciechowski (via The Verge).



The developer claims to have discovered references to the upcoming first-party tags in Google’s Fast Pair method for quickly pairing nearby Bluetooth devices. The device is said to be codenamed “Grogu,” after the baby Yoda character from “The Mandalorian” Star Wars series, and is being developed by the Google Nest team.

Wojciechowski believes the tracker could be released in multiple color options and include an onboard speaker to help users locate a missing device by sound, similar to Apple’s ‌AirTags‌.

Like ‌AirTags‌ and iPhone 11 and newer models, Google’s Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones both support Ultra Wideband, and Wojciechowski claims the trackers could support the wireless protocol in addition to Bluetooth LE to provide users with precise directions to a lost tag. Google could announce the tracking tags alongside new Pixel phones at its I/O Developer Conference in May.

Google’s tags would likely offer much more functionality on Android than Apple’s ‌AirTags‌ are capable of providing. ‌AirTags‌ require an Apple device to set up, and while Apple does have a “Tracker Detect” app in the Google Play Store that allows Android users to scan for ‌AirTags‌ and other Find My-enabled items that have been separated from their owner, the app was basically designed to alleviate fears that ‌‌AirTags‌‌ can be used maliciously to track the location of individuals.

Related Forum: AirTags

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Samsung launches massive price cuts through The Grand Republic Sale in India

Samsung has launched The Grand Republic Sale in India, bringing offers and cashback on numerous products across different categories, including mobile devices, accessories, TVs, and home appliances. The mega sale is now live and ends on January 21. Prospective buyers can now save up to 61% on select smartphone models. The list includes the Galaxy […]

The post Samsung launches massive price cuts through The Grand Republic Sale in India appeared first on SamMobile.

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Samsung unveils 5G-connected Galaxy Book2 Go with Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3

A few weeks ago Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Book2 Go, a thin and light ARM-powered Windows laptop based on the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3. While the chipset supports 5G, the original model did not make use of that and offered only local connectivity. Today the company unveiled a 5G version of the laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Go 5G is a dual-SIM device and can combine a physical SIM and an eSIM (note that only single-standby is supported). The 5G connection uses the sub-6GHz bands. In addition to that, the laptop can connect to Wi-Fi 6E networks and knows some neat tricks if you have other…

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iPhone 15 Pro Max Periscope Lens Coming to Both iPhone 16 Pro Models in 2024

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the sole Apple smartphone of 2023 to get a periscope camera lens and benefit from greatly enhanced optical zoom, with the hardware only set to become a feature of both Pro models next year, claims a new Korean report.



According to The Elec, Apple intends a “Folded Zoom” periscope telephoto lens to be an exclusive feature in the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year, corroborating a report by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo has previously said the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be only model in the iPhone 15 series to get a periscope camera lens, a prediction that analyst Jeff Pu has also made. The Korean report claims Apple will then make the periscope lens system a feature of both iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024.

In a periscope system, light entering the telephoto lens is reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera’s image sensor. The change in direction in which the light travels allows for a longer “folded” telephoto setup inside phones, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness.

According to The Elec, Apple is tapping new suppliers for the OIS actuators that will be used in the periscope lens destined for this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple will rely on Korean companies LG Innotek and Jahwa Electronics to supply the actuators, replacing existing iPhone camera module actuator makers Japan Alps and Mitsumi.

Both LG Innotek and Jahwa have worked with Samsung to develop the ball-type actuators, which lend themselves better to folded zoom modules than the spring actuators Apple currently uses in its telephoto modules. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra already features a 10x zoom periscope telephoto camera.

Apple’s decision to make hardware features exclusive to this year’s 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max model is likely to cause frustration among would-be upgraders who seek the best features in the smaller 6.1-inch Pro model. Apple has not differentiated camera features between its iPhone “Pro” models since the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

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