Smartwatch Showdown: Sony SmartWatch 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Gear vs Qualcomm Toq

They may be just accessories for now, but smartwatches mark the trend for the next step of mobile computing devices in the form of wearable computers. While development on smartwatches has been on for the past couple of years, most of it has involved independent developers like the creators of the Pebble smartwatch which crowdfunded it's development. Quite recently, better known tech companies have taken a crack at it with the Sony SmartWatch 2, the Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Qualcomm Toq. Which one reigns supreme and which one would we buy? Read on and find out.

The Qualcomm Toq smartwatch and it's various features

All three smartwatches bring some serious tech to the table and while none of them can do video calls just yet, the tech specs and features are still quite impressive. Check out these features in the table below:

Clearly, the one with the most features would be the Samsung Galaxy Gear, but all three of the smartwatches have technologies or features unique to them. The Sony SmartWatch 2 is the only one that is water resistant while the Qualcomm Toq uses a unique Mirasol display. None of them have WiFi though which means that most of their 'Smart' features are tied to the smartphone it attaches to. No smartphone, means a nearly useless smartwatch, unless you're going for a run with it or in the Gear's case want to go and take some spy pictures or videos. Unfortunately, this comes at the price of battery life, as both the Toq and SmartWatch 2 can last for about 3 days but the Gear can only last one day at best.

In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy Gear looks the best, with it's chrome bezels and rectangular display. While we don't get the four screws, the Gear's design looks at least like a normal digital watch today. The Qualcomm Toq and Sony SmartWatch 2 still look like carbon copies of the Apple iPod Nano and are little better than thick square slabs of touchscreen on a plastic strap. Unfortunately, most smartwatches are following this trend and look like square slabs on a strap as well. None have the same impact as a shiny Rolex or more traditionally designed watch and I'm guessing probably won't become family heirlooms either.

The feature packed Samsung Galaxy Gear explained

The Samsung Galaxy Gear is the best smartwatch for now, despite having the worst battery life

While we all agree that the Samsung Galaxy Gear is the best amongst all three, we're a bit divided on whether to buy it. Our resident watch wearer says he'll buy the Gear as soon as possible, but the rest of us are still on the fence. This is because none of the smartwatches above have enough features to warrant another 'smart' tech device (need to tell the time? just use your phone lah) and battery life remains a sore sticking point. Most watches today can last for years without having to change the battery, but these smartwatches won't even last a week. Should you buy one of the three smartwatches above then? Yes, if you like watches and don't mind charging the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch every night and No, if you already use your phone to tell the time. Thankfully, many more smartwatches are on the way and the most promising one will probably be the smartwatch from Google. We earlier reported on Google buying out WIMM Labs, makers of the WIMM One smartwatch, about one year ago. The WIMM One had 3 really promising features which included WiFi, an Android operating system and an easy to develop app platform so we think that the Google Smartwatch or WIMM Two could certainly give the other smartwatches above a run for the money. Unfortunately, there are no Malaysia release dates for any of these still undeveloped smartwatches and the Apple iWatch is expected late in 2014.


Snap and stand a chance to win ~RM208,950 in Xiaomi's global Photography Challenge

Did you know that the Xiaomi Photography Challenge is the second time that the company is doing this? The first one was held just last year with more than 13,000 participants from around the world, with the eventual winner awarded US$30,000 (RM125,370) as the grand prize. In this second round, the social global contest is open to everyone who has a Xiaomi smartphone will stand a chance to win prizes that total up to US$50,000 (RM208,950)!

Based on the theme of “Ordinary | Extraordinary”, participants will have to take creative photos with a belief that "even a photo from a phone can defy expectations". To give you a bigger picture, should you choose to participate there are four categories - Natural look (portraits), Piece of the World (landscapes and “big” scenes), Dreamscape (light in the darkness) and Why So Serious? (creative photos). All photo submissions will be analyzed by a panel of judges including Gueorgui Pinkhassov and Jerome Sessini—both members of Magnum Photos, a world-renowned photographic cooperative. Wang Xiang, Xiaomi Senior Vice President, as well as Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India.

On top of that, Mi Fans can also choose the final winners by voting their favourite photos from the top 100 photo submissions chosen by the judges. The vote shall begin on 27 November until 6 December 2018 at mi.com. To learn more about the second Xiaomi Photography Challenge, you may visit the official website here.

Stay tuned for more Xiaomi news at TechNave.com.


Snap launched a drone called Pixy that only takes selfies for ~RM1,003

Do you still remember Snapchat during these days when TikTok rules everything among graphics-related social media platforms? Its parent company, Snap, has built a drone specifically for selfies, and it's very intriguing.

Pixy is a pocket-sized drone with various camera settings, assisting you to take selfies from angles that using a standard phone can't. If you want to know how small is it, it basically can fit in your palm for the convenience of bringing it out. Furthermore, the best part about the Pixy might be it doesn't require a controller or a complicated setup process, which further attracts customers who have no idea about how to manipulate a drone.

The drone has an onboard button/dial that lets you pick from four preset flight paths. There is also a dedicated settings dial located in the centre. The machine runs on four rotors and is covered with a protective case. After you take the photos, they will be saved in Snapchat Memories and can be edited with effects like 3D bounce, speed ramps, jump cuts, and many more. Pixy is available at $230 (~RM1,003) in the US, and it's safe to assume that it only come in limited stock.

What do you think about Pixy? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more interesting tech news.


Snapchat Cameo will let you put your face in GIFs

People love GIFs these days and we often see them as responses to things posted on social media. Well, soon you'll be able to spice up your GIFs by adding yourself into it for a cameo. Snapchat is currently working on a Cameo feature, which allows you to insert your face into GIFs.

According to TechCrunch, you will first have to take a selfie, then pick a body type. Snapchat essentially 'learns' what your face and body would look like, which can then be inserted into the Bitmoji of Snapcat. Currently, the GIFs are pre-made but we hope to see more in future. Snapchat has not confirmed when the feature would be launched but said that it would be available worldwide soon.

People have begun to show off what it can do on Twitter. As you can tell, it may still look a bit awkward. But the slightly enlarged heads here look hilarious in a way.

What do you think about this feature, would you use it? Let us know on our Facebook page. Also, stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapchat Lens Studio 3.2 lets you create LiDAR lenses for iPhone 12 Pro

With new products often come new tech and features, as is the case with the iPhone 12 series that Apple finally launched on Tuesday. For Snapchat, that means updating its Lens Studio app to version 3.2, which allows users to create LiDAR lenses for the higher-end models of the iPhone 12 series.

The new feature was briefly shown at Apple's iPhone 12 series launch and now Snapchat has confirmed that the update is available. Using the new Lens Studio 3.2, you can take advantage of the LiDAR scanner on the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the latest iPad Pro to create cool augmented-reality (AR) lenses that can be shared to others.

According to Snapchat, the A14 Bionic chipset is powerful enough for the device to render thousands of AR objects in real-time. The app now comes with a preview mode, where you can check what you're designing and how it'll look when it's 'overlaid' on the camera screen. You'll also be able to import third-party 2D or 3D models, create your own shaders, add a machine learning model, and more.

For those of you who are artist, what do you think of the new version of Snapchat's Lens Studio? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapchat announces AR donation lens to support WHO COVID-19 relief efforts

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies around the world have been looking into various ways to help in relief efforts. One of those companies is Snapchat, which has come up with a new augmented reality lens that isn't for fun this time. Instead, this new lens is designed to help people to donate to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVID-19 response efforts.

Snapchat's donation lens will be available in 33 countries for 22 different currencies and it's quite easy to use. To donate, all you have to do is take a bill in your currency (e.g RM10) and scan it with Snapchat, or use the lens carousel to find the donation lens. You should be able to see a "Donate" button, which will redirect you to where you can make donations.

This new feature is made in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO. When using it, Snapchat will also tell you how your donation will be used. According to Snapchat, it will be used to help in tracking the spread of the virus, patient care, and giving the providing supplies to frontliners.

The feature is handy for those who are interested in donating but are unsure of how to do it. You can also directly access the donation page at covid19responsefund.org. Would you be making any donations to the fund? What are the other ways that companies can and should help in? Let us know what you think on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Snapchat introduces the Lens Studio 2.1 with new templates, tools and more

Snap Inc, the creators of Snapchat has announced that they have unveiled the Lens Studio 2.1 which includes up to 6 new templates, 14 new Landmarkers, as well as various new tools. These new additions to the Lens Studio will not only help users create staggering AR Lens for Snapchat, but also help streamline the entire creative process and share with the community.

But that’s not all they’re adding, for those who installed Lens Studio for the first time will be greeted with an interactive introductory screen which will guide the user through how to create their own Lens. Head over to Snapchat’s official website, if you want to find out more about the Lens Studio.

Would you be keen on creating new Lenses for Snapchat via the Lens Studio? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Snapchat is getting ready for a second makeover for the app

The last time for Snapchat to get a huge makeover was about three years ago, and the company didn’t manage to impress the app’s users. Not only was the update not welcomed by the users, but the app has also lost millions of users after the redesign. Now, the multimedia messaging app might get another huge update again according to a tipster.

Snapchat is currently running tests to bring the app to a new direction. It has been spotted that the update will bring a navigation bar which is the main component that almost every app is having right now. Therefore, you might get a navigation bar with five buttons to know where you are currently at in the app instead of getting lost in it.

Other than that, a new ‘Happening Now’ section will also be added to the app as a new feature. It is actually a Flipboard-style news section that will let you tap into different breaking global news from selected news publications. After tapping on a headline that you’re interested in, the feature will then lead you to a short article with pictures to know what is going on.

Let us know if you’re excited for the next redesign of the app on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more cool tech news.


Snapchat launches Spotlight feature to compete with TikTok

Social media apps are constantly competing for attention and sometimes imitating popular features is the path taken. That's quite obvious when you see the different platforms coming out with short-form video features to compete with TikTok. In fact, Snapchat is now a part of that gang.

Yesterday, Snapchat officially introduced a new feature called Spotlight. There will be a tab just for the new features within Snapchat, where you can see short videos that the app's algorithm will recommend to you. You will also be able to post your own Spotlights. For extra privacy, Snapchat has made it so that Spotlight videos don't have a public comments section and your profile will be set to private.

An interesting move Snapchat is taking is providing an incentive for creators to start using Spotlight. The company will be giving away up to USD 1 million (~RM4.09 million) to creators who have uploaded a viral video. We're not sure when this special incentive would end, but you can check out the official blog post for details.

If you have an idea you think might go viral and earn you some extra money, why not give it a try? With that said, what do you think of Snapchat's new feature? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapchat now lets you post Stories to other platforms

For those who regularly use Snapchat, the ability to post Stories to other platforms has long been a wish for them. Well, the wait is over as the developer has officially launched App Stories. First introduced last year, this feature allows users to post Stories in Snapchat to other apps.

According to Engadget, there are currently four apps that support the feature: Triller, Squad, Hily, and Octi. Aside from that, there hasn't been an announcement on what other apps will be supporting this soon. However, Tinder and Houseparty were both announced last year. Other apps can adopt the use of App Stories by getting access to the Story Kit from Snapchat.

It should be noted that many of these apps aren't widely used by us Malaysians, so it's hard to say how useful this would be. But if support for more popular apps like TikTok or Twitter is added, we could see this becoming useful for local Snapchat users.

Having said that, how many of you regularly use Snapchat and would you appreciate having this new feature? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Apple CEO made a cold comment when requested to bring RCS to iMessage

It's publicly known that Apple likes to make things exclusive, and iMessage is one of the 'things'. Despite how much Google wants to change that by asking the Cupertino-based company to enable Rich Communication Services (RCS) for the platform, the effort still goes useless as CEO Tim Cook believes it's unnecessary.

At the 2022 Code Conference, in which Cook had also participated, a question was raised by an audience that believes RCS could improve texting between iPhones and Android devices. The question was about the journalist saying he couldn't send certain videos to his mother using an Android smartphone. However, "buy your mom an iPhone" was the reply received from the Apple CEO. Furthermore, Cook also relied on some actual data for the response, claiming iMessage is one of its strongest services.

If you have no idea what RCS is, it's basically a protocol that would enable iOS-Android communication over the internet. Currently, iOS users would get forced to send SMS messages to Android users when using iMessage, and Android users would get forced to do the same when using an SMS client with RCS support, for example, Google Messages. Google has been leading a campaign for Apple to start supporting RCS with the hashtag #GetTheMessage, but we'll see how it goes.

What do you think about the news? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Snapchat's now shows you how you'd look like when you're old

Snapchat recently released a new filter on their app, which shows how you would look like if you were several years older. By older, I meant by at least 30 to 50 years older to the point grey hairs as well as a moustache might show up.

If you are interested in trying it out, download the Snapchat app on either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and select the “Time Machine” feature. With all that said, would you be interested in trying out the Time Machine feature? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Snapchat updates iOS app to add songs into Snaps

Looks like Snapchat has been really busy lately. Just two days ago, the company updated its Lens Studio app to version 3.2, which can take advantage of the LiDAR scanner in the new iPhone 12 models for some cool effects. But the main Snapchat app was also updated recently, so users can finally add some audio to their content.

According to the announcement, the new 'Sounds' is a feature that lets you add music to your Snaps before or after you capture it. Now, when you receive a Snap with Sounds added, you can swipe up to view the album art, title of the song, and name of the artist. You can also choose to play the full song on platforms like Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Spotify. Basically, it's useful for introducing music to your friends.

Currently, the catalogue of songs that you can preview is limited. But Snapchat has sign agreements with many music publishers, so expect more songs to be added in the months to come. Snapchat is also promising that users can add songs or sounds that they have made by themselves to Snaps. One thing to note is that the Sounds feature is currently available on the iOS app only.

With the new feature, Snapchat is now similar to Instagram and TikTok, meaning it's got a chance to gain more users. Having said that, is the new feature enough to convince you to give Snapchat a try? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapdragon 636 ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 variant leaks in black and silver

The rumoured ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 variant just got leaked by @evleaks in both black and silver. While the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor matches with our earlier tech specs leak @evleaks says that this variant just has 4GB RAM instead of 6GB. It also doesn't confirm if it will actually come with a pure Android OS or 5000 mAh battery but then ASUS have been known to come out with different memory versions of their ZenFones before.

Interestingly enough, this leaked variant looks to have a full view 18:9 aspect ratio display without any notch, which does make sense as the ZenFone 5 Lite is also expected to come with a no notch display. It also shows dual rear cameras with an LED flash along with a rear fingerprint sensor.

No Malaysia release dates or pricing details but this new ZenFone Max Pro M1 variant could be coming in May 2018. How much would you pay for it? We hope ASUS will keep to their current below RM1K pricing but no one knows for sure yet so take everything with a pinch of salt and stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Snapdragon 678 chipset announced, promises improvement in photography

A moderate improvement over the SD675 from 2 years ago

Flagship devices are not the only ones that keep getting better. In recent years, entry-level devices have been getting better and can run most apps these days. Of course, Qualcomm is always looking to make its chipsets better, so it has launched the new Snapdragon 678 chipset.

According to the press release, the Snapdragon 678 chipset is the direct successor to the Snapdragon 675 chipset launched in 2018. This is a 4G chipset that is built on the 11nm process. Besides an improvement to CPU performance, it promises faster connectivity and better camera capabilities. It also supports Quick Charge 4+, which has better thermal efficiency and a Battery Saver feature.

In terms of specs, the Snapdragon 678 chipset uses Kryo 460 CPU cores and the Adreno 612 GPU. From what we understand, its CPU has two Cortex-A76 cores that can clock up to 2.2GHz, as well as six Cortex-A55 cores. It also supports up to 8GB of RAM, a display resolution of up to 2520x1080 pixels with 10-bit colour depth, peak LTE download speeds of up to 600Mbps, and more.

Overall, this chipset is a moderate improvement over its predecessor and should be pretty good at handling almost any app, other than highly demanding 3D games. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news like this.


Snapdragon 7 Gen 2 could launch on 17 Mar 2023

Flagships phones are great, but not everyone can afford them. Mid-range devices could be better, as they can be powerful enough while being cheaper. In that sense, the upcoming mid-range Qualcomm chipset could just be what many people want.

Recently, Qualcomm announced that it would be running a Snapdragon-related launch on 17 March 2023. While the company didn't specify what product it plans to launch, it's believed that this could be the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. If this is true, Qualcomm could also reveal what upcoming devices would feature this chipset.

According to GSMArena, the unconfirmed Snapdragon chipset (SM7475) spotted on Geekbench could be Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. This 4nm chipset is expected to come with 1x Cortex-X2 CPU core (2.92GHz), 3x Cortex-A710 CPU cores (2.5GHz), and 4x Cortex-A510 CPU cores (1.8GHz). It also has an Adreno 725 GPU (580MHz). Interestingly, some sources claim that this could be the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 instead.

Honestly, we don't know enough to confirm anything. But 17 March is just around the corner, so let's wait and see what Qualcomm has up its sleeve. Until then, stay tuned to TechNave for more news about the latest mobile devices.


Snapdragon 775 & 875 chipset AnTuTu scores allegedly leaked

When people evaluate a smartphone these days, benchmarking is often one of the first things they do. While benchmarks don't necessarily tell the full story, it can help us gauge some aspects of a device's performance. In that sense, knowing how well the Snapdragon 775 and 875 chipsets can perform is useful.

According to Digital Chat Station (source in Chinese), preliminary AnTuTu benchmarks for the two new chipsets have been revealed. The Snapdragon 875 (SM8350) chipset scored an estimated 740000 points, while the Snapdragon 775 (SM7350) chipset scored around 530000 points. For reference, the current chart-topper on AnTuTu's ranking board is the ROG Phone 3 with its score of 647919.

As you can see, the Snapdragon 875 chipset sees an increase in performance of at least 14.2% over the Snapdragon 865+ chipset. It could even be higher once Qualcomm is done optimising it. Of course, it should be noted that all we got from this alleged benchmark leak are the benchmark scores. Without the breakdown of how the scores were derived, it's hard to get an accurate gauge of how it would perform overall.

The good thing is that Qualcomm will hold its next big unveiling early next month, so we'll be getting more details soon. Until then, stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news on the latest consumer tech and gadgets.


Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is now official and here's everything you need to know about it

After the much teased Snapdragon naming scheme, Qualcomm has officially unveiled the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 premium 5G mobile platform. As mentioned before in our previous news, the new Snapdragon 8 leads the way into a new era of premium mobile technology. This includes 5G, AI, mobile gaming, camera, WiFi and Bluetooth technologies.

For starters, one of the key features for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is none other than the 5G connectivity. It's equipped with the 4th gen Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System which makes it the world’s first 5G modem-RF solution to reach 10 Gigabit download speeds. Moreover, it also features the Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 Mobile Connectivity System supporting the fastest WiFi speeds available - up to 3.6 Gbps - over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E even with multiple devices on one network.

With the 7th Gen Qualcomm AI Engine, it's equipped with an ultra-high Qualcomm Hexagon processor, featuring a 2x faster tensor accelerator and 2x larger shared memory than its predecessor. Qualcomm integrated an AI-based natural language processing that can be your assistant by prioritizing and analyzing your notifications, it can even analyze a user’s vocal patterns to determine if a user is at risk for health conditions such as asthma, depression, and COVID-19.

This new chipset also includes the world's first 18-bit ISP that allows a phone to capture over 4000x more camera data as well as the first 8K HDR video capture in HDR10+ format. At a speed of up to 3.2 gigapixels per second, Qualcomm said the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has a fourth separated ISP, the new Always-On ISP, which allows the camera to run with extremely low power consumption so users can experience always-on face unlocking and locking.

In the gaming corner, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has over 50 Snapdragon Elite Gaming features, a new Qualcomm Adreno GPU providing a 30% boost in graphics rendering and 25% improvement in power savings compared to the predecessor. On top of that, Qualcomm installed an Adreno Frame Motion Engine that generates twice as many frames while maintaining the same power consumption. Game developers may also take advantage of the Variable Rate Shading Pro to further tune game performance.

Moving on, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset allows users to connect Bluetooth 5.2 thanks to the Snapdragon Sound technology, now featuring Qualcomm aptX Lossless Technology for CD-quality lossless wireless audio. Then for security, this is the first Snapdragon platform to feature a dedicated Trust Management Engine to provide additional Root of Trust for apps and services. Another noteworthy world's first feature is Android Ready SE for digital car keys, drivers’ licenses, and more.

In addition, there is a new Qualcomm Secure Processing Unit that features support for iSIM. It is an integrated SIM card so users can easily and securely connect to cellular networks without a SIM card. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset will be adopted by global OEMs and brands including Black Shark, Honor, iQOO, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Redmi, SHARP, Sony Corporation, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE, with commercial devices expected by the end of 2021.

For more information, you can visit the full breakdown right over here to check it out. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to come in variant with ultra-high frequency?

As you may know, Qualcomm launches a new flagship mobile chipset every year. This year's Snapdragon Summit will be held from 15 to 17 November 2022 and should see the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. Already, the details of the former's plus variant are under speculation.

According to Digital Chat Station, there will be an ultra high-frequency variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 variant next year. While not specified, this variant could be the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 and feature an improved GPU. For reference, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 already runs clock speeds between 3.4 to 3.5GHz. The next generation's plus variant will allegedly run at even higher frequencies.

Like its predecessors, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 will be manufactured on the 4nm process. It could mean that Qualcomm is achieving higher frequencies by pushing the power limit, which could result in higher temperatures. If that is true, and if cooling systems in mobile phones don't see any significant improvements, we could have hotter flagship smartphones next year.

We're mostly speculating, but hotter flagship smartphones are highly possible. Will smartphone brands could surprise us with innovative new cooling systems? Let us know what you think in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on this.


Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s GPU will reportedly be 50% more powerful than its predecessor

Qualcomm is touted to release the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC later this year and it may get some serious improvements from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. In fact, the upcoming processor may get a 50 per cent boost in GPU performance.

According to reliable tipster Digital Chat Station, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will feature Adreno 750 GPU, an upgrade over the Adreno 740 found in the current generation. Moreover, he also claimed that the GPU will outperform Apple’s A16 Bionic SoC found on the iPhone 14 Pro series.

Moreover, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s performance may also outperform Apple’s next-gen A17 Bionic mobile processor. Of course, do take this with a grain of salt as nothing is confirmed as of yet.

So, what are you guys expecting from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news!


Snapdragon 800 Powered Samsung Galaxy S4 Confirmed

While the confirmation isn't exactly official, a leaked manual for a Snapdragon 800 powered Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone has recently surfaced from Samsung's own download center. This is probably about as close to 'official' confirmation we can get for this smartphone with the model number SHV-E330S. According to tech specs within the manual, the smartphone is using a new Qualcomm MSM8974 chipset with four Krait 400 CPU cores, an Adreno 330 GPU and LTE-Advanced support. While the name hasn't been confirmed yet, all of these specs point towards the rumoured upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 Plus which has all of the features listed.

Check out the specs and manual pics for yourself. As it is, other specs match the Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505 very closely, all the way down to the 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display to the 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm measurements. The only difference is a T-DMB antenna to allow it to work in Korea. So far this wasn't announced during the recent Samsung Premiere 2013 event, where the Samsung Galaxy S4 family was supposedly completed, but Samsung could pull a different naming convention altogether. [Source]


Apple CFO confirms that iPhone 12 could release later than anticipated

It seems that Apple fans who have been eagerly waiting for the iPhone 12 series may, unfortunately, have to wait a bit longer this year. The bad news first broke yesterday when Qualcomm hinted that Apple's new smartphones could be delayed until Q4 2020. Now, this has been officially confirmed by Apple.

According to MacRumors, Apple CFO Luca Maestri revealed this during an earnings call for Q3 2020. Traditionally, Apple launches its iPhone devices in early September, while sales of the product begin around the end of September. For this year, Maestri confirmed that supply for the iPhone 12 series would only be available a few later than that. However, the big reveal should still be held on 8 September 2020.

Currently, it's believed that the first batch of iPhone 12 devices will be available around the end of October 2020. With other countries getting access to supply following that. We got the iPhone 11 series relatively early last year, around the end of September, so we might get the iPhone 12 series around the end of October 2020 this time. Fingers crossed!

Having said that, what do you feel about the iPhone 12 so far? Is there a feature you're looking forward to or wish to see? Do share your comments on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on the iPhone 12 series.


Snapdragon 800 and LTE-A enabled Samsung Galaxy Note 3 confirmed

At a press conference by KT Corporation about broadband LTE, a presentation slide let slip that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III would not only support a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset but also that it would be able to handle LTE-A. While this isn't an official Samsung announcement, KT Corporation is one of the major telcos in Korea so it doesn't look like a leak or prank. The slip doesn't confirm other features or details though as there are no Malaysia release dates, no pricing and no confirmation of other tech specs. With just another 2 or so days to go, the Samsung Galaxy Note III official reveal is set for 4 September 2013 where everything gets confirmed or not, so let's wait and see. We expect even more rumours and leaks to come though, as such things usually happen the closer you get to the official announcement.


Snapdragon 800 based Samsung Galaxy S4 Confirmed

Based on DLNA certification, the recently rumoured Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 based Samsung Galaxy S4 has been confirmed. For now, the models that appeared in the DLNA report include the SHV-E330S, SHV-E330K, and SHV-E330L. The SHV-E330K and SHV-E330L are listed with the Qualcomm MSM8974 chip which is Qualcomm's internal classification for the Snapdragon 800.

No news yet on pricing and availability but due to the SHV naming convention, it is likely that these versions will be heading to South Korea first. This will probably happen soon, and then eventually spread out to other markets.


Snapdragon 810 powered LG G Flex2 can self-heal in just 10 seconds

Yesterday, LG announced its successor to the LG G Flex smartphone at the CES 2015 event held in Las Vegas. The new LG G Flex 2 comes with a sleeker profile and a number of additional features, making it a true successor to the G Flex curved smartphone. LG has incorporated some important changes in the new device, like a smaller display with a higher resolution, top of the line Snapdragon 810 processor, Laser AutoFocus from the LG G3 and a fast charging battery. Apart from the impressive tech specs, the overall design has been improved to make the phone more ergonomic. The 5.5-inch display with a 700mm radius curvature makes it fit perfectly in the user's hands. Thanks to the curvature, the microphone is much closer to the mouth, thereby reducing background noise. The self-healing feature also makes a comeback, but this time it is much faster and effective. LG has managed to reduce the heal time from 3 minutes to just 10 seconds in normal room temperature. With the help of a special chemical treatment process developed by the company, the cover glass on the display is now 20 percent more durable too. The 3000 mAh battery onboard charges up to 50 percent in just 40 minutes. LG will start selling the G Flex 2 in South Korea by the end of January and will later release it in additional global markets. Full tech specs of the LG G Flex2 are given below.


Snapdragon 8150 will be announced on December 4 and may be in a 1+3+4 tricluster arrangement

Qualcomm is a little late with the announcements this year but rest be assured that we will be hearing about the announcement of the Snapdragon 8150 on the 4th of December during its summit in Hawaii. The chipset might be utilizing a 1+3+4 tricluster arrangement.

Known leaker Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) shared a photo claiming that the Snapdragon 8150 will have 8 cores arranged in a 1+3+4 tricluster. The image shows the Snapdragon may have 1 Kyro Gold Prime core with a 512KB L2 cache clocked at 2.842GHz, 3 Kryo Gold cores with a 256KB L2 cache for each core with a frequency of up to 2.419GHz and 4 low-power Kryo Silver cores with 128KB L2 cache per core clocked at 1.786GHz.

This year, we are seeing companies utilize the three tier arrangement for their SoCs. Pioneers of this trend would be Huawei’s Kirin 980 and Samsung’s Exynos 9820. So far, we’ve seen early results of what the Snapdragon 8150 SoC can do on AnTuTu and Geekbench. However, these numbers are just rumours so do take it with a grain of salt. Which devices will be utilizing the Snapdragon 8150 next year? For more news on tech and beyond, hit up TechNave.com!


Snapdragon 820 and 6GB RAM confirmed for XPlay 5 by Vivo

Just in case you missed it, Vivo XPlay 5 will be coming soon on 1 March and previously we heard a rumour that it will feature a powerful 6GB RAM which we thought it's a bit far fetch. My, how wrong we were. Turns out that's the real deal.

Aside from the 6GB RAM surprise, the XPlay 5 will also sport the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor inside the hood. And the body design is dual edge curved display as well just like the Samsung's Galaxy S6 and recently announced Galaxy S7 line. So far, those are the only confirmation we got from their teaser posters. Other rumours that we read that it could have a large 6-inch display, 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera and a huge 4300 mAh battery.

What’s more, you get the powerful Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor inside, which is once again confirmed by the company, to ensure that the phone performs better than most other flagships. Even the LG G5 and Galaxy S7 flagships which were announced yesterday  came with just 4GB of RAM. So, Vivo seems to be have done a great job providing the additional 2GB RAM on board the XPlay 5 handset.

Could the XPlay 5 face off as a worthy opponent to the LG G5 and Galaxy S7 flagships? Stay tuned to find out at Technave!


Snapdragon 821 officially announced

So here's a news flash, Snapdragon 820 will have a new successor and it'll be called the Snapdragon 821. It's been barely a year since the 820 was released and became the chipset to go for when it comes to flagship grade processors, but that won't be happening anymore in the future as Qualcomm has made the official announcement.

During their announcement, both still feature the same quad-core mechanics inside, but the 821 version has a 10% higher performance than the predecessor and it's clocked in at 2.4GHz instead of 2.2GHz. Other than that, they didn't say anything else regarding the new chipset. We suspect the GPU and other tech-specs should be the same but we could be wrong.

Aside from that, with the 821 version ready, we can also expect upcoming smartphones to adopt the processor namely the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, an unknown LeEco smartphone and maybe even the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 could feature it.

Stay tuned for more news at Technave.com!


Snapdragon 865 equipped smartphones cannot be sold for less than ~RM1788

There were reports spotted on mydrivers.com, stating that Qualcomm might be thinking of putting a limit on how cheap a smartphone equipped with the Snapdragon 865 with 5G can be priced at. While not much has been confirmed, it seems that the lowest a smartphone with the chipset can be priced at is around USD430(~RM1788).

With all that said, do take every bit of information with a grain of salt due to the fact that Qualcomm has yet to provide any official statements regarding the reports. What are your thoughts if Qualcomm were to actually set a limit on how cheap can a smartphone equipped with the SD865 be priced at? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Snapdragon 875 chipset shows significant performance increase on AnTuTu

November is upon us and we draw closer to the unveiling of Qualcomm's next chipset. This was hinted near the start of October, when the company announced that its next Tech Summit would be at the start of December 2020. Rumours of the Snapdragon 875 chipset has begun appearing too and the latest is a benchmark score.

According to Abhishek Yadav, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 875 has the codename of 'Lahaina'. He posted an alleged AnTuTu benchmark score for the chipset on Twitter and compared it with the Snapdragon 865+ that powers the ROG Phone 3. As can be seen, the newer chipset scored a whopping 847868 compared to the latter's 629245.

Snapdragon 875 (Lahaina) Benchmark Score 8,47,868 VersusSnapdragon 865+ Benchmark Score 6,29,245. pic.twitter.com/Wbr4Rj8cis

The top benchmark score on AnTuTu's ranking doesn't even reach 700k

That's an incredible leap in performance of about 37.4%. For comparison, the vivo iQOO 5 Pro currently tops the AnTuTu benchmark rankings at 671218 points, which is still 26% behind. While synthetic benchmarks don't give us the full picture where a chipset really performs, this does prove that the Snapdragon 875 chipset is going to be much more powerful than its predecessor. Having said that, do take this news with a healthy pinch of salt, as there's no screenshot to prove its validity. Still, what do you think of this? Would this make you hold off on buying any other flagship device for now? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapdragon 888 & Exynos 1080 might be part of the HONOR V40 series

So here's a piece of interesting news - Usually, brands would release their flagship series lineup with the same chipset but this might not be the case for HONOR. As they prepare to launch the upcoming V40 series, a new leak suggests that there are four variants with a different chipset for each.

As mentioned in the leaked post, there isn't much information about the V40 series but rumours have it that there could be the V40 standard edition, V40 Pro, V40 Pro+ and a V40 Commemorative Edition. If you have followed the news, you might have heard about HONOR working closely with Qualcomm and it seems that the Snapdragon 888 chipset could appear on the V40 Pro+ variant. The Samsung Exynos 1080 might appear on the pro edition as well.

Then for the standard and Commemorative edition, it could be sporting a Dimensity 1000+ and Kirin 9000 chipset. Why the need for four different chipsets? Well, judging from the list - HONOR might export the Pro editions globally while the other two would remain in the Chinese market because of the chipset usage. Of course, we are also just speculating so do take it with a pinch of salt.

On the other hand, JD.com which is one of the largest Chinese online stores has already listed the HONOR V40 series online but without any official price tag. This signals the arrival very soon and we might get the taste of it soon. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Snapdragon 888 name chosen as it symbolises luck and prosperity

Rumours of the new Snapdragon chipset (including benchmarks) has been out for some time now, and it was originally believed that Qualcomm will go with the Snapdragon 875 name. But many were surprised when the company launched the new flagship chipset earlier this week with the name Snapdragon 888. Why the change in naming scheme?

During the keynote, Qualcomm claimed that the number 888 is the "most premium name possible". According to BBC, certain parties believe that this naming scheme indicates Qualcomm's wish to help ease on-going US-China tensions, as the number 888 symbolises luck and prosperity for the Chinese (very ong!) In fact, most Chinese manufacturers have confirmed that they will launch Snapdragon 888-powered smartphones. This includes realme, Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, and more.

Qualcomm shows logos of a whole bunch of partners developing phones with the Snapdragon 888 #SnapdragonSummit - all but two are Chinese. So that '888, lucky in China' thing is important! pic.twitter.com/qKMR3WSPtU

The Snapdragon 888 is a powerful chipset featuring one Cortex X1, three Cortex A78, and four Cortex A55 CPU cores, as well as an Adreno 660 GPU. It also supports 5G, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2. On top of that, Qualcomm claimed that the new chipset will "transform smartphones into professional cameras", as it can snap up to 120 12MP photos in a second.

You can visit the official website if you want to know more about the new chipset. But with that said, what do you think about Qualcomm's decision with the chipset's name? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Apple Car will be an autonomous vehicle for businesses

A car is not what you'd expect a company like Apple to be involved in building. But the company is looking to develop an electric car, by investing around RM14 billion in Hyundai. Moreover, the company's first electric car could be fully autonomous.

This could also mean that the car is designed for businesses. In fact, the Apple Car could be great for food delivery businesses or self-driving taxis, according to AppleInsider. Allegedly, a source close to the project claimed that the first Apple Car will run without a driver and is "focused on the last mile".

The Apple Car is expected to be built on Hyundai's E-GMP electric vehicle platform

Industry analysts actually expected the planned vehicle to be a consumer product. It makes sense, as a company like Apple and Hyundai would want to compete with the likes of Tesla when it comes to e-cars. However, it seems like the two companies have made the bold decision to challenge a different market. Interestingly, Apple's acquisitions in the last few years indicate that the speculation could be true.

If this is true, we could see companies like Grab or Uber (no longer in Malaysia) adopt Apple's self-driving taxis. This would reduce the need for trustworthy drivers too. But what do you think about that? Leave your comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Snapdragon 888-powered Black Shark Emperor allegedly launching soon

The official reveal of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset has set off a flood of announcements from various smartphone brands. Honor, OPPO, and Xiaomi have already confirmed that new phones with the chipset on the way, but gamers would probably be more interested in what Black Shark is planning.

According to Digital Chat Station (via Gizchina), Black Shark already has a new gaming smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset ready for launch. He claimed that the phone bears the codename 'Emperor' and will not only have a great design but also support advance fast-charging. For reference, the Black Shark 3 series supports 65W fast-charging and was a sleek phone that was relatively affordable for a phone with a gaming look.

Google translate is horrible, but it tells us enough

Besides that, the leaker also claimed that Xiaomi will launch a Redmi device featuring the Snapdragon 888 chipset much earlier next year. In case you didn't know, the K30 Pro and K30 Zoom were first revealed on 24 March this year. So, a Redmi K40 Pro and K40 Zoom could launch as early as January or February 2021. This makes sense, as Xiaomi won't want to fall behind too far from Samsung's Galaxy S21 series, which was rumoured to be coming in January 2021.

With that said, what do you think about these rumours so far? Which Snapdragon 888-powered device are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Snapdragon 888 successor to be manufactured by Samsung

Many of you know about the chips that go into your phone. But did you know that Qualcomm doesn't actually churn out its own supply of chipsets? The powerful Snapdragon 888 is manufactured by Samsung, and that will also be the case for the new model.

Earlier this week, WinFuture reported that Qualcomm is already developing its next-gen flagship mobile chipset. It bears the SM8450 model number and code name of "Waipio", which is what you'll probably see on Geekbench benchmarks. Anyway, this chipset is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, just like the Snapdragon 888.

Oh, and it looks like this one will also be made by Samsung. https://t.co/Is7DtSoYOP

Allegedly, Qualcomm has been testing samples from Korea. This is likely the source of the speculation, as TSMC (another manufacturer) is located in Taiwan. Now the question is: Will this be called the Snapdragon 898 or 895? Also, can we expect even better Exynos chipsets too?

Of course, we can only speculate since there's no official word from Qualcomm. Until then, stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Snapdragon 888+ will be 4nm chipset equipped on 2022 Android flagships

In most years, Qualcomm launches a new flagship chipset around the end of the year that is followed by a Plus variant soon. Strangely, that hasn't happened for the Snapdragon 888 chipset this year. Instead, Qualcomm seems to be taking its time with the Snapdragon 888+.

Why is that? Well, that's because the Snapdragon 888+ will allegedly be built on an improved process. According to Evan Blass, it will be a 4nm chipset that comes with Kyro 780 CPU cores, an Adreno 730 GPU, and the Snapdragon X65 5G modem. For reference, the Snapdragon 888 features Kryo 680 CPU cores, an Adreno 660 GPU, and the Snapdragon X60 5G modem instead.

"SM8450 is Qualcomm's next-gen premium system-on-chip (SoC). It has an integrated Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF system. It is fabricated on a 4nm process." pic.twitter.com/u1GXMhOWBf

As you can tell, this is a major departure from the Plus variants from before. To give you an example, the Snapdragon 865+ chipset was just an overclocked variant of the Snapdragon 865. However, you can see that the Snapdragon 888+ is more like a complete upgrade. In fact, it makes you wonder why they don't just call it by a new name.

Personally, I think the possibility of this being true is quite high. But there's no official confirmation on this, so don't take the rumour too seriously just yet. For now, we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled to see what else we can find out. In the meantime, stay tuned to TechNave for other related tech news.


Snapdragon 898 CPU specs seemingly leaked online

Every year, Qualcomm hosts a summit near the end of the year to reveal its latest flagship chipset. The Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit this year runs from 30 November to 2 December 2021, with the big reveal being the Snapdragon 898. Interestingly, some of its key details may have been leaked.

According to Sparrownews, a photo of a device (already removed) with the Snapdragon 898 chipset was leaked online. It shows that the device runs on the Qualcomm SM8450, which is the model number for the upcoming Snapdragon 898 chipset. As you can see, its CPU has a 1+3+4 CPU core combination. Based on a previous rumour, the first one would be the Cortex-X2 super core that's clocked at 3.0GHz. This is followed by the 3x Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.85GHz and 4x Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8GHz.

This more or less matches the numbers spotted in the leak. The only notable discrepancy is the 2.5GHz on the 3x Cortex-A710 cores. Besides the CPU cores, the Snapdragon 898 is also expected to have an Adreno 730 GPU, though we don't know how fast it would be clocked at. As for the phone in the leak, this is likely one of the first devices to run the Snapdragon 898 and could be the Xiaomi 12.

Of course, seeing the CPU specs and knowing how the device would perform are two different things. But for now, it looks like it's going to be a powerhouse. What do you think? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform unveiled, designed for AR2 glasses and others

In our experience, Augment Reality (AR) was a feature that smartphones tried to ride on a few years ago, but the technology just wasn't there yet or there was a lack of content. However, that could change with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 Platform for its new AR glasses.

From the cover image above, the Snapdragon AR2 is a new pair of AR glasses and Qualcomm managed to build a multi-chip distributed processing architecture combined with customized IP blocks. The main processor occupies a 40% smaller PCB area on glass and the overall platform delivers 2.5x better AI performance while consuming 50% less power to help achieve AR glasses that consume <1W power.

Using a multi-chip architecture that includes an AR processor, AR co-processor and connectivity platform, the Snapdragon AR2 can distribute the processing of latency-sensitive perception data directly on the glasses and off loads more complex data processing requirements to a Snapdragon-powered smartphone, PC or to other compatible host devices.

To complement that, the connectivity platform utilizes Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 connectivity system for WiFi 7 technology that reaches <2ms latency. The AR co-processor also aggregates camera and sensor data and enables eye tracking and iris authentication for foveated rendering, to optimize workloads only where the user is looking.

Microsoft worked closely with Qualcomm on the platform requirements for Snapdragon AR2 to unlock new possibilities in AR experiences. To add to that, other OEMs and brands are also interested in using the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform. This includes Lenovo, LG, Niantic, nreal, OPPO, PICO, QONOQ, Rokid, SHARP, TCL, Vuzix and Xiaomi. On the other hand, HONOR, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, REDMAGIC, SHARP, vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE are also interested in bringing AR technology to their smartphones.

To read the summary of the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, you can read our news coverage here. For more information, you can visit the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 webpage or check out the livestream replays at the Snapdragon Summit Event Hub.


Snapdragon X65 5G modem unveiled, promises download speeds of up to 10Gbps

We often write about mobile chipsets, as they're a key spec in smartphones. But it's important to know that the modems are what help us stay connected to the Internet. On that topic, Qualcomm launched its new Snapdragon X65 mobile 5G modem yesterday, promising even better performance than before.

According to the announcement, the Snapdragon X65's claim to fame is that it's the first 5G modem to deliver download speeds of up to 10Gbps. For reference, the Snapdragon X55 and X60's both have a max download speed of 7.5Gbps. In other words, the new chipset is at least 30% faster than its predecessors. It's also the first mobile 5G modem that uses the 3GPP release 16 modem-RF system, which promises improved cellular coverage, power efficiency, and performance.

The company also announced the new Snapdragon X62 5G modem, which is meant for more mainstream 5G devices. This one has a more modest max download speed of 4.4Gbps, but still supports sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G bands. On top of that, it features like Wideband Envelope Tracking, AI-Enhanced Signal Boost, and 5G PowerSave 2.0 for better overall performance.

Personally, I think we can expect to see more mid-range devices with the Snapdragon X62 this year, hopefully at very affordable prices. Having said that, 5G still isn't going to be relevant in many regions in 2021. But would you consider investing in 5G earlier? Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Snapdragon and Exynos-powered Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have camera performance differences

Most of you know that Samsung ships two different variants of its flagship Galaxy S22 series in different regions. One of them uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, while the other one uses the company's own Exynos chip. However, you might not know that doing so will affect the camera's performance in those two variants, giving them different results when it comes to photography.

According to DxoMark, the two variants have different camera performances, although they were awarded the same 131 points. The Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S22 Ultra produces less noise than the Exynos variant in still photos, with the loss of detail after cropping the image is also lower. However, when it comes to capturing video still, the Exynos counterpart produces less ringing and captures more detail. DxoMark concludes that the Snapdragon variant is better for photography while the Exynos variant captures better videos and zoom shots.

It's actually not something that happens out of nowhere and can't be explained. Since the two variants use different chips, they actually pack different ISPs (Image Signal Processors). Therefore, the Snapdragon and Exynos-powered devices will have their camera performance differences despite having the same setup, which contains a 108MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 10MP zoom camera, and a 10MP periscope zoom camera.

What do you think about the news? Drop a comment to let us know your opinion, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech reports.


Snapdragon-based Android devices affected by Quadrooter vulnerability

With over a billion devices running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor right now, the scale of a newly discovered vulnerability is staggering. Called Quadrooter, it can essentially take over the data on your smartphone.

The vulnerability needs the unsuspecting user to install a malware-ridden app that does not need any permission to run on their phone. Once the app is installed however, the attacker can easily take over the data and information stored in the smartphone if the phone is rooted. The invader also gains access to the camera, microphone, data and all of the remaining hardware.

The next security patch from Google is expected to come from the company by September, as the workaround was not created fast enough for the August patch. Until then, users are reminded to only install apps from the official Google App store and not to install any unknown APKs from the internet for safety. We at TechNave would like to advise our readers to follow this instruction to the letter, to ensure the safety of your data.


Snapdragon is now a standalone product with a new single-digit & gen-numbers name

If you came across some rumours of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon name, it turns out to be true! Well, kind of because in the latest news from Qualcomm's newsroom, the company has officially separated the Qualcomm and Snapdragon brands.

So what does this mean? According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon brand will be a standalone product from now on. While the company didn't say the new official name of the rumoured Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 name, the Snapdragon will indeed be transitioning to single-digit series and generation numbers starting from the Snapdragon 8-series platform.

On top of that, Snapdragon's new naming scheme won't include the term 5G because it's already understood at this point. For over the past 1-2 years, 5G has already made its way to most of the chipsets from flagships to entry-level devices. Qualcomm also said there are new representative colours as well such as Snapdragon Red, Gold, Gunmetal, Nickel and Midnight.

It won't be long now when Qualcomm launches the Snapdragon Tech Summit on 30 November 2021. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 should be officially unveiled as well. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Snapshat releases Spectacles, recording your life 10 seconds at a time

The more fashionable version of Google Glass (maybe), the new Snapchat Spectacles combines a regular sunglasses look with a built-in camera that records clips 10 seconds long.

The lens on the camera is a fish-eye type, so it can capture more of the surrounding – up to 115 degrees field of view. The cameras can be synced with any smartphone, and the clips transferred onto the smartphone and share on social media networks – of course preferable on Snapchat first.

The company also rebranded itself as Snap Inc, in line with their aim to be more than just a social media company. The Spectacles will roll out gradually in select market, so we shall wait and see how the device work in real life. Stay tuned to TechNave as we bring more information on the SnapChat Spectacles.


Apple CarPlay coming to older Mercedes cars in 2014

One of the key limitations for smartphone integration is that it usually has to be with a newer car. Apple's CarPlay for example is just limited to the latest batch. However, Mercedes-Benz was reported as saying that an "after market solution" or some sort of Apple CarPlay kit could soon be coming to older Mercedes-Benz cars by the end of 2014. Tech specs, features or other details have not been made available yet but we expect it to be something more than just a simple plug-and-play stand you can install yourself. So far, only Mercedes-Benz has come forward about this but we expect other car makers to come out with similar announcements soon.


Sneak peek of Nokia 9 in stunning Polished Blue allegedly leaked, possible RRP of $877 (RM3700)

With the Nokia 8 and the rest of the other Nokia devices out of the way, we finally have some possibly legitimate renders of HMD’s upcoming latest and greatest flagship-level device, the Nokia 9.

Courtesy of the guys at GizmoChina, a recent leak shows the alleged Nokia 9 flagship in its beautifully stunning Polished Blue look, the exact same shade of blue the Nokia 8 is covered in. It is also reported that the Nokia 9 will be available in a similar Polished Copper coating.

It can also be seen from the images that the Nokia 9 has a curved display with super thin side bezels and relatively thicker top and bottom bezel. At the back, the Nokia 9 looks to have its trademark Dual-Camera setup with highly probable ZEISS lens leading the way and a fingerprint sensor right beneath that to boot.

As for the leaked specs, the Nokia 9 is reported to sport the top of the line Snapdragon 835 chipset complemented with 6GB/8GB RAM options and up to 128GB internal storage. We will also be looking at a possible IP68 water resistant rating and a wireless charging support.

Lastly, the rumour mill suggests that the Nokia 9 will cost as much as roughly $877 which amounts to around RM3700 – hey that’s not that bad!

HMD Global has not yet suggested an official launch date but it is expected to be launched somewhere around this quarter. Due to Nokia’s overwhelming popularity in Malaysia you can almost bet to see our own official launch soon after its global release. Make sure to also stay tuned to TechNave.com to find out more about this masterpiece.


So Activision Blizzard is joining Microsoft's Xbox family, but is this good news for gamers?

As most gamers heard by now, Microsoft Corp. has made an initiative to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in value. There are a lot of reactions across the internet, some poking fun of Diablo 4 may finally be completed sooner while others are still concerned about Blizzard's internal mess of sexual allegations. But is this good news for gamers?

Well, first thing's first - this will definitely put Microsoft on the map as the world's third-largest gaming company in terms of revenue, just behind Tencent and Sony. Not only will Microsoft get its hands on some of the most popular triple-A titles with the likes of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Call of Duty, but this goes the same for Candy Crush since King Studios is part of the company. This means Microsoft will have a sweet piece of the pie in the mobile gaming industry and let's also not forget about the upcoming Diablo Immortal mobile game app as well.

About Blizzard's recent allegations, it is confirmed that Bobby Kotick will still be Activision Blizzard CEO. The acquisition is expected to complete in the fiscal year 2023 and once that's done, Activision Blizzard will be under and report to Phil Spencer who is the current Microsoft Gaming CEO. Of course, getting to play the aforementioned titles on Xbox Game Pass is rather exciting albeit the platform doesn't recognize Malaysia in its country list.

Moreover, Microsoft just recently reached a new milestone of over 25 million Xbox Game Pass subscribers and with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, there's a good chance that the number will increase again due to accessibility. Currently, the only way to play Activision Blizzard games is through Battle.net on the PC that has nearly 400 million monthly active players across 190 countries. This will surely put Microsoft at the forefront in the future with a huge influx of diverse games and players globally.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will host a live webcast with investors at 6 AM PT with Phil and Amy, as well as Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard, to share more details about this business initiative. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


So... after the latest Apple iPhone 11 design, Jony Ive is leaving Apple

Jony Ive or Sir Jonathan Paul Ive, currently the Chief Design Officer at Apple has announced that he will be leaving Apple later this year. No actual reasons were given why (although some of us thought it could have been due to the polarizing Apple iPhone 11 design) but he plans to form an independent design company. Apple has backed up this statement and will continue to work closely.

After almost 30 years at Apple, Jony Ive has been involved in the design of nearly all of Apple’s products, including the Apple iPhone. Taking over will be design team leaders Evans Hankey, VP of Industrial Design and Alan Dye, VP of Human Interface Design, who will report to Jeff Willams, Apple’s chief operating officer.

So what do you think? Hopefully this means a bit more innovation in terms of the design at Apple, but we’re not sure they’ll ever find someone who can do narration or voice overs as well as Jony Ive did. We should only see this new Apple design direction next year though. In the meantime, stay tuned to TechNave.com.

We think this best captures Jony Ive's design and Apple


So how "pro" is the Pro Video Mode on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series?

It's no secret that video recording on smartphones is becoming increasingly popular. After all, it's easy to set up, doesn't require a lot of equipment, and you can record video on-the-go. Over the years, smartphone brands have been working hard to improve video recording capabilities, even for entry-level and mid-range phones.

In this article, we will be checking out what the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series Pro Video Mode can do. The Pro Video Mode was featured a lot during the recent Samsung Unpacked event and we were curious as to how advanced it is. Audio monitoring? Do more through video settings control? If you want to know more, read on below to see how "pro" is the Pro Video Mode on the Galaxy Note20 series.

When you first go into the Pro Video Mode via the camera app's user interface, the first thing you see would be the camera settings. Of course, you'll see the usual White Balance, Auto Focus, Aperture, ISO and other settings, but what's new this time?

The Pro Video Mode screen looks more professional and you can choose a 21:9 aspect ratio for recording

When holding the phone horizontally, the slider on the right allows users to adjust the zoom

You can also choose to focus on the front, rear or all directions (Omni) for audio recording

While exploring, we discovered that the Pro Video Mode now features two new settings, which are for Audio Recording and adjusting the zoom. As far as we know, only the Galaxy Note20 smartphones have these features so far and they definitely allow content creators to make better quality video clips.

Despite being labelled as Pro Video Mode, the user interface is not hard to navigate at all. For example, if you want to use the free zoom, you can just use the sliding key at the bottom (if you're holding the phone vertically) to control it. Not only are the screen transitions smooth, but you also don't need to swipe the screen with two fingers to keep the screen stable.

As for Audio Recording, you can see the mini audio monitor on the display. To fully control the feature, you can tap on "Rear" at the bottom and then choose which microphone it should record from. On top of that, you can also choose the USB or Bluetooth option. Those two options are very useful additions for those who want to use an external microphone for podcasting.

Choose which microphone you want to record from

Demonstrating the zooming and audio recording functions simultaneously

To further demonstrate this feature, we did a video test on the Audio Recording feature, playing around with the 'Front' and 'Omni' setting. During recording, we noticed that the microphone is quite smart because when there were people walking by, the audio actually became softer and then refocused on the performance we were recording quickly and accurately. So to be honest, we are pretty impressed!

Oh and just a head's up, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series is still on sale. You can either get the Galaxy Note20 (RM3899), Galaxy Note20 5G (RM4299) or Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (RM5199). Moreover, buying either of the three models now means you will get a UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charging (RM299) and Wireless Charger Convertible (RM209)! Remember that these giveaways are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Wait, there's more! If you want to pay in instalments, Samsung also offers a 0% interest rate instalment package. You can enjoy a one-month free payment and save up to RM433.25! Interested customers can visit the nearest Samsung official store and choose any of the Galaxy Note20 series variants they want, then sign up for the instalment package.

Lastly, customers who purchase the Galaxy Note20 series from Samsung Experience Stores (SES) will have access to the Protection Plus warranty package (RM387), which includes not only an extended 1-year warranty but also a free screen replacement. Then there's also a Trade-Up campaign, so customers can get instant rebates by trading in an old device for any Galaxy Note20 series model. This campaign will end on 31 October 2020 and for more information, you may refer to this website.

So anyway, what do you think of the Pro Video Mode? Are you as impressed as we were? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech reviews at TechNave.com.


So long and farewell, Microsoft pulls the plug on Windows 10 Mobile

Windows just can't catch a break on the mobile scene. According to GSMArena, Microsoft has confirmed that it will be terminating support for Windows 10 Mobile products. In other words, this sees the end of security updates, hotfixes, and tech support for the mobile OS.

Fortunately for users of the Microsoft Office, you'll get a little bit of leeway before getting cut off. The Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote apps will still be getting updates and patches, at least till 12th January 2021. The Windows 10 Mobile app store will still be around for while too, likely to provide updates for Microsoft Office apps. For everyone else, it's probably a good idea to start migrating to either an Android or iOS device. For example, a fancy new Motorola Razr?

It's quite rare to see Windows 10 Mobile users in Malaysia these days so this is unlikely to affect that many people. But what do you think, do you know of someone still using Windows 10 Mobile? Do let us know in the comments on our Facebook page. For more news like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


So the OnePlus 7 Pro's telephoto camera isn't 3x optical zoom?

Investigation by Android Police revealed something very interesting about the OnePlus7 Pro. The 3x optical zoom on the telephoto lens is actually not 3x zoom but is around 2.2x zoom instead. The remaining 0.8x is achieved by cropping. With no digital zoom used in the photo, the photo retains its detail and quality.

How it works is by the 13MP sensor outputting an 8MP image cropped by 6MP to achieve the so-called 3x “optical zoom”. The zoom is actually called lossless and not optical at this point, to be honest.The phone uses zoom sensor for portrait mode shots but many have noticed that field of view in portrait mode is actually much wider when compared to the 3x zoom mode. In addition, portrait shots are 13MP in resolution as the software in the OnePlus 7 Pro actually uses the full resolution of the sensor and the zoom in the sensor is only 2.2x.

A person trained in photography would notice the change in perspective

It was discovered that the camera module’s actual focal length is only 57mm instead of 78mm like advertised and teased by the Chinese company. The 3x lossless zoom the smartphone manages to achieve is done by sacrificing millions of pixels around the subject at 8MP. While this isn’t a huge deal to a majority of users, the fact is very noticeable to those who are well versed in the art of photography. OnePlus has responded back with a statement in regards to the matter.

So while OnePlus had misadvertised a few bits about the zoom on the OnePlus7 Pro, the device does still have 3x zoom, just not 3x optical zoom as advertised. Due to that, those are are picking up the camera for professional sorts of photography should be aware. This isn’t the first time OnePlus has misadvertised their products. The OnePlus 5 was advertised with 2x optical zoom but only has 1.6x optical zoom with the remaining 0.4x zoom managed by the SmartCapture multi-frame technology. So will you still be purchasing the OnePlus 7 Pro? Keep up with the latest news in tech and beyond on TechNave.com!


Social media users expressed disappointment towards pre-order of PS5 that started today

Most of the gamers must have been excited to get the PS5 secured after the pre-order was announced yesterday. However, it looks like it was not an easy task as the next-gen gaming consoles were quick to have sold out today everywhere in the country. With that said, the fans who have been waiting for this moment took their rage onto social media platforms.

One of the Facebook users commented on Sony's page mentioning that she has been saving for months to buy the console for her husband but ended up getting nothing. From the comment, it appears that she was redirected back to a page which notified her that the console has been sold out when she was at the final steps of completing her purchase. According to the source, many have also faced the same problem.

Scalpers dah start dah. Fuck these people.Kalau hang beli hang bodo. pic.twitter.com/7aDqQVMbQO

Habis dah PS5 dekat Sony Curve. Isi je nama dulu untuk second batch. pic.twitter.com/ChYQbNfZBY

Besides online, the physical Sony Centre stores have also faced a shortage on the first day of pre-order, with Sunway Pyramid store announcing that the consoles had been sold out by 12 pm and Midvalley store by 1 pm. Some have also seen it as an opportunity to make quick money. It is spotted that a Lowyat forum user is selling the PS5 Disc Version for RM3,999, with the original price only at RM2,299. For those who didn't get the consoles today, let's just wait until 11 December when they become officially available in Malaysia.

Let us know what you think about this news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more local tech news.


Softbank buying ARM for RM 127 billion

Softbank, one of the world’s largest telecommunication conglomerate, just announced that they will agree to invest in ARM for USD 32 billion (~RM 127 billion). Just as a recap, ARM is the company that creates the basic chip building blocks for just about every mobile chipmaker out there.

While ARM does not create their own chip, its cores are being used in chips and SOCs of companies such as Qualcomm, Samsung, Apple, MediaTek, Broadcom, and hundreds more companies that licences the ARM architecture, chip design or even both from them. This UK-based company started in 1985, and now have customers all over the world.

SoftBank wants to own this influential company and is willing to pay a 43 percent premium on ARM’s stock price, for a total of USD 32 billion (or about RM RM 127 billion). SoftBank sees the ARM acquisition as a way to establish itself as a key player in the Internet of Things field, including mobile, smart homes, wearables, and automotive.

The question is will Softbank have any influence in the creation of the next generation ARM cores with this acquisition, or this is just a bankrolling to the very popular company and Softbank just wants a slice of the pie? We shall wait until the purchase is complete and more news comes out of this major purchase.


Software update may stop your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from exploding

According to the folks at Korea Times, Samsung will be sending out a new over-the-air software update that will stop your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from charging past 60% or 2100 mAh of the full 3500 mAh battery. This may stop it from exploding as reports had the smartphone explode during charging. It should also serve as a more compelling reason to replace your 'unsafe' Galaxy Note 7. Don't wait for it to happen and go get your replacement as soon as possible.


Some AMD PC and laptops are having performance issues with Windows 11

By now, most of you may have already upgraded your PC or laptop to Windows 11. However, if your model is using an AMD Ryzen mobile processor - you might want to hold off the upgrade because there are reports of performance issues.

According to Microsoft, a team there is reporting that Windows 11 is dropping some AMD Ryzen processors performance up to 15%. Thankfully, both Microsoft and AMD discovered the issues with one belonging to each. Sources say that Windows 11 may have tripled the L3 cache latency. With that, it caused a worse performance in most PC apps and video games used for eSports.

In addition, AMD's "preferred core" technology is having issues with Windows 11 as well. So not only is it affecting video games but CPU-related tasks too especially on octa-core processors with 65W TDP. Both companies are already working on the issue as we speak so until a solution is released, don't update to Windows 11 just yet.

If you're wondering what's new about Windows 11, you can head over here to read everything you need to know about it. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


4000 mAh battery Xiaomi Redmi 7A with Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 goes official in Malaysia from RM399

Xiaomi Malaysia recently revealed the official Malaysia pricing for their Redmi 7A smartphone from RM399 for the 2GB RAM + 16GB storage version and RM439 for the 2GB RAM + 32GB storage variant. This is a bit lower than the previously announced RM459 pricing via the Xiaomi Global Store on Shopee but all other features and tech specs should remain the same. This includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset, large 4000 mAh battery with fast charging, 5.45-inch HD display and 13MP rear camera + 5MP front camera combo.

Both variants will be available in Matte Blue and Matte Black at Authorised Mi Stores from 17 July 2019. However, if you’re shopping online, you’ll only be able to get the 2GB + 16GB version from [Update] 19 July 2019 on Shopee or 26 July 2019 on Lazada. In the meantime, do stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech news but if you really want to stay connected, feel free to download our TechNave.com App 2.0 for either Android or iOS.


Apple Event 2021 Highlight Video In 5 minutes | TechNave Highlights

Today, Apple have officially announced the new iPad, iPad mini, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Fitness+, and iPhone 13 series. Do check out the Apple event 2021 highlight video to find out the new upgrades and features of the devices.

The new iPad comes with a USB-C port which supports 10 times faster data transfer and the new iPadOS. As for the iPad mini, it sports an 8.3-inch Retina display, A15 Bionic chip, and stereo speakers. Besides that, the Apple Watch Series 7 comes with IP6X water resistance, a new design, and a bigger display by comparing with the previous model.

On the other hand, the iPhone 13 series comes in four variants which are iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. These devices sport an A15 Bionic chipset based on 5nm technology with 15 billion transistors. There are three memory variants for the iPhone 13 series which are 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Additionally, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have a new 1TB storage option as well.

For more information, please check out the Apple Event 2021 highlight video and be sure to stay tuned for more updates on TechNave.com.


Some Apple TV+ shows will be free for a limited time soon

The news just broke earlier and the movement control order has just been extended to 28 April 2020. That means we're stuck indoors for another two weeks and should REALLY find more ways to keep ourselves from getting cabin fever. Fortunately, Apple is going to provide a bit of help in that area by letting us watch some shows on Apple TV+ for free.

From 11 April 2020 onwards, all countries will have access to a few Apple TV+ shows without needing a subscription. According to 9to5Mac, the shows that will be available for free include Little America, For All Mankind, Snoopy in Space, and more. Of course, not all content will be free for you to watch. Series like The Morning Show will remain locked behind a paywall.

One of the shows that you will be able to watch for free

To watch Apple TV+ shows, you will need an Apple ID and sign in to a compatible device or on the website through a web browser. You can also watch the premium content by signing up for the 7-day free trial. This can be upgraded to a full 1-year subscription if you have recently purchased any new Apple devices like an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV.

So, if you are bored during MCO and need a few extra shows to watch, definitely give Apple TV+ a try. With that said, what other shows have you been binging on during this isolation period? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Some Motorola Moto 360 tech specs revealed

In a Google+ Hangout, Jim Wicks, Chief designer of the Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch discussed the recently announced device. While he did bring along one on his wrist, not much was revealed. However, now we know that the Moto 360 has a 1.8-inch display, features an orientation-free design, doesn't have a built-in camera and is designed to be water resistant. While the orientation-free feature means that the screen will flip to a readable position regardless of which wrist you put it on, the other details probably mean that you won't be able to go swimming with this smartwatch. While he didn't explain about compatibility it was implied that the Moto 360 should work with most Android 4.3 devices. Still no news on Malaysia release dates or pricing but we hope that they've solved other smartwatch issues as well. For now, check out the video below:


Some Pokemon Go temporary bonus features to be modified from October onwards

Ever since the pandemic started early this year, Niantic, the makers of Pokemon Go have made several changes to the mobile app on how the players can still play while staying at home. From raiding remotely to walking distance boost from Gyms and PokeStops, and many more, the development team have also announced that some of the updates may revert back to the original way.

As more countries have already resume back to normal working life with the addition of SOP rules, Niantic announced that starting from 1 October onwards at 1PM PDT (4AM in Malaysia time zone), the following temporary bonuses will be modified. This includes Hatch Distance returning to the normal rate, Incense effectiveness increased for walking only, buddy Pokemon bring you gifts once per day, a higher chance of getting a gift when spinning a PokeStop (though there's no guarantee), as well as Incubators included in more boxes in the in-game shop.

In addition, there are also plans to keep some of the temporary bonuses for Pokemon GO players that were introduced during the past few months. The list includes:

Last but not least, the Pokemon Go team would like to remind everyone to watch out for the "Special bonuses" section in Today View. Stay safe and stay healthy, Pokefans. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Some Rapid KL LRT lines, mobile Internet providers & traffic lights are affected by the blackout

UPDATE - TNB Careline has announced that the electricity has been restored. The issue was a supply disruption caused by a piece of equipment at Yong Peng North Main Entry Substation (PMU) in Yong Peng, Johor. The electricity power is expected to be gradually restored in each area soon.

By now, you should know about the news of the blackout in several parts of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. More specifically - Shah Alam, Nilai, Hulu Langat, Bukit Jalil, Selayang, Segambut, Cheras, Seri Kembangan and Bangi. That being said, the blackout has also affected other services such as the Rapid KL LRT train line, Digi services and some traffic lights.

About an hour ago, the Rapid KL admin posted on the company's Facebook page that some rail services are affected by the blackout. At the moment, the Ampang and Sri Petaling LRT route can't function at all. At the same time, the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) has announced that some traffic lights around KL are malfunctioning due to the blackout.

On the other hand, Digi has also confirmed that the company is experiencing some network interruptions following the blackout. Most of Digi users in Selangor and Klang Valley would be experiencing poor service lines so it's not just you alone. That said, Celcom users could also be experiencing mobile internet outages in Cheras, as well as Maxis albeit not many solid reports.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad's technical teams are currently trying to find out what's the issue as we speak. So in the meantime, I guess we can just sit and wait for them to sort it out. We will be updating this page again once the electricity is back, so stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Some Samsung Galaxy S5 features confirmed, 16MP camera + new flash + more

As the date for the Samsung Galaxy S5 unveiling approaches more leaks appear, this time some of them coming from Samsung itself. The first set of tech specs covers the rear or main camera of the Galaxy S5, which has been confirmed to be a 16MP sensor both from the Exif data of a leaked photo taken using the camera along with a report from Samsung about their new LED flash. Apparently, Samsung are working on a new reflector-integrated LED flash for their cameraphones which will deliver better light coverage of over 165 lux at 1A. They went on further to say that it would be used for their newest smartphones which includes the Galaxy S5. Another set of semi-confirmed tech specs comes from Bloomberg who say the screen on the Galaxy S5 will be much sharper, hinting at a possible 2K display of 1440 x 2560 pixels on a 5.2-inch screen. While the Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to unveiled at an Unpacked event before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, we expect the smartphone to be available by or after next month. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing but we'll keep you posted.[Source, Source]


Some current HUAWEI and HONOR devices may be allowed to switch from Android to HarmonyOS

With the announcement of HarmonyOS 2.0 back in last month, many are expecting HUAWEI to bring the in-house operating system (OS) to smartphones. However, it was revealed earlier that the Chinese tech giant will only launch the first smartphone with the HarmonyOS next year. Now, it appears that not only new smartphones can have the OS, but current HUAWEI and HONOR devices will also get to make the switch (well, at least some).

A Chinese tipster has leaked some information regarding the devices that will be able to switch from Android to HarmonyOS. According to the Weibo post, devices with the unreleased 5nm Kirin 9000 chipset will be the first batch to receive the option. With that said, the Mate 40 devices are among the first ones to get the HarmonyOS treatment.

The list followed by the Kirin 990 5G chipset as the second batch, 990 4G (some)/ 985/ 820 as third, 990 4G (some)/ 980/ 820 (some) as fourth, and 810/ 710 (some) being the last. Unfortunately, the Kirin 970 chipset that powers Mate 10 and P20 series is not able to make it into the list. It is said that HUAWEI won't be forcing the users who want to keep Android to make the switch.

Let us know what you think about this news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more HUAWEI updates like this.


Some details of the Canon EOS R6 have appeared, could be priced at ~RM10669

As we get closer to the alleged launch of Canon's upcoming mirrorless cameras in July, the leaks are starting to appear frequently. Just a few days ago, the estimated retail price of the EOS R5 was revealed. This time around we have some details on its sibling - the Canon EOS R6.

According to Canon Rumors, some specs for the EOS R6 have been revealed. It's suggested that Canon wants to focus on delivering high ISO performance and video capabilities for this model while keeping it at a lower price than the EOS R5. It's expected to come with a 20MP full-frame CMOS sensor, which can deliver a shutter speed of 20fps (electronic) and 4K video recording at 60p.

In terms of features, it will have in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), 5K video upsampling, two UHS-II memory card slots, and more. The camera is allegedly going to be priced at USD 2500 (~RM10669), making it much more affordable compared to the EOS R5. However, the build quality is not as good.

For those who prefer a camera for video, the Canon EOS R6 a better option than the EOS R5. With that said, would you be interested in purchasing it if it's made available in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Some iPhone 14 models may not have the physical SIM card slot

In another related news to the Apple iPhone 14 series, it seems Apple was thinking of removing another feature. In Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter, he said that Apple actually did think of removing a SIM card slot as early as this year.

It wasn't the first time that we heard about Apple going towards a pure eSIM iPhone before, but it's not a piece of news that you hear often. Some iPhone 14 models could be revealed without the SIM card slot but quite unlikely, as Gurman said that this feature could most likely happen for the iPhone 15 series.

Here's an excerpt that he said in his newsletter:

"Apple will give eSIM a bigger push this time around, with carriers preparing to steer users toward the digital, embedded SIM cards rather than physical ones," Gurman wrote in his newsletter. "In fact, Apple has considered removing the physical SIM card slot altogether beginning either this year or next for some models."

For those who don't know, an eSIM is a type of digital SIM without needing a physical SIM card. Users who are on eSIM can also activate a cellular plan from a telco. In Malaysia's case, the big four players - Celcom, Digi, Maxis and U Mobile - all have it but the popularity of adopting it hasn't reached its full potential.

Well, we will just have to wait and see and we don't need to wait that long. The next Apple Event will be happening on 7 September 2022. In Malaysia's timing, the livestream will begin at 1 AM via apple.com, the apple TV app and YouTube. Stay tuned for our official news coverage at TechNave.com.


Some iPhone users are facing rapid battery drain issues after iOS 15.4 update

Apple recently released iOS 15.4 for supported iPhone devices worldwide which comes with a slew of new features. Out of those, the most notable feature has got to be the ability to use Face ID while wearing a face mask, which is super convenient!

However, it seems that the update also brought aboutinconveniences too as many are complaining that their iPhone’s batteries are draining rapidly. In fact, there have been numerous complaints online by iPhone users regarding the matter, including on Twitter and Reddit.

According to a report by Tech Radar, many tech personalities and publications are also experiencing rapid battery drain on their iPhones. Furthermore, multiple threads have appeared on Reddit regarding the matter, with one Redditor claiming to even experience ‘horrible battery drain’ after the update.

What’s perplexing though is that not all that have updated to iOS 15.4 face this issue. In fact, some are even saying that their iPhones actually have better battery life after the update. Hence, your mileage may vary.

In case you haven’t updated your iPhone to iOS 15.4 and worried that you’d have worse battery life, don’t worry, as this may just be something temporary. Apple has actually responded to these complaints via its Apple Suppor tTwitter account and said that these occurrences are normal.

Apple further elaborated that up to 48 hours after a new OS version is installed, there will be variations is battery life. Apparently, iOS updates need time to evaluate and optimise battery performances. Apps and features also need time to adjust to the update.

So, have you been facing any battery drain issue after updating to iOS 15.4? Share your experiences with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for all the latest trending tech news!


Some impressive features that you might get from the upcoming OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z

Last week, we received news regarding the new audio accessory from OnePlus is not going to be truly wireless. However, we still have hopes that OnePlus will not disappoint us with the upcoming OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z, and it is going to be launched alongside the OnePlus 8 next Tuesday. Before it happens, tipsters have already revealed some impressive features about the new wireless earphones. Let’s find out what they are!

First up, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z is said to be having the company’s fast charging technology which is called the Warp Charge according to tipster Ishan Agarwal. Besides that, PriceBaba has also mentioned that the earphones will provide up to 10 hours of listening with just a 10-minute-charge while a full charge will provide 20 hours of use. If it’s true, the hours that you leave your headphones charging might be in danger.

Exclusive: #OnePlus is launching Bullets Wireless Z earphones very soon and here are its key features. Expect Warp Charging and 20 hours (!!) of Battery Life along with low latency and water resistance.For more features and specs, go to: https://t.co/vdDwvScdbL pic.twitter.com/KpkQmhRtPv

Other than that, the pair of earphones will also support a Bluetooth latency of 110ms, better than the Apple AirPods Pro with the latency of 144ms. The Bullets Wireless Z will come with an IP55 rating as well for water and sweat resistance. Now, we could only wait until the launch event to find out more about the earphones, and also the highly-anticipated OnePlus 8 series.

Let us know if you’re excited about the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates about audio gadgets.


Apple Event 2022 is now official, expect the next-gen iPhone 14 series & Apple Watch Series 8

As speculated, the next annual Apple Event will indeed be live on 7 September 2022. Taking place in the Steve Jobs Theater at the Apple Park campus site, as usual, the Malaysian timing would be on 8 September 2022 at 1 AM which can be viewed at apple.com/my, YouTube and the Apple TV App.

To recall back all the rumoured news, we are quite likely to see all of the iPhone 14 series. Rumours have it that we should be expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, as well as a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Max Pro. However, a recent leak claimed that the iPhone 14 mini is still out there but we are taking a pinch of salt here.

There will be a new A16 Bionic chipset but rumours say that only the pro variants could have it, whereas the non-pro variants could still use back the A15 Bionic chipset due to motherboard shortage. Other updates include a new pill-shape + punch hole cutout, a 48MP primary camera, an improved ultrawide lens and WiFi 6E.

Besides the iPhone 14 series, the new Apple Watch Series 8 should be making its debut as well. Previous reports say that the new wearable could have a longer battery life, improved low power mode, temperature sensor, an S8 chipset and even car crash detection. They may be a new Apple Watch Series 8 Pro model too that is larger and more durable.

As for the new iPads, Macs and AirPods Pro, they should be scheduled for the second Apple Event round in October 2022. Until then, do stay tuned for our official news coverage at TechNave.com.


Some of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra's camera spec might have been spotted

It seems that @UniverseIce has recently tweeted on the user’s Twitter account, showcasing what to expect from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera. Based on the tweet, it seems that the aforementioned smartphone’s 10X optical variable camera will have a larger aperture, and a 10MP 1.22um sensor.

While not much is known in regards to the real-life performance of the aforementioned camera system, our source did mention that it will most likely take pictures at a much higher quality. However, do take some of the information with a grain of salt, due to the fact that Samsung has yet to provide an official statement on the leak.

Not only that, but there’s also no news on the Malaysia release date, local pricing, and exact tech specs of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for now. What are your thoughts of the camera on the smartphone in question? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Some popular iOS apps keep crashing and the public is blaming Facebook for it

Technology can't always be working perfectly. Sometimes, there will be some technical issues creeping in to "spice up your life". Currently, several famous iOS apps are crashing down and the source of the problem hasn't been located yet. However, the public is suggesting that Facebook is the one to blame for this issue.

At the moment, apps including TikTok, Spotify, Pinterest, Waze and more are currently broken on iOS devices. Users are reporting that the mentioned apps automatically closed down whenever they're launched. However, it is said that going offline will "solve" the issue. If you want to listen to your offline songs saved on Spotify, this could be the only solution for now.

Is anyone else having issues opening...any apps on iPhone? pic.twitter.com/JjEkkojVWa

It is suggested that Facebook has something to do with this is because of its SDK (software development kit). These apps that are crashing use the SDK to manage things like Facebook logins, but users who don't link their Facebook accounts to the apps are facing the issue as well. Until now, Android users have not reported any similar issue, so we guess it might only be happening to iOS users.

Let us know what you think about this news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more real-time tech updates.