Rest Link

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Pixel 4a raises questions about why Google bothers with flagship phones - ZDNet

rest.indah.link

Over a year has passed since Google released its Pixel 3a, a phone that did a pretty good impression of Nexus devices, which were solid value for money without all the bells and whistles.

In the time since, Google has released a new flagship in the form of the Pixel 4, and as if to prove that reception from punters was utterly lacklustre, Google removed it from sale after less than a year, although stock is still being sold.

Until the Pixel 5 arrives, that leaves the 4a carrying the weight of the series. Luckily for Google, this little phone can do that.

With the 3 and 3a, it was clear that the former was the flagship and the latter was the cheaper cousin. For the newer devices, that division is murky due to the 4a having some hardware improvements over the 4.

The most obvious upgrade is the hole-punch camera, which gives the 4a an extra 3mm of display in a smaller physical package compared to the Pixel 4 due to ditching much of the top bezel. The 4a has a 5.8-inch 19.5:9 OLED screen and physical dimensions of 144 millimetres by 69.4 millimetres, while the 4 is 19:9 5.7-inch OLED display with dimensions of 147.1mm by 68.8mm.

Cipriani take: Google's Pixel 4A is nearly perfect, but it's missing a key feature

The 4a also improves on the 4 by having a larger battery, rated at 3140mAh versus 2800mAH for the 4, makes 128GB of storage standard compared to the 64GB/128GB options of the 4, and offers two things the 4 cannot: Fingerprint scanning and a headphone jack.

On the flipside, what the 4 offers over the 4a is a better processor in the Snapdragon 855 compared to the 730G, water resistance, the ability to run the display up to 90Hz, a Neural Core processor, wireless charging, a telephoto lens, and a choice of colours.

Here's the rub for the Pixel 4 though, most of those missing features are neither here nor there. Water resistance would be nice, but in using the 4 for a year, I'm not going wild for the 90Hz display, the neural processing capabilities, nor the telephoto lens. I miss wireless charging but that is only because my house has Pixel Stands, but it's hardly a deal breaker.

In everyday use, the slower chip in the 4a doesn't have an impact and all phones in the 4 series have 6GB of memory at any rate.

Of course, unmentioned until now is the third 4-series Pixel on offer, the 4 XL which has a 537ppi 6.3-inch display against the 443 ppi screen in the 4a. The 4 XL also houses a much larger 3700mAh battery due to its much bigger dimensions.

But you pay for that bigger screen and battery, with a 4 XL costing more than double what it costs for a 4a. In Australia, the 4a retails for AU$600, the 128GB Pixel 4 is sold for AU$1,200, and the 4 XL costs AU$1,430 for 128GB of storage -- 64GB versions were still available at the time of writing for AU$150 cheaper.

That price figure really is the killer number in this comparison.

If you are a fan of large Pixel phones, then the XL is for you, but otherwise, there is little reason to seriously contemplate a 4 over a 4a, other than someone else is offering to pay for it or you really hate money.

At no point while using the 4a over recent weeks did I think it was half a phone compared to the 4. Visually, it is a better looking phone, feels considerably lighter than the 4 -- thanks to its polycarbonate backing instead of glass in the 4 -- and where it does fall short, it isn't a deal breaker.

Vogel review: Google Pixel 4a review: Excellence at an affordable price

Should I need a new phone tomorrow, I would have no hesitation in picking up a 4a, and if the need arises in a few months' time, maybe that purchase would be replaced by the previously announced 4a 5G.

The 4a closes the feature gap on its flagship brethren to such an extent, all the while being AU$50 cheaper than the 3a, that it raises questions about whether Google should even be in the AU$1,000+ smartphone category at all.

If the rumours are true, and Google shifts from the 800-series Snapdragons down to the 765G chip for the Pixel 5, while also giving the 5 a hole-punch camera and a fingerprint reader, then the 4a looks to be the future of the Pixel series. At the very least, it should be an acknowledgement that fingerprint readers are superior and more convenient than a hit and miss facial recognition system for unlocking phones, and that app makers never really embraced it.

In many ways, moving out of the premium flagship market would make a lot of sense. The phones haven't moved many people out of Apple's ecosystem, so that leaves them fighting with Samsung's cavalcade of Galaxy devices -- from Note to S and Flip -- that offer all sorts of hardware tricks and different cameras that Google does not compete with.

If there is a psychological barrier to paying over $1,000 in the United States for a phone, it is doubly so in Australia where the upper end of Samsung's range trades for over AU$2,000.

Provided Google lowers the Pixel 5 price by a reasonable amount, it might give the series a new lease on life for a new time.

Money is tight, people are wearing masks, and despite Apple having more powerful silicon in phones than ever, what is it actually used for? Late 2020 could be the time for a good enough phone -- with a fingerprint reader that doesn't cost four figures -- to storm back into favour.

Of course, if Google doesn't lower the price of the Pixel 5, the company might end up thinking its underwhelming Pixel 4 sales were the glory days.

ZDNET'S MONDAY MORNING OPENER

The Monday Morning Opener is our opening salvo for the week in tech. Since we run a global site, this editorial publishes on Monday at 8:00am AEST in Sydney, Australia, which is 6:00pm Eastern Time on Sunday in the US. It is written by a member of ZDNet's global editorial board, which is comprised of our lead editors across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

PREVIOUSLY ON MONDAY MORNING OPENER:

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Technology - Latest - Google News
August 31, 2020 at 05:00AM
https://ift.tt/3hIyjIB

Pixel 4a raises questions about why Google bothers with flagship phones - ZDNet
Technology - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2AaD5dD
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update

What to expect from the Apple 'iPhone 12' launch in September - AppleInsider

rest.indah.link

Apple is expected to hold its usual September iPhone launch event in the coming weeks, making this an ideal time to check out the rumors for the "iPhone 12" generation that will almost certainly be unveiled by the company.

Each year, the highly anticipated new generation of iPhones spawn a vast amount of rumors and speculation, with leaks and analysts claiming to know what to expect from the year's launches. This is AppleInsider's rundown of rumors that hint at what's included with the "iPhone 12" and its stablemates this year.

When will the "iPhone 12" event be?

Apple traditionally holds its main iPhone launch event in September, something it has done for eight years running. While Apple has held other events in October, they are typically used for the launch of other major products.

On August 12, serial leaker Jon Prosser tweeted that Apple would break with tradition, by announcing product changes to the iPad lineup and introduce the "Apple Watch Series 6" in the week starting September 7. The annual iPhone event would instead take place on October 12.

Another leaker by the name of "ihacktu" on Twitter instead errs towards the event happening on September 8 for the iPhone, while a second event for a new iPad Pro and Apple Silicon Macs will take place on October 27. This seems to go along with the typical event structures of previous years.

A screenshot allegedly showing Apple's 'Test' stream for September

There is also the belief that Apple itself has spoiled the date of the event. A "test" video for an event set to start at 1:15pm Eastern Time on September 10 appeared on Apple's YouTube channel, before being removed from view.

When can you buy an "iPhone 12?"

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic caused issues with Apple's famous supply chain, and it is thought that it has interfered with Apple's intended scheduling to ship the iPhone. Indeed, during its earnings call, Apple leadership confirmed it would not see a "normal" iPhone release schedule in 2020.

As for when the models would go on sale, this would normally depend on the timing of the event itself, but given Apple's warning, all bets are off.

Prosser's October iPhone event claim was accompanied by a suggestion that Apple could break the launch into two release phases, with mid-tier "iPhone 12" models up for preorder in the week of October 19, followed by "Pro" models in November.

An August 3 report from DigiTimes also puts forward the case of there being a two-stage release, but with two 6.1-inch models shipping first followed by the larger and smaller models. The report also claimed the peak time for shipping all new models will skew between two and four weeks later than normal.

How many "iPhone 12" models or screen sizes will there be?

Rumors have largely pointed to four models being released in this generation, in two tiers. The lower tier will consist of the "iPhone 12" and "iPhone 12 Max," which will sport 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch displays, while the upper will be the "iPhone 12 Pro" and iPhone 12 Pro Max, with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens respectively.

Renders of the 2020 iPhones [via iSpazio]

The two tiers will apparently differentiate in a few ways, as it does with the current iPhone 11 generation, with the screens this time being one such variation.

While OLED is expected across the board, rumors point to the Pro models having a Samsung-derived OLED with "Super Retina XDR," as well as 120Hz ProMotion support and a 10-bit color depth. In theory this will mean the Pro models will be able to display a wider range of color than the non-Pro versions, including better HDR video.

Screenshots and video surfacing in late August via Jon Prosser pointed to a ProMotion feature being included in the "iPhone 12 Pro Max," including settings to enable a "High Refresh Rate" and an "Adaptive Refresh Rate."

A14 improvements

Launches of new iPhone models usually include a new system-on-chip designed by Apple, and it is likely to continue to be the case for the "iPhone 12." Following on from the A13 Bionic, Apple is most probably going to opt for the name "A14."

Early rumors pointed to either the use of chip partner TSMC's 5-nanometer or 6-nanometer processes to create the chips, with the smaller size thought to be the one in use for this generation. TSMC is believed to have started mass production using its 5-nanometer process in the second quarter of 2020.

An alleged photo of the A14 SoC [via Mr. White]

In July, a series of images posted to Twitter claimed to show Apple's "A14" processor, though aside from showing the name on the top of the chip, it offered no real detail about the chip's performance. A date on the chip of "2016" refers to the 16th week of 2020, which would suggest the chip was manufactured in April.

In August, TSMC detailed some of the performance and power improvements of its 5-nanometer manufacturing process over earlier types. Compared to the N7 process used for the A13, the N5 is claimed to provide either a 15% performance boost for a comparable amount of power usage, or maintain the same level of performance while being more efficient of power by 30%.

A June video by EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach claimed the "A14" will pack double the transistors of the A13, at 15 billion versus 8.5 billion.

"iPhone 12" Rear cameras and LiDAR

The camera system on the "iPhone 12" is largely thought to be relatively similar to what was offered in the iPhone 11 range, with the non-Pro having two cameras while the Pro models sport three cameras.

For the "iPhone 12," this would consist of 12-megapixel wide-angle and 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lenses, while the "iPhone 12 Pro" pair will have a third 12-megapixel camera for telephoto shots. All will likely benefit from processing improvements, both in software and with the A14's higher performance.

In June, YouTube's EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach claimed the rear cameras will be able to record 4K footage at frame rates of 120fps and 240fps, effectively increasing the resolution of the slo-mo function.

3D-printed mockups [via Mac Otakara]

Screenshots published in August by Jon Prosser supported this, with settings text indicating 4K video could be recorded at 120 or 240fps. There were also mentions of an "Enhanced Night Mode," toggles for "zoom capabilities," "bit depth video," and "advanced noise reduction" in the same leak.

Back in March, famed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the camera array in the "iPhone 12" will support at least one "7P" element instead of a 6P. The use of a seven-element plastic lens may help Apple refine the optical systems it uses to improve photographs and video.

There have been some reports Apple will add LiDAR to the Pro models, borrowing the concept from the iPad Pro. Able to produce a depth map, the LiDAR scanner can help the iPad create a more detailed map of the environment than currently possible using the ARKit framework and standard cameras.

It is feasible that Apple may have some extra features planned for LiDAR in the iPhone, potentially to improve photography. The TrueDepth camera array at the front uses depth mapping as part of its Portrait mode, with depth mapping at the back potentially assisting with other types of photographs involving subjects.

TrueDepth and the iPhone notch

The driving force behind Face ID will continue to be available in this generation, with no word on changes to its capabilities for 2020 so far. What may change is how it appears on the iPhone itself.

Early images from Ben Geskin in September 2019 suggested there were iPhone prototypes that housed the TrueDepth array within the top bezel, eliminating the need for a notch in the display. Geskin's image echoed another July note from Ming-Chi Kuo, claiming the notch would either decrease in size or be removed entirely.

Ben Geskin's alleged in-bezel TrueDepth camera array.

In April, images from leaker "choco_bit" on Twitter suggested the notch could be considerably smaller, but not completely gone. Other images from Jon Prosser that month included a CAD drawing that also showed a smaller notch.

In August, Prosser said the TrueDepth camera notch was largely unchanged from current versions.

Will the "iPhone 12" have 5G connectivity?

One feature that is universally believed to be arriving this year will be support for 5G mobile networks. Apple's signing a deal with Qualcomm puts 5G modems within its grasp, but the main question is one of how it will be implemented in the models.

As 5G is made up of two broad bands of signal, covering sub-6Ghz frequencies and mmWave, 5G aims to have robust and wide coverage using the former and potentially weaker high-speed connectivity with the latter.

A Qualcomm modem and antenna.

Analysts at JP Morgan suggested in December that there would be sub-6GHz 5G support across all models, but only the top-tier versions will have mmWave support.

In June, Wedbush expected Apple would ship models with a mix of 4G and 5G compatibility across the lineup.

DigiTimes wrote in July that all models will work with both bands, but that Apple was entertaining the possibility of issuing models with partial 5G support for specific markets for future generations.

To offset the cost of expensive 5G components, TrendForce speculated Apple would ship the new models with fewer accessories, to bring the overall bill of materials down.

What will the "iPhone 12" look like?

The vast majority of rumors point to Apple borrowing the design language of the iPad Pro lineup for the "iPhone 12" collection.

In April, a Bloomberg source claimed the use of more distinct sides with flattened stainless steel edges instead of a gradually curved corner. The design would echo that of the iPhone 5.

Schematic leaks and supposed molds of the new models followed, which went along with the sharper-edged motif across the range.

[embedded content]

In turn, these helped various outlets create dummies and mockups of what the new models could look like, complete with the square camera bump on the rear and flat metal edges.

Said recreations include versions published by Sonny Dickson, 3D-printed versions from Mac Otakara, as well as versions sourced in July for AppleInsider. The latter of the group is based on schematics leaks used by case manufacturers to produce accessories ahead of the official Apple announcement, and are a fairly good indicator of what to expect from the finished product.

There may be a difference in terms of body design between Pro and non-Pro versions, with the former thought to use stainless steel while the latter uses aluminum.

Other Features of the "iPhone 12"

The memory of the Pro models is thought to be higher at 6 gigabytes, compared to four for the non-Pro versions. The Pro editions will also seemingly benefit from higher storage levels, adding a 512GB option on top of the main 128GB and 256GB capacities.

There is the suggestion that this year could see Apple eliminating Lightning from the iPhone range and moving over to USB-C, though it is also proposed this may occur in 2021, not 2020.

Lastly, to help people use wireless charging correctly, Apple may include magnets in the rear of the casing to help position the iPhone on charging points.

How much will the "iPhone 12" cost?

In terms of how much the new models will cost at launch, the "iPhone 12" is tipped to cost $649 and $749 for the 128GB and 256GB models respectively, rising to $749 and $849 for the "iPhone 12 Max."

For the Pro models, the "iPhone 12 Pro" is thought to be priced from $999 for 128GB of storage, $1,099 for 256GB, and $1,299 for 512GB. The "iPhone 12 Pro Max" is believed to be priced even higher at $1,099, $1,199, and $1,399, depending on capacity.