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Tech Wrap July 11: Samsung pre-order, Acer Aspire Go 14, Huawei FreeClips
BS Tech New Delhi
Samsung opens pre-orders for Galaxy Watch 8 series in India
Samsung has started taking pre-orders for its latest Galaxy Watch 8 series in India. The range includes the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, both bringing notable improvements in design, health tracking, and AI features. For the first time, the Galaxy Watch lineup integrates Google's Gemini assistant. These smartwatches run on Wear OS 6, layered with Samsung's One UI 8 Watch.
Acer has unveiled the Aspire Go 14 laptop in India, equipped with Intel Core Ultra 7 H-series processors and a dedicated Copilot key for quick access to Microsoft's AI assistant in Windows 11. The laptop targets students, casual users, and first-time buyers, and is built for tasks such as web browsing, studying, light editing, and media consumption.
Huawei has released its FreeClips open-ear wireless earbuds in India. The earbuds feature a unique C-bridge design and are built for comfort and situational awareness. "With the self-adaptive left-right audio channels, each earbud can be worn on either ear," the company said, highlighting the flexibility in their design.
Google has added a new feature to Gemini AI that transforms static images into eight-second video clips with audio, using the Veo 3 video generation model. The tool adds sound effects, ambient audio, and even dialogue. The feature is being gradually rolled out to Gemini Advanced Ultra and Pro subscribers in select areas, including India.
Acer has introduced the Iconia Tab iM11 Android tablet in the Indian market. It features a MediaTek Helio G99 processor and an 11.45-inch IPS screen, along with a quad-speaker stereo setup. The tablet package also includes a keyboard, Active Stylus Pen, and a Smart Flip Cover.
Nothing has announced an exclusive 'drop event' for its new Phone 3, taking place on July 12 at UB City in Bengaluru. The company stated that attendees will get a chance to purchase the Phone 3 ahead of its official sale. "The first 100 customers to buy the Phone 3 at the event will receive the new Nothing Headphone 1 at no extra cost," the brand confirmed. The event starts at 7 PM and will follow a first-come, first-served format.
Sony has announced the upcoming release of Ghost of Yotei, an action-adventure samurai game exclusive to PlayStation 5, launching worldwide on October 2. Developed by Sucker Punch Productions—known for Ghost of Tsushima—this new installment introduces fresh characters and settings while retaining the cinematic combat and open-world elements fans appreciate.
Apple's iOS 26 update will bring two new apps to the iPhone's Home Screen: Apple Games and Preview. Apple Games acts as a dedicated gaming hub, while Preview offers tools for handling PDFs and image files. Both apps aim to improve the way users interact with media and documents across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Microsoft is updating its Windows 11 interface by replacing the familiar Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) with a new black version. This redesign is part of a larger update that introduces a cleaner, more modern look, aligning with Windows 11's current design language.
Apple is reportedly planning a broad refresh of its product lineup in early 2026. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that updates are expected across major categories including iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, with a new external display for Mac also in development.
Google is reportedly preparing to offer a steep discount on its cloud services to the United States government. According to the Financial Times, the deal could be finalized soon and comes amid broader efforts by the U.S. administration to curb federal spending.
India's data center sector is expected to see major expansion, with total capacity projected to reach 3 GW by 2030. The report, "A Multi-Year Growth Proxy on India's Data Explosion and Localisation Wave" by Avendus Capital, notes that annual investment in the sector is currently $1 -- 1.5 billion and likely to double soon.
Elon Musk's AI startup xAI has launched Grok 4, just months after the previous version, reflecting the rapid pace of development. During a live demo, Musk said Grok 4 is "smarter than almost all graduate students, in all disciplines, simultaneously." The new version includes enhanced voice interaction and benchmarks that reportedly surpass competitors like OpenAI.
A biotech company is working to bring back the South Island giant moa, a flightless bird once native to New Zealand. Standing over three metres tall, the moa was the tallest bird ever recorded. The effort aims to use modern genetic techniques to revive this extinct species, much like the concept in Jurassic Park.
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