In addition to revamped MacBook Pros that ditch the Touch Bar and resurrect MagSafe, Apple is also said to be planning to announce its long-awaited iMac redesign this year — and a pair of Mac Pro refreshes are on the roadmap, too. This is all according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says the iMac will undergo its most significant overhaul since 2012: Apple will reportedly ditch the chin beneath the screen, cut down on display bezels, and move to a flat-back design. The overall appearance will likely resemble the Pro Display XDR.
The new iMac will replace the Intel-powered 27-inch and 21.5-inch versions currently available and move the all-in-one desktop to Apple silicon. It’ll be one of the most significant visual makeovers of any Apple product this year, according to the report. The existing iMac packs top-tier specs and a beautiful screen into a design that has felt particularly outdated these last couple of years, so this change will be welcome. The last revision focused on increased speed, an improved webcam, and also added an option for a matte / nano-texture display coating.
As for the Mac Pro, Apple seems to have a two-prong plan: it’ll refresh the current upgradeable tower design — Gurman says the company is considering sticking with Intel processors for this machine. But that doesn’t mean Apple is stalling on a Mac Pro that runs on its own chips. The company is also apparently at work on a completely new form factor that Gurman says is less than half the total size of the current Mac Pro. “The design will feature a mostly aluminum exterior and could invoke nostalgia for the Power Mac G4 Cube,” he says.
All of these will feature the next generation of Apple’s own Mac processors, which first debuted in last year’s M1 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Last, Apple is reportedly planning to release a new external monitor that gives up some of the professional-grade display specifications of the Pro Display XDR to reach a wider audience of customers. The Pro Display XDR starts at $5,000, and Apple currently sells third-party monitors from LG as a more affordable step-down option. But it sounds like a spiritual successor to the Thunderbolt Display could be on the way in 2021.
Although the future CEO of Intel, Pat Gelsinger, will not officially inherit his role until February, he held a company-wide meeting in Oregon yesterday. In it Gelsinger commented on the current situation of the chip manufacturer and found only limited words of praise. First and foremost, the meeting was about Intel’s dwindling market power, which goes hand in hand with the rise of competitors such as AMD and, more recently, Apple. Among other things, it said: “ We have to deliver better products for the PC ecosystem than any imaginable product from a lifestyle company from Cupertino. We have to be that good in the future.”
Gelsinger is referring to the recent introduction of Apple’s own M1 processor. This almost completely replaced the Intel processors that had previously been used in Apple’s Mac products for years. Intel has been struggling to switch to more modern manufacturing methods for years. While the US chip manufacturers still have problems with the mass production of processors in the 10 has nm process, the competition from Asia already produces masses of 5 nm chips and supplies them to Apple, for example. Even if there is still no more detailed information about the change in strategy of the group with Gelsinger at the top, some restructuring within the company can be expected in view of his clear words.
At the beginning of this year, it was urgent the largest shareholder Third Point already in an open letter the management to change course. There was also the possibility of outsourcing the production of advanced high-end chips to Asia. However, this is viewed very critically by the US government, as Intel also supplies the US Department of Defense with chips. Former CEO Bob Swan resigned from his post just the day before yesterday. It is not clear whether there is a connection between the resignation and Third Point’s demands.
Ming-Chi Kuo provides that next MacBook Pro, scheduled for market debut in the third quarter, will bring several surprises: goodbye to the TouchBar, MagSafe is back and there will be more connection ports
by Andrea Bai published on 15 January 2021 , at 18: 01 in the Apple channel Apple MacBook
The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, historically attentive to the moves of Apple, has issued a note to investors with which he hypothesizes the road that the Apple is taking in development of the next portable systems of the MacBo family ok Pro which could contain, in your opinion, some interesting surprises.
According to Kuo, Apple is currently working to develop two new MacBook Pro models in the form factors of 14 is 16 inches . According to the analyst, first of all there will be a significant renewal of the design, with the new machines that will turn out to be more squared, similar to the stylistic approach of the recent iPhones 12, thus losing the slightly rounded lines of the versions currently on the market.
New MacBook Pros may also lose the Touch Bar and find the physical function keys . Evidently the experiment of inserting a system of virtual and contextual commands to the activity that is taking place on the screen has not given the expected results, and in general the response of users to the Touch Bar has been rather lukewarm in recent years.
Next Generation MacBook Pro: MagSafe Connector Return?
What seems to be good and surprising news, assuming that it is reflected in reality, is the reintroduction of MagSafe charging connector . The indiscretion in this case is not entirely clear, given that Apple has recently chosen to switch to USB-C connectors also for charging operations. However, as we have noticed several times, the choice to abandon the MagSafe connector represented, in our opinion, an involution of the user experience. In any case, the return of the magnetic connector for charging would certainly be appreciated.
Another perspective indicated by Kuo, also positive, is that the next MacBook Pro could offer the user more connection ports , which would put most users in the condition of not having to resort to hubs and adapters for connecting their peripherals. The latest versions of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air portable systems, even in the very recent editions with Apple M1 processor, have only been equipped with USB Type-C ports, a choice that we have always considered to be quite limiting for the user.
Finally, according to Kuo, all new MacBook Pro models will be equipped with Apple Silicon SoC and there are no versions with processors Intel . The new laptops will apparently adopt a cooling system very similar to that used in the current MacBook Pro since 16 inches.
According to the analyst these new laptops will arrive on the market during the third quarter 2020 , in the so-called “back- to-school “. Kuo predicts that the important gift of updates should catalyze more demand for replacement, so as to push deliveries upwards with year-over-year growth of 25%-30% until 20 millions of pieces.
Fortnite maker Epic Games is expanding its action against Apple and Google: After the USA and Australia, the games company has now also filed a competition complaint against both companies in Great Britain. Both Apple and Google would abuse their market power with the requirements relating to app sales for iOS and Android and violate EU law (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) through their anti-competitive behavior in the UK and the EU, according to the Submissions published by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Dispute over access and billing Apple only allows the purchase of apps for iPhones and iPads via its own store and assumes that digital content can only be purchased via its own payment interface, argues Epic Games against Apple – the company uses this to “avoid unfair prices” “to quote. Epic accuses Google and Alphabet of restricting competition through alternative app stores. The Google Play Store assumes that in-app purchases are made via Google’s payment interface and also demand “unfair prices” for this.
The dispute is about Both platform access and payment system requirements: Epic Games wants Apple and Google to allow alternative payment interfaces in their stores and Apple to allow alternative app stores.
Last August, Epic Games secretly integrated its own payment interface into Fortnite, via which the in-game currency V-Bucks could be obtained at a lower price than via Apple’s and Google’s also built-in payment interface, if they are used, a 30 percentage commission is to be paid to the operating system manufacturer. Both Apple and Google threw Fortnite out of their app stores, Epic’s competition complaints and a counterclaim from Apple for breach of contract followed.
Epic Games Store should be on iOS With the complaint to the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Epic now wants to force a return from Fortnite to the smartphone platforms in Great Britain, with its own payment interface. Apple should also no longer prevent the Epic Games Store from being downloaded on Apple devices, the complaint said. Google should be prohibited from requiring its Play Store to be pre-installed on Android devices or from giving it preferential treatment by third-party manufacturers.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the biggest and best iPhone ever made, but it is now only marginally better than the standard iPhone 12
For
Huge, beautiful screen
Surprisingly capable speakers
Excellent sound via headphones
Against
Marginal gains over iPhone 12
No bundled charger
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best phone that Apple has made. It has the biggest and best screen, the best camera and the longest-lasting battery. So that’s the review over, right? Not quite.
No phone lives in a vacuum, and while the iPhone 12 Pro Max sits at the pinnacle of the current iPhone range, the competition is better than ever, particularly if picture and sound quality are of paramount importance. What’s more, Apple’s own iPhone 12 has gained an OLED screen, eliminating one of the key differentiators between the standard and Pro iPhones of previous years.
But, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best phone Apple has made, that doesn’t necessarily make it the phone you should buy.
Price
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is priced from £1099 ($1099, AU$1849). That gets you the standard 128GB model, with 256GB and 512GB versions available for £1199 ($1199, AU$2019) and £1399 ($1399, AU$2369) respectively.
The cheapest version of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is just £100 ($100, AU$250) more expensive than the smaller iPhone 12 Pro, but a whopping £300 ($300, AU$500) more than a standard iPhone 12, which now has an OLED screen of its own.
Features
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple describes the straight-edged design of the iPhone 12 Pro Max as ‘all-new’, but it is reminiscent of older models such as the iPhone 4. Regardless, it is lovely to behold, with its stainless steel edges and textured matte back glass giving it a premium look and feel.
It feels weighty and solid, too, and it’s easier to grip, despite being marginally taller and wider (but also thinner) than the iPhone 11 Pro Max it replaces. Those straight edges make it slightly less comfortable to hold, but not to a great extent.
Despite the phone having grown just 2.8mm in height and 0.3mm in width, a thinning of the bezels has allowed for a screen that’s 0.2in bigger on the diagonal than that of its predecessor. This new screen uses what Apple calls a ‘Ceramic Shield’, which it claims is tougher than any other smartphone glass. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is IP68 rated, so is water-resistant at depths of up to 6m for up to 30 minutes.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max tech specs
(Image credit: Apple)
Display 6.7in OLED
Resolution 2778 x 1284 (458ppi)
Front camera 12MP
Rear camera 12MP Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto
Operating system iOS 14
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Arguably the biggest news is that new screen which, at 6.7in, is the largest to ever grace an iPhone. It’s also the brightest, with Apple claiming it reaches peaks of 1200 nits, with an average output of 800 nits.
This year, you don’t need to buy a Pro in order to get an OLED screen, as the standard iPhone 12 has one, too, but its typical brightness is rated at a lower 625 nits. The largest iPhone 12 has only a 6.1in display. Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG are now supported across the entire range, and there’s plenty available to watch in HDR, including on Netflix and the Apple TV app.
You can even now record your own video in Dolby Vision – the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the first smartphone cameras with such a feature. Choose the Pro or Pro Max and recording can be done at 60fps rather than a maximum of 30fps.
The Pro models also boast an extra, telephoto lens that adds an optical zoom to the impressive suite of camera features. The Pro Max’s telephoto lens has a larger aperture than that of the non-Max Pro model, allowing it to capture more light. As well as the impressive camera hardware, the iPhone 12s also use features called ‘Deep Fusion’ and ‘Smart HDR 3’ to enhance detail and HDR highlights respectively.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max takes superb photos, but you’d have to be a camera enthusiast to get the most out of it, especially if you do a lot of night-time photography. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max add a LiDAR scanner that improves low-light autofocus and allows bokeh portraits to be taken in Night Mode.
The new A14 Bionic chip, which also powers the standard iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models, is lightning fast, making the iPhone 12 Pro Max incredibly slick, snappy and frictionless in use. These new iPhones are the first to get 5G compatibility, making for faster data connections for those with an appropriate contract and coverage.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max also has a bigger battery than the iPhone 12 Pro or standard iPhone 12. Apple claims it lasts for up to 20 hours of video playback, compared with 17 hours for the other models. Indeed, during testing, we didn’t manage to fully empty the battery in a single day of use.
Much has been made of the fact that none of the new iPhones come bundled with a charger. If you don’t already have one, there are a number of options available, from the super-fast Apple 20W wired charger (£19, $19, AU$29), to various wireless charging options and even chargers that use the new MagSafe feature, which allows various accessories to be connected to the rear of the phone using magnets.
Screen
(Image credit: Apple)
iPhones have long been consummate picture performers and, as we play It from the Apple TV app, it immediately becomes clear that the 12 Pro Max doesn’t buck the trend. This Dolby Vision film is streamed in strikingly cinematic fashion, with deep blacks, super-crisp edges and oodles of detail. But it’s not a night-and-day improvement on the iPhone 11 Pro Max it replaces. You appreciate the extra 0.2in more than you might expect, and there’s a slight increase in colour vibrancy, but this is a similar presentation overall.
However, the fact that the standard iPhone 12 is the first of its kind with an OLED screen presents something of an issue. Playing Lost In Space on Netflix, we can see that the gap between the standard and Pro models has never been narrower. The Pro Max has a larger screen, making for a much more cinematic experience, but the standard iPhone 12 delivers a more crisply defined image, due to its more compact dimensions. All things being equal, we’d choose the 12 Pro Max’s viewing experience, but the extra cost is hard to justify on picture performance alone.
It’s also interesting to compare the iPhone 12 Pro Max to the Award-winning Sony Xperia 1 II, which has a 21:9 display that makes for a bigger and more authentically cinematic presentation with the right material. Playing Dredd from Netflix (in Full HD and SDR), the Sony also proves to be the punchier, more vibrant and sharper performer, as well having a more neutral colour balance. If you’re open to the idea of switching to Android, the Xperia 1 II is worth trying out.
Sound
(Image credit: Apple)
For listening out loud, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is simply the best phone there has ever been. What Apple has achieved in terms of loudness, spaciousness and punch is impressive. A good Bluetooth speaker at the affordable end of the market will still beat it, of course, but the openness of the soundfield is particularly impressive when watching a film, and effects extend surprisingly far to the left and right of the screen.
Playing through a pair of headphones (you’ll need a separate dongle) and the good news continues. The iPhone 12 is an exceptionally musical device in its own right, and the 12 Pro Max sounds slightly fuller and smoother at the expense of just a touch of crispness. We’re talking fine margins here, and both phones offer that balance, authenticity and sense of fun for which Apple products are renowned.
Plug those same headphones into the Sony Xperia 1 II (which still has a dedicated socket) and there’s an immediate increase in intensity. That can be seen as a positive – you can’t fail to be engaged – but the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s richer and more open approach is just as appealing, particularly over long listening sessions.
Verdict
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best phone that Apple has ever made, with the biggest screen, the best speakers, the best camera and the biggest battery. But many of its upgrades over the iPhone 12 are minimal, and the fact that the standard iPhone now has an OLED display is another reason not to spend the extra.
In short, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max is well worth stretching to if you’re a keen photographer or videographer, the standard iPhone 12 is without a doubt the performance-per-pound pick of the current range – and more than enough phone for all but the most demanding of users.
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Let’s just get to it: Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro are the best true wireless earbuds that the company has made yet. For their $200 asking price, you get a comfortable fit, effective active noise cancellation, and good, punchy sound quality. These earbuds improve on Samsung’s prior efforts with clever features like a speech detection mode that automatically lowers your music and lets you hear the outside world as soon as you start talking.
But they also inch Samsung closer to a siloed-off world, not unlike Apple, where the best experience is reserved for people who stick to Samsung-branded devices. A few features like 3D audio and automatic device switching — sound familiar? — only work if you’re using these earbuds with a Samsung phone or tablet. Most people aren’t going to be cross-shopping the Galaxy Buds Pro and AirPods Pro since they’re designed for different mobile operating systems, but Samsung has never leaned into its own ecosystem with earbuds quite like this. Thankfully, there’s enough good for everyone else that the Galaxy Buds Pro still come out a success.
The Buds Pro are an amalgam of the Galaxy Buds Plus — they have an in-ear design with silicone tips — and the open-air Galaxy Buds Live, from which they borrow some style cues. The outer casing is a tasteful mix of glossy and matte finishes and has been redesigned to protrude less from your ear. Samsung says this revamped shell also “reduces the contact area between your ear and the bud, improving comfort and minimizing any clogged-up feeling.”
The wing tips from the Galaxy Buds Plus are gone; Samsung got the message that some customers experienced discomfort from those over time. Instead, you get the usual three sizes of silicone ear tips, which are a bit shorter than before to help with the low-profile design. Samsung tells me it has considered including foam tips but has so far held off. You’ll also notice a section of mesh on the outside. This covers one of the three built-in microphones and is there to act as a wind shield for voice calls. (More on that later.)
I really like how these earbuds fit. They feel stable and twist into place for a good seal in my ear canal, without making my ears feel too plugged up. The air vent and reduced contact area really do seem to make a difference there, and I appreciate that the Buds Pro don’t noticeably jut out from my ears like some competitors. If I have one critique, it’s an old one: more than a few times, I accidentally activated the touch-sensitive controls when trying to adjust the fit of an earbud. Such is life with tap gestures, I suppose. The controls can be turned off if this proves a problem for you.
According to Samsung, the Galaxy Buds Plus are rated IPX7 for water and sweat resistance, which means they can survive a half-hour swim in fresh water — so even your sweatiest runs and workouts shouldn’t present any problem. That’s the highest rating among any of Samsung’s earbuds and beats out the AirPods Pro, Jabra Elite 85t, and Bose Sport Earbuds, which are all IPX4. Either earbud can be used independently with mono audio if you prefer that option for voice calls or biking.
The wonderfully pocketable Buds Pro charging case is so close in size and shape to the Buds Live case that accessories for the latter will fit the former, and it still charges over both USB-C and Qi wireless charging. But endurance is one area where these earbuds settle for very average numbers. Samsung promises up to five hours of playback with ANC enabled (or eight with it off). Case top-offs put you at 18 hours of total battery life or 28 without noise cancellation. That’s basically on par with the rest of the field, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the 11 hours of continuous audio that the Galaxy Buds Plus are capable of. Alas, it turns out the Buds Pro have a smaller battery capacity (61mAh for each bud versus 85mAh) on top of their more power-hungry ANC feature.
The Galaxy Buds Pro have two-way speakers in each earbud: there’s an 11-millimeter woofer and 6.5mm tweeter. Those are larger than what was in the Buds Plus, though smaller than the single 12mm driver from the Buds Live; in that instance, Samsung was most focused on getting satisfactory bass out of an open-style earbud. Here, it’s aiming for “the most comprehensive sound in the Galaxy Buds line yet.” I can’t speak to what “comprehensive” is supposed to mean, but the Buds Pro are enjoyable to listen to, with a good bass thump, crisp treble, and a pleasant soundstage / imaging.
A lot of earbuds can make it feel like everything is happening in the middle of your head, but these do a solid job keeping instrumentation and vocals distinct. Sturgill Simpson’s “Oh Sarah” and Troye Sivan’s “Easy” (with Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson) make for nice showcases — in very different genres — of how layered the Buds Pro can get.
Bass heads might want to go for the “bass boost” EQ setting, and the tweeters can occasionally give off a little too much brightness and sibilance for some tracks like Jason Isbell’s “Be Afraid,” but for the most part I was very pleased with the sound signature. I don’t think Samsung hits the same fidelity as something like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2, but those are nearly $100 more expensive. I’d be perfectly content with the Buds Pro as my daily earbuds.
The active noise cancellation on the Galaxy Buds Pro is much better than the Galaxy Buds Live, where it seems to barely do anything since there’s so much outside noise to contend with. Samsung claims that the Buds Pro can cut down on “up to 99 percent” of noise “at 118.43Hz,” which is wildly specific and won’t mean much to most people. In my experience, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds, Sony’s WF-1000XM3 earbuds, and the AirPods Pro all outperform Samsung at quieting the world around you, but Samsung does a perfectly adequate job at muffling street noise and household distractions. You can choose between high and low levels of noise cancellation in case you’re sensitive to the effect.
Samsung’s latest transparency / ambient mode still doesn’t sound as natural as what Apple and Bose have achieved, but it’s a definite improvement over the very digitized version from the Galaxy Buds Plus. And the fantastic “voice detect” feature, which automatically lowers audio volume and switches from ANC to ambient mode when you start talking, is one of the best things about the Galaxy Buds Pro. Sony did something similar on its 1000XM4 headphones, but I haven’t seen this convenient trick in many earbuds, and now I wish all of them at least had the option.
Samsung uses a “voice pickup unit” — basically an accelerometer that senses jaw movement — to know that it’s you talking and not someone nearby. After a few seconds of no more talking, ANC returns and your music gets turned back up. Voice detect works as expected, but if you’ve got a tendency to talk to yourself or sing to your music, you might want to keep it disabled and assign ambient sound to a long press of one of the earbuds. Controls work the same way as other Samsung buds, with a single tap to pause / play, double to skip to the next song, triple to go back, and a customizable long press that can be used for volume, voice assistants, or ambient mode.
For voice calls, Samsung has a three-mic system and uses beamforming to isolate your voice from your environment. The lower profile of the Buds Pro helps combat wind noise, and the mesh-covered chamber does a good job filtering out any gusts if you’re talking with someone outside. Clarity is also good, as you should be able to hear in Becca’s video review above. Speaking of voice, the Galaxy Buds Pro still have hands-free “Hey Bixby” capabilities.
Pro as in… AirPods Pro?
There’s no denying that a few features of the Galaxy Buds Pro are heavily influenced by Apple’s AirPods Pro. The first of these is 3D audio, which is Samsung’s take on the immersive spatial audio capabilities of the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Load up a movie with Dolby surround, and the Buds Pro will attempt to cram a surround sound listening experience into a pair of earbuds.
Samsung says that 360 audio uses Dolby head tracking technology, which “enables you to stay at the center of the scene when you’re watching a movie or TV show.” In concept, this sounds similar to Apple’s approach, which uses sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes in the earbuds and your iPhone or iPad to keep the sound source anchored to your device — even when you turn your head side to side.
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how convincing Samsung’s 3D audio is or whether it compares favorably to spatial audio because it requires OneUI 3.1, which for now is only available on the new Galaxy S21 lineup. The $1,300 Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that Samsung sent for this review doesn’t have that update yet.
The second AirPods feature that Samsung has tried to directly counter is automatic switching. Apple’s earbuds can hop between an iPhone, iPad, or Mac depending on which one you’re using in that moment without you having to manually make the change. Samsung says it has now pulled off the same trick, so the Buds Pro should automatically switch between your Galaxy smartphone and tablet. Unfortunately, the laptop gets left out of Samsung’s equation completely, which makes the feature somewhat less helpful. I wish that more earbuds would just give us proper multipoint Bluetooth pairing to two devices at once; Jabra continues to be the standout there. Automatic switching feels like a makeshift solution until Samsung can get to multipoint.
Both of these capabilities require you to be fairly entrenched in Samsung’s ecosystem. 3D audio only works on Samsung hardware, so if your Android phone is from a different brand, you lose out on it altogether. Same goes for auto-switching. If neither feature is important to you, that might not matter, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Also worth mentioning is that Samsung isn’t extending the same level of iOS support it has maintained for the Buds Plus and Buds Live: the existing iOS app doesn’t work with the Buds Pro, so you can’t use features like voice detect on iPhone. I’m not sure what the reasoning is there, but maybe Samsung’s internal data shows that not many people are pairing its earbuds to Apple devices. You can still pair them and use noise canceling and ambient modes — much like the way AirPods Pro function on Android.
The Galaxy Buds Pro face stiff competition everywhere you look, and you can find superior ANC and sound quality elsewhere. But with these latest earbuds, Samsung has blended much of what worked best about the Buds Plus and Buds Live. Battery life is merely average, but that’s the only real gripe I’ve got. They don’t necessarily win at any one category, but the Galaxy Buds Pro strike an excellent all-around balance. And you can clearly see Samsung trying to recreate some of the ecosystem “magic” that AirPods owners are now used to.
The Buds Pro feel great in your ears, sound better than any Samsung earbuds to date, and have convenient tricks to complement their decent noise cancellation. There’s still a place for the Galaxy Buds Plus if all you want are wireless earbuds with a battery that just goes and goes, and the Buds Live remain the better pick if you need environmental awareness at all times. But if you’re nabbing the Buds Pro as a preorder bonus for a new Galaxy S21, you should be more than satisfied.
(Pocket-lint) – Samsung moved fast to launch its new flagship phone range in January 2021, with the Galaxy S21 Ultra sitting at the top of the pile.
Having created the Ultra tier in 2020, the new S21 Ultra feels like an opportunity to address what didn’t work with that old phone and try to create the super phone that Samsung wants.
We’ve spent a little time with the new device to bring you our first impressions.
squirrel_widget_3816752
Design
165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm, 228g
Metal and glass build
IP68 waterproofing
Samsung put a lot of time into talking about the black finish on its phone at the launch of the new devices. Saying that less is more will raise an eyebrow among those looking at new S21 Ultra, into which Samsung clearly has put everything.
But there’s no questioning that the Phantom Black S21 Ultra is something to behold. Once you get past the size of the camera housing, with those large lenses looking at you, you’ll appreciate what Samsung was talking about.
Pocket-lint
Black phones have often been glossy. Often highlighting the use of glass, big phones have suffered from that problem of always being smeary, with black looking particularly bad. The matte finish is welcome, the Gorilla Glass Victus rear of this phone looking more like black metal.
That the finish also flows across the camera housing too helps to camouflage it to a degree, and moreso than some of the contrasting finishes that Samsung has used on the smaller S20 and S21+ models.
The frame of the phone remains glossy black and extends up around the edges of the camera housing so it looks more integrated and it’s a unique design, something we’ve not seen before – which is very welcomed on a smartphone.
Pocket-lint
The essentials are still in place, like the IP68 waterproofing you’d demand of a premium flagship, but there’s no escaping that is a big phone, and weighty too.
Flip to the front and the curves to the edge of the display continue Samsung’s trick of hiding the edge bezels for a more seamless look – and that’s something that the regular S20 and S21+ no longer offer. There’s touch of bezel to the top and bottom of the screen and the front punch hole camera is kept small – but it’s all very similar to other, recent, Samsung phones.
Display
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Quad HD+, HDR10+ support
Adaptive 10-120Hz refresh rate
1500 nit
S Pen support
Samsung phones are all about the display. Packed with a 6.8-inch AMOLED, this is a typical Samsung experience, with our first impressions being of a punchy and vibrant display. Samsung says that this is its brightest at 1500 nits, but there are some important changes that have taken place under the surface.
The S21 Ultra adopts the Note 20 Ultra’s adaptive motion smoothness to solve one of the big criticisms of the previous S20 Ultra. That old device only offered 120Hz at 1080p resolution, which hardly seemed premium. Now the phone can select refresh rates from 10-120Hz to suit the content.
Best smartphones 2021: The top mobile phones available to buy today
Pocket-lint
That will save battery, because it means you’re not pushing 120Hz when you’re reading a static page, but you have the fluidity when you’re scrolling or gaming where faster refresh rates are supported. Some will notice the refresh rate more than others, so it’s not the be-all and end-all, but it’s good that Samsung has addressed this.
Samsung sticks to offering a top resolution at 3200 x 1440 pixels, but that’s not turned on by default. The default is still 2400 x 1080 pixels and you have to look hard to notice the difference. That’s also the top resolution of the new S21+, with Samsung seemingly accepting that some people just don’t need those pixel popping resolutions.
Pocket-lint
On top of this is the support for the S Pen. This has been the preserve of the Note in previous Samsung phones and the widening of the support for stylus input adds an interesting option. While the S21 Ultra doesn’t come with a stylus, you can either buy one or use one from an older device. You don’t get all the S Pen Air Commands that you do on the Note, but there’s plenty you can do.
As we’ve only had the S21 Ultra for a limited time, we’ve really not had the chance to dive into the performance of the camera – that’s going to take a lot more testing to see if Samsung has addressed some of the problems encountered with the previous model.
There have been changes: there’s a new 108-megapixel main sensor which claims to be a better performer and it’s supported by a new laser autofocus system. That should address the previous focusing issues that people had, but it does leave the larger question of which is the best approach to mobile photography.
Pocket-lint
The S21 Ultra takes 12-megapixel photos as standard and the pixel are only 0.8µm a fraction of the size you get in lower resolution sensors, like on the Pixel or iPhone. Ultimately it gathers more data, but can’t absorb as much light through each pixel on the sensor. We’ll be looking at how the AI wizardary handles these images to see how they compare if they can compete in low light.
While the front camera and ultra-wide camera remain the same as the old model, it’s in the telephoto that things have changed the most. Samsung is keen to hang onto the 100X Space Zoom as a flagship feature. Previously, the zoom was good, but beyond about 30x, it really started to lose sharpness and colour, not to mention being hard to keep stable.
Pocket-lint
There are now two 10-megapixel lenses on the back of the S21 Ultra, one offering 3x telephoto and the others, a periscope lens, offering 10x optical. They work in combination, so from the camera app it’s a seamless transition from one to the other so you’re getting the best lens for the job. We’re yet to fully test it, but certainly, it looks like that 10x optical zoom will give some decent results.
Samsung has also made a point of boosting the video skills. This is an area where Apple has generally performed better than many rivals, so there’s a lot to explore to see how the S21 Ultra competes.
There are new modes and new skills in the camera to explore, but we’ll be bringing you a full verdict on their performance once we’ve spent longer with the phone.
Hardware and specs
Exynos 2100/Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, 5G
12/16GB, 128/256/512GB
5000mAh, 45W charging
UWB
With a new device comes new hardware, pushing along Samsung’s One UI 3.1, based on Android 11. That brings the software fully up to date (other Samsung devices are currently on One UI 3.0 at the time of writing).
The phone is now powered by the Exynos 2100 or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, depending on where you buy the phone. This is a new generation of hardware and first impressions are of a snappy phone. We’re using the Exynos version and we suspect that the two versions of the phone will be closer in performance than they have previously.
There’s a big 5000mAh battery with support for faster wired and wireless charging, but there’s a lot of testing before we can judge whether Samsung has managed to boost the endurance.
First Impressions
Initial impressions of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are of a phone that’s now better looking than it was before. It’s a phone with a lot to prove – even though it is available slightly cheaper than the model it replaces, there’s always the risk that it will be undercut by its own lower-spec sibling, the Galaxy S21+.
We’re going to putting the S21 Ultra through a lot of testing over the coming weeks, but we’ll bring you a full evaluation of Samsung latest phone as soon as we can.
The functions of the official federal corona warning app will be significantly expanded in the coming weeks. In addition, the app should also be able to run on the older iPhone models 5s and 6 from mid-February. The Federal Ministry of Health announced this on Friday.
The new functions include a dashboard on which current information about the infection process is to be made available . Then the app will be expanded to include a display of the encounter history. The aim is to inform the app users more precisely about the time of risk encounters. This function will be implemented in accordance with the applicable data protection. As a third innovation, Apple’s interface for the older iPhone models 5s and 6 will also be implemented on the federal corona warning app.
This change alone will grow the Pool of compatible smartphones in Germany by up to four million devices. Apple had previously provided the necessary interface, the Exposure Notification Framework, also for the older iOS 12. 5. Apple thus responded to the request to change the Bluetooth interface so that even more iPhone models than before can run the Corona Tracing app.
More compatible countries Also in February, the development team from SAP and Deutsche Telekom wants to integrate a voluntary user survey in which users can express their opinion on possible data donations. The exchange of infection codes with Switzerland should be possible in March. So far, the federal app’s system has been exchanging data with Ireland, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Croatia, Denmark, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland. In addition to Switzerland, Malta, Slovenia, Lithuania, Portugal, Austria and Cyprus are expected to join them in the first quarter 2021. The Czech Republic, Estonia and Greece are in the further planning. The national apps in Great Britain and France, on the other hand, are not compatible because they are not based on the interfaces of Apple and Google.
From the 201 Corona test laboratories established in Germany are now 174 already digitally connected, 7 more are in preparation, the ministry said. This means that over 95 percent of the test capacity is connected to the Corona warning app. 20 Laboratories are “passive”.
The Corona -Warning app of the federal government has been downloaded more than 25 million times to date. Experts estimate that it is actively used by around 23 million people. The download numbers refer to the Apple IDs or Google IDs used. Since in some families several devices are supplied with one ID, the starting point should be even higher than 25 millions of people. Updates to the app are not counted as a separate download. A good ten percent is deducted from this initial value, as some users have uninstalled the app again or not reinstalled it after switching mobile phones. This calculation also takes into account those users who have permanently switched off Bluetooth so that the app cannot work. The effectiveness of the app increases the more people actually use the application.
Amazon provides the technology behind its Alexa software for voice assistants from other providers. The first customer is the car manufacturer Fiat-Chrysler, which is developing its own Alexa-based assistance software for its vehicles, as Amazon announced on Friday. The partners can set other wake-up words, voices and additional functions for their voice assistants.
The possibility of having Amazon do most of the development work and Appearing to users with their own voice assistant at the same time could be interesting not only for car manufacturers, but also for manufacturers of household appliances or entertainment electronics, for example.
Assistant coexistence Up until now, Amazon mainly offered the option of integrating Alexa into devices from other providers. Google is also pursuing this strategy with its competing Assistant. Apple, on the other hand, only integrates its Siri voice assistant into its own devices.
Amazon does not want to give up any ground with the new offer: The brands’ own assistant should Coexist and collaborate on devices with Alexa. In this way, the users would get both a voice assistant that was tailored to the products of the provider and access to the usual functions, it was said to justify.
The industry association Bitkom is in favor of a national education platform and criticizes the persistent problems in Germany with regard to digital distance learning. The fragmented digital educational offer is not expedient, explains Bitkom in a press release. Meanwhile, the learning platform Schul-Cloud of the Hasso Plattner Institute has seen a sharp increase in access numbers.
Bitkom President Berg criticizes that one year after the start Since the coronavirus pandemic, comprehensive digital lessons are still not possible: “One of the main problems are the platforms in the federal states, which are often unable to cope with the large number of users and collapse under the strain”. Since the start of school there have been problems with the accessibility of the educational platforms of the federal states and competing offers from private companies.
Integration of existing solutions In the press release, Bitkom also refers to the results of the education summit in September last year. The education ministers of the federal states drew up seven declarations of intent at the meeting, one of which formulated the step-by-step development of an educational platform by the federal government.
According to Achim Berg, the wheel does not have to be reinvented for this: “Good solutions that have already proven themselves need not be discarded, but can be incorporated into the development of a national educational platform. The digitization of schools must not fail because of the federal small and small, but requires a joint effort by municipalities, states and the federal government. ”
HPI’s school cloud relies on open source Software Meanwhile, the learning platform of the Hasso Plattner Institute is reporting user records. Since March 2020 the number of users of the HPI learning platform has increased almost thirty-fold, the institute announced on Friday.
In the meantime, almost 3400 schools used the platform. This number has increased tenfold since March. According to the HPI, at peak times up to 35 000 users can only use the integrated video conference system BigBlueButton. The open source and free HPI cloud is particularly widespread in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia.
Side by side of digital educational offers The HPI project primarily competes with solutions based on the open source platform Moodle. This includes the Bavarian learning platform Mebis, which, however, repeatedly struggles with technical problems. There are also a number of medium-sized solutions on the market. These include IServ, ucs @ school, Webweaver, itslearning or the Schul.Cloud from the Hanover-based provider Heinekingmedia, which speak out against a state-sponsored platform. In addition to medium-sized companies, large US corporations such as Microsoft, Google and Apple are also trying to gain a foothold in the education market.
The HPI School Cloud was 2017 started as a pilot project and financially supported by the Federal Ministry of Education as a non-profit open source project. In response to the corona pandemic, the ministry decided in March 2020 to open the HPI school cloud across Germany for all schools that could not use a comparable solution of the state or the school authority.
Apple is preparing a new edition of the MacBook Pro: In addition to a 16 “model, the manufacturer is planning Also reportedly the introduction of a new 14 “model. Both pro notebooks also use brighter, higher-contrast screens, as reported by the financial news agency Bloomberg with reference to an informed person. Mini-LED technology may be used for this, as has long been suspected.
More angular Design and Apple Silicon For the case of the MacBook Pro Bloomberg only expects “minor design changes”. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is usually well informed about Apple’s product plans, the new models rely on a more angular design on the edges – similar to the iPad Pro and iPhone 12.
The 2021 he MacBook Pro should be offered purely with Apple Silicon, Apple’s in-house ARM-based SoCs (System-on-Chip), probably in a more powerful version of the M1- Chips with more cores and improved graphics, according to Bloomberg . So far, Apple still has these model series with Intel processors, only the entry-level version of the 13 “MacBook Pro” is already available with an ARM processor – and shows a significant leap in performance. According to both reports, there will no longer be any parallel versions with Intel processors.
Return of MagSafe Apple is also bringing its popular MagSafe charging system back to MacBooks, the financial news agency said and the analyst also agreed. The new connection is similar to the MagSafe port previously installed on mobile Macs and relies on a magnetic connection. If the cable is pulled hard, it detaches from the notebook: This can prevent the MacBook Pro from stumbling, for example is torn from the table via the charging cable and damaged. MagSafe should also enable a faster charging process, it continues. On the iPhone 12 Apple has just introduced “MagSafe”, but as a new system for magnetic accessories and faster inductive charging.
Apple USB-C should remain true to the rest of the connections; charging should still be possible via this. According to the information from Kuo, Apple wants to integrate other types of connections in order to avoid having to carry adapters for many users. However, it remains unclear which ports it should be. In the last major redesign of the year 2016 Apple cut the HDMI port and an SD card slot.
Touch Bar before the end? According to Kuo, the new MacBook An end to the touch bar: the touch-sensitive OLED strip is giving way to the classic function keys, according to the analyst. The financial news agency only says that Apple is also testing models without a touch bar. Apple has the touch bar after its introduction in 2016 Hardly any further development, only functions were deleted – after numerous complaints, the company brought back the Escape key as a physical key. The new MacBook Pro models are expected in the first half of the year 2021, they could appear in May or June
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said this week that it would significantly increase its capital expenditures this year as it needs to build and equip new fabs to ramp up its existing and next-generation leading-edge process technologies. Demand for advanced fabrication nodes is on the rise. In Q4 2020, revenue for N5 (5 nm) and N7 (7 nm) technologies accounted for nearly half of TSMC’s revenue, so it makes a great sense for the manufacturer to continue investing in leading-edge capacities. Furthermore, as Apple and Intel plan to increase orders to TSMC, the foundry will also need more capacity.
TSMC to Spend Up to $28 Billion on Production Facilities in 2021
TSMC’s management plans to spend from $25 billion to $28 billion on capital expenditures in 2021, the world’s largest contract maker of semiconductor announced this week.
(Image credit: TSMC)
If TSMC’s board approves all the investments proposed by the management, then TSMC’s CapEx will rise by 45% ~ 62% year-over-year from $17.2 billion in 2020. The lion’s share of TSMC’s capital budget will be spent on expanding production capacities for the company’s N5 and N7 nodes as well as equipping a leading-edge fab for its N3 (3 nm) node that will be used starting from the second half of 2022.
“Out of the $25 to $28 billion CapEx for 2021, about 80% of the capital budget will be allocated for advanced process technologies, including 3 nm, 5 nm and 7 nm,” said Wendell Huang, chief financial officer at TSMC, during this week’s earnings call with analysts and investors. “About 10% will be spent for advanced packaging and mask making and about 10% will be spent for speciality technologies.”
“The 2021 CapEx is largely for N5 expansion (at least 2x its current 55-60k WPM capacity), and N3 build is limited to pilot line/initial production (+10-15k WPM, though we expect N3’s capacity to be similar to N5’s upon full ramp-up),” Szeho Ng, an analyst with China Renaissance Securities, wrote in a note to clients on Friday.
Production of semiconductors is an extremely capital-intensive business and as process technologies get more advanced and manufacturing tools get more expensive, chipmakers have to increase their CapEx budgets to build fabs that cost as much as $20 billion or even more. Because of increasingly high R&D and fab costs, numerous contract makers of semiconductors had to pull out from the leading-edge and focus on specialized technologies in the recent years.
N5 & N7 Accounted for 49% of TSMC’s Revenue in Q4 2020
But with a number of rivals out of the game, TSMC now has more clients than ever. And considering the fact that there are a number of ongoing megatrends — such as 5G, AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and edge computing — that require advanced chips produced using the most sophisticated technologies possible, demand for TSMC’s higher-end production services is on the rise today and will continue growing in the coming years.
(Image credit: TSMC)
In the fourth quarter, sales of wafers processed using N5 accounted for 20% of TSMC’s total wafer revenue, whereas sales of N7 and 12 nm/16 nm accounted for 29% and 13% respectively. In general, leading-edge N5 and N7 nodes commanded 49% of TSMC’s wafer revenue, whereas advanced nodes (N5, N7, N12/N16) accounted for 62% of the company’s total wafer revenue.
TSMC’s N5 process technology in Q4 2020 was primarily used by Apple, which uses it for its A14 system-on-chips for smartphones and tablets as well as M1 SoCs for its latest PCs. The company’s N7 is used more widely by companies like AMD, Apple, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Xilinx, whereas N12/N16 is used by dozens of companies for all kinds of applications.
“Our fourth quarter business was supported by strong demand for our industry-leading 5 nm technology, driven by 5G smartphone launches and HPC-related applications,” said Mr. Huang. “Moving into first quarter 2021, we expect our business to be supported by HPC-related demand, recovery in the automotive segment, and a milder smartphone seasonality than in recent years.”
TSMC’s N5 is a major improvement over N7 node that enables a 15% higher performance (at the same power and complexity) or a 30% lower power consumption (at the same frequency and complexity), and an up to 1.8X higher transistor density (not for all structures). In addition, N5 uses extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography on more than 10 layers to reduce mask count to 81 as well as reduce or even avoid usage of multipatterning, which optimizes yields and costs. Considering all the advantages that N5 has over N7, the majority of TSMC’s clients that use N7 now will migrate to N5 over time.
Later this year TSMC will offer its customers a performance-enhanced version of N5 that is called N5P. The latter is projected to enable a 5% performance gain and/or a 10% power reduction over N5 while staying generally compatible. Yet, N5P will be used by select chip designers only as next year TSMC will offer N4 that will provide further PPA (power, performance, area) enhancements while being compatible with N5 on design rules, IPs, and SPICE levels. TSMC’s fabs that currently process wafers using its N5 technology will also be able to use N5P as well as N4, so any investments going there will be used for years.
N3 Could Be More Successful Than N5 and N7
TSMC’s next major step after N5 will be N3 (3 nm). This technology promises an up to 15% performance gain (at the same power and transistor count), or an up to 30% power reduction (at the same speed and transistor count), along with an up to 20% higher SRAM density as well as an up to 70% higher logic density. This technology is still in development and will be used starting from the second half of 2022.
(Image credit: TSMC)
TSMC says that it sees more interest in N3 from potential clients in the HPC (TSMC considers ‘HPC’ all CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, non-mobile SoCs, special-purpose accelerators, etc.) and smartphone spaces than it did with N5 and N7 when they were at a similar stage of development.
“We are seeing a much higher level of customer engagement for both HPC and smartphone application at N3 as compared with N5 and N7 at a similar stage,” said C. C. Wei, Chief Executive Officer of TSMC. “Risk production is scheduled in 2021, and volume production is targeted in the second half of 2022.”
TSMC does not disclose any actual numbers that would quantify interest for N3 from its clients, but since many new applications are going to emerge in the coming years, it is not surprising that more players with more designs will be opting for a leading-edge process technology in 2022 ~ 2025 than they did several years ago. Furthermore, since N3 continues to rely on FinFET transistor structures with predictable performance and costs, the fabrication process will be a very long node as its successors will move to GAAFETs (gate-all-around field effect transistors), which is going to have a significant impact on design costs. For example, TSMC’s 28 nm node that relies on planar transistors accounted for 11% of its wafer revenue in Q4 2020, nine years after the fabrication process was introduced.
“We note the bold expansion reflects N3-5 as long- lasting big nodes with expected robust future demand beyond the initial wave from key clients,” Szeho Ng, an analyst with China Renaissance Securities, wrote in a note to clients on Friday.
While eventually dozens of companies will use TSMC’s N3 and N5, there are two customers that are going to have a significant impact on TSMC’s CapEx budgets in the coming years: Apple and Intel.
Apple: More Chips Needed
Traditionally, the bulk of Apple’s orders to TSMC have been its SoCs for smartphones and tablets. Many of its suppliers produce their chips at TSMC as well, but those semiconductors are not made under Apple’s orders and are not made exclusively for the company. As Apple transits its PCs to its own SoCs, starts to use its own modems inside its smartphones and tablets, and increases sales of its accessories that rely on its own system-in-packages (SiPs), it will significantly increase its orders to TSMC.
(Image credit: TSMC)
Apple is the world’s No. 4 PC supplier that shipped 23.102 million computers last year and commanded about 7.6% of the PC market. Sales of PCs in 2020 totalled 302.6 million units, according to IDC. Once the technology giant completes transition of Macs from Intel CPUs to its Apple Silicon SoCs, it will need at least 23.102 million fairly big chips (the M1 is at 120 sq. mm, which is 26 sq. mm smaller compared to Intel’s Tiger Lake-U) every year assuming that the market stays flat and Apple stops gaining market share (something that it has been doing for years).
Apple was also the third largest supplier of smartphones in 2019 with 191 million units shipped, based on IDC’s data. When the company ceases to use third-party 5G modems (which happen to be made using a leading-edge process technology) and transits to its own, it will increase its orders to TSMC by another ~200 million of chips every year.
Apple’s transitions to its PC SoCs and modems will be completed within the next couple of years. While it is hard to quantify Apple’s orders to TSMC in terms of wafers today, it is safe to say that the addition of ~25 million PC SoCs and ~200 million modems to around ~200 million smartphone SoCs that TSMC produces today will significantly increase the number of wafers that the foundry processes for Apple.
Intel: A Wildcard
Intel already outsources manufacturing of multiple products to TSMC and has confirmed officially and unofficially that it would produce Atom and Xeon SoCs as well as GPUs at TSMC. What nobody knows at this point is whether Intel intends to make client and server CPUs at TSMC and if it has such plans, what percentage of its CPUs will be made at TSMC.
(Image credit: Intel)
Since Intel’s outsourcing plans are unclear and perhaps are even undecided, it is not good business to make too many assumptions at the moment. Yet, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Intel sells hundreds of millions of processors and chipsets for client PCs every year and even if the company decides to outsource 10% ~ 15% of its client CPU/chipset output to TSMC, it will still be tens of millions of units added to Intel’s existing orders to the foundry.
Intel traditionally uses advanced nodes, so to land its orders, which are going to be significant, TSMC will need to have enough capacity to serve the CPU giant along with other customers.
Summary
TSMC’s management plans to increase its 2021 CapEx budget by 45% ~ 62% year-over-year to record $25 billion ~ $28 billion in a bid to expand its leading-edge production capacities and prepare to ramp up production using its N3 process technology in the second half of 2022.
(Image credit: TSMC)
The company sees the ongoing megatrends like 5G, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), and edge computing as the main drivers for advanced semiconductors demand in the coming years.
Apple, which is already TSMC’s main customer for advanced nodes, will likely significantly increase its orders to the foundry in the coming years as it transits to its own Apple Silicon SoCs for PCs and in-house designed modems, which will further drive demand for TSMC’s leading-edge manufacturing technologies.
Intel is also going to outsource more of its products to TSMC in the coming years, which will be another factor that will increase demand for the foundry’s sophisticated fabrication processes.
Amazon will now allow third-party companies the unprecedented privilege of accessing the core artificial intelligence underpinning its Alexa digital assistant, a first for the company’s AI platform.
While Amazon has allowed companies to build skills for Alexa and allows pretty much any consumer electronic device maker to integrate Alexa into a compatible product, the e-commerce giant has not licensed the underlying AI tech for use in other assistant-like products. Amazon is calling the new offering Alexa Custom Assistant, and it’s starting out with a focus on the auto market.
Amazon is doing so to allow not just automobile manufacturers, but any company with a need for a digital voice assistant more control over the software experience. This will allow companies to create their own wake words and custom voices and capabilities Amazon says will “co-exist” with Alexa as it’s designed to work today. For the auto market, this provides Amazon the added benefit of having its software built directly into cars.
“Building an intelligent assistant is complex, time-consuming, and costly. Further, the rate of innovation and change is accelerating and assistants are always improving and getting smarter, requiring substantial ongoing investments,” the company explains in a blog post. “The Alexa Custom Assistant addresses this challenge by allowing companies to leverage Alexa’s world-class technology stack to create their own intelligent assistant without the investment, long development cycles, and resources to build it from scratch and maintain over time.”
Amazon says companies will get access to custom wake words that use “the same state-of-the-art process” used for developing new Alexa wake words. Companies can create their own unique voices for the assistants with help from “voice science experts” from Amazon that will help manage the recording process and the machine learning-based algorithms to build out the voice library.
The screens and software experiences inside car have proven to be a ripe market for companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google. But only the latter two tech giants have their own mobile operating systems that allow for plug-in platforms like Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto. While Amazon’s Echo Auto platform can be accessed via a mobile app or through a dongle you plug into your car, it’s not as seamless as the competition.
So much like how Amazon has strategically worked around its disadvantage on mobile phones, where Siri and Google Assistant reign supreme, to carve out a dominant position in the smart home, it’s now trying to better position Alexa as a built-in solution in environments that may not require a phone at all, thereby bypassing the need to compete directly with Apple and Google.
The first company that has agreed to build its own Alexa-based assistant is car maker Fiat Chrysler (FCA), which has had an ongoing relationship with Amazon to integrate some of its technology, like Amazon Fire TV-powered screens, into its cars. Financial terms of any arrangement between Amazon and FCA were not disclosed, and it’s not clear whether Amazon is charging car makers to license the AI tech rather than giving it out freely.
Regardless, Amazon also says its intentions are to give all companies, not just automakers, a faster, cheaper, and less complex route to building their own voice experiences that feel tailor-made, instead of simply bolting on an integration with a third-party service.
Alexa Custom Assistant also lets the custom’s AI products stay in control of and dictate information about special features, while Alexa can handle more general app-related requests like music playback and directions. “For example, if a customer asks Alexa to roll down a car window, or how to troubleshoot a device, the request will be routed to the brand’s assistant. If a customer asks the brand’s assistant to play an audio book, the request will be routed to Alexa,” the blog reads.
Amazon says Alexa Custom Assistant will be available starting today to carmakers in the US and Canada, as well as Australia, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain.
Update January 15th, 8:46AM ET: Added additional information about Alexa Custom Assistant and how it’s available for more than just car makers.
Intel’s new CEO, Pat Gelsinger, doesn’t start his new role until February, but he’s already prepping the company to take on Apple’s M1 chips. The Oregonian, a local newspaper in Oregon where Intel maintains a large presence, reports that the chip maker held an all-hands company meeting yesterday, and Gelsinger attended.
“We have to deliver better products to the PC ecosystem than any possible thing that a lifestyle company in Cupertino” makes, Gelsinger reportedly told Intel employees. “We have to be that good, in the future.”
Intel has been facing increased competition from both Apple and AMD recently. Apple announced its transition to its own silicon back in June, calling it a “historic day for the Mac.” The transition has gone well, with M1-based Macs providing impressive performance and battery life compared to existing Intel-based Macs.
While Apple will still use Intel chips for some Macs in the future, the move away from reliance on Intel is significant. It comes just as AMD has taken the performance crown from Intel in gaming, and pressures its laptop dominance with new Ryzen 5000 mobile chips.
Intel announced earlier this week that current CEO Bob Swan is stepping down from the position on February 15th, set to be replaced by VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger. This marks a return to Intel for Gelsinger, who previously worked at the chip maker for 30 years.
An Intel manufacturing facility.Intel
Gelsinger now faces the reality of competing with Apple, AMD, and others after Intel has struggled to transition to a 10nm manufacturing process for years. Intel has also delayed its 7nm chips until at least 2022, and the company now faces a tough decision whether to outsource chip fabrication.
That’s a decision that Intel had scheduled to make next week, but The Oregonian reports it could be delayed to give Gelsinger time to weigh in on the choice. Bloomberg News recently reported that Intel has been in talks with both TSMC and Samsung to outsource some chip production. Market research firm TrendForce claims around 20 percent of Intel’s non-CPU chips will now be outsourced to both TSMC and UMC.
Analysts argue that outsourcing its own CPU production would allow Intel to be more flexible and focus on its designs to recover from the 10nm issues it has experienced. Apple, AMD, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and other Intel competitors are already using TSMC for chip production.
It is the first model to adopt the new face of the brand, presented just a few weeks ago by the new Opel Mokka
by Rosario Fat published on 15 January 2021 , at 12: 01 in the Technology channel Opel
There are now two products in the segment B-SUV after New Opel Mokka by the German manufacturer. In the case of the new Opel Crossland we find functionality and space, versatility and efficiency, while with the Opel Mokka we have customization, in addition to the availability of the engine 100% electric.
Opel Crossland replaces Opel Crossland X (the X is therefore lost in the name) and completely redefines the front with a new bumper design, no grille and the addition of two front air intakes. The roof has contrasting colors, it can be white or black, and the side is very aggressive.
Also the drawing of the rear it has been made more modern, with a new Crossland lettering and the absence of the engine indication. As for the interior, we then find much more rationality of the dashboard with physical buttons immediately reachable. For the top of the range version, Ultimate , new interior in Alcantara and leather seats available as options. The new Opel Crossland, like other vehicles of the German brand, is also equipped with certified ergonomic seats with the possibility to adjust the lumbar support and to customize the seat (inclination and extension).
All Opel Crossland are equipped with infotainment with 8-inch touch screen , while in the front tray it is possible to have the wireless charger for the smartphone and then be able to recharge it without any cable. The multimedia drives are also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . In addition, Opel Crossland offers the service ?? OpelConnect ?? with real-time traffic information and up-to-date fuel prices, plus a direct link to assistance for breakdowns and emergency calls.
New Opel Crossland and technology IntelliGrip
The technical advancement that has been made on the New Opel Crossland does not stop at the aesthetic elements, with new features on suspension, steering, engines and the new IntelliGrip suspension technology .
The mode ?? Normal ?? by IntelliGrip activates as soon as Opel Crossland starts up. The ESP and traction control settings are suitable for normal driving conditions in the city, on the highway or in the countryside. There are specific modes for the Snow , the mud , the Sand and then there is the possibility to disable ESP and traction control at speeds up to 50 km / h. For safety reasons, IntelliGrip automatically returns to normal mode at speeds above 50 km / h.
IntelliGrip provides assistance on the descent which can be activated both forward and reverse, with the possibility of optimizing the slip of the drive wheels so that it is possible to move safely even on slippery surfaces.
There are several driving assistance systems , including Head-Up Display that allows you to view the most important information for driving without ever having to take your eyes off the road. Opel also promises top class lighting with standard Full LED headlights on all versions . On the top-of-the-range version, Ultimate, the headlights are adaptive and adjust to the driving conditions. Do not miss the rear view camera with a 180 ° and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Traffic Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Warning are the other driver assistance equipment.
Crossland is the heir of Meriva in the Opel range, and for this reason it offers maximum versatility with sliding and folding of the rear seats, with hatch for the passage of long elements (such as skis). The trunk is very roomy up to 1. 230 liters, which increase if the rear seats are lowered.
Euro engines 6d petrol and diesel
Opel Crossland customers can choose from an efficient range of petrol and diesel engines with displacements from 1.2 and 1.5. Both gasoline engines from 61 kW (83 cv) a 96 kW (118 cv) and diesel engines from 81 kW (110 cv) and 88 kW (120 cv) now comply with the strict Euro 6d emissions standard.
As regards the prices , we start from 20. 850 for Opel Crossland and from 22. 200 ?? for Opel Mokka.
Petrol engines
1.2
1.2 Turbo
1.2 Turbo
1.2 Turbo
Maximum power (kW / hp) at rpm
61 / 83 @ 5, 750
81 / 96 @ 5, 500
96 / 130 @ 5, 500
83 / 130 @ 5, 500
Maximum torque (Nm at rpm)
118 @ 1, 750
205 @ 1, 750
230 @ 1, 750
200 @ 1, 750
Emissions
Euro 6d
EUR 6d
Euro 6d
Euro 6d
Exchange
MT5
MT6
MT6
MT6
Diesel Engines
1.5 Diesel
1.5 Diesel
Maximum power (kW / hp) at rpm
81 / 110 @ 3, 500
88 / 120 @ 3, 750
Maximum torque (N but revolutions per minute)
250 @ 1, 750
300 @ 1, 750
Emissions
Euro 6d
Euro 6d
Exchange
MT5
AT6
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