The OnePlus 4 might be unveiled in June 2017; expect a Snapdragon 830 and 2K display

An image of the OnePlus 3 smartphone. Credit: OnePlus

By tech2 News Staff /  02 Nov 2016 , 17:31

Various sources on Weibo suggest that the OnePlus 4 flagship smartphone will be launched in June or July next year.

Little is known of the phone, but rumours hint at a Snapdragon 830 SoC clocked at 3GHz. This is expected to be paired with an Adreno 620 GPU, 8GB of RAM and 32/64/128GB storage options.

Other rumours indicate that the battery is in the 4,000-4,200mAh range and that the front and rear camera units will be 8MP and 24MP units respectively. It’s not known whether OnePlus will embrace dual-cameras or not.

The display is said to be a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2K (2560×1440).

At launch, the phone is expected to run OxygenOS (based on Android 7.1, this time around) and it might support wireless charging and two SIMs.

Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 830 chipset is said to be based on a 10nm manufacturing process, which should translates to a noticeable improvement in battery life and performance. This would also explain the rumoured 3GHz clock speed. The Adreno 620 is an updated version of the current Adreno 530 GPU and one can expect significant performance improvements.

The upcoming OnePlus 3T is also a phone to keep an eye on in the meanwhile. A minor upgrade to the stellar OnePlus 3, the 3T will come with a Snapdragon 821 SoC and an improved camera module.

Telecom regulator Trai asks telecom operators to inform users about internet speeds and data limits

Representational Image : Reuters

  02 Nov 2016 , 16:43

Telecom regulator Trai Wednesday directed operators to inform customers about the data usage limits of their broadband plans and the extent to which speed of connection will be reduced in case users breach the ‘fair usage’ or data quota cap. Currently, under the ‘fair usage policy’ if a consumer subscribes to an unlimited broadband plan with, say, over 2Mbps speed and his usage breaches a certain quota say 2GB before the billing cycle is over, the provider can reduce the data speed for the remaining period.

The move is aimed at improving transparency and helping customers keep a track of their consumption levels as companies will also have to notify users when their data usage hits 50, 90 and 100 per cent of the prescribed limit under their chosen plan.Trai also said that in

Trai also said that in case of fixed broadband services, operators will have to ensure that download speed for a user does not fall below 512 kbps (as stipulated under Telecom Department norms) under any Fair Usage Plan, even after the assigned data quota expires.

As per today’s directive, broadband operators will have to provide alerts to subscribers through SMS on their registered mobile number/email each time their data usage reaches 50, 90 and 100 per cent of the said limit under their plan. Telecom service providers should also maintain a portal/website, so that users can check their usage at any point of time, it said.

Trai directive said for fixed broadband service users, companies under ‘fair usage policy’ will have to specify data usage limit and the promised speeds, as well as speed of the connection after excess usage. Similarly, for mobile broadband service, operators will have to specify the technology used for providing the data services alongwith the usage quota, and the speeds offered after the such data limits are breached.

This information has to be provided on the telecom operators’ website as well as in advertisements, Trai said. Trai directive said that the move was aimed at ensuring transparency in delivery of internet and broadband services. “…(this will) protect interest of consumers of the telecom sector, and facilitate further growth of internet and broadband services in India,” it said.

PTI

Android is now as secure as the iPhone: Google Security Engineer

Image Credit: Rob Bulmahn

By tech2 News Staff /  02 Nov 2016 , 16:37

If someone tells a security enthusiast that an Android smartphone is more secure than an iPhone, there are chances that he or she may simply laugh it off.

For years, Android phones have been known to be vulnerable when it comes to security compared to the iPhone. But, folks at Android have been trying their best to shed off this tag of being a less secure platform. In a recent interview, talking about the level of security, Adrian Ludwig, the director of security at Android told Motherboard that the Google Pixel and the iPhone are equal when it comes to security.

He said that the security level is ‘nearly identical’ when it comes to ‘almost all threat models’. He further went on to add that Android will soon be better.

“In the long term, the open ecosystem of Android is going to put it in a much better place,” he reportedly added further. But, hasn’t Android been around for almost eight years already? The hiccups of openness and fragmentation continue to exist.

At the O’Reilly Security Conference, Ludwig also spoke about Android’s built-in Safety Net that is capable of scanning 400 million devices per day and also check through 6 billion apps/day. He went on to say that very few Android devices have malware, rather he even said that the number is limited to less than one percent.

While some of the past reports also question the iOS security, Google’s Android  has more to worry about.

Adobe MAX 2016: Creators report 13% higher household incomes than non-creators, says Adobe report

  02 Nov 2016 , 16:07

Investing in creativity pays off with tangible benefits — from higher income to greater national competitiveness and productivity, a new Adobe report said on Wednesday.

The report, “State of Create: 2016”, released on the eve of Adobe MAX 2016 creativity conference, revealed that people who identify as creators globally report household income that is 13 per cent higher than non-creators.

Globally, more than two-thirds believe that being creative helps make people better workers, leaders, parents and students, the report highlighted. It incorporates responses from more than 5,000 adults across five countries.

“Creativity and productivity go hand in hand, but investing in creativity isn’t on the agenda for enough of today’s leaders,” Mala Sharma, vice president and general manager of Creative Cloud at Adobe, said in a statement.

“This survey provides a big wake-up call to businesses that they need to think differently and give employees the tools and freedom to be creative,” she added.

According to the report, US respondents said that being creative is valuable to the economy (77 per cent) and society (82 per cent).

Only five in 10 respondents (55 per cent) describe themselves as creative and 44 per cent say they are living up to their creative potential, showed the survey that found US creators earning 17 per cent more than non-creators.

“Businesses benefit from prioritising creativity and good design. Nearly 88 per cent believe that businesses that invest in creativity are more likely to foster innovation and 89 per cent believe that those who have adopted creativity have satisfied customers,” the report found.

The report pointed out that governments that invest in creativity are viewed more positively but agrees that there is a clear disconnect between the high value society places on creativity and the lack of investment in creative education.

Seventy-one per cent of respondents believe that creativity is being stifled by the educational system, and only 41 per cent feel that the government encourages schools to teach students to be creative.

The report also found that Japan is the most creative country and Tokyo the most creative city followed by the US and New York respectively.

IANS

Apple AirPods won’t ship before January 2017: Report

By tech2 News Staff /  02 Nov 2016 , 14:08

The new iPhones have said goodbye to the 3.5mm audio jack. We saw it coming and it didn’t hit us that hard, but that lightning to audio jack adaptor seems awful. Apple did see that coming, or may be not. But it did announce a new product that we weren’t anticipating, The AirPods.

These wireless in-ear headphones come with a simple pairing solution and are powered by Apple’s new W1 chip. According to the company, they use a Bluetooth-like technology for connectivity which has been developed by Apple itself. Claimed to deliver up to five hours of battery life it comes with a charging case (similar to the Samsung Gear IconX) that can hold additional charge that allows a user to charge them on the go. Apple claimed that one can go for up to 24 hours of usage without the need of a power outlet. The AirPods can also be used to trigger Siri.

Apple had announced the awkward looking wireless earphones along with the new iPhones and had said that they would start shipping in October. However there seems to be a delay. According to a new report the new accessory will not hit stores before January.

DigiTimes has reported that Inventec, the supplier for the AirPods, will begin the shipments from the month of January 2017. It is also being said that thanks to the AirPods, Inventec’s revenue will go up by 7 percent next year.

Another report from Apple Insider says that the AirPods will be ready to ship by the end of this year and will not delay for the next year.

When these earphone actually make it to the market, they will cost $159 or Rs 15,400 in India.