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Tech Wrap Aug 11: Lava Blaze AMOLED 2, Copilot 3D, OPPO K13 Turbo series

Tech Wrap Aug 11: Lava Blaze AMOLED 2, Copilot 3D, OPPO K13 Turbo series

Lava Blaze AMOLED 2 launched. Microsoft Copilot 3D unveiled. OPPO K13 Turbo series launched. Gemini Live integration. Apple Intelligence to get OpenAI's GPT-5 model. Instagram's Map.
BS Tech New Delhi
Lava Blaze AMOLED 2 with MediaTek Dimensity 7060 launched
Indian smartphone brand Lava has launched the Blaze AMOLED 2, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 7060 chipset. It sports a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Blaze AMOLED 2 showcases a 'Linea' design with refined back panel patterns and textures, measuring 7.55mm thick, making it one of the slimmest phones in its category.
Microsoft has introduced Copilot 3D, an AI-powered tool that converts 2D images into realistic 3D models. The company said the tool is designed to make 3D creation fast, accessible, and intuitive. Copilot 3D, part of Copilot Labs, is available globally to users signed in with a Microsoft Account and is best used on a PC, though mobile browser access is also supported. Competitors such as Meta, Apple, and Nvidia are also developing similar tools.
OPPO has introduced the K13 Turbo series in India, consisting of the Oppo K13 Turbo and Oppo K13 Turbo Pro. The standard K13 Turbo is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8450 chipset, while the Pro variant uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor. The series includes a proprietary cooling system called 'Storm Engine,' featuring a built-in cooling fan designed to enhance thermal management during intensive tasks.
Google has enhanced Gemini Live by integrating real-time access to Google Calendar, Tasks, and Keep on Android and iOS. This update allows users to manage events, reminders, and notes during live conversations. Initially announced at Google I/O 2025 in May, the integration moves Gemini Live closer to personalized use by linking with popular Google apps.
Apple Intelligence across iPhones, iPads, and Macs will soon be upgraded with OpenAI's latest GPT-5 AI model. Apple confirmed to 9To5Mac that GPT-5 integration will come with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26. Currently, Apple Intelligence uses OpenAI's GPT-4o model, the report added.
Instagram recently launched its Map feature, drawing attention for its location-sharing options. According to The Verge, Meta describes the feature as opt-in, enabling users to share live locations with chosen friends or explore posts and Reels by tagged places. The company emphasizes that users retain full control over location sharing, despite some privacy concerns voiced by users.
Microsoft is set to retire its mobile document scanning app, Microsoft Lens, by the end of 2025. As per the Microsoft support page, the app will begin to be phased out on iOS and Android devices starting September 15. It will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play Store on November 15, 2025. However, existing users will still have access to the scanning functionality until December 15.
Apple is reportedly experimenting with a redesigned Siri that integrates with select third-party apps. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed that this enhanced Apple Intelligence-powered Siri may launch next year, with testing ongoing on apps like Uber, AllTrails, Threads, Temu, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, and several games. Apple is also testing new Siri features with its own applications.
Google is preparing for its Made by Google event on August 20 to unveil the Pixel 10 series smartphones. Alongside the new Pixel phones, the company is expected to reveal new wearables and accessories, including the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a wireless earbuds.
WhatsApp is reportedly planning to introduce a new feature for iOS that lets users verify Instagram profile links directly within WhatsApp using Meta's Accounts Center. According to WABetaInfo, this move aims to reduce impersonation, confusion, and scams on the platform. The feature is currently in testing and has not been widely released yet. Previously, WhatsApp rolled out a similar beta update for its Android app, and now this verification feature is being extended to iOS users.
Reports from 9To5Google suggest that Google plans to eliminate physical SIM slots in its Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL models, opting for dual eSIM support instead. Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is expected to feature a hybrid setup allowing both physical SIM and eSIM compatibility.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that GPT-4o will soon be reinstated for ChatGPT Plus users following its removal during the GPT-5 rollout. This decision comes after widespread user backlash, with many expressing strong attachments to the model.
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According to a report from The New York Times, a combination of shifting industry demands and the rise of artificial intelligence is leaving new computer science graduates unemployed and frustrated. For over a decade, students like Manasi Mishra were inspired by industry leaders who touted computer science as the ultimate pathway to success. Growing up near Silicon Valley, Manasi absorbed the message loud and clear: 'If you just learned to code, work hard and get a computer science degree, you can get six figures for your starting salary,' she recalls. This promise pushed her to start coding websites as a child, take advanced computing courses in high school, and finally major in computer science at Purdue University. Technology giants reinforced these expectations. In 2012, Brad Smith, then a top Microsoft executive, highlighted that computer science graduates typically earned starting salaries above $100,000, with generous bonuses and stock grants. This promise fueled an education boom. According to the Computing Research Association, the number of undergraduate computer science majors in the US more than doubled from 2014 to over 170,000 last year. However, the job market has shifted drastically. The introduction of AI programming tools capable of generating and debugging code has reduced the need for junior software engineers. Simultaneously, major tech companies such as Amazon, Intel, Meta, and Microsoft have executed significant layoffs. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that unemployment rates for recent college graduates in computer science and computer engineering stand at 6.1 percent and 7.5 percent respectively. These figures far exceed unemployment among recent graduates in fields like biology or art history, where the rate is around 3 percent. Many graduates face a grueling job search. Students from a range of institutions, including Maryland, Texas, Cornell, and Stanford, reported applying to hundreds or even thousands of jobs. Yet, months of effort often ended with no interviews or offers. The job search process has become emotionally taxing, with some graduates describing it as 'bleak,' 'disheartening,' or 'soul-crushing.' Several candidates said they felt 'gaslit' by the industry's earlier promises of easy success. A key factor behind the bleak job prospects is AI's increasing role in software development. Entry-level coding jobs, which traditionally served as a stepping stone for new graduates, are now most vulnerable to automation. Tools like CodeRabbit promise to debug code faster than human engineers, causing firms to rethink their hiring strategies. Graduates also face an AI 'doom loop' during applications. Many use AI tools to tailor résumés and autofill applications quickly, while employers employ AI-driven systems to automatically filter and reject candidates, removing human judgment from the hiring process. In this changing landscape, experts urge students to rethink their approach. Sameer Samat, Google's Android chief, highlights that a computer science degree alone no longer guarantees success. 'If all you want to do is learn Java or Python, you don't need a degree,' he said. Instead, passion, deep expertise, and problem-solving skills are what set candidates apart. Samat advises aspiring engineers to focus on becoming top experts in a niche they care about, whether that be system design, AI, or user experience. This specialized knowledge increasingly drives hiring decisions at major tech firms. Industry leaders like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggest that the future of technology will demand a deeper understanding of physical sciences rather than just software coding. 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