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Tech Wrap Aug 7: Samsung soundbars, Copilot Vision in moto ai, Instagram
BS Tech New Delhi
Samsung launches new soundbars with AI sound optimisation
Samsung has unveiled its 2025 lineup of soundbars in India, adding several new models such as the premium HW-Q990F and convertible HW-QS700F. These soundbars are equipped with AI sound optimisation to fine-tune audio in real-time, enhanced bass control to avoid distortion, an active voice amplifier suited for flexible setups, and a built-in gyro sensor that modifies audio output based on placement.
Motorola has incorporated Microsoft's Copilot Vision AI into its 'moto ai' platform. This addition delivers a more advanced, camera-focused AI experience to selected Motorola devices in specific markets. Motorola says the move represents a stronger integration of Microsoft's Copilot tools and further solidifies the collaboration between the two firms.
Instagram is introducing a range of new tools to make the app more personal and social. These updates include a repost function for resharing posts, a map feature allowing optional location sharing, and a new 'Friends' tab inside the Reels section. The features are intended to boost content discovery and help users stay connected with friends and favourite creators in real-time.
Rockstar Games, the American video game company, has rolled out a new update for GTA Online featuring Community Race Series and Community Combat Series. The latest update offers exclusive rewards to highlighted creators. In addition, players will now find expanded tools for job creation, along with tips from Rockstar on how to get featured in the game.
Microsoft has presented a prototype AI tool named Project Ire, which can independently reverse-engineer software and detect threats like malware without human involvement. The tech giant revealed details of the project in a blog post, calling it a significant advancement in automating software analysis and threat detection through AI.
Google is aiming to present Gemini's newly launched guided learning mode as a supportive study tool for students, rather than a means to simply obtain answers. The US tech company is promoting the idea that students should prioritise grasping core concepts and developing a deeper understanding of subjects instead of relying solely on quick solutions.
The forthcoming Pixel 10 series from Google is anticipated to introduce new AI-powered imaging features built around its Gemini model. According to Android Headlines, the lineup might include tools like "Camera Coach" within the Camera app and "Conversational Photo Editing" in Google Photos, which would allow image enhancement through text-based inputs.
OpenAI, the American artificial intelligence firm, is likely to announce its new model GPT-5 today. A teaser shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday stated: 'LIVE5TREAM THURSDAY 10AM PT,' with the letter 'S' swapped out for a '5' — indicating a possible reference to GPT-5. The event is set to be livestreamed at 10:30 PM IST.
Google is said to be expanding its AI Mode feature to Android tablets, following its earlier launch on smartphones. As noted by 9To5Google, the feature appears in the Google app version 16.30 beta and gives tablet users access to the same Gemini-driven AI search capabilities already available on mobile devices.
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Economic Times
25 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Trump attack on Intel's CEO could compound factory struggles
NYT News Service FILE -- Utility infrastructure under construction in Johnstown, Ohio, to support a planned Intel chip manufacturing plant, Jan. 3, 2025. Intel's challenges in Ohio highlight both the risks that federal and state officials took in financially backing Intel, and the struggles the Trump administration will face in trying to shift more semiconductor production from Asia to the U.S. (Brian Kaiser/The New York Times) At the end of July, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said Intel's chief executive was "very, very optimistic" about the company's plans to build multibillion-dollar semiconductor factories in his state. Last week, President Donald Trump attacked the tech executive, and a Republican senator called for an investigation into delays surrounding Intel's massive construction project outside Columbus. Trump demanded Thursday that Lip-Bu Tan, Intel's new CEO, resign over his past ties to Chinese companies, adding to the woes of a company that DeWine and other senior figures in Ohio's Republican Party had said would help create a manufacturing boom and turn the state into a "Silicon Heartland." To help build its Ohio factories, Intel received commitments worth roughly $1.5 billion in federal funding in recent years, as well as a $2 billion incentive package from the state. The project has been badly delayed, and the chipmaker said this year that the factories would not be operational until at least 2030. The company's challenges in Ohio highlight the risks that federal and state officials took when they financially backed Intel, a once-powerful force in chip manufacturing, an industry now dominated by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Intel's situation is also indicative of the struggles the Trump administration will face as it tries -- through the pressure of tariffs and threats from the White House -- to shift the bulk of semiconductor production to the United States from Asia. When the Biden administration offered financial incentives through the CHIPS Act, Intel was one of the few American companies that it made sense to back. But whether by stick or carrot, forcing this transition could prove extraordinarily difficult, as the delays around the Ohio project demonstrate. "It's pretty obvious that Intel has failed to meet the commitments it made to the people of Ohio," Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wrote on social media Thursday. "Now we find out its new CEO is deeply conflicted with ties to the CCP," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "The CEO must immediately resign, the project completed, and a fraud investigation should be initiated by Ohio," Moreno added. Semiconductor factories are extremely expensive and complicated to build. Intel has struggled to find enough customers to stay afloat as it poured money into construction. After posting an $18.8 billion loss in 2024 in its foundry division, the company ousted its CEO in December, cut 15,000 jobs and appeared to be exploring other strategies, including the possible sale of its manufacturing business to TSMC. Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Intel referred to its most recent earnings report from July, in which the company said it was committed to completing the project in Ohio but had slowed construction to match customer demand. Dan Tierney, press secretary for DeWine, said Friday that the governor remained optimistic about the project. "We expect chips to be made in that facility," Tierney said. He added that the company had already invested $7 billion in the construction project in Ohio, more than three times the amount of the state's incentive package, which involves some tax credits that have yet to be paid out. The incentive package is tied to job creation by the end of 2028, so the earliest that the state would attempt to claw back any money is 2029, Tierney said. As for the allegations against Tan, he said, DeWine is concerned about any allegation of involvement with the Chinese Communist Party that is detrimental to the national interest but is not rushing to judgment. "We don't have all the facts, and we will need to see what facts come out," Tierney said. The stakes are high for Intel and Ohio. Semiconductor chips, which are used in everything from cellphones to fighter jets, have recently become a particular focus for Trump, as they were for former President Joe Biden. Both presidents viewed domestic production as critical to national security, especially as more than 90% of the world's most advanced chips were produced in Taiwan, an island claimed by China. In 2022, under Biden, Congress passed a bill with bipartisan support that aimed to remedy that vulnerability by pouring billions of dollars into subsidies for semiconductor companies to build facilities in the United States. Intel, the only American-owned maker of advanced logic chips, was awarded up to $7.9 billion to build factories in the United States. (Only about $2 billion of that has been disbursed.) Trump has criticized the subsidy approach, arguing that tariffs are a more effective tool to bring manufacturing back to the United States. He threatened last week to impose a 100% duty on many imported chips. Tan, who took over Intel in March, has been hailed as a savior of the struggling American chipmaker. He is a longtime Silicon Valley investor who focused on semiconductor startups, even during eras when venture capital money seemed to be pouring into software and apps. On July 28, a company that Tan once ran pleaded guilty to transferring technology that was under U.S. export controls to Chinese entities. Though the plea agreement with the Justice Department did not name Tan, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wrote to the chair of Intel's board of directors Tuesday, raising questions about what Tan may have known about the illicit activity. In a statement Thursday, Tan, an American citizen who was born in Malaysia, said that "misinformation" was circulating about his past roles and that he fully shared "the president's commitment to advancing U.S. national and economic security." "I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards," Tan said. He added that he was engaging with the administration "to address the matters that have been raised and ensure they have the facts." The questions surrounding Tan could create yet another hurdle in the attempt to bring the manufacturing of advanced semiconductors to Ohio. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, was among the lawmakers who supported public funding for the Intel semiconductor factory. He posted a message on social media saying the company had promised to "respond promptly" to Cotton's letter. "The facts have not changed: We need an American company to make American chips on American soil," Husted wrote. "Producing the world's most advanced high-tech chips in the U.S. is not just economic policy -- it's a national security imperative. Every day we are not doing that, we are putting our country at risk." Husted did not respond to a request for comment. State Sen. Bill DeMora, a Democrat representing Columbus, said Ohio Republicans were using Trump's attack on Tan to distract from the fact that they sank public money into a project that has stalled. DeMora, who has long called the project a boondoggle, said in an interview Friday that Ohio Republicans "did all this hoopla and pageantry" to hype the Intel project. "Now they want the Intel president to step down because he has ties to China," he said. "That's their excuse." He said construction had continued with a fraction of the workers the company had promised to hire. He predicted that the site would never become a semiconductor factory. "Intel is never going to make a chip there," he said. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. BlackRock returns, this time with Ambani. Will it be lucky second time? The airport lounge war has begun — and DreamFolks is losing End of an era: The Maggi Man who rebuilt Nestlé India bows out India's last cement IPO did not work. Can JSW Cement break that curse? Is Shadowfax closing in on its closest rival? Stock Radar: APL Apollo Tubes stock fails to hold momentum after hitting highs in June; what should traders do? Buy, Sell or Hold: Avendus trims target on Titan Company; Motila Oswal maintains buy on Jindal Stainless These large- and mid-cap stocks may give more than 25% return in 1 year, according to analysts
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Ex-Intel board members seek leadership shake-up after Trump's call for Lip-Bu Tan's resignation. But there is a catch
Amid calls from Donald Trump demanding the resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, four former directors of the chipmaking company have said that his fate should be decided by the shareholders and board. In a statement to Fortune, four former board members of Intel also demanded a radical restructuring of Intel that would revamp the company's manufacturing vertical into an independent company to re-establish its dominant position in the United States' chipmaking market. Charlene Barshefsky, Reed Hundt, James Plummer, and David Yoffie said that Intel has hired its fourth CEO in seven years but results have hardly improved. They claimed that only a dramatic shift in the company's workflow could restore Intel's competitiveness in the American market, much of which has been captured by rival Nvidia. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan says he's 'always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards' after President Donald Trump said he should resign. Tan also said Intel was in contact with the Trump administration. 'We are engaging with the Administration to address the matters that have been raised and ensure they have the facts,' Tan said. 'I fully share the President's commitment to advancing US national and economic security, I appreciate his leadership to advance these priorities, and I'm proud to lead a company that is so central to these goals.' Intel said in a statement that it's 'deeply committed to advancing US national and economic security interests and are making significant investments aligned with the President's America First agenda.' Tan also addressed the situation, saying in a message to employees that there was misinformation circulating about his past roles at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems and that he's always followed proper standards. In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said, 'The CEO of Intel is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!' His comment came shortly after Senator Tim Cotton wrote a letter to Intel Chairman Frank Yeary, flagging concerns over Tan's alleged ties with Chinese firms. In his letter, Senator Tim Cotton also flagged a recent criminal case involving Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan's former company Cadence Design. Writing in order to 'express concern about the security and integrity of Intel's operations and its potential impact on US national security', the Senator posed questions to Intel Chairperson Frank Yeary in his letter. He asked if Intel's board was aware of the subpoenas received by Cadence during the time Tan was CEO of the company. Cotton also raised questions about the measures that Intel had taken to address this issue.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Skipping iPhone 17 Pro? Here's every juicy rumor about the iPhone 18 Pro so far
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may bring big changes. Under-screen Face ID could arrive in 2026. The main camera might get variable aperture. Samsung could supply new image sensors. These sensors may improve photo quality. An A20 Pro chip and custom modem are also expected. Apple seems to be preparing something different for its next iPhone. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Under-Screen Face ID Could Be Coming Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Variable Aperture for Main Camera Samsung Image Sensor in the Works Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Other Details FAQs Theare still a year away, but that hasn't stopped rumors from trickling in, as per a report. From camera upgrades to a possible design change, the early signs point to a device that could look and feel quite different from what we've seen in recent years, according to Macrumors what's being talked about so far and why some fans might already be thinking about skipping theentirely, as per the to Macrumors, in April 2023, display analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap suggesting under-screen Face ID would come to iPhone 17 Pro models. But in May 2024, he updated that timeline, saying the change had likely been delayed until 2026, as per the report. That means the feature could now debut with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to this happens, it would likely result in a smaller Dynamic Island, since Face ID wouldn't need to be housed in a visible cutout, as per the Macrumors Information also reported in May that under-screen Face ID is expected on the iPhone 18 Pro READ: Perrier in hot water? France rocked by scandal over bottled water purity claims The main 48-megapixel camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models is expected to feature "variable aperture", according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as reported by would allow users to control how much light passes through the camera lens, a shift from the current fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78 seen in iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro models, according to the Macrumors report. With variable aperture, users would be able to manually adjust the setting themselves, as per the change could offer more control over depth of field, how sharp or soft the background appears behind a subject, according to the Macrumors report. But with the iPhone's relatively small image sensors, it's still unclear how noticeable the difference will be, as per READ: 10 must-change iOS 18.6 settings that'll make your iPhone feel like day one again Samsung is reportedly developing a new three-layer stacked image sensor that Apple is expected to use for at least one camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to a DigiTimes goal is to improve how the camera responds and offer benefits like less noise in photos and better dynamic range, as reported by July 2024, Kuo also said Samsung could begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is the same year the iPhone 18 Pro is expected, according to Macrumors week, the Financial Times reported that Samsung will manufacture the image sensors in Texas, as per the of now, all of Apple's iPhone image sensors are supplied by Sony, reported iPhone 18 Pro models are also expected to include an A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, and a custom C2 modem designed by Apple, as reported by everything we know so far, based on early reports about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with features like under-screen Face ID and new camera tech in the pipeline, Apple seems to be preparing something different, as per the Macrumors report. For those watching closely, next year's iPhone might be worth the would allow Face ID to work from beneath the display, potentially shrinking the current Dynamic Island cutout, as per the Macrumors the main 48MP camera is rumored to feature variable aperture, which would give users more control over how their photos look, as per the Macrumors report.
