Technology - Google News

Apple’s mixed reality headset may feature an M2 processor - Engadget

Posted: 26 Jun 2022 02:58 PM PDT

The latest version of Apple's long-rumored mixed reality headset features the company's recently announced M2 system-on-a-chip and 16GB of RAM, according to Mark Gurman. The Bloomberg reporter shared the tidbit of information in his latest Power On newsletter – along with details on a "deluge" of devices Apple plans to release over the next year, including a new HomePod speaker.

As The Verge points out, most recent reports, including those from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and The Information, have suggested the augmented and virtual reality headset would feature two processors. According to Kuo, one of the SoCs would have the same capabilities as the company's M1 chip, while the other would be a lower-end chip designed to handle data from the device's sensors.

After years of rumors, there's been increasing evidence Apple is getting closer to the day when it will finally announce its mixed reality headset. In May, a Twitter user found evidence Apple likely used a shell company to obtain trademarks for "RealityOS." Earlier in the year, developers also found references to the operating system in App Store upload logs. More recently, Tim Cook told China Daily he "couldn't be more excited about the opportunities" presented by augmented and virtual reality, and told the publication to "stay tuned and you will see what we have to offer" on that front.

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Pixel 7 Pro rumored to have brighter display than Pixel 6 Pro; other specs discovered on prototype - PhoneArena

Posted: 25 Jun 2022 10:02 PM PDT

The Pixel 7 Pro display is supposed to have the same 1440 x 3120 resolution as the screen on the Pixel 6 Pro, and the same 10Hz-120Hz refresh rate found on the 2021 models. According to Esper Technical Editor Mishaal Rahman, who tweeted this information, one difference between the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro panels has been discovered in source code found on the Android 13 Beta.

The Google Pixel 7 Pro will sport a brighter display than the one on the Pixel 6 Pro

According to the source code, the Pixel 7 Pro will go as bright as 600 nits in Manual mode, up 100 nits from the top brightness in Manual mode on the Pixel 6 Pro. In Auto mode, the peak brightness on the Pixel 7 Pro will be 1,000 nits compared to 800 on the Pixel 6 Pro. The Pixel 7 Pro could end up using the Samsung S6E3HC4 display panel, which is one generation newer than the display used in the Pixel 6 Pro.

Rahman reveals data showing that the Pixel 7 Pro screen will be brighter than the Pixel 6 Pro display

The Pixel 7 series is also reportedly going to feature a native 1080p mode which will save battery life. Many smartphone users say that they cannot tell the difference between viewing content at 1080p and 1440p although this writer disagrees. The latter offers a slightly sharper image that some smartphone users, like yours truly, can discern.

A recently discovered Pixel 7 Pro prototype has revealed that the second-generation Google Tensor chip that will power the Pixel 7 line will continue to use the "4+2+2" design used on the OG Tensor. This means that the chipset will sport four low-end cores for simple tasks, two mid-level cores, and two high-powered cores for complex tasks. The four low-end cores will be made up of the Cortex A55 cores also used on the first-generation Google Tensor chip.

While many Pixel 6 series users were greatly impressed with the phone's haptics, the Pixel 7 Pro will have even better haptics in the form of the Cirrus Logic CS40L26 chip. This will be one generation newer than the haptics chip used on the Pixel 6 Pro line. 9to5Google also notes that unlike the STMicroelectronics hardware used on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro that combined NFC with Ultra Wide-Band (UWB) connectivity, the Pixel 7 series will use two different components for NFC and UWB.

Pick up the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

It will be interesting to see how many Pixel 6 series owners will give Google a second chance later this year when the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro go up for sale. It would be nice if Google were to reward those who supported the 2021 Pixel models by offering a super trade-in deal for the Pixel 7 line. While it would be nice, we aren't holding our breath.

And for those wondering whether a buggy phone can be turned around sharply for the second-generation model, the answer is "yes" and we can also give you a great example. One of the buggiest phones of all time-if not the buggiest-was the BlackBerry Storm. The first touchscreen BlackBerry, the virtual QWERTY was supposed to copy the feel of typing on a physical keyboard.

Can Google make the necessary changes to the Pixel 7 series?

When BlackBerry designed the phone, it included just one sensor in the middle of the QWERTY making the clickable keyboard a failure. Taps further away from the middle of the QWERTY failed to register correctly. Every unit sold by Verizon reportedly was returned. When the sequel model was designed, four sensors were included covering all of the keyboard and as a result, the keyboard performed much better. The clickable QWERTY "SurePress" technology worked as promised allowing users to feel as though they were typing on a physical keyboard.

Had Verizon not found the first true iPhone killer in the Motorola DROID, the BlackBerry Storm 2 might have gone from dud to stud. This is what Google is hoping for with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Google needs to add Face unlock, change the optical under-display fingerprint scanner to an ultrasonic scanner, and hike the battery size. It doesn't seem that Google is making any of these changes which is too bad.

Consumers might be willing to give Google that second chance, but if it doesn't deliver the goods this time, the company is going to run into some serious problems with its image.

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