After the Chinese government’s intervention, Apple has recently removed Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in the country. Well, it isn’t something new, or haven’t heard of. Previously, the Cupertino giant had to remove multiple apps from the Chinese App Store. However, it is the first instance where Apple de-listed two major social media apps.
The Chinese government ordered Apple to remove messaging apps like WhatsApp, Threads, and more
While China provides no concrete statement on the matter, a concerned person has briefed the possible reason behind the same. Apparently, Chinese officials found a few ‘inflammatory’ content on WhatsApp and Threads related to the country’s president, Xi Jinping.
Although it’s still unclear what exactly was there in the content that made the official take such a decision. But, whatever it was, it is said to have violated China’s cybersecurity laws. They believed the apps posed some sort of national security concern. The Wall Street Journal in its recent report mentions that Apple had to oblige with the Chinese government directives even if “it disagrees.”
In addition, China has also directed Apple to remove many other global messaging apps. This includes the popular US-based and Dubai-based chat apps Signal and Telegram, respectively.
Apple never had a choice to oppose the removal of WhatsApp and Threads given that its entire supply chain of iPhone could take a big toll if it chooses that path. Although the company has set up several manufacturing plants across the globe, it could take years for it to match the supply it gets from China.
China’s move to remove WhatsApp and Telegram is another effort to ensure what citizens can see online. The recent action has sparked the fire yet again to the ongoing tech war between the US and China. Let’s not forget that this could be China’s other way of replying to the US government’s decision to sanction Chinese semiconductor firms.
Google Messages could soon get Parental Controls. Conversations inside the app may require an adult’s permission to go through, and perhaps even to be opened or viewed.
Google Messages app’s beta version has Parental Controls
Google Messages has been evolving quickly. The iMessage rival could soon offer parents more supervisory power and the ability to restrict messages.
X (formerly Twitter) user AssembleDebugdiscovered the new feature. The user even managed to activate the Parental Control feature that is hidden inside a beta version of the Google Messages app.
It appears the Parental Control feature was present in quite a few previous versions of the Google Messages app. However, for some reason, Google kept this feature hidden and deactivated.
Google Messages preparing stricter parental control options which will allow parents to restrict their kids/teens from viewing and sending messages.
AssembleDebug managed to activate Parental Control within version 20240416_00_RC01 of the Google Messages app. Some experimental flags, not available to general users, had to be triggered for Parental Controls to be visible and valuable.
The Google Messages app is a complete replacement for traditional SMS/MMS messaging platforms for Android smartphones. Google has been reminding Android smartphone users to install and switch over to the Google Messages app.
How does the Parental Control feature work?
As the above Tweet indicates, Parental Controls in the Google Messages app activate “Ask your parent for approval” and “To send, ask your parent for approval” for some message threads.
These notifications imply children will need permission from an adult to operate the app. Without approval, a child or teen won’t be able to send or receive messages within that particular conversation thread. The setting may even restrict viewing messages from certain contacts or groups.
Given the scope of the Google Messages app, it is quite likely that these settings would apply to RCS (Rich Communication Services) and traditional SMS/MMS messaging.
It is not immediately clear how children would seek a parent’s approval. Some reports suggest this new feature may be managed by the Family Link app or a web interface. Parents may have to manage each messaging thread. Adults would be able to exempt certain conversations or change the permission setting for the entire app.
Google Messages may bring the Parental Control feature soon.
With Parental Control, parents would be able to approve, restrict, or even completely block their children’s messaging activities. They would have the ability to restrict conversations on a per-contact or per-conversation basis.
Needless to say, this feature has far-reaching implications. Recently Meta activated a new feature that blurs images with nudity and warns users before sending such messages.
Google seems to have gone multiple steps ahead. The new feature could invariably spark multiple debates about privacy. However, parents may welcome the new feature, especially due to the alarming risks such as sextortion, cyberbullying, and much more.
Looks like big changes are still on the horizon for Google’s Messages app, even after its ongoing big rollout of features that began last year. Recently a developing feature was spotted that would potentially offer parents much more control over their kids’ chats.
This was first brought to light by AssembleDebug (via PiunikaWeb), who managed to force-activate the hidden feature using flags on version 20240416_00_RC01 of the app. In the screenshots shared, we see that instead of a normal conversation list, some chats may be clearly marked with “Ask your parent for approval.”
Credit: PiunikaWeb
This means kids and teens won’t be able to message those contacts without their parent’s say-so. And if you try to open one of these restricted conversations, the message is even clearer: “To send, ask your parent for approval.”
If I had to guess, I would say that these new parental controls will be part of the Google Family Link app, where parents usually manage permissions for what minors can or cannot do on their devices. Currently, Family Link has content restrictions in place for general settings and certain apps, such as Google Play and YouTube, but none exist at the moment for Google Messages. It is possible that this will change once these restrictions are rolled out.
The implications with this change would include parents how having the power to give the thumbs up, set limits, or outright block kids’ messaging on a case-by-case basis. Depending on your use-case, this may be a good thing if not, to make sure your children aren’t being targeted and contacted by strangers.
Naturally, this level of control raises important questions about privacy versus protection within families. Yet, given the dangers kids face online, from cyberbullying to worse, many parents will no doubt be relieved to have these powerful new safeguarding tools within the Google Messages app.
Well, there’s no denying it now. The upcoming Pixel 9 phones will resemble Bender from Futurama. After covering numerous leaks, viewing renders, and following word of mouth, we finally have some alleged live images of the Pixel 9 Pro, and they seem to confirm the new and very interesting design.
While these are live images of the phone, you’ll still want to take this news with a grain of salt. These images do look legitimate, but we cannot confirm with 100% accuracy that these are of the Pixel 9 Pro. So, while these do look convincing, it’s always best to wait for Google to officially confirm the information before making judgments.
Alleged live images of the Pixel 9 Pro surface
The most notable thing about the Pixel 9 leaks is a new design for the camera bump. When we first got news about the Pixel 9, we saw that the camera bump could potentially be a large pill-shaped protrusion on the back of the phone. This contrasts the full-length camera visor that we’ve seen starting with the Pixel 6 series of phones.
The live images come to us from Rozetked, and they show us what seems to be the Pixel 9 Pro. One thing adding to the legitimacy of these leaks is something that they don’t really bring attention to. The reflection in the first image shows what looks to be some sort of factory or warehouse location.
In the same image, we see information about the phone through the fast boot mode info screen. It reveals information like the RAM (16GB of LPDDR5 RAM) and storage (128GB). So, this may confirm that this phone will come with 16GB of RAM.
Now, on to the design
The next image looks a little bit weird, but that’s because it was crudely photoshopped. In any case, we see the Bender-style camera bump. It’s significant enough to cast a pretty notable shadow, and the edges of it look rather sharp. That’s one of the reasons why people have been cautious about this device.
Within the camera bump, we see three sensors. Next to them, we see the LED flash and what looks like the next generation of the temperature sensor right under it. If so, then it seems that Google has more faith in this feature that was lauded as a gimmick when it first came out.
Looking at the back plate, we see that it’s matte glass. Even in the deplorable lighting, the color does look nice.
Flat sides
The sides of the phone will look flatter compared to previous Pixel phones. This is what people are calling “iPhone-esque” sides. In all honesty, if you replace the Bender-style camera package with an iPhone-style camera Island, it would pretty much be distinguishable from a current iPhone. However, Apple did not invent the flat sides.
One thing about the form of the phone is that it’s very rounded. The edges round off to meet the front and back of the phone. It almost gives the device a less refined look compared to the iPhone and Galaxy S24/S24+. However, this is just by looking at the images provided.
The side view of the phone gives us a look at just how far the camera package will extend from the phone. Honestly, this does not look like it will be subtle at all. So, people looking for a paper-thin device may have to look elsewhere.
Other than that, we see the typical slew of features such as the speaker cut-out, USB-C Port, and SIM tray on the bottom. The top of the phone houses a microphone and a pill-shaped cut-out.
Other information about the Pixel 9 phones
We’ve been covering a ton of rumors surrounding Google’s next flagship phones, and they get pretty wild. Firstly, it appears that Google will revive the XL model of its phones by bringing in a Pixel 9 Pro XL model. So, as it stands, we could be looking at a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL.
If that’s the case, then the Pixel 9 Pro may not be much bigger than the Pixel 9. This would give people all the functionality of the more powerful Pixel phone while providing a more manageable form factor. That may be a good idea.
Also, there’s a chance that Google could release its next foldable under the Pixel 9 name. According to recent reports, Google may call it the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. If that happens, then we may be looking at four Pixel 9 models launching.
Is Google hiding Tuta Mail from search results? Here’s the controversy surrounding Tuta Mail’s search ranking and dig deeper into the potential violation of Europe’s DMA. Learn about algorithmic bias, the importance of search transparency, and how users can navigate a potentially unfair digital marketplace.
For many users seeking privacy-focused email solutions, the popular open-source encrypted email service Tuta Mail (previously Tutanota) is a great alternative to mainstream providers. However, the company recently raised concerns about its visibility in Google search results.
Tuta Mail Being De-ranked on Google?
Hanover, Germany-based Tuta Mail, the world’s second-largest secure email service provider, isn’t appearing on Google for search terms like “encrypted email” or “secure email”. Moreover, a dramatic drop in search ranking for “Tutanota login” is observed, suggesting a potential violation of the European Digital Markets Act (DMA).
What happens when Tutanota login is typed in Google (Screenshot: Hackread.com)
According to Tuta Mail’s blog, its users in Germany cannot view Tuta’s website as the first result but only on their Android app on Google Play. It may have severe implications for Tuta’s business, despite being a Google-specific issue, because on other search engines, like Bing or DuckDuckGo, there’s no such issue. This lack of search visibility for relevant keywords can hinder Tuta’s ability to compete in the email service market and put them at a disadvantage.
Why Might Google Be De-ranking Tuta Mail?
Tuta Mail’s lower ranking in Google search results could be due to various factors, including relevance, algorithmic bias, and technical issues. Google’s search algorithms prioritize user experience, and other email service providers may have higher relevance scores. Technical glitches or indexing problems can cause temporary website disappearance from search results, but this is highly unlikely for an established service like Tuta Mail. It is a complex issue and Google must address it to ensure transparency and user awareness.
What’s more concerning is that it violates the DMA, which promotes fair competition for privacy-conscious companies. The DMA being a new regulation, is evolving its enforcement of search engine practices. If Tuta Mail has evidence of Google manipulating search results, they could file a complaint.
Not the First Time for Tuta:
Tuta Mail has been facing blockages from multiple sides. In 2022, Hackread.com reported Microsoft blocking Tutanota/Tuta Mail email addresses from registering for Microsoft Teams accounts, despite the service having over 2 million registered users.
Russia also blocked Tuta in certain parts of the country in February 2020 without notifying the team about the reason whereas the service has been blocked in Egypt since October 2019.
In a comment to Hackread.com, Matthias Pfau, co-founder of Tuta Mail, criticized Google’s monopoly over search engine results, specifically its impact on determining what to show and what not to show.
“This issue is limited to Google only. But due to Google’s search dominance in Europe and North America, the drop we see in search results directly affects our business: When potential users are not able to find our website on Google, it means we lose business. Google must stop this unfair limitation of showing our website in search results immediately. We have tried to contact Google directly, but since this did not work, we have to make the issue public.”
Amazon is currently discounting a pretty popular USB-C cable from Sabrent, where you can pick up the 1-meter/3.3-foot long cable for just $9.93.
Currently, it’s listed for $11.69 on Amazon, but if you use the promo code 154WU43B at checkout, you can drop that price down to $9.93. That’s not a bad price for a braided USB-C cable, but it will also show you how fast it is charging.
That’s right, this USB-C cable has a display on one end, which will show you the charging speed it is currently charging at. It’s pretty useful to have, as you can see when the power starts flowing and also if the cable is charging as fast as it should be.
Of course, with this being a braided cable, it is going to be more durable than a lot of other cables on the market. Meaning it can handle pets and kids chewing and bending the cable, without it getting destroyed and needing to be replaced.
This Sabrent USB-C cable is capable of holding up to 100W charging speeds, which is fast enough for most products. Seeing as there are very few that charge at over 100W right now. It also works well for transferring data, with speeds up to 480Mbps.
You can pick up the Sabrent USB-C cable today at the link below.
Samsung‘s smartphone factory in Vietnam has reached a remarkable milestone. Located in the Thai Nguyen province of the Southeast Asian country, the factory has produced a billion mobile devices in its lifetime. It churned out the one billionth product, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, on Wednesday, April 17. SEVT (Samsung Electronics Vietnam Thai Nguyen), as the factory is known, organized an event to celebrate the milestone.
Samsung factory produces one billion devices in ten years
Established in 2013, SEVT is one of Samsung’s largest factories globally. Along with Galaxy phones, the factory makes various other products such as smartwatches, TWS earbuds, and chargers. It recently produced its one billionth product, achieving a remarkable milestone ten years after its inception. “This is an extremely impressive and proud milestone that few phone factories in the world have achieved,” the company said in a press release.
The celebratory event was attended by SEVT’s General Director Mr. Park Sung Ho. General Directors of five other Samsung factories in Vietnam, representatives of the Trade Union executive committee, management levels, and employee representatives of SEVT functional departments were also present during the ceremony. The company played a video recreating the journey from the first to one billionth product at the event.
Samsung also made special trophies marking the history of milestones from 100 million to 900 million products. Automated mobile robots brought the trophies to the stage. According to the company, SEVT manufactured its 100 millionth product in 2015. It was a Galaxy Note 5. The Galaxy S7 in 2016, S8 in 2017, S9 in 2018, S10 in 2019, and S20 in 2020 respectively marked the milestones from 200 million to 600 million products.
The 700 millionth product manufactured by SEVT was a Galaxy Note 20. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 earned the distinction of being the 800 millionth product, while the honor of the 900 millionth product went to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The Galaxy S24 Ultra fittingly achieved the huge milestone of the one billionth device churned out by Samsung’s massive factory in Vietnam. It is the best smartphone to come out of the Korean firm’s doors yet.
Samsung has five more factories in Vietnam
Vietnam is a huge manufacturing hub for Samsung. It operates five more factories in the county. Its Bac Ninh factory, which kicked off the Korean firm’s heavy investments in Vietnam in 2008, has already produced more than 1.13 billion products. The company also has a retail unit and a Research and Development Center in the capital city of Hanoi.
“Samsung started producing the first mobile phone in 1988. To date, the total output of Samsung phones produced globally is more than 6 billion products. The time to reach the number of the first 1 billion Samsung phone products in the world was 21 years, but for SEVT alone, it only took 10 years to achieve that output. That is enough to show the strength and pride of our legal entity,” Ho said (Google translated from Vietnamese).
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, and IT and cybersecurity are no exception. While some fear AI replacing human workers, the reality is far more subtle. AI will undoubtedly automate tasks, but it will also create entirely new job opportunities in both the IT and cybersecurity sectors.
According to the cybersecurity and IT certification exam practice platform Examice, the IT sector has become more lucrative than ever before due to the sudden emergence of AI applications. This growth has caused the need for skilled professionals capable of managing and securing AI-driven systems.
ISC2’s AI Cyber 2024 study also reveals a strong sense of optimism among respondents, with 82% expressing belief in AI’s potential to enhance job efficiency. Additionally, 56% anticipate AI streamlining certain job tasks, thereby allowing more time for tasks of higher value. However, there is a general concern among 75% of respondents regarding the potential misuse of AI for cyberattacks and other malicious purposes.
This article explores how AI will impact these fields and the skills that will be most in demand in the coming years.
AI’s Impact on IT
AI’s integration into IT optimises operational tasks and promotes innovation, allowing IT professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives. Here are three key impacts of AI on the IT sector:
Automation of Mundane Tasks: AI will take over repetitive tasks like server management, software configuration, and basic troubleshooting. This will free up IT professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives like cloud migration, data center optimization, and user experience design.
Enhanced Network Management: AI-powered tools will proactively monitor networks, identify potential issues, and even take corrective actions before problems arise. This will lead to increased network uptime and efficiency.
The Rise of AI-powered Support: Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI will handle routine user inquiries, freeing up IT staff to address more complex issues.
New Opportunities in IT
While adding innovation to the Information Technology sector AI is also creating new opportunities for professionals, job seekers and entrepreneurs. Here are three among countless opportunities that professionals are already taking advantage of, thanks to AI:
AI Integration Specialists: Businesses will need specialists to integrate AI solutions into existing IT infrastructure and ensure seamless operation.
Data Scientists and Analysts: The vast amount of data generated by AI systems will require skilled data scientists to analyze it and extract valuable insights.
IT Security Specialists for AI: As AI becomes more prevalent, securing these systems against cyberattacks will be crucial. This will create a demand for IT security professionals with expertise in AI vulnerabilities.
AI and Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is already a lucrative sector. While hackers can earn big bucks, they also protect and serve their countries by protecting their critical infrastructure from devastating cyber attacks.
It is also a fact that as the cybersecurity sector grows the same can be said about cyber attacks and cyber criminals. Here are 6 key things AI can or is already helping organisations with:
AI-powered Threat Detection: AI can analyze network traffic patterns and identify malicious activity with greater accuracy and speed than traditional methods. This will be crucial in the fight against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.
Vulnerability Detection: AI can continuously scan systems for vulnerabilities and recommend patches before attackers can exploit them.
AI-driven Phishing Detection: AI can analyze emails and identify subtle language cues that might indicate a phishing attempt.
Expertise in AI Security: Understanding how AI systems work and the specific security challenges they pose will be essential.
Human-AI Collaboration: Security professionals will need to be adept at working alongside AI tools to leverage their combined strengths.
Strong Analytical Skills: The ability to analyze data and identify security threats will remain a critical skill.
The Future is Bright
The rise of AI will undoubtedly change the future of the IT and cybersecurity sectors. However, these changes will not lead to widespread job displacement. Instead, AI will create new opportunities for professionals who are willing to adapt and develop the skills needed to thrive in this evolving environment.
However, cybercriminals are also monitoring the rise of AI. Malicious versions of AI chatbots, such as WormGPT and FraudGPT, are prime examples. Therefore, authorities must take necessary measures to prevent the misuse of AI, while simultaneously fostering its beneficial applications in the IT and cybersecurity domains.
Huawei rebranded one of its flagship smartphone series recently. The company rebranded the ‘Huawei P’ series to ‘Huawei Pura’ series. A couple of days after that, the company announced the Huawei Pura 70 series of devices. The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is the most powerful smartphone in that series. That’s the phone we’re here to talk about. It easily stands out compared to its siblings, even though the other three devices are also rather compelling.
The company announced the Huawei Pura 70, Pura 70 Pro, Pura 70 Pro+, and Pura 70 Ultra handsets. The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra does stand apart with its design, a bit, and it also has the best camera setup out of the bunch. In this article, we’ll try to give you as much information about it as possible. Before we start, though, do note that the phone launched in China only, at least for now. A global launch is expected in the near future. Having said that, let’s get to it.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra specs
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra has the most powerful specifications in the series. It is fueled by the all-new Kirin 9010 SoC. That is Huawei’s new chip made in collaboration with SMIC. Huawei still has not shared all the details about it, but we presume it’s made on the same 7nm process as the Kirin 9000S. This is a 12-core processor with a slightly more powerful GPU, though. In addition to that, Huawei also included 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside of this phone. Users can choose between 512GB and 1TB of internal storage. Do note that the storage is not expandable, though.
A large LTPO AMOLED display is included
A 6.8-inch display is included here, and it offers a resolution of 2844 x 1260 pixels. This is an LTPO AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz (1-120Hz). The display has a high-frequency PWM dimming (1440Hz) and also offers a 300Hz touch sampling rate. The display comes rounded on all sides, but it’s technically a flat display, only the glass is curved. The ppi here is 460, and the panel itself is protected by the Kunlun glass which has proven to be very effective on past Huawei flagships.
The phone supports blazing fast charging & 20W reverse wireless charging
A 5,200mAh battery sits inside the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. The phone supports 100W wired, 80W wireless, and 20W reverse wireless charging. The charger does come included in the box, in case you were wondering, and so does a case for the device. The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. It supports Bluetooth 5.2, and comes with USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port at the bottom.
its camera setup is one of its main upsides
The camera setup is particularly interesting here. Huawei’s flagships are well-known for their camera prowess, even since the collaboration with Leica became a thing of the past. The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra includes a 50-megapixel main camera, which is retractable. Yes, it’s physically retractable. The retracting mechanism has been tested for 300,000 cycles, so it’s more than robust enough. The main camera offers a multi-stop aperture ranging from f/1.6 to f/4.0. It also supports sensor shift anti-shake, with OIS, of course. Huawei also used a 1-inch camera sensor here. The company did not list which one on its detailed spec sheet, but the Sony IM989 was rumored, so it’s likely that one.
Huawei included a very capable macro telephoto camera on the back
In addition to the main camera, ultrawide and macro telephoto cameras are also included. A 40-megapixel ultrawide camera sits on the back and offers an f/2.2 aperture. A 50-megapixel macro telephoto camera is also included here. It has an f/2.1 aperture, OIS support, and it has a 5cm macro mode. This camera supports a 3.5x optical zoom and offers focal lengths of 22.5mm, 13mm, and 90mm. 100x digital zoom is also supported here. 4K video recording is supported in general, and so is fullHD super slow-motion recording at 960fps. A 13-megapixel camera sits on the phone’s front side, and it’s an ultrawide unit with an f/2.4 aperture lens.
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra measures 162.6 x 75.1 x 8.4mm, and weighs 226 grams.
What materials did Huawei use, and what the phone looks like?
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is made out of metal and vegan leather. Huawei used aluminum for the phone’s frame, and you will find vegan leather aka eco leather aka silicon polymer on the phone’s back. On the front, you’ll see a flat display with curved glass on top of it. That glass is curved on all four sides, actually. The phone’s backside is also curved on all sides, as it’s proportional to the front.
The phone should provide you with plenty of grip thanks to eco leather on the back. Well, more than a glass phone would, that’s for sure. All four color variants of the phone use the same materials. Now, you’ll also notice a triangle-shaped camera island on the back, but all of its corners are rounded. That’s Huawei’s new camera island design, and the one on the ‘Ultra’ model is the largest. The XMAGE branding and the LED flash are placed outside of that camera module. All the physical buttons sit on the phone’s right-hand side.
How much does the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra cost?
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra comes in two variants in China. It is on offer with 512GB and 1TB of storage. Both of those variants come with 16GB of RAM. The 512GB storage model is available for CNY9,999 ($1,381), while the model with 1TB of storage is priced at CNY10,999 ($1,519). Do note that the price tags will be considerably different if this handset ends up launching in markets outside of China… and it almost certainly will.
Where can I buy the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra?
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra has only launched in China, for now. The same goes for all three of its siblings. A global launch is expected in the near future, though Huawei still hasn’t confirmed anything about it. Once the phone becomes globally available, if that happens, we’ll update this section with more information. Until then, only users in China can experience the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. Well, you can also import it, but that’s not something we’d suggest. Wait for a possible global launch.
What colors does the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra come in?
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra comes in four color options. Those colors are green, brown, white, and black. Huawei does have special names for all of them, though. Do note that they’ve been translated via Google Translate, though. The names are Chanson Green, Mocha Brown, Starburst White, and Starburst Black, respectively. If the phone ends up launching globally, it’s possible that not all of these colors will be available. Huawei could also use different names for them for global markets.
Does Huawei Pura 70 Ultra comes with Google services?
No, it does not. As many of you know by now, Huawei has been banned by the US in a number fo ways. The company is not allowed to use Google services on its devices, and thus Huawei uses its own services, HMS. Do note that considering Google services are not allowed, you’re not getting the Google Play Store here, nor any of Google’s apps. You’ll need to use an emulator to get them running, such as GSpace. Huawei does include its own app store here, though, AppGallery. The same will be the case with the global model if it ever gets launched. The global model will include a global version of AppGallery, though.
What are the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra’s main selling points?
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra seems to be a rather compelling phone on paper, for a number of reasons. We’ll go over some of the phone’s main selling points below, some of its most interesting aspects.
Outstanding camera setup
The phone has a truly great camera setup. There are three cameras included on the back, but they offer all the functionality you’ll need, really. The main focus is on the phone’s main camera, which is retractable. Huawei opted for a 1-inch camera sensor here, likely the Sony IMX989, and added variable aperture to it (f/1.6-f/4.0), not to mention sensor shift anti-shake. On top of that, a 40-megapixel ultrawide camera is on offer and a 50-megapixel macro telephoto camera. You can get as close as 5cm in order for this camera to properly zoom in on an object, while 3.5x optical zoom is supported too. This camera can zoom in up to 100x, in case you were wondering.
Blazing fast wired & wireless charging
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra offers extremely fast charging, in case you end up needing it halfway through your day. The phone supports 100W wired charging, which can charge this phone in no time. In addition to that, 50W wireless charging is also supported. A 100W charging brick is included in the package, though you’ll need to get a proper wireless charger in order to take advantage of wireless charging.
Faster reverse wireless charging
Another charging-related detail that is worth noting is reverse wireless charging. We separated this because it’s rather unusual. You often see 5W and 10W reverse wireless charging on phones. The same cannot be said for 20W reverse wireless charging, and yet the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra offers exactly that. This smartphone can be used as a proper wireless charging bank if you end up needing it.
The phone’s design
Based on Huawei’s previous smartphone with similar aesthetics, we’re rather confident the phone will be very comfortable to hold and use. The front and back sides are proportionally curved, on all sides. The thing is, only the glass on the front is curved, and considering that vegan leather is used on the back, the phone won’t be all that slippery. From the looks standpoint, the phone also looks very nice, and its bezels seem to be uniform.
Google-free experience
Some of you actually want a proper Google-free experience, and the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is basically THE phone to deliver that. It doesn’t come with Google services, and the same will be the case for its global model if it becomes available. If that does happen, then this point is even more true. You can use Huawei’s AppGallery and app repositories and stay free of Google entirely, should you choose to do so. That’s not an option for many people in global markets, but if you prefer it, this is the way to go.
What cases are available for the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra?
Huawei is listing some cases for the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra, on its website in China. The question is whether they’ll be available in other markets if this phone goes global. It remains to be seen. In any case, three cases are listed, Magnetic Protective Case, Micropump Liquid Cooling Case, and Cloud Leather Protective Case. You can check out all those cases in the gallery below.
We’ve only included a single color option for each case, but more than one are available. The Magnetic Protective Case comes in brown, black, and green colors. The Micropump Liquid Cooling Case comes in black only. The Cloud Leather Protective Case is available in white, green, purple, and rose red colors.
The Magnetic Protective Case comes with a leather back, and it’s very thin. It has magnetic functionality as it comes with a magnetic ring on the inside. The Micropump Liquid Cooling Case actually has cooling built-in, believe it or not. And last, but not least, the Cloud Leather Protective Case comes with a leather back, and it’s very, very soft. It’s like having additional pillowy padding on the back.
Should I buy the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra?
Should you get the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra? Well, I’d say not yet, unless you live in China. If the phone ends up reaching global markets at some point, and you can live without Google, or you wish to do so, then it may be a great choice. Just keep in mind that the AppGallery is still limited when it comes to apps, at least compared to the Google Play Store. We can’t wait to test out the cameras on this device, as past Huawei flagships were commendable, to say the least.
Earlier this month, the Meta Quest 3 headset was reported to receive the lying down mode with the Meta Quest OS v64 update. This feature makes it more comfortable to work with more static content such as streaming videos.
HDR videos on Meta Quest 3 are currently only available in 4K
Now, with the latest 1.54 version update of the YouTube VR app, Meta Quest devices get the ability to play 8K (4320p) videos. However, 8K videos are limited to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content. The update is also only available to the Meta Quest 3 as of this writing. So, Meta Quest 3 users with YouTube VR app version 1.54 or above can now enjoy SDR videos in 8K resolution.
You can search for 8K videos on the YouTube VR app and play one. You will then need to go to the video settings and set the resolution to 4320p. HDR (High Dynamic Range) videos won’t show the 4320p option, at least for now. Notably, you can stream 360-degree 8K videos as well. Although, there isn’t a ton of of 8K content on the platform yet.
Reportedly, the support for 8K videos on YouTube may not come to the previous two Meta Quest VR headsets due to their lower screen resolution. An 8K image is roughly about 33MP. The Meta Quest 3 offers a screen resolution of 2064 x 2208 pixels. It’s still only about 4.5MP but as Ars Technica noted, it’s a “huge leap” as compared to its predecessors. Speaking of the predecessors, the Meta Quest 2 and the Meta Quest Pro, the screen resolution is 1832×1920 (only about 3.5MP). The computing power of the older chips may also be insufficient to support the new feature.
Despite the lower resolution, 8K videos appear relatively sharper on Quest 3
It’s important to note that the display in the Meta Quest 3 also has a much lower number of pixels than what’s required for representing an 8K image or video properly. It’s even lower than 4K. However, as Nicholas Sutrich from Android Central noted, it still offers a clearer image.
The Meta Quest headset boasts the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, which according to Qualcomm, offers a 2.5x boost in GPU performance. Alongside these improvements, Meta is also working on a new product to enhance classroom learning with its Quest headsets.
